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Sleeping quite peacefully, Rye resented the fact that his alarm clock brought him back from the realm of dreams. Tossing around on the sofa, he couldn't escape the blaring sound of the alarm clock.

"Alarm, off," he said, preventing the annoying sound from continuing. Rubbing his eyes, Rye glanced over at the couch where a very groggy otter was sitting up.

"I just fell asleep," complained the groggy otter.

"Let's get ready," Rye muttered, walking toward his bathroom shirtless. Cloud followed him. Rye activated the sink and splashed cold water in his face. He stepped back to allow Cloud to do the same, and to dry off.

"We have fifteen minutes before we should head out," Rye stated. "I hope you don't mind missing a morning shower."

"It'll be fine," Cloud said, accepting the towel offered to him by his host.

"I have two toothbrushes," Rye said, pulling both out of a drawer. He opened a nearby bottle of mouthwash and poured some into the cap. Dipping one of the toothbrushes into the mouthwash, he let it soak for a few seconds before offering it to Cloud. "I hope you don't mind but the alcohol in the mouthwash should have killed my cooties."

"Thank you," Cloud replied, accepting the toothbrush still slightly groggy.

Going through the usual morning routine, Rye and Cloud were both fed and ready in time to leave. The white otter, being completely dependent on Rye for the morning, ate some more of his food, and even borrowed some of his clothes before they ventured out.

Soon enough, both otters arrived on the school campus where they began to feel the fatigue that would stick with them all day. However, they walked together to their first class, realizing that the first bell has already rung. They took their seat and waited for the class to begin.

"Think you'll do alright today?" asked Cloud.

"It's just going to be a long day," Rye answered, fiddling through his papers. "I'm sorry that I kept you up so late last night."

"It wasn't you," replied Cloud. "Hopefully by lunch we'll be more awake, and active."

"Good morning class," the class began with Mr. Mane settling himself behind the classroom podium. "Search your PawPad monitors for . . ."

As either otter could have guessed, the lecture seemed to drag on with lectures on the planet's first satellite. The first satellite that lead to the invention of satellite scopes which eventually discovered the intelligent life on Canidera.

With the early morning sun dimly shining through the window, the otters attempted to remain focused on the lecture and copy down notes. Names were typed into the students' PawPads, including Hugo Gips, first intelligent being to leave the planet atmosphere. Many other names were added; Gene Burk, theorized intelligent life on Canidera and Fellorian, and Nina Gfoeller who invented the first artificial gravity systems and also Gillian Llorens who made the actual discovery of intelligent life on other planets. Much more trivial information was absorbed and relayed to the students computer pads.

Rye occasionally glanced up at the clock, but he always regretted the decision because only a few minutes would go by at a time. Every time he did, his mind would drift, making it far more difficult to refocus on the lecture.

"The Intersystem Relations Committee is often misleading because no other government off the planet of Lutracha was never a part of the committee," Mr. Mane continued. "Instead it was a board of scientists from many different fields discussing the best ways to approach a new alien life without causing panic or war. I'm sending an assignment to your homework pads, and I'd like you all to begin working on it for the remainder of the class."

An icon on the bottom right corner on Rye's notepad appeared and after tapping it, the assignment filled the screen. He glanced over at Cloud who was also reviewing the assignment. "Want to work together on this one?" he asked.

"Yes I'll need the help," admitted Cloud. "I don't think I got all the notes I needed."

Half the class decided to save the assignment for later, and began chatting among each other while the more academic students either worked on it solo, or formed pairs or groups. Mr. Mane walked down the aisles formed by the desk, helping students where needed and ensuring that no students simply copied answers off another student.

"I nearly fell asleep," Rye admitted, rubbing his eyes. "I was nodding off at least a dozen times."

"Honestly, I can't stop thinking about that video game," said Cloud. "It was more addictive than I realized, I hate it when this happens."

Rye giggled. "Happens to me too."

