Dogs, Bats & Monkeys Series: EXTRAS

Pet Interview: Luna, Luca & Bear

I've done character interviews before, but today's is going to be with the pets from the Dogs, Bats & Monkeys series: Rhys and Riley's baby - Luna, Alec's familiar (according to Adrian) - Luca, and Adrian's not-that-smart pooch (according to Alec) - Bear.

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Me: Hello, pets! Make yourselves comfortable.

*Bear and Luna lie on the couch seat and Luca sits on the back of the couch*

Me: Why don't you three introduce yourselves? What's your species and who are your owners? Let's start with the only lady - Luna.

Luna: *waving her tail* Hello! I'm Luna, a Golden Retriever and my owners are Rhys - a wolf shifter, and his human mate Riley. I've been around since the end of the first book, but I think these two boys are actually older than me. *looks first at Bear, who nods, then at Luca, who is busy grooming himself and doesn't pay her any attention*

Me: Thank you, Luna. Bear, you go next.

Bear: *also waves tail, but a lot faster* Hi! I'm Bear. I belong to Adrian Monroe. He's a Gifted human who works as a Sentinel and brings the bad guys to justice. We've been living together for four years. Oh, and I'm a Norwich Terrier.

Me: Thank you. That leaves you, Luca.

Luca: *stops grooming himself and stretches lazily* Saving the best for last, I see.

Me: I swear, Alec would've said the same! Like owner, like pet, I guess.

Luca: You've got it all wrong. We don't have an owner/pet relationship. We are roommates.

Me: Oh, no?

Bear: How does that work?

Luna: Do you live in his house? Yes. Does he feed you? Yes. Does he buy you toys to play with? Yes. I don't know about you, but it seems to me that we're in the same boat: the pet.

Luca: *sneering, because yes, cats can totally do that* Silly, pup. You call it an owner/pet relationship, I call it getting the better end of the bargain. Besides, pets are limited by their master's commands; I do as I please. *pointedly licks his paw*

Me: Can we get back to you introducing yourself, Luca?

Luca: I think I've graced the readers with enough information for now.

Me: *sighing* So, yeah, Luca is a cat - a Russian Blue, to be precise - and he belongs to... *gets a death glare from Luca* ... Lives with Alec.

*Luca grins*

Me: Now, would each of you like to tell us how you met your owners-slash-roommates? Luna?

Luna: I first met Rhys. He came to the pet shop and picked me, then asked the shop owner to hold on to me until he'd prepared things to take me home with him so we could surprise Riley. It was the day of Christmas Eve when we finally went home and there was snow everywhere; Rhys bought me two pairs of really cute shoes so my paws would stay warm. I was so excited exploring the new place that I fell asleep next to the Christmas tree. Then Riley came home. You can read about that in Chapter 38 of You Are the Answer.

Luca: *murmuring* Shameless advertizing of the story.

Me: *ignoring him* Bear, your turn.

Bear: *starts to wave his tail again* Adrian saved me! When I was a pup, my previous owner took me out with my mom and siblings for a walk and I got lost. I was so scared! I began to cry and then this huge human came, and spoke to me gently and petted me, and took me home. He said his name was Adrian and that he'd look for my family. He found them, but my then owner couldn't take care of all of us so Adrian took me in for good. He can get a little lonely sometimes, even though I'm not sure he realizes it, so I make sure to entertain him when he's at home.

Me: Oh, both of your stories are so sweet! Luca?

Luca: *stretches out again, then takes his time to pick a spot on the couch's back to lie down on* Alec was staying at a motel, I was bored with the people I'd been living with back then, so I entered his room through the window. When the time came for him to leave the motel, he held the car door open, I jumped in and he drove off with me in the passenger seat. He showed me to his condo, which was much better than my previous residence, and I decided to stay.

Me: Okay, but what attracted you to him in the first place?

*Luca stays silent*

Me: Luca, the readers want to know.

Luca: So?

Me: Give them something. Other than a middle claw.

Luca: Such gestures are beneath me. But if you must know, I saw how he was with a guy he was hooking up with and I thought 'What a self-entitled asshole'.

Bear: That's not a nice thing to say!

Luna: So, you found a kindred spirit?

Luca: *ignores Bear, but glances at Luna* I thought he was catty.

Luna: *nodding* As I said: a kindred spirit.

Luca: Isn't it about time we end this interview?

Bear: What? No! We haven't gotten to the fan questions yet! I don't want to disappoint them!

Me: Unfortunately, I have to agree with Luca. With three people... pets to answer questions, the interview is getting long. But don't worry, Bear: you guys will be coming back for Part Two!

Bear: *jumps up* Yay!

Luna: *wagging her tail* Great!

Luca: *coolly* Lovely.

Me: Luca... Don't even think about skipping!

Luca: I have a busy schedule. I'll see if I can make it or not.

Me: You mean, you'll see if you'll be in a mood to come or not.

Luca: That too. *yawns* When do you have in mind anyway?

Me: *smiling* Oh, in just a few days - December 31. Kind of like a New Year's treat. You will answer all fan questions then.

Bear: *jumps up again* Yay!

Luna: *still wagging her tail* Great!

Luca: *begins to groom himself* Lovely.

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I didn't intend to have a two-part interview, but this is really getting too long so we'll be back on Monday. If you enjoyed this extra, please give it a vote; if you have questions for the pets and haven't posted them in the comments of Sweeter than Sweets yet, feel free to write them here!