"You want a ride home?" Officer Howard as we left City Hall.
I looked out at the area. Much of the town was lit up with a few street lamps, but even if they weren't there, my eyesight functioned extremely well in low light conditions now. And if Beauregard truly had the idea to engineer an "accident", I didn't want to take the risk of him taking out a small town police chief as well.
"No, I'll be fine," I told him.
"You sure?" Officer Howard asked, "your house is a good way from here, and it is night..."
"That isn't a concern for me," I cut him off, "tigers in the wild are usually active at night, and I've found that I can see quite well in low light..." I then turned my ears back and then forward, "...and the ears aren't just for show."
"It's still a long way from here," Officer Howard reminded me, "are you sure you want to walk?"
"I don't want to be a bother to you, sir," I sighed, "and besides, the R.A.M. members that called this meeting to order you to operate like some secret police unit to get rid of Molly and I probably wouldn't waste time filing the paperwork to force you into retirement if it looks like you're being too supportive of me."
"That won't happen," Officer Howard commented.
"Sir, none of them accepted anything said that defended my right to live a free life," I answered, "they don't like the fact that Molly and I are here and are looking for ways to get us to leave. The school board meeting that I confronted the superintendent at had the full intention of firing Molly. It was only when I, the teacher Molly is an aide to, and friend of ours voiced the facts that there was no basis for the meeting, because the charges launched against Molly never happened..."
"That..." Officer Howard began to protest.
"And then they spent the entirety of this meeting saying I am a dumb and mundane animal and advised that the minimum action they want is for you to keep us in the jail and when we are used... we are used as if we were a mundane animal under heavy armed guard, that is more to control us rather then to enforce the law," I cut him off, "they only gave up when it was pointed out that what they wanted you to do wasn't going to happen, but even still, by their newly passed law, I can not be promoted here in Columbia Falls, and you have to spend most of your time making reports on my activity under your command. Which I doubt you have to do for the others. Their intention is to make things tough enough that you'll fire me to cut costs on the department in terms of time and work. They don't want me here, and are doing everything possible to insure that Molly and I leave."
Officer Howard was silent for a moment.
"I can't believe they would do something so petty," Officer Howard said slowly, "I can't..."
"They are," I told him, "and I fear that if we appear to be too friendly, they will turn to their next option get a R.A.M. member into a position of power."
What followed was awkward sounding silence.
"So, I don't mind the walking, sir," I said respectfully, "I'll try to bring Leona in when she arrives. Testing on Molly can't be done until the weekend."
Officer Howard then nodded. It looked to me as if he recognized just how big of a quagmire that R.A.M. had already made of the situation.
+++++++++++++++++++++
I was still in a fairly sour mood when I made it back to Bandhavgarh Cabin. No one gave me any trouble, but it was clear that the meeting was intended to be some method of getting Molly and I to leave. Officer Howard may not believe that, but I had no doubts about that. And while it was frustrating, it made me bound and determined to try and win the confrontation. I wasn't sure if this was territorial behavior or not, but I didn't really care at the moment.
I returned to have Molly approach me first, although her approach became slower as she saw me.
"Is everything okay, George?" Molly asked after a moment.
"R.A.M. trying to get rid of us," I growled, clinching my fists, "that is ALL this was."
Molly said nothing, but came forward and hugged me.
"Were they successful?" Jacob asked.
"This time? No," I sighed, "thankfully. Though we'll have to jump through some hoops to prove that we're still sentient."
Molly gave a frustrated growl at that.
"They also want an explanation for why I transformed," I added, "which they won't be able to get until Leona arrives."
My parents nodded.
"What do you plan to do?" Molly asked after a moment.
"Right now?" I replied, catching a slight whiff of Molly's scent. It was still an attractive scent, but my mind didn't dwell on it, "for right now I'm just going to lay down. I'm afraid I won't be good company."
I nuzzled my muzzle to Molly's and then went upstairs. A little while later, Molly came upstairs with a large platter of meat. It was fully cooked, though something told me that from what I could smell of it, it had been cooked awhile before.
"I brought you something to eat," Molly spoke as I sat up on the edge of the bed, "You shouldn't be going hungry."
"Thanks," I accepted it, "sorry if I was too much of a grump."
"You put up with me while I was adjusting," Molly replied, "It's only fair that I do the same for you."
She then began to slowly scratch my back softly.
"I love you, you know," Molly said after a moment.
"I know," I replied, "and I love you too... and I'm sure we can get through this. I'm sure we can."
