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?

10. Rude and Peaceful Awakenings

SURPRIIIISE! How about another story update as a Holiday Season present from me (at the time of this original December 23, 2023 posting)?!

I'll fill you in on how this update came to be later. I bet you're in the mood to read right now.

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Chapter 10: Rude and Peaceful Awakenings

A ways off from the abandoned bomb shelter, Roaster is getting another lecture from his parents and the other hedgies. "After that tattle-tale, goody-goody, annoyin' sister of mine told 'em about me killin' the puma..." he loathes in his brain.

Clara grabs Roaster's neck with a forepaw, slams his head to the ground, then brings it back up as she says, "Hey! You listenin', Roaster!?"

Kale: "We have had it with you taking things too far!"

Verne: "We all have!"

RJ: "Couldn't have said it better myself!"

Mira: "I knew we should be afwaid of wolves!"

Percie: "Sarl left us ta go back to the humans because you scared him off when you killed that puma! You're the reason the love of my life abandoned me!

Clara: "See?! You're scaring the kids in dis family, and ruinin' your sister's love life with your violent behavior."

Roaster (defensive and angry): "Life is full'uv fearful things, especially animals. And the sooner we get exposed to horrors, the sooner we get desensitized to it and become mentally stronger. And you just met the guy hours ago, Percie. How can you already say it's love?"

Bernard: "Shut up, you weakling wolf!"

Roaster: " 'Weakling?' Did you just call mua a weakling?!"

After running up and hitting Roaster in the face, Kale says, "Don't speak French; speak Spanish like a taught you's!"

Clara: "Besides, what Bernard said is true. And too bad for you that sometimes the truth can hurt. 'Cause y'know what: you's are a weakling!"

The family is already in a circle and now starts closing in on Roaster, getting closer and closer with each speaker.

Clara: "You don't have my super strength..."

Kale: "My super-sense of smell..."

Boxer: "My get-up-after-bein'-knocked-down attitude!"

Percie: "Or my persistence!"

Ike: "You also don't have Uncle Kale's intelligence."

Annie: "Or Boxer's sense of fun."

Bucky: "And are just a bore to be around."

Little does the family know that each insult has only been making Roaster madder and madder. Now that they are all close enough to hit, Roaster screams, " 'Weaking', 'boring', 'unintelligent', 'no-fun' this, SUCKAAAAAH'S!" and knocks them back ten feet with one spinning punch. They all land in pre-dug holes, and Roaster starts burying them doggie-digging style.

They plead for mercy and apology, but Roaster's having none of it, and keeps burying them alive, while shouting insults back at them.

Roaster: "You're the reason I'm weak because you's all holdin' me back! And your reason: because you's afraid of me unleashing my real potential. Dis family life is for weaklings because it makes a guy dependent on others to help, instead of strong and independent; being able to do everything himself like a real man. I'm sick of bein' told what to do, how to act, and especially gettin' scolded at for killing dangerous animals that would kill other prey critters. But hey, I like the taste of them better, so ya know what? I'm gonna go join a real wolf pack. They won't get onta me for doing what wolves should do. They'll compliment me for killin' with extreme prejudice. They'll let me be myself: a killer!"

By now the dirt in the holes has fully covered the hedgies, but Roaster can still see tiny disturbances near the surface indicating that they are still alive; suffocating to death and writhing in agony as they try to escape in vain.

Roaster only gives a big toothy grin. He casually walks away while saying, "See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya." He runs off into the woods happy. Going to his new and bright future.

When he blinks, he is suddenly teleported back inside the bomb shelter surrounded by his still-living family. He instantly knows what is going on and muses it in his head. "Oh, it was just a dream. Thankfully...Mi familia would never insult me for my average-ality. Why would I ever bury mi familia alive? And how could I possibly enjoy seeing them suffer?"

In fact, the only thing that happened in his dream that made any lick of sense was that Percie wouldn't be in love with Sarl after having just met him.

But what makes even more sense is that he is dying of thirst. He was already thirsty after all the physical exertion he did during the raid downtown, but he wasn't given any water while at Animal Control Headquarters, and couldn't stop to have so much as a sip while journeying back to the bomb shelter under the fear that more human reinforcements might pursue them into the woods, state laws be darned.

Just as Roaster confirms that it must be around 9:30 in the morning by looking at how bright the sun is shining and the angle it is coming in, a random voice softly goes, "Psssst! Hey, over here."

Roaster turns in the direction of the whispering voice and sees Sarl waving a paw at him.

To make sure the rest of the family stays sound asleep, Roaster whispers as well. "¿Qué pasa?" After seeing Sarl tilt his head while giving a confused look, Roaster instantly gives the English translation, "What's up?"

Sarl: "I see you can't sleep either."

Roaster: "Nah, I just had a bad dream, and need a drink of water."

Sarl: "Oh, perfect. I do too, but don't know where any is. Can you please lead the way?"

Roaster: "Follow me"

The canines are on the "outer layer" of the animals, as the first line of defense against predators who would have to come through the most dangerous of the hedgies to get to the others. So they can just walk out casually without needing to step carefully around anyone.

Once outside, Roaster says, "Just follow the sound of da flowing water and you's'll come across a nearby creek. You are a canine—part wolf for dat matter—and should know dis kinda stuff."

Sarl: "Cut me some slack, kid. I've lived the life of a domesticated dog since birth, and know nothing about living outside. The reason I didn't get any shuteye was because I couldn't get comfortable sleeping on any surface besides a dog beg, inside a building with air conditioning."

Roaster rolls his eyes and mentally chastises Sarl with, "Just what dis family needs: a house-doggie." Out loud he says, "Jus' follow me, poochie."

Sarl: "Alright. But just because I've grown up in the human world doesn't mean you can insult me for that life. After all, I didn't choose it."

Roaster: "Then don't call me 'kid', even though I'm 15, 'cause I know how ta live a rough n' tough life out here in da wilderness. Despite our age difference, I have more experience dan you's, so I'm more mature than you when it comes to living in the outdoors. But enough talk, let's go—Vamos."

It takes Roaster not even a full minute to lead Sarl to the creek. On the way, however, both canines instantly pick up a rather unpleasant scent that only gets stronger the closer they get to the creek.

Sarl: "I recognize that gosh-awful stench...It's the honey badger, her mate, and those otters who were in the sewers."

Roaster: "That'd be Nukalawa and Boombata, Amy, Jay, and Eiyla respectively. And good ta see ya's sense of smell hasn't been dampened by bein' raised by humans. Now how 'bout a test of ya's intelligence: where should we go ta get a drink?"

Sarl: "Why are you bothering with the mind games? Just take us where we need to go."

Roaster: "It's not mind games, it's training. You's gotta learn how ta live in da wild, and the sooner the better—especially if you's wanna impress my sister and parents."

Sarl: "Okay. I guess you're right...I can smell that the water near those animals smells like them, so there's no way we're drinking it. But if we go to where they haven't been in, the water should be better. So like the Toucan cereal mascot says, let's 'Follow your nose...' " (Points further upstream) "That way!"

Roaster: "Heh-heh, good job. Lead da way. And as a reward, I'll tell you's a little bit about my sister's interests, likes, and dislikes."

Sarl: "Thanks. I'd really appreciate that."

Roaster: "Ningún problema—no problem."

With a hopeful, "Maybe teachin' him won't be so hard after all," from Roaster's mind, the wolf-blooded animals divert to go their way.

---

At the creek where Amy, Jay, Eiyla, Boombata, and Nukalawa are, the former three animals have been bathing since they got back from Animal Control HQ. Upon waking up an hour ago, Boombata and Nukalawa had decided to bathe, picked up the otters' scents, and headed in their direction. Upon coming into view of the otters, the otters accepted the African mustelids' request to bathe with them. (1)

Being a teenage girl, Eiyla had brought up a concern of hers with, "No offense, but wouldn't you two like to bathe in private?"

Boombata: "Back home in Africa, bathing in public is dee norm, even for human in villages. More fellowship happen that way, and no one uncomfortable because we treat each other like brother and sister."

Eiyla thinking: "Brothers and sisters bathing together? Ewwww..."

Noticing Eiyla's expression as she thought that, Amy puts a reassuring paw on her daughter's shoulder and says, "Now Eiyla, if they want to bathe with us, they are more than welcome to. It's the least you can do for them after they helped save us during our escape. Besides, I grew up in the Amazon bathing among my brothers and friends too."

Jay: "I guess private bathing is more of a Western thing," (Looks at Boombata and Nukalawa) "No offense," (Looks at Eiyla) "But it's good to be multicultural. So let's allow them to bring a part of their home to ours."

Eiyla is mentally frustrated with the condescending parenting she is getting again, but says, "Okay," just so that her mind can refocus on bathing herself instead of bathing with two others she isn't too familiar with.

Like Jay had alluded to last night, the otters have taken multiple baths, doing all they can to get rid of the tiniest, most miniscule sewer germ that might still be lingering on their bodies. Using shampoo, they have scrubbed literally every inch of their bodies, as deep as possible until the flesh beneath their fur feels like it's bleeding, dried off using towels and cordless battery-powered hair dryers, then got back in the water with shampoo to repeat the process.

Boombata and Nukalawa on the other hand only took one bath versus the otters' ten.

By now, Jay and Eiyla think they are finally good and come out of the water to dry their fur again, only now for the last time. When they are through, they are surprised to see Amy go back into the water and start the intense bathing process again.

Eiyla: "Mom? What're you doing?"

Jay: "We've taken ten baths. The sewer germs have been killed many times over, and the smell is fully gone."

Amy: "I still don't feel fully clean. And by Joe, I'm gonna keep bathing until I do."

Jay chuckles and says, "Alright. Eleventh time is the charm, eh?" Knowing his mate will take at least 15 minutes to bathe herself, Jay makes his way back into the water while saying, "Let Eiyla and me help you out. It'll go by faster."

Amy: "Gladly."

Five minutes later, and Amy comes out of the creek finally feeling fully clean. But when she goes to the hair dryer, it doesn't come on even when she presses the On switch.

Amy: "Oh great, the battery's dead."

Eiyla: "And all the towels are damp..."

Boombata: "Come bask in dee sun with me and my beloved. Let Nature dry you off faster, and relax in sun's warmth after long and harrowing evening." (1)

Amy: "Sounds good to me."

Eiyla: "Sunbathing is the best."

Jay: "Count me in too. I haven't had the time to let the sun dry me off in a while."

The three otters apply cologne or perfume, then lie on their backs, put their paws behind their heads, close their eyes, and spend the next ten minutes in quiet bliss. Truly, nothing feels better than basking in the sun after being wet. The warm and radiant sun rays do wonders to help all five mustelids relax both in body and in mind.

The only downside is the natural scents of Boombata and Nukalawa which are still unpleasant at best, even after bathing with shampoo, and even with the strong cologne and perfume in the air. The otters are to those two's right side rather than interspersed between them, and the smell still finds its way into their nasal passageways. To counter this, the otters breathe through the mouth and all is well.

Feeling rejuvenated, and tired of breathing through the mouth, curiosity makes Amy prop herself up and look over at the African animals.

