I'm baaaaack! I know it's been a while, but I 100% guarantee you that this and the next chapter will be worth the wait more than any previous chapters combined! Oh yes, I have two chapters for you instead of one. Here's the first!
Chapter 6: Problems and Solutions
As Mary walks down the forest path that will take her to Elroy's dwelling, she has decided not to tell him that she is sterile.
Mary thinking: "That way, we can still fall in love and get married. After a few years of that, that's when I'll tell him. He'll be so used to loving me for who I am that he'll never want a divorce."
Satisfied that her plan will work, she continues walking. Then stops when she catches the scent of someone that causes Mary to be on her guard. It's Tabitha. Rather than stealthily walking so as to hide her approach, Mary runs forward, determined to confront Tabitha head-on. When she reaches the spot where Tabitha is, Mary is too late. The shrew has finished whispering something into Elroy's ear.
The full-blooded possum turns to face Mary and says, "Tabitha just said that you're a sterile hybrid. If I can't have any kids with you, then we're no longer boyfriend and girlfriend."
Mary might as well give up now, but she's too much of a raccoon to do that.
Mary: "But what about all the great times we've had together? All the games we've played, all the dates we've been on, all the pranks we've done on others? Just because I'm sterile doesn't change the fact that we still love each other."
Elroy: "Yes it does! I'll just find a girl possum who loves me and I'll get married to her and have joeys."
Realizing that anymore talking to Elroy is a losing battle, Mary instead glares at Tabitha and says venomously, "You turned him against me!"
Shockingly, Elroy comes in to Tabitha's defense.
Elroy: "All she did was tell me the truth about you before I made a dead-end marriage. Tabitha saved me from a life of disappointment—a life of being with you! With a sterile, half-breed, hybrid, freak!"
Freak...Normally that word wouldn't hurt Mary like it used to, but when it comes from the boy she loves in such a spiteful tone it feels awful. Mary collapses to her knees and says in a heart-breaking tone, "I...I'm not a freak..."
Elroy: "Yes you are, freak! You're gross, and I don't want to get any of your disgusting hybrid germs on me!"
Mary (tears running down her face): "I...didn't choose to be sterile...It's not my fault..."
Elroy: "Yeah, go on and cry! No one will ever wanna marry you!"
Suddenly a time jump happens and Mary sees that Elroy is married to a female possum. What's worse is that he looks so happy with her. Then, Mary sees Elroy and his mate playing with their children. It's everything that Mary will never have or experience.
Tabitha: "You deserve to die alone and miserable because that's the only life any hybrids will ever live. You might as well end it all now, that way no one else will have to suffer from your whining!"
A rope lands in front of Mary and wraps itself around her as if it was a boa constrictor. Mary doesn't even move a finger in self-defense as the rope tightens around her, making it hard to breathe. She welcomes death, because that is the only destiny for a hybrid like herself.
Mary: "No...not just a hybrid. A sterile, half-breed, hybrid, freak..."
More squeezing from the rope causes Mary's vision goes all black.
Mary gasps, sits up with a short yelp, and is relieved to see herself inside the log.
Mary thinking: "It was just a nightmare...But I rarely have bad dreams. Did not sleeping beside daddy have something to do with it?"
She looks over to RJ and sees the vacant spot where she would normally be. She thinks back to how things would be if she slept beside him. She and him would be laying on their sides, curled in a ball. Her head would be snuggly resting against his white-furred chest, the rising and falling of his breathing and his heartbeat feeling like a gently massage. His arms would be wrapped around her in a hug, his tail would be coiled around her like covers. Whenever she turned in the opposite direction, she would breathe in his pleasant scent.
It hasn't even been one night and it already feels like those memories are from years ago. Mary gets up and almost starts walking over to him, then remembers her dream and doesn't do it.
Mary thinking (in anger): "He's the reason I'm in an unescapable mess. He and mommy are the reason I'm sterile."
That thought makes her think back to her dream, which makes her realizes two things. One, Elroy will find out about her sterility sooner or later, so there's no reason to hide it from him. And two, if she isn't the one to tell him about it, Tabitha might do it. Wanting to avoid her nightmare from coming true, Mary changes her priorities. She will first go to where Elroy lives to tell him about her "condition," and then leave her parents behind. She oddly isn't too concerned about the latter because her dad was much younger than she was when he started living on his own. She also trusts her being half raccoon to think of ways to survive on her own.
"Half raccoon..." she muses. "It seems like an insult to myself to even think that."
Wanting to change the topic, she remembers that she intended to take Bernard and De'Ausha with her, but looks over and discovers that those two are still asleep. Not wanting to waste any time, she plans on writing a note and putting it in Bernard's golf bag explaining where he should meet her when he wakes up.
Mary carefully tiptoes out of the log and into the main living area. The sun is already rising, and she takes a few moments to enjoy the beautiful sight. Then, she notices her and Bernard's golf bags are sitting alongside the log. There's a note attached to both of them and she takes the one off of hers and reads it.
Mary,
After talking with ur Uncle Verne last nite, I brot bak ur golf bags after u kids fell asleep. The reson is b-cuz I know wen someone needs to literally go find themselves. If u choose to do that, B careful owt there, and know that u always hav a home here with us. Don't 4get that many animals n the forest can help u with food & sheltr, & they will keep me posted on where u are in case something happens. Despite how much u hate me and ur mommy rite now, I know that you'll come bak to us when u hav found urself.
I luv u & ur brother mor than anything in the hole wide world. Always hav and always will.
*Heart symbol* Daddy
Mary scoffs and tears the note in two. She then hears the sound of something climbing down a tree. Thinking that it could be a nocturnal predator looking for a snack before going to bed, she flattens herself against the log's exterior and remains motionless. Whatever the animal is, it sounds like it's having a hard time climbing down the tree trunk—or is being very careful to not blow its cover. Mary decides to risk taking a look in the noise's direction to see what she is up against so as to prepare a better strategy—again, like a raccoon would, which makes her feel the stigma of being a hybrid again.
When Mary peeks around the wood lining the entrance/exit of the hedgies' dwelling, she relaxes. It's only Christine climbing down the tree trunk feet-first, sneaking away from her parents and sisters. Now that the bat's acute hearing would pick up Mary's departure, and with the opossacoon curious about what Christine is up to, Mary decides to stay put and watch quietly. When Christine makes it to the ground, she cocks her head in the direction of her family up above. Confirming that they're still asleep, the 24-year old bat takes a big sniff, turns her head into the direction of the food pile, and crawls on all fours toward it, checking every few feet if anyone in her family is up. Christine reaches the food pile and take another big sniff. She easily locates the sweets—consisting of chocolates, cookies, and candy—and starts stuffing her face.
Mary then groans in her head as she remembers that she'll need to pack some food in her golf bag before going on her journey. Knowing that the bat will undoubtedly hear and smell her approach, Mary doesn't bother trying to sneak, and simply walks over to Christine. The opossacoon is five feet away from the flying rodent when Christine's ears perk up and she faces Mary's direction.
Christine takes a brief sniff to confirm who it is and whispers, "Mary? What're you doing here?"
Mary (whispering): "That's what I was gonna ask you."
Christine (whispering): "Come closer. We might risk waking up my sisters or parents if you talk from over there."
Mary nods and makes her way to Christine. After the bat looks back up into the tree and confirms that her bat family is sleeping, she gets next to Mary's ear.
Christine: "I thought you'd still be asleep."
