HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Russiarules1 »

Well, that was heartwarming! Whoo! I would write more, but it would be spoilers for other people that haven't read the story.
Valerio, you don't know how to let down people. Horosho Rabotaet! (Good Work!).
Have a nice day!


Also, I did not understand an expression. What do you mean with "Can you give me a Disney?"?
Doing dumb things is what makes us normal humans.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

Well, Kurowolfe got it right when he spoke about the 'Brother Bear' reference, if you saw the movie and the transformation scene...
In the comic, Petes magic worked with a puff of smoke. I wanted something cuter, given the occasion ;)
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Russiarules1 »

OOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhh...
Doing dumb things is what makes us normal humans.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

2.
McCartney House, Babylon Gardens. Morning.

The Alaskan Malamute known as Lucky couldn’t say he really knew his housemate Fox... Namely, it was only recently that he had come to live at his house, and the thing he knew about silver-furredHusky was that he really loved reading, that he was smart, and above all a laid back dog. Yes, this was a certainty for Lucky, Fox was a quiet dog. Neat, meticulous, his squeaky-neat room was always awarded by a committee of the Good ol’Dog Club.
Lucky wasn’t sure he had come back to the right place.
This couldn’t be Fox’s room. His housemate would never allow his sacred books to lay scattered on the floor. He would never throw down his desk and chair. Fox wouldn’t gut his mattress. He wouldn’t litter the pavement with cans of orange soda.
Fox’s room was the reign of chaos, and Lucky had half an idea that the real culprit was that little dog, the Corgi, sprawled on his back, all over Fox's belly, who was lying on his back. Both were snoring blissfully, they were shaggy like after a prolonged struggle. A feather from Fox’s mattress was stuck over King’s nose. With each breath the feather rose and fell.
Lucky bent to pick up two empty cans, then began to repeatedly slam them against each other. "Come on, sweethearts! Wake up, you must tidy up your lovenest!”
The two dogs barely lifted their eyelids, too tired to cover their ears. "Ugh, shut up ye tyrant," said King. "All this racket for some clean, wholesome...fun?" At that point he saw part of the mess. And he woke up completely. "Oh." He was awake, and scared -should Daddy Bill see that mess, and he blamed King, guess who would be expelled for life from that house?
Despite his fears, the hangover headache had not abandoned, and the corgi tiredly crawled off Fox’s belly. He stood and scratched his side, and then yawned loudly. Meanwhile, Fox was sitting up, before stretching. His vertebrae popped like fireworks. And as soon as he saw what his room had been transformed into, he said, "Oh."
Lucky was exasperated. "Is that all? 'Oh'?! I mean, look at that! How did you do it? Luckily I came back before Dad, or fur would fly, here!”
Fox, still sitting on the floor, showed a thoughtful expression, his eyes raised to the ceiling, scratching his chin. "Hmm, so yesterday... King came back. Right? "
"Right," said the Corgi.
"Then we celebrated. And I took a pack, or they were two ... "
"Two."
"... Of orange soda." Whispering, Fox counted the cans pointing with his finger. "One two three four five eight twelve yush. Two packages * hips *. And we drank them, right? "
King nodded. "Right, dude." And hi-fived with his best friend.
"Then what happened?"
"You bit my ear."
Fox seemed to remember. "Right! I had never done tug-o-war with your ear. Hehe. But after that you bit my tail. "
King spat out some gray fur. "Phew. I am a dog, dogs like chasing their own tail, but I don’t have one, so there. And yours was so inviting ... "
"The best of the neighborhood!" Fox wagged his own tail. "Then we began to tug-o-war with the mattress."
"And after that we chased each other around the room."
Lucky witnessed the duet the two were exchanging as if he were not there. With a theatrical sigh he covered his eyes with his paw. "You chased..? No, better you don’t tell me anything. Tell you what, instead: since this disaster is a bit my fault too for being absent in these days, you two spend some more time together while I clean up here. Okay? "
Fox stood up. "I guess so, but you're not obliged to-"
Lucky punched him jokingly on the shoulder. "I am. You were down in the dumps and I cared only for myself instead of helping you.” He didn’t add that he had done the same, back in the days, with Poor Princess Periwinkle. Seemed that old habits did die hard! “So now you and King have your deserved fun, while I work my tail off here." Then he winked. "Don’t worry, I spent years doing chores.”
---
Sandwich House

"GRAAAAPE!"
Grape Jelly Sandwich replied without even removing her face from the pillow. "Yes, Peanut, my sweet corpse?"
Occasionally, the lavender cat thought she could give up, after all. Peanut was like that, he’d stay like that even when his muzzle would turn gray. And after all, that way of asking about her made her feel protective, needed. Sure, she wasn’t eager to become deaf, but she loved him all the same. And she was happy to help Peanut Butter Sandwich to solve his problems.
This time, however, Peanut wasn’t distressed. Indeed, he grabbed the poor feline by her arm and pulled her up without sparing his force. "Get up get up get up sleepyhead! Great news! We're all waiting for you, below! "
"Gak! Peanut, calm down please!" The last time she had seen him so revved up, it was for the inauguration of Foster Mansion. A lifetime ago, when the idea of an open relationship with him was something that scared the wits out of her. "It’s not even 8 o'clock, what’s the fuss...hey!"
At that point, her husband was already dragging her to the door of their room. "It's really supermegaimporant, Jellybelly! C’mon!”

By some miracle, she had managed to free herself from Peanut’s grip. The dog was really more excited than his usual self, he sported a smile full of teeth and was wagging his tail as if he had an Evinrude motor moving it!
When they arrived in the living room, they found their parents waiting for them. Sitting on the couch, Jill and Earl Sandwich watched their daughter with a different light in their eyes... They were happy, a lot, but also nervous, as if—
The cat felt a terrible chill run down her spine.
She knew that expression! It had been enough to see it once, back when she was younger.
When she had not yet understood how things would go wrong!
She automatically grabbed Peanut’ paw. He was happy, he didn’t understand! Yet she had told him what had happened, she had told him in that winter morning…
And then how did the story end?
I have a home that’s safe and warm…I have parents who actually care about me…And most important, I have you.
She had to believe it, just had to believe it. It wasn’t...it wasn’t possible that this time ...
The thoughts flowed like a river of magma in her mind, burning, incinerating every attempt at coherence. Grape believed she had forgotten what real panic was, and yet there it was back in full force! Was she breathing? Or was she still asleep, and that was a terrible nightmare…
Grape didn’t realize that her parents were holding her, tenderly yet firmly. She noticed that Jill, her mother, was crying because she was finally hearing her broken voice, saying, "Oh, baby, forgive us." She spoke, and stroked the cat’s head, tried to console her, but the anguish was still making her voice tremble. "How could we be so stupid?"
That time, Grape lost her status of family member. Her parents lost interest in her and Lucky, more and more, until the two animals had become mere budget items.
To be cut.
It was going to happen again!
Grape was remotely aware of Earl’s hands that now surrounded her face. "Child, look at me now. Look at me! "He added with a more severe tone.
"Earl ..." Jill tried. Her husband shook his head vigorously.
"No, dear. Grape, you and Peanut are not…a substitute, okay? A baby is coming, and we know what happened with your old family, but we are not like them. And I know that you know, here." With a finger, he touched her chest, over her heart. That same heart Grape like bursting.
"Honey," continued Earl. "You and Peanut are and will always be the best thing that ever happened to us, understand? Our baby will never take your place. In fact, we are counting on you to watch over him.”
Those words had a dazzling effect on the cat. Grape managed to swallow the acid that was coming up from her stomach, then moved her eyes from her Dad, at Mom, and Peanut, who kept smiling with that big puppy grin. "What?"
Jill nodded. "He’ll be your brother. You’ll help us educating in the best tradition of the family. And if he’ll ever suggest 'either me or them', I'll ground him for a year.”
Grape nearly burst out laughing. Joke or not, at least one thing Grape could say: she knew when her parents were honest (except when Dad took them to the vet, he had the power to deceive every instinct when it came to the vet). "Promise?"
"Promise," Earl said, then sighed. "Well, I guess it didn’t go as hoped, but I hope that now you’ll bury the hatchet, alley cat."
"Earl!"
The man stood up and raised his hands, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "Forget it! Sheesh, a man can’t be free to speak in his own house!"
Grape lowered her ears. “I’m sorry for spoiling your moment, mom. I was so egoist…”
Jill shook her head and rubbed Grape’s shoulder. “We were, for forgetting how much you suffered. I know you love us, and I know you’ll love your brother, or sister as it may be.”
"When will he be born?" Grape asked, stretching out a paw to touch the woman’s belly. A small gesture, to which Jill replied, gently stroking the cat's throat to make her purr. And it worked.
"About Christmas time, give or take some days. Remarkbale, huh? And Uncle Martin has already given the availability of his veterinary clinic for the delivery. He said that he wants, in his words 'that the baby is born in the right environment.’ And I don’t mean to contradict him, although his medical staff will be having cows.”
"So I think it's our turn to give you two good news now!" Peanut barked, and again his tail went Evinrude mode.
Grape frowned. "Peanut, I think we had enough excitement for one day and the day has just begun by the way..." But she knew how much he wanted to tell the news. Indeed, what better time, right?
Grape sighed, forgetting for a moment that Peanut had spoken of 'two' good news ...
Earl, who was returning with a tray, a pitcher with cold milk and four glasses already filled, put it all on the table. "Oh? And what is this great news, dear? "
Grape waited for Earl and Jill to sit on the couch, before taking Peanut by his paws again, for his support while she searched for the right words to break this out.
And perhaps this isn’t a good idea at all, the fearful part of her brain was screaming, nossir! Honey, your parents have just announced the return of Butterball, remember? Wake up, this is your survival instinct speaking!
Shut up you!
She said mentally. These are not those bad parents, these didn’t forsake me! Mom and Dad love me, and Peanut will always be with me, and so Uncle Martin, so shut up!
It's your funeral, baby.

