It was one of those mornings where I managed to wake up in good season without the assistance of the alarm clock or some sort of commotion from my homestay.

After a quick shower, I got dressed before brewing a pot of coffee- only to see that I had the place to myself for the time being. Perri must've been sleeping in this morning.

Savoring the aroma of Colombian Blend as the first light of day began filtering into through the kitchen's window, I take a look around the cluttered kitchen and quietly weigh my options. As it stands, it looks like I could be getting enough money from the program to hand off the renovation of the kitchen to an outside party- actual professionals..

I'll have to see if I can get any recommendations from Cyrus or Charlotte.

Mug in hand, I headed out to the porch to take in the morning view. A noticeable but invigorating chill in the air reminded me of autumn, even though we were still quite a ways away from the official change of seasons. Still, it seemed like in no time at all the aspens and cottonwoods out at the edge of the property would begin to change into brighter and more vibrant colors.

The sun hadn't been up for very long- distinct shadows now highlighted the nooks, crannies and outcroppings on the distant mountains and ridges around me. I couldn't help but inhale deeply before letting out a contented sigh- the brisk morning air filling my lungs.

Absolutely gorgeous.

It was moments like these where all my problems and all the debt I was struggling with seemed as though it was a million miles away. There are poor bastards stuck somewhere in some city that will never be treated to a view like this except perhaps for one of those motivational posters in the regional managers office when they're dragged in for their quarterly review.

It would be kind of nice if Perri was here to take in the sight, but even after the better part of a week there was bound to be some inevitable lingering awkwardness over her walking in on me and…..well…..my right hand.

Right after kissing her and feeling her up in that ghost town, no less.

In the chilly morning air, my thoughts turned to the Exchange Program's buxom tanuki lawyer. She swooped into my life like a tornado- and was every bit as subtle- before taking her leave almost as quickly.

The flirtatious youkai certainly checked a lot of boxes for me. From what I saw, the lady lawyer was pretty much a workaholic- perhaps the only downside. As good a match as she might've seemed, what good would it do either one of us if her work schedule hardly allowed her to spend any time with me?

And then there was my homestay- my gorgeous avian homestay with which any form of intimacy was apparently forbidden and still punishable with possible jail time. Or- if you prefer, my quiet and moody homestay whom I still couldn't tell if she legitimately hated me or was low-key flirting with me.

I suppose the smart thing to do would be to cut bait and forget about any thoughts of any relationship with her. But those rare times she confided in me or I was able to make her smile or laugh….it was hard to describe how rewarding that felt.

Still- given the events of the past couple of days, I was just grateful for a quiet morning where I could take in the sunrise over a hot cup of Java before I had to head off to do some errands.

Or so I thought.

Before I can head in, I hear something off in the distance and above me.

Honking.

Geese?

Sure enough, my eyes discern a v-shaped flock lazily making their way over the nearby fields.

Seems a bit early for them to be heading south, but….

Hold the phone- what's this?

Higher above the flock of geese and keeping pace is an even bigger winged creature.

My homestay.

Before I can even wonder what my housemate is up to, she banks and enters a steep dive, swooping towards the passing flock of geese. For a moment, I thought she pulled away at the last possible second, but I can see one of the geese at the end of the formation abruptly drop like a rock.

Perri abruptly wheels about, flying the opposite direction from the flock of geese only to gain more altitude and do another pivot.

She's going to off another goose.

No sooner do I realize what she's up to when Perri goes into her dive, the talons making contact with a goose on the other side of the 'v'.

This one doesn't fare any better, abruptly dropping out of the sky as Perri altered her trajectory to swoop in on the two dead birds plummeting to the earth- now clutching them in each of her talons.

The whole spectacle took maybe six or seven seconds- only slightly longer than Akagane's foray into mechanical bull riding. I mean….I've been out hunting before, but that's some pretty brutal Circle of Life shit playing out in front of me- all before I finish my first cup of coffee.

Astonishingly, the remaining geese seem largely unaware that Perri had just picked off two of their travelling companions in the span of a few seconds and proceeded on their way, honking in what I can only assume is blissful ignorance.

As for my apex predator housemate, her wings were extended as she began a lazy, corkscrew patterned descent towards the farmhouse.

She seems to be aware that I'm watching her as she continues her silent descent. As Perri gets closer, I realize she's wearing black spandex shorts and a black sports bra with gold trim. Even though they don't really show that much more skin then her denim cutoffs and tank top attire, my eyes are drawn to the form-fitting garments as she's nearly finished with her controlled spiral downwards.

I'm close enough to speak to her, but I can't think of anything to say after that little display. We momentarily make eye contact and she acknowledges me with a quick nod before abruptly putting on the brakes by flapping her wings. Hovering a few feet above the table, Perri unclenches both talons- unceremoniously dropping the two dead geese on the table before landing just in front of it.

"I didn't think you'd be up this early, Mr. Host." she said, a little short of breath.

"Yeah- didn't feel like sleeping in for some reason." I say before taking another sip of my coffee and wondering what I'm supposed to do with those geese she took down.

"Do you think you could use those to make quesadillas tonight?" she asked me earnestly.

God damn it….she looks so sincere. But still, I need to have a word with her before she thinks it's a good idea to have whooping crane taquitos one day.

"Uh….Perri- is this something you do every day?" I ask.

"Flying?"

"No….I mean….that." I nod towards the rather dead waterfowl on the table.

"Oh….those. No- but this flock was making all sorts of noise and I guess I couldn't help myself." she shrugged before holding out her wings before her.

"I appreciate your being….." I stumble for a moment, trying to find the word. "...Proactive. But you need to be careful about this kind of thing. If you ended up snapping up someone's pet or even some cattle, you could get in a lot of trouble….and I don't want that happening."

"I can tell the difference between cows and geese, Or dogs and geese, Mr. Host." Perri huffed as she began swaying side to side, her wings still extended. "The Program told me the same thing in Japan."

