"Oww... too tight.. too TIGHT!" Lilly shouted.
Mike quickly let go of her as Lilly gasped for breath.
"Sorry about that.. but I just got so happy that-"
"It's alright.. just don't give that tight of a hug ever again." said Lilly as she giggled.
"Alright. Since I'm comfortable around you now.. is it alright if I stay with you and Skyler..?"
"Is it alright? Of course it's alright!" She said as she smiled brightly.
"R-really?! Yes!"
The two of them went inside the house and into the living room.
"Ahh.. thanks for letting me stay here.." said Mike as he happily sat on the couch.
"Your welcome! I can't believe your actually staying here! Here at my own home!" said Lilly in a excited tone.
"Haha.. yeah, this sure beats the forest."
She smiled and suddenly thought of something.
"I gotta wake up Skyler and tell him the good news! I'll be back!" She happily went up the stairs to Skyler's room.
Lilly opened the door to his room and began shaking her younger brother excitedly to wake him up.
Skyler woke up with a loud yawn. "Hi sis, is it time to wake up for school?"
"No.. because I slept with Mike outside last night and didn't wake up at the right time so it's too late for you to go to school today... but I got something even better to show you!"
"You slept outside with Mike.. was he a wolf last night..?!"
He said in horror, thinking about those howls that he heard that night.
"Yeah, he was but he's back to normal now."
Skyler looked at her with big eyes. "I can't believe you did that... doesn't he scare you?!"
"No.. in-fact he's actually cute as a wolf!"
"C-cute?! How can he be cute?!"
"Hey! You got your opinion about him and I got mine! Now let's go down stairs, I got something to show you!"
"Alright.." He slowly went downstairs with Lilly and gasped at the sight of Mike setting on the couch.
"W-w-what is h-he doing h-here?!!" He shouted as he pointed his stubby finger at Mike.
"This is the good news that I was talking about, he's gonna be staying with us from now on! Isn't that great?!"
"N-n-noooo!" He screamed as he ran to his bedroom in fright.
"Well, that didn't end like you hoped, did it?" said Mike.
"No..." she said with her head down.
"What's his problem anyway? It's like he's scared of me or something.."
A light bulb lit above Lilly's head, for she had an idea.
"You know how he chickened out when me and him went to look for.." She paused. "Where you the one on that hill when me and Skyler went to see if there really was a wolf that night?"
"Yeah, I was.. So, what's your point?"
"You where?! I knew it was you! Anyway, he chickened out because he was most likely scared of your howls.."
"My howls? Why would he be scared of that?"
"He said that wolf howls are scary. If he's scared of one wolf, he's probably scared of all wolves because of their howls."
"Hmm.. I see. Sigh.. I should have known it was too good to be true..."
"What's too good to be true?"
"About me staying here, I can't stay here if he's scared of me."
"What..? It doesn't matter if he's scared of you or not! Your still staying here!"
Mike shook his head in disbelief.
"If I stay here then he'll probably lock himself in his room until I leave... and that's not going to work."
"Sigh.. Your right... but how the heck are we going to get him to stop being a chicken around you!"
"Beats me.. but if you have any ideas, let me know."
Lilly thought real hard. How was she going to stop Skyler from being scared of his howls? She then thought of something her grandfather told her when she was young, back when she was scared of thunder and lightning. "Sometimes the only way to stop being scared is to face your fear."
"I got it! Maybe the only way Skyler is going to get over this is to face his fear! Which is you!" Lilly pointed her stubby finger at the wolf hamster.
"Yeah.. that could work but I'm not so sure. When he saw me, it was like he was seeing a monster.. besides he's not going to come out as long as I'm around. So, what's the use?"
Suddenly Lilly grabbed him by the neck which made him very uncomfortable.
"DO YOU WANT TO STAY HERE OR NOT?!!"
"Y-yes Ma'am.."
"I can't hear you!"
"YES, MA'AM!"
"Good. Now I think the best way to approach my brother is to be nice and gentle with him. Try not to upset him. You could try making him laugh but be very careful of your actions. If you screw this up it might not work.. We'll both go to his room and I'll knock on the door while you remain hidden until I tell you to come in. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Now.. LET'S DO THIS THING!"
She rushed up the stairs like a speeding bullet while Mike slowly dragged along with her. He didn't think this would work at all.. but he had no choice. Trusting Lilly might be the only way to stay.
Lilly knocked on Skyler's bedroom door gently.
"Y-yes..?" Skyler peeped through the door.
"Hello, my cute little brother! May I come in?"
"I-is the w-wolf still there..?"
"No.. he's not here. He.. went outside."
'Seriously?! Now he's calling me a WOLF?!!'
That thought made Mike growl but he quickly stopped when he saw Lilly looking at him with her eyes narrowed.
"W-WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"N-nothing Skyler, absolutely nothing! So, since the big bad wolf is gone. Can I come in?"
'BIG.. BAD... WOLF?!'
"I'll show you the big bad wolf! That's worse than what your brother said!!"
Mike lauched himself on to Lilly while growling.
"MIKE! GET OFF OF ME!! This isn't helping!"
Lilly tried to wiggle out of Mike's grip but couldn't.
Suddenly Skyler opened the door.
"YOU LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!!"
The wolf hamster stopped and looked up at him. He saw what he was doing and quickly got off of her. And ran on all fours to a cornor in the hallway and wimpered as Lilly got up.
"You've been a bad wolf! Don't ever attack my sister again!"
Lilly was shocked at her younger brother. He was facing his fear right before her eyes.
"Y-your right, I have been a bad wolf! But I never wanted to be a wolf in the first place... my life has been miserable ever since I became this way... all I want is a happy life. And I thought I could have it here.. but I blew it. It's back to the woods for me.."
Mike got up, wipped his tears and headed for the stairs in defeat.
"M-Mike..? Where are you going?" Questioned Lilly
"I'm going to the woods... I can't stay here. I've been a bad wolf for attacking you."
"I didn't say that you couldn't stay.." Squeaked Skyler
Mike stopped in his tracks and turned to Skyler.
"You didn't? But I attacked your sister.."
"Yeah but.. I guess it'll be alright for you to stay. Just please don't howl around me, okay!"
"I-It's alright?! Sure, I won't howl around you. Just don't call me a wolf again, okay?"
"Okay!"
Minutes later...
Skyler is playing video games on the floor while Mike and Lilly are sitting on the couch talking.
"I don't understand.. first I'm like a monster to him and the next... we became friends and as long as I don't howl around him, we're good."
"Skyler faced his fear. That's how you became friends with him!" Said Lilly with a smile.
"Now that I think about.. he did." Smiled Mike
