“A Trip to the Mountain”
        	On a cold winter day, in late december, the old jeep, finally reaches the top of the incline, and begins its journey navigating the old road, towards Red Feather's general store. It had been a long ride for Faye, the travel being delayed while CDOT cleared the road of the snow and occasional fallen branch. The storm had only been clear for about five minutes before it came back again. Luck, it seemed was being heartless to Failaria's Jeep. The first problem had happened as be reached the fork, someone had carelessly left a box of nails on top of their pickup truck which as expected spilled onto the road. Even with the skill of driving that is learned with Colorado winters and interstate’s Failaria could not avoid the nail which would take one of  the jeep's back tire, and it's only spare. Still the jeep kept pushing forward, with steady instruction from Faye's foot paw. The cold of the snow would begin to find its way into the jeep, “good for my engine heat,” Faye jokes to himself, his fur would more or less likely protect him for the drive. He slowed as he came upon a patch of visible ice and reached into the steel lock box in the back, grabbing the extra blankets before continuing down the road.

        Aside from the problems, Faye had made it safely to the top of mountain, thanking God for the problem-prone but otherwise safe ride. He slips under the cabins deck with a light dusty of snow underneath, feeling around the wall, he clips the key hanger and he slips the keys off the ring. Crawling out from under the house, he closes the door with a kick, almost catching his tail, pulling it out at the last second. Failaria jogs up the steps and unlocks the cabin, then steps past the doors threshold.
 
        	The cabin was the same as he remembered in his childhood, the electric fireplace slowly kicking on, he sets down his duffel bag and flight receipt on the half wall and tosses the extra blankets on the wooden table in front of the fireplace to warm them. He surveys the kitchen and checks the fridge, most of the foods that weren’t non-perishable well past the expiration date. He checks the cupboard, he picks out an old cracker bin, a fun little find he had from a garage sale he went to with his girlfriend Amy, he finds a pack of unopened crackers, he breaks the seal and starts snacking on them. He kicks off his boots, setting them in the mudroom, and letting his paws feel free. He plops on the couch stretching, “Oh that trip was killer.” he muttered to himself. He rolls over on the couch then he notices something on the coffee table. One little paper note, he pulls it from the table, it reads, “Dear Faye, it's Amy I just checked up on the cabin, I didn’t find you here I’m nervous I  haven’t heard from you or anyone that we know about what happened I’m leaving this note in case you come here first, please call me, let me know your ok, please?” Faye checks over the note, it was covered in a thin layer of dust meaning that it’s been here for while. He checks his phone, No Service, the snow storm must of knocked down a tower or wire somewhere. He tried anyway his call wouldn't go through. He pulls his boots back on and grabs his winter coat and hops out onto the deck. He slides a bit as he dashes down the stairs, his mind starts thinking back to high-school and college with Amy, he vaults the deck-railing, and in two strides is in his jeep backing out.
        	He had been driving for a half-hour through a flurry, towards Amy cabin, remembering the cold winter night, five months ago.
(Flash Back)
The fire had been slowly dying, Faye had walked out the front door, bare-pawed to walk on the wrap-around porch, he carried a few more logs inside and laid them on the fire. Amy had woken up and leaned up from the pillow Faye had laid her head on moments ago. “You went to get wood?” she asks in her sweetest voice, the open skylight ceiling echoing it, “Yes dear,” he responds, tending to the embers attempting to reignite the fire. “Hungry, dear?” Faye asks, noticing the time being around 19:00, “I am,” Amy responds, “Your brother left the venison in freezer right?” Faye asks, “I believe so,” she says poking her head above the couch's back. “Do you want that, or I could make you a can of chicken noodle soup.” He says to her. “Surprise me,” She said playfully, “You shouldn't of said that,” Faye grins, as he turns on the oven timer then he vaults the over the back of the couch startling Amy, “Hey!” she exclaims, he rolls around on the floor. They make small talk and trade some dumb jokes. A buzz indicates that the food is ready to be served. He hops up and walking back to the kitchen. He brings back a bowl, with chicken noodle soup and the plate, a slice  of venison. They laugh as they eat their dinner, enjoy eachothers company and the lives they lead so far.
(Flash Forward)
His mind slips back to real-time as he reached the top of the hill the valley below was covered in a heavy fog not realizing that the cabin he expected to see was not there. Instead he slammed the brakes before he rear-ended the fire engine pulling onto the road, somehow he hadn't heard the sirens nor seen the flashing lights, he silently cursed himself for it.
He looks toward where his destination Amy's cabin.
This one wasn't the same one as his fond memories held...This one was on fire.
Failaria had slipped behind the fire truck, tailing him to Amy house. Failaria had pulled onto his special park space, nothing more than a nice patch of gravel. He looks towards the only ambulance on scene, its back doors wide open with a paramedic tending the wounds of the person, Faye had just wanted to see...