"It isn't just that- even though those geese aren't anybody's pets, I think you could still get in some pretty deep shit for killing them out of season."

"Out of season….?" she asks as she continues her rhythmic swaying before biting her lower lip in contemplation. "I think I know what's going on….."

"What's that?"

"You're feeling threatened now that you know you're not the sole breadwinner of the house."

"Not quite, Dr Birdhouse…." I shoot back as she continues her repetitive swaying- like she's getting ready to dance to some unheard rhythm.

I'll admit that it's driving me to distraction, yet it seems familiar.

"What are you even doing?" I finally ask.

"Capoeira. A few basic techniques so I don't get rusty."

As if to emphasise this, she seamlessly launched into a twirling roundhouse kick- a dervish of sweat, spandex and feathers before going back to that repetitive swaying.

How could I forget? Especially after using some of her moves against me only a few days after we first met.

Of course, the more I see of Perri's capoeira regimen, the more convinced I am that she actually went easy on me after that misunderstanding in the ghost town.

"Show off." I half-seriously scoff.

"You have a lot to say for someone within Pontiera distance."

"You have wings." I point out. "For you, the Jolly Green Giant is within chin-kicking distance."

"Don't you forget it." she smirked.

"Mind if I watch?" I ask as I sit down at the picnic table next to the dead geese. "I haven't seen this before- I mean outside that one time you tried beating my ass."

Instead of answering right away, she launches into a pair of consecutive spinning roundhouse kicks and then steadies herself. At first, I assume she's gotten dizzy from the momentum, but I can tell she's up to something else as she drops down abruptly with her wing-arm steadying her and follows up the two spinning roundhouse kicks with an impressive sweeping kick low to the ground before springing back up.

"I suppose- at least if you keep your hands where I can see them." she said flatly.

That seemed like an oddly specific request until it dawned on me that she walked in on me pleasuring myself to a video of extraspecies women in form fitting workout attire the other night.

Oh ha freakin' ha. Very funny, bird girl.

Still- a fairly valid concern from her point of view.

"This was mostly a way for me to keep physically active since I couldn't fly as often at my prior home." Perri explained, catching her breath as she resumed that rhythmic swaying, her golden eyes locking on a far-off focal point.

"But your last host family was in Japan, yeah?"

"That's right."

I chuckled slightly at the revelation.

"What is it?" she asked, a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Oh- just seems strange to me that you were in Japan- home to God knows how many martial arts. But for whatever reason, you picked up on a Brazilian one."

"Better soundtrack." Perri said without missing a beat.

"I didn't know martial arts had their own soundtrack." I contemplate.

"This one does." Perri said as she slid forward and began jabbing the air with her right wing, punctuating each swipe with an audible little grunt. "They say it was clandestinely started by slave laborers in Brazil, but they had to disguise it as a dance to trick their overseers."

I think I knew that already- it definitely sounds like one of those random bits of Trivia I may have picked up at the Spur long before I met Perri or had even heard of the Interspecies Cultural Exchange Program.

"Almost feels like I should've bought a ticket." I chuckle.

Upon hearing that, Perri abruptly narrows her eyes before she pivoted towards me- using two additional spinning roundhouse kicks to propel herself uncomfortably close to where I'm sitting.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Not the face! That's my moneymaker…." I plead, reflexively using my elbow to shield my face.

However, the onslaught of talon kicks and wing punches never materialize.

Perri has stopped a few feet from me, but is still in a fighting stance and staring at me intently. In hindsight, that comment of mine did sound pretty snide and demeaning when that wasn't my intent.

"Sorry- I wasn't making fun of you or anything. I just meant that it's pretty interesting seeing you do all these moves and I'm learning something new, too." I tell her as I manage to calm down. "Not everyone can pull that off."

This seemed to get Perri to relax a little.

"Is this something you do every morning?" I ask her. I stopped myself before I was able to point out 'No wonder you've got such a rockin' body'. After a moment's thought, I decided to modify it. "No wonder you're in such great shape."

"Not the capoeira, but I'll do some exploratory flights each morning…..usually before you're out of bed, Mr. Host."

"You staying hydrated, at least?"

She shook her head 'no' before beginning a series of stretches, leading me to believe she was almost done with her morning workout.

"It seems as though the cooler air at altitude doesn't make me thirsty no matter how much I exert myself- although I suppose you have a point about remaining properly hydrated." Perri mused as she bent her left knee forward and began leaning over it.

I look at my own mug of now lukewarm coffee and then back at her as her wings are now stretched over her head and her back is slightly arched.

Holy shit- it's not even seven thirty and the sunrise is already a distant second in terms of the most beautiful and amazing things I've seen so far today.

How does she even put that sports bra and spats combo on unassisted?

"I can get you something besides coffee if you want." I offer.

That's odd.

In the distance, I can see the morning sun glint off a windshield towards the bottom of the driveway. It's not unusual for someone to pull over and check their GPS, but still- this gives me pause for some reason.

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. I plan on getting some water once I finish with my cool-down stretches." I could hear Perri say from what seemed like a few miles away as my attention was now on the car off in the distance.

Whoever this driver is seems like they're consciously making the decision to make their way up the driveway.

That can't be good.

"Do you have anything planned for today, Mr. Host?" the falcon girl asks me as it looks like she's wrapping up her stretches.

"Not yet- but we can go over some plans after you wash up and get ready." I say as I'm attempting to hide my focus on the approaching car.

I follow Perri back into the house but hook a right at what was once Uncle Bill's old den.

Besides numerous history books about the Civil War and Old West, there was a locked wooden cabinet. Standing in front of the cabinet, I reach up and blindly feel along the top until my hand comes into contact with something- a small key for the lock before me.

