Lone Wolf Ranch Chapter 16

I fell down more rabbit holes, and work was a pain. Still, here's the next installment. The diner mentioned really does exist, but I've taken the liberty of opening them for breakfast on a Sunday. I hope they don't mind the overtime!

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Chapter 16

Connor

Connor quickly caught up with Shamus, who was not trying to outrun him, but simply setting a strong, steady pace. Less than five minutes after they had started, Shamus slowed before dropping to his belly and creeping into a thicket of brush.

In his mind, Connor heard Shamus say, "This lake is part of a public park. On the south end of it is the local boy scout camp. Never run around here during the daylight and be constantly aware of the humans around you if you're here at night."

Connor nodded and replied, "Katty told me. She said everyone likes to come here in human form to go fishing."

Shamus showed his teeth in what seemed to be a smile, then retraced his steps, and soon they were running east through the lightly wooded hills. As they ran, Shamus pointed out fields where they cut hay and the sheds where they stored it. There were also permanent corrals every few miles, to make managing the cattle easier. They crossed several small creeks, some of which had small berms built to create pools where the cattle could drink.

Along the way, Shamus taught Connor how to run just below the ridgeline to reduce the chance of being seen and how to slip into the brush to avoid an approaching human quickly. He also spent time teaching the young wolf how to stalk his prey, saying they would hunt and eat on the way home.

They had been traveling in a generally southeast direction for a few hours when Shamus stopped and lifted his nose, pointing, and Connor heard, "This is the south slope of the hill we're building on. As you see, the temporary road is a bit steep. I'll let you and Drake work out an easier path for it. Race you to the door!"

With that, Shamus took off at full speed. Connor stood stunned as the 500-year-old wolf accelerated from a standstill to almost 70 mph in an instant. When Connor finally caught him, just a few yards from the concrete foundation, Shamus wasn't even breathing hard. As he came to a stop, Shamus smoothly shifted into human form and burst out laughing.

Connor skidded to a stop, shifted, and said, "No fair starting a race without me being ready."

Connor turned with a start when he heard Drake, "No enemy you come across in life will give you advance notice. You need to always be prepared to react; constantly be on guard."

Connor nodded as Shamus said, "Well put, my friend. Would you like to give Connor the tour?"

Drake bowed and said, "It would be my honor, Alpha O'Faolan." When Shamus scowled, he added, "As I intend on sharing my secrets with the young Alpha, I believe the use of titles is appropriate, is it not?"

Shamus slowly nodded as Connor looked at Drake with interest and asked, "And what title should I use for you, Sir?"

Drake's sly grin gave nothing away as he said, "I'm perfectly happy for you to call me Drake, young Alpha. Let me show you my part of your home, then I'll share with you the other titles I've used over the centuries." When Connor's eyes opened wider in surprise, Drake added, "Yes, I'm old. Even older than Shamus here, but we'll get into that later. For now, please follow me."

Drake led them to a lone steel door in the concrete wall that seemed to melt into the rock face of the bluff. Drake opened it and motioned for Connor to enter. When he did, he found himself in a rock crevasse roughly twenty feet wide. The ground gently sloped down, and the walls of the crevasse narrowed slightly until the natural rock closed overhead, creating the opening of a cave roughly ten feet in diameter. Looking up, he noticed there were steel beams that spanned the crevasse, supporting the concrete overhead.

Connor turned to Shamus and asked, "I thought you said there was a basement? This is just an enclosed cave mouth."

Shamus turned to Drake, who replied, "This is one of seventeen such structures. Most are on the ranch, but there are also ones near Miles City, Fort Benton, Shelby, and Elkwater Alberta."

Connor was dumbfounded as he considered the distances involved. When he could speak, he asked, "Are you saying they are entrances to this cave?"

Drake nodded as he responded, "I am."

Connor thought for a moment, then said, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but Miles City is roughly 200 miles southeast of here. Fort Benton and Shelby are each about 100 miles southwest and west, and I don't know where Elkwater is exactly, but the Canadian border is 40 miles north. You're telling me that this cave is hundreds of miles long?"

Drake replied, "The Elkwater entrance is 105 miles away, in a direct line, in the mountains east of town. Over the past several hundred years, I've explored the entire network and can tell you that Mammoth is not the longest cave in the world. Not even close."

Connor looked to Shamus and asked, "Does the rest of the pack know about this cave?" Before receiving a reply, he turned to Drake and asked, "How do the humans not know about this? The local tribes had to have found an entrance somewhere."

