Chapter 27

The End is the Start

Epilogue

Declaimer: Well, thanks everyone who has commented thus far, but as any story and fiction this has sadly come to an end. But this isn't the end, not really. This is only the end of the first story, and we there are a couple more to do still. So sit back and read this final chapter. I will continue part two in a month or two, I just need to take a little break, that is all, I mean fourteen months on this, time for a little break, don't you think? Anyways, this is JFR.

It had been a quiet night for the Cooper family which was a change for the week. Everyone was sleeping soundly but a certain raccoon wasn't. He had woken up an hour ago when he heard one of his cubs whimpering. He had gotten up to see if he could handle instead of his mate who was more ragged than him, and they had both had restless nights being woken up. Two months of this, he was hoping that soon things would change or he would just get used to the sleep deprivation.

When he had managed to crawl out of his bed and pull away from his vixen as carefully as he could, he found that it was Allen causing all the fuss. He was actually surprised that his mate hadn't been woken up from it, since she normally woke up once she heard them. Once he had crawled to the foot of the bed where the two small cribs were he found his youngest son with his eyes open and looking about for his parents. He had picked up his cub and held him close, whispering sooth nothings to him so he would go back to sleep. He did after a couple of minutes and he gurgled happily in his sleep, and that made him smile, both in relief and because he was content with his new role as a father. Sure being woken up every night when he wanted a descent night's sleep bothered him to no end, but his father had gone through the same thing he was now.

Instead of going back to the head of the bed and getting back underneath the covers, he sat there with Allen in his arms, and brushed the small wisps of gray hair growing from the top of his head. The cub grabbed his finger a couple of times and started to suckle on it, and he could feel the small points of teeth coming through the gums, he was starting to teeth. He knew now that was why his mate had been so grumpy of late, it mustn't have been fun feeding them of late. As he stayed awake with his youngest child cradled in his arms, he looked back on the last three weeks since both of his cubs had been born into this world.

Carmencita and Allen had grown a lot over the past three weeks, they weren't small anymore and had gained a lot of weight. They were weren't as soft now and he could hold them a bit tighter when he needed to, mainly because they had started to become uncomfortable in his arms. He had to admit it they had his sense of adventure, they kept wanting to explore more. His mate had told him she and her brothers had been very much the same as they were now, but it would get worse once they started learning how to walk on two legs.

He had shook his head as he thought about all the chaos that had come of late with the two little ones around. They didn't scream or cry as much as they thought they would, they would cry softly then start getting louder, but not as loud as most infants did, which was a relief to both parents. For the most part they would whimper, and whine and that would get louder and wouldn't stop till they came over to find out what the problem was. Being a father was fun, he didn't deny it, but it had its challenges as well. Even with taking care of the little ones he was still able to spend time with his oldest cub, and he had been having just as rough nights as his parents were with the sleep deprivation. He wasn't as worn as them but he would wake up most mornings groggily and be in a grumpy mood, and wouldn't talk much.

Leon though had been handling it well, and he loved spending time with both his sister and brother when he got home from school. He would play with them, hold them, talk to them trying to make them talk back, and neither of his parents could be any happier with him. They had expected him to go back to his original self, due to them not being able to spend enough time with him, but they had been doing their best to spend as much time with all three of their kids. Besides that the only new news with their cubs was that their eyes opened four days ago.

Allen's eyes had surprised Sly, they weren't like his or his mothers. They looked very familiar to his father's eyes, and that was a rusty-brown. Even though this had seemed odd to Sly at first he finally just got used to it, and was glad to see that his son bore something like his grandfather in him. Carmencita's were a dark, sapphire blue, which came from Carmelita's mother. Her eyes were very beautiful, almost as much as his mate's but nothing would seem more beautiful to him then Carmelita.

Both the cubs had been curious to who their parents were for a couple of hours when their eyes had opened, never seeing them before, or anything really. But once they had confirmed with scent and sound who both their mom and dad were they were back to their old selves again, well almost. They had been very touchy, grabby and curious when they were being picked up. They were either trying to grab their ears, or their hair, but most of the time they grabbed their muzzle, which made their parents laugh at how cute they were being.

