alittlegentlepaw-blog - Tumblr blog

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

The Lights of the Eyes || Open

Caleb let out a long yawn as he stepped out of the dark Sunset Veterinarian into the equally dark street a little past midnight. How he was managing to stay awake as he walked was a miracle to him.

Three days ago, one of the veterinarians on the morning shift had a family emergency that made her have to be absent for a few days. To make sure they wouldn't be short-staffed for that shift while she was absent, Caleb had volunteered to fill in for her. Naturally, doing both the morning shift and his usual night shift had made sure he hadn't had time to properly sleep. Not to mention why he was walking home so late was from finishing up all the paperwork he had.

Caffiene was probably the only thing keeping him awake long enough to walk to the bus station. Luckily, the staff member would return by tomorrow, so Caleb catch up on his sleep.

Although...he knew there was something he forgot to do. But he was sure there wasn't anything he overlooked involving work. Yet that nagging feeling lingered in his mind as he walked past the Baycourt Corporate Center building, before he finally just stopped walking, trying to deduce what was it he was forgetting about.

He wasn't sure how long he spent standing there when he heard something that sounded like a scream that shook him out of his thoughts. Looking in the direction of the sound, he could make out the figure of someone a distance away. Trying to get a better look in the dark, he slowly approached them in a daze.

Unknown to Caleb, what he had neglected to do was remove the dog head when he left the workplace. Now, there was the unusual sight of a slowly moving individual with a dog head looming toward the individual in the dark streets.

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

France? So Eve lived somewhere faraway before she came here. That explained why she would of asked for his contact information after learning he was a dog owner too. Even if said owner she met while wearing a fur suit.

Asking about why she was here now seemed invasive though. 

“Neither does Agatha. Although she always has fun at the dog park, woof.” Agatha never seemed bothered with just his company, but he always felt guilty having to leave her indoors so much. Perhaps this presented an opportunity and an excuse for him to take Agatha out more often. Caleb was about to reply about looking around a little more for Walt’s present. At least, until he glanced at his phone’s clock.

“Arf! It’s this late already, woof?” He told himself earlier he was going to leave as early as possible to finish up some paper work without losing sleep over it. Also, to avoid having to take the very last bus route going by the bus stop closest to his home. Of course, he belatedly realized he spent more time caroling than he thought he had due to forgetting to check the time earlier.

“Sorry, Eve.I don’t think I’ll have enough time to look for Walt’s present with you and reach the bus stop in time. I don’t want to have to walk all the way home in my costume even if I can move just fine in it, woof. I’ve freaked people out before when I did.” 

Of course, he had a good general direction for Walt’s present. Still, he wanted to at least get some advice from her. ” But before I have to go, what would you suggest for a hamster, woof?”

Holiday Market - Open

alittlegentlepaw:

“Indeed. That’s how it should be between a dog and its owner. Or cat. Or bird. Or any animal that can be a pet really, woof. The point is people underestimate how paw-cious that bond truly is.” Caleb could tell even if he didn’t know Eve too well Daisy was special and had done a lot for her being by her side just watching her. That was just how it was with him and the forest animals when he was growing up. And like how it was for him and Agatha and Walt (even if Walt could be a bit skittish).

Speaking of Walt, that present for him was something he needed to think about still. Perhaps he could try putting together a miniature play set for the hamster himself if he still couldn’t find anything?

While Caleb mused over a structure he could easily make as a backup, he almost didn’t catch her response until Eve held out her phone to him. Oh. She wanted to exchange numbers with him? This was…something that never happened when he was Woofio. Or even when he wasn’t Woofio really. Then again, she wanted his number because she wanted Daisy to meet Agatha at some point.

“Ah hah hah…well…umm…” He almost rejected the offer, but Agatha having a playmate sounded like a good idea. Sighing, he removed his costume’s gloves to take her phone before taking out his own phone, with the animal decals stuck onto it. He first added Eve’s contact number, but paused when he got to adding his number to Eve’s phone. He didn’t feel comfortable yet having Eve know his actual name since she met him as Woofio, even though she was friendly toward him.

In the end, Caleb put his name as ‘Woofio’ in Eve’s contact list along with his own phone number before handing her phone back to her. Hopefully she didn’t mind it.

“…I would love the idea, woof!”

“I think so. They become our family so easily, don’t they? I feel sorry for anyone who hasn’t experienced that bond before. It’s truly special, not like anything else I’ve ever experienced before.” Eve was a lover of both humans and animals, but she had always felt that the bond she had with Daisy was a special one. “Animals are just so…. Pure. They love unconditionally, without caring about appearances or social status… It’s a shame that people couldn’t be more like that sometimes.” 

