PART IV: BONUS CHAPTER

"You think those dogs will not be in heaven! I tell you they will be there long before any of us."
—Robert Louis Stevenson

---

Five Years Later

Mei was at the Chasm when he finally saw it.

He hadn't come to gawk at the Chasm, of course. No one had expected the new creatures to be there so soon, in spite of the wild and rampant rumors from Tobiko, pieced together from numerous birds winging eastward as fast as their wings would take them. Something strange and fearsome was clearly developing… but still, the Chasm was the Chasm, and huge gray creatures surely couldn't cross it in less than a day at the very least. So Mei hadn't gone to witness whatever was happening—he'd just visited the wolves to be sociable, as he often did. And to visit Gabu, of course. That was the one constant in both their lives that neither would give up—they had to spend time regularly together, or they wouldn't be happy.

He'd approached the Citadel gaily with a daisy in his tail and his scarf's knot turned up at an angle to signal that he was expecting safe passage. Of course, everyone knew who he was, but formalities were formalities! Gabu had to arrange Mei's visits in advance to make sure he wouldn't be attacked, but once he was there, they were free to roam Sukima Wolf territory as much as they liked. True, it was riskier than Gabu coming to visit, since the worst that could come from that was a few frightened goats… and if they recognized his friendly yellow scarf—one of many they'd made from cloth salvaged from the Citadel—they'd know he wasn't there to hunt. Still, it was worth it. For one thing, Mei enjoyed the company of the some of the other wolves, who smiled brightly to see him. For another thing, both animals relished their freedom, and didn't relish the idea that only one of their homes was open to the other.

Life was good, by and large. The goats of Sougen Keep were more spirited than those Mei had grown up with, leaping from rock to rock at the edge of the scraggly woods and sometimes even laying rock courses for sport. They were of his own kind and had a healthy fear of wolves, but it hadn't been all that monumentally difficult to convince them that individual wolves could be creatures of honor—to be trusted for a day, if not forever. Gabu's winning charm had certainly helped! It had been harder for Gabu to convince his own new people, the Sukima wolves, to let Mei walk among them peacefully now and then. But that had laid the groundwork for letting other goats visit and friendships form. It had been difficult, of course, because the wolves preyed on the goats… but Mei and Gabu had experience attacking that barrier now. They'd spent a year softening up their respective clans, strewing metaphorical flowers across the way, followed by another year firming up the rules and fomenting good feelings. And now?

Well, it wasn't exactly a land at peace, but the two groups now enjoyed relations about as good as one could hope for natural enemies. And last year, a young trio of two goats and a wolf had struck out on their own together, unwilling to live with the tension of never knowing when the goats might meet their fate at the wolves' claws. Mei chose to view that as a victory. He wondered where the trio would end up, and whether their story might be anything like his and Gabu's own.

Tsume no longer came out this way, but his children, Toshi and Tobiko, were invaluable for passing news along. Hatsu and Haburo's passion for delivering news and being helpful had been the prime inspiration for Tsume's children, in fact… and when Toshi and Tobiko had declared their intention to keep the various groups of larger animals in touch, it had warmed the warblers' hearts to an extent Mei suspected they hadn't been ever since Hatsu had learned she was barren. In this way, the duo were able to pass on their values after all.

Mei and Gabu had wandered past the Chasm's lip just for the weight of it, as Mei liked to put it. He liked glimpsing gravity's pull in action; fathoming the depths to which it would topple him if he were reckless enough. For his part, Gabu said he just liked the view… which was another way of putting it, really.

But they hadn't been planning to stroll by the Chasm for their whole day together. For them, it was just one step on a merry journey, meant to give them a sense of distance and height and place… and of course, both animals were curious about these strange rumors the birds had brought. Mei wondered whether maybe, if he squinted just right, he might be able to see what they'd been talking about on the other side. Gabu stood with him on the lip, and the two of them peered together.

Sure enough, he saw a herd of strange, gleaming beasts… and oh! As Mei watched, fire leapt from the far brink of the chasm! Stalks of it, one, two, three—and then the shining behemoths rose, stripes gleaming white against dull gray in the midday sun, and Mei's stomach caught in his throat. He stood, staring, then stumbled back, afraid of whatever he was seeing. "Gabuu…" he moaned.

"I see it, Mei," his friend's troubled voice replied. "Maybe we'd better get out of here!"

But curiosity kept Mei from fleeing altogether. He backed away from the lip, but kept watching as, impossibly, those silver creatures, bigger than the largest beasts Mei had ever heard of, actually flew! They made sounds as they bridged the chasm, buzzing like tremendous, single-minded cicadas. Gabu turned to bolt, but he looked back at Mei, unable to leave him behind.

Mei rose to his hind legs, lifted his forelegs and stared at these bizarre things as if they were the sun—as if they held the sun's secrets. Path to forever, his mind chanted, over and over. You could die! countered another voice.

"Mei," urged Gabu. "What do you think they are?" His eyes were as white and round as goose eggs.

"Do you remember the barn where we met?" Mei whispered. The huge thing was now nearly overhead.

"Mei! How could I forget?"

"Someone had to build that barn, long ago. I think these are the same creatures who built it. They've come back."

Gabu gasped. "After all this time?"

Mei backed up further. He could hear titmice shouting in the sky, together with various other birds' alarm calls. There was a wolf howl from back at the Citadel, then another. Then it was a distant chorus, commingled with shouting. The unworldly beast was directly above him now, and Mei wondered whether he had anything to fear.

The creature stopped. Mei could hear its searing, distant cry, and almost convinced himself he could smell flame coming from its innards. It started to come down toward them. Turn and run, he told himself. But all he did was pace back a few more steps and watch, his neck craned.

"What is it, Mei? Has it spotted us?"

"I think it's spotted us, Gabu," Mei murmured.

An orifice started to open in the thing's belly—or whatever part was downmost—as it descended, and now Mei could see the white and blue flames, dancing in the sunlight. "Gabu?"

Gabu was some distance behind him now, unwilling to leave him. "Mei?"

Mei spoke fervently, his eyes not leaving the tremendous gleaming creature. "In case this is the end, Gabu… I have no regrets for a life spent in your—"

A long, sharp, impossibly quick object shot from the opening and pierced straight into Gabu. The wolf cried pitifully, rose to his hind feet, wobbled, and fell over.

"GABU!"

Now Mei ran, but his instincts had been remade from years of happiness with Gabu, and instead of fleeing for his life, he ran to his friend. Tears were already forming as he nudged the soft flesh, already going lax under his muzzle's touch, losing definition. Since he knew they both might die at any moment, Mei pushed himself onto Gabu's body and thrust the bridge of his face into him and embraced him; he buried himself in wolf-flesh. He then thought of pulling out the giant quill, in case it wasn't too late… but almost in the same moment, he knew he lacked the power to fight this creature. What it wanted to impale them with, it would impale them with. There was nothing Mei could do but savor what he had before it was pulled away.

"Gab-u-uu-uu!" he wept, hugging as hard as he could. There was still a heartbeat, but it was fading. Mei sobbed once more and, with an effort, pulled himself away from the mange and fur that defined his most precious relationship. The sun was diminished; Mei stood in a profound shadow. He looked up at the great flying creature that descended toward him. It had no wings, oddly, but it blasted fire from its lower skirt, as if to direct itself through air. Savage, terrible appendages whipped noisily around from its head, if it even had a head; there were four, and they must have been the source of the insectlike sound. And in its belly… bizarrely… an orifice had opened. It must have been the source of the quill, Mei realized. And then something doubly bizarre occurred.

A figure appeared from within the beast's belly. It was no half-eaten corpse, nor was it a whelp. It was a healthy being, strangely colored and unlike anything Mei knew. He couldn't see it clearly from here, with the mother beast rocking and the wind whipping and tears streaming from his eyes, but he could hear its voice—precisely crafted and just a bit higher in pitch than his own. It wasn't a tremendous surprise to Mei that he couldn't understand a single word it said.

The great thing whipped its way further down, and Mei could smell the guiding flames at its foot. It was no longer descending directly toward him, but just to the side. The creature within was black on top, lighter below, taupe and dark blue beneath that. It clutched a branch or rib of some kind within, keeping it from falling through the hole. The image made little sense even as it came clear.

Mei couldn't help himself. With his haunch still brushing Gabu's shank, he shouted to the terrible thing-within-a-thing. "If you're going to kill me, kill me now!"

But amazingly, the voice came clear, and Mei understood it. "The wolf is alive," it shouted through the wind. "Your companion will be fine—we just shot it with a tranquilizer. We're not going to hurt you."

Mei couldn't make sense of it all. How did this half-eaten creature have the nerve to address him like this? Wasn't it afraid for its own safety? "What did you do to Gabu?!" he demanded.

"We only wanted to make sure you were safe," the voice returned. "We were afraid the wolf was going to attack you. It will wake up in a few hours, and be just fine. I'm sorry that we scared you. I realize this must be terrifying."

It was. But reassurance that one wasn't alone in one's feelings went a long way. Mei pressed his leg against Gabu's leg and could vaguely feel the warmth of his blood, still circulating. He dared to hope it was true. "What do you want from me? What are you?"

Strangely, the creature answered in the plural. "We're human beings. We're surveyors and rescue workers, but our primary mission is outreach. Will you stay and talk? I'll come down."

Mei trembled but held fast. This was beyond his imagination, but there was only one answer. "Yes, I'll stay. I want to understand."