Drake grinned at Shamus and said, "You first, Alpha."

Shamus sighed and said, "Aaron knows because it affects our finances. When we first moved here, Charles and Tiernan used to run in the cave. No one in subsequent generations knows anything other than that there are locked `storerooms' in several locations around the ranch."

Connor turned back to Drake to hear, "One thing you need to take to heart, young Alpha, is that humans only see what they want to see. That typically excludes things that don't fit their desired image of the world around them. You will learn, as I have, to take advantage of this trait. A few strategically placed dead trees, a pile of rubble, and an entrance is hidden from the world of humans. The seventeen I've seen fit to block with manmade means are the larger ones, this being the third largest."

Connor thought for a moment, then asked, "From your conversation, I will assume that you are not human." Drake grinned. "From what little information I have, I have a few theories as to what you are, but I get the feeling you're not going to simply tell me?"

Drake laughed as he said, "You are correct. I will make a deal with you, young Alpha. If your first guess is correct, I will give you a gift from deep in my cavern. If not, you will allow me to continue to come and go through this entrance for the next thousand years."

Connor replied, "While I appreciate your offer of a gift, I will allow you the use of this entrance regardless of our wager. If any of my theories are correct, I would be a fool not to have you as a friend."

Drake glanced at Shamus, then looked back to Connor and said, "I will ask for your guess soon. For now, let me show you my cavern." He then turned and led Connor and Shamus through the large entrance and down the sloping path into the cavern.

The deeper they walked into the cavern, the darker it got until Connor was having trouble seeing the floor in front of him. He was just about to say something when Drake waved a hand, and an orb appeared. Roughly the size of a man's head, it glowed with soft white light, illuminating their path, as well as the cavern walls and roof above them.

When Connor stared at the man, Drake said, "I have no need of light. I just did that as a courtesy to you. Shall I extinguish it?"

Connor shook his head as he quickly said, "No, Sir. I was just surprised when it appeared." He bit his lower lip, then added, "It does give me information to help me guess, though."

Drake just grinned and led them even deeper into the cavern. As they went, he pointed out veins of gold, platinum, and silver. In other places, he pointed out crystalline formations that he said were various colors of rubies and sapphires. He explained that rubies and sapphires were both forms of aluminum oxide that formed in slightly different ways, creating varied colors.

In an awestruck voice, Connor said, "All you need are emeralds and diamonds, and you'd have all the major gemstones."

Drake gave a smirk and said, "Somewhere in my cavern, I have a vein of every gem or metal that humans find desirable, some of which humans believe can only be found in other places around the globe. Many, I knew of their beauty long before humans `discovered' them."

Connor looked around at the chamber they were in. Stalactites faded into view from the darkness of the ceiling far above them while stalagmites reached up from the floor in hopes of connecting to their cousins. In many places, the two had met and merged to form columns, some barely an inch thick at the narrowest point and others several feet thick, seeming to support the ceiling. He could see the timeworn paths Drake's feet had made in years upon years of patrolling his caves.

Finally, he turned to Drake and said, "I am honored that you have shared your cavern with me. I am more honored to have met a `figura shifter draconis', and to consider him a friend."

Drake's smile grew as he bowed and said, "I am quite impressed that you figured out what I am, and even more so that you knew the proper name of my species."

Connor tilted his head and explained, "Well, I saw in the book that Shamus gave me that I am a `figura shifter lupis', so I assumed that a draconic shapeshifter would be styled the same. I would be honored to spend several hours learning about you and your kin."

Drake inclined his head once more as he said, "I look forward to it, young Alpha. Now, for your gift." Drake took a moment to pick up a few items, then reached his hand towards Connor, palm down. Connor mirrored the action, reaching out with his palm up to allow Drake to drop a couple of chunks of ore and dozens of cloudy gemstones into his hand. He glanced down as Drake explained, "Some rhodium, a few blood rubies, and several pink, red, and blue diamonds. Please use these to make yourself a ring or some other piece of jewelry."

Connor gasped and stared at Drake as he realized he held tens of millions of dollars in his hand. Finally, he said, "While I am honored at your immeasurable generosity, I ask that you hold these for me until I have time to consider how to honor their beauty properly."

