Over the Hedge: Second Generation

by starwars4life

Set 15 years after Midsummer Crises. The kids and young adult hedgies are now grown adults and must continue to carry out what their parents have taught them about heists, fun, friendship, love, and family. But will the problems they now encounter as parents and mates make the hedge family grow stronger and larger, or break apart and get smaller?

3. Family Harmony and Tensions

Chapter 3: Family Harmony and Tensions

When Patricia wakes up her routine is to stretch her arms and legs out while still laying down. She does this every morning and it has always gone without a hitch. But today, for the first time in her life, she can't stretch her right arm as easily because something is weighing it down. She opens her eyes and looks at it, expecting to see Bernard laying on top of it—"He probably rolled over on it," her mind theorizes—and lets out a short yelp when she discovers what she sees. There, snuggled on her right arm is a raccoon kit, female by the scent she is giving off, and 10-years-old given her size. The girl has a dark brown nose and light-brown fur all over her body, including all four paws which don't have the typical gloves and socks markings. Her black mask stretches to both sides of her head, instead of stopping near the eyes, making it look like she's wearing a bandanna around her eyes and face. Her tail has six rings, three dark gray and three light gray, in which the two colors interchange with light gray ring at the base of her tail and the last dark gray ring at the tip. Her fur is unkempt, and she stinks of dried sweat and not having bathed in at least a day.

As Patricia looks closer, she notices some unsettling things. There are a number of formerly bald spots on her body with fur starting to grow back. From those spots Patricia can make out cuts made from claw and teeth marks, as well as few bruises. Most noticeable is a scar on her left shoulder which looks like a Z with a vertical line going down through the middle. Obviously, this raccoon has been in many fights and should be considered dangerous. "And yet," Patricia says in her head, "she is snuggled up on me as if I was her mother...If she wanted to harm me, she would have done it last night while I was asleep." Still, Patricia doesn't want to startle the kit which might result in the girl attacking her out of self-defense. So Patricia slowly sits upright while keeping her right arm perfectly still. Once she is in a seated position, Patricia gently tries to push the sleeping kit off of her, but the girl's grip is too strong. Patricia then tries to shake the kit off, but the girl doesn't budge.

Patricia sighs in defeat, which makes Bernard say, "Looks like you got one too." Patricia looks over to see Bernard still lying on the ground at her left, and another raccoon kit wrapped around his right leg. This one is a boy and 6-years-old, and like the girl his fur is messy, smells dirty, and has some scratch and bite marks, but not nearly as many as the other. The boy has bronze fur except for the wheat-colored fur shaped like a skinny oval located on his ventral side starting from his xiphoid process (where the chest meets the abs) down to his loins. The fur from his black nose to his chin is also wheat-colored, and he has three black freckles on his cheeks that resemble the three tips of triangles. His inner ears are colored wheat and his outer ears are black. His black mask looks like a sideways hour glass, and he has black glove markings, but his hind feet are bronze. Lastly his tail has seven rings, four black and three wheat, which interchange starting with the black ring at the base of his tail and ending with the black ring as the tip.

Bernard: "I tried shaking him off, but he has got one heck of a grip. And it looks like it's the same case with you."

Patricia: "You think they got lost from there real parents and wanted to sleep next to grown-ups?"

Bernard: "If I was their parents, I would search high and low for them until I found them, and wake up the strangers who they're sleeping next to."

Patricia: "Likewise. But guessing isn't going to get us anywhere. If we wanna find out what's really going on, we need to wake them. But do it gently, because they look like they can hurt us if we startle them."

Bernard: "Let's use the 'Pinocchio-wake-up method,' and pray they won't attack because it looks like they might have rabies."

Patricia nods and together she and Bernard use their fingers to pinch the raccoons' noses closed. After some grunting and arm flailing the two kits shake open their eyes, revealing that the girl's eyes are blue and the boy's are yellow.

While Bernard keeps begging, "Don't attack us, don't attack us, do-ooon't attack us," in panic in his mind, Patricia is more level-headed and not as concerned for her own safety. The concern is still there, but she is more worried about the kids.

Before speaking she tells herself, "Easy does it. Put on your best smile, talk motherly, and don't show any fear." She then says out loud, "Well hi and good morning, you little ones. What are you two doing on my arm and his leg?"

Bernard notices his mate's tone, and replicates it for himself when he adds, "Both of you are braver than me for cuddling up next to someone you've never met before. And don't worry, we won't move a finger until you say so."

Upon hearing the two adults speak, and now getting a better idea of what they look like in the morning light, both kits not only feel perfectly safe around them, but also know their choice of getting next to them was a good one. The two muse, "They're better than I hoped for. They look and talk like movie stars, if animals made movies."

Boy: "We've been traveling a long time and needed a safe place to sleep. We wanted to be safe, to have adults protect us if something mean came after us. You were the first grown-ups we noticed, so we decided to sleep next to you."

Girl: "Did we scare you when you noticed us? Sorry if we did. And mister, why do you look so weird?"

Boy: "Hey, don't be rude to him!"

Bernard: "No worries. Trust me, others have called me far worse things than 'weird' because of the way I look. I actually take 'weird' as a compliment, because like my mate has taught me, what makes us 'weird' is what makes us most unique. But to answer your question, I'm an opossacoon, a raccoon-opossum hybrid. My dad's a raccoon and my mom's an opossum. My name is Bernard and this is my mate, Patricia."

Patricia: "What are your names?"

The boy opens his mouth to speak, but the girl interrupts looking at him harshly and snapping out, "We don't have names anymore! We hate our old names, because it reminds us of our pare—!" She slaps her paw across her mouth before she could reveal anything else, but knows it's too late. However, Patricia's and Bernard's responses are not what she expects them to be. It is one of wit.

Patricia: "Well...even if you don't like your real names, we still need to address you. Are you okay with us calling you 'girl' and 'boy'?"

Bernard: "I sure wouldn't be. But if your real names bring you pain, then we won't wanna call you anything that makes you angry..."

The kits are amazed for all the right reasons at this pair of adults' reactions. But they are distracted from their enjoyment when Patricia says, "And if it's not too much to ask, can we have our arm and leg back?"

The kits look down and see that they are still attached to Patricia and Bernard, and finally let go, which enables Bernard to stand up.

Patricia: "Are you two cousins, best friends, or boyfriend-girlfriend?"

Boy: "Boyfriend?! Yuck! No way, she has cooties!"

The girl rolls her eyes but then says, "We're brother and sister."

That statement raises an eyebrow on both adults. Bernard speaks his confusion by saying, "But you two look so different from each other..."

Boy: "I was adopted."

Girl: "And I love my little brother more than I love myself. He needs me, and I need him."

Patricia looks at Bernard, their eyes communicating what the next discussion topic should be about, and he nods at her, giving her the floor. Patricia takes a deep breath and says, "Okay, let's address the elephant in the room. And I don't care if it's something you don't want to talk about, it's extremely important, and we have held out on it long enough; that's us being nice." After a deliberate pause, she asks, "Where are your parents?"

Girl: "We don't have parents anymore."

Bernard: "What happened to them?"

Boy: "Mama and dad are—"

Girl: "—No longer our mama and dad. They abandoned us, so we abandoned them."

Bernard: "You're not telling the truth. I can tell you're putting on an act and making things up. I'm half possum, so I know about acting and improvising."

Patricia: "Your parents are dead, aren't they?"

The girl lowers her defenses since it's pointless to try to hide the truth anymore. Accepting that the jig is up she sighs out, "How did you know?"

Patricia: "You cutting off your brother is a dead giveaway—"

Bernard, wanting to lighten the mood, goes " 'Dead'?! Uhhh!" and faints. The boy laughs, and even the girl despite her best efforts to resist, scoffs with a smirk.

With a confrontational situation now defused, Patricia continues, "And I can see it in your eyes, the pain and the rage." She walks up to the girl, kneels down, locks eyes with her and says, "We may be strangers, but having anyone to talk to about our problems when no one you know is around is better than not getting something off your chest...And no matter what your answer is, Bernard and I promise not to judge you. You and your brother look like you have been judged improperly for quite some time now," (Points at the girl's numerous cuts and bruises) "And we won't make things worse for you kids than they already are."

Patricia waits until the girl relaxes. Then, the girl flings her arms around Patricia and cries, overcome with relief rather than sorrow. Fifteen second later, the girl says, "Th-thank you! You've shown me and my brother more love in 10 minutes than our real parents have in their entire lives!"

The boy musters up his courage to give his "sister" a break and says, "Mama and dad were so mean. They beat us up all the time for no good reason. And when mama died from a hunter, dad became meaner than he already was. Sister is the bravest animal in the whole world; whenever dad wanted to hit me, she told him, 'Beat me up, not my little brother,' to protect me. Then two months ago, dad was eaten by a bear. Sister said it was 'over a territorial dispute'—whatever that is—and we ran away."

Bernard: "That explains your injuries. You poor kids...Bless your hearts...Now I know you're truly braver than I'll ever be." (Looks at the girl) "Especially you. Volunteering to be beaten in order to save your little brother...you're not a kid, you're a real-woman's woman; the kind a woman a real woman comes to ask advice from when she's not being strong enough."

The girl nods her head yes, wipes her eyes, and says, "We have no other relatives, so we ran away to start life with a clean, blank slate. Even our old names would remind us of our abusive parents, so we've been searching for a new place to call home. But no one has taken us in because they keep saying they have too many kids as is, but I think it's because of how we look. With all our injuries, they think we'd be nothing but trouble and start fights."

Boy: "They thought we'd be bullies, instead of seeing us as the victims of bullies."

Girl: "And my attitude made things worse. It's just...I feel so angry for not being able to fight back against my parents, so I have a short fuse."

Despite how the boy's hopes have been dashed in the past, and how many times his sister has told him to give up on hope, his aspirations that the world is full of mostly good animals still remain, so the boy decides to hope yet again. He asks, "Can you please be our new mama and dad?"

The girl rants, "What did I tell you about asking that?! You're hoping again, aren't you?! We have learned in the hardest ways imaginable that hope is the cruelest trick we can play on ourselves! (1) Hope can get us hurt, rejected, or even killed!" (1)

Again, Patricia and Bernard notice the look in her eyes and the way she had spoken, which contradict the words that came out of her mouth. This recent observation has told them that, in spite of this girl's harshness and everything that has happened to her since becoming an orphan, she is still hoping that the two will accept the boy's offer.

Bernard is about to speak, when the girl unintentionally cuts him off by looking at him and Patricia while saying, "Look, thanks for your kindness, but we need to move on. We can only depend on ourselves, and no one else. If we depend on others, we'll just be let down."

Patricia: "Actually—"

Boy: "But they seem different from all the other adults who told us no."

Bernard: "We—"

Girl: "Of course they're different. One of them's a mutant, and the other is a freaky hybrid-lover."

Bernard: "Um—"

Boy: "Sister! How could you say that?!" (To Bernard and Patricia) "I'm sorry for that, she's having her meanie-side do the talking again."

Patricia: "It's—"

Girl: "My 'meanie side' is the reason we're still surviving."

Bernard: "Kids—"

Boy: I don't wanna survive anymore, I wanna live."

Patricia: "If you'd—"

Girl: "They're the same thing."

Boy: "Are not!"

Girl: "Are too!"

Boy: "Are NOT!"

Girl: "Are TOO!"

Patricia and Bernard in unison: "KIDS! Knock it off and listen!"

The two may not even be blood-related, but their arguing would convince the most cynical of genetics lab scientists that these two are brother and sister. They both are silent from the couple's outburst and give them their full attention.

Patricia: "We'd be more than happy to adopt you."

In stunned monotone, the girl and boy say, "What?" in unison

Bernard: "And we promise to give you everything your biological parents never did."

Boy: "But...?"

Girl: "Why...?"

Patricia: "Your lives have been so cruel to you, and you never did anything to deserve it. You deserve to experience what true love and true family is like. You deserve a real father and mother who will love you unconditionally. You deserve to be happy, carefree, and full of hope and excitement like all kids should. You two are parentless, Bernard and I are childless, and want children more than anything in this world."

Bernard: "And no matter how hard you try to convince yourselves otherwise, you need parents to guide you, especially at this stage in your lives. Neither of you were born loners, so you're not suited for life alone. My older sister found that out the hard way, which saved me from suffering the same fate. You've been lucky so far with your family-of-two lifestyle, but that luck is bound to run out."

Patricia: "But with us, you won't need to rely on luck anymore. You can rely on us, and our big, extended family."

Bernard: "And before you ask, no, we're not doing this in return for anything, and don't expect you to give us a reward. We're doing this because you need us, and we need you. You need the love of parents, and we need the love of children."

Patricia: "Take some time to think it over, because I know it's a lot to—"

But before Patricia can finish, the boy and girl run up to her and Bernard respectively, hug them hard and yell out, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!"

Boy: "Mama!"

Girl: "And dad!"

Bernard pats the girl's head, but still states in a confused tone, "I didn't think you'd change your mind so quickly...?"

Girl: "I saw the look in your eyes. You meant it! Both of you meant every single word!"

Boy: "I told you they were different!"

Girl: "And I'll never doubt you again, little brother!" (To Bernard) "I'm sorry for insulting you and mama. Please forgive me."

Bernard smiles and rubs her head fur while saying, "Of course I forgive you, my daughter."

Patricia: "And since you have started your new lives with a clean and blank slate, how's about we give you new names?"

Girl and boy in unison: "Yes! Yes! Please! Please!"

Patricia looks at Bernard and says, "I get to name our daughter, and you get to name our son."

Bernard: "Sounds good. But we might need to know your real names so we don't accidentally give you the same ones."

Girl: "You're not our first parents, you won't give us the same names, I'm sure. And any name will be better, even if it's the first thing that comes to your mind."

Patricia: "Well, in that case...How about we name you, um...Reagan?"

Girl: "I love it!"

Bernard looks at his new son to say, "And I've been thinking of a certain name for a boy ever since we started trying to adopt other kits. It's a combination of three of my family members' names rolled up into three first names. How about Rogan-Ozzie, Jr. or Ro-J?"

Note: Pronounced Row-Jay

Boy: "I love it too!"

Patricia: "Then Reagan—"

Bernard: "And Ro-J—"

Patricia and Bernard in unison: "Welcome to our family as our new son and daughter."

Reagan and Ro-J cheer and hug their new parents again. When they're finished Patricia says, "Before we go meet the rest of your new family, Bernard's got some shampoo in his golf bag, we need to wash you kids good n' clean so you'll look your best in front of your aunts, uncles, and cousins."

No one objects and after a quick 10-minute bath the new family of four heads home to give the others the good news.

Note: (1)= Based on Alien: River of Pain by Christopher Golden.

---

By the time the four arrive back home, Bernard and Patricia have already told Reagan and Ro-J how many family members there are, the names and species each animal is (hybrid and otherwise), how adventurous and fun their lives are, and how they all like to heist from humans.

Bernard: "You did missed a big heist yesterday, so we won't be raiding from humans anytime soon."

Patricia: "But on the plus side, you'll have about two months of fun to get to know every family member personally."

Ro-J: "I'm liking you more every time you speak, mama and dad!"

When they get within eyesight of the log, not all of the family is present, but those who are there are watching Roger and Aleshia performing a magic show.

Reagan: "I've seen magicians on TV do it, but have never seen animals do magic tricks before."

Bernard: "Then you two are in for a real treat. And let's watch from a distance so that the show can go on. We'll introduce you when it's over."

Patricia: "Is that okay?"

Reagan and Ro-J in unison: "Yes mama."

The four seclude themselves in a bush and watch. Roger and Aleshia are center stage—on a patch of grass with thick bushes on the left and right—and have Riley and Ellie on the side to assist them. Roger wears his top hat and Aleshia wears a smaller version of one that tilts as it is on the side of her head. Also present are Hammy, Scarlet, Sam, and Aaron; Mary, Elroy, Mira, Zeke, and Tim; RJ, Heather, Lou, Penny, Annie, and Drake; Rick, Luby, and of course Tyler, Grace, and Kelly. However, Tyler and Grace are not there to enjoy the show, but to try to disprove it and expose the magicians as frauds.

Note: the following magic tricks are based on the Over the Hedge comic strip dated 1/3-5/2022.

Aleshia: "Eleanor, my daughter, step forward."

Once Ellie does so, she starts rubbing her right eye. "Something's wrong mommy and daddy," she says.

Roger: "Let's see-eth what thine matter is."

He gets in front of Ellie so that his back is facing the audience. And starts touching Ellie's eye, making her go, "Owie! Owie-Wowie!"

Roger: "Ellie, it's just something in your eye...Hang on. I've got it..."

He first pulls out multi-colored handkerchiefs tied together. But then it seems to get stuck. Roger looks over his shoulder and tells the animals, "Looks like we're having some un-technical difficulties." He looks at his mate and son and says, "Aleshia. Riley. Hold Ellie and make sure she doesn't budge...This is gonna take some force."

