Lavender And Vanilla A Wonderful Scent

Chapter 1

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"Alright CatNap, We’ve told your friends about your… issues and they all seemed fine with it. Also you won’t be working with the kids just yet so don’t worry too much about talking and remember that you're only to use the poppy gas if asked to or if, after you start working with the kids. One of the young ones are finding very hard to sleep”
I nodded at the scientist, he was young with bleach blonde hair that framed his face wonderfully and matched nicely with his bright blue eyes. Although he wore what all playtime staff wore, a plain white lab coat that came down to his knees and baggy black clothes underneath his coat. The look suited him rather well, though I had only ever seen the playtime staff in that outfit so I couldn’t really tell if it did or not.

“Come along CatNap it’s time to meet your friends, follow me please”
I was pulled out of my thought’s by the young scientist and started following him down the dark, dank hallways that rain behind the playcare. It smelt horrid down here, like several body’s had been left to rot for more than a few melania. There was mildew running down the walls and the distant sound of metal machinery banging and clashing around. It wasn’t a long walk but all things considered, it felt like years.

Soon enough we came to a door that was recently labelled by the looks of it, the label read smiling critters neighbourhood. Which was where the critters' houses were. None of the kids knew about the neighbourhood and the playcare workers were more than happy to keep it that way.
“Are you ready buddy?”
I knew he meant well by asking if I was or wasn't ready but I knew that he'd get me out that door one way or another and I really didn't want the other smiling critters to see me fighting with a member of staff, even if he wasn't playcare staff. I let out a long sigh then nodded waiting for him to open the door.

The blinding sun is what met me first, making my dark purple fur light up and my eyes hurt and I stepped outside. The young man followed behind me, we walked down a small dirt path and into a cosy looking neighbourhood. This must be where everyone lives.
“DogDay it's safe to come out with the others I promise CatNaps not going to hurt you”
Looking around in confusion I saw two Orange dog ears pop out from behind a bush right next to me. I jumped and hugged the young man's legs, shaking slightly from the sudden appearance of who I could only assume to be DogDay.
“Sorry Hudson, we're not used to getting new toys and… well the Poppy gas… uhhh. How are ya Hudson?”

The young man, who I now knew to be called Hudson. Gave DogDay a hard look and gently patted me on the head making me purr and snuggle in closer to him. Though my eyes never left DogDay. DogDay was about the same height as me, just a little taller, he was a dog. Obviously.
His cost was a mix of orange and yellows, the tips of his long ears were a dark orange as well as a patch similar in colour to the tips of his ears that marked his right eye, and the bottom of his ears were a light yellow colour. He had a simple headpiece that consisted of a gold beaded change and a star in the middle, there was a dark orange. Almost black band around his neck that held his collar in place, the collar had two sunflowers on either side of a yellow sun. His pows were covered by brown gloves that looked to be made out of leather but more than likely weren’t, the gloves had a bright yellow band around the top and bright, glowing slightly gemstone. The same colours applied to his belt only instead of a gemstone was a smaller sun to the one that hung around his neck. There was a long yellow crystal and on the other side hung a flat orange disk with a sun imprint on it.
His boots were the same as his gloves, fake brown leather with an orange gem close to the top and a yellow flame pattern flowed up his boots.

He was gorgeous. Too beautiful to look after the kids in the playcare.
“Ummm CatNap?”
DogDay asked, a look of concern and worry crossed his sunny face and It almost broke me in two, almost.
“Y-y-yes?”
Both Hudson and DogDay looked shocked, then overjoyed.
“ CatNap, did you just speak!. I thought the scientists said you wouldn’t be able to speak till a month after the voice box was inserted… it’s only been two or three weeks”
Hudson looked like he could cry. He was that happy and I didn’t know what to do. I've never liked physical contact and I had never had to see someone cry before. All the scientists were always happy and never cried that I know of…

“pl-please d-don-don’t c-cry”
Walking up I hesitantly hugged Hudson with DogDay watching in curiosity and motioning to someone or someones that I couldn’t see. After what seemed like forever of this very uncomfortable, for me at least. Hug I took a step back and looked away from hudson, who was extremely shocked and happy and looking over to DogDay and the… other Smiling Critters. Oh god help me.

DogDay was the first to speak up
“Well CatNap ummm that was very unexpected… I was under the impression that you heavily disliked physical contact”
“I-I-I d-do”
I winced, talking was really starting to hurt which was to be to excepted I was told not to talk before I was allowed to. Oh well.
“So then why did you hug Hudson, I mean not that I have anything against you hugging the worker or anything-”
He frantically waved his hands, trying to show that he didn’t mean to hurt me with what he was saying, his face slightly paled with worry. I walked over to him and took his hands in mine, gently blowing a small bit of poppy gas in his face. Not enough to put him to sleep or make him sleepy but just enough to calm him down and let him think clearly.
He took a deep breath then continued what he was saying. The others behind him looking worried about him.
“Sorry and thank you CatNap. As I was saying, if you didn’t want to hug Hudson you could have turned to me and I would have called the others sooner, though I’m very Happy the you did help Hudson stop crying. Thank you”  

I nodded and took a step back to stand, once again next to Hudson and looked at all the Smiling critters, they were all dressed in a similar way to DogDay which made me feel naked.

(This is what DogDay looks like and what catnap will look like - art is not mine)