The next morning, all of the cereal in the house was devoured by the guests (with the exception of Foxtrot, who insisted on having eggs because she was a carnivore). Being a family of vegetarians, Owen wasn't quite sure how the meal would play out, but the raptors accepted the food they were given, as they were now biologically suited for digesting grain products. The breakfast had a shaky start, since each bowl of cereal was initially passed to Blue by the other raptors. Owen explained that the reason he had divided the cereal into bowls was to allow everyone to have an equal portion, and their predetermined pecking order didn't apply in his family. This wasn't entirely true, because he made a point of feeding Blue last. Although he trusted his raptors, Owen was still wary of them. If he had learned one thing from training them, it was that they were smart enough to take advantage of his kindness, and it would therefore be unwise to allow them the chance to do so.

After breakfast, the raptors split up to complete their chores. Owen sensed that Blue was unhappy with doing the dishes, but he decided to let the issue go in order to resolve a dispute between Echo and Delta, who were both keen to water the garden. He suggested that they each water half, and they agreed to his plan. Charlie, meanwhile, was doing a good job of feeding the chickens. Lily showed her how to toss the feed, and the raptor followed her directions without much trouble. A couple of seeds fell on her feet during the process, and she laughed hysterically as the chickens pecked her toes. This turned into a game for Lily, who was determined to have the birds eat off of her tail. Charlie bet five imaginary dollars that she could get them to eat out of her hand. She succeeded, and Owen couldn't help but smile as he watched their competition play out. Although the two youngest members of the family were getting along, things weren't so smooth as far as Claire and Foxtrot were concerned. The raptor-girl started chasing rats through the grass while Claire tried to explain how to mend fences, and there came a point when she gave up on the endeavor and let her student fool around.

Despite the somewhat questionable results of their new routine, the raptors seemed content with their progress. When there was nothing left to do, they followed Owen around the house, staring at him in an unsettling way. He ignored this at first, but after a while, he became claustrophobic. He faced the semicircle that seemed to be bound to him and gave the girls a sardonic frown.

"You know, you don't have to follow me everywhere I go."

"We want to," Charlie twittered, "You're the Alpha, so we should be here for you in case you need us."

Owen shook his head.

"Don't hang around me like a shadow, please. If I need you, I'll call. Besides, you should be asking Claire, too. She might need you to thread a needle or something."

"I don't," Claire replied from the table she was using to measure fabric, "But thanks for the offer."

Delta looked at Claire with confusion.

"So . . . Who's the real Alpha?"

"What do you mean?" Owen asked.

"Well, you said that Claire is also the Alpha, but there can only be one. So which one of you is really in charge?"

As Claire said "Both of us", Owen said "Claire". This didn't help their situation.

"I don't get it," Echo mumbled, "Why is there confusion about who's in charge?"

Owen shrugged.

"Well, to be honest, no one is really in charge. Claire and I work as a team. We don't need to be each other's boss, because we're not in a life or death situation. Family doesn't have to conform to a strict hierarchy. That's all there is to it."

Charlie cocked her head.

"I don't get it. Whenever we tried to take initiative, you yelled at us. What makes her so different?"

Owen shook his head.

"Look, Charlie, I know you're not used to the way things are now, but you aren't just pets: you're people. Since you've taken the time to learn English, our relationship is more equal. We can communicate verbally, so there's no need for treats or clickers or spray bottles. Those are for animals, and you are not an animal."

"But your wife is," Blue stated.

Owen's eyes darted over to Claire. He noticed that she paused before continuing to cut her fabric.

"Claire isn't an animal," Owen explained, "She's a sentient creature with a refined intellect and complex problem-solving abilities. She is not only above animals in this regard, but also most humans. She is not a pet, and neither are you. No one in this family is going to be treated like a dog."

Owen blinked in confusion when he noticed the sad look on Charlie's face.

"What?"

"If you don't use a clicker, how are we supposed to know if what we're doing is good?" she whispered.

"I'll tell you. I'll say 'good job' or 'way to go'. If you do something wrong, we'll deal with your behavior in an appropriate way. In this house, we use our words to solve problems. That's what separates us from the animals."

"I'm an animal," Foxtrot stated proudly.

"You . . . um . . . you're a talking animal, so that's as good as being human," Owen stammered.

Suddenly, Claire stood up with her arms full of scraps.

"Alright. I have the basic shapes down. Who wants to help me in the sewing room?"

Blue grabbed Charlie's arm as she raised her hand and yanked it down.

"None of us," she hissed, "We do what Owen says. You're not our Alpha."

Owen pointed at her angrily.

"Hey! You stop that right now! Claire deserves your respect, understood?"

Blue glowered at him.

"She's not the Alpha . . ."

"Fine," Owen snapped, "Since this is obviously not making any sense to you, let me be as clear as possible. I'm your Alpha, and Claire is your Alpha, too. She's in charge because I said so. Blue, you are no longer the Beta. You're going to be demoted to a new position that I'm calling 'guest'. You and the other raptors fall into this category. Your status is beneath Claire's and mine, and even Lily's. It's your duty to be polite to each other, and if you give me any sass, you'll get a time out."

Charlie shrunk away in fear.

"What's a time out?"

Owen narrowed his eyes.

"If you know what's good for you, you won't push me that far. Now, who's gonna help Claire with her sewing?"

Slowly, each member of the group raised their hands. Blue was the last to do so.

"Good," Owen said, "Now go upstairs and make yourselves useful."

***TSJWFEW***

Claire's sewing project was, in fact, five pairs of slippers. The squad received their new footwear one by one, and with the exception of Blue, they seemed to be happy with the results of their Alpha's hard work. They spun around like fashion models, admiring the fluffy accessories.

