"As I mentioned before, I was quite lucky to have grown up with my family. We found a pack and joined them because they were diverse. The pack was run by a snake hybrid and his pelican mate. She was four months pregnant when we stumbled across them.

We were easily accepted because my mother had birthing knowledge from past experiences and I had a small knowledge about herbal remedies and hunting which would be useful to them.

The pack was harder to be tracked by humans because we were constantly on the move, which is why it came as a shock to me when my parents suddenly disappeared.

There was a rumour going around the pack that they'd been taken by the HSC, but I didn't know if that was true or not because why wouldn't they help them if they'd seen it happen.

I had a theory of my own that I'd never voiced...

The pack was more tribal and religious which was something I'd never come across in any other pack. Anyone from the outside would think that the twenty or so hybrids that made up the whole of the pack were mates because of how close they were to one another emotionally and physically.

I knew that It'd be hard to survive with more numbers in a group and my suspicion was proven. I'd heard my parents one night talking about how there was a lack of resources, including food. Normally, packs like their own would throw out the leaker links and keep the stronger ones in.

Of course being exposed to tribal people, you can start to gather up a picture on your own of what you believe could have happened. Personally, I believe that they'd either been killed and tossed, or used as a food source to keep the group going for a short while. It scared me, the amount of possibilities that was racking my brain during that time.

It didn't take me long until I was becoming detached from the pack. I didn't want to help them or share my knowledge because I didn't know if I could trust them anymore.

One night when they were all settled, I snuck away to begin my trek for a new start...a new life...

The only thing that ever kept me attached to that pack was my parents and now they'd gone, I didn't see anything holding me back.

I'd hunt for food in trees, bushes, rivers...anywhere I could. It was mainly berries that I'd come across or the odd fish swimming around. Being an otter made it easier for me to catch them because I could easily just strip down and dive right in with my shifted form.

I had little hope that I'd find my parents and I kept hold of it. Months eventually faded into days...I lost that all hope eventually and it made me feel so alone just like any other hybrid would feel if they hadn't felt tactile comfort in a long while.

I mean, It is a known fact that every hybrid needs that tactile comfort to feel loved, wanted, safe...

I was giving up on myself. I was giving up on dreams. I was giving up on fighting.

That day that I'd ventured closer to the centre, I'd wanted to be caught just so the HSC could put me out of my misery. I never expected to stumble across Kook and quite literally fall head over heels for him but I'm glad that I did.

If I hadn't stumbled across the shy bun, I would have probably been dead and never met any of the others.

Kook made me realise over the next few weeks that I had something to fight for...love...

He made me realise that he was worth every beat of my heart, every breath I took. I didn't need to give up when I had the best thing in front of me."