A Skunk's Life

[Lance]

Part 1

   Beams of sun shone gently through the gaps in the blinds, and bathed the room in a soft, warm light. Peeking out from under a thick duvet, green, sparkling eyes regarded the children's books in the bookcase, and then scanned the plushies lined in a row on top.
   Feeling fuzzy and toasty curled up under the blankets; the little skunk enjoyed dozing this early in the morning.
   But then the door to his room swung open.
   "Lancie, Lancie!" cried his older sister Marie, "It's Christmas, wake up! Get up, it's Christmas!" the older sister jumped onto his bed and started shaking him vigorously, yelling excitedly all the while. This would be the younger skunk's fourth Christmas, but the first one he would remember in his later years.
   Lance jumped to his knees squealing in delight, though he was too young to really know what Christmas really was, he was infected by his sister's excitement. Jumping together on his bed giggling and yelling with glee, the two siblings unwittingly let their parents, who were preparing breakfast in the kitchen, know that they were up—and coming!
   Sprinting out of the room, the two skunks made their way down the hall to the staircase. Marie slowed them down and took little Lance by the hand, and guided him down the long stairs. Once they arrived at the bottom, they skipped into the kitchen and greeted their parents.
   The boy skunk ran to his mother who scooped him up in a big hug. "Merry Christmas, my little boy!" she said cheerily.
   "And a Happy New Year," the father added with a wink to his wife.
   Kerry and her two kits found their places at the table while John served the traditional Christmas breakfast: bacon and eggs.
   Overwhelmed with their excitement, the younger skunks found it difficult to eat the food, but they forced down as much as they could. When the parents accepted that their children had eaten enough, they cleared the table while Lance and Marie sat in children's chairs in front of the closed door in the foyer leading to the living room.
   Their limited patience nearing an end, the kits passed the time by fantasizing between each other what could lie on the other side of the door. Looking around the room from his seat, Lance inspected, wide-eyed, the pieces of art that hung on the wall. His parents always found it amusing how he would just stare at the paintings.
   Finally the moment came, and John and Kerry came into the foyer laughing. The kits jumped to their feet squealing with unquenchable excitement, bouncing up and down on their feet.
   John put his hand on the door handle and grinned at his children then swung the door open. "In you go!" he exclaimed laughing.
   The giggling kits ran inside but stopped short when they saw the magnificent spectacle. Just ahead of them, next to the fireplace, stood the large Christmas tree that they had seen up for the last few weeks, but it looked grander than they had ever seen it. It seemed to have grown overnight and the lights on it shone ever brighter.
   And under the tree!
   The entirety of the pine's underside was stuffed full and beyond with presents. Unable to fit them all under the tree, they were piled high on either side, and in front, of the wondrous tree.
   There were green and red ribbons, twisted together, arching from the ceiling, holly decorations on the walls, and a warm fire burning in the fire place.
   A sense of wonder and magic came over the startled kits, and they walked forward, mesmerized by the aura of the moment.
   Standing in the doorway, the proud parents viewed the spectacle from their children's perspective. They smiled at each other then made their way to the large couch.
   Marie turned to face them, a bewildered look on her young face. "Where do we start?" she asked.
   Her mother laughed and replied, "You two should start by opening your stockings."
   Giggling, the kits got their stockings down from the fireplace, Lance using a small stool to reach his. They placed them on the floor and looked to their mother and father, and with an approving nod from John, they started removing the items from the stuffed socks. Cries of shock and amazement were uttered with every piece unearthed from the material treasure boxes.
   While Lance and his sister were busy examining their goods, John pulled out a small gift from behind a cushion and gave it to his wife, kissing her warmly, and Kerry smiled her thanks to her husband.
   After Mrs. Durand had inspected her gift, and the kits had re-stuffed their stockings, John ushered the little skunks over to the smaller sofa and began digging around in the mountain of presents. He held up two of the presents to his wife and she nodded her accord, then he walked over and handed a present each to the giggling skunks.
   Marie tore into her present savagely and produced a new doll which she bounced up and down happily and thanked the parents in a high-pitched, excitable voice.
   The boy skunk got his gift unwrapped and stared into the eyes of a plushie wolf. He immediately hugged it and closed his eyes affectionately, drawing an "awww" in unison from his family.
   And so it went, the parents handing out presents to their beloved children, and exchanging gifts between themselves, until the pile dwindled down to two last gifts.
   John handed the final gift for his daughter to her and she opened it without a pause. She regarded the gift with a squeal of delight and threw a hug around her father, thanking her parents.
   Wanting Kerry to give the final gift, the father skunk handed the wrapped parcel to his wife. She approached her son, who was smiling innocently up at her, and gave him the present. The mother hugged her son and told him, "I don't know how you will like this gift, but we'll see if a mother's instinct holds true!"
   Unsure of what his mother meant, but understanding the sincerity in her tone of voice, he reverently unwrapped the gift while his family patiently looked on.
   Lance folded back the last piece of wrapping paper and eyed the gift curiously.
   A sketch pad and a few pencils, one already sharpened.
   The little skunk reached out with a shaking paw and picked up the pencil with his left hand, and when his fingers closed around the shaft the nervous twitter stopped. It felt right. He opened up the sketch pad with a smile, and when he dragged the pencil across the paper and drew his first line his heart beat faster.
   He had found his love.
   

[Lance]

Part 2

Young Lance sat curled against a green cushion on the sofa and nibbled on candy from his stocking while he regarded his sister playing with her new dolls. Nestled comfortably between his knees and chest was his plush wolf toy, which he intermittently kissed atop its soft head.

Marie looked up from her game, towards her brother, and beckoned him over. "Come play with me, Lancie!" she asked as much as stated. Lance climbed down from the sofa and cradled his wolf in his arms and started over to where his sister lay on the floor. The boy skunk didn't quite make it to his sister when a knock was heard from the front door.

Instinctively and excitably Lance ran over to his step-stool and carried it out of the living room and placed it by the front door in the foyer. The skunk stood on his step and slowly opened the door. Standing before him was an elderly German shepherd man who wore clothing that looked strange to the inexperienced boy, mostly the grey flat-cap upon the dog's brow.

The gentleman bent towards Lance slightly, and the skunk's large, emerald eyes examined the man's face. Certainly he was old, much older than his own parents, Lance knew, and though he believed he had never seen this canine before, the man looked somewhat familiar. He had a very kind face and smiled down at the boy skunk.

"Well hello there, little lad!" the elderly dog greeted with a Scottish accent, which Lance had never before heard, "A very Merry Christmas to you!"

The man's voice was very calm and kind, which complimented his gentle appearance and his accent thrilled the boy skunk. Lance's wide smile reached his ears and he had an immediate liking of this person.

Lifting his soft toy towards the Scottish dog, the boy skunk exclaimed with a cherry voice, "Wuf!"

"Aye, a wolf it is, Laddie," the old canine said, laughing aloud, "a big, strong one! Ye keep him close, lad, and he'll protect you he will."

Not needing any prompting with this particular possession, Lance brought the wolf in close for a tight hug, smiling all the while.

Beaming kindly at the affectionate skunk kit, the man said, "Me names Duncan. Duncan Forbes. I'm your next-door neighbor."

"Hiya, Mister Forbes!" Lance enthusiastically greeted. Just then missus Durand walked into the room from the living room and smiled at the situation.

"Top of the day to you, Kerry," Duncan greeted the child's mother, "Your boy has very good manners!" He winked down at Lance who hid half his face behind the toy wolf and giggled shyly.

"Good morning, Duncan," Kerry replied as she bent to pick up Lance, "Merry Christmas!"

"Aye, to you as well," the Scotsman replied, "and what a grand day it is!" The Scotsman lifted his hands up to accentuate his claim, which was clearly correct as behind him could be seen a beautiful morning. A fresh blanket of snow covered the lawn and rested on the tall trees, upon which the sun glittered and sparkled. Small birds danced from twig to twig seeking morsels, and a squirrel adventured through the snow.

Mister Forbes bent to his side and lifted a gift basket, which was large by anyone's standards. Lance's eyes went wide in amazement. Being the diminutive young skunk that he was, the basket seemed enormous.

"For the family Durand!" Duncan exclaimed with a laugh and handed the basket to Kerry.

Missus Durand thanked the shepherd dog and invited him inside. Duncan entered and took his jacket off, hanging it on the coat rack, and conversed with Lance's mother. Kerry placed the boy skunk on the floor and led Duncan into the living room, and Lance followed in behind.

When Marie saw the triage enter the living room she sprung up and rushed over to hug the neighbor. "Hi, Mister Forbes!" she said with excitement, "Merry Christmas!"

Laughing and hugging the girl skunk back he responded gaily, "Merry Christmas, Marie! I trust you and your brother got lots of presents from Santa Claus?"

Marie nodded feverishly and bounded over to her pile of newly acquired toys and clothes to show Duncan. After a few moments of speaking with her, Mister Forbes followed Kerry into the adjoining room where John Durand sat on a reclining chair reading. John greeted Duncan and the three adults began talking and laughing, but Lance stayed in the living room and joined in his sister's game.

Some time later, Marie expressed her desire to play outside in the snow with Lance, so she got up and began walking around the house seeking her parents. The boy skunk followed closely on her heels. "Mom!" she called, "Can we go play in the snow?"