And with that, the orifice in the great creature's belly swung shut, and the entire massive abomination settled gently to the earth, crushing only a few shrubs. Dust settled; the fires died and the whirring appendages became still. Mei huddled with Gabu, unwilling to cease contact with him. As long as he could feel Gabu's pulse, there was hope.

Another opening appeared in the silver creature's side, and suddenly Mei wondered—was it a creature at all? Could it be… a building? A flying building, like the abandoned barns and ruins scattered erratically over certain parts of the landscape?

Could this be what buildings were meant to look like?

The small creature came out, and Mei was surprised to find it was actually larger than he was. Not by all that much; he guessed that Gabu probably outweighed it. The black dome on its head was apparently hair, raining down on all sides to an equal length. The creature was covered in what looked like multiple hides deformed with strange growths, but seemed healthy and mostly comfortable, if not at ease.

Mei refused to listen to his instincts, which told him to run. He stayed in place. The creature spoke to him again, this time in a quieter tone.

"Again, we're terribly sorry for making you uncomfortable. This wolf is your friend—is that correct?"

Mei didn't know what to think. "Yes! He's the most precious thing in the world to me."

The creature frowned. "I'm so sorry. Again—he'll be fine. He's just drugged. Just sleeping for now. Most goats aren't friendly with wolves, as far as we know. We were afraid he would eat you, and you were so close to… well." The strange creature, which stood on its hind limbs, put a forelimb behind itself, and Mei recognized humility. He also recognized from its voice that the creature was female. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Seiryu Fujimori. I'm a Communications Specialist, Rank 3, with the Anapocalyptic Subcontinent Animal Reclamation Initiative."

So many concepts that Mei had no way to make sense of. But this creature held his life in her grasp. "My name is Mei. This is Gabu."

The alien thing nodded. "You can call me Seiryu. Mei… I know you must be confused, and frightened. But I hope I can convince you that it's good that we found you. My people… we have a lot to offer. We can improve your lives, if you'll let us."

How amazing. Could this claim be believed? "What do you mean?"

"Would you like to stop aging?" asked the stranger. "We can make it so that you never grow old. At least, there's a good chance we can." She smiled unsurely. "If you were a mountain goat, I could promise—we don't have the technique finalized for meadow goats yet. But I expect we'll have it soon. We can cure your diseases, if you have any. We can offer you security. Food. Water. Shelter. Health. We don't ask anything for those basic essentials. And if you're able to find work with us, we can give you more. So much more."

Mei could feel his tail shaking wildly. "I'm afraid you've caught me off guard. I'm terribly baffled—I don't know what to say." It almost felt like he was talking outside of his own volition.

"Your friend can come with us too, of course. We do have the aging problem solved for gray wolves. And anyone else you know is welcome, too. We want to give everyone the chance to come with us, back to… to what we call civilization. We would have come sooner, but… we didn't know the animals in this part of the world were sapient. Until four years ago, we had no idea."

"What does that mean—sapient?"

"It means that you're like us." The creature put one of her forepaws over her chest. "You can communicate with us on our own level. You're fit to be part of what we've built. And of course, it means that you're precious. You're persons. Every person offers tremendous value to society. The fact that so many of you have been living and dying out here in the wilderness, with no idea of what's available… well, it's very sad."

"You said you can keep us healthy? Stop us from getting older?"

"We can do that and more, though we're still learning the biology of the population out here, species by species. We can conduct surgery to remove harmful tumors, or to change some things about you. We can improve your eyesight and sleeping patterns. We can improve your fertility. If you don't like being covered in hair, we can remove it. Or we can make it grow thicker."

"You know how to do so much. How? How do you know so much?" asked Mei, boggled.

"Time and systemics," said the alien. "We've had time to learn, time to pass on our knowledge and build from it. And systemics for organizing knowledge, and telling good knowledge from bad. For working out what has to be learned. We've put a lot of effort into learning as much as we can. And now we're trying to save everyone. All the animals out here willing to be saved."

"Saved? Are we in danger?"

The alien shook her head. "Only from the ordinary dangers of life. But we can save you from those. You can live in so much more comfort, and happiness, than the life you know. It's really only a gift, an offer to let you join us… but I can't help but thinking of it as a rescue mission."

Mei looked at Gabu, whose chest was rising and falling evenly. He was alive. He really was going to wake up, and the two of them could…

Mei raised his hindquarters and stood firm. "I'm not making any decisions until Gabu wakes up."

The creature looked uncomfortable. "All right. Is it all right if we bring him on board?" She pointed to the huge flying thing, be it creature or building.

"Inside there? Is it safe?"

"Believe me, it's safer than it is out here."

"Is it alive?"

"The skycraft isn't alive, no. It's a contraption built for carrying large groups of people long distances. We won't make it fly without your permission. I just want to look you both over. If you decide not to come with us, at least we can make sure you're in good health."

Mei sighed. "You promise you won't take us anywhere without our consent?"

"Cross my heart. I promise. We'll send out teams to canvas the area. The captain may expel you if there's an emergency, but we won't lift off without warning."

Mei nodded. "All right. I'll go with you. But I won't leave Gabu."

"Understood." The alien pulled something down along her forelimb and, after a moment, spoke into it. Mei's head swam—how many layers down did these creatures go? But after a moment, he realized that she was using some power to speak to one of her fellows who was still inside the silver behemoth. He didn't understand the words. But after a few exchanges, more creatures like the one before them hurried out from the base of the large flying thing, carrying a long, stiff bed. They went to Gabu as Mei skittered back, watching them prod him, feel him, place things against the wolf. Then they lifted him onto the bed and carried him back toward the silver building.

"He's in good hands," said the creature called Seiryu. "Come this way, Mei."

Mei had no choice. He followed.

---

"Name?" asked the human being sitting on the low stool, artificial stick in his hand, artificial flat object in his lap. This creature was brown-haired, with slightly lighter skin than Seiryu's. Mei had figured out that the heads and forepaws, called 'hands', of these creatures were where their real skin shone through; the rest were coverings to serve who knew what purpose.

"Mei," said Mei.

"Is that your full name?"

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you mean. Is there some other secret name you're after?"

"No, that's all right," said the brown-haired human. He scratched his stick on the surface of the… plank, or whatever it was in his lap. "You'll need to choose a surname in order to enter society. It's up to you, really. It could be based on occupation, or any special interests you may have, or on your place of origin. Or you could simply take a name based on your strain or species, such as Mei Whitegoat."

That didn't sound so bad. "I suppose I could be called Mei Whitegoat. But why do I need a second name?"

"There may be another Mei. It's a short name, and probably common. You need a unique identifier. You may need a middle name as well."

"Whitegoat is fine. Can I think about a middle name later?"

"Certainly. Place of birth?"

Mei took a breath. "Sawa Sawa Mountain."

"I've heard that before… one moment." The man scratched his object again, changed positions and did more scratching. Apparently there was a whole world inside that flat thing, or… or his mind worked very differently from Mei's. It was all very disorienting, but Mei had agreed to travel with them for a while, at least. For Gabu's sake. Gabu had woken up and reacted with amazement to the offers these creatures made. They'd told him they could feed him on artificial meat—he'd never have to kill another creature for the rest of his life. "Well, we have to go with them!" he'd told Mei, as if it were obvious.

Really, in a way, it was. Mei wasn't sure whether this was a place along his path to forever, or whether it was an unexpected and sharp departure from the path… but he couldn't deny Gabu the chance to escape his greatest burden. Even if it was only a small chance, and the likelihood was that these 'humans' were lying to them… it was still a chance worth taking. They couldn't let them leave, and wonder forever what might have been…

"All right. Sawa Sawa… also known as Pleasant Mountain? Approximately seventy horizon-lengths west of northwest from here?"

That seemed reasonable, even if it shocked Mei to hear it. "I… yes, I think so. That's right."

"We're headed that way soon. How long were you in residence at Sawa Sawa Mountain?"

Mei answered the human's questions as well as he could. He was led to a small room with a dim light overhead, all made of the same shining material as the outside of the building, but darker. It was uniform in texture and color, with almost no cracks; it frightened him. The room had three soft objects in it that were flat and pleasant to lie on, but they certainly weren't anything green or growing. There was nothing else. A human showed up with a portable pool of water and small servings of dried grass and dried clover. Mei ate and drank sparingly.

He could feel the great structure flying again as his footing on the floor shifted. Mei was still feeling queasy from his medical examination. They hadn't put him to sleep like they had Gabu. But he half wished they had. It had been invasive and offputting to have his body scrutinized so thoroughly by strangers. They'd taken blood from him, and spittle. They'd tested and prodded him everywhere, and in the end they told him what he already knew—that he was in good health. But they would know more once they'd done their tests.

Mei lay in the dim, unchanging light and grumbled to himself. He started to wonder whether there was a point past which it was no longer worth saving Gabu from the curse of being a wolf. But then he jarred himself. Of course it's worth it. Even if this strange torment is forever, it's worth it. This is what he wants the most.

Mei forced himself into a peaceful state and awaited his next test.

---

"Hello, Gabu. My name is Mr. Kanematsu. We've already tested your physical health, but now we'd like to assess your mental and emotional health. I'd just like to ask you a few questions, if that's all right."

Gabu shifted on the floor, looking up at the mysterious creature, its body nearly all swaddled in some soft artificial hide. "That's fine," he agreed.

