Thalas could tell right away that Mist was really upset when the little treefox came to their meeting place the following morning. His eyes were reddened and he didn't look like he had slept much at all.

He gently ruffled Mist's hair. "What's wrong?"

Mist looked away. "Nothing really..."

Thalas smiled softly. "Now, now, just tell me what's bothering you. No matter how big or small. I'll always support you, you know that."

Mist nodded. "Father said that I'm reaching adulthood. And only one of every three cubs turns into female and can keep this shape."

Thalas slowly ran his tongue over Mist's cheek, a dozen different taste buds instantly analyzing every aspect of the smell and taste. "He's probably right. You do taste a little different."

Mist looked close to tears.

"What's the matter? Are you scared of having to leave your home?"

He shook his head. "Father said he would come get me to live with him if I mature into a male."

"But?"

"But what if I can't see you and talk to you again anymore? Males can't speak in words." Just thinking about not seeing Thalas every day made his chest hurt so, so much. Much more than the thought of only seeing mother and Cloud every five years.

"Come here." Thalas pulled Mist to his arms and lifted him off the ground. "It doesn't matter. Even if you can't speak anymore, I still want to see you." He held the treefox close to his chest and murmured, "I love you so much."

Mist rolled those words around in his head for a while. Then he just nodded. "I love you too."

Suddenly his ears twitched at the faint, familiar growling sound native only to treefoxes. He slowly turned his gaze to the shore. "Father..."

The male treefox's fur was completely ruffled and he stared at Thalas with clear fury in his eyes. "Whoever or whatever you are, get your hands off my cub!"

"But father!" Mist protested. "He's my friend!"

"Silence!"

Mist flinched. Neither mother nor father had ever been angry with him before. Not like this.

Thalas sighed and put Mist down on the riverbank. "I think you'd better have a talk with your father. I'll meet you here tomorrow morning again." He gently petted the treefox's head. "Don't look so down. Everything will work out."

The moment the watersnake disappeared into the river, Mist's father turned and walked away. Mist ran to catch up to him.

"I can't believe you!" the adult hissed. "You even stink of a snake now!"

"I told you, he's my friend!" Mist circled in front of him to force him to stop. "I love him. I want to always stay with him."

"...What about your responsibilities to the pack? To sire or raise cubs? To feed the elderly?"

Mist looked away. "I don't know. I don't want to abandon mother and Cloud either."

"Then cease this childish whim and go home to your mother. Snakes will never be your kin."

"I don't care if he's kin or not! I...I want to stay just like this for him! I'll bring food home every day, I promise! Not just for my own family, but everybody."

His father shook his head. "Foolish cub...What are you going to do if you are male? Obviously you can't stay like that."

"Isn't there any way? There must be! Since you could be like that and come home too!"

His father remained silent for a while, then moved past him. "There is one way...But it means you will never have a place in the pack again."

Mist again hurried to follow. "I can't even visit?"

"No place at all."

Why did he have to make a choice like this? "I...I'm sorry!" he blurted out, coming to abrupt halt. "I love you and mother and Cloud, but I can't stand not being with him!"

The adult also stopped and sighed. "Very well. Follow me. We have a long way to go."