The children entered the foyer and their mother appeared at the top of the stairs. "Yes, but be sure to dress up warmly and make sure Lance does as well," Kerry told her daughter, "and I'm trusting you to keep both eyes on him at all times. We'll be out in a few minutes."

Marie clapped happily and took Lance by the hand to lead him upstairs so they could get into winter clothes.

"Oh, and be sure to stay out from under any trees," their mother added, "there's a lot of snow on the boughs and you don't want that much to fall on you." With that Kerry went back to John and Duncan.

The skunk children got prepared for their outdoor adventure, Marie ensuring that Lance was well geared up. She could not help but giggle at her brother, as he was wearing a puffy, orange jacket that made him look like a little orange with a large tail. They headed downstairs then out into the cold.

The day was sunny outside, but the temperature was still cold enough that the snow hadn't started to melt; perfect conditions for a winter's day excursion.

Lance's sister started skipping through the snow while the boy skunk took tentative steps through the white covering for the first time. He was amazed and delighted! His heart was beating quickly and his lips turned upwards in a great smile. Never before had he experienced such an event—at least, that he could remember.

Picking up a handful of snow, the joyful skunk compacted the substance and watched fascinated as fell in clumps to the ground. Saving a small clump, he lifted it to his face and tasted the ice. It was crunchy, yet melted fast in his mouth. He smiled.

Lance's sister bounded over and began showing her younger brother that you could clump the snow together and build things with it such as snowballs and snowmen. They were working on the latter when the three adults exited the house, talking lightheartedly about things that did not interest the younger skunks in the least.

A car came down the driveway, and all faces regarded it as it pulled up in front of the house. Two elderly skunks stepped out and Lance's parents walked up to them to embrace them and exchange joyful words of greeting.

Kneeling in the snow, the boy skunk watched the scene quizzically. He had not seen these people before, but the way his parents reacted to them and the fact that they were skunks, told Lance's subconscious that they were family.

The elderly skunks noticed the two kits and started over to them. Seeing their approach, Marie bounded over and hugged them in turn. Then the grandparents walked over to Lance and he blinked up at them shyly.

"Oh John, he is adorable!" the elderly woman exclaimed happily, "Hello, Lance. I'm your grandmother; your dad's mother. I haven't seen you since you were a baby." She was smiling widely, and apparently waiting for a response.

The boy skunk was bashfully speechless.

"Go on," prompted Lance's father with a grin, "give Grandma a hug."

Grandmother Durand opened her arms wide to accept the child, and Lance stepped forward to be crushed in her deceptively strong arms. When the hug ended, the boy looked to the side to regard his grandfather, who stood proudly, smiling down at his grandson. Family had always been important to the Durand men, and Lance's grandfather was very pleased to see his grandson.

"Come here, boy," the old skunk beckoned to Lance. The boy stepped in front of the man, who knelt and placed a hand on his grandson's shoulder. Lance glanced at the large paw then back to his grandfather.

"You have bright, inquisitive eyes," the old skunk told the boy, "and you are a Durand." The grandfather smiled at his grandson and squeezed the boy's shoulder gently, "I have a feeling you're going to grow up to be an excellent man someday." The old man looked over to his right and smiled proudly at John, silently congratulating him on having a fine son. John smiled back at his father, honored and humbled by the words spoken and not spoken.

The grandfather hugged Lance and stood up. He took his grandson by the hand and led him inside with the rest of the family.

While Kerry and her mother-in-law prepared Christmas dinner in the kitchen, the rest of the family spent their time talking and laughing in the living room. The three men—John, John's father, and Duncan—sat on the sofas and conversed while the two skunk kits ran about playing games and examining their many gifts.

A short time later, Lance was lying on the floor in front of the fireplace drawing a picture of a wolf in the snow. His own plushie wolf sat beside him, not doubt inspiring his work.

The skunk suddenly had the urge to visit the women who were cooking, so he put down his pencil and took up his wolf and headed out of the living room and into the kitchen. Lance's mother noticed him and said, "You are just in time. I'm about to check the turkey."

Lance walked over to the oven and Kerry opened it and uncovered the bird, revealing the roasting turkey. The boy skunk licked his lips as the delicious fragrance of the meat rolled over him and he smiled up at his mother. "It looks yummy!" he exclaimed, "Can I please have a leg?"

Kerry laughed softly as she basted the turkey, and replied, "Of course you can; anything for my little boy!" The mother skunk then closed the oven and started showing Lance, who seemed very interested in how everything was being made, all the other parts of the meal. The boy skunk's intrigued mind soaked up everything like a sponge.

Back in the living room, John was joking with his father, speaking of glorious memories—vacations they had done, practical jokes, and inside jokes. Clearly the two had a strong and wonderful relationship. They spoke as best friends would speak, and often clapped each other on the shoulder, howling with laughter at a particular memory.

Not much time later, Kerry called all present to dinner. She had created a masterpiece of a meal. There was more than enough good to go around, with enough left over for seconds and for meals the next few days.

Everyone was seated at their place at the table and then they all used their crackers, laughing about the odd prizes within and putting on their paper hats. The adults served themselves and Kerry dished out food to the skunk kits, and then everyone began to feast.

While the adults ate their food, sipped their wine and talked amongst themselves, Lance and Marie chatted and giggled while they nibbled their way through their meal. The boy skunk paused during the meal and looked around the table at those he dined with. Everyone was happy, the house was warm and the food was delicious. He felt lively and warm inside, being surrounded by people who loved him in an atmosphere of great merriment.

After the dinner they indulged in a dessert of ice cream, apple pie, and fruit cake, as well as numerous other small finger snacks. When that meal was completed, the grandparents and Duncan made their way into the living room and John began the arduous task of moving his children's gifts into their respective rooms, and Marie helped him after aiding her mother clear the table.

With the dishes moved to the countertop, Kerry took Lance upstairs for his bath. There was much laughing and splashing as she bathed him. The young boy skunk loved bath time, and he made sure his mother had a hard time washing him.

All clean and dry, Lance's mother dressed him in his pajamas and tucked him into bed. As he felt the snugness of the blankets tighten against himself, he smiled contentedly and rolled over to his side, his black-and-white face gently resting on his pillow, his eyes delicately closed.

His mother leaned forward and kissed his forehead tenderly. "Goodnight, Lance," she said softly with love.

"Goodnight, Mommy," the sleepy boy skunk whispered.

Kerry left the room and paused at the doorway to smile at the sight of her sleeping son then closed the door quietly.

[Lance]

Part 3

The comforting image of his room filled his large, green eyes when Lance awoke. His emerald orbs inquisitively scanned the area directly in front of him, as they often did when he first entered the waking world each morning.

As the reality of consciousness grew inside him, excitement bubbled up within the skunk, for he knew his birthday was approaching, as well as the birth of spring. The month was late February, and the weather was surprisingly warm. A dog could be heard barking in the distance, and birds chirped happily as they feasted on the insects disturbed by Lance's mother gardening outside.

Lance cuddled his wolf plushie, which he rarely spent any time apart from, and pulled himself into a sitting position. He smiled as he looked around his room, his mind pondering what amazing fun activities he would do this day.

His eyes falling on his action figures, in a crate near the foot of his bed, the boy skunk's imaginative mind mused what games he would like to play. He could see grand adventures in wondrous places, and those thoughts ultimately led his gaze over to his desk to his right, where his papers and pencils lay. His fingers subconsciously started rubbing themselves in anticipation of drawing.

Lance crawled out from under his very comfortable and warm blankets and hopped down off his bed, then headed out into the hallway aiming for the bathroom, his big fluffy tail swaying behind him. He could hear the television downstairs, some sort of soap opera was currently playing, and he knew his mother would want to watch such a show with him today. It had become routine for Lance to share in his mother's activities: cooking, gardening and watching daytime TV shows.

Finished with his business in the washroom, the boy skunk checked his sister's room, but of course, she was not home. Marie was at school, a place similar to the kindergarten that Lance had spent some time at, his mother had told him. He stood for a moment, in thought, looking into his sister's bedroom, imagining what life at school could possibly be like.

After his contemplation, Lance descended the stairs and entered the kitchen through the right-hand door of the foyer at the bottom of the staircase, and took for himself a banana from the table. Just as he had finished eating the fruit, his mother entered the house wearing her gardening clothes and smiled seeing her son up and about.

"Mommy!" Lance cried joyfully and ran over to hug Kerry, who knelt down and took the skunk kit into her arms.

"Good morning, Lance," his mother greeted as she hugged her son, "did you have a good sleep?"

Lance stepped back to smile at his mother, his face full of bouncy cheer. "Yes Mom, I did!" he said enthusiastically, and he regarded the clothes Kerry was wearing, "Can we garden again today?"

The mother skunk smiled with great sincerity. She adored her son's interest in the activities she enjoyed to do. "I've been gardening for most of the morning," she told her excitable son, "but there is still a lot to do and I have something special to teach you today."

Lance squealed with glee and Kerry sprung upon him and started to tickle the boy skunk, who fell to the ground laughing and crying out with elation. He rolled onto his back and waved his feet and hands in the air to futilely ward off his mother's seeking hands.

"First we need to get you into some clothes, silly skunkling," his mother laughed, continuing to tickle Lance. 

