J.M. Snyder

Once a Yankee soldier, Brance Brenneman has left the War Between the States behind and gone into hiding with his lover, former Confederate Caleb Chilson. Deserters intent on keeping to themselves, they find a nice, sparse acre of land where they can finally settle down. Life falls into domesticated routine for both the brooding Yank and the excitable Rebel. Together they struggle to create a more perfect union forged of love and their shared shapeshifting secret.<br><br>But the discovery of another bobcat encroaching on their territory brings out the possessive alley cat in Caleb, eager to defend his home and his mate. Will the newcomer destroy what they've worked so hard to attain? Or is there room enough for the three of them deep in the wilderness of Pennsylvania?

A More Perfect Union

There were bobcat tracks on this side of the ridge as well.At first glance,the snow looked as churned up as it did on their land,but a closer look revealed two sets of tracks from the same cat,one coming,one going.There was an indention near the edge of the ravine where the bobcat had obviously lain,perhaps to watch Brance and Caleb—how long she had been there before they noticed,Brance had no clue.But a fresh scrape nearby proclaimed the limits of the feline’s territory,and the trees showed signs of claw marks as well.This had been a restless cat,patrolling the edge of the ravine like an armed guard—paw prints paced back and forth,and the sulfuric smell of urine filled the area.“She was here not too long ago,”Caleb announced as he kicked at one clear print in the snow.“Some time after we left.”


Brance bent to retrieve a broken twig.“See if you can’t figure out which way she went.”


Chapter 8