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The shower was lovely and relaxing, if not very hot, and Kit scrubbed mud out of his fur as he thought back on the day.

Okay, it had been pretty cool. Orienteering along with his group, being watchful but not doing their work for them - they'd have to learn scouting, just as he once did. Running through the countryside wasn't exactly by the book, but they'd made it a race with Naomi's group, and they'd kept to the paths. The kids had been fine, he was the one who ended up falling into the muddy brook.

Everyone got badges, and Kit was a mess. Right from his roo ears to his big brown stripy tail, shirt and jeans too, but it had been worth it.

"So you know the washer won't be fixed until tomorrow," Naomi said, loudly over the running water. "But! I found you something to wear in the meantime."

"Eh? Oh! So much for a lazy last day then," said the roo, grinning to himself.

"Pfft. No way I'm looking after your group too," said Naomi. She was a possum, cream and brown, and no less mischievous than he was. "I'm sure you'll like it!"

"It's a scout uniform. I didn't know they had any this big," said Kit, looking in the mirror. Sure enough, it was; brown jacket with a long green sash tie.

"Well, some kids are tall. I think it's great, and with your behaviour you'll fit right in," grinned Naomi. "In fact, hold still..."

It didn't take long for the possum to add a badge, the same one they'd given out for all the orienteering earlier. Kit blushed to watch, but he didn't stop this, and now he had his first badge! Well. No, he'd had many badges before, years and years ago, but this felt different somehow.

Naomi patted him on the head. "Well done," she teased. "I'm sure you'll earn a few more tomorrow as well."

The roo squirmed a little, he probably wouldn't have stood for this from most people, but he and the possum were close. Kit found his thoughts drifting, wondering what badges he could get, and almost without thinking he grinned and replied. "Thank you, miss!"

Naomi was caught out by that, but she giggled and shook her head. Kit was a little red, that was unexpected and weird. "W-well, um. Thanks for the clothes though, Noom. I guess I should get back out there tomorrow, mm?"

"Yeah, it'd certainly help," said the possum. Just that word seemed to send a little tingle down from roo ears to his tail; of course he'd help!

"You know, seeing as it's last day, and looking at you in that uniform... I wonder if they've got another," smiled Naomi. "I think that'd be a pretty great camp photo. But I'll check tomorrow. See you at breakfast?"

"Uh huh," smiled the roo, waving. "Nice and early."

"With me waking you up," she winked.

"You're the best, Noom. Night!"

Dreams. Surely Kit was dreaming! It seemed really real, though. He was out in a long canoe, leading from the front as he paddled with everyone. His front teeth ached, his tail felt itchy, the paddle seemed larger and harder to work, something wasn't quite right...

"You're doing great, kiddo! Look, we're heading for that little island," said Naomi, from the back. Why was she on his boat? They only needed one adult per group, and surely her own kids weren't looking after themselves-

Ohh. He was just like all the other kids, in their scout uniforms, Kit wasn't super tall or super short and he still had some growing to do, and as the canoe came up to the island everyone climbed on out. He followed, looking about, thinking that wasn't his muzzle, or his tail, but of course they were, and he looked way up at the possum as she petted him on the head.

"Nicely done. Hold still and I'll just add your canoeing badge," she said, and then-

Kit was suddenly awake, deep breaths, just as sunrise began to creep through the window. Ooh. Strange dream. Kinda cute though, but wow, guess the prospect of being dressed like one of the kids had left an impression? Weeeird.

Except he was already in uniform. Definitely hadn't fallen asleep wearing it, but there it was. Looked fresh though, as he hopped up to his feet, right down to the two badges-

Wait. Two badges? Sure enough, there was the canoeing badge he'd received in his dream just now. Maybe it had always been there, and he'd just missed it?

Maybe Naomi did it, somehow. This was about the time she'd hop out, if she was here. The possum was usually awake before him, but right now it wasn't long after sunrise. Kit decided to get ready and head down to the food hall. Perhaps he could help with breakfast. Or maybe the possum could use his help getting out of bed today. Ooh, he was such a helpful scout, wasn't he?

Kit felt his cheeks go red, and could almost feel the flat edge of his tail, the webbing between his toes, the large buck-teeth in his mouth. The dream seemed to be following him, even now he was awake - and the roo couldn't decide if that was embarrassing or kinda cool. The sun was low, the air still warming up, but he felt really good today, giggling and almost skipping down to the hall.

Naomi was surprised to find Kit's bed empty, and it was late into breakfast before she found the roo heading out from the kitchens.

"Oh, you're up and you're here already? Well, that is a first. Looks like being a scout is doing you lots of good," grinned the possum, tail swaying as she straightened out his uniform. "Hey, is that another badge? When did you go canoeing?"

