I watch as Donnie pulls something out of the cabinet. I walk up behind him as he tears at the blanket that is stuck to it, hiding whats inside.
I look over his shoulder and gasp, covering my mouth with my hands.
Inside is a small red panda. No bigger than my head. It looks scrawny and shriveled up. Like it hasn't been fed for days. It's leaning into the cage opposite of Donnie and is making snorting sounds. Like a cross between a pig and a lion. It's mouth open and eyes angry, fur standing on end.
"Oh no. What did they do to you?" Donnie says, he looks like he's feeling anger and sadness at the same time. Trying hard not to show it through his face but failing.
He gently sets the red panda's cage down on the floor and it moves around trying to look menacing when it just looks cute.
"Why would they do this?" I ask Donnie. I know the Purple Dragons were mean but I didn't think they would starve animals or keep them in captivity.
Donnie looks at the red panda and notices a tag by his neck.
"The Purple Dragons wouldn't do this. They aren't that evil. It could be their parents though." Donnie reassures me.
He tries to open the cage but the red panda gives a big reaction by snapping at him and standing up higher.
"Hold on." I say reaching into my boot.
Earlier today I put some snacks into my boot so that I wouldn't go hungry at the laser tag arena.
I reach into the pouch and grab some mini carrots and crackers. I know it's probably not good for a red panda but it needs to eat.
I fish the carrot through the tiny cage and the red panda lowers slightly. It sniffs the carrot and I drop it so it falls onto the bottom of the cage. This makes the red panda jump but also crouch low smelling the carrot more.
It licks it and slowly starts eating it. Then sits up straight with his head hanging low so it's not pressing into the top of the cage.
"I think he likes baby carrots." Donnie says smiling, now seemingly happy that it has something to eat.
"It could just be so hungry that it's willing to eat anything." I say feeding it more baby carrots.
Donnie glances at the camera in the corner of the room. "If they see us with her then they might come in and confiscate her."
"Her?" I ask focusing rather on the fact he knows the red panda's gender.
Donnie looks at me. "I may have seen a few documentaries on red pandas and know how to discern who's who. But that's also a guess." He says.
"Think I could take HER out?" I smile at him.
"Don't. But maybe." He says trying the cage lock.
The door behind us opens loudly and Kendra charges in.
"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH THAT!" She screams at us.
"Oh what? This tiny, shivering, starving, red panda?" I say blocking the cage from them. I'm willing to protect this thing with my life if I have to. She's not getting anywhere near her.