I froze. "What?!"

"He died in his sleep, I went looking and found our Mother and told her the news, she told me to find you guys" Pixie explained.

Felis and Dew looked at each other and backed away. Their mother showed up, giving them a perfect excuse to leave us. The Blitzle litter and the Chespin litter both played somewhere else as the news of my brother's death began to sink in.

"Oh..." Thunder whispered, "Where are they?"

"Burying Lemon, hurry so you could pay your respects to your brother" Pixie growled.

Me and Thunder followed Pixie through the forest till we saw Pine Nose digging up the dirt while Blaze was holding Lemon's corpse in her jaws.

"Help us bury him" Our Father said. He moved aside as me and Thunder dug up more dirt till it was deep enough to bury Lemon in.

I noticed Pine Nose looked...regretful? And Blaze as well. Why are our parents acting like that?

Pixie placed Lemon in the hole and Thunder dug him up all by himself. Our Father was about to say something, but he didn't.

"I'll never forget you" Blaze cried as she fell and began crying even more. I threw my arm around our Mother and Thunder just sat and frowned while Pixie whimpered.

"What happened?"

The five of us turned around to see a distraught Edward walking to us.

"Lemon died" Blaze replied. "He was too sick and he died in his sleep."

"That's terrible" Edward muttered. "Especially since you never told him the truth."

"What?" I gasped. "What truth?"

"What? I didn't say anything about a 'truth', you silly Pokemon!" Edward purred.

Blaze tensed beside me and Pine Nose snarled at Edward.

"I shall be going now" Edward said as he dismissed himself and left.

Pixie looked very troubled.

"What was he talking about, Mother?" Pixie snapped.

"Nothing, he's old and crazy!" Pine Nose said with a gesture of his paws. "You three should probably join a patrol before I make you guys pick out ticks for the elders. Thunder, not you. You should go see Mud Tail for that injury on your shoulder."

"Oh, I...forgot about that" Thunder said embarrassed, totally forgetting about the fight with Otter earlier, "I'll go do that right now."

A week had passed since the death of Lemon, and it seemed everyone forgot about it. Especially our parents, who would dismiss the topic if ever brought up.

I was livid.

It seemed that they were hiding something, and I was going to find out.

After I eat.

I lowered my muscles and held my tail in the air as a juicy-looking Fletchling pecked at the dirt.

I leaped and killed the Fletchling with a single bite to the neck.

"Hey, Riptide"

I turned around to see Felis, her beautiful purple fur sleek and shiny.

"You go swimming?" I asked.

"Yeah, Dew was teaching me how to fish!" Felis purred. "I had some catching up to do after the fight with those Bandits!"

I lowered my head.

"What's wrong?" Felis sat beside me and looked at me with worried green eyes.

"Lemon" And the 'truth' my parents have not told me yet. "He died, and me and my brother weren't even there!"

Felis looked on, her eyes clouded and her tail twitching.

"Something happened to you" I said. "What happened?"

"Something I had no control over" Felis whispered sadly. I moved over towards her and licked her cheek.

"What was it?"

"I need to tell you something important" Felis said. "The reason why Berry ignores me, Dew, and those three Blitzle...is because he is our father."

My jaw dropped.

"And that's why he hates Mira, and she is depressed!" I gasped. "But why does he hate you guys?"

"He doesn't hate us, that's the worst part" Felis growled. "He doesn't want to acknowledge that we are his children...because he wants to mate with us when we are of reproductive age."

I choked and looked at her with wild eyes.

"WHAT?!" I yelled. "WH-WH-WHAT?! That's disgusting!"

"Yes, very" Felis hissed. "In fact, I realized only a few days ago that Berry was Mira's father's father, Bone told me."

"Wow...that's...just, terrible" I whispered. "I'm so sorry, Felis."

"My mother got the worst of it" Felis was crying now. "She refused to mate with Berry...so he...forced himself on her."

Felis broke down, she fell into my paws and weeped.

"I should never have been born" Felis cried.

I pushed her up and put my paws on her shoulders.

"Don't you ever say that, Felis!" I said softly. "You and Dew are as meaningful as the rest of us, we all serve a purpose!"

"...Thanks, Riptide" Felis rested herself against me.

I felt warmth and a knot of pleasure inside me. I know I said Felis wouldn't be my mate, and that we would be only friends...but I really like her.

And why not?

I was only a month from reproductive age, and Felis could be ready anytime.

No, I'm talking like a desperate idiot. Never mind.

"Thank you" Felis purred. "And I hope you cope over Lemon's death well."

I gave Felis a polite nod. "Thank you"

Felis left and I heard a familiar holler from a familiar Vigoroth.

"CAMELLIA'S HAS MY EGGS!" Lumber hollered across the trees. "TWO OF THEM!"

I felt envy, Lumber was only a year old, and he already scored the pretty Kecleon that was three years old!

"WE HEARD YOU LUMBER, YOU CAN STOP!" Edward shouted back.

"Let him rejoice" Martha flew to Edward's side. "It's not everyday somebody hears they're going to become a father."

"Yeah, you're right" Edward than padded off.

Than I remembered Berry. And I bared my teeth.

I wouldn't forget, and I definitely would not forgive. Ever.