Too much to drink
In his dimly lit bedroom, Leo lies on his lumpy bed, reading a battered copy of a manga book called the Monkey Kid. The young wolf had been lucky enough to find it in a charity shop on the way back home from school, for a steal of 50 UK pence. For Leo, every penny counted as his mother rarely gave him money. She needed every penny for her medicine to keep her on her feet and to aid her depression, or so she claimed. Her medicine came in the form of bottles of sprit's or whines and then there where those strange smelling cigarettes she smoked. Not to mention the monumental amounts of funny shaped pills she took.
The young wolf listens carefully to what is happening downstairs, as he reads his manga comic. He's ready to hide it, just in case his mother Kate busts into his room and destroys it. Whenever Kate's in a foul mood, she often has a go at Leo. The she-wolf usually claims that the house isn't tidy enough, says mean things, breaks positions of his and at worst, hits him. Sometimes she can't even justify why she is cross with him or what he's done wrong.
Leo has just reached a part in the manga where the monkey kid has met a teenage rabbit girl, when he hears loud banging sound coming from the kitchen. The noise is followed by the sound of glass smashing and a loud cry of pain. Moments later it's followed by the faint sound of sobbing.
"Great" Leo thinks to himself "Mother's had too much to drink and has fallen off her chair."
It's not been the first time it's happened, however last time her boyfriend Charlie was around to help back on her feet and now he'd likely have to help her.
"Leonardo! Get down hear now!" The sound of Kate's growly, menacing voice echoed through the house.
"Just when the story was getting good" Leo mutters to himself as he stuffs the manga book into his school backpack and his makes ways downstairs to the kitchen.
He finds Kate who lie's on the floor, clutching her right leg and moaning in pain. The wooden chair lie's on its side next to Kate and near her there is a broken whisky bottle and small puddle of yellow brown liquid, glistening with glass shards.
Kate's watery pink eye's stare back at Leo as he stands before her.
"Help me up boy!" the she-wolf demands crossly, in a way that sounded as though it was Leo's fault, that the accident had occurred.
Leo offered Kate his arm for her to grip and lean on, but when she tried to get off the floor, she cried out in pain.
"FUCK! My fucking leg hurts!" Kate howled "Phone Charlie and tell him to come over. He'll be able to help me."
Not waiting to be asked twice, Leo shot up the stairs and onto the landing, where he found the tatty looking phone book on the window ledge. Soon Leo found Charlie's number and dialled it into the telephone.
After a several seconds of ringing Charlie picked up the call.
Charlie: Hey Katie, how you keeping honey?
The Doberman recognises the home number and assumes that it's Kate calling him up.
Leo: It is me Leo. Mums hurt and she needs your help.
There is moment's silence from Charlie.
Charlie: Shit! what's happened to her now?
Leo: She's fallen off a chair and she's hurt her leg. She told me that she wants you over.
Charlie: I'm heading there now then! Stay with her till I arrive!"
Leo places the phone down on the receiver and jogs downstairs into the kitchen.
"How long will Charlie be?" Kate demands at the young wolf.
"Um, I'm sure he won't be long. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"More whisky! That'll ease the pain! Get me the bottle of Jack Daniels. It's the one with the black sticker label."
Leo doesn't wait to be asked twice and walks quickly into the living room. In the far corner of the untidy room there is an old book shelf, that's clustered with bottles of spirits and whines. Leo is able to retrieve the bottle in a short amount of time and hastily makes his way out of the living room. It's not very pleasant in there. Not with all the crisp packets, empty bottles, cans and cigarette butts on the floor. Not mention the needles and used condoms, that makes him cringe at the mere sight of them.
"Hear you go mum" Leo announces as approaches the raven furred, she-wolf. "Would you like a glass of ice with it?"
A fancy looking glass with chunks of ice, is what she drank whisky in before. Especially with meals.
"No, just give me the bottle."
Leo watches her in amazement as Kate downs half of the 700ml bottle, within seconds, as though it was refreshing water, not the bitter and burning liquid.
"How on earth is she able to enjoy that crappy drink?" Leo thinks to himself.
He had sneaked a few drops whiskey from an already open bottle when Kate had been out for the night and had instantly hated its sharp taste. This had been out of curiosity, as he'd heard Kate claimed that JD whiskey was one of the nicest drinks she'd tasted in her life.
