Another tale in what my beta reader has dubbed "The Owl Series." Enjoy.
The Sick Wolf-Chapter 1-Calling for Back-Up
RJ was one of the most zen-like men around. In fact, he was known for being zen in even the most life-threatening situations, and in his life there were many. So it was a big surprise to his friends when RJ caught the flu and became the most uncooperative patient in the history of uncooperative patients.
"Thank you so much for coming, Master Finn," Casey said as he showed the Shark Master to the room where the older man's son was currently residing. "You were the only person we could think of to call."
"You were right to call me," he told his student after looking in on his now-unconscious son. Ena was out of town visiting her own Owl Master and wasn't in cell phone range, so the Tiger cub had called the only other person who could probably deal with a sick RJ.
"Although, from what you told me, I might not be the best person to deal with him in this situation. In fact, there is only one person I can think of who might be able to get him to cooperate."
"We already thought about asking Ena, but she's visiting Master Hoot and we can't get a hold of her," Lily said as she joined them.
"Not Ena; although she does know a number of medicines that could make him feel better. I'm talking about someone who can slap some sense into him. Where is your phone?" he asked as he tried to remember the right phone number.
"Over here," Lily showed him the almost 30-year-old phone ("Cordless phones make it way too simple to be inconvenienced," was what RJ had said after many complaints about the rotary dial) after which the two rangers left him alone to make his call as they returned to manning the store front with Theo, Fran, and Dominic.
"So? Can Master Finn help with RJ?" Theo asked as his friends returned to the pizzeria.
"Not exactly," Casey answered as he picked up his order pad and began waiting tables.
"What does he mean 'not exactly'?" Theo asked Lily as she helped him with a pizza.
"Master Finn said he needed to call in reinforcements to help with RJ. Someone who can, and I quote,'slap some sense into him.' Do you think he's calling RJ's mom?"
"RJ's mom is at one of those ninja academies for the next week and unreachable," Fran told them as she came back to the kitchen to pick up an order of spaghetti. "Remember? He was talking to that guy named Cam who mentioned that she had passed through his school a few days before?"
"Oh yeah! Then who is Master Finn calling? Ena's somewhere in the Appalacians and unreachable."
"I guess we'll find out when they get here. And that is one Cheesy Cheetah Supreme ready for the oven," she said as she brought the raw pizza to the oven where it would be cooked for precisely 9.75 minutes before being served to some hungry customers.