HOME | DD
Code-Shark — Ice Cream
Published: 2017-06-07 20:09:19 +0000 UTC; Views: 805; Favourites: 43; Downloads: 0
Redirect to original
Description
The sun was beating down overhead, the warmth seeping into Arie’s fur and despite it’s shaggy length it felt good. Her hands were shaking and she had to tighten her grip on the cone. She had a cone, an ice cream cone, her ice cream cone.Tongue flicking out she took a quick lick, half expecting it to vanish in her hands. Jaw shaking, she savored the first lick. The flavor rolling over her mouth.
‘It’s good.’ She managed. To whisper. ‘Good.’'
C.S. Notes: It's been a while, but I finally got around to drawing Little Arie. A bunny tiger hybrid, she's had a hard time of life. So here is that happy moment that I promised people. 
Previously:
A Dangerous Crossbreed
What Water Reveals
To Whom It May Concern
Teething
Go. To. School!!!
Related content
Comments: 96
Curious as to what the Shark had in mind, I gather Arie to myself and we move towards the door and re-enter the car. Sirse joins me at my side with Arie on the other and we wait for our host to join us inside the car.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
After several minutes of waiting the door opens, and a lean black panther with very intense eyes slips into the car seat across from you. Sirse, looks at the panther arches a single brow and goes back to her finger game with Aire over your lap.
‘There, not exactly foolproof but it serves for this environment.’ Adjusting himself to better sit, the panther smiles. ‘From here on out, I would appreciate it if you referred to me as John Smith. A simple enough name and provided you don’t go attracting the attention of any local law enforcement agents. Now, shall we?’
Content to remain quiet for the short ride to the park, the panther seemed content to look out the window and on occasion raising a single hand as thought to reach out to some unseen object just out of reach.
As the car pulls over to the side of the park, the panther is the first to extract himself. Clad in simple well tailored clothing dominated by black with deep red accents he still seems to stand out of place slightly, as though his fashion has passed out of style or has yet to catch on. Motioning to a park bench that stands off to the side of a larger playground, the panther moves with long deliberate strides forcing Sirse to hasten behind him.
Drawing in a deep breath he scans the area, and settles himself onto the bench.
‘Ah, it is good to be out again, please have a seat.’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I take the seat offered by the panther calling himself John Smith. I place Arie and Sirse on the other side, still cautious. The mammal before me was a stranger and I had yet to hear from Black as to what terms he had been able to negotiate regarding Arie's adoption papers. I look the panther over. I observe something curious about the mammal. He was of the black panther family wearing a black suit and and black sunglasses. Although the sun was out, I myself didn't see the need to wear them. Typical attire of a government agent. Spy. Spook. Whatever was the current street lingo. Or a handler of sorts. I avoided such mammals like the plague as strange and dangerous things happened around them. I became even warier and made sure I was between him and the loves of my life.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
John regards you for a moment as you arrange yourselves on the seats and then favors you with a half smile. ‘Not the trusting sort are you?’
At your side, Sirse gives you a hard look that says you should be seeing something that is there, but does not want to go out and tell you directly. Arie, still clinging to your side is oblivious to the exchange, but seems to be focusing instead on the other children at play. Fidgeting on the bench she looks at the playground longingly, but stays quiet.
‘Black will be joining us shortly.’ The panther spoke without concern, ‘But until then, we have some time.’
Arching a brow behind the shades, he looks up at you, ‘The sunlight hurts my eyes. It’s easier this way. Now, about the Jurassic Park operation, I trust you have a good explanation regarding the circumstances of this…incident. I have had some very mixed reports and I want you to clarify the details.’
Hands in his lap, looks across you to Arie. ‘Little one, do you see that small tiger sitting alone over there. Yes, the one by the swings. I he would benefit from your company just now. With your, guardians, permission of course.’ Waiting patiently for your decision he focuses on the horizon and waits for you to give Aire your blessing before continuing.
‘It seems you two had a little trouble on the island. As did Team two, as their report has some very strange details I could not overlook. Apparently they were assaulted by naked cannibal vixens that were trying to feed them to their dinosaurs gods… You two wouldn’t know anything about that now would you?’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
At the mention of Team Two, my hackles riose and a loud growl erupted from my throat. "You were their employer? You hired those cretins who almost killed us in their desire to retrieve the embryos?" My arm tensed as I prepared to lash out at this idiot who felt poking an angry bear would be great fun. If not for my mate's paw on my arm holding it back, the panther would have been sliced neatly in two.
