It was a cold December day in Peak Country. It had been a few days since Feathers had gotten new siblings, and he was so happy to know his family is complete. In school, everyone had met Otis, Bess and Skylar, and Edward and Ezrah were amazed to know they're Feathers' new siblings after Ince. Otis, Bess and Skylar were starting school for the first time in years, as neither of them had started school before. Though Otis and Bess were blessed to start school, Skylar, being a rebellious hyena, isn't a typical school girl, but since she's adopted by Slither Scale, she'll have to obey his strict rules and orders.
At recess, while the kids were playing, Feathers, his siblings and friends all sat at the table, getting to know the new group.
"Dude, that's awesome your guardian's adopted new kids," Ezrah said excitedly.
"Yeah, how did you meet them? Edward asked.
"Let's just say you never know who you'll meet in the streets of town," Feathers said.
"Yeah, I don't think you wanna know our story," Otis said. "It's, er, pretty complicated."
"Yeah, not all of us had a happy start," Skylar said. "I know what that's like, growing up in a different town where you don't matter. It's one of those things that made me a rebellious animal."
"You, rebellious? That's pretty bogus, babe," Ezrah said.
Skylar slammed her paw on the table. "Hey! Watch your mouth, buddy," she said, pointing at Ezrah. "Nobody calls me a babe!"
Ezrah held his hands up. "Whoa, chill out. I didn't know you."
Skylar crossed her arms with a huff.
"Oh, pay no heed of her," Otis said. "Skylar can be grumpy all the time, but she's soft like a marshmallow when you get to know her."
Feathers scratched his head. "Is she always like that?" He asked Otis.
"Yeah, but she's a good girl," Otis said, fixing his diaper. "Everyone's got a soft side somewhere. They just don't show it sometimes."
"Anyway, it's nice to see you guys," Edward said. "And welcome to Peak Country. It's a wonderful place. Everybody's friendly here."
"Well, we're glad to meet you guys too," Otis said, "and I must say, those diapers look good on you both."
"Why, thanks, dude," Ezrah smiled.
"Thank you," Edward added. "Your diapers look cool on you too."
"Thanks," Otis chuckled.
"How long had you guys known Feathers?" Bess asked.
"Well, I met Feathers at the park a couple of months ago," Ezrah said.
"And I met Feathers when I had a big accident with my diaper," Edward said.
"Ezrah and Edward were my first friends who showed me I wasn't alone when it came to diapers," Feathers said. "Of course, a couple of kids had thought I was weird when I first started school. They used to think it was weird of me to start school as a gryphon wearing diapers, but after seeing my capabilities, like the time I flew to save a kite trapped on a tree, they warmed up to me. And it felt nice to have good kids in Slither's school." His smile faded as he looked down sadly, ears drooping. "But not all kids were nice. There was the time I had been bullied for wearing diapers, by only one kid."
"Who?" Otis asked.
"I know who he meant," Ince said. "Slither had told me some time after I was adopted."
"Well, who?" Bess asked. "Who was the meanie that hurt poor Feathers?"
"A wolf named Corin."
"Corin? What did he ever do to the poor gryphon?" Otis asked.
Feathers laid on the table. He didn't want to tell anyone due to the trauma he had from the bullying.
"Come on, big bro, tell them," Ince said, patting Feathers' leg.
Feathers looked at his little brother, and he took a deep breath. "Corin was that mean wolf. He usually picked on kids, but he then noticed me, and I became his target. He would pull my tail, pull my ears, pull my diaper, and Slither would often scold him for bullying me. But one day his bullying had gone too far when he... when he..." he took a big gulp. "He got in trouble for bullying me, and he blamed me for it, and he spanked me with a twig, and all the kids yelled at him to stop, but he wouldn't listen. I would've had scars on my butt, if Slither hadn't stopped him." He sniffled as he teared up, and then he buried his face in his arms, crying. "How could a wolf like him be so cruel?!"
"Aw, don't cry, buddy," Edward said as he and Ezrah patted Feathers.
"I'm so sorry to hear that, little bro," Otis said, hugging Feathers.
"Did you say Corin?" Skylar asked, incredulous.
Feathers sniffled as he wiped his tearful eyes. "Yeah... you knew him?"
"Yeah, Corin is quite the jerk from the same town where I had met Otis. But this all happened before I met Otis. I was acting all tough back then. I thought Corin seemed like someone who wanted a friend, but the moment he started picking on me for wearing my diapers, that's when I knew what a big jerk he turned out to be." She then sighed. "I can still remember like it was yesterday."
