Shade Knight at the Movies

[Amazee Dayzee]

Well I guess this settles that bit once and for all then: N'Gata is a scumbag and he does like taking advantage of others for his own amusement. I just hope that Sunny doesn't have to fight him to get him out of the engagement like Fido did with Jata because Fido got his @$$ handed to him and it was only because of the Wolf Pack that Sabrina escaped being forcefully wed. I doubt that they will be able to help this time.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 17: Engaged?!

Shade tugged down on his hoodie and hesitated, then raised his hand and knocked on the trailer door. There was a pause, and then a voice inside called out. “Come on in, I’m covered.”
Shade hesitantly opened the door and stepped inside. N’Gata was inside with a human, sitting in front of a mirror while the human brushed something into his mane that gave it extra color. He grinned at Shade through the mirror. “Oh! There’s my puppy! I was worried, you weren’t in great shape when I dropped you off last night. What can I do for you?”
He hesitated. “I… don’t really remember much from last night. What’s this thing?” He touched the charm on his choker. “And why did I leave my boyfriend a voicemail telling him I was marrying you?”
He laughed, tilting his head so the makeup artist could get under his chin. “That’s a betrothal charm. I made it for you, and you accepted it last night when I gave it to you.”
“B-betrothal charm?! As in- but N’Gata, I have a boyfriend already-!” He put his ears back nervously.
“Oh, don’t be so prudish. Monogamy is a human concept, you don’t have to follow it. Besides, you didn’t have a problem with it when you met my mates last night.” N’Gata grinned at him, tilting his head the other way for the makeup artist.
“That explains the lionesses that I vaguely remember… and my eye?” He touched his face, wincing. The bruise around his eye was still tender to the touch.
N’Gata looked at him in the mirror for a moment. The makeup artist moved on, applying a fake cut to his shoulder. “You don’t remember that?”
Shade shook his head. “No, not really. I found it when I woke up.”
“It was me.” N’Gata paused, watching him. “We went dancing, and I got a bit too… shall we say, vigorous. I accidentally hit you in the face.”
“Okay. I suppose that makes sense.” He paused, then shook his head. “N’Gata, I can’t marry you!”
“Why not?” He chuckled deep in his throat. “You’d make a good husband.” He paused and leaned over so the makeup artist could add a little red makeup to his cheek.
“Because I’m a hundred percent sure my boyfriend would consider marrying somebody else to be cheating on him!” He stomped his paw, frustrated.
“Oh, relax. He’ll come around. He’s welcome to come into the fold, too, you know. The more’s the merrier.”
“That’s not- rrgg!” He ruffled his own headfluff, grunting. “I can’t marry you!”
“Of course you can. You said yes last night.” He reached over and gave a little tug at Shade’s choker. “Besides, you accepted the betrothal charm. You’re kinda locked in now, Puppy.”
He put his ears back. “I was drunk! Contracts signed while drunk aren’t- Listen, I’ll just give it back, and we’ll be good, right?”
The makeup artist put his brush away. “You’re all done. Don’t smudge it, it’s still wet.” He grabbed his kit. “Good luck with your personal issue.”
Shade watched the makeup man leave, and N’Gata stood up. “You can’t just give it back. We’re engaged now. Besides, I doubt you know how to get it off.”
He blinked, then looked in the mirror, tilting his chin up and peering at the pendant. “What the… How did you get it on there?” He traced around with his fingers and frowned. He couldn’t find the edge of the choker. “Did you WEAVE this ONTO me?!”
“Yeah, it was part of the betrothal ceremony. It’s gonna be a pain to get it off without damaging the choker.” He grabbed Shade’s chin and tilted it this way and that. “Hmm… It looks cute on you.”
Shade pulled away and put his ears back. “Look, N’Gata, you’re nice, but-”
“Puppy, just give it a few days. If you still feel like that, then we’ll see about doing the cancellation ceremony.” He reached down and gave a little tug on the choker. “I gotta get to set. It’s my big return scene today.”
The door to the trailer busted open, and Savanna came in, her tail flicking irritably. “Yo! N’Gata! Nick’s getting impatient, let’s- oh.” She looked down at Shade. Her eyes flitted to his black eye for a moment, and then she scowled at N’Gata. “Let’s go! Leave the dog alone.”
N’Gata rolled his eyes and tugged Shade toward the door. “Come on, we’ll talk about it on the way to set.” He glanced at Savanna. “Stage six, yeah?”
Shade sighed, rolling his eyes irritably and following N’Gata out the door. “I’m serious, N’Gata, I can’t marry you-” He gasped when Savanna forced herself between N’Gata and Shade.
“No dogs on set. He has work to do.” She scowled at N’Gata. “Now get in there. Everybody else has already run their lines and choreography, they’re just waiting on you for one last rehearsal before we film.”
N’Gata huffed. “Fine, I’m going, I’m going.” He stomped off.
“N’Gata, wait, we need to talk about-” Savanna put a hand on Shade’s shoulder, watching N’Gata go until he went into the studio. As soon as the door closed, Savanna turned and knelt next to Shade, holding his head in both hands and tilting it, peering at him. After a moment, Shade realized she was examining his black eye.
“Did he do this to you? Are you okay?” She reached up and touched the tender, swollen skin around his eye.
Shade flinched and pulled away, reaching up and pushing her hand away from his face. “I’m fine. It was an accident.”
She narrowed her eyes, her tail twitching irritably behind her. “Are you sure? How did it happen?”
Shade looked up at her. He was a little unnerved by her sudden change of attitude. “W-well, I was a little… uh… drunk, so I don’t really remember it, but N’Gata says we went dancing and he accidentally smacked me in the face.”
She narrowed her eyes again and raised a finger to poke at his black eye again. “... are you SURE? Or is that just what he told you?”
He swatted her hand away. “Stop that, it’s still tender. Yeah, I’m pretty sure. Why would he lie? He’s nice.”
She looked him over, then sighed. “Give me your phone. I know you have one.”
He hesitated, then dug it out of his pocket. “... Why?”
She snatched it and started messing with it. “I’m putting my phone number in here. If you need a safe place to go…” She passed it back. “... Give me a call. Any time, day or night. Okay?”
Shade took his phone back and blinked at it. “Um… Okay?” He looked up at her, putting his ears back. “Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden? You’ve been pretty mean every time I’ve talked to you before.”
She stared at him for a moment. “Let’s just say I’ve been working with N’Gata a long time.” She patted his shoulder and stood up. “Remember, call if you need someplace to go.”
He watched her walk into the studio, putting his ears back. “What was all that about?”

