(Warning: for one reason or another some people find themselves to be without threads on their bodies. I will tell you now so you don't get worried later; they don't do this with any sexual intent. You remember that scene from the original Mulan movie where they are all naked and in the lake? It's weird that that's in a disney movie, but anyway, it's more like that)

California was showing Texas around, a bunch of therianthropes following.

"Wow, so, are you guys the only therianthropes left?" Texas asked. California chuckled.

"Nope! we're just one village! the other therianthrope village closest to us belongs to Empress Mexico," California said.

"I see... wait, does this village also have an Empress?" Texas asked.

"No... The other village is a lot more 'Empire' like. We're more of our own community. We do have a leader, but he's married to the Empress so he's usually with her," California said.

"I see... what kind of therianthropes are they?" Texas asked.

"Eagles. They are said to be descendants from Phoenixes themselves," Arizona piped.

"Pffffft every bird has a little Phoenix in em," Tennessee said. Texas smiled.

"That's still cool though! Spain said he was spared by an eagle... tried to protect her daughter too," Texas said.

"No way! Mexico used to talk about that! Being brought to safety by someone... she couldn't tell who he was, but maybe it was that Spain guy!" New Mexico exclaimed.

"Maybe...," Texas said. Soon, they came upon a mural of three eagles. There were two bigger ones, a bald and a golden eagle. Flying above them was a smaller eagle with a ghostly angelic appearance. beneath the mural, was bundles of flowers, among other gifts.

"Whats this?" Texas asked. California sighed.

"Well... the Empress and her husband had a son...," California said.

"wh-what happened?" Texas asked.

"A band of humans attacked us... Their son... their newborn son... was taken... nobody knows if he survived," California said.

"o-oh... that's awful...," Texas said.

"Yeah... Um.... ok, well that certainly brought down the mood...," California said.

"It's about to get worse," Minnesota said, waddling up to them. Let me just say, the way I visualize Minnesota's character has such 'fun wine aunt' vibes and it makes me really happy for no reason.

"oh no," Arizona said.

"What is it?" Virginia exclaimed.

"So, a little human told me the other humans are planning to find us and kill us," Minnesota said.

"What?! A human told you that?!" Mississippi exclaimed.

"I have my own human y'know," Minnesota said.

"Can we trade humans?" Massachusetts asked

"God no," Minnesota said. Texas sighed.

"I think I know who will be leading the charge... let me talk to him," Texas said. California's face immediately dawned a worried expression.

"He tried to kill you. I don't want you near him," California said.

"I'll be ok, I promise," Texas said.

"I'll go with you!" Virginia exclaimed.

"Ok... please stay in your dog form so Confederate doesn't try to hurt you," Texas said. Virginia nodded and shifted into her dog form. The two of them began to leave, but California grabbed Texas and gave him a parting hug.

"Don't die, please," California said.

"Don't worry, dying ain't on my to-do list," Texas said.

Texas and Virginia soon made it to the village, where Texas found Confederate sharpening a bayonet.

"You know you are making a mistake," Texas said.

"Really? I'm making a mistake by protecting my village?" Confederate said.

"You made the threat. You faked the bear attacks. And now, lives could be lost in a pointless battle that you are leading," Texas said.

"Why do you care? did those therianthropes get to your head? they only give a sh*t about themselves," Confederate said.

"Sounds a lot more like you," Texas said. Confederate sighed.

"I was friends with one once... an eagle... when I was young, he'd visit me... one day... he left me... with no explanation. I wandered into the forest to find him, and he had a baby... he was more wrapped up with the little brat than with me... so, I told British Empire where they were, and from what I heard, the little bastard died-,"

"You... You were f*cking jealous that someone cared about their own baby more than you... so you f*cking called someone to hunt his f*cking baby...?" Texas said. Confederate was silent. "What. Is. F*cking. WRONG WITH YOU!?" Texas shouted.

"You would never know what it feels like to be abandoned-,"

"WE MET IN THE F*CKING ORPHANAGE YOU UNCOOKED POTATO! I GET IT, BEING ABANDONDED F*CKING HURTS, BUT YOU CAUSED HIM TO LOSE HIS F*CKING BABY OVER IT?!?!" Texas shouted. Virginia was angrily barking at Confederate. "I'm telling everyone this... they won't follow a pathetic piece of sh*t like you-,"

"You aren't going anywhere," Confederate said, tightly gripping Texas's arm. "When you ran off with that bear, I convinced the town it killed you... Even dug up some fresh defaced corpses to prove it. I'm in this to win Texas. I will stop at nothing. I'd rather die a false hero than live as the town villain. And right now, you're the only thing standing in my way," Confederate said, pressing the flat end of his bayonet against Texas's neck.