As much as Eve loved people, she felt a lot more insecure and unsure of herself around them, despite how confident she tried to pretend she was. Even now, as she noticed how uneasy he sounded when she handed over her phone, she felt that uneasiness spread through her. She knew it wasn’t good for her to presume that he wanted to be friends, even if they had been talking for a while now. He was obviously concealing his identity and there was a chance that he wanted to keep it that way. 

When he finally took out his own phone, she inwardly sighed with relief at the realization she wasn’t going to be rejected outright. Meeting a new friend who she felt like she connected with was something to be celebrated, but she also knew she often came on a bit too strong for some people. In this case, she was happy that she had made the right decision in making the first move toward furthering the friendship. 

Taking her phone back, Eve caught a glimpse of the name in her phone and giggled softly without comment. Even if he was still not using his real name, she supposed this was good enough. 

“Great! Daisy doesn’t actually have anyone to go on puppy play dates with anymore, so I’m sure she’ll be really excited to have a new friend. Since we left France, we haven’t made friends with many other dog owners..” although it wasn’t for lack of trying, people just seemed to be rather preoccupied a lot of the time when she met them in the city. “Oh! Did you want to keep looking for ideas for Walt? Or have you already decided on something.”

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

1/13/18 Activity Check

Passed! Woof!

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

“Indeed. That’s how it should be between a dog and its owner. Or cat. Or bird. Or any animal that can be a pet really, woof. The point is people underestimate how paw-cious that bond truly is.” Caleb could tell even if he didn’t know Eve too well Daisy was special and had done a lot for her being by her side just watching her. That was just how it was with him and the forest animals when he was growing up. And like how it was for him and Agatha and Walt (even if Walt could be a bit skittish).

Speaking of Walt, that present for him was something he needed to think about still. Perhaps he could try putting together a miniature play set for the hamster himself if he still couldn’t find anything?

While Caleb mused over a structure he could easily make as a backup, he almost didn’t catch her response until Eve held out her phone to him. Oh. She wanted to exchange numbers with him? This was...something that never happened when he was Woofio. Or even when he wasn’t Woofio really. Then again, she wanted his number because she wanted Daisy to meet Agatha at some point.

“Ah hah hah...well...umm...” He almost rejected the offer, but Agatha having a playmate sounded like a good idea. Sighing, he removed his costume’s gloves to take her phone before taking out his own phone, with the animal decals stuck onto it. He first added Eve’s contact number, but paused when he got to adding his number to Eve’s phone. He didn’t feel comfortable yet having Eve know his actual name since she met him as Woofio, even though she was friendly toward him.

In the end, Caleb put his name as ‘Woofio’ in Eve’s contact list along with his own phone number before handing her phone back to her. Hopefully she didn’t mind it.

“...I would love the idea, woof!”

Holiday Market - Open

alittlegentlepaw:

At that question, Caleb closed his eyes (although his dog head would just look the same to everyone looking at him) in thought. The gingerbread men and reindeer designs were adorable, but the brown color might not stand out among Agatha’s brownish coat. Meanwhile, the light blue set having the designs in only white, with zig zag lines and snowflake pattern made a statement without going over the top. Come to think of it…

“Well, thinking about that, Agatha has an odd fascination with the color blue. Her favorite toy is blue, and the food bowl she picked was also blue. Then again, blue is one of the only colors a dog sees, woof…”

It was a bit silly despite being Agatha’s owner, he’d forgotten that little detail about his own pooch and he needed Eve’s question to remember. That was probably something that came out of Eve also being a pet owner.

“Thank you very much, Eve…I think I’ll go with this set then, woof.” Caleb turned to the stand owner, who didn’t look as baffled about the dog costume as he expected while asking about purchasing the set. While the owner was wrapping up the collar and leash, he turned back to the woman.

“From what I was saying before…I take it on myself to learn all I can about animals so I can better know how to care for them. That’s why I know things about a lot of animals more than most folks, woof.”

“Is that right?” Eve’s pink eyes dropped to look at Daisy curiously. She hadn’t heard dogs could see blue, but that was definitely an interesting thing to keep in mind. Still, she let the thought slide before returning her attention to Woofio. 

It seemed he had figured out the answer that made the most sense, and she beamed at him happily. Perhaps he wasn’t very confident after all, even if he did seem to know far more about animals than anyone she had met before. 

“I knew you would be the one to know best. You need to have more confidence in your own opinions, silly. As much as I am happy to help, and can offer a different point of view, you definitely are the one who knows your dog the best. A bond between a dog an it’s owner is incredibly special after all. Right, Daisy?”

Even if Daisy didn’t know what was being said, she looked up at the two of them, wagging her tail quite happily as she trotted back over to them expectantly. Eve honestly felt that her dog had saved her when she had lost her beloved grandpa. She had felt alone in the world, and Daisy had become the one to keep her going, giving her a reason to keep getting up every morning. It truly was a special friendship, and thinking of that, the blonde dropped down to her knees again and scooped her up for a big hug. 

