Camp Baron dog of wisdom
#1

@co-parent and daughter



Well.

It was theirs.

The building and the land was, anyway. It was more than Eli could have expected, but the transaction had gone very smoothly. His bank account was smarting for it, but the job wasn't over yet. They still needed to get this place running. But for the moment, it was a good space they could put to work. He had parked in the small attached parking area and gone through the building. It was in good repair. The sign out front had been stripped down, a ghost of an Italian eatery. The would repaint, rebrand soon enough. Inside, plenty of booths and spaces for tables, big windows for light, and the kitchen in back had plenty to work with.

Beyond that, out the back where he stood now on the exit porch, there were acres of land to look over. A few trees, big ones, but mostly it was a lot of grass and dirt, waiting to be put to good use. He was trying to figure out where they could put a coyote clubhouse, if they wanted it attached to the main building or if they wanted something a little further removed but... well, that was part of why he'd invited two of his fellows out here today. Pick their brains.

Waiting on them now, he still felt pretty good. Confident, even that this would work. And that it would feel good. Still charmed by the idea of being dog-friendly. The Dusty Mutts and their Dog Run. Was it sticking? Yes. Absolutely.
#2

Outfit



Carpooling was a lot easier, preferred even, but the looks her parents couldn’t help give the approaching car had her weirdly defensive every time. It seemed the longer she was a were, the more that coyote in her brain was growing opinions and it didn’t care for a lot of the looks or judgement from parental figures that weren’t weres either. Instead of dwelling on it, Brooke was already out the door, trying to leave the bristling feeling behind.

A car ride was less awkward than when they first started at this mentor mentee business making the ride onward to the little shop Eli had found and purchased not as full of that awkard air. As Heidi pulled up into the lot, she tried to imagine the triangular ceilings holding a cafe instead of the deserted restaurant it was. This was the hub, huh? A place to hang out as a group. It wasn’t her best claim to fame, imagining a house like a designer or something, but she supposed, as Brooke walked up to the entrance, that so far the place had an air of promise.

”What do other groups do,” Brooke asked, looking back to Heidi, her coyote happily wanting to zip around, the smell of another further away buffeting over with wind.
#3
It was undeniably exciting. Things were moving swiftly, but swimmingly. The place was theirs, there was a plan. Now, to do the things that would set into motion. She was eager to inspect the place, walk through every inch of it to envision what they could make of it. She hadn't ever considered herself someone with aspirations to own a business, but what were sudden life changes for if not an abrupt change in career paths? Though, she did think she'd have some usable input into this. She at least knew how restaraunts worked. The dog park was uncharted territory, but it couldn't be hard to figure out, could it?

The drive in was nice, idle conversation about music. Brooke was, in many ways, like herself when she was young and free of responsibility. Though, a touch more mature. Alright, heaps more mature. Her little car spluttered into park, and Heidi's eyes were on the building. Quaint, inviting, with an outdoor patio. Nothing too special, but certainly promising. As they got out, Heidi lingered to take it in. Alright. This was something. It felt more natural to her, strangely, than Extra Mile ever had. Funny, how helping to build something felt like second nature to her.

Brooke's question drew her gaze, and she pocketed her hands as she fell into a casual walk up toward the building, "Well, the bears have that Sanctuary. Think there were some type of cats in Reignhart that had an art gallery. Jaguars out in Alameda, they had a bar." That was all she knew about the area, "The Band before this one had a car shop and convenience store."
#4
He heard the car, the sound of feet on the ground, felt the presence of slightly distant coyotes and smiled to himself. But stayed where he was--the building was unlocked and they were welcome to search him out. He was busy watching some squirrels dart around a tree in game of tag and debating the merits of putting their clubhouse in an annex building they'd have to build from scratch.

Was nice, though, this stretch of land. The sort of place that got a man thinking about moving in spite of the convenience of his current life. Just... nostalgia, maybe, for a life that had been much simpler before coyotes had come marching into it.
#5
Watching as the woman made her way up the well trodden steps towards her, Brooke listened curiously. The bears she knew about, some kinda cat in Reighnart with a gallery was… okay, a bar was expected to be some sort of lineup if cafe’s were, and then the coyotes before this one had a car shop and convenience store. Like 7-Eleven? That. Okay?

