Beau and Dev stopped to wait for Jim and Blair as they reached the entrance. Getting in line they waited their turn to enter. Jim and Dev both winced as a toddler screeched furiously in line reaching a high pitched squeal.
"Turn it down guys," Blair coaxed, wincing himself as the tantrum reached new a new high note.
"Thanks Blair," Jim sighed rubbing his abused ears.
Dev was still holding his ears and rocking on his feet. Blair reached out to comfort the boy only to have Beau push his way between them with a snarl.
"Lithten ta me," Beau crooned rubbing Dev's back. "I know it hurtth. Turn that noithe off and lithten ta me."
Blair twitched helplessly watching as Beau and Dev struggle with getting Dev back in control.
Jim sighed, looking around he picked up both boys and moved over to a shaded bench. Sitting down he shifted Dev until his head was resting over his brother's heart. For long moments nothing seemed to happen. Then Dev sighed and snuggled closer.
"Yah thkairt me," Beau hugged his brother tightly.
Dev raised his head and wrapped his arms tightly around Beau. A frown grew on the little boy's face as he leaned closer and snuffled his brother's hair.
"Ah h . . . I didn't think. I used my shampoo when I washed their hair," Jim sighed. "No wonder Beau was having trouble reaching Dev, he didn't smell right." Jim looked up at the hovering Sandberg.
Blair frowned thoughtfully. Suddenly he smiled. "Jim, switch the boys' shirts and rub Beau down with Dev's shirt before you put it on."
Jim looked puzzled but began pulling off the boys jackets and shirts. Quickly he slipped Beau's shirt on Dev. Then he took Dev's shirt and rubbed it over Beau's hair several times before putting it on Beau. Finally he helped the boys back into their jackets.
"Blair what was . . ." Jim trailed off with a smile watching Dev snuffle his brother and obviously relax while stroking his hair. "Always on the ball aren't you, Chief?"
"Flying by the seat of my pants," Blair smiled weakly now that the 'sentinel emergency' was over.
"Thank you. I didn't know what wath wrong," Beau said shakily. "We've uthed other thampoo before," Beau chewed his lip.
"It was at home with your family though, wasn't it?" Blair asked.
"Yeah, tho thith wath 'cauthe of a new plathe?" Beau asked calmly.
"Probably." Blair smiled. "Can I touch Dev now?"
"He'th mine," Beau growled.
"Yours," Blair acknowledged the fledgling bond.
Beau relaxed and allowed Blair to examine his brother for a moment.
"Why didn't they protest me touching them?" Jim asked curiously.
"You're Alpha, Jim. As children it's instinctive to obey you," Blair answered softly.
"So why did Beau warn you off? You're the alpha guide." Jim scowled.
"Poaching," Blair smiled sheepishly. "I might have been trying to steal his sentinel."
"So Guides are territorial too?" Jim asked curiously.
"Looks like it," Blair shrugged.
"Better, guys?" Jim asked the twins as they climbed down off his lap.
"Yeth. Thank yah both," Beau said.
"It's up to you guys. Do you want to try this or go back to the loft?" Blair knelt down to study the boys.
The twins exchanged a long look. "We want ta go," Beau said. "I don' think Dev will have anymore problemth now."
"Okay, let's get back in line then." Jim herded them toward the gate.
7777777
Once inside Blair immediately went over to the kiosk to study the large map of the zoo. Jim sighed and turned his guide away leading him over to a quiet area.
"Jim, I was checking the map, man," Blair grumbled.
"I have a map Blair," Jim held up the colorful handout with the show times listed as well as a map of the grounds.
"Oh, thanks. This will be much better." Blair took the brochure and began to study it.
Dev raised an eyebrow looking from the distracted Blair to Jim, before signing quickly.
Jim nodded with a grin and signed back. Yeah, he gets lost.
Both boys suppressed their giggles as Blair worked on an itinerary. Dev and Beau each whipped out their own copy of the brochure and studied the map on the back as they listened to Blair make plans to catch the different shows.
After a few minutes of figuring and some quick notes Blair finished his schedule. "If we go that way we can catch the elephants' baths. They'll be starting in five minutes." Blair checked his watch before pointing to his right.
"Elephants, guys?" Jim asked.
"Yeah." Beau looked at his brother for a moment.
"Dev, this way," Blair pointed.
Dev pointedly held up his own map and turned left.
"Jim?" Blair asked, afraid of his answer.
"They're Slick's kids, Blair. They can read a map," Jim grinned down at his directionally challenged friend.
"This is just . . . embarrassing," Blair sighed settling his backpack more comfortably as he followed the twins.
7777777
Jim smiled fondly as the 'three' boys watched the trainers bathing the elephants. One of the trainers was wearing a microphone and talking to the crowd as he worked. His friendly patter was almost Sandbergian. The baths ended up being something between a science lecture, actually bathing the elephants and a Marx Brothers movie. The gathered crowd laughed at the antics and perhaps learned some about the huge creatures.
"Unca Blair, duck," Beau said excitedly.
"Chief, duck," Jim barked.
"Duck? What duck?" Blair looked down.
A stream of water hit Blair in the chest without warning. Jerking his head up he watched the elephant hold the hose up out of his trainer's reach.
It's laughing at me. I know it is. Blair fumed then looked down catching the laughing eyes of the twins then saw Jim's open smile. Well it was funny. Blair shook his head and grinned.
"I was looking for a duck," he admitted sheepishly.
"Didja pack a thange of clothth for yah?" Beau asked impishly.
Jim and Blair continued to keep a wary eye on Dev when the noise increased as the crowd grew. If it was simply putting Dev's scent markers on Beau or just the boy was in better control. There was no recurrence of the earlier problem even after the same screaming toddler joined the group drowning out the Trainer's voice.
