Upon Three Paws

Chapter 1 ✅

First Meal

My tired mind comprehends warmth. The sensation of being completely surrounded by fuzz and heat settles my tired senses and urges me to fall back asleep. That is, until a large thing pulls me out of reach from the comfort. Did I mention that it's cold? Whatever this is, it doesn't have nearly the same type of fuzzy warmth as the comfort before.

On instinct, my long snout opens and I surprise my large ears with a small cry of loss. Loss of the warmth, but how does that noise know what I'm feeling on the inside? Curiosity seeps into another cry, this time it's one of longing. It's coming from my chest and neck area. This is interesting.

My train of thought is cut off by another cold thing pressing along the sides of my body. Whats with all these cold things? I want the soothing warmth back! But what if those warm things aren't there anymore? Something in the back of my head tells me that eventually everything warm turns cold and everything cold turns warm. Will the warmth I woke up in turn cold; is it already cold?

A deep growling cuts through the quiet space around me that causes my ears to flatten against my head. The noise rises and dips in an unfamiliar pattern the thing at the back of my head calls speaking. It stops for a moment and rustles around with something before resuming its speaking, not long after sticking something sharp into the back of my neck. My throat let's out a startled yelp, my body naturally squirming in discomfort when I feel the sharp poke leave.

The beating in my ears slows as I'm once again surrounded in the swamp of warmth I missed so much. It's soothing effect is instant and immediately dispels any negative emotions lingering in my mind.

With the urge to sleep back again, I happily listen to its call and drift away into dreamless slumber, content to be back where I am.

***

Squeals of hunger are what wake me. Something is making my belly growl at me. Before I know it, my own squeals join the chorus around me.

A cold thing comes into contact with my nose, causing me to shake my head in surprise. It comes back, but this time the cold surface is coated with a strange warm thing. Curiosity gets the better of me and I lean closer to it, sniffing it. Creamy, sweet, familiar. Instinct at the back of my head tells me that it's a drinkable substance called milk.

The roaring hunger in my belly craves the milk. I remember instinct guiding me to sleep and that wasn't bad, quiet the opposite actually. What's the harm in listening to it right now too?

Having made my decision, I latch onto the thing with milk. Soon enough, the hunger in my belly has simmered into nothing more than a memory. I'll be on the look out for milk now, since it easily gets rid of the feeling of hunger my belly is prone to.

Suddenly, my snout stretches open, revealing my small sharp teeth and a soft whine escapes. Yawning. It signals that I'm tired.

This instinct is starting to become stronger. I realize.

My ears shoot up and I straighten. Whatever I just did was like the speaking the cold animal does, but instead it's silent and only for my ears. My shock and curiosity is overtaken by drowsiness. However, I plan on trying it again when I wake up since sleep is sounding more and more tempting. My drowsiness must be an effect the milk gave me.

Almond's siblings

Sorry it's so short. I promise from this point on that they're longer.

What will Almond learn next?
Will she continue to learn or will something happen?