Housepets! Always Save the Day

by fenrirblack18

The second installment of the Housepets! Fight Against the Forces of Evil series. Two months have passed and the pets are still recovering. A stranger comes to the neighborhood and together are able to bring Lisa back from her infinite prison. Rowan reappears only he is known as Revenant and now the team must stop him from obtaining divine power and plunging the world into chaos.

2. Chapter 2: The Writer

Housepets! Always Save the Day

Chapter 2: The Writer

A "Housepets! Comics" Fan Fiction

Based on the characters by Rick Griffin

By: Fenrir Black

A Message from Nick Powell

Growing up I was an avid reader, I read books about far off places and stories about heroes overcoming great odds. They always saved the day, and I longed to be one of them. All I ever wanted was to be an author and share my stories with the world. Over a year ago that dream came true. I wrote a book called "White Fox," and it became a huge hit. That was no small part to my fiancé, Rebecca Goulding, who also happens to be a literary agent. I gave her my book, and she loved it. Two years later it was published and was an overnight bestseller. You might think to yourself, "Wow this guy sure has it made." Sure, my life may seem great on paper, but that is because you don't know the real me. The real me is actually a five-foot-tall wolf with thick dark gray fur and has to live in his parent's cabin in the woods along with a cougar who won't leave. My life isn't so great after all. Let me explain my situation. I was not always a wolf. Four years ago, I was human. I just got engaged to Becky and was hiking in the forest. I came across this spring in the middle of winter. Only there was no snow anywhere, and it was unseasonably warm. A normal person would question why something like this existed because it did not seem possible. Not me. I wanted to get a closer look. As I moved towards the water, this goat-man (satyr I think they're called) appeared on the shore. He warned me that no human can touch the water for it was sacred or something. "Hmph," I said. No one told Nick Powell what to do especially not figments of my imagination. Long story short I was changed into a wolf as punishment. After that I lived in my parent's cabin, too scared to show my face among people again. Becky stood by my side despite my appearance and in my free time (I had a lot of it now) I wrote the first book of the series. But that is enough about my backstory at the moment. Lately, I've been having these dreams. I don't know what they mean, but they are getting more and more vivid. Imagine nothing. Nothing but an empty white void. There in the distance is a girl. She can't be more than eighteen or nineteen. She keeps screaming for someone to help her. I want to do something but every time I try to get close, I wake up. I can still hear her calling for someone named Rowan to save her. Whoever that guy was?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Nick groaned and reached out towards the alarm clock that was blaring in his ear. It took several swipes with his massive paw, but he finally was able to hit the snooze button. Without wasting a moment, he covered his head with the sheets and tried to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, a stinging sensation in his bladder made sleep an impossibility at the moment. He tossed the sheets and blankets off his body and slowly rolled to the edge of the bed. His head hurt again. That was normal for him. When you were constantly plagued by nightmares for the past two months, headaches were your consolation prize. As he stretched his large hairy limbs, Nick's ears perked up. He could hear Cody moving around the kitchen. He was up early, Nick thought.

He shifted his gaze to the clock on the other side of the bed. 8:01 a.m. How he hated having to set his alarm clock. It was not like he had a job or anywhere to be. Experience had taught him that if he did not force himself to get up and get moving each day, then he would never get anything done. Not like he was getting much done anyway.

Nick scanned the bedroom. The first rays of the sun streamed through the window despite the blackout curtains he bought online. The room was the same one he slept in when he came there with his parents growing up. Since he moved in fulltime, he had to change some things to give it a more grown-up professional appearance. There was large five-shelve bookcase stuffed with books on writing, editing, literature, and even a few leftover textbooks from his college days. A dresser stood across from the bed. On it was pictures of him, Becky, and his parents. All of them were several years old. Since the curse, he avoided cameras at all costs. The bed looked like it was something out of an issue of "Cabins Monthly" with a wooden frame designed to resemble cut tree limbs as if someone made it with their own two hands. The comforter was a quilted pattern with images of animals on it from moose to wolves. As a boy, Nick loved it. Now it was more like a sick joke. The rest of the room was bare except for the bedside table and a closet full of clothes that couldn't fit over Nick's hairy body.

Nick wandered into the only bathroom in the cabin and shut the door behind him. For some reason, Cody was fascinated by the hygiene habits of humans. The idea of "brushing" one's teeth was a foreign otherworldly concept to ferals. Nick had, and things live cavities to him. Despite many attempts, Cody still did not understand.

He stood in front of the mirror and examined his appearance. He was naked except for the long black sleep pants he wore. Although you couldn't tell since they blended with his fur so well. Clothes were one thing he could not let go of. Cody told him he was ridiculous, but Nick did not care. He would wear pants until he died.

His dark green eyes were the same as they were when he was human. He read that the eyes were the sign of a person's humanity and when it came to things like magical transformation, it was the eyes that were the most important thing. If they changed then a part of you was lost forever. Other's disagreed with that idea, but as far as Nick was concerned, his eyes were all that remained of the man he was.

He opened and closed his jaw examining each of his razor-sharp fangs. Once he tried hunting and found he was really good at it. Animal instincts took over, and before he knew it, he was tearing the entrails out of a fawn with his claws. His teeth dripped with blood as he stared in horror at what he had become. Needless to say, that was the first and last time he did any kind of hunting. He would stick to getting food from the grocery store like everyone else.

Nick glanced down at his chest. The only perks of being a wolf were the abs and muscles that came with the body. His entire life he had been a bit overweight but one magical change made him, for lack of a better word, hot. That was what Becky told him when she first saw him after the curse. Of course, she had to get over the initial shock. Then she said to him that he looked "hot" like the Beast from "Beauty and the Beast." Nick told her that she missed the point of that movie but went with it. That was one of the things he loved about her. She could always just roll with whatever life threw at her. It was what made her so good at her job.

Grabbing his toothbrush Nick got to business. Five minutes later he walked out with the toilet still running behind him. He stepped into the den and saw the TV on with Cody laying on the couch with a bowl of cereal on his lap. He lifted the remote and flipped through the channels like his life depended on finding something to watch that very minute.

