Interference (A Human Pet Tale)

Chapter 20: Nope.

Lyon

I crawl besides the creature gently tugging me every now and then. He walks us down a sidewalk, gurgling in a tone close to humming. 

I eye the other...owners? No...vets? I don't think so. Handlers, then? Yeah, sure. Why not. They are all large, but now that I can't tell them by color, I see the differences in their structures like there are differences in humans. 

Not one of them has a look on their face that says pain. Many are actually smiling, many more petting their charges and cooing to them. 

I glance back up at mine, who is staring straight ahead with a relaxed look on his face. I look back down to the sidewalk, astonished that unlike Earth's sidewalks and roads, it is padded and soft...an almost rubber-like material. 

No wonder it doesn't hurt my hands and knees, and sometimes my feet. I am astonished at how well my body has grown accustomed to crawling around. 

It's like my body just knows what to do. Weird. So weird. 

My leash tugs me to a stop, and I glance up from the ground to come face to face with a horrifying sight. 

A creature is crouching in front of me, three times larger and more powerful than me by far. He is a young boy in the face but his skin is splattered with scales like a snake's. I really wish I could see color besides the whites and blacks. If I had to guess, his scales are probably vibrant hues. His arms and legs are short and stubby, but ripples with muscles. 

His hands are clawed and his nose is flat like a snake's. His eyes are like a snake's as well, yellow, and reptilian. 

A large tail slinks behind him, exactly replicating a snake's body...and length. He is bald, but it fits him. 

I freeze. The snake-boy is harnessed with thick chains, although they seem to be padded to not hurt him. He is muzzled with a thicker gag than mine, and his handler also is very muscly, taller than mine own by a few extra feet. 

I gulp. 

The two handlers talk with each other for a bit as the large boy before me curiously watches me, sniffing and flicking out a forked tongue every once in a while. 

And then, all of a sudden, he lunges, and I yelp, scrambling back. The harness tugs me in place again, and a crushing weight flattens me to the ground. 

I gasp as the boy licks all over with that slimy forked tongue, a weird set of noises coming from him. Noises I've never heard before. And that's saying a lot. 

The handlers watches on, but neither makes a move. 

Nope. I'm on my own. 

Faerin

I smile at my charge, who is currently on top of the human. "Faerin, it is good to see you. You're Jias here seems to be in a lot better shape than last time I've seen him." Telliu says brightly, keeping a close eye on his human. 

I grin. "And he's even better now! He hasn't chosen a nest mate in all the time he's been here. We'll have to make sure these two are adopted together. This human must have been through some stuff to be here, though." I reply, and Telliu grimaces. 

"He has...but he already has an owner. He's here for some training, not rehabilitation like your jias. I'm not sure if his owner would like another pet, much less a jias." He muses, scratching his head. 

I wince, both of us glancing down at the two animals. The small human squeaks and chirps, obviously scared and upset by his predicament. 

"That is a problem. I really would like Reilzi here to have nest mate, if even it is a small human." Pet Jias' tend to choose their own nest mates from time to time--other pets they take a liking to. Separating them can cause a whole other series of problems, and Reilzi already has long list. 

"My team and I could talk to the owner, but I'm not sure. He's already had a rough time with Lyon here. Poor thing went through a life of abuse in his old pack on Earth. Because of that...he's very hard to get to trust. I'm not sure if letting him have a nestmate would be a good idea." He explains sadly. 

I sigh, nodding. "Talk to them. Let me know. He's been cleared for adoption just yesterday." I finish, and my good friend nods. 

We watch the pets again, and I smile as Reilzi clicks and snaps at the human, his sign of affection. He rubs his entire body against Lyon, the poor human already drenched in Jias saliva. 

The human shakes, his eyes wide with terror, trying to push the Jias off of him. Suddenly, he manages to claw away from the snake creature, and makes a run for it. 

Telliu sighs and tugs Lyon back. "You're okay." He murmurs, crouching besides the shaking boy. Immediately, he barrels into Telliu's chest, and we both exchange a glance. 

What a surprise. 

Lyon

Please, please, pick me up and get me away from that monster. I rather be treated like a pet than be tackled by that thing again. 

The large alien wraps his arms around me but doesn't pick me up. 

I look behind me to find the snake-boy tugging on his leash, the other handler holding him at bay. 

They speak words for a few more minutes before my handler slowly lets me go. I whimper, struggling to hold onto the cloth on his apron thing, but he grasps my hands and pulls them away. 

He drops them and stands, nudging my back, pushing me closer to the snake boy. Nope. No thank you. 

I try to turn back, but the snake-boy jumps on me again, his handler allowing it. I cry out again, as the whole process of licking and rubbing starts up. 

Please. I don't want this. Nope.