I looked at my vixen who merely signs at me. "Suffer the foolish." I sighed in return, realizing that I could jeopardize my adoption by taking a life unnecessarily. Suddenly, a wild thought enters my brain bringing a grin to my face. I sign back to my vixen keeping my back to the panther. "Small demonstration?"
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Sirse’s eyes go wide at the suggestion, and in great haste her fingers fly out in a string of words to fast for you to register. Her gaze is one of warning this time, coupled with grim disproval. Blowing out a breath and forcing herself to relax a little, she signs out again, slower this time.
‘You do know who you are talking to, yes?’ And inclines her head at the panther, who appears to be ignoring the flicking of fingers as best he can by humming quietly to himself and looking out at the playground to where Arie resides.
Arie’s ears twitched, hearing the gruff tones even from this far away. It was enough to distract her from her game with the tiger across from her that she had been pushing on the swing. Unintentionally the swing completed its forward arc and reversed smacking her solidly in the face sending her sprawling back.
Seeing this the Panther scowled.
‘Mr. Grizzly, please keep your temper in check, as you are frightening the little ones.’ Inclining his head to the spot where Aire lay, and her tiger play mate, now off the swing was at her side helping her up. ‘This is a Bastion class world, and I will not suffer your outbursts here in such a tranquil place.’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I kept my temper in check...for now. If this being before me was the employer of that group who nearly killed me and my mate, he would know of my rage at a later time.
"Why do you want to know? If anything, my mate and I deserve an apology for the way your crew attempted to kill us by blowing our ship out of the water. Be happy that I did not kill them that night even though they deserved it."
"As for their delusion, they must have hit their heads and dreamt of dancing naked vixens in the moonlight. I was very much awake and the only vixen I saw in the moonlight was my mate. Now, do you think she would stoop to such things? Think carefully of your answer lest you insult her. And in any class world, I will be very much permitted to rip your head off for doing so."
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Brows arching even above the glasses the panther just stares at you for several seconds. Sirse to seems equally shocked and about to text something in rapid protest, only to be stopped by a single upraised paw of the panther in question.
‘It is quite all right Sirse.’ The panther smiles, shifting his attention back to you. ‘It seems that there has been a unfortunate, misunderstanding, Mr. Grizzly. Allow me to clarify…’
Reaching one pawed hand out the panther touches the side of your face and several rapid blinks later, the figure on the bench beside you has changed. Rather than a thin black panther sitting on the bench, a massive shark like creature hunkers on the protesting wooden bench surrounded by a barely visible shimmer. Clawed hands rest peacefully on rubbery its legs, while the massive head gives you a devilish grin, revealing several sets of knife shaped teeth. Beady black eyes, lock onto yours and within them a great sense of amusement plays across their surface.
‘So you were saying something about, oh, what was it…Ripping my head off?’ The smile barely contained behind those eyes, as fingers begin to drum out a familiar pattern on the bench.
‘Now.’ A slightly icier tone creeps into the familiar sharkish voice. ‘You and Sirse were never in any real danger from B team, they were sent there to ensure your survival not your demise. How else do you explain the ease in which they allowed you to take not one, but two of their landing craft? Yes, they were very clear about your choice methods of dispatching them, and I suspect there are a few who will nurse a grudge due for some time.’
Drawing in a deep breath and settling himself back, C.S. regards you from across the bench.
‘So, is there any, amendments, you would like to make regarding your report of the Jurassic Park Operation before you tell me your side of the story?’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I blink several times in surprise. Caught off guard, I had not expected CS to appear in the form before me and was unable to say anything, leaving me with my jaw hanging open. Till Sirse forcibly shut it and signed back to me, "You don't want flies entering there, now do you?" as she grinned at the look on my face.
Shaking my head, I deepened my frown not wanting to put Sirse in any bad light before her employer. The best way to protect her was to take responsibility for all actions at the island.
