Title: A Good Day

Author: S J Smith

Rating: K

Summary: Mouse wakes to a new day.

Disclaimer: I'm just playing paper dolls here.

You hear him wake from where he bedded down on the couch last night, and you stretch yourself to your feet – butt and tail arched up first, then leaning forward to spread the toes on your front paws, one leg lifted, then the other. You stretch out your hind legs the same way, your spine flexing and warming as you pull it backward and forward, and let out a tremendous yawn.

The cat stares down at you, as usual, and you give him a grin that he ignores, going back to the importance of his early morning nap. But Harry, he's awake, that means you can shuffle up to him and get a scratch of your ears, and if you prance and whine enough, maybe a walk before breakfast.

Harry's fingers always seem to find the iright/i place, and you tilt your head to guide his nails to the perfect angle. "Who's a good boy?" Harry croons at you, and you thump your tail against the couch, raising a faint dust cloud that smells of you, the cat, Harry and still, ever so faintly, of the vampire. Harry yawns, almost as loudly as you had, and gets up, stretching his body in a similar way. He scratches at the back of his head, and wanders off to the bathroom, the door almost closing behind him.

You go find your leash from where it got tossed after last night's walk. Lucky you, for deciding to stay with Harry. You sniff at the door, catching a whiff of Chicago's early morning. Lucky him, for you deciding to stay with Harry. Taking a deeper breath, you sort out the myriad scents: human, garbage, another dog – female, in heat, with a pack of males behind her – a dozen others that you mentally discard as soon as you sniff them. There. That's the important one – the creature that followed you home a few nights ago.

You growl softly, your tail waving. Harry needs to know something's out there, but it's no use to do anything until he's out of the bath. Hearing the door open, you bark once, raising your paw to the door.

"What is it, Mouse?" Harry stumbles across the room and kneels next to you, his hand on your shoulders. He unfocuses, the way he does when he's doing magic, and you brace yourself to keep him upright. "That thing's back, isn't it?" Thumping your shoulder, Harry gets up. "I guess we'd better take care of it, huh?" He sighs. "So much for breakfast."

You smile up at him, wagging your tail. Maybe you can get breakfast somewhere else. Whatever. When you can track down this creature, it'll be a good day.

- end -