"To begin with… you are a predator. Is that correct?"

Gabu sighed inwardly. "Yes, that's right."

"And that means you regularly eat the meat of other creatures?"

"I have to. I'm not happy about it, but it's what I have to do."

The creature—the man, he'd called himself—nodded. "And that includes the meat of other warm-blooded endotherms—mammals and birds?"

Gabu let his head sag just a little. "Yes." He hoped these people weren't here to punish him for what he'd done. He wasn't proud of his early life, but after meeting Mei, he'd really done the best he knew how.

"Have you personally taken part in killing some of these creatures?"

"Yes. I'm a hunter. I hunt. What can I do?"

There was a pause. The man moved his front paws over a mysterious object in subtle ways that Gabu could barely begin to understand. Gabu waited nervously.

"Gabu," said the man. "I'd like to know: do you like yourself?"

What? "Um… do I like myself? I…" He straightened and stood at his full four-legged height. "That's sort of a tough question."

"Take your time."

It was such a simple question that Gabu didn't know how to start with it. He certainly liked having himself be around… but what alternative did he have? He could think about whether he liked other people by whether it made him happy they were there. How could he apply that to himself? He was always there.

Well… he could ask himself whether others enjoyed having him there. And he thought of all the groups he'd known over the years—his packmates at the Citadel, who respected him but thought he was strange in a lot of ways… the animals at the Brook Club, who so often didn't know how to talk to him… the other dog wolves at Baku Baku Valley, who never seemed to have a kind word… the children he'd grown up with, who'd laughed at him. It didn't paint a very pretty picture of who Gabu was.

But then he remembered Mei… his pure, curious, round eyes and his friendly, encouraging smile. Mei lit up when Gabu appeared. And Mei knew best. Gabu couldn't expect the animals he'd hunted to love him, but they were still friendly, and he'd made a lot of friends… but Mei would know whether Gabu was a good person. How could there be a better judge of that than Mei?

And Mei liked having him there. That was plain as anything to see. "I guess I do like myself," said Gabu, somewhat surprised to be saying it.

"It took you some time to answer," said the man. "Is there any reason for that?"

So Gabu explained about how hard it was to co-exist with the animals that you live on… but ever since settling in the Emerald Forest with Mei, he'd known he had to try. He talked about everyone who'd looked down on him over the years, and all the reasons he'd had to doubt himself, including reasons he still carried with him to this day. Then the man asked questions about his childhood, and about how the other pups had treated him growing up, and once Gabu started to open up, he just kept gabbing. He could hardly feel the time passing by.

---

"All right, everyone. There will be an orientation this afternoon, a group lecture in the evening, and another tomorrow morning after breakfast. The lectures will cover the nature of civilization and things you'll need to know, as well as some of the choices you'll be able to make. We apologize for the confusing nature of things—for now, just enjoy mingling! Remember, you are absolutely not to harm each other. Dinner will be served after orientation. If you need anything, you can press one of the brown buttons or ask Ms. Yoshida for help. Good day!"

Mei peered around the common room. More animals had been found and 'picked up', lured by the same promises that had ensnared Mei. He knew some of these goats, and one of the rabbits actually looked familiar, though he wasn't in the habit of—

Oh! "Gabu!" he cried, cantering over.

"Mei!" Gabu pranced to meet him and the two nuzzled warmly.

"Gabu. This is so unbelievable, isn't it?"

"You said it, Mei. Do you know what? They gave me a little… flat thing, all covered in juicy little cutlets. They were some kind of meat I've never had! They said it came from an animal once a long time ago, but since then they've just been growing the cutlets out of other cutlets! They say they can make all the meat they want and nobody has to die!"

"Really? That's amazing, Gabu! Does your stomach feel satisfied?"

Gabu sat up and knocked his stomach with a forepaw. It wobbled slightly, but he seemed happy. "No problems so far!"

"Well, Gabu. I certainly hope they aren't putting one over on us."

Gabu squeezed his forepaws together and looked around the room. "I really hope so too, Mei."

There were three wolves sitting off to one side, huddled as if in fear of the goats, rodents and rabbits milling about the middle of the room. A few little birds fluttered overhead. The room was walled and floored in a material Mei gathered was called 'metal', but there were things sitting here and there to make it more… customizable, Mei decided. There were slightly recessed pits here and there, some of which were filled with gravel or wood chips. There were three tubes on one side of the room that somehow dispensed what looked like water; a rabbit was standing up to drink from one now. Things like fake trees made of something black were spread over two corners, with birds perching in their fake branches. And there were more of the soft flat things from Mei's cell. Animals were resting on them, looking around in wonder, chatting quietly or loudly. One of the aliens—human beings—stood to one side, her hands clasped in what Mei took for politeness, watching everything. Sure enough, no one was harming anyone else, no matter how scared any of them might be.

"It's so strange, Mei. I wonder if we should go introduce ourselves to everyone."

Mei considered doing so. But a sense of tense calm rose from his lower stomach. "I think we'll have time for that, Gabu. Either this is all a trick and we're being taken away to be eaten, or exploited somehow… or we'll have plenty of time to meet everyone." His deep stiffness spoke to the fact he was coming to accept the former possibility… even while the latter came to seem more likely.

"Do you think so? What if it is a trick, Mei? What do you think they might want from us?"

"I have no idea. They asked us a lot of questions. Maybe they just want to learn about us."

Gabu's nape bristled as he sat down. "They interviewed you too, huh? I spoke to a human called Mr. Kanematsu. He asked me all sorts of things, and then he went away for a while, and when he came back, he told me I had signs of… of low self-esteem, and… and of general anxiety. He said something about trauma… post-trauma stress? He said once we get to 'civilization', it would be good for me to have, um, what did he call it? Psychodynamic therapy?"

"Oh, Gabu. Did you ask what that is?"

"It's basically just a kind of talking. I'll go to sessions, he said, and talk about my thoughts and feelings! I guess I don't see the harm in that."

"My questioners said something similar to me, although I guess it wasn't such a concern. Something about…" He racked his brain to try to remember. "Mild psychological morbidity and suicidal ideation? Something like that. But they did say I was in good emotional health, overall."

Gabu surprised Mei by hugging him and lifting him from the floor. "Well, I'm glad to hear that! I've always thought your emotions were some of the best ones, Mei."

Mei laughed and pushed lightly at Gabu's leg. "Well, thanks! Yours aren't so bad yourself."

Gabu nodded toward the wolves by the wall. "I know them. They're Sukima, even though they don't live in the Citadel. I should probably go say hi."

Mei smiled. "Would you like me to come with?"

Gabu frowned, but seemed to change his mind. "Actually, Mei? I really would like that. It would probably help them get used to things here if they saw an example of a wolf and a goat getting along."

"In that case," said Mei, "I'm pleased to be of service!"

---

The lecture explained a great deal, but for every question it laid to rest, two or three more germinated, soon to sprout in Mei's mind. Most humans could not speak with animals, the lecturer explained. About a third of the skycraft's crew had studied the language they called 'Transtantamic Animal'. Mei had trouble wrapping his mind around the idea of a 'language' in the first place, but recalled that mice had their own 'private tongue', and some birds had special ways of sending signals through song—this was just an extension of those ideas. The human civilization had been astonished to learn of this language's existence, only learning about it when a Great Egret had shown up and started trying to get people's attention. They now reasoned that there had been numerous contacts before this between themselves and the natives of the Anapocalyptic Subcontinent, but somehow, the main point had always been missed. It was so easy to miss the signs of intelligence if one wasn't expecting to find them.

There had been a great disaster on the subcontinent, the lecturer explained. It had left things unstable and unsafe; holes in the web of life had formed, and for a while it had seemed like it might collapse. His ancestors had fled, leaving the whole, vast landscape behind to be reclaimed by nature. It was still considered dangerous, forbidden; to stake a claim on that place of destruction was to strike out at one's fellows, to say 'I value pelf and power more than our compact.' So for over a millennium it had been settled only by outcasts and outlaws… until the egret had come.

"What was the disaster?" asked a rabbit.

"It's complicated," said the lecturer. "You'll learn about it in time. You could call it a gross mis-use of knowledge. We were trying to learn how to do something new, and made a terrible mistake."

"Are there only humans where you come from?" asked another goat.

"There are animals like you, but they lack your intellectual capabilities. Like insects or worms, only the gap isn't so great. Apart from my kind, the only members of our civilization are a few parrots, chimpanzees and dolphin pods, and their intelligence pales compared to yours or ours."

The goat nodded and listened patiently.

They were shown pictures of incredible buildings, tall enough to rival small mountains. They saw moving pictures of person-carriers zipping along tracks at unthinkable speeds, and of beautiful gardens with impossible diversity of plantlife, and of tremendous places with structures Mei couldn't even begin to recognize and thousands upon tens of thousands of humans. The lecturer played sounds for them as well. "I understand that some of you are olfactory learners, and I apologize—most of our presentations are still audiovisual, but I do have something for you." And he presented three tubes, which he broke and released to the room: the smells of a 'supermarket' full of foods; a fine 'restaurant' also full of foods, but somehow better in a way Mei didn't understand; and a city square, faintly tinged with smoke and things unrecognizable.

"There's so much to learn!" chirped a nightingale on a perch.

"That's true, but we're confident you will learn it," said the lecturer. "Are there any questions for now?"

