Chapter 7

I hadn't forgotten what my parents told me in my dream. But who could be the one with ferret in their blood? Did that mean that Buck wasn't a full-blooded weasel either? All the answers came to me about week later. I was getting food alone, much to Buck's worries. He believed I needed protection at all times now because of his family, but in the end, I think this was for the best.

So I was walking by a bush with edible berries when I heard a voice nearby. I walked closer to it. It sounded like someone was upset because they were muttering with a shaky voice. I could barely hear what they were saying. But as I crept closer, staying hidden behind a tree, I heard better what this person was saying, "I should tell them…I shouldn't tell them…I should tell them…I shouldn't tell them…" As she said those words over and over again, she picked the petals of a lily. I watched curiously until she got to the last petal.

"I should tell them!" She sobbed. "But how can I…they'll shun me forever!" I needed to know more. I stepped forward and walked over to Buck's mother, Amelia. She looked up and gasped, "K-keep away from me!" I held up my hands for peace. "I just wanted to help you is all…you seemed really upset…"

Amelia's ears drooped as she relaxed. She tried to speak, but she couldn't. Instead, she turned away and sobbed into her hands. I walked forward and touched her shoulder softly. She flinched, but didn't move away. I smiled sympathetically. "You can tell me what's wrong, but I won't force it out. I just want to help. I've been the parent of my siblings since I was eight. I'm sixteen, soon to be seventeen, now so I think I can be helpful."

Amelia turned. "You really are nothing that we perceived a half-breed would be like. You have a pure heart and you feel and know love, don't you?" I nodded with a smile. "I believe we're all equal. It doesn't matter if we're half-breeds or pure blooded or even a mixture of several things put together. We all have feelings and we're all on this world to live. No one should have that taken away from them."

Amelia smiled and nodded. "Well, I…I guess you can know my secret. I couldn't tell anyone in my family. But I guess I can tell you since I know you won't shun me. It's because we're practically the same." My eyebrow rose in confusion. "What do you mean?" She looked with her shimmering sapphire eyes that were Buck's as well into my emerald ones.

"I'm not a pure blood. My grandfather was a pureblooded ferret while his mate was a pureblooded weasel. When I met Jonathan, Buck's father, it was love at first sight. When I found out he was prejudice against ferrets and half-breeds, I hid that part of me. I have always wanted to tell him, but couldn't because of fear. Buck, we found out, has no real ferret blood in him. He's basically a pureblooded weasel like his father. But Emma and Cody were more like ferrets like me. I told them my history and that they were more like me. They understood and promised not to tell Jonathan.

"I've never told Buck though. When he was born, he took the looks and blood of his father, but I had always been an adventurer like he will always be. Buck got an extreme version of that from me. His personality is from his father and me. But my bravery was destroyed when I attempted to tell Jonathan about my ancestry. I couldn't face him shunning me! So you see…I don't know what to do…"

I pulled her into a hug. She welcomed it and began to cry on my shoulder. I was only slightly taller than her. "It'll be okay, Amelia. I had a ferret mother and a weasel father. Buck loves me for who I am…and like you say, he has his father's qualities. If Jonathan loves you, he'll accept who you are. It may take him time to think it over, but that's to be expected. Just tell him and get it over with. I'm sure you don't want to live like this forever…"

We parted up. She nodded, "Your right, Jade! But I can't do it alone." I smiled. "I always wondered what my parents meant by there being a weasel in your family with ferret blood. Now I know…" Amelia frowned confusedly. "What do you mean? I thought your parents were dead." I nodded and explained my meetings with my parents in my dreams. In the end, Amelia was amazed. "I bet they were amazing! They must be because you are amazing and you must've gotten from them."

I nodded and touched my necklace. "They were…" Amelia looked at the necklace. "What's that?" I explained the fight when I lost my parents and the meaning of the necklace. I had her promise not to tell anyone till it was the right time, and by the time I was done with the story, it was late. "You can come with us to eat. I'm sure you'll feel better if you stay away from your family for a while." She nodded and we walked back.

.~.~.~.~.

As we entered camp again, Buck stood up. "Jade! What took ya so long?" Before I could answer, he noticed his mother and gasped and turned to me. "What is she doin' 'ere?" I rolled my eyes at his harsh attitude. "I invited her! She'll be eating with us. And if she wants to, she can stay with us for the night."

In the end, she did stay. She slept peacefully, I could tell, for the first time in a while. I could tell that seeing Buck and me together had brought those memories of her ancestry and her fear of being shunned by her mate back. I felt bad, and I wasn't about to let her suffer like that. She was now my family. And even if she wasn't, I was going to help her even still. Yes I would…

.~.~.~.~.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of a slightly shouting male voice that I recognized was Jonathan and the pleading, scared voice of Amelia. I listened, pretending to still be asleep as a new voice joined in. It was Buck.

"Ya can't just tell anyone what ta do!" Buck said angrily. "Leave it 'lone an' let everyone make their own choice!" Jonathan growled, "Fine! Ya wan' ta stay with the traitors…just go ahead! I won' stop ya!" I got up at that point as Jonathan walked away. But I could see from where I was that he was on the verge of tears. I joined Buck and Amelia as they turned to me. Amelia's face was wet with tears.

"I tried explaining that I was trying to persuade Buck to come back to our family!" She sobbed. I nodded and hugged her, letting her sob on my shoulder as I shushed her. Buck was confused. He wore an expression that read, 'What I miss?' I ignored it and continued to let Amelia sob over my shoulder. When she gained control over herself, she stepped away.

"I…I can't do it…" I shook my head. "You will be able to when the time comes…don't worry." Buck's eyes darted between the two of us. Finally he sighed and asked, "What are you two talkin' 'bout? Did I miss something that I should know?" I didn't turn, but said, "You'll know what it's time to know and understand."

Cody and Emma, who hadn't seen their mother the night before because they had gone to sleep early, rushed forward to meet their mother. "Mommy! You're here!" Amelia put on a smile as she wiped her eyes. Then she knelt down and hugged her young son and daughter. I smiled. This would make a great picture…if only the digital Kodak camera had been invented by now. Oh well!

Emma was the first to notice her mother's tears, but she understood the reason behind them. "You couldn't tell him?" Amelia nodded grimly. Cody, also understanding, sighed. "You'll have to soon. You'll destroy yourself if you don't." Amelia nodded. "Will all of you help me?" She turned to the twins and me. The three of us nodded. Buck huffed. "What are you talkin' 'bout!?" He nearly shouted.

I turned to him. "A secret…"

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