Caine's POV : I walked into the training room to see mouse, cradling a newborn wolf pup. Feeding it milk.

"What are you doing feeding a wolf pup when we're supposed to be training?" I asked.

"He's hungry, and you can spar with someone else. And he's mine and jacks pup. He was soaking wet and alone in front of our motel door. So, ta-dah."

"Not gonna ask about the motel, cause it's none of my business, but the wolf pup?"

"Is he a wolf? I thought he was a dog. Jack will be so happy when he hears. He can't keep him past puppyhood, but c'est la vie."

"Ok. Just so we're clear were not keeping an adult wolf in the sanctum." I said, pinching the bridge of my nose, trying to relieve come sort of tension.

"I think it's a wolfhound." Jack said from the door. "You can tell from the paws. Wolves have longer claws. And Wolfhounds also have shorter teeth."

"If he's an Irish wolfhound, I'll pay you a thousand dollars. He's a wolf. Bet." I stuck out my hand.

"Bet." Jack said, shaking my hand.

"Morons." Mouse said.

"Wait, mouse is speaking?" Was all I could say. Took me long enough to figure it out. I've been interpreting her sign in her voice all this time, but never the other way around.

"Yep. I am apparently so awesome that kissing me made her speak." Jack said.

"Cocky kid. But I'm happy, that you found your voice mouse. This calls for a celebration. EVERYONE! WE'RE GOING TO DEAF LUIS' IN THIRTY MINUTES!!!" I yelled down the hall.

"AYE SIR!" And "YEEHAW!" Answers came back.

I picked up the pup (much to mouses belligerence) and breathed on his nose. He sneezed, then sniffed me.

Then he licked my face. Damn. A wolf would've bit me instinctively because I smell like oil and fire, from the cars.

I fished ten hundreds out of my pocket and handed it to Jack. "First rounds on you, awesome sauce."

"Gladly."

We walked out. I really like dogs, contrary to the belief rabbits and dogs hate each other, if each is calm, it's fine. He fell asleep.

I laid him in his nest of blankets Jack had made. I told a newbie named Kidd to feed him when he woke up.

Mouse demonstrated how and handed him a full bottle. Kidd sat in the corner, blanket nest next to him.

I closed the door.

"Onwards!!" I went to my car. Then stopped, and went to a van. Cheshire's van.

"I'll have someone drive us back if we're too far gone, but if you've not drank but the end of the night you'll drive home. Ok?"

"You got it. I don't drink anyway."

"Oh yeah." I'd forgotten.

We arrived at the pub, and Violet was sitting at the bar, nursing a bottle of beer.

"Oi! Violet! Why so glum mishka?"

"I'm no little bear, man. I'm a mamma bear, and my cub was just taken from me in a court hearing, cause they think a deadbeat father living off welfare is better than a lesbian tattoo artist mother."

"Need me to take care of it darling?"

"Please. I'll owe you one. But only if he's not happy there. Ok? if he's happy, that's all that matters."

"Ok darlin. I've got you. I'll look into it before morning. Where's the place?"

"Right down the street. He's a nasty bastard. If he's beat my child I want him dead, rabbit. Understand? Dead."

"I'll take care if it darling. Come sit with us. We're celebrating here! Mouse found her voice! Mouse, wanna sing for us??"

"Yes! I haven't in so long yes!!" She stepped onto the stage, and grabbed the standing mic. I texted Felecia to come see me.

Jack got up there and sang with her. Holy damn he can sing. They sang whiskey lullaby, and Boyce avenues cover of 'she will be loved', and lastly 'anything you can do' that one was a doozy.

Then they got off the stage, followed by cheers and whistles. Jack plopped down at the table, and mouse sat in his lap.

Then I handed him a mug of Irish honeyed mead. He sipped it this time instead of chugging. Smart kid.

Then lefty stood up, and when to the stage. "We're in for a treat, folks. Lefty has a gift."

Someone handed him his guitar. It looked like a toy in his hands. "Boss, Irish pub?" I stood.

"Abso-fecking-lutely, boyo." I picked up a tin pipe and hopped on stage. He played an electric guitar version of the tin whistle melody, and I sang the lyrics to 'an Irish pub song,' by the Rumjacks.

You want sonic perfection? There you go. We played some more, then we sang 'way haul away joe' a sea shanty covered by the Eskies. Jack joined in as the third.

All in all? Good fun. Then Jack chugged his mug, and went on stage. Uh oh. He sang 'the drunken Scotsman'. Then he sang 'drunken lullabies' by Flogging Molly.