"So, 'What was the primary reason that early Lutrachans didn't discover Canidera to be habitable?'" Cloud read from the assignment sheet.

"There's a lot of reasons," replied Rye. "But it must either be that the other central planets are not the only green stars in the sky, or that the Invisible Haze that surrounds the planet, preventing a clear view from off planet."

"I'll just put down both," remarked Cloud. "Question two: 'Who first discovered that Canidera is habited?'"

With both otters working together, they quickly finished the assignment, including a rather lengthy essay question at the end. With only a few minutes remaining of the class, the otters stood in order to stretch their tired bodies.

"Waking up anymore?" asked Rye folding his arms and leaning back against his desk.

"I am, actually," Cloud answered. "But I might need to go get hot chocolate or some juice. That'd help me stay awake enough to focus on the remainder of my classes."

"That's not a bad idea," Rye said. "During our break period, I'll head to the cafe to get a drink myself."

"I'll go with you then," Cloud suggested with a smile spreading. "We haven't seen your friends yet, and they'll probably recognize that I'm wearing your clothes. Won't they think that strange?"

"Probably, but they may not realize that you're even my clothes," answered Rye. "I don't pay attention to their attire, so I don't know why they would mine."

"Let's hope not," said Cloud, repositioning so he halfway sat on the desk. "That'd put me in a rather uncomfortable situation."

"I know what you mean." Rye noticed the teacher was repositioning himself behind the podium again.

"Please sit," the teacher requested, placing himself at the head of the classroom again. Those students who were standing, including the otters, took their seat once again. "Settle down. Now, before you go I'd like to inform you all that there will be a simple review quiz at the end of the week. It won't be hard but if you've only copied answers down then you won't find it so easy." Interrupting the teacher, the shrill sound of the school bell rang out. "One more thing, your assignment will be due tomorrow first thing. Now get to your next class."

The students all stood up, some stretching and taking their time while others bolted for the door. Outside the classroom and in the hallways, the otters walked slowly side by side until they reached the intersection where they parted.

"So I'll see you on break in the cafeteria?" asked Rye.

"Okay," answered Cloud before yawning. "My class isn't too far from the cafeteria so it won't take me long to get there."

"It'll just take me a few minutes," said Rye. "I guess I'll see you then."

"Okay," Cloud said before turning on his pads and walking off toward his next class. Watching him for a moment, Rye yawned and sighed before departing to his Calculus class where Nate would be waiting for him.

Sure enough, when the otter entered the classroom, his friend Nate was waiting at his desk and preserving an adjacent one for Rye.

"There you are," said Nate. "I was wondering if you skipped school today. We didn't see you or Cloud this morning."

"We were up late playing Spiral Galaxy," Rye responded after he sat down behind his desk. The classroom was filled with about half the students already who were chatting among themselves. "We arrived just in time for History this morning."

"I thought you finally quit the addiction of that game, Rye," remarked Nate.

"Me too," he said, resting his head on the desk. "Cloud wanted to play it because he never played it before and I got drawn in. We're both really tired."

"Rye," Nate scolded sarcastically. "Anyway, did you get your homework finished?" He began to review his own assignment on his assignment pad.

"Yeah," answered Rye, lifting his head from the desk. "I already submitted it to the teacher. I'm lucky I finished it in class yesterday, because I had no time after school to do so."

"I know, playing video games really cuts into your day," snickered Nate.

"Shut up," Rye growled.

"So you and Cloud are spending a lot of time together," Nate stated. "He must feel very welcome."

"Huh?" responded Rye. "Hey, if he left because he didn't feel welcome, then I'd be the only otter in the city again."

"I suppose so," said Nate. "But-" Before Nate could finish his statement, the bell rang and the math teacher immediately called for attention.

"Good morning class," she said. "You have fifteen minutes to finish whatever you need to on your homework before I close the submission file. But we'll be moving on today, so prepare to take down notes and to do practice problems."