As Woofio’s attention returned to her, she set Daisy back down and she smiled up at him brightly. Whatever his reasons were for dressing differently, they didn’t matter to Eve. She loved that he knew so much about animals and hoped that she could continue to learn more from him. “That’s a very noble way to be. I’d love it if you taught me things, from time to time. Oh! And that reminds me!”

Eve retrieved her phone from her jacket pocket and held it out to him without hesitation. 

“Your number! If you don’t mind, that is! Daisy and I would love to meet Agatha sometime. Maybe we can go to the dog park together sometime?”

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

Caleb sighed, pressing a few fingers to his forehead. This woman was really confusing him about not being straight about why she wanted to drink in the first place. Then again, he wouldn’t deny not being an honest person with his feelings himself.”Well...you insisted on paying for the appetizers... even though that would be more expensive than having another drink...”

“And to top it off...you're trying to...get a stranger to pay for a drink. Is there a reason why you seem to want to get horribly drunk?”

“But...maybe I’m just the type of person to overthink things...” He managed a small laugh at himself. “I...hope that’s the case here.”

Drink Up || OPEN

alittlegentlepaw:

That…proposal completely defeated the whole purpose to asking him to pay for her drink. Appetizers were more expensive than a drink, even if it was on the Happy Hour menu.If she was aiming to spend less money, she should be making him pay for the food and she paid for her own drink, not the other way around. Maybe she was a bit drunk despite her trying to infer she wasn’t with her little lesson.

Caleb just stared at her quietly for a few moments, trying to process what the heck was happening right now. “You know that…ah…” He shook his head, sighing. “Never mind. I’m..not going to…correct you on that…”

Before she could have any chance to respond, he flagged down the bartender for a serving of onion rings and the glass of wine she’d approached him for in the first place. After the bartender left to retrieve the order, he turned to the woman, an almost sheepish expression plastered on his face (even if she couldn’t see his face very well).

“L-listen…I’m not against paying for you…but why are you so insistent…on getting a drink? Is…something wrong?”

“Yay~!” Haley clapped her hands together as the bartender left with their order, and she leaned against the counter with a quiet giggle. Obviously she could be incredibly persuasive. Was it any surprise that the man hadn’t been able to resist her?

His question of if something was wrong, however, made Haley’s smile immediately fall away.

She stared at the man with wide eyes, blinking a few times. Does it look like something’s wrong? She pulled out her compact and checked her makeup. Still impeccable. That meant everything looked fine. Right?

“Can’t a girl just enjoy some wine on her night off?” she asked with a scoff, snapping the compact shut with an audible click.

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

Caleb had been guilty of not taking Agatha on walks the past couple days. He blamed it on his schedule being more erratic than usual. So today, when he knew he had enough time to walk his beloved pooch and picked up the leash, Agatha’s tail wagged in anticipation. Perhaps she felt bored lazing around with only Walt the hamster for company with Caleb being too busy with work.

Agatha was certainly excited about being outside again, barking every now and then at something she saw. The collar he bought her for Christmas was hidden by the aqua blue scarf she was wearing for warmth on a chilly day.

He’d been lost in thought thinking about one of his recent patients when he noticed a figure sitting on a bench, eating something. Once he got closer, he could recognize the figure as...oh dear.

Caleb knew Jamie Mikov as one of the kennel assistants, but he’d never spoken a word with him. Partly because of never having the chance, but also because Caleb could subconsciously garnish Mikov didn’t appreciate Woofio to say the least. So he’d taken measures to avoid him.

It was odd seeing him like this, eating bread with jam and cheese on top (which was a strange combination, but Caleb supposed everyone had their tastes). Yet maybe it was better to just not approach him, being Woofio or not being Woofio.

At least, that’s what he wanted to do, except Agatha was gazing at the cheese on the man’s bread intently and wouldn’t budge. He’d noticed she seemed to like the stuff for some reason. Caleb bent down to make eye contact with the shepherd collie mix.

“Agatha, it’s rude to stare at people’s food, you know...”

jam ― open

Lillian had surprised him over the holidays, since she had given him a basket of jam and cheese. He wasn’t sure if it was a joke, since his name was Jamie. Although to be honest he really loved jam. The cheese was good too. They weren’t on duty today, so he spent the time outside eating at a bench. The weather had gotten colder. Honestly, it would have been better to eat at home.

Then again he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the snow and the children playing about. It was funny to see one of them slip and fall, since they dragged another kid into toppling over with them. Toast with jam he brought along with cheese. Any other person may have looked at him funny for eating such things. Considering it was winter and why on earth would someone just eat jam on bread without peanut butter?

I wonder if another kid’s gonna fall soon. It would be nice to see before I finish and leave.

