Family of 102

Chapter 2: A Friend from the Wild

I stepped out of the London Art Shop after clocking out of my shift for today. The work day itself was rather average but easy for me as per usual. The only thing that stuck out today was Mr. Hanworth wishing me a belated "Happy Birthday" and even giving me a raise as a present! My walk home was interrupted by a vibrating feeling in my pocket. I dug into said pocket and pulled out my custom phone from Dawkins and opened it up to reveal the contact name to be "Mum", to which I tapped the green on-screen button to answer the call, holding it to my ear.

"Hey mum, what's up?" My greeting was quickly met with the response of my adoptive mother, Delilah's voice. "Hey sweets, I have to work overtime today since my co-worker isn't feeling well enough today. Can you pick up Dorothy from school, please?" She asked. Of course, I had nothing too important planned for today and Dorothy's school wasn't too far from home. "Sure thing, work safely!" I responded as she ended the call and made a beeline straight for the school.

Sanford's School for Humans and Anthros had opened about a year ago when Dorothy was eleven and as hinted in the name, it was a school that provided education for humans and anthros alike. I was faced with many human and anthro children in schoolwear heading past me and straight out of the school gates, one of the few exceptions was Dorothy whom preferred to wait inside the school building to be picked up. Better safe than sorry, I guess. As I made my way to the front doors, a few of the students did glance at me briefly on their way to the exit but didn't stop me as the atmosphere was filled with the chatter of the kids.

Seconds later, I was in the main hall and approached the reception. The receptionist was a female German Shepherd in a white button shirt and a pair of glasses, tapping away at her laptop until she noticed me out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to meet my gaze. "Excuse me, ma'am, I'm here to pick up Dorothy Dalmatian." The lady tilted her head slightly as I said this. "That's odd. Usually it's either Delilah or that young man, Dylan who comes for her. Who are you?" She asked. Given that I never actually went into the school building whenever I was tasked with taking Dorothy to school, it was a little evident that she wouldn't recognise me. "Oh, my name's Cody. I'm actually one of Dorothy's older brothers." I probably should've expected her to be even more confused when I gave her that answer since it was likely that she was never notified that Dorothy's family had an adopted human. "Well... You'll find Dorothy outside Classroom 3-A, second floor, can't miss it." She instructed me before pulling out her phone and tapping in a number, presumably to call mum for confirmation. "Thank you, miss." I nodded gratefully before heading to the stairway to the right of the hall, some more students passing by me.

As soon as I reached the second floor, I alternated my gaze between up at the ceiling signs that labelled the classrooms and in front of me to prevent me from bumping into any teachers or students on the way. I soon found one of the overhead signs which said "Classrooms 3-A/B/C" with an arrow next to it pointing in the direction of the hallway to the right. I turned in that direction and walked along the hallway, expecting to see Dorothy around the next corner.

"AGH! YA LITTLE MOTHERFUCKER!" I suddenly stopped in my tracks upon hearing what sounded like a young adult's voice in a heavy Irish accent scream out in pain and anger as a human teenager, possibly thirteen years old in dark green cargo pants and a black shirt with grey long sleeves stumbled out from behind the corner, holding his hand and glaring in the direction of the hallway when he suddenly faced me. "OI, YOU!" He called out to me angrily before walking up to me. "Uhhh..." Was all I could say, unaware of what to do about the situation when the teen continued. "About time you got your arse here! Ya little gremlin sister just bit me!" He snarled, showing me his hand which had some faint tooth marks. Ah crap. I forgot that Dorothy was a bit of a biter as a puppy with her often chewing on anything she could find. My only guess being because she was teething, but it seemed like she hadn't grown out of it just yet, now using it as a defence mechanism, especially if she was jumped from behind or threatened. "She's lucky I didn't take a damn boot to her 'ead. Nearly took a chunk out of me like in a zombie film!" The Irish boy growled as he tended to his wound. "Ah... God, I'm so sorry. Dorothy does act out sometimes. She was... put through a lot as a baby." I apologised, trying to diffuse the situation, remembering way back to when Dylan had told me about how Dorothy was nearly the first to be mutilated into a piece of the fur coat desired by Cruella's descendent and she would've been too had Hunter not intervened and defended her. "Yeah, well haven't we all? Ya don't see me sinking my fangs into you!" The boy protested, his aggravated look not fading. "Little shit needs to learn some respect." He then spat at the floor before walking past me as I watched him vanish behind the corner. Just who was that kid?