Author's Note: Hello Lads and Ladies

Happy new year Merry Christmas and Jesus christ it has been way too long since I last updated. I'm terribly sorry for this but I suspect it was another depression down setting in. But I can very happily let you know I am out of it now.

Long have I let you guys wait, so here is Chapter 28. It's only half of what it was supposed to be but I realized (with some advice from Foxy) that the chapter would in the end become way too long. So we are 6k for this fucker. Chapter 29 will then be the meat of the dinner scene, and I hope that it will be as glorious as I imagined it.

Had my very first DnD session and it went mostly pretty well. One of my friends in like 5 minutes of the session broke a cage and stole a chicken. Potato the Rooster is now her pet.

Also feeling delightfully inspired for another smut chapter once chapter 29 is out. I am not sure yet if I will make it first or write more of this story. Truth be told, I want to finish this so we can move on to Season 3. Anyway, I just wrote 200 words to finish this chapter after so long and I hope you guys are having a grand old time reading. The next update will not take 2 months, I promise so to not only myself but also you guys.

Edited by: SuperAverageFoxyboy, some random reader32

Enjoy!

-Portal

Chapter 28: Masks for the Carnivore Ball

"Wow, wow, wow gentlemen, you guys look like set dressing decked you out." Pina teased the two arriving carnivores. Legosi's midnight was a slim fit that worked well with his slim build. Bill's suit was a simple black suit that did marginally nothing to hide the noticeably muscular build of the Tiger.

"Shut up, Pina" To say there was still a little bit of bad blood between the tiger and the Dall-sheep was an acceptable estimation, even if only Bill still harbored said feelings, and Pina only loved to tease where he could.

"What? Jealous of my outfit?" Pina ran a hand down his side, puffing his chest while brandishing the light blue suit he wore. The color was an eye-catcher in how clean and vibrant it was that it almost seemed to glow.

"Just get in the car Pina," Louis gruffly said from the side of the car. He wore his signature burgundy suit with a green shirt and black tie. Pina looked at 'Captain Louis' in a short glance, visibly taking into consideration if he should double down or ease up. He picked submission in this instance if for saving it for later or for having grown wiser was a thing to be seen later.

"Hey there, Legosi," greeted Louis, closing the car door after Pina. The wolf and deer still had to wait for their respective ladies.

"You look good in blue," Louis remarked, his smirk widening.

"You look great too," the wolf replied, leaning against the side of the car. The emotions in the air were weird tonight, a mixture of somberness, nervousness, sadness, and awareness. What they were about to do was going to be severely stupid, utterly foolish and a certificate that they were morons. Yet in the only hopes of escaping hell, you had to go deeper.

Louis shook his head slightly as he thought of Dante's Inferno for no discernible reason. Perhaps just a parallel to the tale of Dante traversing through hell led by an old poet to their own case, Louis being the poet Virgil leading his flock down into hell in hopes of finding the exit on the lowest level.

"Do you ever regret things you've done in your past?" Louis asked, Legosi reacting with a knowing half-smile that was an unfamiliar sight to see for the deer, at least experiencing it himself. That smile was the wise view he'd use to raise up to those who needed to be built up from the ground. And now he was the one on the receiving end.

"Everyone regrets some things, I think that comes naturally. But when people feel regret, that means that they've learned, that they have grown." Legosi's gaze into the night sky drifted over to the deer in a smooth and easy movement.

"That you are regretting things just shows that you've grown," Legosi replied to him with a smile and then gazed back at the night, at peace with the world. Louis looked ahead, casting his mind back as long as he could, using the missing puzzle piece that Legosi had just given him to fill in the blanks he so often saw when observing his own past.

"What a nice way to see things," Louis muttered to himself, thinking about all the years of self-doubt and regret. Wake, work, eat, sleep – repeat till the end of days. But it was true, you only regret things when you have grown and come to realize that you've done things wrong in the past. Regretting wasn't realizing your life was wasted, regretting was learning how to become better at it.

