THE CHERSHIRE CAT-ERPILLAR

Dan would've been knocked over by the oversized cat if not for Wolfgang still holding his arm. All in all, Dan imagined that Wolfgang must not think much of humans. They seemed incapable of even the simplest things like standing upright.

"Interesting…" Wolfgang said, "The cats are not usually friendly."

This statement only worried Dan more though. The cat winding between his legs was rather large enough to feel like Dan was standing in the sea up to his knees but being pushed by the waves quite hard. If this was the cat when it was friendly, Dan would not like to meet it when it was cross. He imagined the cat was large enough to bite off a fairly good size chunk out of him.

He considered the cat's flat face and wondered if it would be like one of the bull dogs his King kept. When a bull dog bites, it is going to take off whatever it bit.

"This is Dan Lion." Wolfgang informed the cat, "Dan, this is Peri."

"Nice to meet you." Dan said quite by reflex. He didn't know if he should feel relieved or worried that Lord Wolfgang was also speaking to the cat like it was a person.

"Charmed, I'm sure." The cat, Peri, told Dan somewhat haughtily, but at least it had stopped bumping between Dan's legs and was now seated in front of them licking its paw. Dan released a very small sigh of relief and Wolfgang released his arm, but it seemed that his troubles were far from over.

"Alpha Henri isn't home yet." Peri informed them, "She has been delayed with her betas at the Lorent Town. She sends her apologies and says to tell you that she would likely be back by noon."

Wolfgang considered this for a moment, "Then I will meet her after lunch."

"Captain Zora urgently requests your presence." The cat continued, "He had sent Flavin for you."

"How urgently?" Wolfgang sounded reluctant.

"Flavin was here since yesterday." Peri did a little cat shrug, "I would advise you attend to it at your soonest leisure. You know how the captain gets."

Wolfgang groaned, "Fine, but if it's just about the Spring Equinox festival parade again, I'm going to hang that horse by his hamstrings."

Peri stood up and rounded about Dan's legs once more, "I'll convey the message. Please bring Dan Lion too."

And then he bounded up the railing, and re-entered the building through an opened window.

Wolfgang seemed to feel Peri's unwarranted affection for Dan meant something special, "Interesting…"

Again, Dan didn't know if he should feel relieved or worried about this. He wanted to ask what Wolfgang meant, but the fire wolf was calling out to the driveway, "Neil, Jax!"

The two men broke away from the other warriors and jogged over.

"Yo, what's going on, Hotstuff?" Neil asked.

"Can I leave my guest with you for the morning? Take care of Dan until lunch." Wolfgang ordered. He checked his watch, "I have just enough time if I hurry."

"Yeah, sure. No problem." Neil agreed easily enough.

"You got the right guys on the job!" Jax grinned.

"I doubt it." Wolfgang muttered, but to Dan he was apologetic, "I'll have to leave you with the Twiddle brothers for the morning. I'll join you for lunch before we meet Alpha Henri."

"Yes, thank you. Don't worry about me." Dan smiled (although he was personally very worried about himself), "I could do with a little rest."

"Good man." Wolfgang approved, and patted Dan on his shoulder like Dan had just made a brilliant suggestion.

"He's tired." Wolfgang told Neil and Jax, "Don't be dragging him halfway around town. He's just a human. Just show him to his room and help him settle in."

And then Wolfgang frowned, "Make sure you're on hand if he needs anything though. You two better not slack off!"

"Chillax, Hotstuff!" Jax said, "Dandan's our friend too! We'd definitely show him a good time."

"That's what I'm telling you NOT to do!" Wolfgang scolded but the other two older warriors just laughed.

"Maybe Danny?" Jax said, "Or DaniO!"

It was going to be a long morning.

Neil winced (or that might have been his usual face), "I don't know, I don't feel it."

"Dan boy? DanMan?" Jax asked.

Dan didn't know how to wipe the horror off his face.

"D-Lion?" Jax looked hopeful. He noted Dan's reaction, "No? Well maybe Lion's a bit too much, cos you're just a human. A cute name would probably be better."

"What's wrong with Dan?" Dan asked weakly.

"Nah." Jax waved it off, "Fancy pretty face like you can do better than just Dan."

Dan decided to just get to his assigned room and lock himself in until lunchtime.

Dan was a diplomat. Getting along with everyone was his job but Jax just made his headache return with a vengeance.

"Hey, you okay?" Neil asked.

"I'm fine. Just a headache." Dan was never so pleased to suffer a hangover, "I'll be fine after a nap."

"Should we call for a healer?" Neil worried.

Dan quickly shook his head. Calling a healer would be like calling a brain surgeon to deal with a hangover right?

"No, no. I'm alright. Thanks." Dan quickly refused it.

"I think Delta O's still on shift till 2." Neil told him, "And you know what they say about old healers - they're like wine."

Neil raised his brows at Dan so he was forced to answer, "They age well?"

"Exactly!" Jax slapped Dan's back too hard, "You're one smart human."

Dan didn't think finishing a common idiom counted as much to his IQ, but he was smart enough to just shut up and smile.

"They don't call Night Leaf the retirement town for nothing!" Jax boasted.

"Not all wolves retire to the Colored Mountains." Neil grimaced.

"Don't they call Night Leaf Town, the home of old heroes?" Dan had read that on Wikipedia.

"That's right!" Jax slapped him a few more times across his back, "That's exactly us!"

"Night Leaf is as good as it gets." Neil grimaced with an air of satisfaction.

The two old warriors had found the right guest suite for Dan. Sir Wilhelm will be his nearest neighbour. They also put up rooms for his captain and secretary on the same floor.

"Here's your room." Neil announced.

It was at this moment that they realized that neither of them had the key card.

