We all know about those stories from when we were kids about the people who wanted to have fun in the woods so they ran way and instantly bebcame friends with all the animals, or one of those stories about someone taking an exotic animal from the oods in as a pet and them instantly becoming best friends. They were some of our favorite tales to listen too before we went to bed. Well let me tell you, it doesn't happen that easily in the real world (or the FurAffinity world for that matter...). It isn't as simple as just heading out to the woods and having everything be all peachy with every animal, believe me, it takes a lot of effort. Some people really don't care about the animals and just want to assert dominance while others really really want to be friends with the anmals and bond while the animals really don't want the human's presence... and can you blame them? Humans havre been cutting sown forests and taking land from the animals for years and don't even get me started on things like sport hunting and factory farms... Trust me, no matter how much you want it to be true, woodland animals do not want to befriend humans without taking drastic measures that can only happen in stories written for Furaffinity and SoFurry. Speaking of which, it's time to begin this story that explains a strong measure that it takes to make those children stories a reality.

Now as previously stated, a lot of humans really do want to bond with the animals but drastic measures usually get taken when this is attempted, even when an animal is taken out of a trap by a caring human, they will resist no matter what. Now a man named Toby took a stroll to the park to escape the stress of work and eventually wondered into the woods to take in the view and maybe see some animals! For a while he didn't find any aside from some bugs, which he refused to slap, because they were alive too. He eventually got bored and was about to head off until he noticed that there was a badger caught its paw in a bear trap and was trying hard to escape but to no avail. Toby did not think this was right so he came by slowly to try and help him out. The badger would normally resist out of fear or anger, but it was a drastic measure so he let it happen. Toby managed to latch open the trap but the badger's paw was in horrible condition. Toby decided to take it to a local exotic vet to bandage up the wound, whoch thankfully he was able to afford (by taking a lot out of his budget for a new dog...) but he didn't mind. he managed to carry the badger in one hand with great resistance to the pain making him fidgit and the trap in the other, until he passed a trash can and threw it out.

The vet advised letting the badger stay in her care while he recovers but because the man was revealed to have a licence to allow exotic animals ownership. While Toby refused to consider animals "owned" he gained the license in the case of emergiencies such as this. While the vet was hesitant, worring that he had bo clue what he was getting himself into, he managed to convince her. She signed the papers to allow the care and he took the anastised badger home. At first the badger was showing minimal concern about the wound or the situation, but this was due to the anastetics, and he didn't even seem to notice Toby being there. Later, after the anastetics wore off, the badger became very fearful, angry, and agressive, running around in fear of the paw's pain and the new location, almost damagine a lamp... so much for enviromentally friendly CFLs... Toby was a bit concerned for the badger and his house but he expected this, he knew what he was getting into when he took the badger in. With a large dog cage he originally purchased with his savings... he managed to get the badger into it. It was late and Tovy decided to go to bed, but knowing the badger is nocturnal, he left some food for him, again, also originally for the dog... He would buy better food for him tomorrow. After he went to bed, the badger looked out the window and noticed another badger who turned out to be his cousin outside looking for him. When it got up to the window, it tells him how it found himby following his scent) and asked him what happened and why he was in a cage.

"Look Nicole, I don't know how to explain this but I was caught in one of the human's traps and broke my left paw." he responded to her and she got worried.

"Oh my goodness, how did you escape are you alright?" she yelled in fear for her cousin.

"I'm fine, I was surprisingly helped out by a human, and he took me to something called a vet who tied whatever this thing is on it and said it will be better soon," he abswered with relief, giving Nicole relief as well.

"Oh good, I was worr..."

"But, I don't seem to be able to leave, this man seemed to think he has the right to take me from the woods and locked me in this cage." he responded, with more agression and fear, thinking he is in danger not realizing this person wanted to help.

He and Nicole were discussing different scenarios as to what could happen to him, all of which are very out of the box and never gonna happen (like him being shot, stuffed, and sold at a toy store) and after some talking, Nicole returns through the hole she burried and wants to warn the other animals in the forest about impending invaders, and she promised to return everyday for updates and to show support.