He called on a marmot who'd risen, lifting her paw. "I just… not to squint at a blessing, but, I don't really understand why you're helping us all out. You're promising us so much… what do you gain from us in return?"

"That's a good question," said the lecturer. But he paused and stood awhile without answering. "Essentially, it's that we believe every person has great worth. We can manufacture most things, but there's no way we've found to reproduce the effect of raising a sapient being from birth. A child develops unique connections as they grow and have experiences; they come to have a unique perspective on the world, and a perspective is… valuable. A perspective could be seen to… contain everything. It's as if… by valuing personhood, one multiplies the nature of…" He twiddled his fingers. "Well, you could probably get a better answer from our bioethicist. She'll be in to talk to you eventually, through a translator. For now, just take our word that we consider every one of you very precious."

Mei found he didn't need any further answer. He felt like he understood what the man had been trying to say.

---

Gabu came to Mei in his cell. He was barely able to fit in there with him; the room was smaller than their cave back in the Emerald Forest had been. But it was worth it. Gabu was excited, and afraid, and Mei's presence calmed him, and the tight walls kept him from exploding.

"Gabu. What is it?" asked Mei, troubled.

"Oh, Mei. The medical technician asked me if I'm ready to get my anti-aging injection. They say you have to do it three times, but the first time makes most of the difference, and… oh, Mei, it's an immortality treatment. If I do this, I won't ever get old! I could live forever, if I'm lucky, and… and I don't even know whether I believe it, and…"

"And they don't have one for me," said Mei. "Not yet. But Gabu… they say they're working on it. And they tell me they're determined to find treatments for every kind of animal in time. It's just that… there are so many kinds."

Mei was right, but there was so much they didn't know. Gabu scratched his side and bumped the wall with his knee. "I know, but Mei… what if there's a problem and they can't figure out how to treat you? What if I leave you behind? Or… well, really, it would be you leaving me behind, wouldn't it? I'm just so nervous. I don't know if I want to live forever."

"Well, it won't be forever, in any case," Mei said, smiling. "Accidents happen. Sooner or later, something's bound to happen to both of us."

Did Mei always have to talk about… that? Well, to be fair, it really was the subject of the conversation this time. "I guess so. But Mei… I'd rather think about the life we're having, rather than how it might end."

Mei smiled. "Well then, if I were you, I think I'd go ahead and get the injection! That way you can be healthier for longer. And I'll get mine when it's available."

"But Mei…" Gabu knew he was right—somehow he already knew that, but he couldn't face it yet; he had to fight. "What if you don't get it until you're on your last legs? And you can't walk anymore except by creaking and tottering? And I'm just… the way I am now?"

"Well, one of us ought to be healthy, anyway. Besides, I get the sense they have ways of helping with creaky old joints. I'm not afraid, Gabu." Mei smiled, and his smile bore Gabu up as if he were riding a cloud. "You don't need to be, either."

Gabu felt more at peace. "But what if it's a trick, Mei? What if they don't intend to give us any of the things they're promising?"

Mei's expression softened. "I don't know. Somehow, I'm not afraid of that, either. It's certainly possible. But…" His ears lifted and relaxed. "I feel as if that's outside our purview. There's nothing much we can do about it at this point. We've leapt in with these newcomers, and now all we can do is see if they've been telling us the truth."

This felt right to Gabu. Yet he had to argue, just in case Mei was missing the point. "We can still leave, Mei! They're willing to let us leave, any time the skycraft sets down! No one will stop us—if they try, what will the other animals think?"

Mei frowned. "I guess we could leave, that's true. But do you really want to do that, Gabu? Do you really want to let this… unbelievable opportunity just fly away?"

Gabu reached for Mei and snuggled up against him, not unlike a scared puppy. "I don't want to do that, Mei."

"Then we'll stay?" Mei touched a horn's edge gently to Gabu's crown.

Gabu swallowed. "We'll stay."

"And you'll get your injections?"

Gabu nodded. "I will."

"And we'll do our best to live happily ever after?"

Gabu laughed tearfully. "I'll see what I can do!"

"Well, then. That's more like it!"

Gabu deflated and lay on the floor of Mei's tight cell. Then he worked himself slowly out, back end first. "I'm so glad you're here, Mei."

Mei beamed. "That's what makes all the difference, isn't it?"

---

Two days later, they landed at a place they called a Holding Camp. It had a long official name that Gabu couldn't remember, and some of the workers there called it a refugee camp some of the time. There were over two hundred animals on the skycraft now, and all of them were being disembarked now except for a couple of birds who'd volunteered as guides to help the pilots find communities they knew about. It was an exciting day, but the communications people kept reminding them that they would have to stay here for a long time. This skycraft and five others were out scouring the land for all the animals they could find, but the land was big and there were so many creatures out there. Even with several other holding camps and dozens of other skycraft like this one, as well as a few expeditions out there on foot, they expected this operation, called ASARI, to take a very long time before it was done.

The holding camp was a relief compared to the skycraft, because it was on solid earth. There were no more sudden lurches at the worst times, threatening to make you lose your lunch, and best of all, you got to go outside as much as you liked! Gabu went straight to the outer fence and watched the woods beyond. He asked the attendant whether he could leave, and the young human told him that yes, he could. But he didn't recommend it unless Gabu had a good reason. There were dangers out there, and it was foolhardy to go back into the wilderness when everyone had food and comforts and water and health care in here, just given to them!

Gabu thanked the attendant, but explained that he really wanted to go out there and see what there was to see, just for a little while. The man frowned and made a few motions with his fingers on his tablet. "All right," he said. "But if anything at all dangerous happens, please come back. Remember—life isn't just a short while anymore. It's forever. It doesn't make sense to risk yourself if you can help it. And your life is valuable to all of us."

"Okay," said Gabu, who hadn't really thought about it like that before. The thought of his life being more valuable than it ever had been… not just two times or three times, but FOREVER times more valuable… struck him like an odoriferous faraway breeze. He let his ears sink. "I understand," he told the man, even though he didn't fully. "But I have to go out for just a little while. I'll be back soon, I promise!"

"All right," said the man. He used his machine and opened the gate for Gabu. "Just be careful with yourself, please."

"I will," said Gabu, and he strode out into the open. He looked back; the man was watching him. He went on into the woods, just far enough to be out of sight. And he sat down and looked at the sky through the leafy trees.

The wind was blowing. And Gabu really was free. He'd been afraid they wouldn't let him leave. He'd been afraid he was a prisoner, and they just weren't telling him.

He had to be sure. He took a sharp turn, keeping careful track of where he'd come from. And he ran for ten minutes through the trees.

At first, it was eerily silent. But eventually, there were sounds of native creatures. Crickets and owls and something that chirped from a shrubbery when he startled it. Frogs leapt now and then away from his paws. The sky got dark and none of the humans back at the camp, who knew how to do so much, could stop it from doing that.

At last, Gabu was satisfied. He turned around and walked back where he'd come from. He thought of calling out to everyone in earshot, letting them know there were creatures who could give them safety and immortality not at all far away. But he decided to play it safe and stay silent. The humans knew what they were doing. They could come and offer their gifts to these creatures eventually.

Gabu came back through the gate, and the human attendant seemed genuinely relieved. He walked back toward where he'd left Mei, through the giant field surrounded by fences on the edges and towers on each corner. There were thousands of animals there, of every kind… at least, every kind large and smart enough to understand what they were doing there. Gabu marveled at them all, milling and swirling around and chirping and bleating and braying and yelling and talking, but none of them trying to hurt each other, except maybe through words. It was an amazing sight. He stood in the middle of a place covered in bare, compact earth, with just a few shoots of grass or clover here and there, and took it all in. He felt like he could stand there watching for days.

"Gabu? Oh, my fated stars, Gabu! It is you!"

Gabu had a huge grin even before he'd finished spinning around. Lala was standing there, coming down a slanted stone wall with her paws carefully spaced. She was striking to see, her fur vibrant and fluffed, her bearing full of health. "Lala! Ohh, I wasn't even daring to hope! I thought I'd never see you again."

She nuzzled him. Warmly. Thoroughly, all about the face. "I'm very glad this strange, wonderful force brought us together."

"How long have you been here, Lala?"

"A few weeks. Not long enough to pick a new mate, in case you were worried."

Gabu hadn't even thought about it. "Are we… are we still mates, Lala? Even here?" So far away from home, speeding so quickly in some unknown direction.

"Oh, I think so," she responded. She looked up at the rising moon, just under half there. The sky was colorful.

"You only think so?"

Lala shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure whether what we think of as 'mates' still exists here. All our footing is whisked out from under us here, Gabu! All our assumptions overturned. I'm still very much sorting through it all. Deciding which questions to ask. Reimagining the future. Did you know that if we want to have children again, we have to apply for it?"

"Apply?" Gabu's right ear flopped; he didn't even know what that meant.

Lala stood proud, head up. "We would need to acquire access to an application form, and then fill it out! Have you used the data access points that they make available for us yet?"

Gabu shook his head. That sounded vaguely familiar. "What are those?"

Lala grinned. "You've seen the humans moving their fingers on flat surfaces, yes? They have some of those for us. Apparently what they're stirring around is raw information." She winked. "That's the level they're playing on. But I've learned to do a few basic things, such as play a game!"

"A game? Made of raw information?"

