“Mother?” 

I asked as mother pulled her head out of the river, holding a big fish between her powerful jaws. She dropped the fish in the pile, then looked down at me. 

“What is it, Dapple?” 

She nudged some of the flopping fish back near the pile. 

“Why do I have a black spot on my back? Aren’t we suppose to be brown?” 

“Well, your father was a black bear. But sadly, a few weeks after you and your brother, Oak, learned to walk, your father was hit by a strange orange thing with four round black feet. It’s back was arched and it’s eyes glew bright.” 

She explained, sighing. Oak ran up to me, bouncing up and down, he almost looked like a blurr. 

“Hey Dapple, wanna play?” 

He held a stick in his mouth, facing one end towards me. 

“Sure.” 

I said as Oak dropped the small bright stick in the pile of fish. He playfully tackled me, as I pawed his face. He then play bit my scruff. I play bit his stomach, gently pushing him off of me. 

“Alright, time to head home!” 

Mother called, scooping most of the fish in her mouth. Oak and I carried the four fish that mother left. We padded to the den, lagging right behind mother’s stub for a tail. We stumbled inside our small den, dug under ground but not too far under, with a rock roof looming above. I nibbled a small blue fish with some orange stripes and eyes like the night sky. The sun went behind the hills and the moon rose up, followed by the shining stars, twinkling bright in the sky. I curled up near my mother, as she brought me and Oak closer. My eyes slowly closed, and I was asleep faster then you can say rabbit on the loose. Suddenly, I was walking into a strange cave, with water dripping from the pointed stones hanging from above. A fierce black bear stood on his rear legs, his roars echoing though the cave. He was covered in scars, and blinded in his left eye. Scars surrounded that blinded eye. A scar was slashed though his eye, leaving the brightest red scar I’ve ever seen.The pointed stones started to fall all around me, but I just kept walking. The bear went back on all fours, and I placed my front paws on his muzzle, looking right into his pale, miserable eye.When I was about to say something, my eyes shot open, and I was back with mom and Oak, the sun peeking though the den. Mother got up and climbed out of the den, soon did Oak. I lagged behind, thinking of what that dream meant. I was a bit behind on how much prey I was suppose to catch, but Oak made it up to me, and caught five extra fish. He dropped them at my feet, and went off to get more. I sat near the flowing river, taking a small sip. A few hours later, I trotted to mother, shaking the water off my fur. 

“Mother?” 

I said, feeling like something was missing from the peaceful breeze flowing through the trees and bristling past the leaves. 

“Last night I had a strange dream, and,” 

Mother interpreted me with a question that would change my life forever. 

“Where’s your brother?” 

 I searched in every bush, every patch of grass, and every cave. He was nowhere. I paced back and forth in the river. Not only do I stress over that dream, now my brother is gone! What if he got taken by no-hairs, or was swooped by a Hawk or Wolf! What if he ended up like dad! Okay, think. If I was Oak, where would I go? I know! The berry forests! I rushed over there, pushing though the bushes full of ripe berries, perfect for an Oak to dine on. Then, quiet yowls caught my attention. It sounded like they were coming from the far side of the forests! I followed the yowls to the end of the forests. Then, what loomed above me was a mighty eagle carrying a bear cub! She was a darker brown, with small paws and thick paw pads. Her big fangs hung out of her mouth when she opened it. I gathered some berries and launched some right at the eagle’s face. I found a hard, sharp, cold stone and hurled it towards the sky. It stabbed the eagle right in the neck, and the bird collapsed, dropping the cub. She landed in one of the bushes, flat on her back. I ran up to her, her dark brown coat covered in scratches and scars. 

“Are you okay?”

I asked, starting to pick some leaves off her pelt. She clawed my muzzle, getting up and shaking the leaves and dust off. 

“I didn’t need your help.” 

She growled deeply. 

“Then why were you yowling?” 

I grinned slightly.

“Those were yowls to strike fear in the eagle’s heart. But instead, you impaled it with a stone.” 

“You could have been eaten by now!” 

“I’d rather be eaten then be saved by a dummy like you!” 

“Well, hi, I’m Dapple.” 

The cub paused for a moment. 

“Seed-Dot.” 

She answered. 

“Seed-Dot?” 

“Yes, my mother thought we should have double names like that.” 

“What was your mother’s name?” 

“Her name was Star, but when she grew older, she changed it to Star-Bright.” 

I looked off onto the path. 

“My brother has gone missing, will you help me find him?” 

I asked, with a strong feeling  she would say no. 

“Fine.” 

She grunted. 

“It’s the least I can do.” 

I started passing down the trail, with Seed-Dot next to me, still not warmed up to me yet. 

“So, where is your family?” 

I started, wanting to get to know her. 

