A/N I finally decided to write a story on Thrax's childhood. I'll also continue through "Almira's Story", showing his POV on meeting Almira. I don't own Thrax; he belongs to Warner Bros. I DO own his surname, his family, and other characters you don't recognize from Osmosis Jones.

thebigcrunchone9: Thanks :)

LaMuerteRoja: You're right; she wasn't XD

Chapter 16

With Preemer's permission, and with him under the impression that Thrax wanted to give Baby Girl some exercise, the Red Death virus began taking her on walks to town. At first, he tried to tie a piece of rope around her neck as a leash. She pulled away and growled harshly, gnawing at it with her teeth until it was chewed into two pieces. After realizing she would follow him as though she had an invisible leash, Thrax decided to leave it that way. And from what Preemer told him about tying her to a pole and teasing her, she didn't seem to like being confined by a leash. But what about a collar?

He decided to test that. A few days after being able to pet her, Thrax took Baby Girl to town. Everyone they crossed were either scared or terrified of the hyena trotting at the virus's heels. Her appearance included several scars; some included ones on her face, legs, one on each ear, and three on her back. There were scars on her neck and left leg from the dog that almost killed her.

But she didn't hurt anyone; she barely looked at the strangers she passed. All she was concentrated on was keeping up with Thrax as he walked down the streets.

When they stopped at a store, Thrax told her to sit and wait by the door. Without a collar or leash, Baby Girl wasn't allowed in stores. She didn't seem to care; she just sat by the door and waited patiently for Thrax to get done inside. Sometimes she would look inside if there was a window by the door. Cells would get scared of the hyena outside, but she never paid any attention to them.

Thrax wasn't really buying anything; he was just browsing, making like he was a harmless germ. As he looked, he heard two female cells whispering nearby. He could have sworn he heard something about a "red guy with a black coat." Suspicious, Thrax looked in their direction. They were two ordinary red blood cells. When they saw him looking, they giggled as though they were in high school, and a boy they liked had looked their way.

Thrax chuckled softly through his nose, smirking. Typical, some girls thought he was good-looking. Not that he minded; it was actually very flattering.

The girls came up to him. "Hey," One greeted, fluttering her eyelashes. "You come around here often?"

"I'm just browsin', baby." He said, watching her blush and giggle. "Name's Thrax, by the way." After a few seconds, he noticed one girl was leaning on his shoulder with her hand on his broad chest, and the other had her hand on his other one. He only smirked in response.

Finally, he nudged the girls away. "Well, it's been nice knowin' you two, but I'm afraid I have to leave." However, as he stepped out, the girls followed him. Baby Girl trotted up to meet him.

"Oh, is she yours?" One girl asked curiously, eyeing the hyena's claws and scars.

"Not exactly; I'm just lookin' out for her while she fully recovers." Thrax answered, casually swinging his chain around his wrists.

"What happened to her?" The other girl asked, obviously referring to her scars.

"Dog fight." Thrax simply said.

"She's beautiful." The first girl reached out to pet her. Baby Girl snapped at her hand, making the female cell shrink back against Thrax with a frightened squeal.

"Careful, she don't like anyone but me," Thrax cautioned with a small grin. "An' she's got a nasty bite." As he glanced at his right hand, which had healed with no scarring by now, he heard Baby Girl laugh, and then stop sharply. When he thought about it, it was the first time Thrax heard her famous hyena laugh. It sounded feminine and high; not like she inhaled helium, but a "normal" high-pitched voice.

The girls didn't seem to notice Baby Girl's first laugh. "Do you really have to go, Thrax?" One asked with a pouty face.

"'Fraid so, baby," He said, brushing their hands off of his shoulders. "See ya, girls."

"Bye!" They waved simultaneously as they walked down the street, chattering amongst themselves.

Thrax nearly laughed when he saw Baby Girl glaring after them, pinning her large, red and light-orange ears back. "Jealous, Baby Girl?" He asked, rubbing her head.

She shook her head quickly, looking flustered. He decided to change the subject as they began walking down the sidewalk, "Y'know, it occurred to me that you need a proper name." The names she had at the moment were "Flaming Death," which both of them didn't like, and "Baby Girl," which seemed more of a nickname. "…How about 'Ember?'" He asked.

