Hunting Dogs (& Cat) Adventures

...who broke it?

Silence.

While it may be reassuring to some, in this household it merely served as a countdown for when chaos would inevitably break loose. Silence could not be achieved for long, not unless they were all asleep.

Silence was a warning.

CRASH–!

"Jouno!" A deep bark sounded from the living room.

"It wasn't me!" Hissed Jouno in reply, walking out of the kitchen to confront the German Shepherd that had accused him, sitting in the doorframe with a look of contempt, tail laid elegantly atop his front paws.

"Then who was it?" Tecchou asked, confusion evident despite lack of expression or intonation.

"I don't know, Teruko?"

"Don't you peasants look at me! I was getting my beauty sleep." A few yips from the lounge denied that accusation.

"Well, it cannot be Tachihara either, since he's with me, asleep." Tecchou's tail flicked in the direction of the Beagle that leaned on him, somehow not stirred awake by the sudden sound.

"Well it wasn't me, I was on top of the fridge, that's not even close to whatever fell." The cat provided an alibi for what would soon turn into an investigation.

"I think it was a potted plant– also didn't Fukuchi tell you to stop climbing the fridge, Jouno?"

"I'll listen to that human when mutts learn to fly. it's comfortable up there, and pleasantly warm."

"...aren't fridges cold?"

"The machinery runs hot, you brainless furball."

"Right. So then who did knock it over?" Tecchou changed the subject, not finding it necessary to argue while there were more important matters at hand. Disagreeing with Jouno would only guarantee a lengthy argument.

"I still think it's Teruko" Jouno extended and retracted his claws, scratching the surface of the tile floor, but not doing damage.

"Pointing paws just makes you more suspicious, eyeless! When I tell you I was asleep, I mean it! Now my beautiful fur is all dirty..." Teruko whined, finally entering the room... covered head to toe in soil.

"See? Clearly, she's the culprit!" The cat bit, huffing in indignation.

"But she said she didn't do it–"

"She's a bold-faced liar, then! How else would she have gotten dirty if not for the brutal murder of the houseplant?"

"Because the thing fell right on top of me as I was sleeping on the sofa!" Teruko barked, shaking off some dirt from her fur.

"...the sofa got dirty?" Tecchou perked up.

"...the old man won't like that..." Jouno added.

A collective shudder ran through all the animals, causing Tachihara to get stirred awake as he leaned against Tecchou. Blinking his sleepy eyes, it does not take him long to notice the gathering.

"What's going on?"

"We're saying our prayers." Teruko said, at the same time Tecchou explained "A plant fell into the sofa."

Another shudder ran through them, this time with Tachihara included. That sofa was off limits, and they all knew it– and now it was befouled by one of them... and none of them wanted to admit to it.

"...am I going to be put back on the street?" Tachihara was the first to speak up, a fearful whine audible in his voice as his tail hung low.

"...I'll be damned if I get put back in that godawful shelter, I'm too cute for that. Teruko, just admit you did it! We all know it–" Jouno hissed to the pomeranian to his left.