Lala nodded. "It's called Breakout, fittingly. You use your paw to move a paddle back and forth, aiming to prevent a ball from dropping away. All the while, it smashes rectangles in the sky until… well, you should see it yourself." She swished her tail. "But these things are also how we set plans in motion, in the greater society. We find the particular form we need, and fill it out. Perhaps with help from an expert. They don't let just anyone have children around here, you see. Think of it! Everyone is allowed to live forever—if we had children at will, it wouldn't be long before the earth was bursting at the seams!"

This did make sense to Gabu, but the enormity of endless life crashed anew against his mind; he had to sit down, it seemed to ring so loud. "That's true, I guess… but it's so amazing, isn't it?"

Lala nodded. "However! The human I spoke with said that the restrictions on children normally only apply to their own kind! For the first few generations, he expects any animals who apply will get permission almost automatically! After all, the world isn't flooded with us yet."

"Oh!" said Gabu. His eyes were filled with the glory of Lala as she flounced and paced from one side to the other, speaking about this strange new world they now lived in. She seemed to be flourishing here beyond belief. He did want children with her. He wanted to ask Mei for permission straight away. And why shouldn't he say yes? The pups could eat mass-produced meat cutlets! They didn't have to kill anyone at all!

"Gabu," said Lala suddenly. "Is Mei here?"

Oh! "Yes, he is! We've been together all these years and he's here, too!" He laughed as he ran to show Lala the way. And sure enough, there was Mei, waiting just where Gabu expected him, at the edge of a tower near the smorgasbord and watering trough. (They had meals here five times a day, though most creatures slept through at least one or two of them, but they also had little snacks available constantly, which was much better than it had been on the skycraft.) Mei was ruminating and chatting with the tiny rabbits there, and looked up when he saw Gabu.

"Mei! Lala is here! Look, it's La…"

But when he turned around, Lala wasn't there.

"Gabu?" Mei walked forward. "Was Lala following you? Is she really here?"

Had he somehow imagined her? Was his head going mushy? "Um… I thought she was following me. I guess maybe I rushed off too fast. But she's back, Mei, and she's even more wonderful than ever, and… and I want to have children again, Mei! They won't need to eat anyone, since they have manufactured meat here, and…"

Mei laughed out loud, and it lasted a while. "But you still feel like you need my permission, don't you? Even though everything is different."

Gabu gulped and nodded. "I mean… I made a promise. One litter and that's all. But… Mei. May I have permission to bring even more wolves into the world?"

Mei nodded deeply. "Consider yourself released from that promise."

Gabu grinned from cheek to cheek. He couldn't help but remember another promise that he'd been forgiven for breaking, five years ago. And he was never gladder he'd broken it than he was now.

Then Mei was staring over his shoulder, and Gabu turned back. Oh—there was Lala! And… and…

There was an old doe standing there, and an old, frizzly-furred little muskrat. Gabu blinked. He sniffed the air. Oh. Yes!

"Wolf from the north," spoke the doe, wonderingly.

"Bedelia! Oh, and Itsuko! It is you, isn't it?"

"Gabu," said the muskrat, rising slowly onto his hind feet, his voice throaty. "I was wondering if I'd run into you again."

Mei laughed. "This is amazing! We're back together, after so long!"

"I thought you might appreciate some familiar scents," said Lala. "It's been quite a time without you two! What was the last message I sent?"

Gabu thought back. "You told everyone the truth about us," he recalled. "About how Mei was really alive." He remembered learning from the birds that Lala had lied to the animals, telling them that Gabu had killed Mei, then left forever in shame. He'd suggested it to her, but he didn't know why she'd gone along with the idea. She must have had her reasons.

"Yes. Of course, I'd already let that slip to Bedelia, here. I needed to give her something, you see." Lala jerked her with a snap of her jaws. "This deer was a tough nut to crack!"

"You had to crack her?" asked Mei.

"I tended to keep to myself, at the club," Bedelia revealed. "Especially after. My brother." She looked at Gabu with firm, green eyes. It felt like she was staring at his soul, daring it to move.

"But I was bored," said Lala. "I needed someone intellectual to talk to! My two brainiest friends were Mei and Akiara, and I lost them both on the same day. So I set my sights on Bedelia. Getting her to open up."

Bedelia looked at Lala with what Gabu might have imagined was hostility, if he wasn't being told otherwise. "She is a persistent creature."

"Is she?" asked Gabu.

The old doe flicked her tail. "The deer of the Emerald Forest have many secrets. Not as many now. This wolf is not one to let things rest."

Lala sashayed around Bedelia. "No rest for the age-d!" she singsonged. "You were looking forward to joining your ancestors, weren't you?" She chuckled. "Now you have to live and live and live."

Bedelia snorted forcibly and chewed her lip.

Lala continued. "I hear after they finish finding immortality serums for everyone, they'll start finding rejuvenation treatments. New, lush coats… more juice for your joints…"

"She's teasing Bedelia," said Itsuko, "but I could use some juice in my joints. I'm actually really excited."

Lala's tail brushed over his face as she turned her attention his way. "Silly little rodent. I'm sure it'll all break down, and we'll be munching on your bones soon enough, desperate for marrow."

Itsuko chomped the fur of her tail in mock-anger, but dropped it easily enough. "I was Lala's friend the whole time, but apparently she didn't think I was smart enough."

Mei gave Lala a look. But he didn't seem angry.

"I'm so glad you're here, Itsuko," Gabu put in, wagging his tail. "Is there anyone else here from the old days?"

"The deer are split," said Bedelia. "Some half of us came along this intriguing trail. The rest stayed behind, as a land with no wolves and less competition is a tempting thing."

Gabu knew he wouldn't be seeing the leaf warblers again. He'd heard from Toshi that when Hatsu finally succumbed to old age, Haburo didn't last a week without her. "I heard Umenoki died."

"That was me," said Lala. "But Itsuko still has plenty of family around."

Itsuko slapped the ground with his tail and grinned as if he were still young. "Now you're not gonna kill any more of my relatives. Tell you what-I'll tell them you're here and round them up for a visit tomorrow! How about that?"

"I was fond of your sisters," agreed Gabu. "How well did your children grow up?"

"Oh, you'll see!" said the muskrat. "There's plenty you haven't met."

"I remember you as a tiny little pup," said Mei.

"Well, I'm a great-great-grandfather now," said Itsuko proudly.

"Really!?" asked Gabu.

"At least!" Then Itsuko addressed Mei. "You never had any children, did you?"

"No," said Mei. "I never did."

"I guess it's not too late!"

Mei looked to Gabu and gave his head a little exasperated shake. Gabu looked to Lala with anticipation. "Did you ever see Wilhelm again?"

"On hunting days? Occasionally. Aside from that, never."

"He went into her belly in due course," said Bedelia without rancor.

"Only when he couldn't run any more," said Lala. "I think you heard about Nogusa and Kyrie."

"They're still living together?" asked Mei.

"In the scrubland over west of the Forest. I visited them twice. For all I know, they may turn up here someday soon."

"And Kiput?" asked Mei hopefully.

Lala was suddenly still. "I'm sorry, Mei."

Mei sighed, letting his head drop.

"He gave up the ghost just a week… just a week too soon." Lala looked around the camp, seeming grieved by it. "That wasn't me. Some disease took him, and I think a fox got the body. Fujiko had left him, you see, and I don't think he… took it well."

"That's too bad," said Mei.

"Yeah," agreed Gabu.

"I don't think he would have liked immortality," Lala reflected. But they were all silent a few moments.

Gabu and Mei both nuzzled Itsuko and exchanged bows with Bedelia, and then they went walking with Lala around the camp's indoor hallways. These branched off into sleeping chambers, copulation chambers (for which contraceptives were mandatory), the dining complex, the medical halls, and more rooms whose function Gabu didn't even know. Gabu walked to one side of Lala; Mei walked on the other. She addressed them both in turn as they talked, avidly exchanging what stories they hadn't been able to send through avian messengers. Mei told her about meeting the Sougen Keep herd; the wariness they'd expressed about him when he admitted he had a difficult secret; the slow process of revealing what it was; the covert nights he'd spent with Gabu. Gabu told her about joining the Citadel and all the challenging tests they'd put him through, the stress of adapting to a new hunting style, the skepticism he'd met when he suggested a protocol for approaching the goats in peace, and the long, emotional nights he'd spent with the Sanctum leadership telling stories of all his adventures with Mei. Lala seemed impressed by it all, which made Gabu glad. She should be. Sometimes it all impressed even him.

"And then the outsiders showed up, did they?"

Gabu shrugged helplessly. In a way, all his work had led to nothing… but it wasn't for nothing, really. At worst, it had kept his friendship with Mei alive, and at best, he'd blazed a new trail that others could follow. "It was terrifying at first. The skycraft seemed like a giant godbird, and it pierced me and put me to sleep! Then the humans were poking and prodding me, and I didn't know they were trying to make sure I was healthy. I thought they were getting ready to eat me!" It would have been fitting, after a life of eating others, but Gabu chose not to mention that. "Then they had to explain where I was… and there were hours of questioning and tests before they finally let me free and I could see Mei!"

Lala lifted her head and smiled cruelly as she strolled. "Only hours of questioning? Lucky you. They held me for three days! And they also tranquilized me." She stopped with a paw raised. "What a fascinating term. Tranquilize. To make tranquil, through force. Almost oxymoronic." She walked again silently, and Gabu didn't interrupt. Then her expression went wry, if a little sullen. "I don't really mind the tranquilization—after all, they had to show dominance over me one way or another. But they claimed they were afraid I'd eat my companions. Does that really make sense? Would I have been surrounded by birds and muskrats if they were in any danger from me? Did the humans think I was saving up entrees on all sides before indulging? …Still, I can't blame them for being cautious, I suppose."

