Chapter one

Black spikes of branches, a massacre of tinted green streaks. Yanking back each string I somehow manage to get it straight.

"God god." I breathe. I pull an elastic band around the strands to make a ponytail before decorating it with a blood red scrunchy. Staring into my own green eyes, I apply the tiny amount of red lipstick to my lips to bring out some colour, and tie the choker around my neck. The mini silver dagger glinted from it. I smirk at my look, glad that this event wasn't affecting my looks. I could be pretty, with some work. Okay, yeah, that's a lie. I hate to admit it, but I really am pretty. When I want to be.

Today, I'm getting an animal, because it's just too darn quiet and lonely around here. My name is Kanon. I have no last name, for I have no parents that I am- or anyone else- are aware of. It's like they just dropped off the end of the earth, or that I just appeared out of thin air. I'd rather take the 'dropped off the end of the Earth' gizmo, because it just doesn't sound right if I just 'appeared out of thin air'. Come on, it's not like I want to be classified as an alien or something. Though, it has its draw backs, like where my parents disappeared to, or why nobody knows them, or why there are no records of them ever existing. It's all foreign to me.

I pull on my knee high black boots and zip the zipper. I make sure my tight-legs are tucked in tight. I pull on the green cardigan over my white and grey checker shirt and grab my long black coat. Okay, so yeah, I'm not a city chick, but I'm not country either, just in-between. Being in a foster home with seven other kids and a foster mother who's never around, and pushes the kids onto the eldest does that to you. When I turned seventeen I was out of the place straight away. Eighteen is usually the legal limit to be doing anything other than renting a home, and even that's hard, but eighteen was just too long. So I settled for seventeen, although it takes three part-time jobs, a rusty run down house that's barely liveable, and an empty fridge to do it. Oh, and I'm constantly on the run from social services, who honestly think I'm too young to be on my own. I had been caught once, and taken back to the same foster home with even extra work to do. But honestly, this home is as homey as I can get it. And that's enough. Until I'll have to run again.

Now all I need is a barker to fulfil the needed space of my boring world. So ...I'm a dog person, don't kill me for it. There's just something about cats that just spells trouble. And hell, their hard to keep a hold of. A dog, or a bird, no, no bird because that'd be too hard to look after on a run. A mouse would just... well, we know one thing, if I get into enough trouble, I could always take off with its tail and hope luck would be on me.

Yeah, I wish.

I grab my car keys, I'm on my early P's, but it's going good. Cranking the rusty old... no, not ute, but just a rundown Mazda. Rundown, yes, but it's perfect. Ten minutes later the old things heating starts and I make my way down the wet road.
Another ten minutes passes before I can pull into a parking lot outside of the RSPCA. Pulling on the coat, I wrap it around myself tightly as I grab my bag and start walking inside. The smell of animals hit me instantly and I hesitated for a moment so my senses can adjust to my surroundings.

A lady greats me as I enter.

"What exactly are you interested in?" She starts walking in another direction and I follow.

"Dog, not a fan of cats really, and other animals are just kind of- difficult- to look after." I answer. She nods and keeps walking. Eventually, she stops and motions with her extremely red pedicure fingers to the caged dogs and cats.

I browse the top section first, the first of three long rows. I pass two overly fed cats, ones that look similar to Garfield, only, dark grey and ugly. And creepy, freaky yellow eyes. I come across a skinny, skin unrecognisable dog, a skinny but okay looking pug, and a German shepherd that looks a little too bold. The other cages are empty.

Gritting my teeth, I lower a little until I'm level faced with the second row. Raking my eyes over them, I see that half the cages are also empty. Even the bottom, it's completely empty. I stand up and walk a little until I'm face with four huge cages. In the second cage, the only occupied cage; is a tiny cat.

The thing's tiny, and the lightest grey-almost white- I had ever seen. It laid at the back, it's head on its paws while it closed its eyes. It looked so tiny, like a kitten, except it seems too calm to be so young. Feeling my gaze, its eyes open and it stares. Green eyes, light green eyes. I'm instantly enchanted.

"Ah, that's the new one, sent in a few days back," The lady starts in a bored tone. "Scared off every customer, has quiet a scratch. If you do want a cat- but seeing as though you don't like 'em- I wouldn't suggest getting that one. Be put down by mornin'. That's why 'e's in there."

I turn to her. Put down? Now, now, we can't have that, definitely not to such a cute creature.

"Can I have the key?" I ask. She stares at me, my question clearly shocked her.

"I warn you, and you go again my judgement?" She shrugs. "Your funeral, don't sue."

She hands me the key and moves far away, a worry clear on her over-caked face. I roll my eyes. Seriously, how bad can this tiny thing be? Seeing me starting to open the cage, it raises its head and pushed to its two feet, sitting neatly and watching curiously.

"Your ganna be nice to me aren't you?" I start nicely. "Nobody likes a dead cat, and not one as pretty as you"

"It's a boy; that might be insulting." The woman laughs. I smile at the cat and throw a meaningful look at the woman. I'm starting to like her less and less. The cat looks amused.

I open the cage and step in, closing it behind me. The cat remains calm, and the lady watching takes in a sharp breath. Please be a nice kitty, please, please be a nice kitty.

Cat's can sense fear, can't they? I take a breath, pushing away my slight fear. I start walking towards the figure, watching it with my green eyes while its green eyes follow me. Pretty, pretty kitty.

I kneel in front of the cat. Nothing, it does nothing.

"Being stuck with that lady would drive me crazy and want to stick my nails into her flesh too." I whisper as I slowly bring my hand to his furry head. He doesn't move, he doesn't hiss. He simply sits and waits.

Maybe he knew that they didn't want him anymore, and that he was going to die if I hadn't come?

He looks pretty upset, under that tough boy act he's holding. Maybe he lost his home? But nobody came to claim him, nor was there a collar or an identification anyone knows of. A stray? He seems too nice to be a stray? Public affection? Maybe he'll strike when I take him home.
His fur, it's freezing. My hand is starting to go numb, so I quickly pick him up, sliding my hands under his chest, and pulling him to mine.

"I'll take him." I smile as I walk out. The lady swallows in shock, clearly looking as though she just choked on her chewing gum.

"R-Right. No refunds." She laughs slightly, a little cencerned about something, something I didn't know. I grit my teeth. The cat seems to warm and involuntarily starts to purr. Forcing his gaze away from my face, it's clear that he wished he didn't have that ability, to purr. It put a smirk on my face.

"Well at least one male species likes me." I laugh as the lady hands me a few sheets of paper to sign and fulfil. I flip the few sheets, filling in the missing where I need to, when the lady speaks.

"Right," She drawls. "Well, good luck."

Luck, on me, is wrong. It always turns on me, taking away the luck and placing a hell of no luck on my shoulders.

"Yeah." I shift the cat into both my arms and start towards the door. "Thanks."

As soon as the door opens, I start towards my car. Placing the cat on my passenger seat I turn the key. And again. And again.

"Damn." I smack my hands on the steering wheel before pinching the bridge of my nose as I face the roof. "Damn."

Nothing was working out. I wanted a dog, and I'm going home with a cat. I had to spend an hour with an all-too proud snob while I looked for an animal. My car won't start. Not to mention that it's nine in the morning and the coldest it's been in years. Perfect, just perfect.

"Guess we're walking." I sigh as I open my door.