"Why the hell are you staring at me?" the drunken she-wolf slurred at Leo.
Kate looked awful. Whisky dribbled down her muzzle and her eyes where pink and watery. Her matted fur and stained clothes, that smelt of smoke didn't help either. She glared at Leo with her eyes squinted and scowl on her muzzle. Kate was too drunk to beat Leo, but she could still start dishing out insults at him.
"I'm here to help you mother. Just in case you need anything" Leo says to her calmly, in an attempt to smooth things over with her.
"You've a good point there, kid" Kate mutters as she proceeds to lie on the floor and down the rest of her whisky.
10 minutes later, there is loud knock at the door.
"That must be Charlie" Leo thinks to himself. Finally, he can leave the kitchen as he doesn't like that creepy look Kate is giving him. He leaves the kitchen, goes to the front door. He lets the rough looking Doberman into the hall. Charlie looks pissed off, as per usual. Perhaps a drug deal went wrong or perhaps he's worried about Kate.
"Where is your mother kid?" the adult canine demands.
"She's in the kitchen, Mr Jones" The young wolf replies politely. "She's having trouble getting up."
"I'd better lend her a paw then" Charlie grumbles to himself as he makes his way into the kitchen.
Leo retreats up to his bedroom, retrieves his manga book and settles himself down on his bed. He's enjoys the zany action from the monkey kid. Him and the bunny girl have just finished fighting a dragon demon and they've now formed an alliance.
It's then when Leo begins to hear the sound of angry voices coming from downstairs. He then hears a door slamming and footsteps pounding up the stairs. The wolf cub only has enough time to stuff the manga book back into the backpack, before his bedroom door fly's open.
Charlie (who looks livid) grabs Leo by the scurf of the neck and without a warning slaps him hard across the face.
"You little bastard!" the older canine barks.
"What did I do!?! What did I do?!" Leo cry's out in confusion and fear.
"You damned know what you did! You Shit!" Charlie roars before he proceeds to carry Leo out of his bedroom and down to the kitchen.
Kate is now sitting at the wooden dining table and looks like a lunatic. She's smiling a nasty smile and she is pointing a paw accusingly at Leo.
"You" Kate says in an icy voice. "You pushed me off my chair."
Leo blood freezes as he feel's Charlie's grip tighten on his scruff.
"Mother, I swear to God that didn't push you. I was upstairs reading" The young wolf pleads.
"Lying little sod!" Charlie growls at him. "How dare you hurt my mate and accuse her of lying."
"How could you do such a thing to your own mother?" Kate accuses the wolf cub. "I put clothes on your back, give you a roof over your head and food on your plate and this is how you act?"
"But I never pushed you!" Leo cry's out.
"Get him out of my sight Charlie" Kate demands ignoring Leo's pleads. "He needs to learn himself some respect."
Charlie roughly drags Leo into the basement and kicks him down the wooden basement steps where he roughly lands on the floor.
"Hurt my mate again and I'll fucking kill ya" Charlie grows at him, before he slams basement door, leaving Leo alone in the eerie darkness.
"Assholes" Leo mutters to himself as he gulps back a sob. "I try to help them, and this is the way they treat me."
Kate was obviously pissed off from her accident and she was taking her anger out on him. Charlie was probably looking for reason to be mean to him, as the Doberman has always hated his guts.
With nothing else to do, Leo begin to question his own existence. Why on earth did he have to live with these awful canines? Was god punishing him? Or was he born unlucky? Would things get better for him? Only time would tell.
A rough night
Leo lies on his lumpy bed, cocooning the covers tightly around himself and attempting to blank out the loud TV volume blaring out from downstairs. Occasionally he'd hear either his mother or her boyfriend thumping up and back down the stairs, or their faint voices from the downstairs living room.
"This is awful" the young wolf thinks to himself, "especially with school in the morning."
Glancing at his alarm clock, Leo notices that the time is 3am. Not great for him at all, especially with his early school start. Suddenly the noise from the tv dies and is replaced with the sound of fain voices.
"Finally," Leo thinks to himself, feeling his eye lids becoming heavy and letting out a cute little yawn. Unfortunately, his peace was short lived, as moments the later his bedroom door was flung open. Next the lights flicker on and Charlie and Kate burst in.
