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"submission_file_order": "0", "full_size_x": null, "full_size_y": null, "screen_size_x": null, "screen_size_y": null, "preview_size_x": null, "preview_size_y": null, "initial_file_md5": "1d5f3e9346e140e138fa02045e928fce", "full_file_md5": "1d5f3e9346e140e138fa02045e928fce", "large_file_md5": "", "small_file_md5": "", "thumbnail_md5": "", "deleted": "f", "create_datetime": "2012-06-18 22:25:26.300801+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "19 Jun 2012 00:25 CEST" } ], "pools": [], "description": "This is a story based on a roleplay with CuriousFerret.\n\nThis one is about my characters Friendly the fox, Jake the german shepherd and Timothy the raccoon meeting some new friends in the beginning of summer. This is Chapter 1.\n\nAge of cub characters:\nFriendly - 10.\nJake - 7.\nSarah - 6.\nTimothy - 6.\nCollin - 6.\nJeremy - 6.\n\nCollin, Sarah, Jeremy, Trent and Andrew © [iconname]CuriousFerret[/iconname]\nTimothy and Jake © Me.\nFriendly is Me.\n\nChapter 2 is here: https://inkbunny.net/submissionview.php?id=259098", "description_bbcode_parsed": "This is a story based on a roleplay with CuriousFerret.

This one is about my characters Friendly the fox, Jake the german shepherd and Timothy the raccoon meeting some new friends in the beginning of summer. This is Chapter 1.

Age of cub characters:
Friendly - 10.
Jake - 7.
Sarah - 6.
Timothy - 6.
Collin - 6.
Jeremy - 6.

Collin, Sarah, Jeremy, Trent and Andrew © \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCuriousFerret\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCuriousFerret\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Timothy and Jake © Me.
Friendly is Me.