Aleshia holds onto Ellie's left arm and Riley holds onto her right. Roger then uses bother paws to pull hard. He groans briefly from straining, and then pulls out the rest of the handkerchief rope with a yank. Three birds, one butterfly, a rabbit, hand trowel, six various coins, toaster, rubix cube, and corded rotary phone also come out and land on the left or right of the magician and his daughter. As the birds and rabbit go away, the most puzzling thing of all is when Ellie holds up one last item—a spatula—and says, "Jeepers! Where did that come from?"

The audience applauds and cheers/laughs while the four raccoons bow. Rather than rudely interrupt to challenge how the "magic" trick was really done, Tyler takes notes on a pad that he will use for later, but writes while grimacing and shaking his head side to side.

Roger: "Thank you ladies and gentlemammals. We now must ask for a volunteer from our audience."

All the kids raise their paws, and the only adults who do are Hammy and Scarlet. Hammy because he still has the mind of a kid, and Scarlet because she has a wild side. Scarlet and Hammy have known each other for 21 years now, and had met when she fled her biological family who tried to force her to marry someone she wasn't in love with. Had she been born at least 60 or more years from the day she ran away, animals she encountered may have seen her for what she really was: a desperate, starving, homeless, miserable young lady who only needed help with her life. But times have changed since the 1960s, and every animal she asked for help just assumed she was pretending and trying to take advantage of them. Only Hammy saw her for what she really was, and in him Scarlet saw more. After nursing her back to health, Hammy and Scarlet started dating, and with his kind and witty nature and her love of thrills and spills, the two were perfect for each other. Since marrying and having two sons, Hammy and Scarlet have been enjoying and helping themselves (and their kids) through all that life has to offer—the good and the bad, but always together. With Hammy's zaniness Scarlet is never bored with life, and with Scarlet's intellect Hammy always has someone smart to rely on to steer him on the correct path, and who is just as fun to be around as himself.

But Roger has someone else in mind to be his volunteer, someone he knows will be the perfect match for his indented magic trick. Roger says, "Sam! Get on up here!" while pointing.

Sam: "Yaaaay-aaaayy!"

Sam hurries to where the magician family is. Aleshia and her kids go to the right and come back pushing and pulling a magician sawing box painted blue with white stars dotted all over it.

Aleshia: "Enter the box, oh Sam the Brave."

Sam doesn't hesitate and now has his head is sticking out of one end of the box and his feet out the other end. He continues to smile even when Roger approaches carrying a saw.

Roger: "For my next trick, I will saw Sam the squirrel in half!"

Numerous "Ooo's" and "Ahhs" come from the audience. But one among them can't remain silent, and decides to speak up.

Ty: "Lame! Everyone knows how this trick is done. The feet are fake and his body is curled up into the other side of the box!"

Roger seems to grin ear to ear and says, "Now Sam."

Sam looks at Ty and says, "Wrong!..."

In an instant, the feet sticking out of the other side retract and out comes a squirrel who looks identical to Sam!

Sam 2: "...I'm in both sides!"

Scarlet: "There he goes again, pulling focus away from the magic show..."

Ty: "Admit it, it's a better trick."

Sams in unison: "Where's my toesies?"

It seems everyone else in the audience only heard Scarlet and the Sams, causing the onlookers to clap and applaud again. Hammy then says, "Hey, where's Aaron?"

The Sam 2 literally pulls his face off and reveals that he is really Aaron wearing a mask designed to look exactly like Sam.

Aleshia: "We four magicians are well aware of the sawing in half magic trick, so rather than do that cliché, we opted to make the real magic trick be how Aaron went from the audience into the box."

Several Yay's and Woo-hoo's come from the audience. Ty rolls his eyes but remains quiet. Sam and Aaron have a similar relationship to their parents of being inseparable and relying on the other to get things accomplished that they would never have done on their own. All the negatives are cancelled out by the other's positive abilities, leaving only the best attributes to shine through and win the day. In this case, it's the squirrel brothers' wits and wittiness that has entertained the audience.

Roger says, "Thou doesn't seem-eth to be having enough fun, little brother of mine." He snaps his fingers, disappears in a puff of purple sparkling smoke, and reappears in front of Ty. "Pick a card...Any card."

Ty: "I'll pass. Have one of the audience come up again."

The animal audience speaks in unison when they shout, "No! You pick a card! Any card!" and then chant "Do it!" five times, each with more intensity than the last.

Before they can say it a sixth time, Ty says, "Alright! I'll pick any card."

As he touches one of the seven cards, Roger says, "Except that card." (Ty touches another card) "...Or that card." (Ty touches a different card) "Not that one..." (Ty touches another card) "Nope..." (Ty touches another card) "Uh-uhhh." (Ty touches another card) "Definitely not that one."

Ty takes the next card and says in monotone annoyance, "Roger, this is the last card...It's bent up and has a big Q and a heart drawn on the back in magic marker."

Roger puts his fingers to his chin and ponders aloud, "Is it the...Queen of Hearts?"

Ty smirks and says, "Actually, no. It's the Ace of Spades," while turning the card so that Roger can see it.

The magician is dumbfounded and then Ty shows the audience the card too. Then, Roger's brain clicks and he looks past the audience, at a tree, and shouts, "Hammy?!"

Everyone looks at Hammy who is holding onto a tree trunk with his head facing down. In response to their stares Hammy says, "What? The Queen is so pretty and I like to draw hearts! If there was a universal symbol for 'hugs' I would draw that instead, but there is none."

Aleshia: "That squirrel family stole the show from us four magicians twice! That means they have more magic than all of us combined! Give it up for Hammy and his family!"

As the crowd cheers and claps a final time, Aleshia and Roger kiss on the lips. Grace walks up to the disappointed Ty, wraps her arms around him, and kisses him on the check. She then says, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get 'em one day, baby."

Kelly: "I liked the whole show! I never want to know how magic is done! I want it to be a secret so I can be amazed every time I see it!"

Ty regains his good mood and says, "Oh you're just going through a phase. You're not Uncle Roger so you'll outgrow it eventually."

Grace: "But until then, continue to have all the fun you want, Kelly."

Kelly's giggle makes her parents reflect on how they, as well as Roger and Aleshia, had gotten together. Roger had known Aleshia ever since he was nine-years-old and she was eight, the latter being attracted to the former's use of magic tricks and growing more interested in the raccoon who did the tricks more than the tricks themselves. As they grew, so did their intrigue with the other, needless to say the same went for their romance which was uncontainable. Roger married Aleshia when he was 18 and she was 17, both having fallen head-over-heels in love with the other by then, and unable to hold off their true feelings any longer.

As for Tyler, he met Grace a month after Roger got married. Ty wasn't about to be outdone by his older brother when it came to finding a mate, and although he initially became Grace's boyfriend for bragging rights, each raccoon learned to enjoy the others' company and how they truly seemed like a perfect match. Both were more logical than imaginative, grounded in reality instead of fantasy, out to prove something for pride reasons, and had an older sibling they desired to surpass. And both did not count on Ty getting Grace pregnant in an effort to surpass their older siblings. The problem was that this happened while the two were still dating. Both sets of parents weren't too happy about that, and reminded the pair that they had taught them better than that. But as Rick and Luby had told their youngest son after a long and angry lecture, "It's not right, and it's not what we were expecting...But you're still our son and we will always love you. You just better make darn sure to make things right with your new mate and our grandkid or grandkids." Ty and Grace promised to heed their parents' advice, thanked them for their understanding, and quickly tied the knot. Since then, Tyler and Grace have truly kept to their word of making things right now that they're married. All desire to outdo their older siblings is gone, replaced with newfound maturity and devotion to each other and their daughter Kelly.

Judging the time to be right, Bernard and Patricia take Reagan's and Ro-J's paws into their own and walk out of the bush, with Bernard saying, "The only thing more magical than your great-as-always shows, Roger, is that Patricia and I have joined the club of families-within-the-family and now have an adopted son and daughter!"

The others gasp in awe, and Patricia adds, "This is our new son, Rogan-Ozzie Jr., or Ro-J. And Bernard has our new daughter, Reagan."

Now the new parents are the ones who are center-stage and are soon surrounded by family members who bombard them with questions as to where they found them, how old the kids are, and where did they come from. Ro-J and Reagan are more than happy to answer (but leave out their abusive previous parents) and really enjoy that they are receiving so much good attention from adults, something they were previously not used to.

Once the questions are answered, Mary clears her throat and orders, "Everyone in a line, let's let my brother's new kits meet us one family-within-the-family at a time!" Since she had just spoken, it only makes sense that the other animals line up behind her, Elroy, and their three joeys. Mary looks at her brother and his mate and says, "Bernard and Pat, do the honors."

Bernard: "This is my older twin sister, Mary, and her mate Elroy—they're your new biological aunt and uncle-by-marriage. They adopted their three kids only two days ago, which makes" (points at each joey as he names them) "Timothy, Ezekiel, and Miracle—or Tim, Zeke, and Mira—your new biological cousins."

Ro-J: "Cool! And we're the older cousins! I'll finally be the older one among a family member!"

Reagan: "Well, technically, if they adopted their three kids, they aren't our biological cousins."

Patricia: "Oh, you say that now but you just don't know our most important family motto: 'Family has nothing to do with blood ties. Family comes from the heart, from the love you feel and give. Anyone who is willing to open their heart and home to someone who they care about a lot, and who their life would be incomplete without, is a family.' "

Ro-J: "Gee willikers, that's a lot to remember..."

Elroy chuckles and brushes the top of Ro-J's head while saying, "Just spend more time with us and it'll sink in. But you don't need to know everything. I've been spending time with Mary's family for over 15 years and I'm still learning extended family members' names."

Mary: "Alright, Elroy and kids, let's make way for the next family."

They walk to the side and up zooms Hammy and Aaron who show their big bucktoothed smiles as they speak.

Hammy: "Hi!"

Aaron: "Hello!"

Hammy: "I'm Hammy!"

Aaron: And I'm Aaron!"

Ro-J: "Whoa! Do you have superpowers?!"

Hammy: "Ya-huh!"

Aaron: "You could say that. Dad and I are super fast."

Sam: "I Sam. Nice meet you."

Reagan: "What's with your voice?"

Sam: "I Autistic. But a blessing, no curse."

Scarlet: "And I'm Scarlet. Hammy's my mate. Don't let appearances decieve you, it takes a wild lady to marry a wild mate and raise wild sons."

Patricia looks at Reagan and Ro-J and says, "You can call these four 'Mr. Personality and Family.' "

Hammy (speaking fast without pausing): "We'd love to stay and chat some more, but we need to go find our nuts. See you later! Bye-bye!"

Hammy picks up Scarlet, Aaron picks up Sam and the squirrels zoom off deeper into the woods.

Ro-J: "So cool!"

Bernard smiles and comments, "You ain't seen nothing yet." When the next pair walk up Bernard says, "These two are Lou and Penny, and the smaller ones next to them are their firstborn grandkids, Annie and Drake."

Penny: "It's a pleasure to meet you two."

Lou: "Same here."

Drake: "I hope you two kids like doing stunts, 'cuz I'm all about thrill-seeking!"

Reagan: "Hey! I'm not a kid. I'm 10."

Drake looks at her in question for only a second before looking at her in admiration and saying, "Sorry, big girl."

Annie: "You're so gun-ho about everything, Drake. But I'm safer and more reliable. I guarantee you two will like me more than my crazy brother."

Drake: "We'll see about that."

Ro-J: "Where's your parents?"

Annie: "They're doing stuff with some of their friends, but should be back by dinner time. Hopefully you'll get to play with us some more before then."

Lou and Penny guide their grandchildren to the side and make way for the next pair.

Bernard: "Okay, these next two are Rick and Luby. They're like the surrogate brother and sister of my parents. They're just as smart, just as lively, and just as fun."

Luby: "Well, we can't take all the credit."

Rick: "Those last three honors go to our kids and their families."

Once the two elder raccoons move aside, Roger and Aleshia take off their hats and bow.

Roger: "Greetings and salutations, my new niece and nephew. I trust you enjoyed me and my family's show?"

Ro-J: "We sure did!"

Reagan: "It was mystifying! How do you do all that?"

Aleshia: "Magicians never reveal their tricks so lightly, but if you really want to know we are all in favor of some additional assistants for future shows."

Reagan and Ro-J look at each other to smile and gasp in wonder, their eyes twinkling with excitement. Roger then adds, "But the greatest magic of all that any creature is able to perform is to have children, like our two."

Riley: "I'm Riley."

Ellie: "And I'm Eleanor, but I like Ellie better. Our mommy and daddy are teaching us to be magicians too.

Riley: "So you can be our apprentices if you want."

Ro-J: "I'd love to!"

Reagan: "Me too!"

Roger claps his paws together once and says, "Splendid! Now come hither, o' family of mine, let us make-eth way for the next family to meet-eth our newest members!"

All four disappear in a puff of purple smoke and reappear to the side. Ty rolls his eyes and comes up to Reagan and Ro-J to tell them, "I'm Tyler but you can call me Ty. Unlike my older brother, I'm more grounded in reality instead of fantasy."

Grace: "And so am I, Grace. It's pleasure to meet you two."

Kelly comes up and excitedly says, "I'm Kelly! And I promise you that I'll be your favorite cousin of all!"

Reagan: "How so?"

Kelly: "I like dolls, action figures, jewelry, sports, videogames, TV shows, movies, comics, and am a master of all games from hide 'n seek to tag."

Ro-J: "So you like a little bit of everything."

Kelly: "Yep, that's me in a nutshell."

Out of nowhere, Hammy's family zooms back and Hammy asks, "Did someone say something about nuts!?"

Ty: "Figurative not literal, Hammy, Scarlet, Sam, and Aaron."

Aaron: "Oops, our bad."

Bernard: "But how about you four stay just in time to see my new kids meet their biological grandparents?"

Hammy: "Ok!"

Scarlet: "Might as well."

Aaron: "I see no reason why not."

Sam: "Here-ye!"

Although it draws a laugh from most of the animals, Scarlet is quick to correct her son by telling him, "Wrong word of agreement, Sam."

Sam: "Sorry. Uh...yes!"

Scarlet nods her head and up comes Heather whose grin could give the cheshire cat a run for its money as she crouches down and hugs Reagan and Ro-J. Before they even have a chance to feel surprised, Heather says, "Two sets of new grandkids in two days...truly this family is, like, so, blessed. I'm your new grandmother, Heather. Your decision to join this family couldn't have been at a better time. I, like, felt so bad for my Bernard when Mary had gotten kids but he and Pat didn't have any. It's so...amazing! You are so gonna have the time of your lives from now on, and I'll be here to show you how totally awesome a grandmother can be!"

Reagan and Ro-J already got those vibes with the words Heather used. To the kits, she sounds like the most popular teenager at school if animals went there. It's nothing like the old yet nice lady they assumed a grandmother would be, even though Heather is both of those.

Ro-J: "Can we call you grandma?"

Reagan: "No way, that makes her sound old. We need to call her something cool, like, uh, Gran or Grans?"

Heather: "Sounds good to me. And if you think I'm an awesome possum—which, by the way, I am—wait until you meet your new grandfather."

In the few moments it takes for Heather to let go of her new grandkids and step aside so Reagan and Ro-J can see RJ, the two kits are already hyped beyond anything. Reagan and Ro-J can't wait to see how true Bernard's statement is when he had told them that their letting him and Pat adopt them will be the best decision of their lives mostly because of one individual: RJ. They haven't seen him yet because the crowd of animals has blocked him off, which has only made the anticipation all the greater. As they were traveling to the hegdies' home after their bath, Bernard had built up RJ as the best father in the whole world. Someone who is smart, serious, fun, stern, adventurous, raccoon-mischievous, daring, silly, loving, and understanding; someone who is always there for you; and a real man who taught his kids and the whole family everything they know about humans and heisting.

RJ smiles as he walks forward and says, "On behalf of everyone here, and not here, I welcome you two into our loving family. And—"

Out of nowhere, Reagan takes in a long gasp and proceeds to let out a blood-curdling scream like it's the end of the world! The volume and intensity forces everyone to wince and cover their ears, which doesn't help in the slightest. As for Reagan her eyes are as wide as dinner plates and her face shows a look of terror beyond anything the hedgies have even seen or experienced—combined. Fifteen seconds later, she stops screaming and takes a breath. RJ takes one step toward Reagan with outstretched arms ready to hug and comfort her, but this only causes her to let out a second and somehow louder scream. It's not as long, lasting only three seconds, but that's because she speaks, albeit just as loud and horrified as her scream.

Reagan: "HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!? KEEP AWAY FROM MEEEEE-EEEEEEE!" As she runs and vanishes in the forest thicket, her loud voice finally starts to diminish in volume, but only because of the distance she is putting between herself and RJ. "I DON'T WANNA BE HURT, MAKE YOU HAPPY, OR DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!"

