Hello Everyone! This is a one shot!
First day as a full Dog, breakfast
The day started off as many have been. Rosto, Kora, Aniki, Ersken, Phelan and I gathered in the courtyard. In the middle of breakfast, Rosto raised an eyebrow at someone behind me. I turned to see Will coming across the yard. Of course I ran to greet him.
"Will, what are you doing here?" I asked as he gave me a big hug. He was now a head taller than me.
"You did invite me to breakfast a while back, I decided to take you up on the offer." he said, kissing my cheek. I grinned, returning the gesture. I turned back to the group, seeing their faces I realized that Rosto hadn't been able to meet or even see my brothers and sisters before, so he thought that Will was my date. He was JEALOUS! Aniki and Kora were giving me appraising looks. I grinned. Ersken saw what I was doing and gave me a frown, he had met my brothers and sister from the eclipse session. Phelan had heard me talk about my brothers and sisters, but never by name. Rosto, Phelan, Aniki, and Kora hadn't gone that day, they had slept.
"Do you guys mind if Will joins us for breakfast?" I asked. Rosto didn't answer while Ersken, Aniki and Kora shook their heads.
"Why don't you introduce us, Beka?" Ersken asked. I opened my mouth, but Will cut me off.
"No need, I've met Ersken before. My name is Will, you're Rosto the Piper, King of the Rouge, Beka mentions you quite a lot. You're Kora, you do the laundry right? Beka can't do laundry that well, so that's a good thing. You're Aniki, a swordswoman right? You're Phelan, Dog turned rusher. Don't worry, Beka doesn't blame you." I blushed, I know I did. My brother has a bad habit of looking through my journal. All my friends were looking at me, confused. "Also, I'd like to thank you." They all looked back at him. "It was about the 8th, 9th, or 10th or May, something like that. You told those rusher friends of yours that no one kills Beka. There's a lot of other people that feel the same, I'm one of them." They all looked back at me.
"Will has a horrible habit of reading my journal, he's can be as sneaky and quick as Rosto when he wants to be. I always catch him, but he still does enough damage with what he does read." I laughed. Rosto stood, black eyes hard.
"If you all will excuse me, I have some work to do. Master Will, it was a pleasure to meet you." He stalked back into the apartment building. I sighed, knowing why he was upset.
"It's your own fault, Beka." Ersken told me kindly. I looked up at him and tried to smile.
"I know it is." I said. I'd finally admitted to myself and to Ersken that I liked Rosto. My promise against rushers and my promise to never share a cove were the only things holding me back. Aniki, Kora, and Phelan were looking back and forth between Ersken and me. I think Kora had it figured out.
"Who exactly are you?" she asked Will. I answered for him.
"Wilis Cooper, my twelve year old brother." She nodded in understanding, while the others gasped. "Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have to go find Rosto." I found him in his room, playing his flute. I listened to him for a minute until he noticed me. He nodded to me, and I came in and sat down next to him. "What's wrong, Rosto?" I asked, already knowing. He shifted, not answering. "You're jealous of Will." I stated. He sighed and put his flute down.
"You know how I feel about you, and still you bring him here. You let him do things normally that you'd hate on of us doing, and laugh about it."
"Rosto..." He cut me off.
"Why not me, Beka? Explain it to me." He pleaded. I had never seen him like this. He was usually so calm and collected.
"Besides the obvious Rat-Dog explanation? You've already been told by Ersken. 'Never a rusher'. Plus, I don't share coves." I told him, searching for excuses.
"Say the word and Aniki's gone. She's been eyeing another cove anyway. Dog-Rat's being done by Ersken and Kora so that's no excuse. Tell me about your mother, Beka. Tell me why, 'Never a rusher', that's the only argument you could possibly support." I hesitated, unsure. "Please Beka?" I nodded.
"My mom moved from rusher to rusher, cove to cove, for as long as I could remember. She had the five of us with her and no one stayed for long. Mama wouldn't let them hit us, but they would hit her. I was eight at the time. Mama's newest cove gave her a piece of jewelry he couldn't have come by honest. Mama hadn't told him that she had Lung Rot. When he found out, he beat Mama badly, and took back the necklace and everything we had of value, and left. I followed him. If I lost him, I found him again at places he went most often. He led me to the den of the Bold Brass Gang. I told a Dog, the kennel, even the Vice Provost. No one believed me. Finally, I was so angry that I grabbed my Lord Provost's horse by the reins. I gave them the rusher and his gang, then left. He followed me back to my house, and waited until I was out to persuade Mama to come live in his house. Mama died seven years later. Rushers beat her, and I wasn't old enough yet to fight back. I won't let that happen to me, or any child I might have. I've learned from Mama's mistakes."
"You forget one thing. You're not your mother, Beka. If I even tried beating you, you'dbe the first in a long line of people to try and beat me. Goodwin, Tunstall and My Lord Provost would be fighting for second place. You don't have Lung Rot, or five kids that I know of, and I wouldn't even think of leaving you. I love you, Rebakah Cooper, with all my crooked heart." I hesitated, thinking it over. Then, I grinned.
"Rosto, come down here for a second." I brought him back down to the courtyard and led him back over to the blanket. Ersken looked up.
"So, did you tell him?" Ersken asked, eagerly. Rosto looked at me, eyebrow raised.
"I was about to." I mumbled. "Rosto, meet my brotherWilis Cooper." His mouth dropped.