"It seems fair to me," said Gabu. "After all, lives might have been on the line."

Lala nodded. "Oh! Did they give you a last name? Apparently two syllables isn't enough—for them, being a person is much grander than that."

Gabu nodded, feeling sheepish. "I'm Gabu Graywolf."

Lala laughed merrily. "Gabu! We picked the same last name! I thought about a few alternatives, like Striker or Prowler, but decided not to leak my spoor, so to speak. Silverwolf was a possibility, but I get the sense it would be less professional. Did you spell it with an 'a' or an 'e'?"

Gabu remembered the question, but didn't even know what it meant. "I took an 'a', since they said it was more common."

"I'm Lala Greywolf, with an 'e'," said Lala. "So our names aren't quite the same after all. Isn't that funny?"

"It is," said Mei. "But why did they detain you for so long?"

"Oh, mainly the psychological profile. They also claimed to do such things as measure my blood and gauge my adrenal response, but I suppose their mind games were what gave them the most to worry about."

"Did you say something that troubled them?" asked Mei.

"Oh, I'm sure I did. I was questioned about hypotheticals, then the tester went away to confer with her colleagues, and then came another test, and an interview about my childhood, and a series of statements to agree or disagree with, and on and on. I could hear them talking about me, sometimes, standing behind walls. They thought I couldn't hear their muffled voices!"

"Did you hear what they were saying?" Gabu asked.

"Not most of it, no. But it turned out all right. At the end of three days, the woman with black, round fur on her head came striding out with her memory-holding board and said, 'Good news, Lala! You've tested negative for psychopathy.' And of course I asked her, 'And what is psychopathy?'"

Mei knew that psyche referred to the mind. "Does it refer to the mental path one's on?" Such as his path to forever? Could psychopathy be something he possessed?

"In a manner of speaking," replied Lala. "'Mind disease'. In particular, the tendency to be antisocial, the inability to empathize or love, yadda yadda. It seemed she was relieved. 'You checked a lot of the boxes on the psychopath profile, Lala, but there were too many examples of remorse and other strong emotions to ignore, and you did demonstrate dedication to a moral code, albeit unorthodox—' She went on that way for a while."

"So… what was the diagnosis?" asked Mei.

Lala flicked an ear. "Narcissistic personality disorder."

"Wow," said Gabu. "What's that?"

"Excessive concern with myself. Honestly, I don't understand how these humans can know so much, yet comprehend so little. Have they had to live in reality? Don't they realize that those creatures unconcerned with themselves don't last in the wild?"

Gabu wasn't so sure. "Well, they do seem to know what they're doing. Maybe they had a point."

Lala made a pff sound. "In any case, I had to take a course in what they call 'anger management'." She widened her stance slightly. "I ask you—am I an angry person? Am I poor at managing what anger I have? Honestly, it turned out I was better at managing my anger than my instructors were. By the end of the third session, even they agreed I was better at anger management than they were. Yet I still had to finish out the course."

Wow. Gabu could just imagine. "It's true," he said. "You aren't really an angry person."

"On the other horn," said Mei, "you do seem a bit angry right now."

"Well, only because I was forced to take the course!" Lala retorted. "Their anger management course, as it turned out, only gave me more anger to manage. Don't worry, though—it's well within my capabilities."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Gabu said.

"How can I be angry in the face of… all this?" asked Lala, walking again and gesturing to the building they were in. "I'm overawed by this entire civilization! I never thought I would feel this way, or be presented with so many possibilities all at once! For all this, a little humiliation is a small price to pay."

"I have to confess," said Mei. "I'm not quite sure what all the possibilities are."

Lala strode forward to the next doorway. Gabu recognized it—it was the entertainment center. A family of boars were sitting around one of those flat things with pictures they called 'screens', even though they weren't much like the prey screens Gabu was familiar with. He knew the humans showing up on the screen weren't real, though he hadn't known that when he'd first seen them. Lala led him past to an empty, black screen and pushed a button. Things appeared in green and white that Gabu couldn't understand.

"Have you started learning to read yet?" asked Lala, pushing buttons and making the screen change.

"Um… no." He had a general sense of what reading was for, and knew he'd probably have to learn it eventually, but… "I guess you have?"

"I know the letters and their sounds, more or less. We could help each other practice! But this, I know how to use only because I asked, and I watched how they did it." She pushed a final button and a picture of a gigantic pointed building appeared against a blue sky.

Some writing appeared beneath it. Then a cheerful voice spoke, while images of what she was speaking about appeared on the screen. "So! You're an animal from the Anapocalyptic Subcontinent getting ready to enter mainstream civilization. But what will you do? What will your role be? You may be worried or confused about the shape your life will take. Will you be able to continue living outdoors in the way you're accustomed to? Hopefully, we can help. In this video, we'll cover the following topics:

* What is a career? How does it differ from a job?
* What careers are available in modern society?
* How will your experience as a wild animal help or hinder your progress on a given career path?
* Which careers are best for your body type?
* What laws concerning public space govern individuals who want to simply keep living in the wild?

Remember—we in human civilization want to help your transition to be as pleasant and easy as possible. Don't be afraid to ask for help, especially if you feel anxious or scared. These are exciting times, full of changes, and things may be challenging for a while, but rest assured—there will be a place in civilization for you."

Mei was staring with a small frown on his face. Gabu blinked and blinked again as the image shifted to the interior of a building full of humans and the voice started talking about 'careers'. "Lala… have you seen all of this before?"

She nodded. "The whole thing! I watched it twice. It was exactly the same both times. It's going to be so exciting, Gabu! The humans have so many…" She swirled her tail in uncertainty. "…concepts that we just have no notion of! There's so much to learn. So many hills to climb! Except that they call it 'climbing the ladder'. And I intend to climb it, rung by rung."

Mei smiled a little. "Well, I'm happy that you're happy, anyway."

"I think I might enjoy a corporate setting," said Lala. Gabu stared at her, trying to make sense of what she'd said. "You have no idea what that means, do you? Don't worry—neither did I for the first couple of days. I've been making a pest of myself, asking questions. I'm trying not to ask the same humans too many things, though. It wouldn't do to make enemies." She turned around sharply, front legs spread dramatically. "Gabu! Did you know because none of us have hands, we're at a huge disadvantage?"

Despite himself, Gabu glanced down at his forepaws. "Um… I knew the humans were different from us that way. But… a huge disadvantage? Really?"

Lala nodded as if savoring it. "Their whole society is built around hands. Being able to…" She raised a paw and flexed it. "…grasp things. And pull them, or turn them… in too many ways to contemplate." She lowered her foot to the floor. "It turns out that my four strong legs, of which I've been so proud all my life, are now a weakness! I'm going to have so much difficulty climbing the ladder without any hands!" She laughed deeply—to Gabu, she didn't seem troubled at all. "Oh, Gabu. I'm looking forward to it so much! I hope you're there for some of the key moments, when I surprise everyone."

Mei chuckled. "Maybe you'll be the first wolf in charge of a whole building."

"Maybe! And perhaps then I'll set my sights on an entire city." She sat, grinning intensely.

Gabu couldn't help but laugh as well. Lala was so strange, but so amazing… and Gabu loved her. He stepped forward and nuzzled her neck. "If you want me to be there, Lala, I'll be there!"

"I'll be there too, Lala," Mei chimed in. "If you want me, that is."

Lala grinned at him. "Oh, Mei. I would so miss you if you were gone forever."

---

Almost three weeks later, the little bell that dangled by Gabu's bed started swinging and ringing. Gabu stood up on the bed in surprise. The other beds were mainly filled by wolves, wild dogs and other predators, but Mei was in the next bed, and he stood up, too. "I guess they want me," said Gabu.

But suddenly, Mei's bell started tingling too; the two jangled together like a pair of dancing insects. They stopped together. They started together. Then they started swinging in alternation, and as the room full of predators started to stare, Mei and Gabu laughed and sprang from their beds and dashed out the door.

"What do you suppose it could be, Gabu?"

"Oh, Mei! I have a feeling!"

They arrived in the entrance hall and Gabu's feeling proved true. He cheered a cheery howl before he was halfway across the room. Then his eyes opened even wider. Oh, gosh. This was even better than he thought.

It wasn't just Meiko standing there, wagging her full grown tail like a bird's wing, and her brother Bari with his happy, goofy tonguetip showing in his excitement. There was someone else beside them… and even though he was full-grown now and Gabu hadn't seen him in so many years, he recognized his protege. It was little Boro.

"Oh my goodneeess!" he exclaimed. "Boro! Bari, and Meiko! Did… did you all just get here together?"

Meiko laughed her little laugh—it was still as sharp as ever, if a little less high-pitched. "We've been living together!"

"Gabu!" shouted Boro in excitement. His tail wagged too, and he ran forward, then blushed. "Um… I know Meiko is your daughter. But… she's also my mate. And the mother of my children… I hope that's okay?"

Gabu froze in his tracks and nearly melted. "You… but…" He looked between the three of them. "How could that be? I'm so flabbergasted. Bari. Meiko." He stepped forward and hugged them, and neither of them hesitated. Their hugs were strong and pure and good.