"I'm not sure why they said that. What actually occurred was my idea in order to distract the B Team who I thought were out to harm us. She was my priority and not the embryos, that much I will admit. I managed to convince her to do The Dance of the Seven Veils in order to attract them towards the trap I had laid. Most of our clothes had disappeared due to the many encounters we had with the dinosaurs on the island and we had used them to bandage up our many wounds. Once I had trapped them in the fishing net, we took off for the first boat only to have it blown out from under us by the very B Team that you claim was out to help us. Once Sirse and I were in the water, I asked her to claw my face to look as if I had been killed in the explosion. As the boat approached to collect the second cooler, I managed to overpower the crew of the small boat and met up with the Captain who made it very clear I was disposable. Sirse had snuck on board while I engaged the Captain and she managed to provide a distraction by dragging her claws over the glass of the porthole making the crew think they were being attacked by a Pteranodon. Once I had overcome them, I gave the smaller boat to them so that they could make it back safely.
"It seems that they were working for another mammal. As per the conversation I had with the Captain, it was very clear that there were to be no witnesses left behind. And they were being richly rewarded to bring back embryos with them.
"So, they may be lying to you to cover up the fact that they were attempting to double-cross you."
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Brows knots in disproval, as C.S.’s fingers intertwine momentary. Eyes focusing on a point just before the horizon, C.S. let out a deep breath.
‘Troubling.’ Fingers untangle themselves. ‘And yet curious. I shall have to question them further when it comes to their individual briefings. Until then, there remain several issues that we need to resolve regarding this operation.’
The shimmering image of the massive shark hunched almost over double as to fit on the bench begins to fade as the rail thin panther returns. Hand moving to pluck at a whips of fur at his chin, C.S. gives it a few wistful tugs.
‘Now, from what I have gathered your mission was…well to put it simply. A disaster.’
Familiar fingers begin their drum beat again and across from you Sirse tenses with apprehension.
‘So, let us start at the beginning, shall we, and perhaps you can offer some enlightenment on your choices while on the island.’ His gaze fixes on Sirse. ‘This should have been a very simple In and Out operation. Retrieve a canister of viable dinosaur embryos and bring them back here. And yet, I from what I have heard both you and Sirse nearly got yourselves eaten, on more than one occasion.’
Drawing in a deep breath C.S. pinches the brow of his nose, as though to ward off a growing headache.
‘Firstly, you managed to assault and harm one of the key predators on the island, namely a Trex, that required sever medication after you left. Curtesy of the B team, and while we are discussing them, you made direct contact with B team, who, claim you assaulted them and tried to derail their primary mission. And,’ Scowling at SIrse, ‘most importantly, you have failed your primary objective which I made very clear was the retrieval of the canister.’
Sirse winces, ears flattening at the last accusation.
‘So, do you have anything you would like to say in your defense?’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I raised my paw. "I would," not being able to bear the sight of Sirse being tongue-lashed by CS. After all, she and I had only done what was instinctual to all mammals...survive.
"If there is anyone to blame, it should be me. I was being very overprotective of her and interfered on several occasions when I thought her life was in danger. More often than not, this was when we were being looked upon as items on a dinosaur menu. My preservation and survival instincts kicked in many a time and I overrode her ability to finesse many a situation only because...I was scared of losing her to those creatures. So when it became a choice of either them or us, I would choose us," as I indicated Sirse and myself, "over abominations that should never have been brought back to life and should have remained in museums and history books where they rightfully belong. I'm sorry if the female TRex came to harm but if presented with hurting her and being eaten, I would make the same choice over and over again. But if anyone should be credited for healing the TRex, it should be Sirse and not the B Team. She used the items from the First Aid kit and her healing fey powers over the creature to cure the damage we had caused her. In fact, when we left her, she was sleeping peacefully and seemed to be no worse for the wear.
"What I find strange, friend CS, why did the B Team have the canister in the first place if that was our primary mission? Why send in two teams without the first one knowing about it? If anything, it seems that we were being used by the B Team as a diversion so they would not be attacked by the dinosaurs and could freely slip in and out of the island with the canister and sell it to the highest bidder. With us out of the way, you would not have any knowledge of their actions and we would have been blamed for the supposed 'failure'. This so-called captain of the B Team that you hired gave me the impression that he had no loyalty towards you. Only to the one who would pay him the highest coin for what he had in his paws. And it seems that he had met someone willing to do so. Time and time again, we were threatened with harm in order to remove us from being witnesses to their treachery. I can't even recall the number of times we were shot at or the boats under us were blown to smithereens.
