Hashtag Step-Dad Problems

(I'm not proud of that title but it so fit Open to Cash and the devil-pups. February 12th.)

"He's NOT our step-dad, Umeme! Stop calling him that." Enzo poked his head around the corner to peer at Cash's sleeping form one more time. He swallowed before joining his sisters behind the rock where they were hiding. "He smells funny."

"He smells like a musty ole' hound dog," Umeme snorted, "I don't trust'im."

"Mommy says he's nice..." Sasha muttered, "Maybe we can get to know him, y'know?" Umeme and Enzo glared at their sister. "What?"

"Grrrr, if Daddy was here, he'd snap at him and rip'im apart limb from limb!" Umeme said with a wild grin, "It's too bad you're too small to do it, Enzo."

"I'm big enough!" Enzo huffed, "You just watch! I could take him." The girls rolled their eyes almost in identical timing. 

"Surrrre you could," Sasha purred.

"And pigs can flap their wings and fly," Umeme cackled. 

If you could take a peaceful snooze in the outlands then Cash wouldn't know how. Too many factors took away from being able to relax, the dirt, the eerie darkness and the reality that there were massive felines and canines and who knows what else calling themselves 'villains' around these parts. Except today none of those were the reasons he couldn't catch a wink. Today, the reason, or reasons, were tucked behind a rock. He could feel their little eyes on him and couldn't help that deep chuckle that rolled from his throat when he heard one of them cackle maniacally.

It should have been worrisome, especially with some of the things they were saying. But Cash had such a soft spot for kids, even if he wasn't going to admit it. The hound rolled over, pushing his neck against the ground the gain the leverage to lift his head and peer back at the rock after a lengthy yawn.

"Well c'mon then, I'm jus' one lil ol' hound dog." he called over to them. He could see the rear end of one of the pups, poking out from behind the rock. The masters of stealth, he could see. "I ain't got much on you three, you best believe. Y'all look tough."

In truth, he wasn't entirely boasting. He knew who their father was and although he didn't like to remind himself, you could see him in each of them. It was plain as day and he could only imagine what they were going to look like when they grew up. But he could also see Dixie in them. And anything with Dixie couldn't be all bad. Well. Except maybe if you took her temper into consideration. If he was lucky, these pups would react with some degree of interest to his encouragement. Quite frankly though Cash was a performer, and he knew how to read his audiences.

Three pups should be no big issue.

" Uh oh..." Enzo swallowed. His rear was the one showing, his tail batting back and forth. The pups poked their heads out from behind the rock where they were hiding and stared up at Cash. He'd heard them! Sasha was worried. Did he think they were gonna hurt him? Ambush him? Aparently he did because he mentioned it to them. Umeme, however, puffed out her chest proudly.

" A'course I can!" Her little southern twang was apparent on her tongue. " Enzo can't! But ah could flatten ya in two seconds!" To prove her point she sashayed out from behind the rock up to Cash and gave him the meanest look she could muster.

" Yah can't flatten him, Umeme!" Sasha barked, trotting out behind her sister, " He's way bigger'n you!"

" We don't wanna flatten you anyway, mister Cash," Enzo whispered, " We was just...uh...talking?"

Cash fought the grin that pulled at his jowls at the pup showed something close to remorse at being caught chatting away behind the rock about him. Three pups, the offspring of a dog he loved and a dog he hated. And yet, it was getting easier and easier to look at them without having to see Roscoe in them too. That was a relief. Cash didn't want to be the selfish one that only saw their dad and couldn't get over it.

He pulled his head back in surprise as one of the kids pounced right up to him and gave him her best scowl. Pretty darn good, though he saw more of Dixie's glower in it than anything really vicious. And that was what made it more endearing that it was intimidating. The hound inhaled sharply although he was shocked, before releasing the bout of air in a deep chuckle.

"Hoo Wee little lady, You got a heck of glare! You got me feelin' like ah cat on a hot tin roof with tha' look. I'll watch mah step 'round you."

He looked to the boy when he spoke, Enzo. Cash remembered a time before he could, when he was just a newborn pup. Mixed pelt of his mom and pops, Cash had met the kids for the first time. Dixie had introduced them and Enzo was the first one to whine on up the hound. Felt like ages ago. He frowned slightly at the memory, despite it sounding nice he remembered feeling like hell at the time. It was a darker stage in his life, and so much had happened. So much was STILL happening.

But he was here now, and taking it one day at a time.

"That so? Well I ain't barkin' up yer tree, there's no harm in that." he chuckled. With some pushing from his front paws, Cash sat up, reaching a pack paw up to scratch at his long neck before straightening up and sitting back on his haunches. A thought occurred to him; Cash hardly liked it in the Outlands, and these were kids all living in this wasteland.

"So what do y'all do 'round here in the Outlands? Can't imagine there's a lot of fun doin's for ya, rowdy folks here an' all.." he pondered. As if to further his point he glanced around, frowning in particular at an old rotted and ashen looking log. Yeah, this was no place for kids, let alone anyone trying to live. He was a little shocked that Dixie had brought them back here in the first place.