[Verse 1]
Must it take a life for hateful eyes
To glisten once again
Five hundred years like gel ignite
Have blown us all to hell
What savior rests while on his cross we die
Forgotten freedom burns
Has the Shepard led his lambs astray
To the bigot and the gun

[Chorus]
Must it take a life for hateful eyes
To glisten once again
Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess
Singin' drunken lullabies

[Verse 2]
I watch and stare as Rosin's eyes
Turn a darker shade of red
And the bullet with this sniper lie
In their bloody gutless cell
Must we starve on crumbs from long ago
Through bars these men made steel
Is it a great or little thing we fought
Knelt the conscience blessed to kill

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
Ah, but maybe it's the way we were taught
Or maybe it's the way we fought
But a smile never grins without tears to begin
For each kiss is a cry we all lost
Though nothing is left to gain
But for the banshee that stole the grave
Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess
Singin' drunken lullabies

[Verse 3]
I sit in and dwell on faces past
Like memories seem to fade
No color left, but black and white
And soon we'll all turn grey
But may these shadows rise to walk again
With lessons truly learnt
When the blossom flowers in each our hearts
Shall beat a new found flame

[Chorus]

Jack did pretty well for a drunken southerner. Just saying. His Irish accent needs help.

Then he quaffed another mug of mead, did a little dance, and did the same thing as last time, he sat on the floor and laid his head in mouses lap.

She was still drinking, and ran her free hand through his hair. Then Madame Felecia walked in. She was wearing a very low cut and short Japanese kimono.

"Felecia, dis' private bar. You can't be here eh?" Lefty said from the stage.

"Don't worry. She's syndicate, Paris branch. Show 'em your mark lass." I said.

She pulled her very low top a little to the side, and there was a rose and a dagger on her left breast.

Everyone relaxed, and the music started up again. "Where is Jack? He isn't under the table is he?"

"He's actually in mouses lap. Down there." I pointed at a very bleary eyed Jack who raised his head at his name.

"Allo mad'm. You come fer a drink?"

"Dear god what'd ya feed him?"

"Two mugs of Irish honey mead. The strongest there is."

"And he's awake? He's good."

"Yep. Now, there's something I need, I'll owe you a favor. It's why I called you."

"Of course."

I lowered my voice. "There's a house a little ways from here. Violets son is there. I need to know if he's happy or being beaten. If he is, lefty will be killing the father once you've brought back the kid. Got it?"

"All right, but it's best if she comes with me. Strange woman appears?"

"I'll go." Violet and lefty had heard the conversation, as well as the rest of the pub.

"Good. That's settled. Lefty, go on with them. Sorry bout this one."

" 'S alright boss. I don't like abusive men anyhows."

"I know buddy. Go on."

They left, an I picked up lefty's guitar and set it on the stand. Then I got the mike, and sang drunken sailor for the room.

[What should we do with the drunken sailor 3x
Early in the morning
Ho hey up she rises 3x
Early in the morning

Hoist him aboard with a running bowline 3x
Early in the morning
Put him in the bed with the captain's daughter 3x
Early in the morning
Ho hey up she rises 3x
Early in the morning
Ho hey up she rises 3x
Early in the morning

Put him in scupper with the horsepipe on him 3x
Early in the morning

Hoist him aboard with a running bowline 3x
Early in the morning
What should we do with the drunken sailor 3x
Early in the morning
Put him in the bed with the captain's daughter 3x
Early in the morning
Ho hey up she rises 3x
Early in the morning
Ho hey up she rises 3x
Early in the morning
Hooray hooray 3x
Early in the morning
Hooray hooray 3x
Early in the morning ]

The whole room got into it. We're musical folk, the Irish are. I was only half, but that's fine.

Then lefty came back in, his knuckles bloodied up, and Violet went into the back room with her six year old, who was bleeding heavily from a head wound.

Mouse rushed after her, towing Doc. I looked at Lefty, and he raise his bloody fist for my inspection. "Dead?" He nodded.

"Good. Thou shalt not suffer a monster to live." I said. My personal creed.

The whole room slammed fists down on the tables, creating a beat that quickly got faster and faster and devolved into chaos before quieting eventually.

Then I continued playing. I played piano for a while, then sang some Disney classics when the kid came out with stitches in his eyebrow.

I played "when you're evil" from Voltaire, I played 'God help the outcasts' from hunchback.

I played 'friends on the other side', and even lion king, 'circle of life'. I even imitated rafiki, and whacked lefty on the head with the mic stand lightly.

He played along. Don't judge, it made the kid laugh. Then it was getting late, or early, I guess. We'd finished the cask. Ah sweet, sweet, honey mead.

Jack didn't get up from where mouse had tossed him to get to doc. He was asleep. Heh.

The kid started poking him, but stopped when Jack grabbed him and squeezed him like a teddy bear. Jack wouldn't let go, and it was hilarious.

We loaded up in the van, after separating the two. Mouse carried Jack no problem. He's not that heavy after all.

We went back to the sanctum. Felecia followed us in her car. This'll be an interesting morning.... Night... Fuck it.

She held Jack with mouse, an the three collapsed into mouses giant bed. So that's why mouse has such a huge bed. Huh.

I went into Jacks room, saw the empty bottle and sleeping Kidd, and then the wolfhound. We can keep a wolfhound. They're really good with children.

Then I went to bed. In my bunk of course. There were two women there when I walked in. This was kinda normal. I grinned, and walked towards the bed, stripping.