"Get out of bed you little bitch!" Charlie roars at Leo.
The wolf cub quickly scrambles out of bed, wanting to avoid a beating. With the bed free Kate, collapses down on the mattress.
"I'm all yours Charlie baby" the she-wolf says, spreading her legs apart and fluttering her eye lids, seductively.
Grinning, the Doberman unbuckles his belt, letting his jeans fall to the floor.
"Why...... Why are you doing this?" the wolf cub finds himself saying, now on the verge of tears.
"Because everywhere else is a shit heap! That's why!" Kate snaps back at him. Her eyes are now narrowed at him and her fangs are bared. "You're not tidying the house enough!"
"Don't give us a bawling act!" Charlie growls at Leo who gulps back a sob. "Go on! Piss off, before I slap you silly!"
Leo exits the bedroom with his head hung and tears in his eyes. He knows that he has been tidying the house up as best as he can. It is his mother and her boyfriend that are constantly making a mess. Not taking off their shoes and walking mud into the house. Leaving trash in the living room. Leaving dirty clothes lying around the house. He cannot go on.
As Leo makes his way down the stairs, he hears his mother cry out in pleasure.
"Oh yes! Keep it up! You bad boy!"
The living room stinks of weed and spirits and the floor is covered with litter. The kitchen is just as worse. It would be another tedious cleaning job for him, after school.
With nowhere to go, Leo heads outside the house and settles himself down on the stone step just by the door. He gazes up at the chalk white moon and the pitch-black sky.
All alone, the wolf cub lets out his tears and slowly begins to consider. He considers running away and leaving this awful place. Going to the authorities and reporting Kate and Charlies abusive behaviour towards him.
Unfortunately, that would be easier said than done, mainly because Leo didn't have anywhere else to go. The only surviving family Leo had left was Kate. If she was arrested, then he'd likely be placed in an orphanage.
Charlie had told him plenty of horror stories about orphanages, claiming that he'd grown up in one, back when he was a pup. He'd told Leo that there was plenty of bullying there and the workers done nothing about it. The food was awful and so where the living conditions. Some kids never got adopted and once they were too old to live there, they would have to live on the streets.
Charlie or even Kate would often bring up the subject of orphanages, quite often. When he hadn't been tiding the house up enough, whenever he was eating at the dining table with them or just before went to sleep.
"A runt like yourself, won't last long in one of those hostels" Charlie would taunt him. "You be a walking target for all the rougher kids. Your damn lucky, your mum is not going to put you in one of those places. No one want to adopt you."
However, what if Charlie and Kate where wrong because they had no proof that living in an orphanage would be that bad. Besides would he get bullied? At school no one hardly paid attention to him, due to his quite nature. And why would no one want to adopt him? His deceased grandma had loved him, for who he was and why wouldn't anyone else?
Day by day, the possibility of running away became more tempting.
New family
Leo sits in the back seat of a jaguar, staring down at the floor. For a drive that has taken around 5 minutes, it has felt like hours for him.
"Where hear now, Honey" announces Angel, his new mother having adopted him only days ago. She then notices how on edge the cub looks.
"Leo, do you feel nervous about meeting my family?"
The young wolf nods his head.
"I can't blame you for thinking that way kid. However, I grantee ya, my parents are the nicest felines in the world, and they'll love you for who you are, just like I do."
Leo smiles slightly and nods his head.
"Your right mum. I recon they will."
Both feline and canine exit the car and make their way up the gravel driveway, to the front door of the house, which looked as though it had been built in the 1950's. Angel knocks on the door before she places a paw reassuringly on Leo's shoulder. Moments later the door is opened by a tall, middle-aged lioness, with yellow fur, dotted with light brown spots and hazel brown eyes. The feline wears a dark green sleeveless dress and has her head fur neatly combed. A Cheshire cat smile appears on her muzzle as she see's her daughter and the new family member (Leo) standing before her.
"Why hello daughter of mine" the lioness says in a cheerfully tone of voice, before her gaze falls upon the young wolf, standing beside Angel.
"You must be Leonardo, Angel's been telling me all about" Sasha says to him warmly. "My, she wasn't over exaggerating about how adorable you look."
The older lionesses comment makes Leo blush slightly.