Thinking himself clever, Lance brought his furry tail in front of himself to aid in shielding himself from the tickles, but his mother merely scooped him up into her arms and started climbing the stairs. The boy skunk giggled the entire way to his bedroom, his eyes filled with mirthful tears.

Having finally dressed her son, as he stubbornly refuted her demand for him to wear underpants, Kerry headed downstairs to grab a quick bite to eat. She pondered the boy skunk's objection to wearing underwear, as it seemed to be a growing trend for him to complain about wearing them. She shrugged it off as merely a phase that he is going through.

Lance stood triumphantly above the discarded briefs lying unceremoniously on the floor. He had successfully undressed to rid himself of the annoying garment and managed to properly get the rest of his clothes back on. The skunk picked up the underwear and replaced it in his drawers, then headed downstairs to join his mother in the kitchen.

After Kerry had finished her brunch, and allowing Lance to have a sip of her tea, the pair left the house and entered the large backyard garden. There were several garden beds, with paths and enclaves throughout, and large white crisscrossed, wooden fences and archways with ivy flowing down their sides. Statues, fountains, and other décor were placed all around the gardens.

The mother skunk lead Lance to where she had placed her newly acquired plants, and motioned to her son to pick up a couple of them. "These are all edible plants," she told her son, and he regarded them with great interest, "so we'll be planting these in the garden with all the other vegetables. You can find some of these in the wild if you know where to look."

The skunks arrived at the specific garden and put down their loads. Kerry knelt down beside the plants that Lance was carrying and broke off one of the leaves and handed it to him. "These are jioli plants," she told him, "which are similar to lettuce but taste much better."

Lance looked from the leaf to his mother, who curtly nodded, and he bit a piece off the leaf. His eyes went wide as his teeth penetrated the crunchy exterior of the leaf and his mouth was filled with the sweet and refreshing liquid from inside. The four year old smiled widely at his mother then devoured the rest of the jioli leaf with relish.

"I told you they were good," Kerry said with a smile, and Lance giggled with her. "Another time I will teach you how to find these, and all the other new plants I have, in the wild," she told him, "that makes picnics much more interesting! Now let's take a look at these plants here..."

The mother skunk taught her son the names of all the other plants she had bought, and let him taste the ones that could be eaten raw and gave tips on how to cook and prepare the others.

Lance then aided his mother in planting all of the new plants then they did some other tasks around the garden. All the while Lance laughed with his mother and his mind absorbed everything that she taught.

After the skunks had a late lunch, they watched one of their favorite television shows together and then Lance went to his room to play games and draw. In one of his games his action figures were approached by an imaginary, large silver wolf that was magical and wonderful. Lance was inspired by this creature, and so he had decided to draw it with his crayons.

The boy started over to his bed to retrieve his wolf plushie so he could better draw his magical wolf when he felt a discomfort in his abdomen. He frowned and rubbed his tummy, then got his wolf from the bed and went back to his drawing.

The discomfort grew and it began to feel tight. Lance, figuring he needed to use the bathroom, grumbled to himself as he left his room, but then cried out as a sharp pain raked through his abdomen. He heard his mother's questioning call from downstairs, and before he could answer another shot of pain rolled through his tummy. Yelping again, the skunk fell to his knees and clutched his stomach.

His mother appeared at the top of the stairs with a worried look on her face as she noticed Lance's keeling posture on the floor. The boy skunk was completely confused and scared. "My tummy hurts," was all he could offer for an explanation, and he burst into tears.

Kerry was at his side in an instant, and she instinctively knew this was no ordinary stomach ache. She helped him to his feet, and he cried out at every movement, so she picked him up and, cradling him in her arms, she carried the boy to his bed and placed him within.

"I'm going to call the doctor," Kerry explained to her son, trying to sound calm and soothing, "I'll only be gone a minute then I'll be back, okay?"

Lanced mumbled out a reply and his mother left the room in haste. The boy skunk lay curled in his bed with his hands on his stomach. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks and he sobbed. Lance had never felt this kind of pain before and he was terrified as any child with an unknown illness would be.

The pain felt like someone was twisting his insides, and it was both a dull and sharp pain that was steadily growing stronger. Lance began to feel slightly nauseous, and that feeling too, began to increase.

As promised, Kerry returned and sat down on the bed beside him. She felt his forehead then leaned forward to kiss where her hand had been. "Doctor Wilson will be here shortly, honey," the worried mother assured, running her hand down Lance's face, "you will be alright."

After a long thirteen minutes that felt more like an hour, the doctor arrived and Kerry promptly lead him upstairs to Lance's room. The doctor knelt down before the skunk child, who looked up at him through watery eyes. Doctor Wilson was a lion, with a large flowing mane, but had very kind eyes behind small spectacles, which regarded Lance with great compassion.

"Hello Lance, my name is Doctor Fred Wilson," the lion told the boy, with a deep, but friendly, voice, "I'm here to make you feel better again. Please, tell me where it hurts and how it feels."

Lance took a deep breath, which made him wince at the pain, and told the doctor the area where the pain was worst, and tried to describe the throbbing ache.

"I need to examine your tummy area," Doctor Wilson told Lance, and the boy's mother came over and helped Lance remove his shirt. Kerry watched on, worried to her core, while the doctor examined her son. Her heart cried out every time Lance cried out in pain from a touch from the doctor to his abdomen.

The lion smiled warmly at Lance and lifted a sheet over the skunk, then turned to speak with the mother skunk. "From what you told me over the phone, and what I have discovered from examining him," Doctor Wilson explained, "it appears Lance has a case of intestinal colic; a buildup of gases within his intestines that is having trouble passing."

The doctor continued, noticing the mother's worried look. "This isn't too serious," he told her, "with some medication he should come right within a couple of days."

Fred wrote a prescription for the appropriate medication and explained how much and how often to give it to Lance. "Light exercise is also a good idea," the lion advised Kerry, "have him walk around as much as he is able, and that will help ease the pain."

The mother skunk thanked and said farewell to the doctor, and after he left she aided Lance into her car. The young skunk was clearly in much pain, but he was not crying anymore at which Kerry smiled. He was being very brave, she knew.

The skunks picked up the correct medication from the pharmacy and arrived back home. Lance's mother gave him the correct dosage of the syrup, and allowed him to rest in his bed for awhile. For the remainder of the afternoon, Kerry got Lance up to walk around as advised by the doctor.

The medication lessened the pain greatly; however the boy skunk still had to deal with nausea and weakness. Mercifully, Lance fell asleep in the late afternoon, just after a visit from Marie who had arrived home from school.

The boy skunk awoke in the early evening, and felt groggy and confused. His mother, finding him awake, got him to eat some soup, which he was able to get down little. Kerry helped Lance go to the bathroom, and had him walk around just for a short while before helping him back into bed. She came to him many times during the evening, most of the time finding him asleep. Other times she read to him or held him in her arms, singing to him softly. Marie also paid her brother some visits.

"You have to get better soon Lancie," Marie implored the boy skunk, "I have thought of a most interesting game for us to play!" Despite feeling very ill and tired, Lance could not resist a questioning smile. "You know how we have several games with different toys," she began explaining, "Well we could create one large game including them all! Have all the games set up around the room and we could go from game to game playing them."

Lance smiled and giggled softly at the idea. It really appealed to him, and felt determined to get better so they could try this grand concept. With that pleasant thought in his mind, he fell into a comforted sleep.

The night passed uneventful, and as the lion doctor promised, Lance recovered from his illness in less than three days. Soon the boy skunk was back to being his excitable self, and could once again look forward to his birthday with earnest. The boy skunk didn't actually know the date of his birthday, but his mother's teasing promise of "soon" kept him delightedly energetic. 

   

[Lance]

Part 4

It was mid summer of Lance's fifth year and the family Durand was up and about early on a Friday morning. The kids and the mother skunk moved duffel bags of clothing and additional supplies to the front door while the father loaded them into the car, and the grandparents carefully placed food items into their own vehicle. When everything was loaded, Lance and Marie climbed into the car while John and Kerry ensured nothing was forgotten and locked the house. The boy skunk could barely sit still from excitement.

They were going camping!

As the boy skunk's father drove them through the city streets and eventually countryside, Lance watched the world as it passed by his door window. He really hadn't gone on many holidays, and he regarded everything with utmost fascination. Lance was on the threshold of the wide world, and he was ready to greet it with a wide smile.

The two skunk kits played traditional car games, passed down from their parents, and invented ones of their own to pass the time. Giggling as they did so, the brother and sister peered over the backseat and waved at their grandparents who followed behind their car.

Kerry pointed to a large mountain that grew in the distance and told her children that they were going to be camping at the base. The parents had stayed there once before, and knew the perfect spot to take the whole family.

Some time later, the family drove into the forest park where the campsite was located, and Lance saw the sign that was at the entrance to the national park. There was a comical picture of a moose with large eyes on the sign which the boy skunk made a mental note to draw once they got to the campsite. There were a few other signs that Lance saw next to the main one: fire hazard level and wild animal warning signs being the most interesting.

After a long drive, too long for excited skunk kits, down the main dirt road and several side roads they arrived at the site which their parents had stayed at before. The children ran about the area, within sight of their protective mother, while John and his father put up the tents and made the campsite comfortable.