"As for the mission being a disaster, what about the fact that you tasked us with bringing in one canister full of embryos and we ended up delivering not one but two along with a live specimen of a Dilophosaurus? Would you not call that being resourceful? I think you sell you star vixen here short given that when she could not find the first canister, she managed to find more embryos in order to complete the mission you set out for her.
"Lastly," as I knew I had to come clean in order to sort out the relationship the Shark had with Black, "I was tasked by Black to make sure Sirse would not be harmed during this mission and to make sure she failed in exchange for his services to get Arie's adoption papers put through. I have no idea why he wanted her to fail but in the end, despite my interference, she succeeded in completing the mission you set out for her. To get the embryos. Period.
"You seem to be taking the word of the B Team more seriously than ours. Why is that? And why are you and Black allies if he wanted this mission to fail? I found him in your study when I came back to pick up Arie from your care, remember? What games are you playing here?"
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
A familiar smile crosses over the panther like features, still managing to convey some of that shark toothed nature. Fingers stopping their drumming assault, the Panther merely smiles.
‘You are very observant Mr. Grizzly. I credit you for that. And honest, I to, feel that it is time to oh, how is it put: ‘Come clean?’’
Motioning behind him, a figure steps out almost wraith like in from behind the bents. A familiar fox with a darker fur color than Sirse’s and with his customary blue suit coupled with tinted glasses strides to stand beside the bench.
‘Mr. Black.’ The panther nods in greetings.
‘Mr. Smith.’ Black matches the voice and tone.
Returning his gaze to you, the panther smiles. ‘There is a simple explanation for your question. You see, Mr. Black recruited those mammals under my instruction. They were ordered to retrieve embryos though, not the canister, that was your mission.’
‘And you were not in any real danger.’ Black added as thought merely discussing the weather. ‘Those mammals were each given a part to play, a persona if you would, as to create a viable story should they be discovered. And, they were instructed to Not harm you merely create the illusion of wanting you dead.’ A smug touch of satisfaction touches the corner of his lip, hinting that he may have implied something more in those orders.
‘Ahem.’ Clearing his throat C.S. drew the conversation back. ‘I appreciate what you managed to accomplish, the securing of not only one, but two sets of embryos, and the capturing of the dilophosaurs is a great boon to the success of several side projects, one that I would like to involve you in Mr. Grizzly. But, there is one problem. B team did not recover the canister…’
That hangs in the air like a silent note of doom, even Black seems uneasy, looking away from the panther as thought to hide his face.
‘The reason I sent you to that island was twofold, one, I needed to see how you would react under duress, and how you would work together. If you would form a lasting partnership, or tear each other apart under stress. I must say that here you performed above expectations and I congratulate you.’
‘Now, the second objective, the canister…I need that for a very sensitive project in the future and without it –‘
SIrse’s hand moves to interject, not having said much before she rapidly signs out a few quick sentences.
‘If I may, we did Not fail in that regard.’
The panther’s brow arches, otherwise he displays no other emotion. Reaching into her shoulder purse, Sirse fishes around and slowly extracts a crushed white and red striped cylinder. No thinner than a pancake the metal of the shaving cream is clearly recognizable. Looking up at you, she shrugs, and signs.
‘At the dock, when you took lead. I saw it by one of the crates and added it to the cooler later.’
‘Interesting…’ C.S. focuses intently on the destroyed can, taking it from Sirse’s paws. Running a paw over its surface, he murmurs quietly to himself. Slowly a smile spreads over his face.
‘Yes. Yes, this will due.’ Laughing he sets it down. ‘Crushed under the foot of a Trex…But it will serve. Sirse, Gus, I congratulate you on a job well done. Mr. Black, under my instructions, has already filed your adoption papers and only requires a signature for you to become Arie’s legal guardian.’
Extending a paw for you to shake, C.S. beams at you.