"Go ahead to you meeting, Angel honey. This young cubs in good paws."
"Hmmm, yes good point there, mother" Angel says, glancing at her wristwatch. "I can't afford to be late for this meeting. I'll see you later kid, you have fun."
Angel gives his head fur a quick ruffle, before she makes her way down the pathway, to her car. Once she reaches the car, she waves goodbye at Leo before she gets in and drives off.
"Come on inside honey and make yourself at home" Sasha says to him warmly, as she ushers him through the door.
"Thanks for letting me stay hear Miss Sasha" Leo says politely to the older feline. Angel has told him her mother's real name earlier that day.
"Oh, the pleasure is all mine sweetie. In fact, as we are family now, your welcome to call me grandma if you like."
Leo finds tears of happiness distort his vision.
"Really? I love to have a grandma back in my life again" Leo replies as he gulps back a sob.
Sasha lifts Leo up into her arms and hugs him, happily purring to herself. Since after all Leo is a small wolf for his age of 11 (12 in a few weeks' time) and being small does have its advantages.
"What age did your grandma live till?" Sasha ask's him, as he rests his head against her soft furry shoulder.
"My old grandma was in her 80's when she pasted away."
"Well you won't have to worry about me dying, love." Sasha tells him reassuringly. "I'm in my early 50's. We'll have plenty of time to spent together."
Sasha carries Leo into the living room and settles herself down on a comfy brown armchair. Both young Canine and much older feline spend several minutes in each other's arms.
"So Leonardo, unless you'd prefer Leo? What would you like to do for the afternoon" Sasha asks him.
"I honestly don't mind grandma" Leo replies politely "And I'd prefer being called Leo."
"Well Leo, how about I show you are family photo album?"
"Yeah, that sounds really fun" the little wolf says, his bushy tail wagging slightly. "Are there any photos of you and your family on holiday aboard?"
Since after all, Angel has told Leo plenty of stories about her family holidays to countries like Spain, Italy and parts of Africa. Foreign countries interest Leo as one day he wants to explore them.
"Oh, there are plenty of those types of pictures" Sasha tells him.
She retrieves the album from the bookshelf and settles herself down next to Leo. She opens the book and points out a photograph to him. The polaroid is slightly blurry, and the colours are faded, but soon Leo can identify the two lions in the picture, who stand by a under tree.
"Is that you and your husband?" Leo asks her. Angel has already shown him a photograph of Sasha and her husband Benjamin before.
"That's us alright, it taken was when we on our honeymoon in Africa" Sasha tells him. "Such a good day that. I'd happily relive that day of my life."
"Are they any other days of your life that you'd happily relive?" Leo finds himself asking her out of curiosity.
"Plenty" the feline replies. "There was the first time I met my husband. Then there was my wedding day and I when I travelled to England for the first time. Not to mention the day when my girls came into my life."
She flipped through the album and pointed to a photograph that depicted her lying in bed holding two newborn lion kittens in her arms. One of them was had white fur, whilst the over had yellow fur.
"Aww! They look so adorable" Leo gasps.
"I can't agree more, love" Sasha says. "I've plenty more adorable pictures of them."
For the next 10 minutes, Sasha proceeds to show Leo the many photographs. A big chunk of these where of Angel and her sister as kittens and as young cubs. Other photo's where of family holiday's and family gatherings and parties. Spending this quality time with Sasha, reminds Leo of his deceased grandma Cassie and the fun times they had spent together. Cassie had also shown Leo old photo albums and they had watched films together. Other times they'd gone for walks and she'd made him nice meals. Leo had been saddened when Cassie had died as she'd taken far better care of him, then Kate ever had.
However, now with his new grandma, Leo felt overjoyed. Perhaps Cassie had been right all along as she'd often told him that good things do come to those who wait.
Just then Leo hears keys in a lock followed by the sound of a door opening. Moments later, a tall, muscular male lion, in a grey business suit enters the living room. The lion had a brown main, with streaks of grey in it, golden yellow fur and brilliant brown eye's that have a sparkle to them. The lion looks to be in his early 50's. A warm smile appears on his muzzle when he see's his wife and the young wolf siting on the couch next to each other.
"Heya honey" the lion says to his wife, in a growly yet friendly voice. He leans forward and gives her a quick kiss on her muzzle, before he turns his attention to young wolf cub.
