A/N: Hey guys sorry this chapter is very short but I'm going through a injury right now. My back hurts like hell and at the same time I'm trying to stay in school to get the best out of my life. I'm also trying to be in my daughter's young life because those years are the most important. My dad has never been in my life much and my family could never afford everything I ever wanted. Imagine being young traveling from hotel to hotel with six other sisters. It's kinda hard asking for things you want when money is short. Therefore I want to give my daughter a life that I wish I had along with the things that she wants and needs. She needs a childhood that I never had with her father so I'm spending every second with her when I can. Anyways I know it's been a few months since I posted a chapter for this story but I'll try to be on my A game from now on. Hope you guys had a great day and ENJOY!
Chapter 10 The Return
Chris P.O.V
I was awaken from a glamorous slumber by my watch beeping on its daily alarm settings. My eyes couldn't adjust to my watch brightness as I turned the alarm off seeking nothing but my vivid dark room. My throat was crispy and was aching for something to quince it. It felt like I haven't drank anything in years and I can feel my vocal cords stiffing up. Lilly was fast asleep on my chest lightly snoring while Rosie was beside her. I delicately moved Lilly away from my chest onto the pillow and rose up with a wide stretch and yawn. My curtains glowed peeking a little light from the morning sun shining it's small ray's. Usually around this time I would go out exploring exclusive animals, but now that schedule has to change. Sleepily, my feet aimlessly searched for my house slippers touching the cold wooden floor a few times before slipping them on. The bed springs made a small noise while I rose up to walk into the kitchen. It was below freezing in my cabin right now so when I passed the thermostat I turned the A/C off.
"Ok google, turn on dinning lights to 40%" I said sleepily.
"Sure, turing on dining lights to 40%" Google home said turning them on.
"Okay google, start my morning playlist" I commanded sleepily opening the bottom cabinet in the kitchen.
"Okay, playing your morning music" Google home replied doing as I told it. Playing 'Feels Just Like Home' by Melissa Etheridge & Josh Kelley.
Rosie's bowl was empty and she's always hungry when she wakes up so I poured some more food in her bowl. I figured Lilly would be hungry this morning for breakfast and after all I am her guardian for the day. After heating up the stove, the nearest water bottle in the fridge was drunk to kill my aching thirst. Within seconds, the water was all gone and the bottle was thrown away in the trash. Yesterday was sports Sunday and I missed out on a lot of football because of the war. I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV to NFL recap of all the games played. Minutes later the stove was done heating at it's hottest point. Now for the best part to start my day, reaching in the fridge for some eggs, sausages, and maple bacon. When I slapped four pieces of bacon on the pan, something was odd. Usually when it sizzles Rosie would run to me prancing and barking for some. Except for this morning, she didn't run out in her cheerful type. I was going to go check on her, but soon lost interest. "Ehh I'm sure she's just in a deep sleep" I thought flipping the bacon.
"Packers fans bad news...we discovered that Aaron Rodgers has broken his collarbone and is out for the rest of the season...rookie quarterback Jerod Evans will be his replacement..he has already been seen practicing with the squad this morning-" The anchor said.
"Ahh shit we have no chance now...who the fuck is Jerod Evans?" I questioned upset. Then suddenly there was a loud noise coming from my basements.
I pressed the button to turn the stove on low and ran down to my basement. Hastily pacing down the stairs turning on the lights all the way, to see my knives and a few guns on the floor. It was Lilly who looked frightened it fell but amazed. Judging by her guiltiness, she did something she wasn't supposed to.
"Lilly what are you doing in here?...you can't just come in here without my permission it's too dangerous" I said walking to her disappointed picking up my knives than guns. Placing them in their original spots on my shelves.
"Is this stuff what you use to hunt?...it looks so cool and weird at the same time….what is this one?" Lilly said strictly ignoring what I just said, curiously sniffing a grenade pin.
"No!...don't sniff that unless you want to get blown up into the size of ants" I said moving her away from it gently not to hurt her paw.
"It turns you into ants?...wow that's so awesome I want to be an ant" Lilly said excitedly sounding like the pup she is. Evidently not understanding my speaking of the figurative language.
"Not literally look, you can't just touch everything you see or you'll end up hurt or even worse dead...do you realize that?" I asked in a serious tone kneeling her height. Lilly calmed down with her ears flat on her head and said.
"Sorry...I was curious and saw something shiny I had to know what it was" Lilly said apologetically like she's said this before many times. "Hmm, wonder why's that?" I thought.
"I don't mind that but next time just ask and I'll show you around deal?" I asked and her tail went a mile a minute.