Without looking at him, Cody said, "We're out of milk." He finally stopped on the ORC channel and started watching reruns of "Frasier."

"We just got some the other day," Nick protested as he moved to the fridge. He opened the door, and sure enough, it was utterly void of milk. He slammed it shut and moved away from the counter. The box of Honey Hives was still sitting there wide open from when Cody helped himself.

"You mean I got some the other day. I do all the grocery shopping around here," he said with a mouthful of cereal. Nick watched as drops of milk, saliva, and chewed up bits of cereal rained down on the coffee table.

"You also do most of the eating around here," Nick responded. He couldn't be mad. Well, he could, but the cougar had a point.

Nick met Cody only a few months after living in the cabin full time. Cody accused Nick of hunting in his territory even though Nick was just out on a nature walk. After a long awkward conversation full of arguing and threats of violence, Nick invited Cody back to the cabin to prove that one, he was not a threat, and two he was not even a real wolf. For the next few years, Cody would come and go from the cabin claiming to be wild and therefore did not need such lavish human amenities. A little over a year ago, Cody moved in and began sleeping in the master bedroom. At first, Nick was uncomfortable having a wild animal living with him but being alone in the woods got lonely. His parents lived in Chicago where he grew up. He rarely saw them after graduating college and after the curse never saw them. Most he got was a phone call or a Christmas card and birthday card. Becky was busy with work and only stopped by when he was free. It was a three-hour drive from the cabin to Chicago so…

Cody did have his uses. Nick grew up hearing stories about how dangerous feral wolves were. If anyone saw him, even with clothes, they would only go screaming into their houses while animal control would track him down. The last thing he wanted was to be transported to Yellowstone or something. That would be a fun phone call to his parents. So, Cody would go into town and buy anything that couldn't be ordered online. The closest town was called Swallow Falls. The bird kind not the "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" kind. Never mention that book or movie while in town. Living so close to nature for so long, the townsfolk learned to deal with ferals that would come in. All Cody would have to do was put on a collar and go to the store. There was a convenience store in town run by an elderly man named Mr. Grant. The store was well known in these parts because of the policy Mr. Grant had and was displayed on more than one sign throughout the store. It read "It does not matter who or what you are. Why you are there. What you look like or what you believe in. I will take your money." Not the most poetic phrase but worked for the business. As long as you had money to spend you were welcome in Mr. Grant's store. Ferals included.

Everyone in town knew who Cody was and even grew to love him. For some reason, they had issues with wolves though. Add that to the list of cosmic irony that plagued Nick's existence. He had to be turned into the one animal that couldn't show his face in town.

"You know you have to go get some more," Nick said. He moved closer to the couch to make sure Cody couldn't ignore him. "How did we even run out so fast. It was a full gallon, and I only have some for breakfast." Nick walked around the couch, so he now stood between Cody and the television.

Cody tilted his head to look at him. He was a regular cougar with tan fur, long tail, and a cat. "I'm a cat," he said placing his paw on his chest. "We like drinking milk. Don't you ever watch cartoons?"

"That's a cliché and not even accurate. Studies have proven that milk is bad for cats. Plus, you didn't even know what a cartoon was until you met me," Nick said exasperatedly.

"Well, this cat likes milk and cartoons." He held up his paws in surrender. "If it makes you feel better then I'll go get some more. Now in the meantime can you explain what a by-cycle is and why this man is repeating using it to attack that tree?"

Nick set down on the couch and tried to explain the principles of "Frasier" to a wild animal.

Once the episode ended, Cody had no choice but to head into town to get groceries. Nick decided not to tell him that he could easily order more cereal online and have it arrive in two days. This was a lesson that Cody needed to learn. At times like these, Nick wondered if Cody was more of a pet than a roommate.

With the cabin empty for at least an hour, Nick begrudgingly wandered over to his laptop still sitting on his desk where he left it the night before. He opened the lid, and the screen lit up revealing the thing Nick dreaded seeing. His word document for the second "White Fox" book. Since he started working on it, over six months ago, he had successfully written 109 pages of carp (Cody had been teaching Nick how ferals curse). He hated everything he had written so far. Since the last book ended the main character was supposed to help his partner uncover the secret of a mysterious figure that had been causing trouble in the kingdom. So far the publisher was happy with his work, but he wasn't. Part of Nick wanted to toss the entire story and start over again with a new plot, but he knew that was impossible at this point. He had to salvage what was written already and venture ahead.

After a few taps on the keys with his claws, a sound tore through the silence of the cabin. Nick recognized it as "A New Day Has Come" by Celine Dion aka Becky's favorite song and her ringtone. Without taking his eyes off the screen, he picked up the phone and pushed the answer button. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for what was about to happen.

"Hello," Nick said trying to keep calm.

"Hey there. I'm calling to see how you are doing as a loving and caring fiancé," Becky said in her sweetened voice.

Nick began to relax a little. "Aw, that's nice."

Becky spoke again before Nick could continue. "And as your agent, I'm calling to see where the heck are those chapters. You know the ones that were due TWO WEEKS AGO!"

Nick had to pull the phone away from his ear. One thing he hated about being a wolf was the enhanced sense of hearing. Stuff like alarms, music, and general loud noises made his ears feel like they are being split in two. Becky was no exception. She sounded like a banshee when she yelled in his ear. He knew better than to tell her that.

Tensing himself, Nick brought the phone back to his ear while Becky continued to scream at him on the other end. "I've made up every possible excuse I can to get them off my and your back. But they are getting impatient. They need this book, Nick."

Nick knew she was right. The publishing company Nick signed too was called Milton Books, a subsidiary of Milton Industries, and was a tiny publishing company. Nick was so excited that someone signed him that he did not bother to do any research into them at the time. Later he would discover that the entire company is run by ferrets or some other kind of weasel. That and they had never had a bestseller in the four years they had been business before Nick came along. Nick was the reason the company was still running at this point. In all honesty, they needed him more than he needed them. Unfortunately, the contract he signed was iron clad until he finished the third book, so they were stuck together for better or worse.