All these years that he regretted not standing up to his father he only learned how to do it better the next time they fought. He regretted his prejudice against Legosi because now he knew that there was more to them than meets the eye. He smiled at the night, the old ball and chain around his ankle shrinking more. The process had begun when he had first talked to the wolf and now it was nearly at its end. The shackles that father had put around him had been lifted just as easily. His mask was gone, and soon the chains would be gone too, and then… he would be free.

The wolf felt a hand on his shoulder, looking down to his antlered friend.

"Thank you Legosi…" The deer hugged his friend tightly, reveling in the newfound comfort.

Legosi without saying another word hugged him back, proud of how far he had come. He had made him come fully out of his shell, or as much as Legosi could help him feel comfortable opening himself.

"Sorry if that was… uncalled for, I just… needed to get that one out." Louis quickly slipped back into his business casual, yet Legosi was satisfied. He looked down to Louis and patted his shoulder.

"You're alright Louis, We got your back." The two exchanged looks and nodded to each other. Mutual understanding between them.

We do what no one else will

"There they come," Louis said, looking towards their girlfriends approaching in the distance. While Louis was mildly amused about Legosi's reaction, the wolf in question was completely stunned.

Juno was adorned in a beautiful purple dress, long purple gloves on both hands. Her skirt ended just below her knees, accenting her frame ideally to signal her fit and lean frame.

Louis' eye was caught by Haru's flowing blue dress. The rabbit looked like she was bathing in the blue of an idyllic ocean. A long-sleeved dress that ended in a loose mermaid skirt that looked almost like a gown over her just with a form-fitting torso and hip area. Though the first thing that he noticed was how worried she looked.

"Oh my… Legosi…" Juno stopped in front of her partner, drinking up his majestic suit as much as he drank in her beauty.

"You look fantastic." He laughed and ran a hand through his neck, Juno's knees getting weak for a second.

"You don't look half bad either" The two wolves stood opposite of each other, bathing in each other's gazes. In a moment that surprised Juno, he was the one to move forward and grab her hand.

"My love, shall I open the door for you?" Legosi opened the car door leading her towards it. Juno giggled.

"You charmer you." She whispered to him as she entered the rather high roofed Limousine. Deers needed space for their antlers after all.

"Louis?" Legosi called out for his herbivore friend, Louis simply waving him off.

"Give us a minute, we'll be right with you." With a nod, the wolf climbed into the car and closed the door.

"Now what were you saying Haru." Louis turned his full focus to the rabbit in front of him.

"Louis… I…" She looked puzzled and dazed almost. Louis knelt down, on eye level with his dear Haru.

"Listen, we'll be right by your side, nothing will happen-"

"It's not that Louis. It's…" Haru sighed loudly, gathering herself. Her full focus lay on him as she glanced upward.

"I'm pregnant."


The drive was a bizarre experience for most of the others. Pina complimented both the girls' looks, Juno reacting with bashful embarrassment as she tried her best to keep her dress as low as possible, crossing her legs. Legosi In reaction growled at the herbivore that quickly just laughed at the little dilemma he caused.

Haru on the other hand seemed a bit absent, not reacting to Pina's comment and afterward giving only answers when repeatedly spoken to. Legosi, Juno, Bill, and after a little while even Pina expressed concern over the apparent quietness that both Louis and Haru had.

Louis defended his girlfriend from the prying questions. Even if the others could tell that the defense was merely superficial. But Louis was glad that they gave up as soon as they did, his own thoughts committing a massacre of feelings and logic.

Me? A father… How did she even become pregnant? What will they look like? What have we done?

Feelings of guilt racketed through the deer, making him question if loving Haru was worth the detrimental damage his hybrid child-

This was your idea, and you aren't a quitter. You think that again and I will saw my own antlers off!