"Okay I understand but can you do it now?" Lilly asked anxiously, and I chuckled at her excitement.
"Yeah I could but I have to finish co-"
Rudely, I was interrupted but Lilly's stomach that felt like it needed the most attention. Lilly blushed a bright red and innocently giggled cutely.
"Sorry, she does this all the time...you were saying?" Lilly asked giggling, referring back to what I was going to say.
"I figured you would be hungry...do you want breakfast?" I asked chuckling and she nodded rapidly with a wagging tail.
"Yes please" Lilly said cheerfully for more human food. It wasn't hard to notice this was probably Lilly's most favorite part about humans.
"When we finish eating I can show you around down here deal?" I asked and a bright smirk flew across her face.
"Okay deal" Lilly said cheerfully, leading the way back to the door. When she got to the stairs, Lilly struggled to get up the first step from her injured paw. I noticed this and gently picked her up carrying her up the stairs. Lilly let out a high pitched screamed from the element of surprise then laughed afterwards.
"A warning would be good next time" Lilly said giggling blushing as I walked up the stairs carrying her bride style.
"Sorry I thought you knew I was going to do that but obviously not" I said chuckling putting her down once I've got up the steps.
Rosie was wide wake finishing up her breakfast from her bowl until she saw us. As I closed my basement door, she ran up to me with wide eyes and a wagging tail. Hopping in my arms licking my face non-stop showing her normal affection. Sometimes I swear dogs love you more than they love themselves.
"Haha, hey girl it seems like..you're very...happy today" I managed to chuckle out between her picking my face. Lilly smiled genuinely and walked passed us about her business. Rosie claws were scratching me up, to ease the slight pain I sat her down on the floor. Maybe she had too much sleep last night because she was very energetic and wouldn't stop prancing all over me.
"Sit!" I yelled and she did as I told her, whining a bit for wanting to run around more. Rosie knew what I was going to do next and rose on her hind legs in a begging stance. I chuckled reaching in the treat box placing it on her nose.
"Waait" I said while she balanced the treat on her nose whining to eat it.
"Bark" I said, and she tossed it up in the air catching it in her mouth. Enjoying her reward for being so tamed.
"Good girl" I said rubbing her flappy ears returning to the kitchen to see Lilly already sitting at the dining bar.
"How did you get up there without hurting yourself?" I asked curious, but also impressed.
"I have my ways" Lilly said giggling as I returned back to cooking with a slight chuckle.
A few minutes past of cooking bacon then I wanted over to the eggs and sausages next. Lilly was watching my every move with soaked lips desperately wanting to cure her hunger. The whole cabin smelled delicious when I finished cooking and placed both mine and her plate at the diner table. Lilly licked her wet lips inhaling the strong scent of the delicious masterpiece on front of her.
"Mmmm this smell soooo goood" Lilly said sniffing her plate a with a smile.
"It's the best part of the day wouldn't you agree?" I said chuckling, grabbing the Tabasco hot sauce that's near us.
"Yeah I do" Lilly replied before eating the sweetest smelling bacon first. She saw me uncapping the hot sauce pouring it on my eggs and was curious what it was when I put it down. Lilly sniffed it a few times and shuffled out several small adorable sneezes.
"What is that?...it's incredibly strong" Lilly questioned rubbing her nose recovering from the strong intake.
"It's called hot sauce...and I think you would know why it's called that...wanna give it a try?" I asked chuckling already knowing her answer.
"No thanks, it seems toxic" Lilly giggled a bit.
"Oh well more for me then" I said playfully cheering putting the cap back on.
I can tell Lilly seen some more acquire around the table she was curious about. She didn't mention anything just kept eating at a slow pace this time. After a few minutes of eating, we've finished and I cleaned up our dishes. Along with the cooking supplies I used in the kitchen, placing them back in the fridge. Lilly was on the couch calmly swaying her tail waiting for me. Despite that she has a sprained paw and can still hop on the couch amazes me. When I finished washing dishes and cleaning I sat down next to her with a relaxful sigh.
"So what you wanna watch?" I asked grabbing the remote.
"Umm, I don't care honestly" Lilly said with a amused smile.
"You know what a scary movie is?" I questioned with a smirk.
"I'm guessing it's something scary?" Lilly asked anxiously awaiting an answer.
"Yep, are you up for it?" I asked knowing what her answer might be.
"Fuck yeah! I LOVE scary things" Lilly said cheerfully wagging her tail slapping the couch a few times.