The campsite was located in a clearing of the forest next to a fairly large river and directly at the base of the mountain they had seen earlier. Three tents had been set up, hammocks strung, tables and chairs placed and firewood stacked by the fire pit.

The family gathered at the table for lunch, which consisted of fruit and bacon and cheese savory scones that Lance and his mother had made the previous day. John and Kerry told the group of their own camping experience at this location, and explained all the activities that they have planned for this camping vacation.

Lance listened on with excitement beating in his young heart. From an early age he found that he had great love for nature and wild animals, and he couldn't think of anything better than to be spending a weekend in a forest!

While the boy skunk nibbled his scone and sipped orange juice from a cup his mind fantasized about hiking all over the mountain and befriending animals. He could imagine living in a cave that looked out over the river valley with several animal companions to keep him company.

Being distracted by his own imagination, Lance was the last to finish his meal, which his parents urged him to finish quickly because they wanted to go for a hike. The boy skunk entered the tent he shared with his sister and hugged his wolf plushie before leaving the campsite with everyone else. His parents said it wasn't a good idea to bring the wolf with him on treks.

The hike started alongside the river and they travelled north beside it. They had only been walking for half an hour and already they had seen a red-tailed hawk, a moose and several snakes. When they sat down for a break Lance had wished he brought his drawing pad and pencil with him on the hike so that he could sketch the creatures he had seen.

The boy skunk waded in the river with the water up to his knees. He could see the rocky bottom of the river and there were multitudes of small fish swimming around avoiding his black, furry legs. With the midday sun heating his back, Lance had a strong desire to dive into the river, but his parents called him back to continue the hike. More than a little disappointed, the young skunk cast a forlorn glance at the river with its small fish as he walked back to where his parents were.

The family hiked for awhile longer then headed back to camp, where they started a game of badminton. Lance excused himself after a few minutes and took his drawing supplies from his tent to the table where he drew the animals that he had seen. With sudden inspiration, he drew a picture of himself living in the cave he had imagined with numerous animals. He smiled wide as he regarded the finished drawing.

Lance spent the rest of the day playing games with his sister, reading in his tent, and drawing more pictures. He enjoyed the first camping meal he had ever had cooked over a fire, and everyone took turns telling stories around the campfire when it got dark.

To Lance's dismay, he and Marie were sent to bed and the adults stayed up longer around the campfire. The two children were not tired at all, and were far too excited to sleep.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Lance asked Marie as he reclined in his sleeping bag with his wolf hugged close.

"Dad said at lunch that we're going to go out on the boat," she told her brother, "and we're going to do some fishing."

Marie mistook Lance's frown and said, "Don't tell them I told you, but they bought you your own fishing rod, so you won't have to try and use a large one. Try and act surprised!"

Lance smiled for his sister's benefit and promised to not tell his parents, but he wasn't sure he liked the idea of fishing. The image of the little fish in the river swimming around his feet came to mind, and he didn't want to catch them, only watch them.

Changing the subject, Lance brought out the drawing of the cave and his animal friends to show Marie. "That's so neat!" she exclaimed with a smile, "you can draw animals better than me and I'm three years older than you."

A mischievous grin came to Marie's face and Lance regarded her quizzically. "Can you draw Mom and Dad?" she asked with a sly grin, and the boy skunk understood immediately.

"Yep!" he answered and grabbed a fresh piece of paper and pencil and started drawing exaggerated caricatures of their parents and grandparents. They both snickered at the first picture, and Marie told Lance to draw their father as a clown. He did so, and they laughed again. With every new idea and picture drawn their laughs got louder, until they unwittingly drew attention from one of the parents.

Hearing the approaching footsteps of someone, the children dove into their sleeping bags, making a poor attempt at pretending to be asleep as they tried futilely to hold back laughter.

"Are you naughty kids still awake?" spoke the mock-angry voice of their father, and he was answered with muffled giggles and shushes to each other. "Have your fun," offered John, "but get some sleep soon. You'll need your energy for tomorrow's activities." The father skunk left the tent and went back to the fire and other adults.

Several minutes of silence passed within the tent.

"Hey Marie," whispered Lance, "There's a trail that goes up the mountain. I'm gonna ask Mom and Dad if I can go up there tomorrow."

"I don't know if they'll let you," Marie responded. "They already have lots planned for us, and we already went for a long hike today."

Lance didn't like that answer. He really wanted to explore that path to see where it went. He dared to hope that it lead to a cave, like in his drawing, further up the mountain. He would still ask his parents tomorrow, he decided.

The boy skunk rolled away from his sister and faced the side of the tent. He hugged his wolf close and began fantasizing about all the nocturnal animals that were likely roaming around on the mountain. Maybe there are wolves! he thought with great excitement. He could imagine running around on the mountainside with a pack of wolves. The thought was a pleasant one.

The next morning the skunk children were woken up by their mother and greeted to the smell of breakfast cooking. They got dressed and joined the rest of the family to eat their fill.

After breakfast Lance approached his parents with the idea of exploring the path to which they declined, just as Marie had guessed they might. The disheartened boy fought back tears at the loss of discovering if there really was a cave up the trail, and followed his parents and grandparents to the river where they were going to begin their boating and fishing adventure.

Throughout the activities the family did that morning and afternoon, Lance couldn't get the thought of the trail out of his mind. And when the family was back at the campsite, the boy skunk would often glance at the trial, longingly, and dream about where it could lead him. His grandfather noticed Lance's desire one time the boy skunk looked at the trial and felt compassion towards him.

The Durand family enjoyed another meal over the campfire and they sung songs and played board games after the meal. Everyone enjoyed their time, and when the hour drew late they all retired to their tents. There were still a couple of activities to do the next day before they headed home.

As Lance lay curled in his sleeping bag, with his wolf tucked under his arm, he thought once again about the trail. His thoughts continued into his sleep, and he enjoyed dreams the entire night of animals and the wilderness.

[Lance]

Part 5a

Lance and his mother drove down the long driveway, bordered by large trees, to the house that the male skunk had spent all of his sixteen years of life. The sight of his home brought a smile to his face, and he realized with surprise that he had never drawn this house before. His heart skipped a beat as he made a mental note to start that project as soon as possible.

The car pulled up into the carport, and Lance stepped out of the car, thanking his mother for the ride home from school. "Are you going to help with dinner tonight?" Kerry asked, removing her handbag from the car and closing the door. "We'll be having shepherd's pie."

"Of course, Mom," Lance replied with a smile. "I'll be down in a bit to help you." The teenaged skunk slung his backpack over one shoulder and made his way into the house and upstairs to his room. He placed his bag on his desk chair to his left and fell onto his bed, snuggling into the comfortable sheets and pillow.

Lance rolled over on to his back and stared at the ceiling, contemplating about summer which was only about a month away. He couldn't wait for the summer. The season always brought his spirits up and he could get out and do more activities outside, and his family would be going on their annual camping trip. He only wished he had more friends to spend his time with.

Friends, he thought with a sigh. That was something he could never seem to get right. Ever since Lance turned thirteen and went through puberty he had developed feelings which confused him and ultimately destroyed most friendships that he tried to forge.

Lance remembered painfully the first friend he had ever lost due to his unwanted feelings. Daniel McCaine, a tiger he had known since he was five. The tiger boy was sleeping over at Lance's house one night, and they were having a great time as they always did, when the skunk, enticed by being physically close to Daniel, acted spontaneously on his feelings and kissed his friend.

Naturally Lance's friend was horrified, and no matter what the skunk said or how he tried to explain his actions, their friendship of eight years ended. Similar situations happened with two other of his friends, and another with a female friend. She had strong feelings for Lance, and regardless how much he tried, he could not give her the feelings that she wanted.

With every friendship that he lost, the skunk's soul was sorely pained, and ever did he deny his feelings to himself. He really only had one good friend, and that was Rachel Moore. Lance had known her since he was fourteen, and she was always there for him when he needed it, even though sometimes he did not know how to ask.

A smile came to the skunk's face as he thought about Rachel. He knew he was very lucky to have a friend like her. His smile faded a little when he considered her new relationship. She had found herself a boyfriend, and so Lance had seen much less of her, but he was glad for her that she had found happiness. 

The sound of a car coming down the driveway distracted Lance's thoughts. The driver of the vehicle was his father, he knew.

His father.

The skunk sighed again when he thought about his relationship with his dad, as it was barely enough to be called a relationship. He remembered his first Christmas, and how his father used to be joyful, loving and lots of fun, but all that had changed. Over the years his father grew more distant and more dejected. Lance couldn't be sure, but he got the feeling from his father that he blamed his son for something that the boy skunk could not remember.

He also feared that his father could sense Lance's internal struggles with his feelings. Lance never told anyone, especially not his family, the true reason he had lost most of his friends, or about the feelings that he denied.

But it was true that the skunk was not the most masculine young man out there. He was closer, and his soul more alike, to his mother, and Lance supposed that his father begrudged him for that. He knew that family strength, especially the males, was important to his dad, like how it was important to his late grandfather.

Lance just wasn't like that. He was creative, passionate and had a zest for life that made him always feel young and carefree. He was pained by some things in life, but he never let them get him down for long. He did care for family, he loved his family, but he just did not see it how his father clearly wishes that he would.