Everyone stands there in silent confusion, trying to process what just happened in addition to why. After ten seconds, RJ makes the only suggestion he can with, "Was it something I said...?"

Everyone shrugs, still as confused as ever—except for Ro-J. He decides to let his new family in on something they don't know about Reagan and himself. Facing RJ, Ro-J explains, "You look exactly like our real dad. You're like his clone. You have the same voice, the same eyes, the same fur color, the same body, the same tail, the same markings...You even move like him."

RJ: "I...I've always heard that each individual has at least five duplicates of themselves somewhere in the world...But that kind of reaction can only mean that she was petrified of her biological father."

Ro-J: "Our real dad abused us both, but he abused her harder and more often."

The family gasps and covers their mouths with their hands.

RJ: "That's horrible. Bless your hearts...Are you afraid of me too? It's okay if you are, I just need to know."

Ro-J: "No. You may look and talk exactly like him in every way, but I know you're not him. Sister just doesn't know that yet."

Bernard: "Speaking of your sister, Patricia and I are gonna go find her and convince her that RJ is nothing like her real father."

Ro-J: "I need to come too, she'll listen if I say so as well."

Patricia: "I never thought our first family outing would be searching for our daughter, but less talking and more walking."

RJ: "I'll make sure to stay clear of her until she feels better about me."

Bernard: "Don't worry dad, you won't have to wait too long for that."

As Bernard, Pat, and Ro-J go deeper into the forest, little does the opossacoon know that he just made a promise he won't be able to keep.

---

Reagan has found refuge in a vacant rabbit hole. She sits with her knees tucked in, her arms wrapped around those and rocking herself back in forth like a person who is paranoid. She is alone in the dark, something most children her age would still be afraid of, but she prefers the spooky darkness over the raccoon she had seen. Her greatest nightmare has become a reality, the one individual she believed she would never see again has returned. Just the mere thought of that makes her old scars and bruises hurt like she just got them. She closes her eyes and tries to shut out the raccoon she just saw, but now a painful memory comes back to her. Even now, her subconscious has replaced her original name with her new one.

She is with her real parents on a foraging trip, sometime before they adopted Ro-J. Her mother Monica and father Robbie had just shown her how to throw a makeshift spear (a stick that has been filed into a sharp point using a pocket knife), and Reagan couldn't throw it as good as her parents. Rather than have her try again or tell her it's okay and that she will learn eventually, her mother says, "Idiot!" and slaps Reagan in the face, knocking her daughter to the ground.

Her father follows up with a kick to the gut and says, "That's not how we told you to do it!"

Monica picks up another wooden spear and says, "It's done like THIS!" She expertly throws the makeshift spear into a nearby creek and successfully hits a fish, securing them part of their dinner.

Robbie: "Now be a good little girl and get it right this time!"

Monica: "If you don't, then you won't have anything to eat for dinner tonight."

Robbie throws the shaft of the makeshift spear at his daughter, hitting her in the head which causes her to say "Ow!" on reflex.

This only angers her parents more, with Monica saying, "No complaints!"

Robbie: "Complaints are for weaklings and brats! And we are not raising a weakling or a brat!"

Reagan picks up the spear and throws it. It makes much better distance this time, but fails to hit a fish.

Monica and Robbie both groan and roll their eyes. They look at their cowering daughter with cold, bitter eyes.

Monica: "You know the punishment for not doing what your father and I ask of you is..."

Reagan doesn't speak, she sobs out, "But I tried my very best! Honest!"

Robbie: "And the punishment for lying to us just now is just as severe!"

Knowing what is to come, Reagan tries to crawl away, but Monica is faster and holds her daughter down. Robbie cracks his knuckles and extends his claws. He says, "For disobeying us..." and then rips off a fistful of Reagan's fur from her belly. He then scratches her in the bald spot deep enough to draw blood.

Robbie now holds the crying Reagan down, and Monica says, "For lying to us..." She bites Reagan hard in the chest, tearing out fur and skin in the process.

Robbie lets go of Reagan who can only seethe while holding her injured areas. He and his mate then tell her something she is quite used to, but hurts her emotionally no matter how many times they say it.

Robbie: "You're worthless. Absolutely worthless. No one cares about you, and no one ever will because you're lower than trash. We wished you were never born in the first place."

Monica: "You were an accident anyway. Your father and I never wanted to have children, but we made a mistake, and now we're stuck with you! If animals knew how to perform abortions, I'd have gotten one!"

Robbie: "The least you can do for us is to not suck at everything! And you fail even at that...You're a disgrace."

Monica: "But you're still our flesh and blood, so we have no choice but to take care of you. Parenthood is a prison sentence; a mandatory 18 years minimum...Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Reagan: "I'm so sorry, mama and dad...I'll do better next time, I promise. I love you both."

Robbie: "Now that's the kind of daughter we're raising. Obedient. Respectful. Someone who knows her place."

"Sister?!"

"Reagan?!"

"Where are you?!"

Reagan is brought out of her painful memory when she recognizes the voices as her brother, new mother, and father respectively. But she refrains from calling out because she doesn't know if her reincarnated biological father is with them. The only way to stop thinking about a painful memory is to think of a good memory.

"Sister..." Reagan repeats to Ro-J in her mind. "If you knew the truth, you would never want to be my 'brother', which is why you can never know the truth..." According to the story she tells him, he was adopted after his real parents were killed by human hunters. However, that is not true. Reagan is the only one left alive who knows what really happened to Ro-J. Unlike Reagan, Ro-J's real parents actually loved him, but when he was two-years-old his family was attacked and killed by Reagan's parents. The two families had been bitter rivals for food and territory since before Reagan was born, and when Ro-J's parents had stolen the last morsel of food from humans on a picnic, that was the last straw for Monica and Robbie. Those two brought along Reagan to teach her how to properly deal with her enemies, even though she didn't consider Ro-J's parents enemies. When Monica and Robbie killed them, the former didn't know their raccoon enemies had a kit until after they killed the parents. Ro-J was in his mother's arms as she tried to flee, and thus out of sight from Reagan's cruel parents. As she fell to the ground upon death, Ro-J's mother dropped him on a rock and then her body fell on top of his which made him suffer two severe head injuries that resulted in amnesia. He was discovered when his dead mother's body was moved, and Robbie and Monica wanted to kill him too to leave no witnesses and to ensure he wouldn't grow up and avenge his parents. But once it was clear he couldn't remember anything—he called Robbie "Da-Da" and Monica "Mama"—Reagan's family decided to adopt him. It was seemingly the most kind and humane thing Reagan's parents ever did, but the adoption was not out of guilt and the desire to redeem themselves for what they had done. Rather it was because Robbie and Monica had grown bored of abusing the same kid and wanted a new kit for their malice, one far younger and more helpless. Knowing this, and feeling heartbroken and remorse for the young Ro-J, Reagan took on the role of big sister and gave him the kind of love he deserved. Even to this day she is very protective of her "little brother" and will go to whatever lengths necessary to stand up and look out for him.

All this flashes through her mind in a few seconds, after which her brother and new parents call her name again. Only this time, Bernard says, "Don't worry, RJ's not with us. He said he's going to avoid you until you feel more comfortable with him."

Still, that is not enough to make her come out of hiding. What does make her not only come out, but rush out with all her speed is when Ro-J screams in terror. It's loud enough to drown out what Patricia and Bernard say next, not that their words would be registered in Reagan's brain anyway because now her big sister instincts are going into overdrive. She is out of the rabbit hole in a nanosecond, and in front of her brother and parents in less than five seconds—a total distance of 15 feet. When she sees what is before her, she ironically relaxes at the sight of a tail-less female wolf.

Clara: "Tought I heard'a commotion. Looks like my gut instincts was right yet again." (While looking at Ro-J) "And no worries 'bout the scream, kiddo; s'only natural for prey critters like ya'self ta be afraid of me."

Reagan: "Don't you remember what our new parents said to us on the way to their home, Ro-J? This must be Clara, one of the good wolves in our new big family. She doesn't eat animals anymore, she protects them."

Ro-J: "I do remember. She just surprised me when she came out from nowhere."

Clara raises her right eyebrow, an action that's all the more noticeable because of her checkmark-like bangs, and says, "Hold da phone. New parents...?" It only takes her a microsecond for her brain to process everything that is implied from Reagan's words, which causes the wolfess to give a toothless smirk at Bernard and Patricia and say, "Oh, ho, ho...Anoth'a adoption in dis family, eh? I bet Heather n' RJ are happier dan a show seal durin' feedin' time."

Patricia: "Heather is, but not RJ."

Clara: "Why's that?"

Bernard: "He has an uncanny resemblance to Reagan's biological father who abused she and her brother."

Had he been talking to the Clara from over 15 years ago, she would have said an insensitive "Ssssucks, but quit bein' a big baby and get over it," to Reagan. But starting 15 years ago, the new and improved Clara is the current Clara. She looks at Reagan with empathetic eyes and speaks in a sympathetic tone when she ways, "I'm sorry. Truly I am. As a wolf I grew up in an abusive family too, all wolves do, only I was the one who brought abuse into my family, but that's a story for another day. It's not normal and even less right for prey animals to be abused by their own flesh and blood." Having spoken the serious matter, Clara returns to her species' regular vernacular by saying, "Speakin' of dat, want me ta pay ya's real mommy and daddy a visit? Just gimme five minutes alone with 'em, tops, and they'll change dare ways."

Ro-J: "You're too late, our real mama and dad are dead."

Reagan: "And that's a good thing."

Clara: "In dat case, take it from me, you's two are in better paws than you could ev'a hope for."

Reagan: "That's what our new mama and dad said. And I believe them more now that I've met you."

Clara: "You's two not afraid of me?"

Reagan (rhetorically): "Are you kidding?"

Ro-J: "It is so cool that we have wolves who can protect us from predators!"

Patricia: "Speaking of predators, how are your patrols going so far today?"

Clara: "Dare are no patrols for me or my family today. Predators have finally figured out it's hazardous for their health ta come in deese woods ta hunt down prey animals."

Bernard: "Well congratulations! The Predator-Queller Wolf Pack has prevailed in its main mission."

Clara: "Tanks, Bernard. I was comin' back ta Kale and my kids aft'a spendin' some me-time when I heard ya's calling out Reagan's name. Even if I didn't know who dat was at the time, I figured I'd stop by ta lend a paw, and now we's all here."

Bernard: "Yes, and now we need to tell our new daughter something important." (Looks at Reagan) "Reagan, RJ may look and sound exactly like your biological father, but I promise you he is nothing like him. He's your real father's polar opposite. He's nothing but kind, gentle, sweet, and fatherly. He has never abused anyone in this family, and certainly won't do that. Not now, not ever."

Clara: "Eh-hem..."

Bernard: "The 'shock-collar fiasco' was before you were accepted into our family. And with all due respect, you deserved the electrocutions for how awful your behavior and actions were towards us while you were recuperating."

Clara sighs and says, "Yep. Got me there..."

As Bernard continues to explain why RJ is different from Reagan's real father, Clara recalls her own troubled past. Born with superior strength and intelligence even when compared to other wolves, Clara had a superiority complex like no other. Nothing and no one was able to meet the challenges her strength and brains craved, making her an outcast. Her attitude was intolerable and unrepentant, and the lengths she would go to assert her superiority over all others even made her parents give up on her. Overhearing this, she was determined to prove that only she was worthy to carry on her family's legacy and not her hated older brother Predator-Killer Barkley. While hunting down a bear, Clara failed to kill it all on her own and when the ursine attacked her brother, she did the unthinkable. Instead of helping him, she left him for dead and used the deceased bear's claws and teeth to inflict injuries on herself to make it look like she fought and killed the bear alone. When she got back to her pack, they had somehow found Barkley who had told them of his sister's selfish treachery. Her pack godmother gave her the mark of shame, and Clara was thus disowned by her parents and all Wolf Society in the process.

Because her IQ was the main reason for her desire to outdo all other wolves, Clara became a wolf of brute force instead of intellect once she was banished. Her strength made her a powerful force to be reckoned with, until she met her match when Kale, Mary, Elroy's father Josiah, and the other hedgies defeated her. After those "skirmishes" Kale soundly defeated her one-on-one and crippled her legs. But fed up with loneliness and wanting a female wolf companion with the mark of shame who could help make his impossible job of patrolling the woods easier, Kale convinced the hedgies to help reform Clara. That task turned out to be a grueling one even with a shock collar that electrocuted her whenever she acted out, because Clara was be a genuine pain to be around, even by wolf standards, because of her superiority complex and coarse mouth. She thought and acted like the universe revolved around her, and that she could treat animals she considered inferior lower than dirt. For this, the hedgies and even Kale retaliated tenfold, fitting Clara with two shock collars and forcing her to be their servant. Eventually, the humiliation of being bossed around by prey animals with no way to make them stop, and losing her favor in Kale—the only hedgie who used to defend her—broke Clara down. She finally accepted and embraced that the cause of all her hatred and misery was herself and not her ex-pack, along with her sincere guilt over all the bad things she had done.

Her desire to no longer be alone, hated, and unloved finally outweighed her desire to be better than everyone else. The latter was never meant to be, and she would never get the revenge on her family that she craved. Even if she did, she would still be alone, hated, and unloved, all of which she was sick and tired of. But Kale never gave up hope that somewhere, deep inside of herself, there was someone who wanted to be loved instead superior. Years of hatred, rage, and desiring vengeance blinded her to the truth that Kale and the hedgies had taught her: there is more to life than being superior over all others, and it feels so much better when she lets go of her past grudges, stops trying to outdo everyone, and becomes a good lady. The past can and does hurt, it can even leave permanent scars both physically and mentally, but no one can live life with hatred and rage in their hearts. Doing that made her a prisoner of herself more than being the hedgies' servant. Only with Kale and the hedgies could she find something different, something better. After letting love and forgiveness into her heart for the first time, she was finally set free from her self-created prison of hatred, grudges, and superiority.

Since then she has gotten more than she could ever imagine. With her hedge family, she knows she is truly home and found a new reason for living, just as Kale had done when he joined the hedgies.

By the time Clara finishes her nostalgic moment, it's clear that Reagan is still afraid of RJ, as she tells Bernard, "I don't care if you say he's different from my real dad, I'm not going anywhere near him!"

Ro-J: "But he's so nice and calm. Our real dad was mean and angry."

Reagan: "It's all a trick! He's pretending to be that way, and when I let my guard down he'll abuse me and you, little brother!"

Bernard: "RJ would never do that. He wants all of his grandchildren to have the best life with him possible."

Reagan: "But he's come back! Just like—"

She stops herself from saying anything more, but had made the mistake of saying just enough to make the listeners all the more interested in knowing the truth.

Patricia: "Just like what?"

Reagan knows there is no point in trying to dance around it, so she comes clean. "Just like he said he would right before he died."

Bernard and Patricia look at each other, their eyes silently communicating what must be done, and how it must be done. They sit down on the ground with Bernard picking up and placing Reagan on his lap while Patricia does the same with Ro-J. Bernard then says, "How did your real father die?"

Reagan is becoming more fascinated by her new parents with every action they do simply because they are actually acting like parents. In Bernard's arms she has a place to feel safe and loved, as well as a place to cry and be comforted; Patricia is an arm's length away to provide the same place.

Clara: "Want me to leave before you start?"

Reagan shakes her head and says, "No, you can stay." Clara nods and sits on the ground too, thus providing Reagan another source of security and relief. With that, Regan begins.

"Two months ago, most of the forest we lived in had been burnt down by a wildfire. There were no more fruit or vegetable trees left, and all the other animals either fled or were killed. Our dad didn't want to leave the place where mama had been buried, or rather where her gravestone was since hunters took her body away. Anyway, the two of us were too malnourished and sore from previous beatings to help him out, so dad went to find food alone. He was so desperate that he stole from a bear who lived in the only part of the woods not hit by the fire. It wasn't much, but it was enough to feed us. Of course, dad ate most of the food himself and only let us have the leftovers, like he and mama always did. He thought we were safe from the sleeping bear during the night, but then the bear came for us, enraged by the loss of all his food. He tracked down dad's scent and cut down a nearby tree and used nearby rocks to seal off our burrow in an attempt to cut off the air in it. Dad told us to leave before we ran out of air, and when we did he said a lie to try to save himself. He told the bear 'Those two coming out are the ones who stole your food. Eat them!' The bear wasn't fooled and said, 'You're a lying, thieving, scumbag! It's your scent I followed from my cave to here, not theirs!' Dad stayed inside our home as long as he could, but then the need to get air forced him to leave. If he hadn't eaten so much he might have been fast enough to get away, but he had stuffed his face so much that he was too slow. The bear caught him and demanded his food to be returned. Dad confessed he already ate it all. So the bear said, 'Then there's only one way for me to get my food back...' Dad begged the bear to not eat him because his mate had been killed and he was all his two kits had left. The bear would have spared his life, but...I...I..."