"Haha well okay then, let me get the popcorn" I said chuckling taken back from that kind of response from her. That would've been the last thing I thought she would say. I reached over to the left of me and grabbed the bag of White Cheddar popcorn underneath the lamp table. When I opened them and placed them in the already prepared glass bowl on the coffee table. Lilly's nose had a mind of its own as she sniffed the popcorn curiously. Not truly sure if it's something she quite likes by the smell.
"That smells so weird but good at the same time" Lilly said backing her nose away from the bowl. I put my hand in the bowl, handling some popcorn in my bare hands, urging her to try some.
"Well give it a try" I suggested smirking and she hesitated but soon gave me her trust eating them all in my palms.
"Wow!..that actually is really good!...better than what it smells for sure" Lilly said with a cute giggle.
"Again, you do know some of that was for me right?" I jokingly chuckled making her laugh.
"Sorry I get carried away a lot" Lilly said smiling.
"And why's that?" I asked curiously to what she would say. Her smile instantly turned into more of a straight expression when I asked this.
"I don't eat much in my pack so the most bit of food I'll eat it all in a heartbeat" Lilly exclaimed sounding a bit depressed.
"How come you don't eat?" I asked wanting to know what I can do to help.
"It's the caribou...the herds move up northern a lot and mom sends a group of alphas to hunt them and bring them back to feast our pack but...some of them never return and when they do it's not a lot of food" Lilly explained.
"Well good thing I hunted for you guys or you would've starved to death" I said smiling placing one on Lilly's face too.
"Yeah thanks to you" Lilly said dreamily staring at me. Lilly stood there in a daze enhancing my attention to her.
"Umm are you okay?" I questioned and she quickly snapped out of you.
"Sorry I was stuck in a flashback of you saving me the stampede" Lilly blushing brightly. I've always liked it when she blushes it's so adorable to see the soft side of Lilly. It was a long small silence was we just gazed into each other's eyes.
"So umm let's get started I have a good one in mind a classic scary movie" I spoke up grabbing the remote switching to Netflix.
"Cool" Lilly said laying her head on my lap a respectable distance from my crotch.
"Hey can I ask you something?" I asked and she giggled.
"You just did" Lilly said softly giggling.
"Okay Miss Smarty Tail can I tell you something I'm curious about?" I said and Lilly giggled again before saying.
"Sure what's on your mind?" Lilly asked still watching the Netflix loading screen.
"Who do you see me as?" I asked puzzling her.
"What do you mean?" Lilly asked.
"Like do you see me as just a human, friend, brother-"
"I'll definitely say a good friend" Lilly said cutting my sentence with a bright smile.
"Okay good to know" I said smiling at her before turning my attention back to the Tv.
We watched Dead Silence one of my favorite movies of all time. From the start Lilly was taking it like a champ since it wasn't that scary but jumped a few times on the jumpscares. From time to time I can hear her whine and I'll gently stroke her furry back. Soothing her intensity of her recent jumpscare. As we watched the movie Lilly wanted popcorn but doesn't have hands so I hand feed them to her. Lilly blushed when I did this from my unintentionally romance of feeding her. Throughout the movie I can tell Rosie got jealous watching me feed her and hopped on the couch next to me. I smiled and rubbed underneath her floppy ears then she turned over on her belly kicking her legs. Another 40 minutes later the movie was over and Lilly was hooked. She wanted to watch another one and was fascinated by the art of thriller. We watched another one called 'IT' and Rosie was fast asleep when we finished. It was a little past noon and it was time we go back to Lilly's pack to see what's next.
"Okay now that clown was kinda creepy" Lilly said giggling a bit licking her muzzle from the popcorn crumbs.
"Yeah Pennywise is creepy but I'm not really afraid of him" I said shrugging my shoulders.
"Same" Lilly said in agreement.
"Ready to go back to your pack?...it's a little past noon" I said looking at the clock on the walls.
"Not really but I know I have to eventually so yeah" Lilly said standing up stretching with her rear in the air and a big yawn; before jumping down off the couch. Making her hair fall back over her eye as usual.
"Ow" Lilly said referring to her paw.
"Careful now it's going to take at least 2 weeks to heal try not to jump if things" I said moving Rosie to a comfortable position on the couch, placing a blanket over her fragile body.
"Yeah sorry I tend to forget, you did such a good job on my paw I don't feel a thing" Lilly said giggling swaying her tail as she sat down. There was a small silence of me gathering my things and putting on my shoes.
"Hey just a thing from me to you...if you're ever hungry again just come here I'll be sure to cook something up for you" I said smiling standing up stretching.