His mind spat back at the vile thought that had pulled itself into his mind. His entire being revolted to even the notion of expressing regret over his decision to follow the one he loved instead of his company. He was in power, not they.

Before he did anything else he stared across from himself, past the Dall sheep on the back set through the trunk window of the car.

Wasn't it always about just this? Growing up? Taking risks? Living life the way we want to live it? It will cost courage and strength, but it will be worth it. Because you chose this. So stand tall, proud of what you achieved. And to those opposed to you, you raise your head and keep it high. You are the lord of your life, no one else will ever be.

Meanwhile, Haru was wading through her own little patch on hell.

How?… You slept with so many people and he is the one to finally manage it?…

She honestly found it ironic how symbolic it seemed again. Many flings she had for the sole reason that in bed people didn't see a small white rabbit but a partner. Yet it was her boyfriend after so many meaningless little spouts that managed to overcome the impossible genetic hurdle.

...aren't you excited at least a little bit?

She was scared of his overall mental state, of how Oguma would react. There were no doubts in her mind that Louis would be a wonderful father, it was the outside world that caused worry.

This will cost him all respect, falling from grace for the white succubus…

There she was again, the same mental drift into feeling worthless and hated by all. It was her fault for not taking contraceptives as she had always done. This was her stupid mistake and it would cost everyone a lot of pain to wade through.

Louis took Haru's hand, the rabbit looking up at her forest prince to see not a face of disdain that she so often expects. He held her hand up and kissed it, a smile on him that made Haru see some hope in the whole of the dilemma.

"It is what it is… If that's how life works then that's how life works." Louis's age became unrecognizable. In the darkness of the car, the shadows by the street light lit up the face of a young adult yet the voice speaking back was so mature that it didn't fully fit with the face that one saw in the flashes of light.

The others looked at them suddenly, the first words and actions that the two had between each other and with the others for a few moments.

"I know you're scared… but to tell you the truth I'm almost looking forward to it. Let's take this step together."

The emotional declaration caused a reaction in Haru that pumped Hormones through the air. The plume struck the wolves first, noses twitching that lead to shocked faces of clarity. Next up it wandered to the promiscuous sheep that actually caught on faster than the wolves, having his experience with smells. Bill was the last to be hit by the draft of smell, needing just a moment to understand the context of the smell properly.

"Oh, Rex… that's why you were so nervous…" Juno said into the car, the two herbivores staring at the others.

"I-… smelled it too," Pina admitted, Bill awkwardly nodding as well.

"Well… so much for secrecy…" Louis shook his head.

"It wouldn't have stayed secret for long…" Haru sighed. She was right, the smell would have turned into rumors quickly enough. At least their friends knew the whole truth.

"Congratulations I guess…" Juno held her hands close to herself, bashfully uttering the comment. Haru laughed hopelessly

"Thanks…"

The awkward car ride continued on for a moment before Louis took the lead role again.

"We have to focus, we'll deal with this later. Right now it's important that we all stay level-headed."

"You're telling that to the right crowd," Bill said, leaning back in his seat. His face wasn't anger or repressed emotion, it was more akin to emotional boredom. He had been nothing but angry for the last two days. His ability to feel any emotion to any degree had been practically exhausted.

"Bill, how are you feeling right now?" Louis's focus landed on the tiger. His first response was a dry, blank slate gaze back at the Herbivore.

"That's the thing, Louis… Nothing." Louis's head turned slightly as he didn't break eye contact once.

"And that's ok Bill. There's nothing wrong with feeling weird or out of place sometimes. We are here, keeping that fact close to heart." Bill continued to look out of the window, signaling how well the Boss charade was working on him. For the reasons of focus, Louis was satisfied for the moment.

"How are you feeling Pina." The Dall-sheep smiled at the Deer opening his mouth before being broken off by the deer immediately.

"-Honesty, no snark right now. Stay on theme." The smile disappeared and he crossed his arms. He almost pouted for a moment before that weird neutral tug on his face appeared again. The movement that only occurred when his face left his normal range of emotions. From teasingly smirking to deep-seated laughter.