"I know, but I'm doing my best," Nick lied. "I'm almost done with the last chapter. Once I'm finished, I'll e-mail it to you so you can have something to show the editor. That way they'll be satisfied for the moment and leave you and respectively me alone." In his head, he said, until they read it and discover that its garbage.

Becky sighed on the other end. "Nick, don't lie to me." Nick cringed. "I know that you've been having writers block these past few months. Remember I've been doing this long before we've been dating. I know that writing is hard because of the…you know what." Becky always tried to avoid mentioning the curse. It was one of several different coping methods she had used over the years in an attempt to fool herself into thinking that their relationship was normal. "As your girlfriend, I want to be supportive and tell you that you'll get it done when you're ready. But as your agent, I want to be supportive but tell you that you have to finish it immediately."

"I don't know what I'm doing," Nick finally confessed. He noted that Becky called herself his girlfriend and not fiancé. She only did that when she was really angry with him. "The plot is nothing but a jumble of loose ends and clichés. The characters are going nowhere as far as development." Nick placed his elbows on the desk and cradled his head in his paw while the other held the phone to his ear.

"Now you call and remind me that the agency is on my tail waiting for the next set of chapters. I can't work under this pressure."

"Nick, please understand that this is not unusual. Authors go through this kind of thing all the time. I've seen hundreds of times. You have to keep working on it. Even if you have to pull out a notebook and start jotting notes down only to ball it up immediately and tossed it in the trash. If that is what you have to do, then do it. Have you checked the fan sites looking for inspiration? I've heard that works."

Nick rolled his eyes. He pointedly avoided the fan sites ever since the first book got popular. The last thing he needed in his life was a bunch of tiresome geeks telling him how he should write and what his stories are missing. Not to mention the ones who start asking questions that Nick either will answer or choose not to respond to because it was not important. The agency keeps telling him to create a twitter page for the public, but he refused to do so. It would just be another thing to deal with.

"I'll take your silence as a resounding no," Becky said. Nick could hear a tinge of frustration in her voice. "Nick, you have to meet me halfway. I have to give these people something. What have you written so far?"

Nick scrolled up. Since the last section of the book he submitted he had written a grand total of eighteen pages. None of which do anything to serve the plot or move the story along. He knew that he had to move the plot along soon.

"Thirty-eight," Nick lied again. He hated lying to her, but like any good relationship, there had to be lies for it to work.

"Well, I guess that's better than nothing. Keep working on it."

Nick breathed a sigh of relief. She at least bought that lie. He was in the clear for the moment.

"But that does not mean you can goof off with Cody and do whatever it is that you two do when I'm not around."

"You make it sound like we have naked pillow fights or something," Nick said with a touch of accusation in his voice.

"I mean it, Nick, I want you to sit at that desk and not get up until you have the next chapter finished. I don't even want you to get up to use the bathroom. Hold it, and it will be good motivation."

"Alright," Nick told her. With an extra touch of mush, he said, "I love you."

"I love you too, but that can change if you don't get me those chapters." With that last threat, she hung up.

Nick placed the phone besides the computer and stared at the screen again. After a few minutes, the words and letters began dancing in front of his eyes. The longer he stared, the more elaborate they became. His eyelids began to droop. The screen became a blur, and before he knew it, he was face down on the keyboard.

Nick walked down a long dark hallway. His nose burned with the smell of ash and burning wood. Was there a fire? He could smell smoke in the air, but there was none to be seen. He needed to get out of there. The only question was where he was? The walls were blank gray wood with no sign of life anywhere around him. He kept moving forward hoping to find an exit.

Suddenly a door seemed to spring into existence at the end of the hall. As Nick steady moved towards it, the door opened on its own allowed a small ray of light to pour from the crack. Nick pushed the door open and stepped inside the room. It was like a nursery with colorful pictures and childish paintings on the wall. There was no furniture except for a single rocking chair in the middle of the room. Back and forth it rocked. Someone was sitting in it, and they were humming a sad tune.

Nick walked over and discovered that the person rocking was Becky. In her arms was a small body wrapped head to toe in a baby blue blanket. Even in the grayness of the room, the blue shone brightly. Becky did not acknowledge Nick's presence as he stood there staring at her, eyes full of worry.

"Becky, are you alright? Please say something," Nick said as he bent down, so he was eye level with her. He reached out and pulled the blanket back from whatever she was holding. Nick's eyes widened as he saw that she was holding not a child but a stuffed bear. Only this bear was burned so severely that it was hardly recognizable.

"It's all gone…" Becky whispered. Nick looked up at her and noticed that her gaze was fixed on the far wall. Nick turned to see that she was staring out the only window in the room.

Carefully he moved toward it and looked out. The world was gone. It was like something out of a teen dystopia or a disaster movie. Fires blazed for miles over the remains of houses as crows picked at the remaining bits of whatever they could find. The sky was tainted with dark clouds the color of ash. In the distance, Nick could barely make out the outline of what once could have been skyscrapers. Deep down he knew he was looking at what remained of Chicago.

"It's all gone," Becky whispered.

Nick turned back to her. He had to do something. He didn't know he could do. He walked over to her but stopped halfway. Looking down he saw something silver attached to her leg. It was a chain stuck to the floor keeping her from moving more than three feet from the chair.

Nick took a step back. "Becky, who—"

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were no longer hers. They glowed with a bright blue light similar to the color of the blank in her arms. She opened her mouth and spoke with a ragged voice like someone who breathed in a ton of smoke.

"Light the way to lover's arms. From the shadows of forgiveness, there will be no harm. Feelings born from across the reaches of time and space will guide the way through the empty place. Scorn comes from the words left unsaid. The dreams and truths emerge from the queen's head. The heir will speak to the father's pride. The Atlas of the stars will then be your guide. Four havens of stone, fire, ice, and wind. The magic lost will be the final end. Heart in hand she will illuminate a past hidden. Only to discover the secret of darkness kept forbidden. One becomes two, two becomes one. Only the knight can finish what has begun. The wolf will howl with his last breath. A hero's sacrifice will spare the heavens' death."