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

At that question, Caleb closed his eyes (although his dog head would just look the same to everyone looking at him) in thought. The gingerbread men and reindeer designs were adorable, but the brown color might not stand out among Agatha's brownish coat. Meanwhile, the light blue set having the designs in only white, with zig zag lines and snowflake pattern made a statement without going over the top. Come to think of it...

"Well, thinking about that, Agatha has an odd fascination with the color blue. Her favorite toy is blue, and the food bowl she picked was also blue. Then again, blue is one of the only colors a dog sees, woof..."

It was a bit silly despite being Agatha's owner, he'd forgotten that little detail about his own pooch and he needed Eve's question to remember. That was probably something that came out of Eve also being a pet owner.

"Thank you very much, Eve...I think I'll go with this set then, woof." Caleb turned to the stand owner, who didn't look as baffled about the dog costume as he expected while asking about purchasing the set. While the owner was wrapping up the collar and leash, he turned back to the woman.

"From what I was saying before...I take it on myself to learn all I can about animals so I can better know how to care for them. That's why I know things about a lot of animals more than most folks, woof."

Holiday Market - Open

alittlegentlepaw:

“Mhmm. In the wild, hamsters live in burrows like rabbits and other rodent species, so they like spaces to hide in, woof. This is also why they should have bedding that allows them to bury and hide in. But climbing behavior is also something seen in various species of hamsters…” Caleb trailed off, tapping himself on the head to stop himself. If he didn’t cut himself off then, he might of ended up going into a mini-lecture about hamsters. “Arf! Sorry.” Right, refocus on what Eve was asking him about suggestions for Agatha’s gifts.“Maybe the collar would be better, woof. Agatha likes sleeping on my bed, so buying her a dog bed wouldn’t be very useful.”

Caleb noted Daisy was trotting toward the stall Eve prodded him to catch his attention to. Was there something catching her attention there, besides the treats? He nodded to assure he’d been listening before walking over to Daisy in front of the stand, kneeling to give her more pets on the head.

“What’s got your attention, Daisy?”

He looked toward the stall in question.  Aside from collars and leashes, there were also various pet toys, and of course, treats that looked like pieces of jerky. While the toys were fine, Agatha was satisfied with just her raggedy sock doll to play with, and Caleb already made treats for her, even if they were different from his dog biscuits. So that left the collars and leashes.

That was the hard part. He mentally listed his choices down to his favorite colors, which were blues and browns. Thus, that ruled out most of the sets, which were greens and reds, and narrowed the choices he liked down to three

One was mainly brown with reindeer patterns, another was also brown, but one with gingerbread motifs. The remaining one was light blue, with white markings that reminded him of ugly Christmas sweaters.

“Arf…this is a ruff choice.” Caleb turned to the woman, holding up the collar and leash sets in question.“What do you think?”

Eve listened to everything Woofio had to say, absorbing all of the information without interrupting him. She hadn’t expected him to know so much about hamsters and she was genuinely surprised - but not in a bad way. Once he apologized, she was quick to shake her head, a pleasant smile still on her face. “Oh, no need to apologize, sweetie! I’m actually really impressed. You know an awful lot about hamsters!”

The person next to her was very interesting indeed. Not only did he dress like a dog, he was passionate about animals, and very knowledgeable to boot. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of it all, but she could tell that he had a kind heart, and that was all that really mattered to her. 

Daisy certainly seemed excited as well, and as Woofio got closer to the table, just barked in anticipation before sitting down in front of the booth. She seemed to be watching what he was doing, her head tilting as he held up the collars in question. Watching the scene, Eve giggled softly from behind her hand before she closed the gap between them, looking closely at the collars he was holding up and trying to come up with the best option.

“Well, I personally am partial to the gingerbread men, but that could be my own bias.” Eve was a sucker for sweet things. While she tried hard to resist them, it was especially hard this time of year. “Daisy always loves when I bake cookies. It’s too bad there aren’t more variations that dogs can eat - well, not that I’m aware of anyway.” 

Going back to the topic at hand, Eve’s eyes softened as she looked back up at the masked mascot face in front of her. “But what do you think, hon? You know Agatha best of all. What do you think she would be the most drawn to?”

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

"Ahaha...good, good. You're already conscious about choosing flowers safe for pets. That's always important to keep in mind." Caleb was happy to hear that from Nina. Being a veterinarian, he'd had cases (especially around Easter) where he'd had to treat dogs and cats whom had chewed flowers their owners had brought, unaware of how dangerous they were to the animals. He remembered all the owners told him they would of never have brought the flowers home if they knew their pets would of gone so terribly sick.

"You're correct about poinsettias, chrysanthemums , and rhododendrons. They all have mild toxicity for cats and dogs. Despite that, it's still not a pleasant experience for the pet, since they all can cause symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. But among those three, rhododendrons should not be anywhere near dogs and cats, because depending on how much of the plant is eaten, symptoms not limited to blindness, seizures and comas are likely."