The skunk stretched and stood up from his bed, having decided he had enough retrospection for one day. Lance sat down at his desk and pulled out his binders. He wanted to get his homework done early tonight, so after he had helped his mother with dinner, and eaten it, he could work on some of his art projects.

Lance had joined the school's art club, and there was a contest that he was partaking in. He had a great inspiration for the entry he was going to submit: a springtime natural scene with a prominent willow tree. He had many techniques he knew he could instill within the art, and he had high hopes that he would do well in the contest.

Also the skunk had other art projects that he was working on; pieces that were not related with school, but things that he was inspired to draw from day-to-day life. He was working on a portrait of Rachel—a gift for her sixteenth birthday, an abstract piece that bent the laws of physics and reality, and a large pencil drawing of a great grey wolf.

His lips turning upward in a small smile, Lance glanced at his old wolf plushie that was on his bed. He had owned that toy since he was very young, and he suspected it was the catalyst for his love of wolves, not to mention all other animals.

Shaking his head clear of distractions, the skunk focused his mind on getting his homework out of the way.

Lance was able to complete his homework before he was to help his mother with dinner. "I'm going to start that art project I told you about for the contest tonight," he told his mother, while chopping vegetables and placing them into a pot.

"I can't wait to see the final product!" Kerry exclaimed. "I know you're going to do well. You're very talented." His mother kissed him on his cheek and he smiled and blushed.

"Is Marie not having dinner with us tonight?" Lance asked.

"No," Kerry said, "she is staying over at her boyfriend's place tonight."

His mother didn't turn to face him while she prepared a dish, and Lance got the feeling that she didn't like the idea of Marie staying at a guy's place. The boy skunk hadn't met his sister's boyfriend yet, but what she had told Lance of him made him sound like a decent enough guy. Lance figured it was just his mother being a little overprotective.

When dinner was ready the three skunks sat down to eat. The conversation was light, and as Lance came to expect, his father didn't address him directly much. The boy skunk finished his food and placed his dishes in the dishwasher, then went back upstairs to work on his art projects.

After working on his art for awhile, Lance showered and then spent the rest of his night relaxing in bed with a book, and then turned out the lights to go to sleep.

Being excited for the summer and for the art contest, Lance found it hard to get to sleep that night. His mind was too active, and he found himself thinking about how school would be the next day. Most of the classes were easy, as they were his regular Friday classes. The only one that would bother him would be gym class.

Gym class. The only period where he found he could not ignore certain feelings that he tried to keep buried and forgotten. He didn't mind the physical activity much, even though he wasn't a very physical person. He was more an artist.

Lance's bane was the locker room. Getting changed before and after gym class had been a growing nuisance ever since he was thirteen, and he could barely stand it now. He was always afraid someone would notice him blushing very red, or sneaking a glance at the other guys. Lance found it very difficult to convince himself he was straight when he spent any time in the locker room.

Tomorrow will be different, he promised himself. This is just confusion because of my age and my developing mind. I'll grow out of it.

Lance made many such promises.

Morning arrived and the boy skunk's alarm clock shocked him into the waking world with blaring music. Groaning as he pulled himself out of his bed, Lance pulled on his khaki shorts and green t-shirt. He was glad the weather was warm enough for him to wear light clothes again.

Suddenly realizing it was Friday, Lance cried out with excitement. The weekend was almost here! The skunk made a brief visit to the bathroom and then went downstairs for breakfast. He ate while talking to his mother about school and his projects.

After breakfast he packed his lunch in his bag and his mother dropped him off at school. As he walked towards the building, he wondered what it would be like after he graduated; where would he work, and what would he do. The thought was exciting and scary to the skunk.

The day passed rather quickly for a Friday and he enjoyed his time in his classes, and none of them so far gave him any homework to do over the weekend. At lunch time he ate in the cafeteria with Rachel and her boyfriend, and then he went to the library to look at the art books that were available. Inevitably, lunch period ended and it was time to go to gym class.

With great trepidation, Lance walked to the gymnasium and entered the locker room. As always his heart beat faster and he blushed profusely as he went to where his locker was. With his jaw set determined, the skunk focused entirely on changing into his gym clothes and resisted the urge to look around at all. He was doing remarkably well, he thought.

But then a couple of his classmates to the left of him began joking, and the strange accent of one of them made Lance glance at him, and his heart beat faster as he saw the black Labrador retriever changing.

He was Jacob Miller, a new student who moved here from New Zealand only a few months ago. Jacob was very friendly and seemed to get along with everyone he talked to, though Lance could honestly say that he didn't know if the retriever actually had any friends outside of school.

The skunk felt himself drawn to Jacob's personality. He had a zest for life that more than matched Lance's own, yet appeared to have none of the shyness that was characteristic to the skunk. And though the skunk could never admit it to himself, he appreciated the physical form of the black lab. He was average height and very fit, as he professed playing rugby for most of his life, and had joined the school's rugby team here.

Lance subconsciously sighed and exited the locker room, heading for the gymnasium. He felt better once he entered the gym because they were playing all sorts of games in gym class lately; badminton, volleyball, dodge ball, and many others that the skunk enjoyed.

Throughout the duration of gym class, Lance cast several glances Jacob's way and kept an ear out for his strange, but alluring, accent.

The rest of the day had passed by as quick as the morning, and the skunk was soon heading home with his mother. His excitement grew when he arrived home. The weekend had finally arrived! Lance thought of a hundred things that he would spend doing before he had to go back to school.

The first thing the skunk wanted to do on that list was work on his art, as it was his foremost love in the world, and he had many projects to get done. He was feeling exceptionally inspired, and he drew up to dinner and well after he had eaten.

Stretching the stiffness out of his shoulders and massaging his sore hand, he decided that was enough for tonight and chose to have a bath. After removing his clothes once in the bathroom, he regarded himself in the mirror. He was still short, he noticed with a small frown, but his frame appealed to him. The skunk had no extra weight nor was he too thin, and he dared to vainly think that he was somewhat cute.

Lance prepared his bath and giggled to himself when he remembered bringing action figures with him into the bath when he was a kid. Bath time was always fun for him, and he used to play many games in there. Now baths were a time for relaxing and thinking about everything or nothing.

For this bath however, Lance didn't want to think much. He had done more than enough of that recently, and he wanted some peace. Although, the skunk did allow himself to muse over something one of his teachers had told him at school today.

The class had been discussing politics, laws, and how governments and social systems control the masses, when the subject of paternal control came up. Lance was in a way shocked when the teacher outright told the class that parents are not always right. Of course the skunk subconsciously knew that, but to have a teacher come right out and say it caught him off guard.

Those thoughts flittered away as Lance sank deeper into the bath and a wide smile grew on his face. He did not have enough baths, he knew. The skunk lay there for some time enjoying the therapeutic heat of the water, and letting only the basic of thoughts pass through his mind. Eventually he washed himself and ended the enjoyable bath.

Lance walked to his room and put on some pajama pants and decided to head downstairs for a quick snack before bed. His mother was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of tea and smiled when he entered the room.

"Hello, Lance," Kerry greeted her son with a warm smile. "Want to join me?"

"Okay, Mom," he replied, kissing his mother on the cheek. "I'm just going to have a snack, though. The bath was enough warmth for me until I jump into bed."

Kerry laughed and sipped her tea, and Lance took a few cookies from the jar and sat down opposite his mother at the table. "Your father and I were thinking," Kerry said, "now that you are sixteen you should go for your driver's license. I am home most of the time, and I would be willing to teach you after you get home from school, and your father has promised to help on the weekends. It would be a good step towards your own independence."

Lance's eyes widened a little at the unexpected idea. He hadn't even considered the notion of driving, but when he thought about it, the idea appealed to him. "I would love that, Mom!" he said with growing excitement. "Could you take me to the licensing place this weekend please?"

Kerry hid her knowing smile behind her cup of tea. "Of course, honey," she said with a laugh, "I'll take you tomorrow afternoon when I get back from doing some things up town."

Lance jumped up from the table and threw a hug around his mother and thanked her. When the skunk got back to his room he reclined on his bed and thought of the possibilities. With a license he could drive anywhere he wanted; to school, to the art store, and even on road trips to find some places in nature to draw or relax!

"I'm going to have to get a part-time job," Lance said with realization. "I won't always be able to drive Mom or Dad's car, and I want to have complete freedom with this." The excited skunk sat back in contemplation, entertaining different ideas of what kind of work he would do. Naturally he would want to do something to do with art, but that would be difficult to achieve. He would have to get something a little more realistic for his first job, he knew. What else did he like to do?

Cooking! The idea came to Lance and he really liked the idea. He was sure he could get a job in a kitchen easily enough, as he spent most of his life helping his mother with cooking, and he knew his skills were growing in the culinary area.

With a simple idea from his mother, whole new aspects of his life were awakening before him. Lance was very excited at the prospect of leaving his childhood behind and entering the world of being a young adult. He had never really considered his future in much detail before, but now he knew he was going to spend a lot of time each day thinking about it.

Lance took off his pajama pants and slipped into his bed, delighting in the feel of the soft sheets against his fur. He brought his large, striped tail in front of himself and hugged it close to himself, fantasizing about the events in his near future that he was about to

[Lance]

Part 5b

journey. With those pleasant thoughts in his mind, and a large, beaming smile on his face, the skunk fell into contented sleep.