Upon opening the cabinet, I'm looking at no fewer than ten older rifles and shotguns that used to belong to my uncle. I think the newest of these guns dated back to the early 1970s and the temptation was certainly there to see how much any one of these could've gone for on the collector's market while times had been pretty lean for me….and there had been no shortage of lean times.

Almost immediately, I find what I was looking for- a pump action Winchester shotgun that's probably been in the family since the Truman Administration. Near the butt of the rifles and shotguns are two loose 12 gauge shells that I scoop up, along with a plain rectangular cardboard box that contains five more shells.

It could be just a lost motorist looking for directions or getting bad instructions from their GPS, but after hearing some of the anecdotes about Exchange Program offices getting firebombed or nominally pro-Extraspecies lawmakers getting death threats and white powder in the mail, I'm not taking any chances.

I lean around the corner- no sign of Perri. She's probably changing or starting her shower. Naturally I don't want to unnecessarily alarm her, but if she hears gunshots she'll know for sure something is up. I'd rather this turns out to be nothing

Instead of turning around or stopping, the vehicle I spotted is getting closer to the house. As it gets closer, I can see that it's only one car and there doesn't seem to be anything outwardly menacing or foreboding about it.

The little car stops in front of the porch- the unassuming little import sedan was almost certainly a rental from the airport at El Paso or Albuquerque.

It's still pretty early in the morning, but there's enough glare from the sun that I can't quite make out who's inside, although I'm sure they've seen me.

"Mind stepping out and telling me what you're doing here?" I ask, Winchester pointed in the general direction of the car but my finger well away from the trigger.

The door swings open and I'm treated to a pair of enticing caramel legs wearing some sort of odd fuzzy slippers as the driver exits.

Scratch that- those are her feet, tapering off into dark fur and beastial foot paws. Our uninvited visitor isn't barefoot, either- she seems to have some sort of sandals with golden straps that are fastened around her lower legs.

I catch sight of the rest of her as she exits the vehicle. A striking, olive-skinned beauty that's smartly dressed in a blouse, jacket and pencil skirt and is wearing some sort of ornately decorated headgear. Except….some of what i'm seeing isn't headgear. Dark hair obscures where her ears would be if she were fully human. Instead, atop her head are what looks like a pair of jackal ears. There is a gold band that goes around her head with smaller golden chains cascading off of it- not unlike the Egyptian catgirl from that workout video.

You know what? The less said about that workout video, the better.

"My my- I certainly hope this isn't how you greet all your visitors, Mr. Andersen." my visitor chided me while glancing disapprovingly at the vintage Winchester I was pointing in her general direction.

"Just the ones who show up unannounced." I reply.

"I'm actually here to see Miss Greene." our visitor continued.

"You seem to know my name and my homestays name, but you have me at a disadvantage, Miss….." I point out.

"Where are my manners? My name is Sadeh and I'm with the exchange program's Southwestern Division. Specifically the Financial Services Administration."

Southwestern Division? Is she a colleague of Akagane's?

"What brings you all the way out here?" I asked our pointy eared visitor.

"It just so happens we were reviewing our financial records and came across some discrepancies regarding our payments to this household."

Uh-oh...here it comes. They double-checked their records and it turns out they've been overpaying me- so now they want their money back. Why else would they send Miss Jackal Ears out to the back of beyond? Fuck- now it's time to pay the piper I quietly lament.

"Don't worry." she tries reassuring me. "We didn't detect any suspicious or fraudulent activities- quite the opposite. It seems your homestay hasn't been using her Exchange Program issued debit card since she's arrived here." the olive-skinned canine woman said as she looked at her tablet.

"I'm sorry...her...what?" I asked incredulously.

"Oh yes- in many instances, a homestay is given a small allowance for food, clothing or other necessities. This is loaded onto a prepaid debit card."

"Huh...?"

"As a matter of fact, because you reside in such a rural area this entitles Perri to a slightly higher payout."

A thought hit me out of the blue.

God damn it...she's getting paid to stay with me?

"H-how much?" I ask in disbelief.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss the exact amount, Mr. Andersen." the anubis deflected before noticing the dead geese.

"Are those geese?" Sadeh asks as she eyes the carcasses.

"Oh...those? Maybe."

Smooth. Real smooth.

"Mr. Andersen- I believe that migratory bird hunting season doesn't begin for at least another month. If your homestay has killed waterfowl without acquiring the necessary permits or tags from the state, then I'm afraid she could be looking at substantial penalties from the US Fish & Wildlife service and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish…"

I'm pretty sure my jaw hit the floor. Its uncanny how this bossy little beancounter seems familiar with seemingly unrelated state and federal wildlife regulations. The last thing in the world I needed was some anal-retentive jackal woman scolding me over Perri reducing the number of Canadian Geese in the world by a grand total of two. But legally, she's right.

And I'm on thin ice with bird girl as it is. There's absolutely no point in dragging her out for a very expensive 'I told you so'.

Damn it. Looks like I'm throwing myself on top of this particular grenade today.

"Oh no….Perri didn't kill those, I did."

"But they look like someone with giant talons swooped down and-"

"N...New shotgun shell from Remingchester. The Dark Talon." I say, glancing away.

She did a double take, glancing at the dead birds before giving me a skeptical glare.

"You're telling me that you killed those birds, Mr. Andersen?" she asked incredulously. "Even though we're still nearly a month removed from waterfowl season?"

"Yeah….About that…..they're um…. Egyptian geese, an invasive species, so no tags or permits necessary." I bluff.

"I see." she said as though she was pondering something. Before I knew it, the Anubis beancounter was standing before me on her tiptoes, her lustrous black tail and cute button nose twitching as she was sniffing the air around my neck and throat. Before I could even ask what she was doing, she moved to my immediate left and continued sniffing around the nape of my neck, then continued sniffing as she pivoted behind me.