Still rather early in the morning and Rye still tired, he found it easier to focus in this class however. Whether it was because math is simply true or false, or because Cloud couldn't draw Rye's gaze every few minutes, he didn't know but he was glad that he was better able to focus on the lesson.

The sun steadily rose higher through the windows as time crept by. Dozens of practice questions were written on the students' note pads and many got them right while a few others got them wrong. Rye managed to score every practice question right while writing organized notes on the subject.

After several hours, the teacher finally assigned homework for the night. "Do questions three through twenty-five," she requested, looking through her own teaching notes on her podium. "This will be due at the end of the week before the Games. No homework will be assigned over the weekend."

Visibly the students showed their excitement over the lack of homework with grins and grateful eyes.

"The last few minutes of class are yours," informed the teacher, gathering her notes. "I'll see you all tomorrow." She then walked to the corner of the room and sat behind her desk while the students began chatting with each other. The topic of most conversations was in fact the Games that their teacher mentioned.

"I'm headed to the cafeteria for break," Rye told his wolf friend. "Do you want to come along?"

"Sure," answered Nate. "Why are you going to the cafeteria? You never go there for break."

"Cloud and I are going to get something to drink to help keep us awake," said Rye. "I'm going to get a hot chocolate. It'll be better than nothing."

"I might as well get something to eat too then," Nate remarked, standing from his desk. "The bell is about to ring."

Gathering his own things, Rye also stood up and wandered over to a nearby window to look at the sun rising. "It's going to be a hot day," he commented.

"Sucks for you," said Nate. "You have a late gym class. It'll be very hot when that class comes up."

"Thanks for reminding me," the otter said sarcastically. Before the conversation could continue, the bell once again rang out. "Come on. Let's go to the cafeteria."

Exiting the classroom, both the otter and wolf entered the halls that were quickly filling with mass hordes of fur. It took a little maneuvering around the other students, but the two friends were able to reach the cafeteria, which was emptier than the halls.

Caught by surprise, Rye was suddenly approached by the white otter who held two covered cups in his paws.

"Hey Nate," he greeted them and offered one of the cups to Rye. "Here, I got you a hot chocolate with a bit of almond flavoring in it. I hope you like it."

"Thank you Cloud," said Rye, accepting the drink. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"Well, it's not for free, you're going to pay me back," Cloud responded in a friendly way. "But look at the line now, it would have taken you the entire break just to get your drink."

Glancing over at the line for the cafeteria food, Rye nodded in agreement. He pulled out his wallet and handed over one credit.

"I wasn't exactly serious," said Cloud, refusing the currency.

"It'll make me feel better," Rye insisted. "You have your own bills to pay and you're not working yet so go ahead."

"Thanks but you have already fed me enough."

"I'll take it," Nate chimed in.

"No Nate, you can afford your own food," said Rye, placing the credit back in his wallet. "Anyway, let's go sit down."

"I'm going to go wait in the ridiculously long line because Cloud didn't buy me breakfast too," pestered Nate.

"Sorry Nate," said Cloud. "I might have bought you something if I knew you'd be coming."

"I'm just joking," said Nate smiling. "I'll catch up with you two in a minute."

With the wolf walking off, the two otters wandered the cafeteria until they found an open seat. They both sat on opposite sides of the table so they could talk directly to one another.

"So how was Psychology?" asked Rye, taking a sip of his chocolate.

"Better," Cloud answered. "It was easier to focus because it's more interesting than History. I can't say the same for your Calculus class."

"It was actually better too," commented Rye. "It's less political than History. It's either right or wrong and that makes it easier to understand, even with all the complicated formulas and theories."

Reviewing their last classes together, neither realized that Nate was distracted by some of his other friends and he managed to sit with them at another table instead. But they were still interrupted with a pair of cheetahs came over.