The weekend passed much too quickly for Lance, he thought dispassionately as his mother drove him to school Monday morning. He was comforted by the thought that he got a lot of his art projects completed, and he was now well on his way to getting his driver's license. He chuckled helplessly when he thought about the road rules booklet he was given to study. As if he needed more things to study!

Lance thanked his mother for the ride when he arrived at school, and walked off to his first class. As he entered the school he heard the familiar accent of that Jacob Miller from behind him, and he smiled to himself. The skunk would see the Labrador retriever in gym class today, Wednesday and Friday.

The skunk was excited to see Rachel today, as he had so much to tell her about the weekend. She was always interested in Lance's art, and he knew she would love to hear about him starting on his way to get a driver's license.

When he told her about his art and the license, her response did not disappoint Lance. She threw a hug around the skunk and congratulated him, expressing her desire to see the finished art pieces as soon as possible. He promised to show her before art class.

Lunch period ended and Lance made his way to the gym, both excited and dreading the class. He got changed quickly and tried to keep his face as neutral as possible, then arrived in the gymnasium. His gym teacher told them to partner up, as they were going to continue doing the random games, and Lance's heart sank. He did not enjoy having to find a partner, as he didn't really know anyone too well in the class except Rachel. A quick glance told him that she had partnered with Susie, as she usually did.

Looking around, all the skunk could see were people already partnered up, and he feared he would end up being the odd one out. Suddenly an arm draped across his shoulders and he almost jumped out of his skin. He looked slowly to the side.

"G'day, Lance!" Jacob Miller cheerily greeted the surprised skunk, "you look a little glum today, wanna be my partner?"

Lance thought he must have looked quite comical at that moment, staring up at Jacob with his eyes as wide as dinner plates. "S-sure thing," the skunk stammered, "I'd like that."

"Awesome!" the black lab replied. "Come on, mate, first up today is ping pong. I haven't played that in ages!"

The pair got themselves some table tennis paddles and claimed a table. Being incredibly shy, and having liked Jacob before they even met, it took the skunk quite some time to start talking more openly. Though with what silences Lance created, Jacob surely filled. The New Zealander canine talked the skunk's ear off, telling Lance all about himself and where he was from. Jacob Miller was an only child and his family moved to the United States a few months age because of a job opportunity and they have lots of extended family here.

Being a lover of the outdoors and nature himself, Jacob went camping and hiking as much as he could—and also told Lance about several places in his home country where he hiked and camped. But he also loved staying home to play video games, board games or whatever else tickled his fancy. He admitted that he was considering leaving the rugby team, as he had played that for many years and was interested in trying something new, like martial arts.

Jacob turned the focus onto Lance, and asked many questions. Due to the retriever's great friendliness and seemingly inexhaustible energy, the skunk felt himself opening up a lot sooner than he usually would, and it helped that he sensed Jacob was genuinely interested in what Lance had to say.

Indeed, the black lab was thrilled to hear about the skunk's artistic side. Jacob wasn't very good at drawing himself, but he loved art and expressed a great desire to see some of Lance's work.

The gym instructor told the class then that they were all to play some more badminton. Jacob and Lance put away their ping pong equipment and got the necessary things for badminton.

Throughout their gaming, the two talked constantly and Lance was feeling more relaxed in his communicating with the canine. He really enjoyed learning everything he could about Jacob, and the gym games played were far more enjoyable than the previous days. It all went smoothly, and Lance was feeling excited that he may have found himself a new friend.

But then the games drew to an end and the students were ushered towards the locker rooms. Lance felt particularly nervous while changing, and the matter was made worse when Jacob continued to talk to the skunk while they both changed. Lance tried to change as quickly as he could, and fought hard not to look at the changing black lab in front of him, but with Jacob speaking to him he found it hard to not glance at him.

Mercifully everyone was changed and heading towards their next class, and the skunk feared that he had acted so obviously strange that Jacob would have noticed. But the Labrador retriever jogged up to Lance and patted him on the shoulder.

"Well that was heaps of fun!" Jacob exclaimed with a laugh. "You're a pretty cool guy, Lance. I'm glad I got the chance to get to know ya."

The skunk scratched the back of his neck shyly and blushed. "I had a good time too," Lance said with a smile, "and you're welcome to see my art anytime."

"Oh yeah?" Jacob asked with a wry grin, "Well how about tonight? You can come over to my place for tea and you can show me your art."

Lance swallowed, hardly believing his ears, and replied, "That should be okay. I mean, my Mom is picking me up from school but maybe she can drop me off at your place?"

"I do have rugby practice right after school," Jacob said, "but I figure today is a good day to quit as any. Go home with your mum to give me time to sort out details on my end, then you can come over around five."

"Okay, that sounds good," the skunk said with a smile and wrote down his number on a piece of paper. "Here's my number. Give me a call when you're done with rugby and I'll get your address then."

"Sweet as, bro!" the eccentric black dog exclaimed, "have a good day, mate, I'll ring ya tonight!" With that Jacob waved goodbye and headed towards his next class.

Lance could barely keep his mind on his class work as he went through the remainder of the school day. His excitement towards going to Jacob's house was extreme, but he was also very nervous. But why should he be? Lance wondered to himself. He's a normal skunk as much as the next person. Things will turn out fine, he just had to wait and see.

School ended and Lance's mother picked him up as planned. Kerry could see that something was on his mind. "What's wrong, Lance?" she asked.

"O-oh, nothing's wrong," he stammered, snapped out of his inward thoughts. "I was just wondering if I could have dinner at a friend's house tonight."

"Oh! That's fine," Kerry said with a smile, "it's been awhile since you've done anything like that. Do you need a ride?"

"Yes please," Lance responded, starting to blush, "er, he's going to call me and give me the address later."

The mother skunk smiled and nodded to Lance. She was overjoyed that her son had found a new friend, as she had become silently worried for him. He hadn't spent much time at all with friends lately, and she feared that he wasn't being social enough. But she always tried to give Lance his space—she remembered how her own parents never left her alone to deal with things as she wanted.

The skunks arrived home and Lance rushed to have a shower and get as much homework done before Jacob called. He remembered his promise to show the canine some artwork, and selected a few of his favorite pieces and put them in a protective travel case. The skunk had just finished this when the phone rang downstairs.

"Lance!" his mother called, "the phone's for you!"

The boy skunk flew down the stairs and pulled up short before entering the living room where his mother held the portable telephone. He walked in as calmly as possible and took it from her. "Thanks, Mom," Lance said and quickly went back upstairs to his room.

He lifted the phone tentatively to his ear. "Hello?"

"G'day, Lance!" came the voice of Jacob, "Still want to come over?"

"I do!" the skunk exclaimed enthusiastically, "If your parents are okay with having me over for dinner."

"Oh yeh, they said it's choice," the black lab replied with a laugh. "I live at 2506 Katsura Drive."

Lance wrote down the address, though he committed it straight to memory. "Okay, I'll be over in a few minutes."

They said goodbye and Lance headed downstairs to tell his mother that he was ready to be driven to Jacob's house. The boy skunk fidgeted with his art protector bag nervously as Kerry drove him to Jacob Miller's home. When they arrived Kerry told Lance to call her when he was ready to come home, and he said he would and thanked her for the ride.

Lance watched his mother drive away then took a deep breath and headed to the front door of the house. He knocked on the door and it swung wide a few seconds later to reveal Jacob smiling widely.

"Welcome to my humble abode!" joked Jacob with a laugh, and he invited the skunk inside. Lance was greeted with the smell of lamb cooking, and his mouth watered instantly.

"Dinner smells amazing!" the skunk said. "Is that lamb?"

"Yip, it sure is," Jacob replied. "Actually it's New Zealand lamb, you can buy it here at the supermarket. Let's go to my room and you can show me your art. I can't wait to see it."

Lance followed Jacob through his house, which was sparsely furnished. The Miller family hadn't had much time to fill the house with lots of things, Lance figured. There were some photographs on the wall that the skunk paid close attention to, as they were obviously taken when Jacob was still in his home country.

They arrived in the canine's room and Jacob sat down on his bed and smiled invitingly. "Let's see the masterpieces," he said with a wink.

Lance blushed and took out his art from their protective cover and showed them to Jacob, who sat in awe as he regarded the pieces. He made several comments about the style in which Lance used to create each piece, and the skunk was pleasantly surprised. Jacob really did know about art and techniques!

"Wow, Lance," Jacob said, still staring at the art, "You're a very talented artist. How long have you been drawing for?"

"For as long as I can remember," the skunk replied with a laugh, embarrassed. "I've always loved drawing, and I paint and sculpt at times too. Art is my greatest passion."

"I can tell," Jacob said solemnly, and smiled at Lance warmly.

The skunk returned the smile and blushed, his heart starting to beat quicker and he began to feel very warm.

"Tea time, boys!" came the call from Jacob's father.

"Coming!" Jacob called to his father, and he got up, putting an arm over Lance's shoulder he led the skunk to the dining room. "Mum and Dad, this is Lance Durand, my friend from school. He's a talented artist!" the canine boy said, introducing the skunk to his parents.

"Hullo, Lance," the retriever parents greeted.

"Hiya, Mr. and Mrs. Miller," Lance said politely, "thank you for having me for dinner."

