Solo A New Friend

[Ari'Ellin]

81st Fall, 520AV

It was early, and after a mostly restless night, Ari’Ellin was determined. She was going to get herself a pet, one that could keep her company at night and stop her imagination taking control and giving her visions of dark shadowy figures invading her room.

She was lonely, and she’d never realised it, not until she’d received the letter informing her of her mothers death. Until then she’d felt like she’d always have someone that cared for her, someone that would accept her with open arms every time she returned to them. Now that singular person was gone and Ari needed something to give reason to her life, a companion that would be there for her and that she could be there for.

Sighing tiredly, she pulled her boots on and grabbed her coat, heading through the city of Lhavit until she found the place that she was looking for. Piramba’s Pet Shop.

She’d passed the shop multiple times, but she’d never really stopped to look inside. She couldn’t help but wonder how many animals called the place their temporary home, and whether any of them would be right for her.

Exhaling slowly through her nose, she entered the shop to immediately be greeted by a friendly young woman, followed by the deep barking of a dog, the noise causing a moment of panic in the young Konti woman as she felt her blood beginning to drain from her face. She’d never even thought that the place would house dogs.

As lovely as they likely were, dogs were never something that Ari’Ellin had managed to steady her breathing around. It seemed that the woman running the shop had realised that and was hurriedly shooing a dog away, shutting a door behind it.

“Welcome, I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. Not a fan of dogs?” the woman said, her voice quiet and calm, and Ari’Ellin nodded in response.

“No, they scare... I was looking for pet? Need company. The dark scare.” Ari managed to say, her voice still unsteady as she looked over the animals, feeling more than slightly overwhelmed by everything.

“Oh, do you think you’d want something affection, that would want to be touched and be close to you? Or something that would be more of a fierce protector. I’m Fai by the way.” Fai said, gesturing to various different animals as she spoke, and Ari’Ellin couldn’t help but follow her hands until the woman offered a hand as a greeting and Ari blinked slightly before taking her hand and shaking it gently.

“I think friendly. Likes hugs.” Ari managed to say as she glanced around the shop before Fai gestured her over to where some cats and what looked like rabbits were being housed.

“Well, I don’t think a bird would be the right fight for you, so how about a cat or a rabbit?” Fai asked and Ari thought for a few moments before looking over the animals.

“Cat. Cat would be better, think?” she responded, still not entirely certain as she looked over the cats, before she noticed Fai reaching a hand out and several of small cats bounding over to her to nuzzle against her hand.

Word Count533 Words

[Ari'Ellin]

“Why don’t you try?” Fai suggested. “See which of them take a liking to you? It might make the choice easier.”

Ari’Ellin nodded, squatting down to be closer to the floor and to the cats before nervously extending her arm, displaying her hand to the cats with her palm facing downwards. None of the small creatures were quite as enthusiastic as they had been for Fai, although three of the cats made they way over to her.

They were tentative and slow, though clearly curious, and as they got closer, one stopped to sniff at her fingers. It wasn’t long before one of the three spooked itself and ran back over to Fai, but soon the other two were cautiously nuzzling into her hand, a soft purring sound coming from them that confused Ari.

“They both like you. Hear that sound? They do that when they’re happy.” Fai explained and Ari nodded, a slight smile spreading over her face. “Both are just house cats, no significant bloodlines or anything like that.”

Ari’Ellin nodded again, looking over the two cats. One was had long fur that was a mottled gingery colour, with stripes of brown and yellow running over it’s mostly orange fur. It’s eyes were a vibrant shade of green and as it nuzzled against her she could feel how soft it’s fur was. They other was slightly smaller, although it had shorter fur so Ari wasn’t too sure whether it really was smaller or whether that was an illusion caused by the lack of fluff.

The one with the short hair was grey, with some lighter patches that were almost white. It’s eyes were much lighter then the other cats, and instead of being a clear green, it looked almost as though their were some hints of blue in it.

“I like this one...” Ari’Ellin said, a slight hint of guilt in her voice as she stroked the paler, smaller cat. She felt as though she was being cruel in choosing one over the other, but her mind told her that the long haired cat would be harder to care for and keep clean and healthy.