Nick waited, but Becky seemed to be finished. She continued to stare out the window at the bleak dystopian world as if waiting for someone to come rescue her. Desperate to help her, Nick reached down and grabbed the chain around her leg with his massive paws. He pulled and tugged, but not even the half-charred wood would break. He could not stand seeing her like this. Even though he did not know what was happening, he cared about her too much to see her suffer in this madness they found themselves in.

"Becky," Nick said kneeling down again. He looked her right in the eye, but it was like she was looking right through him. He grabbed her wrists that were still clutching the stuffed bear like it was her lifeline. "Listen to me. You have to get up. Let me get you out of here. Or at least tell me what's going on."

The floor creaked. Nick's ears turned to the sound. It was faint but growing closer. His enhanced hearing allowed him to hear things, sometimes a blessing or, in the case of Cody's nightly baths, a curse. Whatever was coming sounded big and dangerous. The sounds of low growling entered Nick's ears. His heart began to thump faster in his chest. He sniffed the air. The smell of smoke and burning wood was still pungent, but there were more smells now. The first one he noticed was the fear scent that was pouring from Becky as her entire body tensed. The second was the smell of decaying flesh like someone just ate a rotting corpse on the side of the road.

"Becky, what is that?" Nick stood up and glanced at the door. Whatever was coming was coming through there.

"He's coming," Becky whimpered. She clutched the toy tighter to her chest. Nick was not sure if she was talking to him or the bear. He saw that she was on the verge of tears.

The footsteps grew closer. They were right outside the door. Nick had a feeling that whoever or whatever was on the other side did not care about knocking. Scanning the room, Nick saw another door that he swore was not there a moment ago. It looked like a closet door or at least he hoped it was. He ran to it and flung it open revealing a small empty space no bigger than the closet at the cabin. Slipping inside, he closed the door all but a crack to continue to watch over Becky. He hated hiding like a coward while she was in so much distress but until he knew what was happening there was nothing he could do at the moment.

The door to the hallway opened as a large hairy figure entered the room. It walked over to Becky, but it was too dark for Nick to make out the finer details. All he knew was that it was not human or like any animal he had ever seen. It looked like a wolfman from a B-list horror movie. It leaned over Becky, who was literally shaking with fear and whispered something in her ear. Nick's ears perked up to try to catch what was being said.

"Please, don't do this…" Becky pleaded.

The monster responded, "I love you too much to let you go." It proceeded to grab her wrist so tightly that Becky cried out in pain. "You are mine. You promised yourself to me. I take what is mine. Always."

Nick couldn't stand back any longer. Whether it was the wolf part of him that responded to his mate being threatened or the human part of him that loved Becky or both it did not matter. He jumped out of the closet and charged at the creature.

He only made it three steps before coming to a screeching halt when he saw that the monster was not a monster at all. It turned to face Nick and smiled showing off rows of teeth that seemed to extend past the confounds of its mouth. It was the eyes that stopped Nick. They were his eyes. Dark green only these were filled with anger and vengeance. The monster opened his mouth and spoke, "She belongs to me. Always."

His feet moved before his brain could tell him to run. The presence of the monster and the way it looked at him was enough to send Nick flying through the window if the monster was not standing directly between them. Instead, Nick chose the only other option. The door. He flew to the door as fast as he could without a second thought. He could feel the monster's eyes piercing his back as he ran. Nick grabbed the door and charged over the threshold.

He found himself standing in the middle of an empty white void. He turned around, but the door he came through was gone. Nothing but empty space as far as he could see. What was that he wondered to himself?

"Rowan!"

Nick turned around. He recognized the voice instantly. The same one that had been haunting him for the last several weeks. In the distance, a figure could just be made out. He frowned. She was so far away from him how could he reach her.

"Hey!" Nick called and waved his paw in the air to get her attention. "Over here!"

The girl turned or at least it looked like she did from where he was standing. Without missing a moment, Nick charged towards her. A new desperation filled his chest and brain. Becky and the monster were forgotten as the thought of this girl consumed him. He had to meet her and finally understand why she came appearing to him.

The gap between them began to close. When it did Nick finally got a good look at the girl. Better than all the other times. She looked like she was in her early twenties or late teens. She had blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and wore a pink tank-top. She could have been just a regular girl out for an early morning jog so why was she in a place like this.

Suddenly the girl stopped several feet from where Nick was standing as if something was keeping her from moving any closer. Nick smelled fear coming off of her as well as uncertainty. She questioned who he was and why he was there, Nick thought.

"Who are you?" Nick asked before she could.

"Help me," she said. "Find them."

"Find who?" Nick asked although he already knew the answer.

"Kistune. Rowan. Find them."

Nick hesitated. He did not want to promise her anything just yet. He needed more information if he was going to help her. Like who those people were and were they even people? Instead, he asked the third question racing across his mind, "Where are they?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but she was cut off but a horrible sound.

"NICK, I'm back with food. No need to applaud but I went the extra mile. They were having a sale."

Nick's eyes burst open as he lifted his head off the keyboard. He glanced at the screen and saw that several pages of the document were now filled with a jumble of letters ending in an infinite row of FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF…

The images from the dream swam around his head, but there was one part that stood out more than the others. He could see the strange lines of rhyme that Becky spoke shining in his brain in bright golden letters. They were burned into his corneas. Ignoring the F's for the moment, Nick typed the entirety of the verse. Once he was finished the words slowly disappeared from his mind, their mission complete. Nick stared at the lines on his computer trying to comprehend what they meant.

"Becky is going to kill you if she knows that you aren't working on that book." He pulled out a box of cereal and placed it on the counter of the kitchen. "You know she actually called me while I was at the store to tell me that I was supposed to make sure that you were working." He waved his paw. "Do I look like your owner? That's her job. I'm a roommate, not a supervisor."