”Gotcha.” She turned to look at the building again, the presence in her mind sniffing with its long snout. ”Well out of all of those, I don’t think anyone expects a dog friendly cafe to be some kind of homebase or something.” Which meant this was a good idea from that perspective.
#6
Heidi smiled at that, her eyebrows stitching upward as she hummed, "Right. What is it? Hiding in plain sight." Or something similar. Really, no human would suspect it, but it was right on the nose for any Were that discovered this would be their base. "I think we'll like it." She decided after a moment, as they made their way up the stairs and through the doors that were unlocked. The inside was a bit less grand than she'd imagined, but that'd be easier to gut. It had the essentials, and that's all that mattered.

"Lets sniff out Doc." She said after a cursory glance around, finding that he wasn't inside. The hound in her mind urged them out toward the back, and she was eager to follow.
#7
By time he heard their footsteps coming up towards the back door he'd left open, he was turning around to spy them out. His own mutt too proud at the moment to go yapping after them, he stood his ground with a silent greeting in the first moments. A little tail lift from a 'yote, but a wave from the man.

Then, when they were close enough to not shout after, "What you think?"

Wasn't bad, right?
#8
Making her way inside, Brooke would look around, head tilted all around to take it in. It was a place. It was a place! She imagined a lot of tlc was gonna have to be had before they got this anywhere close to some kind of group vision. But hey, there were walls, a plot of land, really the two main things needed and the rest could come later.

”Mmkay,” Brooke agreed, turning from a wall’s graffiti she’d been scrutinizing to follow Heidi out.

It didn’t take long at all to find the guy, door open, him on the patio looking at them expectantly. What’d they think? ”Gonna be a lot of work, but it looks like a good start.”
#9
"You piss on all the trees yet?" She questioned for herself, sidling out onto the patio and up beside Eli, her eyes stretching out to the land around them. "A lot to work with. But yes, this is a better start than we could have hoped for."
#10
Well, Brooke sure was right about that. But he was pleased nonetheless, not actually at all afraid of hard work. Speaking of, he grinned at Heidi in a rare show of open amusement. "Every single last one," he confirmed about the trees. He reached to tap her on the arm, some of his visible happiness fading but still lingering around his eyes. "I have painted so many fences in my life, we'll be so fine."

Then, looking to Brooke, he explained, "We're going to need a space just for us. Obviously we'll have the cafe, but we need a little clubhouse or something. I was thinking about converting the attic space, but honestly I don't love ducking as much as that would require and we probably don't want the pitter patter of little coyote feet above the dining area. So. If you had to pick a place, do you think built up next to the current building, or... something further out back past the dog park?"

He expected Heidi would have an opinion, too, but involving Brooke was second nature.
#11
The interaction between Heidi and him were, uh, hmm. Brooke really didn’t get the humor. Were they five?

Blinking at them with an impassive expression, it wouldn’t be long till she was roped back into the conversation that was a more normal. Well, normalish considering it was about were things. They’d have a cafe, of course, but there was a need of a small convening space just for them. That was cute, a group break room kind of. She was in full agreement that the attic wasn’t a good call for it considering. So that left right next door or somewhere out there, on that large swath of land that came with this purchase.

Scrutinizing a space nearby and then outwards, a hand to her hip, she tried to visualize both. ”I think separate would be cool. Kind of has more of a guest house feel that way.”
#12
A wonder the bear King hadn't come knocking for the stench, then. Laughing softly from her chest, the coyotes nipped and sniffed in greeting as Eli prodded and she leaned into it.

The conversation was steered directly toward the matter at hand. They'd be fine fixing the place up, but that didn't cover the dilemma of having a space for them. The attic was an idea, but it would put them at a significant risk of being discovered. Not that the pitter patter of any coyote feet would be any different from those of the canine patrons. Still, a separate area sounded appealing. Eli inquired to Brooke first, a clear attempt to include her. Her answer was similar to what Heidi had in mind.

