Hunting Dogs (& Cat) Adventures

A New Pup in the Litter

Family.

It's a word that often brings to mind the image of a bond forged in blood, yet it has many different ways of forming– through adoption, friendship or other deep-running relationships. A group of individuals can be a family as long as they agree to be called such, regardless of heritage, blood, or identity.

Sometimes you get born into one, sometimes you find your own along the way of life... yet no matter what, it's a wonderful thing to be a part of.

Tecchou lay to rest on the carpet, not asleep but mostly unmoving aside from his ears that occasionally flipped back and forth at a sudden sound and his chest that rhythmically moved up and down with every breath.

On the TV, a logo bounced across the screen, changing colours as it hit the edges, and Tecchou's eyes were fixated on it. Had been for the last 2 hours, ever since Fukuchi left the house without turning off the TV properly.

Cyan, orange, blue, yellow, red, pink, purple and back to cyan, not that Tecchou could differentiate most of these colours aside from the blue hues, but the differences intrigued him nonetheless.

A few metres further, on the arm of the couch, there lay a white cat, curled up and quite possibly asleep. Through the open curtains, he lay right in a ray of sunlight, bright reflections bouncing off the fuzzy coat of fur as Jouno's tail swayed lazily off the edge.

Around the both of them ran Teruko, chasing a tennis ball that had known better days already. Frayed around the edges and colours fading, yet still rolling, fulfilling its purpose just fine. Excited little feet pattered across the floorboard as she ran back and forth, jumping on the ball which just catapulted it further away, into the kitchen.

Overall a perfectly regular scene in this household.

Outside the door, a voice sounded muffled as if in a one-sided conversation, words unintelligible for the dogs and unimportant to the cat, and so no one knew what was being said.

Then rummaging at the doorknob, which served to alarm Tecchou enough for him to break from the trance he had been in and get to his feet again, ready to defend the house from intruders. Jouno still remained unbothered where he lay, comfortable with no need to get up.

"It's just Fukuchi, he forgot he locked the door. He's talking to someone." The cat explained, with a yawn, as he got up and stretched. "Whoever that is, they're not very vocal."

"Oh." Trusting Jouno on his word, Tecchou sank back down to the floor right as the door swung open and Fukuchi, as predicted, walked in holding... a puppy? Tecchou's ears perked upward at the sight, intrigue in his stature despite having a near-frozen posture, his tail completely still and his chest barely moving with each breath.

Naturally, the puppy was terrified as Fukuchi gently lowered them to the floor right in front of the massive German Shepherd. Poor thing didn't even reach Tecchou's knees.

"Here buddy, you wouldn't mind showing the new recruit the ropes, would ya, old pal?" Fukuchi grinned as he pat Tecchou on the head. Gaze flickering between the human and the puppy, he gave an affirmative grunt. He'd take this duty very seriously. "Good, good, I trust you with this." Laughing, he straightened himself and walked off, leaving the two dogs in a staring contest, one intrigued and one cowering.

"..." A sharp gaze.

"..." Averted eyes.

"Hello." Tecchou greeted after it became obvious the other wouldn't do so first.

"..." The Beagle didn't reply, just taking tiny shuffling steps backward.

"This is simply pitiful." Jouno leaped down from the couch where he sat before, landing right beside Tecchou. "You've been assigned the mother, yet your puppy is cowering in fear at the mere sight of you. Terrible start, truly pathetic."