Mary: "Me too. So what're you doing?"
Christine: "Promise you'll keep everything you have seen, and what I'm about to say to you, a secret from everyone. And I do mean everyone."
Mary: "I promise."
Christine (sighs): "As much as I hate to admit it, my big sister is right. I have been sneaking off and eating food, and because of that, I'm starting to put on weight..."
Mary: "Are you just peckish?"
Christine: "Nope, it's comfort eating. I have felt troubled ever since my boyfriend broke up with me last month." (Takes a bite of a cookie, chews, then swallow it) "That jerk...We'd been dating for two-and-a-half years, and out of the blue he said 'Look, I'm too busy to settle down with anyone right now. Besides, it just won't work out between us. I need someone different, and you need someone different. Just forget about me and live your life to the fullest. Don't give up on other male bats. And I hope you find happiness one day.' "
As Christine takes a gluttonous bite of a chocolate bar, Mary can't believe how fate is working in her life right now. Here she was, about to sneak away from the family and most likely break up with Elroy, when she would find Christine eating junk food to lessen the pain of breaking up with her ex-boyfriend.
Mary: "Why was he so busy all the time?"
Christine: "His family is more obsessed with gathering food for the winter than ours is. I'm thinking he liked doing that more than spending time with me because I was a distraction. But I really think it's because he enjoys his independence, and not having to worry about having a girlfriend, just worrying about himself. I don't know for sure if that's true, all's I know is that's two-and-a-half years of my life wasted."
Mary waits for Christine to eat a full jumbo marshmallow and then finds the courage to ask an important question.
Mary: "What did it feel like when you two broke up?"
Christine's fingers drop the partially-eaten cookie she was trying to pick up and she turns and gives Mary the most confused look a bat wearing sunglasses can give.
Christine: "Why on earth do you want to know that? Trying to make me re-live the pain?"
Mary: "No, it's just that...I'm..."
Christine: "Yeah?"
Mary: "You need to promise not to tell anyone what I'm about to say."
Christine: "Mary, my lips are sealed."
Mary slumps down, sighs, then says, "I'm probably going to break up with Elroy. I'm going as soon as we finish talking."
Christine: "But the two of you are so close and happy together. Why are you breaking up?"
Mary: "You know that I'm a hybrid right?" (Sees Christine nod yes) "Well, that means I can't have children of my own...When Elroy finds out, he'll wanna marry someone who can give him kids for sure."
Christine: "You don't have to tell him."
Mary: "But if I don't, someone else will. If he's going to hear it from anyone, it's gotta be me. Besides, even if he didn't hear the news from anyone, I don't want to marry him and then have him divorce me once he finds out I'm sterile."
Christine suddenly loses her appetite as she comprehends how terrible Mary's predicament must be. She thinks in humbleness and pity, "I thought my breakup was bad, but at least I can still have kids. Mary on the other hand...I can't even make her feel better with the old saying, 'It's better to have loved and lost, than never loved at all.' "
The bat's thoughts are put on hold when Mary says, "So what does it feel like to break up with someone you love? Lousy, I assume?"
Christine knows the worst thing for her to do is lie to Mary, so she doesn't sugarcoat her answer when she says, " 'Lousy' is the understatement of the year. Imagine the biggest physical pain you have ever felt, then multiply it by 100. That's how it felt for me."
Mary ironically finds hope in the bat's words, as the opossacoon replies, "Well, nothing can hurt more than finding out that I'm sterile, and was born out of complete luck from two parents who hid the truth from me for 11 years. So I'm sure it won't hurt too much."
Christine: "I'm sure your mom and dad did that to protect you from the pain."
Mary (tone of accepted defeat): "It doesn't matter anymore. Growing up alone with no one to marry me, and no way to have the happiness of having kids, that's what's going to really stink. But I'll just deal with that when the time comes."
Christine wonders what she should say to make Mary feel better, but then Mary continues by saying, "Thanks for the talk, but I really need to head over to Elroy's and face the music. Remember, don't tell anyone what I've said, and I promise to do the same for your secret."
Christine: "I...you're welcome. I can only assume that it won't hurt as much if you're the one who breaks up with him, instead of the other way around like what happened to me."
Mary nods a grim yes, walks over to get her golf bag, and then moves out—forgetting to leave a note for Bernard.
While that happens, Christine decides it's time for her to return to her sleeping spot up in the tree with her family. However, she makes a vow to tell Mary's parents where their daughter is heading once they wake up.
Christine thinking: "I'll be breaking my promise to her, but she's still young and doesn't know it's not over for her just because she's sterile. True, Mary will likely blow the whistle on my eating habits for not keeping her promise, but I can handle the insults of my sisters when Mary decides to tell them about my binges. But Mary needs to remain in this family if she'll have any chance of living with herself."
Her mind is made up and her cause is just...But Christine ends up falling into deep sleep for the rest of the day, and never gets the chance to tell RJ or Heather where their daughter is.
As Mary continues to Elroy's, she has been thinking over what to say to him and has finally come up with her choices of words. She wanted to avoid it, but the process simply had to involve reminiscing about all the great times they've had. From when they had met seven years ago at the playground area where Elroy's initial disgust with the female hybrid had turned into curiosity thanks to her opossum acting talents outmatching his own. From how they became closer while having playing possum contests to see who was the better actor. From when they had fought alongside each other (and the rest of the forests' prey animal population) in the battle that overthrew the Bone-Chomper Wolf Pack. From how their buddy relationship turned into friendship, and then into love.
Although she is satisfied with what she will say to Elroy, the process of creating her responses, as well as rehearsing them in her head, has not been a pleasant one for her. She doesn't feel mad, just depressed...which is even worse.
Mary thinking: "Why should I have to start off my day feeling like a disgrace? I never asked to be sterile...I didn't even ask to be born..."
As if her day hasn't been bad enough, even the weather starts to reflect her mood when clouds blot out the sun and it starts to rain.
Mary grimaces and has become angry. She doesn't have an umbrella in her golf bag, so she's getting wet. She walks faster and angrily muses, "This is just what I need! Darn it all! And especially darn you, mommy and daddy! Because of you two I have to break up with Elroy! And the worst part about that is that he will find someone else to love and have kids with, but I won't! I should not have to plan a heart-wrenching breakup knowing that there's no hope for me! It's all your fault, mommy and daddy!"
Mary can feel how her emotional pain, which is so unbearable, is now starting to hurt her physically in the chest. The rain also picks up, and as she makes her way across the top of an embankment, a pinecone from a tree above breaks free and then lands in a mud puddle right beside Mary, getting mud all over her.
Mary is so mad that she stomps her right food down repeatedly while yelling out loud, "Gosh darn it! Could this day get any worse?!"
After one more stomp, the ground beneath her feet falls down the embankment, and Mary along with it. She yells in surprise and tumbles down the steep slope for 20 feet, all while receiving a few scratches from sticks and pebbles. When she finally stops, her foot lands hard against a rock, whereby she feels and hears her ankle go Crack!
Mary howls out an "OOOOOOOWWWWWW!" followed with other similar sounds one makes when in pain. Tears roll down her face and she cries loudly as the pain gets worse with each passing moment. Her sounds can be heard from tens of yards away, but a rather unpleasant passerby is only a few feet from her. The creature is a large weasel whose scent and approach is masked from the rain falling and the sound of the thunder.