Umeme's grin stretched until it couldn't stretch any more. "Darn tootin'!" She said, planting her rear on the ground with a thud, "Why ah'm as ferocious as a...um...uh..."

"As a cat in a burlap sack?" Sasha offered, joining her sister's side. Sasha was her mother to a t. That southern twang, the look in her chocolate eyes, the way she looked up at Cash. She blinked a few times, tail batting back and forth. She looked him up and down a few times. This was the dog her mom called out for in her sleep.

"Nothing," Enzo explained, feeling a little more at ease. At least Mister cash wasn't a...lion. "We used ta go exploring a little more. But Granny caught us poking at crocodiles so we're not allowed out there no more."

"ANYmore," Sasha corrected. Enzo stuck his tongue out at her before turning back to Cash. An idea occurred to him.

"What games did you used to play when you were a young pup?" He asked, sitting beside his sisters.

Cash caught Sasha eyeing him up, but she hardly seemed abashed by his noticing. She just blinked up at him like her own mother did so often, more often when they were younger but it still happened. And every time it was like a breath of fresh air, but watching this pup do it was something real surreal. He couldn't even begin to describe it. He looked to Enzo and tilted his head at the talk of crocodiles. Made sense, kids got into all kinds of trouble.

And then Enzo asked what he did when he was young and he had to strain a little to think something up. How do you look at a kid and say 'Yeah I was a stray- I mostly just did a lot of surviving.' You didn't. But Cash remembered a different time, a time after that in which he did have fun.

"Me?" he grinned, cocking a brow down at the three pups, now all sitting before him. "Well can't imagine I got into any less trouble n' you three. Let's see uhh, used to head up the hills and shove boulders outta place, watch 'em go crashin' down into the tree's. Hang 'round the creek... Tryna' fish out anythin' we could from the water. We din' catch much." he admitted with an unabashed laugh. "There used to be some ol' farmer up the road from where we stayed. We'd head on up there in the evenin' sneak into the hen house and give 'em old birds a right scare. Farmer'd come with tha' big pitch fork ah his, chase us up the road and givin' us what for." he chuckled, remembering a different time.

"Guess ah found s'much trouble as you kids do. Then ah met yer ma." he chuckled fondly, scratching at his chin as he recalled how much he'd tried to straighten out for her. Guess he still ended up being that no good hound dog throughout all these years. Same Cash.

Their eyes widened with awe and wonder. Throwing rocks? Chasing chickens and birds? Playing in an environment that didn’t require them to hide or tiptoe around lions who could eat them? That sounded amazing to them. Then the subject of their mother came up and the girls piped up. Enzo’s eyes narrowed softly. He and the girls knew that Cash and their mother had been a thing. They were terribly confused. Mostly Enzo though. Sasha knew how it felt to have her heart torn. Between her father, Uncle Copper and this new father figure that was rearing his head. And making her mother so much happier.

“Aw we don’t find too much trouble, Mister Cash,” Umeme said with a sheepish grin, “We just…um…like ta run around. Mama lets us do it.”

“Umeme, hush,” Sasha whistled, “Mister Cash was gonna tell us about Mama.” The kids didn’t know much about their mother’s background, nor their fathers. The Outlands and a few other things were all these kids knew. “How’d you two meet mister Cash?”

“Didja guys sing together?” Enzo asked.

“Ah can sing!” Sasha piped up.

“Me too!” Enzo whistled. Umeme lowered her head.

“I can’t…” She grumbled.

Cash grinned warmly down at the trio of kids. Still managing to be so eager and full of curiosity, even in this war. Perhaps there was more hope than he realized, to keep them unscathed. They weren't so bad. The barrage of statements and questions came at once but he managed to keep his cool, laughing and waving a paw at them to simmer down so he could respond.

"So we got a couple ah fine pipes and our muscle. No shame in 'at." he remarked, reminding Umeme that she was in fact the tough one. Or at least made herself out to be that way. "Me and yer ma..." he pondered aloud thoughtfully. He didn't mind returning to these memories. These were good ones, better than the time they were in now.

"When ah met yer mom ah was a no good mangy hound. Still young, but ah had a dream to sing. Couldn't do it all on mah own though. I needed a crew, an ah didn't know ah needed yer ma' until ah saw her." he chuckled. "Most beautiful thing ah'd ever seen." he stated matter of factually. "She din' want anythin' to do with me though. Probably had the right idea, ah was a bit of a handful back then. Took me ages and ah had to talk 'er into it, but ah did." he recalled fondly the day Dixie had finally given into his persistent sweet talking. She was smarter than to just run off on a whim with someone, Cash knew he'd have to work for it.