"Hi," the female cheetah said. "There's no where else to sit, do you mind if we sit with you two?"

"No problem, go ahead," said Rye, gesturing to an open chair.

"It seems that we're the rare species table," said the male cheetah. Both of them were obviously infatuated with each other. "I thought cheetahs were rare in this school but I've seen even less otters."

"We're the only two," said Cloud. "Or so I'm told. We have about three cheetahs in our gym class, they can't be that rare."

"So that's when they all have gym class," mumbled the male cheetah. "We're the only other two besides those three. It's strange that they'd be put in the same gym class without us."

"I suppose you requesting to opt out of gym class for the year is the reason why," remarked the female cheetah. "I'm Asalah, and this is my boyfriend Will."

"I'm Cloud. Pleasure to meet you."

"You can call me Rye. So are you both new to the school?"

"No, I've been here for a couple years," answered Asalah, beginning to eat her paid-for meal.

"I've always been in this school district," Will stated also digging into his snack.

"Oh sorry," Rye apologized, taking another sip of chocolate. "Can't say I've seen either of you around before but I'm rather new to the school district since I've only been here for four years."

"I'm a sophomore so I'm in the lower-class halls," said Will. "Asalah is a junior, but she's not very sociable."

"Well, I wasn't," Asalah corrected still chewing on your meal. "I am more now. I just haven't ever found anyone that I have anything in common with until recently."

"I understand how that is," said Cloud behind his cup of hot chocolate. The other otter nodded in agreement.

"Do you two stick around for lunch?" asked Rye.

"Yes, we're always on the field though with the other cheetahs," Will answered. "We race each other sometimes when there's enough time left."

"Cheetahs love to sprint," mumbled Rye. Smiles spread across the four. "Anyway, break is about to end and I have a long way to get to class."

"We should get going too," Asalah said gobbling down the last of her break meal. "It was a pleasure to meet you too."

"Pleasure to meet you both," Rye replied, standing from the table. Cloud nodded in agreement before the remaining three stood up from the table and quickly departed.

Once the otters were beyond the cafeteria doors and into the crowded halls, Cloud commented on Rye's social skills. "You make friends so easily," he remarked.

"I was only being polite," Rye said. "They came up to us asking to sit, we couldn't have said no."

"Especially after Nate abandoned us," Cloud chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm going have to talk to him about that," Rye said playful and sinisterly. "Well, here's my class so I guess I'll see you at lunch."

"The hot chocolate I got you should help you stay awake until then," boasted Cloud with a grin. "See you at lunch." With that, the white otter left and quickly disappeared behind the mob of fur that crowded the hallway from the direction that they originally came from. Rye didn't realize that his friend was following him just to chat with him. He felt flattered.

Dismissing the thought, the otter entered his language classroom. Shasta was seen sitting in a desk near the windows, obviously saving a seat for Rye.

"Hi Rye," Shasta greeted, leaning slightly toward Rye as he took his seat. "We didn't see you this morning. Did you sleep through your alarm?"

"No, I just had a late night," Rye repeated, searching through his files on his PawPad. "I was playing games with Cloud and we lost track of time."

"That must have been fun though," said Shasta.

"It was but now we're both so tired this morning," informed Rye, still looking at his pad. "We had some hot chocolate and it seems to be helping me wake up a little more at least."

"We should all play games at Ariel's after the Lagoon this weekend," suggested Shasta, glancing at what Rye was doing on his PawPad.

"Sure. Ariel is hosting a tournament I think so we should all get together to compete when that starts." The otter set his PawPad on the desk and looked at Shasta finally. The squirrel always leaned in toward whomever he was taking to for some reason.

"Great," Shasta exclaimed. "So did you study your notes? We have a quiz tomorrow."

"So many tests on the first week," Rye muttered before nodding in answer.

While they both continued to chat lightly, the bell soon interrupted them and signaled the start of the class. The class was as dull as the previous two, despite the morning drink but the otter blamed the lack of artificial lighting since the sun was coming up on the opposite horizon that lingered outside the window.