Amy nervously asks, "Um, Boombata? Nukalawa?" She waits for them to look at her and then continues, "Can I ask you something?" (1)

With a smile, the female honey badger answers, "Tell me what this question is. If I can, I will answer." (1)

Amy: "Why are you not at all embarrassed by your stench? And even on the contrary, are proud of it?" (1)

Nukalawa proudly says, "We mustelids."

Boombata also finishes by saying, "It our source of identity," with pride.

Amy: "I get that, it's just...Even though I wasn't too surprised by my temporary 'aroma' after swimming in the sewers, I don't understand how any unpleasant stench is a reason for pride." (1)

Jay: "Yeah, cause Jack mentioned how the animals in the Skunk Sector also take pride in their 'aroma.' And without cologne and perfume, we'd smell pretty bad too, and never have we felt too happy about that."

Eiyla: "Same here."

Nukalawa smiles again as she says, "Why should we be embarrassed? Our chemical weapons are gift of nature. It given to us from Mother Nature herself at birth, and we know how to use it correctly and effectively. We don't use spray to harm other animal, unless they attack us, so I don't see reason to be embarrassed. My parents and friends back home, among other honey badger, always told me you should not be embarrassed by what Nature have awarded you, but rather be proud of the ability to use dis gift." (1)

Boombata: "I am sure if you had same talent and were taught to perceive dem correctly from childhood, you not be ashamed of your abilities either, as you our American brothers and sisters. After all, none of dee inhabitants of Skunk Sector ashamed of their stench. Why you be ashamed of being of mustelid family?" (1)

Amy, Jay, and Eiyla have taken in Nukalawa's and Boombata's words as those two had spoken and it has shed a new light on their outlook of all mustelids.

Agreeing, Amy says, "You're probably right. I guess it's really hard for us—for me, especially—to consider your point of view from my position, because I'm an otter, not a skunk, zorilla, or honey badger." (1)

Nukalawa: "If you would like to try on the skin of skunk at Skunk Sector, I can arrange it." (1)

Eiyla: "What do you mean, 'try on the skin of a skunk'?"

Nukalawa: "To see what it like living among skunks in Skunk Sector."

Boombata: "Come anytime and we give you tour. We can meet on edge of Skunk Sector. If you come to meeting point a little earlier than us, and at the border they ask password, this be 'Rosa.' Countersign be 'Jasmine.' " (1)

The three otters look each other in the eyes, debating their answers mentally and coming to the same conclusion.

Jay: "Thank you so much for your offer, but with all the hectic things going on among our family and family friends, we're too busy to accept your offer—at least for now."

Amy: "It would be more convenient if we keep hanging out with you two while we're all with RJ's and Verne's family. But we fully intend to visit you in your home at the Skunk Sector once things settle down."

Eiyla: "We can also keep doing swimming lessons with each other every time we go to the playground zone." (1)

Nukalawa: "Sound good."

Boombata: "Is that all the question you three have?"

Amy: "It is."

Boombata: "Then let's dry off our other side and continue to relax. I got'a feeling our hedgie fam'ly need our help in dee coming days, perhaps hours."

Nukalawa: "We need all the rest we can get."

The otters nod and turn over to let the sun dry their dorsal sides, not worrying about any unpleasant smells anymore.

Note: (1)=Based on ideas from Shkiper.

---

Note: the following segment is based on the Over the Hedge comic strip dated October 24, 2023.

Verne wakes up without yawning and, seeing how the rest of the family is still sound asleep, walks carefully around them so he doesn't wake them up. His left arm tickles a little, but it stops after he rubs it without looking. He goes over to a trunk, opens it up, gets out a pack of peanut butter crackers, and heads outside.

Once outside, he opens up the crackers and starts eating as he makes his way to the creek for a drink of water. While doing that, the tickling feeling on his left arm returns. He rubs at it again, but this time the tickling feeling doesn't stop. He looks down at it and sees what he first assumes is a pimple, but it's colored black instead of tan. And unlike a pimple it slightly shifts on its own. After taking a closer look, Verne's eyes widen and he breaks out in a sweat as he now knows what—or rather who—is on his arm.

Verne: "Fred?! Are you feeding on my blood?"

It's a good thing Verne is far from the bomb shelter, because when Fred the Wood Tick replies, the arachnid has a loud, blasting, booming voice that sounds like a human man shouting at the top of his lungs.

Fred: "UH...NO! YOU'RE FEEDING ME WITH YOUR BLOOD."

Verne closes his eyes as she shouts, "Involuntarily!" He opens them back up when Fred speaks again.

Fred: "I PREFER TO THINK OF IT AS AN UNCONSCIOUS IN-KIND DONATION TO MY NONPROFIT CHARITY."

Verne: "But I'm awake, Fred...And blood isn't taxable!"

Fred: "WELL, IT DARN WELL SHOULD BE!"

Verne: "And why are you feeding off a turtle like me? Don't ticks need the blood of warm-blooded animals?"

Fred: "I NEED COLD-BLOOD EVERY NOW AND THEN TO GET A BREAK FROM 'THE USUAL.' IMAGINE DRINKING HOT WATER 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME? YOU'D WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TOO. AND BECAUSE TURTLES LIVE FOR SO LONG, BY DRINKING YOUR BLOOD, IT'LL EXTEND MY LIFESPAN. BESIDES, YOU OWE ME FOR CALMING DOWN THE ANGRY MOB OF ANIMALS WHO TRIED TO ATTACK KALE 20 YEARS AGO."

Fred's comment actually calms Verne down as he recalls that, yes, the animals who had come to try and force the hedgies to give up Kale would have not settled down had it not been for Fred telling them to chill out. In a tone of impatient yet calm annoyance, Verne asks, "Well, haven't you had enough of my blood by now?"

Fred: "NOPE. FULLY GROWN TICKS LIKE ME TAKE FOUR TO SEVEN DAYS TO GET FULL. I NEED TWO MORE DAYS ON YOU, THEN I'LL GO."

Verne (in sarcastic humor): "If you don't stop drinking my blo-od, I'm going to wake up all seven opossum animals in my fami-ly and have one of them eeeeat yooooou. Opossums are known as tick-killers for a reason."

Fred plays along by matching Verne's tone as the arachnid says, "BRING 'EM OO-ON! I'M KNOWN AS THE OPOSSUM-DRINKEEEER. NO POSSUM I'VE FEED ON HAS EVER GOTTEN THE BEST OF ME-EEEEEE!" Fred now drops the act as he continues, "HECK, I BINGE-DRANK FROM A WOLF, BEAR, OWL, FOX, AND COYOTE YESTERDAY WHILE THEY WERE TOO BUSY FOCUSING ON DESTROYING YOUR HOME, AND NONE OF THEM COULD STOP ME!"

Verne: "W-wait? You know who attacked our home yesterday?"

Fred: "YOU KNOW HOW PREDATORS ARE. THEY JUST CAN'T KEEP THEIR BIG MOUTHS SHUT."

Verne thinking: "Look who's talking." (Out loud) "Alright, let's make a deal. You get to feed off my blood for the next two days, in exchange for helping us track down the animals who attacked our home yesterday."

Fred: "I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF DRINKING YOUR BLOOD FOR TWO DAYS, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU'D WANNA MESS WITH THESE ANIMALS. THEY ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND HATE YOUR FAMILY A LOT."

Verne: "They aren't the first ones who have felt that way toward us, and they also aren't the first predator animals my family and I have defeated."

Fred: "THEN DEAL! TAKE ME TO YOUR FAMILY. LET'S TALK TURKEY."

Verne: "I'm not waking them up right now. They need their rest. Once they're ready, then we'll get down to business."

Fred: "EITHER WAY, I WIN. GET USED TO MY TICKLING FEELING ON YOUR ARM, BECAUSE I'M, GONNA BE WITH YOU A LOOOOONG TIME."

With a sigh of acceptance, Verne proceeds to the creek.

Once again, the hedgies will receive help in another darkest hour from the most unlikely of creatures.

---

"So that's what I should expect if I choose to continue my relationship with your sister," Sarl says as a comment instead of a question.

Roaster nods yes and says, "Of course, dat's just Step 1. The hardest part will be hittin' it off with my parents."

"Which'll be right now," says a voice that pops out of nowhere, causing Sarl to jump in surprise. Some leaves rustling later, and out comes Kale (who had spoken), accompanied by Clara, Percie, and Boxer.

Kale: "Good job bringin' this dog ta us, Roaster."

Sarl looks at Roaster in dismay and says, "Are you saying everything you've taught me thus far, and everywhere you've led me, has all been a big scheme for this?"

Roaster: "All wolves are schemers, even good ones. It's in our genetics, dude."

Boxer walks up to the wolfdog and says, "You's got some guts betrayin' ya's human masters and helpin' out my little sister rescue my little brother. But let's see how tough you's really are...You every play 'Mercy'?"

Sarl: "When I was little..."

Boxer: "Then put 'em up!"

Boxer takes Sarl's forepaws into his own and starts pushing and bending his opponent's paws. What should be a mutual game is one-sided, because Sarl is immediately overpowered by Boxer.

The oldest wolf sibling lets go almost immediately then faces his parents to tell them, "He's got puppy dog paws."

Kale and Clara go "Hmmmm!" while leering at Sarl.

The wolfdog stammers out, "Wh-what do you want?! Di-did I do s-something wrong?! If so, I'm sorry!"

Clara instantly drops her leer and laughs, "Kyaa-ha-haaaa! Lookit how nervous he looks. Relax, Sarl, we's not here ta harm or intimidate ya's."

Boxer: "I was just havin' a little fun, by the way."

Kale: "We just wanna talk."

Sarl: "About what?"

Kale: "As you have already figured out, my mate and I have been blessed with three wonderful kids; two sons and one daughter. But because Percie is my only daughter, I am a little more protective of her. She claims to really like you, Sarl. She won't shut up about how amazing you are. But my family and I want to know just exactly who you are before your relationship with Percie goes any further." (2)

Clara: "In short, tell us your story. About your parents, your childhood, your upbringing, how you got involved with Animal Control."

The five Predator-Quellers lie down and wait eagerly to hear what Sarl has to say. Seeing them look relaxed makes Sarl relax too, and also a little excited that he gets to tell his background to an audience who is genuinely interested in him.

Sarl: "Okay. My dad, Saul, was a stray White Shepherd who heard my mother, Clea, howl from a distance, and thought it was the most beautiful sound he ever heard. He followed it and found her at a zoo during a full moon-lit night."

Percie: "How romantic..."

Boxer: "How sappy..."

Kale: "Don't interrupt our guest, Boxer and Percie. Continue, Sarl."

Clara: "But first, what was ya mom's full name? Every wolf earns his or her name, whether dey captive or wild."

Sarl: "Sure. My mom's full name was Regal-Anubis Cleopatra. She earned the 'Cleopatra' part for how her charisma, intelligence, and ruthlessness solidified herself as the 'Queen of Wolves.' Her surname comes from her being a very skinny black-furred wolf who looked like an Anubis from Egyptian mythology, and how her pack allegedly shared blood ties with the descendants of Egyptian Pharaohs' dogs whom they bred with. But she was a seventh generation, bred-in-captivity wolf, so maybe she just made all that up to offset never knowing what true freedom was.

"Anyhoo, my dad would come to visit her in the zoo at night, and once they got sick of being separated by a caged enclosure, the two found a soft spot from both inside and outside the enclosure that they would dig little by little; dad from the outside, and mother from the inside. They had already fallen in love, and nine months after they met in the flesh, they had me and my other five siblings.