"Further out is best. Easier to avoid accidentally getting roped into puppy play time if you've shifted." Avoiding the fact that that could end very poorly for any handbag dog that found itself unfortunate enough to cross paths with a shifted yote. "We'll need a jumbo doggy door." She added in all seriousness. Really, there was a severe lack of one at Extra Mile. Memories of the night she'd come howling at the door, and had to wait on Eli and Fletch to get their lazy bones off the couch.
#13
Further out, alright. Eli figured maybe the edge of the property, then. That way they could have an escape out into the wild, too. Which sounded really appealing to him right about now, truth be told. He'd have to find a contractor soon to come up with a design--it wouldn't have to be anything too complicated.

But of course the doggy door comment--taken into serious note--brought back a sharp memory without any fuss.

"Planning to get shot in the butt again, Heid?"
#14
Heidi agreed and it seemed like it’d be a done deal. Trying to imagine the sheer scenario of a giant coyote playing with a dog created a ridiculous scenario in her brain. How long till a coyote thought a small fry chihuahua was food at that point? Not long probably.

The addition of a giant doggy door seemed another joke of some sort, but Elijah’s comment back had Brooke sending a curious look both their way.

”Wait, someone shot you?”
#15
She could kill Eli right now, she truly could. Jaw tight, she fixed him with a shotgun slug glare, cursing him silently as Brooke questioned the quip. Softening for the sake of not making it out to be her fault, Heidi exhaled through her nose and nodded. "Wandered too close to a ranch." She admitted. Then to Eli, "And I won't hesitate to shoot you in yours if you spread that information any further."
#16
Sorry, their daughter deserved to know your shameful secret, Heidi. He should not have felt smug at seeing her get upset about it, but he... did. Really, it was harmless! Stupid, stupid things happened to them all sometimes!

"I had to help her out, which is the only reason I even know," he slid in there, shameless. "But alright, alright, we'll keep it in the family." Hands up, surrender.

He wouldn't tell Brooke that that was literally the first impression he'd ever had of Heidi.
#17
The idea that they could be shot at when shifted for some reason hadn’t really sunk in till right now, right now. Her eyes widened at the explanation of who and what, mind filling in that tiny channel to the side with I won’t hesitate, bitch vine as well. But more seriously though, Heidi had been shot?! With a legit bullet?! Just what Brooke needed, another thing to worry about when she was knocked out in a shift.

”And you healed okay?” Didn’t they heal super fast?
#18
Oh yes, it had all been thanks to Eli that she'd recovered. Bow in reverence to his skillful fingers. She rolled her eyes, and made not to hold him to the promise to keep the secret close. She had a frightened pup to deal with now. Heidi reached over to cup her elbow gently, "Well enough. Wasn't comfortable, but it was quick. Our bodies will heal things like that quicker than normal. Its silver you'll want to be wary of. It burns, and it heals like it would if you were human." Look at that, a lesson to be found in everything. "Same with anything a Were or vampire does to you. That's why we've got our own inhouse doctor." She added with a toothy smirk, moving to clap Eli on the shoulder as she passed him on her way to stepping down from the patio, and further out across the empty lot.
#19
"My services don't come cheap," he joked, coyote barking in the metaphysical to the clap of contact.

He elected to kindly not fill Brooke in on the details of Heidi's treatment the night she'd bitten her. That had actually been much more gnarly.

"Eventually, in theory, I should be able to do all that bullcrap healing magic on top of it. But really, I know you all live for my sutures."

He would wait for Brooke to follow Heidi if she wanted, before taking up the rear himself. Maybe look around the yard a bit.
#20
The touch wasn’t exactly wanted, but she’d leave it there as the dog in her head gave a snuffle of hello. It hadn’t been comfortable, but it had been quick, okay. That silver was just like in the movies apparently wasn’t the greatest confirmation ever, but who exactly had silver bullets or any kind of weapon anyways? Some kind of rich dude that was compensating probably or a radicalized vigilante sort that thought him the next monster hunter. Hopefully, the odds were in their favor then, but she’d have to remember to not touch the nice silver anywhere.

Apparently were or vampires had the same kind of hurt potential to them and all of this she was writing down in her brain in a ‘what to avoid’ guide. Good thing her coyote didn’t seem too keen to fight, but rather run from what she knew. ”That’s really weird, but good to know.”