"Thanks I'll keep that in mind" Lilly said smiling back widely.
"I'll get my things and we'll be on our way" I said walking back to my basement before turning back around to say.
"Oh yeah and don't touch ANYTHING" I said just in time as she was about to poke one of my kitchen knives.
"Awww fine I won't" Lilly said pouting putting her paw down. I rolled my eyes and walked back into the basement to gather some weapons.
I took my grandfather's knife along with a 9mm pistol and strapped on a vest. You'll never know when a might turn against, it'll be best to take less damage as I can to my upper body. Just for a element of surprise to high-end predators with good sense of smell; I always keep a stink bomb on me to hide my natural scent. While I was grabbing a few of them off the shelves, a picture of my parents and I fell on the floor. I picked it up glancing at a the rough aged picture. This brought bright a bright smile to my face seeing my parents and I look young and happy.
"I love you guys…" I said smiling my face off before slowly placing the picture back on the shelf. I tucked my gun underneath my shirt and pants looking around making sure I have everything.
From my basement I can hear something rattling upstairs like a bag or somethings. Curiously I walked upstairs back into the living room to see Lilly going to town on some BlueBird powdered donuts. Half of her head was inside the whole bag as powdered sugar was all over the carpet.
"Umm" I said catching her attention with a small chuckle. Lilly reacted negatively trying to get her head out the bag hastily only to hit her head on the coffee table.
"Shit oww" Lilly said inside the donut bag making me laugh.
"You need help?" I asked walking to her as Lilly tried to shake the bag off to no prevail.
"No I got this" Lilly said still trying to take the stuck back off her head. I let wear herself out until she was panting lightly while chuckling at her attempts.
"Now?" I asked chuckling.
*Sigh*
"Yes" Lilly said in defeat of the paper bag latched onto her head.
"You know...you really have a nose that get you into trouble" I said chuckling taking the bag off her head as dust of the powder flustered around us. Lilly shook her white coat getting powder a little on the floor and on me.
"Thanks" Lilly said with a perky smile licking her powdered muzzle.
"That wasn't a compliment" I said opening the door.
"But I took it as one" Lilly said trotting outside.
Lilly and I walked back to her pack almost in complete silence. Here and there I would start up small chats getting to know Lilly better. From the start I can tell Lilly is filled with secrets. Then she questioned me about America and what it was like. I explained to her about the bright lights, awe inspiring beaches, lit parties, few genres of music, and most importantly sports. Lilly's lavender eyes sparkled blindly as her tail swayed a mile a minute when I told her this. At the back of my mind I wonder if I shouldn't have told her this. It might give her more than one reason to run away from home. She's already proved being capable of doing it because of her mom.
I was finishing off my discussion about the scenery of Los Angeles when Lilly just froze in place. It took me a second to catch on but when I turned my head in front of me I almost threw up. There were dried up blood and gore everywhere we could looked; from the honoring wolves who gave up their lives for territory. Lilly walked pin point next to me trying her best not to look at all the dried blood and inner insides of wolves. As we walked past and over lifeless bodies I noticed most of them died from the gas. Big hurling blisters were covered all over their bodies including some of their sex parts. Lilly wasn't paying attention to where she was walking because she had her eyes closed blocking out the horror scene. She stepped on a wolf's muzzle causing him to loudly gasp for air shooting his eyes open. Lilly let out a high pitched scream limping behind me timidly.
"Please-Please….H-Help" He said with a raspy voice reaching his bloody paw out to me. He was covered in blisters and was badly beaten. Half his torso was fucked up and I had no clue how he managed to live overnight.
I reached for my grandfather's knife kneeling down and stabbed him in the head announcing his death. Lilly whimpered after the impact and looked away for as long as she could. When I rose up there was blood splattered all over my hands. I wiped them off on my pants and looked down at Lilly behind me.
"He's gone now...let's keep moving" I said beginning to walk but Lilly stopped me.
"Can you carry me?" Lilly asked in almost a begging tone.
"Okay" I said kneeling down picking her up and she immediately hid her face in my chest.
"Don't worry we're going to get through" I calmly whispered stroking her back. I maneuvered my way through the piles of dead souls and slippery organs; trying to reach northern of the back. It smelled horrific and I wanted to get out of the war zone quick as possible. Then suddenly I heard a vicious growl behind me making Lilly whimper.
"WE HAVE SOME SURVIVORS!" He called to the others not taking his eyes off me for a second. The others joined him inching to us barking vigorously.
"Chris I'm scared" Lilly replied nervously looked up at me.
"I'm going to get us out of this…" I said slowly backing up.
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