Kale: "Why didn't ya's mom escape and be free with Saul?"

Sarl: "Because she was only 'Queen of the Wolves' in the zoo enclosure, not in the wild. And when the zoo staff found out Clea was pregnant, they also discovered the tunnel she and dad had dug, and sealed it up with concrete. They also took steps to ensure she would be isolated from the other wolves in the zoo while she gave birth. And to protect her young from being attacked, my siblings and I were taken to an animal shelter immediately after giving birth and nursed us with bottled dog milk...My mother never had a chance to even touch any of her puppies..."

Roaster: "That's actually pretty sad..."

Boxer: "So how did you know all this about your mom if you never got to really meet her?"

Sarl: "My dad was the living counter-example of the word 'deadbeat.' He followed my siblings and I wherever we went. He supported us, educated us, looked out for us, and raised us. The humans in charge of the animal shelter let him stay with us once they noticed how strong of a resemblance we had to him, and after they did a blood test on him and us to confirm he was our biological father."

Clara: "So far, I'm likin' what I hear about you, Sarl."

Kale: "Yo también—me too. Dare's nothin' worse than feelin' like an orphan, which is how I felt after my parents were killed. But we'll get into that later. Keep telling us about yourself."

Boxer: "Now talk about your siblings and how you treated each other."

Sarl: "I was fortunate to not be the runt of a litter of six. I was the second born, so my three brothers and firstborn sister liked picking on the youngest sister Sekhmet. But whenever we tried to tease her, dad made sure we treated her and each other right, because 'that's what Mother would want of her pups,' as he would put it."

Roaster: "What were your other siblings' names?"

Sarl: "My oldest sister was Isis, and my brothers were Set, Horus, and Montu. My original name was Amun. As you probably figured, Dad named us after Egyptian gods in honor of Mother. But when we were four-years-old, we had become about the size of a young big dog and there wasn't enough room in the animal shelter to fit us all. So, we were put up for adoption and each went to a different owner who renamed us. Like I told Percie, my human master wanted to name me Snarl because I did a lot of that, but took out the N so I'd sound a bit more pleasant to human ears."

Percie walks in front of her parents to ensure they are looking at her when she says, "So he earned his name like a real wolf."

Clara seems unimpressed as she replies, "Yes, but his original name was given to 'im by his daddy. His earned-name was given to 'im by his human owner."

Boxer: "Aligerar, mom. Lighten up." (To Sarl) "Sorry about my mom, she hates humans."

Roaster: "She used to hate everything, even herself, until she met papá and got to know our prey animal family."

Kale: "But dat's a story for another time. So, Sarl, what was life with your human owner like for you?"

Sarl: "I honestly loved it. All my food and water were provided for me whenever I needed it, I had a comfy home to stay in that protected me from getting too cold or hot, and there was a big yard for me to run around and play. But whenever I encountered other dogs and their masters, I realized how different I really was. They either ran away at the first sight of me, or teased me for being half wolf. To deal with my frustrations, I really empathized with that Balto guy from the kids movie."

Percie: "I've seen those flicks. The first one is an underrated gem, da second was a piece of trash, and the third one, while not as good as the first, is leagues better than the second."

Roaster: "But none of dat matters, 'cuz the real Balto was a purebred husky, not a wolfdog. Everything in dat movie was a bunch of baloney."

Sarl (genuinely shocked): "It is...?"

Roaster (raises an eyebrow): "You never knew?"

Sarl: "Not until now...I can't believe it...My whole inspiration for coping with my being a hybrid...was all a lie..."

Percie: "But I teenk the first movie is da rare case when the fiction is betta than the history. I accept da movie as what happened in real life, despite what reality says."

Boxer: "Oh little sister, eres una chica fanática—you're such a fangirl..."

Clara: "The best way to deal with an existential crisis is by concentrating on something else. Keep going, Sarl. Tell us how things went for you when your owner's family came to visit."

Sarl: "Okay. They were nervous at first, but I showed them how fun and calm I could be with humans if they just took the time to get to know me, and I to know them. It was from my owner's kids that I was introduced to the Balto movie. After watching it, they made a homemade dogsled and I took them on a ride through the yard. Even when I was four, I had the strength of a German Sheppard and wolf combined, and was able to easy pull my owner's five-year-old boy and seven-year-old daughter.

"Of course, when I started going through puberty while a teenager, things became different. My wolf-inherited senses made noises louder than what the average dog would hear, and I just wanted to tell the whole world to shut up."

All wolves in unison: "Everyone wants that."

Sarl: "I also had to fight my predatory instincts whenever I saw any critter-animals running in the yard or on the streets during walks, or whenever other pets insulted me. My human owner's kids spent less time with me than before as they went to school and got jobs, so I felt lonely and got depressed. Sometimes I got angry and tore the grass and plants in the yard, or some furniture in the house, much to my owner's dismay. He reprimanded me more often for being less manageable when I was older than when I was a puppy. The hardest part was that there was no one who understood me. Again, I felt so alone and isolated in a world that would never accept me."

Kale and Clara remain silent, but look Sarl in the eye as they give looks and nods of empathy, which lets Sarl know they have experienced something similar.

Sarl: "I couldn't take my angst out on other animals and people, especially after overhearing that humans often euthanize pets who bite. I even heard a rumor that people in the rural country shoot their dogs just for not obeying. So I dealt with my negative emotions by reciting in my head or out loud the things I'd like to do and say to those who made me feel angry, or neglected. But all that repression just made me a ticking time bomb ready to explode. Which I eventually did..."

Boxer: "Oh boy...Here comes the third-act breakup of your story."

Percie: "Shut up, Boxer! Take his emotional pain seriously and respectfully!"

Kale and Clara look at Boxer and say, "Do it," in unison, to which Boxer obeys.

Sarl: "I was 19-years-old when I overheard my owner on the phone talk about my mom and dad dying. Even though I never knew her, I felt like I had lost the only two in the world who understood me. Even worse, my mom had to be put down after suffering a leg injury from a fight with another wolf in the enclosure, which made her 'too expensive to take care of anymore.' And my dad was run over by a car in a hit-and-run that was never resolved. The driver got away Scott-free without facing any rightful consequences, and the zoo staff who killed my mom were seen as doing the right thing. For some reason, hearing the news about my parents awoke a deeply hidden hatred in my heart I never knew I had: a hatred for humans. I howled in loss and rage over my parents' deaths while my owner was trying to talk to a computer repair store that had taken almost two months to repair his laptop they said would be fixed in one-and-a-half weeks. He was angry at them, cussed them out, and got threatened by the man on the other line to refuse to work on his laptop, which made my owner calm down. When he hung up the phone, my owner was so angry at me for howling during his whole angry call that he hit me...That was the first time my owner ever hit me, and I was too shocked to retaliate.

"Things went from bad to worse when my owner's daughter dropped off her mentally-disabled son for my owner to babysit that evening. This wasn't the first time I had met the kid, but he was the most annoying brat I have ever known. Just the sound of his loud, groaning voice where you could barely understand a single word he said was enough to drive me nuts. But add to it his habit of repeating the same words at least 50 times in that voice, coupled with his uncontrollable urge to get in my personal space to hug or pet me too hard, and you got the ultimate pest. I shouldn't be too harsh on him because he couldn't control any of that, and didn't know he was always annoying me because of his disability—and I was usually patient and tolerable of him—but that evening was different. All the things that I had heard and had happened to me was making it the worst evening of my life, and now it got even worse.

"Just as I was dreading, the first thing he did when his feet touched the floor was run up to me, yelling 'Aaaahhhhhh-gee' which was how he pronounced 'doggy,' and started petting me too hard. He kept yelling 'Aaaahhhhhh-gee' as he petted me—need I remind you how much his voice and repetitive speech got on my nerves when I was in a good mood? Well, I was in a very bad mood then.

"My owner and his daughter were too busy chatting to notice how much I wanted them to come over and stop the kid. So another source of anger that evening was how they ignored me. I tried to make the boy stop by moving away, but he followed me around no matter where I went and petted me harder than before. I growled at him next, but that just made him start poking me in the head. I snarled, but that didn't ward him off either. When he poked me in the eyes, that was the last straw. I bit him. Hard. Hard enough for him to be taken to the hospital where doctors barely saved his life from blood loss, and had to amputate his arm because of the permanent damage I caused. But in my worst-mood-of-my-life-mind, I was screaming that he deserved what he got, and felt nothing but joy for what I had done."

Not only are the wolves totally silent and staring wide-eyed, Nature itself seems to be still with no birds or insects making their noises, or any wind to blow the trees.

Sarl: "As anyone with half a brain cell could guess, my feeling of joyful revenge was short-lived. My owner gave me the beating of a lifetime for what I did to his grandson. When he went into the kitchen and came out with a butcher knife, I knew just how badly I had messed up. My adrenaline kicked in full-force despite the pain I was already in, and I jumped out the living room window and ran away. My owner obviously called animal control because I was caught about an hour later and brought to the building where Roaster was last night."

Sarl pauses to hear the listeners say what he knows will come, but when they don't, Sarl asks, "Aren't you gonna say how wrong and terrible it was of me to do that? How I'm the most demented dog on the planet?"

Kale: "I don't intend to mock you, Sarl, but that's nothin' compared to some of the things I've done."

Clara: "Which is child's play compared to the awful things I've done."

Sarl sighs in relief and then says, "Thanks...That means more to me than you can imagine.

"Anyway, the next day, my ex-owner furiously tried to make animal control give me back to him, and it was from his angry ranting that I learned of his grandson being taken to the hospital and getting his arm amputated. But animal control cited some animal cruelty code that allowed them to refuse when they pointed out the bruise and scratch marks on my body. They did agree to keep me locked up in my cage forever, and that's the last I ever saw of my owner.

"Now onto your next question: 'what was it like for me living in the animal equivalent of a prison?' "

Percie: "Heh-heh, self-aware, dry humor usin' you's intelligence. You're more wolf than you think, Sarl."

Sarl: "It wasn't a pleasant experience. Gone was the open space for me to roam, gone was going outside to play, and gone was getting food and treats whenever I wanted. My whole mind and body had to adjust to the cramped cage, a whole different eating and resting schedule, the noisy and smelly neighbors, and the indignity. One thing that I thought would change and make my time better was being surrounded by other animals I could talk to; animals who would be more understanding of my heritage as being half wolf since many of my cell mates were wild animals. But nothing changed. I still got picked on for being a hybrid, and was still feared or ignored. Once again, I felt like I was all alone in a cruel, unjust world."

Kale and Clara in unison: "Tell me about it..."

Each tells Sarl how alone and unloved they felt while growing up, how they were picked on by others—Kale for his below-average wolf abilities and Clara for her freakish strength—and worst of all, how no one cared for their plight, or even noticed.

Sarl: "Wow...Small world for underappreciated wolves, eh?"

Clara: "Don't forget that Kale and I were the exception, not the norm."

Kale: "Most wolves live happy lives in murderous packs who revel in the suffering they cause others."

Boxer: "Even my siblings and I never grew up feeling the things our parents did."

Roaster: "The point is, you have more in common with mom and papá than you do Percie and us."