Being a pet owner meant being a responsible parent, even to a being not a human. A parent would not let their child touch a hot stove just as a pet owner shouldn't leave things dangerous to their pets out in the open for them to find.

"As for the lilies... while there are plenty of flowers with lily in their name, the species considered 'true' lilies are the ones that can cause fatal kidney failure from only ingesting a small amount for cats. Some of them include the day lily, the tiger lily, the stargazer lily, the easter lily, and the rubrum lily."

He took a breath of air from speaking so much about animals at once before he continued from what Nina asked concerning other poisonous plants she hadn't mentioned already.

"Aside from those, some other plant species that can be fatal include azaleas, cyclamens, oleander, and sago palm. Which I don't think are used in flower arranging, but it's still important to keep in mind."

Spilled Drink - Open

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

Activity Check 12/30/17

Passed!

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

Nina had bought a Christmas cactus for Caleb, knowing that they were safe around animals, but she didn't know where to send it. Finally, she pulled out her phone and left a text for him: [Txt] A belated Merry Christmas, Caleb! ♥ This is Nina, by the way. Nina has a present for you, so let me know where you want me to drop it off, okay? Happy New Year! ♥

Caleb sometimes forgot he had a cellphone on him. For one, he only really used it for work purposes, and two, because he could count the amount of contacts listed on it on one hand, aside from Sunset Veterinarian’s phone number.

So it came as a surprise when he checked his phone to see if there were any appointments for today and found Nina’s text. Still, he smiled before texting back his own reply.

Hello, Nina. A belated Merry Christmas to you too. Also, Happy New Year. As for the present...just drop it off at Sunset Veterinarian. Say that Woofio needs to pick it up so I can get it. Thank you.

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

Caleb had opened the door to let his dog Agatha outside for some fresh air when he spotted the paper bag left outside. He picked it up curiously. The bag was warm, and upon opening it, found four sugar cookies inside. Was this for him?

The letter he also found inside the bag made it clear it was a gift from one of his neighbors. He must of made the cookies himself. It was a shame Caleb didn’t know which apartment said neighbor lived in to return the favor, but perhaps he’d be able to repay the kind gesture at some point.

Holiday Cheer

@wildfireisms​ @harbourflowers​ @alittlegentlepaw​ @petrichor-d​ @deskmaiden​ @meekrival​ @mycareerisinruins​ @minoritachi​ @flowerynina​ @haggle-me-this​ @coldandchili​ @belle-of-thebrawl​ @thewindismyhome​

Raeger sighed with relief. At last, his gruelling baking session was over and his large batch of pastries was finally complete. He was sure that the smell was going to linger for some time, but the end result was completely worth it. Now, the cook only hoped that his neighbours would enjoy them, as he wasn’t certain about every individual's tastes.

Putting four treats into each paper bag, he left them at every door with the same letter. 

Happy Holidays! -Raeger

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

"Mhmm. In the wild, hamsters live in burrows like rabbits and other rodent species, so they like spaces to hide in, woof. This is also why they should have bedding that allows them to bury and hide in. But climbing behavior is also something seen in various species of hamsters..." Caleb trailed off, tapping himself on the head to stop himself. If he didn't cut himself off then, he might of ended up going into a mini-lecture about hamsters. "Arf! Sorry." Right, refocus on what Eve was asking him about suggestions for Agatha's gifts."Maybe the collar would be better, woof. Agatha likes sleeping on my bed, so buying her a dog bed wouldn't be very useful."

Caleb noted Daisy was trotting toward the stall Eve prodded him to catch his attention to. Was there something catching her attention there, besides the treats? He nodded to assure he'd been listening before walking over to Daisy in front of the stand, kneeling to give her more pets on the head.

"What's got your attention, Daisy?"

He looked toward the stall in question.  Aside from collars and leashes, there were also various pet toys, and of course, treats that looked like pieces of jerky. While the toys were fine, Agatha was satisfied with just her raggedy sock doll to play with, and Caleb already made treats for her, even if they were different from his dog biscuits. So that left the collars and leashes.

That was the hard part. He mentally listed his choices down to his favorite colors, which were blues and browns. Thus, that ruled out most of the sets, which were greens and reds, and narrowed the choices he liked down to three

One was mainly brown with reindeer patterns, another was also brown, but one with gingerbread motifs. The remaining one was light blue, with white markings that reminded him of ugly Christmas sweaters.

"Arf...this is a ruff choice." Caleb turned to the woman, holding up the collar and leash sets in question."What do you think?"