‘Congratulations, you’ve earned it.’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I numbly shake the outstretched paw. I was stunned at not only his explanation but knowing that Arie would soon be able to call me family. I turn to Sirse, unable to hide my shocked face from her. However, one look at her adorable smiling face and the laughter I hear from Arie, spurs me to ask, "I guess...we should celebrate? This is after all a joyous occasion. And we have not had time for another night out on the town to dance. I can ask Amenii and Nera if they wouldn't mind babysitting Arie tonight. What say you?"
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
C.S. inclines his head, looking out at young Arie, something of a shadow crosses the feline features and it takes him a moment before he is able to speak.
‘It would be best if you make the request personally. Nera can be a little standoffish at times, but Amenii will likely accept, after all, you did spend a considerable time with her before. It would be best to revisit them, as they are likely wondering what happened to you and why you have not kept in touch.’ Taking in a breath, and focusing on Sirse now, something flashes in those green eyes. ‘I shall see to it that you and Sirse will have a night off though, after all you have earned it.’
Without further explanation C.S. rises from the bench.
‘Pray excuse me, as fun as this outing has been there are pressing matters that I must attend to.’
And with that the panther is gone. Black lingers long enough to give you a masked look before speaking.
‘Come by my office later this week. We need to talk.’ Then eyes flickering to Sirse, he gives a smile that never touches those eyes and bows. ‘Dearest Sister.’
Sirse’s hand flashes out a short series of words that makes black laugh, who also turns and follows the panther from the park.
Shaking her head, Sirse looks up at you, wondering how much of the interaction you caught. As in explanation, she pulls up her phone and clicks out. ‘Webs within Webs.’ And then adds, in a more uplifting tone. ‘So, a dance?’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
"Yes, mon petit cheri! A night of dancing to celebrate not just this wonderful victory but to work up an appetite for the main course, ey?" I said as I waggled my eyebrows at her. I knew I drove her crazy whenever I did it. But I couldn't help but tease my mate. My mate. I marvelled at those two very simple yet profound words. We had professed our love and consummated our passion back at the cabana where she and I readily and willingly exchanged our vows of love and desire to be partnered with one another three times.
"If I recall correctly, you mentioned on our very first date that you wanted to take me to this other place. Well, now that we are mates, isn't now the time do so?" I queried.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hesitation was not something Sirse experienced often, but here, now, she felt it. She knew she had said to much when he mentioned a club, but that genie was out of the bottle. She could lead him to a lesser resort no less extravagant on the surface but she suspected he would see right through that ploy and worse yet he may even openly question her about it. As much as her Fey life had taught her how to bend and manipulate the truth, she was still bound by the most ancient customs and could not tell a lie.
Picking up her phone she clicked out. ‘Yes, there is a club I would like to take you to and-‘ Seeing you wiggle your eyebrows in that ridiculous dance, Sirse leers at you and then to drive home her displeasure makes to swat at your brows as though they are caterpillars trying to escape over the top of your head. Only your massive size, and her tiny frame prevent her assault from being very effective.
Now in a huff, she folds her small arms, letting her displeasure radiate for the world to see.
Her anger with you proves shallow though and as Arie comes running up to the both of you it all but fades away.
‘G’uss! G’uss!’ Aire pulls on your sleeve to get your attention. ‘Look what I made.’ Excitingly she points to a sand castle with several pillars at the base, the inner circle is mountainous with several smaller peaks built into it. Perched on the very top are several leaf flags supported by sticks.
Sirse, clicks out to you. ‘I’ll show you how to get there tonight. I trust I can leave you to dress appropriately.’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
"Of course, mon petit cheri! Only the finest suit for tonight's date for sure." I grinned at her while being pulled by Arie towards her sand castle. "I'll see you tonight right after I drop her off with my friends, Nera and Amenii, whom we met during the lantern festival. They did say they would be willing to have her over. And she'll adore the new twins."
Sirse nodded in my direction as she watched me being dragged off by Arie. "She's probably laughing at the sight of an 8-foot bear being dragged by the sleeve by a creature clearly one-third his size." I happily reflect as I turn to give Arie my full attention.
"That's beautiful, little one. I'm happy for you. And I'd like to share some news as well. Do you remember when you wished if you could stay with me forever? Well, it looks like your wish came true," I beamed at her. "You are now officially my ward and you will be staying with me at my place. What do you say to that, little one?" I ask as I get down on my knee to hug her to my chest.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Arie is speechless. The very thought of being adopted let alone begin able to stay with someone had long ago fled her mind. Like a dream that was just too good to be true and that she would awaken from only to have to race a bitter reality. Burying her face into your chest, she hugs you mumbling as she does so, her words drowned out by her unwillingness to pull away from you.