Percie: "But if you were a prisoner at Animal Control Headquarters, how'd you become a guard dog there?"

Sarl: "I stopped a prison break. I only had to endure a single year of being in my cage, but the other animals had been there for at least three and at most 10. They were sick and tired of not being free in the wild, so they came up with a plan to escape that would require everyone's help. At first, I was fully on board with them since I didn't wanna stay cooped up in a cage anymore either. But the more they explained their plan, the more I realized it was doomed for failure. We were all supposed to pretend to be unconscious when the humans who fed us came in. They would notice something was wrong and open at least one of the cages to check on one of the animals. That would be said animals' chance to attack them and get their paws on the keys, unlock the cages, the door, and then head outside to freedom.

"Where do I begin on what they didn't think through? First, there were cameras in every room; if a single animal got free, Joey would see it and initiate the holding room's lockdown—escape plan over before it even begins. Second, if the human feeders saw us unconscious, they'd think we were just asleep and leave the room to come back later, not open a cage to investigate. Third, there would be at least five people feeding all the animals; so we may catch one by surprise, but not the others who would use their nonlethal weapons to stop an escaped animal. Fourth, because we didn't know whose cage would be opened—if any—the animal may be unable to use the keys to unlock the others' cages because not all animals have opposable thumbs. Fifth, if the doors leading to the outside or into the building's hallways were unlocked after all the animals were free of their cages—which would take that process some time to do—key cards or number codes were needed to open those doors, not the cage keys. And even if we got the card keys and knew the numeric codes, the humans had the advantage of weapons and anti-animal gear.

"Your rescue raid last night succeeded because y'all planned for everything that could happen, took out the cameras at their source, had tools and weapons of your own to fight back with, had animals with opposable thumbs who could use those, were perfectly coordinated and in constant communication with each other, and had some inside help from me. But this prison break attempt would only end in failure. And despite how much I hated being in animal-prison, I was still alive and being taken care of. Anyone who tried to escape would be put down so no other escape could be attempted. I'd rather be imprisoned and alive than free for a few moments and dead.

"When the moment came for the escape plan to start, at first things were going our way. All five human feeders opened a cage to investigate why we were asleep at our normal feeding time, and got caught off guard. One of those animals was a raccoon with opposable thumbs who unlocked the rest of us. After that is when everything started falling apart. The building's escaped animal alarm went off and the intercom called for personnel to head toward the holding pens. The room's doors locked down, even when the raccoon used the key card he swiped from an unconscious feeder. The leaders of the jailbreak told us to fight like Heck when the humans opened the door to come recapture us, which we all vowed to do. But I lied.

"I was at the back of the group and waited for the moment the others were too focused on watching the door to notice me. Then, I attacked them. I caught two completely off-guard, then fought like Heck against the remaining 11 who turned on me for my betrayal. It didn't take long for me to overpower a room with three minks, one skunk, four weasels, two opossums, and one other dog. The only challenge was breathing in a room full of skunk and mink spray, but I used my hatred for all the bad things said and done to me in life to give me the strength and willpower to press through the smell and defeat them all.

"By the time the lockdown on the door was lifted to allow the humans in, I was the only animal standing. They were about to tranquilize me when Joey's voice came over their radios and told them she had seen me single-handedly stop all the other animals. Chief Hank came in a few minutes later to give me a plate full of dog treats, pet me and call me a 'good dog' for the first time in a year, and suggest that I become a guard dog instead of a prisoner. Jalen and my fellow guard dog Bomber trained me and I was finally able to roam freely in the yard again and got to sleep in one of the humans' offices.

"I once again thought things would change and I would get the recognition and respect I deserved. But I was still seen as a half-wolf ready to relapse into his predator ways at any moment, instead of the hardworking, troubled dog who just wanted things in his life to get better again...Even the fact that I stopped the prison break wasn't enough, because it paled in comparison to what Bomber had accomplished."

Percie: "That Bomber guy was a blowhard, attention-seeking, glory hound who only cared about himself. I knew that five seconds after overhearing his conversation with you's."

Sarl: "But thanks to you, I finally stood up to him, and embraced my wolf side to join y'all in the wild."

Kale: "And thanks for sharing your story with us. I know some of it was hard for you to cover, but you have earned my trust and respect."

Clara: "Mine too."

Boxer, Roaster, and Percie in unison: "Same here."

Kale: "I've got some more good news for you too. As long as you're with us, you'll get the recognition and respect you deserve."

Sarl holds us a forepaw with two toes crossed and says, "I hope."

Roaster (sarcastic, condescending tone): "Can it with the childish finger-crossin', perro lobo—wolf dog. You's like 20-years-old."

Sarl (sarcastic): "Und genug mit der frechheit, du wolf."

All the wolves turn their heads while going "Huh?" in confusion.

Sarl: "I said, 'And enough with the sass, you wolf' in German. My dad taught me his native language."

Clara is not so sarcastic when she bemoans, "Just friggin' great. Another worthless language no one in America cares about..."

Roaster (to Sarl): "Get used to da sass. It's why I'm called Roaster."

Sarl: "Then get used to the German, because it's how I keep my dad alive in my heart."

Roaster: "Woe is me, I taught ya's too well how ta behave like a wolf..."

Boxer: "Yep, you's gonna fit right in with dis misfit but all-lovin' family, Sarl."

Percie: "Sounds like a fun language; it's so aggressive and articulate. Teach me!"

Boxer: "But not after we teach him more on how to survive in the wild."

Clara: "You've been living in a sheltered life ever since you was born. Out here there is no air conditioning and heating, no tap water or dog toys. You've gotta rough it up, and we're the best ones to help ya's with dat."

Kale: "And one more thing, Sarl. Don't say or do anything to break my girl's heart, or harm any of my family members—whole family—or else it's back to animal control with you." (2)

Sarl: "No worries, Mr. Kale. I promise."

Kale: "Keep your promise through your actions, not words."

Sarl: "My dad said that to me too."

Percie: "So does mine."

Looking at the wolves, Sarl eagerly asks, "So, what's my next lesson?"

Note: (2)=Based on TheIceAgeMan77342's story Hedgies: Unforgettable Summers

---

A good distance away from the bomb shelter, Rebecca and Garrett were the last ones to go to sleep, and had in fact waited until the others were out before they went off to go sleep somewhere that would allow them more privacy.

But they could not sleep. For some reason, and despite all the hectic things they have been through in the past 18 hours, a certain, well-known, feeling overcame the two. Since the pair of raccoons are true soul mates, they knew what they needed to do in order to fulfill their obligation as the other's mate. Sometimes, like tonight, they could get to it without saying a single word.

Since it's "ladies first," Rebecca began by doing her gymnastics and ballet moves in front of Garrett—as slowly as possible. That way, Garrett could take in every detail of movement Rebecca did with her perfect body. Every muscle, every sinew, every hair was mesmerizing as she moved. What's better is that Garrett knows such an angelic creature was his mate.

Sensing that he had had his fill, Rebecca stopped. Garrett sensed it was his turn to do the same for Rebecca. Garrett can't do any gymnastics, but that's not what Rebecca married him for. Instead, he fulfilled his husband's duty in the way Rebecca enjoys it the most. Standing, he embraced her, stroked her, groped her, squeezed her, cuddled her, and nuzzled her all while kissing her and entwining his tail with hers. Words could not describe how much Rebecca loves his strong yet gentle touch as his paws, body, and tail touched her own.

Sensing that she had had her fill, their make out session ended. They embraced each other as their bodies perfectly intertwined, and then they fell asleep.

They had been so enamored with themselves, that they never noticed the pair of eyes that had been watching them. The pair also didn't pick up on the watcher's scent because their raccoon pheromones filled their nostrils. Nor did they hear the watcher who was not so stealthy because their ears were full of their own blissful sighs, moans, and growls.

Having gotten its own needs satisfied for an evil purpose, the owner of the eyes proceeds to put its plan into action.

Little by little, the eyes' owner will begin the process that will destroy them all.

---

The first large group to wake up at the same time are the Quad Squad, Lauren, Rick, Luby, Roger, Aleshia, Riley, Ellie, Ty, Grace, Kelly, Jeff and his family, Carolina, Brooke and her family, Caleb and his family, the other otters, Emma, and Bea. They remain quiet for the sake of those still sleeping as they carefully go outside to find some breakfast in the forest. Since they are at Kale's family's downtime spot, the only food in the minifridge is raw meat, which no one is craving. So they go off to forage for food in the ways their species has done for eons. Thankfully, all the hedgies have plenty of experience with that ever since moving to the EFE Woods.

Feeling extra nostalgic about that, Emma ponders, "And to think, when our home at the El Rancho Camelot suburbs was destroyed, we thought it was all over. Instead, it only opened up a whole world of endless possibilities when we moved here. Sometimes I think it's a shame that my kids never got to experience that born-again feeling, because you sometimes never know how much is waiting for you until it's all taken away. But then again, our home was recently ransacked, so perhaps they will get to experience that feeling."

Emma's thoughts end just as her daughter comes close.

Note: the following is based on the Over the Hedge comic strip dated November 7-11, 2022

Bea: "I had the strangest dream last night, mom."

Emma rolls her eyes and says, "Here it comes..."

Bea: "I was back in school and slept through my poly-sci final."

Emma: "In general, I overheard from humans that that dream is very common, but in your case..."

Bea: "Why would I be having a dream about being in school if I've never been?"

Emma: "Maybe your subconscious is telling you that you should have."

Bea: "My subconscious?"

Emma: "You know, that girl hiding in the back of your mind whispering little suggestions like 'Hey babe, eat your green vegetables.' "

Emma puts her paws on the hips and loudly says, "SCREW THAT GAL!"

Emma isn't surprised with Bea's outburst because her daughter has a bad habit of waking up cranky every morning. "I hope it's just a passing phase..." she muses, then says out loud, "That gal gets that a lot. And if you don't cool off your heels and watch that mouth of yours, I'll ground you."

Bea lets out a sigh and sits down on the ground, resting her back against a small fallen tree branch as tall as her relaxed elbows. Now fully calm she says, "This subconscious babe lives in my head and tries to make me do stuff I don't want to do?"

Emma sits down on the opposite side of the branch and says, "Not exactly. Your subconscious records experiences you've had, and those hidden memories can influence your behavior."

Bea turns around to look at her mother with a raised eyebrow and quizzically asks, "But I can ignore her...?"

Emma: "Just like you ignore me from time to time."

Bea points at Emma, touching her nose and says, "You're my subconscious, aren't you?!"

Emma: "No, but I fill in sometimes when she is in therapy."

Bea rubs her fingers to the chin and her eyes give a sideways glance as she says in a self-criticizing tone, "I want to have a word with this 'subconscious' babe in my head..."

Emma: "You can only do that through hypnosis, and I know just the guy who can do it." She puts a paw to the mouth and calls out, "Hey Riley! Bea needs to be hypnotized to talk to her subconscious."

Bea: "N-now hold on." (Does a stop hand gesture) "I'm not hypnotize-able! I'm in total control of my mental faculties at all ti—"

Riley appears in a puff of smoke to say, "And now you're a chicken."

With a snap of his finger, Bea instantly raises her elbows, flaps like she is doing the Chicken Dance, and juts her head forward repeatedly as she walks, all while going, "Bawk! B-b-b-Bawk! BAAAA-AAWWWW-K!"