Amy... The love that his life desired, the hope of love, spread like fire over the dry brush. He ran to her and got met by a stone-hard slap right on his muzzle causing him to stop dead in his tracks. The dead look he got from Amy warranted one question from him. “Amy?” He asks, tail between legs and ears-folded back. “You left me,” she says, no change in emotion, just a dead stare. “What? I never left you Amy,” Faye says in response, “Oh know that? Do you Faye?!” The yell attracted the attention of more than needed eyes, “Why do you think I left you?” Failaria asks saddening, “You just pulled up stakes, and abandoned me!” She yells again, pulling one firefighter's attention over towards him. “Tell me the story!” he said to her. “Ok, remember years ago, here at the cabin?” “Why would I forget Amy, it OUR fondest memory.” “The day after that you left me without a word, without letting me say goodbye, you just go in that blasted Jeep and drove away...” She says leaving nothing out. “You're right about most of it my dear Amy, but I hadn't left you for no reason...
        	As you fell under the fire's warming drifting into your dreams, I had gotten a call from my brother, Max, he told me about how my mother was on her last months, I had only ready what I need for the trip to Australia, and I left everything else on your prominent guard, I knew I was going to return, but it took too long, I admit, for me to return from Australia, but I had to go through the Three Month Walk, as my mother slowly left us for her eternal place in the heavens, then I had been able to meet with all of my brothers and sisters, the Mourning, you understand the traditions we have established. I would of been home after the Final Spread,  but one of the files for my visit from the U.S. got improperly filed, delaying my journey back to your arms...”  He says with a saddening voice, “But I have one question for you.” He says his courage suddenly found. “Are you pregnant?” “WHAT?!” She shrieks, “Are you pregnant Amy?” he says again authoritative, “Yes....” She cries, slowly curling up on the end of the ambulance's step. Failaria slowly approaches her, curls her up in his arms, and lets one phrase out, “I don't blame you, but I still love you,” She replies with her own message, “They're yours,” Failaria's jaw agape, “Mine?” He slips through his still open jaw,  “Yes, they are both Pasu, like you,” “How does this upset you?” “Remember what my father said on Prom Night: 2014?” “Sadly no...” He said, “He told me to...how should I put this...well, leave you,” “Your father still hates me...and his future grand-kids still so fondly?” “You've seen the look people gave us through the years haven't you?” “I have. So?” “They weren't looks of wonder, they were of disgust,” “I knew that, so I always ignored them. Did they truly affect you as bad as I am lead to believe?” “I was branded in many ways by their looks,” “So that's the reason you fled up here? To safer land?” “Yes, but we still had our love, and that was all we needed didn't we, Faye?” “It was Amy, but I need to tell you one thing about the night I left you.”
(Flash Back)
Failaria had just hung up the phone with his brother, he thinks about how his decisions and their consequences, “I must leave my fiance and children to care for my elder mother. How will Amy react when she awakes tomorrow?” Failaria slowly reaches over Amy's hand, “My Dearest Love, Fiancee, and Mother of my children, Never Forget me, I will return to you as soon as I can I promise.”
(Flash Forward)
“I'm not your fiance!” Amy raises her voice, “Did you check my jacket I left on the hanger?” “No I didn't...You had the ring with you?” “I was going to propose in the morning...” “ah, uhm, wait how did you know I was pregnant?” She asks, “I'm a hybrid of human and fox genetics, I get the best, and worst of both species. I could sense them and your motherly instincts kicking in.” He answers her question. She walks towards her car, she pulls out the coat and brings it back to Failaria. “Show me the ring, Please.” Faye reaches into the inside pocket and pulls out a box, he opens it and he pulls out one little piece of paper, he hands it to her. “Read it,” He says, “The ring is under the watchful eyes of the local man of god.” “I left it with Markus, in hope that one day you, or me, would come for the ring.” She slowly lowers the coat. She stumbles toward Failaria, he opens his arms inviting her into his warm embrace, at that moment she remembered why she fell in love with this outcast from a little high-school in the middle of nowhere, his fur feeling softer than anything she had ever touched. “I will talk tomorrow to Markus,” “It's been forever since I've been to his congregation.” “Now's a perfect time to rejoin our community.” He says slowly letting her fall in his loving warmth.
The fire, itself falling into smoke, the firefighters simply doing their jobs, finish and leave, the ambulance's tires long sped away.
