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Here's chapter two guys! As I said last chapter, this was posted on Fanfiction.net, so there will be some references. Just a minor warning, there will be minor swears in this chapter and the following chapter. I hope you enjoy!

It was a nice, cool November day in Jasper. It was around forty degrees Fahrenheit with a little breeze to add a little bite to it. There was no snow on the ground yet, but I can't wait till there is some. Our mom kicked us out for a while so we would have a chance to play outside while dad is out hunting.

Six months ago, I turned eight, which would make Adam and Sarah twelve and Ian fourteen. We were all just laying with our backs to the ground trying to think of a game to play.

"So, what should we do?" Adam asked.

We sat in silence, it felt like an eternity, until I thought of an idea, "Oh!" I exclaimed, my three siblings turning their heads towards me. "We could play hide and seek."

"Okay," Ian replied, starting to get up.

"Nah," Adam said, which caused Ian to lay back down, "we always do that; it's getting old."

My ears flattened a little. I always try to impress my siblings because I always feel unappreciated. The only one that listened to me is Ian. I don't know why, but Adam and Sarah are mean to me; they really like to make fun of my weight especially.

It was silent until Ian finally came up with an idea, "Who wants to do a challenge?"

"What kind of challenge?" Adam asked.

Ian sat up, "See that big tree over there," he pointed to a tree, we nodded, "quickest one to the top wins. We can time each other."

"Okay," Sarah replied.

"Ha," Adam, "you think Luke would be able to even get to the first branch? He can't even pull himself up."

Like I said, I am known to my siblings as the "fluffy" one. Ian never tried to make fun of me, but the twins, especially Adam, did every time they got a chance.

The reason why I am "fluffy" is because of how my family runs. My parents have an interesting way of homeschooling us: each parent get to teach those they chose to teach when we were pups. They normally chose by personality.

Well, I was the only one chosen by my mom; she teaches some self defence but mostly cooking, which is most likely why I am "fluffy". Dad, on the other hand, teaches hunting skills and more self defence. I think that is one of the reasons why they are so mean to me, because they think they're better than me.

I got up. "Oh come on," I said defensively, flattening my ears, "you never gave me a chance."

"Runt," Adam called me that sometimes; he knows it bothers me, "it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're too fat to pull yourself up even the first branch."

My only response to that is dropping my tail to the floor. Thankfully, Ian was on my side, "You never know Adam, he could surprise you. Besides, I've never seen you climb a tree before. Can you even climb a tree?" He smirked triumphantly.

"Of course I can," he scoffed. He changed the subject, "So, who goes first?"

"Well," Ian started, walking towards the base of the tree, tail held upright, "since I came up with the idea," he stopped at the base of the tree and put a white hand on the trunk of the tree, "I'll go first."

He started walking backward away from the tree until he was a good twenty feet away from it. "Okay," he said, his voice confident, "start a countdown."

"5...4...3...2...1...GO!" Sarah yelled.

Ian took off like a speeding bullet. I never knew he was this fast. Right when he got to the tree he started running up it with skill, like he was taught, but dad doesn't teach that.

With that start, he skipped the first two branches and grabbed a hold of the third one. Once he grabbed that, he used the leverage and launched himself to a fourth branch.

The amazing part was all of that took only seven seconds.

Within two minutes and twenty-three seconds, he made it to the highest point he could go.

"How long was that?" he called from above.

Adam and Sarah's jaws were wide open, speechless.

"Two minutes and twenty-three seconds!" I called to him.

I could see his tail wagging rapidly and he gave a howl in celebration, "New record!"

"So," Ian yelled down to us, "who's next?"

Adam and Sarah stared at each other. I already knew that I wouldn't go next, they would never let me. I lived with them my whole life, I know them well.

There was silence for a few moments, noticed Adam's ear twitched as if he heard something. I looked at Ian, but it looked like he was looking at something behind me. I looked back and saw my grandpa just standing there, his tail swinging back and forward slowly.

"Hey grandpa!" Ian called from the top of the tree.

"Hello there, young ones," he called us that sometimes, "wonderful day we're having."

"Indeed," I heard Sarah say. We all respect my grandpa. He always looks like he's thinking of something or remembering something. He looks like he's experienced many things in his life and is very wise.

"So, what are you four doing today?" he asked, tilting his head a little.

"We're having a contest," Adam explained. Sarah explained more of the details.

"We are seeing who could climb this tree the fastest."

"Oh," he said, sounding interested. He looked up at the top of the tree, "how long did it take Ian to get up there?"

"Two minutes and twenty-three seconds," I explained.

"Wow," he said, sounding proud, "that's a new record, right?"

"Yep," Ian called down, "So who's next?" he asked again.

"I'll go," Adam offered.

Adam started to back away from the tree, copying the same thing Ian did. He always does what Ian does; he looks at Ian as a role model, but not enough to learn not to make fun of me.

"Tell me when to go," he told Sarah.

"Okay. 3...2...1...GO!" she yelled.