Suddenly, Confederate was stabbed in the back by Virginia.

"You don't f*cking mess with my human," Virginia said. Massachusetts (who followed for fun) kicked Confederate in the head.

"...now what? I don't think the villagers will take to kindly to the idea that two therianthropes stabbed Confederate...," Texas said.

"We can set the house on fire...?" Massachusetts said.

"Yeah! Maybe the fire stabbed him!" Virginia exclaimed. Texas sighed.

"You innocent little pups...," Texas said.

"I watched this whole interaction and am very saddened I did not bring popcorn," they heard someone say. They looked over and saw Vatican, Canada (a local lumberjack), France, and Australia (an avid studier of therians, and suspected therian).

"We were here to try and convince Confederate to stop the attacks but uh...," Australia said.

"...now what?" Texas asked.

"We'll buy you some time... I don't think the villagers will be so keen on stopping their invasion, but we can at least slow them down. In the meantime, you tell the therianthrope village to evacuate to the Empire for safety," Canada said. "And... Give this to loony would ya?" Canada handed Texas a coin with a loon on it, which Texas found endearing.

"Ok... I'll probably come back soon, I just want to make sure Virginia and Massy make it home safe... tell Spain I'm ok," Texas said.

"He didn't have a doubt. He trusts you," France said. Texas smiled, and him and the dogs ran back to the therianthrope village. The dogs were agile and knew their way around.

Texas was not.

"Hate to tell ya, but now's not the time for a mud bath," Virginia said, helping Texas out of the mud puddle he had just slipped into.

"haha," Texas said sarcastically.

When they eventually got there, they rallied everyone up and told them they needed to evacuate. This news was taken fairly well, however a few were weary.

"What if they destroy our homes...?" Pennsylvania asked, visibly a bit nervous.

"I'd rather lose my home than my family," Alabama said. Everyone murmured in agreement.

"Ok... well, I guess it's decided... um, Texas... I don't want to tell you how to live your life, but do you maybe want to clean up a bit before we go?" California asked, motioning to his mud-caked everything.

"Uh... we're kinda in a hurry," Texas said.

"And humans get sick easily and we don't need you dying on the way. You can just rinse off at the lake, I'll get you fresh clothes," Louisiana said. Texas sighed, and followed California to the lake.

"Are you sure this is more sanitary than the mud all over me?" Texas asked.

"The nymphs usually keep this water pure," California said.

"Are there actually nymphs in these woods or are you f*ckin with me?" Texas asked.

"There are, they're just shy around new people," California said. Texas sighed. "...well? you gonna clean yourself?" California asked.

"Are you gonna watch me?" Texas asked incredulously.

"I want to make sure you don't drown and die!" California exclaimed.

"I know how to swim, dummy," Texas said.

"Humans can swim?!" California exclaimed. Texas rolled his eyes.

"Everyone can swim," Texas said.

"Oh my god... I don't know why that's so cool to me!" California exclaimed. "Now that I know you can swim...," California said, before stripping. Texas immediately covered his eyes.

"WHY?!" Texas exclaimed.

"What? I'm not about to get my clothes all wet. I just wanted to join...," California said, going in the water. Texas slightly opened his eyes.

"Do therianthropes have no modesty?! You weirdos!" Texas exclaimed. California shrugged.

"Therianthropes adopted the idea of covering our privates from humans who are absolutely shocked to see them as if they don't have their own. You know what is weird? clothes on animals. Now strip, you're still dirty," California said. Texas grumbled, and took off his outer clothes, keeping his underwear. Texas began to wash up, trying to ignore California, but suddenly he felt a hand run along his back.

"OH MY GOD DO YOU MIND?!?" Texas exclaimed.

"Sorry! sorry! It's just... what are these scars near your shoulder blades?" California asked. Texas crossed his arms.

"I don't know, they've been there since I was a baby," Texas said. California was running his fingers along the scars, trying to think of why they looked familiar. "Look, I don't know how therians are about personal space, but I am uncomfortable," Texas said. California backed away, and then looked over to see Arizona walking towards them.

"Are you two almost done? The others are getting kinda anxious-,"

"Show us your back," California said. Arizona gave him a questioning look, but turned around anyway. California stared at the place where Arizona's wings connected to his back, and looked back at Texas. Texas had the same look of realization.

"Texas... what if....you're a therian...?"