The Littlest Pet Shop door tinkled and Blythe strolled in with her sketch book under her arm. Mrs. T. was peering under the collar display trying to coax out the little white cat.
"What're you doing Mrs. T.?" Asked Blythe, confused. "Did a collar fall down the back? Here, let me." she said, bending down by her side and coming face to face with the cutest kitten that she had ever seen. Mrs. T. had pottered off to sort out the stock behind the till, so Blythe lowered her voice and whispered to the bundle of snowy white fur. "Hello little one, what's your name? Are you going to come out to meet the rest of the daycare pets?" she asked.
"P...p...people can't talk" mumbled the shocked kitten. "People can't talk" the poor kitten didn't know what to do.
"It's ok, really. I don't know why it happened, but a few weeks back I had an accident and hit my head, and ever since I have been able to understand animals. I get on so well with the daycare pets that I got given a job here. Please come out and meet the others? They are a lovely bunch, if a bit over-enthusiastic, so I am sure that they would love to meet you." Blythe put her hand by the cats head to check what was written on her collar. "Blossom?"
Blossom shivered. "It's Jimmy. Well. It was. My owner wanted a girl. When she picked me out of the litter, she thought I was a girl and wouldn't listen to what my previous owners said. So she got me "done" and has dressed me up and treated me like a girl ever since. You should see what she dresses me up in."
"Dresses you up? Oooooo!" said Blythe, with a sparkle in her eyes.
"No. No way" said the cat. "Not you as well?"
Blythe picked Jimmy up and placed him into the daycare area which was strangely empty. "Guys, where are you? Jimmy is here now- come and make him feel welcome! Zoe, are you going to do your song?" The room filled with an unpleasant smell, and that was the only reply that she got. "Ok, I'll leave you guys to it- I have stuff to do!" she said and disappeared out of the door. "Got some designing to do Mrs. T.- taking my lunch break now if that's ok!"
"Oh... but you've only just got here..." Bur Mrs. T. was too late.
Jimmy stood in the middle of the room, looking around at the pet play equipment. Judging by the tyre swing there was a monkey, but other than that the rest was a mystery, as the "lovely bunch" were nowhere to be seen. Jimmy sighed- he had always felt like an outcast, and it looked like things were not going to change now that he was here. He curled up behind a giant hamburger cushion and sulked, wishing that he could go to a place where he was accepted for once.
"Um... hi" he heard a voice say, and he looked up, right into the huge purple eyes of a panda. "I'm Penny Ling, what's your name?"
"M...my name's Jimmy... are you the only pet here?" said Jimmy, looking around- he swore the room started to smell strange again, and it seemed to be coming from the top of the slide...
"No, there are a few more pets, but they are somewhere else. Want to watch me do rhythmic ribbon dancing? It always cheers me up when I feel down, and you look like you could do with cheering up" said Penny, whirling and twirling her ribbons around.
"That's pretty" said Jimmy after a while. "I wish I could do something like that, but when I am sad I just sulk. I can't help it."
"Sometimes Sunil gets sad, but he does magic to cheer him up. He isn't really very good at it though..." said Penny.
"Hey, I...mffh"
"Did that noise come from the slide? What was that? Who was that?" asked Jimmy.
"I think it's time for you to meet the others..." said Penny.