The next morning, Toby went down to make tea and check on the badger to see how he was feeling. The badger was hesitant, but as he sleeps during the day, he was tired and was about to fall asleep, so he wasn't in the mood to fight or anything but still made it apparant that he didn't want the human to do anything bad to him. Toby treated him with great kindness and respect, hoping to get the badger to warm up to him for the next few weeks. Toby filled out more food for the badger before going to work, which the badger was trying hard to resist, as it was from a human, and he didn't want anything more to do with him, but after a few minutes after Toby left, he gave in because he had to eat something or else he would have to stay with him even longer. He was hesitant but after he finished, he decided to go to bed, the sun was already high in the sky, it was so late, so he went to bed.

In his dream, he remembered what had happened in the bear trap and was worried beyond all belief that he was actually going to die, but then he was relieved when Toby came to see him and get his paw out of the trap. At first the badger was greatful and wanting to hug him to show his appriciation but Toby then grabbed him by the neck and said "My next victum...!" with the badger screaming and trying to escape, and then it flashes forward to him in the cage trying to escape with Toby aughing maniacally at his attempts and he screams.

At that moment, he had awaken and it had already been 8 hours passed and Toby had already returned from work and the store buying the proper things to feed a badger. He was terrified to see him after that dream, not wanting to have anyting to do with him, because he keeps thinking something is going to happen to him worse than what already has. Toby expected this, if the badger had to deal with a bear trap it probably had lots of problems with humans in general before this, so his hesitation was epected. Toby is the last person to hurt any animal, he does not like the sight of anything suffering, and he knew this badger would not last alone in the woods with a broken paw, so he had to take matters into his own hands to help him regardless of his fear or anger, he only wanted him safe and healthy, and if that meant he hated him at first, then so be it. When he prepared the proper food for a badger (which was not cheap by the way...) and gave it to him, he was more willing to take it, but he didn't want the human to see him give in. After a few minutes when Toby went to restroom he went straight for the food bowl and ate it fast. He knew the human would probably know he ate it but he idn't care, it tasted so good, he was surprised a human would even consider making something like this for an animal, he alost felt greatful, but he didn't want to think that this person actually cared about him, there had to be some other motive, right? When Toby returned, he noticed that all the food was already gone, but the badger had backed up back to the corner of the cage, as if he was trying to hide. He was considering letting him go outside, but he also noticed that his paw also hurt still, and sense the pain medicine he ordered for him had not arrived yet, he did not want him to risk escaping while still injured, so he reluctantly had him stay in, but felt sorry that he was confined for such a long time in that cage.

That night after Toby went to bed, Nicole returned to the window and managed to get his attention, "Hey, how has it been? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, my paw still really hurts but nothing bad had happened yet, but that doesn't mean that something bad won't happen yet, I just can't wait to come back to the woods," he responded as the camera fades out and we see the next morning.

When Toby left the food for the badger, he didn't wait for him to leave to eat, he just did it right infront of him, as he realized this was going to happen a lot, he might as well enjoy it instead of resist the inevitable. Toby noticed the badger went right in this time and didn't refuse, so that means he must be warming up a little, he had some comfort in this, but also some fear, he doesn't want him to get too attatched... The badger went to bed once Toby had left.

While the badger is still asleep, and we see his next dream. He dreams that the trap had happened again in the same way, only the strange human seemed to be somewhat kinder to the badger, he still seemed like he had evil plans but it seemed like he was trying to be nice till it had to happen.

He woke up again, still worried a bit but was more accepting of his situation, still unhppy about it but more accepting, just trying to make lemonade. Again, he awaken once Toby had returned, this time he wasn't scared, he was more accpeting, almost as if he could take advantage of him while he stays. Once again, Toby put dome fiid in and the badger went right in, however unknown to him, Toby put a painkiller pill in, to help him get out of the cage for a while. After he finished his food, Toby came over and let him out of the cage to stretch his legs. The badger was confused, he was actually being let out of the cage? He thought he would spend the rest of his life in the cage, why would he let him out? As he went out he noitced his paw's pain went down a bit, not enough to actually forget the wound, he still needed to stay, but enough to crawl around with. The badger crawled around everywhere he could reach, around the TV, under the table, inside the couch, heck even by the fire place (thankfully it was locked). There was some interesting things to explore, but Toby wouldn't let that happen, he didn't want him to break anything like his TV, or another paw.