Chapter 2 is here: https://inkbunny.net/submissionview.php?id=259098", "writing": "Joys of the Summer – Chapter One\n\n\n\tIt was a gorgeous summer's morning. Birds sang merrily as the sun rose higher into the sky. A slightly chubby six year old raccoon cub rode his red bike on the asphalt of a quiet residential street, his training wheels making a sort of dull rattling sound as he trundled along. He was wearing a blue t-shirt, and a pair of orange swimming trunks with white and blue flames. He smiled happily as he stopped and looked back at the little wheels which kept him steady on his bike, which he loved to ride so much. A ten year old fox watched over him, walking someways behind the little raccoon. He was wearing a dark-blue jersey and a pair of sweat-pants. The little raccoon waited for his fox friend to catch up with him.\n\"You're getting faster, Timothy. Soon I'll need to be on my bike to keep up with you\" the fox said to him, with a small chuckle.\n\"Heehee, do you really think so, Friendly?\" asked Timothy.\n\"Sure, come on little buddy. We'll ride over that bridge down there and we can sit by the water for a bit\" said Friendly.\nTimothy turned his pedals and rode down the street, with Friendly following close behind.\n\n\tAt the end of the street an old cobblestone bridge spanned over a calm shallow river. Sloping down the embankment, reeds and tall pussy willows lined the shore before the bend in river became deeper. Resting in a little thicket of soft grass a little white furred kit with a black face mask and a black-ringed white tail dipped his paws in the cool water and stared up at the clouds with big green eyes. Sitting across for the thicket the white dozing kit rested in, a red squirrel with golden eyes and a green bay packers jersey on pulled back her arm and sent a fishing line into the shallow part of the stream. Reeling in the slack the little squirrel stuck out her tongue as she tried to snag a trout for lunch.\n\n\tTimothy rode towards the bridge, gathering speed. The raccoon's bike rolled smoothly over the bridge and he rode right up to the middle. A triumphant smile crossed the young raccoon's face, he could ride faster! He'd never been able to make it this far without stopping for breath before.\n\"Wow, you really are getting fast!\" said Friendly, as he caught up with Timothy on the middle of the bridge. Timothy smiled at his older friend, the sunlight making his hazel eyes sparkle.\n\"Awww, that's adorable\" said Friendly, ruffling his friend's thick head fur. \"Come on, we're nearly there now\"\nTimothy turned his pedals and rode off the bridge.\n\n\tLooking over at the sound of reeds and brush being trampled by the bike the little red squirrel frowned, a bit annoyed by the extra noise as she tried to bag a fish. Watching a silver scaled trout slip in between the rocks and escape the tom boy reeled in her line and stared at the new cubs. She didn't recognize them from anywhere before.\n\"Oh, hi there\" said Timothy, smiling at the squirrel in a friendly way.\n\"Oh, are you fishing? I'm sorry about the noise, but he does love to ride his bike\" said Friendly, helping the raccoon cub off his bike and out of the reeds.\n\"I 'was' fishing,\" Sarah said brushing her long pony tail over her shoulder hooking her line to an eye on the pole before setting it down. \"I'm Sarah,\" The red squirrel introduced herself, hopping from one flat rock to another crossing the shallow part of the river to join the other two cubs. \"I haven't seen you before, what school you go to?\"\n\"We go to Parkland Elementary\" said Friendly, \"My name's Friendly... it's what people have always called me\"\n\"...and I'm Timothy!\" squeaked the little raccoon, pulling his bike out of the reeds and onto the soft grass.\n\"Nice to meet you,\" Sarah held out her paw to shake and glanced over her shoulder to the lounging white kit hidden in the tall grass, \"That's Collin over there. We go to Kennedy Elementary, it's by the river down town.\"\nFriendly and Timothy each shook the squirrel's paw before turning to Collin.\n\"Hi Collin\" squeaked Timothy, smiling at him as he left his bike on the grass. \"I'm Timothy\"\nPeering up through bright green eyes, the white half breed kit sat up pulling his paws out of the river. \"Nice to meet you.\" The kit pulled his bushy tail around hugging the black striped appendage shyly as he met the new cubs.\nFriendly smiled at Collin as he saw how shy the cub was.\n\"Aww, don't be shy\" said the fox.\nTimothy smiled happily and sat next to Collin, pulling his own tail in front of him so that it lightly touched Collin's.\n\"He's new here too,\" Sarah explained as she flopped down by the kits, kicking her shoes off and wiggling her toes happily. Brushing the black tip of his tail against Timothy's, Collin smiled brightly from behind it.\n\"He just joined our class a couple months ago.\" continued Sarah.\n\"Well, I'm glad we met you\" said Friendly, \"Timothy and I were looking for some new friends\"\n\"Yeah!\" said Timothy, giggling as Collin brushed his tail against his own black-ringed brown tail.\n\n\t\"Are you guys planning to go swimming?\" Sarah asked as the red squirrel pointed out the swimming trunks. Collin looked over seeming a bit nervous about the water. \n\"You'll want to go down around the bend, it's deep enough to dive in there\" Sarah said pointing over here shoulder. \"I can show the best spot, we even have an old rope to swing off off down there.\"\nTimothy liked the idea at first, but he looked up at Friendly.\n\"Do you have my waterwings?\" the raccoon asked.\n\"Sorry buddy\" said Friendly, \"I didn't think we were going swimming\"\n\"You could stay in the shallow part,\" Sarah suggested picking up a pussy willow reed and blowing the white downy seeds into the air, \"It's only about two feet deep right at the bend, and there are flat rocks you can sit on\" The red squirrel informed the two new cubs as Collin blushed. \"That's where Collin always sits cause he can't swim so well.\"\n\"Okay then. I'll be there for you if you need me\" Friendly said to Timothy and Collin.\nTimothy got onto his bike and turned his pedals, but his bike didn't move.\n\"Huh?\" he squeaked, and tried harder, but he still didn't move.\nFriendly chuckled as the back wheel of Timothy's bike struggled to get any traction in the grass.\n\"I'd better go and help him\" the fox said to Sarah.\n\"Best to walk it over,\" Sarah called out as she headed over to the deep end carrying her shoes in her paw. \"The ground's too soft, his bike might sink\" \nCollin watched the two new cubs as they struggled with the bike. He waited for them to join him. Timothy stopped trying to pedal his bike and sadly got off it, joining Collin and heading over to the pool. Friendly walked the bike over to the bank and left it there as he joined Collin and Timothy.\n\"I always get stuck\" sniffled the raccoon.\n\"At least you have a bike\" Collin said to the other kit encouragingly, \"I'm still too small for a two wheeler.\"\n\"I'm too small for a two wheeler too, I still need my training wheels\" said Timothy, as he struggled to pull his t-shirt off. \"Hey, I'll let you ride it if you want to, Collin\"\nCollin helped Timothy free of his shirt before pulling off his own. \"Careful here, the rocks are slippery,\" The white half breed said, holding out his paw for his new friend. Timothy smiled as he took Collin's paw and carefully waded out into the shallow water. \n\n\tAhead around the bend Sarah had piled her jersey, socks, and shoes on the shore and was pulling a long thick nylon rope over from under an old oak tree. Running hard toward the bank the red squirrel leapt out over the water releasing the rope once over the dark deep pool, and cannon-balling in with a loud splash.\nFriendly had also taken his t-shirt, socks and shoes off. He grabbed the rope as Sarah splashed into the deep water.\n\"Clear the runway!\" cried the fox, as he ran towards the bank and leapt out into the river. \"Wooohoooo!!!\"\nSarah ducked down under the water pushing out from the spot Friendly would splash down in and popped up farther down the river floating on her back. Friendly chuckled as he surfaced and watched Sarah floating around on her back, he then turned to look at Collin and Timothy as they made their way into the shallower part of the river.\n\n\tReaching the shallow end of the pool, Collin hitched up his shorts stepping in the cool water and heading over to a pair of large smooth stones. The rocks were big enough so they didn't get too wet, yet the water was still deep enough to come up to their knees. Timothy looked at his own untied shorts and hitched them up, he'd have to get Friendly to tie them for him - unless Collin could. He carefully followed Collin towards the large smooth stones, the legs of his shorts just dipping slightly in the water. Soon they were sitting on the rocks together. Kicking his paws in the water Collin sent up droplets into the air which drizzled down on him and Timothy. Timothy giggled as he felt the droplets of water landing in his fur. Collin nuzzled him, enjoying the good company with his new friend. Timothy smiled happily as Collin nuzzled him.\n\"Could you tie my shorts for me Collin?\" asked Timothy, blushing slightly and pointing out the thick blue laces that drooped almost to his knees.\nCollin nodded to Timothy as he scooted over grabbing the string. \"Stand up and pull your shorts up and I'll tie them for you\"\n\n\tSarah swam around Friendly, cupping her paws together to shoot bursts of water at him. Friendly gasped as the squirrel shot a burst of water towards him and he ducked under the water. When he surfaced, he had an idea.\n\"You know, Collin and Timothy don't have to miss out on the rope swing\" he said.\nSarah looked over at the smaller kit biting her lip as she thought about it. \"I don't know, Collin's not a good swimmer, are you sure Timothy can handle the deeper part?\"\n\"Timothy can't swim at all, but I could catch them before they fall in too deep\" suggested Friendly, \"But only if they want to try it of course\"\nSarah thought it over before nodding, \"Okay, but they should go one at a time then\" The squirrel said, as she kicked off and swam over to Timothy and Collin, \"That way there's two of us to help them swim back to shore\"\n\"Sure, that sounds good\" said Friendly, following Sarah towards the two large, smooth rocks.\n\n\tTimothy stood up and held his shorts up so Collin could tie his laces for him. \"Thank you Collin\" he said.\n\"No problem,\" Collin replied as he hooked the loop and snuck the bunny though the hole before pulling tight like his papa showed him. \"There, all better now.\"\nTimothy felt better as Collin tied his shorts for him and he sat down next to his new friend. He kicked his feet up and down, splashing both him and Collin all over with water. Collin laid back ruffling Timthy's head fur as Sarah pulled up close, water running down her fur in patches. Timothy smiled as Collin ruffled his thick headfur.\n\"You guys wanna try the rope swing?\" Sarah asked pointing over her shoulder, \"We'll help you swim back once you hit the water.\"\n\"Will you be right there? In the water?\" asked Timothy\n\"Yeah, we'll be right there to help you\" answered Friendly\n\"Um...\" said Timothy, he couldn't quite decide. \"I'd feel safer with my waterwings\"\n\"You'll be okay, Timothy\" said Friendly, smiling at his raccoon friend and holding his paw. \"I'll be there for you\"\n\"Well, okay\" said Timothy, smiling back at his fox friend.\n\n\tCrawling up the bank Collin stopped by the long rope gripping it in his paws tightly. \"It's really deep.\" The kit said as he glanced at the dark water. \n\"It'll be okay\" Sarah called out as she back paddled to the center of the river. \"Just hold on tight and let go once you're over the water, Collin\"\nTimothy followed Collin and watched as his friend held onto the rope. He still wasn't sure if it was such a good idea, but if Collin was going to do it, so was he. Friendly followed Sarah into the water, standing to one side. Timothy watched them as they paddled to the center of the river.\nGrasping the rope tightly, Collin backed up as he had a running start. Looking over the calm water the white kit closed his eyes and made a mad dash for the shore. Jumping off the embankment the kit flew over the water clinging to the rope desperately. As he reached the middle of the river his damp paws lost their grip on the rope, and the startled kit slid off and plopped into the water. Kicking his feet hard Collin breached the surface, flailing around a bit before Sarah grasped one of his paws and helped to pulled him towards the shallow shore.\n\n\tTimothy watched as Sarah helped Collin into the shallows and he grabbed hold of the rope. Every nerve inside him was tingling as he backed up and ran towards the shore, just like Collin had done. He jumped off the embankment and flew out over the water.\n\"Wheee!\" cried Timothy, suddenly enjoying the sensation of flying over the water. His sweaty paws struggled to hold onto the rope, as he reached the middle of the river they slipped and he fell into the river with a loud splash. Timothy tried to get his paws to touch the bottom, but he couldn't! He kicked his legs in an effort to stay afloat, but his feet just spun, unable to tread any water. Friendly swam up to the struggling raccoon cub and held onto him, keeping him above the surface.\n\"Was that fun?\" asked Friendly, as he helped the chubby little raccoon back to the shallows.\n\"Uh-huh\" spluttered Timothy, coughing up some water he'd accidentally swallowed while he was struggling.\n\n\tCrawling on to the sandy bank, Collin brushed his hanging bangs out of his eyes. Sitting down the little kit stretched out his matted tail and basked in the warm summer sun, looking smaller then before as his bushy fur dripped with water. \"I went farther,\" Collin said to the other kit as he stepped onto the shore smiling proudly.\n\"I made a bigger splash\" grinned Timothy, sitting next to Collin and basking in the sun to dry his thick fur.\n\"That wasn't so bad, was it?\" asked Friendly, joining the two younger cubs.\nCollin shook his head, scrunching up his nose as water trickled out his ear. \"It was fun.\" The kit admitted as Sarah joined them, heavy floppy red tail \nhanging over a low branch. \"It's almost time for lunch,\" The tom boy said as she wrung out her pony tail, \"You guys want to have hot dogs with us? Our house is just down the street.\"\n\"Sure!\" said Friendly, \"We'd love that\"\n\"Uh-huh!\" agreed Timothy\n\"Okay, grab your shirts and we'll show you the way\" Sarah said as the red squirrel snagged her jersey and shoes, hopping over the stones to the other side where her fishing rod still sat. Getting to his feet Collin pulled on his shoe making a face as he felt the insides get soggy. \"Come on Timothy, we'll have to go up this side, your bike can't cross the river\"\n\"Okay\" said Timothy, he put on his blue t-shirt and slipped his black plimsoll shoes onto his feet before getting his bike.\n\"It's a pity Jake wasn't here. He'd have enjoyed this\" said Friendly\n\"Who's Jake?\" Collin asked as he pushed up through the reed and up to the cobbled stone bridge. Heading east the kit lead the new comers over the bridge and down the street towards his house. Hopping up the slope Sarah joined them, her rod resting on her shoulder.\n\n\tTimothy got on his bike and rode alongside Collin, his training wheels making a distinct rattling sound along the asphalt street.\n\"Jake's our friend, he's a German Shepherd\" said Timothy\n\"Speak of the devil, here he comes now\" laughed Friendly, \"Jake, over here!\"\nThe German Shepherd barked happily and ran over to Friendly and Timothy. He was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of silver and black shorts. He wagged his \ntail in greeting. \"Hey there, I'm Jake\"\n\"Hi, I'm Sarah,\" The red squirrel offered a damp paw as she approached the new puppy, \"That's Collin.\"\n\"Hi,\" The white kit said, in a friendly way, \"You want to come eat hot dogs with us?\"\n\"Oh! Why thank you, I'd be glad to join you!\" Jake said happily.\n\"Do you wanna try and ride my bike, Collin?\" asked Timothy.\n\"Can I?\" Collin asked Timothy holding his paws behind his back, \"I never rode one on my own yet\"\n\"It's not too far to the house,\" Sarah said to Jake as she kept on eye on Collin, \"Its the big town house on the corner with the flag on the porch\"\n\"Oh, okay\" said Jake, walking alongside Friendly and Sarah.\n\"You'll be okay. My training wheels will help you\" said Timothy, smiling happily and helping Collin to get onto his bike.\n\n\tCollin pressed his paws into the pedals pushing down and setting the bike into motion. Teetering unsteadily for a moment he swerved and zigzagged as he moved down the street. After a word of encouragement from Sarah the kit peddled faster finding his balance with the aid of the training wheels and picked up the pace.\n\"Yay! You're doing it! You're doing it!\" cried Timothy, running as fast as he could alongside Collin, who giggled as he rode down the street watching the white fence and mail boxes fly by. Closing in on the corner he could see his home, a old fashioned blue town house with a big porch. Sitting on the swing out side under the canopy, a lanky sandy ferret was dozing in the afternoon sun as the cub raced closer.\nTimothy struggled to keep up with how fast Collin was riding his bike, but he kept running as fast as he could. Friendly chuckled as he watched the young cubs running off in front of him. \"We're being left behind\" he said to Sarah.\n\"Not for long, we're already here.\" Sarah said with a shrug looking on as Collin kept going to the end of the corner. \"How do I stop?\" The kit called out anxiously, back peddling as he closed in on the corner half rail set up around the a rose bush.\n\"That's it!\" squeaked Timothy, \"Pedal backwards and you'll slow down!\"\nJake suddenly had an idea and he ran after Collin and Timothy.\n\"Hey!\" he called.\n\n\tPushing back hard the brakes squealed and Collin wobbled dangerously as he over-compensated, tumbling over the rail and into the flower bed landing in a heap of damp fur. \"Owwie!\" The kit cried as the others ran over. As the sound of shouting cubs and crashing bikes reached the ferret ears, Collin's dad sat up on the porch and looked over, concerned.\n\"What's going on here?\" The ferret called out loudly as he walked down the steps and across the yard, his left leg limping behind slightly.\nTimothy and Jake ran over to Collin.\n\"Are you alright?\" asked Timothy, holding Collin's paw.\n\"That was some fall\" agreed Jake\n\"I think Collin's crashed into the flower bed down there\" said Friendly, \"My friend let him borrow his bike so he could learn to ride one\"\nAndrew looked down at his injured son, reaching in a paw to gingerly lift him out and onto his feet. \"Easy Collin, it'll be o.k.\" The ferret said cupping the kit's chin and whipping way the dirt looking for bruises.\n\"My knee hurts...\" The kit whimpered limping a bit, a bright red scrape showing up under the fur. \n\"Yeah, you've scraped it,\" Andrew said as Sarah pulled the bike from the flower bed, \"Come on lets get you cleaned up.\" The ferret said picking the kit up in his arms. \"Who's your new friends Sarah?\" Andrew asked turning to the garage and the back door to the kitchen. \"This is Timothy, Freindly, and Jake,\" The red squirrel called out wheeling the bike along and introducing everyone.\n\n\t\"I'm sorry about the bike\" said Friendly, \"I guess those rear-coaster brakes are a bit finicky for a beginner. Timothy's used to them\"\nTimothy was worried... would he be in trouble? He whimpered anxiously and looked at his bike. Although apart from a couple of scratches to the paintwork it \nseemed to be okay.\n\"Will Collin be alright?\" Timothy asked, on the edge of tears. \"I didn't mean to...\"\n\"He'll be o.k.\" Andrew said cuddling the sobbing kit as he pushed into the kitchen and set him on the counter top. \"What happened?\" A tan bunny asked as he entered the kitchen from the living room and pulled a first aid kit out of a cabinet. \"Collin tumbled into your flower garden.\" Andrew said brushing away the kit's tears, \"He made some new friends though.\" The ferret indicated the other cubs as Trent dabbed at the injured kit's knee.\n\"I'm sorry Collin\" sniffled Timothy, as he watched Andrew dressing Collin's scraped knee.\n\"You did well for a first try, Collin\" said Friendly, \"Timothy's fallen off his bike a couple of times before\"\n\"Uh-huh\" said Timothy, showing Collin a very faint scrape on his elbow from his last fall.\n\"It's o.k.\" Collin sniffed moving his leg carefully after the bad aid was securely applied. \"Is your bike o.k.?\" The kit asked Timothy feeling better as Andrew ruffled his head hair. \"So it's your bike?\" Trent asked looking out as his garden dismayed. \"Left some big tracks in my petunias.\"\n\"I'm sorry\" squeaked Timothy, \"I only wanted to let Collin ride my bike\"\n\"You meant well, Timothy, it's alright\" said Friendly, letting Timothy hug him and sob into his fur. \"Shh, hey now, it's okay\"\n\"If Collin would like, I've got a bike I don't use anymore. It's blue... it has training wheels, and it has squeeze-brakes which are easier to use\" said \nJake.\n\"Well he could do with some practice,\" Andrew said as he cuddled the white kit in his lap. \"That's a very generous offer Jake, say thank you Collin.\"\n\"Thanks Jake...\" The kit said softly resting in his papas arms.\"\n\n\tPulling out chairs for everyone Trent looked over the group of kits. \"Hungry boys?\" The bunny asked \nas he opened the fridge. \"I was about to make some hot dogs.\"\nTimothy felt slightly better at the mention of food. \"Yes please\" he squeaked, as his tummy began to rumble.\nJake licked his lips happily. \"Yeah please!\"\nTrent moved to set up the kitchen for cooking up the dogs as Sarah and Collin lead the trio of new cubs into the living room. A big wrap around couch sat before a low coffee table and entertainment system. \"You guys want to watch a movie while we eat?\" Andrew asked as he entered behind them.\n\"Yes please!\" squeaked Timothy.\n\"That would be nice, thanks\" said Friendly, sitting next to Timothy on the couch.\nJake wagged his tail happily and joined Trent in the kitchen.\n\"Can I help?\" he asked.\n\"How about Despicable Me?\" Andrew asked passing out towels for the damp cubs to wrap up in as they watched the movie.\n\n\tIn the kitchen Trent boiled a large pot of water and dropped in a pack of Oscar mire wieners. \"Can you peel some oranges?\" The hare asked putting a bunch of large fruit on the counter so the cub could reach.\nStepping back into the kitchen the lanky ferret drapped his arms about the hare kissing his cheek and said, \"I got this, go on and check out your garden.\"\n\"O.k.\" The hare replied as he back out the garage door, \"Don't cook them too long.\" The hare warned as he stepped out side.\nOnce his mate was gone the ferret reached up for a sauce pan, and pulled out a can of chile. \"Who wants chile dogs?\"\n\"Sure\" said Jake, starting to peel the oranges Trent had laid out for him.\n\"Ooooh, yes please!\" said Timothy excitedly\n\"Yeah, I love chile dogs!\" Jake yapped excitedly\nCurled up in his fluffy beach towel Collin looked back at his papa grinning sheepishly. \"But I thought we weren't supposed to have junk food?\" The kit asked as the ferret slowly stirred the ground beef and beans.\n\"Once in a while is o.k.\" Andrew said as he let the food simmer. \"We got root beer, organ cream, milk, and water,\" The ferret said as he pulled out glasses for everyone. \"What you all want?\"\n\"I'll have root-beer please!\" said Timothy\n\"Me too!\" said Jake\n\"I'll have milk, please\" said Friendly, \"I'm not too keen on root-beer\"\n\"Orange please,\" Sarah and Collin call out together and start giggling cuddled close as the movie started up. Carrying the glasses out the ferret laid out the orange slices and drinks before returning for the chile dogs. Garnishing them with shredded chess Andrew placed the treats on a plater and brought them out. Returning from the yard Trent gave his mate a stern raised eyebrow before taking a seat and munching on a dog.\n\"We agreed on less junk food yes?\" The hare asked as Collin hid his stain muzzle beneath his paws. \nTimothy couldn't help giggling as he also tried to hide his stained muzzle beneath his paws. Jake took a sip of his root-beer.\n\"Gorgeous!\" said Friendly, sipping some milk to wash down his chile dog.\nAndrew scratched his chin as he tried to recall. \"It doesn't sound like something I'd say.\"\nTrent wiped his lips with a napkin and drank a sip of water. \"Well you'll get the couch tonight, you know you have an irritable stomach.\"\nTimothy smiled and reached for his root beer. Jake couldn't resist helping himself to another chile dog.\n\n\t\"You're not angry at Timothy are you?\" Friendly asked Trent.\n\"It's wasn't too bad,\" The hare said biting into a orange slice. \"It's not your fault Timothy, it was an accident.\"\nTimothy felt much better as he realized Trent wasn't angry with him and he sat next to Collin.\n\"Are you alright now?\" asked Timothy, \"I guess I should have warned you about the brakes on my bike\"\nFriendly also helped himself to an orange slice and smiled.\n\"I'm o.k.\" Collin said peaking out of his towel, \"Look it doesn't even hurt any more.\" The white kit showed off the bandage on his knee, moving his leg slowly to test the joint.\nTimothy smiled at Collin, relieved that he hadn't done any real damage.\n\"Maybe after the movie you can try my old bike\" said Jake, \"It's got better brakes than Timothy's bike, you did really well for a first time rider\"\n\"Yeah!\" said Timothy, \"We can ride our bikes together\"\n\"O.k.\" Collin said cuddling up to Timothy as the movie played in the background. \"It was fun until I crashed. You'll help me with it right?\"\n\"Yeah!\" said Timothy, snuggling Collin \"I'm just glad you're okay\"\n\"We'll all help you, Collin\" said Jake, wagging his tail and panting happily.\n\"Yes we will\" said Friendly\n\"It'll be good practice Collin,\" Andrew said reaching over to ruffle his head fur, \"I'll watch too. The more you practice the better you'll get\"\n\"It'll be great to see you and Timothy riding around together\" said Jake\n\n\tTimothy suddenly stood up. \"Excuse me, where is the bathroom?\" he asked.\n\"Upstairs,\" Andrew said pointing to the staircase leading to the bathroom behind the couch. \"Collin, can you show Timothy where it is?\"\nThe white kit stood up and lead Timothy around the couch and up the long staircase to the landing on the second floor. Across from the steps a hallway stood and the first door was the bathroom. \"It's right there\" Collin said, moving the stepping stool away from the sink that he used himself.\n\"Thanks Collin\" said Timothy, as he made his way upstairs.\n\"I'd better go and help Timothy, he can't undo his laces yet\" said Friendly, heading upstairs with Collin and Timothy.\n\"You need any help?\" Collin asked as he stepped back letting Friendly and Timothy into the bathroom.\n\"We'll be okay, thanks Collin\" said Friendly, \"You go back and watch the movie with Jake and Sarah, we'll be down soon\" said Friendly, helping Timothy to undo his shorts' laces.\nThe white kit nodded and went back downstairs, he took a seat beside his dad and curled up tight watching the screen intently.\n\n\tBefore long, Timothy and Friendly came back down the stairs.\n\"Thanks Friendly\" Timothy squeaked, blushing slightly.\n\"It's okay, lil' buddy\" said Friendly, giving Timothy a quick hug and ruffling his head fur.\nSarah scooted aside give the two room to sit back on the couch, slurping down her orange cream soda. \"Have you guys see this one yet?\" The red squirel asked, not wanting to spoiled any of it for the other cubs.\n\"Yeah, we've seen it before, Sarah\" said Friendly, he smiled and helped himself to another orange slice, sitting behind Timothy.\nTimothy sat next to Collin, wrapping his white towel around his body.\nOn the screen the villain blew up the carnival stand winning the huge plushie for the excited girl. \"It's so fluffy!\" Sarah called out in time to the movie chuckling along with the others.