Part 7- see part 1 for disclaimer
Void leaned out the window of the cherry red convertible that St.John had scored. They were speeding away from the mansion in search of the sad sounding dog that had replied to her howling. The reached the town limits and St. John stopped the car. In the backseat Gambit leaned forwards and smiled at her.
"What we doing anyways chere?" he rumbled at her. "You said we was getting a dog. I assume we is stealing one?" St.John nodded at him and Gambit grinned. "Ah so Gambit is the distraction den?" When he received another nod his grin grew even larger. "Gambit sure does like the sound of that."
"Good. Now you two stay quiet for a minute." Void commanded, rolling down her window. She smiled softly and shed her jacket, morphing quickly to her wolf form. Void stuck her head out the window and howled. The answering howl came from the north. And she howled once more to be sure. The answering call came from the same place. and she quickly morphed back to her normal form. "We go north." she said quickly. Gambit was gaping at her and she grinned at him. "Wolf got your tongue?" John started the car and they sped on down the road. At the first turn to they headed left, then right. As the approach of lights they pulled over and the car was turned off.
"So I sit here, and wait for you to show up with the dog, and for Gambit to high tail it back here?" John asked quizzicaly. Void nodded and slid out of the car.
"Keep the engine running, and the lights off. If anyone asks, you pulled over to piss. So get out and prepare to do so if anyone slows down or comes by." She snapped at him. John gave her a half assed salute.
"Yes mam'm." He said. Gambit slid out and faced her.
"So You give the signal and Gambit tosses the cards?" He asked her and she nodded. "So de signal is what exactly?"
"Oh right." Void said, blushing bright pink. "I howl twice, you toss the cards and run like hell." Gambit nodded, and they headed off in different directions. Void pausing to howl and check her direction. The dog was chained behind the first house. Void morphed to wolf form and slunk close to the house. The dog caught her scent and whined anxiously. Void caught the acrid scent of fear, and the scent of blood. Someone had beaten this dog. Void growled and the dog whimpered. She morphed back to human form and slipped closer to the house. The dog caught the change of scent and growled quizzically.
"Come here bud." She whispered soothingly The dog ventured closer, this was no dog, at least not completely. The dog had to be half timberwolf. It was huge, almost standing up to her hip. The dog came closer and stopped at the end of its chain. It growled at her, half happy, half very angry that she was on its territory. The dog was about 3 feet away, and in the dim light she could see blood matted areas of fur all over its back, and even in the dark, she could have counted its ribs by sight. Void swallowed her anger and inched even closer, the dog backed up and lowered its head, ears flat. The dog was giving up a fearful confused scent, So Void took advantage of it to slip in to her other form and dash forwards. The dog whined, uncertainty clear on its face. Void smiled and bit its nose. The dog lept backwards and then dropped to its stomach and rolled over onto its back, a perfect picture of submission. Void shifted back and ran her fingers over his chest. She slipped the collar off and looked up at the house. A mans shape appeared at the window, and Void pressed herself into the ground. Minutes passed and she remained still. The dog stood and nuzzled at her cheek. Void peered up at the window and saw that the figure was gone. She slipped away from the house, and as she cleared the backyard, the backdoor opened. Void threw back her head and howled twice. The man came out on to the back porch and swore.
"Ruth!" He called over his shoulder. "Ruth, damn dogs run off." Whatever he was about to say was drowned out by an explosion from around the front. The man swore and ran back into the house.
Void and the dog ran for the car. She and the dog were in the back seat, waiting anxiously when Gambit appeared, a large smile on his face. He slid into the front seat and the car pulled a U-ie and sped off towards the mansion. Void leaned back against the seat and ruffled the dogs ears. She grinned at Gambit who was smiling back just as happily.
"That the mutt?" He asked and the dog growled at him "A bit bigger than Gambit thought he'd be. More attitude to." Void laughed and scratched under the dogs muzzle.