"We were the singin' strays, we worked gigs any shot we got and stuck at it. We made it to the Grand Ole Opry me and yer ma' did. The boys, Waylon and Floyd, and Granny Rose. Those were some good days. Some good times." He didn't bother to mention that old tattered cat, Zelda. Even after all his growing he'd done in this war he still didn't like that stupid cat.

“Wooooooooooow.” The trio of pups was mesmerized. Long forgotten was Cash’s status as their Mom’s secret or not so secret lover. Long forgotten was their plan to watch Cash and sit back after and talk about him amongst themselves. And maybe with Zahir and the others for judgment purposes. All of that was forgotten. Now was just Cash’s stories. Umeme’s maw was open, thinking about wandering wild and free. Sasha thought about singing on the road with her Mama at the Grand Ole’ Orpy…whatever that was. Enzo imagined rocking out on stage.

“What’s the Grand Ole’ Oprey Mister Cash?” Sasha asked, scooting closer to him.

“Hang on a second. Granny Rose can SING?!” Umeme gasped, “No way!”

“Yeah! I don’t believe that!” Enzo laughed, “Granny hasn’t ever sang before!”

“D’you wanna hear ME sing, Mister Cash? Huh? Do ya?” Sasha bounced off her feet and placed a paw on her chest. The voice that echoed did sound a bit like Dixie’s, cute and sweet. The words she sang were the words her Mama had sang them when she wanted to lull them to sleep. “We’re the perfect maaaaaaaatch! Cuz we’re in harmonyyyyyyyy! Oooooohhhhh!”

“Sometimes…I wish I could sing…” Umeme grumbled, kicking a stone under her feet.

Cash couldn't help it. The perk in his floppy ears, the light in his eye. It was like the old Cash all over again being brought out from witnessing the fresh talent of a young couple of pups. They were so surprised with Granny too, and to be honest who wouldn't be? If she hadn't told them. He was surprised Granny hadn't sat down with the kids and talked them up about the past, at least to try and keep their minds off of where they actually were. And maybe that was part of the healing process that Cash was experiencing right now.

"Grand Ol' Opry." he repeated. "Well little darlin' it was the greatest thing for country singer's everywhere. You best believe Granny Rose was right up there with'em. Big stage, bigger'n you've ever seen. Lights, audience. N'all the music you'd ever want. Cash spoke with an almost dreamy tone. Disbelief himself, that the thing existed. But he'd been there. It was real.

And then Sasha started singing. She really was the spitting image of her mother, and you could hear it in her voice too. It was bizarre. But Cash couldn't sing that song with the pup even if he wanted too. It brought up a different kind of feeling in him, and he couldn't quite bring himself to open it up without the rest of his family there with him. Waylon, Floyd, Granny and Dixie. So he chuckled, grinning down at the pipe.

"Set ah pipes on yah! Jus' like yer ma!" he remarked. And then the flip side, of Umeme grumbling about not being able to sing. "Well it ain't all about the words now little lady..." he cooed, arching his neck down to a more suitable level to address a doting pup. "It's got beats and banjo, and backup vocals. Granny Rose ain't a singer like yer ma but she's just a valuable. Bes' believe." he compelled, hoping it was enough to sway the kid.

Sasha’s tail was a blurr. Mister Cash was so cool! Not like her Pop, her absent pop. Not like Uncle Copper, even though he was a close second to cool. But this Cash was cooler than a penguin’s behind if she did say so herself. “Thanks!” She barked up.

“Mama sings us that song at night when we’re scared,” Enzo explained, “We don’t know too many other songs.” Umeme was thinking about what Cash said. She was used to being the tough one, the scrappy one. But her siblings could sing like the birds in the morning and she just…couldn’t…

“Backup vocals, huh?” She snorted up at him, “I guess…” She kicked the dirt again. “And you’re Suuuuuure that’s important too? I mean don’t everybody just like the lead singers?”

That set a pang in his heart. As much as he was happy to see the pups bouncing around and looking pleased with him, the idea of Dixie singing their song to them was much more impacting. He could just imagine it, her singing it quietly to them and their dad didn't have a clue.

"Don' say? Well it ain't a bad. We'll have to teach yeh some new ones. Ah couple ah songs when yer ma's in a stray band? Now tha' just ain't right, is it?"

Their dad. These kids didn't have one right now. And Cash wouldn't pretend to be their dad, that wouldn't be fair. But he was there still, all the same he'd be whatever these kids needed him to be for them. He'd sigh heavily, if he wasn't concerned it would bring up some questions. Copper must've been keeping an eye on them before he rolled back into town. That thought gave him some comfort, the kid always had bean smart, if not a little naive.

"Yeah?" Cash countered softly with a chuckle when Umeme expressed concerns, "Well you go on an' tell yer ol' Granny Rose tha' you ain't sure what she does is important then. Waylon' n' Floyd too, fer tha' matter."
Without too much of a warning, the hound leaned down with a swift movement, and bucked Umeme's chin up with a soft bump from his nose.

"C'mon kid, chin up!" he encouraged.