She takes a deep breath and shouts in guilt, "I told the bear that he wasn't our real father, and had kidnapped us! I said how he would abuse and starve us. I said...!" After taking another breath she responds more calmly yet guilt-ridden, "I told the bear to eat him...And to eat him as slowly and painfully as possible."

Patricia, Bernard, and Clara sigh, but Reagan feels too guilty to look at them, and continues her story with, "Dad begged me to help him. He said how sorry and wrong he was to do all the horrible things he did to me and Ro-J. He promised to change and become a better father if we saved him. He...He was actually honest. I could hear it, I could feel it. He meant it, every word...but I wanted revenge. So I said 'No!,' took Ro-J, and we left him without looking back.

"I can still hear him crying out to me and Ro-J to please come back as the bear started eating him, but we kept on running. Then, with his last breath he made a promise. He said 'You worthless child of out wedlock! I swear that I will haunt you for the rest of your life, even in death! You'll see!' And then the bear finished eating him."

Reagan wraps her arms around Bernard to hug him tight while crying. Bernard returns her hug.

Wanting to help his sister in any way he can, Ro-J says, "It's not just her fault. I could have gone back to help him, but I kept running away too. We both wanted the same thing."

Patricia: "That's a horrible story. All the pain and guilt you two have..."

Clara: "But it sounds like your dad got his proper comeuppance."

Reagan: "I should have been happy that we were free of him and his abuse, but for some reason I'm not."

Patricia: "It's because he was still your father, in spite of all the horrible things he did."

Bernard: "And that explains why you're so afraid of RJ. Because you think your dad has been reborn as him to fulfill the promise to haunt you. But RJ is 52-years-old and your dad died two months ago. And lemme say it again, RJ may look like your real dad, sound like him, and move like him, but on the inside he is not him. You've got to realize that."

Reagan: "Right now, I don't wanna talk or think about that. I wanna do something that will get my mind off of my real dad."

Bernard: "Then how's about we personally introduce you and Ro-J to the rest of our family? If they weren't home, then they're at their downtime spots enjoying themselves."

Patricia: "You'll get to meet them and explore your new home at the same time. Wha'dya say?"

Reagan nods yes, and Ro-J says, "Yeah! That sounds fun!"

Clara: "Dat's a lotta ground ta cover, so how about I give you's all a ride?"

Reagan's smile returns when she asks, "Riding on a fast wolf...? Count me in!"

Clara: "I used ta think dare was nothin' more disgraceful dan a wolf allowing prey animals ta mount him/her like a horse. But it's fun givin' slower animals a taste of one of dee upsides of my species."

Bernard: "It's a good thing my bag has lots of food in it, 'cuz it's gonna be a looooong day."

Clara lays as flat to the ground as she can to let Bernard, Patricia, Reagan, and Ro-J get on her back. When Bernard says, "Okay, Clara," the wolfess stands up.

Clara: "Hang on tight. It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Clara triangulates on the scent of the hedgies closest to them and runs off in that direction.

---

The five traveling animals go to Rebecca's location first but her back is facing toward them which prevents her from seeing them. The same goes for Lizzy, Sare, and Lauren who are also facing the same direction as their mother. Clara decides to stay back and lay low because, given the scent of sweat the three daughters are giving off, they are practicing gymnastics and don't need any distractions.

Rebecca: "Ok girls, show me another run-through."

With a loud tweet of a whistle, Lizzy, Sare, and Lauren cartwheel in three different directions at Rebecca's downtime spot which is an upside down U-shaped area with large trees around a 40x40 foot patch of grass in the middle with sparse trees of various sizes dotting it. Lauren climbs a 30 foot tree, Lizzy gets on a homemade balance beam, and Sare gets on a makeshift gymnastics bar with two large Y-shaped sticks anchored into the ground and another stick laying horizontally across those trees' tops and held down by two rocks. Once on top, Lauren grabs two vines and used them as gymnast rings to do various tricks. Sare spins forward for five times, lets go in mid-air and turns her body so that she can now spin backwards. Lizzy starts her balance beam routine with a tree yoga stand, goes into a ballet point pose, and flips forward. She lands on her paws, lifts her lower body in the air, does the splits with her legs facing the front and back of the board, then moves them so the legs are facing out to the side of the board, and then spins herself around like the main rotor blades of a helicopter.

Rebecca blows the whistle again which causes Lauren to let go of the vines and grab onto a skinny tree 10 feet below her. She then spins perpendicular to the tree as she makes her way down toward the ground. After one more full spin, Sare catapults herself outward and does two full backflips before landing on the ground. Lizzy stops twirling and gets off the balance beam. All three girls are panting as they get in front of Rebecca.

Lizzy: "Well?"

Sare: "How did we do this time, mom?"

Lauren: "We did better than ever, right?"

Rebecca: "Uhhh...I'd say yes and no." She waits until the three stop groaning and continues, "Lizzy, you should have dismounted the balance beam with a V-sit. Lauren, you could have done a roll onto the ground once you got to the bottom of the tree. And Sare, you didn't do a ballet pose when you landed. But all that is just me being nitpicking. You all did fantastic, and I am so proud of how much you improve yourselves with each training session!"

Rebecca wraps her arms around all three in a hug, making the daughters take comfort in knowing that Rebecca is their mom first, and gymnastics coach second. They became interested in gymnastics by seeing their mother do it when they were little. Wanting them to follow in her footsteps, Rebecca decided to teach them once they were old enough. Although Lizzy needed some convincing as to why they should do gymnastics when she thought about giving up on it out of frustration with her early sessions, Rebecca's explanations made the oldest daughter see the light. Gymnastics is more than mere exercise for improved health, it is the best kind of talent that can be used as an offensive and defensive weapon against enemies. And given raccoons' natural abilities to climb in ways other animals cannot, it opens up a whole world of gymnastic moves that even the best human gymnasts are incapable of doing.

The hug ends when the sound of clapping makes Rebecca and her daughters turn around where they see Clara, Bernard, Patricia...as well as two raccoons they have never seen before.

Bernard: "We saw the whole thing. Outstanding performance from all of you, my BC's!"

Lizzy, Sare, and Lauren say in unison, "Thanks BC Bernard!"

Clara sarcastically comments, "Humph! Seein' it makes me feel jealous and inferior to a bunch'a raccoon kits dat're half my age, and under. I'm talkin' bout you, Lauren."

Patricia also sarcastically replies, "Oh put aside your petty rivalry, Clara. Don't make us get the shock collar again."

The two adult ladies chuckle and bump fists. Rebecca is the first one to ask, "Who are those two?" while pointing.

Patricia smiles wide, puts both paws on Reagan's shoulders and says, "This is our adopted daughter Reagan." Patricia puts both paws on Ro-J and says, "And this is our adopted son, Ro-J."

Bernard: "Which stands for Rogan-Ozzie, Jr. And kids, this is your new biological aunt, Rebecca, and you're your biological second-cousins, or B2Cs, Lizzy, Sare, and Lauren."

The new cousins wave and greet one another, and then Reagan comments, "No offense, but you three reminded me of monkeys with all that, uh, whatever it is that was."

Sare: "It's called gymnastics, and you never know when it could be useful against predators and humans."

Ro-J: "Sister doesn't need gymnastics, she just uses her claws and teeth against anyone who tries to harm me."

Rebecca looks at Bernard and Patricia and asks, "So where'd you find them?"

Patricia: "Actually, they found us. Last night they were wandering around the forest and decided to cuddle up next to Bernard and me while we were asleep."

Bernard: "Both of their real parents are dead, and we couldn't just let these two be all by themselves, so they accepted our offer to adopt them. They've already met 24 members of the family who were gathered around Roger's and Aleshia's magic show, so now we're going around to have them meet their new relatives who weren't there."

Rebecca: "I can help spread the word to Garrett, R3, Gary, Verne, Velma, Plushie, and both sets of porcupine triplets and their kids who are with them. It'll save you time, because aren't you're folks coming to visit us today, Pat?"

Patricia gasps and says, "Oh my goodness, I completely forgot! Thanks for the reminder, Becca. They should be here after 12 noon, which leaves us..." After Bernard opens a zipper pouch on his golf bag and hands Patricia a cell phone. She sighs in relief and says, "An hour and 45 minutes. More than enough time to show Ro-J and Reagan Stella and her family, all the bats, and Clara's family. We sadly won't have the time to meet the porcupines who weren't at the log when we got there earlier, but we'll do that whenever they get home."

Bernard: "And with Clara giving us a ride that'll save even more time."

Clara: "Yep, offered ta play taxi for 'em since I've got nothin' betta ta do today."

Lizzy: "No more predators to keep away?"

Clara: "Dat's right. My family-pack has finally defeated enough of dem ta discourage anymore from stickin' dare noses in these woods. And since one'uv my pet peeves is havin' ta repeat myself over and over, how's about you's all do me a favor and spread the word to the rest'uv the family?"

Lauren: "You can count on is, Aunt Clara!"

Patricia: "Ok, kids we'll have to chat with them" (points at the four raccoons) "later. Right now we need to head to the next family-within-the-family."

Reagan and Ro-J in unison: "Okay mama."

One they have gotten onto Clara's back she says, "Next stop is..." After sniffing to find the scents of the next family to introduce the newbies to, Clara crinkles her nose and lets out a brief groan of disgust. "Ugh...Hope you's got gas masks in dat bag'uv yours, Bernard, 'cuz the next family we're seein' is da skunks. They's the farthest away, but I figure we'll go there, and then work our way back closer to da log."

Bernard: "Sadly, I think the gas masks are in my dad's bag. Don't worry, it won't take too long for us all to go nose-blind to the skunks."

Clara: "Dat's not the case for wolves like me. Our great sense of smell works against us when it comes ta skunks. We can smell each n' every nano-olf of skunks' stink, which prevents us from gettin' used to the stench. I guess dee only thing I can recommend is for you's two kids to make sure you don't breathe through ya's mouth. That makes you taste it. I learned dat the hard way..."

Bernard: "Actually, I have a variety of chip clips in my bag. We can clip it on your nose once we get closer to Stella's family. Sense smell and taste are linked, if you can smell you can breathe through your mouth and not taste it."

Clara: "Tanks Bernard. You's a life-saver."

Patricia: "And kids, remember what I said about not calling them 'stinky,' or any similar words. They really don't like that."

Ro-J: "As long as they don't make us stink, I think Sister and I will be ok."

Clara: "Here we go!"

After seeing Clara run off into the woods, Lizzy says, "Speaking of stinky, let's get a bath. All that gymnastics really works up a sweat."

Sare: "Because it works out all our muscles at once."

Rebecca nods in agreement and adds, "I can't tell you three how many shampoo bottles your grandparents and I had to steal from humans while searching for your biological uncle RJ."

Lauren: "I like BU-RJ better. It's much easier to say."

Sare: "True that."

Rebecca has already brought along a shampoo bottle, walks over to grab it, and then the four walk in the direction that will take them to the nearest body of water.

Once they have fully vacated the area, someone slips out from hiding behind a tree. It's none other than Gary who had concealed his scent using scent-ridding spray. He discretely followed his mother and sisters and watched how they did their gymnastics, as he has done ever since Rebecca started teaching her daughters. Like Lizzy, Sare, and Lauren, Gary was fascinated with all the things his mother could do on heists thanks to her gymnastics skills. One of his biggest secrets is that he wants to learn how to be as good as Rebecca at gymnastics more than any of his sisters. But he was—and still is—too afraid to practice it alongside the girls. The reason is because he knows if he so much as asks Rebecca to teach him gymnastics, his older siblings will make fun of him for wanting to do such a girly thing. And if he actually did the gymnastics with his siblings, the insults would be even worse. But with the coast now clear, he stretches, pops his fingers, and starts doing the gymnastics moves he had seen his sisters perform today. Being a boy he naturally has more muscle mass, which simultaneously helps him by giving him more strength to pull things off, while also adding more challenge because of his heavier weight. But he perseveres through the aches and pains and does his best.

If only Rebecca could see him now...She would declare him as her true gymnastics successor.

---

Clara doesn't need her sense of smell to be as good as Kale's to pinpoint where the skunks are. They are not at their downtime spot, but at a location much further away. There is one area of the forest that no predator will dare venture, unless s/he wants to stink like skunk for 14 to 21 days. Dubbed the "Skunk Sector," this is where nearly every skunk in the woods bordering the EFE lives. For obvious reasons, it's hard for skunks to make friends with any animals besides their own species. Stella is the rare exception of a skunk who not only befriended, but became part of a family with non-skunk animals who accepted her friendship and eventually familial love, instead of running away at the mere sight of her (not to mention the first whiff of her odor). But at the Skunk Sector, all skunks young and old can be around others whose lives are just as difficult; around animals who are not revolted by their smell; and around animals who know what it's like to be a skunk.

Clara has free and safe passage in the Skunk Sector thanks to her's and Kale's Predator-Queller Wolf Pack's efforts of keeping the woods safe from predators. Her own scent and appearance—especially lack of a tail—makes her instantly recognizable by any animals in this part of the forest. Of course, Clara has rarely been to the Skunk Sector, in fact this will be her fourth visit. She and the four on her back don't need to worry about being sprayed while here, but that doesn't mean they will be unable to smell the skunks. Once the smell made them gag, Bernard ends up having to clip everyone's noses, since the stench is far more powerful here verses Stella's, De'Ausha's, Ladarius's, Damon's, and Niara's. It's moments like this that the hedgies envy Tiger, who is the only creature that is truly protected from the smell of the Skunk Sector. Tiger's face was bred for beauty. In gaining that, he lost his ability to smell and taste.

Aside from that, Reagan and Ro-J are excited to be able to see and meet skunks up close. Like most animals, they didn't want to come anywhere near those kind of mustelids, but now they are learning all sorts of things from them, and are seeing skunks they never knew existed. In addition to common striped skunks there are Western and Eastern spotted skunks, hooded skunks, American hog-nosed skunks, and a few minks. Most of the skunks here had helped fight off Kale's ex-pack, so any of the hedgies are well-known and welcomed around these parts.

A hooded skunk greets them first by saying, "Yo, 'wha'sup, Clara, Bernard, and Patricia? Who's that you got they-ah?"

Patricia's voice, like all the hedgies' here, sounds extra nasally due to the clips on their nostrils when she says, "Our new adopted son and daughter."

Hooded skunk: "No kiddin'?"

Bernard: "We wanna introduce them to their Aunt Stella and De'Ausha, Uncle Tiger and Ladarius, and cousins Damon and Niara."

Clara: "I tracked dose scents here. Where are dey?"

Hooded skunk: "They at tha forest clearin' half a mile 'way, with Boombata and Nukalawa."

Note: Pronounced Boom-bata and Nuke-alah-wa. And I simply made up those names. They don't mean anything in Swahili (or any native African language) that I am aware of, and if they somehow do, it's both unintentional and coincidental.

Reagan: "What kind of stupid names are those?"

Patricia: "Reagan!"

Bernard: "First, those are the names they were born with, just like I was called 'Bernard.' Second, you should never make any insults about someone's name, especially to Boombata and Nukalawa because if you think Stella has a short fuse from what we've told you about her, those two are ticking atom bombs ready to go off. And third, those names are African. Have you ever met any animals from the continent of Africa?"

Reagan: "No sir."

Bernard: "Then be on your best behavior or I'll—"

Reagan cringes back and shields herself while speaking in a rushed and panicked tone, "Oh please, oh please, DON'T hit me dad! I-I-I-I-I'm sorry. SO sorry! I-I-I'll never do it again!"

Bernard: "I'm not going to hit you over something so little. I was gonna say I will ground you."

Reagan: " 'Grounded?' What's that mean?"

Patricia: "How can you not know what it means to be 'grounded'?"

Reagan: "Our real dad and mama never 'grounded' us, they just beat us up."

After an internal sigh of remorse for the unimaginably rough life his new son and daughter once had, Bernard says, "Grounded is a kind of punishment where you're not allowed to do the things you like doing for fun. It's not a physical punishment. If you're not nice to Boombata and Nukalawa, then you won't be allowed to watch TV or have playtime with your new family for two days."

Ro-J: "So stop that meanie-side of yours from doing the talking if you wanna learn how to be a magician from Riley and Ellie, or hang with Kelly, Sam, Aaron, Lizzy, Sare—"

Reagan: "Okay, Ro-J. I promise. Please don't mention every member of our new family. It's so long it makes my brain hurt."

Patricia: "It'll take about two weeks for the brain-aching to go away whenever you verbally or mentally recall our family's names, dear."

Clara: "Less talkin' more holdin' on. I gotta run at full speed if we're ta meet dose we wanna meet, and be back in time for Pat's family's visit."