"Becky—" Nick said as the rest of the dream burst in his head like an oversized pimple. The image of the room with Becky rocking the stuffed bear. The monster that looked eerily like him. Becky was crying out as he ran out of the room leaving her at its mercy.

"I need to call her," Nick said. He fumbled around his desk looking for his phone. Cody looked on curiously his paws slowly opening up a box of Sour Patch Kits. Grabbing the phone with two hands, Nick hit Becky's name under the Recent Caller list. He held it to his ear and waited. One ring. Two rings. He forced himself to calm down.

Finally, she answered, "Well, I hope you're calling me to tell me that you finished in the chapters over the last hour since we spoke. If not then…"

Nick cut her off. "Do you want to come over this weekend?" He tried to ask her as calmly as possible, but the words came out like a massive hurl. He cringed as he waited for a response.

It must have caught her off guard because she did not respond right away. "I don't know Nick. I'm busy with clients and I really, really need you to finish. I want too, but I just don't think this weekend is good for me."

Fear washed over him. Was she purposely avoiding him? She usually came over once a month and this weekend was not time but still why not? The idea of losing her was worse than the dream of him holding her captive. She was his only tie to the world he left behind. Without her, he would have probably gone mad or at least hurt Cody.

"Please," Nick said keeping his voice calm and collected. "I know it's not our weekend, but I figured with the chapters not getting finished, I could use the motivation."

He could see her rolling her eyes in his head "You really think that me being there will help you write? If that was true, then why didn't any of the other times help you then? Oh, that's right because we spent the entire time—"

"Oh, let's not go there right now," Nick said.

"Yes, please. It's bad enough hearing you two through the walls. I don't need a reminder,
Cody called from the kitchen.

Nick turned to face him, giving him a look of pure poison. He gestured towards Cody's room with a wave of his paw. Cody threw his arms in the air and walked away. When he was out of sight, Nick turned his attention back to Becky.

"How about this for a deal. I finish the chapters in the next two days. Then you come by Friday and stay the weekend as a reward for all my hard work."

Becky sighed. "You are such a child, Nick." He could tell she was smiling on the other end. "Alright, if it means you actually finish, I guess I can spend the weekend with you. But I'm telling you this now, it will not be all fun and games. I have work to do, and so do you. Just because you finish these chapters does not mean you are off the hook. You still have an entire book to finish. The rate you're going everyone is going to forget about the first "White Fox" book in exchange for the next bestseller animal adventure series."

"Don't worry when I'm done with this book, it'll be so great that no one will remember Pridelands," Nick lied. Pridelands was and still is one of his favorite series. He glanced at the bookcase beside the next. All seven books sat neatly in a row, all first editions. A few signed by Miss Auburn herself. His mind drifted to years back when he was waiting in line, and a strange purple cat erupted out the crowd. He watched as security had to drag her out of the store.

"Alright then. You have two days. If I do not have those chapters by Thursday evening, then no deal. You can spend this weekend curled up on the couch with Cody," she threatened. Nick clenched his teeth. The one time she came over unannounced and caught them both passed out on the couch. She never let him forget it and never missed a moment to show the picture she took on her phone. He swore that she had it framed on her desk, but she denied it with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Before you hang up," Nick said. He paused not sure how to ask what was on his mind. "Are you happy? I mean with us?"

"Of course, I am," she said with no hesitation. "I mean it's not ideal. I wish you would just come live with me sometimes. I understand why you stay there in the cabin. I just…"

"I know. I wish too," Nick told her. He hung up before she could say anything else. He placed the phone back on the desk and stared at his paws. The image of the monster standing over Becky still replayed over and over again. Was that what he was? A monster was keeping her prisoner. Was he keeping her from moving on with her life and meeting someone else? For what? Because he was afraid of being alone? His only friend a cougar who only stayed because of free food and shelter. What did that leave him?

He banged his fist on the keyboard in frustration. He couldn't worry about that now. He had a story to write and no idea what he was doing. He needed to get started.

Cody walked back into the den holding an empty box of candy to find Nick with his head on the desk and his fist repeatedly banging against the keyboard. In the past few hours, Nick successfully wrote a page and a half, and most of it was nothing but information about the town the characters were arriving at. Not precisely the fast-paced action that flowed through the first novel.

"I take it is not going well." Cody smiled at Nick was given an angry scowl in response.

"What does it look like?"

"It looks like you are fighting your computer and losing," Cody told him. He tossed the box in the trash and walked over to the desk.

"You're not wrong. I'm definitely losing." Nick set up. "I'm losing my girlfriend. I'm on the verge of losing my writing career before it even starts. I think I'm losing my mind." Nick told Cody about the dream but left out the part about the girl in the white space. The last thing he wanted was that information getting back to Becky.

"You're under a lot of pressure. You need to relax. Come over and watch TV with me. It'll take your mind off thing. Maybe you'll be inspired."

"I mean look at this," Nick told him. "This is the best I've got after working on it all day." He gestured at the text on the screen.

Cody withdrew by saying, "You know writing is your thing. I can't help you."

Nick shot him a skeptical look. "Have you even read my first book?"

"I read part of it," Cody said slowly. He gave a weak smile. Nick was not impressed.

"I'm not surprised. I'm more surprised that you can read at all."

"Hey, mean," Cody snapped. "Just because you're frustrated doesn't mean you get to insult my intelligence."

"Sorry," Nick said without clearly meaning it. Cody took it anyway.

"Come over here and watch TV," Cody told him. He sat on the couch and wrapped his tail around his leg. He reached out and picked up the remote off the table. "I recorded this show that I've been wanting to watch. I think it's one of those funniest pet shows. It sounded promising."

Nick took one last look at the computer. The words were not coming to him. Giving up, Nick walked to the couch and set beside Cody. If Becky did leave him, at least he would have him as long as there was television. He watched as Cody flipped through the DVR until he came to a show called "Pets!"

