Run Away With Me, Pet Shapeshifter

Caged and Sold

I've been in more than my fair share of cages. Big ones, little ones, ones I couldn't even sit in (I was resigned to standing, they didn't even have the decency to set it on its side. Though, to be honest, I did just free millions of dollars worth of Chewers from their clutches at the time), ones that were round, square, rectangular, even a pyramid shaped one once (that guy was weird). This one was about average. Enough space to stand, sit, lie down, question my life choices, etc. It had a bunch of hay on the bottom, which isn't the worst bedding in the world (that'd be rocks, not fun), but it was certainly no heap of blankets.

They gave me two blankets, which was decent of them. Most of the time, I got one. I'd be grateful for one (there have been a couple of times where I wasn't even afforded clothing - yikes) but with two, I can put one on top of the hay, reducing the pokieness of the stuff.

I wasn't at all surprised to find I was banded. Bands are a device that it out around a Cuckooline's wrist that prevents them from transforming. It is a rotten piece of technology. We need to change to be happy, with the band on we become frustrated after just a few days, practically insane after a few weeks. I, for one, never saw the purpose of leaving one on a Cuckooline for longer than needed. Get a human if you're so scared of us!

The room was a bit dark, the place was quiet. I could hear AC going in the background, but not much else. Cages were clearly strewn about the place, if varying wide gauges and sizes. I was pushed a ways back from them, I could barely make out a gnawer (please note that I use the various animals I find's preferred names out of respect besides, aliens and humans use names I can't even express with emotions, so I can't even think of them) in one of them.

There wasn't much to do in the dark room, so I opted to make a nest from my blankets and get some sleep. I longer for fur to provide a barrier against the straw, but that obviously wasn't an option. I'd try to read the faces of my captors in the morning to glean what was planned for me, if I'd be required to escape, or if waiting it out was a viable option. You life so long, and it becomes easier to just wait until you inevitably become released by an owner.

~~~

I didn't particularly need sleep, so I woke up very easily when the room my cage inhabited became occupied by aliens. Alno were here, but not the ones who caught me. They must've already sold me to dealers. These ones lifted cages, bringing them out through a far off door. I watched a few of their faces, hoping for more information.

"So, most of the cages are labelled with a number, you just grab the one matching the receipt."

"Why don't they all have them? How do you know if the number you have had a label?"

"Some of the smarter animals can get handsy. They'll pull the label off. Usually tends to be the more expensive ones, anyways. Like this one, " the two of them stopped in front of my face for a moment before continuing on "she'll be gone in a couple hours, though. Cuckoolines go fast. The expensive ones are handled by the managers."

I idly watched while cages were removed, returned empty, and removed again, only to be refilled with another animal. I seemed to be in the corner of a massive room. I noticed that besides me were a few rat-dogs, which their name translated to. They were a sweet lot, a canine-like creature with bald tails, which allowed them to modulate their temperature. They seemed very happy to see me.

A Cuckooline! Rose, it's a Cuckooline!

I see! I see!! A Cuckooline! How wonderful! It must be here to save us! How lovely!

I had no time to respond before both of them had begun to bark loudly. A rat-dog's bark is much louder than an actual dog's bark. I was trying to hush them when an employee came over.

"Really now? Let's just nip that in the bud, shall we?"

A large, think cover was thrown over my cage by several Alno, blanketing my area in almost complete darkness. The thing was rotated around until I could make out a zippered doorway, presumably to allow access to my cage. I sighed, throwing myself back under the covers again.

It couldn't have been long before I heard the zipper being undone. The Alno who opened it seemed nice, her face emanating empathy. She held a bowl.

"I'm sure you're hungry, I heard you gave the rangers a run for their money!" She placed my food in a mechanism which allowed the transfer of items in and out of the cage. The bowl was metal and firmly stuck down with electromagnets, these guys knew my people well. The food was fruits and vegetables, some bread thrown in. My people are all vegetarians, you try eating something that gets you to spare it. We will eat eggs and drink milk, with permission.

Flying burns more calories than the average marathon,so I definitely was hungry. My lot like to nap and stuff our faces after exercising. Without exercise, we only need a few hundred calories and two hours of sleep a day. The food was good, I needed an all around meal, so didn't pick and choose what I needed nutrition-wise. I didn't expect much more in the way of conversation from the nice girl who fed me, so I curled back up and waited for more to happen.

~~~

After another hour or so, I heard footsteps approaching my cage again. My eyes flicked open, taking a short glance at what was happening. The cover was pulled off my prison, another large Alno fiddling with the bottom of my cage. He deliberately avoided eye contact, most likely being experienced with Cuckoolines. If we can't see your face, we can't figure out what you're thinking. He silently pushed on my cage, using handles affixed the bars (where I couldn't reach his hands) and keeping his head down.

I was pushed into a very brightly lit room, so much so that I had to shield my eyes. After the appropriate adjustment time, I took a glance around to see a Manori standing on the other side of the room, his arms crossed and a rope in his hand. Next to him, laying on the floor, was a tiny cage. It was just high enough for me to lay in. Not sit, lay. The top was flipped open, ready to be filled. The Alno behind me gurgled something before I had a chance to turn and reach his face.

"Oh, I know. That's why I had you lot alert me when you got another one in. Rare species, fun to tame. Is she a trouble maker?" I decided not to look back at the Alno's response, I knew what was his answer would be. "So, yes then! We'll have to do this fast then. She is banded, correct? Good."

The door flipped open, the Manori didn't hesitate in the slightest. He wrapped the rope around my neck. Not so tight that it choked me, but I knew immediately it would if I struggled. I was weak in this form, especially around these aliens. I was strong as an animal, not a human. He has overpowered me easily.

"Okay, up you go." He gave a gentle tug on the rope, just enough to get the message across. I got up and followed him, not enjoying this restraint. "Down." He commanded, pulling the rope towards the cage. I did not like that rope. I climbed down, sitting upright in the thing before he forced me in a lying position by grabbing my ankles and pulling until I slid on my back. He removed the rope and shut the top on me, leaving me enclosed.

Published 1/4/19