"Interesting….interesting…." she mused after she walked around me in one full revolution. Without any warning, she reached out and put her hand-paw on the side of the Winchester's barrel.

"Hey now…" I begin.

Fearing an attempt to disarm me, I tensed up my grip on the shotgun right away. However, the curious Anubis woman withdrew her paw almost as quickly- as though she simply wanted to touch the weapon.

"I see…" she muses to nobody in particular.

"You….ah….don't need a fire hydrant or anything, do you?" I hesitantly ask the jackal office lady as she backed off..

"If it's all right with you, may I speak with your homestay?" she asked, ignoring my attempt at humor.

If this Sadeh is who she says she is, then she's come a really long way just for a Q & A session with Perri. And even more curious is that Smith and Akagane just got through interviewing her hardly even a week ago.

Is the Exchange Program normally this attentive with homestays- even in far flung locations- or are Perri and I being singled out?

"You came this far, Ms. uh…. Sadeh….I don't see why not. But she's washing up after her morning workout, so you're going to have to wait a little bit."

"Understood" she said as she clutched at her leather binder.

"It's not Starbucks or anything, but I can make you some coffee while you're waiting." I offer.

"I would appreciate that, thank you."

Dead geese in one hand and Winchester in the other, I sprint up the stairs trying to think of my next move. Ducking into Uncle Bill's den, I remove the shells and lean the Winchester against the wall before continuing to the kitchen.

A thought suddenly occurs to me- Clyde might be able to help me with this goose situation.

Lifting up the phone from its cradle, I dial the number for Clyde's workshop as I get the coffee machine ready to brew another batch.

I know that Clyde usually has a pretty lucrative side-hustle going on during hunting season dressing and cleaning elk, deer, ducks, geese or other game bagged by hunters. I thought he was joking at first, but he had said something about getting paid pretty handsomely after packing certain animal parts in dry ice and shipping them off to Chinatown for use in traditional Chinese medicine.

After three rings, I'm mentally composing how specific I should be for my voicemail when the man himself picks up immediately after the fourth ring.

"C & B's Small Engine Repair and Fabricators- how can I help you?" a surprisingly business-like voice on the other end answered.

"Hey Clyde- it's me." I say.

Clyde sounded a little surprised that I would be calling him this early in the day instead of talking to him face-to-face at the Spur.

"Hey Bryce- what's going on?" the bewildered voice on the other end asked.

"Just wanted to let you know I bagged a couple of geese this morning and was wondering if you were available to clean them."

"Already? But the season doesn't start until-"

"Yeah yeah, I know…." I cut him off impatiently.

That huffy little Anubis' ears aren't just for decoration, and even though I put some distance between me and her I'm wondering exactly how much of the conversation she's able to pick up on her end.

"Well- I got a client who's supposed to be showing up in fifteen minutes to see if I can salvage their Briggs & Stratton, but you could swing by around noon."

"Noon?" that's a little late for my tastes, but I guess I should be glad he's even able to see me at all on short notice.

Fuck- if I try and get rid of her right now, it's gonna look even more suspicious. Looks like I'm going to have to keep little Ms. Jackal Ears busy until then. Or maybe I can slip in a little earlier.

"Mr. Andersen- not to impose…." a voice spoke up from the hallway. "...but if you have cream and sugar, I'll gladly take that."

Son of a bitch- the little beancounter followed me inside.

I try not to appear startled as I reply.

"You're in luck- we have both." I told her, one hand covering the reciever.

"Shouldn't you wash your hands after handling those?" she asked, nodding towards the geese

"Alright Clyde- guess I'll see you around noon-ish." I said, wrapping up our phone call.

The Anubis is still looking at me.

"Only if I'm charging you for the coffee." I tell her.

Snappy answer, but rather flimsy logic on my part.

Before the smartly dressed Anubis could challenge my answer, another voice spoke up.

"Mr. Host- where are you taking those geese I caught this morning?" Perri asks earnestly.

My jaw dropped when I saw that Perri was still damp from the shower and wearing nothing more than a white towel wrapped around her.

Holy shit- how long have I been keeping dish towels in the bathroom? Because that looks exactly like what Perri's managed to wrap around herself.

"Perr! Th-this is Sadeh….she's uh-um…..she's from the Exchange Program and wanted to ask you a few questions." I said, hoping I wasn't being too obvious about trying to deflect.

My nearly naked falcon harpy homestay acknowledged the smartly dressed Anubis with little more than a terse nod before shifting her attention back to me.

"You're not trying to take credit for my kills, are you?" she asked me.

"Ha ha ha! What a kidder- I'm sure you're just saying random nonsense because you got up too early and want to go back to sleep, right?"

"Not at all, I-"

Shit. She's not taking the hint. Here goes nothing.

Before Perri can say another word, I virtually fly across the kitchen, slip behind her and clamp my hand down over her mouth before she can continue.

I'm not going to lie- her body felt pretty good pressed up against me, but I knew I had to say something to her before I was on the receiving end of her talons.

'Perri- the less said about the geese right now, the better.' I whisper quietly into her ear, not sure if Sadeh can still hear me.

"REALLY REALLY tired- so tired that you're spouting jibberish and should probably have some of this fresh coffee I'm brewing" I continue in a normal tone of voice that I'm sure the Anubis will hear.

Perri nods slightly- but instead of the feared talon kick to the groin, she none too gently bites my hand as it's still clamped over her mouth.

"She's not going to sleep with you..." she said immediately after I loosened my grip. She was glaring at me reproachfully as she turned around.

That's the least of my problems right now, bird girl.

"Ms. Greene- I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but I had a few questions for you." an increasingly incredulous Anubis spoke up.

"About what?" she asked our visitor.

"Your Exchange Program issued debit card, specifically."

My raptor harpy homestay looked lost in thought for a moment before a light seemingly went off over her head.

"You mean that little plastic square Smith told me not to lose?" she asks.