And no one was talking now. They waited for her to be brave and speak her mind.
And Grape did that. She almost didn’t recognize her own firm voice, the first true manifestation of the adult cat, determined, self-conscious, conscious of her choice. "Mom, Dad, Peanut and I want our own litter. Peanut has accepted that I will have it with a donor, like Mizar did. And I've already chosen who it will be. And I want your blessing. If that’s ok with you?" She added quickly in a squeaky voice. Frick!
The only consolation, if you could call it that, was that even Peanut had stopped breathing.
Time seemed to stand still while their parents looked at the cat with an astonished expression ...
Then eJill semed almost to fly as she went to embrace her daughter. "My kitty has grown! She’s a big cat and she’ll be a mom!" Then she covered her snout with kisses, while Grape wiggled and Peanut was chuckling slyly. "Mom, please-"
"I'm so proud of you! We are so proud of you!" She added at the not-so-discreet *harrumph* from her husband.
Earl went to embrace his boy with force, almost choking him. "Peanut dear, you’re so...amazing. I know how much you love Grape and I know how you must have talked together to arrive at this decision. I hope they’ll be many, many beautiful kittens. And you will be the best father in the world, and to heck with the species barrier. After all, you’re more cat than any I ever knew.”
Peanut felt over the moon, and Grape was in Nirvana. "Thanks, Mom, Dad, thank you very much!" She cried, exhausted by the released tension, as if the greatest weight in the world had been lifted off her shoulders.
"Heh," said Jill, after kissing her one last time. "We’re gonna be grandparents. And pray tell us, who is the lucky Romeo? Is it Maxwell? "
Grape blushed all over. "Um, I can keep it secret? For now? You will know after the trip with Miles. "
Earl nodded. "No problem. After all, I know you can do the right choice.”
"Now it's my turn!" Peanut said, hopping around. "My news to break to all of you!"
The Sandwiches shook their heads. "Another one? You want to kill us, right? "Earl said, jokingly.
Grape was curious, but she knew that nothing could break down what had been spoken about today in one go. She nodded her encouragement to her dog and husband.
She didn’t know how she was wrong.
"I will go to the Academy," said Peanut... And a leaden silence fell in the room.
The dog lowered his ears, his enthusiasm turned off suddenly. "Um, did I say something wrong ..?"
Last edited by valerio on Thu Sep 25, 2014 12:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by angelusbr »

This chapter was worth the wait!
I just hope Grape can discover Bino's plot before Peanut is hurt.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by kurowolfe »

Yay, finally an update!
Oh wow, so much happiness spreading around! I myself feel lighthearted now =D

I love the scene between King and Fox, they're adorable X3 Lucky sure has his paws full with them around, huh?

And I really love the news breaking scene between the Sandwiches' pairs. Two mums in the family =3
Well, until Peanut's final news, that is...

An update worth waiting for, valerio! Thanks for cheering me up even more =3
*lurks around, waiting for the next one XD*
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Big Fan »

I know who the donor is going to be! Felix! That would be the safest choice, anyway.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Russiarules1 »

Hangover'd Corgi - Check!
Grape getting called loudly by Peanut - Check!
Orange Soda - Check!!

Peanut going to the Academy?! Buahahahah! I hope he lasts >.> Also, that surprise was sure a... er, well... a surprise to everyone!
Goddangit! Mi inglish is ser no muy bueno... TRADUCE TO AN UNDERSTANDABLE ENGLISH: My English in this moment is lacking of words.
Doing dumb things is what makes us normal humans.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by EvanAierkan »

angelusbr wrote:This chapter was worth the wait!
I just hope Grape can discover Bino's plot before Peanut is hurt.
Hurt? Nah, I'm confident that Peanut will make a excellent police dog.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

3.
Sandwich House, Babylon Gardens

Earl looked at the stairs with a distressed expression. It was weird, in a sense, that it was him the worried one, while his wife kept her hand resting on his shoulder, shaking her head slowly. But after all, it was also why he had married her: she was a strong woman, always had been. And perhaps the only pregnant woman able to keep her cool.
Earl was the creative one, the artist of the mechanics, the dreamer. This attitude was reflected in their first housepet, Peanut Butter. In this, the dog had taken a lot from his father.
Grape Jelly, adopted not much later, was like her mother. Pragmatic, but misbehaving when needed, laid back but also sweet and romantic.
And Peanut had fallen in love with her. The real thing. In fact, she had spent way too much time before returning his love.
And the culmination of the two Sandwich couples’s lives had come an hour ago, with the announcement of Jill's pregnancy, followed by the announcement of Grape and Peanut’s will to have their own litter of kittens, albeit through a donor.
How to spoil such a moment?
Peanut had done it. In good faith, as always, since that dog had absolutely no malice in his heart, but he had succeeded.
And it was an hour that he was trying to get into his and Grape’s room, to try to make peace with his beloved cat.
Now the humans could only hope that she would respond. Earl was all too tempted to go upstairs and knock down the door if necessary, but Jill was right: this was something they had to fix by themselves