Being a teenager and a predator, the mustelid naturally has ego as he says, "Well, well, well. Lookit what the cat dragged in for lil' ol' me."
Mary hears the weasel from her left, but her ankle hurts too much for her to run, not that she would get very far anyway. She's still crying from the pain and can't get out any response.
Weasel: "That looks like it hurts...Which means I'd be doing you a favor by putting you out of your misery, AND, filling my hungry belly as well; two birds, one stone."
When the weasel comes to Mary's front, he raises an eyebrow and says, "Well, aren't you the most curious-looking critter I've ever seen. Your parents must be two separate species...Eeeeyuck."
Mary finds herself welcoming death, just like in her dream when she didn't fight the rope that tied around her. Only now, she's in so much physical and emotional pain that she decides to make the weasel quit stalling and finish the job.
Mary: "Stop flapping your gums and get it over with already, you slowpoke egg-sucker!"
The weasel lets out a snarl and says, "Oh, I suck more than eggs, Little Miss Attitude! I'll suck every last drop of your blood for that insult!"
The weasel raises his claws and Mary closes her eyes while cringing, preparing for a painful end. That's when he's hit on the head with a golf ball. The weasel's last words are, "Uhhhh..." and he falls to the ground. Mary opens her eyes and can't tell if the mustelid is knocked out or dead, but soon turns her attention to figuring out who it was that saved her. When she sees the golf ball, she instantly thinks RJ has come, but doesn't smell his scent when she hears the sound of wet footsteps running toward her.
Voice: "You okay, Mary?"
Mary relaxes when a fully grown male opossum with gray fur, save for the white face, a pink tail and nose, brown eyes, and black ears without any spots kneels down in front of her.
Mary: "Mr. Josiah..."
Josiah is Elroy's father who had been one of the original founders of the first anti-Bone-Chomper resistance from five years ago. He's also one of the few possums that Mary knows who doesn't play dead when faced with danger, as indicated in this instance when Mary notices a homemade bandolier around his shoulder and a slingshot he's brandishing, thus indicating he was her savior.
Josiah: "I heard you screaming and thought someone was being attacked. Looks like it's a good thing I came by." (Points at the weasel) "He didn't hurt you did he?"
Mary shakes her head no and says, "I was on my way to see Elroy when I fell down the embankment and sprained my ankle..."
Josiah: "Ouch...Here, lemme carry you to my home. Hold my slingshot, will ya?"
Mary takes the slingshot into her paws and then says, "Get my golf bag too, please."
Josiah: "Golf bag?..." (Looks at the golf bag and smiles) "Oh...like father, like daughter. Does your little brother have one too?"
Mary: "Yes sir."
Josiah: "Is anyone else in your family nearby?"
Mary: "No, sir. I came alone."
Josiah: "Alone? In this rain, and in an area where predators could be? I don't mean to point fingers, but didn't your parents teach you better than that?"
Mary: "Can you please get me to your home, now. I'm cold, wet, and I really hurt."
Josiah: "Oh, yeah. Sorry. My bad."
Josiah puts the golf bag strap around his shoulders, then picks up Mary who squeals from the sudden pain that shoots through her ankle.
Josiah: "Shh, sh-sh. You're gonna be alright, Mary. I'll let you stay with me and my family until the rain stops, and then I'll take you back home."
Mary: "I—"
Josiah: "What is it?"
Mary: "Oh, nothing. Sounds good. Thank you, Mr. Josiah."
Josiah: "It's the least I can do. And I'm sure Elroy will be glad to see you."
Mary (nervously): "Mmmm, yeah. M-me too."
Josiah stops walking and looks at the opossacoon in concern to ask, "Hey, is something wrong Mary? You don't seem yourself."
Mary: "I'm just really tired..."
Josiah: "Then rest your eyes, young one. I'll wake you when we get there, if my kids won't do that first, that is."
Mary has already closed her eyes and reflects about everything she has decided. Her brief pause after "I", followed by her agreement, was due to her coming to terms with how Josiah is right about taking her back to the log when the rain lets up. With her ankle in bad shape, she can't continue...And frankly she doesn't want to, not anymore. Her journey is over. She has proven that she cannot live on her own yet. She's not like her father, who had to grow up without parents or loved ones, and who could ward off predators ever since he was two-years-old. She truly is only half raccoon, and had been brought up with a loving family with plenty of loved ones to take care of her, instead of being forced to fend for herself. Besides, she's got a sure-fire way to Elroy now.
After a few minutes of walking, Josiah says, "Hang on tight." Mary does as instructed while Josiah climbs what looks like a tall pile of firewood. When he reaches the top, he does a secret knock on the front side of a large birdhouse. There's the sound of a lock sliding and when it the door opens, Mary hears a jibber jabber of several voices. Josiah descends down and reaches bottom of the interior of the wood pile where his mate and 10 children are waiting.
Possum sibling: "Welcome back, daddy!"
Another possum sibling: "Did'ja find any more food, daddy?"
Yet another possum sibling: "Hey, who's that he's carrying?"
Josiah: "Everyone, we've got a guest. Y'all remember, Mary right?"
Elroy: "Mary?!"
Mary: "Oh, h-hi Elroy."
One of Elroy's younger brothers, David, steps in front of Elroy and flashes his eyes while saying in a mocking way, "Ooo-oooo. Elroy...your girlfriend is heeeerrrreeee!"
David puckers his lips and makes loud kissing noises, causing Elroy to bop him on the pink nose and yell, "Quiet, twerp!"
David: "Ow! Mo-om! Elroy hit me on the nose again!"
The mother, named Ruth (who has the same physical characteristics as her mate except for green eyes), says, "You were making fun of him and our guest, David. Be nicer."
Elroy proudly puts his paws on his hips and holds his head up high in the air, which causes David to go play with his other siblings. The order of the possum children from youngest to oldest is: Naomi (age four), Isaac (age four), Jeremiah (age four), David (age five), Leah (age five), Magdalene (age 10), Eli (age 10), Elroy (age 12), Judith (age 14), and Joshua (age 14). The children look just like their parents, all have white spot patterns on their ears, and some have brown eyes and some have green eyes, with Elroy's eyes being brown.
Josiah: "Before we do anything, Mary has a sprained ankle."
Josiah gently sets Mary down.
Isaac: "Ooooo. Can I see it?"
Ruth: "Don't even think about it, Isaac."
Elroy gasps then rushes over to Mary and sees her ankle.
Elroy: "How did that happen?"
Mary: "I was coming over to visit and fell down a loose embankment; hit my foot on a rock really hard."
Josiah: "Mary, I have a serious question to ask you. Do you want us to ice the wound" (points to a small cooler in their home) "and put it in a sling, or pop the ankle back in place? The second option will be more painful, but will get you better faster."
Mary: "Choice two."
Elroy (worried): "Y-you sure?"
Mary: "Yes. Do it."
Magdalene: "Holy smokes, she is brave."
Joshua: "She's gotta be strong too."
Ruth approaches Mary carrying a thick stick. She holds it near her face and says, "Bite down on this, Mary. It'll help."
Mary opens her mouth and lets Ruth put the stick in it. Ruth then holds down Mary by the shoulders while Josiah sits in front of her sprained ankle.
Josiah: "Get ready to take a deep breath. I'll twist after I count to three. Don't worry, I've done this many times before."
Mary nods, and the possum siblings look closely with intrigue and fear. They know how much it will hurt because their parents have gotten lots of practice whenever one of them sprained a limb.