Rye had always enjoyed the squirrel's company, he was always more sincere, and less sarcastic than his other friends. On some occasions, the otter wondered if this meant that Shasta had a crush on him at times because he's feminine, even by the otter's standards, and had not been boasting about any dates he might have gone on. But then he quickly learned that Shasta is the same with everyone he comes across.

Mrs. Zeke finished her lesson early in comparison to the last two classes, but the class was asked to study and take notes from text pages alone once she was finished. All the notes included mostly on the development of the international languages, but had very few foreign terms for the students to learn so the information from the text was rather easy to absorb.

After working for several minutes on the notes, some of the students finished and began chatting with each other. The otter and squirrel, however, wrote notes more thoroughly and finished with only a few minutes to spare.

"Are you finished?" Shasta asked the otter, seeing him close his notes.

"Until tomorrow," answered Rye. "I'm sure we'll have more after the quiz to write down."

"I'm sure too," suspected the squirrel. "Are you going to be eating outside again today? You skipped out on us at lunch yesterday, and then again this morning."

"I will," Rye said, stretching his back. "Unless Diane has anything do with my meal again."

"Is she the reason why you ate outside?" Shasta persisted, gathering his supplies in his paw.

"Yes."

"She always seems to bother you." The squirrel half laughed and half scoffed. "Well, you know what I think of her." Rye laughed, knowing all too well Shasta's dislike of the mare. "So what's your next class again, Rye?"

"It's called Environmental Responsibilities," replied the otter thinking about his next class. "It's a new course offered and there's only like a dozen students in the class."

"Odd," commented Shasta. "I remember putting that class as my first choice optional and I didn't get it like I wanted. I should have been in that class with you too." The bell rang out. "I guess now I have to head toward my advanced algebra class so I'll see you at lunch."

"See you then," said Rye as they both stood from their desk. He followed the squirrel's tail out of the classroom.

Similar to the last two classes, the final class before lunch was long but was much less of a struggle to concentrate in because of the topic of the lesson and the hot chocolate Rye had earlier in the morning. As a result, time went by faster and it seemed like only an hour went by before the long-awaited lunch bell rang.

With the otter rejoining the hall traffic, he was stuck behind a mass of students who were trying to weave around other students heading the opposite direction or stopping at their lockers in the hallways. Nearly five minutes of being stuck behind a mob, Rye finally arrived at the cafeteria entrances where he saw Cloud waiting aside.

"There you are," he said when Rye approached.

"Sorry Cloud," Rye said. "I got stuck behind a massive pack. The hallways get too crowded when everyone rushes for the cafeteria.

"Doesn't change no matter what school I go to," Cloud remarked, turning toward the cafeteria with a smile. "Come on. Let's get something to eat."

Soon the otters were stuck behind yet another mob, waiting in line to purchase their lunches.

"So how's your day been since break?" Rye asked.

"Better," replied Cloud. "I think I'm actually awake like I normally would be. But I can feel the tiredness in the back of my mind. I'll still being going to sleep early."

"Really?" said Rye. "I feel as good as new. I can probably stay up again if I wanted to."

"But you don't want to go through being a zombie in the morning again," Cloud stated. "I know I sure don't so I'm going to make sure I get enough sleep."

"What you say is true, sir."

The otters chuckled. Feeling as though someone was watching him, Rye glanced at the other students. Once he did, he saw Diane who reflexively disconnected eye contact despite her glare and obvious discontent. The otter ignored the mare, even though he knew she'd be causing an annoyance again, even if it wouldn't be today.

"Do you know what we're doing for gym class today?" asked Cloud, while he pulled a paper bag from the counter and a milk carton from the cooler.

"Not sure," Rye answered. He also gathered a similar meal from the cafeteria counters. "The Coach usually doesn't settle on a single activity until after the games. It's like he's testing out which sport he wants us to play first."