The family of four, had just entered the chapel in the hills. “This is different than the last time I was here!” Failaria exclaims, “They did a lot of remodels.” Amy had said. Failaria looks around and finally finds him, Pastor Markus Albero, the man in safekeeping his future, he almost immediately notices Faye and begins walk towards the two, “I heard you were back in the country Failaria how are you?” he asks towards Failaria, “I was a long funeral service for my mother you might say, Mark,” Faye says half-jokingly. “I'd bet, and how is Amy doing?” he asks so cheerfully to the Amy. “Fine,” Amy sluggishly drags out. “Is something wrong?” Mark responds, “I really don't know,” She says sadness creeping into her voice. “It hasn't been my day. The cabin was claimed back to dust,” Faye steps in, “I see,” Mark notes, smiling at Faye's paraphrase of the biblical terms. “Do you have a place to stay, Amy?” Mark asks, “I have a hotel room...” “Oh no! That won't do my wife and I will gladly take you in.” “You really would do that? I haven't been here in years.” she says looking up surprised, “Why that doesn't have anything to do you being here.” he says taken back by her words, “We are tasked by God to help everyone!” he emphasizes by nodding towards Failaria, he nods back, a smile sneaking out under his muzzle. “Does Antia still attend services here Mark?” Faye asks about another Pasu that he would see during services and the occasionally charity event. “That's a nice topic, she just began to come again the last two weeks,” “Is she here?” “Yes she's in kitchen working on the after service meal, do you want me to get her?” “Amy has a few questions for her.” “What about?” “Women things I'd guess,” Faye sneaks Mark a serious look. “You can go talk to her Amy, I'll tell her you'll be coming.” Mark says toward Amy. Amy heads off towards the kitchen. “Care to explain that look?” Mark switches from a friendly to serious mood, “She's pregnant,” Faye says seeming to have a load taken of his back, “Was she unfaithful to you? Wait better question where have you been?” “I had to spread my mother ashes in Australia, but no she had not been with anyone else, short of family.” “Then how?” “I have no explanation...” “Alright, doesn't your burial traditions take months?” “It did and I feel it's time she knew about my full plans of last year. Is it still where I put in?” “Why yes it is, we can have you propose in the middle of service.” Mark says with his friendly mood returning.
Later during service, Mark asks Failaria up to the stage, “Faye, we're all glad your home after your mother's, bless her, funeral, and you have something to bring before us don't you?” “I do Mark, but first I need Amy to come up here,” he says holding out his paw towards her, she comes up escorted by Antia. Faye reaches under the podium into a little compartment, he pulls out an opal ring, he settles onto his knee, “Amy will you become forever dear? Sorry Antia no pun intended.” “None taken, besides it's Amy's day.” Antia says looking towards Amy “I don't know what to says Failaria.” “I wasn't thinking this is what you meant with your note,” “Let me help you know what to say,” he says rising up, and slowly approaching her and putting the ring in her hand, “You can say yes.” he says the moment of intimacy in full swing, he closes her hand around it.  Amy clearly paralyzed by his actions and words, she looks out at the collected people. “You don't need their approval, I need yours,” he says pulling her back to him. She brings him up from his knee, “Yes, Failaria Talerum, I am your Forever Dear.” She takes the ring and sets it on the podium and curls up under his arms, “I'm yours.” she whispers to him, “We're each others, Forever,” he says giving her a squeeze...Antia nods towards Faye, he looks up, she mouths, “They aren't both Pasu...”
Epilogue:
Failaria dusts of a box from under his cabin, he opens up the box lid, showering the crawlspace in dust. Faye growls, “Did I seriously do that?” Faye asks himself. He decides to take the box into the cabin. He hefts it back towards the door. He gets it out from under the cabin and looks into the bay window, he sees his wife, Amy reading a story to their children, Daniel and Amanda. He smiles as he heads into the  mud room, he knocks of his boots and steps into the kitchen. He sets the box on the counter, he opens it and pulls out a little box, he sneaks it behind his back towards his family. “Amy?” he says getting the entire attention of his family, “Yes Faye?” she responds, he pulls out the box, opening it and pulling the ring from its setting, “Remember this?” he asks in his most loving voice. “I thought we lost it!” she exclaims, “What is it Mommy?” little Amanda, Amy human copy, “I know what it is!” Daniel says, trying to answer faster than his mother could, “It's a mood ring!” he exclaims, “Close but not there Daniel,” Faye answers, to his little Pasu counterpart, “It's mom's engagement ring, I gave it to her when you were still inside her growing.” Faye says a little grin sneaking out teaches his kids a little about anatomy, “Where did you find it?” Amy asks, “It was in our wedding keepsakes,” he says putting in on her hand. “Do you remember?” “I remember the surprise  you left me with.” she says letting out a little laugh. Failaria sat down next to them, “What are we reading?” he asks letting his words fall onto the ears of his family...The words let him know more than anyone else, I did it, I made it, just like you wanted me to mom.