Eli would not only be their leader, but also he was a doctor so that was neat. Following off the porch, she regarded him at the idea of ‘bullcrap healing’ and just, really, didn’t get it, but it sounded neat. ”I dunnoooo, you haven’t won me over yet. I haven’t even had to get one.”
#21
The grass and gravel crunched beneath her shoes as she ventured away from the porch, her ears keen on the words exchanged behind her. Right, Eli was racking up a bill to deliver to her at the end of the year.

He touched back on the King healing, something Heidi was looking forward to having around again. Definitely not a fan of those sutures. Brooke was clever in her remark, and Heidi offered a crooked smirk over her shoulder at the girl, "Careful, Brooke. He'll take that as an invitation to make sure you'll need some."
#22
"Wow wow wow," Eli said, hands up in surrender. "Do no harm, ma'am. I live by that oath." The sun was very warm out here in Camp Baron, and the breeze was only gentle. But it made the animal in him want to go for a quick run around, which meant the area was perfect for what they had in mind.

"Except, of course, when Kai challenges me, and then I have to beat her into surrender. It's fine."

He gave Brooke a smile after a moment, hoping she'd know that... he was joking, mostly. As much as it had literally happened. It had been nothing but friendly!

"With any luck you'll never know how great my work is."
#23
Ha! An invitation to what, bite her? Heidi’d already done that. :’)

Live by the do no harm oath except when punched, that was effective and managed a soft laugh from her to escape at the eyes on her. Giving a good natured eye roll at the feeling of him looking at her, she continued out into the sun, soaking it in. ”That’s the plan, Jan. I think my parents would stuff you real quick if that wasn’t the case.”

Turning around for a few steps, she’d take in the cafe walking backwards. They were still in the middle of nowhere, but at least it was some place new middle of nowhere she supposed.

"What made you think of a cafe of all things?"
#24
My, was it fun to see Eli scramble to redeem himself from slander. He was a fun type of pride to poke holes in. See how much it took to pop it. A lot more than that, apparently.

She’d pay money to watch Eli and Kai fight again.

As for Eli and Brooke, she’d likely do unthinkable things to prevent it. Brooke was hers, first and foremost. Hers to protect. There was a fiercely maternal feeling to it. And while she had faith the girl’s parents would have something to say about it all, they’d be second to what Heidi would do about it.

But that was the dog talking. At least, she was willing to let herself believe that. The guilt was something she’d gladly bury.

Once a ways out, Heidi turned to look back at the building from where she was, taking it all in. It was… something. Something felt bounds better than the nothing they’d been left with months ago.
#25
You know. Sometimes. Eli sort of forgot Brooke had like, actual parents.

But he gave her an amused look, unworried but mindful. He had no intention of hurting any babies--even young adult coyote babies--ever again.

Out a bit further, Brooke's question giving him pause to think, he answered. "Something easy to hire other people into to handle. Don't have a ton of time to be the boss out this way, can't quit my day job, so... Found the right spot and felt like cafe was the least offensive thing to put into this spot."

Wasn't sure what else they would have done. As it was, this was going to be a ton of work.

A glance to Heidi as they slowed to look back. "Think it could use a repainting."
#26
Brooke followed along to the reasoning well enough. Easy to hire, not something that you had to deal with a lot because it’d work with what time Eli had available, and it was probably the best thing suited for this skeleton of a building. ”Ah, gotcha.” She had no idea how to run a business, but Brooke would put faith in the fact this guy did.

Stopping her walk, she’d still consider the building, try to visualize whatever color Heidi might be about to suggest. There was a lot of work to do.
#27
Heidi wasn't much for architecture, but she could agree it needed something fresh. "Mm. Something different than all the dust and dirt around." She suggested, glancing Eli's way to reach up and give him a rough shake of the shoulder, "Better grab your brush. Got a lot of work ahead."
#28
"Good thing I love endless work and too much debt," he said, sighing as is if wistfully.

This was, truthfully, really coming together. And it was well worth the price of blood, sweat, and tears as his bank accounts took their hits.
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