"A bit worried maybe. You all came out of nowhere with this letter and the whole story of you beating a mafia… Half of me is still sure this is all some big joke."

Legosi observed what happened with wonder all the while. He was amazed at how Louis's focus even had the ability to channel concentration even out of someone like Pina.

"I think it's in order for us to apologize to you for dropping you into this like that, but you searched for help-" Louis's eyes looked at Legosi for a second and then shifted back to Pina. "-and this is the help that we can provide."

Pina reacted with a dry and clinical movement that was the most static form of a nod that anyone could ever muster. Something without emotion, just mechanical movement of the joints and neck muscles.

"Juno. How are you?"

The she-wolf awkwardly shifted her legs. She seemed a bit on edge due to the sudden breaking of news but still, Louis managed to grab her focus out of her shock.

"I'm ok. Just a little shaken… A bit scared of if it really is a trap." To calm the wolfess' struggling nerves the red deer buck smiled at her.

"The one thing I can promise all of you is that if they wanted to hurt us, they wouldn't leave a trail as big as a letter addressed to us signed by name."

The car room agreed to the sentiment, each animal giving their own sign of agreement.

"How about you, Legosi?" Louis asked the second to last member in his direct sights. The wolf smiled back, the same 'at peace with the world' aura to him. The chapter of worrying about how others perceived him was most assuredly closed, now that he had said his peace.

"I'm fine." The wolf had his arm around his mate and a smile on his face of total tranquility. He was the best version he could be of himself.

Louis nodded and looked down at Haru, squeezing her hand lightly. He leaned down to whisper.

"And you don't worry about this snowflake. We'll talk more when we're home, but keep it in mind-" He kissed her forehead. "-I won't abandon you."

"Thank you," Haru whispered, still caught up in the fears but the grip had noticeably loosened.

Louis took the room in again, this time no worries in sight. They were ready to do what they came here for. Time to do what no one else has ever done… hopefully not dying while trying.

The car ride didn't last much longer after that. They rode to a stop in front of the white bricks of the Back Alley Family Estate.

"Ride home safely Avon. We'll call home for a ride back." The donkey shook his head.

"I don't think you'll get a ride so late master Louis. Seitun is on free time and my shift is about to end."

Louis' reaction was to lean against the open car door, waiting for another second. He scratched his chin.

"We'll call a cab if we can. This is more important at the moment… Have a nice night, Avon."

"You too, Master Louis." With a small wave from the deer, the limousine drove off down the road, leaving the group alone in front of the driveway of the large property.

To see such a large estate hidden away by the border of the city was a rare sight to see. The bigger part of rich city dwellers preferred to stick among themselves, hiding in their big private sectors often overseen by private security firms. But this place seemed to be a tranquil oasis from the city and most importantly the black market. Louis wasn't surprised by that. Someone involved in the black market proceedings would most importantly try to keep private and work-life separated.

"Well guys…" Louis stood at the helm of the operation. The whole group was waiting for the captain.

"Let's do what we came here for."

The group walked ahead with an iron step, none of the members taking graceful steps in any way. They were timidly marching down the driveway towards the white mansion standing beyond the vast garden that was encased in stone walls. From their point of view as they walked along the driveway were the security guards standing among the corner pillars of the almost old school mansion, looking like a plantation owner's property in the past two centuries.

"Why do I get the feeling the owner knows what he's doing," Bill muttered to himself.

"Most likely because this looks as well protected as a military base." Answered Louis.

It was an amazing feat to achieve, but the situation outstretched in front of him was enough to finally shut Pina up for more than a few moments.

"Gentlemen! Ladies!" The group looked ahead, all of them nearly going into full-on defensive positions, ready to fight whatever threat reached them first. Instead, the well-dressed fox approached forward. A black suit, white shirt, and black bowtie being his attire. He leaned forward, bowing down in front of the group in a gesture of respect.

