《Parallel World Vet》


 The black cat

    Arun felt the sun''s rays tickle his eyelids once more, waking him gently from his calm night.


    Once again, since he should not have been able to wake up again.


    He was dead, actually. His lousy, lonely life had got the better of him, and the urge to stop everything had become too strong.


    But despite this, he was well awake, alive and well : in another body, that said. It had surprised him a little at first, but he had come to understand the situation.


    "So, finally woke up?"


    The little black cat who was lying on the cushion at the foot of his bed was looking at him with big eyes. This deep voice came from him.


    "Well, it''s not so late..." the young man justified himself.


    He glanced at the clock hanging over the door. 9:00 am.


    "I thought you had made some resolutions, Arun... Did not you say you''d go back to the clinic?"


    The cat gave him a heavy look, reminding him of what he had said the day before, during the long discussion they had together.


    "That''s right ... and I''m counting on it!" Arun stood up suddenly, filled with energy. "You''ll see Mili, I''ll give this clinic the shine it should have!"


    The cat licked his paw looking at his master exiting the room. Oh, it had surprised him too, when overnight, the boy had woken up and told him he was hearing his voice. That of a cat. True, he was as intelligent as a human, but from there to be understood so easily ...


    Yet in this world, it was common to talk to your pet. Everyone possessed one, which was handed over by the government to every child who was born, as a sort of companion, a guardian angel, who would accompany him all his life.


    It was therefore more than normal to confide in him as a human being. But what was not, was to hear his voice.


    It was one of the abilities Arun had got by waking up in this new body. And it must be said that as a veterinarian, it was the best he could have received!


    There were also other advantages to this system which had been given to him for a reason as obscure as that for which he had reincarnated himself.


    In addition to being able to hear the pets, he could at a glance see their state of health, something equally beneficial in his job.


    No need to search with difficulty where did the evil come from! He saw directly what was happening, and he only had to look in his memory to know how to solve the problem.


    And fortunately, it seemed that the old Arun was very good in this area, since he had in mind all the knowledge needed to be a vet.


    Only, he had a question that remained in his mind : why was the clinic so unpopular, while obviously, the old Arun had everything to succeed?


    It was something he was hoping to discover, along with the customs of this world, which was quite different from his own.


    The young man brushed his teeth quickly, and took in the cupboards a bag of croquettes still whole. The living room was still a little messy, he did not had time to put everything away since he had woken up for the first time.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The house in which he lived was certainly large, but also very poorly maintained. He remembered the dust, papers and packaging that he had to pick up and throw to make room. He even wondered how the old Arun could have lived in such a dump.


    Mili had joined him stretching, stopping in front of his bowl while waiting for his meal. Arun did not wait and poured the contents of the bag into the small dish.


    "Thanks, Arun."


    "No worries, it''s normal, you have to be in shape too." He replied happily.


    Of course, he could have asked Mili all his questions. However, the little cat did not know that his master was not the same as before : and Arun did not particularly want to reveal it to him, as long as he did not know what that might entail.


    For the moment, he just wanted to take advantage of this new life, and especially the system and all the benefits it gave him!


    He, who had always loved animals, having the opportunity to become a vet seemed like a dream come true.


    "Arun, do not forget to take the trash bags, it may have to take time, if you want to clean the clinic." Advised the black cat, licking his chops.


    Arun grabbed everything he needed and stuffed it into a little bag he put on his back.


    "Don''t worry, I forget nothing!" He leaned over to Mili and let him get on his shoulder. "Neither the trash bags nor you!"


    Coming out of the house, closing behind him, the young man started down the road to the clinic. He had been there once when he had learned of its existence. Mili had guided him, and he now remembered the way.


    However, he had not come inside last time. He had just watched the building from the outside, thinking that when he got in, it would be to put everything back in order.


    While walking, he observed the surroundings a little. The neighborhood was not busy in the morning, and only a few people were on the streets. All without exception, had a pet.


    It could be a cat, a dog, a lizard, even a fish, or an animal that had nothing to do with what Arun knew. Each pet seemed unique, and the young man was never tired of observing and discovering them.


    This thought was enough to give him more than life to resume his activity as a veterinarian. What else could he discover?