[Amazee Dayzee]

This is definitely something that I was not expecting when it came to N'Gata and Savanna completely be the opposites of what I thought they were. Now N'Gata is acting like he is the biggest scumbag around and Savanna is the nice one. Looks like that scowl she gave Shade and N'Gata wasn't towards Shade but towards N'GATA.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 18: Make Tracks

Shade sighed and grabbed the last sheet of music off the printer, then sat on the floor and sorted everything out, mumbling to himself. “First violin page 3, second cello page six… bass guitar five, piano…”
He tucked everything into individual folders, marked with their proper instruments, then gathered up the whole stack. “Oof… heavy.” He stumbled and set them on a wheeled cart he’d borrowed, then sighed heavily. “Just one song. Maybe I went overboard.”
He started pushing, ignoring some strange looks he was getting. The charm on his choker tapped against his throat occasionally, reminding him it was there. He blushed a little. He was going to have to call Sunny about that.
A door marked “Soundtrack” came into view, and Shade poked his head in, meeting gazes with someone sitting at a desk. They took off their big headphones. “Hello?”
He hesitated. “Hey, I’ve never composed a soundtrack before, is this where I go to drop off sheet music?”
“Oh, yeah, yeah, come on in.” Shade wheeled in the cart, and she whistled. “Wow, that’s a LOT.” She snatched up the top folder and opened it. “Sorted by part AND in order? We’re going to like working with you, Mr. Knight.”
“Just Shade, please. Is that not… normal?” He frowned.
“Honestly, half the time our composers turn in their music written on napkins or envelopes and we have to copy it over to sheet music. But this is very nice, most of our work is done for us. There… sure is a LOT.”
“I… may have gone overboard with the composition. I’m not sure if it sounds its best with everything, or if some of it can get cut, or… just do what the sound engineers think sounds best. I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“Well, you did a very good job. The only thing I don’t see is which track this is.” She started neatly stacking the folders in a box.
“Oh! Right, this is the score for the Parnok assassination scene.” He rubbed the back of his head. “I’ll label the folders properly next time. Actually… I might just come get one of those boxes and box it up for you.”
“Parnok… Assassination.” She mumbled, scribbling it on the side of the box. “No, just do what you did this time. We’ll get this down to the audio recording studio to get a recording made. Should have a track within a day or two. They’re not actually doing anything this week because there’s no movies in the works doing soundtrack right now, so if you get any done this week, bring them down right away so we can get them going before they get backlogged.”
He nodded. “I’ll be sure to do that, thanks.”
“If you don’t mind me asking… what happened to your face? Your eye.” She pointed at her own face to indicate. “Was that N’Gata?”
He frowned. “Why do people keep asking me that? It was, but it was an accident. He took me dancing and got too excited.”
She frowned. “Okay, just be careful. He’s… no, it’s in his contract that nobody’s allowed to gossip about him. Just… Watch yourself. Thanks for the music. I need to get this down to the sound studio right away.” She picked up the box, slapping its lid on, and scurried off, leaving him alone in the room.
He hesitantly left, closing the door behind him, and wandered off, thinking. How had the soundtrack person known it was N’Gata who gave him a black eye? What had she been going to say about him? He shook his head and paused at a door marked “Foley.” He tilted his head curiously and opened the door as quietly as he could. The room was padded to keep echoes down, and filled with all kinds of random things. Someone stood up at the back of the room.
“Can I help you?” He started walking toward Shade.
“S-sorry, I’m not interrupting, am I? I just… I don’t know what Foley is, I got curious.” Shade put his ears back.
The man stared at him for a moment. “... Oh, you’re that composer. The one that’s been hanging around with… uh… what’s his name, the lion.”
“N’Gata.”
“Yeah, that’s the one. No, you weren’t interrupting anything. There’s no finished scenes yet, so we’re just messing around right now. Come on, I’ll show you.” He waved Shade to come closer. There was a computer and a microphone set up near a table at the back of the room. He opened the laptop and typed in his password. “We make sound effects for movies. Just little details you usually don’t notice. Like this.” He clicked play on an open file, and the sounds of crunching footsteps sounded.
“Footsteps?” Shade tilted his head.
“Well, that’s what it’s used for. Specifically, footsteps in dry grass. But it’s actually this.” He picked up a steel wool sponge and squeezed it a few times, creating a similar sound. “It’s our job to give sounds to the world you see onscreen. You don’t really notice, but you’d definitely notice if we didn’t.”
“That’s kind of neat.” He stepped forward, looking around at everything but being very careful not to touch. “You use all this stuff?”
“Yeah. You gotta get creative sometimes to get the sound you’re looking for.” He reached out to touch Shade’s head, and Shade ducked under his hand. “Please refrain from petting me. I know, I look cute, but it’s weird.”
He laughed. “You do look cute.” He glanced at the clock. “I have to go, there’s a meeting starting in five minutes.”
Shade nodded. “Okay.” He headed for the door with the man right behind him. “I should get back to work, too.”
He lingered in the hallway for a few moments, then went back to his office. He wasn’t sure why, but he had an aversion to being there by himself today. He started working on his next closest song, preparing it for printing.
After a while, the director suddenly burst in the room, yelling. “KNIGHT! I was just down at the audio studio and I heard the orchestra practicing your song!”
Shade put his ears back. “Is… is there a problem? You don’t like it? What needs changing?”
“Absolutely nothing! It’s great, I love it! Why do you think there’s a problem?”
“You’re kind of… yelling at me?” He pulled his hood up nervously.
“Oh, am I? Sorry, I’m used to yelling at the actors all day. They wouldn’t be good without my brilliant directions.” He grinned and skimmed Shade’s notes idly without a trace of recognition in his eyes. “Gotta go. Keep up the good work.” He left, slamming the door behind him.
Shade pulled his hood tighter, squirming in his seat. Everything was stressful today, his head was still hurting, and he just wanted to go home.

