It had been another day of hard work for RJ and everyone else. They gathered double of what they normally did; all the while trying to avoid any contact with humans, dogs, and anything else that could be a problem. RJ was really adjusting to his knew home, which surprised him more than he thought it, would. Sure, he could've adjusted when he first met everyone but he wasn't planning on staying with them that was why. Everyone seemed to be happy he was finally part of the family, most of all hammy.

Hammy had never really had anyone to talk to, well anyone to really, really talk too that is. Hammy had been making the least progress at gathering food out of everyone, which was a real surprise. Hammy was usually the one getting the most food of all, especially with his super fast abilities and reflexes. Anytime someone asked him if something was wrong, hammy just shook his head and said "I'm fine" or "No, just tired". RJ wanted to believe nothing was wrong but knew that at this point everything about hammy was turning upside down somehow. RJ tried talking with hammy about it that afternoon after their all day foraging but hammy said he was fine and began acting random and hyper again. No one doubted that he was feeling better, but RJ still was unsure if he was really feeling better or if he was pretending. That was the main concern of everyone that afternoon but they decided whatever it was, it would be better if they didn't ask again, at least not for awhile. RJ had been thinking of the entire day. He relayed it in his head over and over.

The sun was completely down now, the stars and moon were out, and Verne was helping Penny and Lou tell their kids a story, Stella and her new Persian friend were cuddled next to each other talking, while ozzy and heather talked about the concept of fainting. "Ok, you three, you got your story, now please go to bed, we have a big day tomorrow." Verne had just finished telling the triplet porcupines another bedtime story, "ahh do we have to Verne?" one of them said "Yeah, your not our parents." They all laughed at that "yeah but we are; now you little youngsters get to bed." Penny, Lou and their kids went back to side of the log that wasn't full of food and got ready to nestle in for the night.

"Ok heather; tell me what you have learned about the art of faking your own death." Ozzie asked like a teacher would to a student, heather had a prideful smile come across her face "well, the first thing to do when threatened is see if you can escape but If I can't then I fall over as quickly as possible. The attacking predator will most likely think I'm dead already. "Very good heather, what do you see we get to sleep like everyone else?" "I say, I'm not tired but whatever…" they both smiled and headed off to the resting place. Hammy was trying to find someplace else to sleep, away from everyone else. This was the third time that week that hammy had done this. RJ was in his usual spot ion a tree limb. He couldn't sleep, he wasn't tired, not much anyways, RJ couldn't think of anything that would help him fall asleep. "Ok let me think, something boring, uh….sleeping…is boring." RJ had been so happy to be in a loving place for once where he had friends to talk with. He was no longer alone but it hit him that he still kept a preference for solitude.
"Why do I stay up here?" RJ thought to himself as he watched everyone sleep closely in a group. RJ had still been sleeping alone in his usually spot on a tree. All of his friends were so peaceful and sleeping soundly, well everyone except hammy who was twitching and talking in his sleep again. RJ focused his attention on hammy, "What is with him anyways?" "He's so…different compared to the others…" As he pondered at the thought hammy began to talk out loud in his sleep, RJ jumped to the ground wanting to see what hammy was dreaming about, but the brush underneath his feet proved it would be difficult to sneak up on him quietly. RJ knew was definitely dreaming about something, the proof of that was hammy's twitching and kicking. "What are you up to?" RJ whispered in hammy's ear faintly. RJ sat next to his dreaming friend "what are you dreaming of, soda, Nacho flavored chips, cookies, or…." RJ paused "…RJ…" that sole word is what slipped from hammy's mouth leaving RJ stunned.

"Uh hammy? What about me?" RJ was really curious now, dreaming was one thing but when it's about you, well you can't help but want to know what their dreaming of. Hammy turned over and mumbled something. What RJ didn't realize is that hammy was awake now and was still trying to pretend he was asleep. Hammy thought of what he would say in his sleep, and immediately mumbled "cookies…" again. RJ sighed "well whatever, guess its nothing, I better be getting to sleep myself, goodnight hammy." RJ stood back up and walked to the nearest tree and began to climb up it and then rested in the center of its trunk. RJ didn't think much more of hammy's dream, it wasn't like he was screaming in his sleep or anything. Besides, hammy was so random while awake that RJ wouldn't be surprised if he was the same way while asleep too. Hammy on the other hand was still awake, and wanted to just go back to sleep but couldn't. Hammy looked up at the tree RJ slept in "goodnight RJ…,… I hope it really will be…a good…night…" Hammy curled up comfortably and closed his eyes hoping he would instantly fall asleep. It seemed impossible for hammy to sleep well at all anymore. "RJ, I did dream about you…, I had a nice dream…but…" Hammy stopped talking and felt his heart sink at the thought. He remembered what had been happening almost every night. Hammy was tired of it, he wanted it to end, it had to, no more pain, no more disturbing images, no more anything. Hammy only wished he had his nice dream about RJ as many times as he had….the nightmare…