“A very fitting choice.” Fai said calmly. “Have you ever owned a cat before?” she asked and Ari shook her head gently. “So you won’t have the tools. Could I make some suggestions on what to buy to make her comfortable?”

Ari’Ellin nodded and then watched as the woman enthusiastically grabbed a few things, bringing them over to Ari and pointing out each one as she saw spoke about them.

“This cage should be big enough for her. I wouldn’t advise keeping her in it a lot, just for moving her place, and maybe have it somewhere she can rest when she doesn’t want to be disturbed.” Fai explained and Ari nodded as she listened carefully. “This is a grooming kit. There’s a lot in there but most important is the comb and the brush. She might be a short hair but you should groom her every ten day, or sooner. Use the comb first and then the brush. There’s a few other things in there but they’re a bit harder to use so I’d advise bringing her back here next season. Now, do you think you’ll want to take her outside?” Fai asked and Ari’Ellin blinked, slightly confused by the question.

Word Count559 Words

[Ari'Ellin]

“Can she go out, or best stay in?” Ari’Ellin asked, her voice showcasing her confusion.

“I think it’s good for them to go out with you from time to time, but I’d also advise getting a leash and collar for that.” Fai said, picking up the small leash and the collar to show Ari and Ari nodded in response.

“Okay, I take her out. How much will cost?” she asked, half dreading the cost while she waited for Fai to count the numbers in her head.

“Since she’s just a house cat, she’ll be five kina, the equipment will be eighteen kina and five topaz kina, so in total that’s just under twenty-four kina.” the woman said with a bright smile and Ari nodded, thinking over everything before she counted out her kina and held out the right money to the woman.

“I buy. I put tools in bag. Can you help with cat in cage?” she asking, watching as the woman took the money and nodded warmly.

“Of course.” Fai said before opening the cage and expertly picking the cat up and placing it into the cage, closing the cage quickly. The cat seemed relaxed and Fai had made it look so easy that Ari’Ellin couldn’t help but smile warmly as she put the grooming kit, the collar, and the leash into her bag and slipped it onto her back.

“Oh, should I do things when home? Or just nothing?” Ari asked softly, somewhat embarrassed by her own lack of knowledge of the small creature she’d just bought.

“Well you’ll need to feed her tonight, I’d recommend stopping off by the market to buy a bowl and some food for her. The bowl is less important but it’ll help keep your floors clean. Other than that, just try to bond with her. Let her get used to your home and you.” Fai said calmly and Ari nodded, using both hands to take the cage that contained her new friend.

“Thank you.” she said, her words sincere as she bowed slightly to the other woman, before leaving the pet shop and making her way back to Sharai peak and the place she called her home.

It wasn’t a particularly long journey, but by the time she’d got home and set the cage down, her arms were aching and she still hadn’t been to the market. She was certain that the market could wait, and that the small cat could just share her own food for now.

Humming softly, she made sure the door and windows were shut, and she moved everything into her chest so that way the cat wouldn’t risk injuring itself. Calmly she sat in front of the cage and she took a few moments to breathe before opening the cage and waiting to see what would happen.

After a few moments of nothing happen, Ari’Ellin frowned slightly. Looking over the cage, the small grey and white cat was there, and it looked as though she was still awake. Perhaps she was nervous. Ari knew that she would be nervous, having been forcibly taken from her home and moved to a new place where a giant sat watching you...

Word Count532 Words
LedgerHouse Cat - 5 kina
Animal Grooming Kit - 10 kina
Small Cage - 5 kina
Short Leash - 5 topaz kina
Small Leather Collar - 3 kina

Total -23 kina, 5 topaz kina

[Ari'Ellin]

Humming softly, she reached a hand into the cage, hovering it near the cat but not touching it. She didn’t want to be too forceful with the scared little creature, instead wanting to let the poor cat choose to come to her, even if it could take a long time.

She sat quietly, no sounds other than the singing of birds outside, a gentle breeze, and the breathing of the two creatures in the room. Ari’Ellin wasn’t sure how long it had been when she felt fur tentatively brushing against her hand. The sudden feeling shocked her, and Ari almost pulled her hand away, but instead she managed to keep it in place as she looked down at the cat and it’s wide eyes as it finally nuzzled against her.

Ari’Ellin could barely contain the grin that spread it’s way across her face at the gentle nuzzling from the cat.