[Amazee Dayzee]

I hope that this whole thing doesn't completely sour Shade on being involved in composing music for movies since he is good at it. It isn't the movie's fault that N'Gata is a slime bag who thinks he can do whatever he wants.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 19: Practice

Shade hesitated, then canceled the phone call to the chauffeur. “No… I think I’ll work from here, today…” He mumbled to himself, wandering into the hotel room’s office.
He set down his laptop and started transcribing, writing parts for all the different instruments for his next score. He’d turned in two of the six songs he’d been hired for already, and one of them even had a completed track that he’d heard and signed off on that he was satisfied with it. That said, he was stuck on two of the remaining, and nearly done with the other two. He sighed and got to work, typing away before sitting back and skimming the latest part, playing it in his head to make sure he had it correct. Then, just to be sure, he imported it into his simulation software and listened to it. “Good, good. Perfect.” He checked the clock and closed his laptop. “Ugh… time for a break.”
The refrigerator in the kitchenette had some leftovers he’d rescued from the cafeteria at the studio in it, so he popped some in the microwave.
As he waited for it to warm up, a voice whispered in his mind. “You’re a loser.”
He flicked his ears and frowned. “Oh… I forgot.”
“That’s because you’re stupid.” The voice in his mind whispered back to him.
He frowned and tried to remember what Doc had told him to do about the negative thoughts. It felt like ages ago by now. “Answer the thoughts out loud, huh? So… I called myself stupid, so I’m supposed to say something like ‘I’m not stupid, I can just be forgetful sometimes?’”
The microwave beeped, and Shade went to get his food, sitting down on the couch to eat it. For a while, the voices remained silent, his focus on the food he was eating. It wasn’t quite as good reheated, but it was still pretty tasty. Once he’d finished, he threw away the paper dishes, satisfied with his lunch, then went to sit on the couch and let it digest for a bit before going back to work.
“Your tracks are garbage, that’s why the director came to yell at you.”
He flinched and opened his maw, stammering. “M-my tracks are good, he really likes them?” He winced as his voice rose at the end of his sentence, making it a question.
The thoughts were quiet for a moment, then hit him all at once.
“You sound like a loser.”
“No wonder you don’t have any friends of your own.”
“Doc only keeps you as a patient because he feels sorry for you.”
Shade put his ears back and whimpered. “T-Too fast, it’s… I’m not a loser… I do have friends… Doc is actually worried about me…”
“Listen to you talking to yourself, you weirdo.”
“You can’t even say no to N’Gata. Look at you, still wearing that choker.”
“Get real, the only reason you’re here is because Res wanted someone more pathetic than himself around for once.”
He covered his ears again. He could feel his heart beating faster. “I’m just… doing what Doc said to-”
“Shut up. Doc wants you to look crazy so he can have you committed and be done with you.”
Shade whimpered. He couldn’t think up responses fast enough to the taunting voice in his mind, growing louder and louder the more he listened to it. He tried to block it out, or at least slow it down, but nothing helped. Just when he was about to curl up in a ball on the floor, the doorknob rattled, mercifully chasing the voices away.
Pit burst in, dressed today in lime green and plum purple, grinning. “Shade, baby! Been a bit, how you DOING?!” He waved his arms high, approaching Shade.
Shade gasped and let the ferret hug him momentarily. “I’m… uh… I’m fine, Pit. I forgot you were joining us this week.”
“More than that, babe, I got you a present!” He waved his arms, and Cooper appeared in the doorway, his floppy ears hanging by the side of his head. He stared at Shade for a moment as Pit continued. “A personal assistant! Doc insisted after that black eye incident. Cooper here’s gonna stick to you like glue for the rest of this trip, just to keep an eye on you and protect you from any more… um.. accidents.”
Shade looked back at Cooper. “Er… welcome.”
Cooper shook his head a little, then grinned and reached out for Shade’s hand. “Thanks for having me.” He gave a firm shake.
Pit gave Shade a firm slap on the back. “Good, you two get settled, I’m gonna go talk to my brother.” He left the room.
As soon as Pit was gone, Cooper locked the door, put the chain on, and turned to Shade. “Okay, just breathe. In, hold it, and out.”
Shade put his ears back. “Your nose is too good.”
“Shut up. Breathe.” Cooper crossed his arms over his chest.
Shade closed his eyes and obediently followed Cooper’s instructions, taking a deep breath, holding it, then letting it out. After a couple minutes of the breathing exercise, Cooper nodded. “That’s better. We interrupted an attack, right? Was it the being alone thing? Your anxiety telling you lies about yourself?”
He hung his head. “I don’t know about lies… so much as…”
“Stop right there.” He grabbed Shade’s face and looked in his eyes for a few moments. “I don’t know what you’ve been telling yourself, but it’s LIES. You’re a good person. Everybody I’ve talked to that knows you, likes you. Dad only sent me here because he was worried about you.”
Shade’s ears went back, and he sighed. “Okay, okay, fine. Thank you for… saving me from that attack I was having. I was trying what Doc said to do, but it only helped for a few moments.”
After a moment, Cooper’s eyes went down to Shade’s choker, and he reached down to touch the charm on it. “It’s a nice little collar you’ve got yourself. That’s from this N’Gata character?”
He put his hand up to cover it self-consciously. “It’s not a collar, it’s a choker. Where did you hear about…” He hesitated. “Doc told you. So much for doctor-patient confidentiality.”
“He only told me what I needed to know to help keep you safe. Like I said, he’s worried about you.” Cooper sighed. “Look, I know you’re having trouble getting along by yourself here. You… kind of know me, and I know how to do therapy, so Dad sent me to, well… sort of be an ear for you, offer you advice in the moment instead of waiting for your next appointment, and just make sure you’re not alone.”
“I thought he WANTED me to be alone, so I could practice talking back to my negative thoughts.” Shade snorted a little.
“Well, he DID, but some more recent stuff has him wanting you to have a friend with you wherever you go.” He patted Shade’s back. “So, tell me about N’Gata. He’s a lion, right? What’s he like?”