Kit couldn't stop blushing, but he found himself telling his friend. "Umm, it was with you. I dreamt it. I was in your group an' you gave me a badge and it was there when I woke up."

Naomi seemed surprised, taking a closer look at the mystery badge. "Huh, weird. I think there's some mischief going on, but it's not me. You feeling okay, though?"

"I feel really great," blushed the roo. "Like, camp is always fun, but, I'unno. Feels like I'm back for the first time."

The possum held up a paw. "Uh. Open your mouth." Kit did so, not really thinking to ask what she was looking at, but Naomi smiled a little. "Definitely something going on, cause you've got buck teeth now. Now I'm just going to see you be cute when you grin. In the dream, were you a roo?"

"Well, no," he said. "Not quite. I didn't work out what I was before I woke up."

"Guess you'll have time to find out," grinned Naomi, petting him on the head. "Let's keep our groups together, then. Besides, if you're turning into a kid then I definitely want to see this."

"H-hey, that's not fair," mumbled the roo, bashfully.

"We'll do archery and climbing, and a bit of hiking, and I'm sure you'll get good with practice, lil scout," she teased, petting his head. "Though it'll be hard to keep up with those little legs. Unless being a kid means you'll be full of energy. Aww, you'll be smaller than me, as well- we have to get pictures."

"Mmmf, Naomi, stoppit," said Kit, tail curling, paws shuffling. "'S really embarrassing. I don't wanna-"

"Well, you do. Course you do, or it wouldn't make you so shy," said the possum, smiling broadly and petting him on the head. "An' I think you'll be the bounciest, cutest, most helpful scout in the whole camp."

The roo hugged her, hiding his blush in her fur. Was he a little smaller, too? Tail a little broader. "And it'll be good having a helpful little scout for all the stuff we wanna do," she added. "So we can add a helper badge for today, and if you do well on all the activities that'll be six, and-"

"Siiiis," squeaked the roo, tail flapping against the floor like a beaver's might. Naomi and Kit looked at each other, and now they could both blush. Sis? Naw. They weren't related. But it was such a cute thing for him to say.

"Lil bro," she smiled.

Kit wanted to run and hide for so many reasons over the conversation, but hearing Naomi just then was all he could take, and he mumbled an apology and headed for the bathroom. Aww, the possum felt a little guilty and quite flush herself, maybe that was too far?

"You okay, Kit?" she called through the door. "That was a bit sudden, I couldn't help it."

"It's fine!" came the muffled response. "I'll be out. Hey, um, you wanna get everyone together? I- if I'm this red and the kids see me I'll never hear the end of it."

"Haha, alright. Fair. Take your time and I'll see you soon."

Naomi stepped away... and then back, leaving it a few moments. "Hey, don't you mean, other kids?"

"Naomi!"

"Hee hee. Okay, that's it, I'm going, I'm going..."

Naomi and Kit sat at a table in the food hall, and scouts came in and out as the pair of group leaders had a rest. For his complaining about being shy in front of the kids, he'd spent quite a bit of the day flustered anyway. Even now he sported a blush that wouldn't go away, but mainly since Naomi was fussing over his uniform, busily sewing on the badges he'd earned for today.

"You don't have to add the badges, Noom."

"I absolutely do have to add your badges," giggled the possum. "Anyway, today went well, didn't it?"

"I didn't think they'd be that keen. Everyone wanted time with Kit the scout," grinned the beaveroo. He'd had to give up hiding his buck teeth and his big, flat tail, and for some reason nobody seemed to mind.

"You were having a great time. Couldn't tell you apart from the kids," she said.

"Noooom..." whined Kit, looking away.

"And you're starting to sound a little different as well. Come on, height check."

The beaveroo seemed very pouty, but actually he was as curious as she was. Something had seemed off during the hike, but it was just that he'd come down to Naomi's height over the day, and right now he was even a few inches shorter.

"You're still a bit old for our groups, but you're not far off," said the possum.

Kit squeaked and shuffled his paws together, but he was grinning just as much as she was. "You're like the meanest, teasiest big sister ever. Sis sis sis."

Her turn to blush. "Hey, you only said that once, and I still don't know why-"

"Well you act like a mean big sis, dressin' me up and makin' fun of me," said Kit, hopping up to stand on the bench because that made him look taller. Not even by that much, any more. The beaveroo pulled a face and grinned.

"Gosh, so high, Kit, do you need some help getting down?" teased Naomi.

"You're both sounding excited today," said a scout leader, a tall porcupine called Soo who they both knew well - possum and beaveroo turned around at the sound of his voice. "How's the day been, folks? Any issues?"

