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 Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 1:40 pm
After managing to convince Minnie Mouse to leave her new purple haired best friend, Barnaby and his furball of a dog headed down the hall in search of Sue's friend Yahya. From what the other teen had told him about the boy he would enjoy having a visit from a dog, which was more than the redhead could say about Sue. Still, he hadn't screamed when he'd seen her, which proved that he did have some shreds of his dignity left.
Minnie had been temporarily pacified with a large blue ball, which squeaked occasionally as she trotted along beside her master, stopping whenever he stopped to check the little names on the files outside the room doors. Though he hadn’t actually seen the name written out, he figured he could at least take a good guess as to what it should look like. Finally finding what he was looking for, Barnaby rapped his knuckles on the open door and called in,
"Is Yahya in here?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 1:52 pm
He was still here, stuck in the hospital, and he still didn't understand why. Why did they need to keep him here longer if he was fine? Couldn't they use the space for someone else? Still, even though he questioned the logic of the doctors, he didn't argue it. He was bored, laying in bed all day, his only visitor having been Sue. The baby squirrels were fast asleep, and Columbus was getting there. The kitten was curled up on his chest, purring loudly and occasionally batting at Yahya's nose when the human was the least aware. Yahya had flipped the television to the Discovery Channel, hoping that it was Shark Week, but he was a few months too late.
Oh well, he was fine with watching this documentary anyways.
The knock on his door startled him, and immediately he scooped up his sleepy kitten and hid him under the covers. He'd manage to hide him so far, and most people were respectful about his space. Still, it didn't help when Columbus meowed grumpily at him. "Ahhh, yeah!" he finally replied (when he thought that everything was in proper order, and Columbus wouldn't make himself known).
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 1:59 pm
Woo! The correct room on the first try! And he had learned better than to come in unannounced with his dog. Yahya was definitely lucky he was second in line. Otherwise Minnie's head would have been on his bed as well, and Columbus probably wouldn't have appreciated that very much.
"Hi! Your friend down the hall said that you wouldn't mind a visit from one of the hospital's visitation dogs." Barnaby took a couple of steps into the room, making sure to keep his furball at his heels. Perhaps it would be best to double check before he brought Minnie too close to his bed. Just because someone liked dogs didn't mean they liked big dogs. (Hey, Barnaby was learning).
"You do like dogs, don't you?"
Minnie's tail started wagging the moment she spotted Yahya, the ball in her mouth squeaking several more times as she chewed on it.
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:14 pm
A... dog?
His friend was obviously Sue, but didn't Sue know that Yahya had Columbus with him? Sure, Yahya loved dogs, but he didn't know how the kitten would react to one. Columbus got along fine with the squirrels, but that was only because he was bigger than them. But... a dog? "Uhh, hi! No, I don't mind." Well, that was true. He didn't mind. Columbus probably would. He could feel the kitten tensing up against his thigh, and he knew what was coming.
Columbus hissed from underneath the covers. The hairs on his back puffed up. He could smell it, the dog. He did not like the smell, and definitely did not want anything to do with it.
Yahya flashed an apologetic smile, and reached under the covers to grab the unhappy kitten (to keep him from darting away). "I love dogs, I really do. My uhh... kitten doesn't, I don't think. The nurses don't know I have him in here, so..." Please don't tell? Pretty please? "If she doesn't get too close for a little bit, he'll probably calm down, and then I can see her. She's awfully fluffy, a gorgeous girl!"
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:37 pm
Aaaah, so that was why Sue had asked him if Minnie liked cats. Barnaby reached instinctively for the mastiff's collar, knowing that the moment she caught sight of the kitten she'd want to go investigate. Minnie certainly didn't prove him wrong. She leaned against the hand holding her back, tail wagging furiously.
"Well then, we'll just stay a little ways away. Not a problem." The redhead pulled up a chair as close to Yahya's bed as he thought the kitten would tolerate, and instructed his dog to lie down. Though she did as she was told, she didn't take her eyes off of the little kitten. Barnaby settled himself down on the chair and grinned at the other teen. Might as well use the opportunity to make friends with this Yahya fellow while the animals got used to each other.
