The New Home ((G/T))

Chapter Nine

"Abby have you seen Kiana?!" Lily called up the stairs, a worried expression clear on her face. 

"I thought she was with you!" Abby shouted from her bedroom, a frown crossing her face. "Are you sure she isn't down there?!" 

"Yes, I'm sure! Unless she's just hiding!" Lily's eyes scanned the floor of the living room one last time before she made her way upstairs. "Abby I'm starting to worry. Martha left in a hurry and-"

Abigail interrupted her angrily. "Martha wouldn't do that! She's my best friend and would never hurt anyone!" But she wasn't too sure. Something inside of her had a feeling that maybe her 'best friend' did something to her pet. 

Lily wanted to go into that bedroom and knock some sense into her daughter, but she really wants to believe that she wouldn't do anything to Kiana. But she had a heavy feeling in her heart, and if Kiana wasn't found by the time Caleb got home, all three of them are going out to find the poor little Neko.

Well, the hours slowly ticked by, but there was still no sign of Kiana. The heavy feeling only grew worse as Lily waited. And waited. When she heard the front door open she ran to it and gripped her husband's hands tightly, looking him dead in the eyes. 

"Kiana's gone. I-I think Martha had something to do with it, but we can't find her!" She whispered loudly, her voice breaking. "Caleb, the poor things somewhere out there or with that horrid girl."

Caleb could easily see his wife was near tears as she spoke. And he now feels the same. Worried, scared for the tiny girl. "Don't worry, go get Abigail and meet me outside. You two can go to Martha's house and I'll search the streets. But we'll find her, okay?" He gently placed a hand on her cheek, using his thumb to wipe a stray tear off her face.

Lily nodded and left the room, and Caleb hurried outside and gave the sidewalks and grass outside his house a quick look. It's possible if she was alone she could have dozed off in the grass and there was really nothing to worry about, but after calling her name in a gentle voice several times, it became clear that wasn't the case.

"M-Mom, I promise you Martha wouldn't!" Abigail exclaimed as she walked out the front door with her mother.

"Do not talk to me like that Abigail!" The woman snapped angrily at her daughter. "Do you not seem to understand that she's just a child?! Think about it this way. What if you were in her place?"

Abby's brows slowly furrowed and she lowered her head. It was true. She wouldn't want to be in the same place as Kiana, but that was an impossible thing anyway. Kiana wasn't human. She was. "Yeah. Whatever."

"You know what, we'll deal with this later." Lily frowned and stormed off down the sidewalk. "Let's go!"

With a quiet sigh, Abigail began to reluctantly follow her mom the three blocks to Martha's house in the setting sun. 

Caleb watched the sky for a few minutes. It would be dark soon, and that's when the other animals come out. What if one hurt, or even killed her? No, he couldn't think like that. Closing his green orbs, he took a deep breath before he began to walk along the sidewalk opposite where Lily and Abby had gone. 

While he searched, Lily and Abby arrived at Martha's house who opened the door with a deep frown before putting up a fake smile. "Abby! What are you doing here this late?"

"Cut the crap kid." Lily glared at the teen. "Where is our pet? And don't you dare lie to me or I can charge you for theft, considering she's ours, bought and paid for."

"I don't know where your stupid Neko is, okay? I'm busy watching my little bro right now, so if you could go-"

Abigail stopped her, gripping Martha's wrist. "Where is she, Martha? Please." Her own green eyes met Martha's hazel ones.

"I said I don't know." Martha looked at her. She wasn't lying, but it was clear she was hiding something. 

"So you did take her," Abigail whispered, tears welling in her eyes. She wasn't sure what stung more. The fact someone that was supposed to be her friend was able to lie directly to her face, or that she was able to actually steal from her family. "Mom, w-we better go look before she gets hurt."

Lily turned to her daughter with a deep frown before gently pulling the teen into a tight embrace. "We'll find her. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried about her," Abigail grumbled. "In fact, I think I'm going to go home and just go to bed."

"Abby, you're going to help look for her." Lily insisted with another frown.

"I don't care about the stupid Neko! You're the one who dragged me along, you're the one that adopted her! I don't care about her, and I never will!" She shouted at her mother before she took off, speeding down the sidewalk leaving Lily to stand in shock.

Kiana, however, had heard the whole thing. She had seen them walking and was going to run over to them, but she decided to stay back and silently listen. 

Abigail's words stuck like knives in her heart, even though she had thought she already knew. But she still loved her master and new mistress, wanting to stay with them. She'd just have to avoid Abby. 

Inhaling deeply, Kiana wiped the tears from her brown eyes and sprinted over to Lily. "M-Miss?" She called softly.

As soon as Lily heard the voice she looked towards where it came from, spotting the Neko child running over to her.

Her leapt with joy as she careully scooped her off the ground and attempted to hug her. "Oh, Kiana you're safe!" She laughed softly, keeping the Neko clutched against herself. "Oh thank the stars, you poor thing. What happened?"

While she was happy to be back with her, Kiana's heart still stung and with a very small, fake smile she turned her head upwards to look at her. "I-It's a long story, miss."