"You must be Leo" The older lion says. "My daughter has told me plenty about you."
He holds out his paw for Leo to shake, which the young wolf happily accepts.
"Now unless my daughter has already told you my name, then it's Benjamin. However, as we are family now, then your more welcome to call granddad" the older feline informs Leo.
"Oh my god! Really? I'd really like that!" Leo gasps, as tears of joy flood his eyes. "I've never had a grandad before in my life."
"Well, there always a first time for everything in life, son" Benjamin chuckles as he hands Leo a tissue to wipe his face with. Sasha places her paw on Leo's shoulder.
Once Leo had dried his tears and has settled himself down on the sofa, Benjamin says
"So kid, how would you like to spend the afternoon with your grandparents? We could go out for walk, watch a film, get a takeaway meal?"
Leo considers for a few moments before he responds.
"A takeaway sound great. However, I'm wondering if..... Never mind."
The young wolf has a request on his mind but doesn't feel like telling the older felines. He doesn't want to come across as rude or needy.
"Leo, you us anything that's on your mind" Sasha tells him reassuringly.
"Well ok. I was wondering if you had any more photos of Africa" the wolf says politely.
"Hey that's not an issue at all kid" Benjamin chuckles. "We've got a load more in a cupboard. Sasha honey, we ought to show Leo that old photo projector of ours."
"That sounds a great idea husband of mine. I best go and fetch it." With that Sasha got up from the couch and excited the living room, leaving Leo alone with Benjamin.
"So what type of takeaway would you like Leo?" the lion asks him.
"I just some fancy garlic bread."
The young wolf did not feel that hungry, since he'd had quite a big breakfast and lunch.
"Italian it is then son" Benjamin says cheerfully. "I fancy myself a nice pizza with smoked salmon and anchovies. After all, us lions can never get enough fish. I'll ask my wife what she wants, then I'll phone up the pizza place."
Leo found himself smiling and his tail begging to way. He had feeling that it would be an afternoon to remember.
***************
3 hours later.....
"And was the last time we left our daughters home alone" Benjamin chuckled as he finished his story to Leo. The lion had been telling Leo about the time he'd arrived home to find that his daughters and a friend of theirs had been playing a wild game outside, that had involved them ruining clothes and getting covered in mud.
"That sounds hilarious" Leo said grinning. "However nowhere near as funny as the time they flooded the bathroom or went skinny dipping in the river. You sure know some funny stories grandpa."
"Oh we've got plenty more stories from our childhoods and from our family" Sasha said.
Leo had spent a wonderful afternoon with his new grandparents. The takeaway garlic bread had been delicious. The photos from Kenya, the lions had shown him, hadn't disappointed him. The photos of the unspoiled landscapes of the Kenyan plains and mountains had dazzled him.
They'd even watched a part of a dark fantasy film called "The Witches" that had been on TV. Leo had seen it on VHS a few years ago and he was astonished to find that it was still creepy for a kids film made back in the late 80's.
Despite only knowing the two middle aged lions for only a few hours, Leo felt as though they were his family. A reincarnation of his deceased grandma and the grandfather he'd always wanted.
A sudden knock at the door startled Leo. It was a knock that Sasha and Benjamin recognised as Angel's own unique door knock. Leo knows that it's probably Angel back from her meeting.
Benjamin gets up from the couch to answer the door, leaving Leo alone with Sasha. The lioness notices that Leo has a hint of disappointment in his eyes. It's probably because he was having such a good time and now has to get ready to leave.
"You know love, we will probably pay Angel a visit tomorrow evening. So we will see you again then."
Leo smiles.
"Yeah, that sounds great" Leo say's. "I've really enjoyed myself hear. Also, you and Grandpa Benjamin are two of the nicest grandparents in the world."
"Aww, your welcome my cute little wolfy" Sasha purrs before she lifts him up onto her lap and hugs him. Angel and her father enter the living room in time to witness this cute moment. Angel smiles to herself, overjoyed to see that Leo has got along well with his new care giver. Benjamin can't help smiling either, as his wife always knows how to look after young cubs. She's had plenty of experience from raising Angel and Crystal from when they were kittens and she's taken good care of Crystals own 2 liger cubs as well.