"You must be the special guests for tonight I presume." The butler's voice was a pleasant and kind one, one that alleviated part of their fears for the start. Louis straightened his tie.

"We came here on the invitation of Mister Tokugawa." He grabbed into his suit pocket and held out the invitation letter, the whole letter falling openly to let the servant read it. The Butler in turn smiled and nodded his head.

"Very well…" The Butler finally caught the view of the last member of the group.

"Three Herbivores?" He raised his eyebrows, remaining professional upon the new information.

"We must have miscalculated in terms of meals, but that shouldn't be a problem. If you all would follow me please." The Fox lead the way, the rest of them standing there for just a moment.

Louis turned around, a last look at his crew before the main event.

"This is it… Let's hope for the best." He held out his hand, the group awkwardly inspecting it.

A grey-furred paw was the first to grasp it, Legosi smiling at the deer. Afterward followed a reddish-brown, a black striped orange, and two white hands. Even if Pina was a little bit more reluctant.

"For Cherryton," said Legosi, clarity in his voice.

"For justice." Just a hint of the monstrous anger broke through in Bill.

"For survival" The somber look and the neutral tug had returned for Pina.

"For fearless nights." Juno's voice was one of slight sadness, her hand squeezing Legosi's tightly while looking at him.

"For no more rumors." Haru was still shaken, but surprisingly centered.

Louis looked at all of them and smiled. What he had achieved over the course of a few months. I built myself a real army, one fighting for the right cause.

"For unity." Louis broke the seal between them, cementing it as concrete.

"Have a little faith and it'll all work out."

The group entered the large main hall. The walls paint an idyllic picture of jungle scenery. Various pictures adorn the walls. A picture of a lion wearing glasses, the golden plaque beneath reading Shishigumi, another picture of a scoffing leopard, the plaque reading Madaragumi. There were three more among them. A vixen for the Inarigumi, a wolf for the Okamigumi, and a komodo dragon for the Dokugumi.

The imposing main hall's centerpiece was luxurious stairs with a red carpet leading up to the second floor. The many faces on the walls all had their own frightening quality to them. From cold intelligence to physical prowess to un-holstered brutality. Yet the whole room didn't lose the grace that Louis knew from his own house. The only difference is that the owner here knows what kind of savagery lives in his business while Father does his best to forget all about it.

The long walk down the hallway to the dining room gave Louis a new piece of context about the owner. The family that lived in these quarters were not only rich but had also stayed here for as long as the city existed. As he had learned, seeing the quality of history within houses was easier the more you experienced the clear signs.

The pillars or woodwork outside had been clearly repainted and sealed with odorless wood varnish, but the architectural style was reminiscent of the past centuries. It was almost scary sometimes how much it looked like an alternative version of his own home. It's not that surprising that the sender and Oguma were acquaintances.

Even the butler seemed to be in a bizarre way a direct mirror of Yuta. A well-dressed carnivore of average size with perfect manners. Just with claws instead of normal fingernails.

They reached the end of the hallway, The fox servant opening the double door to the large dining hall. A raised ceiling gave the space the feel almost akin to a church hall, perhaps more so in the building style than the actual size.

"Your seats are over here." He led the group to the middle of the room, a spacious half circle table accommodating eight seats, more than enough room for them. Once they were all seated, Pina looked down the row of his company, plates on all of their places but his being empty.

Before the Dall-sheep could even ask a question, the butler was already ahead.

"No worries sir, I'll inform the kitchen to make you a meal as well." He turned towards the whole group and bowed down.

"My name is Anno, I'm pleased to be of your service this evening. If any of you have any requests, please let me know."

"I'll take a vegetarian option. I don't eat meat outside of training purposes." Bill held his hand up and declared his request, to the bewilderment of some, a knowing smile of others.