Drake smiled as he took the ore and gemstones from Connor and placed them atop a stalagmite that looked like it had been chopped off to form a table. This caused Connor to look around the cavern with a new eye. He noticed several similar `tables,' as well as what looked like chairs, formed out of the rock. His confusion must have been obvious because Drake explained that dragons had the ability to shape and reform rock to their needs. He led Connor to another chamber, where he pointed out his two beds. One the size of a typical human double bed and the other large enough for Connor and Shamus to both stretch out in their shifted forms and not touch.

Connor turned, then lowered his eyes and quietly said, "I hope I don't offend by asking this, and if I do, please forgive me and forget I ever asked, but can I see you in your shifted form?"

Drake's eyes lit up as he said, "You do not offend, and yes, you certainly may see me in my shifted forms. I only ask that you honor me by showing me your forms as well. How do the human males say it? I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Connor's laugh could be heard as it echoed down the passages of the cavern. When he could finally breathe, he said, "I only know how to shift into my wolf form. Shamus was going to try to teach me how to shift into my biped form today."

Drake looked to Shamus and, after getting a nod, said, "Shifting into your biped form is as easy as shifting to your wolf. Just imagine yourself in that form, and shift. The tricky part comes when you want to shift just an arm, a leg, or simply let your teeth drop. That takes practice and control." When Connor knit his eyebrows, Drake said, "Let me see your wolf, then I'll demonstrate."

Connor nodded his agreement, then took a step back and quickly shifted into his wolf form. As Drake circled the black wolf that was as tall as he was, he whistled his appreciation. He reached out with a hand, then paused until Connor nodded his head, finally brushing his hand down Connor's neck. After circling Connor twice, Drake stepped back, looked at Shamus, and said, "He is even more magnificent than you told me, my old friend. If my memory serves me, he's taller than you were. Have you talked to Mághnus yet?"

Shamus shook his head as he said, "Da is busy with the pack move. I hope to talk to him this evening."

Drake thought for a moment, then said, "I'll mention it to Set when I see him tomorrow. The council will have to advise if it's what I think." Seeing a look of concern cross Connor's face, he added, "Nothing bad, pup, it isn't necessarily a bad thing. From your reaction to the name, I assume Shamus has told you about King Anubis and the Council?"

Connor nodded and replied, "He told me about both councils. And from your words, I assume you sit on the World Council of Shifters?"

Drake bowed and replied, "Guilty as charged. I've tried to get out of it for years, but there are only 200 of us around the world, and we must each do our part." Before Connor could ask another question, Drake said, "I believe it is now my turn to `show you mine', as it were. I'll show you my small dragon as well as my biped form. The nearest chamber that is large enough for my large form is several miles away, though I promise that one day soon, I'll show you."

Connor nodded and watched intently as Drake stepped back and vanished. Connor looked in all directions but couldn't find the smallest trace of what might be considered a dragon. He finally quit searching and said, "Your small dragon must be microscopic. I can't see you." He then heard a deep laugh directly in front of him and looked on in amazement as a dragon materialized out of thin air.

Connor gaped, then stuttered, "How... how did you do that?"

The dragon gave what could only be described as a smirk as he explained, "Did I forget to tell you that we have the ability to become invisible? Silly me. When we shift, we automatically become invisible. It has kept us alive over the centuries."

Connor squinted at his new friend and said accusingly, "You did that on purpose, just to shock me."

Drake giggled, as much as a two-ton dragon can giggle, and said, "Maybe I did. Now, walk around and get an eyeful. Take your time."

As Conor walked around Drake, he took note of the fact that this `small' form was similar in size to his own wolf, if you didn't account for the wings stretching six feet to either side. Or the tail that curved and coiled roughly the same six feet as the body. He had short spikes on both his muscular arms and rear legs. Several spikes roughly a foot long lined the sides of his lower jaw and surrounded his head. A double row of similar spikes ran from the back of his skull to the base of his tail, where the rows merged into a single row that continued to the tip.

As Drake had done, Connor reached out and waited for consent before running his hand over the hard spikes and surprisingly soft, leathery hide. He felt the thin membrane of the wings and rubbed his hand over the sharp black claws that capped the forward sweeping curve of each wingtip.

Connor could feel the moisture in his eyes as he swallowed and said, "There is no other way to say it; you are an incredibly beautiful and obviously powerful being. Only a fool would challenge you."

Drake made a rumbling sound that seemed to come from deep in his body. His eyes glowed a deep red, and his body seemed to shimmer before suddenly shifting to that of a man standing around seven feet tall. The overall shape was that of a man, but the arms, chest, and head were those of the dragon form. Connor could see the same hard spikes around Drake's neck and head.