    Thinking about all this, he had not even seen the ride pass. Arrived in front of the clinic, a small room abandoned with the windows covered with dust, he noticed someone. A girl was standing, looking inside. She had short red hair, and was dressed lightly. Her skirt showed her white thighs, and a small waistcoat covered her upper body.


    Arun approached calmly.


    "Hello can I help you ?" He asked politely.


    The girl turned to him, her eyes glowing as she placed them on him.


    "Arun, it''s you!"


    Without warning she threw herself on him, wrapping her arms around the young man she failed to drop. Mili, however, had to catch up on the sidewalk, grumbling.


    "Excuse me... I do not remember you..."


    The girl moved away a bit, visibly disappointed and surprised.


    "I know it''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other... But please !"


    Mili had gone back to his master''s shoulder, and was staring at the stranger too. He either did not seem to recognize it, which was not really reassuring.


    "I''m Myako, your classmate when we were still in college!"


    "Oh, yes, I remember!" Lied Arun. "I didn''t think to see you again after so long..."


    "I heard about the clinic that you had, and it''s been several days since I came hoping to see you... But obviously it was closed!" She said, indicating the blackened windows.


    "Yes... I had some problems... But I was going to get back quickly, I was here today to clean the premises."


    "Oh I see..."


    Her suspicious look let Arun know that she would not leave easily... He hoped she would not be too late either, since he had work to clean up everything...


    "If I came... It was to see you in the first place, but also because I wanted to ask you something, Arun..."


    Myako leaned forward, bowing respectfully to the young man.


    "Please, take me as an assistant!"


    Arun almost choked on hearing the girl''s request. However he would not refuse a little help... He did not know what he meant for her too, but he was curious to find out. Although a little hesitant, he finally accepted.


    "Okay, but I''m going to need your help cleaning up the clinic, that''s the first job!"


    Making a military gesture, Myako nodded with enthusiasm.


    "With pleasure !"


    The young man grabbed the keys he had brought into his bag and headed for the door. To him the new life! To him the joys of discovery! He thrust the key into the lock, and opened the door to his new future.

 The veterinary clinic

    *Click*


    The sound of the lock on the front door was heard, and Arun opened it wide, entering the dark hall without waiting.


    The musty smell was present. The clinic had to be closed for a long time, considering the layer of dust that covered the floor and the few furniture scattered around the room.


    Here too, papers and rubbish were dragged everywhere, as if a hurricane had ravaged the place. The old Arun did not have a gift for the organization, in any case...


    "It''s bigger than I thought..." said Myako, who had come back after the young man. She watched the place with fascination, putting her eyes wherever the light permitted.


    "I wonder if the electricity is still working..." Arun pressed the switch, without anything lighting up. Obviously, the current had been cut. There had to be a control panel somewhere...


    Mili came down from the boy''s shoulder to stretch, and went to bed in a corner. He already knew the place, no need for a reminder. And then as a cat, he would have nothing to clean.


    "I''m going to start picking up what''s lying on the floor!" Myako said with enthusiasm. Although cleaning would surely be the least fun part, she seemed motivated, and Arun smiled to thank her.


    He swam a little farther into the darkness and dust that enveloped the other rooms. He had to find the electric meter to restore power. Even though it was sunny outside, some rooms did not have a window. And he did not want to risk getting hurt by falling or something like that.


    He walked down a hallway, into the consulting room, and quickly arrived at the shed at the very bottom of the building. If the entrance hall was ravaged, here it was the apocalypse.


    Across the floor were dragged medical products, some broken, others in acceptable condition, but still mixed with dust and dirt. Obviously, nothing was able to serve.


    At least the electric meter was there. Without waiting any longer, he turned on the lights, closing his eyes to avoid being dazzled. Straddling the garbage on the ground, he joined Myako who was busy in the entrance.


    "It may take longer than expected... Several days, even."


    She had brought the trash from the outside and threw away everything she picked up. It could not be used, anyway, given the state in which it was.


    "All the more reason for not wasting time. We''ll get there, I''m sure." Arun responded with motivation. Mili watched the two humans working from the corner of the room, yawning.


    The day passed quickly, and soon the sunlight began to decline. In a few hours the lobby was already unrecognizable, and it seemed to breathe again. There were still all the other rooms, but it was a nice step forward...