"Y-yes, that's it."

"But I haven't lost it." Perri protested quietly. "It's been sitting in my nightstand ever since I arrived here."

"You mean you haven't even used it or tried to activate it the whole time here?" Sadeh asked.

To be honest, I was almost equally bewildered.

Perri shook her head 'no'.

"What about food?"

"Mr. Host usually takes care of that. He may be a hopeless pervert and layabout, but he's actually quite a good cook." Perri replied without missing a beat.

Um….OK, thanks for the backhanded compliment, bird girl.

Sadeh shifted her gaze to me.

"We- we sometimes go out for Mexican, too." I explain. "The flour tortillas are pretty easy for Perri to grip and the burritos or enchiladas have lots of protein."

"I see…." Sadeh said as she bit her lower lip. "Normally in cases like this, we would suspect the host of taking advantage of the homestay and using their card for their own ends. Other times, it could be something as minor as the homestay forgetting the PIN number. But…." she unzipped a leather binder and pulled out a few sheets of paper. "Our records indicate that your card hasn't even been activated, Ms. Greene."

"Activate?" my homestay asked, increasingly confused.

"Ms. Greene- may I see your card?"

"Right now?"

"If it's not too much trouble, yes…"

"We didn't have to do this in Japan." Perri grumbled quietly.

"I understand- the US division of the Interspecies Cultural Exchange Program thought that this method would be less of a burden for the host households and more efficient for the homestays." the Anubis explained to both of us.

The falcon harpy acknowledged our visitor's explanation with a quiet nod before heading off.

"Wait- she gets money for doing nothing? Did someone turn the calendar back to 2020?" I ask.

"Hardly."

"OK- I'm curious, though….how did they handle things in Japan?"

"Any sudden expenses incurred by the household as a result of their homestay would be reimbursed by the Exchange Program by the end of the month, assuming receipts had been provided." Sadeh explained. "The families almost always get comped, but the process was pretty slow and inefficient.

I could see how it would be open to abuse and fraud if it was done on the honor system here.

"We at the Southwest Division felt that issuing debit cards to some homestays would afford them a degree of financial autonomy without having to rely on the host household to procure certain items or services for them." the Anubis continued as she adjusted her glasses. "And while technically true, you can see for yourself some of the problems inherent with this type of arrangement."

"Y-yeah, I guess." I reply before tending to the coffee machine.

After a few moments, Perri returned. Not only did she have the debit card with her, but she managed to get at least partially dressed in a pair of blue and white striped side-tie panties and a different sports bra with silver trim.

Sadeh patiently walked her through the instructions to activate the card, which included using her cell phone to call a special phone number that was on the sticker.

Damn it- even the fussy jackal lady gets better reception out here than I do. Still, I kept quiet as she explained to Perri that a certain amount would be automatically added to the card at the end of the month as long as she was a homestay.

To her credit, Perri looked as though she understood the instructions that the anubis accountant was giving her- she just completely forgot that she actually had a card to activate.

"Basically the balance on your card is yours to do with as you please, although I highly recommend saving it for essentials or emergency expenses." Sadeh concluded.

"Mr. Host? What do you think I should use this card for?" Perri asked me in an unusually deferential tone.

Sadeh looked a little annoyed at my homestay's query- as though her advice was being ignored- but ultimately said nothing.

"Well…" I began. "I guess it depends on how much of a balance you're carrying. You could probably get something nice for yourself since they've been adding to it this whole time and you have yet to actually use it. But you don't want to max that thing out on day one, either."

Perri glanced back at Sadeh, who shook her head 'no' as if concurring with my statement.

"Besides- there's nothing that says you have to spend that money right away. Whatever you end up doing, just give your purchases some careful consideration."

The scantily-clad raptor harpy glanced at me and then at her card

"That certainly sounds like good advice, Mr. Host." Perri replied. "Although I must admit I'm a little surprised it's coming from you."

"What do you mean by that?" I ask defensively.

"Oh….nothing." she said faux-innocently before continuing. "It's just that in the short time I've known you, it seems as though sensible financial practices doesn't seem to be one of your strengths."

I'm speechless for a moment as my homestay's words sink in while Sadeh has a rather smug and satisfied smirk on her face. She's not wrong, but still….

"Hey now- I think that's a little-" I began to say in my defense.

"How much of the Exchange Program's money have you wasted at that infernal tavern, Mr Host?" the raptor harpy asks me accusingly.

"This week? Not a dime." I say without hesitation, mostly because I had yet to set foot in the Spur all week.

"But generally speaking…."

I don't say anything right away, but I let out an exasperated grunt.

"None- most of what I spend at the Spur is on a county roadworker's salary. Besides- who died and made you my accountant?" I churlishly ask my homestay.

"Oh my…." Sadeh tittered.

"Do you have something to say to us, Jackal?" Perri snapped.

"Well- it's just….I suppose seeing the two of you bicker like this, well- it reminds me of seeing an older married couple."

"C….couple?" the falcon harpy stammered. "Th-that's not what…..Mr. Host and I…..we… we don't have th-that kind of r-r-r-relationship….."

Oh wow- did the jackal beancounter ever find the right button to push.

"M-m-mist….Mr. Host…..say something! Tell her!" Perri almost pleaded with me.

I must admit, the sight of my normally stoic and taciturn avian housemate being reduced to a stammering, blushing nervous wreck with just a few words from the visiting canid was adorable. Plus she just got through basically calling me a deadbeat in front of our visitor- no way I'm letting her off the hook this quickly.

"Well, Perri….it's not unusual for Cyrus and Charlotte to argue over money, and they've been together for like twenty years give or take…." I point out.

Oh wow- thanks to her skimpy attire, I can see that this is very much a full body blush on Perri's part.

"You're not helping!" the falcon harpy lamented as she pointed her wing at the Anubis. "Tell her! Tell her we're not a c-c-c-cup…..couple!"