Holiday Market - Open

alittlegentlepaw:

Being suddenly pet on the head was a very…weird feeling. Eve…certainly didn’t mind how odd she must be looking to some at the moment. Also, he wasn’t sure what she was calling him exactly. He assumed it was relating to small, but he was sure without those heels, Eve was only slightly shorter than him. Was he overthinking this?

“Uh…y-yeah, r-right…woof.”

Caleb looked toward the closest stall again, examining the merchandise displayed to get back to his current concern. The best idea he could think up for Walt’s gift was something he could play with, whether a structure or small toy.

“For Walt…he loves to climb things, woof. If I let him play around my home, he’ll climb anything he can put his paws on. For some reason, he especially loves to scamper around on my dog head if I leave it out, woof…” The stand he was looking at contained a collection of hand made miniature houses, but none would be something Walt would enjoy climbing to him. “As for Agatha…well, she’s a sweet and docile dog. But that’s why it’s so difficult to think of a gift for her. Which is why I’ll need your and Daisy’s help on that.

Eve realized she was treating him as if he were younger than her, but she truthfully had no idea of his actual age. Truthfully, she was just being her usual friendly self, and she hoped that he wasn’t going to be too bothered by it. 

“Hmm… Hamsters enjoying climbing… And hiding, correct?” she wasn’t entirely sure, but she knew a lot of smaller animals seemed to do that. “Perhaps something climbable that can also be hidden under?” 

She wasn’t sure if they would sell anything like that here or not, but she was certain that they would find it, if they did. She also took the time to peer over the little wood carvings and frowned thoughtfully. Something like that seemed like it wouldn’t work so well, as a hamster might decide to turn the house into a nest. Beside, the pointed roof wouldn’t be much fun to perch on. 

The next stall over seemed to have mostly handmade jewelry and Eve only glanced at it briefly before shaking her head and heading on to the next one. 

“This might be more of a challenge than I thought, but I am sure something will come up. Perhaps we can find a new collar or a bed for Agatha?” she suddenly looked down at Daisy and giggled, “I wonder if anyone would sell a Christmas collar like Daisy’s. It would be cute if they matched, don’t you think?” 

Speaking of, the stall across from them did seem to have items for animals - at least, she saw collars and leashes there. Not to mention that it had to have some kind of treats, since Daisy was already walking in that very direction. Glancing back at Woofio, Eve lightly touched his elbow and gave it a little tug before pointing in the direction of the other stall. 

“Perhaps over here?”

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

Caleb looked at his mug once he was winding down at the end of his shift, his dog head put away. His was a dog in a red sweater with pom poms stuck on it, the dog he noted reminding him of Woofio. Did Minori purposely choose it for that reason?

He smiled noting the box of tea that came with it. He always needed hot drinks when he was working on things from home, and the cute mug certainly worked well.

“Hope she has a good Christmas too...thank you.”

Happy Holidays, Sunset!

@ascoltasice , @meekrival , @alittlegentlepaw , @coldandchili , @tomboy-ann , @petrichor-d

Minori had gone around the office on Christmas morning and left a little something for her co-workers. It was hard to know what to buy for people, and considering she had barely spoken to most of them, it was even harder this year than it usually was.

So, Minori had opted on something fairly easy. Everyone received a mug with a different animal in a Santa hat and/or ugly sweater on it, alone with a box of candy cane tea and a Christmas card. 

Wishing you and yours a happy Christmas and New Year! Thanks for putting up with me! May we all become better friends in 2018!

Yours truly, 

Minori Tachibana 

The only two people that she left out were Rod and Georgia, and that was because they were the whole reason she had come here in the first place. For them, she had something a bit more personal. 

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

Being suddenly pet on the head was a very...weird feeling. Eve...certainly didn't mind how odd she must be looking to some at the moment. Also, he wasn't sure what she was calling him exactly. He assumed it was relating to small, but he was sure without those heels, Eve was only slightly shorter than him. Was he overthinking this?

"Uh...y-yeah, r-right...woof."

Caleb looked toward the closest stall again, examining the merchandise displayed to get back to his current concern. The best idea he could think up for Walt's gift was something he could play with, whether a structure or small toy.

"For Walt...he loves to climb things, woof. If I let him play around my home, he'll climb anything he can put his paws on. For some reason, he especially loves to scamper around on my dog head if I leave it out, woof..." The stand he was looking at contained a collection of hand made miniature houses, but none would be something Walt would enjoy climbing to him. "As for Agatha...well, she's a sweet and docile dog. But that's why it's so difficult to think of a gift for her. Which is why I'll need your and Daisy’s help on that.