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 20: Companion

Cooper sat in the corner of Shade’s office in the studio, flipping through a magazine. Shade tried to ignore him as he sorted his latest stack of sheet music. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about having an “assistant,” but Cooper wouldn’t leave him alone, especially here at work, so he had no choice but to tolerate his presence.
He slipped the last sheet of music into its folder in the correct position, then sighed. “I have to go get a wheel cart, and then take this down to Soundtrack.”
Cooper sat up and set the magazine aside, his ears swaying. “I’ll come with you.”
He sighed and grumbled a little, rubbing his face before nodding. “I thought you would. Let’s go.” He stood up and left the room, holding the door open for Cooper before closing it behind them. “They usually keep it in prop storage. It’s used for moving around heavy props, but they’re not filming today, so they don’t need it. It’s just rehearsals.” He started walking down the hall, listening to the sound of Cooper following him. He could almost FEEL Cooper’s eyes boring into the back of his skull.
After retrieving the cart, he sighed and spun around to look at Cooper. “You know, you CAN just wait in my office. I won’t be long.”
Cooper shook his head. “No, I need to be with you. I promised Dad.”
He grumbled and pushed the cart back to his office, loading up the sheet music folders and pushing it back out again. “Fine. Let’s go drop this off.”
At the Soundtrack office, Shade walked into a fight with the editor on duty and one of the other composers for the film.
“Why do this Knight guy’s songs get jumped ahead of mine in the queue?! He’s just some nobody from the middle of nowhere who hit a regional top ten listing!” The man shouted angrily.
“Because his sheet music arrives fully transcribed, organized, and ready to go, whereas we have to transcribe yours onto sheet music ourselves and organize it. He’s very professional.” She spoke back, her voice betraying how hard she was trying to stay professional and not yell back. She glanced down as the door opened and smiled at Shade. “Oh! Mr. Knight! You’ve finished another track?”
She picked up a box, and the other composer slapped it out of her hand. “I DEMAND you send my track down to recording FIRST!”
She rubbed her temples. “I can’t. You wrote it all on the same page, far too small for the musicians to see. I’ve got to copy it down onto actual sheet music first.”
The other composer growled and stomped off, and the editor sighed and picked up the box. “Sorry about that, Mr. Knight. He’s a tenured composer here, does work on most of our films, and he’s mad because your tracks are always recorded before his.” She started moving the folders from the cart into the box, then picked up a pen to label the box, looking at one of the folders. “Ooh, the finale fight scene. I can’t wait to hear it.”
“I asked you to call me Shade.” Shade sighed. “Three times, now. I don’t use my surname except as part of my stage name.”
Cooper stepped forward and put his hand on the woman’s thigh. “I need you to take a deep breath for me. You’re far too stressed out.”
She blinked down at Cooper, then looked at Shade questioningly.
“My therapist’s dog.” He explained, grumbling. “He’s here to keep me company, whether I want it or not. He’ll keep asking unless you do what he asks. I promise it helps.”
She sighed and nodded at Cooper. “Okay, I’ll humor you. Deep breath, right?” She sucked in a deep breath through her nose, then let it out through her mouth.
Cooper smiled, stealthily having a sniff. “See? Better already.”
“It is, thank you. And thank you Mr. Kni- I mean, Shade. I’ll get this down to Recording right away. It’ll probably be a few days before they get to it, because a few bigger movies have started on their soundtrack.”
Shade smiled, shook her hand, and left the office. Cooper followed him. “She seems nice.”
Shade glanced at Cooper. “She does touch-up editing, which is mostly automated. She’s bored.” He paused. “Look… I don’t really like being followed around.”
Cooper nodded. “I understand that, but that’s my job. Dad has some suspicions that you’re not completely safe here, so he wants me to be around to protect you from… things.”
Shade grumbled and started back to his office, sighing. “Fine. Just stay out of my way.” Outside his office door, he found N’Gata waiting.
N’Gata smiled. “Oh, THERE you are, Puppy!” He knelt down and put his arms out for Shade. “Give us a hug!”
Shade rolled his eyes and stepped into his arms, feeling them wrap around him. “Hi, N’Gata. This is my new assistant, Cooper. He was sent here to be annoying.” He gestured to Cooper.
Cooper crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at N’Gata.
N’Gata gave a charming grin and swished his tail, reaching out to shake Cooper’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cooper.”
Cooper didn’t offer his hand in return. He didn’t speak, just glared at N’Gata. After a moment, N’Gata pulled his hand back. “I don’t think your assistant likes me very much.”
Shade blinked at Cooper. He hadn’t seen him act like that to anybody. “Cooper? What’s the problem? It’s just N’Gata. He’s very nice.”
“Sure he is.” Cooper snorted, crossing his arms and eyeing the lion. “I’m sure he IS.”
N’Gata stared at Cooper for a moment, then poked Shade’s nose. “You know, Puppy, I’d like to take you out on a date again. No orange soda this time, I promise. Just you and me. Maybe dinner and a movie at my place? Tomorrow night?”
“He’s not INTERESTED.” Cooper stepped between N’Gata and Shade.
“Cooper. That’s for ME to decide.” Shade snorted and glared at Cooper, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him out of the way. “I’d love to have dinner with you, N’Gata. But can we discuss this thing?” He pointed at the choker and the charm. “I told you, I can’t-”
“We’ll talk about it over dinner, Puppy. Besides, it looks cute on you.” N’Gata reached down and gave a little tug on Shade’s choker, causing him to stammer and blush a little.
Cooper huffed and stepped forward, pushing N’Gata’s hand away. He was barely able to move it. “All right, all right, paws to yourself. Shade’s got some work to do.”
N’Gata chuckled. “Your assistant’s a little protective, Puppy. I gotta get back to rehearsal before they miss me. See you tomorrow? I’ll pick you up right here from your office.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Shade nodded, then opened his office door and ushered Cooper inside.
Cooper went in without fighting, glaring back at N’Gata until he was out of sight.
“All right, what was THAT about?” Shade crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Cooper and tapping his paw. “You were completely RUDE to N’Gata!”
Cooper huffed. “I don’t like him.”
“What’s not to like? He’s nice and very charming.” Shade rolled his eyes. “He’s been nothing but nice to me since I got here.”
“He’s being manipulative. He blew you off when you wanted to talk about something important, and he didn’t really give you a choice about that date. He gave you the ILLUSION of a choice, but he wasn’t asking you, he was TELLING you.”
Shade snorted. “Maybe you should stay at the hotel tomorrow. Go swimming in the pool or something.” He turned back to his computer and refused to say another word.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Its nice to see that Cooper has N'Gata's number and is only looking out for Shade's best interests here as he know that N'Gata is pretty much bulldozing Shade and forcing him into doing what he wants. I am sure that Shade is going to realize that rather soon and see Cooper was trying to protect his well-being.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 21: Familiar