No way- I'm having too much fun with this.

"Perri?" I ask, pointing out her blush. "Did you get a little sun on you when you were out flying? Looks like you already got a little color all over you."

As if she just realized she was wearing nothing more than a bra and panties in front of the man of the house, the embarrassed raptor harpy folded her surfboard-sized wing-arms in front of her in an attempt to preserve her modesty.

"Don't change the topic, Mr. Host!" she protested, seemingly finding her voice. "Tell her she's wrong."

Sadeh seemed to be quietly enjoying Perri's mini-outburst as well.

"Miss Greene- I didn't mean to imply anything untowards." the jackal office lady said with a straight face.

"You missed her workout earlier, but Perri's pretty adept at capoeira." I explain to our visitor. "If I ended up doing something that was way out of line, she's more than capable of layin' down a big-time hurtin' on me."

Still holding up her wings protectively, Perri nodded in agreement.

"I see."

"You're almost as bad as the ring-tailed cur." Perri said as she nodded towards the Anubis.

"I'm sorry- Who?" the bewildered Anubis asked.

"Oh- we had an official from the legal department come out here earlier this month…." I begin to explain.

"Mr. Host, you couldn't keep your hands off her!" the raptor harpy said accusingly.

"Jeez Perri- you aren't jealous, are you?" I casually asked her.

That bought me a few seconds of precious silence as Perri began twiddling her thumbs and looking at the floor while her soft lips struggled to form the word "N..n….not really. I just don't think that's how you sh-should behave."

"My homestay's exaggerating things a little." I explain. "But I really am surprised they sent somebody out here so soon after we had someone from the Legal department come by."

"Well- I personally wanted to make certain that nothing nefarious was happening regarding your homestay's finances." Sadeh explained. "I guess I'm a stickler for details."

That's odd- most of what Sadeh did this morning seemed like it could have been done over the phone from Phoenix or wherever her office is.

"I'm going out." Perri announced. "You can continue entertaining this jackal if you want, but I'll be taking my leave."

"Um….technically I'm not a Jackal." Sadeh meekly began to explain.

"So soon?" I ask.

Perri nodded.

Damn- I really did want to go out with her somewhere for a day trip today. She seemed agreeable to it earlier, but it looks like she's in a pretty foul mood after the Anubis and I had been teasing her. Probably for the best to let her blow off some steam.

"Just be back by dinner- and maybe bring the card with you. Even if it's something small like a bottled water or some fruit, use it to buy something so you can tell whether or not its working."

Perri acknowledges me with a curt nod before taking her leave.

Sadeh looks on in what appears to be disbelief as I grab my truck keys off the countertop and pick up the dead geese.

"Mr. Andersen- I should probably speak to you regarding your homestay-"

"Sure thing- you can do it on the way into town." I said, jingling my keychain. "You coming?"

The Anubis wore a little pout as she turned to follow me out the front door. Looks like I managed to piss off two fairly formidable extraspecies women in the span of less than a minute.

To my surprise, she was patiently waiting by the passenger door of the old pickup. I reached over to unlock while the smartly dressed jackal-eared office lady said nothing as she opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.

"Mr. Anderson- I don't suppose you've seen all the 'Lost Dog' fliers around town, have you?" the Anubis beancounter suddenly asked as the truck sped down Route 79 on our way into town.

"What are you talking about?"

The confusion on my face must've been pretty apparent to the jackal lady.

"Oh- when I was stopping at the gas station in town, I couldn't help but notice that there was an inordinate number of fliers for missing pets for such a small town."

That's odd. It had been awhile since I was at the Sinclair station, but there were exactly zero in the post office when I was in there this week.

This huffy little jackal is up to something.

"Could it be…..your homestay might be somehow involved?" she prodded.

"Nope…"

"How can you be certain? You seem to have a very hands-off approach when it comes to how your homestay spends her free time."

"Because it's her time- the quickest way to get Perri riled up and acting defiant is for me to crack the whip and start ordering her around like Drill Sargent McHardass."

"Didn't have you pegged as a soft touch, Goose." Sadeh remarks.

Fuck- she's already come up with a nickname for me?

"Not as soft as Perri." I scoff.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I saw with my own eyes Perri trying to hand-feed squirrels for like….ten minutes, but you're tryin' to tell me the gal is having Labradoodle Tartare the second she leaves my sight? C'mon- that ain't happening lady."

Sadeh is still wearing a slight grin.

"Was that what you wanted to speak to me about?" I ask

"Honestly, I'm a little surprised. Overall the two of you seem to be getting along fine, but I think Perri could benefit from a little more structure in her daily life." the jackal-eared office lady mused.

"I mean….you're not wrong- I had been trying to plan something with her for today when you showed up."

"Oh?"

"Yeah- I was thinking of taking her to one of the nearby ghost towns so she could take in some local history. If she had any ideas, I would've been all ears, but then you showed up….kinda threw a monkey wrench in our plans for today before we could even get started."

"I see….."

I didn't really appreciate the skeptical tone she was taking with me, but the longer we were going on about this particular topic, the more it seemed like she had forgotten about the geese that were (allegedly) killed out of season, despite them being right next to her.

If I played my cards right, not only could Clyde effectively destroy the evidence, but Perri and I might get some goose meat for our troubles. Sadeh just had to believe these geese were invasive for the rest of the morning.

Still, since it sounded like Clyde couldn't see me right away, I figured it would be prudent to work in some intermediate stops along the way and when I got into town To start off with, I decided I should make a stop at the Post office.

"I'm gonna be a minute, so make sure these bad boys don't go anywhere." I tell Sadeh as I slide the truck into a spot in front of the post office. "Feel free to listen to the radio, but don't mess with my presets."