Toby went to bed later and put the badger back in the cage for the night, but he promised that he could explore more tomorrow. When he went off, Nicole returned to him again and wanted a heads up as to what's happening, because she won;t be able to visit for a few days and wants to make sure he is okay. He was not as worried as he was the past two days, now he is getting used to the place, but he still wants to leave as soon as he can because he does not want to get attatched to a human of all creatures, but what he didn't tell her, and what he didn;t even realize is that it may have just begun...

It has been two weeks and the badger has actually warmed up to the human much more, he still does not wish to stay, but he knows that this guy actually isn't as bad as he thought. His dreams had become more pleasant ever sense, he had been fed regurally and has been given some fun toys to play with and even gets time to dig outside now. His paw is still sore but it has been healing up much better, and Toby was happy to see the badger everyday and was saddened by the thought of havibg to let him go eventually but he knew it had to happen, in fact he was actually forgetting he was using up all the money he had saved to adopt a dog. The badger was still a bit fearful of this man but he had realized that he was not evil and can actually be kind of fun to play with, but only if he was in the mood, which is becoming more often than the last days. When it was night time, the badger had been put back in the cage for the night and he didn't seem to mind, in fact he had became quite used to sleeping at night, ut before he dozed off, his cousin had returned for the first time in two weeks and wanted to know if he was okay. The badger assured her that he was fine and had no reason to worry at all about him. He told her that the human was actually a nice person and while he still wants to return home as soon as he can, he thinks he can stand another week here. She was a bit alarmed by the thought of a human being nice but because he should be returning soon, she shrug it off and promised to return in another week to see how it is comming and that she misses him.

The badger fell asleep when she had left and had a very happy dream about his situation for once, he was actually happy the human had taken him in and looks forward to him comming home, this confused him a bit, as he never thought he could like a human, but he soon accepted the fact that this human was a close friend and woke up to realize this as well.

After another week, the badger became so close to Toby that he even bought him a collar with the name 'Brock' on it (as that name literally means 'badger') which 'Brock' grew to love wearing. The badger began to sleep outside of the dog cage and eventually started sleeping at the foot of Toby's bed, that's how close the two became. Brock's paw had healed up nicely by then and was able to run and dig easily without the bandages over it. Toby was saddened by this because it meant that he had to return to the woods and leave him. This made him sad because the two became very close friends and he didn't want to lose him, but he knew it had to be done. At 10:00 PM, Toby opened his back door to have Brock leave the house and return, but he didn't want to. He would not leave the door, he didn't want to, Toby tried to talk him out but he wouldn't budge. Toby decided he can stay for one more day, but he sadly knew he had to go. Toby refused to let him sleep in the bed again, he had him sleep in the cage to let him know this ws the last night.

Brock was sad but he accpeted it and went in the cage. Late in the night, Nicole returned to see how his last day at the house was and if he was finally ready to return to the woods where he belonged. Toby responded to her with saying that he didn't want to go home, he was happy here and didn't want to leave. This was to the complete shock of her, she didn't understand why he wanted to stay with the worst species ever but he wouldn't say what she wanted to hear, she was upset until she noticed the collar around him and asked what it was doing around his neck. He showed her the tag and told her it said the name 'Brock' on it.

"Wait hold up, you've got a name, we're animals, we don't have names!" she exclaimed, not believing what's going on.

"You have a name."

"I'm a woman, we have different standards, no come on, we need to go!"

Brock wouldn't budge, he didn't even mention that tonight was his true last night, he was hoping he could get to stay, but she 'accepted' it and walked off as Brock fell asleep, to her confusion, as he is suposed to be nocturnal.

In a cave, Nicole had gathered a group of animals together to tell them about her cousin's situation, and like her cousin did initially, she told a ridiculous story... There was a female opossum, a male squirrel, a male fox, a female raccoon, a male skunk, and a male coyote sitting back far behind in the shadows, and they were mixed with anger, fear, and confusion.

"Wait, you said he's what?" the opossum asked in confusion.

"He's been brainwashed! Why do I need to repeat myself?" Nicole exalaimed, jumping to conclusions again.

"So you're telling us that because he hurt his paw a human kidnapped him and gave him a collar to control is mind? That's kind of hard to believe sister, what's your proof?" the squirrel asked in annoyance.