“Hey, Puppy. Ready to go?” N’Gata’s voice sounded from the doorway, startling Shade. He stopped the simulation he’d been listening to and turned to see N’Gata leaning on his doorframe. He’d added a tie to his button-down shirt, tucking it into his vest. He looked very dapper.
“Oh.. right… give me five minutes to shut everything down, and I’ll be with you.” He turned back toward his computer and started saving his progress on everything.
N’Gata stepped closer and watched. “Hmm… Working on the opening song?”
“Yeah. It’s… well… I was stuck on it for a while.” He closed his laptop and looked up at him. “I’m ready to go.”
“Then let’s go!” N’Gata grabbed his hand and led him out of the studio, where a car was waiting for N’Gata. It took them back to N’Gata’s apartment, and N’Gata led him inside. “I hope you like stew. I needed something I could just throw in the slow cooker.”
Shade put his ears back. “I love stew.” He watched N’Gata put the finishing touches on the dinner, a weird feeling in his gut. Something about this felt familiar. Where had he been in this situation before?
N’Gata spooned up two bowls full of stew and grabbed a loaf of Italian bread, setting it on the table with butter and glasses of water. Once the table was set, he pulled back a chair for Shade, purring like a gentleman. “Ready?”
Shade took a seat, grabbing the table unsteadily when N’Gata scooted him in, then took a seat next to him, instead of across from him. His tail went around Shade’s hip like it always did. “Dig in, Puppy.”
They ate in silence, N’Gata grinning down at Shade from time to time. The stew was good; Shade didn’t know what N’Gata put in it, but the flavor was excellent. After they finished, N’Gata started clearing the table, taking Shade’s bowl and the rest of the bread away.
Shade hesitantly walked up to N’Gata while he was putting away the rest of the stew. “Can… we talk about the… the betrothal charm now?”
N’Gata glanced down at him, then resumed putting away the leftovers. “What’s there to talk about? You accepted it, now we’re betrothed. You’re my puppy, forever.”
Shade put his ears back. “B-but you said something about cancelling it, a ceremony…?”
“Of course I did. There was someone else there, and you were acting hysterical. I needed you to calm down.” He seemed perfectly nonchalant about admitting he’d lied. “There’s no such ceremony. It would be dishonorable to take back your vows.”
“What?!” Shade’s ears went back, and he reached up to tug on the choker. “N’Gata!”
“I’m not taking it off of you. Don’t ask. It took almost two hours to weave it onto you because you were drunk and wouldn’t hold still.” He popped the butter and leftover stew into the fridge. “Ready for a movie?”
“Of COURSE I’m not ready for a movie! N’Gata, I can’t marry you! Take this thing-” He stopped talking, shocked, when N’Gata spun around and slapped him across the face.
“I said, don’t ask. We’re betrothed, and in a few days we’re going to be married. You’re going to come with me this weekend, and we’re going to do the marriage ceremony, and then we’ll be married.” His voice was harsh, without a trace of any of his former joviality.
Shade put a hand up and rubbed at his cheek. He could feel his eyes welling up with tears. N’Gata stared down at him and rolled his eyes. “What, you’re gonna cry now because of a little slap? Don’t be such a baby. Get over here on the couch with me.” He started walking. “I swear, you’re just trying to make me out to be the bad guy here.”
Shade put his ears back and obediently followed him. Why was he obeying? He wasn’t sure. He just climbed up on the couch and let N’Gata put an arm around him, pulling him in roughly to snuggle and starting the film.
N’Gata’s cuddling was rough. He squeezed so hard that Shade could barely breathe. It wasn’t loving at all. Shade recognized it now. He’d gotten this kind of treatment from his last boyfriend, before Sunny, before becoming a corgi. This was controlling snuggles, meant to hold him in place so he couldn’t wander off.
Shade put his ears back. How had he fallen for something like this again? The charming act, the subtly controlling invitations, the quiet manipulation… it was exactly like HIM. Like his ex. He shifted in place uncomfortably, trying to get feeling back in his arm.
N’Gata leaned over and whispered in Shade’s ear. “Tomorrow, I’ll help you clean out your hotel suite and bring your stuff over here. You won’t be needing it anymore. And delete that dog’s number from your phone. You don’t need a boyfriend, you have me. We’ll get some change of address forms, have your mail forwarded.”
He felt his nerves starting to wear down. His old habits pushed their way back forward; submission, acceptance. Do what you’re told so you don’t get hit. He needed to get out of here, before it was too late.
“I… um…” He started, then grunted when N’Gata squeezed tighter and looked down at him. Shade understood. Protesting time was done; there would be no further arguing about it. “Where’s your bathroom? I need to… uh… freshen up?”
N’Gata’s grip lessened. “Ah… Down the hall. Don’t be too long.” He let him go. “I’m not waiting the movie on you. You’ll miss the best part.”
Shade nodded and scurried down the hall to the bathroom, his heart pounding as he locked the door. He jerked his phone out of his pocket and started going through his contacts. Surely SOMEONE could help. Sunny, Paul, Keene… none of those were anywhere near him. Pit and Rock? No, N’Gata would probably EAT them. Savanna? He blinked. He’d completely forgotten about Savanna giving him her number. Her words echoed in his mind. “Call me if you need a place to go.”
He put his ears back and dialed, looking nervously at the door. He didn’t know how long he had before N’Gata came looking for him. A female voice answered the phone. “Hello, who is this? How did you get this number?”
Shade gasped. He didn’t know what to say. “S-savanna?”
“Yes, I’m Savanna. Who are you? How did you get this number?”
“It’s… uh… It’s Shade. Shade Knight. You… you gave it to me, and you said… um…”
There was a pause, with background noises that sounded like a chair being pushed back. “I’m on my way. Where are you?”
He breathed a sigh of relief. She was coming to rescue him. “I’m… I locked myself in the bathroom, at N’Gata’s apartment. I don’t know how long I can stay in here before he comes looking for me. I’m scared. He slapped me, he’s being really possessive, I think he wants to force me to move in with him.”
“It’s all right, I know where that is. You need to get out of there. Is there a window in that bathroom?”
He looked around. “Y-yeah, but there’s bars on it.”
“Then you need to sneak out. Keep low, don’t let him see you. Be as quiet as you can.”
He put his ears back. “O-okay…”
“Meet me on the corner. I’ll come pick you up. I’m going to hang up now, so I can focus on getting there.”
Shade nodded. “Okay… I’ll see you in a few?” The line clicked, and he turned to unlock the door. He hesitated, then left the light on and locked the door again before closing it, wincing when the handle clicked when he closed it. When he didn’t hear anything from N’Gata about it, he crouched low and creeped to the corner to peek. N’Gata seemed enraptured by the movie, featuring- to Shade’s complete lack of surprise- himself. He ducked and dove past, getting behind the couch and pausing. N’Gata didn’t say anything or seem to move, so he darted for the door, fumbling with the lock and twisting the knob as he closed it so it wouldn’t make noise. Once he was outside, he took a deep breath, then turned and ran off.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 22: Savanna