************
It was three years ago from a different town Skylar lived in, when she was eleven at the time. Outside the foster care she grew up in, she was punching a pillow as a punching bag, grunting. She had just finished punching the moment someone grabbed and pulled her tail. "Ouch!" She yelled, and she hit the ground. She heard laughter and saw Corin, the wolf who would be Feathers' bully. "You again? Go away!"
"Big kid still wearing diapers! This is rich!" Corin laughed.
"Oh, shut up, Corin," Skylar said, getting up. "You don't know what it's like to have incontinence."
"You're still just a big baby, baby."
Skylar pointed at Corin. "Call me a baby again. I dare you!"
"Well, isn't it what you are, since you're still wearing diapers at a big kid's age?" Corin laughed.
"Just go, before I bite you in the butt!"
Corin smirked. "That can be arranged, you big baby." He then ran off laughing, as Skylar growled in frustration.
"I swear, if I ever hear that again, I'll... I'll...!" Skylar growled, but then she sighed, knowing her anger was gonna get her into trouble.
Later on in the day, Skylar was sitting by the tree, watching kids play with toys or swing sets. She sighed, knowing how she's different from the other kids, just being a hyena wearing diapers. She suddenly heard a cry and saw Corin picking on a monkey, pulling her tail.
"Stop it!" The monkey cried. "I did nothing wrong to you!"
"But it's fun to hear you cry!" Corin laughed.
"Stop!"
Skylar saw this and growled. She grabbed a ball and threw it at Corin as it bounced off his head, forcing him to release the monkey.
"Oof! Hey, who threw that?" Corin demanded. He saw Skylar storming to him. "Well, the big baby returns."
"Picking on a monkey like that," Skylar said. "Are you kidding me right now?!"
"Why don't you go play with baby toys while I have all the fun, big baby?"
"Look here, you bully. I can handle you picking on me for wearing my diapers for my incontinence. I can handle you calling me a baby, even when I'm almost at my breaking point." She pointed at him. "But if you think you can pick on others without facing consequences, you better think again, 'cause I can make you feel how bullying hurts!"
Corin laughed. "Is that a joke? I am a wolf, I can do whatever I want!"
"I mean it, Corin!"
"So do I. And speaking of consequences..."
He suddenly grabbed Skylar and put her on his knees, pulling her diaper down and spanking her with his paw.
"Ow! Hey! Cut it out, you jerk!" Skylar cried as she squirmed. "This isn't funny!"
"It is for me!" Corin laughed, still spanking her.
Skylar then punched Corin's leg, as Corin jumped with a howl, and she got on her feet, pulling her diaper back on.
"I warned you, you big bully!" Skylar yelled.
Corin rubbed his leg where Skylar had hit him, and glared at her. "Ooh, you're gonna regret that, you little pup." He pushed her down to the sidewalk.
"Oof! You big jerk!" Skylar snarled.
Corin got up as he glared at Skylar, who had just glared back. "You proved how tough you are today. But the next time I see you, I'll give you a lot of pain before you even blink an eye! Am I clear on that?!"
"Just get out of here before I hit you again!"
Corin growled and just walked away. "That little squirt, punching my leg..."
************
"I never saw Corin again," Skylar said as she scratched her diaper butt. "Last I heard, he and his father moved to Peak Country, his father hoping it'll change Corin's behavior. But I wasn't surprised to hear Corin had still been bullying other kids, including a gryphon, and was later expelled and sent to military school." She narrowed her eyes at Feathers. "I'm pretty sure that gryphon was you, Feathers."
"Yes," Feathers only nodded with a sad expression.
"I kinda wish military school would change his ways, but I'm not holding my breath."
"What makes you say that?" Edward asked.
"I've heard Corin's got this habit of bullying everyone when he was little, and how his punishments from his father never changed him." She looked down at the table, her fists clenching. "Either way, I can still relax knowing Corin got his just desserts. Good riddance!"
Feathers thought about what Skylar meant.
Just then, Slither pulled the rope to ring the bell. "Time for lessons, students!" he called out. "Back inside!"
"Oh, it's lessons time," Ezrah said.
"Oh, boy," Skylar moaned. "What is a girl to do?"
The group got off the table and went back inside the schoolhouse with the other kids to learn lessons.