"Why else would anyone want to live wih a human? They are horrible, there is no other explination!" the raccoon told him.

"Well that are we gonna do?" the skunk asked.

"We're gonna use him..." the fox answered, pointing at the coyote who had a dark look in his eye...

The next day, Toby had awaken and went to take Brock out of the cage while he gave him a sad look, hoping it would convince him to let him stay, but it didn't work. Toby didn't want to let him go, he wanted to have him stay too, they are so close and he doesn't want him to go, but he knows that the badger belongs in the woods, so he dicided to make this the best day they could have together. They played a lot of games and with a lot of toys all day, but at 10:30, Toby had to do it, he took him out, they went walking for a long time but Toby took him back deep into the woods, and let him go... Brock was saddened by this and tried to beg to stay but it could not work, this badger needed to return to his true home, they both realized this but they didn't want to say goodbye. What could they do, no matter how much they care about each other it just couldn't work, a badger belongs in the forest.

As Toby said his final goodbye, he was about to head off, but he felt something walk past hin leg. He asssumed it to be Brock trying to convince him, but when he looked back, he saw Brock was still behind him and facing the other direction, it wasn't him, and now he was kind of worried. He walked off further, but Brock was still able to see him walk off, (a sight that is very hard for him to handle...) so it wasn't him. As Toby got worried, ne noticed a coyote came by and instead of charging at him, he just stood in his way, staring at him expressionlessly. As Toby tried to walk off, the coyote wouldn't move, he just stood there, waiting for him to get closer... As Toby got close enough to be worried, he really tried to not provoke him and almost turned around, until he let out a great big, loud, and breath holding howl... As Toby was about to run, the more he howled, the more his head hurt, as if the howl was special... As the howl continued, Toby eventually fell to the floor and could not get up, he was face down just waiting for it to end.

After the howl ended, Brock came by to find out what the heck just happened, and he noticed Toby was fying face down and he wanted to try and help but hee couldn't get him to budge. Once the coyote walked up to them he told him to stand up, and he was actually able to understand the coyote's vocals, and instantly stood up. Brock was left amazed, confused, and worried. The coyote then ordered him to sit back down, and he instantly did so, with Brock noticing that his eyes had turned into black circles closing in on each other. Brock wanted answers and he walked right up to the coyote and confronted him up close. He got all sassy and angry but the coyte kept his cool and simply responded...

"Does it matter what I did? I know you don't want him to leave you, now he doesn't have to, watch, tell him to do something." he calmly responded.

"What do you mean? I'm asking you what..."

"Just try it out..."

"Ugh fine, Toby, um, uh, take off my collar...?" Brock commanded reluctantly. Once he said this, Toby instantly took off his collar and threw it far away, Leaving Brock more confused.

"Uh, what was that?" he asked.

"It's quite simple really, you were kidnapped by this human, then he kept you enclosed in a cage, then he brainwashed you into never wanting to be away from him, why else would an animal want to be with a worthless human? I've simply returned the favor, now you never have to be away from him and he can stay here with you." the coyote responded still in his expressionless tone.

The badger was confused slightly, as that story was not right at all, he wasn't kidnapped, he wasn't forced in tha cage, and he for sure as heck wasn't brainwashed by any means. He wanted to tell him that but a thought came in the badger's head. This is the answer, this is the perfect way the two can stay together, he doesn't need to live in a house, Toby can stay with him. Why hasn't he thought of that before?

"Can you roll over?" he asked as Toby rolled over instantly without resistance like a dog. "Wow, can you shake hands and paws?" the badger asked as he held out his paw and Toby shook it without question.

The badger was curious as to what would happen after he died and the coyote told him he would revert to normal and be able to live his previous life again, so he shouldn't feel guilty about taking him away from his life. When Brock finally decided that Toby could stay this way, he was excited to show his friends and cousin their new friend, and hopefully they will get a long as well as those in the children stories...

Well there you have it, those stories would be nice to live through in an imagination, but considering how much woodland creatures hate us, your best bet is to set an animal out of a trap, care for it for a few weeks, have it slowly grow to you, be saddened when it has to leave, and be brainwashed by other animals into having to stay in the woods until they all die out, then staart your life all over again. Is it worth the risk? If you need me, I'm gonna go help a squirrel out of a trap...