After Clara feels four tight grips from 16 paws, she rears up like a horse and speeds through the Skunk Sector and gets over to the place where Stella's family is in less than five minutes.

Note: Before going on, let me give a big thanks to Shkiper whose nearly single-handed suggestions for how I could develop an entire subplot focusing on the mustelid characters in my story has been such a huge help to making this story more diverse; starting with this chapter. Expect more shout-outs to Shkiper as, even when this section is over, there will be more of his suggestions implemented into my story...far more suggestions. I can only receive minor credit to Shkiper's ideas with Stella, Ladarius, De'Ausha, Damon, Niara, Boombata and Nukalawa from here on out.

At an uninhabited area in the thicket of the forest that once held a rabbit burrow, a very special training session has been going on for 30 minutes, taught by some very special teachers.

Boombata is a male zorilla, another name for an African ferret/polecat, and Nukalawa is a female honey badger. Unlike the skunks in the hedgie family, those two take pride in their stench and use it without shame or hesitation. Often times, the only reason they don't use what they prefer to call "chemical weapons" is when they use it all up and have to wait several days to "recharge." Both foreign animals were intended to be on display at a local zoo, but upon their arrival the humans underestimated the power of the African mustelids. Two reasons led to this. First, history has shown, to many a humans' dismay, that those from Africa (whether human or animal) do not take too kindly to being captured and brought somewhere against their will. And second, a zorilla's stench is even stronger than that of American skunks, and a honey badger's strength is equal to that of a wolverine—the latter being an animal that can literally eat a grizzly bear for breakfast with ease. Boombata and Nukalawa easily broke free and found refuge in the forest near the Elysian Fields Estates where they quickly befriended Stella, Tiger, Ladarius, De'Ausha, Damon, and Niara.

Boombata and Nukalawa had become mates back in Africa despite their differences, just as Stella and Tiger had become mates. That alone enabled them to become close friends with Stella and her mate after meeting them for the first time. Unfortunately, with the help of Verm-Tech, the zoo personnel recaptured Boombata and Nukalawa when the former had run out of his spray, the latter was no match for the unfamiliar technology of Verm-Tech technology, and both were not in the state-protected woods of the EFE. Upon hearing this, Stella got many volunteers from the Skunk Sector to join the hedgies in a daring rescue operation where they freed Boombata and Nukalawa, along with other non-predatory animals from the zoo. All the escapees made sure to take residence in the woods bordering the EFE to protect themselves from future capture. A key factor in this successful escape was when Damon and Niara disabled part of the zoo's security, thanks to the teachings from their parents and porcupines.

Out of all the mustelids that helped liberate them, Boombata and Nukalawa took a particular liking to Damon and Niara, but for the oddest of reasons. Those latter two of course used their own skunk spray in the zoo rescue, which Boombata and Nukalawa said was fairly good, but weak when compared to skunks of similar age. This is something that De'Ausha and Ladarius also discovered while training their adopted twins: for some reason, Damon's and Niara's skunk spray is nowhere near the potency that skunks their age should be capable of. It's most likely due to some genetic defect outside of their control, just as hybrids are born sterile, and some animals are just born albinos. Fortunately, the zorrilla and honey badger offered to be the personal trainers of Damon and Niara. De'Ausha, Ladarius, Stella, and Tiger realized the potential of having foreign teachers whose "chemical weapons" are much greater than any American skunks' that could help Damon and Niara reach their full potential, the skunk-hedgies have been coming to Boombata and Nukalawa as often as they can in their free time.

This training has been going on for many months. It started as it normally does, with Damon, Niara, De'Ausha, and Ladarius approaching their best skunk-related friends and crossing their tails over like the three musketeers do with swords. This was a custom from Boombata's and Nukalawa's homeland, a sign of unity that they used for the first time in America with the skunk-hedgies right before leaving the zoo they had been finally freed from. Whenever they speak, Boombata and Nukalawa have thick African accents.

Boombata: "Welcome back, American brothers and sisters! We gon take your training to another level today."

Damon: "You say that every time we come heah, Boombata."

Boombata: "There still much to learn. So much more. And remember, back in my home country zorilla like myself must earn the title 'zorilla,' and the only way to do that is to use your chemical weapon at its maximum power."

Nukalawa: "We do same reasoning for you two: you must earn the title of 'skunk.' Now, did you two do what we asked at the end of our last lesson?"

Niara: "Sho' did. We ate lots'a foods that'll enhance our spray."

Ladarius: "And we got many stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes to use as targets."

Boombata: "Good. We adults go set them up. While we do that, close your eyes Damon and Niara."

The two nod and cover their faces with their paws. Stella silently praises how far-sighted Boombata and Nukalawa are in choosing this isolated part of the forest because it is necessary for Damon and Niara to relax and spoil the air without any embarrassment. It also couldn't take place too close to the Skunk Sector because it would be too hard to get an accurate assessment of the power of the twins' spray if other skunks' scents were nearby.

Nukalawa: "Okay! Begin!"

Damon and Niara open their eyes, expecting to see the stuffed animals propped up and ready to hit like at a shooting range, but see nothing except the grass, leaves, bushes, and trees.

Damon and Niara in unison: "Hey, what's goin' on—?"

Suddenly, a four foot tall stuffed bear emerges from behind a tree and is immediately followed by Nukalawa (the one who pushed it into place) saying, "Hit the targets!"

This training was thought up by Ladarius and his mate after playing so many FSP videogames. It's the classic tutorial level: the protagonist is in basic training and must go through an obstacle course while hitting the targets as fast as possible, avoid hitting the civilians, and moving to the next station. Rinse and repeat.

Niara raises her tail and shoots a small stream of skunk spray, hitting the stuffed bear in the chest. Damon then hears a loud hissing sound coming from behind him, gets on all fours, looks under his spread legs to see a 6-foot long snake plush (being pulled by Tiger who is up in a tree and using puppet strings), and hits it in the side of the face.

From a hole that has been covered with leaves comes out a skunk plush (held up by Ladarius) that Niara nearly hits on reflex. Upon realizing this is a "friendly," she narrowly misses by aiming higher. Damon hits the next target, a human-toddler-sized Doberman pincher plush that comes from behind a bush (being pushed by Stella), in the left shoulder. Using more puppet strings, Tiger lowers a regular-sized teddy bear down a tree trunk, which Niara hits in the rear end. Boombata them hurls a three-foot cougar plush at the twin skunks and each one scores a hit, but neither thinks about getting out of dodge and get hit by the stuffed animal. As soon as they push it off of them, from behind a tree De'Ausha throws a honey badger Beanie Baby that neither twin bothers to even raise their tails. They do have to raise their tails when a lion Beanie Baby is thrown at them by De'Ausha, but both miss it with their spray. Before they can even voice their frustration, they get ready for the next target which come out from the left and right side at the same time. Niara is closest to a foot-long shark plush that comes from the left and Damon is closest to the foot-long Bengal tiger plush that comes from the right. Both hit their targets in the face, but only Niara gets out of the way in time to avoid the stuffed animal hitting her. Nukalawa then pushes out a life-sized wolf plush, but continues pushing it as she crosses the field in order to provide another friendly the twins must avoid hitting. Both succeed in doing that while hitting the wolf; Niara in the side, and Damon in the head. From another hole in the ground a mere foot and a half from Damon pops out a rabbit plush that Damon accidentally hits on instinct.

Damon: "Ah dang it!"

He shakes the mistake off when the rabbit plush goes back into the hole and is immediately replaced with a fox plush that he hits in the eyes. The fox toy remains where it is for a while, then slowly sinks back into the rabbit hole.

The last target is the most complex of all. A crash test dummie painted with orange clothes to give it a verminator jumpsuit color, holding a life-sized adult skunk and raccoon plushes in each hand. All the adults have to help hold this one up, and when Damon tries to spray he discovers, to his chagrin, that he had run out. Niara has not, and she hits the human in the chest at first, before adjusting her aim and hitting him in the face. Her own spray runs out shortly after that and the training session ends when Boombata and Nukalawa let out a tribal war chant by making several rapid deep and shrill yells respectively while stomping all four feet, while the American adults simply clap and cheer.

Ladarius: "That's my twins!"

De'Ausha: "Way ta go, kids! You make me so proud!"

Stella: "Y'all my grandchildren, alright!"

Tiger: "I daresay we have the greatest of grand-heirs, my love. As is said in my home country, in English, 'royalty unfit to fight is unfit to lead.' "

Nukalawa: "Boombata and me be the final judges on their success or failure."

De'Ausha: "No offense, but you their teachers, we their parents. So if we wanna praise 'em now, we can."

Boombata: "It's not like we can stop you doing something you already did. But anyway here is our analysis." He waits until Damon grips his fists tight and Niara clasps her hands together, both doing so in excitement and anxiety before he continues. "Your chemical weapons are definitely stronger since eating stench-enhancing foods. And your reaction times to the targets is faster than we expected."

He looks at Nukalawa who adds, "But you were a bit too eager on the rabbit and the first skunk plush."

Damon: "Yeah, I know."

Niara: "But I at least missed my friendly target."

Boombata: "That you did. But it took you both one hit from the cougar to realize you must dodge a mid-air enemy as it hurtles toward you with'a dying blow ready to land."

Niara: "But stuffed animals don't fight back."

Boombata: "Which is someting you both must remember if you are to survive."

Nukalawa: "Equally important is to make every shot count. That means no body shots, but headshots and getting them in the eyes."

Damon: "Won't the stench from our spray be enough ta make our enemies run off?"

Nukalawa shakes her head side to side and says, "No. It isn't. Back home in Africa, many honey badger and zorilla die because they think chemical weapon alone is enough to make enemies run away. By itself your spray isn't enough to bring down predator. You must make sure first strike is most lethal because enemy will cheat in battle."

Boombata nods in agreement and elaborates, "Africa is home to some of the deadliest land predator in tha' world. If first strike doesn't cripple adversary, you die. If anything, hits anywhere besides the face enrages attacker, make them want to kill you more."

Nukalawa: "And you definitely not want run out of spray, Damon."

Damon hangs his head in shame while saying, "I know. If I hadn't accidentally attacked the rabbit plush..."

Boombata: "Neither you try to hit opponent while down near you, either. Since chemical weapon not enough, follow-up attack required."

Niara: "But so many targets kept coming out, which gave us little time to think about doing that."

Ladarius: "But you gotta, admit, fo' seven-year-olds they did outstandin'."

Boombata and Nukalawa both smile wide, showing their teeth and Boombata says, "Took the words outta my mouth, Ladarius. We learn to be discipline yet supportive from our parents back home." Boombata crouches in front of Damon and Niara, pats their heads, and says, "You might be boy and girl, but you fight like man and woman."

Nukalawa: "We know you two young and inexperienced—for now. But learning, and both getting better!"

Boombata: "In eyes of Nukalawa and I, you still not earned title of 'skunk' yet. But practice makes perfect. One day you walk through forest with tails proudly raised!"

De'Ausha: "And no mattah what your personal trainers say, we all love you and consider you skunks...the best skunks in the whole world of your generation!"

Damon and Niara run and jump into their parents' outstretched arms and Stella and Tiger quickly join in on the group hug. While doing so, the adults in the family reflect on how their love for these two skunk kits is a very special one, and is closer than most blood-related families. For starters, Damon and Niara are not even De'Ausha's and Ladarius's real son and daughter. Like Mary and Bernard, De'Ausha was sterile ever since she was conceived.

But the fact that Damon and Niara are adopted and being loved so much by their new parents isn't the only reason their parents' and grandparents' love is special. Niara and Damon are actually De'Ausha's and Ladarius's niece and nephew. Each was the biological child of Lakeisha, the only sister of Ladarius who remained in the Elysian Fields Estates. She was a single mother ever since her mate, Andre left her when she was pregnant. Many males of any species—sentient and otherwise—are actually terrified of becoming fathers. Some feel that they aren't ready, while others are unwilling to sacrifice their time and energy to raising a child. In Andre's case, it was to protect her and their unborn children from the wolf enemies he had made in his past who found out where he lived—a coincidental yet chilling echo of why RJ's parents Rogan Sr. and Sarah had to abandon their son. Andre's enemies didn't know he had a mate or children on the way, so after a heart-wrenching farewell, he ran off knowing his enemies would follow only him. Kale, Clara, and their kids were on high alert that day and did manage to stop most of the wolves. However, these wolves had brought all their friends and family packs to hunt down Andre; it seemed as if half the entire state of Indiana's wolves had arrived for this one skunk. This meant that even the combined efforts of the Predator-Quellers, the hedgies, and any of their friends who could show up on such as short notice weren't able to prevent all the wolves from getting to him. However, Andre knew of this, and had prepared well for his last stand. The wolves who got past Kale's family, the hedgies, and their allies did end up killing him, but he killed all of them too, using a hand grenade that had been given to him by his father (and his father's father, and so on).

The scene was witnessed by birds who spread the word far and wide of Andre's legendary end. Every sense of his was heightened, time had slowed, and Andre was as alive as could be (1). He dodged life-taking blows from animals four times his size and strength (1). It was like a grand spectacle (1) only reserved for the most critically-acclaimed action movies. And when a killing blow landed and the gloating wolves moved in to make Andre's death as agonizing as possible, that's when he gave a big smile and laugh in defiance as the pin from the grenade had already been pulled. There was no petty anxiety of life, no nagging self-hatred, no carping of critics could even scratch such a gleaming moment (1). Andre died happy (1). Not even a single member of the hedgies could have held out against those wolves all alone like he did, and the story of his death continues to give inspiration to prey animals everywhere.

As for Lakeisha, she shed her tears, but once the finality of it all had a chance to sink into her mind once it was no longer guilt-ridden, she couldn't have asked for a better mate or a better death for him. She had the will to live, to tell her children how amazing their father was, but unfortunately the birth of Damon and Niara went horribly wrong when they were facing from their sides as Lakeisha was attempting to deliver them. The hedgies and Ladarius's parents Jordan and Ahniyah were attending the birth and did all they could to turn the babies in the proper direction, but by the time they did that, the pain had already doomed Lakeisha. Moments before dying from the childbirth, she bequeathed De'Ausha and Ladarius her children on her deathbed. Her last words being, "You want children? Heah. Take Mine. Raise 'em as your own." Jordan and Ahniyah were more than happy to honor their daughter's last wish and agreed to let their only son and his mate raise their grandkids.

Briefly there was a problem in that, being a hybrid, De'Ausha couldn't produce milk. Thankfully, Rebecca had given birth to Lauren a week prior, and gladly suckled the newborn skunk kits. From that point on, the hedgies had two new members to add to their family. At first, Ladarius and De'Ausha wanted to tell their twin niece and nephew who their real parents were, but loved having two young ones to call them "mama and daddy" so much that they decided not to tell Damon and Niara the truth until they get older. Jordan and Ahniyah also vowed to keep the secret of the twin skunks' relationship with their "parents."

After taking another breath through the nostrils, Boombata and Nukalawa growl and get into an attack stance, causing the skunk and one pure feline hedgies to get out of memory lane.

Stella: "What's goin' on?"

Boombata: "You smell that?"

Tiger: "I cannot smell a thing."

Ignoring her father's comment, De'Ausha says, "All I smell is our kids' potent skunk spray lingerin' in the ai-yer."

Nukalawa: "We smell something not stinking. And it coming this way."

Boombata: "THERE! FIRE!"

Without hesitation the zorrilla and honey badger use their own spray. How strong is the stench of a zorilla and honey badger? It's enough to make the skunk-blooded hedgies gag. Whomever they were aiming at is not only fast enough to avoid the aim of the African mustelids with years of experience, but smart enough to use words to prevent further attacks.

Voice: "Watch it, guys! Ya's gonna hit me, Bernard, Patricia, and their new adopted kids!" The owner of the voice enters a coughing fit while saying, "Gah! *Cough C-Cough* My nose is clipped close, and I *Cough* can still smell it!"

Stella, Tiger, De'Ausha, Ladarius, Damon, and Niara in unison: "Clara!"

Boombata: "Oh! A thousand pardons, Clara."

Nukalawa: "We didn't know it you."

Clara comes out from the tree she took cover behind and says, "How many oth'a wolves without tails are there in deese woods?! *Cough Cough*"

Boombata: "You approaching from the front. We couldn't see your lack of tail."

Nukalawa: "What we saw was wolf running fast toward us, so we reacted."

Bernard props himself up and says, "And in their defense *Cough* all of us were lying face-down, *Gak!* so they couldn't see us riding on your back at first glance."

Patricia reaches into Bernard's bag, pulls out an object, and says "Close your eyes everyone! This is for the smell," and throws the object on the ground. It turns out to be a Fabreeze grenade stolen from a verminator. When it explodes it unleashes a cloud of Fabreeze and other chemicals like hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid dish soap designed to neutralize skunk spray.