Savanna pressed her cell phone into her cheek and gritted her teeth, talking firmly into the phone. “I don’t CARE. Next movie, either he goes, or I go. I’m tired of saving everybody he decides he wants for his little harem. Not my problem. I’m not signing if he’s on. Recast him, kill his character off, or you’ll be recasting for me.” She listened for a moment. “No, it’s Knight. He’s like a third of our size. If he fought back he would be DESTROYED.” There was another pause. “Just get it done.” She hung up, giving a frustrated growl. Her tail swished wildly around the car, and she took a deep breath, turning to Shade.
Shade was riding across from her, buckled in and hugging his knees. His eyes were locked onto the pocket on the back of the driver’s seat, but not really seeing it. They were unfocused; he was clearly thinking. She reached over and nudged him. “Hey, sweetie. You doing okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
Shade slowly turned his head to look up at her, then shook his head, letting his eyes return to the back of the seat in front of him. “No, no… I got out of there before he did anything serious.” He was quiet for a few moments. “I… interrupted your dinner, didn’t I? I’m sorry…”
“I’d rather miss dinner every day than watch N’Gata ruin another perfectly serviceable person.” She sighed, rubbing her temples. “Has he already got you that whipped, that you’re apologizing for needing help? You’re okay.”
Shade hesitated, then shook his head. “No… it’s not N’Gata. He… wasn’t my first abusive relationship. He wasn’t even an ACTUAL relationship. I thought we were just friends until he got me drunk and gave me this thing.” He reached up and touched the charm on the choker.
“Yeah, that’s how he does it. You’re not the first, and I highly doubt you’ll be the last.” She sighed. “Back when we had the same handler, he used to do this stuff ALL THE TIME. I had hoped that he would settle down now that he’s a citizen, but it seems to have just made him worse.”
Shade’s ears flicked. “You had the same handler?”
“Yeah, it’s easier for the studio if there are fewer handlers. It was us, and half the extras. Then the event, and animals got the rights to be citizens, and he was out of there.” She looked him over. “How are you? You seem… a little shaken.”
He shrugged, pulling his knees in tighter. “I’m fine. It’s not the first time I fell for the ‘charming hot guy’ act. I’m so DUMB, how did I not notice that was what was going on?!”
“Hey. You’re not dumb. N’Gata’s fooled lots of people. You just got taken.” She looked down at him. “Cheer up. It’s over now.”
He groaned. “It’s not, though. I still have work to do. He’ll be at the studio. He’ll still try to get to me, get in my head.”
She stared at him for a moment, then picked up her purse off the seat and dug in it. “Well… for starters, let’s get this stupid thing off of you.” She pulled out a pair of scissors and reached over, carefully going under the choker. “I might get a bit of your fur. Sorry.”
“It’s fine..” He flinched at the snipping sound, then gasped when the choker fell away. He put his ears back and picked it up.
“No. Leave it there. I’ll get rid of it later.” She reached down and pulled it out of his hand, letting it drop to the seat. “He uses these things to get people close. He doesn’t even make them himself, he buys mass-produced ones and reweaves them with the little charms on.”
“I figured as much.” He sighed. “I’m sorry I made you come get me.”
She flicked his forehead. “I already told you, no need to apologize. That’s what I gave you my number for.”
He put his ears back and rubbed his forehead. “But-”
“No. Enough. Bad dog.” She scowled. “You’re fine.” She pulled him in and wrapped her arms around him, flicking her tail. “Those two must have REALLY gotten in your head. I’m sorry for that. The bullies.”
He sighed. “How am I going to avoid him for the next two weeks while I finish my work?”
“You’ll have to find someplace else to work. Keep your office door locked. Try to avoid being with him. If you MUST be with him, ABSOLUTELY avoid being ALONE with him.” She watched him for a few moments. “Do you need to hide out? Or would you rather I take you someplace safe?”
He hesitated. “Take me to the Milton hotel. My agent and I have a private floor. I can tell the front desk not to let anybody up, put the chain on my door.”
She nodded to her driver, and the car started off again. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
He nodded. “All he did was slap me. It was enough to snap me out of… whatever I had used to convince myself that he was a good person.”
“That’s good. It means you’re not too far gone.”
“I’ve been there. It’s… not great. It took me a long time to get my head on right.” He put his ears back.
She smiled and patted his head. “Good boy. You’ll get back to where you were in no time.” The car stopped, and she glanced outside. “Milton Hotel of Hollywood. Your stop.”
Shade opened the door. “Hey.. uh… thanks for the save. I was about to be in a lot of trouble.”
“Hey… you’ll be okay, kid. Just stay away from N’Gata.” She smiled softly, and then reached over to close the door and motioned to her driver to drive away.
Shade hurried inside the hotel and to the elevator, swiping his card to go up and rushing to his room.
Cooper greeted him at the door. “Sneaking out before I was awake. Not cool.” He paused, taking a sniff. “... Oh… oh, come here.” He reached up and hugged Shade. “That’s… that’s a lot of stress. Something happened on your date.”
“I don’t wanna talk about it.” He closed his eyes and let Cooper hug him. He didn’t want to, but he really needed it.
“You should talk about it. If not to me, then to Dad.” He sighed and gave a little squeeze.
Shade sighed. “... N’Gata’s a jerk. A huge, mondo, mega JERK!” He found himself shouting. His eyes filled with tears. “The dinner was an excuse to get me to his apartment so he could keep me from leaving! I had to call someone to come save me and sneak out! He was going to force me to marry him and come live with him!”
Cooper pulled him closer. “It’s over now, you’re safe…” He rocked him gently.
Shade closed his eyes and sniffled, burying his face in Cooper’s shoulder. “... I wanna go home. I just… wanna go home.”