"That seems to be a disorganized way to write a weekly lesson," Cloud stated.

"You're right, I can do a lot better," Rye boasted, while the otters both swiped their cards at the register monitor. "I'd have otters swim, horses run, and foxes play 'cat and mouse' for the whole year."

"That would be redundant," said Cloud walking with Rye to the large table their friends were already sitting at.

Nearly every seat had a body in it with a tail hanging off the back of those seats, varying in all sizes and shapes. On the table in front of those bodies were a hodgepodge of binders, PawPads and lunches. Thankfully, two seats were vacant that were adjacent to a short bushy tail and a long bushy tail.

"Thanks for saving us seats Shasta and Nate," said Rye while both otters added their lunches to the mess on the table and took their seats.

"Of course."

"Anytime otters."

"Glad you can join us today Rye," Ariel said from across the table. She leaned on the table with one elbow while smirking at Rye. Her boyfriend, Patrick, continued eating.

"Wow Ariel, I didn't know you'd miss me so much," he said sarcastically with a snicker. "If I had known then I would have kicked someone else out of their seat to sit with you."

Ariel giggled and shook her head. "Smartass," she mumbled. The otter also giggled. "You could have at least not taken the only other otter with you yesterday. We do need some otter company here, not just Nate's."

"Why am I getting involved in this?" complained Nate, being drawn from chatting with one of his wolf friends.

"I was the one who dragged Rye away," Cloud chimed in, smiling. "Sorry, but he's all yours now if you want him, for a fee of course."

The four of them laughed before they all started eating again.

"So what did you get for lunch?" Rye asked, looking at Cloud.

"Not sure actually," he admitted reaching a paw into the paper bag. Out he pulled a covered cup of soup. Opening it, he took a sniff and chuckled. "Clam chowder. You and this school are going to make me sick of all muscles."

"I thought you only disliked oysters," Rye said while he paw pulled broccoli and cheese soup from his lunch bag.

"I don't just dislike oysters," Cloud stated. "I despise them, along with shrimp. Those are the only two things I really can't stand."

Rye giggled and mumbled, "You're such a weird otter." He then pulled a plastic spoon from the bag and began sipping the hot soup.

"I know," admitted Cloud with a small giggle too. He also retrieved his spoon and began eating his chowder.

The small portions of the otters' soups disappeared very quickly under the assault of the hungry otters. They both reached into their bags to see what other items came with their meals.

"What are these?" Cloud asked holding a small paper pouch in his paw.

"Fruit gummies," answered Rye, holding a green apple in his paw. "Never had any before?"

"Not from a cafeteria room," said Cloud opening the package of gummies. "They feel stale. They must have been in storage for a year. I prefer real fruit."

"Me too," Rye grinned, holding up his shiny apple fully aware that Cloud was eyeing it with envy. "Now this looks delicious."

The envious otter nudged Rye lightly, which took Rye somewhat by surprise but he liked the contact and giggled.

"Stop being a tease," Cloud demanded lightly placing his snack on the table.

"Mmm," hummed Rye while his teeth sank into the apple's flesh with it's juice dripping down his teeth and lips. "You can go ask for an apple in exchange," he said without fully chewing his apple chunks.

Cloud's eyes didn't leave the apple. With surprising speed, Cloud's paw snatched the apple from Rye just as he was about to take another bite.

"Hey!" exclaimed Rye. He almost dived for the apple, but Cloud placed his open paw against Rye's chest to hold him back. The otter then took a bite out of the stolen apple and made sure to savor it as Rye did just a moment ago. "That's mine."

Giggling through the apple chunks, Cloud kept his paw against Rye's chest to keep him at bay even after Rye relaxed back in his seat. "You need to learn your matters. You shouldn't wave a steak in front of a starving wolf."

"You're not being very nice," said Rye.