"I couldn't stay where I was," said Boro. "I knew I had to strike off… like you did. The pack fell apart. Your goat friend came back, and he said you were still alive… oh wow, I guess that's him there! You're still together!"

"Yes, we're still together," said Gabu. "And I heard about you leaving, and I was so worried. You didn't have anyone to hunt with!"

"Well neither did you," pointed out Boro, no longer chubby as he'd once been. "It was hard! I had to eat mice and birds' eggs and walk a long way, and then one day I wound up in a warm place with these big, spreading trees, and I could smell wolves, so I tracked them down…"

"We had an exciting day," said Bari. "He found us and we found him at the same time! We were gonna fight, but then we decided to talk instead. And I told him my name, and he said he used to have a beta with the same name, and I said that's probably the guy I was named for…"

"And when he found out you were our father, we were friends for life!" added Meiko. "Bap, snap, that's it! Friends for life."

Boro leaned against her. "And it wasn't long after that we decided to have pups of our own."

"Oh, kids. Boro! I…" Gabu tried to find a way to express his awe, his amazement, not just at their being there or having met up with each other, but at the whole, incredible adventure it suddenly seemed he was back and part of. Finally, he settled on "I'm… so proud of you all." And it was good.

They all hugged. Even Mei gently nuzzled Boro, scalp to scalp.

"It's good you're here, Uncle Mei," said Bari. "I missed you! I guess now I'm never ever gonna eat you, 'cause we've got meat here that didn't come from anyone!"

"Yes," said Mei. "It's a great relief. We've been here a while now, and we're starting to grasp the nature of the beings who made this place. They see themselves as saving us from an existence full of danger and death… and it's true. In a sense, that is what they're doing—saving the whole great, vastness of us from what we always knew. Of course, it hurts to lose the lives we knew… but I've come to believe it's for the best. And I'm very glad the three of you were saved."

"You think we can trust these humans?" asked Meiko.

Mei stood with his legs neatly together and beamed. "I do. I really do."

"Well then," said Bari, "let's get trusting! Want to show us around? Oh, hey! Is Nogusa here?"

"He and Kyrie showed up just last week," said Gabu happily. "They're mates now. Isn't that odd? They aren't even the same kind of animal, but apparently that's how mates work now."

"Oh wow," said Meiko. "I want to see them! Are they gonna have mixed up badger-wolf babies?"

"I don't think they can do that," said Gabu. "Not yet, anyway. But they can take the seed from one animal and put it in another… and I think they're planning to have a mixed litter… I don't know what to say! There's just so much to tell you, and I'm so happy."

Bari stepped forward and gave Gabu a big slurp. "How's that for a start?"

"Oh, Bari." Gabu laughed and shook the slobber from his face. "You're all grown up, but you haven't really changed."

Mei spoke up from behind. "Chances are we'll be waiting in this camp for at least another month before they take us to civilization… so I may as well show you around! Oh, and Lala will want to know you're here. And you pups remember Bedelia, I think, and Itsuko?"

"Oh my gosh, Itsuko," said Meiko. "We used to play tag together. He's here too?"

Gabu felt his tail start wagging and he couldn't bring himself to stop it. He couldn't remember a time he'd been so happy. It felt like all the horrors of the world had been stripped away, and a whole life was waiting up ahead.

---

A week later, Mei and Gabu were summoned to the office of the Camp Ambassador, a short but sturdy woman with gray cut through her black hair. Mei didn't know much about her except that she worked for the human capital. "Hello," he said, in the human language that he'd finally managed to learn, more or less. "I hope we haven't done anything wrong."

"Absolutely not," said the ambassador. "Mei Whitegoat, of Sawa Sawa Mountain? And Gabu Graywolf, of Baku Baku Valley?"

"I haven't lived in Baku Baku for years," said Gabu, "but yes, that's us."

The woman smiled warmly. "I'm sorry it took us so long to track you down. We didn't know who you were, at first. But believe me, in the last few days, your names have been cropping up quite a lot."

Gabu sat back nervously, his face taut. "Really? Someone's been talking about us?"

"You're celebrities. It was the two of you who established the mixed society in the Emerald Forest, correct?"

Oh. Mei felt emotions passing quickly through him. "Yes, that's right," he said.

"And it was the two of you who invented the subcontinental hunting week?"

"Yes," said Gabu. "But I didn't think anyone knew about it, except in the Emerald Forest."

"As it happens, things spread. Especially when they're of benefit to society." The ambassador sat with her hands folded for a moment. "It's not just the week, though. I understand from your fellows at The Citadel on Sakuya Chasm that you established protocols for predator-prey fraternization."

"Er, yes," said Gabu. "Mei and I wanted to keep seeing each other, even though we'd joined different groups. So we had to come up with some way…"

"And you set into motion a system of messaging, delivered by songbirds, to connect the various animal living groups?"

"Well, some of them," Mei admitted.

"Mei. Gabu. Believe me. Our ecologists have been finding incident after incident of natural enemies managing to coexist, in some way, without the constant fear of death. And in a surprisingly large number of cases, when we investigated, we traced this state of affairs back to the two of you."

Mei exchanged a look with Gabu. He hadn't realized.

"I don't know whether you've saved lives, precisely, since the meat-eaters still need to eat," the ambassador continued. "But you've acclimated thousands of sapient animals to the idea of coexisting with natural enemies, as equals. You've made things so much easier for them, and for us… and on top of that, you've greased the wheels back at the capital for those in favor of integration. When our opponents argue about brute, savage creatures like…" She nodded to Gabu. "…like wolves, for instance, with their great toothy jaws and killer instincts…" She waved her hand dismissively. "It's been so useful to be able to point to the stories you set in motion, and to illustrate, with hard evidence, that herbivores and carnivores can get along. You can restrain yourselves. And now we have you! We have the actual duo who began it all. The meadow goat and the valley wolf who forged a friendship, despite the odds… you realize we'll need to hear all about it, don't you?"

Mei started to tingle. "Well… I'd be glad to tell my story."

"I'm really not at all a brute," said Gabu. "I'm much more of a nice guy, if you get to know me!"

"I'm sure," said the ambassador. "Well, if the two of you have been worrying about your futures among humanity, you can worry no more. If you're willing to make appearances and talk about your experiences, I think you'll find yourselves very comfortable."

"Do you mean we'd have plenty of money?" asked Gabu. They'd learned about money a few days ago.

"Absolutely," said the ambassador. "No shortage of money. What do you think?"

Mei grinned to Gabu and let himself relax. "I don't see any problem with telling everyone about ourselves… do you?"

Gabu grinned back. "I don't see why there would be. We've got nothing to hide!"

"Well, then!" said the ambassador. "May I inform my superiors that you'll be ready to fly to the capital on the next express jet?"

"The next express jet?" asked Gabu.

"It's a very fast way of flying. Faster than the fastest birds."

"When will it leave?" asked Mei.

"Tomorrow at dawn. I suggest you start saying your goodbyes!"

Gabu looked to Mei. "Do you think we should see if Lala can come along? After all, she was a big part of it."

"That's a good point," said Mei. "Madame Ambassador, do you think—"

"I'm aware of Lala Greywolf," said the ambassador. "Keen thinker. Intimidating, really. I know she played a role in your successes, but I'm only authorized to start payment to the two of you. You're the pair the public really needs to see, in my opinion. But don't worry—Miss Greywolf and the rest of your loved ones will be integrated into society before long, and I have no doubt they'll catch up with you." She winked.

"But… will they even be released into the same country?" asked Mei.

"That's up to them! But for the most part, we have open borders, and transportation is plentiful. Moreover, newly introduced animals will receive stipends to ease their transition to civilized life. And believe me, they won't have any trouble knowing where you are. We believe in keeping loved ones together, Mei. Gabu. You will live your lives with the people you care for. All we're offering is a head start."

It wasn't a certain thing. But if he and Gabu really had made such a difference as all that, it probably meant they could make an even bigger difference out in the wider world. It wouldn't be responsible to hold that back, even for a day. "I'm up for it," he said. "How about you, Gabu?"

Gabu shrugged, smiling. "Better than jumping into a rushing river!"

"I'm afraid that's just what it may feel like for the first few weeks," said the ambassador, standing. "But I'm sure the two of you will get used to it. Report to the main gate an hour before dawn… and from me personally to you, thank you."

Another rushing river. Well, it had been right the first time. And this time, they'd be jumping into a river made of people who cared. That could hardly be wrong, could it?

---

The 1st Decade

Time passed slowly for a while, as Mei and Gabu got their bearings. They were learning things every day, sometimes without even having to ask. They would say and pretend they understood whatever the humans were talking about, and by the time they had a moment to look back, it turned out they did. They stood on a parade float for two days running, smiling out at the people and waving. They gave interviews to important people and only learned who they'd been afterward in the brief moments between engagements. They learned what alcohol was and how much of it they could stomach. They encouraged young rabbits and songbirds and sheep that they could get along with anyone, if they tried, while photographers took pictures and people listened to conversations that felt like they should have been private. They wrote speeches in busy offices and penthouses with staffers walking back and forth, worrying about deadlines, and they relaxed together at night in ring-shaped cushion beds and watched the city through the windows on every side. They gave earnest, if schmaltzy, lectures about the power of friendship. They were briefed on new trends on how animals should behave—table manners, sartorial practices, how to meet strangers of another species. They gave their feedback and then presented these lessons to audiences, or on television. Mei wore a short shirt with bright red hems and a pink bow; Gabu modeled a line of wolves' trousers, but admitted on a talk show, to laughs, that he preferred going bare. They played sketches of meeting each other, as if for the first time; they pretended to make friends with humans, with parrots, with boars and deer and frogs and squirrels and all kinds of animals, including some they'd never heard of. They sat proudly at state dinners while important humans from one part of the world tried to impress those from another. They got fan mail by the gigabyte. They answered some of it, tossing off answers casually to white-collared staffers while grinning to each other at things they'd seen through the window, three stories below.