"Ready to move on guys?" Jim asked quickly.
"Yeah," Beau sighed moving away from the enclosure followed by his Twin.
"They have a chimpanzee show at eleven thirty, then the dolphins are at one. I thought we could eat between the shows." Blair suggested.
"Sounds good to me, what do you think, guys?" Jim asked. "Don't forget feeding the polar bears at three," he reminded.
Both boys nodded in agreement. "Tha Rhinoth ith over there," Beau pointed toward another enclosure.
They stood and watched the large creatures for a while. Blair explained how the horn wasn't really a horn but hair and how the zoo staff regularly cut it off so no one would 'hunt' them here in the zoo.
"It ain' huntin' Unca Blair. A hunter rethpectth tha law. He getth hith liththenthe and only huntth where he hath permithithon. He only taketh whatth in theathon. You're talkin' 'bout poatherth. They'th theiveth and vandalth, criminalth not hunterth. Didja know that motht of tha funding for the federal and thtate parkth come from hunting and fithhing liththentheth. Hunter groupth fund more wildlife refugeth and thuch than PETA and all the other animal rightth groupth combined. They thpend their money protethting inthead of actually doing for tha motht part.
"There's a kid that's been brain washed. I bet his father's a hunter," a thin man sniffed disdainfully, a PETA button prominently displayed on his jacket. Puffing out his chest he began 'instructing' the gathered zoo visitors on the 'sin' of mankind disrupting nature and the evils of zoo's and farms.
"Yeth, Thir. My Tad huntth. It'th better for tha population to weed out tha cullth. It keepth them healthier and helpth prevent over grazing," Beau interrupted politely answering the comment directed toward him.
Train wreck coming up. Jim groaned softly.
"So the murderers say. There are other ways to control the animal population," the man huffed set back a little by such a small child challenging him.
"Theyth extremely expenthive and not very effective," Beau responded in a friendly tone.
What are you doing, Beau? Blair watched closely.
"Going out and killing helpless little animals, like Bambi. Why don't they just kill and eat cats and dogs," the man started preaching to the nearby zoo visitors.
"'Cauthe Bambi tathteth real good. "Deer are perty muth ratth on long legth when theyth enough of 'em."
Too much Standish in their diets. Jim sighed deeply
"You shouldn't eat meat. It's unhealthy period. A vegan diet is much better for you," the man pontificated.
"Mithter, do yah eat a vegan diet?" Beau asked.
Beau's leading this guy and he doesn't even know it. Blair listened raptly.
"Yes I do," the man's spiel was disrupted once more.
"I figured tho, I never met a vegan that looked healthy yet," Beau noted. "Yah really need ta thee a doctor about an iron thuplement. I figure you're anemic as pale as yer gumth are." Beau suggested helpfully.
Run, mister. Before he shoots you down. It's got to be a guide thing. This guy won't know which way is up in a minute. Beau's right though he does look anemic . Jim admired the way Beau had the man twisted around already.
"My diet supplies everything I need, without artificial supplements, thank you very much," the man sniffed.
Only if you're very careful. Blair mused.
"Mithter, kin I athk yah a quethtion?" Beau asked politely.
"Go ahead kid," the man huffed.
No stop while you're ahead. That's not a kid that's a miniature lawyer. Jim shook his head.
"Why'th a deer'th eyeth on the thideth of it'th head?" Beau asked innocently.
"To be able to see predators sneaking up on it," the man muttered distractedly trying to get back on his soapbox.
Uh oh, Can't you see he's setting you up? Blair admired.
"What'th a predator?" Beau asked earnestly.
"A carnivore. That means it eats meat. An animal that hunts creatures like deer for food," the man snapped.
"How can yah tell iffen it'th a carnivore?" Beau asked yet again.
"Their eyes are in front instead of the sides. Things like tigers, lions and wolves," the man answered impatiently.
"A bear?" Beau asked excitedly.
Ready! Jim hid a smile.
"No, most bears are omnivores. That means they eat everything. Only polar bears are strictly carnivorous."
Aim! Blair tensed.
"Tho iffen it'th eyeth are in front of it'th head then it eatth meat?" Beau asked brightly.
"Yes," the man huffed losing patience with the inquisitive little boy.
And fire! Jim and Blair looked at each other and smirked.
"Tho people are thupothe to eat meat," Beau smiled.
"People don't require meat," the man barked, his face turning an amazing shade of red.
"But God made uth omnivorth. Are you thaying God didn't know what he wath doin'?" Beau asked in shock.
The crowds soft murmur filled the air.
Dev sighed and signed to his brother.
"Rekin yer right, Dev. A born cull," Beau looked the stranger up one side and down the other.
Ellison choked at the Beau's comments. How am I going to explain to Simon how I got thrown out of the zoo? He quickly started to move his small group away from the now assembled crowd. "We don't want to miss the next show guys."
The rest of the gathered crowd also began to move on amid chuckles and comments, no longer in the mood to listen to the opinionated man. Meanwhile, the animal rights activist stood in bewilderment, still trying to figure out how a small child had gotten the best of him.
"Cull!" Blair squeaked looking over two curly heads at Jim while trying to stifle his snicker as they led their two small charges away.
"Yep, didja look at him. Narra thetht, lookth kinda wormy, narra 'tween tha eyeth. No thmarter than he needth ta be. Yah really want that fella reproduthin'?" Beau asked innocently. "PETA ith them people who value thhildren tha same ath a rat," Beau huffed in disgust.
"A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy," Blair quoted from PETA propaganda when Jim looked over at him inquisitively.
"They worthip tha creathion rather then tha creator. God hiththelf dreththed Adam and Eve in animal thkinth. He wouldn't have done that iffen he figgered it were wrong," Beau huffed before trotting ahead to the lion enclosure with Dev hot on his heels.