"GRAAAAPE! Please, stop! Don’t do that, why are you angry? "Peanut asked for the umpteenth time. "I don’t want to abandon you! I didn’t want to spoil your day, I thought you'd be happy for us! GRAAAAPE!"And again he beat his fists against the door.
Then, finally, the poor dog ran out of strength, and dropped to his knees, his fists still leaning against the door. It was so much that he didn’t feel so bad. He hated when Grape got angry with him, as if it was tearing a very piece off his soul. He would do anything to make her smile again... But this time, he knew, he wouldn’t have changed his mind and that made this situation even worse. He had to convince her, he couldn’t give up, it was too important!
Yet the first tears fell on the same floor all the same. "Grape ..." he almost whispered. "Grape, please let me talk to you. I love you. Don’t...don’t do this-" he fell forward, when the door was open."Whoops!"
From the floor, he found himself staring at a tired, puffy-eyed and sad Grape. He felt sick as if he had beaten her. "Grape, I ..." he tried, getting up on his knees.
Grape helped him up. "Okay, Nutty. Let’s talk, as you said." Then she went and closed the door. "And please forgive me, I promised not to be angry with you again, and yet I keep forgetting."
Peanut laid down in their common bed. Cuddling would help, he was sure -and in fact the lavender cat joined him shortly after.
Once she laid down next to him, Peanut hugged her tight, managing not to burst into an hysterical sobbing. "I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Jellybelly! I-I have to go there, do you understand? I’m doing it for you. Because I love you so much!" He wanted to curl up in her arms, but now he must show himself strong. And the more he talked, the more he was convinced, determined. Just like Grape had been when she announced her desire to be a mother to their kittens. "Grape, if I had been trained, strong, back then, I wouldn’t have ended up in a coma."
Grape startled. She knew they both wouldn’t recall those terrible moments, especially her seven days in which he had not shown signs of life, seven days in which she was wasted as she sat at his bedside, unable to think that if Peanut hadn’t made it-" Peanut, that dog was a monster." And what else could she say? That evil dog was an evolution nightmare, the fruit of a cruel selection aimed to have a bloodlusting killer. Grape had heard the shots, she had seen the bullet holes, and yet ... the thing was alive and ready to kill again...
The cat shivered. Peanut squeezed her harder. "Grape, I could’ve done more." His voice had changed, now. It was the voice of the mate who would defend her and their family at all costs. Her alpha male. "We will have a little brother. We will have our kittens. I will be a stronger dog, and I will defend everyone. It's time to follow my nature, to do the right thing. I love you." He gave her a kiss on her nose. Then on her lips, and a moment later they were brought together in that very long, very sweet exchange...
"And I love you," Grape said, breaking away only for shortness of breath (two minutes, Bino ha!). "When will you go go?"
"After the trip.”
“So soon?”
Peanut nodded. “In time to get some shape for Christmas, in time to see you, err…” He caressed her belly, imagining it swollen already. The poor dog’s face became tomato-colored. He hastened to change the subject. "Uh, Bino too will make sure to be back and--Grape?"
The cat’s eyes had widened again. It seemed impossible for her to have enough strength to be surprised, but she was and how! "Bino? Like Bino who was expelled once for lack of discipline? That Bino? You two? Together?"
Peanut nodded, pleased. "He agrees with me! He says that the Academy will make us become the toughest dogs in the neighborhood!”
Grape thought of Fido, and Ralph, and Kevin... Okay, so she could appreciate dogs as well, after all, and those were three beautiful products of the Academy...
But in that moment The Grape of Wrath had finally found a real target. The pieces had fallen neatly in place, and she was relieved. She knew Peanut was sincere, and that at this point nothing would have turned away from that goal. But she knew who she should thank for the idea, and grape would have done it with sooo much pleasure!
And much pain to Bino.
All of this was not seen on Grape’ face. The cat instead kissed her dog again before saying, "I'm proud of you, Peanut."
"Really?" The tail repeatedly slammed against the mattress.
Grape nodded. "Without you, these will be very sad months, but I know that I will not be alone. And then I guess you'll have time to call me, right? "
Peanut rubbed his nose behind her ears. "Every day. And then you'll have more time to write your own fan fiction in peace. "
"Meh. Fringe benefits. Peanut? "
"Yes?"
"Thank you. Thank you for wanting to do this for me. "
In response, the dog sat up. He made a sharp military salute and with a solemn voice, looking at an imaginary horizon, he said, "I only do my duty, ma'am!"
Grape chuckled, but she was brimming with pride: the first kiss in public, the marriage proposal, the warrior who had defied death, the future father, and now this. Yes, Peanut was grown, and at the same time he was the happy puppy that she had fallen in love with.
Sorry, Maxie, but I couldn’t have made better choice. Then Grape said, "Dad, Mom, you can enter. Stop eavesdropping.”
The door opened and two embarrassed but smiling parents entered the room.
Peanut said to them, "Can I go then?" Then he brought together his paws in his familiar gesture of supplication. "Pleeeease?"
Earl knelt to embrace him. "All right. And know that we are also proud of you, young man. Just, please, in the future, avoid dropping these bombs okay? Even decisions like this should be concerted, you know.”
Grape stood up and stretched, adding a little of voluptuousness for Peanut, and for an instant he went BSOD. "And now that we have set things straight, excuse me. I must go and have a chat with a friend. I'll be back soon.”
---
"Hold on there, just another moment… Nnngg…" The tip of his tongue sticking out, King was finally able to grasp and pull the apple off the branch. "Et voila. And don’t say that to be my friend doesn’t have its benefits," said the Corgi, handing the fruit to Fox.
The Husky contemplated the apple, then said to his friend sitting on his shoulders. "I don’t know whether we should, though. They are not ours, you know."
King bit into the apple, moaning with satisfaction. "If you wanted to be a cop dog, you had to join the Academy. Now you are sentenced to attend a thug like me." And he patted Fox's head fur.
Fox chuckled and bit into his apple. I guess I have to, but this is good. But let it not become a habit.”
"No more orange soda and wild nights parties, then?"
Fox sighed. "Incorrigible," said before walking to the Club.
Between mouthfuls, King asked, "Have you thought about your girlfriend?"
"Hm? What do you mean?" Fox hadn’t a girlfriend.
"I mean you took so much trouble to find one for me, once. And you? Never thought about your ideal half?”
Fox shrugged. "Meh, I've never given weight to it. However, now that I think of it, maybe a quiet one, she must like books, but above all..." he paused deliberately.
"Above all?"
Fox stopped, grabbed King and put him on the ground. "Above all, you two must be friends. She will not take your place, King. Whoever she will be, you won’t become number two. I'm serious. "
"Fox ..."
The Husky shook his head. "You are unique in so many ways that sometimes I wonder why you decided to choose me as a friend, and I won’t lose you. Even for the most beautiful princess of the realm, get it?”
King nodded slowly. If only someone had spoken thus, long time ago... "Crystal."
The two dogs embraced for a long time, then Fox said, "C’mon. There is one more thing to do, don’t believe you can get away with it."
Back was the familiar scowl, as King cleaned his eyes with an arm. "Do I have to?"
The two of them went back to walking. "You promised to be nicer to Bino. He is still the President of the Club, and before he leaves for the Academy I’d like you to streak at least a truce.”
King snorted. "If he puts another prank like the catnip bomb—“
"I’ll make three other parts of his body inoperable, promised," was the solemn answer.

When they arrived at the Good Ol’ Dogs Club, the first thing that struck them was the complete absence of decorations, balloons or anything that would suggest the preparation of a farewell party.
"Knowing the Dear Leader," King said before Fox could stop him, "I thought he’d be busy arranging a State ceremony.”
"Boris," Fox said to a tall, muscular dog, who was playing Munchkin with a specimen very similar to him, although he got brown fur, where Boris was dark gray. "You or Yeltsin seen Bino?”
"Big Boss is upsteirs," said Boris with a heavy Russian accent, pointing the direction with his muzzle. He and Yeltsin gave King a warning look.
Fox and King headed for the stairs. The Corgi whispered. "Since when Bino has become a Russian mafia boss? What happened to Rex? Wasn’t he the designed bodyguard? Those two look like the bad brothers of Antares and Aldebaran." The two huge Foster dogs were purebred Ukrainians soldier dogs, while Boris and Yeltsin were more ordinary Russian mutts. Not like that strange cat, Ivan, who wasn’t Russki, rather a veritable Zelig…
"I don’t know," said Fox. "It seems like there was a fight between them because it turned out that Rex, in Latin, means 'king'."
King was about to say something, but chose to remain silent. If Bino had broken his friendship with the big pawlicker out of something s stupid, then any chance of a truce with him was close to zero. How could that mongrel be such a child?! Consistent but childish all the same! These dogs were just weird, yesssir!
Fox knocked on the door. He cast a last look of warning to King, then said, "Hey, Bino! It’s Fox. I am here with King, who must tell you something important. Open, please."
"No. In fact, go away, now! I'm not there, I’m in another universe. Shoo!”
One could say many unpleasant things about Bino and be right, except that he wasn’t inclined to be afraid. He was so arrogant as to not know what fear was, too proud to admit to having fear. For this reason, hearing him so scared left Fox puzzled, to say the least. "Bino? You all right? You and I are still friends, right?"
"Apart from the fact that you sold yourself to that evil dwarf, you wicked traitor, I'm trying to get away from Sasha, then lower hour voice!" In fact, Bino was talking with a barely audible whisper now.
King and Fox looked at each other puzzled. "Sasha?" Said the husky. "Ain’t she your wife now?" They had just married at the same chapel of Peanut and Grape, and Bino had really wanted that marriage, he wasn’t surely forced into it. "Bino, what’s happening?"
"She wants puppies, that’s the problem! She unilaterally decided that I must be Dad! I'm not ready! I can’t, just like that! And she won’t listen to reason! Shove off now, or she’ll hear you!”
Fox shook his head, a paw to cover her eyes. "Bino, you should talk to her then. Escape is a human thing. But I'm not here on behalf of Sasha. King would like to tell you something."
"It can wait, especially when it concerns him!"
Fox was about to break into the room. King shrugged. "We tried, old chap." He turned toward the stairs. "You can stay here if you want. I still have to eat breakfast. I hope that in this hole they have something better than the usual ice cream and cookies..." It was at that moment that a familiar figure passed before him, stomping like some mythological giant. "Oh, hi cat. How did you get in?” The GO Club wasn’t very…appreciative of cats breaking into their sacred territory.
Grape ignored King. Fox knew that look, she had gotten a full dose of Grape’s Fury, and there was a good bet that Boris and Yeltsin had gotten a taste of it already…
In fact, the Husky stepped aside just in time. Grape stood before the door of Bino’s private room. She lifted one foot…and let go a kick powerful enough to break the door open!
"Bino!" Grape growled like a tiger, the fur on her back as straight as a brush, the tail fluffed up.
That very serious invasion of a feline in his private space, for a moment, brought back Bino’s pride. The dog said, "How dare you, cat, to ente*erk!" But then Grape had grabbed his collar, pulling him to herself like a toy. Bino knew immediately to be in mortal danger. He had never seen such fangs and claws ready to skin him!
"You dared to put into the head of my Peanut the idea of becoming a police dog?" Speaking, she slammed him repeatedly against the wall. "What did you think? To put him ‘back-to-his-senses’ and make him forget me or something? Well, you and Maxwell can forget it! Stick it in your head that HE-LOVES-ME!" Then she let him go, and Bino slipped to the floor, while sitting with his back against the wall. He couldn’t believe he was still alive.
Grape squatted in front of him. She brushed the tip of a single claw back and forth along the dog's throat. "Tell your prankmate that if I see him, I’ll balance out his good ear. And as for you, I’m appointing you as Peanut’s guardian. If at the Academy he gets hurt..." she didn’t finish the sentence, didn’t need to.
Bino gulped and nodded frantically. Suddenly, his brilliant idea didn’t seem so bright after all.
Grape seemed satisfied. She got to her feet. "By the way, get some better thugs next time." And she left the room.
Fox and King had watched the exchange with bedazzled expressions. That there was bad blood between him and Grape was not a mystery, but seeing her like that... Well, after all, when it came to Peanut, she became protective as a lioness.
King ran after Grape. "Excuse me a moment," he said quickly to Fox. And when he reached the floor below, he saw what she meant. And his respect for the cat grew up several notches. "I want to be like her," he said, enjoying the view of Boris and Yeltsin writhing on the ground holding the most delicate parts of their anatomy, moaning in terrible pain, under the terrified eyes of the other dogs.
---
Paradise