Once the cloud dissipates, Patricia sighs in relief and says, "There we go. Now we can actually talk without coughing between every breath. Because, oh boy, do we have some things to say."

All the non-skunk animals remove the clips on their noses as Bernard, Patricia, Reagan, and Ro-J climb off Clara's back and walk up to the others who look on in awe as they recall what Clara had first said.

Tiger: "You two adopted these fine young raccoons? Splendid!"

Bernard: "Go on, tell 'em your names."

Reagan: "I'm Reagan."

Ro-J: "And I'm Ro-J. Which stands for Rogan-Ozzie, Jr."

Tiger: "I am Tiger, but my full name is Prince Tigerius Mamhoot Shabazz."

Stella: "He's my mate, and I'm Stella. And were you born with the name 'Ro-J'?"

Ro-J points to Patricia and Bernard while saying, "No, our new mama and dad renamed us."

Reagan: "And we so like our current names better. My brother and I ran away from our home after both our real parents died, and thought we'd be safe with Patricia and Bernard last night."

Ro-J: "Turns out we were more than safe. We found two adults who genuinely love us and don't abuse us like our former parents did."

De'Ausha: "So y'all part'a the family now too. Well met, I'm De'Ausha."

Tiger: "Eh-hem!"

De'Ausha: "Oh, right. Sorry baba. Princess De'Ausha."

Tiger nods and smiles in appreciation, but Reagan asks, "What's 'baba' mean?"

De'Ausha: "It's Persian for 'daddy.' "

Reagan nods and then comments, "I thought a skunk-Persian cat hybrid would have brown fur, not mostly white fur."

After seeing the skunks and cat give Reagan awkward stares, Bernard quickly adds, "W-we told them about our family members while returning to the log, and now we're meeting those that Reagan and Ro-J haven't met yet."

Stella: "S'all good, Bernard." (To Reagan) "It don't mattah what color she is. She's our only daughter and we love her forever."

Ladarius: "Just like I do too. I'm De'Ausha's mate, Ladarius. And these are our adopted son and daughter..."

When Ladarius points at Niara, she says her name, and Damon does the same when Ladarius points at him.

Reagan and Ro-J wave and say in unison, "Nice to meet you."

Damon: "Family don't wave."

Niara: "Family hugs!"

The two skunks walking forward with outstretched arms are confused when the raccoon kits back away. This makes Patricia look down at and chide the latter with, "Kids! Don't be rude. Hug your new cousins."

Reagan: "But the smell!"

Patricia gulps and as expected when she looks up the skunks are glaring at Reagan with crossed arms and cross expressions.

Now it's Bernard's turn to look down at Reagan and Ro-J to tell them, "Don't you remember what we told you about the skunks in our family? They don't like it when others mention their scent as a negative. Now apologize to them."

Reagan: "Okay." (Looks at Damon and Niara) "I'm sorry about what I said."

Ro-J: "And I'm sorry for not wanting to hug you...Cousins."

One can practically hear the upbeat Ding! sound as the skunks' frowns instantly turn upside down. They then lean forward, showing their smiling teeth, their eyes simultaneously showing eager anticipation while also silently asking, "Well?"

Reagan and Ro-J nod, walk up to the skunks, and get group hugged by them. When they part Reagan sniffs where the skunks had touched her and is so amazed that she speaks her thoughts, "Hey. I don't stink."

Ladarius: "You can't get skunk-stench stuck to ya simply by touching us."

Niara: "It's the air you smelled, not us."

Stella: "And we didn't gas you."

De'Ausha surprises the newbies further by demonstrating her intelligence when she says her deduction aloud. "This the first time you been around skunks, ain't it? You learnin' all the things you thought 'bout us aren't really true."

Ro-J: "You can say that again."

After walking next to Damon and Niara, Boombata says, "Just like I say, again, that you don't have to be embarrassed by you stench."

Nukalawa gets beside her mate and tells Damon and Niara, "Be proud of it."

The two then turn their attention to the raccoons and greet them.

Boombata: "Welcome. I Boombata, a zorrilla."

Nukalawa: "And I Nukalawa, a honey badger. We hail from Africa. We once prisoners in zoo, until these," (Points at the skunks) "our American brethren, rescue us."

Boombata: "We teach them how to improve their chemical weapons. That's why air spoiled."

Ro-J giggles and says, "You talk just like that red animal who says 'Da wae' from those popular internet videos."

Boombata: "I very aware of that meme. Not the biggest fan. Very stereotypical."

Ro-J: "Oh, sorry...B-but, can you say it like he did? Pretty please? I'll never ask for it again."

Boombata: "Since you new and so polite, yes. Just once. Ready?"

Ro-J eagerly bounces in excitement.

Boombata sighs and says, "My brudda. Do you know da wae?"

Ro-J laughs and claps his paws. Even Damon and Niara chuckle at the spot-on match of the Boombata and the man's voice from the meme.

Nukalawa: Now with that out of way, because you two raccoons now part of family of our rescuers, you part of our American brethren too. But you will stink if we hug you. So African handshake instead."

Boombata gets in front of Ro-J and Nukalawa gets in front of Reagan. The mates take turns in explaining and showing how the African handshake is done as they take the raccoons' paws into their own.

Boombata: "Start with traditional handshake. Make sure it firm."

Nukalawa: "Now thumb clasp."

Boombata: "Good. Now repeat, but put opposite paw on inside elbow. This to show respect."

Nukalawa: "You great learners. When breaking away, do handshake again: traditional, thumb clasp, click thumbs together, finally bring it to heart to show connection."

Boombata: "Now from the top. Ready?"

Reagan and Ro-J in unison: "Yes sir."

The four animals execute a perfect African handshake, drawing applause from the onlookers. Ro-J then asks, "So what's Africa like?"

Boombata: "Africa very large, and we only know part that was our home: Cote d'Ivoire."

Nukalawa: "Warm there and diverse landscape: savanna, rainforest, a few small desert."

Ro-J: "Any lions, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, warthogs, meerkats, and wildebeests?"

Boombata: "All except meerkat and wildebeest."

Nukalawa: "Very dangerous fighting off local predators, more so against poachers."

Boombata: "Verm-Tech humans are closest thing to that. But worse, because they use more than just guns."

Reagan: "So do you like it better in America?"

Boombata: "Some things about it, yes, but we miss home more. Even on worst days it still home. Also miss relatives there."

Nukalawa: "Which is why we find new friends quick."

Ro-J: "Do you wanna stay here, or go back to your home country?"

Boombata: "Must train Damon and Niara. After that, we think about it. Unlike humans, we can't board airplane easily."

Stella: "From what we've heard from RJ, ever since 2001, it takes fo'ever for humans ta get on airplanes too.

Nukalawa nods and says, "Every human we overhear talk about that, no matter where they from. But it their problem, not ours. Not animals."

Patricia: "Okay kids, we need to head to the next family-within-the-family if we're to get back in time for when my big brother and parents come to visit at the log."

Bernard: "Tell everyone here thanks."

Reagan: "Thanks for all the talk, hugs, and handshakes!"

Ro-J: "Yeah from me too!"

All the others say "Your welcome!" in unison. Niara then adds, "We see you back at home!"

Ro-J: "Looking forward to it, cousin!"

Clara: "Get on board. Next stop is my family."

Reagan: "Cool!"

Clara waits for Bernard to tell her when he, Patricia, Ro-J and Reagan are ready and then heads off into the woods again. Once they are gone, Boombata says, "We done for today. Go rest. Recharge your chemical weapons. Mind what you learned. Be ready for next lesson."

Niara and Damon in unison: "Yes sir!"

Ladarius: "You two invited ta dinner if you want, Boombata and Nukalawa."

Tiger: "We'd be more than happy to have you two over."

Nukalawa: "Sounds good."

Boombata: "Now, my American brothers and sisters. Conclude today's session!"

The Americans and Persian join Boombata and Nukalawa in saying the tribal chant they all helped create and say before and after a training session is done.

"We small in size, big in threat! Always do, always get!

"Never falter, never run! Won't stop fighting till we've won!

"One for all, all for one, enemies look out, here we come!

"Blast of stench, hard claw swipe; light of day, dark of night!

"From the land, to the sky, we not ever gonna die!

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

"With all our Might! Hoo!

"All our Might! Hoo!

"All our might!

"Hoo-ha-hooo!"

With that, all the animals present cross their tails like a brotherhood of knights. They then go their separate ways, everyone looking forward to seeing them again tonight.

Note: (1)= Based on Star Wars: The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell by Dark Horse Comics.

---

Inside an abandoned bomb shelter overgrown with vines and plants is Kale and his triplets.

Boxer: "When's mom gettin' here, papá?"

Kale: "Relájate mis niños. Ella llegará aquí cuando llegue aquí."

Having taught all his pups Spanish, despite Clara's objections, each one knows that Kale had said "Relax my children. She will get here when she gets here." But none of them finds much comfort in that.

Percie: "She should'a arrived ten minutes ago."

Roaster: "Maybe she ran into one more predator or two who hadn't been frightened off by our familia."

Kale: "If dat's the case, den I'd be more worried for th'a predator. But trust me, she's on her way."

Percie: "Use ya nose ta tell us exactly how far away she is, papá."

Kale: "I've been teachin' you's all how ta do that. So do it. All'uv you's inherited more than your mom's and I's looks and strength."

The siblings close their eyes and engage in something called selective smelling, which is the same concept as selective hearing but with one's nose. They know the exact scent of Clara, and focus their minds and noses on only that, ignoring all other smells that enter their nostrils. After they breathe in and out once, Kale asks, "Well?"

Boxer: "She's half a mile 'way..."

Percie: "Approachin' from tha southeast..."

Roaster: " 'Bout three minutes out."

Kale: "Not bad, niños. But only Boxer got it 100 percent right. Percie, she is approachin' from the south, not southeast. And Roaster, she is 'bout a minute anna half out. But you's all gettin' better.

Roaster (pouting): "I'm not..."

Kale: "Don't beat ya'self up again, Roaster."

Roaster: "I'm not papá. I'm gonna complain instead. I got ripped off when I was born. I don't have mom's super strength, or your super sniffer. Boxer's got mom's strength and your super sniffer. Percie has mom's strength, and while her sense of smell isn't as good as Boxer's or yours, it's still above average.

"As for me, yo soy nothin' but average. No mentionable strengths, no glaring weaknesses—nothin' ta make me stand out or be special." Boxer snickers, causing Roaster to angrily say, "You find somethin' funny 'bout my deepest pain, hermano?!"

Boxer: "Just the fact dat you said 'I I am.' It's just 'soy' for 'I am.' "

Roaster smirks and says, "El idiota! It means the same ting whether I include 'yo' or not—Booya!" Boxer only smiles wider, and starts laughing for real. Roaster trades the smirk with a scowl and says, "Dat's it! I'm gonna bite ya's in'tha—"

Percie blocks Roaster from getting to the oldest sibling and tells her youngest brother, "You just demonstrated your special talent dat makes you unique, which you inherited from papá. You're da King of Comeback-Talk."

Roaster glances at Kale and sees his father giving a genuine smile of affection. He further puts Roaster's mind at ease with, "And unlike my ex-pack, neither your siblings nor pack leaders constantly insult you for your supposed shortcomings. We also don't set impossible standards for you to meet, and want you to be you instead of something you're not."

Roaster's smirk returns, and with a smile he says, "Tanks everybody. And papá, I still can't believe how you didn't commit suicide from all the crap you took from your ex-pack."

Kale: "Dare are two reasons for dat. One, your extended family of prey animals helped me out. And two, your mom Clara."

Clara then enters saying, "Did someone say my name?"

Kale: "Dare you are mi tamale caliente!"

Clara sighs and says, "Yes, I'm ya's 'hot tamale.' Dat's one'uv da few Spanish phrases I actually don't mind too much and don't need no translator for."

Boxer: "You's not alone, mom. I smelled Bernard, Pat, and two new scents I don't recognize."

Percie: "Aw, come on! You cheated with ya's superior sniffin' power!"

Roaster: "Way ta spoil da surprise big bro!"

The four raccoon-blooded animals rise up and hop off Clara's back. While doing so, Bernard says, "I must've forgotten how hard it is to hide a secret from wolves. But yes, these are our new adopted son and daughter, Ro-J and Reagan."

After another recap of how the kits found and became part of the hedgies' family, Kale notices something about Reagan and Ro-J that he has to know. So he asks, "You's two not afraid of us? Of wolves?"

Reagan: "No sir. I think it's totally awesome that there are big good wolves that actually exist, instead of big bad wolves."

Kale: "To be fair, Clara and I started out bad, den we became good."

Ro-J: "That doesn't matter to us. We're just glad we can live in an area safe from predators."

Kale: "In dat case, here's my and Clara's kids. Sound off!"

The triplet wolves line up side by side and give their names one after the other.

Boxer: "Me llamo Boxer."

Percie: "Soy Percie."

Roaster: "Y yo soy Roaster."

Reagan: "Ooooookaaaayy...Didn't catch that first stuff, but at least I heard what your names are."

Boxer: "Oops, we so used ta introducing ourselves in Spanish dat we forgot dat not all animals know our papá's native tongue."

Clara looks at the two kits and says, "You's in good company. I've been married to Kale for 15 years and I still don't unda'stand half the nonsense dat comes outta his mouth—unless he or my kids translate for me."

Kale: "You wouldn't be so confused if you's actually paid attention and put effort inta learning a second language, Clara."

Clara: "If we lived in or closer ta Mexico, where Spanish-speakin' animals and humans are most commonly found, I would. But we's in Indiana and you, Boxer, Percie, and Roaster are dee only ones I interact with onna daily basis who speak Spanish. Dat's not enough to make me learn a new language."

Kale: "Admit it, you's just lazy."

Clara (boastful): "Tell that ta all da predators I single-handedly defeated. Didn't need ta know any Spanish for dat. I just needed my good ol' fashion strength."

Kale (ditto): "Plus my nose and intellect. Without my strategies and sense of smell deese woods would still be havin' predator problems, possibly for another full year at most."

Percie (ditto): "And don't forget our help too, mom. Mi hermanos and I used our combined abilities ta help you and papá mop up predators in all the areas of the forest you's two couldn't be at while taking care of the opposition in your areas."

Patricia rolls her eyes, leans down toward Reagan and Ro-J and loudly whispers sarcastically, "This is the nonsense we have to deal with having wolves in the family. They bicker and try to outdo each other in every way imaginable."

Bernard joins the fun too by loudly and sarcastically whispering to his kids, "But don't worry, deep down they still love each other and us. They just have an odd way of showing it."

Roaster (stern and serious): "We know da game you's two are playin'..." (Light-hearted) "And it's all 100 percent true."

As everyone has a brief laugh session it makes Kale and Clara remember how they became closer and winded up marrying. It was oddly in a way that would drive most couples apart: by being competitive. After she had recovered from her injuries 15 years ago, Clara and Kale enjoyed and loathed trying to outdo each other in being wolves, which is something they do to this day. One always loathed it whenever he/she loses to the other. They are evenly matched in their own ways: Kale is better at tracking things down with his nose, Clara is physically stronger; Kale is smarter, Clara is faster; Kale has better hearing, Clara has better eyesight; Kale is stealthier, Clara prefers to be out in the open (wanting to demonstrate to all viewers just how amazing she is); Clara is better at dissing other animals out without using profanity, Kale resorts to cussing (bilingually) faster. Through the hardships they overcome, the two wolves discovered that their shortcomings cancel out if they work together, and only their positive attributes are demonstrated.

Their differences also extended to their personal upbringings. Kale loved his parents and brothers, Clara despised her parents and brother; Kale always wanted to do fun things and be free; Clara only wanted to follow the Codes of Wolf Society; Kale's ex-pack was cruel to him and set impossible standards for him to follow; Clara set the standards for her ex-pack to follow and was cruel to them; Kale got the mark of shame by helping out prey animals due to his inferiority; Clara got the mark of shame by betraying her own brother just to prove her superiority.

The wolf spouses' relationship is truly the odd couple situation. They married a month after Clara's injuries fully healed, and then she gave birth to their three wolf pups. Upon finding out she was pregnant, Clara and Kale were conflicted on whether or not to give their whelps the "mark of shame" at birth. The dilemma was twofold. If the parents did not give them the mark of shame, they wouldn't be disgraced but might run the risk of getting involved with real wolves who hate and hunt prey animals. If the parents did give them the mark of shame, they would be raised as Kale and Clara wanted which involved living in harmony with prey animals, but the pups will be hated and targeted by all wolves and risk not finding mates in the future.

Ultimately, Kale and Clara chose to not give their kids the mark of shame, trusting that the lessons they have taught them will impact and spread among the wolves Boxer, Percie, and Roaster do eventually join whenever the time comes. Kale also believes there might be other wolves like him somewhere in the world; wolves who hate following the Codes of Wolf Society and want to be free and follow their own hearts. If his kids marry wolves like that, then all will be good.