Gently she moved her hand away slightly, holding it still until the cat came closer to nuzzle her, before moving again, gradually trying to coax the small cat out from it’s cage.

If Ari’Ellin had to guess how long it took to get the cat fully out of the cage, she would probably have guessed at around a bell, but once the cat was fully out of the cage and on the floor of her home a massive sense of accomplishment washed over the Konti.

She wanted to put her arms around the cat and drag into onto her lap, hold it to her chest and pet it whilst smothering it with praise, but she restrained herself, instead gently moving her hand to stroke the cat.

“Good girl...” she cooed gently to the kitten. “You’re such a brave girl...” she kept her voice soft and quiet, wanting to keep the cat calm as it briefly flinched away at the movement of her hand, though it didn’t leave fully.

The cat stayed where her hand was gently brushing over it, and soon it moved closer to her, even gaining enough confidence to place a tiny paw onto the Konti’s leg.

Her grin grow wider than she realised it could get, and gently she moved her other hand to pat her leg, inviting the cat into her lap should the small creature choose to.

“I haven’t given you a name yet... What name would you like?” she hummed softly as she spoke. “Glimmer... Pebble... Oli...” as the last name came from her lips she felt a sadness take over her. “Olimiera.”

The memories of why she’d got the cat flooded back to her and the moments of extreme joy that she’d felt just moments earlier seemed as though she’d been disrespectful of her mothers passing. Her hand briefly stopped brushing over the cats short grey fur and almost instantly the cat jumped into her lap, nuzzling even closer to her and lapping at her hand, trying to get her to stroke it again.

Looking down at the cat again, she hummed, stroking over it’s fur gently. “Maybe not Oli... Pebble. Yes, Pebble!” Ari smiled weakly as the cat purred, seemingly unaware of anything but the hand that was petting and stroking it.

Word Count530 Words

[Ari'Ellin]

“Pebble it is.” Ari hummed, finally moving an arm to rest against the cat, making sure it wouldn’t roll off her lap. Even with her sadness, she could feel her home feeling less empty already, even if she’d only had the cat for a matter of bells, and as she glanced around, she tried to decide things in her mind.

She knew that she wanted to move the cage to somewhere less obtrusive, but she also wanted to make sure that the cage was still accessible to Pebble. She wanted the cage to be somewhere that Pebble could go when she was tired or just needed some time alone. She had no doubts that that was something that cats needed every now and again. In her mind everything needed both time to socialise and time to be alone.

Humming softly, she kept stroking and petting the cat, not wanting to disturb the small creature whilst it was getting comfortable. Instead she just stayed where she was, sitting still so that Pebble wouldn’t feel as though she didn’t want the affection.

It fortunately wasn’t too long before the cat got bored of her petting and used it’s small paw to swat her hands away as it jumped from her lap to the ground, moving to sniff around the legs of her table, seemingly trying to familiarise herself with her new home.

Smiling softly, Ari’Ellin opted to take the opportunity to move the cage. She looked around the room, her eyes landing on the chest next to her bed. She’d put it there mostly for ease of access, but it looked as though the chests location would be perfect for Pebble’s cage.

Sighing exasperatedly, she checked where the cat was before making her way to the chest and pulling it away from the wall and to the center of the room, a grunt escaping her lips as she used all of her strength to move the chest. Once the space she wanted free was clear, she picked up the cage and placed it down, right next to her bed with the opening perpendicular to the wall, facing away from the bed.

Then she turned her attention back to the chest and started looking for somewhere she could put the chest. To her it seemed that the only logical place to put it was a gap at the foot of the bed that seemed as though it would be an almost perfect fit for the chest.

Exhaling, Ari spent a few moments trying to motivate herself, before she put her hands on the chest and pushed it slowly to the gap, inching it over ever so slowly. A few times through the process, she stopped and scanned the room, checking to see where Pebble was in order to make sure that she wasn’t going to risk trapping the cat between the chest and the wall.

The cat was far enough away however, and soon Ari’Ellin had managed to push the chest until it was against the wall, with just enough space to allow it to open fully.

A smile spread across her face as she looked around and nodded, before letting her eyes follow the cat as it explored it’s new home. “Welcome home Pebble.” she said with a slightly smile.

Word Count548 Word