"I'm glad you like her though!" He would never get tired of hearing his dog praised. "Your friend asked if she likes cats, and now I can see why. I don't think she's ever met one this close and personal before, but my guess is she'd probably just try and mother him until he got tired of her. What's his name?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:59 pm
Columbus was not happy, he had puffed up to twice his actual size, hissing uncomfortably at the sight of a very large dog. His tiny claws were going to tear the hospital gown, but Yahya didn't mind. He just held the kitten, hoping he'd calm down somewhat, because Yahya would feel guilty about taking up Barnaby and Minnie's time for no good reason. Yahya was sure that Barnaby could be visiting other patients who could actually pet Minnie and be quite cheered by her presence. Yahya already had four bundles of cheer. "I'm sorry still, he just hasn't had a good introduction to dogs, I imagine."
Yeah, Sue had definitely been the one to send Barnaby in his direction. Yahya smiled to himself, thinking that it was a pretty nice thought, to send someone to keep Yahya busy, even if it was only for a few minutes. Plus, he really did like dogs. When he got back to the rescue center, hopefully all the dogs he had left behind had found homes, and he'd be able to make some new friends. "Oh, his name is Columbus. My friend gave him to me to take care of - he had been sick for a few weeks. I work at a rescue center so I know how to take care of animals pretty well. And, well, clearly Columbus is better now." The kitten's voice was certainly solid and strong.
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:23 pm
Minnie lay completely still, save for her mouth, which continued to chew almost thoughtfully on the ball in her mouth. It gave the occasional squeak, but otherwise all was silent from the large mound of fur on the floor.
Barnaby waved off the apology, still smiling. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure he's probably never seen something quite this big before. I'm sure if I was in his position I'd be feeling the same way!" Not everyone liked big dogs, as Sue had proven moments ago, but small kittens certainly had the right to.
"Your friend- aw, might as well call him by his name since I'm sure you know it, Sue mentioned the bit about the rescue centre. I'm not sure I could work there myself. I might be tempted to bring a bunch home and I can't say my mom would be too happy with me then." He chuckled at the thought of his mother's face. It was enough to have a dog, for now, since between the pair of them they didn't exactly spend large amounts of time at home. "He's definitely looking pretty tough. Could probably scare away even the toughest dog. Even this one might be running if she didn't love little creatures."
Squeak, replied Minnie.
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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:52 pm
Yahya smoothed down the fur on Columbus' back, and was pleased when it didn't stand straight back up again. The kitten was still growling every now and then, and his claws were still out, but he was at least beginning to calm down. Maybe this wouldn't be so much of a waste of Barnaby's time. "I guess you're right, I would be pretty intimidated by Minnie if I was a tenth of her size." He laughed then, an easy sound. He was naturally a good-natured, happy person. It was so easy for him to be happy, despite the sort of sadness he dealt with on a day to day business. There was always the possibility of animals dying, of seeing cruelty cases. But even so, there was so much happiness that came with his job that he could pull through the sad times.
"Oh, he did?" His smile brightened, and he was truly glad that Sue really hadn't forgotten much about him. Hey, he even remembered that Yahya worked at a rescue center! "It's hard not to take them all home, I mean, even I haven't been able to resist from time to time. The last one I took home was an old dog, he was so sweet... died about two years after he came to live with us. I like taking in animals that I don't think anyone else would want, or people haven't wanted." He lived alone now, in a small apartment where he really couldn't keep any dogs. Right now the only animal he intended on keeping was Columbus. He'd set the baby squirrels free when he was sure they could survive on their own. "It's really rewarding, though, if you like animals. We take domestic animals and wildlife. More than often I'm helping out with the wildlife, I'm pretty good with them."
Columbus growled again, and Yahya lightly 'bopped' his nose to let him know that Yahya didn't approve. Quite frankly, Columbus didn't care for Yahya's approval, and glowered even more at Minnie.
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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:19 pm
The redhead laughed and shook his head. "I don't blame you, man. At least you gave that old dog a good home for his last few years. This goof was a rescue, in a way. Somebody bred her mother by accident and got stuck with these pups, so the breeder took 'em back and tried to find homes for them. But you know, we don't tell her that." He stage whispered the last bit, as though if he said it quietly enough Minnie wouldn't hear it. The dog only squeaked her toy again.
He nodded at the mention of wildlife, his curiousity piqued. In all the shelters he'd ever seen they seemed to have only cats and dogs, but he supposed those were the ones that could afford television advertising. Logically, there had to be some place for people to take injured wildlife, but he hadn't honestly given the topic much thought. Still, he couldn't help but be interested. "Oh yeah? What kinds of stuff have you seen? Did you get anything bigger than like… I dunno, a squirrel?"
Minnie lifted her head when Yahya tapped Columbus on the nose, ears lifting a little, however she stayed lying down.
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