"Ah, she's right, mate!" Jacob's father exclaimed with a smile, "You're welcome here any time."

"Just be sure to tell Jacob to give us some warning," Mrs. Miller said with a giggle, "so we can have time to prepare more classic Kiwi dinners for you."

Jacob took his seat and winked at Lance, who sat down beside him. The skunk was smiling widely, feeling very much welcome at his friend's table with his family.

Mrs. Miller served lamb chops with mashed potatoes and vegetables covered in gravy. Lance hadn't had New Zealand lamb before, and it tasted quite different from what he was used to, but he found that he liked it. The Miller parents asked Lance a few questions about himself, and he also asked questions about their country. Jacob's parents were delighted in Lance's manners and interest in their family and origins.

When dinner was finished, the skunk offered to help with dishes but Mr. Miller was adamant that Lance did not have to help, and that he should go have fun with Jacob. So the two teenagers went to Jacob's bedroom where the black lab invited Lance to play some video games.

It had been awhile since Lance last played any console games, but it did not take him long to get the hang of it again.

"I can't wait for the summer," Jacob told Lance as he raced the skunk in a downhill biking game, "it's supposed to be really hot and I'm hoping to do lots of camping."

"I love camping!" Lance exclaimed, "I go with my family every year. We've done so since I was really little."

"Oh good!" the canine said with a laugh, "You should come along with us sometime and show us some good places."

The skunk loved the sound of this idea and readily agreed. He found that he really liked Jacob and he could see himself hanging out with him a lot during the summer.

The two joked and laughed as they played the video game, and their wins to losses were quite on par. Lance won the last match and Jacob fell backwards onto his bed dramatically, laughing.

"And you said that you don't play video games much!" Jacob protested with a wink, "I think you lied to me!"

"You think so?" Lance asked, grinning wryly. Jacob leaped at Lance and tackled him to the floor, and the two laughed as they mock-fought to prove who was wrong. Being the stronger of the two, the black lab pinned Lance down and smiled victoriously. He lent the skunk a hand and pulled him up beside him and the two chuckled and smiled at each other, panting from their rough housing.

As Lance looked at his friend, he felt those unwanted feelings growing strong inside him. His heart was beating quickly, and not just from the physical exertion. The gaming and mock-fighting had removed all of the skunk's mental barriers, and he was feeling and reacting on pure instinct.

Lance's eyes glanced to Jacob's smiling lips, and the skunk felt an overwhelming urge to lean forward and kiss the retriever. But then Lance remembered all the friendships that had been ruined because of his feelings, and the skunk refused to lose another because of some strange emotions that, he tried to believe, were not his own. With all his mental strength, he sublimated the feelings and locked them under his control. It felt like minutes had passed, when in reality it was but a few seconds.

The skunk smiled wide at his new friend. "Another race?" he asked with a wink.

"You're on, skunkboy!" Jacob said with a laugh.

The two friends sat down on the edge of Jacob's bed and raced each other several times. Lance focused purely on the fun he was having, and he was not tormented by any more unwanted feelings that night.

The time came that Lance had to head home, and his mother arrived to pick him up. The skunk said goodbye to Jacob, and thanked the Millers again for dinner, and headed home with his mother.

"I hope you had a good time," Kerry asked as much as stated as she drove.

"I really did!" Lance exclaimed, smiling widely. "Jacob's really fun and his parents make a delicious lamb chop meal." Lance's mother smiled inwardly as she listened to her son. "Do you think Jacob could come over for dinner at our place this week?" Lance asked his mother.

"He sure can," she replied, still smiling, "you can invite him over any time you like."

"Cool! Thanks Mom," Lance replied.

When they arrived home, the boy skunk went to his room and lay down on his bed. He knew he should be doing some drawing, but he was much too excited to do anything. He had made a new friend! And he had not ruined it.

The skunk's mind wandered a mile a minute thinking of all the things he and Jacob could do this upcoming summer. His heart skipped a beat when he thought of what it would be like once he had his license and could go on a road trip and camping with his friend.

A driver's license, saving up for a car, and a new friend.

Lance's life had just gotten a lot more promising. He smiled when he imagined Jacob's wry grins that seemed so characteristic to him.

And so much more interesting!

[Lance]

Part 6

"At a green light, a driver who wishes to make a left turn must yield to on-coming traffic," Lance read from his driver's road code manual, "unless he or she has a green arrow." The teen aged skunk rolled his eyes.

Tuesday evening was passing painfully slow for Lance, as his teachers thought it prudent to give his classmates and him much homework to do. But also, the skunk had a driver's written test booked for the upcoming weekend, and Lance wanted to be prepared for it. So he had decided to read through the driver's manual before he did that day's homework.

"Upon approaching a stop sign, a driver must come to a complete stop before carefully proceeding when the way is clear."

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Lance exclaimed, slapping the manual closed and regarding the cover with a frown. "This is all just common sense anyway." The skunk flung the booklet to the foot of his bed and sank backwards into his pillows. He knew he should start on his homework, but he did not really feel like any more studying.

The skunk's mind inevitably found its way to thoughts of his new friend. Jacob and Lance only shared lunch period together that day, and the skunk had seen the retriever briefly, as Jacob hadn't eaten lunch in the cafeteria.

A large smile grew on the skunk's face as he knew that he would be spending gym class with the canine the next day. That thought alone would help him get through this frustratingly long evening of homework.

I'll start with some art, thought Lance. Even art class had given him a boring homework assignment, but it would be the homework he would dislike the least.

The boy skunk slid off his bed and walked to his easel that was to the left of the door just across from him. He placed the appropriate work-in-progress on the wooden stand and picked up his pencil. Smiling at another thought of his friend, Lance began to draw.

The skunk was completely lost in his creativity, as he always was when drawing. He hadn't even noticed that he had missed dinner. His parents would have called him down, but they had been over at Mr. Forbes house, so Lance was expected to fix himself a meal.

The distracted skunk was also unaware that his parents had come back home.

"Lance, Jacob's on the phone!" came his mother's call from downstairs. The boy skunk was halfway out the door when he paused and looked back at his easel with a shocked expression on his face.

"Now there's a first," the bewildered skunk whispered to himself, fully aware that nothing next to his house being bombed would normally distract him from his art.

Shrugging his shoulders and smiling, Lance left his room and went downstairs. He thanked his mother and took the phone outside.

"Hiya, Jacob," Lance said into the phone with a smile as he sat down on the bench just outside the front door.

"G'day, Lance! How's your evening going, mate?" the black lab asked.

The skunk groaned when he remembered his evening of tedious homework and road study. "I swear my teachers don't want me to have a moment's fun with all this homework," Lance said, chuckling helplessly.

Jacob laughed and said, "My teachers gave me heaps, too. It must be a conspiracy to keep fun-loving blokes like us down in the dumps, eh? Well..." The black lab drew out the last word, and Lance could almost see his friend's wry grin from where he sat.

"How would you like a little break?" Jacob asked, "I have something to show you."

The skunk's heart leaped into his throat and beat vigorously. He knew he should be working solely on his homework, but a break would be nice and he would die for the chance to see his spirited friend again.

"Okay!" Lance agreed, "But how will we meet? I doubt my parents will want to drive me anywhere as they just got home."

"No worries, mate," Jacob said, "I'll pick you up. Be there in a few minutes."

Lance pressed the end call button and went inside to put the phone on the living room coffee table. His father was watching television and it sounded like his mother was upstairs.

"Do you mind if I go out for a little while?" Lance tentatively asked his father, afraid that his dad would choose now as a time to show some interest in his son's whereabouts, as it was starting to get late.

"No," John replied, not looking away from the show he was watching, "Just be back soon."

His father's disinterest came as no surprise to the skunk, but it still pained him greatly. All he wanted was a normal relationship with his father, and for John to be happy for Lance.

"See you later," mumbled the boy skunk with a sigh as he turned to leave the house again.

Lance closed the door behind him and turned around to see a black pick up truck coming down the driveway.

Wondering who it was, the skunk descended the concrete steps to greet whoever was driving the vehicle. He knew it couldn't be Jacob and his parents because they drove a red Pontiac sunfire.

The truck pulled up next to Lance and his eyes went wide as he saw who was driving the pick up.

"Jacob!" the skunk cried out with surprise.

"Hey, Lance!" the black lab greeted with a chuckle, "I did say that I would pick you up, didn't I?"

Lance got into the truck and looked around the inside, still shocked, as if looking for an answer to all the questions that were clearly stamped on his face. His gaze finally rested on the face of his friend, who had an amused smile on his face.

"How?" Lance managed to ask.

"I had some money saved away," the retriever explained, "and my dad helped me with the rest. I just got it tonight"

"But what about a license?" Lance asked, clearly confused. "You've only been in the country for a short while."

"Oh, I have a New Zealand one." Jacob said. "Apparently that will work for awhile, but I'll eventually need to get one here."

Lance smiled and blushed, feeling more than a little silly for being so surprised. "I like your truck," the skunk said sheepishly, looking up at Jacob through his long bangs.

"I'm glad!" the canine said with a laugh. "Let's drive around a bit and decide what to do."

Jacob pulled out of the driveway and drove down the street, and while they drove around the neighborhood the black lab told Lance all the details about him and his parents buying the truck—or the 'ute' as Jacob referred to it as—and how much he has always wanted one.