"Pets! That is what the show is called?" Nick asked.

"Apparently."

"I'm getting something to drink," Nick said and stood up while Cody fast forwarded through the commercials. He wandered to the fridge and opened it up. True to his word, Cody refilled it will enough meat and treats to satisfy them both for the next week at most. He scanned the contents and realized that although Cody got more milk, there was little else to drink.

"Did you remember to get more water?" Nick asked even though he knew the answer already.

"Um, no" Cody called. "I'll never understand you humans and your need to drink water that comes from a bottle. I've drunk from rivers, springs, and puddles my whole life and I'm perfectly fine."

Nick bit his tongue to stop himself from replying with a snarky comment. With no other option, he pulled a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water from the kitchen faucet. One of these days he needed to get a filter or something. That's what he kept telling himself.

The show had begun as Nick made his way back to the couch. The TV was showing a montage of different pets, and people who Nick assumed were owners. "Hey there, welcome to the show. I'm Lisa Smith, and this is Rowan Gains. Today we are interview three extraordinary guests."

Nick did a spit take and tried to cough up the water that was trapped in his throat. All while not taking his eyes off the TV. Cody, seeing Nick's distress, paused the show and rushed to him. He rubbed Nick's back trying to massage the water down his esophagus.

When Nick could finally speak again, he asked, "Who is that?" and pointed at the TV.

"I think that's one of the hosts or at least that's what she said," Cody said. "Are you alright?"

Nick raised a shaky finger and pointed at the frozen image of Lisa. "Tha…that's her," he said. "That's the girl from my dream. The one I keep seeing. The one that was calling for help." He could see her clearly in his mind screaming. "Rowan! Kitsune! Help me!"

"I have to find her," Nick muttered and ran over to his computer.

"What?!" Cody exclaimed. "Dude, you have a girlfriend. What would Becky say if she heard you?
"It doesn't matter. I'm not in love with this girl. I just know that she needs help and I'm the only one who can do it." He opened the browser and typed in "Pets!" in the search engine.

"Nick, you know I don't like being the voice of reason, but this is ridiculous. I know you've been having strange dreams lately. For some reason, you insist on telling me about them. You've been under a lot of pressure to write your book. This girl is nothing but a TV character."

"How do you explain how I've never seen her before now, yet I've been dreaming about her for weeks?" He found a page on the show and click it. He needed a location. Where was it?

"I don't know. Maybe you saw her on the street or in a magazine. That's how I found out about the show. It was in a copy of Pet Fancy."

Nick turned around with a concerned look. "When were you reading Pet Fancy?
Cody's ears blushed. "I may have read it in the store while waiting in line to buy your groceries."

"My groceries that you eat too," Nick said. He turned back around. He could not get into another argument about who ate what around here. The website Nick was on had a list of characters and names, but none of them mattered. He knew that her name was Lisa. The idea of googling her crossed his mind, but he immediately rejected it. Finally, he scrolled down and found what he was looking for. "It says here that the show was filmed almost entirely in a place called Babylon Gardens."

"I've never heard of it. Is it like a town?" Cody asked leaning over to get a look at the screen.

"It doesn't say much. But according to this Babylon Gardens is a neighborhood?" Nick opened a new window and searched "Babylon Gardens." A new page came up, and Nick read it aloud, "Babylon Gardens is a subdivision built in 1987 by the Milton Development Company. The former owner, Henry Milton, built his mansion known as the Milton Manor in 1955. It is the home of the Milton Ferrets; whose net worth is equal to the GNP of three small countries or one medium size country."

Nick thought about for a moment before realization hit him on the head like a sledgehammer. "Milton is the owner of the publishing company that does my books!"

"What a coincidence," Cody said losing interest. "Can I go back to my show?"

Nick ignored him in favor of a new strategy. He searched for the Milton Manor and got an address. Quickly opening Google Maps, he typed in the address and searched for directions. "According to this. It would take roughly five hours to get there from here."

Cody laid back down on the couch and unpaused the TV. "You aren't serious about going there, are you? How are you supposed to get there anyway? You can't drive anymore unless you stopped by the DMV without telling me. If you did, I would be agitated that I have to walk myself to town every day."

"You're right," Nick said glumly. "I can't drive five hours there. I can't get a cab or take a bus either." He silently cursed his wolf body. Another thing to add to the list of why the universe sucked. "I have to ask Becky to take me."

That got Cody's attention because he paused the show again and faced him. He placed both paws on the back of the couch and hoisted himself up. "You can't be serious. Nick be reasonable. What are you going to tell her? You've been dreaming about a girl from TV? She's barely over anymore. Tell her that, and she will dump your tail."

Cody was picking up on it too, Nick made a mental note and filed it away for later. "I have no choice. I don't have a car or legal license. I can't even step outside the cabin without risking getting shot. I can't call my parents and have them come all the way from Chicago to take me. So, unless you know a magical Pegasus that lives in the woods which will be willing to take me, then I'm out of options."

"I'm just saying. Becky is a catch. You don't want to lose her over this."

Nick knew Cody was right. He knew he was acting crazy. Lack of sleep and stress from his novel were driving him crazy. But there was a part of him, some primal part that he did not understand that knew that Lisa needed him. The fear and distress on her face were real and no dream. The way she called for Rowan to help her. Maybe if he could find Rowan Gains, then he could save her. Nick glanced at the phone. He reached out for it feeling Cody's stare watching his every move like a predator stalking his prey. He unlocked it and called Becky again.

Two Days Later

"Tell me again why I'm doing this?" Becky asked from the driver's seat.

They were both currently sitting in her car driving down I-55 in what Nick could only describe as the longest and most awkward road trip he had ever been on. He had no idea how he managed to convince her to take this little getaway. He successfully finished the chapters in record time. By that point Becky was so thrilled she would have most likely said yes to just about anything. He got reservations at a Milton Inn located not far from Babylon Gardens. It was one of the few hotel chains that allowed pets for free. He still had not told Becky the entirety of his plans. Mostly because he was not sure of them himself.