“They were killed shortly after I left them. They were too weak for me.” 

She snorted. 

“Oh.” 

“So, are we finding your brother or are we gonna keep rotting away?” 

“Okay, let’s start looking.” 

I ran near the end of the forest, and looked at the desert sand in front of me, covering the whole land. I slowly placed my paw on the burning sand, then jerked it away faster then a mouse can run from a lion. 

“Are you gonna walk, or are your wimpy paws burning too much?” 

Seed-Dot snapped. 

“Why don’t you go first?” 

I grinned. 

“With pleasure.” 

She stomped onto the sand, keeping her chin up and eyes closed. She turned back to me, opening her eyes and lowering her head. 

“Now let’s go, weirdo.” 

I dug my claw into the sand, then sluggishly dropped my heel. I briskly lifted my paw off. 

“What’s the hold up?”

Seed-Dot sat in the sand. To me, the sand felt like my paw was burning in the hottest fire in the hottest volcano on the hottest planet in the universe. 

“How do you walk on the sand?” 

I shook out my paw. 

“My paw pads are thick, duh. What about you?” 

“Mine aren’t as thick.” 

“I guess I could give you a lift across. Hop on my back, dork.”

Seed-Dot trotted over to the edge of the sand and sat. I crawled on her back, and then she padded though the sand. 

“You’re heavy. How much prey do you eat?” 

She panted. The sun started to set, and the sand grew a chill. Seed-Dot threw me off her back, the sand was still hot, but not as hot. Seed-Dot put her nose to the ground and followed a scent to a small cave. When we got inside, I hopped on a ledge that was elevated from the ground. As I dozed at the moon shining in the cave, I noticed Seed-Dot shivering on the sand. When she was asleep, I pulled her up on my ledge. She smiled brightly and her shivers came to an end. 

When I awoke, I heard loud growls coming from outside. I noticed Seed-Dot wasn’t on my ledge.Then, a familiar roar echoed into the cave. I leaned over, but all I saw was black hind legs, covered in scars. Then, a muzzle peeked in. It’s cherry red nose was cut open. Then, the legs and bear ran off as I heard another roar. 

“And stay out!”

A young voice shouted. It was Seed-Dot! She padded back into the cave and face away from me. I hopped on her back and we were off! 

“So, What were you doing outside the cave?”

I asked. 

“I was fighting this huge bear. He ran away in terror!” 

She grinned. We soon reached grass lands. Seed-Dot threw me off her back and onto the grass. 

“Wow, thanks.” 

I sluggishly stood up. 

“Consider yourself lucky.” 

She stepped onto the grass. 

“So, I think I have an idea of where your brother went.” 

She swiftly dashed to the tall patches of grass. I tried to follow, but she disappeared once I got in. 

“Seed-Dot?” 

I called, tall grass bristling in my face. 

“What?” 

She answered. 

“Where did you go?” 

“Are you blind? I’m right here!” 

I followed the voice, the sun starting to hover above me. Then, I tumbled out of the patch of grass and on to dirt patches. 

“What took you so long?” 

Seed-Dot sat. I just walked past her, not wanting to waste time. Seed-Dot trailed behind. Then, I discovered a strange black path with a yellow line fining through the middle. Just as I was about to step on it, Seed-Dot pinned me to the dirt. 

“Don’t go on the black path!” 

She snapped. 

“Why not?” 

“Because that’s how-“ 

She was interrupted by a strange square looking thing with lots of round dirty feet. It was being pulled by something similar to what killed dad. Then, a big no hair came out with some sort of tube thing. Seed-Dot roared at the no hair as he grabbed us by the scruff. Seed-Dot bit down on his arm, and it bled like crazy. Then, he threw us in the square and closed us in two different cages and slammed the door. I attacked the cage bars with all my might. Then, the square started to shake. It felt like we were moving. I looked around and saw many other animals, cramped in cages. 

“What is this place?” 

I whispered to the cage next to me. Then a small voice replied. 

“We’re heading to a place called the zoo.” 

He ruffled his bright blue feathers, and tried to slip through the tight bars of his cage. 

“Can you tell me about the zoo?”

I asked, for some reason wanting to bite him. 

“Well since your my predator, no.”

Then, a lion shaking it’s mane said, 

“The zoo is where you live in loud noises and flashing lights. You either stay in a small pen for the rest of your life, or your forced to preform and get beaten up if you make a mistake.” 

He lied down with a sigh. Then, the door opened. Some no hairs came and grasped some bird cages. Some more came and grabbed butterfly cases. Then, they grabbed me and Seed-Dot. Then, they dumped us into a large cage with transparent walls. It was small and covered with trees. It had a damp dark cave in the side. There was a small, disgusting pool. Then, a big bear emerged from the cave.