New years eve was spent on the road to the next show. The crew stopped to celebrate at a truck stop, with champagne and other spirits. Then after the festivities were finished, they were back on their way to the next show.
Days turned into weeks and before Tracey knew it, she had spent her third month with everyone. The concerts themselves were going pretty straight forward. Occasionally she would need to pluck an excitable fan off the stage, but there hadn't been any outright drama.
Every time she had to appear on stage though, the fans would cheer and applaud her. She had taken to treating them with a lighter touch these days. Usually, she would tug them behind the stage, scold them and turn them back loose into the crowd to finish the show. With the token threat, that if they tried it again, she would throw them out of the venue.
Tracey found herself at the side of the stage during Leo's Valentine's Day concert. Love was in the air and the idol was really into it. He even wore an alteration of his usual stage outfit, going with pink and white. She had threatened to hurt him severely if he pulled anything with her during the show.
Another sappy song, the fourth one in an hour. Each time he finished he would look her way and the wolf would give him a blushing grin. The stage lights and laser beams made her small silver pendant he wore shine with sparkle on his mostly open chest.
The bodyguard shook her head with a smile and started to move back to the other side of the stage, where Max had been. The poor rat had run off to make his third emergency bathroom trip of the night.
However, something caught her eye and gave her pause. She looked out to see a young girl quickly scramble up on stage after security became lax in that section.
"Are you kidding? While I'm feeling all fuzzy and giddy, one of you assholes decides to do this?" The wolf barked the words out to herself over the performance and quickly tugged at her gloves, before pushing past the curtains.
Her white ears elevated as the crowd cheered and called out when they saw her. She felt her cheeks darken slightly like they always did. She heard a few yells from the mass of adoration for her specifically, particularly one fan screaming out. "I love you, Tracey!"
They knew her name now, well of course they did. Those stupid videos and the ram blabbing his mouth on that dumb tv show. She shot a look in the direction of where she heard the adoration and gave a quick toothy grin, then shifted her gaze on the young woman that had climbed the stage.
She had stopped her advance when she saw Tracey come out from behind stage. The young woman was a wolf like the bodyguard, even down to the white ears, tail, and hair. Her hair wasn't nearly as long as Tracey's though, only coming down to her shoulders. Tracey gave a visible sigh before placing her hands on her hips, giving the other dog a shake of her head.
The bodyguard extended her hand and crooked a finger, beckoning the younger wolf to her. "Please just behave and come here... I don't want to tackle you and interrupt the show..." She barked the words out, but knew it would be impossible to be heard over the performance.
An excited grin spread on the girls face and she quickly trotted over to the older wolf, her large white tail wagging like a puppy. Tracy cocked an eyebrow and motioned her around the curtain, making sure to stay within grabbing reach if she tried to bolt.
Once behind the stage, the bodyguard folded her arms and snapped out sternly at the girl. "What the hell are you doing, girl? Did you come here to see Blue, or go to jail?"
"N-neither! I came here to see you!" The younger wolf barked the words out and wagged her tail.
Tracey showed her teeth and looked into the girl's eyes while growling. She looked like she might have been eighteen or nineteen at best and her eyes were a soft brown. The older wolf felt a chill go up her spine, the eye color reminding her of Helen. She looked away and up on stage at Leo still performing.
Two of the security goons came over to the two of them. "Should we escort her out, ma'am?"
"Now you want to do your jobs? Fuck off and go help at the stage!" Tracey barked the words at the two larger men, who scowled at her but left the two wolves be.
"Y-you're so cool!" The younger dog spoke out, her cheeks dark and her tail still wagging.
"You're an idiot kid..." Tracey muttered the words and jerked her head. "C'mon... let's go for a walk."
"O-okay!" The younger wolf paced up next to her. "I'm Hilde by the way, I'm really exci-"
"I didn't ask for your name." Tracey barked out while they walked. Hilde drooped her ears and looked away, growing silent.
The two dogs moved further backstage until the sound of the performance was muted enough she could talk without shouting. Tracey leaned against the wall, planting her boot against it and bending her leg. She crossed her arms over her stomach before growling out. "I would have already thrown your ass out by now, but... You remind me of my grandmother. So... Hilde, what's your deal?"
Hilde met Tracey's azure eyes with her own soft brown ones. "I- uh... t-that is..."
"Calm down, girl. I'm not going to kick your ass or throw you out. So relax and just tell me what you were hoping to accomplish with this silly shit." The older wolf huffed the words out, trying to be more comforting.
"I just think you're amazing and cool. I'm... a big fan of yours." Hilde spoke the words excitedly, the tone of voice reminding her of how the fans spoke around Leo, during autograph sessions.
"You have terrible taste in role models, Hilde." Tracey showed her teeth in a grin and kicked off the wall. "I will admit I never thought I would have a fan though. I'm flattered..."
"You have a lot of them, Tracey! I'm a member of a community online of them. We've got a few hundred members and there are multiple communities!" The younger dog wagged her tail as she started explaining.
"T-that... is unsettling... I'm just a normal girl, Hilde... I've got baggage like crazy and a truckload of issues. I'm nothing to idolize." Tracey clicked her tongue and looked back towards the stage area.
"The fact you're so down to earth and humble, just makes you even more amazing!" Hilde waged her tail furiously and clenched her fists, looking upon the slightly larger wolf. "I can't believe this worked... I can't believe I'm getting to talk to you!"
"It was a stupid idea and you're an idiot for trying it!" Tracey barked the words at the younger dog. Hilde flinched at the words while The older wolf spoke out again. "How old are you?"
"I-I'm nineteen..." Hilde looked away awkwardly at the reprimand.
"You're not a kid anymore Hilde, this kind of stunt could have gotten you jail time. You want a record following you around?" The blue-eyed wolf folded her arms and then frowned at the dejected look on the younger wolf's face. "L-look, I'm just..."
Tracey sighed and reached out, putting a hand on the young wolf's head, rubbing her ears and hair comfortingly. "I'm just busting your chops because I don't want you to fuck up, okay?"
Hilde's eyes widened at the touch and she looked back at Tracey, nodding her head several times, her eyes shined as if they were growing wet. "Y-yes, thank you!"
The bodyguard showed her teeth and playfully ruffled the younger wolf's white locks, before pulling her hand away. "Well we're here... promise me you won't do boneheaded shit like this anymore and I will answer a few questions for you."
"Really?" Hilde's brown eyes sparkled and she quickly ran her fingers through her hair, fixing it. "Ah... yes I promise not to! So I can ask anything?"