As he took it all in, Drake said, "Now it's your turn, pup. All you need to do is imagine a combination of your human and wolf forms." Turning to Shamus, he said, "Show the boy, Alpha."

Connor turned to watch as Shamus changed into a seven-foot-tall werewolf. That was the first phrase that came to mind as he regarded the older wolf's biped form. He had his human legs, though much more muscular, topped by a torso that was humanoid but covered in the same black fur of Shamus' wolf form. That same fur covered the beefy arms and a thick muscular neck that held a lupine head.

Drake turned back to gaze at Connor as he said, "Now you do it, pup. Just imagine yourself in this form, and shift."

Connor did as he was told, and at first, nothing happened. He concentrated on how it felt to shift as he imagined himself towering over his cousins. Suddenly, he was staring over his muzzle into the deep green eyes of the dragon. He looked around and saw that he was as tall as Shamus. Glancing down, he saw the powerful forearms and massive claws of a biped wolf. He was a werewolf. He couldn't resist a huff as he thought, `This is TOO COOL!'

Shamus and Drake had shifted back to human forms and were watching the young shifter as he adjusted to this new body. They both laughed when he stumbled as he tried to take a step, then gently encouraged him to keep trying. Soon, Connor was sprinting around the chamber, leaping around some stalagmites and jumping over others. Once he had adjusted to this new form, Connor shifted back to human. He couldn't remove the grin from his face, even if he tried, which he didn't.

As Drake led Shamus and Connor back towards the entrance, he told Connor of how he and his mate had left their home in Ireland shortly after Shamus' birth. Having found this cavern during a hunting excursion, they decided to leave their cave in County Cork to their oldest son, who now lived there with his mate and son. The local population of Lakota knew about the mated pair of dragons and didn't object to sharing the land with them, but when he and his mate had a daughter, the Lakota said the young dragon would have to leave. He explained that Cekula, his mate, was currently staying with their youngest daughter to help with her first child.

Connor wanted to ask if dragon shifters mated as humans or dragons, but he was too embarrassed. His blush must have telegraphed his thoughts because Drake said, "We can breed in either form, but it is much more practical to have babies than to lay and brood over an egg for up to two years."

As they emerged from the steel door, Drake continued his story. "Cekula and I co-existed with the Lakota for over three hundred years before they asked us to move on. I negotiated that as long as it was just the two of us, we were welcome. Shortly after Saphira was born, Cekula took her to Colorado and raised her. We introduced her to a young man from Germany, and he moved to her cavern in the 1830s. With Cekula away, I became a bit lonely, so I traveled back to County Cork, where I told Shamus about my cavern and how I expected the US to soon expand to cover the continent."

Connor sat listening intently to Drake's story. He looked to Shamus, then turned to Drake to ask, "So the ranch isn't ours, it's yours?"

Drake shook his head as he explained, "No, the ranch belongs to the O'Faolan family, free and clear. I have no interest in the land above the surface other than being able to wander about as I please. We are a subterranean bunch. You'll rarely find a dragon living above the ground and never in an apartment off the ground. Most of us live under lands owned by other supernaturals, sharing our treasures with you in exchange for protection from human discovery."

Drake led them inside the trees to a log lean-to where there were benches and a table. They sat for several hours as Drake learned what Connor wanted in the house. Connor explained that he imagined a large, open home that had several spaces for the members of the pack to congregate. Sleeping areas that allowed them to sleep shifted and piled upon one another, as he and his cousins have been doing. He acknowledged the need for separate sleeping areas to give the mated pairs the opportunity to have private time, as well as spaces for the teenagers to get away for a while.

Drake was pleasantly surprised when Connor suggested they expand the area outside the cave to provide a space for Drake to shift into his large dragon form. Connor suggested that an airport hanger-style door would allow him to fly in and out without problems. On hearing this, Shamus expressed his concerns about the rest of the pack questioning the design and possibly learning about Drake's nature. Drake started to say something, but he was cut off.

Connor looked Shamus in the eyes and said, "Each member of the pack relies on the others to provide food, shelter, and safety. In my mind, Drake and his family are just like any other pack member. I would no more betray their trust than I would that of Katty, Ronin, or even you, Shamus."

Shamus expected this modern thinking, but Drake was stunned. He gaped at Connor for a minute, then looked down and quietly said, "You... you would officially accept me and mine into your pack? Even though we're not wolves?"

