Something is tickling my nose. Scratching the tip, I turn around to go back to sleep. But yet again it comes back. This time I sleepily swipe near the top of my nose and grumble. A young male giggle is heard. In my sleepy state I start to think that it's Casper but then I remember that they're still at that competition. Wait, the three diablitos aren't here, so who's that?! Now wide awake, I jump to my feet and search for that unknown voice. Didn't take long since I soon heard giggles behind me. With a short growl I leap to the other side of the slightly dark room and give a hard look at the perpetrator. My eyes widen at an older Radu. With the shine of his darker purple eyes, he smiles at me. I couldnt help but stare. His black and two white stripe hair is now reaching his mid back, his body appears leaner and the best part is that his tail is furrier.

Beaming, I immediately jump towards him and place my arms around him, well tried to, "I miss you!"

Radu smiles glowingly, tightly hugs back and purrs at his little female. "I miss you too... it felt like forever" he mutters silently.

He then takes in a deep breath of my scent and freezes, "you smell like..." sniff "that bear..." sniff "fish?" he asks quizzically. Sniff sniff, "blood?" Leaning back he takes a look at my cloths and makes me turn around. Behind me, I feel my hair being lifted and hear Radu dangerously ask, "why are your cloths so dirty and why is the back of your top cloth ripped?"

I tilt my head, "it ripped? Hummm, so that's what I heard."

Turning around to face a fuming Radu, he roughly commands with a gentle smile, "explain."

Ignoring his frightening voice, I smile and snuggle into his bushy tail while describing all of what happened yesterday. Throughout the story, Radu would sigh many times and he even flicked my forehead when I told him about bringing flowers to Vick.

"First of all, bear beast eat dandelions, and second it's the males pride to be able to provide their food to their females", he tsks, "not the other way around."

I pout, "but grandpa Liam didn't mention anything about us bear beast eating it." He again, flicks my forehead, "because you didn't ask the right question." Radu then sighs, "Suki, for our family to be stronger you can't blame your woes on others okay?" Seeing my still pouting face, he rubs his face to mine, "I will always protect you but if you were to blame someone stronger than me, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep you safe."

Snuggling into his arms I reluctantly nod my head, and ask him "how you know so much?".

Radu bites his lips and starts pruning my hair, "the tribe where I was born at has the custom of making their cubs leave the den a week after they go through their first phase". I gasp and want to say something but Radu places a finger on my lips, "listen first".

"During that week the cubs have to learn as much as possible from their father because it will help them to survive. Seeing my brothers die because of petty things made me become more aware of this world and of the beastly nature in us." He stops and looks intently at me, "so listen when I recommend something." Smiling gently he then adds, "as a female you have every right not to follow, but it's what saved me from many occasions."

Nodding my head solemnly I open my mouth to reply, "I will listen Radu" while looking at him straight in the eyes, "and will take into consideration your recommendations." He smiles knowingly. As a female, I've learn from observing my mama that I can't let any male override all of my decisions. So this is the best of what I can promise him.

He clears his throat, "for my next advice, it's that as your pet beast, you can freely look at me straight in the eyes." His smile then turns serious, "but as for other males that are not a family member... well that's a form of either provocation." I gasp and think back how I looked at Vick. "Or an attempt of seduction... depending on how you do it" he mutters at the end while scratching his chin. With a flat face I express to him that I don't think an eight-year-old cub has much of a seduction. Radu nods his head, "yes you're much too young for that but to be prepared it'll probably be best to ask your mom or for now the older female cub for that." I bite my lip and agree that Natasha could maybe help me out with understanding that.

"Now" with pale fingers, Radu touches the ripped part of my cloth, "how did this happen?"

I beam, "I think Vick likes me."

"Oh?" he smiles with what I thought as bemused eyes.

"Yeah, after he killed an massive (I flap my hands widely) fish that was behind me, he carried me to the river shore." I laugh gleefully, "so since he carried me, that means he likes me" I say proudly.

Radu with his gentle smile, starts tracing the holes found on the back of my top cloth, "but this look like tooth marks".

I happily dance, "yeah, he carried me by his mouth", I pause and tilt my head "that was a novel experience."

Radu scratches his nose, "um Suki, have you ever seen how male cubs are carried?". He then adds, "those who haven't gone through their first phase?"

I frown, "no, not really."

He sighs, opens his mouth, stops, and tries again with a much more tender smile, "he may, just may (enphasis in may) like you, but not as a female."

Scowling I had to argue, "but single males who aren't family and end up carrying a female means they are interested, no?"

Radu shakes his head, "depends on the situation." He straight forwardly says in a dull tone, "he carried you like a cub." Seeing my reddening cheeks, he continues unmercifully, "that's how a father beast would carry their sometimes unruly male cubs, by the scruff of the back of their neck."

I plop on my back and cry outloud, "nooooooo!!!!!!"