Molly nodded and got up to shut the door to our bedroom. I continued to eat while she undressed for bed. I was just finishing as she approached and sat down next to me again. She began nuzzling me as I set the platter on the floor away from the bed. And again, something in her scent was very attractive to me.
"You've been awfully frisky this week," I quipped and nuzzled her back.
"I can't fully explain it, but part of me NEEDS you at the moment," Molly answered, "it's probably an instinctual thing..."
"Instinctual?" I asked.
"Yeah."
Molly moved to sit in my lap, her nipples poking out through her fur. She then nuzzled me again.
"And since we're married, I don't see a problem," Molly finished.
"And where would you stand on having a family?" I asked her.
"What do you mean? In the future?" Molly wondered.
"Near future," I nodded and held her to me with my arms around her waist.
"You mean want to try now?" Molly asked.
"Not necessarily," I said, "but if your instincts are telling you you NEED me... Molly, I think you're in heat..."
All I heard was a gasp and then saw as Molly fainted. Thankfully, because of my own larger size, I was able to catch her. I laid her down her side of the bed and tucked her in. As I laid down beside her for the night, I could only hope I hadn't done anything offensive.
++++++++++++++++++
I awoke to here the alarm going off and Molly getting up for the next school day. I lifted my head to follow her as she dressed.
"Thanks," Molly said after a few moments, knowing I was awake.
"You're welcome..." I said slowly and as softly as I could manage.
Molly pulled her dress down over her and then approached me.
"Can you button me?" Molly asked.
I nodded and did the buttons on the back of the dress that insured that no one saw anything when her tail moved.
"You okay?" I asked.
"I am," Molly answered, "really."
She then turned to face me as I sat up, keeping the sheets over my waist.
"I want to have children, George," Molly said and nuzzled me, "I really do... but not right now... and I don't know how we got this close to starting a family by accident. I guess I didn't think that I'd end up having a heat cycle."
"It's okay, Molly," I told her, "you know I would never force you. If..."
She put one finger to my muzzle.
"I know," she gave a soft smile, "Maybe next year when I'm in heat again we'll start a family."
"Maybe," I nodded, "and I'm sure they'll be as beautiful as you."
"No, as strong as you," Molly chuckled, "or maybe it'll end up being a litter... and we'll end up with boys as pretty as me and girls as strong as you... or is it the other way around?"
I sighed and got up.
+++++++++++++++++++
The next couple of days went by fairly quietly with no problems. Hormonal or otherwise, which was a blessing. Part of me was excited that Molly wanted a family, which I assumed was the "human" part of my mind, since male tigers in the wild play no role in raising their young and would more often then not be considered a threat to the cubs. But, I did agree with Molly. We had only just gotten married and weren't fully established yet. Once everything was settled and R.A.M. was no longer a concern, we could turn to starting a family.
Things then settled into quiet waiting for Leona to arrive. And on one afternoon a couple days after the meeting with Columbia Falls' City Council, she did. My father and I met her as she approached. One human male accompanied her.
"Wow," the man said when he saw me.
"Be respectful, Jackson," Jacob said firmly.
"Sorry sir," the man, Jackson replied, "I didn't expect this, that's all... although it does explain the orders to bring her here..."
"Yes," Jacob nodded, "I can watch her though..."
"Sir?" Jackson wondered.
"For me this case is personal," Jacob told him, "it's MY son and daughter-in-law."
"Sir," Jackson saluted.
In the mean time, Leona had pulled several items out from the back seat of the vehicle, which I assumed was what would be needed to do all the tests that were needed on Molly and I. She hadn't said a word to Jacob or me, yet.
"You okay?" the man asked Leona as he prepared to leave.
"I will be fine Officer Jackson," Leona told him, "Officer Wayne will do a fine job as a probation officer."
"Okay," he sighed and then departed.
We all watched him go for a moment. Once he was far enough away, Leona turned to face Jacob and me.
"I suppose you'll lecture me that I'm making him break protocol?" Leona asked my father.
"So long as he remains professional, there shouldn't be a problem," Jacob spoke, "though, if something serious does develop, Jackson will have a different assignment then being your probation officer."
"Of course," Leona nodded, "Thank you."
She then slowly approached me.
"I'm sorry to have put you in this position," Leona said to me, guilt radiating from her amber gold eyes.
I didn't know how to answer that.
"It'll be okay, I'm sure," I said after a few moments, "will you need any help?"
"It wouldn't hurt," Leona nodded.