Josiah: "One, two, three!"
There's a sickening Crack-Pop! sound, and Mary lets out an awful scream of pain that is muffled thanks to her biting down on the stick. She takes sharp inhales and exhales through her nose while the possum siblings clap to congratulate her.
Elroy: "Yep, that's my girlfriend! She can take anything thanks to her family!"
The possum siblings let out numerous "Yay's!" which already seems to take away some of the pain Mary is feeling.
Ruth: "You still need to avoid using that foot until you're fully healed."
Mary: "Yes ma'am."
Ruth: "But you probably already knew that thanks to your parents."
Mary frowns at the mention of what's now becoming "The P-word" for her. Before any negative thoughts can form in the opossacoon's head, she decides it's time to bite the bullet.
Mary: "Can I talk to Elroy alone, please?"
Naturally, this only makes the younger siblings more curious.
Eli: "Ooo, a secret!"
Leah: "You can tell me too! I promise not to tell anyone!"
Ruth: "Kids, she said she wants to talk to Elroy alone, and she came a long way to do it, so we're going to let her have some one-on-one with your brother."
Judith: "I agree mom, but our home isn't big enough for us to give them privacy. And even if we tried, we'd still hear them."
Naomi: "And it's raining outside."
Joshua: "And we don't know if predators are prowling around out there right now."
Josiah: "There are predators out there. I fended off a weasel that tried to attack Mary after she hurt her ankle."
Wanting to get it over with, Mary is about to say that she's okay if the rest hear them, when Josiah speaks up for her again.
Josiah: "But we're going out anyway. We'll find some branches that'll shield us from the rain and climb up a tree to protect ourselves from predators that can't climb. With the weather this bad, birds of prey are in their nests, so we don't have to worry about airborne predators."
When the younger siblings groan, Ruth firmly says, "Stop whining, kids. We're going out and nothing you say or do will change your dad's mind or my mine."
Mary finds herself suddenly wishing she was a pure possum and that someone like Josiah and Ruth were her parents. All the kids except Elroy and Mary cling to their parents' backs as Josiah and Ruth climb out of the home and into the rain. With his family gone, Elroy climbs up, seals the entrance/exit with a barrel bolt lock, and goes back down to be with Mary.
Now that Mary and Elroy are by themselves, Elroy asks, "So what did you wanna tell me today, Mary?"
Mary: "Elroy..."
Elroy: "Yeah, Mary?"
Mary: "The reason I came here is...because..."
Elroy: "What?"
Mary: "I...I..."
Elroy looks intently at Mary, his gaze making it all the harder for her to say what she had gone over in her head so easily.
Mary thinking: "I guess it's much harder to say things when Elroy is looking right at me."
She then decides to forget what she had recited and instead speak from her heart.
Mary: "Because I'm a hybrid, I'm sterile! I can't have children, and there's nothing I can do about it! You're better off falling in love with another possum instead of me, someone who can give you kids and make you truly happy. We're...going to have to break up, and you need to see other girl possums."
Elroy gasps then says, "But I don't wanna break up with you!"
Mary: "Didn't you hear me?! I just said I can't have kids with you if you marry me. I can't have kids with anyone."
Elroy: "I don't wanna have kids. I wanna be with you, because I love you!"
Mary: "You say that now, but when you're older you'll certainly want kids. I don't want to hurt you, that's why I'm saving you from the torture of never being able to live life fully. That's my fate, I don't want it to be yours too."
Elroy pauses and slouches in defeat, which Mary interprets as him finally getting her point. His next words will certainly be about him accepting that he should move on and find another female possum to love and start his own family with—or so she expects. For his pause was really him thinking of what to say that will further convince Mary that he has no interest in marrying anyone to have children of his own, now or ever.
Elroy: "You wanna know what real torture is: trying to live with nine other brothers and sisters. Because I'm one of the middle siblings I have to listen to my parents and older siblings, who are so bossy some times. Joshua and Judith can do everything I can't because they're older, and I can't do anything about it because I'm younger. And my younger ones. Oh, how they drive me nuts with their whining, teasing, brattiness, and wanting to play with me when I'm worn out—which my parents make me do anyway, even when I don't want to—while my older siblings get the easier jobs of doing chores with my mom and dad! I hate it here, and as soon as I turn 18, I'm gone for good! I love my parents, but my siblings make my life a nightmare! I only love them because I have to, because they're my family. If it was just no one else but my parents and me, it would be alright, but with nine others it's not fair! I can't eat as much as I'd want to and often go to bed hungry because we have to share our food so many ways. Not to mention that my younger siblings get to have more food because 'They need to grow big and strong,' as my parents say. And it's better for you to not get pregnant because, from what I've seen from my mom, babies in the womb are like parasites if you ask me. They slow females down, keep them up at night with their kicking, and leech off the food they eat. If I married another possum, we'd have, like, 10 kids at least and I'd have to help my mate raise all of them! I so don't want to put myself or my kids through the stuff I've been through. I swore to myself to that I would never have kids when I grow up, and I'm keeping that promise. That's why I think you're perfect for me more than ever now, because I won't be able to have kids with you."
Mary (shocked): "Y-you really mean it?"
Elroy: "Absolutely."
As Elroy kisses Mary she doesn't return it, because now it's her turn to pause and think about what to say in response to Elroy's words. Mary can't believe her ears, for both good and bad reasons. It's good because she has actually found someone who will love her despite her sterility, so she doesn't have to abandon all hope after all. She also knows Elroy is being honest because she has never heard him talk this much about himself or his home life. It's bad because she is seeing a side of Elroy that makes her question if he's really the right guy for her. It isn't natural for someone to harbor such ill feelings toward his own flesh and blood. Not to mention how it's shaped his view of living life: to look after only himself and his mate, and only have to worry about their needs instead of others' needs, and to call something as precious as an unborn baby a parasite and leech...
Mary thinking: "Possums are known for being solitary, but this is just plain disturbing."
She then needs to make sure Elroy really means what he says and asks him in a concerned tone, "You really feel that way about your family?"
Elroy catches the unease in Mary's voice, and feels like he may have gotten carried away. But it would be worse to lie to the one he loves, so he says, "Yes...Not all families are like yours where they all get along and love each other so much."
Mary almost brings up the tensions that have been going on lately with her family, but decides that can be a topic for another day. Instead she decides to probe him further by saying, "But, I always wanted to have kids one day...until I found out I was sterile. And if I wasn't sterile, I would still want them."
Elroy: "In my opinion, kids're overrated and just a pain in the tail. But if we don't have kids, we'll be free of so much stress, have more food and home space for ourselves, and most of all, no fear of predators attacking our kids. I...never told you this before, but I actually had four more brothers and two more sisters...until predators killed them."
Now it's Mary's turn to gasp.
Elroy: "Yeah...My oldest brother at 19 was Ezekiel, my twin sister was Phoebe, my nine-year-old brother was Timothy, and then there were what would have been the youngest triplets: Susanna, Malachi, and Noah. They died several years ago from a female bear that used to live in these woods. Before I could even mourn their loss fully, my parents went ahead and had my three currently youngest siblings: Naomi, Isaac, and Jeremiah...It's like mom and dad wanted to just forget about their losses and move on so they could feel better...but I can't move on from that pain, and no one will listen to my side because there's nine more siblings to take care of and I'm just 12-years-old. That's why I really don't want kids...because if we lose them, we'd feel much worse than I do right now..."
