The next day, first thing Burt had in mind were the mushrooms he ate. Though, it ain't like Anthony wasn't gonna work him hard throughout the day again. He started out with a little breakfast, and got straight to tree chopping with his teach. It was excruciating. It's like Anthony is giving him overtime because of yesterday. Looks like he wanted to make sure of something too. One thing Burt did notice was that all though the work was hard, in fact harder than yesterday, he didn't feel as tuckered out as he normally would. Still, it was hard to get up on his feet, as he lies sitting against a cut tree. "Ugggh...", he groans.
All though that deer was tough, he's started getting a little impressed. He walks up to Burt with his bulging arms crossed over his chest, "Hey, I like how you did. Twice as much as yesterday too. It's still not much, but I'm sure half the forest'll be gone once I'm done with you."
"What!?" Burt looks around once. He must have spotted over a hundred trees from where he sat. "Are you kidding me?"
"Yep. If you don't want an A, that is.", he adds, looking down on the tired bear.
Burt groans. "What'll get me a D?"
"Oh, I don't give out in-betweens.", Anthony replies quickly.
"WHAT?!", Burt screamed.
"Hey, you should be happy. I'm actually starting to whip that body of yours into shape." The deer kneels down beside his student, and then pulls up one sleeve of his sweater. "Wow. I didn't know your arms were that big."
It wasn't much, but Burt was definitely getting some definition in his arms. This came as a surprise to the bear too, since his arms were flabbier just yesterday. "Uhhh...neither, did I?"
The studly deer stands himself back up, "You're on your way.", he winks.
"... Whoa. Is he...actually proud of me?", Burt thought.
The deer ushers with his bulging arm, "Come on. Let's go grab a bite to eat."
Which reminds Burt, "Oh. Uh, I gotta go do something first."
"Ok sure. But hurry back!"
Burt turned from Anthony and made his way to the river cave with the mushrooms. Burt retraced his steps to the entrance of the dark cave. He took a deep breath and said, "I must be out of my mind." The husky bear went into the darkness once again. He walked through blackness until he reached a ray of sunlight beaming from the ceiling. The sunlight shined on the mushrooms Burt tried the other day.
Burt squatted to the ground and picked a few mushrooms. He looked at them in his paw and sighed. "I hope I don't regret this," he said. Burt opened his mouth and swallowed the mushrooms. At first he didn't feel anything. Then he felt a familiar stomach ache like the one from the other day. The pain was like a stubborn cramp. Burt covered his stomach with both his arms. He suddenly felt a strange warmth coming from his stomach. Burt could discribe it but it was like the pain when from unbearable to soothing. As his paws were still on his stomach, Burt felt something very strange: his stomach was shrinking. The fat around Burt's waist was melting until Burt's arms ran all around the waist.
Just as mysteriously as it appeared, the pain was gone. Burt had no idea what happened. He felt completely fine now. Burt stood up completely puzzled. He then realized his sweater was feeling a bit loose. Burt could have sworn it fit him perfectly just this morning. He lifted the tail of his sweater and shirt. Burt was baffled. There was no fat on his waist anywhere. Lean and slightly defined muscle took its place. Burt placed his paw on his stomach to be sure if it truly was his own body. His jaw dropped. He covered with his shirt and sweater again. "These...these mushrooms," Burt started, "They...they somehow made me stronger, made me build more muscle!" Burt then rolled up his sleeve to show a bit more defined arm than the one Anthony showed him. The bear curled his arm to bulge a slight bicep. It wasn't much but it was enough to make Burt smile.
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