Connor nodded as he declared, "In my mind, any shifter that lives in our territory is a member of our pack. I don't know if that breaks any kinda rules or anything." He turned to Shamus and asked, "Does it?"

Shamus replied, "To my knowledge, there are no rules against having other shifters in your pack, pride, flock, or clan. I know the King of the Pride in Pheonix allows all types, but he's not much older than you. And, while I appreciate your embracing the fact that you're an Alpha and possibly the future Alpha of this pack, you're not there yet, pup. You might speak to me before you start making declarations that I might disagree with." When Drake turned to him with a hurt look, he added, "Not that I don't agree with this one. In fact, I'm ashamed that I never did it myself. Can you forgive me, Drake?"

Drake shook his head as he looked at his old friend and said, "There is nothing to forgive. You have treated me as family since the day your father put you in my arms. Change comes hard, my friend and this is just an example of that."

Connor tilted his head to the side, offering his neck in submission to Shamus as he said, "Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Alpha. I didn't mean to overstep or embarrass you."

Shamus gently put his hand on the boy's shoulder and said, "Simply another learning experience, pup. As your punishment, you will..." Connor glanced up in fear, then quickly lowered his eyes as Shamus continued, "meet with the clan leader of the bear clan in Chinook and let them know they are welcome to become members of the pack."

Connor's head snapped up in surprise as his Alpha declared a punishment that didn't sound anything like a punishment. He then asked, "I thought a group of bears was called a sleuth?"

Drake interjected, "That is a correct term, but bear shifters tend to prefer the term `clan', just like dragons. It demonstrates the family connection, as both species tend to live in much smaller groups than, say, wolves, lions, or birds." He then turned to Shamus and asked, "Speaking of birds, I was visited by a mated pair of eagles the other day. I told them I would speak to you. Am I to assume they are welcome in Havre as well?"

Shamus smiled and nodded as he said, "Of course they are. Ask them to stop by so I can meet them." He then turned back to Connor and said, "I will give you free rein on this issue, pup. It falls to you to tell the pack what we've decided about other shifters. As to Drake, his family, and their home, I think we keep that quiet for now, don't you, Drake?"

Drake looked uncomfortable, then coughed and said, "Katty and Ronin already know what I am." When Shamus looked surprised, Drake explained, "You remember that little crack we found last month? The one just west of Lloyd?"

"The one you reshaped the rocks to close?" Shamus asked.

Drake nodded as he continued, "I was headed over to reshape and ran into two wolf pups in my cavern. I hadn't seen anyone in the cavern in over four hundred years, so I never thought I needed to be invisible. She shifted and told me they had fallen through the crack and weren't sure how to get out. I couldn't just leave them there, so I had them shift and led them to the entrance behind Clint's barn. They both swore they'd keep my secret, and it seems they have. Maybe Connor's right about letting the pack know."

Shamus considered this new revelation, then looked at Connor and said, "When the pack gathers for dinner this evening, you will tell them what you think they need to know. I will not stop you from telling them everything, but I think it wise we don't go into the details of what is deep in the cavern."

Connor nodded as he stated, "I can't honestly say what is deep in the cavern. I do think we say there are valuables that we need to keep secret. Beyond that, only Drake, Aaron, you, and I need to know."

Shamus nodded, then Drake suggested, "If I may go back to speaking about the house, I think our Russian friend might have some technology that would help us. I will stop by and speak to him on my way back from Africa tomorrow."

Connor was confused, but Shamus nodded and replied, "See if he has any ideas, but I don't like getting too involved with vampires. I know you've sold them gold and gems for centuries, and we have supplied them blood for decades, but I really don't think I want them actually at the ranch." He then looked at his watch and added, "I think Connor and I should be going. We need to be at Aiden's place in time for dinner. Thank you for everything, Drake. Again, I'm sorry I never thought to invite you to the pack formally. Now that I think about it, you should join us at dinner. It is, technically, our pack meeting."

After a bit of discussion, it was decided that Drake would meet the pack at tonight's dinner. After saying their goodbyes, Shamus and Connor shifted and ran off toward their current home. As they ran, Shamus apologized for not being able to teach Connor to hunt, as they had spent more time with Drake than he had expected. He promised to take the boy hunting some evening this week and was pleased when Connor asked if his cousins could join. They quickly showered, dressed, and were soon parking in front of Aiden's home.

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