[Amazee Dayzee]

The only way people like N'Gata learn that they can't add people to their list of possessions and force them to marry him is by getting the snot beaten out of them. I'm trying to figure out who would be the wolf that would do that in this scenario as I don't remember seeing any other wolves around though I just might not be remembering correctly.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

Chapter 23: Aftershocks

Shade sat up in bed, panting and clutching at the sheets. Images of N’Gata echoed through his mind for a few moments, and he climbed out of bed, making his way to the kitchenette past Cooper, curled up asleep on the couch. He turned on the microwave light to navigate by and got a glass out, filling it with water.
His ears went back as he sipped his drink, staring at Cooper. At least he couldn’t give him therapy advice while he was asleep. It was helpful, but it was a little annoying at times. Especially the past week. If Cooper knew about the nightmares, he’d probably have something to say to try and help get rid of them.
After he finished his water, he sighed and went into the office, opening up his laptop. If he couldn’t sleep, he figured he might as well work. He had just one song left to finish, and then he could finally go back home. He plucked away at it. It was slow going, especially since he wasn’t really feeling the song.
“You really need to sleep.” Shade flinched at the voice in the doorway and slowly turned to look at Cooper. He stared back at him. “Nightmares again?”
He put his ears back. “... No?”
“Are you asking me, or telling me?” He sighed and stepped forward, grabbing Shade’s arm and giving a tug. “Come on, back to bed. You need to rest.”
He sighed. “I have work to do.”
“It’ll still be there in the morning.” He got behind him and pushed him, using his greater size to his advantage. “You need to sleep. You’ve been up in the middle of the night every night this week.”
“I can’t.” He pushed back against him. “I can’t sleep.”
“Because of the nightmares.” He nodded. “I need you to try. Even a little sleep is better than no sleep at all, Shade.”
“Cooper, stop!” Shade huffed and stepped away from him. “I know you’re trying to help, and I appreciate it, but it’s not helping. Every time I close my eyes, I just see N’Gata. I CAN’T sleep!”
Cooper sighed and rubbed his temples, looking Shade over, then went over to his bag. “Dad said this might happen. He said to only use these if I HAD to, because we’re not really supposed to do this.” He dug around in his bag and fiddled with something, then turned around and placed something in Shade’s hand. “A sleeping pill, to help you sleep, dream-free.”
Shade stared at it, then sniffed it suspiciously. “This is a tic-tac.”
He sighed. “Couldn’t just believe me, could you? The placebo effect would have helped.”
Shade put a hand on his shoulder. “I appreciate you trying to help, really… but please, stop.”
“I’m sorry… I’m just worried about you.” He reached up and touched Shade’s face. “You look so tired…”
He pulled away from him. “I just wish Sunny was here… he does this thing when I can’t sleep… I’m not sure exactly how it works, but it puts me right out.” He put his ears back. “I miss him.”
Cooper was quiet for a few moments. “Give me your phone. I’m going to call him. Maybe he’ll tell me how he does it.”
Shade sighed. “I left it in my room with my hoodie. I’ll go get it.” He walked into his room and fumbled in his hoodie pocket for his phone, then turned and handed it to Cooper. “Knock yourself out. He’s in my contacts under…” He hesitated. “You know what, maybe I should dial it.” He reached for the phone back.
“Puppy bear cuddlewumpus?” He snickered, putting the phone to his ear.
Shade blushed a little and looked away as Cooper walked away with his phone. “... That’s embarrassing.”
A few minutes later, Cooper came back and pointed at the bed. “He told me how to do it, but I can’t guarantee it’ll work when I try it. Bed. I’ll do my best.”
Shade sighed and climbed into bed, and Cooper climbed up after him. “Lay back and try to relax.”
He rolled his eyes and did as he was told, and Cooper reached up with two fingers and started slowly stroking Shade between the eyes, from midway up his muzzle to his eyebrows. He spoke in what seemed to be an attempt at a calming tone. “Just lay back. Close your eyes. Try to clear your mind.
Shade yawned. That was the last thing he remembered before waking up the next day at nearly noon.

The doorknob rattled, and then someone banged on the door angrily. Cooper glanced up. “He’s not planning on giving up, is he?”
Shade flinched. “No… He comes by twice a day, every day, to try to get in here, hoping I’ve forgotten to lock the door.” He pressed a few more keys on his keyboard, then smiled sourly. “I’ve just finished writing the last song I need to do. I have to get to the recording booth to record vocals for two of them, and then I’m done and I don’t have to come here anymore.” He paused for a few moments. “I have to print it, but I can’t do that until I’m sure he’s gone. He usually hangs out for a few minutes.”
Cooper got up and went to the door, lifting the corner of the paper covering the window and peeking out. “Yeah, he’s still out there. He looks mad.”
Shade leaned back in his seat, then got out some folders from the case next to his desk. “Well… I guess I can start making the folders for that last track.” He laid out the stack and grabbed the first folder and a marker, starting to write. “Pride of the Pridelands, title track, bass guitar.”
He set it aside and grabbed the next one. This track was less instrumental than most he’d written; only six or seven folders were required for him to have all the instruments set up.
Cooper checked again. “He’s gone.”
“Good. Let’s go.” He hit print, then opened the door and headed out toward the printer down the hall. He had Cooper keep lookout in the hallway while he organized the printing sheet music, then headed down to the Soundtrack office. The usual editor was working there, and she looked up at Shade with a grin.
“Shade! You’ve got that last track for me?” She stood up, looking at the stack in Shade’s hands. “Wow, that’s a lot less.”
He grinned and handed them over. She tucked them into an accordion folder. “Well, this is a standard band instead of the full orchestra. Fewer instruments to write for. Mind if my assistant and I walk down with you? I have to record some vocals for this track, and the last one I brought you.”
“That would be fine, I think-” She paused, looking behind Shade, then suddenly moving around him to stand between him and the door, putting her arms out. “He doesn’t want to talk to you.”
N’Gata’s voice sounded. “Now that’s not fair. Did you ask him?”
“I didn’t have to. He told me what you did.”
N’Gata seemed to decide the editor wasn’t worth his time and leaned around her to grin at Shade. “Hey, Puppy, come on. I’m not mad you snuck out, just disappointed. Come back home with me.” He was piling on the charm extra thick, but it was too little, too late. Shade knew what he was now.
“N’Gata?”
The lion’s ears perked. “Yes, Puppy?”
“Go soak your head.” He pushed past N’Gata and out into the hallway, looking back at the editor. “This way, right?”

