You had only been home for a few minutes when you felt the tension in the air. It was thick and heavy, making your heart sink even before you had a chance to ask what was wrong. The familiar sound of Melanie’s soft cooing reached your ears, but it was accompanied by an undercurrent agitation that you hadn’t heard before.

You walked into the living room to find Simon pacing back and forth, his expression a mixture of anger and concern. In his arms, Melanie was resting, her chubby fingers clutching at his shirt, completely unaware of the storm brewing around her. Sophia, your beloved ferret, was nowhere to be seen, and the absence of her usual playful antics only added to the unease.

“Simon?” you asked, stepping closer. “What happened?”

Simon stopped pacing and turned to face you, his jaw clenched tight. He was furious, but beneath that, you could see the fear in his eyes, the protectiveness that had clearly been triggered. “She bit her,” he said, his voice low and hard.

You blinked, your mind racing to catch up. “What? Who bit who?”

“Sophia,” Simon replied, his voice trembling with controlled anger. “She bit Melanie.”

Simon turned slightly, showing you the tiny red mark on Melanie’s little arm. It wasn’t deep, but the sight of it made your stomach twist. “She grabbed Sophia’s tail,” Simon explained, his voice tight with emotion. “She didn’t know what she was doing, obviously, but Sophia reacted.

You felt a wave of relief that the bite wasn’t serious, but it was quickly followed by a sinking feeling as you realized what this meant. “Simon, she didn’t mean to hurt her. Sophia’s just… she was scared. She didn’t know any better.”

Simon’s expression hardened. “ “She bit our baby. I don’t care if it wasn’t intentional. I don’t care if she was scared. She’s an animal, and she’s unpredictable. I can’t… I won’t risk something worse happening. She’s a danger to Melanie, and that’s not something I’m willing to overlook. I want her gone.”

Sophia stayed hiding under the couch.