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Archer shook his head. "Actually, they saw it as weak and meaningless, and from what I heard, Billy demoted him in the pack hierarchy to goat herder or something. He's treated poorly, but that hasn't stopped him from building greenhouses and running a successful, functional farm. Andy is responsible for the majority of the pack's food but gets no acknowledgment. He's seen as weak and not a suitable brother for the leader of the cougars." Archer finished, and Dallas was at a loss for what to say. He feeds them, and they think he's a loser; it did not make sense, but then the cougars rarely made sense.
"I'll never understand the brain function of cougars," Kevin interjected.
"All aggression and zero logic," Archer added his opinion, and the others agreed.
"That doesn't seem to be the case with Andy," Dallas told them and then described what he had seen. "He helped her get away. He hid her and brought her to the roadway."
“Emily is still out there causing trouble.” Kevin lamented.
"She's been dealt with," Dallas assured. "Her mind has been wiped clean."
"She's lucky to be alive," Archer added.
"She's alive because Andy saved her," Dallas spoke up.
"Can't imagine his brother was too pleased that she got away," Archer said and then added. "Considering the fact that she had a gun and was wandering around his territory, his paranoia would have been on high alert."
"And the fact she escaped sent that paranoia even higher," Dallas interjected. "The man is on edge from what I hear."
"That's just the natural state of this cougar pack," Archer said with a hint of disdain. "Andy would do well to get away from his brother and that pack, but he stays, and I'm not sure why."
"Because he cares." Dallas had recognized Andy's caring nature from the moment he saw him. He had a different air than the others, a different way of talking and walking and presenting himself. He was a different man, a better man than those he lived among.
Andy was in the greenhouse tending the tomato plants when Ford walked in and began reprimanding him about the human female who had gotten away. "She's probably planning an attack thinking we're weak, and it's all your fault." He started the same ramble that Billy had been on, but he added his own flair. "You should be horse-whipped for your incompetence. If you weren't Billy's brother, he would have delivered a fitting punishment.
Andy continued to work on his plants and did not respond to Ford's goading. He wanted a reaction, a fight so he could look tough, but he wouldn't just start hitting him without provocation. He was Billy's brother, so Ford had to be somewhat careful, not that Billy cared, but Billy preferred to do the hitting himself.
"You hid her from Billy. I saw you help her get to the road. You're a disgrace to the pack and a disgrace to your brother." Ford was upping his pressure, but Andy remained calm, knowing that Ford saw nothing, for if he had, Billy would already know. Ford was a kiss-ass of the first order, and he would run to Billy with the slightest negative information about Andy. He wouldn't keep such a secret, and he certainly wouldn't help Andy.
"I did nothing of the kind, and it is not my fault if you and all your men were unable to track and find one delirious human." Andy took a step closer and held Ford's angry stare. "Perhaps being pack second is becoming too much for you, Ford. Billy wouldn't be pleased if he found out you were trying to blame me for your failures." He went to grab Andy by the throat, but Andy blocked his hand and effectively knocked it away.
Ford took a deep breath and then stepped back. "You're not worth my time." He said and abruptly turned and left the greenhouse, but not before knocking over several plants.
"Asshole," Andy stated, but Ford didn't hear and kept walking, closing the door behind him. Ford wasn't alone in his contempt for Andy, but he was the most open about it.
“Did he give you a hard time?” Elroy came in and took a seat on one of the stools by the door. Elroy wasn’t regarded much higher than Andy, but he was respected for the fact he was always trying to fit in and meet the standards of the leadership. Andy didn’t try and didn’t care.
"Just the usual insults and put-downs. I'm used to it, and his opinions don't affect me. He thinks that his ass kissing will get him places, but Billy only keeps people around for a few years and then moves them on." Andy finished with the plants and then cleaned up his tools.
“Maybe I can aspire to be the next ass kisser.” Elroy gave a stupid smile and cocked his head to the side.
“Stranger things have happened around here.” Buck chuckled at the thought of Billy depending on Elroy for anything. “You should definitely work on that goal.”
"I saw you save that human the other day," Elroy stated out of nowhere, and Andy turned to regard him with an assessing stare. He wasn't joking.
“Did you tell anyone?”
“No.”
“Are you going to tell anyone?”
"If I'm asked directly, I won't lie to the leadership, but if I'm not asked, I won't volunteer the information," Elroy stated, and Andy could not argue with that. Elroy was vying for promotion to soldier, and he had suffered more than one screw-up over the past few months, which could influence his chances. He wouldn't want to add lying to leadership to his list of screw-ups.
“Fair enough.” He told him.
“I’m glad you understand.” Elroy was an old friend, but he was an old friend with ambition, so Andy never expected too much.
"This is off the subject, but did you find anything out about what the vampires were dealing with on our borders. I know they were protecting that human who bought the acreage. I think there was more going on with that guy than just Billy rousting him." Another thing about Elroy was that he liked to gossip, not maliciously, just informatively, and Andy was there for it. He enjoyed Elroy’s bits and pieces of useful and sometimes spicey info.