When the father finally put his child back into his crib he crawled back over to the head of the bed and snuggled back into his vixen, and pulled the covers back over them. There he had been for an hour, looking at his wife, who looked so peaceful asleep against him. Did he forget to mention that they had gotten married a week ago. It wasn't anything big, it was just something down at the courthouse, and though he felt guilty for not inviting his friends he did send them the pictures Leon had taken for them. Carmelita enjoyed that day all the same, and was very happy, and so was Sly. She had sent these photos and the ones of their cubs to her parents who had called two days ago, and they had congratulated and expressed how happy they were for her. Her mother had finally come around after they last saw each other before they moved from France, and seeing her so happy in the pictures, it changed her outlook on Sly. If he could make her so happy then she was okay with it. And seeing them together with their cubs, and being a family also just ended her hatred towards Sly.

Thinking about their wedding, the coon looked at his right hand, and looked at the silver ring on his wedding finger. It wasn't anything fancy but he had it specially engraved with an Interpol star. It reminded him of Carmelita, because she always wore her collar with the badge, if he was correct she still had that collar and badge with her, in her cabinet draw with all his calling cards. Hers was engraved as well, and it had his calling card carved into it. Just a way for them to remember each other if they were ever apart, which he doubted would happen. For now, all he had planned was being by her side and with his family, that was all that mattered to him.

Speaking of which the same vixen at the present moment in time was cuddled into his side, her head resting against his chest. He strained his neck forward and kissed the tip of her nose and he felt her smile against his bare chest. He had his left arm wrapped firmly around hips, and his right rubbing her upper arm tenderly. The only other response he got from the kiss he gave her was her tail wrapping around his more tightly.

Having their bodies flushed together made him feel warmer but not uncomfortably so. Just enough for him to feel cozy and relaxed. It helped that the covers were thinner than they were in France and it also helped that all he was wearing was a simple pair of blue boxers. All she was wearing was a night-dress that hardly went a quarter way down her thigh. It was very thin, but not enough for anything to be showing. He loved feeling her this close, being so close to his wife always cheered him up.

He closed his eyes finally, seeing that there were still some hours before the sun rose to start the day. Mr. Cooper started to drift to sleep, and let out a long sigh of content.

He had started in an orphanage, than he had lived on the streets, started to steal, then being chased by Interpol, and having them send their best after him. After all the crimes he had done, and all the thefts, and heists. He had somehow managed to end up in the same bed as the vixen who was assigned to bring him to justice, and then years later after their secret relationship he was this vixen's husband, and was father to their children. Sly couldn't help but smirk, his life may have started off rough, but it had ended up like this, and there was no where he would rather be then here, right now, with his family.

His time may have been over as the master thief, but it wasn't the end of the Cooper line. In years to come, there would be a new Cooper doing what he had done, and he couldn't wait to help teach them or him or her to become the next master thief. Sly finally drifted back off to sleep feeling very happy, he had come so far in his life.

Soon. He said to himself thoughtfully. And the second to last thing he thought to himself before falling to sleep was. Soon it will be time to start teaching Leon to become the next Cooper. And I can't wait to see what kind of thief he will be. Leon Francisco Cooper, now that has a ring to it. It's his time, it's time for him to Inherit the Thievius Racconus, it's time for him to inherit the cane, and to take up the Cooper Clans legacy. Soon it will be his time to know what it means to truly be a thief, and then it's up to him to choose his path. He can either use the techniques and gift I give him to become the best thief he can, or he can abuse it and become another Outcast Cooper.

Mr. Cooper felt his wife snuggle into his embrace even more and start to purr happily. He stroked some of her cobalt hair with his eyes closed, and inhaled her scent, feeling on the very edge of consciousness and sleep. One thing that was on his mind though before he fell asleep was something that would cause a problem in the future for Leon. He fell asleep after he finished this thought, in the comforting embrace of his wife.

He won't have to just deal with his enemies and rivals, but he will also have to deal with mine. I can only hope that they don't know about him and will never come near him or the rest of us. It is only a matter of time…..and time….time will tell all what will…..come.

End of Part I

Disclaimer: Two chapters in two days. Alright for those of you that don't know and are hoping for it, yes there is a sequel to Clash of Canes. It is called Inheritance of the Canes. This will be coming out in a month or two, or maybe in two weeks, we'll see won't we my friends. I've decided to not wait a year or two, I can do both my book's notes, and this at the same time. I do this at night anyways, because it's always best for a thief to come out at night. So Remain patient and the sequel will start in a month, two months. So till then this is JFR, and if you guys have questions or just want to talk to me about your story plans or a part of the story you like and what to talk about, or maybe to give me some ideas of your own, or I could help you with ideas of your own. Till then this is Ominous JFR, and you'll be seeing more of stories soon.