Having heard his confession, Mary feels a little more comfortable about Elroy's personal beliefs about kids and family, but only a little more. She now knows he isn't cynical just for the sake of being cynical, but because of the pain he's felt for so long. Despite the horrible revelation, Mary also feels another connection to Elroy in the form of the animosity they feel toward their parents.
Mary: "Even so, we could always learn how to protect them from predators like your parents and mine do."
Elroy: "First, my parents only learned how to be so good at fending off predators after they'd lost my six dead siblings. If only they had learned to do that sooner...But second, you don't have to worry about keeping your own children safe because you'll never have any. Again, that's one more reason why you're perfect for me! I love you because of who you are, not because of your ability to have children or not."
Believing she's felt sad enough over the past two days, Mary simply flings her arms around Elroy, hugs him tight, and says, "Thank you, Elroy...You don't know how much that means to me!"
Elroy: "And you don't know how much you mean to me!"
The two kiss on the cheeks and hug some more. When she's feels like she's gotten her fill, Mary says, "You can let your family back in now."
Elroy: "I was, uh, hoping we could spend a little more time together, just you and me. There's no such thing as privacy in my family, so this is turning out great for me. I mean, isn't there anything you've been wanting to try out with me when we're all alone?"
Mary thinks a bit, realizes that he's right, and then smirks.
Mary: "Wanna try to French kiss?"
Elroy: "Boy would I!"
The two inch closer with their eyes closed and are about to make contact when there's an annoying knock at the closed entrance/exit to the possums' home.
David's voice (teasing tone): "El-roy! The storm is o-ver! Are you still talking to your girlfriend, or kissing her?"
Elroy looks up at the entrance/exit in anger and mutters, "I hate that brother of mine."
Shortly, there is a loud Smack! and David goes "Ow!"
Josiah's voice: "I told you not to knock on our home when we got back to the ground, David!"
Elroy and Mary exchange annoyed looks as David has killed the mood. Neither wants to French kiss anymore, but they both make a mental note to try it next time they see each other.
Elroy: "Don't tell anyone what I've told you about the way I think about my family."
Mary holds up her pinky finger, causing Elroy to do the same. When their pinkies are wrapped, Mary says, "I pinky promise."
Elroy nods and then shouts, "We're done talking, daddy."
Mary (shouting): "And I'm ready to go back home, Mr. Josiah."
Elroy climbs up and unlocks the dwelling's entrance/exit, and it doesn't take long for the large possum family to get back inside. Ruth is the first to ask, "Everything go alright in here?"
Mary: "Yes ma'am. Better than I expected, actually."
Elroy: "Better than we expected."
Ruth: "Great news."
David (teasingly): "What did you talk abo-out?"
Elroy: "None of your business, David! Why don't you get off my back for once?! Besides, you're too young to understand it even if I told you."
David: "Oh yeah?!"
Elroy: "Yeah!"
Josiah: "That's enough, boys! I'm taking Mary back home, so your mom is in charge again, and I better not hear that you gave her any trouble when I get back. Understand?"
David and Elroy in unison: "Yes, daddy."
Josiah (to the rest of his kids): "That goes for all of you. Now be kind hosts and bid our guest farewell."
The possums try to speak so many different phrases at the same time that Mary can barely understand them. But she waves and says goodbye as well before Josiah puts on her golf bag and then has her cling to his chest with her three good paws. Before she knows it, they're out where the sky is blue and the sun is shining on the glistening grass. She admires how what started out as a yucky and depressing day has turned into something beautiful and upbeat. She does this for a few minutes until Josiah breaks the silence.
Josiah: "Just so you know, what you and Elroy said is between the two of you. So even though I am curious, I won't press it if you or he doesn't wanna talk about it."
Mary: "Thanks, Mr. Josiah. And you should be so proud of Elroy! He's your best son in my opinion."
Josiah chuckles and smiles. After taking a breath through the nose, he would have said something, but then he stops in his tracks and remains still when he thinks he smells something odd.
Mary: "What's wrong, Mr. Josiah?"
Josiah: "You smell that?"
Mary takes a big sniff, her keen opossum-inherited sense of smell aiding her—"Half possum," she loathingly reminds herself—and she too feels uneasy as she says, "I can smell almost everything from the grass, to tress, leaves, bugs, you, and me, but there is something else out there, and it doesn't have a scent..."
Josiah: "Precisely. The last time that happened was with the Bone-Chompers five years ago..."
Going on high alert, Josiah turns a full circle, his eyes watching for the slightest movement or noise, but doesn't see anything. Still, he's too smart to let his guard down and says, "How good are you with a slingshot, Mary?"
Mary: "Very good, sir. I practice a lot."
Josiah: "Then take mine."
He sets Mary down and hands her his bandolier which has stones, golf balls, marbles, and what looks like small red water balloons the size of golf balls. Mary is about to ask what the latter is, when Josiah asks, "You got a golf club in your bag, right?"
Mary: "Yes sir."
Josiah: "Good."
Josiah takes out a wedge, swings it to get a feel of how it handles, then nods and holds it in a way that will enable him to switch from at-rest to battle-ready in a moment's notice. Mary nods in appreciation at how the adult possum really knows what he's doing. More than that, Josiah knows his side of the forest like the back of his paw, which gives him and Mary the advantage. Further demonstrating his experience in fighting off predators, Josiah bends down and spells out his attack plan to Mary by whispering softly, just in case the predator is already watching and listening to them.
Mary nods and says, "I get it."
Josiah then executes the first part of his strategy by loudly saying, "Come out, come out wherever you are! Unless you're too afraid of a grown possum and a kid opossacoon."
Josiah and Mary don't expect the predator to take the bait and believe he or she will wait until the two let their guard down. They are wrong, because this particular predator has a massive superiority complex.
Female voice: "Afraid? Of'a tree-rat possum an'a mutant freak?—Ha! You wish!"
The predator comes out and Mary trembles with fear as it's the same female wolf that Sam and Aaron had encountered yesterday. Speaking of which, she seems to have learned from those events, as indicated by her next boastful comment.
Clara: "An' don't teenk dat loser, wolf-gone-soft is comin' ta save you's. He's on dee oth'a side of the forest. And even if he picks up any'uv our scents, he won't make it in time. You're both MINE now! Kya-hahaha!"
Josiah doesn't even twitch in fear and confidently replies, "We don't need Kale to protect us. We'll take matters into our own paws."
Clara: "You's?! Kyaa-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa!"
Only during that cocky, high-pitched, ear-grating—and most of all, annoying—laugh does the possum and opossacoon cringe, but not in fear. At first Josiah was going to defeat Clara just so that she will leave the two of them alone, but now he's about to feel like a predator himself...because he's going to enjoy this.
Clara: "Time ta show ya's just who you's two're dealin' with!"
Clara charges forward and aims for Mary, who misses hitting the wolf with the rock from the slingshot. Mary tries a golf ball next, but also misses. The next few steps will get Clara in bite-distance of Mary, leaving the opossacoon with no time to try a third shot. That's when Josiah takes a whack at Clara with the golf club—that Clara expertly stops by gripping it at the shaft closest to the hossel (where the stick part meets the club part) in her teeth at the exact right moment. She then knocks the opossum to the ground by swinging the club and hitting Josiah with the hand grip part.
Josiah feels fear for the first time since encountering the wolfess when she breaks the golf club in half just by biting down on it! Her mouth shook a little, but that doesn't make it any less frightening. Clara chews twice and then spits out the part remaining in her mouth, giving a sneer across her muzzle as she notices the possum's reaction.