At least, by convention, you could call it that, as the common iconography doesn’t say anything about a modern-looking city with soaring colorful towers. A real Metropolis in the clouds.
A Metropolis that was about to receive a visit from an unwelcome guest, flying toward the tallest tower.
A cobalt-blue feathered gryphon.
The mythological creature landed in front of the tower, in a final flurry of his powerful wings. At the entrance, he found waiting for him another representative of human mythology.
A female three-headed mastiff, with fur black as night and gray/blue belly. Wearing an hostile expression worthy of the terrible guardian of souls.
Pete the gryphon didn’t seem at all impressed with that attitude. Instead, he said, "Cerberus, my dear, my sweet hound of love. How long?”
"Never long enough, Pete," said the three heads in unison with a growling voice. "What do you want?"
"* Sigh * After a million years of being together-"
"A million and one." She interrupted, her muscular arms crossed at her broad chest.
Pete picked up an aquiline paw in faux defense. "A million and one year together, one would expect at least a little peck. But if you want to play it tough..." A snap of his taloned fingers, and a roll of paper appeared in his paw in a puff of smoke. Pete unrolled it, taking care to carefully show the content to the guardian hound. "Read and whine, puppy. I’m all legal."
Cerberus pulled the sheet from the gryphon’s paw. She read it over and over, sniffed it, but as far as she detested it, everything was in order. Needless to ask how the jerk had succeeded, Pete would be able to charm the stones if he put his mind to it. She had fallen for him, for 1,000,001 years dang it!
Cerberus returned the sheet to the gryphon. "Wait here... In fact, why don’t you follow me if you got the guts?" She added with a triple grin full of fangs.
Pete shook his head. "Nah, why violate the rules when it's so fun to enforce them? Come on, hop hop, I don’t have all eternity after all."
With a final growl, Cerberus disappeared into the building. Pete was more than once been tempted to steal what interested him from that place, but if he could afford to bypass the stupid rules of the Game Master, Cerberus was far less…lenient. And Pete didn’t want to come out of this with broken wings.
The Gryphon waited patiently, whistling a tune, moving his head from side to side, tapping a clawed foot on the floor...
"Here," said Cerberus, coming out with a box between her paws. The box was a fine piece of blue and gold wood and metal. with the motif of a golden dragon with spread wings around the lock. "Choke on it, please."
“I love you too, Cerby.” Pete took the box and then the key of gold offered by the mastiff. "You don’t mind if I check it, do you? You know, a satisfied customer is a happy customer, et cetera."
Pete put the key in the lock. He turned it and the wings broke away from the box, allowing the opening.
Inside there was a crystalline sphere, shining like a small white sun against the blue silk on which it rested.
The Gryphon nodded. "Now that’s more like it, dear Joel..."

HOUSEPETS: THE SERIES
Season 2
Episode 3

FIN
Last edited by valerio on Fri Jan 13, 2012 4:11 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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And I thought Grape couldn't get anymore Awesome.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by kurowolfe »

Eh, an update already? That's fast! *comes out from under the desk*

I couldn't help but smile; five different pairs interacting in one single update, that has got to be a record! XD

Yeah, the Grape of Wrath has finally spoken! X3 I particularly like how she stormed into Bino's parade without any stops and pulls him back to the ground.

Fox is really loyal to King, isn't he? I never get tired to see them talk between each other, with that bond shining through.

I couldn't help but feel a bit sad for Bino, though, becoming the receiving end of his own plans. Well... just a bit XD

The PeteXCerberus pair surprised me a bit, to be honest. 1 million and 1 years is a lo~ong time to stick to someone...

And somehow I fear for Peanut and King...

Really nice finale for the season, valerio! I feel quite satisfied for now... well, until the next update that is! =3
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

Eh, an update already? That's fast! *comes out from under the desk*
It's gonna get faster, since I'm officially on vacation and will be writing both the ficcie and my novel. Oyayz! :D
I couldn't help but smile; five different pairs interacting in one single update, that has got to be a record! XD
records are fun :mrgreen:
Yeah, the Grape of Wrath has finally spoken! X3 I particularly like how she stormed into Bino's parade without any stops and pulls him back to the ground.
As Evan said, Grape's gotta be AWESOME
Fox is really loyal to King, isn't he? I never get tired to see them talk between each other, with that bond shining through.
I'm totally hooked up to them. They really give shape to the concept of 'friendship'. :D :D
I couldn't help but feel a bit sad for Bino, though, becoming the receiving end of his own plans. Well... just a bit XD
It'll become interesting when he and Peanut are at the Academy ;)
The PeteXCerberus pair surprised me a bit, to be honest. 1 million and 1 years is a lo~ong time to stick to someone...
Hey, Pete's a real charmer, when he wants to be. :mrgreen:
And somehow I fear for Peanut and King...
We'll see, we'll see... 8-)
Really nice finale for the season, valerio! I feel quite satisfied for now... well, until the next update that is! =3
You meant 'for the episode', right? Still 17 episodes to go with this season :lol:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Daggy »

17 episodes, oh my. I do love the King + Fox interactions. Probably my favorite part (Curse you, favorite characters.) Grape is still awesome, though. Silly Bino.
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King having intimidate lessons with grape? Epicness ahead!!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by copper »

Awesome updates! Wonder who Grape's donor will be? I still think the switch should have happened. Alcor and Grape and Mizar and Peanut. Stupid OCD wanting symmetry...

Grape's fury is truly Amazing. She could take down any pet, it seems...

Bino scared of Sasha!? :lol: I'm sorry, but I have to laugh at that

Fox and King together is cute. I can't believe King managed to down more than one orange soda. I thought he was a lightwieght!! :lol:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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HOUSEPETS: THE SERIES
Season II
Episode 4 - Journey in the Woods
By VALERIO (Later revised by OBBL)

