My Master's going to kill me.......

Endy sits reading a book in front of the fire, enjoying the warmth with Binx on his lap, gently stroking the noisy fur-ball as he slumbers.

"We need to get you a bed, don't we sweetie?" Endy says, thinking of the number of small scratches on his bare leg from Binx's clawing in his dreams "Time to go shopping I think."

Endy reluctantly puts on some clothes to guard against the winter cold, and heads out into the cold.

In the shop Endy looks around, giggling at the amount of people that must spoil their pets - castle, and ship, and space station beds! He finally spies a simple basket with a cushion that will be big enough for both Hafnir and Binx together.

On the way to a counter, he grins seeing Halloween pet costumes, marked down for the post Halloween sales, then giggles as he notices a costume next to it, adding it to the basket chuckling at the thought of how Binx will look when he gets home.

As he heads towards the counter, Endy hear a soft whining, looking round, he quickly finds the source. The shop-keeper, a hard nosed man, mean and scar-face growls seeing the boys attention "Can't sell him! Useless he is, his bitch of a mother got to close to a wolf pack and got knocked up, only one of  the litter that survived and I'm stuck with the useless bugger as no-one will buy 'im with wolf blood in him."

Endy stares at the puppy for moment, lying on a toy sledge...

"Gonna 'ave to put 'im down soon" grunts the shop-keeper, appraising the boy, and already estimating that he will be soft enough "He costs to much to keep if 'e ain't gonna sell.." then looking at the boy he adds, knowing that it may tip the scales in his favor "..might do it tonight as a matter, no point in putting it off"

Endy, stares, wide eyed at the puppy, horrified at the shop-keeper callous attitude towards the life of a creature, then thinking about the coins he has, whispers "How much would he be?"

"ah, well, for you..." the shop-keeper names an absurd price, then as Endy's eyebrows shoot up "Don't give me that look lad, it don't matter who 'is father was, 'is mother's a good line.... course... if you don't want 'im" the shop-keeper draws a finger across his throat.

"I... I... I'll take him" Endy says hurriedly, glad he came with plenty of case, and taking it out of his pocket, quickly slams it down on the counter, and grabbing up the puppy in one arm, whispers to it "No-ones going to hurt you" and hurries out the door wanting to be as far away from the odious man as possible, hugging the puppy close and tucking it under the cover of his coat to keep it warm. Half way home he realizes he forgot to pay for the costume and bed still in his other hand, but thinking of the shop-keeper, he growls "Serves him right!".

At home Endy places the puppy on the floor, and set up the bed for Hafnir and Binx, listening as he hear the puppy chasing Hafnir around, muttering under his breath "About time that bully had someone chasing HIM around", then grabbing the puppy, holds it in front of him, and stares into its eyes for a moment.

"Your name is 'Haku' " he whispers to it, then his face contorts ".. phew, and you stink of that shop, lets go wash you"

As he washes Haku, he does not notice his brother quietly come in from his chore, oblivious to him until he hears his brother's voice behind him saying "What. The. Hell. Is. That?"

"Crap..." Endy whispers under his breath.....