"I thought it would be good for us to get away for a little while. The cabin has been feeling a little crowded with Cody listening in on us."

"Don't remind me," she said as her body shook at the unclean thought. "But this is an odd choice. We could have gotten a spot by Lake Michigan. Or have gone literally anywhere else. What's the name of the town we're going to again?"

"I don't remember," Nick told her as he stared out the window.

He got several odd looks from the passengers in the other cars they passed. Fortunately, no one called the police on them yet. Tricking passing cars was one thing. The real challenge would arise when they arrived at the hotel. Nick checked the clock on the dashboard. 4:09 p.m. Their room should be ready by now. He got double beds just in case Becky would not be in the mood to cuddle once she found out why he chose a town in the middle of nowhere to spend their weekend alone together.

Convincing her to take him to see the Milton's would be another hurdle he would have to cross. He researched the show and found out that the producer was Rock Milton, one of the ferrets he read about. He currently lived in the Milton Manor with the rest of them. The only edge Nick had was that he was the author of the Milton's publishing company's only bestseller. He hoped that would be enough to get a foot in the door.

Becky pulled off the interstate and drove down a string of backroads and small highways until they reached their destination. She parked the car in front of the hotel and turned to Nick. This was the part they had both been dreading. Showtime. Nick bent down and picked up a collar and leash from the floor. He wrapped it around his neck and handed the leash to Becky who gave him an encouraging look. They stepped out and so far there was no screaming. They gathered their bags and went in.

Becky walked to the desk with Nick keeping a reasonable distance behind her. The front desk lady, Brittany, gave them both skeptical looks. "Hey there," Becky said. "I'm checking in. The reservation should be under Strauss."

Brittany had to tear her eyes away from Nick to check the computer. Nick was not surprised. He kept most of his height after his transformation, so he was roughly 5'4'' by his last measurement. Shorter than he was as a human but taller than your average wolf. He wore a jacket but no pants because he was acting the part of a dog. A wolfish dog but a dog none the less. The collar had a tag with his name on it, but it might not be enough to convince anyone who really got a good look at him. He turned away from Brittany's gaze and looked as innocent as possible. He was just a pet with his owner for a stay for the weekend.

"Rebecca Strauss?" Brittany asked reading the name off the computer.

"That's me," Becky said with an over-enthusiastic tone in her voice.

"You are here for two nights with your…dog." It wasn't a question but the way she said it made it sound like one.

"That is correct. This is my dog, Nick." Becky raised the leash to illustrate further the parts they were playing.

Brittany glanced at Nick again who gave a small wave. He tried to be inconspicuous. The less attention he received, the better the odds they had for this to work.

"He sure is a big one," Brittany said as she prepared the key card.

"He sure is," Becky responded. "Can we get two cards."

Brittany looked unsure like Becky asked for her first born instead of a second key. Begrudgingly, she did two cards and put them in the envelope before writing down their room number.

"You are in Room 213. We serve breakfast until 10:00 a.m. Pets are allowed in the dining area, but they have to be leashed at all times."

"Thanks," Becky said and took the keys. "Come on Nick. Grab the bags and let's move."

Nick did what he was told. He picked up the bags and followed Becky to the elevator down the hall. He could feel Brittany's gaze the entire time until they turned the corner. He let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, people had a tendency to believe what they wanted to believe other than what their eyes told them. No one would suspect a guest to bring in a wolf into a hotel so of course, he had to be an oversized dog. Maybe some wolf blood in there somewhere but a dog none the less.

They reached their rooms without indecent. No one was wandering down the halls as they found their room. Becky unlocked the door and strolled through with Nick on her heels. He dropped the bags at each of their respective beds. Becky flopped down on one and turned her head towards him. She patted the area beside her in a gesture of "Come here."

Nick smiled a wolfish grin. The Milton's, Lisa, Rowan, and all that could wait. For the first time in years, he was alone with his fiancé in a hotel room. He took off his jacket and walked to her. He started to take the collar off, but Becky grabbed his arm. She shook her head. "Keep it on," she told him. Once again Nick did as he was told.

The Next Day

Nick woke up early. He rolled over and cracked open an eye. Becky was asleep in the other bed. After last night's fun, she decided that she would sleep better with him in the additional bed. Something about needing space. Nick partly agreed with her. He rose as quietly as possible and got dressed. He opened the door but looked back at Becky one last time. He felt like he was betraying her trust but leaving her like this. He felt dirty and not because he was too tired to shower the night before. He pushed the thought out of his head. There was something he needed to do, and Becky would only try to stop him if she knew. He exited the room and closed the door behind him.

One of the reasons he chose that hotel was because it allowed pets but mostly because it was in walking distance from Babylon Gardens. He strolled down the street with his leash in hand. No one was around this early in the morning. Sleeping in on a Saturday he assumed. He pulled out his phone and checked the GPS app. He had to turn on the next road. Following the instructions on the screen, he found himself standing in front of a large stone sign with the words "Babylon Gardens" etched on it.

Houses of different shapes, colors, and sizes lined the roads as Nick made his way down the sidewalk. He saw more than one dog and cat running around, playing in the morning sun. He remembered that he was an overly pet-friendly neighborhood. One dog paused to stare at him. Nick gave a small nod and wave. The dog tilted his head before waving back before returning to his game. Nick watched him go. He always wanted a pet growing up. But his parents never allowed it. They gave the usual excuses about money and responsibility. Nick always figured it was because they disliked animals. Jokes on them now since he was an animal now too.

A purple cat caught his eye. Nick stopped walking and turned to the cat who was walking beside another cat, this one black with a bell on his collar, on the other side of the road. They were deep in conversation. Nick's ears picked up on their conversation. Usually, Nick would not eavesdrop on other people's conversations especially pets, but that cat looked very familiar. It couldn't be. Could it?

"I just don't understand why we have to go," the black cat whined.