Clara (self-aware tone): "Oh yeah...Dat just happened. I'm that strong!"
Clara would have ended Josiah after that if she didn't notice his head turn to her right. She turns around, at the exact moment when Mary bullseyes Clara in the face with the golf ball-sized red water balloon. It explodes on impact and covers the wolf's face in a sticky and weird-smelling liquid.
Clara wipes her face with a forepaw then holds it in front of her eyes and says, "Da heck is this?!"
Mary then shoots a stone high above, which hits something, and is followed by a loud buzzing sound.
Mary then answers Clara's question by saying, "Bee pheromones."
Clara's eyes widen and she tries to rub her face on the wet grass to get rid of the pheromones, but is too late. At least 20 bees start buzzing in Clara's face, one of which goes inside her ear and stings her with it, causing the wolfess to let out an, "Ouch! Ah, geez!"
Now attracted by the fresh scent of one of their fallen sisters, the bees start stinging Clara some more. It hurts her more than usual because she still hasn't fully recovered from yesterday's ant bites. She then gets hit in the rump by another pheromone balloon that Mary shoots. Mary then hits the same beehive again with another stone and a new wave of agitated insects follow the pheromones to Clara's rear-end and start stinging her there. Not even the wolf's high pain tolerance can take the multiple stings from that spot she is now receiving, so Clara retreats with the bees chasing her, but not without a warning.
Clara: "Enjoy the rest'uv ya's short lives, 'cuz I'm gonna be comin' ta get you's. And not for food, but for revenge now!"
Mary's response is to shoot the beehive with another stone to cause more bees to go after Clara as she makes her escape. Once the wolf can't be heard anymore, Josiah pats Mary on the back and says, "Outstanding job, Mary! Our plan worked perfectly thanks to you! Your parents will be so proud when we tell them the story."
Mary decides not to tell him, but the reason she fought so well was because she was determined more than ever to fight back and survive because, unlike with the weasel, now that she knows Elroy doesn't mind her sterility, she has a reason to live and grow old.
Mary: "Thank you, Mr. Josiah. But she wasn't kidding about coming after us for revenge."
Josiah: "I know, but we'll be ready for her. Both of our families will."
Mary: "But did you notice that she didn't have a tail?"
Josiah: "Now that you mentioned it, yeah."
Mary: "That means she did something so horrible that she was banished from 'wolf society' the same way Kale was."
Josiah: "Yeah, I remember that's what Kale told us when he showed up on the night that all the prey animals had defeated the Bone-Chompers. He had just gotten his tail bitten clean off."
Mary: "The 'mark of shame.' "
Josiah: "That's right."
Mary: "I guess that explains some of her temper problem."
Josiah: "Humph. All wolves—no, all predators—have a temper problem if you ask me."
Mary shrugs and adds, "True," and they make the rest of their trip back to the log in relative silence. Now that she knows why Josiah became so good at fending off predators, it wouldn't be in her best interest to contradict him. Not to mention that, in spite of her love for Kale as a part of her family, and how much he has improved his attitude since joining them, Mary also can't deny what Josiah just said about all predators.
But considering the things that have been going on in her family in recent days, even loving family members can have their jerk-moments. Whether predator or prey.
Everyone except the bats are up when Josiah and Mary arrive back at the log.
Hammy is the first to notice the pair and points while saying, "Look! There she is!"
Aaron: "And, boy oh boy, did Elroy really get a growth spurt! He's the size of an adult now!"
Hammy: "I know possums age rapidly, but this is ridiculous!"
Verne: "Guys, it's Elroy's father, Josiah."
Hammy and Aaron in unison: "Ohhhhhh. My bad."
Josiah: "She dropped by our home to have a talk with Elroy. And I'm not exaggerating when I say 'drop by' because she twisted her ankle after falling down an embankment."
The mention of her injury causes Heather, RJ, and Bernard to gasp, and the latter two rush over to Mary.
Josiah eases their tension by adding, "But I put it back into place. She'll just need to take things easy for a few days. She's very brave, too; asked me to pop it back instead of letting it heal on its own. You raised your daughter well, RJ and Heather."
RJ, Bernard, and Heather feel better and are proud of Mary, who would share such feelings about herself if Josiah hadn't given credit to her parents. Not only does she have to live in their shadows, but, as her failed journey proved today, she'll never fill her parents' nonexistent shoes because she is only half raccoon and half possum. It was bad enough being sterile, but she still had her special abilities as some source of confidence. Even now when she knows her sterility won't get in the way of her and Elroy's love, the things that were once her sources of pride are now her sources of misery—her intelligence, her craftiness, her ability to twist her feet 180 degrees, having a strong possum tail from which to hang, her keen sense of smell, her enhanced night vision, and immunity to snake venom.
Mary thinking: "My parents once said that because I'm half possum and half raccoon that it means I have the best of both species. But I failed at being a raccoon like daddy when I couldn't go on my journey, and failed at being a possum because I didn't play dead when that weasel tried to eat me."
It seems nothing can bring Mary out of her despair, and rather than talk to her parents about it, she feels that, as a hybrid, only two individuals can understand her now. By the time she redirects her attention to her surroundings, she is inches away from RJ who is reaching out to her.
RJ: "C'mon, Mary, I'll help you down."
Mary (matter-of-factly): "Just put me on the ground, Mr. Josiah, I can get down by myself."
Josiah: "What about walking around?"
Mary (matter-of-factly): "I still have three of my four legs."
Josiah would have insisted to hand her over to RJ, but the raccoon, knowing by his daughter's tone that she is getting angry, decides to let her have it her way because she has suffered enough in recent days.
RJ: "It's okay, Josiah, go ahead. She's stronger than she looks."
Josiah shrugs and says, "Okay." He then gently lays Mary on the ground and she walks on three legs just fine.
While heading over to a cooler to get ice for her injury, she whispers "Talk time" to Bernard and De'Ausha when she passes those two.
De'Ausha (to the family): "We'll help her get an ice bag for her ankle."
Bernard: "Yeah, and walk with her to her downtime spot."
Before anyone can even affirm, the three turn their backs to the family and head over to the cooler. While that was going on, Josiah hands over Mary's golf bag and bids his farewell to the hedgies. RJ says goodbye too, but his eyes are on the three hybrids who have gotten a ziploc bag full of ice for Mary and are now walking. His face shows longing to make up with his kids, but also confusion as he wonders if he has the right to do that with Mary.
Upon hearing that Mary sprained her ankle, RJ feels very guilty and blames himself for writing the note that practically gave Mary permission to run away from home. He won't tell anyone, but he intentionally wrote the note to encourage Mary to try to live on her own, knowing that she wouldn't succeed or would get so homesick that she would come back to him. He did it because he just couldn't afford to lose her. Call him an overprotective father, it was still underhanded, low, and even dastardly in a sense. He manipulated her, and although she has returned as he had intended, she has returned home injured. He hadn't done anything like this in a while...not since he was a con artist before meeting this family. It's such an un-fatherly thing to do that he again questions if he made the right choice of becoming a father.
He doesn't have long to think about that, because some running footsteps, coupled with a familiar scent, causes RJ to join the rest of the family in turning their heads to the sight of Kale coming in.
Ike: "Uncle Kale's back!"