Dan managed to hold back his sigh. His head was aching and his back still stung from Jax's enthusiastic back slapping. But Dan was a survivor. He had definitely survived more sinister evil in his life. At this moment though, if he were to be given a choice between spending the rest of the morning with the most cunning double crossing schemer he knew or Jax, he would have called up his King's chief advisor for brunch in a heartbeat.

Evil scheming had logic, and Dan could guard and counter each move with his own logical predictions. But there was no defence (or logic) against the being known as Jax.

Thankfully, the beta on duty was truly an efficient fellow and already anticipated the trouble when Dan was spirited away by the two older warriors. He kindly sent someone up with the keys.

"Yo, Sirs!" The younger warrior called out happily as he ambled out of the lift and across the hallway, "Forgot something?"

He flashed a key card out from his pocket with a grin, "Beta told me to bring it up."

"Yo, Kev, my man!" Jax turned to slap the younger warrior, "Thanks man!"

"Ow, ow, ow..." Kev tried to get away from the assault, "You're killing me Sir!"

Jax response was to increase force and volume, "Hahaha, no way! Strong young warrior like you? Even a fly wouldn't die from this!"

"Alright, enough Jax." Neil stepped in the save the young warrior, "His face is turning red."

"That really hurt, Sir!" Kev grumbled rubbing his shoulder. He took a few steps away from Jax before straightening up again.

"Huh, they really don't make warriors like they used to." Jax concluded.

"Is there anything else you need Kev?" Neil asked.

"Right!" Kev remembered, "I've started working out!"

Kev flexed his arms to show them, "Sir, you got any tips?"

Neil rubbed his chin to consider the young warrior, "When did you start?"

Kev looked deflated almost at once, "You can't even tell huh? I started almost half a year ago."

In Dan's opinion, the young warrior was plenty jacked as he was.

"Tell you what." Neil offered, "I'll hang around after lunch and we can hit the gym. You can show me your routine and we can troubleshoot."

"YES!" Kev pumped his fist, "Thanks Sir! See you after lunch!"

When Dan was finally alone in his room, he helped himself to a bottle of water. He wasn't expecting the Langston, so he was rather surprised by the modern studio apartment. It was small, but clean and bright, with a shower in the bathroom, and a kitchenette equipped for light cooking. It was also furnished with everything else Dan could possibly require, a desk and a chair with a charging station and a WiFi password, two armchairs and a coffee table, and a full king sized bed. As well as a wardrobe that slid open with a counter space to prop up his luggage and a hanging rack for his suits.

He also found a safe and an iron and ironing board in the lower compartments.

Dan took note... If he ever got his studio apartment, he would like to set it up exactly like this.

He had meant to catch 40 winks, but his Captain came by to report. Everything was well. The wolves had given them guest badges and the soldiers and servants had been settled down in very adequate quarters. Short of saying it was better than what they would have lived with back home, the Captain was very satisfied with the arrangements made by their hosts.

Wilhelm came to check on him shortly after, just to let him know he was next door and to feel free to knock or text if Dan needed anything.

Five minutes later, two smart reps on his door brought the beta on duty. He just wanted to greet Dan and introduce himself.

"I'm Beta Jelly, I mean Gerald." The man informed him with a wry smile at his own trip up, "It's a long story, but most everyone would know me as Jelly in Moon Bell. I'm filling in for Dante and Damien today, but if you ever come by Morning Light, feel free to drop me a line for coffee."

Dan took one look at the navy blue name card Beta Jelly handed him and had to hide his surprise because he immediately recognized the name on the card - Beta Gerald Daniel Langston, heir to the Langston Hotels and Resorts Holdings.

Anyway, 10 minutes after Beta Jelly left, Neil and Jax were back to check on him. Neil wanted to make sure everything was okay. He also realized belatedly that Dan couldn't mindlink them if he needed anything, so he wanted to give Dan his phone number.

Jax wanted to tell Dan that he thought of the PERFECT alias for Dan, "Check this - Dandy."

"Why?" Dan really couldn't understand the way Jax's brain was wired.

"Because you're all fancy and dandy!" Jax was very proud of himself.

If the Morning Light Beta and heir to the Langston had to go around as Jelly, then Dan really shouldn't complain about being called Dandy.

"Eh? You like it right?" Jax misinterpreted Dan's silence for consent, "Eh, eh? I thought of a good one right?"

Jax jabbed Neil proudly and tapped his temple, "I'm not just a pretty face you know."

Jax wasn't a pretty face at all, but Dan had all but given up making any input. He was tired, wiped out, done.

"You look tired." Neil said, "Maybe you really should try to lie down and get some rest."

Dan nodded and refrained from thinking anything sarcastic, these two were genuinely doing their best to take care of him, "Thank you. I think I will."

Not 2 minutes from when Neil and Jax left him, when he had another guest. This time though, his guest appeared at his window.

Dan had just sat down on the bed to remove his shoes when a movement caught his eye. He turned to see a white faced whiskered cat staring at him from the outside his window ledge. It gave him such a shock he nearly fell backwards off the edge of the bed.

And then he saw a second cat, this cat, he recognized. Peri. Now there were two cats just sitting on the other side of the window closest to his bed staring at him. For some reason, it made Dan think of an animal being observed at the zoo - where he was the animal. Did they think he could not see them through the glass?

Dan went over to the window and opened it. The cats took it as an invitation to enter.

"It's about time." Peri miffed.

"This is him?" The white cat asked. He was even larger than Peri, and also looked like a persian, but without the flat face. They circled Dan's legs a bit and then decided to hop up to his bed and make themselves comfortable on his pillow - one for each of them, and proceeded to have a conversation without him.

"He seems very human." The white cat told Peri.

"That's because he is." Peri said, "And you know humans are very different creatures from wolves."

"How long do you think he'll last?"