Seven

Part V

"You killed Wryleigh!" Gideon shouted, running to the wolf's side. Wry couldn't help but smile at the little goat's worry but rocked his head back and forth from the floor. "I'm not dead," he groaned, making an effort to sit up. He gently placed a paw on the back of his head and sighed. It had hurt, alright, but wouldn't amount to more than a couple of bruises.

"Need my broccoli?" Gideon held out the package of frozen vegetables, and Wryleigh took it willingly, placing it on his own aching head.

The two eldest kids watched him with disbelieving eyes. Everyone was okay. Even Gideon. "You're not going to hurt us?"

Wry slowly turned his head to face them. "Of course not," he said. He didn't understand what was up with these goats. Why were they all scared of him?  "Why would I hurt you?"

Neither kid wanted to answer. All this time they'd been scared of their sitter just because of his species, and now they felt stupid for injuring him. "You're a wolf," they both said quietly.

"It's no excuse to treat you the way we did," Genna added after a pause, her face remaining solemn as she spoke. 

"We just weren't sure we could trust you." Those were Gentry's words, spoken from a downward facing muzzle.

Wry only listened quietly. He did understand. Growing up as a predator had never been easy, but as an adult, he learned to let go of the little things. "I understand why you were scared—especially if you didn't expect a wolf at your door, as unprepared as I was." He laughed a little as he continued, "I don't blame you for trying to protect yourselves." He placed the makeshift ice pack on the floor and stretched out a paw to the two kids. "We should start over. My name is Wryleigh."

Both of them placed a hoof on his paw, stating their names. Feeling left out, the remaining kids filed in beside them, putting their hooves in the circle and shouting their names.

"I'll try to remember all of those." Wryleigh untangled his arm from the mass and grinned at the kids. "It's nice to meet you. All seven of you."

"You, too," Genna said, finally finding the courage to smile.

"Yeah." Gentry glanced down at the discarded broccoli and Gideon's cheerful eyes. "And thanks for taking care of our brother."

"No problem," Wryleigh replied, standing up and trying to straighten his tail.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah," he said, brushing off the back of his jeans. "Might be sore for a couple of days, but I'll be fine."

"Great!" Gideon piped up again, still hovering close to Wryleigh's side. He grasped the fluffy grey fur of his tail that Wry had just worked to calm, and looked up at the wolf's dark eyes. "Does that mean we can play now?"

He wrinkled his muzzle in thought. "If you're up to it." In response, Gideon eagerly nodded. "What did you have in mind?"

"Hide 'n seek!"

His excitement was accompanied by siblings' groans, but none said a word. Not until Wryleigh glanced around at the kids, his mouth poised to ask who would go first.

"Not it!" Six voices echoed after the first, and Wryleigh rolled his eyes. I guess that leaves me. You would think they'd had enough of hiding after all that.

Wry turned around, facing the wall, and covered his eyes with his paws. "What do I count to?"

"One hundred!" Greyson shouted, and without another word, Wry was left alone. The only thing he could were their fleeting footsteps. He began counting aloud, but it wasn't long before their arguing rose in the background.

"I want to hide there!"

"But I always hide in the clock case!" Gideon's small voice whined back.

Wryleigh just laughed and kept counting. And that was the way the rest of the afternoon went, the wolf and the seven young kids playing and getting along perfectly. Who would've imagined? There's more to their story of course, but those are tales for another time. For now, just know that this story ends with a happily evening after.