After leaving his daughters at school, Bandit headed towards the museum, but, when he entered in the room where the exhibition was being built, he found Dr. Cooper observing the bones.

"Hello, Dr. Cooper" Bandit greeted, while approaching. "What are you doing here?"

"Just came to know how the exhibition is going" he replied. "And I have to say… very nicely done. You and your team do have eyes for the details."

"Well, you were the one that assigned Dr. Boxer to assist me" Bandit replied. "Not to mention Emily."

"That is true… but, like you said, they are here to assist you" Dr. Cooper said. "Dr. Boxer gave you the information about the environment where they lived and Miss Huskin will give a description of their appearance. However, your part is to tell the story… their story."

He pointed to the bones.

"I know that" Bandit said. "And that's what I am doing."

There was a pause and then Dr. Cooper said:

"I read your notes, Dr. Heeler, and I have to confess this mixed tribe theory of yours is rather interesting."

"Thank you, Dr. Cooper" Bandit replied, with a smile.

"However, before you can even confirm this theory, I recommend a further observation on this skeleton here" Dr. Cooper told, indicating the bones of the male dog, the one that possessed a fractured skull.

"Why do you think that?" Bandit asked, while approaching.

"Oh, you will see" Dr. Cooper replied, while patting on Bandit's shoulder. "I know that."

Having said that, Dr. Cooper headed towards the exit, leaving Bandit observing the remains he had indicated.

Later, Emily arrived to the museum and entered the room, finding, to her surprise, Bandit sitting on a rock before the hearth with a sad and disappointed look on his face. Seeing that, she realized immediately something must have happened. After all, for what she knew about Bandit (and she knew him well), he was always so cheerful and confident. Only something really bad would be able to throw him off like that.

Approaching, while heading towards her table, she asked him in a teasing way, a manner to try to cheer him up:

"Why are you so sad? Did you run out of marshmallows?"

That caused Bandit to release a chuckle and then say:

"Only you make me smile at this moment, Emily."

"What happened?" she asked. "You were so excited yesterday."

"Well, yesterday, my mixed tribe theory was still alive… now, it's just kaput" Bandit told.

"What do you mean?" Emily asked, while going to sit next to Bandit.

"I analysed the fractured skull of the male dog after Dr. Cooper advised me to do it and… for what I was able to observe, it was fractured by the claws of the direwolf" he told. "The direwolve's strength would allow him to easily fracture the dog's skull. What appeared to be a revolutionary discovery… it's nothing more than an act of violence."

"Oh, Bandit… I'm so sorry" Emily said.

"What kind of archaeologist I am if I can't even detect details like this one?" Bandit said. "Probably I'm not even worthy of my doctorate… or my job whatsoever."

"Don't say that, Bandit" Emily replied. "Archaeology has been your dream since always. And I know that someone has dedicated as you is for sure worthy of the job. Dr. Cooper also knows that, I'm sure of it."

"You're just saying that to cheer me up" Bandit replied.

"Maybe, but it is also the truth" Emily told. "Even the greatest on their respective fields make mistakes, but they don't let those mistakes to define them. Look at me. I am artist that made a lot of mistakes and had a lot of failures. But I never gave up and ended up finding a way to apply my skills without compromising my dream."

Those words from Emily caused Bandit to feel much better and express a smile.

"I mean, look at this" Emily continued, while taking her sketchbooks and showing the reconstruction she had made from the bones. "It's like I can give life back to those who have lost it."

"Wow…" Bandit admired, looking the sketches. "These are wonderful, Emily. It really feels like they are still living."

"Thanks… it really means a lot to me hearing that from you" Emily replied. "And you know what? You don't know if this family ended where you found them. Maybe there was a brother hunting that day… or a sister gathering nuts or… Well, I don't know exactly what they did for a living back then."

That caused Bandit to chuckle, admiring Emily tries to cheer him up. Despite what happened between them, she still seems to be able to make him feel better… much like how Chilli is able to do. It was then that he noticed the sketch Emily did of the little girl.

"This is wrong…" he said, while taking the sketch.

"I don't think so" Emily replied to him.

"This child is way too big to be a normal three-years-old dog, especially considering the height of the two parents who was quite average" Bandit replied.

"You were the one that gave me the measurements, Bandit" Emily told. "So, not wanting to put my finger on a fresh wound, but, if there's a mistake, then it's yours."

"The only way that a dog pup would be this tall and muscular is if she had inherited…" Bandit started, having then a big realization. "Cheese and crackers!"

He got up and run quickly to the bones.

"What is it?" Emily asked, following him.

Bandit went to see his notes regarding the measurements he had made and then said:

"The tibia of a wolf is much bigger and ticker than the ones of a dog and I can noticed that on child's tibia, which means…"

"That the child is a wolf" Emily completed.

"Half-wolf" Bandit corrected.

"Yeah, but then… the one we thought it was her father… is not her father" Emily said, while going to get the sketch of the direwolf. "This is her father."

"You see that's not… That wouldn't…" Bandit stuttered, while trying to contain his enthusiasm, what proved to be in vain as his tail couldn't stop wagging. "I'm freaking out right now."

"Is this… a new thing?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, Emily… this is a new thing…" Bandit replied. "I… I need to tell Dr. Cooper about this."

Dr. Cooper came as Bandit requested and, after analysing the child's bones, a sense of surprise invaded his face.

"Well, I'll be…" he said. "My boy, you seem to be right about this. But, I have to say, I would never think…"

"Neither would I" Bandit replied. "If I hadn't seen Emily's sketches, this would also pass unnoticed."

"My sketches are only product of your notes, Bandit" Emily replied.

"Look at the size of the skull and the existence of dewclaws on the feet… they are all clear signs of her being a dog" Dr. Cooper said.

"Yeah, but the limbs and teeth are too much bigger for being of a dog" Bandit told. "Only wolves have limbs and teeth like these."

After a moment, Dr. Cooper turned to Bandit and told him:

"I believe you have a scenery to build based on these new discoveries, Dr. Heeler. I hope to get a report regarding them very soon."

"I can ensure you I will get it ready, Dr. Cooper" Bandit replied.

Dr. Cooper nodded and then started to go towards the exit. But then he turned around and said:

"And Bandit… I'm proud of you. You've become an extraordinary archaeologist… one that never gives up."

Hearing those words from his mentor made Bandit to fill himself with a sense of accomplishment that caused him to release a tear of pride at the corner of his eye.

"Thank you, Dr. Cooper" he replied.

After Dr. Cooper left, Emily observed:

"Now I can see the Bandit I knew a long time ago. You haven't changed a bit."

"Well, neither did you" Bandit replied, while cleaning the tear. "And I'm glad of that. So, let's work on this? The sooner we start, the sooner we end it."

"Let's do it" Emily replied.