artsala

Little paws paced the wood-chip-covered flooring of the small cage, creating a rhymatic tick-tick sound in the tumultous pet shop. Artsala stared out the prison bars to see a little boy huddling a mixed-breed pup to his chest, the pup was going home. Artsala's eyes glazed with longing, knowing no human wanted a full-grown Australian Shepherd; everyone wanted a puppy to raise. Artsala's tail brushed against her hocks, and she laid down on the floor, sighing softly and resting her face on her paws. No one wants me. I'll be sent to a pound, and then they'll finally kill me because of my worthlessness. Artsala mused, closing her vibrant azure eyes and slipping off to a light nap.

IKU AND YORI

" You did what?! " Iku sputtered, Anger written all over her pretty face. Her wavy chestnut hair swung furiously as she turned around and stormed off. Her twin clled after her, but Iku, considered to be the "un-bright" twin, didn't care. Yori sighed from behind her as she ran out the building, slamming the door behind her. The young adult strapped on her helmet once she reeached her bike. She swung up onto it, then peddaled furiously down the road. Since it was a small street, there wasn't many cars around, just a few zooming by. When she hit the main road though-BAM! Cars were every where. Iku coasted to the side of the road, concentrating on not getting hit.

She didn't know where she was going, just that she would get away from that brown-haired scoundral of a twin, the traitor. He had, um, made out with her best friend, and he wasn't married or anything. It made Iku sick just thinking about it. The thought made her pedal harder. She kept going (at a reasonable pace, which was A LOT slower) for about fifteen more minutes. She then let her bike glide as she turned her head, looking at the stores. A large sign read KATE'S CRITTERS. Iku made a little interested "hmm" noise and turned into the parking lot. She pedaled onto the grass, and then braked hard. Her bike easily stopped and she put her kickstand down. The young woman went into the shop. She went right over to the DOG section. It was full of several age varieties, but only one dog really caught her eye. Iku joged over to that dog's kennel. It was an australian sheperd, female, and had been hear for a while according to the tag. Iku opened the cage and stuck her fingers in for the dog to sniff. Something about her... Iku called to store manager to come over. She explained about wanting this dog. She then crouched down and whispered.

" You know what I like about you? People think you're a no-hopper, like me. "

artsala

The blue merle dog looked up half-heartedly as anoth person entered the shop. Who was she kidding, after all? Yet the woman advanced towards Artsala, and the dog felt a mixture of confusion and hope. Could this woman be carting her off to the pound? Could this be a person who wanted to adopt Artsala? Artsala glanced at Iku with glassy eyes, before craning forward to sniff the girl's fingers. They smelled like car fumes and city air, probably from just outside. But Artsala could sense something, something people couldn't figure. Artsala leaned closer to the human as she crouched down, her muzzle just inches from the girls face. After she stopped talking, Artsala's tongue rolled out of her mouth and Artsala attempted to lick the young woman's face. In a act of pure humor and friendship.

Besides, this girl had just saved Artsala from a pound-bound fate.

IKU

Iku made an agreement with the manager while the dog, Artsala licked her face. She laughed in the middle of the agreement, for it was ticklish. The manager looked at Iku oddly, but continued to talk. Iku got up when the manager stopped talking, and shook the woman's hand. She grabbed a leash, and clipped it onto the collar of the dog. She was a gorgeous blue-merle color. Iku slowly started to walk out of the shop, though she could only hope Artsala would follow. The young woman's anger flared up as she thought of Yori and what he would do when she came home with another mouth to feed. Well, it doesn't matter. Iku thought, her heart fluttering. I'm not going back. He has his "honey" to go to. He'll forget me in time. Who did Iku think she was kidding? Certinaly not herself. She knew that no matter what, Yori wouldn't forget her. She sighed as she opened the door and closed it again, a little bell tinkling. The chestnut-haired, blue-eyes girl hopped on her bike and slowly peddeled off, making sure that if the dog was following she could keep up and get used to being "biked." Iku pedaled to the place where he and Yori lived. She opened the door, and called out, slightly in a hesitant voice,

" I'm back. "