Adam took off in a full speed sprint; he was not as fast as Ian, but he was close. Once he got to the tree, he started running up it like Ian, but he must've miscalculated. When he got to the second branch, he reached for the third branch and missed. He landed on the first branch with a whimper, then fell to the floor with a thud and a grunt.

I only heard the thud because I looked away; it did not sound good. Sarah ran to him immediately, grandpa and I stayed back.

"Son of a bitch," I heard him mutter, grabbing his right leg.

"Hey, watch that tongue of yours," he warned. My grandpa doesn't appreciate swearing.

Sarah went down to Adam and said, "Here," she tried to pull him up, "I will take you inside." She finally got a good grip on him where she had his right arm. They both went inside; I felt kind of bad for him, but he got what he deserved. Right?

It was silent for a few minutes, finally after a while grandpa said something, "He was doing an expert move that he has never done before; that was bound to happen. He learned his lesson. I hope."

"Well," grandpa broke the silence again, "I assume it's your turn Luke. Am I right?"

I swallowed hard and said, "I think so." I really didn't want to go; after what Adam said and what happened to him, it just seems like a bad idea.

"Come on," grandpa urged me by pushing me a little.

I really don't want to do this. I would rather be cooking inside with mom than doing this. Out of all my life, I have never even thought about attempting climbing a tree, well, it changes today.

I came to the conclusion that I won't beat Ian's time, I don't know anyone who could, so I decided that I will take it slow.

I walked up to the tree, my arms were shaking a little until grandpa encouraged me.

"Ah," he started, "learning from Adam's mistake. Good job, Luke." That gave me a small confidence boost.

I got to the base of the tree and looked at the first branch, it was really high up, but I still tried to reach it. I jumped up to reach the branch, but it was too high. I jumped again and missed again. I tried three more times before I felt like I was going to cry.

I was ready to give up, until I felt a presence come behind me. It was grandpa.

"You need help there?" he asked, with a caring smile. My tail and ears dropped as I nodded. "Well," he started, "up you go." he pulled me up towards the first branch until I could reach it. "Wow, you're heavy," he muttered.

"I know," I replied, embarrassed.

I soon was able to grab the first branch with both arms; then, grandpa let go. Now I really know what he meant when he said I was heavy. I almost fell right away, but I had a good grip.

"Come on Luke!" Ian called from the top of tree.

My arms were already hurting, and I haven't even tried to pull up yet. I don't want to, but I have to. Knowing I could do something Adam could not motivated me to hang there. It was time to pull up, otherwise my arms were going to fall off.

I started to pull up. My arms were shaking and my face was heating up. I'm pretty sure it is red under my fur. One thing I know is that the faster I pull up, the less suffering and pain I have to go through.

With all the energy I had, I did one final push to the first branch, and I made it! I got up and my arms felt relieved. I felt really good until I looked up. One down, many more to go. I looked down at grandpa and all he did was nod approvingly.

The second branch wasn't too hard, but the third was when I really could feel it in my arms. I was ready to give up, but I didn't. After two tries, I made it up the branch. I was already panting, and I was really feeling it in my arms.

"Come on Luke, You can do it!" Ian called from the top, which was like thirty branches up.

I started liking this tree, the higher you got, the less spread apart the branches were. I climbed up about twenty more before I looked down. I was really high up. Turns out, I'm kind of afraid of heights. I looked back up and tried to forget I was that high up, it worked for the most part. I could feel minor altitude sickness.

After a good five more minutes, I reached the highest I could go where the branches could support my weight. I felt like dying.

"Congrats, Luke," Ian congratulated me.

"Thanks," I panted in between breaths.

"I never knew you had it in you," he complimented. I was still laying back on the branch, trying to catch my breath. "I'm proud of you."

"I had...to...beat Adam..at something," I replied.

"That really took you out, didn't it?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah."

"So," he began, "Adam tried to copy my move?" I nodded. "Idiot, that move is way too advanced for him, even by dad's teachings."

Dad's teachings? That sounds like he's saying he wasn't taught by dad. "Aren't you taught by dad?"

He was silent for a moment, like he was trying to think of a way to explain something, "No. I am taught by grandpa."

"Grandpa? Isn't he a little too old to train? Especially a move like that."

"You'd be surprised," he answered.

"What does he teach?"

He was silent again, "Sorry," his ears flattened, "I can't tell you."

My tail stopped moving for a bit, but I decided to change the subject.

"Ian?"

"Hmm?" he turned to me.

"Why do the humans hate us so much?"

"Well..." he thought for a moment, "it's because we are different. Humans don't like things that are different; that's just their nature. I don't know if all of that is true, but that's what I think based on what we learned."

"Makes sense," I responded.

"But I don't mind. It is a good life we live, brother."

I couldn't agree more, "The best, and may it never change."

"And may it never change us." He put a hand on my back.

We sat there for a few minutes before we heard mom call us for dinner. "Come on. Let's go." He started climbing down the tree.

Earlier, when I climbed up the tree, I forgot something important: how am I going to get down?

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The few final quotes were from Assassin's Creed 2. Just a little inspiration. I just love that scene in the game. Don't forget to leave a comment if you'd like. Well, see you later guys.