Guardian Angel (Guardians Of The Galaxy Fanfiction)

Dad

Somber stalked forward, constantly sniffing the air to see if he could pick out Dish's scents from the rest. It was difficult since there were so many creatures. Also none of them had been able to groom in the cold water in a bit and the smell was beginning to show in most of the creature's pelts. Somber was sure he didn't smell pleasant either but he knew he smelled better than some.

"Dish," he called but he doubted that the pup would answer him.

He lowered his head in his shoulders and twitched his ears as he heard small pawsteps. It was certainly the sound of canine paws so he was hoping it was Dish. He changed his direction a bit and followed the sound of the pawsteps. He then tried to sniff the air and he caught a whiff of Dish's scent. It was still warm which meant he had been here recently.

"Dish," he woofed again as he leaned into a hunting crouch.

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw a flash of dark brown and black. Somber bounded forward and cut off the pup before he could dart past him. When he looked down he knew it was Dish by the way his ears folded against his head. Dish took a step back and went to run but Somber leaped over him and blocked that way as well. Whenever Dish went to go any direction Somber blocked him.

"Dish," Somber breathed gently as he lowered his head to be even with Dish's eyes. "Talk to me. Don't run away from what's bothering you."

"I can't," Dish pointed out over his shoulder. "What's bothering me is me."

"This isn't about this purebred thing is it," asked Somber but it was a rhetorical question. It didn't take a genius to tell what was bothering Dish.

Dish shrugged his shoulders a bit and sat back on his haunches. "Maybe."

"Oh Dish," murmured Somber as he took a step toward him and sat beside him. He looked down on him, praying he'd look back. At first he didn't but Somber just knew it would take a little time. "There is nothing wrong with you not being a purebred."

"There seems to be," Dish argued harshly.

Somber shrugged his shoulders a bit. "It's just a label. It should matter who you are, not who your parents were."

"I don't even know who my parents were," Dish snapped with blazing eyes. "My dad died before I was born and I only knew my mother for two moons."

"Yes but you're parents loves you," Somber replied as he lowered his head and nudged Dish's shoulder with his muzzle. "And now you have a new family that loves you just as much."

"How can they be my family if they're not related to me," asked Dish as his eyes showed his confusion.

Somber smiled broadly. "A family is who you love, not necessarily who you were born to," explained Somber.

"So if you love someone then they can be your family?"

"Exactly," barked Somber, pleased that Dish understood. "Ashen, Whisper, Pallid, Grenade, and I all love you and that makes us part of a family. Ashen and I are the only ones in the group actually related by blood but we're all connected in our love for one another. A family works together and will do anything to help each other."

Dish nodded slowly. "Then what is love?"

Somber shuffled his paws as he thought how to answer this one. "Well love is a very strong emotion. It is putting someones elses needs above your own. It's at the heart of every family." Somber turned Dish to face him and rested a paw on his chest where his heart was. "Love lives right here."

Dish looked down to where Somber's paw rested. When Somber dropped his paw Dish pressed his own paw back to his heart. He felt it beating against his chest and he smiled as he looked up to Somber. Somber gave a small nod before he licked Dish's cheek.

"Your family cares about how you are in the inside, not how you look on the outside," Somber told him truthfully.

Dish stood and rumbled as he rubbed against Somber's leg. Somber rumbled back before he stood and pointed in the direction of where they both had come. "Let's go back and see Ashen. She's worried sick over you."

"Really," asked Dish. He hadn't meant to worry Ashen.

"Really," barked Somber as he nudged Dish's haunch to get him to move. "She loves you and cares about you. Just because she isn't your real mother doesn't mean she doesn't love you like a son."

At the thought of that it made Dish feel with warmth and affection. "Do you care about me l-like a son," he stammered as if he was afraid of the answer.

"More than you'll ever know," breathed Somber as he continued forward, his head erect and his ears pricked.

Dish smiled and the two walked on in silence for a while. Suddenly Dish broke the silence and looked up at Somber.

"Could I call you something else? Something beside Somber," he asked hopefully as his eyes flickered.

Somber snorted a bit in amusement. "Depends on what that name is," he rumbled. "As long as it's' not mean like fleabag or furball or something."

Dish laughed a bit before he turned serious again. "I'd like to call you....dad."

Somber nearly stopped dead but he forced his paws to keep going. He heard the blood roaring in his ears and his own breath. He didn't notice anything else around him beside himself and Dish. He recalled the conversation with Ashen when he told her he could never have pups. Starbound must have sent him Dish for that purpose.

He realized that Dish was probably disappointed because he hadn't answered yet. He shook his head to clear it before he looked down. "I'd love that Dish. I really, really would."