Holiday Market - Open

alittlegentlepaw:

“Hmm…Giving them something food related would seem too typical…so I was thinking something else. But gifts for hamsters is so difficult, woof. Plus, Agatha is a pretty big dog…” Caleb hummed in thought, subconsciously petting Daisy on the head while trying to solve his dilemma. Sure someone would say getting presents for pets was a pointless, but Walt and Agatha meant a lot to him, being his companions. It wasn’t a worthless notion if they were by your side like human friends, was it? “Right now, I was…just looking through the market hoping there will be something for me to work with for a gift…that isn’t food related…I spoil them with treats enough as it is.”

Caleb perked up at the offer to help pick out his gifts. “Ah! That’ll be much appreciated, thank you, woof!” But just as quickly, that nagging part of his mind got the better of him. It always did whenever someone did something not quite what he anticipated, a kinder gesture than what he was familiar with. “…Although, you sure you don’t mind the fact you’re…helping a guy in a dog costume?” He whispered to himself, only enough for someone close enough to hear.

Before he could start doubting himself more, Caleb shook his head, attempting to get himself back in character. Better not have his new acquaintance (or friend) worry about him having second thoughts on her offer. “… Shall we start looking then, woof?”

“I see. Yes, you don’t want to give him something that he normally gets all the time.” Eve agreed, tapping a finger against her cheek thoughtfully. She had never had a hamster herself, but she had always thought they were cute. What did one buy for one, though, she wondered. “Well, I’m sure we can find something for both of them! Don’t you worry!” 

As Eve stood up to her whole height again, she looked up at Woofio and giggled softly at his thanks. She was pretty sure she heard him mumble something afterward and she shook her head at that. He seemed to have even more doubts about himself than she had about herself. “I’m more than happy to help, mon petit chien.” she suddenly reached up and pet the top of his head, all the while beaming happily. “That’s what friends are for, right?” 

Letting her hand fall back to her side, she nodded her head, happy to hear that he hadn’t changed his mind after all. This was proving to be an even more interesting day than she anticipated. “Sure!” looking down at Daisy, who seemed to be watching them intently, she added, “Daisy, you help us out now, okay? Nobody knows a dog better than another dog, right?”

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

Fluffy Christmas Gifts

@belle-of-thebrawl @ascoltasice @minoritachi @coldandchili @spare-the-rod@spare-the-rod @petrichor-d @meekrival @tomboy-ann @wildfireisms

Caleb walked into the office early in the morning with two reusable bags containing an assortment of stuffed animals. Because he would be working the night shift again, it was best to leave the gifts as early as possible so they could pick them up by the end of the day. He wasn't close enough to his co-workers to know of their interests, but in general, he knew they liked animals. And so, he chose a stuffed animal based on what he believed his recipient loved the most.

Tied to all of them in ribbon was a note with the words Happy Holidays with a paw print design at the end. He didn't put either of his names on them, but they'd probably be able to guess who left the stuffed animals regardless.

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

"Hmm...Giving them something food related would seem too typical...so I was thinking something else. But gifts for hamsters is so difficult, woof. Plus, Agatha is a pretty big dog..." Caleb hummed in thought, subconsciously petting Daisy on the head while trying to solve his dilemma. Sure someone would say getting presents for pets was a pointless, but Walt and Agatha meant a lot to him, being his companions. It wasn't a worthless notion if they were by your side like human friends, was it? "Right now, I was...just looking through the market hoping there will be something for me to work with for a gift...that isn't food related...I spoil them with treats enough as it is."

Caleb perked up at the offer to help pick out his gifts. "Ah! That'll be much appreciated, thank you, woof!" But just as quickly, that nagging part of his mind got the better of him. It always did whenever someone did something not quite what he anticipated, a kinder gesture than what he was familiar with. "...Although, you sure you don't mind the fact you're...helping a guy in a dog costume?" He whispered to himself, only enough for someone close enough to hear.

Before he could start doubting himself more, Caleb shook his head, attempting to get himself back in character. Better not have his new acquaintance (or friend) worry about him having second thoughts on her offer. "... Shall we start looking then, woof?"

Holiday Market - Open

alittlegentlepaw:

“Ah…I was doing it alone. Not many people are…well, willing to stand with a person in a dog costume, woof. But I don’t blame them for that. At least the kids liked it better. And some adults did compliment my singing.” Caleb flushed underneath the dog head remembering that. It was a little embarrassing to sing in public, but it was also fun.“By the way, it’s a bit of a personal reason I don’t tell my real name, so not many people know it. Please don’t take any offense to it.”

At that, he hastily attempted to change the subject hoping she wouldn’t try probing further.“Ahem…but regardless, pleasure to meet you, Eve. Likewise on being mutual friends with Daisy, woof.” Caleb chuckled at Daisy licking his hand for crumbs. He could clearly see Daisy’s character; energetic, but deceptively watchful of people and their intentions. Eve had certainly picked the right dog to call her pet.