Emma stares wide-eyed at Bea, not expecting the hypnosis to work so quickly and well. She asks Riley, "How long did it take you to become an expert hypnotist?"

Riley smiles smugly and boastfully says, "I am much more than a hypnotist, but you don't have a name for it on this planet."

Bea is pecking at the ground, which is Emma's cue to say, "Riley, make it where she will listen to my every command."

Riley nods and declares, "Beatrice." With a snap of a finger, Bea stands tall at attention. "After I snap my finger again, you will now do whatever Emma tells you, understand?"

"Yeeeeees, Riley..." says Bea in a zombified tone.

After the raccoon snaps, Emma says, "Bea, now that you are hypnotized, I wish to speak to your subconscious."

Bea sprawls prone to the branch, with her body from the chest up hanging over the wood. Still in a zombified tone she says, "Dudette...Oh, Dude-eeeeee-tttttte...It's for yooooouuu..."

Upon hearing the subconscious's name, Emma mutters, "That is SO what my daughter would call herself..."

A completely different voice comes out of Bea's mouth when she, or rather, Dudette, goes "Ommmmm..."

Emma quizzically asks, "Dudette...?"

Dudette: "Ommmmm..."

Emma: "Dudette, are you meditating?"

Dudette: "How the heck else can I survive living in this bratty head!"

Emma: "I feel for you, Dudette."

Bea now sits with her back to the branch and pulls out a cell phone to watch a video.

Emma: "There's something I really wanna tell Bea so she doesn't recklessly throw her life away."

Dudette: "There's nothing I want to say to Bea that I haven't said a million times before!"

Emma: "Once more? For old times sake?"

Dudette sighs and reluctantly says, "Fine..." Now in a loud, booming, and commanding voice, Dudette screams, "Hey! Bea! Yeah, that's right I'm talkin' to you! Get your act together before your Crunch-Bar-sodden arteries back up and explode, and kill us both!"

Emma: "You hear that, Bea?"

Bea (tone of hypnotic trance): "Sorry...I was watching Derry Girls..."

Dudette: "Welcome to my world. Peace out."

Bea continues to mindlessly gaze at the cell phone and is oblivious to what the raccoon kit and adult porcupine say hereafter.

Riley: "If you want, I can give her post-hypnotic suggestions before bed every night that will turn her into a good, big girl. Just like I did to make her so obedient today."

Emma: "You did what to my daughter?!"

Riley gulps and nervously replies, "Gave her post-hypnotic suggestions while she was about to doze off into deep sleep." With a bit more confidence he says, "That's how I've been getting better at my hypnotism."

Emma: "Permission denied. And why do that to my Beatrice?"

Riley (reluctant nervousness): "I..."

Emma sighs and says, "It's okay. Tell me your true feelings and I won't get mad at you. I just wanna hear the real reasons."

Riley: "Bea is so annoying. Always talking and acting like she's the Queen of the World, and rubbing it in my and others' faces. I got sick and tired of her bragging that I just had to do something to make her stop."

Emma sighs again and woefully answers, "That cocky attitude runs in both sides of our porcupine family. She learned it from me and Spike, as well as her wolf cousins, and we've been trying to make her stop, but the damage was done. She's also a teenager, so having a lot of attitude is natural with her hormones acting up. My point is, it could take a while for her to outgrow this phase—if she ever does—so it's best to let it run its course naturally without hypnotic assistance."

Riley: "But it'll be easy for me to get her to—"

Emma: "In order for her to properly mature she needs to make mistakes that will teach her valuable lessons, not have them skipped over with a snap of a finger. Life isn't quick and easy like your magic tricks."

Riley's own attitude flares up as he takes offense to what Emma just said and retorts, "It's taken me weeks of practice since the 'Queen Kong Kelly Incident,' and years of my whole life, to become the magician I am today. So magic isn't quick and easy."

Emma: "I said your magic tricks are quick and easy, not the process to master them. You learned lessons from your mistakes and have become a greater performer than you were before because of that trial and error."

Remembering all the setbacks, foul-ups, and punishments he has received from past failed magic tricks—and how he improved as a result of those, and how that took time—Riley finally understands why Emma doesn't want to give her daughter a hypno-treatment.

Riley: "You're right. I'm sorry for messing with Bea, and won't do it again."

Emma: "No problem. But I do need you to mess with her once more to bring her out of her trance."

Riley: "Yes ma'am." (Turns to Bea) "Bea...When I snap my finger, you will be back to normal."

Snap! and Bea shakes her head side to side. Her voice, and sassy attitude, return to normal when she shouts, "Like I was saying a nanosecond ago: I can't be hypnotized! So nyah! But all this talk has made me hungrier and thirstier. Let's go get some food and water."

Riley rolls his eyes and mentally bemoans, "Please let me hypnotize her again, Aunt Emma..." in sarcasm.

Bea's phone then makes its text notification sound, causing the young teenage porcupine to go "Hm?" as she looks at the message. It's from an unknown name, but is sent to every family member's phone, and reads Raccoon couple's secret exposed.

Bea taps the message and it instantly plays video footage of Rebecca's and Garrett's make out session from last night.

Emma's widen the instant she hears the moaning and she yanks her daughter's phone out of Bea's paws four seconds after the video started. Emma turns the phone off, but alas, what has been seen, has been seen.

Bea: "Mom, were Uncle Garrett and Aunt Becca—?"

Emma (rushed yet rhetorical tone): "Having a date night? Yes. It's what married couples like to do every now and then because they are in love with each other."

Though her answer was unwavering, Emma's own fully matured adult mind is struggling to come to terms what she had just heard and seen. It was only about three second's worth, and Emma herself is no stranger to physically romantic expressions of love, but what Rebecca and Garrett were doing was almost too much even for her.

Emma thinking: "They were so...intense and aggressive. Like wild animals—even by wild animal standards."

Only two seconds have passed since Emma answered Bea's question, and her daughter now says, "That did not look like a date, or love..."

Riley: "They were kissing and touching each other—Yuck! But why make all those weird noises?"

Emma brushes the question off and suddenly changes topic as she says, "Let's go find our breakfast, kids. I sure am hungry, and know y'all are too," as she takes Bea's paw into her left one, and Riley's into her right one.

They hardly have taken two steps when they hear the Quad Squad's angry shouts from somewhere not too far off.

Lizzy: "What—?!"

R3: "—In the—?!"

Sare: "—Everlasting—?!"

Gary: "—Heck—?!"

Quads in unison: "—IS THIS?!"

Being a young kit, Lauren doesn't fully grasp what is going on in the video, and is equally confused about her older siblings' reactions. She curiously asks, "Why are you all so mad? They were just kissing and hugging..."

One by one, each of the Quads squats down to look Lauren in the eyes.

Lizzy: "That—"

R3: "—Was not—"

Sare: "—What they—"

Gary: "—Were doing."

Lauren: "Then what were they doing?"

Gary: "That doesn't matter as much as what this means!"

Sare: "Yeah, those liars! How could they?!"

Lauren: " 'How could they' what?"

Lizzy: "This is what they really do whenever they say they're 'marking their territory'!"

R3: "Spending time doing this with themselves, instead of being with us—their own kits!"

Gary: "In other words, they love each other more than they love us!"

Now Lauren understands, but the thought is so horrible that she instantly denies it. "N-no! That's not true. Y-your all just overreacting! Mommy and daddy love us! With all their hearts!" However, her tone not only lacks confidence, it is full of desperation. After all, what kid would not want to deny that their parents love themselves more than their children.

To add to Lauren's further doubt of her parents' love toward she and her siblings, Sare spitefully asks, "Does this look like they love us more than themselves?!" while playing more of the video to Lauren.

Despite her young age, Lauren is the best-behaved, most rationally-minded, and even-tempered child in her biological family. She has always been the first to come to their defense, and the first to shout her praise for them. She has always loved them, believed them, and done all they said without question or argument. But the more she sees the video, the more her heart hardens. The more betrayed she feels, and the more angry she becomes. Until it finally happens.

With a guttural, angry snarl, she swipes the phone out of Sare's paws, throws it to the ground as hard as she can, and stomps on it with all her might. The sweetest, and most innocent and optimistic child of the five loses her faith in her parents.

Lauren: "Those liar-word, kissy-face, spit-sharing, grabby-pawed, wads of FILTH!"

Lizzy: "You said it, littlest sis!"

Sare: "Next time we see them, I'm gonna slap 'em upside the head—for US!"

Gary: "And I'll help hold them down so they can't fight back! Who's with me?!"

The other four shout, "Yes!" in unison while raising a paw.

R3: "I'm not waiting for them to finish whatever nasty things they've been doing! Let's go hunt them down right now!"

The other four again shout "Yeah!" in unison. But even in their time of heartbreak-induced rage, they still break out into a sibling quarrel.

Sare: "I'm the best tracker in our family, so I'll lead the way."

Gary: "No you're not! I am!"

R3: "You two may be good at tracking, but I'm the fastest! So I'll lead!"

Lizzy: "I'm the oldest and feel the worst out of all of you! So I'll lead, and I get the first yell and hit!"

Lauren, the one who usually diffuses situations like this, now adds her voice to the argument. "Nuh-uh! I feel the most betrayed! I get to yell and hit them first!"

Gary: "Your paws are too weak; you won't be able to hurt them enough! I'm the strongest, so I get dibs on first yell and first hit!"

Sare: "Just cause you're a boy doesn't make you automatically stronger! Now Lizzy and me: we've done gymnastics all our lives! We're stronger than you even if we don't look as big!"

Lauren: "Enough talk! Let's go get them already!"

Once again, and even in their foul moods, Lauren is the one who gets her siblings' heads back together.

Lizzy: "You heard her, folks. What're we waiting for?!"

The five storm off in the direction they detect their parents' scents, snarling like crazed animals driven by bloodlust. They are long gone by the time the other adults who have overheard try to talk some sense into them, and run quickly in a vain effort to simply keep up with the siblings.

Any and all other animals who hear them get the heck out of their way, lest they want to be caught in the path of vengeful violence.

---

Back at the bomb shelter, Ro-J wakes up in a jolt and gasp, with his face covered in sweat. He doesn't feel any better knowing that what caused his rude awakening was a nightmare of a memory he had with his adopted father, Robbie. He almost yelps when a paw touches his shoulder, but the grip is gentle and warm, as is the voice of the arm's owner.

"You had a bad dream, didn't you?"

Ro-J takes a breath in and out, then replies, "Yes, Granddad RJ."

RJ: "About Robbie?"

Ro-J: "Yes..."

RJ: "C'mon, let's go outside to wash up and you can tell me about it, if you want."

Ro-J: "I do."

Once outside, the two walk toward the creek and converse.

Ro-J: "It was after Monica had died, when Robbie was meaner than ever before. I woke up in the middle of the night because my stomach hurt so much from being starved."

RJ: "I've felt that kind of pain before when I was little, during my first Winter on my own. But we're not here to talk about me, we're here to listen to you. Keep going."

Ro-J: "I saw that Robbie was asleep, so I snuck over to his food stash. He only kept enough food for himself, and usually guarded it. But that night, he must've forgotten to sleep on top of it. I wanted to have just a bite of something, of anything. Of course, when I took that one bite, I wanted more. So I ate more...And then..."

