Sunday, December 2

Vera felt a little thrown off as the Minutemen players dressed for the game in the Roots Garden visitors locker room. Coach Morgan Roosevelt (Raccoon) had given them their instructions and suggestions before they got dressed. Roosevelt had unpredictable gyrations on the sidelines, but he was a creature of habit in the locker room. He always gave that talk after they got dressed in their uniforms.

Regardless, La Tiérra got dressed normally, chatting with the other ladies of the team. When she came back out of the smaller ladies' room to join the men, something still seemed off. Teo Masalia (Black Panther, SG, WIL) seemed ready for the game as he gave her a smile, as did William Handon (Panther, F/C, WIL). Something was odd about those two, Vera thought, but she shook her head briefly and looked to big Leonard Mack (Fox, F/C, WIL) who gave her a smile and a hug around the shoulder.

"Do you feel better today?" he asked.

"Si, Lennie, I feel a little better today," she admitted.

"You ready to play?"

"Yes, tonight will be different," she said.

"It sure will," Leonard said. Vera absent-mindedly looked down, and did a double-take as she noticed an unfamiliar sight.

"Leonard, jou're not ready for the game. Jou dun have your sneakers on," she said. Vera was right; the vixen saw only Leonard's big, black-gloved feetpaws. Mack could only smile and walked back to the benches. That just made Vera more suspicious and confused.

Finally, the coaches came out of their small office for the game's pep talk. Vera was relieved to see that, but because she looked down at Leonard's feet, she looked down at Morgan's and Kelsey's feet as well.

Them too?!

Roosevelt and Hampshire gave her friendly smiles as she looked back up. "Now I see why you play without sneakers, Vera. It's pretty liberating," Morgan teased.

Now it all made sense: no one's wearing shoes tonight.

La Tiérra started shaking her head and threw up her paws.

"No, no. Don't do this, Coche. Everyone, please. Don't do this."

"Why not?" Morgan asked.

"Because! It'll show to this whole crowd that I'm struggling! It'll make it worse! I don't want any of you to do that!" she protested. There was a slight hint of panic in her voice.

"Vera, calm down. We want to do it. It was Leonard and Teo's idea," William explained. "I think it's a great." Others voiced their agreement. The vixen frowned, still unsure, but Mack gently let her look at him.

"Vera, there was something my mom used to say when I didn't want her to do something: Tough cookies," he said. Gales of laughter erupted from the players and Vera giggled a little herself, slightly relaxing. Leonard continued:

"Vera La Tiérra, you are our captain. You are our leader. You always have been. So we will play just like you. Not just without sneakers, but with the determination and confidence you've always shown us," he said. "Play with that confidence and determination tonight. Please," he implored. The vixen seemed to be collecting her thoughts, taking a few moments, but her nod of approval seemed confident as she finally smiled. "Gracias, Lennie," she said, subtly playing a little footsie with him and brushing her tail against his.

"Everyone in and on three," she then instructed, the players putting their paws and claws in the middle of the huddle.

"One. Two. Three."

"MINUTEMEN!"

FBA c  BuckHopper