"Of course, Sir. The food should be ready in just a moment. Master Tokugawa is currently tending to business, but he should be coming relatively soon." Anno turned around and left through a separate door.

The group looked between themselves, a few strands of confusion, a sprinkle of uncertainty, and a big cloud of fear. It was that strong that even Louis could smell it without a problem.

"Now we play the waiting game." Louis folded his hand in front of his midsection and looked ahead into the large empty room. He held his emotions close to his chest as one thought was torn to shreds and reformed inside him over and over again.

In the end how different can I be from father, now that I have my kin…


The fox walked up to the head of the kitchen, the bear standing at the front of the hallway to the dining hall, turned towards the room as he ordered his chefs around.

The fox stood still beside the bear, who quickly noticed him.

"Two carnivore meals, one vegan carnivore meal, and three herbivore meals. Some slight miscalculation with the guests, plus one that doesn't eat meat for celebrations."

The bear nodded to the command and turned back to his sous-chefs, working quickly to get the proper pots and ingredients.

Anno left the kitchen up through the service stairwell to the first floor. In many ways unknown to him this house was built to infuse a feeling of inferiority into any of those that ventured into it. Master Tokugawa himself of course completely banished the even notion of that, after all, hard work was greatly rewarded. Yet he couldn't properly shake the feeling of impending doom whenever he walked along the hallway to his Master's Office.

He knocked cautiously as he always did, a habit even before starting working as a butler. Never did he want to interrupt anything people currently did, he hated feeling like a disturbance.

"Come in Anno."

The servant stepped inside and stood by the door, closing it behind himself. He held his hands compact in his mind, the diplomatic gesture of composure.

"Your special guests have arrived, Master Tokugawa. The meals are currently being prepared." The mighty cougar of the house raised himself off his chair as his servant finished the sentence. His festive white suit was adorned in a striking bright red poked square as well as an equally vibrant red tie.

"Good, good, Anno. Once the meals are done please let the cooks serve them already. Ibuki is having a minor delay."

"Very well. I will be in the kitchen if you need me, sir." The fox bowed down lightly and left through the door again. Tokugawa buttoned his jacket and grabbed the phone on his desk. The number for each of the Gumi's leaders had become a fast dial shortcut on his office phone. He had never had much use for them. His contact list always stayed as short as possible, he hated having many things to organize. He concentrated on one thing and then the next. Others gathered information and he was the one to make the decision.

Before he could finish the dial his phone began to ring. The number on the display was of his right-hand man when it came to the books. The man with the info, his accountant. He picked up the phone and held it to his ear.

"Good evening, Eli."

"The Beastar's decision is final."

Eli never was an animal of many words, but when he did speak, mountains coming down on the earth wouldn't be loud enough to drown out the finality of his statements. He kept ears everywhere, and when he called someone's time had definitely come.

"I understand." Tokugawa's voice sounded defeated, yet unwavering.

"I have a matter to attend to. I'll call you back at midnight."

"Of course Mister Tokugawa." With the click the voice of desolation became silent once again, leaving his mind to rattle down on something he knew one day would come. But before he could even give it a second thought his phone rang again, the number of Ibuki flashing on the screen. He picked up, pushing the other thought process deep down the well where they had come from.

"The guests have already arrived, are you finished?" Tokugawa wasn't one that demanded punctuality, yet on special occasions, he was smart enough to realize that first impressions were important.

"Yes, Boss, sorry for the inconvenience," Ibuki answered, the background rumbling signifying loud and clear that the car was on its way.

"Good. Drop the cache off at the accountant's office, Eli has a long shift tonight." Tokugawa instructed his subordinates. Mafia work was work that needed constant surveillance. Building up a reputation was one thing, but maintaining it was the true work.

"Yes sir. We should arrive in just about ten minutes."

"And check yourself in the mirror before you come in. First impressions can only be made once… It's your night Ibuki, be sure to look your best." Ibuki was the one to noticeably pause this time.