"Really?" Sadeh said as she scrunched her face up with disdain. "I'm almost certain that Ramses the Third had a newer radio entombed with him in the Valley of the Kings".

"Ha ha ha….." I mock laugh at her not so subtle dig about my truck's outdated technology. "You're a regular comedienne- aren't you, Jackal Ears?" although she probably didn't hear that last part because of the squeaky hinges when I slammed the driver's side door shut.

I jogged up the steps to the post office and quickly checked my mailbox. About a week's worth of fliers and some bills- nothing really exciting. Oddly enough, I was debating whether or not to keep the mailbox in town- the Exchange Program required that I give my physical address when I applied- a P.O. box wasn't going to cut it. Since then, they had been mailing me paperwork and miscellaneous odds and ends via the ranch. The bills and notices from my various creditors had also taken a less threatening and hostile tone now that I began paying most of my bills on time and well over the minimum payment.

On the way out, I stopped by the bulletin board near the lobby.

Hay for sale, Lawn mowing and landscaping services available, Baby goats for sale, music lessons, a used lathe for sale…..

Nothing about missing pets. All the more reason to assume the Anubis had been yanking my chain earlier. The question remains- to what end?

But interestingly, the most prominent notice on the bulletin board wasn't from the Exchange Program, but the Post Office itself.

They were hiring.

Rural carrier needed with good starting pay and good benefits. I was a little surprised, because the postal service seemed to be in the middle of its latest round of budget cuts and belt tightening.

Sounds good, but it doesn't take me long to find the catch.

'Applicants must provide their own transportation'.

Shoot…. I don't think they'd let me deliver mail in that relic I call a truck, so guess that rules out me applying for the position.

But hang on a sec….

The wheels in my head are turning as I re-read the job notice.

'Applicants must provide their own transportation'

It doesn't say anything about requiring a vehicle….in which case, I know of somebody who would be perfect for the job.

I'm almost giddy as I pull out my phone and take a picture of the job notice so I can go over some of the details later.

"Heya Mr. Andersen!" the postmistress called out from behind the counter. "Bringing that friend of yours into town this morning?" she asked as she nodded towards my truck.

"Nah- she's out doing her own thing. But I do have company."

"Who is it?"

"Says she's an accountant from the Exchange Program. Got suspicious and came all the way out here when she detected zero activity on Perri's card."

"Didn't even know your friend had a card." she mused.

"Yea…this morning is the first I heard of it. She was told not to lose it, but no further instructions after that." I chuckled nervously.

"Well, good luck with that." she said as I opened up the door.

"Thanks- I might need it. Have a good rest of your weekend." I call back to her after holding the door open for a slender, older latino gentleman with a bushy moustache heading into the lobby from the street.

I practically skip down the steps and back to the truck. Sadeh must've picked up on my good mood as soon as I slid back into the driver's seat.

"You look happy- did you find out your favorite banjo picker is playing next week's hootenanny?" Sadeh asks me.

"Ah- well, the hootenanny isn't until next month, but I may have found a little something my homestay might be interested in." I grin as I start up the truck, picking a country station on the radio simply to spite the Anubis.

To my surprise, she doesn't seem to press the issue as I lean across and get something from the glovebox.

A pack of cigarettes.

In all honesty, they had been there since a few weeks before I even considered participating in the Interspecies Exchange Program, but with this jackal-eared interloper I felt like I needed something- anything- to take the edge off.

Good God- I know these things had been bad for me, but I really could use a smoke right about now.

Frankly, I'm a little surprised I didn't bum any smokes off of Akagane when she was visiting.

Without saying a word, I start up the truck and press the cigarette lighter. This is one of those older types where it's a circle you have to press in and it pops back into the original position once it's ready. As the truck idles, I fish a solitary cigarette out from the pack. I can sense Sadeh eyeing me as the lighter pops back into position.

'"What are you doing?" the Anubis asked incredulously as I lit the cigarette.

"Taking a trip to flavor country….." I say before holding the open pack in front of her. "Wanna come?"

The jackal woman scrunched up her nose at my offer.

"Are you really going to light that disgusting thing in front of me?" she sniffed.

"Well, yeah….I mean it is my truck after all." I tell her as I take a pull on the cigarette.

"And exactly how often do you smoke in front of Perri?" Sadeh pointedly asked.

Fuck…..before I knew it, I found myself stubbing out the lit cigarette in the truck's ashtray.

Glancing over at Sadeh, I can see the slightest hint of a smirk on her lips. She had her answer without me saying a word.

God damn it….as soon as I found something to leverage against this irksome, busybody jackal beancounter, she manages to ju-jitsu it against me.

"Whoo-eee, Bryce. Looks like you bagged yourself a couple of Egyptian geese." Clyde marvelled as I presented him with Perri's kill. "Non-native species that's been making their way west from Texas."

"Is that so?" I asked, my voice ever so slightly echoing in Clyde's spacious but increasingly cluttered workshop.

"Oh yeah- they got 'em as decorative birds for a couple of golf courses out by Corpus Christi, only some genius forgot to clip their wings and get 'em sterilized for one batch. Next thing you know, they're seeing the world, multiplying, being fruitful, making their way west, leaving Snickers bar sized turds on people's cars…..that sort of thing." he explained to the curious Anubis and myself.

"But they look just like Canadian geese." Sadeh protested quietly, taking a moment to look away from one of Clyde's fourteen year old calendars featuring bikini clad and tattooed women draped all over custom built hot rods.

"Ah! Understandable….that's a pretty common mistake." Clyde continued. "You see, with your typical Canadian geese, the darker plumage runs this way from the wing to the backside. But with these bad boys right here, the pattern runs in more of a diagonal line. Also, the other guys have a less prominent ring around their eyes."

"I…..I see." the Anubis replied uncertainly.

"Now- there is the matter of my nominal fee, although this is good practice for the upcoming duck season." Clyde said to me.