1.
Milton House for the Equal Chance Program, Babylon Gardens. 5am

"Very well," Miles said, checking his backpack one last time. He quickly put it over his back "I’d say this is it. All ready?" he asked the disciplined ranks of his peers waiting in the middle of the living room.
“We’re ready, Alpha, Sir!” answered as one his wife, Lucretia, and their three cubs, Miles's brother, Daryl and his daughter Celestia.
Miles nodded. "Great. Now comes the hard part: getting our traveling companions out of their dens. Please be patient with them, since they are not used to our pace, and it will be their first time on a trip without their humans. Am I clear?" He added the benefit of the cubs. "No stalking and surprise attacks."
All three lowered their heads and ears. "Aww."
"Did we just have to get them on our backs?" Snorted Daryl. "They will only be a dead weight, we’ll have to slow down and spend half the time taking care of them!"
Miles rolled his eyes –it wasn’t the first time he heard that objection from his brother since he had told the family the pets would come. Although there was no occasion in which Daryl took advantage to criticize Miles’s idea to mingle with humans. In the family, he was the one most attached to their old way of life.
But it was also a law of nature that the alpha pair ruled the pack, especially if said pair had puppies, and Lucretia was the real authority. When she had decided that their 'free and wild' life sucked (her words), Miles, 'guilty' of having made that concept known to his wife, had worked to bring his family to town. Daryl and his daughter had had to adapt. And Daryl hadn’t taken it good that Celestia had rapidly adapted to the new life.
"Daryl," said Miles. "We didn’t come to live here to isolate ourselves from everyone. And then, consider it good PR: these pets really are keen to spend some time with us. Eventually, we will gain a good reputation with humans, if they see that their 'children' can be safe with us. "
Daryl snorted again. "Okay, okay, I'll play the nice doggie--" He had to interrupt at the sight of Miles' murderous expression. The acculturated packleader’s good manners made one forget that he had not reached the rank through good manners, that he had fought for his position and his lifemate! "I’m sorry, Alpha" Daryl said, lowering his ears and tucking his tail between his legs. But the damage was done.
Miles went to Daryl, angry blue eyes against frightened yellow ones, fangs bared. "I had to swallow some pride to accept the position of 'pet' for the good of us all. And we got the benefits: we must not literally risk our lives every day during hunting, or suffer famine in winter. But do not dare to think that I'm some sort of mindless slave, because that's what you meant, right?"
Daryl didn’t dare answer. His body language spoke enough for him.
Miles shook his head one last time, then hugged his brother. He gave him a few pats on the back. "Hey, relax: and then, I don’t think you mind too much watching CSI." He winked at him.
Daryl chuckled. "I can’t help it: It’s such a fine gourmet show. And it's fun to see how humans can be, when they accuse us of being the bad guys.”
Miles walked to the door. "So true, brother. And now let’s go, there's a campsite waiting for us.”
"YAY!" Was the general consensus.
Miles opened the door, and-
"Hello!" Said four voices in unison.
The voices of four grinning pets: Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Sandwich, Antares and Aldebaran Foster.
"You're late," said Antares, checking a watch-compass.
"Ten minutes," said Aldebaran, as always reflecting his brother’s position and tone. The only thing that distinguished them was the scar ont the torso, which Antares had ‘earned’ while fighting a killer dog.
"For once, Peanut let me sleep a whole day without disturbing me, to allow me to be fit for today," said Grape. The dog beside her nodded vigorously. "So let's not waste another minute, lazy wuffs."
Miles turned to his brother, with a look as if to say, 'You were saying ..?'
Daryl mumbled something unintelligible and walked out first, followed by his daughter. Lucretia and the cubs followed them, grinning.
"Did we say something funny?" Said Peanut.
Miles ruffled his head fur. "Heh, you just gave the works to his pride. C’mon, the road is long. You took everything as I have said? "
The group went on the road, following the signs to the camping areas (a measure wanted by the administration after Bino and Fox had lost during their own trip. Bill had ranted and raved at the City Council, and nobody messed up with Bill!)
Antares handed Miles a folded piece of paper. "Yup! Dehydrated and canned food, water, antipoison, first aid kits, tents and sleeping bags, fire lighters..."
"We can bring everything ourselves," said Aldebaran. In fact, the two big 'King of the Mountains' were fully loaded, while Peanut and Grape were traveling wearing only their collars.
"But I don’t think it’s fair to let you carry everything--" Peanut tried, genuinely embarrassed.
"Nisenitnytsya!" Antares interrupted him. "This is no worse than a normal training ride, in our country."
"It helps us to keep in shape," said the brother, continuing the exchange that forced others to turn their heads from one to another as if they were following a tennis match.
"And then we can hunt with our wolf friends and sleep under the stars."
"True wild life!"
"Ura!" They hi-fived loudly.
Daryl was genuinely impressed. He knew that those were two tough pups, especially Antares, but hearing them made them even more admirable in his eyes. He hoped they weren’t all talk.
"There's only one thing that we must make it clear, comrade Daryl," Antares said, approaching the male lupine.
"Tell me."
"You now apologize to the little brother Peanut and little sister Grape for thinking ill of them."
"Pets or not," Aldebaran said, "they shown great courage and have the respect of the pack if we remember correctly."
"Right?" both said, showing off a fanged grin that could cut through a grizzly bears’s thigh.
Lucretia giggled: Nothing better than a good shake by the scruff before everyone, to put her dear brother-in-law in his place.
Daryl lowered his ears. If Antares was tough for fighting alone one of those monster-dogs, then these two pipsqueaks had showed an even greater courage for doing the same, to save their humans. "Peanut, Grape, forgive me for being rude."
"And forgive me, too," said Miles. "Before, I didn’t mean that you two are-"
"Oh, we know," Peanut said, wagging his tail. "The PETA humans too think we are some slaves, but we know better, and we love our family!"
Grape nodded. "After all, your point of view is understandable. But I hope we can be good friends anyway. You're right, Miles, you should mingle more often with the other pets."
The leader blushed. "You've heard it all, then, eh?" Memo: ask for the ferrets to install an insulated door.
The group went on in silence for a while, even to save breath. At some point, Peanut said, "Can I go hunt with you?"
"No," was the unanimous answer.
"Where are we headed?" Grape asked, looking back one last time. It was the first time that she left the Gardens without their parents. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant feeling. She knew she wasn’t in danger, not with the pack...with Peanut with her...but part of her kept going to the last car trip made with her other...human.
Peanut squeezed her paw, smiling at her to comfort her. And she felt better immediately, while Lucretia was saying, "We’re heading to-" but was interrupted by another voice, coming this time from above.
"The Dartmoor Reserve, in the old Akerman Woods Park, meadow flower!"
Grape clenched teeth -to say that this was supposed to be a trip without problems!
"Nevermore!" Peanut said, happily.
The familiar raven went to roost on the Sandwich dog's head. "Hello to you, buddy! And hello to you too, sweetheart.”
"You and Peanut know each other?" a stunned Daryl Asked the bird.
Nevermore nodded. "I'm his guardian angel, so to speak, and I have to also keep up the tomcat here, since he comes with the family pack. Very honored to meet you, masters of the hunt," he added with a bow and a wing placed on his chest.
Daryl wagged his tail happily. "Peanut, you're a never-ending source of surprises: the crows are the best friends of our kind, repositories of wisdom, messengers of fate and good-luck bringers."
"Thank you, sir," Never said, jumping on the wolf’s shoulder. “It’s good to see that someone remembers the traditions, not like the boy here.” He pointed at Grape.
“I’m a girl!” She hissed, lowering her ears.
Never rolled his eyes, amused. “Really? You had to tell your loverboy here, or he’d still believe you were a male.”
Everyone giggled. Grape threw a warning glare at her husband. “One word, ‘love’, and I’m gonna make a scarf out of your tail.” She couldn’t believe that he could tell that nosyparker avian about that moment!
"I guess you were listening while were planning the trip," said Miles, changing the subject.
“Well, you are definitely the most interesting aspect of the neighborhood. I have been watching you from time to time. And when I heard you put together the words 'trip' and 'Peanut', I could not avoid getting the details. "Then he started rattling off said details as if reading from a script. "Akerman Woods Reserve is the full name of the great forest of which Dartmoor Reserve is only a fraction of recent foundation.
"The Government's intention was to have a beautiful Federal natural park to draw tourists and money. Lack of funds had finally taken off oxygen to the idea.
"The concrete kings didn’t make it to turn Akerwoods into an urban center. At first, it was the mobilization of the people to slow down the work. Then came the financial turmoil, culminating with the current economical crisis.
"The hunting associations have tried to exploit the land for them. The predators didn’t agree, and because the government certainly didn’t have the funds to keep up with the territorial dispute, eventually the humans accepted a truce. They could hunt only for a quota, under the predators’ supervision. This went on until a man rich enough bought a vast piece of Akerwoods and made it his own private reserve: Henry Milton, and that land is now called Dartmoor Reserve."
"Very good!" Said Lucretia, to which the crow bowed again.
Then Never asked, "I guess you’re camping near the Cabin area, right?"
The Cabin was all that remained of the hunters’ seasonal settlement. While other similar structures had been abandoned to the relentless attention of Father Time, the cabin was always kept with care. The photographer and the future Senator William Michael Akerman, a descendant of those hunters, retrieved it to make it his private chalet, and then convert it into a haven for tourists when they opened the Reserve.
Miles nodded. "It is the best choice. In an emergency, we want to have a more appropriate structure than a tent. No offense, pets," he added at Peanut and Grape, "but a walk in the woods can be tricky, especially if it's your first time, and without your family-"
"Hey!" the Foster twins said in indignant unison.
"I mean, without your parents. So we will play it safe. In the cabin there is always food and medicines and beds ready to use. The Milton Foundation took charge of ensuring supplies and keep the structure together. "
"The ferrets told you?" Grape asked.
"Well, yes. Why?”
The cat rolled hier eyes. "Oh, nothing. I just hope the ‘provisons’ don’t consist of frozen Bulgarian miak.”
Last edited by valerio on Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:01 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by kurowolfe »

*pants* You called, valerio? Hey look, an opening update!

I like to read the interaction between the wolf pack members, especially Daryl's reactions. They really do stick to their natural order, even in the urban environment, and somehow I like seeing them being conveyed like real wolves. XD

I definitely laughed a lot here! What with the ping-pong-style exchange between the twins, everyone's simultaneous reaction to Peanut's offer, Never's rants and Grape's final sentence. XDD

And I love how detailed everything was in this update: the explanations, their journey. It really helps make the scene easier to understand, especially since I've never been on a trip like them.

Thanks valerio, and here's me waiting for more! :D
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Of course they wouldn't let Peanut go on the hunt, he's too kind-hearted. Grape, however…
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by copper »

Awesome update! I always love what you do with the characters.

I have to say, Nevermore is one of the more interesting original characters created.

I loved the reveal about grape's gender blurring... Peanut just had to say it! :lol:
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It's nice to see Miles again. Great chapter. can't wait for more.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by musclecar326 »

I have been reading this thread trying to catch up for the past week! I couldn't stop reading most of the time because your cliffhangers were incredible! :D I cant wait for another chapter to come out involving them camping. Also i have a very important question. I thought that Celestia had invited Tiger to come with them camping? :shock: You may have forgotten about that, but i didn't. Please fix it, so that Tiger is also included.
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No, no. Valerio has not forgotten Tiger Just wait. ;)
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by musclecar326 »

Awesome, that means that there is a new chapter coming soon since your telling us this. Also thats great I really wanted to see Tiger out there too. For how long its been since the last chapter, I hope it long and amazing!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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2.
Babylon Gardens