"Nope. Well, Kay and Simon had a little argument again, but we talked it away this time. All good," said the possum, happily.

"I know it's a big group, I'm happy it's working out," said Soo. "You sure you two don't want a bit of time off from each other? Hey Kit, there's a group going out for a wild camp tonight. Be good to meet other kids your age," said the porcupine.

Naomi and Kit looked at each other, and then back up to Soo. The possum started, "Ah, um-"

"I'll think about it. I mean, it's good helping sis and you out. An' I could be a group leader next year so it's all good," said the beaveroo, guessing at what to say, his tail fidgeting.

"Well, let me know, or one of the others. I'm sure we'll manage for a night." The porcupine waved, and then headed on their way.

Naomi felt her ears itch, and her tail, and the teeth at the front of her mouth. Kit blinked and sat back, a little confused. "Huh. What. Wow. I think that's why nobody said anything. Of course we're siblings, they don't know any different."

"I'm changing into a beaver," mumbled the possum- beassum? Posser? Sure enough, her tail widened and her nose changed, dense dark fur against smooth white fluff, until she was just as changed as he was. "Kit, what's even going on?"

"Well, you will keep teasing me..." giggled her little brother. "Toldya you were like my big sis. Now I think you are my big sis. And I'm... 15? 14?

"13, 12... ya know, I'm just going to say you're eight years old. Then you can be in my group with all the other new campers," grinned Naomi.

"Noom!" Kit had never spent this much of a day blushing before. Still, there were plenty more days of camp left for the two beaver siblings.

Kit woke up as sunlight crept through the window of his room. The night camp had seemed fun, but he wasn't sure how much he'd change overnight, and he didn't fancy sharing a room at the moment. His bed seemed bigger than it had the night before, and sure enough he was already wearing his uniform despite taking it off. Most of his tail was beavery, and his ears, with just a little length to his muzzle and his raccoon mask and big feet to mark him as a roo. Otherwise he was brown, fluffy, bucktoothed, and maybe ten years old. Eleven, at a push.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," said Naomi, opening up the windowblind to let even more light in. Kit giggled to see her, as she was now even more of a beaver than he was; only a touch of pink to her ears to really give away being a possum.

"Don't mind me, I'm not the one who's eight years old," grinned his sister. "And your clothes from the other day? They're dry all right, but they're... well..."

Kit looked at the wardrobe, and there hung a Digimon T-shirt, a short yellow and green jacket, and a pair of green shorts. He didn't doubt they'd fit, and they were his. The sort of thing he'd be wearing in grade school, which made sense because he was.

"Starting the blushes early, too. This is really fun, you know- but I'm not sure what happens after the week? Are we just gonna be brother and sister now?" Naomi giggled. "I mean it's not how I thought camping would go, me and my eight-year-old kid brother..."

"'M older than eight," pouted the beaveroo. "An' you know I'm really older than you, really."

"Coulda fooled me," said Naomi, with a smile. "C'mon, just admit you're eight years old. Then you can be in my group and you have to do what I say. Well, you sorta do anyway, being the youngest..."

"I'mma get clean and then get ready for breakfast," huffed Kit, jumping up out of bed. "I still got a group leader's room, so maybe I still gotta look after some kids."

The beaveroo had to admit, it didn't feel that easy concentrating on being all responsible any more. No, he wanted to help out after breakfast a bit and then go swimming.

"Well, if you're not eight, you can always be five. Or four. Maybe you'll end up in shortalls then," said his beaver sis, thinking aloud.

"Wah, no! Noom! Eight is fine!" said Kit, before realising what he'd said.

"Mmm! Yes, I thought so too," smiled his sister, before giving him a pet between the ears. Ooh, he was feeling very small now. Blushy, realising he'd been teased into doing what she wanted, he didn't want to say anything right now. Naomi did try to get more words out of him, but he shook his head and stuck out his tongue.

"Heehee. Sorry, kiddo. I'll leave you to breakfast but, you better be ready for eleven o'clock, we're going swimming in the big lake. You can swim, can't you?"

"Noom!!"

The beaver giggled and left her brother to enjoy his morning. Gosh, having her name pouted at her by her little brother like that was becoming really, really fun..."

Kit could swim. The eleven, ten... okay, eight-year old beaver scout still enjoyed the water, diving into the lake with a splash. After tidying up the food hall with some other kids, he had gotten here quite early and not looked for Naomi beforehand, having thoughts she might want to try putting water wings on him, and that wouldn't do. He was a beaver, he could swim, and he did. In fact, it was even easier than as a roo.

The only swimwear he could find in his room was a long pair of blue shorts with a surfing Stitch on them, which was fine, because Stitch was cool. The beaver floated, watched the scout leaders who watched the water, and listened to splashing and noises all around. A ball went back and forth, and Kit decided that was the game for him. It was; the tail made an excellent racket, and he could almost forget that just a couple of days ago he was twice his age.