Kale practically pants between every syllable as he says, "F...fina...l...ly. I'm...h...here. Been run...nin' for...th...thirty m...minutes non...s...stop."
Verne: "Catch your breath, Kale."
Kale nods and says, "Tanks..."
Kale instantly plops to the ground in pure exhaustion, and it takes 30 seconds for his breathing to stabilize. During that time, he receives concerned looks from the family when they notice his very ruffled fur and deep scratches, some of which are bleeding.
Quillo (worried): "Dude...what happened to you this time?"
Kale: "Fought a stoat—those things're tougher dan they look, by da way. Then heard from the bats I had saved from da stoat that Mi Mejores Brotes A-y-B finally met their due date. So I was inna hurry to get back, when I had to battle a not-so wily but persistent coyote, den fight n' chase off a cowardly fox. When that was ov'a, I came back here as fast as I could."
As the listeners process everything Kale has said, the six 24-year-old porcupines take special note of Kale's pack-name for Bucky and Emily which translates as "My Best Buds A and B" (pronounced "ah ee bay"). Including the "Mejores Brotes" part, Quillo's and Rachel's pack-names translate as "Best Buds C and D" (pronounced "say ee day"), whereas Spike's and Emma's are "Best Buds E and F" (pronounced "eh ee eh-fay"). The reason for these names is because those six porcupines were the first true friends Kale ever made back when the hedgies were helping him recover from the injuries that led to their first meeting with the predator five years ago (1). Bucky, Quillo, Spike, Emily, Rachel, and Emma had introduced Kale to videogames, which was the first time the wolf had discovered that there are other ways to have genuine fun (1) besides doing wolf-things. The latter included stalking and insulting prey animals, playing hide n' seek for tracking practice, bite-based tag, and pranks on wolves and especially prey to instill fear—all of which had the goal of improving Kale's speed, strength, wits, and ferocity, meaning they didn't really count as "fun" to begin with. The videogame session had a rocky start what with Kale's constant insults and superiority complex, but through perseverance and teamwork, the porcupines and wolf had had a wonderful time and bonded well from then on. Since becoming a member of the hedgies' family, Kale had even more time for fun with the porcupines. The spiky rodents and one canine are so close that there was no surprise why Ike had called the wolf "Uncle Kale" because the canine had been like a true uncle to the young kid more than the rest of the family whom Ike also refers to as "uncle."
But all good things must come to an end, as now Kale is overworked with the task of keeping the whole woods safe from all predators when it was already hard enough for his ex-pack to maintain control of the forest—and they had been the fastest, strongest, smartest, and most ferocious wolves in America at the time. If 12 wolves had trouble, then one single wolf has it impossibly hard.
Note: Again, I have TheIceAgeMan77342 to thank for briefly touching on this idea in Chapter 2 of his first Adventure Awaits story, and that I have thus expanded on in a way I hope he approves.
Scarlet: "How did those bats you save hear about Bucky and Emily's kids already?"
Emily: "Easy, I was screaming so loud I bet one-fourth of the forest could hear me."
Rebecca: "And we know first-hand how great bats' hearing is."
Kale: "In any case, I came here ta see my new nephews or nieces."
Emily: "Then look no further, here they are!"
Emily and Spike go into the log and bring out their kids who were sheltered under a leaf pile. Kale gives a one-sided grin as he admires the two porcupettes.
Emily: "Our daughter was born first, and her name is Annie."
Bucky: "And our son's name is Drake."
Kale: "Hah!" (Rhetorically) "You would name him that, wouldn't'cha Bucky? I like it."
Bucky: "Aha! See folks, someone besides my mate likes the name Drake from the get-go."
Kale: "But you know I can't give 'em pack-names until they've earned it after demonstrating something only dare special talents can do. Dat can take years, but I promise ta live long enough to give 'em one."
When Kale lets out a sigh full of regret, Emily asks, "What's wrong, Kale?"
Kale (apologetic): "You're my best friends. I should have been here to see the birth of your children. I'm so sorry that I wasn't." (With a hint of anger but mostly depression) "If it wasn't for that coyote and fox..."
Knowing how serious the wolf is due to his proper grammar and grim tone, Emily immediately consoles him by saying, "No, don't feel sorry. It's perfectly understandable given your very important job."
Bucky: "I mean, we may not see you as often as we used to, but when we do interact with you it makes the time we spend all the more special."
Verne: "They're right, Kale. It doesn't make you any less of a family member for not being here when Emily gave birth, and no one faults you for it."
Kale: "Thanks everyone—especially you's two, Bucky and Emily—I really needed ta hear that."
Kale extends his long forelegs to hug Bucky and Emily by the belly (because doing it from the porcupines' backs wouldn't end so well for the wolf). As soon as Kale finishes, he says, "But I gotta get back out dare and patrol the forest."
Penny: "Jeepers. In the condition you're in?"
Ozzie: "Are you crazy, Kale?"
Kale: "Dee only plus side about me missin' Drake's and Annie's birth is dat I saved the prey animals and they gave me the thanks I desoived. I gotta keep it up while I'm onna hot streak."
Verne: "Your hot streak won't last long if you become too tired to fight a predator."
Hammy: "Maybe all he needs is caffeine!"
Kale: "Simplemente Nueces is right. Just gimme some Mach 6 and I'll be good ta go.
Although Hammy's pack-name of "Just Plain Nuts" has no relevance to the conversation, the squirrel's words certainly do.
Lou: "You need more than an energy drink, Kale."
Rick: "Yeah. You're injuries need bandages."
Luby: "And you should be taking a major nap after being awake and active for so long."
Kale: "No nap 'cuz every moment I delay could spell doom for prey animals. And no bandages, 'cuz it'll make me look weak and injured. But on the oth'a hand, dat might make predators overconfident that they'll beat me, so maybe yeah for the bandages."
That makes RJ muse, "Using bandages to deceive...He still has the mind of a wolf somewhere in that head of his...just as I still have that lying con artist inside of my brain, like the note I wrote to Mary and Bernard." Those normally self-regretful thoughts actually gives RJ a good idea to convince Kale to stay and take a break. RJ says, "Alright Kale, go ahead and go."
Everyone looks at RJ in facial expressions that read "Are you kidding?!" As for Kale, he couldn't be happier.
Kale: "Tanks for und'astandin' me, Cabecilla."
RJ clearly demonstrates why he earned the pack-name "Ringleader" when Kale gets to his feet, only to fall back down from exhaustion.
RJ: "Confirmed, you need to rest. You've been going 90 to nothing for over a week now."
Kale: "But with dat new wolf lady who showed up, I need ta be more vigilant dan ever."
Rogan: "Kale, you can't keep pushing yourself too hard."
Sarah: "You have to take time off whenever necessary to rest your mind and muscles."
Kale: "Don't worry 'bout me, Luchadores de Lobos, my mind and muscles are still young."
Though there is a certain amount of pride that Rogan and Sarah feel about their pack-name that translates to "Wolf-fighters" (which harkens to the two mates' history of defeating many wolf packs when the raccoons were younger), they are more concerned for their canine family member.
Rogan: "Your mind and muscles won't remain that way for very long if you overexert yourself."
Sarah: "Trust us...We know. All the years that Rogan and I spent avoiding and besting the Silver-Fang and Wrong-Way Wolf Packs has finally caught up to us...We found that out after the terrible heist from a week ago..."
That demands everyone's attention, especially, Rebecca's and RJ's.
RJ: "What are you saying, mom and dad?"