"They're so soft . . ." Charlie crooned.

"It's like walking on a cloud!" Echo remarked.

"They're pink! I love pink!" Delta giggled.

"She even made holes for my claws!" Foxtrot gushed.

Claire looked at their feet proudly, feeling quite accomplished. She expected no thanks from her clients, because she had a feeling that raptors didn't know how to express gratitude. She was somewhat wrong, because Charlie trotted over and started rubbing up against her. The rest of the squad followed (again, with the exception of Blue), and soon, Claire was in the center of a very strange group hug. Owen walked in on this confusing sight, and although he didn't quite understand what was going on, he knew that it was a good sign.

***TSJWFEW***

"I've always loved music," Charlie said whimsically as they ate supper, "When I woke up, I was in Sydney, and I spent countless hours trying to listen in on the opera singers performing. I could never get close enough to hear them clearly, but they sounded beautiful."

Owen smiled.

"I guess we'll have to take you to the opera, someday."

Claire gave him a quick look of worry. She clearly wasn't ready to commit to what was starting to become an extended family. Owen nodded faintly and decided to change the subject.

"So, Echo, where did you end up when you became human?" he asked casually.

"Denmark," she huffed, "Not a lot of music there. Not a lot of anything. The only good part about it was the alcohol. It got me through five rough years. Incidentally, do you have more wine?"

Owen shook his head.

"I think you've had enough, Echo. What about you, Delta? Where did you spend most of your time?"

She gave a whimsical sigh.

"Paris. It was the most beautiful place I've ever seen. It's so romantic . . ."

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Lily asked in her typical teenage way.

"No," Delta sighed, "I don't think I could ever be attracted to a human. Hair is so icky. It's really a turn-off. But I wish I could be in love. It sounds so nice . . ."

"Maybe you'll find someone special if you look hard enough," Claire said cheerfully, "You might even want to go back to Paris to find him."

Owen gave Claire a gentle kick under the table. He knew that she wasn't keen to have the raptors around for more than a week, but she was being too obvious in her attempts to convince them to leave.

She gave him a look that he couldn't quite interpret. He didn't need to guess what she was thinking, of course, because they both knew where the other stood in terms of hospitality. Owen just hoped that Claire could keep up her facade long enough to make his raptors feel at home before they were booted to the curb.

"I'd give anything to see Paris," Charlie beamed, "Someday, I want to travel the world . . . if Blue lets me."

Owen frowned.

"Charlie, Blue isn't in charge of your life."

"I kind of am," Blue said tersely, "She was the first raptor I found, and we spent a good portion of our eighteen-year search together, just the two of us. We're very close."

"That doesn't give you the right to lord over her life," Owen said quietly.

There was an awkward pause. Claire cleared her throat and dabbed her beak with a napkin.

"I'm going to excuse myself for a moment. I want to know what's taking our special guest so long."

Lily perked up.

"Oh, right! I forgot about that! Daddy, did you tell the girls-"

He put his finger over his lips.

"It's a surprise."

Lily covered her mouth as she giggled. The raptors stared at her with confusion.

"What's she talking about?" Delta asked.

Owen gave her a sneaky grin.

"We invited someone over for the second part of Lily's pre-birthday."

Blue became tense.

"I would prefer if our presence was kept a secret for now."

Owen nodded.

"I know, I know. I would have cancelled if it was anyone else, but something tells me that you'll be okay with this . . ."

They heard the door click and craned their necks to see who had arrived. When Claire ushered the guest into the dining room, the raptors went crazy.

"BARRY!"

They rushed forward and stood in front of him, bobbing their heads up and down excitedly. He opened his arms to signal that it was okay to make physical contact, so they clung to him like lint and started purring.

"Barry! We missed you so much!" Charlie gushed.

"I never thought I'd see you again!" Delta sobbed.

"I don't know who you are, but you smell nice," Foxtrot chirped.

Barry laughed and rubbed their heads.

"Salut, les filles! I'm glad to see you too!"

Delta clapped her hands ecstatically.

"I understand him! I understand his French!"

Barry raised his eyebrows.

"Je suis impressionné. Tu peux parler aussi?"

"Oui, mais je ne suis pas très bon. Vous pourriez m'enseigner?"

"Absolument, mais tu peux me tutoyer. Nous sommes des amis, non?"

"Oui . . . Plus qu'un ami pour moi. Je te trouve très beau. Même quand j'étais un animal, je t'aimais . . . Est-ce que je vous rend mal à l'aise?"

"Pas du tout. Tu es très belle, Delta."

Foxtrot stomped her foot impatiently.

"Stop speaking all fancy! I want to know what's going on!"

Barry smiled.

"I assume you're the new one. Foxtrot, correct?"

She lifted her chin proudly.

"That's my name!"

He laughed.

"I like it. How does it feel being the fifth member of the Raptor Squad?"

"Good, but I'm the only one of us who's still a raptor, unfortunately."

Barry nodded very slowly.

"Right . . . So are you all staying for Lily's birthday?"

"And longer," Blue affirmed.

Claire flinched in response to this remark, and turned to Owen for help. She found that he had slipped over to the kitchen without her knowing, and was unaware of the current discussion. She cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Owen, Blue says that she'll be staying here after Lily's birthday. What are your arrangements?"

Owen smiled.

"I have it all figured out. Barry can share the guest room with one of the raptors, we can set up the pull-out bed for two more, Lily has a queen-sized mattress, so that's another one down, and we have a sleeping bag in the basement that should work just fine for the last one."

Claire didn't know how to tell him that that wasn't what she meant.