\nFriendly saw that Timothy wasn't giggling with the others... he was falling asleep.\n\"Awww\" said Friendly, grinning as he put his paw inside the pocket on Timothy's butt and wiggled his paw around inside it.\nTimothy began to giggle helplessly. \"Help! Stop, stop! Heeheehee!\"\n\"That got you moving, didn't it\" chuckled Friendly.\nCollin dozed against his papa. The ferret stroked his cheeks gently as the white kit blinked his green eyes. \"Tired kiddo?\" Andrew asked as Collin yawned.\n\"No...\" The kit murmured as he buried his face in his papa's chest tail curling up to be clutched in a paw.\n\"Lazybones,\" Trent said reaching out to tickle the kit.\n\nFriendly chuckled and closed the velcro pocket on Timothy's shorts.\n\"I guess it's the heat\" said the fox, struggling to stifle a yawn himself.\n\"It does get warm in here,\" Andrew said as Trent went to open the front door and let the breeze in. \"If Timothy wants to lay down he can share Collin's bed for a nap.\" The ferret offered as the white kit in his arms snoozed on his shoulder, tuckered out form the busy afternoon.\n\"Thanks\" yawned Timothy, \"I'd really like that\"\n\"Come on, let's get you upstairs\" said Friendly, helping Timothy up the stairs to Collin's bedroom.\nLifting up Collin, Andrew carried the cub up stairs, flipping on the rotating fan in the corner of the colorful room and placing the white kit on the full sized bed. Pulling back the covers the ferret set up a pair of pillows, one each for Timothy and Collin. Helping Collin out of his shirt the ferret left the kit in his boxers so he won't get too warm as he napped.\nFriendly helped Timothy take his shirt off and reached into his backpack for something.\n\"Come on Timothy, let's get you ready for a nap\" said the fox, untying Timothy's shorts and putting something on underneath them before pulling his shorts back up. \"He sometimes wets his bed\" Friendly explained to Trent and Andrew.\n\"It's alright,\" Trent said from the door way, \"It's nothing to be embarrassed about.\"\nGiving Collin a quick kiss the hare took his leave head back down letting the kits curl up, nuzzling each other as they slept.\n\n\t\"Sleep well, Timothy\" said Friendly, rubbing his friend's head fur before following Trent downstairs.\nTimothy felt very comfortable and he was soon sound asleep with Collin.\n\"Do you want me to go and get my old bike for Collin?\" asked Jake\n\"If you want to\" Andrew said leaving the door to Collin's room open as they could hear if they called out.\n\"I'll ride with you.\" Sarah said hopping up as the movie came to an end. \"I got a cool bike, and it doesn't have training wheels.\"\n\"Okay!\" said Jake, heading outside with Sarah. \"I don't need training wheels anymore either, so it just sits around. Timothy's got his own bike so he doesn't need it. It'll be perfect for Collin\"\nFriendly smiled and sat down on the couch again, turning the TV system off with the remote controls.\nAndrew took a seat next to Friendly. \"So how'd you meet up with Sarah \nand Collin?\" The ferret asked relaxing on the couch arms over the back.\n\"Well... I took Timothy for a bike ride down the street and we just happened to bump into Collin and Sarah down by the river. Sarah was fishing and Collin was relaxing in the long grass\" said Friendly.\n\n\tSarah pedaled out of the garage, playing cards clipping in the spooks of her wheel.\n\"Hey, wait for me!\" cried Jake, running to keep up with her.\n\"Is your house down by the ball park?\" Sarah called back as she circled around, steering in loopy loops so the older cub could keep up with her.\n\"Yeah\" panted Jake, \"You ride fast!\"\n\"Sorry, I forgot you don't have you bike,\" Sarah wheeled around slowing down so she kept pace with Jake, \"You play baseball?\" The red squirrel asked as they passed the ball diamond.\n\"It's alright\" said Jake, panting slightly from trying to keep up. \"I like playing baseball sometimes, but Friendly and Timothy aren't very good at it. There's my house over there\" he said, pointing out the small, old fashioned wooden house with faded green paint.\n\n\t\"So, you guys go to the other elementary school?\" Andrew asked unbuttoning his left leg pant's seam and rubbing his calf. Under the flap Friendly could make out the shine of a metallic bar coming out of the ferret's shoe.\n\"Yep\" said Friendly, \"We take the bus there every morning together\" he looked at the ferret's shoe and looked a little flustered. \"Oh... erm...\" He blinked his eyes in disbelief.\nLooking over at Friendly, Andrew blinked a bit with embarrassment. \"Sorry about that,\" The ferret said as he pulled the flap closed again. \"Just had an itch.\"\n\"It's okay, but did I see what I thought I saw?\" asked Friendly\n\"If you thought you saw metal, then your were right.\" Andrew said rapping the rod through his jeans. \"Its a replacement for the old one.\"\n\"Oh!\" said Friendly, blushing slightly \"What happened? If you don't mind my asking\"\n\"I was in Iraq when my Humvee got hit my a road side bomb.\" Andrew said as Trent came over to rub his shoulder softly, \"Woke up in the hospital missing my left leg.\"\n\"Oh! I see... you were in the army I guess?\" asked Friendly\n\"Yeah, I drove gun trucks for convoy protection.\" The ferret said as Trent sat beside him wrapping an arm around his shoulder.\n\"Oh, okay. Well at least you came back\" said Friendly\n\"And here to stay this time,\" Trent said nuzzling with his mate, \"They can't send him back with the prosthetic limb\"\n\"I guess not\" replied Friendly, \"Shall I tell you how I met Timothy?\"\n\"Sure,\" Andrew says interestedly as he sipped his soda, \"You've been friends long?\"\n\"We've been friends for about a year. We met at the park... by mistake really. I was there with Jake and we saw Timothy riding his bike - or trying to\" said Friendly\n\"It can be a bit of a trick the first few times,\" Andrew admitted as Trent got up to sneak up stairs to check on the dozing boys. \"I know it was a while \nbefore I took off my training wheels.\"\n\"Well he was turning his pedals but he wasn't going anywhere\" explained Friendly, \"He was stuck in a rut and the other kids just kept laughing at him\"\n\"That must have been rough for him,\" Andrew sympathized. Peering into Collin's room Trent spotted the little white kit nuzzling tight with Timothy as the rotating fan made their fur ripple in the breeze.\n\"Yeah, as he pedaled his back wheel just spun and spun. I felt so sorry for him\" said Friendly, \"I walked over to him and asked if he wanted some help, and I pushed him free. We became best friends after that, he usually comes over to my place and we do stuff together while his folks are at work\"\n\n\tSarah hopped off her bike and rested it on the kick stand as they arrived at Jake's house.\n\"Collin's dad's the coach, I'm the catcher for the team. Collin wants to be the pitcher, but still needs to learn how to throw a curve ball\"\n\"Wow!\" exclaimed Jake, \"Maybe we can teach him\"\n\"You any good at pitching?\" Sarah asked eager to add another ace to the team, \"What kind of off speed pitches you got?\"\n\"I'm great at pitching!\" Jake barked, \"My favorite is the knuckleball pitch\"\n\"Cool,\" Sarah said as they approached Jake's garage, \"You manage a sinker? We don't have any low pitches to work with.\"\n\"Yeah, I can do a sinker\" grinned Jake, as they arrived outside his house.\nWaiting for Jake to retrieve his old bike for Collin Sarah pushed her pony tail over her shoulder securing it with a scrunchy.\nJake opened the garage door and retrieved his old blue bike.\n\"I'm gonna ride it back... just for fun\" chuckled Jake, \"I haven't rode this bike in so long\"\nSarah giggle as he got on the bike a size too small turning around and pedaling back to her house.\nJake turned the pedals on his old bike and rode after Sarah, holding the unused training wheels in his paw.\nJake grinned as he rode as fast as he could on his bike, keeping up with Sarah.\n\"I'm sorta sad to let this bike go\" Jake said, \"It's got a lot of speed for a bike with no gears\"\nOutside Sarah pulled into the garage behind Jake panting a bit. \"It's only cause your bigger now.\" The tom boy said as she rested her bike against the wall.\n\"I know\" sighed Jake, resting his old bike against the wall behind Sarah's bike, \"Collin will really like it, it's a good bike\"\n\nSarah and Jake walked in to the house as Friendly finished telling Andrew how he had met Timothy.\n\"We're back,\" Sarah called out as she entered the kitchen and hopped on the couch. \"And Jake's got the training wheels.\"\n\"Well, I better go put them on then.\" Andrew said reaching for the small wheels as Trent came back downstairs.\n\"Here\" said Jake, handing over the small, metal wheels. \"They're better than Timothy's training wheels too, they roll better than the plastic ones\"\n\"How are they, Trent?\" asked Friendly\nAndrew got up heading to the garage to fix the wheels to Collin's new bike. Sarah went to join him while Trent returned to the couch. \"They're fast asleep,\" The hare informed Friendly, \"All curled up with each other.\"\n\"Awww\" said Friendly, smiling at Trent. \"I know he loves to snuggle, we kinda fell asleep on the couch at my house once... hehe\" chuckled the fox.\nJake sat next to Friendly and panted, still slightly exhausted from trying to keep up with Sarah.\n\n\tComing in from the garage Andrew washed his paws off in the sink, looking over at Trent. \"You still want to go get ice cream?\" The ferret asked as he dried his hands off.\n\"Yeah, You kids want to join us?\" The hare asked Jake and Freindly.\n\"Yeah!\" answered Jake.\n\"Yes please\" said Friendly, licking his lips. \"Are Collin and Timothy going to come too?\"\n\"I'll see if they're up,\" Trent said heading back up stairs to check on the kits. Curled up beside Timothy Collin had grabbed his tail, and was nibbling on the tip as he dozed. \"Boys,\" Trent gently shook their shoulders. \"Time for ice cream.\"\nTimothy stirred as Trent shook his shoulder. He suddenly looked flustered.\n\"Oh no!\" he cried, looking down at his shorts.\n\"Wahs the matter?\" Collin asked rubbing sleep from his eyes as he looked over at Timothy.\nNoticing the damp shorts Trent picked Collin up and shooed him to the door. \"Wait down stairs with you dad kido,\" The hare says as the white kit takes his leave looking a bit confused. \"You need some help in the bathroom Timothy?\" Trent asked softly once Collin was out of ear shot.\n\"Yes please\" sniffled Timothy, \"I'm sorry\"\n\"It's o.k. sweet heart,\" Trent said snagging a fresh set of shorts from Collin's dresser for Timothy to change into. Closing the bathroom door the hare runs some warm water in the sink and wet a washcloth for the kit to clean up with.\nTimothy smiled at Trent. \"Thank you\" he said, struggling to take off his damp shorts.\n\"Let me help,\" The hare said reaching down to tug the strings loose, letting the kit steady him self on his shoulders as he pulled the shorts down for Timothy to step out of.\n\"Thank you\" Timothy squeaked, blushing as his soaked goodnite was exposed. \"I guess I had too much to drink. Those are my favorite shorts\"\n\"I'll put them in the wash for you while you out for ice cream,\" Trent said pulling the wet goodnite off and handing the kit the wet warm washcloth. \"You think you can mange with just shorts and briefs?\" The hare said placing the soiled under garment in a plastic bag.\n\"Yes, thanks\" mumbled Timothy, climbing into the tub and beginning to wash himself with the washcloth.\n\"Once you're done, go ahead and join the others downstairs\" Trent said, laying out the fresh set of shorts for Timothy, \"I'll wait till you head out for ice cream before washing your shorts so no one knows\"\n\"Okay, thank you\" said Timothy, looking sadly at his damp shorts and trying on the ones Trent had laid out for him. Collin's shorts were a close fit, though they were a little longer in the legs. A large loop behind fastened over the base of the kit's tail, helping to secure them in place. In front was a metal snap and fly, Trent gave Timothy a hand to fasten them before shooing him downstairs.\n\n\tFriendly smiled at Timothy as the raccoon came downstairs.\n\"Come on Timothy, we're gonna get some ice cream!\"\nTimothy managed to smile back at Friendly at the thought of ice cream.\nStepping out of the door Andrew watched as the cubs trooped out, Sarah taking the lead. \"There's a great ice cream stand in the concessions part of the ball park.\" The red squirrel pointed out to the four large diamonds in a circle. \"They open it up in the afternoon after practice lets out.\"\nDropping into step with Timothy, Collin hold out his paw for the other kit to hold as they march down the road to the crowd waiting in line.\n\"Nice, I've never been to that ice cream stand before\" said Friendly\nTimothy smiled at Collin and held his paw. \"Thanks Collin, I'm sorry I took so long\"\n\"It's o.k.\" Collin said looking at his shorts on Timothy, \"You have any dreams?\"\n\"Just a dream about us riding our bikes together\" said Timothy, smiling at Collin.\nPushing her way to the front of the line Sarah placed a pair of bills on the counter, and received a nutty crunch bar from the tortoise that ran the joint.\n\"What's everyone body want?\" Andrew asked as he pulled out his wallet.\n\"Banana ice-cream please\" said Jake\n\"Strawberry please\" said Friendly\n\"Can I have Strawberry too, please?\" asked Timothy\n\"Kay, I think I got it,\" Andrew said walking up and ordering, \"One banana ice cream, two strawberry, one rocky road, and one mint chip.\" The ferret said handing over the money and carrying the snacks to the cubs, passing them out as they sat in the shaded bleachers.\n\n\t\"Yummy! I love strawberry ice cream\" said Timothy, sitting next to Collin.\n\"Wanna try mine?\" Collin asked Timothy holding up his mint chip, \"It's really good.\"\n\"Sure, thanks\" said Timothy, sampling some of Collin's mint chip ice cream and letting the other kit try his strawberry one.\nCollin licked the dripping strawberry ice cream smacking his lips as he savored the treat.\nTimothy traded Collin's mint chip ice cream back for his strawberry one.\n\"Thanks Collin\" said the raccoon.\n\"I can't wait till next spring, I got some big plans for the team.\" Andrew said as he munched on his rocky road.\n\"Sarah mentioned you were looking for a pitcher\" said Jake, licking his banana ice cream as it began to melt.\n\"Yeah, our old ace moved away,\" Andrew stated as he chewed to nuts and fudge buried in his ice cream, \"Need a leftie too if you know any.\"\n\"I'm left-handed!\" said Jake, proudly.\n\"Bonus,\" Andrew said to Jake as he finished. \nSarah dashed off to the swing set after she had finished her ice cream, she kicked off the ground and called to the others to join her on the playground.\n\n\t\"Come on guys, let's go\" said Friendly.\nAndrew watched at a distance as everyone dashed off, noticing a smear of strawberry on Collin's cheek. Hopping on a free swing the kit kicked off pumping his feet hard in an attempt to get as high as Sarah.\nTimothy ran after Collin and jumped on a free swing, but he didn't start to swing. Andrew stood up and walked over with Friendly, who chuckled as he watched Timothy.\n\"Looks like Timothy needs a push\" he said. \"Do you wanna help him, Andrew? I'm gonna go over to the slide with Jake\"\n\"Sure, okay\" said Andrew, walking over to Timothy.\n\n\t\"Need a hand kido?\" Andrew asked walking over behind Timothy. \"Hang on tight okay?\" Gripping the bottom of the swing seat the ferret pulled Timothy back a couple of feet and pushed him off into the air. \n\"Wheee!\" squeaked Timothy, as Andrew pushed him. \"Higher! Push me higher!\" Andrew stepped back to get a better angle and sent Timothy higher on the next push. Beside him Sarah and Collin were in sync almost coming to the half way point were the chains rattled and protested. \"Bet I can jump farther then you Collin!\" The red squirrel called out as she kicked her feet.\n\"Wheee!\" cried Timothy, as he flew almost as high as Collin and Sarah.\n\"Timothy you wanna jump with us?\" Collin asked as he whipped by feet touching the sky.\n\"Um... no thanks\" said Timothy, \"You can though if you want, I'll watch\"\n\n\tJake climbed up the wooden slide and slid down on his back. \"Yahoo!\" he cried. When he reached the bottom he rolled off with a chuckle and climbed up the slide again.\n\"Having fun Jake?\" asked Friendly\n\"Yeah!\" grinned Jake.\nAcross the park a slightly older raccoon and a pair of doberman pups came up to the slight snickering as they pointed out Collin and Sarah. \"Look at the dweebs,\" Jeremy chuckled at his goons, \"Looks like the freak found another loser to play with.\" Friendly and Jake overheard the bully say.\n\"Uh-oh...\" whimpered Jake, \"Here comes trouble\"\n\"Yep... looks like it\" said Friendly\n\n\t\"Kay, here I go Sarah!\" Collin cried out as he reached the top of his arch and pushed off the swing seat. Gliding through the air the white kit pin wheeled his arms tucking his legs as he landed.\n\"Oomph!\" Collin cried, stumbling a little as he rolled over in a heap as Sarah touched down near him pulling him up with a paw.\n\"What a loser!\" Jeremy shouted snorting as he laughed at Collin, Andrew started to dust the kit off.\nJake growled under his breath at the other raccoon.\nLooking over at Jake and Friendly Jeremy scoffed at the fox. \"What you growling for?\" The pudgy kit asked as he stepped in fornt of Jake with his goons in stride. \"He your boyfriend or something?\"\n\"They're our friends, what do you want? An apology? Well you won't get one, not from me\" said Friendly, crossing his arms and staring at the raccoon. Jake growled again. \"Leave us alone\"\n\n\tTimothy waited for the swing to come to a stop before getting off.\n\"Are you okay Collin?\" he asked.\n\"Yeah,\" Collin sniffled as he wiped his eyes with the back of his paw. \"I'm all right.\"\nTimothy smiled at Collin. \"Good... hey, what's Friendly and Jake doing?\"\nLooking up Andrew glared as he spotted Jeremy talking with Friendly and Jake. He walked over to help diffuse the situation.\n\"Best get home Jeremy,\" The ferret said as he approached placing a paw on Jake and Friendly's shoulders. \"I don't want to have another talk with your father\"\n\"Yeah whatever,\" Jeremy snorted as he turned to leave, \"See you at school Collin.\" The grey raccoon kit called out as the white kit hugged his tail, nearly in tears.\n\"What's wrong, Collin?\" asked Timothy, seeing that he looked rather upset.\n\"I think I recognized that kid\" said Friendly, \"I've seen him somewhere before\"\n\"That's Jeremy,\" Sarah said as the bully took his leave, \"He always picks on Collin at school.\"\n\"He's a bully...\" Collin said softly hugging his tail, while Andrew knelt down to hug him. \n\"He's trouble alright,\" Andrew said checking his watch.\n\"Oh\" said Timothy, \"I know what it feels like to be bullied\"\n\"I think that's one of the kids who laughed at Timothy when his bike got stuck\" said Friendly, \"Everyone just kept laughing at him\"\n\"All except you\" said Timothy, smiling at Friendly and hugging him, \"You helped me\"\n\"Awww\" said Friendly, hugging Timothy back and ruffling his headfur. \"I'll always be there for you, my little buddy\"\nAndrew put his wrist down. \"It's getting a little late, when do you guys have to head home?\" asked Andrew.\n\"We'll be okay for another hour or so\" said Friendly, \"Should we head back? We can let Timothy and Collin ride their bikes before we go\"\n\"Oooh, can we? Please?\" asked Timothy.\n\"Sounds like a plan,\" Andrew said as he took Collin's paw in his own heading back to the house. \"I put the training wheels on already, so you can give it a try\" The ferret said to the white kit as they walked along.\n\"Yay!\" Timothy squeaked happily, smiling at Collin.\nFriendly chuckled as he and Jake walked alongside Andrew.\n\"Maybe tomorrow we can all ride around together\" suggested Jake\n\n\tTrooping along down the road the group returned to the corner house, Andrew stooping low to open the garage door. Running inside Sarah grabbed her bike and started to run circles on the side street while Collin looked at his new bike. \"Cool,\" The kit said as he swung his leg over the seat. \"It's a nice color.\"\n\"This was my second bike\" Jake said to Collin, \"But I don't need this one anymore. It's a good bike\"\nTimothy hopped onto his bike and began to ride around with Sarah, his training wheels making a dull rattling sound.\n\"Come on Collin!\" squeaked the raccoon, excitedly.\nPushing down on the pedals Collin wobbled his way out the garage and down the drive way. Keeping with in running distance Andrew watched as the white kit crossed into the street after Timothy. \"I'm doing it!\" Collin called out as he chased after Timothy, \"I'm going to catch you!\"\n\"Oh no you're not!\" giggled Timothy, turning his pedals harder and racing along the road.\n\n\tFriendly sat down on the grass and watched as Timothy, Collin and Sarah rode their bikes, Jake sat next to him.\n\"That was a very nice thing you did Jake\" said Friendly\n\"I know\" Jake grinned, panting happily.\n\"Indeed,\" Andrew said as he watched the kits chasing each other. Collin gripped the hand brakes to make a slow turn around, obviously getting a feel for the bike. \"Thanks again for the bike Jake, I really appreciate it, and so does Collin\"\n\"You're welcome\" said Jake, smiling at Andrew.\nFriendly rubbed Jake's head fur and tickled him behind his ear.\n\n\tComing out of the house, Trent took a seat beside Andrew on the swing, taking a hint from Friendly and Jake, cuddling as the cubs played. Slowly the afternoon sun dipped to twilight, and a sedan pulled up with a pair of red squirrels inside. \"Mom! Dad!\" Sarah called out as she dropped her bike and rush to hug her folks as they got out of the car.\n\"Hi sweetie,\" Sarah's mom said as she waved to Trent and Andrew, \"I see you made some new friends\"\n\"Yeah, that's Timothy, Jake and Friendly.\" Sarah said as she pointed everyone out.\n\"Hey\" said Jake, wagging his tail in greeting.\n\"Hi there\" said Friendly, \"Timothy, come over here for a minute\"\nTimothy turned his bike around and rode his bike up to the driveway.\n\"It's getting late Sarah,\" The red squirrel's dad said as he gave the tom boy a hug, \"Say night to your friends.\"\n\"Night guys,\" Sarah called out as she parked her bike, \"I'll see you tomorrow Collin. It was nice to meet you Timothy, Jake, Friendly\"\nThe red squirrel called out as she followed her folks into their side of the house.\n\"See you tomorrow Sarah\" said Jake, continuing to wag his tail.\n\"Bye Sarah!\" squeaked Timothy, turning the pedals on his bike - but he didn't move. \"Huh? What's happened?!\" squeaked Timothy, as his back wheel just spun, and spun, and spun. He had rode over a pothole in the road and his training wheels had lifted the back wheel off the ground.\n\"Timothy you got stuck!\" Collin said as he wheeled about the drive wobbling a bit as he passed the other kit by.\nTimothy tried harder to ride after Collin, but he just sat and his bike's back wheel just spun helplessly.\n\"Need a hand kido?\" Andrew asked as he walked over.\n\"Yes please\" said Timothy, looking at his back wheel that just spun.\n\"Okay, hold still for a second,\" Andrew said, reaching down to grip the bottom of the seat and lifted it up. \"Okay, try now\"\n\tTimothy turned his pedals again, but his bike still didn't move. Friendly walked over to Andrew and Timothy.\n\"I think it's this pothole\" said Friendly, pointing out that the back wheel of Timothy's bike was not touching the ground.\n\"Just give him a push... he'll be able to ride again after that\" said the fox.\nPushing forward the ferret gave the stuck kit a nudge, helping him free of the pot hole and on his way.\n\"Thank you!\" squeaked Timothy, as he rode down the road with Collin following him.\n\"I should call the county about filling that hole.\" Andrew said as he returned to the swing and sat with his mate.\n\"Poor Timothy\" chuckled Friendly\n\"I'm glad I don't need training wheels anymore\" said Jake, \"Even I got stuck a couple of times\"\n\"I remember\" said Friendly, tickling Jake behind his ears.\n\n\tTrent took a look at his watch and nudged Andrew. \"It's getting a little late,\" The hare stated, \"Time to call it a day. Collin needs his bath\"\n\"Right,\" Andrew said as he called Collin over, \"Time to pack it in short stuff. Go say bye to your friends.\"\n\"Oh, o.k\" Collin said - a little put out, but feeling tired from a long day. \"Bye Timothy, Jake, Friendly. Its was nice meeting you, can you come over tomorrow?\"\n\"Sure! We can come over tomorrow\" said Friendly, \"Maybe we can all ride our bikes in the park\"\n\"Yeah!\" squeaked Timothy, getting off his bike and walking over to Trent. \"Um... can I get my shorts now?\"\n\"Sure thing kido,\" Trent leaned in and handed the kit a clothes bag with his fresh shorts inside, \"Just bring Collin's back tomorrow. No rush.\"\n\"That'd be fun!\" Collin said as he pulled his new bike into the garage, \"There's a big path through the woods! I'll show you tomorrow.\"\n\"Yay!\" squeaked Timothy, accepting the clothes bag and getting back on his bike.\n\"See you tomorrow Collin!\" said Jake, \"I'll bring my bike too\"\n\"And me\" Friendly said, \"See you Collin\"\n\"Bye!\" Collin waved as he was scooped up by his dad and carried inside.\n\nTimothy got back on his red bike and rode alongside Friendly and Jake. \"Well, wasn't that nice!\" said Friendly.\n\"Uh-huh!\" squeaked Timothy, \"I'm really looking forward to tomorrow!\"\n\"Me too buddy, me too\" said Friendly, putting his paw across Timothy's shoulders.\nJake grinned and put his paw around Friendly's waist.\n\"I'll see you tomorrow guys\" said the german shepherd, turning off down the street to his house.\n\"Bye Jake!\" said Timothy, as he and Friendly went up the other street.\n\"Do you wanna have a sleepover tonight, Timothy?\" asked Friendly.\n\"Yes please!\" squeaked Timothy, with a big smile.\n\"Alright, go and ask your parents. You know you're always welcome at my place\"\n\"Uh-huh!\" said Timothy, riding his bike up to his house and leaving it in the drive-way between a big silver truck and a green minivan.\n\"I'll wait with your bike, Timothy\" said Friendly, as Timothy rushed inside to ask if he could stay at Friendly's place.\n\n\tBefore long, Timothy came outside. He was no longer wearing Collin's shorts, but his own orange ones with white and blue flames.\n\"Dad's put Collin's shorts in the wash\" said Timothy, \"I'll give them back to him tomorrow\"\n\"Okay, let's go\" said Friendly, pulling Timothy's bike out of the driveway and onto the sidewalk. Timothy hopped on his bike and rode alongside his older fox friend.\n\"I didn't bring my stuffie\" said Timothy, \"Can I sleep with you?\"\n\"Sure buddy\" smiled Friendly, \"I know you love to snuggle with someone when you go to bed\"\n\"Uh-huh\" said Timothy, struggling to stifle a yawn.\n\"Come on buddy, we're nearly there\" said Friendly, gently pushing Timothy along the sidewalk.\nSoon they arrived at Friendly's house. Friendly took Timothy's bike and put it in the garage, and put his paw around the little raccoon's shoulders and helped him inside.\n\"Alright, let's get you ready for bed\" said Friendly, smiling as Timothy yawned. Friendly undid the laces on Timothy's shorts and put him in a goodnite, and pulled his shorts back up over it.\n\"Thanks Friendly\" said Timothy, walking over to the bed. Friendly pulled the covers aside and waited for Timothy to clamber into the bed. \"I'll be with you shortly\" smiled Friendly, licking Timothy's cheek as the raccoon yawned and looked down at the goodnite peeking out of his shorts.\n\n\tA few minutes later, Friendly came back into the bedroom and clambered into bed with Timothy, pulling the covers up and over himself and Timothy. The little raccoon smiled at the fox, who smiled back and kissed him on his cheek.\n\"Goodnight Timothy\" said Friendly.\n\"Night Friendly\" yawned Timothy, fidgeting to get comfortable and snuggling up with Friendly. He began to murr in his raccoon way as he felt Friendly's paw on his butt, and nuzzled the fox as he began to fall asleep.\n\n-- The End --", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Joys of the Summer – Chapter One