Ro-J closes his eyes and seems to re-enter his own memories when he keeps telling the tale.

---

After swallowing the last bite of the granola bar, he is about to turn around and head back to his sleeping spot, when suddenly, a voice and presence comes up from behind him. It's Robbie, who seemed to materialize out of thin air so close to Ro-J that the kit can feel the adult's body heat.

Robbie: "You thieving, greedy, scoundrel!"

Ro-J again "edits" the real word Robbie had said, which rhymes with custard. In the memory, Ro-J tries to flee, but Robbie grabs him by the scruff of the neck as if he could read the kit's mind. Ro-J actually moves his feet for three seconds before he realizes he is hovering above the ground.

Robbie only needs one paw to hold his malnourished child, using his other paw to jab hard into Ro-J's chest as he tells the kit, "You thought I left my food unguarded like an idiot? Hah! I did it on purpose, so I could catch you in the act!"

Ro-J stops struggling because he knows he will need his strength for the beating that will soon follow. Now that he is eye to eye with Robbie, the latter rhetorically asks, "Did I give you permission to eat any of my food?!"

Ro-J: "N-n-n-o, s-s-s-sir."

Robbie slowly nods his head yes while saying, "That's riiiiiight" in a hissing tone like a snake.

Ro-J: "I was starving! And it was just one granola bar!"

Robbie screams, "It was MY granola bar!" in Ro-J's face loud and fierce enough to make the kit's fur move as if hit by a gust of wind. "You piece of snot!" Robbie then throws Ro-J over-handed like a ball across the dwelling. Ro-J hits the wall and slides down, crying instantly from the pain.

Robbie stomps over to him, shouting, "Quit crying like a baby!"

Once next to Ro-J, Robbie flips the kit over so his face is looking up at him, but keeps him pinned to the ground by stepping on him with a hind foot on his chest. Helpless against Robbie's weight and strength, Ro-J can only listen as Robbie says, "This is for not taking your punishment like a man!" He leans over to slash Ro-J on the chest, then the belly with his claws.

"And as for stealing from me...Time to make it right by giving me back what you have stolen..." Robbie raises his right pointer finger. He warns, "If I feel so much as a tickle of teeth, I will remove one of your eyes."

Understanding what Robbie intends to do, Ro-J is terrified, but is too powerless to stop his sadistic father. So he nods yes frantically, tears streaming down his face in dreadful anticipation.

Like a cruel doctor from a horror movie, Robbie says, "Now, open wi-ide..." in a playful yet evil tone.

Robbie then shoves his finger down Ro-J's mouth as if he is force-feeding him, and goes to the back of the throat. "Blink twice to let me know when you're about to puke, I don't wanna get your vomit all over me. If you don't, I'll bite your right paw off."

After some painful gagging, Ro-J blinks twice, causing Robbie to yank his clawed finger out of Ro-J's mouth, just in time for the sadist to avoid the throw-up. Robbie doesn't even let the kit vomit in peace, as he issues another ultimatum with, "You better throw it ALL up! If I see one speck missing, I'll put my finger back down your throat and won't be as gentle, GOT IT?!"

Ro-J gives an Okay hand signal while continuing to puke. When finished, Robbie crouches down next to the disgusting pile of vomit and inspects it, while Ro-J silently prays to Mother Nature that the entire granola bar is out of his body. His prayer is answered when Robbie stands back up and says, "Good."

Just as Ro-J thinks it's all over, Robbie proves that his cruelty knows no bounds. "Your puke stinks. Eat it up before the whole home smells like it." Ro-J's eyes widen, to which Robbie replies, "You're hungry aren't you? Go on. Eat. You have my permission this time."

Because any hesitation would result in more abuse, Ro-J nods, steels himself for the grossness that awaits his tastebuds, and obeys his abusive father. And again, Robbie doesn't even let Ro-J suffer such a horrible punishment in peace when he asks, "Are you mute? What do you say to me for being kind enough to let you have the granola bar back?"

Ro-J: "Thanks, dad..."

As Ro-J continuing re-eating, he gags, fights the reflex to throw up again, and painfully swallows his current bite. Seeing this process causes Robbie to say, "Eat it. Every bite. It's your puke."

Ro-J somehow finishes without throwing up again. Robbie then gives his last command of the night, "Get back to bed, baby prick. You're gonna work like a dog in the morning."

Ro-J once more edited the real word Robbie had said, which rhymes with the word Ro-J had used.

In the memory, Ro-J goes back to his sleeping spot and lies down. But he feels betrayed by Reagan who did not come to his rescue this time. During his punishments, Ro-J had been watching her as she slept, hoping that the noise would wake her up so that she would try to stop Robbie and offer herself to be punished instead. But she did not wake up, and kept her back turned toward him the entire time.

---

With the story now finished, RJ kisses his grandson on the forehead and hugs him tight but gently. Ro-J hugs RJ back, knowing the truth that his sister still denies: that RJ may look like Robbie, sound like Robbie, and move like Robbie, but he is the exact opposite of Robbie in terms of how he treats Ro-J.

RJ: "You shouldn't have hated Reagan for not coming to your help that time."

Ro-J: "I know. She later said that she had been awake and wanted to help me, but was too weak from previous beatings to be able to. If she did, she would have died, and then there would have been no one to protect me anymore."

RJ: "You and your sister are the strongest individuals I have ever known. I thought I had a terrible life growing up alone, but you and Reagan...You two haven't just seen true horrors, you have experienced true evil. And to experience that while you're still so young...Your childhoods were stolen from you..."

RJ only tightens his hug, and then has the sudden and unexplainable feeling to keep tightening it, and tightening it...and tightening it...

Ro-J: "Granddad RJ! That's too hard!"

RJ immediately lets go and apologizes, "S-sorry, kiddo. I just wanted to make sure you felt loved."

Ro-J: "I already do, by everyone in this family. And now that I'm a part of it, I can live like a real kid."

RJ: "Let me know when you want me to spoil you to make up for what Robbie did to you."

Ro-J steps in front of RJ and stretches his arms out while asking, "Can you carry me the rest of the way?"

"Of course," says RJ as he picks his grandson up in a classic toddler carry-position in which he places his right inner elbow below Ro-J's hindquarters, and holds onto Ro-J's lower back with his left paw.

Ro-J: "And can you bathe me when we get to the creek?"

RJ: "I'd be happy to."

Ro-J wraps his arms around RJ's neck while saying, "I love you, Granddad RJ."

RJ: "And I love you too, food—Em, Ro-J."

Ro-J: "Did you just call me 'food'?"

RJ: "I-I didn't mean to. I guess...I guess it's my brain starting to dull from my age."

Ro-J: "You're not old, granddad. Like Uncle Plushie said, most animals aren't old until they're 80—and 80 is the new 72."

RJ chuckles and says, "And for a turtle like him, they aren't old until they're 130—and 130 is the new 98."

Ro-J giggles and then says, "You're funny, granddad."

RJ: "We're raccoons, Ro-J. It's in our DNA. Ah! Here we are."

At the creek where RJ and Ro-J have arrived are the other otters and the families of Caleb, Brooke, and Jeff.

RJ: "Hi! Mind if we join?"

Brooke: "Come on in."

After noticing a lack of soap in the water, RJ says, "I have shampoo in my bag if anyone needs it."

Jeff: "Unless it's Feather Shine Bird Shampoo, we'll pass. Regular shampoo for mammal hair washes away the natural oils important for healthy feather growth."

RJ: "Sorry, Jeff. I don't have that kinda shampoo on me."

Jeff: "No worries, Mr. RJ. We'll bathe with water-only instead."

Ro-J sees three of his otter pals and waves at them while saying, "Hey Ralph, María, and Candance!"

Ralph, María, and Candance wave back and say "¡Hola, Ro-J!" in unison.

RJ lets his raccoon grandson down, who jogs over to the aquatic mustelids and asks, "Can you all please help block the creek's flow while I submerge to the bottom?"

The otters instantly know why Ro-J would ask them to do that, having taught him and Reagan how to use water therapy to help deal with his issues.

Maria asks, "¿Tuviste otro mal sueño?"

Ralph translates, "You had another bad dream?"

Ro-J: "Sí." (Angry tone) "And I'm getting sick and tired of them. I thought they would go away after spending so much time in a family that gives me real love."

Jacob: "La mente traumatizada requiere tiempo y paciencia para sanar."

Kay: " 'The traumatized mind requires time and patience to fully heal.' Because you and your sister's pasts are full of horrors most animals can scarcely imagine."

Isa: "It will be a slow process for that. But we'd be more than happy to help you, niño pequeño—little kid."

Skip puts a paw on Ro-J's shoulder while saying, "He may be little, but he's got the heart and guts of a man to have survived his previous life with his biological parents."

Ro-J: "They're not my real parents. Bernard and Patricia are. Robbie and Monica were my adopted parents."

Isaac: "But Robbie and Monica were your real parents, and you were adopted by Bernard and Pat. You got it backwards."

Ro-J: "I know, but what I said earlier, that's how I see them—both sets."

Isaac: "Estás hablando de una locura—you are talking crazy talk." (Sarcastic) "We need to commit you to a mental hospital. Iz'tha only way to save others from your craziness!"

Skip: "And you need to go back to comedy school...starting in kindergarten, hermanito—Baby Brother."

Isaac gets defensive when he retorts "¡Muérdeme en la cola, Skip!—Bite me in the tail! I'm not a baby anymore!"

Jacob crosses his arms and says, "Entonces deja de actuar como un bebè y ayuda a este niño..."

Ralph can't hold back his 11-year-old child as he says, "Oooo! He torched you, Uncle Isaac! El Padre Jacob said 'Then quit acting like a baby and help this kid out.' "

Isaac sighs and says, "Sí, señor—Yes sir."

Kay then rounds up on Skip to say, "Y que un hombre de tu edad insulte a tu hermano...Qué vergüenza, Skip."

Isa gladly translates for Ro-J, " 'And for a man of your age to insult your brother...Shame on you, Skip.' "

Skip: "Lo siento mamá, y Isaac—Sorry mom, and Isaac."

Jacob looks at Ro-J and says, "Nunca se es demasiado viejo para ser castigado por tus padres."

Candance: " 'You are never too old to be punished by your parents.' "

Skip: "Sorry about that, Ro-J. Now let's help you. Remember what we taught you? First, you must immerse yourself slowly. Wear the water like clothes, and let the water wear you."

Isa: "Become entuned with the liquid. Allow each lap of wetness full access to your body."

Ralph: "All of your body."

María: "Every last inch."

Isaac: "But not in a weird and creepy way—Ouch!"

With a light Slap!, Jay just tapped his fingers hard on Isaac's head for his joke-talk.

Kay: "Once your body is one with the water, let it flow into your mind. Water cleanses and refreshes all, let it do so from your inside as much as your outside."

Skip: "Bring the memories of your troubled past to the forefront of your mind, do not try to hide them, because meditation is useful for controlling emotions and maintaining peace of mind (1). Once the water is one with your mind, feel the current wash it away."

Isa: "Then, let the water flow into your heart, for the way to your heart is through your mind. From your heart, bring out your burdens—do not think about them because you think with your mind and feel with your heart. Feel them as the blood that is being pumped out of your heart. Pump those burdens away with the flow of the water once you have let the water become one with your heart."