Baby Girl shook her head, "Mm-mmm."

"'Coal?'"

She shook her head harder at this. "Yeah, you need a real name." Thrax stroked his chin in thought. Somehow, Amelia's name popped up. He pushed that thought away, not really keen on naming a hyena after his sister. But thinking of that name did bring out another. "I heard a pretty name once: Almira. But I cant remember if it was spelled A-L-M-I-R-A, or E-L-M-Y-R-A." Probably the former, what with it sounding like "Ah-," rather than "Eh-".

He didn't notice the hyena perking her ears up. He did notice her when she nudged his hand with her nose and yipped. "You like that?" He asked. "'Almira'?"

She nodded and wagged her tail. Y'know, it actually fits her. "All right then; Almira, it is." He laughed as she bounced around, grinning and wagging her tail happily

Later they went to the pet store. While Almira waited outside Thrax looked among the dog collars. A voice inside his head kept telling himself that this was stupid, but he didn't pay any attention to that voice. Preemer shouldn't care whether Almira gets a collar or not. If he complained, Thrax would just take it off and be done with that.

Of all the collars the pet store had for sale—including plain collars, collars with fake gems, and collars with spikes—one caught his eye: a plain dark purple collar. Somehow, that would look perfect on the hyena. Thrax chose that collar and walked to the license tag maker machine. His claws did the thinking, tapping at the keys and the "finish and print" button. A round, silver license tag with a small hole popped out. When he looked at it, on one side, it had her name indented into the tag. On the other side, it read,

Hyena
Owner: La Muerte Roja
AKA, the Red Death
Thrax Muerja

Thrax blinked in surprise. He didn't notice he wrote that. It was a lie in itself; Almira didn't belong to him, she was owned by Preemer. But he didn't feel like making another tag; he had a feeling it would come out the same.

Do I really think that, or do I really want to own Almira? For the past several days, she really felt like his pet. She hated Preemer, and tried to bite him. Around Thrax, though, she was like a pet; she never tried to bite him—not after the first time, at least—and she liked being petted.

Thrax sighed softly as he attached the tag to the collar. Maybe if he attached the tag so her name was facing the outside, Preemer wouldn't notice. Besides, if he did notice, Thrax could just say it was so she could be returned to him, since there wouldn't be a chance she'd run off again. Preemer wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, so it could work.

After paying for the collar, Thrax exited the store, finding Almira sitting beside the window, as usual. "Got somethin' for you." He said, taking the collar out of the paper bag and showing it to her. She seemed to like it; she was smiling and slowly wagging her tail. "Stand up straight, an' hold still."

When she did so, Thrax crouched on one knee and attached the collar around her neck, making sure it wasn't too tight or too loose; he also made sure the tag was in a position so her name was showing. "There you go." He stood up straight. "I don't know if Preemer'll let you keep it, but at least if you get lost an' someone finds you, they'll know who you are, an' who to call to come get you."

Almira looked down at her reflection in a nearby puddle on the sidewalk, her smile broadening. Thrax had been right; the purple against her orange, red and yellow form looked very good. It looked as though she was meant to wear that collar.

Suddenly, she jumped up against Thrax's chest and licked his cheek. He managed to not stumble to the ground. "Hey, knock it off!" He protested, pushing her down. "Hey, off!" He wiped the slobber off of his cheek and crouched down in front of her again so their eyes met at the same level. "It's good that yer tame an' all, but don't go completely soft." He said sternly, holding her chin in his hand. "If yer too soft, people an' dogs'll walk all over you. Ya still gotta be tough an' alert; on your toes. Can you do that?"

When Almira nodded, he let her chin go with a smile. "Good girl." He patted her head and stood back up. "Let's get you home."

A/N This was why Thrax, as a child, wanted a pet dog (in my story, at least) he remembers wanting one when he was a kid, so that's why he's so eager to help, name, and give Almira a collar. Another factor is they both went through abuse.

I've altered Almira's appearance a tad so she looks more like she was once a fighting dog (hyena). She just has some scars on her, including quite a few on her face. I'll try and post a pic of her on DeviantART in her new form.