When Leo notices Angel in the living room, he gets down from the couch and approaches her and Benjamin.
"I had such a good time, mum" the wolf cub happily exclaims. "They showed me all these great landscape photos. We also watched a film called the witches on TV as well."
"That sounds wonderful darling" Angel purrs. "I'm glad that you had a great time. However, I hope you don't get any nightmares after watching that witches' film" the feline adds jokingly.
Angel still remembers that frightening scene, where the cat lady removes her mask, revealing her hideous, demonic form. That film had given her nightmares for months back when she had been a cub.
"Thanks for looking after Leo, for me" Angel says to both her parents. "I'll ought to pay you back somehow for this."
"Oh, the pleasures all ours, Angel." Sasha replies, grinning, exposing her pearly white teeth. "Don't worry about paying us back. Goodness is its own reward."
"The kid's welcome to stay round our places, any time he want's" Benjamin chuckles, as he gives Leo's head fur a quick ruffle.
"Sounds great" Leo finds himself saying. "Thanks for having me over" he adds politely, to the middle-aged lions.
"Your welcome love" Sasha chuckles.
"Anytime kido. Anytime." Benjamin says smiling a warm smile.
"Come along Leo" Angel says, "Its getting late, and you need to catch up on your sleep."
Angel dose have a good point, despite it only being around 8pm. Besides he needs to catch up on his sleep, overwise he won't grow up to be a big, strong wolf. His Lack of sleep may be the cause of his small and scrawny structure.
As Leo follows Angel out of the house, he briefly stops and waves back at Benjamin and Sasha, his new grandparents. Both lions smile and wave back at him.
"Such a delightful child" Sasha says as watches Leo clamber into the car from the living room window.
"I can't agree more my love" Benjamin purrs as he slicks back his mane. "Reminds me of when I was a cub myself, especially with his interest in foreign countries and photography."
"Not mention how polite and well-mannered he was" Sasha says. "Very good of him to helps us with the dishes."
She then lets out a sad sigh as says "It's a shame that's he's come from an abusive family. I just can't see how anyone could do such a thing to a cub that adorable."
"Unfortunately, that's what drugs make mammals do" Benjamin reply's as he places a paw reassuringly on his wife's shoulder. Angel had told him and Sasha all about Leo's situation on the phone, shortly after she'd adopted him.
"The kid has us and he can live a better life now" Benjamin tells her reassuring.
"Yeah good point there, Benji honey" Sasha says smiling slightly. "It'll be great to see him tomorrow, evening. It's safe to say that he's my favourite grandchild now."
An Afternoon of video games
Leo is startled by the sound of knocking coming from the front door.
"I'll get it!" the young wolf calls out as he jumps down the from the sofa. Once in the hall, he clambers onto a wooden stool so he can reach the door handle, allowing the door to swing open.
"Being small sure has it's disadvantages" Leo thinks to himself as he leaps down from the stool, before he is pounced upon by a white female liger cub. Leo finds himself lying on the door mat being pinned down the liger. The female liger has white fur, crystal blue eyes and serval distinctive black stripes down her arms and legs. She's wearing pink t shirt, a blue skirt and a gleaming smile.
"How was my pouncing cuz?" She askes him. "Did you see me coming?"
"Nope, you got me by complete surprise there Sophia" Leo chuckled. For a 7-year-old, she was almost as big as he was, and she was strong. Probably because she was a hybrid of two the strongest animals in world, a lion and a tiger.
"Sophia!" growled an adult female lion as she entered through front door with a large plastic bag in her arms and a young liger cub clinging to her back. The lioness had ice white fur and wore a summer pink dress that was decorated with pictures of strawberries. "What have I told you about pouncing on cubs, young lady!"
"But mum, I'm only trying out my hunting skills" Sophia protested.
"You're not feral. Your civilised feline" Her mother said firmly as she placed the bag down. "I don't want you hurting your cousin."
"I'm alright aunt Crystal" Leo replies as Crystal helps him up, "She didn't hurt me."
Which was true. Besides Charlie and Kate had a been a million times rougher with him and they hadn't been paying around unlike like his adopted cousin. Besides speaking of those two awful canines, Charlie had been convicted and jailed for drug position and several other offences. Later he would be charged for his abuse against Leo. Kate had also been jailed for drug position and had attempted suicide whilst in prison. This had resulted in her being had been transferred to a mental asylum. He had no worries about those two canines now. They were out of his life for good. He had his whole life ahead of him with his new family.