[Amazee Dayzee]

Its awesome that Shade is starting to stand up to N'Gata who is definitely a world-class scumbag and deserves everything that he gets coming to him. I am still waiting for the character or characters based on the wolves or the Wolf Pack to show up and beat the snot out of him.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

They're in Hollywood right now, so the wolves aren't anywhere nearby.

[GingaDensetsuAleu]

That's the end of this story. Thank you all so much for reading! I really appreciate your interaction!

------------

Chapter 24: Home again, again

Shade anxiously bounced in his seat, watching out the plane window as the airport below grew closer and closer. Pit peeked over into his division and rolled his eyes. “Relax. We’re almost there.”
The plane touched down and taxied up to the airport. As soon as they disembarked, Shade gave Cooper his bag. “Drop this off at my house for me? I have something I have to do before I head home.”
Rock raised an eyebrow. “Not taking the limo?”
Shade shook his head. “No, I’ll just take the bus. It’s no big deal. I don’t mind at all.”
“Suit yourself.” Both ferrets said at the same time, leading Cooper away.
Shade left the airport and rushed down the street. It was about noon, so he wasn’t in too much of a rush, but it did take a long time to get anywhere on his stubby little legs. It took him nearly an hour to reach the main shopping strip, and he grinned, looking around.
He had something in mind, but first he needed to find the perfect thing for it. Tradition would be a ring, but he was worried a ring might not be a good idea. With an active dog’s life, a ring could be easily lost, misplaced, or even broken.
A pendant came to mind, but it brought up memories of N’Gata, which made Shade queasy in his stomach. He walked into a jewelry store and looked around, trying to find the perfect thing. After a few moments of him peering in the cases, an associate approached him and asked if they could help him find anything.
Shade hesitated and nervously told the associate what he had in mind. The associate smiled at him and waved him over to a display of bracelets- solid bands of precious metal that slipped on over the hand. They were difficult to get on and off, but not so difficult as to be impossible, and were meant for long term wear. Shade tried on a couple, waving his arm around frantically to see how easily they slipped off, then selected one that he liked, a tasteful silver band with no gems set into it- sturdy, durable, and exactly what he wanted.
The associate asked if he wanted it engraved, and Shade thought carefully for a moment before telling her what he wanted it to say. He signed a slip of paper so his signature could be added to the engraving. After his debit card cleared- the associate had to check his ID before she could even run it- she took the band over to a machine, fiddling with it and scanning the paper he’d signed. The machine hummed and whirred for a few moments before opening up again, and she put the bracelet in a box for him, tucking the box into a bag and handing it back to him. “Thank you sir, and good luck!”
Shade smiled and thanked her, taking the bag and exiting the store. His next stop was the pet store; he grabbed a box of Sunny’s favorite biscuits, then headed for the bus stop. He arrived just on time to catch a bus home, and he didn’t even mind that somebody’s kid played with his ears most of the ride.
The bus stopped just outside of Babylon Gardens, and Shade disembarked, starting down the street, humming to himself. He pocketed the bag from the jewelry store as he walked, his ears extra perky. Something was on his mind, something exciting. He walked up the driveway to Sunny’s house and knocked on the door. Mr. Days smiled down at him as he answered and let him in. Shade grinned up at him. “Mind getting Mrs. Days and coming down with me? I have something I want you guys to watch.”
Mr. Days nodded and headed off. Once they were both there, Shade led the way downstairs, where Sunny was in his playroom with the Sunshine Gang, which was what he called their group of friends. Everybody was there: Sunny, of course; Coco; Scout; Butterfly; and August were all there. Sunny jumped up with a loud, excited squeal when he saw Shade, and ran to grab him in a hug.
Shade grinned and held up the box of biscuits he’d gotten from the pet store. “I brought some snacks. But first, Sunny, there’s something I wanna say to you.”
Sunny put his ears back. “Uh oh… is it… bad?”
Shade shook his head. “It’s good, I promise.” He kissed Sunny’s nose, then took a deep breath, ignoring the butterflies currently trying to escape his stomach as he started.
“Sunny, I’ve missed you these three months I was away. I missed you more than I can even describe. I haven’t felt whole since I stepped foot on the plane ride out. It was very lonely.” He squeezed Sunny’s hand, then continued. “My heart ached for you more every day that I couldn’t see you, and while talking to you on the phone helped, it only drove home the point that I was far apart from you and missing you terribly.”
His eyes clouded with tears. “You were the first person I met besides the Wildside residents when I first moved here, a year and a half ago. At the time, I thought you were annoying, loud, and far too hyper. I was lonely, scared, and a wreck. But now, I’m not sure I could, or even would, want to live without you. We’ve both come so far.”
“I had to jump through some legal hoops to get my citizenship back after I fell through a bureaucratic hole in the new laws that gave animals their rights, so as I see it, it’s up to the legal system to jump through some hoops for me, to figure out how something will work. Something very, VERY important.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box with the bracelet in it, dropping down to one knee. “Sunny Days, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I don’t want to ever have to go a single day without seeing your smile, holding your hand, or hearing your laugh. I want to be right there next to you through the good times, and the bad, and everything in between. I want to share everything with you, Sunny. What I’m saying is…”
He opened the box and presented Sunny with the bracelet. “Sunny Days, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Sunny gasped, putting a hand on his chest. His eyes filled with tears as he shakily picked up the bracelet out of the box and examined it. It was engraved on the inside- “To Sunny, may this bracelet always tell the world that someone belongs to you.” His signature followed after the engraving.
After a stunned moment, Sunny put the bracelet on and nodded, his voice coming out choked up. “Y-yes… Yes, Shade, I would be HONORED to marry you!”


Shade Knight will return in
Shade Knight GETS MARRIED

[Amazee Dayzee]

I know that the actual Wolf Pack isn't there with Shade I was hoping that there would be SOME wolf pack if not the official one that was working security since N'Gata is obviously supposed to be a more nasty Jata and Shade would have been the Sabrina in this scenario. Anyway its a moot point now since the story is officially over and I really enjoyed it and am very happy you took us along on Shade's journey!