After several long minutes of her muffling hug Aire breaks away long enough to look up at you.
‘Does this mean I get to say at your place now?’ Her voice a squeak as she tries to take it all in. ‘Can I really stay? Will there be cupcakes? Do I have to wear clothes?’
She continues this all the way back to the car, where, after some explaining that she will be staying with Nera and Amenii for tonight. This she seems a little apprehensive about, and keeps giving you looks like you are not going to come back, even after you offer her reassurances otherwise.
‘Promise you’ll come back?’ Arie looks at you, her arms closing tightly around your forearm. ‘Promise?’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
"Of course, little one," as I ruffled her head with my large paw. "Why would I leave you after all that I've done to make sure you can now stay with me for as long as you like? It's just that I promised your Aunt Sirse that I would take her out on another date since it's been some time since the last one I took her out on. Who knows?" I casually mention, "She may soon live together with us under the same roof if her employer does not object. And from what I can see, she likes you too a lot. Since you are quite young, I can't leave you alone in the house as they may cite me for child endangerment and they could take you away from me. So, I made arrangements with some old friends, Aunt Nera, a hyena, and Aunt Amenii, a bunny, to watch over you in their place. They can't stay over at our house because they have newborns to watch over. You'll like them. They're mixed like you but a bunny-hyena combination instead. Your Auntie Nera won't mind that you prefer not to wear clothes for now but we should find something suitable for you.
"Tell you what," I said, "let's get you ready for tonight. I'll give you a bath using your favourite shampoo and conditioner along with the scratchy brush that can get the soap nicely into your fur. Then you and I can prepare a dessert together, some cookies perhaps, that you can bring with you when I drop you off at their place. I will come back after my date and then we can plan a day shopping together for some nice clothes that will fit you."
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Aire considered this, she was still unsure of what to make of the fox that she had met only once before, though she had been nice to her so far. Paws wringing together, she tried to hide her discomfort at the word aunt.
‘I’m going to leave you at your Aunt’s house’
‘Your Aunt will be looking after you tonight.’
‘You remember uncle Joe – yeah? You’ll be spending the day with him, okay?’
Her heart beating faster and faster, Aire did her best to bight back tears. Has she done something wrong? She couldn’t think of anything, but then adults tended to know things she didn’t, and were no more willing to share than the other mammals at the orphanage were. Eyes snapping around to look for an escape, Aire could feel her heart begin to beat wildly. He was sending her away, just like the others had before, but he had promised… He…
Slowly a calming wave came over her thoughts, drowning out the screaming voices of uncertainty. Looking around, she could see that strange fox looking at her. Just looking as she sat on the bench, those large hazel eyes fixed on her, and for a moment she thought she could almost hear a little voice in her head whispering soothingly to her. Focusing on the voice, she let it guide her back to the present.
‘…for tonight. I'll give you a bath using your favorite shampoo and conditioner…’
A bath! And her scratchy brush? Arie’s heart jumped – she had always liked the water, it flattened her fur, and in it she could move like a fish. The other children though she was odd already, but in the water she couldn’t hear any of their jeers or taunts, there would just be the lapping of the waves. Nodding her approval, Aire managed to find her voice.
‘Okay… J-just – come back for me!’ the words tumbled out before she realized she had spoken them. She didn’t fully trust this strange mammal that had taken her in, but he had been so kind to her that only when he said he was going out, that she realized how much she missed having him around. ‘Just…come back for me, okay?’
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Gus sensed her hesitation when he had mentioned leaving her with Amenii and Nera. Knowing about her trust and abandonment issues, he set out to assure her that she had nothing to worry about. He felt a small surge of power from Sirse as she apparently was trying to soothe her fears. He bent down and picked up Arie so that she sat cradled in his arm.