Lance smiled and listened intently. This was a lot better than staying home and doing homework!

"Are you hungry?" Jacob asked as they turned onto a street lined with fast food restaurants. "I haven't had tea yet."

"Starving," Lance said, realizing that he had missed dinner.

"How about here?" the canine offered, motioning towards a burger joint coming up on the right.

"Anything would be good right now," laughed Lance, his stomach rumbling.

They pulled up into the parking lot and were about to get out of the truck when Lance suddenly put his hands to his pockets.

"Oh, no!" the skunk said, and slapped a hand over his face, embarrassed. "I forgot my wallet at home."

"That's fine," Jacob said with a laugh, "I'll shout ya this time and you can get it next time."

The friends got out of the truck and entered the restaurant where they ordered their food and sat down at a booth to eat. Lance always preferred home-cooked meals to fast food, but he hadn't eaten out in awhile so he was able to enjoy it.

After awhile, during a natural pause in conversation, the skunk noticed how his friend had such good table manners, even when eating fast food. His experiences in the school cafeteria showed that such table manners were rare among his age.

Jacob always seems to be smiling, Lance thought as he regarded his friend, and he's got such a kind face.

With a start, the skunk realized he was staring at his friend and coughed to hopefully cover it up. He rubbed his forehead with his hand and peaked through his fingers to see if Jacob had noticed anything suspicious.

The black lab was eating normally, unaware that anything had happened.

"I'll be right back," Jacob said suddenly, and threw a wink Lance's way. "I have to use the toilet."

The canine got up and started off towards the washroom, and Lance watched as Jacob walked through the restaurant and disappeared around a corner that leads to the restrooms.

Lance smiled to himself, thinking himself lucky to have found such a friend; a person who was incredibly good-natured and funny, loved to go camping and hiking and he loved art.

And he's cute, Lance heard in the back of his mind.

The skunk's smile vanished, and he frowned as he discounted the thought and tried to forget it had even occurred. Trying to distract his thoughts, Lance attempted to finish his meal but ended up just staring out the window.

"Who so glum?" asked Jacob with a smile, having returned unnoticed from the washroom.

The skunk almost jumped out of his skin. "Oh, uh, nothing," Lance stammered.

"You know there's nothing friendlier than a wet dog," the black lab said with a grin, and Lance thought about the odd phrase for a second before laughing.

"Remind me to stay clear of you," replied the skunk, "after you've gone for a swim when camping!"

"Black humor," Jacob randomly sang, "made you kick your blues."

Lance turned and cast a curious glance at his friend, who grinned and continued to sing, "Howdy, angel! Where id you hide your wings?"

"What is that?" asked the skunk with a laugh.

"Slice of Heaven," responded the retriever, chuckling.  "An oldie from NZ."

"I want to hear the whole thing!" Lance exclaimed.

"We can listen to it in the car. I have it on C.D.," Jacob said with a smile, and glanced at the skunk's leftover food. "Are you ready to head out?"

"Yeah I am," said the skunk. "Have you thought about what we should do now?"

"You know, I have a hankering for some ice cream," the black lab said with a wink to Lance as they carried their refuse to the trash can, "but I have some at home, so why don't we just go there?"

The skunk didn't need to glance out the window to notice it was getting quite dark. "Would your parents mind?" asked Lance. "It is getting late."

"Oh it's okay!" Jacob said. "They are out until really late so we'll have the place to ourselves."

Lance's heart skipped a beat at the idea and readily agreed, and then the two friends left the restaurant and climbed into the truck. As Jacob drove the two to his place, they listened to the song that the canine had sung a few lines from back at the diner.

The retriever and the skunk arrived at Jacob's home, and as they entered the house Lance felt more than a little excited. To be out much later than he should be, and to be alone with his friend in the house, almost had a naughty feel to it.

Jacob served them each a large bowl of chocolate ice cream and they headed to his room to eat and play video games. The friends were having a great time and Lance was unexpectedly taking the lead in wins versus losses.

They were playing their usual game of Downhill Mountain biking, and Lance was in the lead, when suddenly his character's bike nicked a rock and flew across the screen and off a cliff.

Both teenagers burst out laughing, dropping their controllers, and resting their arms on their knees in support of their wild mirth.

Lance was feeling extremely giddy, much more than he usually did. Everything seemed to make him giggle, and when they tried to play again, his character immediately swerved right off the cliff.

The friends' laughing grew loud once again, and they reached for their ice cream, making the most of the short break in the race to eat some more.

Lance was giggling so much he could barely get the spoon in his mouth, which made Jacob snort with laughter.

Unfortunately for the canine, he had just taken a bite of his dessert. Ice cream hit his spoon and splashed on his face, making the friends howl in mirth. Jacob sobbed with laughter as he walked over to grab a towel from his duffel bag to wipe his face, and Lance lifted a spoonful of ice cream up to closely inspect it.

"How much sugar is in this?" he asked with a giggle, correctly guessing that they were having a sugar rush.

"Not nearly enough," Jacob said with a wry grin as he picked up his bowl to have another bite.

The sixteen year olds continued their mirthful playing of the game and eating ice cream, though they spent more time keeled over laughing than actual racing.

Without warning Lance stood and cried out in song, "Black humor made you kick your blues!" Jacob laughed gleefully and jumped up.

"Howdy, angel!" they sang together, laughing through every word, "where did you hide your wings?"

Not contented with merely singing the lyrics, Jacob led Lance into the living room where he played the song on the C.D. player so they could sing along. But not only did they sing, they acted out their own mini-concert of the classic song.

Some time later, the effect of the sugar was wearing off and they decided it was well past time that they ended the night.

"I'd invite ya to sleep over," Jacob said, "but you don't have your school stuff with you, and I'm not sure how my parents would like an unannounced sleepover."

"That's alright," Lance said with a smile, though he was truly disappointed that he missed out on the chance to stay there for the night.

"Hey, maybe you can stay the night on Friday," the Labrador retriever offered. "Then we can stay up way later and watch movies and stuff. It would be sweet as!"

"I'd like that a lot," the skunk said with a large smile. "I have the driver's written test Saturday, but that's late afternoon."

"Oh, choice!" Jacob exclaimed. "That's real easy, you'll ace it for sure." The black lab picked up his keys from the kitchen counter and smiled at Lance. "Let's get you home."

The skunk waved good bye to his friend as the black lab drove up the driveway away from Lance's house, and smiled to himself as he ascended the steps and opened the door.

"And where have you been?" asked his mother sternly from a seat in the foyer, though she could guess very well who he was with. "It's eleven-thirty! You know that I want you in bed by ten at the latest, and you didn't even tell anyone where you were going!"

"I had dinner with Jacob," explained Lance, suddenly feeling very guilty for worrying his mother, "and went back to his place for awhile."

"You could have told me that you were going out with him," Kerry reprimanded, her voice noticeably angry, but with an edge of deep concern, "or at least called from his house. You know how I worry about you kids. I understand that you are fast becoming a young adult who wants to do things on the drop of a hat, but you need to think! Think about the people that care for you, and always be aware of your responsibilities."

The boy skunk's eyes rimmed with tears. He did not enjoy any kind of confrontation and he was all torn up at the thought that he had made his mother so perplexed.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Lance said softly, choking back sobs he didn't want his mother to see. "I won't worry you like that again."

Noticing her son's anguish, she let her visage soften and walked over to Lance to hug him.

"You are a good son," she whispered into his ear while she embraced him. "And you are an intelligent person, and mature beyond your years. I know I can trust you to look after yourself when you're out, but please, for the sake of a protective mother, let someone know where you're going and when you expect to be back, okay?"

Kerry pulled Lance to arm's length and smiled at him, wiping a tear off his cheek that had begun to roll down. "I love you, Lance," she said warmly.

"I love you too," Lance said, trying to smile through his conflicting emotions. "I promise I'll let you know."

"Good boy," his mother said and kissed him on the cheek. "Now you better get some sleep. You've a growing mind and I want you to get as much sleep as possible. Good night, Lance!"

"Good night, Mom," the boy skunk replied and headed up the stairs to his room.

By the time Lance stepped into his room he was already feeling a lot better. His mother was good at driving her point home, but soothing over the ripples of her lesson.

And the skunk was remembering his evening with Jacob.

Lance giggled as he removed his clothes, thinking about the absolutely fantastic time he spent with his friend. He climbed into his bed and rested his head on his large, fluffy pillow and smiled as he closed his emerald green eyes. The skunk was looking forward to seeing his friend the next day at lunch and in gym, but he also had a sleepover to think about the whole week!

Lance groaned to himself when he remembered that he had not finished his homework.

[StickyTheDragon]

Wow... this is incredible fiction! You captured an innocent child's view of Christmas perfectly. In fact, everything was very easy to picture in my head. Your writing is so inspiring. I realize that I've never done much writing of younger children.

While I scrolled down to see the enormity that is this story, I was thinking "Jeeze, I bet I could find some things to cut out", but now, I can't think of anything. All of it was much too well done.

I found several small errors, like a missing word or two, but all things considered, this is brilliant! I thank you for the honor of reading your written words, and I hope to hear more of your sona's life.

[Lance]

*blush* thank you for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the read *smiles*. I'll be writing some more very soon. Just been way too tired this week to do so hehe