\tIt was a gorgeous summer's morning. Birds sang merrily as the sun rose higher into the sky. A slightly chubby six year old raccoon cub rode his red bike on the asphalt of a quiet residential street, his training wheels making a sort of dull rattling sound as he trundled along. He was wearing a blue t-shirt, and a pair of orange swimming trunks with white and blue flames. He smiled happily as he stopped and looked back at the little wheels which kept him steady on his bike, which he loved to ride so much. A ten year old fox watched over him, walking someways behind the little raccoon. He was wearing a dark-blue jersey and a pair of sweat-pants. The little raccoon waited for his fox friend to catch up with him.
"You're getting faster, Timothy. Soon I'll need to be on my bike to keep up with you" the fox said to him, with a small chuckle.
"Heehee, do you really think so, Friendly?" asked Timothy.
"Sure, come on little buddy. We'll ride over that bridge down there and we can sit by the water for a bit" said Friendly.
Timothy turned his pedals and rode down the street, with Friendly following close behind.

\tAt the end of the street an old cobblestone bridge spanned over a calm shallow river. Sloping down the embankment, reeds and tall pussy willows lined the shore before the bend in river became deeper. Resting in a little thicket of soft grass a little white furred kit with a black face mask and a black-ringed white tail dipped his paws in the cool water and stared up at the clouds with big green eyes. Sitting across for the thicket the white dozing kit rested in, a red squirrel with golden eyes and a green bay packers jersey on pulled back her arm and sent a fishing line into the shallow part of the stream. Reeling in the slack the little squirrel stuck out her tongue as she tried to snag a trout for lunch.