The laughing session ends and Ro-J asks the three wolf teens, "So what do y'all do for fun?"

Roaster responds all smooth and cool-like, "Whatev'a da heck we want."

Boxer: "More specifically, we likes ta wrestle, race, play video games, and most of all play wolf freeze tag."

Percie: "Dat's where you's have ta bite ya's opponent instead'uv taggin' 'em."

Clara chuckles, looks at Reagan and Ro-J, and adds, "Wolves play rough. Remember dat."

Kale: "But don't worry. We play gently with our non-wolf family members."

Bernard: "Speaking of family members, are you two kids ready to see the next ones?"

Reagan: "Who will it be, dad?"

Bernard: "The bats."

Ro-J: "Won't they be asleep during daytime?"

Patricia: "They're at their favorite downtime spot, socializing with other bats in a cave. It's so deep and dark that it's practically nighttime all the time there."

Clara: "Since I'm da fastest wolf in dis family, I'll take ya's there."

Kale: "I don't mind givin' you's a break, babe."

Clara: "Pat's brother and parents are comin' ta visit soon, so only I can get dem" (points at the raccoon-blooded animals) "to the cave and back to the log in time."

Kale: "Good point. Viajes seguros—safe travels."

Clara: "Once I'm done with my chauffeuring, I'll come back to alluv you's and have some fun family time."

All three teens howl, "Wooooooo-hooooooooooo!" in unison as the newly-formed family of four get back onto Clara's back and she runs off again.

---

When Clara gets to the cave's entrance seven minutes later, she surprises the kids by saying, "Get off here. You's on ya's own ta go in the cave."

Reagan: "You're not coming with us?"

Clara: "I would if I could, but after 20 feet dare's a deep drop. Wolves can't climb, so I'd be stuck. Besides, I need a break from hearin' ya's all tell the same story ov'a and ov'a again."

Reagan: "You could have bats fly you out. There'd need to be a lot of them, but it should work."

Everyone's eyes widen and they go "Ahhhhh..." in wonder at her remark. Bernard says what they're all thinking with, "Truly, kids have far more imagination than adults ever will."

Clara: "Dat sounds tempting, but I'd prefer ta test it out in dee open so just in case I'm too heavy I won't be trapped. But yeah, I'm so gonna have ta try dat out for real!"

Ro-J: "What cave has a deep pit at the end?"

Patricia sheds some more light on the situation with, "Technically it's not a cave. Many years ago when humans were still allowed in these woods, this cave used to be a mine."

Ro-J: "For gold, diamonds, and jewels?!"

Reagan: "I don't see what you're so excited about. Animals can't do anything with gold, diamonds and jewels."

Ro-J: "They're so shiny and sparkly, silly."

Reagan sighs and mumbles, "Little brothers..."

Patricia: "Hate to burst you're bubble, but this was a copper mine and it's been cleaned all out."

Ro-J: "Oh well, it'll still be cool going in a cave."

Bernard: "You won't have any problems seeing because of your raccoon-inherited night vision, and y'all can climb out the way we came because the cave wall of the steep drop is covered in vines."

Ro-J: "Then let's venture together! Into the unknown!"

Bernard: "You three have fun. I'm gonna stay out here with Clara."

Reagan: "Why aren't you coming, dad?"

Bernard: "Me and heights do not go well together. Even if I did come with, I would take too long climbing down and up, and we need to be back home in the next 20 minutes."

Clara: "At least dis means I'll have some company—with my first true prey-animal friend."

Ro-J (excited): "No way, dad! You had the guts to befriend Clara?!"

Clara: "Sure did. 15 years ago we talked about some soul-searchin' stuff while I escorted him ta Patricia's home one time."

Reagan looks at Bernard in question as she asks, "So wait, you're brave enough to befriend a wolf, but are afraid of heights?"

Bernard: "Like I said, I'm weird but am far more interesting. You three go on. We'll be waiting here when you get back."

Patricia: "C'mon kids, follow me.

The three quietly enter the cave and upon reaching the drop Patricia whispers, "Not a peep. The bats won't be frightened after recognizing my scent, but they don't know yours yet. Make a loud noise and they'll swarm us."

Reagan and Ro-J nod and carefully climb down the 330 foot mine shaft. Once at the bottom there are five branching paths. Patricia finds the one that contains the scents of the bats in the hedge family and leads the way. The deeper they go, the more voices of bats they hear. A few feet later and an aggressive-sounding bat—"No doubt a vampire bat," muses Patricia—says, "Hey! You all smell that?! I recognize one scent, but there's two others I don't!"

Another bat's voice: "Intruders!"

Vampire bat's voice: "Let's show 'em what we do to intruders who come into our community roost!"

Several bats go "Yeah!", making Ro-J hide behind Patricia and Reagan on-edge. But before any of the chiropterans can even unfold their wings, a voice familiar to Patricia says, "Call off that attack! It's one of our extended family members."

Vampire bat's voice: "Humph! Spoiling our fun...You heard her, folks. Stand down."

Patricia whispers to her kits, "We're good now. That was Marilyn's voice." She speaks a little louder to the bats, "Yes, it's me Patricia. And I have brought me and Bernard's recently-adopted son and daughter to meet their bat relatives."

All 11 bats within the hedgies' family say, "Adopted son and daughter?!" and arrive in front of the raccoons five seconds later. Even in the pitch blackness of the cave, the raccoons' vision is as clear as daylight and they see all the bats and their physical distinctions.

Dexter is the first to get close and says, "Pleased to meet you! I'm Dexter."

Kylie: "And I'm his big sister, Kylie."

Dexter and Kylie in unison: "What're your names?"

Reagan: "I'm Reagan."

Ro-J: "And I'm her little brother Ro-J. Our new parents renamed us."

Patricia: "Here's the story of how we met."

After sharing, the bats go "Ooo," and "Ahh." Then Simon asks, "Why is Bernard not among you?"

Celine: "He hates heights, remember."

Simon: "Oh yeah. And the deep drop down here..."

Celine: "Anyway, I'm Celine and this is my mate Simon. Dexter and Kylie are two of our grandchildren."

Lucas steps forward, lets out a yawn, and says, "I'm their third grandkid. Name's Lucas. Sorry about the *yawn* yawning, but I'm recovering from being hit by a tranquilizer gun from a heist we did yesterday."

Ro-J: "Yeah, our new mama and dad told us all about it. Said my new dad saved you."

Owen: "And we owe him for that. I'm Lucas's father, Owen, and my mate is Marilyn."

With her trademark snark, Marilyn replies, "That's me. And don't bother telling us how you look, it means nothing to us since we're all blind."

Ro-J: "We can tell you what you look like."

Mordecai, having no snarkiness in his voice tone, uses a stop hand gesture and shakes his head no while saying, "Thanks, but really, there's no need. We don't even know what colors are. I'm Mordecai by the way, and this is my mate..."

Christine: "Christine. I'm Simon's and Celine's middle daughter, and the mother of Dexter and Kylie."

Upon noticing Christine's round belly, Reagan asks, "Are you pregnant again?"

Christine raises her eyebrows, then lowers her head. She talks in an embarrassed tone when she answers, "No...I'm just a fat bat..." Although several bats still roosting let out snickers and laughs, Christine ignores them and her tone returns to normal when she follows up with, "Lemme give you kids some very important advice: if you ever feel upset, never take it out by eating junk food."

Mordecai: "Don't be so hard on yourself. I bet you're not as big as you think, especially with how much you've been working out. Keep it up and you'll be back to whatever your original weight was in no time."

Kylie: "But we like mommy's belly!"

Dexter: "Yeah! We climb it, hop on it, and use it as a launchpad when we fly."

Celine: "No matter how heavy or light you are, we all still love you for who you are, Christine."

Christine: "Thanks mom."

Reagan and Ro-J then look at the only two bats who haven't spoken yet. Ro-J asks, "Are you Bert and Claire?"

Bert looks down and rubs his arm nervously while stuttering out, "Um, y-y-yes...H-h-hello."

Reagan: "What's wrong? You're a grown-up. You can't be afraid of us, can you?"

Claire: "No he's just shy, especially around new people. I'm pretty shy myself. I'm Claire, it's nice to meet you two...even if I can't see what you look like."

Ro-J: "Do you have any kids?"

Claire: "No, and we never will."

Reagan: "Why?"

After hearing the sorrow and curiosity in Reagan's and Ro-J's tone, Bert's timidity lessens and he responds with less shyness, "I-I'm, infertile...I had such as h-hard time finding a mate." He smiles briefly when saying, "And I used to be very social and outgoing," only to frown when he continues with, "until repeated attempts to find a girlfriend failed because of my infertility. I was so f-f-fed up from being mocked and having my confidence beaten down that I became a recluse. I even had to invent several imaginary friends to deal with my loneliness."

Reagan and Ro-J keep listening with sympathetic ears and faces. Neither knows what it's like to be truly alone (or worse, separate from each other), and while they wished their biological parents had never been in their lives, they would never wish to be all by themselves. But even in this pitch-black mine, a light seems to shine when Bert wraps his wings around his mate in a hug and continues his story with an upbeat tone. Oddly, he is alright telling this story because it's how he finally found true happiness. "Luckily, I met Claire. Her kind and understanding nature made her so sympathetic to my infertility problem. We were meant for each other because her shyness was a perfect match for my own."

Bert lightly kisses Claire on the cheek and nuzzles her lovingly. He keeps doing that while Claire says, "I remembered how miserable Bernard, Mary, and De'Ausha were for a time about their sterility, and didn't want someone like Bert to be alone forever with such feelings."

Claire pats Bert's head which causes him to stop nuzzling her and get back to his story. "As shy as Claire is, take it from me when I say she's the bolder one of us two. I was too shy to tell her I love her and to propose to her. But she's the one who took the risk and did both of that. Out of all the bats I had tried to get romantically involved with, Claire was the best bat—the only bat—to help me out of my pickle. She didn't want to have any pups, so we've been living happy together."

Reagan looks at Claire and asks, "Why didn't you wanna have kids?"

Claire: "After hearing and helping to deal with all the kids being born in our extended family, I decided I didn't want to have children. They're too much hassle, stress, and pressure, especially for a shy lady such as myself. But I always wanted to be a literal aunt. So Bert and I helped raise the other bat pups in our family."

Simon: "We have tried to encourage Claire and Bertram to adopt..."

Claire: "But I don't like raising my voice or being firm, and whenever I do, I don't have any authority behind my words. Here's an example..."

She takes a deep breath, puffs up her chest, and when she says, "Stop that!", her "shout" is only one-decibel louder than her normal soft volume. Albeit there is more authority, but a two-year-old learning how to say his/her first words is sterner.

Bert further supports his mate's claim by saying, "And I can't even raise my voice at all, which is why whenever we've had to give our biological niece and nephews an order, either their parents or grandparents do it for us."

Dexter, Kylie, and Lucas fly and hover over Bertram and Claire with smiles on their faces.

Kylie: "But we barely misbehave around Unkie Bert and Auntie Claire!"

Dexter: "They're so nice, and sweet, and kind."

Lucas mumbles, "And let us get sweets when our parents say we can't."

Owen and Marilyn in unison: "We heard that."

Claire giggles and then says, "Well, the secret's out."

Marilyn: "Anyway, my littlest sister has hogged up enough time, now it's my turn to tell how I met Owen. And don't worry, it's not nearly as long. We literally bumped into each other while eating down here in this very mine. I had just crushed blueberries into the juicy paste—which is how I love to eat it—and when I turned and walked to where I wanted to sit down, I bumped into him and spilled my late day snack all over his chest."

Owen: "I accepted her apology—no one can fault us for being blind—and she asked if there was anything she could do for me. And I said, 'I would like to have some of what you're having, because blueberry paste-juice is my favorite too.' "

Marilyn: "For the whole day we socialized and got to know each other. Next we became friends, we were inseparable after that."

Owen: "It wasn't long before we realized we enjoyed seeing each other more than our other friends, which is why we had to arrange specific days for them and us."

Marilyn: "A few years later we were lovers, and a few years after that we were mates."

Christine: "Now it's me and Mordecai's turn. Both of our parents were friends and we met whenever they needed to hang out with our own kind."

Mordecai: "She didn't know it yet, but I fell in love with her a few months after our families began visiting each other."

Christine: "But I was dating another boy bat at the time and didn't think much of Mordecai. Then I had a rough breakup with my ex-boyfriend who said we couldn't work out because 'we weren't meant for each other.' But that was a big fat lie to cover up the truth that he just wanted to live as a free and independent bachelor for the rest of his life. That's when I started putting on weight by comfort-eating."

Mordecai: "My parents were always obsessed about fitness, they were basically the personal trainers of many bats in these caves. While hanging out with Claire one night, she mentioned that her parents' efforts to slim her down weren't working, so I volunteered to take her to where my parents worked out bats. I became her personal trainer, and also got to know her personally."

Christine: "He sure pushed me hard that night, and I was sore for weeks after his workout. But the more he worked me out, the more I started to slim down...And the more I wanted to be with him. He loved me even when I was fatter than a bat-sized tick with its belly full."

Mordecai: "Of course, I couldn't just say it while she was still overcoming her previous breakup. I had to take my time and let her fall in love with who I was, instead of just someone trying to sweep her off her feet."

Christine: "Because he took the slow and long approach, he made me regain my trust in males again, and I was more than happy to accept his proposal when he asked me to marry him."

Reagan is grateful that the bats are blind, because she gives Christine a look that perfectly expresses her thoughts that read, "If this is what you look like now, after working out for years, I do NOT wanna know what you looked like when you were at your biggest."

Patricia: We'd love to stay and chat some more, but we need to get back to the log and meet my brother and parents who are coming over to visit."

Owen: "No problem. Since we're family, Reagan and Ro-J can talk to us anytime we return."

Patricia: "So what do you say to them, kids?"

Ro-J: "Thanks for talking to us!"

Reagan: "Ditto."

Bats: "You're welcome."

Patricia: "Then I guess we're all done here. C'mon Reagan and Ro-J."

Reagan and Ro-J in unison: "Okay mama."

With that, they head out of the mine, reunite with Clara and Bernard, and head on home. Not knowing that trouble is coming their way.

---

When they all get back they discover that Richie, his mate Lucile, their son Frank (aged eight), and two daughters Chloe and Camille (aged five and seven respectively), along with Richie and Patricia's parents Eric and Elaina are already there. Richie, Eric, and Elaina have gray fur and light-brown tails with seven black rings. Eric has a brown mask and blue eyes, Elaina has a black mask and cedar-colored eyes (if brown and gray were combined), and Richie has a black mask and fern-green eyes. Lucile's chubby body has regular brown fur everywhere except her light brown ventral fur. All four paws have black markings and her tails has four regular brown rings and three black rings in which the two colors interchange with a brown ring at the tip. Most of her face is made of white fur, with her black mask resembling two giant and fat commas around her eyes, which is interrupted by a regular-brown streak that goes from the tip of her nose to her upper forehead. Lastly her eyes are red cedar colored. Frank has his grandfather's blue eyes and his father's gray-colored body, but his facial markings and ring tail are identical to his mother. Camille has her father's mask and fern-green eyes, her mother's body fur colors, and her ring tail is exactly the same as Richie's. Chloe's mask is dark brown, and although her eyes are her mother's, she is a color swap of Lucile; with light brown body fur and a regular brown ventral side. Her tail has four black rings and three rings that are colored a fusion of gray and brown.

They have been chatting with the hedgies to pass time and are currently being entertained by Sam who has a spatula in his right paw and another being gripped in his tail. Wanting to keep things a surprise, Bernard and Patricia tell Ro-J and Reagan to be quiet and stay hidden behind Clara until they tell their new kids to reveal themselves. Besides, they all really see how things turn out with Sam.

Note: the following is based on the Over the Hedge comic strip dated 3/30/2022.

Sam holds the spatula in the prime/parry 1 position with it raised high but business-end aiming diagonally down, whereas the spatula in his tail is angled diagonally up.

Sam's face has never looked more intense and serious, and just as the new arrivals start to wonder what could have made such a happy, go-lucky guy like him wear such an expression, the squirrel says, "My name Sam!...I red squirrel. You tickled my butt!...Prepare for spanked!"

Sam stabs forward with blistering speed, but the spatula in his tail is faster. It bats away Sam's weapon so hard that it's knocked out of his paw. Now it is the defenseless squirrel who is spanked repeatedly on the head. Sam runs away, screaming, "Eeeeeeep!" but the tail spatula doesn't waver and keeps hitting his head.

Frank remarks, "How did he lose? Does his tail have a mind of its own?"

Lucile: "Yes. Yes it does."

Richie: "And how I see it it's a win-win for Sam. He lost to and beat himself."

Chloe: "That makes no sense, pop."

Camille: "Neither does what ma said."

Eric: "You kids need to visit Auntie Trisha's in-laws more often, because not only are they great folks to be around..."

