A New Home

by Alkuna

My name is LaCody, a red Gelert, and I have a story to tell.

One of our baby-sitters, Tiggers_mage, came like she always did, checking up on us to make sure we were OK. And as usual, we weren't. She sighed, looking at us as we lay, our stomachs empty and growling. Our master had been gone for a long time now, nearly a week.

"I really wish she would care for the pets she gets."

Our baby-sitter scratched me behind the ears and gave LaButtana a hug. She stayed for only a few minutes, looking things over, and then she left. It was the usual thing. Our baby-sitters would check on us, maybe feed us to keep us going and leave. It was more than our owner did, so we were grateful for their time.

My ears drooped with the shutting of the door. Even with the Kacheek to keep me company, the days were long and lonely. But then something new happened. Our baby-sitter came back, looking furious. LaButtana meekly asked her what was wrong.

"I can't believe this," she growled, "Your owner says she's too busy working to take care of you guys. I told her that if she didn't, I was going to take you guys away for your own good and she agreed!"

My jaw dropped and I whimpered helplessly. There was only one way to take us away and that was to send us to the Adoption Center.

"B-but," I stuttered, "But what about Health_man?! I won't be able to see him again!"

My boyfriend, Health_man, belonged to another of our baby-sitters Tiggers_mage frowned thoughtfully and picked up the phone. After talking back and forth for a while she smiled slightly. "It's all arranged. We'll have to split you guys up, but you'll both be going to good homes.

" "S-split up?!" LaButtana stuttered, looking at me in alarm.

Tiggers_mage knelt down in front of us, "It's OK. I've made arrangements. You guys can visit each other whenever you want." She put a hand on each of our heads. "LaButtana, I'm going to adopt you and take you home with me. LaCody, my best friend Al'Kuna has agreed to adopt you."

Things were happening too quickly. Tiggers_mage split up the few items in our home, letting us choose anything that we wanted to take with us. Then she packed them into two different bags. Our home was cleaned out completely, and we walked away, never to come back.

We reached the Adoption Center and huddled close to Tiggers_mage's side, staring wide-eyed at the comings and goings. Then a teenage girl walked in. A tough looking blue Lupe and a sour faced blue Gelert followed at her heels. The newcomer had a look that matched her pets: foul tempered and mean. She looked around, spotted us and headed over to meet Tiggers_mage.

Was this going to be my new owner? I shrank back behind our baby-sitter and tried to make myself small and unnoticed. I'm a very shy Gelert, and I'm not much of a fighter. I didn't like the idea of going to a tough or mean home. Tiggers_mage walked forward and greeted the newcomer warmly.

"Ahhh Al'Kuna, looking bright and cheery as usual in our settings."

Suddenly no longer hidden, I scrambled forward to hide again, but Al'Kuna's pets had spotted me. I glanced up at Tiggers_mage for help but she was talking intently with the sour faced Al'Kuna.

"Well lookie here," the blue Lupe said gruffly, "Looks like we're getting another punching bag."

I gulped and shrank back. The blue Gelert walked over and sniffed me from the tip of my delicate nose to my long tail. Then he snorted and sat down, looking amused. "Not much fun there. She'd either run away or just sit and take it."

LaButtana, small as she is, was a loyal little Kacheek She stormed forward and planted herself between the two pets and me. She crossed her arms and glared at them.

"Oooh, tough lil' Kacheek," grinned the Lupe

"You treat my friend nice or so help me I'll…" LaButtana trailed off, leaving the threat hanging. She isn't a fighter either, but she's spunky enough to put on a show.

The blue Lupe tilted her head and looked down at LaButtana, "Or you'll what?"

I couldn't help but notice that the Lupe's teeth were pure white and very sharp.

"I'll…I'll make you into a fur coat!"

The Lupe laughed.

The blue Gelert padded over to me while LaButtana was distracted and gave my shoulder a firm nudge with his nose. I turned around fast, my heart beating hard. Was he going to beat me up now?

He smiled, although since he still looked somewhat sour, the smile didn't help me any. "Chill out," he chuckled, "I'm a vegetarian and Alkuna prefers chocolate Chias. We aren't gonna eat you." He nodded over at the Lupe, "Alkuna talks tough, and her sense of humor is rough, but she's the best friend you could ever have."

I blinked, confused for a moment, and then realized that the owner and the pet had the same name.

"You talking about me, Skinny?" Alkuna the Lupe demanded, looking over at the blue Gelert

"Yeah I am." He barked back, his voice sounding tough and ruthless.

"Oh. I thought so." Alkuna, sounding mollified and almost meek, turned back to LaButtana, who was keeping up her end of an exchange of fierce words with the Lupe

I giggled softly and the blue Gelert grinned, "See? If she acts tough with you, just be tough right back. She loves a good verbal argument and they can get downright funny if you listen to them." The blue Gelert looked back at me, his expression softened by a much more friendly smile. "You got a name kiddo?"

I shifted my weight shyly, "LaCody."

"Name's Mercolagos, but everyone calls me Merc. So you're the one we're taking in huh?"

I glanced over at Al'Kuna the human, suddenly frightened again. She was walking over to us.

The Lupe and LaButtana broke off their much more friendly banter and my Kacheek friend gave me a reassuring smile.

Al'Kuna the human looked me over. "Skinny little thing isn't she?" Her voice didn't give me any hint that adopting me was a good thing at all.

My ears drooped and I dropped my eyes.

Mercolagos padded over to her and murmured into her ear, "Ease off, you're scaring her."

I felt grateful for the support.

"Really?" Al'Kuna's voice lightened considerably, "Am I frightening you LaCody?"

I didn't look up, but nodded slightly.

She reached out and lifted my chin with a gentle hand. Her face had softened a great deal and the gentle look seemed like it should belong to a different person than the mean looking person who had walked in.

"I'm sorry," she hugged me warmly, "I didn't intend to act mean or scary. LaCody, I have no problems whatsoever with adopting you. When Tiggers_mage called me and explained how badly you were being treated, there was no way I could say 'No.' I looked so mean because I was angry at how you were being treated. Mercolagos here has the same story as you do. I adopted him myself when I found him dying in this very Center."

I blinked. So that was why he had looked so sour. This place was full of bad memories for him.

Alkuna the Lupe padded over to us and smiled, she too looked friendlier, "Hey pup, why didn't ya say you were a softie? I wouldn't have acted so tough. Teasing pets isn't fun if they don't tease back."

Al'Kuna scratched me behind the ears, which felt good. "Come on. Let's get you home and get you fed. Gelerts are supposed to be skinny, but not THAT skinny."

Tiggers_mage paid the abandon fee and Al'Kuna immediately paid to adopt me. Now I officially belonged to Al'Kuna. Seconds later, LaButtana belonged to Tiggers_mage. Al'Kuna picked up the suitcase with all of my stuff and as we headed for my new home, I couldn't help but feel as if I was finally going to a REAL home.

The End