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By the time she arrived at her doorstep, the frigid cold had numbed her hands
and ears, made her nose drip. She was grateful to push open the door and slip
inside to the warmth of the heated home.
As she stamped snow and ice from her boots, a shadow uncurled itself from the
heater and rose up. “You’re late,” drawled the deep bass voice of Bergsma, the
Sh’koura.
“I got distracted,” she said cheerfully, taking off her heavy coat. A heavy
bundle dropped from her coat onto the floor and squeaked, sitting up and looking
around.
The large jungle cat abandoned her place by the heater to come look at the new
arrival. “I see that.” Bergsma bent down to sniff it once and then looked up.
“It’s a dog.”
“A unilupe,” clarified the human girl. “They were giving them away to good homes
in the market.” She kneeled and ran her fingers through the pup’s indigo fur,
which was specked with white. “I think I’ll name him Cosmit.”
The pup yipped happily.
Bergsma raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think this qualifies as ‘a good
home’?”
“Hey! Why not?"
The Sh’koura turned her head and washed her wing before replying. “Our home is
barely big enough for the two of us. Pups need space, training, and food. You
can neither supply milk nor hunt. And who is going to watch him when you’re at
school?” The feline gave her a level gaze with her pale pink eyes, telling the
human that she had better not be suggesting any other creature currently in the
room.
“Mmmm. Well, Bergsma, it is true that you don’t really do anything all day. And
you’re a great hunter, even in this snow.” The human ruffled the pup’s ears and
he wagged his short tail.
Bergsma snorted delicately. “I’ll have you know that I have a very full
schedule. I keep this home and territory safe. I don’t have time to be a mother
to some . . . some little. . . .” The Sh’koura was distracted from her diatribe
as Cosmit trotted over and sniffed her teal-colored paws. Tail wagging, he
curled up next to her soft flank and laid his head on his front paws, as her
golden-marked wing feathers fell over his body like a curtain.
As if without permission, the long teal tail wrapped around the pup’s body,
keeping him close to her side. “I suppose I can watch him sometimes,” she
murmured.
“Great! I’ll go get dinner started.” The human left the room and headed to the
kitchen, whistling a slow tune.
Bergsma stood up slowly and beckoned to the little unilupe. “Come, I’ll show you
how to make a nest of blankets in front of the heater.” Gamely Cosmit stood and
followed after his new family member. He could tell on instinct that this would
be a good home.
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