Rebecca:"What happened to you two during that heist?"
Rogan waits for all eyes to be on him and Sarah and then says, "Your mother hurt her sciatic nerve pretty badly, and the stress I felt nearly caused me to have a stroke."
Sarah: "RJ, Rebecca, everyone...Your father and I have become too old and frail to go on heists anymore."
Rebecca: "But you're only 60-years-old."
Rogan: "I know, but most of our youth was spent defeating the Silver-Fang and Wrong-Way Packs."
The weight of the two older raccoons' words take hold of the listeners, especially Kale. If he had anything else to argue for his going back out on patrol, Sarah's next statement eliminates them completely.
Sarah: "You're 20-years-old now Kale, and my mate and I were in our early 20's when we had to run from the wolves. If you push yourself too hard while you're still young, you'll need to retire sooner too."
Kale finally seems to be swayed by the others' words. He really could use a good rest. He nods and says, "Alright, Rogan and Sarah, I'll rest for the rest'a the day. But if any prey critters die because of this, you's're gonna have ta explain it to the grieving family members, not me."
Rogan and Sarah each put a supportive paw on the top of Kale's head, and the say in unison, "Consider it done, Kale."
RJ: "Part of the problem is that the prey animals are relying on you too much, Kale, instead of being vigilant and fighting back on their own. It's like only a few have remembered and still practice the fighting techniques we taught them while training them to overthrow your ex-pack. It finally makes sense to me why you hate it whenever others blame you for not doing a better job, Kale. But if they don't do some of the work too, they should have no one to blame for their loss except themselves."
Hammy gasps, which causes everyone to look at him. He then points an accusing finger at RJ and says, "RJ...you sound like that Big Bad Black Wolf from Kale's pack who destroyed Mark the flying squirrel's wings and then ate his mom!"
RJ has to think of a good response to offset the stares he's receiving from everyone else. Hammy is normally forgetful of many things, but had remembered what Mark had told him because Hammy had also lost his biological parents and siblings from an attack. He felt a kindred connection with Mark, his father Mack, brother Austin, and sister Melanie whose mother and mate had been eaten by a black-furred wolf named Bone-Chomper Dillinger on the night the Bone-Chompers took over the forest's main food-area. Although Hammy misremembered Mark's patagium as his "wings," Hammy still correctly recalled the gist of a lecture that Dillinger had given the squirrels when they objected to the wolf's claim that the prey animals were in the wrong when the Bone-Chompers attacked that night. According to Dillinger, prey animals lived carefree lives completely oblivious to the hardships of predators who had to sacrifice a normal life to be strong and uphold the laws of predator and prey. Dillinger also insisted that the prey animals were too lazy, and their unpreparedness was proof that they didn't have the right to live, whereas strong and vigilant predators had more than earned their survival by contrast.
Having heard the story from Hammy, and wanting to defend RJ, Scarlet says, "You know he didn't mean it like Dillinger did, Hammy."
RJ: "That's right. I never said the animals who're blaming Kale for their losses deserve to lose their family members who have died. The main point I'm trying to get across is that Kale shouldn't be taking the blame. He's working too hard and having to push his body to the limit, and other animals are still talking down to him despite all he's done. It's not fair for him, especially considering all that he had to give up to be the guy he is today."
Kale: "If anyone und'astands me, it's you, RJ...But what else can we do?"
RJ: "The rest of us aren't too busy. Maybe some of us can take the time to go out and re-teach the fighting skills we taught the animals of this forest so they can help make Kale's job easier."
The family gives facial expressions of agreement, showing that they are on-board. But being like RJ's surrogate brother, Rick feels obligated to mention something important.
Rick: "As much as I hate to bring it up at a time like this, we're running low on food and need to restock in the next day or two. The problem is that we gotta deal with that wacko verminator who moved to the Elysian Fields Estates."
Tyler: "We can just eat things around the forest instead of going on raids, dad."
Rick smiles both at how much his son is becoming a better raccoon by the day, and how he had overthought the matter. Like all raccoons Rick craves thrill and exhilaration which comes best from heisting, but he shouldn't let those desires make him forget that he and everyone else here used to get their food from nature as most animals still do.
Rick: "Atta boy, Ty. Good thinking."
Luby: "We can bring a wagon along with us to collect food from the forest while we go out and re-train the animals."
Verne: "Sounds like we've got a game plan."
Verne looks at RJ in the way that silently tells the raccoon that he has the floor.
RJ: "Kale, before you get some much-needed rest, tell us the animal families who seem to be the rustiest at fighting, and are at the highest risk of losing someone to predators."
Kale happily obliges and gives the listeners a rundown. Like all wolves Kale is a meticulous, self-micromanaging thinker whose nature-given senses are perfectly honed to gather information of everything within range of his senses tantamount to someone with a photographic memory. Once Kale finishes, RJ assigns family members with certain sections of the forest to go to in order to re-teach the basics of fighting to the animal families that Kale spoke of. Accepting the fact that Rogan and Sarah will need to stay behind with Ozzie, Heather, Ike, and the bats who are still sleeping, RJ and Rebecca will go somewhere, the three turtles will go elsewhere, as will Hammy's family. Rick's family will go in one direction, while Stella and Tiger will go another. Lou, Penny, and Annette will go a different direction than Spike and Emma, who in turn will go somewhere different from Quillo and Rachel.
With the teams and places settled, RJ ends the meeting with "Alright folks, go out and make a difference."
Bucky rolls up his nonexistent sleeves and says, "Let's get cracking, Emily."
Emily pops her knuckles and replies, "I'm with you, Bucky."
The couple takes only two steps when Annette steps in front of them making a stop signal with her paw.
Annette: "Just a minute you two. You're children are your top priority now. You'll need to sit out this one, as well as many others."
Bucky and Emily look at each other for a second in comprehension of Annette's words, then the two smile and chuckle at their forgetfulness.
Bucky lightly taps his forehead, leaves his paw hanging in the air near it, and then says in a light-hearted tone, "Duh, our kids aren't even 24 hours old yet."
Emily: "Sorry, mom. Things are happening so fast that we forgot about our 'maternity leave.' Thanks for reminding us."
Annette: "No problem, it's a mother's job."
As Bucky and Emily return to the log to check on their sleeping kids, Emily finds herself feeling just a teeny bit impatient with how parenting has just replaced the void she thought was already tedious and boring that was waiting for her kids to be born ever since she became five months pregnant. She had really missed being able to go on heists and do other physically-active things while carrying her children in the womb, and was looking forward to getting back to doing those things she really enjoyed.
Emily thinking: "But I gotta go even longer missing out on fun things now that my kids have been born."
It doesn't bother her too much because she remembers all the time and effort she put in to help raise the kids of the other family members. As Bucky said (and still feels), parenting will be a cinch.
The brief exchange RJ just overheard among the porcupines makes him grin at how he did the same slip-up as the two new parents just did on the day after his twins were born too. That specific thought makes him head over to the direction his kids should be right now. He figures they may not listen to him, but it's worth a try to have them come along to help him and Rebecca with the animal families the two raccoon siblings have been assigned. RJ also believes Rebecca will be able to convince them better than what he and Heather have tried.
I was originally going to combine this chapter and chapter 7 into 1 big chapter, but that would be too much. (Seriously, who writes a 96-page chapter?) Therefore, I'm cutting it in half. Read on to see what happens next, but leave a review for this one if you want. Either way, enjoy!