"She loves me not, loves me not, loves me not ..." For each sentence, a piece of paper was torn from the blank sheet.
Tiger’s room floor was now covered by an expanse of shredded paper. Sitting at the center, a sad orange pit bull continued to add new layers.
"If Bino were here, he’d make a nasty joke on your instinctive need to have a sandbox," said Marvin, from the doorway. "Tiger, what’s up? Aren’t you supposed to be on a camping trip with the wolf pack? Or did you get over your insane crush for Celestia?"
Tiger kept tearing pieces of paper.
"And by the way, we didn’t get a decent night’s sleep, what with this attitude like the bad guy in The Langoliers.”
Tiger sighed. "I love Celestia for the divine, wild woods angels she is... But Peanut is the superstar in her eyes, and there are the wonder-dogs with her. What hope do I have to conquer her heart? No, for me now there is only the pit of shame, the darkness of anonymity." The dog turned to Marvin a look of inexpressible sadness. "Call Bino, Marvin my friend. Before he leaves, let him enjoy the pleasure of humiliating me one last time for my folly. Then ask Max to fix me a date with a feline lady. I am unworthy, only a cat can fill the void of my heart." Riiip. Riiip. Riiip ...
Marvin went into the room, and knelt next to his neurotic friend. Clasping his shoulders, he said, "Tiger, you know how much we went though, together, and many times I would rather not have been there, but this is not the time to fall into despair. Okay, you're not cut out for the feral life, and you can’t compete with Antares and Aldebaran, but heck, no dog in the ‘hood can compete with them! Even Boris and Yeltsin have little hope with such rivals... So, you have to concentrate on your other qualities. "
"I don’t have time to enroll at the Academy, if that's what-" Marvin cut short Tiger’s words.
"No, no, you have to be original, creative, do something that could surprise her!"
The gaze that Tiger turned to his housemate looked like a fat guy’s after the umpteenth stale fate joke from an old comedian. "What exactly?"
Marvin shrugged. "Well, 'I don’t know. You're the one who wants to conquer her heart. For now, if you really want, you may force her to come home first. Spoil her vacation."
Again that look, only this time Chris Rock had told the joke. "Have you been to Fester’s, recently?" Fester was the official supplier of catnip for the neighborhood cats. Recently they ran a lot of doubts about the quality of his product.
Marvin patted Tiger’s back. "No, silly, I know the universal remedy that works since the birth of the Model T."
"And what's that?"
Turning to the window through which shone a beautiful blue sky, Marvin said, aloud, "Come on, come down, Dad told us to wash the car!"
Krak-BOOM! And a moment later it was raining as if God forgot to turn off the faucet!
In the sudden darkness of the room, the cat's grin was the only thing that shone, together with his violet eyes. "See?"
"You know, you frighten me."
---
Akerman Reserve

The cabin was built in the heart of an ancient caldera that, unlike Yellowstone, was extinguished. On the other hand, the ground had had time to take advantage of the volcanic soil’s fertility, favored by the vast aquifer that supplied the neighboring Babylon Gardens.
The Cabin was a shelter for tourists, the meeting point and first aid that was once designed by and for hunters. It was equipped with all the best that money could buy, thanks to the generosity of Henry Milton, and his eccentric ferrets had not changed that policy (with great satisfaction of the foundation that managed their money).

“Well, I would have appreciated a…less wet break," said Grape, leaning against the window. "I wanted to rest under the sun, don’t end up under another roof. Miles, I'll get you for this," she added with a casual tone, but the dog standing beside her knew she would be able to follow up those words.
Peanut stroked her neck. "There, there. It's just a little bad luck. We still could go and set up our instant tent. It will be more romantic, no?"
Grape rolled her eyes. "An even more crammed space is hardly ‘romantic’." Grape sighed. "I'm sorry. And with all these eyes on me, I don’t feel like writing, too. I'm getting bored.”
"Then you can take care of your cubs," said Lucretia, heading toward the door. "We’re going get lunch."
Grape held Peanut by his arm. The eyes of her husband were shining at these words, and of all things, she wouldn’t let him join the pack in a hunting party. "How can you still have the energy to go hunting?"
Daryl shrugged. "Are you serious? We cover much larger distances only to find our prey, then there is the chase itself. See you soon!"
"Wait for us!" Said Antares and Aldebaran, who did not have the…physical limitations of Peanut. The door closed a moment later, leaving only a dog, a cat and three cubs, and a sleeping raven.
Peanut went to the closet that they had searched when they entered the first time. "Scrabble or Risk?" He had dropped out chess after losing the tenth game in a run with those three.
Grape saw the cubs run to him and throwing ideas, speaking one over the other, each fighting to be satisfied first. And Peanut, while pretending to be frightened by that juvenile assault, was handling the situation naturally, gently.
Yes, Peanut was born to be a father. Everyone talked about how much Fido did for puppies because he was engaged in many more projects as well, but Peanut did his part with the other puppies. It just came naturally to him.
For the first time in his life, Grape hated to be a cat. She hated not being able to be the mother of their children! Peanut deserved more than just another sacrifice, being forced to remember his blood wouldn’t carry on...
But it was precisely in moments like this, that Grape remembered of Mizar and Alcor. Mizar would carry the puppies Sergeant Ralph, but her relationship with her beloved cat had not suffered.
Grape could do it, Peanut believed in her, and she knew he would be great with the kittens--
"Grape! Someone’s at the door,"said Peanut, as he proceeded to the table, holding a stack of five game boxes, with the cubs still trying to argue about the first choice for the game.
The cat shook off those thoughts. "Sorry love, I’ll get it." That was a kind of public area, so she must expect that there were other hikers. Or maybe Miles and the others had returned seeing this was no weather for hunting...
Grape opened the door. "Who hang a rug, here?" She said, facing a single mass of thick brown fur.
Then the fur... moved and spoke. "Excuse me for the surprise visit, but I thought I smelled Miles’s pack." A moment later, the head of a grizzly leaned inside. The bear, or ratther, the she-bear, stared with curiosity at Grape, and scratched her head with a claw the size of a dagger. "You two don’t look like wolves." Then she showed Grape a smile that was meant to be friendly, but those fangs made Antares and Aldebaran look like two toothless kittens. "Very pleased, purple cat, I-"
"Badessa!" the cubs said happily in unison puppies, running towards her... and straight through Grape as if she were a ghost, literally! Only at that point, they realized that the poor cat had run away so fast as to have left an afterimage!
"You know that monster?" Grape asked from the beam on the roof. And the terror almost killed her, at the sight of Peanut standing in front of the colossal feral, looking at it with admiration, wagging!
"You're big," said Peanut, admired just like the first time he had seen the dog twins. Then he stretched out his paw. "Very pleased! I'm Peanut, the scaredy kitty is Grape! "He added pointing to the cat with his thumb.
She did not know if admire him or kill him. She wanted to say he was brave, but she knew that Peanut was like that: he was everyone’s friend -heck, he was sorry not to be Bino’s friend!
Peanut's paw disappeared into the bear’s. "My pleasure, boy. I am Badessa. I was a sort of cub sitter for Miles and Daryl, back when they were two rascal scamps. You two are their friends? "
Peanut nodded. "I helped them get into the world of humans, and in return they have brought us with them. They’re on the hunt now. "
The bear entered the hut and closed the door. The cabin seemed to tremble with every step. When she sat on the floor, the Cabin shook enough to make Grape lose her grip. The cat fell into the arms of Peanut like a ripe fruit.
"You’re safe, my Princess," he said, joking on her old name.
"My hero." Remaining in the dog’s arms, she turned to the bear. "You're just here to greet the others, right? I’m warning you, I’m too thin for your tastes. "
The grizzly bear shook her head. "Nah, I’ll be waiting for the pack and the prey. Knowing them, they won’t be back without, at the cost of spending the night outside. So don’t you worry, pets. Rather, is there any honey in the kitchen? Usually they leave a jar for the ole Badessa. "
Peanut went into the kitchen, took a stool and used it to reach the pantry from which came a familiar smell... and there it was, a jar the size of a paint can, filled with amber liquid. He took it with some difficulty, given the weight, and brought it to the bear. "Here we go! Grape, I could make some butter and sugar cookies that you like so much, since we're at it?"
"Personally, I agree wholeheartedly," said the raven, from the ceiling. "Since one can’t sleep in peace, might as well binge, right?"
"Will get to work right away, Never!" Peanut said running back in the kitchen.
Badessa observed the bird with curiosity, as she opened the jar. "Even a raven. Too bad that this time you did not bring luck to the bunch... Never, right? "
"Nevermore, and one can’t always be perfect, Madame."
The door opened at that time. "Badessa!" Miles said. The packleader and his brother were carrying a respectable deer carcass. "What a pleasure to see you again! And what a surprise! You were lucky, you know?"
The bear put down the jar and went to hug the wolf. "Here they come, the mighty hunters. And I knew you would hit jackpot." She ruffled his head as when he was a cub.
"Broken leg, he was startled by the sudden storm. The spirits are on our side." Miles winked at Never. Traditionally, wolves considered ravens as their good luck charms. "Want to help us dress it? I know that our friends don’t appreciate the raw product, right Grape? "
"And then," said the cubs, with a light of joy in their greedy eyes, "we have all learned to use knives for meat. We’ll show you how good we are, Aunt Badessa!”
Grape quietly walked to the kitchen.
"I'm almost done," said Peanut, who was dusting the sugar over three rows of biscuits covered with a layer of butter.
Grape took a cookie and ate it. Real food! "Honey, you know, that idea of yours, before..?"