"I'm not that big of a carnivore," Nate complained after his ears picked up the word "wolf."

"Sorry Nate," Cloud apologized, taking his eyes off Rye just for a moment. Rye took the opportunity and lunged at the apple. "No!" With Cloud's paw holding Rye back, the otter managed to move the apple out of Rye's reach just in time, and he practically fell on the white otter.

Relaxing back into his seat, Rye pretended to sulk again, even though he truly enjoyed the otter's paw where it was. Cloud's paw remained resting lightly over Rye's heart to make sure that he wouldn't succeed at another attempt. Both of them giggled.

"Fine, I'll go get another apple myself then," said Rye, standing from his seat. "You're such a lazy otter."

Cloud only giggled while he tried to quickly devour the snack, but enjoying the apple all the more because it was stolen.

Turning back toward the now almost-empty cafeteria, Rye noticed a couple pair of eyes following him. Glancing around the cafeteria, he saw the pair of cheetahs that he met earlier in the morning with Will looking surprised at Rye while Asalah spoke in a quieter tone to him which gained his attention instead. He also saw Diane glaring at him, but she jerked her head the other way and pointed her snout in the air, as if she didn't care at all.

Ignoring the awkward stares, Rye entered the cafeteria and plucked another green apple from the bunch and returned to the table where Cloud was finishing the apple.

"Feel better?" Cloud asked with a smirk.

"No," Rye lied, failing to muffle his giggles.

Cloud laughed. "Good."

"I never would have thought that you had such an affinity for fruit," said Rye.

"Only when they're stolen from you," Cloud boasted.

Rye nudged Cloud with his shoulder while giggling before taking a bite out of his fresh apple.

"Hey Rye," Nate said, turning his attention back toward the otters. "Have you seen the movie Feline Vanguard yet?"

"No," answered Rye. "I heard it's kind of short."

"I don't know, it's five hours long," Nate remarked. "It's enough time for them to get their story across, at least for the first movie."

"Will there be a sequel?"

"It'll be a trilogy I think, but the director hasn't said for sure yet. Have you seen it Cloud?"

"No sorry."

"I have," Ariel exclaimed leaning across the table. "It was awesome! We should take you two to go see it sometime."

"I wouldn't object," responded Cloud. He was now eating the entire apple to the core regardless that Rye had taken a bite out of it earlier.

Conversation on new movies, albums and other technology of interests continued for the remainder of the lunch hour. Several portions of the group broke off to spend some time outside, but the otters and their closest friends were drawn into the conversation and remained inside the cafeteria until after the school bell rang. Even after the bell had signaled, the group remained reluctant to head off too to their classes. Nate, Ariel, Patrick, Shasta, and several other students dispersed but the otters walked together to their gym class with their lunch conversation being continued.

While they undressed, Rye thought about the stiff heat outside that would make today's exercises more brutal.

"It's going to be tough today," said Cloud clearly thinking about the heat as well.

With the otters facing away from each other, Rye unbuttoned his pants and let them fall. After pulling his pants off his legs, he quickly pulled his gym shorts over his thin boxers. "Did you want to come over again today after school? That way you wouldn't have to walk home."

"Thanks but I think I should go home before the dust gets too thick," replied Cloud.

Deciding not to push it and seem eager or desperate, Rye didn't pursue any further. "Okay, but I'm still going to drive you home."

"You don't have to do that." The bare-chested white otter threw his gym shirt over his head and slipped his arms through before he unbuttoned his pants.

"After stealing my fruit today, you're going to let me do you this favor. It's hotter today than it has been all week."

"That seems a little backwards," Cloud laughed as he pulled on his gym shorts.

"I guess you have that affect on the world," Rye sniggered while he straightened out the clothes he now wore. "Soon you'll have the world upside down and at your mercy."

Cloud laughed. "Whatever you say. Now come on, let's go see what exciting activities the coach has for us to do today."