María: "Then let the water flow into your soul, for the way to your soul is through your heart."

Kay: "From your soul bring out your indominable spirit, what has kept you alive through the toughest of times. How you held onto your will to live despite all the horrible things that have happened to you."

Skip: "To do this, call upon Mother Nature, who gave you and all of us life. Give Her thanks for every breath you take, for every step you have taken and will take in the future, and for being able to hear, smell, taste, see, and feel. Thank Her for every nerve that allows you to feel the water as it encroaches all of you."

Candance: "Then, cancel out all of your senses by imagining you are floating in a deep, blank void. A place where you cannot hear, see, smell, taste, or feel, but are in a state of perfect peace because your soul is in control of your existence. Because becoming entuned with your soul is about spiritual perfection and knowledge of your inner world." (1)

Isa: "Let the water cleanse and rejuvenate your soul by telling yourself that you have won the battle and the war. You are saved because of your faith. The evil ones and evil things that have tried to break you and make you give into despair have lost the battle and the war. You have been through hardships that would have crushed most animals' spirits and caused them to lose their faith in life."

Isaac: "And yet, you are still here. Alive and well in body, mind, heart, and soul. Your faith has saved you and your soul. Feel that comfort, that warmth and respite enter your soul, despite the cool liquid that surrounds your body."

Ralph: "Then you have found your perfect state of peace. You can return to the surface for a rejuvenated breath."

Ro-J: "Ok."

Once might think the kit would need an additional review on how to do the meditation that has been described, but he oddly does not. The reason is because his sister has needed the hydrotherapy more than himself, so she has been told the process many times over, and he is always by his sister's side to hear it. The other animals have listened closely and committed the information to memory as best as they can so they can do it someday themselves. Because the meditation process sounds so stress-relieving and invigorating.

Ro-J and the otters enter the water and do everything that has been described. As a young raccoon, Ro-J can hold his breath for three minutes, which is plenty of time for him to undergo the process. The otters keep watch, make a clear path for the waterflow to hit him, and when he goes limp, they form a circle around him to block the waterflow so he can enter the deep, blank void. When he surfaces, he feels renewed and revitalized. His heavy burdens are a nonexistent memory and he looks like he has awakened from the best nap of all time.

Treading water, Ro-J says, "Gracias," to the otters.

The otters respond, "De nada," in unison.

RJ walks over to his grandson while saying "Ok, Ro-J, now that you feel all better, it's time for your bath." He is in the water by the time he finishes talking and is brandishing a shampoo bottle. Ro-J swims over to RJ and lets his grandfather lather the sweet-smelling substance all over his body.

RJ then picks Ro-J up, says, "Slingshot time!" and throws him far.

The kit shouts, "Yee-haa!" all the way until he splashes into the deep water. RJ is already near him by the time he resurfaces and then lets Ro-J get on his shoulders as if his grandson is about to chicken fight. RJ then falls back and they both make a slash, smiling in enjoyment the whole time. When the two come up, RJ has Ro-J in a headlock and playfully noogies him as Ro-J giggles.

RJ then says, "Down you go!" and dunks Ro-J under the water. The other animals have been doing their own thing with their families and don't look back in RJ's direction until a few minutes have passed. Albert the beaver is the first to notice that RJ is still holding Ro-J under the water.

Albert: "RJ?"

RJ doesn't turn or verbally acknowledge Albert, which causes the beaver to come closer and give a concerned look while he says, "Uh...? Is Ro-J okay?"

Another silent treatment, and Albert goes to the front of RJ and the beaver's voice changes from concerned to fearful as he says, "Hey! Let him up!" This draws the attention of the other animals.

Finally, RJ looks at Albert—and the older raccoon is giving a blank, vacant expression with dull, staring, unblinking eyes; like an emotionless doll's eyes, which chills Albert for a moment. Albert quickly overcomes his surprise, puts both paws on RJ, shakes him while saying, "Are you trying to drown him?! Let him up!"

Albert's shaking and yelling do the trick because after a blink, RJ's face and eyes go back to normal. He pulls up Ro-J who gasps for air.

Ro-J: "Why did you hold me under for so long, granddad? I almost ran out of air!"

The other animals give RJ stern looks too, wanting to know the answer as much as the kit.

RJ's face and voice show genuine panic and remorse while he stutters out, "I'm SO sorry, Ro-J! I-I-I, must've, um-uh, z-zoned out. I don't know why—honest! One minute I was dunking you for fun, then the next thing I remember is Albert shaking and yelling at me...Maybe it was a senior moment...?"

RJ doesn't even try to hide the uncertainty in his voice, but the guilt in his tone and face is enough to calm the other animals down. They are about to tell him that it's all okay, when he says, "I...need some air!" and runs off into the woods.

All eyes fall on Ro-J, and Hubert is the first to ask, "Are you okay?"

Ro-J: "Yeah...But he's never done anything like that before."

Albert: "I saw his face and eyes. He looked nothing like himself. He was like a zombie, and it honestly gave me the creeps. Then he just snapped back to normal. I've never seen anything like it."

Caleb: "I was a'bout to rush over an' claw him if your efforts failed, Albert."

Jeff: "Do you think he did it because he's super stressed about all that's been happening? The loss of all your possessions, home, and endangerment of his mate and possum grandkids would drive anyone's mind from their head."

Gertrude: "Stress doesn't cause someone to hold another underwater for too long."

Skip: "Something wasn't right with him."

Ro-J: "But he didn't mean to, you heard him yourselves."

Brooke: "Yeah, he was genuinely sorry. And surprised at what he did."

Kay (to Ro-J): "Even so, I'm am going to tell your family to keep an eye on him. I'm very concerned."

Ro-J: "You say that as if he would do it again because he's crazy. He just had a moment where his mind wandered, that's all."

Kay: "I'm not passing judgment on him. And I am concerned for him, not for what he might do to others."

Jackie: "How about we go find him? Let him know we harbor no ill feelings for him? I bet that'll help him feel better."

The others nod in agreement and head out, still trying to wrap their heads around what just happened, and more importantly, why.

Note: (1)=Ideas from Shkiper.

---

Rainer and Eloise wake up in the bomb shelter's closet, having to move in there last night after their lovey-dovey talk, hugging, and cuddling became a nuisance for the others trying to sleep. They didn't try to argue against it, since it meant they could have some much-deserved privacy to themselves. They fell asleep—and now wake up in—their hugging arms, their bodies entwined so close that it looks like they share one body.

Rainer says, "Good morning sweetie-kins!" and kisses his mate.

Eloise replies, "And good morning to you, my honeybun!" and kisses him back. "Did you dream about me last night, handsome?"

Rainer: "Of course. Whether I'm awake or asleep, you are all I ever think about."

The two are about to kiss again when they hear a groan—from Elroy by the scent—as he walks past the closed closet door. Eloise opens the door slowly, turns her head to Elroy, and asks, "Why are you so glum on this beautiful morning?"

Elroy: "I wanted to sleep later, but have to wake up early so I have at least a little time to myself before having to take care of the joeys."

Eloise starts to follow while saying, "If you wake up feeling bad it's only gonna—"

Elroy (stern): "I want some alone time. Please just let me be."

Rainer approaches Eloise and puts a paw on her shoulder and says, "Let him go, sweetie-kins. If he wants to be miserable by himself, let him be miserable by himself. As for me, I feel thirsty. Let's go for a nice, refreshing morning walk and get a drink of water."

Eloise: "Sounds great, honeybun! But let's check on Sara first."

Rainer nods and the two of them quietly walk over to the sleeping animals, then locate some pipes that they climb to get a better view of who is who. They see their daughter sound asleep and temporarily frown as they slide back down to the ground. They whisper so they don't risk waking anyone up.

Rainer: "Looks like we'll need to wait for Sara to wake up."

Elroy then shows up behind them and says, "Yep. That's what kids do. They control your life and completely side-track your plans."

Eloise: "I thought you wanted some alone time?"

Elroy: "I overheard Rainer call me 'miserable' and decided to come back to prove why I am."

Rainer: "But we don't feel bad that we can't go on our walk to the creek. We feel bad that we can't walk to the creek without Sara joining us."

Eloise: "Because the only thing we love more than each other is our precious pudding-pie, Sara."

Rainer: "She makes our lives so much better, because we have someone to share all our experiences with."

Elroy: "I wish I could share my life experiences with my joeys, but they're too young to go on vacations."

Eloise: "You could always show them videos and pictures from your previous ones."

Elroy: "We have, and all it reminds me of is how much fun Mary and I used to have before we adopted the three."

Rainer: "The problem is that you haven't accepted this new, permanent stage of your life yet."

Elroy: "I kinda have, as long as they and Mary are around to scrutinize me if I don't act fatherly. But alone, around other folks like you, I can express my true feelings. I never wanted to be a parent; I never asked to be a parent."

Rainer: "But now you are a parent, and your mate can't raise the joeys by herself."

Elroy: "The only thing that keeps me from going insane is knowing that when they get older, they'll be easier to manage."

Eloise: "Are you kidding? When they get older they'll start to talk back, want to leave your sight so they can be independent in a dangerous world, and try to shove you away instead of taking your parenting advice."

Rainer: "Trust us, they are far more manageable now because they do everything you say, want to spend all their time with you, and you have them within eyesight at all times. What you have right now is the easiest stage of parenting."

Elroy (cross and matter-of-factly): "I know. I was a teenager too, and was raised with older and younger siblings."

Eloise: "And yet you still struggle to be a father? It's odd because you have the most experience of any animal when it comes to raising kids of young ages. It should be a cinch."

Elroy: "But it's not, and I'm just as puzzled about that as I am angry."

Rainer: "Like I said before, it's because you still haven't accepted that you are a father now. What's holding you back?"

Elroy: "I dunno...What is holding me back?"

Rainer: "Only you can answer that."

A soft yawn, draws the American badgers' focus on to Sara who stretches as she finally is waking up. Eloise looks at Elroy and says, "Gotta kid that I'm happy to take care of. Think of your reason for holding back, and eradicate it."

Rainer: "Morning pudding-pie, Sara. Your mom and I were in the mood to go for a walk and get a drink of water. Interested?"

Sara: "Sure am, daddy."

Eloise: "Piggy back on me, Sara."

Sara giggles and does as she is told, and the three happy badgers leave with pep in their steps.

As for Elroy, he is left in what feels like bitter, cold mud. He actually lied about his reasons for not accepting fatherhood, because he has some really good ones. But if he said them out loud, he would honestly lose his marriage with Mary.

Elroy thinking: "None of them can know…Until the time is right. Speaking of which, I now have even less me-time. I gotta hoof it to make things happen like they should."

He jogs out of the bomb shelter, finds his bearings, and then heads off into the proper direction. What he does is known only to him and Mother Nature.

---

Not long after Elroy has left, do Mary, the joeys, Heather, Reagan, Pat, and Bernard wake up.

Mary (whispering): "Be quiet kids, the others are trying to sleep. Stay in my pouch until we get outside, then you can yell all you want."

Tim, Zeke, and Mira's voices are muffled as they exclaim, "Yes mommy!", but thankfully Mary's pouch keeps their loudness to a minimum and they walk outside without waking the others.

Bernard: "Where's Elroy?"