\tTimothy rode towards the bridge, gathering speed. The raccoon's bike rolled smoothly over the bridge and he rode right up to the middle. A triumphant smile crossed the young raccoon's face, he could ride faster! He'd never been able to make it this far without stopping for breath before.
"Wow, you really are getting fast!" said Friendly, as he caught up with Timothy on the middle of the bridge. Timothy smiled at his older friend, the sunlight making his hazel eyes sparkle.
"Awww, that's adorable" said Friendly, ruffling his friend's thick head fur. "Come on, we're nearly there now"
Timothy turned his pedals and rode off the bridge.

\tLooking over at the sound of reeds and brush being trampled by the bike the little red squirrel frowned, a bit annoyed by the extra noise as she tried to bag a fish. Watching a silver scaled trout slip in between the rocks and escape the tom boy reeled in her line and stared at the new cubs. She didn't recognize them from anywhere before.
"Oh, hi there" said Timothy, smiling at the squirrel in a friendly way.
"Oh, are you fishing? I'm sorry about the noise, but he does love to ride his bike" said Friendly, helping the raccoon cub off his bike and out of the reeds.
"I 'was' fishing," Sarah said brushing her long pony tail over her shoulder hooking her line to an eye on the pole before setting it down. "I'm Sarah," The red squirrel introduced herself, hopping from one flat rock to another crossing the shallow part of the river to join the other two cubs. "I haven't seen you before, what school you go to?"
"We go to Parkland Elementary" said Friendly, "My name's Friendly... it's what people have always called me"
"...and I'm Timothy!" squeaked the little raccoon, pulling his bike out of the reeds and onto the soft grass.
"Nice to meet you," Sarah held out her paw to shake and glanced over her shoulder to the lounging white kit hidden in the tall grass, "That's Collin over there. We go to Kennedy Elementary, it's by the river down town."
Friendly and Timothy each shook the squirrel's paw before turning to Collin.
"Hi Collin" squeaked Timothy, smiling at him as he left his bike on the grass. "I'm Timothy"
Peering up through bright green eyes, the white half breed kit sat up pulling his paws out of the river. "Nice to meet you." The kit pulled his bushy tail around hugging the black striped appendage shyly as he met the new cubs.
Friendly smiled at Collin as he saw how shy the cub was.
"Aww, don't be shy" said the fox.
Timothy smiled happily and sat next to Collin, pulling his own tail in front of him so that it lightly touched Collin's.
"He's new here too," Sarah explained as she flopped down by the kits, kicking her shoes off and wiggling her toes happily. Brushing the black tip of his tail against Timothy's, Collin smiled brightly from behind it.
"He just joined our class a couple months ago." continued Sarah.
"Well, I'm glad we met you" said Friendly, "Timothy and I were looking for some new friends"
"Yeah!" said Timothy, giggling as Collin brushed his tail against his own black-ringed brown tail.

\t"Are you guys planning to go swimming?" Sarah asked as the red squirrel pointed out the swimming trunks. Collin looked over seeming a bit nervous about the water.
"You'll want to go down around the bend, it's deep enough to dive in there" Sarah said pointing over here shoulder. "I can show the best spot, we even have an old rope to swing off off down there."
Timothy liked the idea at first, but he looked up at Friendly.
"Do you have my waterwings?" the raccoon asked.
"Sorry buddy" said Friendly, "I didn't think we were going swimming"
"You could stay in the shallow part," Sarah suggested picking up a pussy willow reed and blowing the white downy seeds into the air, "It's only about two feet deep right at the bend, and there are flat rocks you can sit on" The red squirrel informed the two new cubs as Collin blushed. "That's where Collin always sits cause he can't swim so well."
"Okay then. I'll be there for you if you need me" Friendly said to Timothy and Collin.
Timothy got onto his bike and turned his pedals, but his bike didn't move.
"Huh?" he squeaked, and tried harder, but he still didn't move.
Friendly chuckled as the back wheel of Timothy's bike struggled to get any traction in the grass.
"I'd better go and help him" the fox said to Sarah.
"Best to walk it over," Sarah called out as she headed over to the deep end carrying her shoes in her paw. "The ground's too soft, his bike might sink"
Collin watched the two new cubs as they struggled with the bike. He waited for them to join him. Timothy stopped trying to pedal his bike and sadly got off it, joining Collin and heading over to the pool. Friendly walked the bike over to the bank and left it there as he joined Collin and Timothy.
"I always get stuck" sniffled the raccoon.
"At least you have a bike" Collin said to the other kit encouragingly, "I'm still too small for a two wheeler."
"I'm too small for a two wheeler too, I still need my training wheels" said Timothy, as he struggled to pull his t-shirt off. "Hey, I'll let you ride it if you want to, Collin"
Collin helped Timothy free of his shirt before pulling off his own. "Careful here, the rocks are slippery," The white half breed said, holding out his paw for his new friend. Timothy smiled as he took Collin's paw and carefully waded out into the shallow water.

\tAhead around the bend Sarah had piled her jersey, socks, and shoes on the shore and was pulling a long thick nylon rope over from under an old oak tree. Running hard toward the bank the red squirrel leapt out over the water releasing the rope once over the dark deep pool, and cannon-balling in with a loud splash.
Friendly had also taken his t-shirt, socks and shoes off. He grabbed the rope as Sarah splashed into the deep water.
"Clear the runway!" cried the fox, as he ran towards the bank and leapt out into the river. "Wooohoooo!!!"
Sarah ducked down under the water pushing out from the spot Friendly would splash down in and popped up farther down the river floating on her back. Friendly chuckled as he surfaced and watched Sarah floating around on her back, he then turned to look at Collin and Timothy as they made their way into the shallower part of the river.

\tReaching the shallow end of the pool, Collin hitched up his shorts stepping in the cool water and heading over to a pair of large smooth stones. The rocks were big enough so they didn't get too wet, yet the water was still deep enough to come up to their knees. Timothy looked at his own untied shorts and hitched them up, he'd have to get Friendly to tie them for him - unless Collin could. He carefully followed Collin towards the large smooth stones, the legs of his shorts just dipping slightly in the water. Soon they were sitting on the rocks together. Kicking his paws in the water Collin sent up droplets into the air which drizzled down on him and Timothy. Timothy giggled as he felt the droplets of water landing in his fur. Collin nuzzled him, enjoying the good company with his new friend. Timothy smiled happily as Collin nuzzled him.
"Could you tie my shorts for me Collin?" asked Timothy, blushing slightly and pointing out the thick blue laces that drooped almost to his knees.
Collin nodded to Timothy as he scooted over grabbing the string. "Stand up and pull your shorts up and I'll tie them for you"

\tSarah swam around Friendly, cupping her paws together to shoot bursts of water at him. Friendly gasped as the squirrel shot a burst of water towards him and he ducked under the water. When he surfaced, he had an idea.
"You know, Collin and Timothy don't have to miss out on the rope swing" he said.
Sarah looked over at the smaller kit biting her lip as she thought about it. "I don't know, Collin's not a good swimmer, are you sure Timothy can handle the deeper part?"
"Timothy can't swim at all, but I could catch them before they fall in too deep" suggested Friendly, "But only if they want to try it of course"
Sarah thought it over before nodding, "Okay, but they should go one at a time then" The squirrel said, as she kicked off and swam over to Timothy and Collin, "That way there's two of us to help them swim back to shore"
"Sure, that sounds good" said Friendly, following Sarah towards the two large, smooth rocks.

\tTimothy stood up and held his shorts up so Collin could tie his laces for him. "Thank you Collin" he said.
"No problem," Collin replied as he hooked the loop and snuck the bunny though the hole before pulling tight like his papa showed him. "There, all better now."
Timothy felt better as Collin tied his shorts for him and he sat down next to his new friend. He kicked his feet up and down, splashing both him and Collin all over with water. Collin laid back ruffling Timthy's head fur as Sarah pulled up close, water running down her fur in patches. Timothy smiled as Collin ruffled his thick headfur.
"You guys wanna try the rope swing?" Sarah asked pointing over her shoulder, "We'll help you swim back once you hit the water."
"Will you be right there? In the water?" asked Timothy
"Yeah, we'll be right there to help you" answered Friendly
"Um..." said Timothy, he couldn't quite decide. "I'd feel safer with my waterwings"
"You'll be okay, Timothy" said Friendly, smiling at his raccoon friend and holding his paw. "I'll be there for you"
"Well, okay" said Timothy, smiling back at his fox friend.

\tCrawling up the bank Collin stopped by the long rope gripping it in his paws tightly. "It's really deep." The kit said as he glanced at the dark water.
"It'll be okay" Sarah called out as she back paddled to the center of the river. "Just hold on tight and let go once you're over the water, Collin"
Timothy followed Collin and watched as his friend held onto the rope. He still wasn't sure if it was such a good idea, but if Collin was going to do it, so was he. Friendly followed Sarah into the water, standing to one side. Timothy watched them as they paddled to the center of the river.
Grasping the rope tightly, Collin backed up as he had a running start. Looking over the calm water the white kit closed his eyes and made a mad dash for the shore. Jumping off the embankment the kit flew over the water clinging to the rope desperately. As he reached the middle of the river his damp paws lost their grip on the rope, and the startled kit slid off and plopped into the water. Kicking his feet hard Collin breached the surface, flailing around a bit before Sarah grasped one of his paws and helped to pulled him towards the shallow shore.

