Can we please have more of O'Ranges (Uplifted Nufurria large dog/wolf mix). -- Knitnan
Ambassador O'Ranges had only one really annoying habit, and that was checking in every box left by the wayside. Even if it was upside-down. Even if it was clearly empty. He would stop in his tracks, check the box, and check the area around the box. He rarely spoke, so finding out what he was looking for took a significant amount of time.
Hitchhiker/Assistant Aelki put up with it. She only wondered internally what O'Ranges was looking for. She had her guesses, since O'Ranges had been left in a box in the negligible hope that he would find a loving home.
Other Ambassadors and their staff... tended to get antsy.
"We have a five minute window to arrive before Her Majesty," urged M'taeo. "Can you please hurry... whatever this is."
"I budgeted for stalls such as this," soothed Aelki. "Come on, HitcherWolf. There's nobody to rescue here."
O'Ranges unfolded from his previous crouch. "M'kay," he murmured. And after a few moments, added, "Good."
They arrived on time and impressed Her Majesty of Sa'amat that Nufurria was indeed still a horrible place that did cruel things to living, cogniscent beings. And, as a result, Sa'amat should enact some trade restrictions until Nufurria dragged itself, kicking and screaming, into the modern era of Universally Acknowledged Rights.
They took a promenade along the upper levels of a forest park that Aelki couldn't remember the name of and, once again, O'Ranges stopped to carefully inspect a box that had been laying innocently in a corner.
No living thing was in or nearby it, but that didn't stop the gigantic Uplift from looking as thoroughly as he could for any sign of habitation.
"Why are you doing that?" asked Her Majesty of Sa'amat.
O'Ranges put the box very carefully down. "Every day, there's hundreds like me. Left in boxes. I keep looking. None here. All deserve... rescue."
That was quite a speech for O'Ranges. Aelki was impressed. She said, "You don't need to worry so hard. Nobody here abandons any children."
"And there are shelters, now," said one of Her Majesty's aides. "For those who don't have homes. The lost are being cared for."
O'Ranges shook his head. "I want to rescue too. Be HitcherWolf the hero."
It was going to take quite a lot of time to explain that he was already rescuing so many, just by existing. Aelki pondered if it would be kosher to let this gentle giant 'rescue' a future pet.
No. That might only encourage him.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / mkaragoz]
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