"You little gixie!" he exclaimed. Ersken had a mischievous look in his eye. I don't think I'll like this.
"You know, little Will and I have a small friendship over the last few months, and I could tell him a bit of blackmail material if you don't say so yourself first Beka." Uh oh, I knew I wouldn't like this.
"I was getting to that too." I lied. He raised an eyebrow. "Don't bring Will into this anymore or I'll tell Kora about the time you..." He cut me off.
"I get it, I get it." Kora and Will both burst at the same time.
"Come on, tell!" They looked at each other and laughed. I grinned. Ersken raised an eyebrow at me and I scowled. I grabbed Rosto by the arm and towed him inside, away from prying eyes. He crossed his arm over his chest.
"Well, what did Ersken want you to tell me?"
"Can I not tell you, and we say I did?" I asked hopefully, not ready to tell him yet. He shook his head, grinning like a bobcat. "Fine. This is what he wanted me to tell you." I leaned in and kissed him. He pulled me closer, hands going to my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled back and looked at me. I could see the one thing in his eyes that I knew was reflected in my own. Love. I'd written a week ago that I had fallen in love with him. I'd told Ersken, now I'd told him. "The only ones that know, beside me and you, are Ersken, Will, and my journal." We walked outside, his arm still around my waist. Ersken looked up and grinned and seeing where he was looking, Will did too. The others looked confused, seeing this, Rosto pulled me into another kiss. When I didn't pull away, but kissed back, they understood. Before anyone could say anything, there came a voice from the door of the courtyard.
"Well, at least he's not a noble." Goodwin grumbled. I blushed and looked away from all the people gathered. Goodwin, Tunstall, my brother and sisters, several rushers, Tansy, Herun, their new babe (named after me) Beka, and last but not least, My Lord Provost. Before anyone else could move, Diona stepped forward. I met her in the middle, leaving Rosto behind. I didn't try to move as my little sister slapped me. Several people fidgeted. Diona could be arrested for striking me, a Dog.
"You aren't my sister. My older sister, the one I always looked up to, the one that would take care of me when Mama was sick, could never love a rusher, let alone the King of such people." Several people gasped. Nilo had tears in his eyes.
"You're right." More gasps. "I'm not the Beka Cooper from Mut Piddle Lane anymore. I'm the Dog that tracked the cove that hurt Mama. I'm the girl that fell in love with the King of the Rouge. You're not my sister. My baby sister would never slap family. Do you remember that? Family?" She nodded, and began to sing the song from when we were little.
People come, People go
Change is always here
But one thing will stay the same
Throughout the years
Family, Family
I continued onto my part. Several people were standing there shocked, I had never sang for anyone except my brothers and sisters.
Family, Family
Your family is always there for you
Family, Family
Don't turn you back on
You're family
Lorine sang next, adding her voice, and moving forward.
La la la la laaa,
La la la la laaa,
Our family can grow
Our family can change
One thing will always stay the same
You're my sisters, my brothers
We'll always be together
Nilo began singing his part, the part from when we were fighting and he couldn't bear it anymore. He moved forward as he sang.
Sisters, Sisters
This is another
Of those days
Please don't fight
You're both my Family
I can't pick a side,
It wouldn't be right
Will sang next, also moving forward.
Listen here, Listen up
Or our family
Will fall apart
We can solve this
Just make up
Together we could
Fix anything at all
Diona looked at me as Will finished. She had tears in her eyes from remembering good times.
"I'm sorry." she whispered. I nodded and she rushed into my waiting arms, just like she used to do. The four of us sang the last couple lines together, our voices melding together perfectly.
Together we are stronger
Together we are one
We're family
Rosto moved forward and Diona left our group to meet him. I grinned.
"Rosto, meet Diona Cooper, second oldest in the Cooper family." He gave a flourishing bow.
"Pleasure." She raised an eyebrow. She turned to me.
"Is he always like this." I grinned at Rosto's affronted look.
"Yes, he wasn't trained when I got him. I had to make him bleed first time I met him." She grinned. Everyone could see that we were sisters at that moment. Rosto rubbed his wrist self consciously.
"You'll have to work on that." I nodded. Our eyes met and she rushed forward. I opened my arms and caught her. She whispered over and over that she was sorry. I pulled back.
"It's ok. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes." She nodded. I grinned, then suddenly picked her up and swung her around like I used to do when she was little. She shrieked, laughing along with everyone else. I set her down, gave her a hug, then pushed her towards our other siblings. Then, I turned towards Goodwin and Tunstall. They used to be my Dogs after all. I held importance to what they thought. Goodwin grinned.
"Keep him on his toes Beka. Be a good Terrier." I laughed.
"Yes Ma'am." I heard Rosto gulp. I looked to Tunstall.
"Don't you worry about me. I don't mind a bit. It'll keep you alive." I grinned as I heard Rosto mumble that I'd better not be doused by any of his people. Everyone laughed. The rushers grinned and winked at me as I turned towards My Lord Provost. He raised an eyebrow, and I matched it. He smiled kindly.
"Even I can tell that you're in love, Beka. You'll have no trouble from me." I grinned widely and turned to Rosto, who waited with open arms. I hugged and kissed him. My days as a Dog were starting well, I can only hope they continue that way.
The song was of my own creation and I know that it probably wasn't too good. Belinda