\tTimothy watched as Sarah helped Collin into the shallows and he grabbed hold of the rope. Every nerve inside him was tingling as he backed up and ran towards the shore, just like Collin had done. He jumped off the embankment and flew out over the water.
"Wheee!" cried Timothy, suddenly enjoying the sensation of flying over the water. His sweaty paws struggled to hold onto the rope, as he reached the middle of the river they slipped and he fell into the river with a loud splash. Timothy tried to get his paws to touch the bottom, but he couldn't! He kicked his legs in an effort to stay afloat, but his feet just spun, unable to tread any water. Friendly swam up to the struggling raccoon cub and held onto him, keeping him above the surface.
"Was that fun?" asked Friendly, as he helped the chubby little raccoon back to the shallows.
"Uh-huh" spluttered Timothy, coughing up some water he'd accidentally swallowed while he was struggling.

\tCrawling on to the sandy bank, Collin brushed his hanging bangs out of his eyes. Sitting down the little kit stretched out his matted tail and basked in the warm summer sun, looking smaller then before as his bushy fur dripped with water. "I went farther," Collin said to the other kit as he stepped onto the shore smiling proudly.
"I made a bigger splash" grinned Timothy, sitting next to Collin and basking in the sun to dry his thick fur.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" asked Friendly, joining the two younger cubs.
Collin shook his head, scrunching up his nose as water trickled out his ear. "It was fun." The kit admitted as Sarah joined them, heavy floppy red tail
hanging over a low branch. "It's almost time for lunch," The tom boy said as she wrung out her pony tail, "You guys want to have hot dogs with us? Our house is just down the street."
"Sure!" said Friendly, "We'd love that"
"Uh-huh!" agreed Timothy
"Okay, grab your shirts and we'll show you the way" Sarah said as the red squirrel snagged her jersey and shoes, hopping over the stones to the other side where her fishing rod still sat. Getting to his feet Collin pulled on his shoe making a face as he felt the insides get soggy. "Come on Timothy, we'll have to go up this side, your bike can't cross the river"
"Okay" said Timothy, he put on his blue t-shirt and slipped his black plimsoll shoes onto his feet before getting his bike.
"It's a pity Jake wasn't here. He'd have enjoyed this" said Friendly
"Who's Jake?" Collin asked as he pushed up through the reed and up to the cobbled stone bridge. Heading east the kit lead the new comers over the bridge and down the street towards his house. Hopping up the slope Sarah joined them, her rod resting on her shoulder.

\tTimothy got on his bike and rode alongside Collin, his training wheels making a distinct rattling sound along the asphalt street.
"Jake's our friend, he's a German Shepherd" said Timothy
"Speak of the devil, here he comes now" laughed Friendly, "Jake, over here!"
The German Shepherd barked happily and ran over to Friendly and Timothy. He was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of silver and black shorts. He wagged his
tail in greeting. "Hey there, I'm Jake"
"Hi, I'm Sarah," The red squirrel offered a damp paw as she approached the new puppy, "That's Collin."
"Hi," The white kit said, in a friendly way, "You want to come eat hot dogs with us?"
"Oh! Why thank you, I'd be glad to join you!" Jake said happily.
"Do you wanna try and ride my bike, Collin?" asked Timothy.
"Can I?" Collin asked Timothy holding his paws behind his back, "I never rode one on my own yet"
"It's not too far to the house," Sarah said to Jake as she kept on eye on Collin, "Its the big town house on the corner with the flag on the porch"
"Oh, okay" said Jake, walking alongside Friendly and Sarah.
"You'll be okay. My training wheels will help you" said Timothy, smiling happily and helping Collin to get onto his bike.

\tCollin pressed his paws into the pedals pushing down and setting the bike into motion. Teetering unsteadily for a moment he swerved and zigzagged as he moved down the street. After a word of encouragement from Sarah the kit peddled faster finding his balance with the aid of the training wheels and picked up the pace.
"Yay! You're doing it! You're doing it!" cried Timothy, running as fast as he could alongside Collin, who giggled as he rode down the street watching the white fence and mail boxes fly by. Closing in on the corner he could see his home, a old fashioned blue town house with a big porch. Sitting on the swing out side under the canopy, a lanky sandy ferret was dozing in the afternoon sun as the cub raced closer.
Timothy struggled to keep up with how fast Collin was riding his bike, but he kept running as fast as he could. Friendly chuckled as he watched the young cubs running off in front of him. "We're being left behind" he said to Sarah.
"Not for long, we're already here." Sarah said with a shrug looking on as Collin kept going to the end of the corner. "How do I stop?" The kit called out anxiously, back peddling as he closed in on the corner half rail set up around the a rose bush.
"That's it!" squeaked Timothy, "Pedal backwards and you'll slow down!"
Jake suddenly had an idea and he ran after Collin and Timothy.
"Hey!" he called.

\tPushing back hard the brakes squealed and Collin wobbled dangerously as he over-compensated, tumbling over the rail and into the flower bed landing in a heap of damp fur. "Owwie!" The kit cried as the others ran over. As the sound of shouting cubs and crashing bikes reached the ferret ears, Collin's dad sat up on the porch and looked over, concerned.
"What's going on here?" The ferret called out loudly as he walked down the steps and across the yard, his left leg limping behind slightly.
Timothy and Jake ran over to Collin.
"Are you alright?" asked Timothy, holding Collin's paw.
"That was some fall" agreed Jake
"I think Collin's crashed into the flower bed down there" said Friendly, "My friend let him borrow his bike so he could learn to ride one"
Andrew looked down at his injured son, reaching in a paw to gingerly lift him out and onto his feet. "Easy Collin, it'll be o.k." The ferret said cupping the kit's chin and whipping way the dirt looking for bruises.
"My knee hurts..." The kit whimpered limping a bit, a bright red scrape showing up under the fur.
"Yeah, you've scraped it," Andrew said as Sarah pulled the bike from the flower bed, "Come on lets get you cleaned up." The ferret said picking the kit up in his arms. "Who's your new friends Sarah?" Andrew asked turning to the garage and the back door to the kitchen. "This is Timothy, Freindly, and Jake," The red squirrel called out wheeling the bike along and introducing everyone.

\t"I'm sorry about the bike" said Friendly, "I guess those rear-coaster brakes are a bit finicky for a beginner. Timothy's used to them"
Timothy was worried... would he be in trouble? He whimpered anxiously and looked at his bike. Although apart from a couple of scratches to the paintwork it
seemed to be okay.
"Will Collin be alright?" Timothy asked, on the edge of tears. "I didn't mean to..."
"He'll be o.k." Andrew said cuddling the sobbing kit as he pushed into the kitchen and set him on the counter top. "What happened?" A tan bunny asked as he entered the kitchen from the living room and pulled a first aid kit out of a cabinet. "Collin tumbled into your flower garden." Andrew said brushing away the kit's tears, "He made some new friends though." The ferret indicated the other cubs as Trent dabbed at the injured kit's knee.
"I'm sorry Collin" sniffled Timothy, as he watched Andrew dressing Collin's scraped knee.
"You did well for a first try, Collin" said Friendly, "Timothy's fallen off his bike a couple of times before"
"Uh-huh" said Timothy, showing Collin a very faint scrape on his elbow from his last fall.
"It's o.k." Collin sniffed moving his leg carefully after the bad aid was securely applied. "Is your bike o.k.?" The kit asked Timothy feeling better as Andrew ruffled his head hair. "So it's your bike?" Trent asked looking out as his garden dismayed. "Left some big tracks in my petunias."
"I'm sorry" squeaked Timothy, "I only wanted to let Collin ride my bike"
"You meant well, Timothy, it's alright" said Friendly, letting Timothy hug him and sob into his fur. "Shh, hey now, it's okay"
"If Collin would like, I've got a bike I don't use anymore. It's blue... it has training wheels, and it has squeeze-brakes which are easier to use" said
Jake.
"Well he could do with some practice," Andrew said as he cuddled the white kit in his lap. "That's a very generous offer Jake, say thank you Collin."
"Thanks Jake..." The kit said softly resting in his papas arms."

\tPulling out chairs for everyone Trent looked over the group of kits. "Hungry boys?" The bunny asked
as he opened the fridge. "I was about to make some hot dogs."
Timothy felt slightly better at the mention of food. "Yes please" he squeaked, as his tummy began to rumble.
Jake licked his lips happily. "Yeah please!"
Trent moved to set up the kitchen for cooking up the dogs as Sarah and Collin lead the trio of new cubs into the living room. A big wrap around couch sat before a low coffee table and entertainment system. "You guys want to watch a movie while we eat?" Andrew asked as he entered behind them.
"Yes please!" squeaked Timothy.
"That would be nice, thanks" said Friendly, sitting next to Timothy on the couch.
Jake wagged his tail happily and joined Trent in the kitchen.
"Can I help?" he asked.
"How about Despicable Me?" Andrew asked passing out towels for the damp cubs to wrap up in as they watched the movie.

\tIn the kitchen Trent boiled a large pot of water and dropped in a pack of Oscar mire wieners. "Can you peel some oranges?" The hare asked putting a bunch of large fruit on the counter so the cub could reach.
Stepping back into the kitchen the lanky ferret drapped his arms about the hare kissing his cheek and said, "I got this, go on and check out your garden."
"O.k." The hare replied as he back out the garage door, "Don't cook them too long." The hare warned as he stepped out side.
Once his mate was gone the ferret reached up for a sauce pan, and pulled out a can of chile. "Who wants chile dogs?"
"Sure" said Jake, starting to peel the oranges Trent had laid out for him.
"Ooooh, yes please!" said Timothy excitedly
"Yeah, I love chile dogs!" Jake yapped excitedly
Curled up in his fluffy beach towel Collin looked back at his papa grinning sheepishly. "But I thought we weren't supposed to have junk food?" The kit asked as the ferret slowly stirred the ground beef and beans.
"Once in a while is o.k." Andrew said as he let the food simmer. "We got root beer, organ cream, milk, and water," The ferret said as he pulled out glasses for everyone. "What you all want?"
"I'll have root-beer please!" said Timothy
"Me too!" said Jake
"I'll have milk, please" said Friendly, "I'm not too keen on root-beer"
"Orange please," Sarah and Collin call out together and start giggling cuddled close as the movie started up. Carrying the glasses out the ferret laid out the orange slices and drinks before returning for the chile dogs. Garnishing them with shredded chess Andrew placed the treats on a plater and brought them out. Returning from the yard Trent gave his mate a stern raised eyebrow before taking a seat and munching on a dog.
"We agreed on less junk food yes?" The hare asked as Collin hid his stain muzzle beneath his paws.
Timothy couldn't help giggling as he also tried to hide his stained muzzle beneath his paws. Jake took a sip of his root-beer.
"Gorgeous!" said Friendly, sipping some milk to wash down his chile dog.
Andrew scratched his chin as he tried to recall. "It doesn't sound like something I'd say."
Trent wiped his lips with a napkin and drank a sip of water. "Well you'll get the couch tonight, you know you have an irritable stomach."
Timothy smiled and reached for his root beer. Jake couldn't resist helping himself to another chile dog.

\t"You're not angry at Timothy are you?" Friendly asked Trent.
"It's wasn't too bad," The hare said biting into a orange slice. "It's not your fault Timothy, it was an accident."
Timothy felt much better as he realized Trent wasn't angry with him and he sat next to Collin.
"Are you alright now?" asked Timothy, "I guess I should have warned you about the brakes on my bike"
Friendly also helped himself to an orange slice and smiled.
"I'm o.k." Collin said peaking out of his towel, "Look it doesn't even hurt any more." The white kit showed off the bandage on his knee, moving his leg slowly to test the joint.
Timothy smiled at Collin, relieved that he hadn't done any real damage.
"Maybe after the movie you can try my old bike" said Jake, "It's got better brakes than Timothy's bike, you did really well for a first time rider"
"Yeah!" said Timothy, "We can ride our bikes together"
"O.k." Collin said cuddling up to Timothy as the movie played in the background. "It was fun until I crashed. You'll help me with it right?"
"Yeah!" said Timothy, snuggling Collin "I'm just glad you're okay"
"We'll all help you, Collin" said Jake, wagging his tail and panting happily.
"Yes we will" said Friendly
"It'll be good practice Collin," Andrew said reaching over to ruffle his head fur, "I'll watch too. The more you practice the better you'll get"
"It'll be great to see you and Timothy riding around together" said Jake

\tTimothy suddenly stood up. "Excuse me, where is the bathroom?" he asked.
"Upstairs," Andrew said pointing to the staircase leading to the bathroom behind the couch. "Collin, can you show Timothy where it is?"
The white kit stood up and lead Timothy around the couch and up the long staircase to the landing on the second floor. Across from the steps a hallway stood and the first door was the bathroom. "It's right there" Collin said, moving the stepping stool away from the sink that he used himself.
"Thanks Collin" said Timothy, as he made his way upstairs.
"I'd better go and help Timothy, he can't undo his laces yet" said Friendly, heading upstairs with Collin and Timothy.
"You need any help?" Collin asked as he stepped back letting Friendly and Timothy into the bathroom.
"We'll be okay, thanks Collin" said Friendly, "You go back and watch the movie with Jake and Sarah, we'll be down soon" said Friendly, helping Timothy to undo his shorts' laces.
The white kit nodded and went back downstairs, he took a seat beside his dad and curled up tight watching the screen intently.