The rain continued to fall thick, making a continuous white noise over the tent’s surface. There was barely room for both and their sleeping bags, but finally she really felt like she was on vacation. Babylon Gardens offered space and opportunities to be alone, but here...here they were really in a world apart. They were far enough away from the cabin to be alone with no risk whatsoever and no noseparkers. And, Grape had to admit it, the rain was romantic.
Throughout her life, the cat associated that weather with punishment, and then with the life of a stray. Now she was with Peanut, he would protect her, even if they were alone against the world.
"We could go to the old Indian encampment, tomorrow," she said while leaning through slit in the entrance, watching the scenery, while Peanut held her. She had never realized that the earth and the rain could join in such a melody of sounds and scents. Maybe feral life was not easy, and the fact that Miles and his family had abandoned it confirmed that, but Grape would have bet everything that's at times like this, even with only branches as a roof, that the spirit was at peace... "Maybe we’ll find some arrowheads, that would-" she was distracted by the sound of * clink * of a tag hitting the floor. "Peanut?"
Peanut had removed his collar. And when she started to speak, he put a finger on her nose. "I want it to be something special, Grape. That's why I asked Miles to bring us with him, here." Then his fingers began to loosen Grape’s collar. His smile, his sky-blue eyes, everything about him spoke of his desire, to a level of something she had never seen.
What had Mom said? My little girl has grown up.
And Peanut had grown up as well. Today, now, he was really her mate, her alpha male.
"I want you to remember, Grape. And I want this to remember," he whispered, as he put her collar gently on the ground. Then he got up, opened completely the tent, and went outside. The rain was less strong now, already the gray sky began to clear in some spots, but still a part of her felt uncomfortable. "Peanut ..?"
The dog nodded, holding out his paw. "Do you trust me?"
She nodded, and let him help her up. Peanut then picked her up in his arms with a fluid motion. The rain extolled his scent; Grape moved the wet tuft of hair hanging over his forehead. "I trust you."
Peanut carried Grape toward the trees, toward that zone of shadows and light that she remembered from a wonderful dream. The rain had dwindled to a few drops, and already the insects had started singing. The wild grass held an intoxicating smell, the river still flowed strongly. Everything was perfect. And Grape knew that, whatever happened from today on, she would hold these moments in her heart as the most precious of treasures…
---
"Can you feel it?" Asked Sabrina.
Fido did not know what was with his beloved cat, today. Throughout the morning, she had been as tense as Fiddler’s violin strings, and kept looking in the direction of the forest with a strange look in her eyes ...
And now, suddenly, a warm smile lit up her face... She was radiant, there was no other way to describe it. Sabrina clasped her paws to her chest. She closed her eyes and nodded. "Now they are one."
Fido was about to ask what she was talking when she turned and hugged him, closing his lips with a kiss just perfect!
The police dog decided the questions could wait…

"Now you've lost him forever," said the human figure seated on a chair. He sipped from a cup of tea.
Tarot looked at her reflection in the dark shimmering surface of her cup. She had grasped to the very end to the slightest hope she could be with Peanut, but that was gone now.
The Pomeranian knew that everything would lead to this, that her own actions had to make sure that Peanut and Grape become a strong and united couple, shining like a single star in the constellation of life ...
But Tarot loved Peanut. She knew how much he was wonderful and pure, but she couldn’t help the resentment over her duties.
She really didn’t need her adversary teasing her with his poisonous tongue.
"Be honest with yourself, for once," said Pete. "Ain’t ya even a little tempted to break the rules, hmm?"
Tarot regained self-control. She drank her tea and glanced cautiously to the griffin’s ‘Gaspar’ aspect. "The consequences would be unimaginable, a chain reaction that would destroy many innocent lives. I won’t lower myself to that, ever. Especially for something so miserably selfish."
"Yet he should not even know. You may take only a fragment of his essence, a tiny part of his soul, nothing he’d take notice of, and you’ll have his children, your own family... "
Another sip. This time, Tarot sported a mocking smile, but her eyes had turned from gold to green as she said, "The mortals’ soap-opera is strong in you, my friend."
"Ouch. Touché. "

From the roof of the Cabin, while inside the others were still celebrating, Nevermore sighed and turned to the sky.
"Rufus, ol’ beanbag, it would take a dead chicken to celebrate. I hope you're enjoying the show from up there."
Last edited by valerio on Sun Aug 04, 2013 1:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by copper »

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Yay!

This was interesting indeed. The she bear, the cubs, the couples, the love. Way to pack emotion into your story. I like it!


I can't wait to hear how Celestia and Tiger wind up.

Marvin can control the weather!! :shock:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Daggy »

=3 This made me quite happy. Fantastic work, per usual.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Russiarules1 »

Well, the ending was... different... wow... uh, outstanding job, as always!
I'll be looking forward for your next update! Keep up with the good work!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Big Fan »

"The mortals’ soap-opera is strong in you, my friend."

This insult brought to you by Star Wars.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Leafolawl »

valerio wrote:Grape carried Grape toward the trees, toward that zone of shadows and light that she remembered from a wonderful dream. The rain had dwindled to a few drops, and already the insects had started singing. The wild grass held an intoxicating smell, the river still flowed strongly. Everything was perfect. And Grape knew that, whatever happened from today on, she would hold these moments in her heart as the most precious of treasures…

I think you hit a typo.

Good work anyways.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by kurowolfe »

Finally, I get to settle down and read another great update! :D
I can't remember of the last time I've seen Tiger being cast as a lovelorn dog, but I like it! And Marvin is always there for him, which made me happy somehow. And yay for weather control! XD

A caretaker bear in the story? That's certainly new! And the pack sure hunts fast!

And oh God, the rain scene between Peanut and Grape makes my heart melt... seriously....I love it...

I do feel sorry for Tarot though... she always gets the short stick in the relationship arena...

As always, great stuffs, valerio! Way to cheer myself up from travel fatigue! XD
And so we wait again =3
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by angelusbr »

Yay! Update! Great stuff as always.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by musclecar326 »

OK so I'm not saying hurry up but you've had almost a month since the last chapter i hope the new chapter is in Obbi's hands right now being translated. I really want to know how peanut and grape spent their romantic night, and who grape's donor is!! Also i want to know how tiger works his moves on Celestia. This chapter is going to have to explain a lot, i hope its amazing!!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Obbl »

musclecar326 wrote:i hope the new chapter is in Obbi's hands right now being translated.
*ahem* Obbl ;)
Actually, Valerio writes rather good English, so I usually just do a small edit job after the story is posted (which I am behind on for various reasons ¬_¬)
Also, due to his laptop being stolen several months ago (and consequently all the files on his fanfic he had), the updates have taken longer to produce. Add to that life's normal (and not-so-normal) business and you get the picture.

Short version: Patience is a virtue *Angel Choir* :D

But yeah, as far as I'm concerned Valerio could never write this fic fast enough
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

3.
Akerman Reserve. Early evening.

Their passion kindled the night.
How else to describe the strength and the poetry that rose during that so-longed encounter of souls…and bodies?
Gapre and her companion knew this was bound to happen, it was written in their destiny, it was unavoidable, like the rising of the Sun and the Moon. It was only a question of waiting, waiting for the right moment, the right way…
And it was perfect, just as she had always dreamed of since she used to listen to the elder females’ tales in her village. She had grown with a dream in her heart, and the spirits had heard it sighing, had given her at last the object of her desires. The majestic lion was strong with her, and at the same time delicate, careful, maybe even scared to disappoint-

"Is that what I think?" Asked the dog over the shoulder of the cat intent to write quickly on a bloc.
On another occasion, for the interruption Grape Jelly would have said and done something she would have later regretted... but this time she just closed the bloc and attached the pen to it. She put everything on the sleeping bag on which she sat and smiled tenderly at Peanut Butter. “Do you remember what I said about peeking over my shoulder, lug?” she said with a slight blush.
Peanut wagged his tail. "Do you really want to put us in your fanfic? Cool!”
Grape took Peanut’s paws in hers. "You deserve it. Peanut, I...thank you. Thank you for this trip, thank you for…well, you.” She placed her muzzle between his bare neck and the shoulder, and inhaled deeply the sweet, grassy scent of him. She had never imagined that it could be so intoxicating. Peanut was not just pretty, he was beautiful. He wasn’t ‘the hunk’, when compared with those big beasts of Antares and Aldebaran, but he was her mate.
And Grape wasn’t ashamed to write of their union, through her Pridelands fan fiction. She actually wanted to be a wolf, to howl her joy to the moon and to the whole world! As soon as she’d be back to Babylon Gardens, she’d lock herself up somewhere with Sabrina and start making shameless comparisons between Peanut and Fido! Yes, she needed a girls chat with someone who understood her. "My lion," said Grape, purring, petting Peanut behind the ears.
"Gee ..." was all he could say, blushing and squirming like a pup. Grape was sure that in his place, Maxwell would start dancing and boasting like a proud rooster after the undertaking of his life. Peanut was rather glad she was happy. He was glad not to have disappointed her. Even in this, he had put her first.
Grape put a paw on Peanut’s chest, and with the other gently pulled his head to her, to kiss him. "You were right," she said, when they parted. "I will never forget this day, Peanut, I-" then she sneezed violently!
"Gesundheit," Peanut said, wiping his face with his arm. "Are you okay?"
Grape sneezed again. She was sure she was going to rip the tent apart. "*Sniffle* If you asked me to redo everything, including bad weather, I’d do it again. "Another sneeze. "I think it's time to return to the Cabin. When will you leave?” She hated to ask, she hated the mere idea that her Peanut would leave for months, but ignoring it wouldn’t have canceled his commitment. Peanut kept his promises, even at the cost of playing The Game (you just lost!) with Bino.
Peanut took his collar, imitated by her, and snapped it back around his neck. "In three days. Tomorrow we go back, so I think we have plenty of time to spend another memorable night." He nipped her on the tip of the ear. "My Queen."