"Someone's keen," said his sister, giving Kit a little splash. A dozen other scout kids were in the water as well, the rest of Naomi's group - which was now the group he was a part of. One of the kids. It wasn't bad, maybe a little embarrassing to him, but nice as well. He could just be a kid, from his browny-black webbed feet to his slim fingers, shorter and lighter, tail drifting on the surface behind him. And Noom, who he was already friends with, was now family; who's parents they had or what that was like, Kit guessed he'd find out when they came by tomorrow.

"Still giving me the silent treatment?" wondered Naomi?

"Ahh. Nah. Just thinkin'," said the little beaver. "About tomorrow and the group photo and our parents. Cuz I think it might be our parents now."

"Ooh. Ooh yeah I had that thought last night, so I borrowed the house phone and called up to see how things were."

"And?"

"Yeah, we're family now, kiddo. Same folks, same house. Mum sends love, Dad says hi. Have you had a good first camp?"

"Shush," smiled Kit. "Mm, but it's not done yet, is it? There's the photo tonight by the fires, and a whole night left, and we're gonna go over the lake today, aren't we? With scout leaders following in canoes?"

"Well, you heard him," said Naomi, to everyone. "We ready for some adventure? It's okay if you aren't strong swimmers like Kit here, we'll keep everyone together, alright?"

The camp photo was taken from the top of the camp buildings, as it was the best way to get hundreds of scouts and group leaders and staff into one picture. Sure enough, there was Naomi, and the kids in her scout group all in uniform. Kit hadn't agreed to be lifted up, as evidenced by his confused look, but the pair of them were in bright green and soft brown uniforms all the same; his sister had found another large uniform in the stores. Didn't have the same changing effect that came with his own new uniform, and even a few weeks later she was still big sister Noom.

Not least that Kit still woke up every day wearing his scout uniform, with more and more badges on it. Sure, he could take it off, but it'd be there again under his clothes by afternoon. Despite being a little mischievous, the young beaver mostly wanted to be helpful, and so that's what he did. As though the summer hadn't created enough excitement, before the year's end the siblings would be wrapped up in yet more mysteries through their discovery of fairy dust - but that is another story.

Epilogue

"Noom, what did you do?"

"Hey hey, Kit, it wasn't me. Well I don't think it was."

"Go on..."

"I just thought it'd be fun to stay on for a few more days! But I knew all the scouts were gonna pack up so I didn't think it'd actually happen."

The younger beaver wiggled his feet in the socks. It was embarrassing enough that the only pajamas he had were full of colourful cartoon dogs, but when he'd woken up he was wearing a footed sleeper instead.

"I checked and there's a beaver scout weekend right after our scout camp. So, um, looks like maybe you're gonna be even younger, kiddo," grinned Naomi. Up until the first day of camp, they'd both been group leaders and good friends, but Kit had put on a magical scout uniform and ended up as her little brother - and they'd both become beavers as well.

He did seem quite happy with having turned into an eight-year old, though. Sure, there were moments of teasing, which they both enjoyed. Sometimes Kit would really act his physical age without noticing, which was cute and often led to embarrassment later when he realised what he was doing.

"Nuh, I can still be eight," said Kit. "Just about."

"But you'll probably be six? I mean, it seems to be how this works..." grinned the older beaver. "In fact, now I think about it, I almost remember filling in your sign-up form and there's an age and I was going to put 16 but I missed off the first number-"

"Nooooom," whined her little brother, somewhere between a blush and a grin.

"Aww, I mean, look on the bright side," said Naomi. "We do get more camp time. Even if most of your clothes are kids stuff now. Still, you'll be in uniform most of the day..."

The scout uniform had fit him when he was older, and it still fit him now, with badges covering most of the front that he'd earned in the week. Kit seemed to be having fun as a scout, as well as feeling the constant urge to be helpful.

"Umm, if they're setting up, I wonder if they'd like a hand?" wondered the young scout.

"Well, you'd better get up and ready for the day then," smiled Naomi. "Need some help?"

The little beaver shook his head, not so successfully hiding a blush. "Just cause I look little, doesn't mean I need babysitting."

"Well, if you need help with buttons or laces or anything, you let me know."

"Shhh, that's not fair..."

Naomi giggled, she was on her way out as Kit got his response in.

Though he was feeling very short, legs dangling off the bed, the small room did seem pretty large right now.

Just a few more fun days of camp to go, thought Kit, but still a few weeks until school started again. Wait, the beaver hadn't realised- would this mean he had to go through school all over again?...

-fin