Speaking of pets…”Actually, Daisy reminds me about why I was looking around the market. I was trying to find a present for my own pets, Walt and Agatha. Walt’s a Roborovski hamster, and Agatha is a dog herself, a German shepherd and border collie mix, woof. But I’m in a bit of a ruff spot here…because I’m lost at what would be a good gift that isn’t cliche…”

While Eve could understand why it might be a bit strange to see someone wearing a mascot costume outside of work, she did feel sorry for Woofio. It seemed a shame that he was stuck singing alone, especially so close to Christmas. He was certainly an odd person, not even wanting to share his name, let alone show his face, but Eve supposed he must have his reasons, even if she wasn’t at all sure what they could be. 

“I see… Well, if you’d like some company, Daisy and I could always come along. I don’t really sing in public, but… It’s almost Christmas, right?” and it would give her an excuse to be out in the lovely winter weather for longer. She didn’t really need to return to the office to finish her writing, as she could always do so from her computer when she got home. One of the perks to being a writer - she could work anywhere. 

Daisy seemed perfectly happy with the attention she was receiving, and she yipped a few times, trying to jump up onto his knees again. It seemed she was trying to get up on him, but wasn’t quite able to make the jump. 

“Oh! I was wondering if you had any pets of your own! I’d be happy to help you find something for them!” Eve loved animals, and it just so happened that she enjoyed shopping too. This was a pretty perfect situation for her to be in. “Were you thinking of something food related, or something else? Toys might be a good idea, too.” Looking down at Daisy, she couldn’t help but giggle again. She somehow doubted a big dog would be keep about wearing sweaters and bows, although she couldn’t help but think about how cute that would be. 

[alittlegentlepaw-blog]

“It’s a deal then.” Caleb took her offered hand to shake on it with his own.”I hope to prove your trust in me isn’t misplaced, woof.” He couldn’t help but notice she was staring at his head. The dog head’s expression never changed, so some had said to him it was hard to read him save for his voice. Maybe it was a similar situation right now.”

Minori did however seem concerned about how most treated him though. “You’re too kind. It’s not a big deal, though. Most folks tend to get used to working with me...eventually. But you’re right about the animals though. I love animals, so dressing up as one isn’t a problem for me!”

Which was a half-truth, although it wasn’t a point she needed to be aware of to do her job. Speaking of said job...perhaps this was a good opportunity to quiz Minori on what she knew already.

“Anyway, since you said you are a veterinarian technician...may I quiz you a little on your veterinarian knowledge, woof? I promise this won’t be anything that don’t involve the duties of your position.” Working in any field, whether human or animal, where their lives were in the hands of their medical caretaker, was one where a single mistake could prove disastrous. Knowing what symptoms were which and being able to connect them to a correct diagnosis was a key skill that could not be neglected.

“Name at least three infectious diseases caused by fungal infection for canines that can also infect humans, and their symptoms for canines.” The question was honestly challenging to answer on the spot but he wanted to see if Minori had put in the work to study. He had confidence if she was serious about being a veterinarian, she would know the answer for certain.

The Staff of Sunset || OPEN

alittlegentlepaw:

“Just Woofio is fine if you still aren’t sure about my abilities as a vet. I’m sure I look more like a mascot then a professional veterinarian to you, woof.” It wasn’t a wrong assumption, considering the costume head was something akin to a mascot. People had trouble taking him seriously until they actually saw him working. Then they at least could agree he was quirky, but very skilled. That was the only way Caleb could justify how he got high reviews from past customers in spite of knowing what they thought of him.

“And don’t worry about asking me a paw full of questions. I don’t mind answering most of them. Besides, your reaction has been a lot better than some of the other vet assistants that weren’t told about me ahead of time.” Well, he might as well tell her about this.”…I’m sorry to say Miss Minori, you were a victim of a little game the regular night shift staff like to play on new hires like you. That involve me.”

Minori studied the masked face, wishing she could see the face behind the mask, if only to see what kind of facial expression he was making. He definitely seemed sincere, and that was all that mattered to her. As long as he was good with animals, he could dress like a fairy princess for all she cared. “In that case… How about I agree to call you ‘doctor’ as soon as I see what kind of a vet you are. Deal?” she held out her hand again, as if waiting to form a pact with him of sorts (which she kind of was). 

“Heeeeeh?” Minori frowned as she listened to him, wondering what sorts of things people had said when they first met him. Even if his costume was strange, if he was a good vet, there was no need to be cruel. “Well, I’m sorry that they keep getting you involved, even if it is meant to be a joke. It must be tough for you to have to keep explaining yourself like this. Especially if you are good at what you do. And well… You must really like animals, if you like to dress up like one….”

Whatever his reasons were, Minori couldn’t help but think he must be a good person if he loved animals that much. That and she was sure that Rod wouldn’t have allowed a vet to dress that way if he wasn’t able to perform properly, so she had to believe he was at least somewhat good at his job.