"What's going on?" Zadoc noticed the commotion and Mrs. Day also looked over. A little bear cub appeared to be in the arms of Olive.

"We think Burr's sick, Iker said he threw up," Olive showed Burr to Zadoc who curled up content in Olive's arms. Mrs. Day piped up, "His temperature was normal earlier so he shouldn't have a fever."

"Then-" Joel began but was interrupted. "This is normal, he just has an upset stomach, I'll prescribe some medication to help him," Mrs. Day started writing on a sheet of paper and pulling up something on her laptop. Olive scrunched up his face in disbelief and looked at Zadoc questionably. She then handed the form with the prescriptions to Zadoc and packed her things.

"Please do what we discussed," with that exited on her own giving a pull to the cub's cheeks with a cheeky smile. 

When she was far enough Olive raised a brow, "What's she talking about?"

Zadoc sighed and plucked the cub from his hands, the bear gave a startled whine. But the man's temperature was naturally very warm and Burr decided he liked it very much. "Burr is malnourished so he needs our help to fix that, we'll have to give him smaller portions and balanced meals. We discussed that he might have an eating disorder but it appears he has no trouble eating what we gave him so this is probably a case of neglect from his old boarding school and parents."

Everyone was surprised into shock, mouths hung open to catch flies.  

"Why would they do that?" Joels asked in agitation. 

"It just happens," Zadoc could only say petting Burr all over, motor sounds chuffing from his little body. "We'll go shopping tomorrow to stock up on food and get his prescription. Maybe a little clothes shopping."

Everyone agreed with no complaints there. Zadoc left with Burr to the living room with everyone else also joining them. Soon everyone was making their lunches on their own. Burr had gotten some lunchmeat and more Maple milk having still not shifted back or without indication that he was going to switch back.

"How about some fresh air?" Zadoc suggested and the cub's ears perked at his suggestion. 

Burr was mostly in control and didn't feel like switching back and somehow everyone around respected that. In his last school, he would be in detention for shifting, it was honestly odd almost alien to Burr that he hadn't gotten any punishments or threats. Zadoc got up with him going to the backdoor which was a sliding glass that he swished open. It was a magical world of serenity compared to the electric warmed boarding school behind them.

The snow had built to the height of his bear, the dry coldness causing him to sneeze. The others already rushing to put on insulated clothing to join Zadoc and Burr outside. 

Burr hadn't expected Zadoc to crunch through the snow barefoot in only pants and a short-sleeved shirt. But it made for a wonderful sight from Zadoc's tall height, the dead trees crystalized ice and looked awfully delicious. The humongous tree in the backyard had low branches, if he remembered right it was a willow tree. Zadoc abruptly lifted Burr to a branch that his paws gripped happily.

Without any warning, he bit the tree branch, ice toppling off in magical sounds. Burr giddily did it again to another long thin branch, the protective ice slipping off in a sheet of frozen luxury. 

Zadoc laughed, the sound causing Burr to become even more playful.

Joel hesitated at the door, while the first to get dressed he was the last to go outside as both the twins jumped almost head first into the snow while Olive followed Zadoc's tracks in the snow.

"C'mon," Nasir teased the lion boy with a flash of his fangs.

"It's not that cold," Iker laughed already forming a snowball in his gloved hands.

Joel huffed and took a step outside with cold-resistant boots but even so, the lion appeared to shiver at a lick of stale cold wind. He was the most dressed out of everyone but didn't fully make it outside, instead, he sat down at the door with only his feet to greet the snowflakes. 

He watched the twins throw snow in buckets at each other and then gazed at Olive who stood by Zadoc watching Burr break the ice off the willow tree.

 Zadoc then handed Burr to Olive, both boy and bear giving a questioning look at the exchange.

Burr liked the warmth of Zadoc and with it being taken away was greedy to have it back. When something completely unexpected happened, Burr could only stare with amazed black eyes and a paw gripping an ice branch. 

Zadoc was no longer there, instead, something animal was in his place. 

They were huge, fluffy, and white. A black nose and beady black eyes stared into his own similar features.

A polar bear!

Burr wiggled out of Olive's grip falling into the snow below. The powdery coldness smashed under the cub's weight as he sneakily sniffed at the new appearance. 

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A/N- It's been forever! I have not abandoned you all I promise!

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