"Want me to cover this here or at the Spur?" I ask him.

"Hmm- that's a good question. Starting to think we weren't gonna see you again at the Spur. That birdy of yours has been keeping you on a tight leash this month, hasn't she?"

"I….uh….." I begin to trail off. Damn it- he's right, but not for the reasons he thinks. "Er…..well- last I checked, I wasn't exactly forbidden from going out to the Spur."

Fuck- now it sounds like I'm relying on Perri's permission to go out for a few drinks.

"All right then- we can square things up next time I see you at the Spur….." he said before turning to the Anubis. "But I was wondering if your guest could tell me something."

Oh shit… I think I know where he's going.

"You see…." Clyde began to fidget as he addressed the jackal woman. "A little while ago I put in an application to be a homestay and I was….just uh….wondering if y-you could provide me with s-some kind of update."

Yeah. Here we go.

"Clyde- I think you're asking the wrong…." I began.

"Ah- well, our application process is experiencing a severe backlog right now, so I can't really comment on your status at this time." Sadeh explained.

It sounded like an expertly delivered stock answer on the beancounter jackal's part.

"And….out of all the homestays, wh-what are the odds I might end up with a centauride? Preferably a lightweight centaur…." he nearly mumbled the last part almost under his breath.

"Mr. McAlpine, is it?" the anubis began.

I'm pretty sure she only knew Clyde's surname because she stole a glance at the faded lettering on the mailbox in front of his workshop on our way in.

"I'm afraid it's not within my purview to unilaterally decide which kind of species you would end up hosting should you be approved." Sadeh continued as she adjusted her glasses. "But having said that, your property does seem more suited for relatively smaller extraspecies up to and including lightweight centaurs. At this time, I'm simply not in any position to make untenable promises to prospective hosts."

"Alright then- I understand." Clyde mumbled, not quite able to conceal his disappointment with the Anubis' stock response.

Damn- I didn't count on her introduction to Clyde being this awkward. Might as well break the silence and say something.

"Tell you what, Miss Sadeh- if you want, I can take you to this little Mexican place Perri and I sometimes go to….you feelin' hungry?"

"Now that you mention it, that would be delightful. I haven't had a chance to stop for a bite to eat on the way here." the jackal woman pondered. "And I don't think I've had authentic Mexican before."

"Really? We definitely need to do something about that." I tell her. "Tell ya what- let me square things up with Clyde here and I'll meet you at the truck, and we can go to the best Mexican place in town from there."

"Gonna discuss guy stuff?" she asks coyly.

"Something like that."

"I appreciate your honesty, Goose." she chuckles dryly before excusing herself.

"Damn, Clyde. I had no idea Perri bagged a couple of non-native geese." I marveled, now confident that the pushy jackal bureaucrat was out of earshot.

"Oh- no way in hell she did. These are your garden-variety Canadian geese. Common, but still protected- you're looking at a couple thousand dollar fine- per goose. I was just saying that 'coz that scary looking wolf chick looks like she means business." He said, periodically bringing his hands to his face as though he was worried the jackal woman could read lips from a distance.

"She does. In both senses."

"Great- I'll dispose of the bodies, although we still haven't settled the matter of my fee."

"C'mon- don't you make a small serious coin shipping the spleen and guts off to Chinatown?"

"Bryce…." the mechanic admonished.

Shit- Clyde really is doing me a favor by seeing me on such short notice. Still….

"At least set aside the edible parts for me and Perri."

"Can do." he said as examined the geese. "No extra charge."

Now….if we can get through the end of the day without Perri killing and bringing back any more critters, we're in the clear.

"Oh….and Clyde?" I asked as he showed me to the front door of his workshop.

"Yeah?"

"Might wanna dial it back. That's two for two now…"

"What do you mean?"

"That's two gals from the Exchange Program you've been pestering about getting a pony….er… lightweight centaur homestay now."

"But it's been a few weeks since I applied and still no word from them."

Fair enough. Still, I doubt Sadeh was lying when she said the Program was facing a backlog of applicants.

"I hear ya- but you tend to come on pretty strong when that topic comes up."

"Shoot- I guess you're right. But this waitin's the worst part." he lamented.

"If it makes ya feel any better, it took a few weeks for me to hear back from the Program, too." I reassure him as the two of us step outside.

"Speaking of- back to work. I'll leave you and your air support be on your way." Clyde said, pointing at something up and behind me.

"Air support?" I ask, quickly turning around- just in time to catch a glimpse of a large winged and humanoid-shaped blur disappear behind the treeline.

It turns out Perri hadn't ventured as far away as I thought.

"Is that who I think it is?" I ask Clyde.

"If you think it's your homestay, then yes."

"Huh- she's been acting kinda odd today." I muse.

"Today?" Clyde asked incredulously. "Seems like you got that gal hovering over ya from a distance pretty much every time you head out."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Oh…..thought you already knew." Clyde legitimately seemed surprised. "I mean- Cyrus and I figured it was only a matter of time before you looked up."

I don't know why, but I found myself speechless at the sudden realization.

Tracking me down at that mining town, just missing me by a few minutes when she crashed the football game against Copper Ridge and even following me to the Spur her first night as a homestay. But the more I thought about it, the less surprised I should be that Perri's been following me.

So that would most likely mean that she's either worried about me or jealous. Either way, I guess I should be kind of flattered.

Moreover, she doesn't even seem to be bothering with the day passes anymore. Not that anyone on the ground could tell whether or not she even had one, let one enforce any kind of penalty.

Still- the Anubis that's been riding shotgun with me this morning seems like a stickler for that sort of thing, so I should probably keep quiet about my homestay's unscheduled flight path and not-so-covert surveillance of me.

Clyde excused himself while I headed out to my truck and the waiting Anubis bureaucrat.

"Hope you like Mexican." I sigh as I throw open the driver's side door for the accountant.