He looks at Elaina to signal her to finish which she does with, "They prove that sometimes you have to simply believe in things when it's impossible to figure them out."

Patricia (sarcastically): "I see that my big brother's antics have finally taken a hold of your senior minds. How many times have I told you not to call me 'Trish' or 'Trisha' for short? I prefer Pat."

Patricia's relatives turn to see their daughter/sister/sister-in-law/aunt standing with both paws on her hips and tilting her head to the side with attitude, but wearing a smile on her face and her eyes gleaming with humor. Eric, Elaina, Richie, Lucile, and their three kits run up to her and give her a group hug. Richie responds first with, "Hey lil' sis. Long time no see."

Patricia: "It has been a while, but I'm so happy you're all here and safe."

Elaina: "Same here, Pat."

Eric: "Ever since your mother and I let your brother and his family move into the shooting house we all used to live in, us two had to move to a new home midway between here and El Rancho Camelot. It's a long journey from there to here, but it's always worth it."

When the family breaks away from their group hug, Richie asks, "Now where's my good buddy Bernard? I overheard you on my mate's phone yesterday that he saved the day at the heist."

Bernard: "Right here, Richie. And I wouldn't have been able to save anyone had it not been for your sister and the other family members' pep talk. The rescue involved heights."

Richie nods as he doesn't need any further explanation as to why Bernard needed verbal encouragement. Richie and Bernard's relationship is just like RJ's and Rick's, the two are like brothers from other mothers, which is symbolized by when they approach each other and do a secret handshake that involves high hits, low hits, side hits, then locking paws as if shaking them, and finally a hug. Patricia and her parents look at the scene with smiles. Not just for how bromancey it is, but in reminiscence of how far Richie and Bernard have come since their first meeting. That had been the opposite of what they are like now. Richie was Bernard's and Mary's first bully, who relentlessly teased them of their half-raccoon, half-possum appearance and forbid them from playing games with Richie's group of friends. All this changed when Roger and Ty forced Richie to allow Bernard and Mary to play a pretend game with them, which ended in a scuffle that almost got a shrew named Tabitha killed by falling down a waterfall. Mary and Bernard saved Tabitha using their hybrid abilities, which genuinely intrigued Richie, making him want to know more about the opossacoons. In a nutshell, Richie learned that differences are what make the world a wondrous place.

As for Patricia, she always like Bernard from the onset. She didn't mind that he was an opossacoon, was interested with his physical appearance that she finds unique even to this day, and enjoyed how entertaining he was when playing possum for the littlest of things because he would go all out. She also found his shyness to be cute and endearing, the thing makes him stand out among others, and not a downside to his character. These feelings she felt for him grew once they began seeing each other more often after Richie became Bernard's friend.

Patricia is brought out of her thoughts when Camille says, "And Auntie Pat? My sister and brother are so sorry about you and Uncle Bernard not getting the raccoon kits you wanted to adopt."

Frank: "Yeah, our ma told us this morning while on the way here. She said not to mention it, but we wanted you to know we feel bad for you too."

Patricia: "Aw, thanks Franky and Camille. You are just the sweetest and most thoughtful kids I know. But something wonderful has happened. Lemme show you." (Looks over her shoulder) "You can come out now."

With that, Reagan and Ro-J come from behind Clara and wave while smiling. From what the two have seem from the interactions between Patricia and her relatives, they have surmised that the latter are good, caring, and loving folks.

Lucile: "Paint me white and call me albino, who are they?"

Bernard: "Everyone, I'd like you to meet me and Pat's adopted kids: Reagan and Ro-J, which stands for Rogan-Ozzie Jr."

After telling the story of how they met for what feels like the hundredth time, Reagan looks at Patricia's kin and says, "Now these are the closest to biological relatives we can have."

Richie: "Didn't your mom and dad tell you that family has nothing to do with blood ties? It's the love they give."

Reagan: "You too, Mr. Richie?"

Richie: "That's Uncle Richie to you."

Frank: "But we're not here for any lovey-dovey, mushy stuff. We're here to play with you and the rest of your family!"

Chloe: "Yeah! Let's go find cousins Drake, Annie, Riley, and Ellie! They always have something fun to do!"

Emma has arrived back home and comes in to say, "I'll take you kids to 'em now. You're gonna love what they've rigged up."

All the raccoon kits follow her, trembling with excitement. It's not long before the adults join them, because as Richie comments, "I wanna see what all the hubbub is about too."

Eric: "Likewise. It's always interesting seeing what our in-laws can do with their ingenuity."

A minute of walking later and even the adults are impressed with what the kids are doing.

Note: the following is based on the Over the Hedge comic strip dated 3/27/2022.

Ike: "Just one more plug. Aaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnd..."

When he puts an extension cord into a power strip it is the last plug for a circle of 73 hairdryers with their nozzles facing upward. Drake, being the most daredevil kid of the third generation of hedgies, jumps off a tree branch from a height that would kill him, but thanks to the hair dryers, the hedgies have created the first outside-indoor skydiving station. Drake is laying prone and levitates in the air above the hairdryers. The setup seems perfect, until the enormous amounts of extension cords and power strips suddenly short out and cut off the whole station. Drake falls on top of the hair dryers, but is unhurt, and says, "What's goin' on Ike?"

Ike: "Hold on, I think I know what the problem is. I need all of you to help me with this."

After getting the hairdryers facing up again, and taking one of them out of the circle, Ike says, "That should do it," and flips the on switch.

This brief power outage has an unfortunate consequence for some unlucky humans whose house the hedgies are leeching power from, unbeknownst to the humans of course. A man and his wife had been busy watching a local news station whose announcer said, "In other news we asked Centenarian Ruth Koswalik the secret to her longevity."

Ruth appears on the screen and says, "Bacon, pie, and—"

Then the house's entire power went out. The distraught wife yells, "And what?! I MUST know!"

Husband: "Aw come on! Another blackout?"

The wife sighs and says, "I'll go get the candles..." Just as she got up from the sofa, the lights come back on. This makes her exclaim, "And now the power is back?"

Husband: "What in the holy heck is going on?!"

Back behind the hedge Ike smiles and nods in appreciation of his handiwork as Annie jumps down from the same tree as her twin brother did with a "Wheeeee!" and this time the skydiving hookup doesn't falter.

Ike: "Mm-hm. 72 hairdryers: perfect. 73...not so much."

Ro-J: "C'mon sister, let's get in line behind the others!"

Reagan: "I'm right with you, brother! This is gonna be SO fun when it's our turn!"

As it turns out, the adults' enjoyment of watching the kids skydive is tantamount to the kids' fun doing the skydiving. Lucile plays around with her mate by leaning next to his ear but loudly whispering for all to hear, "We really need to visit here more often. Our kids'll be fully occupied and we can have some more time to ourselves."

Richie does the same loud whispering when he replies, "Done and done."

The fun lasts a long time, and would have lasted longer had it not been for some unexpected guests. Just as Reagan gets back on solid ground and Patricia asks her how it was, before the 10-year-old can answer, she is interrupted by a loud voice shouting, "How's it going, Ditchie?"

Everyone turns around and sees another family of raccoons composed of a father, mother, son, and daughter. Everyone except Reagan and Ro-J know who is standing before them, and now the mood has changed from enjoyment to tension. It is none other than Patricia's fifth mate, Gerald, his new mate Miranda, and Patricia's step children Max and Wendy, aged nine and eight respectively.

Gerald has a mix of gray and brown fur, dark brown gloves and socks markings, brown eyes, black mask, and a nine-ringed tail that interchanges black and light brown fur. Miranda has all gray fur, blue eyes, a black mask, and six rings on her tail—three black and three gray. Being Patricia's biological son, Max has her air force-blue eyes and brown mask, while the rest of his physical appearance resembles his father's. Wendy has Patricia's all gray fur and light brown tail with seven black rings, but has her father's gloves and socks markings, and black mask.

Ignoring the insult, Patricia replies to her ex-mate's question with, "It's good to see you too, Gerald. Been doing alright?"

Lucile's eyes widen and she tries to pipe in, "Pat, there's something you need to know," but she is cut off by Miranda.

Miranda: "Still smooching with that hybrid, half-breed, freak you call a mate?"

Bernard: "One: you were the first girlfriend I dated after breaking up with Patricia, so you used to love me, a hybrid. That means you're basically insulting yourself. And two: like I told Peter 15 years ago, come up with some new insults already. 'Cuz 'half-breed freak' is getting old."

Lucile: "Pat, they're—"

Patricia ignores Lucile a second time to ask Gerald, "Did you come all this way to insult me for leaving you and marrying Bernard? Because you could've just done that over the phone. I still have you on speed dial, and vice versa."

Gerald: "I know, but I assure you my making a physical appearance has some significance."

Lucile: "Pat!"

Patricia ignores her sister-in-law yet again and asks Gerald, "Like what?"

Gerald gives a smug-as-can-be smirk and says, "Like this."

He, his son and daughter, and Miranda move to the side. Behind them, hidden until now, are two more raccoon kits, a six-year-old boy and five-year-old girl.

Gerald: "Meet the newest additions to our family: Wyatt and Jessie."

Wyatt has light brown fur everywhere except his white ventral side, a black mask, green eyes, and eight rings on his tail—four black and four light brown. Jessie is Wyatt's biological sister and thus looks just like her brother except for having blue eyes and a dark brown mask. But it's not the kinship these two share that is shocking, it's something else.

Patricia gasps and says in shocked dismay, "That's the name of..."

Bernard (also in shocked dismay): "The kits we were trying to..."

Patricia and Bernard in unison: "Adopt."

Lucile: "I tried to tell you, Pat..."

Patricia gives Lucile a nod of appreciation, then refocuses on Miranda who rubs it in with, "That's right. Gerald and I are the ones who adopted these two perfectly beautiful children before you and Bernard could."

Miranda kisses Wyatt on top of the head while Gerald does the same to Jessie. Gerald joins his new mate's wisecracking tone with, "We knew you and your hideously deformed, toxic waste-spawned, creature-feature mate" (While making eye contact with Bernard) "—how's that for new insults?—" (Looks back at Patricia) "were trying so hard to adopt raccoon kits. But we got to them first."

Miranda: "Ya snooze ya lose. Or in your case: you raid, you paid."

Richie: "You better have a good reason for stealing these kits away from my sister and brother-in-law."

Gerald: "Of course I do. As we all know hybrids born from two very different animals—who should never try to have kids with anyone outside of their species—are sterile, meaning they're unable to have children of their own. But the fact is that they are born with the inability to procreate. That's two ways Mother Nature herself uses to proclaim, on the genetic level, that hybrids are not natural. They were never meant to be born into this world.

"But you, Patricia, are even worse. We said our vows, promised to be together till the day we died, even had two wonderful children of our own...And how did you repay me for all my hard work? You just flat out say 'I don't want to be your mate anymore. I'm not happy with you, or our kits. I'm leaving you for someone who I love, but you can have the kids.' After all I did for you?! Because of your betrayal, my adopting of Wyatt and Jessie isn't revenge, it's justice. The fact that it helps deny hybrids and their lovers from getting the happiness they want is just a bonus, because it's a false happiness if it's at the cost of leaving me for someone else."

Bernard: "That's so like you. You can't get enough of your own 'tragic' suffering. And I thought I was a hammy actor..."

Patricia: "And like always, you only focused on yourself, Gerald; on your own feelings and loss. You forgot to include my side of the story. How you never loved me. I did all I could to show you I loved you, changed my ways, stopped seeing certain animals I used to hang out with, and stayed with you as long as I could. You were mocked for being the only raccoon in your group of friends who didn't have kits yet, and used me. You knew I wanted kits more than anything, and when I gave you a son and daughter, they were nothing more than your bragging rights. You left me to take care of them all alone while you went out to have the same social life you always enjoyed. You were never there for me when I needed your love and touch, especially when I needed your help raising out kits. You betrayed our marriage vows first, so I did the same."

Bernard: "That's how you were in your relationship with me, Miranda. I only did what you wanted to do, you never did anything I wanted to do. Love requires compromises, and you refused to do anything for me."

Patricia: "And guess what? I don't care that you've adopted Wyatt and Jessie before I could, because just this morning, Bernard and I have adopted two kits of our own. Gerald, Miranda, Max, Wendy, Jessie, and Wyatt, meet my new son and daughter: Reagan and Rogan-Ozzie Jr., or Ro-J for short."

Gerald and Miranda look at Reagan and Ro-J in jealously and disdain for how their plan to get back at Patricia and Bernard has met an unsatisfying end. Their kids, on the other hand don't share their parents' scorn, as indicated when Max says, "Cool! We have a step brother and step sister now."

Wendy: "We can come play with them whenever our parents visit."

Wyatt: "Not to mention—"

Gerald: "Quiet. They aren't your step siblings."

Miranda: "Your father's right, because Patricia didn't give birth to them like she did to Max and Wendy. As far as I'm concerned, they're just strangers."

Eric: "Okay, since you obviously did come down here to try and rub thigs in, while we are trying to enjoy ourselves and visit with our in-laws, and ruin their fun with my new grandchildren, we're going to have to tell you to leave."

Elaina: "Don't come down here with your anger and rage, Gerald and Miranda. Especially showing it in front of your kits. That's not good parenting."

Richie: "Can't you be like all of Pat's other mates and move on? You have four kits now, isn't that something to be happy about?"

Gerald: "Yes, it is. You're all right."

All the hedgies present give a collective "Huh?" at Gerald's sudden self-correction.

Gerald: "I was hasty and used bad judgement when I brought my four kids here."

Miranda: "My mate's right. We took things too far and set a bad example for our kits. We're sorry. We'll leave now."

Jessie: "Can't we jump on the hairdryers too, mommy and daddy?"

Emma: "We'd be more than happy to allow your kids to do that, Miranda and Gerald."

Gerald: "Thank you, but it'll need to wait until next time. My mate and I need to go home, somewhere private and talk to our kids about some important matters."

Max: "Awww! Can't it wait until after we've skydived?"

Wendy: "Yeah! We'll each take one turn."

Wyatt: "And promise not to hover too long in the air."

Jessie: "We'll get back on the ground as fast as we can. Promise!"

Miranda: "There will always be another time for y'all to go skydiving here. What your father and I have to say to all of you cannot wait."

Gerald: "We'll let you kids go skydiving all you want next time. I promise."

Max, Wendy, Wyatt, and Jessie in unison: "Okay."

Miranda takes Max and Wendy's paws while Gerald takes Wyatt's and Jessie's. Before they leave into the thicket of trees, the two adults look back and say, "Congratulations on the kits," and then they walk off.

Annie: "Jeepers. That was a weird visit."

Lucile: "And a weirder departure."

Reagan notices the look on Patricia is one of deep thought and anxiety. She asks, "Are you gonna be okay, mama?"

Patricia looks down at Reagan, giving her daughter a smile and says, "Yes, sweetie, mama's alright."

Ro-J: "Those grown-ups were mean...then they were nice. Is that normal?"

Richie: "110 percent yes, Ro-J."

Frank: "But let's get back to hanging out and having fun!"

Camille: "You're speaking my language, Franky!"

Riley: "If anyone wants a break from skydiving, I can teach some magic tricks to those who want it."

Reagan and Ro-J raise their paws and shout "Me! Me! ME!"

Ro-J: "Show us everything you know!"

Riley: "We may not get to everything today, but I'll do as much as I can. Come with me as I go collect my magic stuff."

With the kids preoccupied with that, the adults decide to converse about more serious matters now that the kids are no longer in earshot.

Bernard: "I know that face you made before Reagan asked if you're alright."

Richie: "I do too."

Patricia nods to them and says, "Gerald's and Miranda's mood switch was too sudden. And the fact that they didn't want their kids to have fun, even when they would only take one brief turn each...Something's not right. I can feel it."

Elaina: "So can I. This isn't over yet. This was just round one."

Eric: "But I think I speak for all of us when I say there's nothing we can do about it. We'll just worry about it when the time comes. In the meantime, let us get back to why we came here in the first place. To spend time with you, your family, and our new grandkids."

Lucile: "That's exactly what we need after that kind of visit from them."

Patricia: "You're right. Thanks, all of you. We've earned a day off from worrying, let's keep enjoying it."

That is exactly what each member of the family—hedgie and otherwise—does for the rest of the day. And thanks to the food they obtained yesterday, the night's dinner is a feast that fills everyone's bellies. Boombata and Nukalawa show up as they promised, and Patricia's family decides to spend the night in the log and head back home tomorrow. Everything seems to have worked itself out on this day.

But the seeds of havoc have been sown as well on this day. And the consequences will play out in results that may be too much for the hedgies to solve...without sacrifice.

---

Another chapter down, many more to go, but I hope the wait for my update has been well worth it. Expect this story to be a long one because of how many characters there are, but this time longer will be better!

See you next time!