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Selkie purred as Danny petted her (she wasn't sure what she thought of the name, but it was better than Mama Cat, and way better than no name at all). Danny and Steve were discussing something, but she wasn't sure what. She didn't care as long as Danny kept petting her.
Danny stopped petting Selkie and put her in her carrier. She didn't like it. It was cold, and hard, and cramped. She meowed plaintively. Then Danny raised it to eye level and addressed Selkie. "So I guess you're coming home with me, babe. What do you think of that?"
Selkie meowed. She liked that idea. She liked Danny. He gave her tuna, and let her sit on his lap, and petted her. Danny grinned at her. "Yeah, I think that's a pretty good idea, too."
Danny didn't take Selkie home, though. He took her to that nasty vet's office, and she had to be poked and prodded and stuck with a needle. Danny stroked her through it all, though, whispering comforting words to her, and she pressed against his hand and purred, when she wasn't being prodded.
Then Selkie had to watch the vet tech—Xenia, she thought—take away one of her kittens. Selkie waited for Xenia to bring her back, but she didn't. Selkie was sad. She knew it was time for the kittens to leave, but that didn't make it any easier. She gave a pitiful meow, and Danny petted her. "It's okay, sweetheart. She's going to a good home. They all are. So are you." Selkie let his touch comfort her.
They left and returned to Steve's. Selkie was confused when Steve took in the three remaining kittens but left her. She meowed again. Danny stuck his finger through the wire door of the carrier and stroked her nose. "It's okay, sweetheart. You're coming home with me." Oh, yeah. That was good. Selkie was looking forward to that.
Instead of Danny's house, though, they stopped at a big, bustling store. Danny picked her up and carried her inside. Selkie was frightened. There were people, lots of them, and she smelled dogs. Selkie didn't like it, but Danny was there, so it must be okay. She knew Danny would never let anything hurt her.
The first stop was carriers. Danny held Selkie up so she could see them. "What do you think, sweetheart? See any you like?" She meowed. They were much better than the one she was in, but she still didn't like them. "Yeah, you're right," Danny said. "They're awfully garish. No way I'm getting you any sort of Hawaiian print." He held up one with a wavy pattern in sea colors. "Here you go. What do you think of this?" Selkie meowed her approval. "I agree," Danny said. "It's perfect." He lifted Selkie out of the carrier she was in and put her in the new one. She curled up and purred happily. Much better. Lots of room, and sooooo comfy. Good choice.
Selkie watched curiously as Danny and Steve picked out a bed that matched her carrier, then went to choose a perch. She saw Steve point to one just like the one she had at his house. Oh, yes, that was perfect. She loved that perch—she could sit on top and survey everything, or she could hide in the bottom if she was scared. Excellent.
Finally, Danny decided they were done. "Great, let's go home."
"Home," Danny said. "I like the sound of that."
Selkie meowed in agreement. So did she.
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Danny got home and carried Selkie into the house, setting her in the middle of the living room floor. Immediately, a large German shepherd bounded over to her and stuck his nose up to the netting of the carrier. She hissed.
"Hey, hey, Bullet, leave her alone," Danny told the dog. Bullet whined but backed off, sitting a few feet away, whimpering. Danny petted him on his head. "That's Selkie. You met her at Steve's, remember? She's going to live with us. Don't worry, though," Danny ruffled the dog's ears and kissed his nose, "you're still my favorite."
Danny left Bullet sitting there and opened Selkie's carrier, then stepped back next to the dog, petting him soothingly. Selkie cautiously emerged, sniffing curiously. She wondered where she was. This wasn't Steve's. And where were her kittens? This must be Danny's, she realized. Home, now. She hadn't bargained on the dog, but if Danny was there, too, she'd put up with it. She missed her kittens, though; she realized she probably wouldn't see them again. Oh, well. Steve would make sure they had good homes, she was sure of it. After all, he'd made sure she had a good home. Selkie was sure she'd like living here, dog and all.
Selkie approached Bullet slowly. She sniffed at him tentatively. He gave a happy woof and licked her enthusiastically. She shook herself, hissed, and batted at him, but without any real heat. "Hey, Bullet, take it easy," Danny said. "I don't think she appreciates being licked." Bullet just licked her again. If cats could sigh, she would have. Selkie really hoped he didn't make a habit of it.
She resumed exploring her surroundings, Bullet following behind and occasionally sniffing her. Danny had arranged her bed and her perch, and Selkie examined them closely. Then she examined the rest of the house. Couch to hide under, check. Nice, big bed to sleep on with Danny (and probably the dog, but she could deal with that), check. Windows to look out of—lots of them, she was please to note—check. Yes, this would do just fine.
Exploration finished, she hopped up on top of her perch. Bullet followed, whining up at her, clearly disappointed she was out of reach. Selkie dangled her tail down in front of his face, sending him into a barking frenzy. Ooooooh, this could be fun.
"Hey, no teasing," Danny admonished her. He picked her up and cuddled her. "Leave Bullet alone."
He moved to the couch and turned on the tv, setting Selkie in his lap. She curled up, purring. Bullet whimpered. Danny patted the couch beside him. "Well, come on. There's room for you, too." Bullet gave another happy bark and leaped up, settling next to Danny with his head on Danny's lap. Selkie glared at him but refrained from reacting further. Danny petted them both. "Good boy. Good girl. I think we're going to get along just fine."
Yeah, Selkie could live with this. Happily.