They wrote a book together called "One Stormy Night." It sold sixty million copies.

Mei was hailed as a hero for his bravery. He spoke to an audience of humans, mostly in business suits, about how he'd come to the decision to be hunted by his own friend, just to convince skeptical animals that friendships with predators were possible. He talked about the lonely, cold nights, and how hard it had been to stick with his decision. They asked him how he'd managed to do so for so many months, and he didn't know what to tell them. But whatever he did tell them, they always seemed to hang on his words. They kept telling Mei he was an inspiration and a hero, and over time he almost started to believe it.

---

Eventually, things slowed down. Mei and Gabu begged for their privacy, day by day, until the ASARI Department's leadership agreed to reassign their staff elsewhere. Gabu and Mei went to work now, like so many others, five days out of every seven. Some days, they weren't needed for much, and were sent home early. Other days, they were whisked out of town on international trips and spent a night or two abroad, or on express jets. Every now and then, they were brought back to a Holding Camp to address the animals there and put them at ease. Mei didn't mind. He liked having surprises in his life, and he liked being able to help, given that the world was going through so many changes. But he also relished his time off the clock, and he knew Gabu did too. The two of them liked to wander through the city together, eating at random cafes and splashing through public fountains. If they were occasionally recognized and asked for an autograph, that was fine. Mei and Gabu were both able to write clumsily by holding pens between their toes, but Mei preferred to keep an inkpad on his person. His hoof and Gabu's paw made for a charming impression, stamped together.

There were so many options in the world they lived in now. Their medical technology was so advanced! On top of the anti-aging treatments he now received, Mei could change the color of his coat if he wanted, or make it thick or curly, or shed it entirely. He could have canine fangs implanted and take pills to let him eat artificial meat, if that was the life he wanted. He could have surgery to make himself look like a ram, or even like a little wolf! Or he could become a female goat and bear children. So many amazing choices… yet he chose to stay the same, and it wasn't a difficult decision. He liked himself, and he had a simple soul. He didn't see any reason to make himself appear to be anything other than what he was. And Gabu felt the same way.

Meiko, Boro, Bari and their children got an apartment in the same building as Mei and Gabu, on a lower floor. Nogusa and Kyrie moved into a Tiny House two blocks away, in the middle of an open square with a sandbox. Kyrie worked as a paralegal, while Nogusa was hired as caretaker for a local Zen Garden which Mei and Gabu grew to love. They all visited each other frequently.

Lala lived in another city, but she made time to visit at least twice a month. She, too, was famous for her part in the Emerald Forest society, but she chose to limit her public appearances. She'd taken a consulting job for a television news program reporting on the rapid changes happening as a result of ASARI, and within two years she'd obtained a high-powered position in the Strategic Acquisitions department of a major international news/education conglomerate. They considered her invaluable, she reported, for her sharp mind and unique lupine perspective.

"If only I still had Akiara!" Lala lamented, as she walked with Gabu one evening under the huge beacons and broadcasting poles on the waterfront. "She would have made a perfect secretary. You know, Gabu, if I'd known what was coming, I never would have eaten her."

"She probably would have liked civilization," Gabu agreed sadly.

"She would have loved it. Damn."

"Your job sounds exciting," Gabu said, trying to bring the conversation to happier ground. "Is it what you like to do?"

Lala took a moment. "Well, I really enjoy Strategic Acquisitions. It's excellent work for me. It uses my whole mind and body, believe it or not. But I'd be telling a lie if I thought I'd ever be content in one position forever."

"Really?" asked Gabu. "You don't think you'll ever be content?"

"Contentment isn't something I hunger for!" said Lala, looking ahead into the criss-crossy streets, just lighting up yellow with their looming phosphorescent LED lamps. "Remember, Gabu. There's no limit built into life anymore. We may live for hundreds of years! Thousands, maybe, if we're lucky. What good is contentment? All it would do is keep me bound in one place."

"But Lala! If you were content… and I mean really content, you wouldn't mind staying in one place."

She turned around, her lush, silver tail billowing. "Well, Gabu… I suppose that's what I'm afraid of!"

---

Lala later managed to get herself transferred to the capital and got an apartment down the hall from Gabu. They had more children then, after their applications were approved—three litters of happy, healthy pups, distinct and beautiful. The pups were children of civilization and grew up familiar with all its customs and amenities. Some found it difficult to be minorities in a human world, while others befriended humans, adapted easily to technology, and had no such difficulties, but all of them were proud to be second-generation civilized wolves.

Mei's beautiful electronic bell sounded one day, indicating a visitor, and Prince Kuro was there on the doorstep, smiling shyly. Mei took a week off from work so the two could enjoy a vacation to a distant destination and exchange their tales and thoughts. After they returned, Mei went every now and then to Kuro's place and spent a sweet night and a sweet morning with him. They would occasionally travel to places of which they'd only seen pictures and stroll quietly together, taking in the atmosphere. Kuro eventually showed up in the tabloids, but it didn't bother him; he just answered reporters' questions, polite and smiling, as always.

Mii showed up a year later, bleating with excitement at having finally found Mei. She was deferent and polite to Gabu, but couldn't hide the fact she was excited to finally meet him, too. She eventually got a spot in an old fashioned outdoor goat commune in the next neighborhood. And one day Jenny showed up as a sales representative for a high-tech mattress company. Mei declined to buy her products, but invited her to come by for salad and cola once a week, and she was glad to accept.

Gabu went often to visit Lala and their pups, making sure he was a major presence in their lives. But through it all, Mei and Gabu continued to share an apartment. Their one constant was each other. So long as they got to spend their days together, the world could change and twist and morph however it wanted, and none of it would seem like too much. On the contrary, when there was a rock-solid, powerful, immovable constant at the center of one's life, change all around was a welcome thing. Change was beauty. Change was life.

It just wasn't the core of life, that's all. It could be everything else, but never the core.

The path to forever went unceasingly on, but in the end it always led back to basics.

---

A/N: And then Mei suddenly woke up, and the reader realized that this entire chapter had all been an elaborate dream. OR WAS IT!?

This bonus chapter is a week late—sorry about that! But at fifteen thousand words, I hope you'll agree it justified the wait. Is it canon, you ask? Well, it's a major departure at the very end of an amateur fanfic novel set in the world of a movie and a TV series based on a series of children's books about a story involving talking animals that never happened. So… yeah, it's real. 8) If you want it to be.

This novel was my own take on a sequel or continuation of Arashi no You Ni, of course. But it was also a culmination of sorts for a short story I wrote many years ago, never published, called "Woodland Courtesy." That story was about a wild mouse who gets caught by a barn owl. Rather than killing the mouse immediately, the owl has a whole protocol for how he treats his prey during their final hours, including a small chance to escape, an opportunity to speak final words to their family, and a chance to contribute to the owl's sculpture collection, which he passes off as his own work. It's maudlin and may or may not ever make a good short story, but some of the sentiment of predator-prey sympathy made its way into Beyond the Storm. I fully expect I'll continue to explore those ideas in other works.

One reader asked to roleplay with Lala in private messages, and we've been doing that awhile! I admit my Lala is a compelling character, the sort I might enjoy doing philosophy with. I'm planning to use some of the cast of this novel as contestants in the next imaginary unscripted elimination gameshow I run in my head. ;) But aside from that, I guess it's finally time to say goodbye to these fine creatures.

I don't know what the nature of the apocalypse was that left the subcontinent inhospitable to human beings for so long. I just know that somehow, a few buildings like barns survived it, as did some dyed cloth the animals were able to make into scarves. (Because that's the biggest loose end, of course. "One Sunny Day" claims that Gabu's lunch is wrapped in a magnolia leaf, but the illustrations clearly show a spotted scarf. We need answers!)

Thanks to fanartfulfurryboy for occasionally bringing up the idea of a future in which carnivores can live on artificial meat! This bonus chapter would have been less likely without that. This civilization is using cell cultured meat, but I read an article about Impossible Foods, and those guys are really taking the task of replacing meat with plant proteins seriously. I haven't had an Impossible Burger yet, but I'm planning to!

EDITED 8/3/19 TO ADD: I've just gone through the story and fixed various typos and errors that were pointed out, as well as revising and adding a few things to this final chapter.

What a time it's been! I didn't have a ton of readers, but the ones I had were (and continue to be) great. I've got a serious series of fantasy novels I should really be working on, but I keep getting distracted by the immediacy of fan fiction. Next up for me fanficwise will probably be to finish and post one of the three unfinished Undertale ideas I've been puttering with. Part of me is done with Undertale, but there's another that part doesn't want ideas to go unexplored, and it must occasionally be heeded. The release of Deltarune made all of me quite happy, so that's probably the next logical thing to work on.

Oh... and once I'm back from my trip to North Carolina, I'll probably watch some more anime. That's something I've been meaning to do for a while.

8-)

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