    "Well, maybe we''ll stop here for today ..." the exhausted young man said, letting himself fall on one of the seats they had cleaned.


    "We have made good progress: within a week, the clinic should be open again."


    * Ding *


    A bell rang in the clinic. Arun stood up and looked outside. He had to change the bell too ? There were no customers, especially since they were still closed...


    "Excuse me..."


    A small voice rose from behind the door. The young man opened it quickly, noticing the child standing in front of him.


    It was a little girl with long brown hair, tied in a ponytail, with some bars. She wore blue overalls, and pretty round glasses emphasized her beseeching eyes.


    "Do you need help, are you lost?" Asked Arun who did not understand what a child of her age was looking for here.


    Myako had got up too, slipping over the young man''s shoulder to look at the little girl.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "No... you''re a veterinarian, huh?"


    "Yes, but the clinic is not open yet..."


    "I beg you, I need you!"


    The girl burst into tears in front of him, who rushed to help her. He crouched next to her and took her in his arms kindly.


    "The clinic is closed, but we will help you, don''t worry!" Myako said, approaching the child with a comforting smile.


    "My... my dog... Cha-cha... he hurt his paw just now, and he can not walk anymore... I wanted to take him to see a veterinarian but it was too far, and I did not want to leave him alone for too long... "the poor little girl sobbed, pointing to the direction she came from.


    Arun put her on his back, determined to help the pet. His first job as a vet had finally arrived sooner than expected! But he did not intend to sit idly by.


    "Myako, take the emergency kit that was cleaned up earlier, that''s all we have for now."


    The little group newly formed followed the directions of the little girl to arrive at a small park. It was soon dark, and the orange light of the sun bathed it in a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere.


    But from here, Arun could hear it.


    "Aah... what did I do... I should have been more careful..."


    A tired, tearful voice came from between two trees. As he approached, he saw the poor wounded beast lying on the grass.


    "Cha-cha, do not worry, I''m here!" She threw herself down the veterinarian''s back, to join her pet. It was a huge dog, closer to the wolf or the bear than the canine, by the way. It was two or three times the size of the child, so it could have been used as a mount. Its long gray hairs covered its whole body, hiding also two brown eyes and a mouth full of fangs.


    For his first job, he did not expect to come across such an impressive pet. Yet the child was already against it, caressing it gently to reassure it, although in reality it did not seem at all scared. Just suffering.


    "Who are you, the vet?" The dog asked Arun in an intimidating voice.


    "Do not worry, I''m not here to hurt you." Replied the human kindly, grabbing his emergency kit.


    Cha-cha seemed surprised to get such a direct response, as if he had spoken directly to this young man.


    And that was what happened.


    Thanks to the system that had been given to him, Arun could understand each of the thoughts of the pets.


    "I understand you, if you want to tell me something, I''ll listen to everything." He added as he slowly approached the huge canine.


    Myako stayed away and let the vet do his job. She too had the knowledge she needed, but she preferred to reassure the little girl that she moved a little away from her pet.


    "It''s going to be okay, you had the good reflex when you came looking for a vet." She reassured her.


    Arun crouched next to the beast.


    "So can I tell you where I''m hurting?" Asked the animal, which seemed a little quieter than before.


    "No need, just looking at you, I can see what''s wrong."


    It was the second capacity of his system. By putting his eyes on Cha-cha, he had been able to analyze it as no vet could have done at a glance. He had seen where the dog was hurting, and knew what he had to do to cure him.


    "You just have to let yourself go, and it won''t hurt!" He said with an enthusiastic smile.


    The pet put its head on the ground, letting himself go into the veterinarian''s hands.


    "I trust you, then, you do not look bad."


    Arun took action gently. He knew the problem came from Cha-cha''s paw. The dog had had to walk on a piece of metal, and a piece of iron had entered its flesh. Fortunately, it was neither deep nor big. But enough to hurt.


    The young man grabbed the dog''s paw in his hand, again impressed with the size of the pet. His leg was as wide as a bottle! By removing the hair, the wound was obvious, and not very beautiful to see.


    "I''m going to do it all at once, it''s going to hurt a bit, but it''ll be short, are you ready?"