"He's half wolf." She said with a smile at Gambit. "And as for the attitude, he's a bit more comfortable now." She ran a gentle hand over the dogs body, wincing herself when the dog whimpered. "Can you speed up a bit St. John, hes hurt." John nodded grimly and sped up, slowing only once when two fire trucks and a police car whipped past them. They reached the school and piled out, St. John and Gambit, then Void and the dog.
"I'll go get Jean." St. John called, and ran inside. Gambit looked at the dog and squatted next to it, holding out a careful hand. The dog sniffed at the hand, then drew back its head and sneezed. Gambit stepped back, looking mildly affronted and wiped his hand on his trench coat.
"Why don't you go and get Rogue?" Void asked, trying not to laugh at the Man and animal. Gambit nodded and went into the house. Seconds passed and a large furry blue man appeared.
"It appears that you have a friend?" The blue man asked happily, peering at the dog though glasses. "Where'd he come from?"
"Couple miles away." Void said softly. "He's been beaten, bad. He's for Rogue." The man ambled closer, then squatted holding out a furry hand to the dog. The dog sniffed the hand then inched forwards to get a better scent of the furry man.
"Are you sure that rouge will be able to .. handle the dog?" The man asked carefully.
"If i can touch him then she can." Void replied sweetly. "We have the same powers. The dog will be fine." The blue man grinned.
"You must be Void." He stated with a grin, carefully checking the dog over. "I'm Hank, also known as beast." Void smiled.
"Hank works." She said as Rogue, St. John and Gambit and another woman erupted out of the house. Unfortunately the dog didn't like this. Void had to morph into wolf form and chase him half way across the lawn before gently herding him back to Hank and co. Then the dog decided that Jean couldn't touch him, because he didn't like the way she smelled. So in the end, Hank Void and Rogue cleaned and checked over the dog. Rouge grinning delightedly when she stripped off her gloves and ran her fingers through the dogs hair. When it was cleaned and bandaged Rogue stood and stretched.
"So does he have a name?" She asked.
"Umm no. Not as far as i know. Let me check." Void said, morphing back into a wolf. A few minutes later she was standing again, smiling. "Gabriel." She said firmly. "He wouldn't mind that."
"Why Gabriel?" Hank asked scratching the dogs chin.
"He ate someone called that once." Void teased. Hank and Rogue jumped back. "I'm only kidding." Void said. "as far as i can translate his first master was called that."
"Cool." Rouge said with a shy smile.
"So?" Void said, tilting her head to the side. "I think your dog might be hungry Rogue."
"My dog?" Rogue asked, looking at Gabriel with news eyes. "Really mine?"
"Really yours. He likes you. I get the feeling that he'll end up being our dog." Void said. "Our scents are yummy to him anyways." Rogue jumped her, squeezing her tight in a hug.
"Thanks!" the southerner cried. Void patted her awkwardly on the back, smiling at Hank.
"Its no problem really." Void said.
Rogue and Gabriel ran up to the school.
"You did a good thing there." Hanks said, gathering up his medical supplies.
"She needed him." Void said with a teary smile.
"You needed him too." Hank replied.
"We'll end up sharing." Void asserted.
"You know that, Rogue doesn't." Hank said, grabbing the wet and smelly towel they'd used to wash off the dog.
"I told her." Void said, staring at the mansion, where the sounds of happy dog and teens split the early night air.
"That you did. Join me for a cup of tea perhaps?" Hank asked, offering her a hand. She took it and allowed him to haul her towards the mansion.
"I suppose." She said slowly. "I kinda have to figure out where I'm sleeping."
"Simple enough. There's a free bed in Rogues room." Hanks replied with a grin.
"Sounds good to me." Void replied.
And it was good, the first of many evenings shared with Rogue, Hank and the dog who needed tending and cleaning. Followed by a cup of tea and talk in the kitchen. Ended with sweet sleep in a bed that always ended up with two extra occupants. Gabriel would sneak in first, then Rogue would eventually wake, and stumble across the floor. Days past by then weeks, and everything seemed copasetic.