The starry sky was a starred array, painted by the last clouds of gray, the moon a pale crescent low on the horizon, the ground smelled strongly of grass, rain and wet soil.
Funny, there is always a crescent moon... Grape wondered distractedly, as she walked at her dog’s side, holding his paw, looking at him as if she had discovered him for the first time.
There was a crescent moon, when she, high on catnip, was about to confess her love for him at new year’s eve.
There was a crescent moon that night at the farm where they exchanged their first kiss.
There was a crescent moon that night at the farm in which they celebrated the first anniversary of that event that had changed their lives forever.
But what change could ever stand up to what happened tonight?
Lover.
That was how Sabrina had felt, maybe dozing at Fido’s side, as he held her gently at his chest, their first time? Proud, vulnerable, conqueror and prey? Having the knowledge that her mate could destroy her with a wrong word, yet sure that would not happen?
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"I will always be with you, wherever might be," Peanut whispered, his voice almost part of the breeze that stirred the grass. And Grape believed it, as she believed that--
A sudden thought cooled the inner turmoil of the cat. She believed that she had heard that before. "You’re quoting the first Pridelands movie, by the chance?”
Peanut nodded, putting his other paw behind his head. 'Well', yes? Why, that was such a good-Ouchie!" He whined when she slapped him, hard. "But why!?"
Grape sighed, exasperated. "Peanut, honey, you have a definite moral obligation when you talk to your mate: Do not use quotes, even from the best literary work ever. You have to be original, you must make me sigh, as if every date was the first." She concluded that phrase putting her chin in the palms and looking to the sky with dreamy eyes.
In response, Peanut stood behind her and hugged her, around her waist. "I'm sorry. Can I do something to make you forgive me, my lady? Nothing will ever be too much, if that shall guarantee the tranquility of a future mom." And so saying, he gently stroked her belly in circles, as if he could already feel the lives that soon would stir inside her.
"*Purr* See? This was romantic, Nutty. In return, you have my royal permission to groom my fur. I look like a used brush-ACK!" She startled at the sudden sensation of his tongue licking her back! "Peanut!"
"What?" He said, pausing. "I'm grooming, right? You just asked me! "
Grape shook her head. "Incorrigible. But I would be happy if you did so in private, certainly not in front of everyone in the cabin. *Etzù*”
The couple walked again towards the Cabin... that is, only Grape did so. A few steps from the door, she realized she was alone. "Peanut, what is it?" She asked, turning around.
The dog had remained where he was, looking at her with an expression switched suddenly to an immense sadness. It was as if a mask had fallen on his face.
"You are still scared," Peanut said in a whisper, shaking.
"Peanut, what are you saying?" Grape advanced towards him, and he took two steps backwards.
Just like that day, when she had scratched him. He acted as if she had just struck him again, physically, with hatred. And that expression was something she would never want to see, never again.
Especially not today, not in the evening that was to be the most beautiful in their relationship. "Peanut, please, what’s happening? What did I say ..?" But as she tried to step closer, he growled!
"You’re still afraid to be seen with me!"
Only later, Grape would have realized that she should not have stopped where she was, speechless, too stunned to think of a coherent response. But it was an instinctive reaction, a defense mechanism: when her Dad first got angry, and it was a show when it happened, it was as if the world crumble around her, she didn’t know what to say. Being surprised out of the blue paralyzed her thoughts.
But this time, when he turned to run away to the forest, the cat did not stay still, wasting precious seconds. Instead she used all her energies to run faster than Peanut, and jump onto him like a perfect football player, tackling him on the ground in a spray of grass and water.
Grape prided herself on being strong, and she was, but at that moment Peanut was like an unleashed fury. He was getting wetter by the second, and it was like trying to hold steady a soap bar. "Lemmego! Lemmego, bad kitty! You're mean!"
"No," she hissed, knowing that tomorrow would have paid those extra efforts with a record-long slumber. Instinct told her to use her claws to hold him steady, but that way she would hurt him, and Grape would cut her paws rather than hurt him again... "No, Peanut. And I'm not afraid of being seen with you. I am no longer, for some time now. We got married in front of everybody, darnit! So now stop it!"
And he stopped. He stood like a toy that had suddenly switched off. Grape fell on him. Both were panting, more tired now than ever.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry..." he was repeating. His eyes were glassy, he seemed on the verge of hyperventilation. Grape let him go, slowly, half expecting/fearing to see him take off again.
But Peanut went up on his knees and looked at her again with that tormented expression. "I do not want to leave."
"Peanut ..." Grape began to understand, and she felt horribly selfish as he gave voice to her thoughts.
"I do not want. I don’t, not now that we are so happy. But I must, I must because I want to be stronger, for you. But who knows what will happen to you while I'll be away and I w-wish this night would never end, and I didn’t want to spoil everything, but I really need to feel you close in these last moments together, please don’t tell me that I can’t be nice with you in front of the others, I do not want to waste this short time we have left "and then he hugged her, burying her face against her chest.
Grape stroked his back, purring to him, calming him minute after painful minute. "There is nothing to excuse, Nutty. It’s my fault you were so enthusiastic, so full of energy, I only thought of how sad this was for me, without understanding how this would hurt you. You were counting on me and I've left you alone. Forgive me, very sweet brave dog. "
Peanut whimpered, nodding slightly.
"Can you promise me one thing, though?"
Again a slight nod of the head.
"The next time you want to fight, use a better argument: you silly, how could you believe that I was ashamed to share mushy stuff with you in public?”
His ears lie flat on his skull, while he tapped his fingers. "Um, I was in a panic?"
Grape chuckled. "You can say that. Be patient with this tomcat, okay?" She gave him a peck on the nose, then stood up. She grabbed his paws and helped him stand up. "But enough excitement for tonight. And you have not ruined anything, okay? Whatever will come out of this, you're still my lion, and our children will laugh like crazy when we tell them this story."
Peanut blushed slightly. "Heh, do you think we’ll come to that?"
"Oh, no doubt: no matter who the donor is, growing up with a lug like you, at least one of them will be so clumsy in love to need some good anecdote to laugh his or her problems off."
"D’AAAAWWW!" Exploded the chorus behind them! The pets’ hearts skipped a beat with that new adrenaline rush!
Grape’s face face assumed a uniform tomatoes hue. "How long were you there, you?"
The Foster brothers, the Milton pack and Badessa were all there to look at the couple.
"We heard you arguing," Antares said.
"So we ran out," continued Aldebaran.
"We thought little brother Peanut was going to run away.”
"Like the other time."
"But then little sister grape caught you.”
"Then you got to talking."
"And we did not want to disturb."
Miles went to the couple. Peanut giggled, Grape wanted to be in China. The wolf put his paw on her shoulder. "Hey, worry not, kids: when we said that Peanut is an honorary member of our pack, we meant it. While he’ll be at the Academy, we'll be taking care of you. " "And so will we!" Said the black twins in unison, mirroring each other as they pointed their chests with their thumbs.
She let herself be herded to the Cabin by the wolf. "Thank you Miles, really. Do you think we'll have time to visit that old Native camp you mentioned, tomorrow?"
Lucretia nodded. "Sure, it’s not far from here, and we have all day to explore it.”
"YAY!" Went the cubs in chorus.
Peanut was puzzled. "But weren’t we supposed to leave, tomorrow?"
Miles answered, "Sure. Tomorrow night, just as we came. Isn’t it a nice feeling, taking a nice long walk in the quiet woods, on a moonbathed night?”
Grape was just glad that Never wasn't there at that moment, or the neighborhood would’ve learnt what she said in that occasion…
Last edited by valerio on Sun Aug 04, 2013 1:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

the AWESOME image was posted with permission of Nogitsunegabriel.
Thank you again, man!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Leafolawl »

As always, your detailing is amazing. I'd like to see more writers put that much detail into things.

I hope we keep seeing that type of detail.
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SoujiTheFox wrote:(9:36:35 PM) Steve: THE CHRIST AM I NAMED STEVE FOR
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

Leafolawl wrote:As always, your detailing is amazing. I'd like to see more writers put that much detail into things.

I hope we keep seeing that type of detail.
don't worry, you will.
And thank YOU for pointing out the typos. Edited.
Last edited by valerio on Fri Sep 30, 2011 6:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Leafolawl »

You're welcome. :oops:

Wow, um, that's actually kind of embarresing to have it stated like that.
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SoujiTheFox wrote:(9:36:35 PM) Steve: THE CHRIST AM I NAMED STEVE FOR
Why do I still find this funny?
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

Leafolawl wrote:You're welcome. :oops:

Wow, um, that's actually kind of embarresing to have it stated like that.
message edited 8-)
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