"Of course, Boss. Thank you for giving me the opportunity." The Shishigumi leader ended the call with that last sentence, and The cougar placed the phone down into the holder. He pushed the button under the desk and wandered over to the self-serve bar next to the bookshelves that retraced into the ground.

He glanced into the mirror, pulling his tie straight, and tightening his collar. There was something to do on his mind for tonight. When he thought about Oguma and Louis there was the epiphany that he could accomplish something today that no one else could for the young heir of a multi-billion yen company.

As he looked into the mirror he saw one moment of his life as clear as his reflection in front of him. The moment of initiation.

He sagged forward and leaned against the mirror. Kuragari's voice in his ears. Power has sacrifices. To drive forward with power, which is what it's all about, is to sacrifice a part of yourself.

"We always talked about that, didn't we?"

He gazed at the large picture of his father sitting upon his throne. Sometimes he began to wonder if the truest sacrifice of power was life itself. If the thoughts behind his eyes were merely protocol, no longer thoughts that he invested time in.

"Perhaps one day you just forgot that a corporate machine is just as carnivorous as us."

The drive of power had a single gaping maw longing for a sacrifice to its materialistic gods. And after Grandfather had nurtured this monster to an acceptable size he had cast his own son into it. All his life he had prepared him to be the proper Chief Executive Officer of the shadow company. Tokugawa often thought that for a culture built on a strong code of honor no one had accounted for declaring failed parenthood in the name of money a dishonorable act.

Teaching one's child that nothing but the survival of the family mob was important to the family, so you had to bring an heir to the world no matter what you did. All your life's aspirations are limited down to the sum of what your materialistic self accomplished, personal life was a waste of time anyway.

"I could forgive that, you yourself had to live through the same things when you were young but…"

There was a moment in Tokugawa's life, one that taught him something very valuable. A memory so imprinted in his soul that he felt a cold sweat on his back whenever he saw a doctor's chair.

The cougar poured himself a drink with remarkably steady hands for his fearful state. After the chair… there was no more instinct.

He drank the glass empty and moved out of his room to the service stairway. His legs were graceful and his senses in control, not a single jitter in any movement. He wished there were some.


"I haven't eaten this good in ages," Bill murmured between bites. The vegan food tasted so much better than the average cafeteria food. Perhaps it was the professional cooks, the better ingredients, or something he couldn't grasp. But it was wonderful. A relief to the pressure valve in his mind.

His friends around him were eating their meals as well, even Haru who finally seemed to have halfway calmed down from the shock of her pregnancy. Even though Bill had to be honest with himself, he could only smile when he thought about it. They seemed happy together, and even in the bad circumstances, it was a nice change of pace to the terrible news throughout all the other news during the week.

"What do you guys think? Is your meal just as good?" Bill asked the wolves. Both nodded bashfully, they had completely forgotten where they were, being stunned by the quality of the meals.

"I'm glad." Bill looked into the big room and smiled, a warmth inside him that had been lost to him in the sea of anger that he had to wade through the last few weeks.

But before he could enjoy the meal and the friendly atmosphere more the door to the dining room opened, revealing a Large cougar suited in a marvelous white Suit. Bill had seen many animals wear suits, but none had struck him as graceful and yet imposingly large and strong as this one.

"I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting. I know it's not good manners to let guests wait." The cougar moved in front of the table, the faces all turned towards the new figure.

The host made a large bow in front of his house guests, leaving an air of intimidation and alarm. His presence was large and frightening due to his carnivore features and the size of his posture, yet his behavior was controlled and calculated. That hint of instinct most carnivores had was nowhere to be seen with this one.

"My name is Tokugawa, I'm the owner of this fine mansion and the one responsible for inviting each of you… well, I don't think your group had a sheep among your ranks." The host leaned closer to the sheep who visibly leaned back, sweat pearling down his face. Bill found the fear on his face to be amusing and troubling at the same time, it looked unnatural on Pina's face.