"What makes you think I wouldn't, little one?" he asks as he scratched her underneath her chin with the tip of his claw. He places a small kiss on her forehead and looks her directly in her eyes and says, "Look into my eyes and tell me if I am lying, Arie. A poet once said, 'The eyes are the window of the soul', and you can tell if they are not telling the truth by peering into their eyes. And, why would I not want to come back to a beautiful child like you? You are perfect in every way and I intend to make sure you will no longer have to deal with anything stressful except what clothes to wear. You are in safe paws now." smiling at her as he ruffled the top of her head.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Aire’s gaze fixed on her adopted fathers eyes. The words sounded sincere, though there was still a lingering doubt that plagued her. One of the few children at the orphanage that had even been willing to talk to her, was an orphan wolf pup, three years her senior. Even though she was younger Aire was almost of size with him.
‘Adults always lie.’ He had told her when she had come bounding down the lawn, to tell him the excited news that a couple had come by and had told her how excited that they were to meet her, that they had a son her age, and that they would come back soon to fill out the adoption papers. She had dismissed him then, telling him that he was just jealous that she was going to get a real home and he wasn’t. The look he had given her was not what she had expected, pity. Shaking his head he refused to look at her, instead focusing on the block of wood he was whittling at with a pocket knife. ‘Oh, Aire…you are so, so, so, young.’
Aire had packed that night, stuffing all her belongings into a plastic bag and was too eager to sleep, practically bouncing on the bed in anticipation. In the morning she had even skipped breakfast to wait on the steps with her bag for her new family to come.
And waited. And waited. And waited.
The next day she was still hopeful, after all, maybe they had to fill out paperwork.
The day after next, she began to become worried. And the day after that she almost worked up the courage to ask the Den mother, but as she reached for the knob of the door she heard voices from inside. Ms. Avey was talking to someone over the phone, and by the end of the conversation, Aire was in tears, running from the hall, all hope of a new family gone.
That night he showed up again, eyes glowing in the dark.
‘What do you want!?’ she had snapped between stifled tears. He had not spoken, but instead placed a carved tiger on her bedside table and left. The next morning, he was gone.
…
Shaking Aire tired to focus on Gus, he seemed nice… But nice had – had-
‘Do you promise?’ Aire whispered, trying not to shake as she spoke.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Gus smiled at her as he held out a digit of his paw to her. “Pinky promise. If ever you do this with someone you love, they will always be bound to it and cannot go back on their word. So, yes...I do promise to come back for you.”
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Still unhappy with the idea of Gus leaving her, to go out with the little fox that he spent so much of his time with already Arie accepted his offer, snaking her not so little pinky finger around his and shaking it.
She was quiet the whole drive to Nera’s and Amenii’s house, and as she watched her father depart with the little fox, the words of her friend echoed still in her mind.
‘Adults always lie.’
Watching the whole while as their car pulled away down the street she had to fight the urge to go running after it, screaming for them to not leave her. The urge was only broken when Nera’s massive paw landed on her shoulders, lifting her up with ease as she spun the Arie around causing her long ears to flare out behind her.
‘Awe, your just so cute!’ She cried, ‘Come on inside, you can help Amenii and I with the twins – you know she has her paws full with those little balls of fluff. Now your job is going to be to distract them long enough for her to get to the couch…’
The rest of the night passed without incident.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Continues to lick furiously, as to not loose a single drop, but manages to nod a little in between licks.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Aww. *kisses her cheek*
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Such a lovely character. xP
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Why thank you, Arie is probably one of the most cherished of my creations. ^.^
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Thank you, she is just that adorable. And happy.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I don't think she would mind, just wait until she finishes her ice cream- and ask permission first.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
(OH GOD I MISSED HER!)
**Chuckles**
You still have a lot of flavors to taste...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Still focusing on her own cone she shuffles over to you, and wraps an arm around your leg as though you are the worlds biggest teddy bear.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
n///n I guess It's a yes then... Once a day, after lunch, until you have sampled every flavor. Just don't say anything to Tanya...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Raising a finger to her lips she makes a quiet 'shhhhhing' noise, and goes back to her ice cream.
Over the voices and sounds of the park, you can almosr hear a rumbling pur.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
**then... Like a truck... It hits him**
Arie... Darling... Where are your clothes?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Thank you, she really is. And very happy to have a cone. ^.^
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
you are welcome and so I see ^^
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I know, she is really cute when she is not terrified and running for her life. ^.^
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
<= Prev |