\tBefore long, Timothy and Friendly came back down the stairs.
"Thanks Friendly" Timothy squeaked, blushing slightly.
"It's okay, lil' buddy" said Friendly, giving Timothy a quick hug and ruffling his head fur.
Sarah scooted aside give the two room to sit back on the couch, slurping down her orange cream soda. "Have you guys see this one yet?" The red squirel asked, not wanting to spoiled any of it for the other cubs.
"Yeah, we've seen it before, Sarah" said Friendly, he smiled and helped himself to another orange slice, sitting behind Timothy.
Timothy sat next to Collin, wrapping his white towel around his body.
On the screen the villain blew up the carnival stand winning the huge plushie for the excited girl. "It's so fluffy!" Sarah called out in time to the movie chuckling along with the others.
Friendly saw that Timothy wasn't giggling with the others... he was falling asleep.
"Awww" said Friendly, grinning as he put his paw inside the pocket on Timothy's butt and wiggled his paw around inside it.
Timothy began to giggle helplessly. "Help! Stop, stop! Heeheehee!"
"That got you moving, didn't it" chuckled Friendly.
Collin dozed against his papa. The ferret stroked his cheeks gently as the white kit blinked his green eyes. "Tired kiddo?" Andrew asked as Collin yawned.
"No..." The kit murmured as he buried his face in his papa's chest tail curling up to be clutched in a paw.
"Lazybones," Trent said reaching out to tickle the kit.

Friendly chuckled and closed the velcro pocket on Timothy's shorts.
"I guess it's the heat" said the fox, struggling to stifle a yawn himself.
"It does get warm in here," Andrew said as Trent went to open the front door and let the breeze in. "If Timothy wants to lay down he can share Collin's bed for a nap." The ferret offered as the white kit in his arms snoozed on his shoulder, tuckered out form the busy afternoon.
"Thanks" yawned Timothy, "I'd really like that"
"Come on, let's get you upstairs" said Friendly, helping Timothy up the stairs to Collin's bedroom.
Lifting up Collin, Andrew carried the cub up stairs, flipping on the rotating fan in the corner of the colorful room and placing the white kit on the full sized bed. Pulling back the covers the ferret set up a pair of pillows, one each for Timothy and Collin. Helping Collin out of his shirt the ferret left the kit in his boxers so he won't get too warm as he napped.
Friendly helped Timothy take his shirt off and reached into his backpack for something.
"Come on Timothy, let's get you ready for a nap" said the fox, untying Timothy's shorts and putting something on underneath them before pulling his shorts back up. "He sometimes wets his bed" Friendly explained to Trent and Andrew.
"It's alright," Trent said from the door way, "It's nothing to be embarrassed about."
Giving Collin a quick kiss the hare took his leave head back down letting the kits curl up, nuzzling each other as they slept.

\t"Sleep well, Timothy" said Friendly, rubbing his friend's head fur before following Trent downstairs.
Timothy felt very comfortable and he was soon sound asleep with Collin.
"Do you want me to go and get my old bike for Collin?" asked Jake
"If you want to" Andrew said leaving the door to Collin's room open as they could hear if they called out.
"I'll ride with you." Sarah said hopping up as the movie came to an end. "I got a cool bike, and it doesn't have training wheels."
"Okay!" said Jake, heading outside with Sarah. "I don't need training wheels anymore either, so it just sits around. Timothy's got his own bike so he doesn't need it. It'll be perfect for Collin"
Friendly smiled and sat down on the couch again, turning the TV system off with the remote controls.
Andrew took a seat next to Friendly. "So how'd you meet up with Sarah
and Collin?" The ferret asked relaxing on the couch arms over the back.
"Well... I took Timothy for a bike ride down the street and we just happened to bump into Collin and Sarah down by the river. Sarah was fishing and Collin was relaxing in the long grass" said Friendly.

\tSarah pedaled out of the garage, playing cards clipping in the spooks of her wheel.
"Hey, wait for me!" cried Jake, running to keep up with her.
"Is your house down by the ball park?" Sarah called back as she circled around, steering in loopy loops so the older cub could keep up with her.
"Yeah" panted Jake, "You ride fast!"
"Sorry, I forgot you don't have you bike," Sarah wheeled around slowing down so she kept pace with Jake, "You play baseball?" The red squirrel asked as they passed the ball diamond.
"It's alright" said Jake, panting slightly from trying to keep up. "I like playing baseball sometimes, but Friendly and Timothy aren't very good at it. There's my house over there" he said, pointing out the small, old fashioned wooden house with faded green paint.

\t"So, you guys go to the other elementary school?" Andrew asked unbuttoning his left leg pant's seam and rubbing his calf. Under the flap Friendly could make out the shine of a metallic bar coming out of the ferret's shoe.
"Yep" said Friendly, "We take the bus there every morning together" he looked at the ferret's shoe and looked a little flustered. "Oh... erm..." He blinked his eyes in disbelief.
Looking over at Friendly, Andrew blinked a bit with embarrassment. "Sorry about that," The ferret said as he pulled the flap closed again. "Just had an itch."
"It's okay, but did I see what I thought I saw?" asked Friendly
"If you thought you saw metal, then your were right." Andrew said rapping the rod through his jeans. "Its a replacement for the old one."
"Oh!" said Friendly, blushing slightly "What happened? If you don't mind my asking"
"I was in Iraq when my Humvee got hit my a road side bomb." Andrew said as Trent came over to rub his shoulder softly, "Woke up in the hospital missing my left leg."
"Oh! I see... you were in the army I guess?" asked Friendly
"Yeah, I drove gun trucks for convoy protection." The ferret said as Trent sat beside him wrapping an arm around his shoulder.
"Oh, okay. Well at least you came back" said Friendly
"And here to stay this time," Trent said nuzzling with his mate, "They can't send him back with the prosthetic limb"
"I guess not" replied Friendly, "Shall I tell you how I met Timothy?"
"Sure," Andrew says interestedly as he sipped his soda, "You've been friends long?"
"We've been friends for about a year. We met at the park... by mistake really. I was there with Jake and we saw Timothy riding his bike - or trying to" said Friendly
"It can be a bit of a trick the first few times," Andrew admitted as Trent got up to sneak up stairs to check on the dozing boys. "I know it was a while
before I took off my training wheels."
"Well he was turning his pedals but he wasn't going anywhere" explained Friendly, "He was stuck in a rut and the other kids just kept laughing at him"
"That must have been rough for him," Andrew sympathized. Peering into Collin's room Trent spotted the little white kit nuzzling tight with Timothy as the rotating fan made their fur ripple in the breeze.
"Yeah, as he pedaled his back wheel just spun and spun. I felt so sorry for him" said Friendly, "I walked over to him and asked if he wanted some help, and I pushed him free. We became best friends after that, he usually comes over to my place and we do stuff together while his folks are at work"

\tSarah hopped off her bike and rested it on the kick stand as they arrived at Jake's house.
"Collin's dad's the coach, I'm the catcher for the team. Collin wants to be the pitcher, but still needs to learn how to throw a curve ball"
"Wow!" exclaimed Jake, "Maybe we can teach him"
"You any good at pitching?" Sarah asked eager to add another ace to the team, "What kind of off speed pitches you got?"
"I'm great at pitching!" Jake barked, "My favorite is the knuckleball pitch"
"Cool," Sarah said as they approached Jake's garage, "You manage a sinker? We don't have any low pitches to work with."
"Yeah, I can do a sinker" grinned Jake, as they arrived outside his house.
Waiting for Jake to retrieve his old bike for Collin Sarah pushed her pony tail over her shoulder securing it with a scrunchy.
Jake opened the garage door and retrieved his old blue bike.
"I'm gonna ride it back... just for fun" chuckled Jake, "I haven't rode this bike in so long"
Sarah giggle as he got on the bike a size too small turning around and pedaling back to her house.
Jake turned the pedals on his old bike and rode after Sarah, holding the unused training wheels in his paw.
Jake grinned as he rode as fast as he could on his bike, keeping up with Sarah.
"I'm sorta sad to let this bike go" Jake said, "It's got a lot of speed for a  bike with no gears"
Outside Sarah pulled into the garage behind Jake panting a bit. "It's only cause your bigger now." The tom boy said as she rested her bike against the wall.
"I know" sighed Jake, resting his old bike against the wall behind Sarah's bike, "Collin will really like it, it's a good bike"

Sarah and Jake walked in to the house as Friendly finished telling Andrew how he had met Timothy.
"We're back," Sarah called out as she entered the kitchen and hopped on the couch. "And Jake's got the training wheels."
"Well, I better go put them on then." Andrew said reaching for the small wheels as Trent came back downstairs.
"Here" said Jake, handing over the small, metal wheels. "They're better than Timothy's training wheels too, they roll better than the plastic ones"
"How are they, Trent?" asked Friendly
Andrew got up heading to the garage to fix the wheels to Collin's new bike. Sarah went to join him while Trent returned to the couch. "They're fast asleep," The hare informed Friendly, "All curled up with each other."
"Awww" said Friendly, smiling at Trent. "I know he loves to snuggle, we kinda fell asleep on the couch at my house once... hehe" chuckled the fox.
Jake sat next to Friendly and panted, still slightly exhausted from trying to keep up with Sarah.

\tComing in from the garage Andrew washed his paws off in the sink, looking over at Trent. "You still want to go get ice cream?" The ferret asked as he dried his hands off.
"Yeah, You kids want to join us?" The hare asked Jake and Freindly.
"Yeah!" answered Jake.
"Yes please" said Friendly, licking his lips. "Are Collin and Timothy going to come too?"
"I'll see if they're up," Trent said heading back up stairs to check on the kits. Curled up beside Timothy Collin had grabbed his tail, and was nibbling on the tip as he dozed. "Boys," Trent gently shook their shoulders. "Time for ice cream."
Timothy stirred as Trent shook his shoulder. He suddenly looked flustered.
"Oh no!" he cried, looking down at his shorts.
"Wahs the matter?" Collin asked rubbing sleep from his eyes as he looked over at Timothy.
Noticing the damp shorts Trent picked Collin up and shooed him to the door. "Wait down stairs with you dad kido," The hare says as the white kit takes his leave looking a bit confused. "You need some help in the bathroom Timothy?" Trent asked softly once Collin was out of ear shot.
"Yes please" sniffled Timothy, "I'm sorry"
"It's o.k. sweet heart," Trent said snagging a fresh set of shorts from Collin's dresser for Timothy to change into. Closing the bathroom door the hare runs some warm water in the sink and wet a washcloth for the kit to clean up with.
Timothy smiled at Trent. "Thank you" he said, struggling to take off his damp shorts.
"Let me help," The hare said reaching down to tug the strings loose, letting the kit steady him self on his shoulders as he pulled the shorts down for Timothy to step out of.
"Thank you" Timothy squeaked, blushing as his soaked goodnite was exposed. "I guess I had too much to drink. Those are my favorite shorts"
"I'll put them in the wash for you while you out for ice cream," Trent said pulling the wet goodnite off and handing the kit the wet warm washcloth. "You think you can mange with just shorts and briefs?" The hare said placing the soiled under garment in a plastic bag.
"Yes, thanks" mumbled Timothy, climbing into the tub and beginning to wash himself with the washcloth.
"Once you're done, go ahead and join the others downstairs" Trent said, laying out the fresh set of shorts for Timothy, "I'll wait till you head out for ice cream before washing your shorts so no one knows"
"Okay, thank you" said Timothy, looking sadly at his damp shorts and trying on the ones Trent had laid out for him. Collin's shorts were a close fit, though they were a little longer in the legs. A large loop behind fastened over the base of the kit's tail, helping to secure them in place. In front was a metal snap and fly, Trent gave Timothy a hand to fasten them before shooing him downstairs.

\tFriendly smiled at Timothy as the raccoon came downstairs.
"Come on Timothy, we're gonna get some ice cream!"
Timothy managed to smile back at Friendly at the thought of ice cream.
Stepping out of the door Andrew watched as the cubs trooped out, Sarah taking the lead. "There's a great ice cream stand in the concessions part of the ball park." The red squirrel pointed out to the four large diamonds in a circle. "They open it up in the afternoon after practice lets out."
Dropping into step with Timothy, Collin hold out his paw for the other kit to hold as they march down the road to the crowd waiting in line.
"Nice, I've never been to that ice cream stand before" said Friendly
Timothy smiled at Collin and held his paw. "Thanks Collin, I'm sorry I took so long"
"It's o.k." Collin said looking at his shorts on Timothy, "You have any dreams?"
"Just a dream about us riding our bikes together" said Timothy, smiling at Collin.
Pushing her way to the front of the line Sarah placed a pair of bills on the counter, and received a nutty crunch bar from the tortoise that ran the joint.
"What's everyone body want?" Andrew asked as he pulled out his wallet.
"Banana ice-cream please" said Jake
"Strawberry please" said Friendly
"Can I have Strawberry too, please?" asked Timothy
"Kay, I think I got it," Andrew said walking up and ordering, "One banana ice cream, two strawberry, one rocky road, and one mint chip." The ferret said handing over the money and carrying the snacks to the cubs, passing them out as they sat in the shaded bleachers.