"I know Maxie, but this is important. Kitsune says he has an idea or something and needs our help."

The black cat, Maxie, sighed and crossed his arms. "Does it have to be so early? I had the "Bino gets kicked out of the house" dream again."

"You have that dream at least once a week," the purple cat reminded him. "This is about finding Rowan and maybe Lisa."

That got Nick's attention. Rowan, Lisa, and Kitsune. It was like the winning the name dropping lottery. He could feel his fur stand up in anticipation. Could it be this easy? He was about to find out. Nick crossed the street and followed the two cats to a fairly unremarkable house. They walked up the front door and knocked. Keeping his distance, Nick watched what happened next. The door opened and a small yellow dog, a Pomeranian maybe, gestured them inside.

Once they disappeared and Nick was sure he was alone, he moved to the door. It was a solid wooden door, but like most middle-income houses it was thin and flimsy. Made with more Styrofoam than anything else most likely. He pressed his ear to the door and listened. If anyone walked pass at the moment, he was good as captured.

"This is everyone. I've spoken with everyone I can think of in heaven, but no one has any ideas about where Lisa or Rowan is. All I know is that it is important for all our sakes that we find them as soon as possible." The voice was male. Nick could feel his fur stand up listening to it. It was laced with power that he did not understand. An instinctual part of him wanted him to run away as fast as possible screaming DANGER DANGER.

"You said you had a plan of sorts," another voice asked, this one female.

"I have sort of a plan. But for this to work, I'm going to need help." His voice tinged with bitterness.

Nick took this as an invitation. With a savage twist, he turned the knob and threw the door wide open. He stepped inside the house and was met with the confused stares of several different animals. Quickly Nick registered each one. There were three cats include the two he followed along with another black cat. Two dogs, the Pomeranian, and a brown dog who looked way more excited than he should be considering Nick just barged in. Two weasels set side by side in a large Laz-I-Boy recliner. One looked confused while the other looked like he was ready to call the SWAT team. The final character the oddest of the bunch. At first, Nick was not sure what he was seeing. It was a blonde fox with nine tails waving around his back. His mouth was open like Nick interrupted him mid-sentence.

"My name is Nick Powell," Nick said even though no one said anything or asked. "I think I can help you find your friend."

Lisa walked continuously without a thought or a destination in sight. The whiteness was blinding even without what she could consider light. Whatever laws of physics this place worked on it was completely different from her own world. Despite the seamlessly endless time she had spent there, she did not feel tired, hungry, or even the urge to go to the bathroom. The more she thought about it, she knew she was dead. That is why she stopped thinking at all.

Mindlessly she moved. Her feet were there beneath her, she assumed. Should she look down and check? Did it matter? Was she even moving at all? With nothing around to help judge distance, she could not tell. Standing still did nothing. Moving did nothing.

"Rowan." Her breath was less than a whisper. She repeated that name. She could see him in her mind. Or at least what she felt like he looked like. His image was fading. Fear gripped her heart. Would she forget him if she stopped saying his name? Where was he? Why wasn't he here? He was always by her side. Lisa closed her eyes and stopped walking.

What was his name again?

The tightening in her body grew stronger. She looked down at her chest. There was nothing there besides her clothes. Time meant nothing, so they looked as fresh and clean as when she first put them on. When was that again? Images of animals popped into her mind, but before she could get a good look at them, they vanished as if someone popped the bubble. They looked funny or at least what she could see of them. It was like looking through a foggy window. She could see outlines and colors but no details. Were they standing upright? That wasn't right. Animals did not walk around on two legs. She pressed her hands over her face trying to clear her mind.

What was his name again?

The images appeared faster and faster, but as they appeared, they were immediately replaced. There was one image that didn't disappear. It was him. No not him. Someone else. This image was stranger than all the others. It was an animal, but it had nine tails. A fox? Kitsune.

She lowered her hands from her face. Kitsune. The name triggered something. In the distance, she could almost see him standing there. Golden fur blowing without wind. He raised a paw for her to take. Lisa reached out to take it but as soon as she lifted her arm the image was gone. It was replaced by someone else.

It was him.

The one she could not remember. He stood there a great distance away but at the same time close enough to touch. She reached out to him. He was yelling something. His voice was silent, but his face was screaming her name. He wanted her to take his hand. The memory of pain. His pain. Her pain. She was so close. Her fingers were less than an inch from his. Before she could take it, he vanished. She was alone.

Rowan. That was his name. How many times had she forgotten it only to be reminded? She lost count.

Rowan and Kitsune. She needed them. Where were they?

After the fantasy was gone, Lisa moved forward. Her legs moved without her command. This was cycle she found herself in. Forgetting then remembering then forgetting again. She whispered their names until only Rowan's remained. Then his was forgotten.

Her head hurt, her body ached, and her heart hurt. It made no sense why she felt this way. Why was she suffering in a place where there was nothing that could hurt her? She forced her feet forward. Something appeared in the distance. Another fantasy? No this was different.

It was not a person but a door. She raced towards it believing it could be the answer to escaping this place. As she neared it, her memories cleared. She could see her friends clearly now. They were waiting for her back in Babylon Gardens. The door was right before her. The handle glistened in a golden hue. It was so familiar. The door was one she had opened so many times before until finally, she could never bring herself to open it again. After that it stayed closed, its contents lost and forgotten.

Lisa turned the handle and walked through. She found herself in a study. Bookcases lined the left wall. Books on literature, history, and psychology. The opposite walled had a collection of pictures hanging on it with a table resting under them. Her own childhood memories were staring back at her frozen in time. In front of her was a large desk. Carvings covered the edges as it sparkled like it was freshly polished. On it was a computer, papers, phone, and a book open to the first page.

Lisa's eyes were drawn to the figure standing with his back turned to her. He looked out the window behind the desk even though there was nothing to see but whiteness. He turned around and looked at her. Lisa felt her chest ache with longing as tears formed in her eyes. He looked the same as in her dreams.

He smiled. "Lisa."

"Daddy?"