"He's here because we asked him to join us." Louis stood up, looking squarely at Tokugawa. The cougar stood up, straightening his back, giving Pina space to breathe again.

"Welcome Louis, son to Oguma. It's an honor to make your acquaintance." Louis shook the Carnivores paw without any hesitation, earning himself an approving glance by the host.

"The pleasure is all mine." Louis bowed down himself, the rest of the table watching the exchange in astonishment. The deer looked at the others for a moment while still bowing down, raising his eyebrows.

The rest merely stared at him, not catching what he meant. Louis stomped the ground, Legosi finally catching on, standing up and in the process nearly knocking his chair over. The others, also understanding, stood up at a similar pace, knocking their chairs back in similar cases.

The host let loose a deep earth-shaking chuckle that rang in the pack's ears. The aura of the room seemed to center on Tokugawa whenever he spoke. One immediately understood that this place was his and that in his home he was the one with control.

"You don't have to worry about your appearances, I give kids the benefit of the doubt. You still have to learn all the ropes of adulthood… but I must give it to you, your wardrobe choices aren't out of place at all." The simple gesture of respect and understanding made the aura of the situation much lighter.

"Mister Tokugawa, may I ask why you invited us to this occasion?" Louis asked for the group, the question they all wanted to be answered ever since the letter had even shown up in the first place.

"Well… It's an expression of gratitude for what you have achieved." The group looked at him as if he had just lost his mind. Whatever he said couldn't under any circumstance be an earnest 'Thank you' for causing the almost definite fall of the largest Mafia of the black market he oversaw as the rightful owner.

"It's true. Even if truth be told I am not the one to thank you, more so a very treasured employee of mine. Who should arrive any minute now." The host spoke in riddles to the confused company of Cherryton.

"You're thanking us for destroying your mob?" Legosi expressed his utmost confusion and bewilderment. Tokugawa firstly answered with a smile and a shake of the head.

"They never were my mob, they never even as much as knew of my existence, and the documents signed to my grandfather… In some ways, one could see it as spring cleaning, what you did that is." As he explained his eyes studied the wolves In awe and wonder, none of which he showed to them of course.

The amount of instinct yet the amount of grace in their movement struck him as peculiar. Normally only us members of the Carnivore Royalty have that much control over...- or lack of Instinct. The thought stung wildly, yet his face stayed completely cool. The gift of sacrifice I suppose.

"Well… That was… unexpected." The group was still utterly surprised over the complete shock of news that the enormous carnivore in front of them was thankful for what they had done. Except for Pina who instead started to finally clue into the fact that this wasn't a dream, and that his companionship had truly done what they claimed to do. So they did all of that to save another, a herbivore nonetheless?… Maybe this one wolf might be one in a million.

"I apologize for the shock I must have given you but I really couldn't mention it in the letter. I knew that Oguma would read it, no doubt about that. So I had to choose the wording very specifically, my reputation precedes me I'm afraid." What Tokugawa said made sense in every way. Revealing what they had done would've been an open declaration of war. Oguma would have most likely seen it as an egregious lie meant to offend the Horns Conglomerate.

"I understand Mister Tokugawa. My father must have been a hurdle in trying to reach us." Louis eased up, a calm demeanor and understanding bringing the tension in the room down by quite a bit, enough for his followers to ease up as well, no longer as fearful and alarmed as before.

Tokugawa smiled charmingly at the young buck. There was an understanding between heirs of royalty, like the understanding between two family members about a particular problem in the family hierarchy. And he had to give it to him, Louis handled the pressure remarkably well.

"I'm glad we could come to a point of understanding, I hate having uncomfortable guests in my house. Relax and enjoy yourself while we wait for the other guests." As he finished speaking Anno entered the room, walking over to his Master. Tokugawa leaned down to allow the fox to speak to him quietly.

He stood straight again and smiled.

"It seems that they have arrived."