\t"Yummy! I love strawberry ice cream" said Timothy, sitting next to Collin.
"Wanna try mine?" Collin asked Timothy holding up his mint chip, "It's really good."
"Sure, thanks" said Timothy, sampling some of Collin's mint chip ice cream and letting the other kit try his strawberry one.
Collin licked the dripping strawberry ice cream smacking his lips as he savored the treat.
Timothy traded Collin's mint chip ice cream back for his strawberry one.
"Thanks Collin" said the raccoon.
"I can't wait till next spring, I got some big plans for the team." Andrew said as he munched on his rocky road.
"Sarah mentioned you were looking for a pitcher" said Jake, licking his banana ice cream as it began to melt.
"Yeah, our old ace moved away," Andrew stated as he chewed to nuts and fudge buried in his ice cream, "Need a leftie too if you know any."
"I'm left-handed!" said Jake, proudly.
"Bonus," Andrew said to Jake as he finished.
Sarah dashed off to the swing set after she had finished her ice cream, she kicked off the ground and called to the others to join her on the playground.

\t"Come on guys, let's go" said Friendly.
Andrew watched at a distance as everyone dashed off, noticing a smear of strawberry on Collin's cheek. Hopping on a free swing the kit kicked off pumping his feet hard in an attempt to get as high as Sarah.
Timothy ran after Collin and jumped on a free swing, but he didn't start to swing. Andrew stood up and walked over with Friendly, who chuckled as he watched Timothy.
"Looks like Timothy needs a push" he said. "Do you wanna help him, Andrew? I'm gonna go over to the slide with Jake"
"Sure, okay" said Andrew, walking over to Timothy.

\t"Need a hand kido?" Andrew asked walking over behind Timothy. "Hang on tight okay?" Gripping the bottom of the swing seat the ferret pulled Timothy back a couple of feet and pushed him off into the air.
"Wheee!" squeaked Timothy, as Andrew pushed him. "Higher! Push me higher!" Andrew stepped back to get a better angle and sent Timothy higher on the next push. Beside him Sarah and Collin were in sync almost coming to the half way point were the chains rattled and protested. "Bet I can jump farther then you Collin!" The red squirrel called out as she kicked her feet.
"Wheee!" cried Timothy, as he flew almost as high as Collin and Sarah.
"Timothy you wanna jump with us?" Collin asked as he whipped by feet touching the sky.
"Um... no thanks" said Timothy, "You can though if you want, I'll watch"

\tJake climbed up the wooden slide and slid down on his back. "Yahoo!" he cried. When he reached the bottom he rolled off with a chuckle and climbed up the slide again.
"Having fun Jake?" asked Friendly
"Yeah!" grinned Jake.
Across the park a slightly older raccoon and a pair of doberman pups came up to the slight snickering as they pointed out Collin and Sarah. "Look at the dweebs," Jeremy chuckled at his goons, "Looks like the freak found another loser to play with." Friendly and Jake overheard the bully say.
"Uh-oh..." whimpered Jake, "Here comes trouble"
"Yep... looks like it" said Friendly

\t"Kay, here I go Sarah!" Collin cried out as he reached the top of his arch and pushed off the swing seat. Gliding through the air the white kit pin wheeled his arms tucking his legs as he landed.
"Oomph!" Collin cried, stumbling a little as he rolled over in a heap as Sarah touched down near him pulling him up with a paw.
"What a loser!" Jeremy shouted snorting as he laughed at Collin, Andrew started to dust the kit off.
Jake growled under his breath at the other raccoon.
Looking over at Jake and Friendly Jeremy scoffed at the fox. "What you growling for?" The pudgy kit asked as he stepped in fornt of Jake with his goons in stride. "He your boyfriend or something?"
"They're our friends, what do you want? An apology? Well you won't get one, not from me" said Friendly, crossing his arms and staring at the raccoon. Jake growled again. "Leave us alone"

\tTimothy waited for the swing to come to a stop before getting off.
"Are you okay Collin?" he asked.
"Yeah," Collin sniffled as he wiped his eyes with the back of his paw. "I'm all right."
Timothy smiled at Collin. "Good... hey, what's Friendly and Jake doing?"
Looking up Andrew glared as he spotted Jeremy talking with Friendly and Jake. He walked over to help diffuse the situation.
"Best get home Jeremy," The ferret said as he approached placing a paw on Jake and Friendly's shoulders. "I don't want to have another talk with your father"
"Yeah whatever," Jeremy snorted as he turned to leave, "See you at school Collin." The grey raccoon kit called out as the white kit hugged his tail, nearly in tears.
"What's wrong, Collin?" asked Timothy, seeing that he looked rather upset.
"I think I recognized that kid" said Friendly, "I've seen him somewhere before"
"That's Jeremy," Sarah said as the bully took his leave, "He always picks on Collin at school."
"He's a bully..." Collin said softly hugging his tail, while Andrew knelt down to hug him.
"He's trouble alright," Andrew said checking his watch.
"Oh" said Timothy, "I know what it feels like to be bullied"
"I think that's one of the kids who laughed at Timothy when his bike got stuck" said Friendly, "Everyone just kept laughing at him"
"All except you" said Timothy, smiling at Friendly and hugging him, "You helped me"
"Awww" said Friendly, hugging Timothy back and ruffling his headfur. "I'll always be there for you, my little buddy"
Andrew put his wrist down. "It's getting a little late, when do you guys have to head home?" asked Andrew.
"We'll be okay for another hour or so" said Friendly, "Should we head back? We can let Timothy and Collin ride their bikes before we go"
"Oooh, can we? Please?" asked Timothy.
"Sounds like a plan," Andrew said as he took Collin's paw in his own heading back to the house. "I put the training wheels on already, so you can give it a try" The ferret said to the white kit as they walked along.
"Yay!" Timothy squeaked happily, smiling at Collin.
Friendly chuckled as he and Jake walked alongside Andrew.
"Maybe tomorrow we can all ride around together" suggested Jake

\tTrooping along down the road the group returned to the corner house, Andrew stooping low to open the garage door. Running inside Sarah grabbed her bike and started to run circles on the side street while Collin looked at his new bike. "Cool," The kit said as he swung his leg over the seat. "It's a nice color."
"This was my second bike" Jake said to Collin, "But I don't need this one anymore. It's a good bike"
Timothy hopped onto his bike and began to ride around with Sarah, his training wheels making a dull rattling sound.
"Come on Collin!" squeaked the raccoon, excitedly.
Pushing down on the pedals Collin wobbled his way out the garage and down the drive way. Keeping with in running distance Andrew watched as the white kit crossed into the street after Timothy. "I'm doing it!" Collin called out as he chased after Timothy, "I'm going to catch you!"
"Oh no you're not!" giggled Timothy, turning his pedals harder and racing along the road.

\tFriendly sat down on the grass and watched as Timothy, Collin and Sarah rode their bikes, Jake sat next to him.
"That was a very nice thing you did Jake" said Friendly
"I know" Jake grinned, panting happily.
"Indeed," Andrew said as he watched the kits chasing each other. Collin gripped the hand brakes to make a slow turn around, obviously getting a feel for the bike. "Thanks again for the bike Jake, I really appreciate it, and so does Collin"
"You're welcome" said Jake, smiling at Andrew.
Friendly rubbed Jake's head fur and tickled him behind his ear.

\tComing out of the house, Trent took a seat beside Andrew on the swing, taking a hint from Friendly and Jake, cuddling as the cubs played. Slowly the afternoon sun dipped to twilight, and a sedan pulled up with a pair of red squirrels inside. "Mom! Dad!" Sarah called out as she dropped her bike and rush to hug her folks as they got out of the car.
"Hi sweetie," Sarah's mom said as she waved to Trent and Andrew, "I see you made some new friends"
"Yeah, that's Timothy, Jake and Friendly." Sarah said as she pointed everyone out.
"Hey" said Jake, wagging his tail in greeting.
"Hi there" said Friendly, "Timothy, come over here for a minute"
Timothy turned his bike around and rode his bike up to the driveway.
"It's getting late Sarah," The red squirrel's dad said as he gave the tom boy a hug, "Say night to your friends."
"Night guys," Sarah called out as she parked her bike, "I'll see you tomorrow Collin. It was nice to meet you Timothy, Jake, Friendly"
The red squirrel called out as she followed her folks into their side of the house.
"See you tomorrow Sarah" said Jake, continuing to wag his tail.
"Bye Sarah!" squeaked Timothy, turning the pedals on his bike - but he didn't move. "Huh? What's happened?!" squeaked Timothy, as his back wheel just spun, and spun, and spun. He had rode over a pothole in the road and his training wheels had lifted the back wheel off the ground.
"Timothy you got stuck!" Collin said as he wheeled about the drive wobbling a bit as he passed the other kit by.
Timothy tried harder to ride after Collin, but he just sat and his bike's back wheel just spun helplessly.
"Need a hand kido?" Andrew asked as he walked over.
"Yes please" said Timothy, looking at his back wheel that just spun.
"Okay, hold still for a second," Andrew said, reaching down to grip the bottom of the seat and lifted it up. "Okay, try now"
\tTimothy turned his pedals again, but his bike still didn't move. Friendly walked over to Andrew and Timothy.
"I think it's this pothole" said Friendly, pointing out that the back wheel of Timothy's bike was not touching the ground.
"Just give him a push... he'll be able to ride again after that" said the fox.
Pushing forward the ferret gave the stuck kit a nudge, helping him free of the pot hole and on his way.
"Thank you!" squeaked Timothy, as he rode down the road with Collin following him.
"I should call the county about filling that hole." Andrew said as he returned to the swing and sat with his mate.
"Poor Timothy" chuckled Friendly
"I'm glad I don't need training wheels anymore" said Jake, "Even I got stuck a couple of times"
"I remember" said Friendly, tickling Jake behind his ears.

\tTrent took a look at his watch and nudged Andrew. "It's getting a little late," The hare stated, "Time to call it a day. Collin needs his bath"
"Right," Andrew said as he called Collin over, "Time to pack it in short stuff. Go say bye to your friends."
"Oh, o.k" Collin said - a little put out, but feeling tired from a long day. "Bye Timothy, Jake, Friendly. Its was nice meeting you, can you come over tomorrow?"
"Sure! We can come over tomorrow" said Friendly, "Maybe we can all ride our bikes in the park"
"Yeah!" squeaked Timothy, getting off his bike and walking over to Trent. "Um... can I get my shorts now?"
"Sure thing kido," Trent leaned in and handed the kit a clothes bag with his fresh shorts inside, "Just bring Collin's back tomorrow. No rush."
"That'd be fun!" Collin said as he pulled his new bike into the garage, "There's a big path through the woods! I'll show you tomorrow."
"Yay!" squeaked Timothy, accepting the clothes bag and getting back on his bike.
"See you tomorrow Collin!" said Jake, "I'll bring my bike too"
"And me" Friendly said, "See you Collin"
"Bye!" Collin waved as he was scooped up by his dad and carried inside.

Timothy got back on his red bike and rode alongside Friendly and Jake. "Well, wasn't that nice!" said Friendly.
"Uh-huh!" squeaked Timothy, "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow!"
"Me too buddy, me too" said Friendly, putting his paw across Timothy's shoulders.
Jake grinned and put his paw around Friendly's waist.
"I'll see you tomorrow guys" said the german shepherd, turning off down the street to his house.
"Bye Jake!" said Timothy, as he and Friendly went up the other street.
"Do you wanna have a sleepover tonight, Timothy?" asked Friendly.
"Yes please!" squeaked Timothy, with a big smile.
"Alright, go and ask your parents. You know you're always welcome at my place"
"Uh-huh!" said Timothy, riding his bike up to his house and leaving it in the drive-way between a big silver truck and a green minivan.
"I'll wait with your bike, Timothy" said Friendly, as Timothy rushed inside to ask if he could stay at Friendly's place.

\tBefore long, Timothy came outside. He was no longer wearing Collin's shorts, but his own orange ones with white and blue flames.
"Dad's put Collin's shorts in the wash" said Timothy, "I'll give them back to him tomorrow"
"Okay, let's go" said Friendly, pulling Timothy's bike out of the driveway and onto the sidewalk. Timothy hopped on his bike and rode alongside his older fox friend.
"I didn't bring my stuffie" said Timothy, "Can I sleep with you?"
"Sure buddy" smiled Friendly, "I know you love to snuggle with someone when you go to bed"
"Uh-huh" said Timothy, struggling to stifle a yawn.
"Come on buddy, we're nearly there" said Friendly, gently pushing Timothy along the sidewalk.
Soon they arrived at Friendly's house. Friendly took Timothy's bike and put it in the garage, and put his paw around the little raccoon's shoulders and helped him inside.
"Alright, let's get you ready for bed" said Friendly, smiling as Timothy yawned. Friendly undid the laces on Timothy's shorts and put him in a goodnite, and pulled his shorts back up over it.
"Thanks Friendly" said Timothy, walking over to the bed. Friendly pulled the covers aside and waited for Timothy to clamber into the bed. "I'll be with you shortly" smiled Friendly, licking Timothy's cheek as the raccoon yawned and looked down at the goodnite peeking out of his shorts.

\tA few minutes later, Friendly came back into the bedroom and clambered into bed with Timothy, pulling the covers up and over himself and Timothy. The little raccoon smiled at the fox, who smiled back and kissed him on his cheek.
"Goodnight Timothy" said Friendly.
"Night Friendly" yawned Timothy, fidgeting to get comfortable and snuggling up with Friendly. He began to murr in his raccoon way as he felt Friendly's paw on his butt, and nuzzled the fox as he began to fall asleep.

-- The End --", "pools_count": 0, "title": "Joys of the Summer - Chapter One", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "0", "rating_name": "General", "ratings": [], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "0", "views": "256" }