Late that night, Patrick checked around before the family exited the B&B. All of them were dressed in dark clothes. Ginny walked with Sam, while Patrick and Luc guided Meg and Angie. Shifter night vision made flashlights unnecessary. George in the guise of ‘Buster’ followed behind, keeping a nose out for anything unusual. After about a mile, the forest behind the B&B opened up into a meadow. George loped around the meadow, came back and shook his head at Luc. Then he nosed a pack from Angie and disappeared for a few minutes. He came back dressed in jeans and a shirt and stood with Angie.
Ginny set the urn down in the middle of the meadow. She had the picture of Brian with his wife Natalie and propped it in front. Luc got out the glasses and the bottle of Canadian Whiskey he’d bought in town. He stepped up next to Ginny.
“We gather under the moon, in the woods and beneath open skies to honor a man who thought himself forgotten. Brian Davy had seen a lot in his life. He survived wars, and difficult times. He knew love and family. Some of that family is here tonight. Family by blood and family by choice,” Luc said. He opened the whiskey and poured a shot into everyone’s glass. When that was done, he set down the bottle.
“To Buster, my great-great uncle whom I knew as Buster,” Luc said and took a sip of the whiskey.
“I didn’t know the man, but heard of him through my cousin and her mate. I’ve slept in his house, and spent time with his family of choice, Sam. To Buster, my great-great uncle,” said George who then took a sip.
“I knew him as Buster. He kept my mate company while I was busy and we took many a walk and run under the moon. He was a good person and I will miss him,” said Patrick and he sipped his whiskey.
“To Buster,” said Angie who sipped her whiskey.
“To Buster, great-great uncle to my mate,” said Meg who took a sip of whiskey.
“I first knew him as Buster. He’d sit on my bed while I recovered from a concussion. He kept my mate company on runs in the forest. After he passed, I learned that he was my great-great grandfather and his name was Brian Davy. He was a good man who went to war and used his abilities to keep his buddies safe behind enemy lines. The love of his life was Natalie. They had five children together. I’m still learning about him. For whatever reason, he lost track of his family, or his family lost track of him. He came to the mountains to die, but instead found a new family. He passed with family around him. To my great-great grandfather Brian,” said Ginny. She took a sip of her whiskey and turned to Sam.
“I… um… I met Brian years ago, when he came here thinking he was going to die. Instead, I gained a friend and companion. In my way, I loved him as family. As he wanted, I called him by his nickname, Buster. I will miss him,” said Sam with tears streaming down her face. She took a shot of whiskey.
“To Buster,” they all said and finished off their whiskey. Then, as each one shifted just a bit, a chorus of howls began to fill the night air. Angie, Meg and Sam listened to the sing-song vocals, Ginny was higher pitched, while George made the ground rumble or so it seemed. After a couple of minutes, it slowly died down. Off in the far distance, two more howls cascaded across the hills. Then there was silence.
Ginny picked up the urn, opened the top and stood off to one side and slowly poured the contents out. The breeze caught the ashes and tumbled them across the meadow. When two thirds of it was gone, she put the top back on and gave it back to Patrick to put in the pack.
Luc took the whiskey and after raising it to the sky, he poured a libation out on the earth. Then he capped the whiskey and put it in the pack as well.
“Let’s go home,” Luc said.
“Luc, who were the other two howls we heard,” asked Sam.
“Donald and James most likely,” said Luc.
Sam blinked. “Oh,” as it dawned on her. “I didn’t know.”
“No, most times you never would. We try to keep quiet,” said Luc as they walked down the mountain.
“Okay. I won’t tell,” said Sam.
“I know you won’t. Besides, you’re family,” said Patrick from the other side.
They walked down into the area behind the B&B, with George as ‘Buster’ trailing behind. No one was around, and they got inside without incident. It was late and they all headed to bed.
***
Luc woke up early. He heard some sort of noise and couldn’t figure it out at first. Then it hit him.”Growling? Who the fuck is growling?”he wondered. Luc grabbed his jeans and headed downstairs towards the noise. It came from the backyard and Buster’s house. There in the back yard were a bunch of reporters huddled together in a corner and ‘Buster’ leaning towards them in a menacing way. He was growling.
“Hey Buster, settle down!” he hollered as he approached. “What set you off boy?” Luc looked at ‘Buster’ and then he noticed the net shredded under ‘Buster’s’ feet. Shreds of it hung from ‘Buster’s’ fangs. Luc turned to the crowd of reporters.
“Alright you idiots, what in the hell did you think you were doing?” he hollered, his voice heavy with sub-vocals.
“None of your business!” one hollered from deep in the corner.
“We were just looking at the dog and he attacked us!” said another.
“Bullshit,” said Luc. “Unless he’s grown opposable thumbs, ‘Buster’ doesn’t use nets to catch or attack reporters. Plus, if he really wanted to hurt you, do you think that any of you would be alive?”
“That… that thing is a werewolf! It needs to be hauled in, dissected and studied,” said another man in the huddle.
“Right. You know, you guys aren’t too bright. How does one become a werewolf?” he asked as he stroked ‘Buster’s’ head.