Crystal then lifted the young male feline child down from her back.
"Can I ride on your back for longer mum" the young cub protested as his mother gently placed him down on the floor.
"you've been on my back enough times today Mikey" Crystal told him firmly.
"But mum!" the hybrid cub whined. Michael "Mikey" was only five years old and had orange fur (like his tiger father), watery blue eyes (just like his mother and sister) and the tail of a lion. Today he wore a blue pair of overalls and a green t-shirt.
Leo was able to prevent an argument between his aunt and cousin by saying "Hey, Mikey. I can give you a wolf back ride if like?"
The little hybrid kitten instantly stopped his whines and grinned.
"Yes please cousin" Mikey exclaimed with a gleaming smile. Mikey always enjoyed playing with his adopted cousin and hearing about how secondary was school.
"Did you bring that old play station with you Aunt Crystal?" Leo askes the adult feline. His voice is busting with excitement and his tail is wagging.
"I sure did honey" Crystal says to him with a gleaming smile. "It's in that plastic bag. Oh I also brought along Crash team racing as I know how you kids love that game."
Leo found himself grinning. He knew that he was going to be in for a fun afternoon.
"Hi, there sister of mine" Angel says warmly as she makes her way into the hallway. "How have you been lately?"
"Oh I've been good. Well, apart from the occasional stress from work. Come on let's put the kettle on. I'm thirsty."
AN: Crystal has a job as a nurse.
Crystal then turns to the three cubs and says "You kids run along and set up the PlayStation. Me and Angel will join you later."
The trio did not wait to be asked twice. Picking up the bag, they scampered off into the front room. The two adult lionesses made their way into the kitchen where Angel switched on the kettle, whilst Crystal settled herself down on a kitchen chair.
"So how are Oliver and the kids?" Angel askes her. Oliver was Crystals husband, who was an Indian tiger. Oliver worked as an international businessman.
"Oh, their fine" the white lioness replies. "Oliver is busy with work; Sophia is becoming more of a tom-boy with her scout survival actives and loves playing football. Mikey can't get enough lion back rides from me and is still having trouble with bed wetting. But that asides he's getting on at just school fine."
"Well, that's great to know sister" Angel says with a grin on her muzzle. "If there are any days that you are working overtime and you need someone to keep an eye your cubs, then do let me know. They get along so well with Leo. "
"I will Angie. Besides how has Leo been lately?"
It had been 3 weeks since Angel had adopted Leo and the young wolf had settled down quite well, to his new lifestyle. Calling Angel mum, Crystal aunt and Sasha and Benjamin Grandad and grandma all felt natural to him, despite them all being different species to him.
"Oh Leo is just fine. His fur is no longer matted now, after those lavender baths. Not to mention that recommended diet of yours has helped him put on weight. He has had the occasional nightmare about his old abusive family, but that aside he's good."
With the kettle boiled, Angel gets 5 mugs from the cupboard. She places three red bush tea bags in three of the mugs, for her, Crystal and Leo (who is very fond of the stuff). Next, she sprinkles coco powder into the two remaining mugs for her niece and nephew. After pouring the hot water into all five mugs, she places everything onto a tray, before both lionesses makes their way into the living room. Crystal can't help but smile as she sees her own two children and their adopted cousin playing games together and having such a fun time.
Sophia is in the lead as Pura the tiger, Mikey is coming 4th place as Crash (this is a big achievement for him) whilst Leo is in 7th place as Dr Neo Cortex. However, Crystal just knows that this is just Leo secretly helping his younger cousins win the game.
AN: As humans don't exist in this fictional universe full of animal characters, Cortex, N Brio, N gin, N Tropy and other characters that are human, are instead Primates and Apes.
Angel quietly settles the tea tray down onto a coffee table before she and her sister sit down at the couch. Both adult felines decide not to say anything. Words are not needed to enjoy this beautiful moment. Besides, they would not want to distract the kids from their game. It reminded them of their own carefree childhood days playing video games. It was also very heart-warming for them both seeing Leo enjoying his new lifestyle with is adopted cousins.
