Ever had a deja-vu? I'm getting this fuzzy horrid feeling at a place that I've never been before yet it feels so nightmarishly familiar. I mean, I was happy this morning. I was even excited when I heard mama said that I'll be joining grandpa Liam's traditional teachings. Even my brothers were wanting to join us (Radu and I), but were refused by papa Dash. So, why am I feeling so uncomfortable about being here?

Right now I'm sitting on spreadout furs with Natasha and Elena, while on the other side sits Radu with other male cubs of similar age. We are all waiting underneath a huge tent for grandpa Liam. "Hey Natasha" didn't you finish Healer Liam's teachings?" asks Elena to the bored cinnamon hair female. Natasha sighs, "I did, but mother asked me to come again for just this class." Elena stares at her friend who's munching on another piece of fruit, gazes at Suki new age, and slowly blinks her golden eyes in understanding.

On the other side of the room Radu looks annoyed. Though he knows that his little female is sitting with other females, he still doesn't like that the curious male cubs are peeking glances in their direction. Though on the other hand he's delighted that that is all they can do. Fortunately for Radu, these cubs are all too shy to speak in front of so many female cubs. But if by chance they were willing to bother him about his Suki, then he wouldn't mind lifting his tail in a warning gesture.

A gruffy voice is soon heard, "good, thank you Bronco for instructing them to sit apart". Bronco? Oh noo. A red headed male follows behind Healer Liam with a grin. "Can I stay for this class?" asks Bronco. The other brown headed male behind them massages the spot between his eyebrows. The elder who was about to refuse, stops when he see's that the tribes youngest female is present. "Actually, that'a good idea." While Charles looks dumbfounded, Bronco shouts "yes!" with an obvious glee shown in his wagging tail, but before he could pounce to where his beloved Elena is sitting at, grandpa Liam quickly yanks Bronco's hair and makes him face the other side, "but go sit with the males". My heart, I though I was gonna be ran over!

After a disappointed Bronco sat down, Healer Liam began his teachings. "Welcome to the annual Clear Lake Tribe traditional teachings, as instructed by the Unique One." Again? She must be special. "Now, I know some of you, like Natasha" the elder gestures at the now attentive female, "and Bronco" gesturing at an puffed out chest male, "have finished their studies". "But for today's class, my apprentice Charles" gesturing at a slightly nervous male standing besides him, "will be teaching the first class of this season." What's a season? Glancing around I see that the other younger cubs also are looking curious toward this season.

"Ahem", clears a throat. Charles, noticing our curious stares, first began with teaching us about seasons. "Oh, so we're in Spring?" I ask. One of Charles ears twitch, glances at me with a kind smile and respond, "yes and no." "Until all snow vanishes from here on out till stopping at the mountains, we are still in Winter." I nod in understanding. "When most is green and the air feels between cold and fresh, we are in Spring" futher explains the brown headed male. "And around there comes the Fire Mating Ceremony!" yells a standing Bronco while looking bravely at our side. Elena nervously twitches and quickly looks down. "Sit down cub" gruffly commands Liam to the now embarrassed teen. Charles coughs, "no, it's closer between Summer and Fall, but that will be taught another day."Grandpa Liam scratches his chin and mutters "looks like that rude cub still needs some classes." Charles brown eyes widen at the thought of having Bronco in all of his classes and quickly attempts to change the topic.

"Besides the seasons, for today we will be introducing the aging process of our beastmens." "First" glances Charles toward us, "will be the females." Charles then slightly lowers his head to the side at the beige skin color female, "Natasha, could you please stand up and introduce yourself." Natasha nods her head and energetically stands up to her full height, which isn't much when compared to my brothers. Natasha look at the male cubs with a haughty expression, "I'm called Natasha, a half-female, wolf beast, and am 15 years old." Charles then speaks, "Elena, then Suki, can you please follow Natasha's example and step beside each other?". We both nod our head. Elena elegantly gets up first and calmly introduces herself, "I'm called Elena, a whole female, panther beast, and am 12 years old." A tail is heard happily thumping the ground. Ignoring the annoying cub, I get up and nervously do the same, "I'm called Suki, a half-female, bear beast, and am 8 years old." From the other side, Radu gives me a huge smile which makes his purple eyes slightly squint. So cute! Before I could take a step toward him, Charles clears his throat and asks us to sit down.

"When female cubs are born, they will not be born in their furs but instead in their skins. Soon, around their seventh week, they would have a quick growth spurt which follows them into what the Unique One has called toddler." Charles continues, "at around their third to fifth month of age they would go through a dangerous process known as The First Phase." Liam stops his apprentice, "Suki, can you tell us what you felt?" Nodding my head I explained the most confusing and frustrating experience I've ever had. Grandpa Liam then seriously explains to the male cubs, "when a female cub goes through The First Phase her fever needs to be kept down." Charles then steps in with further details of what needs to be done during that phase. He then continues, "after achieving the first phase, the female cub now looks what we called an eight-year old. After each winter, the female will be added a year to her age, such as Elena now having lived through four winters."

Glancing at Natasha, Charles slightly blushes, "when a female is around 16 to 18 years old she would go through her Second Phase." Oh no, why does this lesson feel familiar. "When a female has #$!% going down through #$%^^, it's what we called estrus." Natasha, knowing why this is her last time being in this class, deeply blushes at the many looks the male cubs are giving her. Most look astonished with their wide eyes. "Will they, will they, die" whimpers a blond headed male cub. Charles quickly responds while Liam tries not to laugh, "no, this is a joyful phase! It means.." Before Charles could finish, Bronco howls, "that they're available to mate!" Elena covers her fiery red face with her hands, my mouth is left wide open, and Natasha is rapidly slinging a couple of hard fruits at his head.

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Author's Note:

I'm updating today, on a Sunday, because tomorrow I've got a dentist appointment. Though, I'll try to see if I can get a chapter up Monday.

Also, ever had a nightmare about school or Uni? You know, the one where you were in a class, in the hallways, or looking at buses, couldn't find a way out and you're thinking to yourself, "why am I back here!" ಠ~ಠ