Hound's Pet
One: Finding
Squeee…
Hound paused, listening. He'd heard the odd sound a couple times already, but he hadn't been able to locate the source. After a few moments of silence passed without the odd sound, Hound shrugged, and started forward again.
Squeee…
Again, that sound! Hound stopped, frowning. He waited, hoping to hear it again.
Squeee…
He turned to the right, where he'd heard it. "Is someone there?" he called.
Squeee…
He started forward carefully. The sound had come from near the ground, so Hound was scanning the low areas. He spotted a small figure, coiled up, half-hidden beneath a bush. "Hello?" Hound crouched down by the thing, and gently touched its side.
Squeee…
Hound blinked in surprise. This little thing was making the odd noise! He shoved aside the bush to get a look at the creature. A snake-like body, with four feet, each with four sharp claws. The head was almost lion-like, with a wild mane just behind delicate ears and tiny horn-buds. Huge blue eyes over the square snout gazed up at Hound, the pupils constricting at the sudden burst of light.
Squeee…
Hound carefully picked up the animal, cradling at close. "What are you, little one?" he asked it, still looking it over. He should have expected the answer.
Squeee.
"Squeaker. That's what you are." He chuckled, tickling the small animal's ears. It clucked softly, and butted his hand with its snout, then shoved its mane under his fingers, clearly demanding to be petted there. Hound obliged, wondering what this strange thing was. Maybe Spike would know…
At the ARK
"Hound, what is that?" Mirage asked, looking at the strange blue-ish animal Hound was holding.
Hound shrugged, "I don't know what it is."
"Where did you get it?" Mirage had to ask, casting a wary look at the strange, reptilian creature Hound was holding. It seemed very content to stay where it was.
"I found it outside."
Should have seen that one coming… Mirage sighed inwardly at the answer.
Squeee…
"What the—?" Mirage twitched at looked at the animal again. "Did it just—"
"It did." Hound nodded, clearly biting back a laugh. "It's name is Squeaker. I'm hoping Spike will know what it is. And I think it's a male. Not sure, though."
"You named it?" Mirage yelped, looking at Hound, finally looking away from the little creature.
"Yep." The scout nodded, tickling the little animal's chin.
Squeee…
"You're not keeping it."
"Yes, I am."
"I say you're not."
"It's an orphan!"
"So?"
"If it's abandoned, it'll die!"
Squeee!
The little animal buried its face against Hound's chest, starting to wail.
"Now you've gone and upset the little fellow." Hound sighed, stroking along the animal's back, trying to soothe it. After a little bit, it stopped crying. "Mirage, I'm going to take care of it until it can make it on its own. I can't abandon it."
Mirage huffed in annoyance, as it seemed he couldn't make Hound relinquish the weird little animal.
"Now, I am going to find Spike, to see if he knows what this little thing is." Hound stated. He headed down the hallway, and Mirage followed reluctantly. He was actually pretty curious as to what this thing was…
…..
"Where did you find a dragon?" Spike yelped, seeing the creature that Hound had set down on the ground.
"A dragon?" Hound asked, ruffling the little one's mane. "Aren't those mythological?"
"So…They're not supposed to exist?" Mirage asked.
"That's what many people say about aliens." Spike pointed out. "But you guys are proof against that. So, I find it's a little easier to believe in things until they either show up, or keep thinking they might exist." The boy shrugged. "But seriously, Hound? A dragon? Where'd you find him?"
"A the base of the volcano. He was hiding under a bush, actually." The Autobot said, letting Squeaker chew – or rather gum – one of his fingers, as the dragon didn't have any teeth yet.
"Hiding?" Mirage and Spike asked in tandem.
Mirage continued, "If he was hidden how did you—"
Squeee…
"That's how." Hound chuckled at Squeaker's response. "Kept hearing that sound, and finally started looking for what was making it," he said, picking the dragon up, "And…I found him. At least, I think it's a male. How do you tell if a dragon is a male or a female?" Here, he looked to Spike for an answer.
"How should I know?" the human shrugged, "They're mythological. I'm guessing brighter colors mean males, as that's how it is with most animals, the females are drab so a predator won't eat them. It makes sense to call Squeaker a boy…"
Squeee… The dragon in question pawed at Hound's arm, looking up at him. Like any baby, he was hungry, and he wanted to be fed…now! He snorted and shook his head when Hound kept petting him.
Squeee! He squeaked again, pawing more insistently.
"I'll bet he's hungry." Spike said, taking note of the dragon's antics. "And before you ask,; no, I have no idea what baby dragons eat."
"Well, it's obviously soft, since he doesn't have any teeth…" Hound said as Squeaker began gumming his fingers again.
"Let's try pudding, see if he'll eat that."
"What's pudding?" It was Mirage who asked this question.
"A favorite snack of little kids all over." Spike chuckled. "Hound? If Squeaker will behave, we can go to the store and get some."