Mary: "Probably away spending some time to himself. He likes to do that every morning before the joeys get up."

Heather: "That, like, doesn't seem fair for you. You should have some alone time too."

Mary: "Relax mom, my clock-out time is the afternoon, when it's Elroy who takes full responsibility for our kids."

Pat looks at Reagan while saying, "Speaking of kids, who wants some breakfast?"

Reagan raises her paw to say, "Me!"

All three joeys stick their upper bodies out of Mary's pouch and say, "Me! Me! ME!" in unison.

Mary and Bernard both un-sling their golf bags and start rummaging through it, with Bernard saying, "Let's see what we have in here." A few moments later he says, "Aha! Nice!" as he pulls his head out and has two pop tart bags in one paw, and a sleeve of powdered donuts in the other.

Mary emerges from her bag and says, "Dare to compare?" while holding a bag of small muffins in one paw and a bagged cinnamon roll in the other.

As Mary intended, she and Bernard get into a sibling quarrel.

Bernard: "Mine are more mouth-watering."

Mary: "Mine are more delicious."

Bernard: "Mine are more portable."

Mary: "Mine are more filling."

Bernard: "Mine can be eaten at any time of day, not just breakfast."

Mary: "Mine smell better, and are harder to crush."

Pat: "I never thought anyone would say this, but: dilemma, thy name is breakfast. Which ones do you want Reagan?"

Reagan: "One powdered donut, one muffin, part of the cinnamon roll, and half a pop tart. That way I can decide which one is better."

Bernard playfully says, "But I'm your dad, Reagan. You have to choose mine over your BA—or biological aunt—Mary's."

Reagan copies Bernard's tone and says, "I'll be the judge of that, daddy-dearest."

Heather: "Yep, you are, like, so, Bernard's and Pat's daughter."

Mary: "You had a good point, too, Reagan. We'll have a little bit of everything and see whose food wins our hearts and minds—and stomachs."

The family sits around in a circle and passes down the food which they take time to eat slowly, giving their taste buds a workout so they can come to a final decision. Once the last bite has been swallowed, Mary says, "Ok. Moment of truth. Who thinks my food was better?"

Mary, Zeke, Tim, and Pat raise their paws.

Bernard looks quizzically at his mate and asks, "Really, Pat? My own mate doesn't like my selection of food?" He puts his paws in his face and melodramatically shouts, "I don't know who you are anymore!"

Heather: "Who thinks Bernard's food was better?"

She, Bernard, Reagan, and Mira raise their paws.

Reagan: "Well wha'do'you know? A tie vote!"

Mary: "Unacceptable!"

Tim: "Mira! You a twaitor!"

Zeke: "Yeah! For choosing Uncle Bernard's food over mommy's!"

Mira: "I just telling the twuth!"

Mary sighs and says, "It's times like this that I wish Elroy was here. His vote would be the tie-breaker."

Then, for no particular reason, Tim sticks his head out of Mary's pouch to look up at her and asks a question that catches everyone off-guard with how random yet profound it is. "Does daddy even love us, mommy?"

Everyone's eyes widen as they stare at Tim. Mary quickly says the obvious, "Of course he does, kids. Why would you think he doesn't?"

Mira's head pops out of the pouch next to add, "Because he barely says 'I wuv you kids.' "

Zeke's head pops out third as he says, "I don't think he ever say 'I wuv you,' to us. Ever."

Mary's heart sinks as she mentally confirms almost all they have said is true. She still sets the record straight by reminding them, "Don't forget he said he loved you with all his heart after he yelled at Tim during that workout session."

Mira demonstrates her intelligence and good memory by also reminding, "That only happened after you make him say it."

Mary: "Even so, he just needs to spend more time with you before he does that on his own." (Thinking) "But the fact that they don't remember him saying that at all shows how little he thinks of them, and worse, what they think of him."

Wanting to help convince the joeys further—and help his sister's point stronger if more than one adult says something similar to her—Bernard adds his voice by saying, "Elroy also didn't have the best of childhoods. Like most opossums, he had a lot of siblings—nine in all, 15 counting six of his closest ones who died from a bear attack. He never got free time, his parents could never give him their full attention, he had to help take care of his younger siblings who would drive him nuts, and couldn't eat as much food as he wanted since they had to share it so many ways."

Mary: "He wanted to, so, get away from that kind of life forever. And because I'm a sterile hybrid, he'd never have to worry about having any kids when he married me."

Bernard: "He moved out of his family's home and into ours when he turned 18, and finally got to experience the life he always wanted to, but for only nine years—just half the time he had to spend growing up in his large family."

Mary: "He also wanted to travel the country—a boyhood dream of his—which we did a lot of. And now that we've adopted you three, we have to put our adventure plans on hold. I'm okay with it, since you three are more important than traveling around, but Elroy is still warming up to the idea of being a full-time dad. Just be patient with him, give him some more time, and keep being good kids, and he will, so, enjoy you three as much as I do."

Even as young as the three are, they paid close attention and took in the adults' words. So when they nod yes, it's clear that they understood what had been said.

But that lasts for a few moments, when their toddler curiosity kicks back in when Zeke, remembering something mentioned earlier, asks, "Gwandmommy, did you have lots of bwothers and sisters like daddy too?"

Heather: "Oddly, no. I was an only child, which is, like, unheard of for opossums. My mom and dad—your great grandparents—always said I was a miracle baby, because it was a miracle that they only had one child." (Facial expression and body language becomes lower with sadness) "And the same thing happened again when my...little brother was born. He would have been the only child my mom had, but they both died that fateful day...(Facial and body language return to normal) "And after meeting RJ, he told us that the reason my parents only had one child per litter was because of some, like, genetic defect."

Mira: "What's a 'genetic defect'?"

Heather: "When something is wrong with someone on the inside that they can't change."

Bernard points to the ones present as he names them while saying, "Like my sister, myself, and your Aunt De'Ausha being born sterile." Wanting to lighten the mood, he says in sarcastic wit, "Thanks again, mom."

Heather goes along with the trend Bernard just started by crossing her arms and also saying in sarcastic wit, "Don't make me show you a picture of a spider, son."

Heather even pulls her cell phone out of her pouch to add an edge to her disciplinary threat, while Pat leans down and loudly whispers in Reagan's ear, "Your dad hates spiders."

Reagan: "Me too."

Heather: "Huh?! What's this?"

Everyone looks at her in question.

Heather: "There's a lot of texts here from our family saying we've got to find Rebecca and Garrett, like, right now."

Mary: "Why?"

The only thing keeping Mary from getting out her own phone to find the answer herself is knowing how good her mother is with phones—the benefit of being young during the year of the first iPhone. Mary's intuition is confirmed when, after some more quick browsing, Heather's eyes widen and she speaks in urgency, "Rebecca's and Garrett's 'free time activity' has gone viral, and their kids are NOT happy. It's so bad, they may get violent."

Mary also feels anxiety taking over her mind. She and her biological Aunt Rebecca are very close; closer than most nieces and aunts because Rebecca was still a young teenager (just 14) when Mary first met her at the age of four. Because there was only a 10-year age gap, Rebecca was more like a cool big sister to Mary (and Bernard), who were like Rebecca's younger sister (and brother) and they treated each other as such. But Rebecca and Mary did something together that Bernard and Rebecca could never do: Rebecca taught Mary how to do gymnastics, which Bernard had no interest in learning because it's such a female-centric pastime.

Being more of a raccoon in mind, Mary mastered the moves her aunt taught her almost instantly. But being more opossum in body, Mary came up with her own gymnastics moves that even Rebecca was incapable of doing; moves that involved Mary's prehensile possum tail. Rebecca was not jealous, but rather thrilled, when Mary's heritage as a raccoon-possum hybrid surpassed the 'gymnast master,' if but only in one respect, because Mary doesn't use gymnastics as often as her aunt.

But for Rebecca, gymnastics were, still are, and forever will be, her life. She uses gymnastics in every heist on human homes, every attack on aggressors, every time she wants to have fun, or needs to clear her head after a bad day; in short, she uses gymnastics literally every day.

Mary thinking: "She taught it to her three daughters, too. And at the Chang's house, I saw how they and their brothers ganged up on and fought off Dill. Like all raccoons, they're ruthless fighters, even without the girls using gymnastics. The Quads and Lauren are not the type who would attack their parents, but if they did, Rebecca and Garrett would be in serious trouble."

Pat: "I don't mean to sound uncaring, but I say we just let Rebecca and Garrett handle this on their own. The five are their kids, and they can explain their actions in a way that will clear any anger between them."

Mary: "And what if their words aren't enough? I sure wouldn't be too happy if my mom and dad lied to me about what they did in their free time, especially if they did their free time activity more than spending time with my brother and I."

Heather: "We've, like, told those two they needed to spend more time with their kids. They always say they will, but never follow through—and being in love isn't a good enough excuse."

Bernard: "My sister and mom right. Becca and Garrett will need our help. The angriest we got at our parents was when they explained that our sterility made it impossible for us to have kids of our own."

Mary: "We weren't even teenagers when that happened, but if we were the Quad Squads' ages—going through all the hormone imbalances, mood shifts, and physical changes..." (Looks at Heather) "I'm sorry to say it, mom, but I would've hit you and dad."

Bernard (looks at Heather): "Likewise. And you and dad never neglected us."

Pat needs no more convincing. "Then what're we waiting for? Reagan, stay here and hang out with the joeys. This predicament is for adults-only."

Reagan: "But the Quads are my friends, mama. They know I look up to them, so maybe they'll hold back and not lose their tempers if I'm near them. And Lauren treats me like a big sister, so she'll listen to me if I reason with her."

Pat rubs the top of Reagan's head in reward as she says, "Let's hope the other kids and teens in our family think like you, Reagan, because you are brilliant!" Pat looks at the other three adults to say, "She comes with us, no arguments."

No one argues against Pat. Indeed, the only argument is for something instead of against something, as Mary says, "My joeys are coming along too. Nothing makes someone control themselves more than the fear of frightening young children."

Reagan holds up a finger and says, "My adopted parents—"

Pat stops Reagan from getting into another story about Robbie and Monica, that would only make things sound worse, by pushing Reagan's paw down while saying, "Now is not the time for that."

Mary takes her golf club out of her bag and holds it high while speaking in a commanding voice, "Follow me, folks!"

Mary's words, voice tone, and pose makes her look like a frontline general wielding a sword giving the order to charge. And like a frontline general, she leads the charge, knowing the others will follow her without question.

It's a race against time, and a question of who will show up first.

---

Hopefully this cliffhanger ending satisfies those who were in the mood for a more dramatic story update during the time of this initial December 23, 2023 posting. I was going to make the chapter longer, but decided to half it and post a surprise Holiday season update. I myself am surprised that I chose to do another update—something I haven't done since posting the last four chapters of Predator and Prey at once.

Who exposed Rebecca and Garrett? Who will reach them first? What will happen when their kids arrive? What animals have another vendetta against the hedgies? What has Elroy been doing with his free time? Why has RJ been acting so strange lately? Will Fred the Wood Tick really get longer life by drinking Verne's blood? (LOL for that last one)

The answers to these questions and more will be revealed when you read more of this story!

Until the next chapter, have a great Holiday season and Happy New Year! (at the time of this initial December 23, 2023 posting)