    Cha-cha nodded, and Arun grabbed the foreign object with a pair of pliers he had taken out of the emergency kit. He pulled at once, pulling the metal rod off the dog''s paw, which let out a grunt of pain.


    "It only remains to disinfect, and it''s over!"


    Wetting a cotton pad with disinfectant, the vet disinfected the pet''s wound, which already seemed to be free of some of the pain.


    In just a few minutes it was over, and the dog was able to get up as if nothing had happened.


    "Thank you very much, Mr. Vet!"


    The little girl jumped on Arun crying with joy at seeing her pet newly on shape. Myako sighed in relief, smiling at Arun.


    "For a first job, you did very well."


    Cha-cha also wanted to thank his savior in his own way, licking his face affectionately.


    "Thank you human, without you I do not know what I would have done. I did not want to leave this little girl alone, but I could not follow her with my injured paw."


    "You''re welcome. If you have a problem again, do not hesitate to come back to the clinic." The vet answered laughing. Seeing the joy and the smile on the faces of his patients was a huge reward, which encouraged him in the decision he made. That of taking back the clinic.


    After this adventure, the little girl and her pet went home, the night beginning to fall. His dog could watch over his safety again, and everything was back to normal.


    "I am very happy to be the assistant of such a talented veterinarian." Said Myako. She had not done much today, but she knew that her turn would come when the clinic would open.


    Cases like that, there were a lot of them. That''s why she and Arun had to help pets in trouble. It was the path she had chosen.


    "I''m counting on you, assistant." Said Arun happily, giving her a smile that did not fail to make her blush a little.


    It might not always be easy, but thanks to the gifts of his system, he would do it. He will restore the clinic, and make it the best that never existed.

 The first customer

    A week had passed.


    For this whole week, Arun and Myako cleaned up the clinic thoroughly. There was not a bit of dust left inside, everything was clean and usable again.


    It took a lot of effort, and a little money, too. Since there was no more equipment at all, it had been necessary to buy some supplies. Arun had looked at his house and his accounts : he clearly did not have enough to pay for everything.


    So it was his assistant who kindly offered to lend him something to renovate the clinic, the time he can repay it. Without her, he clearly could not resume his activity.


    * Ding *


    It was the big day today, and the young man made sure for one last time that the bell was working. Everything was in place for the opening. With a smile on his face, Myako was standing behind the front desk, ready to greet customers.


    However, things had not gone as well as in Arun''s dreams.


    The hours passing by, in the street passed dozens of people and pets. But no one stopped at the clinic all day.


    By late afternoon, when the sunlight had turned orange, Arun dropped himself into the seat next to his assistant''s.


    "It''s not possible... There must be people who need a veterinarian, right?" He sighed.


    Myako also looked less cheerful than at the beginning of the day.


    "Yes... maybe they think it''s still closed?"


    "It''s impossible, we changed the sign of the clinic..."


    They had worked so hard to renovate everything! Why did not anyone come? Arun and Myako had done their best to do things quickly, relentlessly, to repaint the walls, to replace the supplies that were missing ...


    But no one decided to cross the front door.


    "I think it''s over for today..." Myako said, dropping her head in her arms on the counter.


    Suddenly the doorbell rang. Arun jumped up, while his assistant almost fell from her chair in surprise.


    It was almost time for closing... But no matter! If it was someone who needed him, he would help him at any time of the day!


    The door opened and a little girl tumbled into the hall, hopping happily. She placed her admiring eyes on the new walls of the entrance, her mouth wide open.


    "Woaa! Everything is clean and beautiful!"


    It did not take long for Arun to recognize the child. It was his first client, the one he helped last week. Her pet was soon to return to her suite, as massive and imposing than last time.


    "Nice to see you again, vet, sorry to have to come back when you''ve helped me a lot already..." The dog''s voice echoed after the girl''s voice, audible only to the young man.


    And as he approached the new customers with a smile, a third person finally entered, grabbing the child to carry her in her arms. She was a more mature woman, with certain charm. She had long black hair running down her back, and her graceful and elegant figure was enough to make Arun a little nervous. He did not expect to see someone so beautiful here.


    "Come on, Akana, I already told you we do not run in crowded places!"


    "Yes mum..." excused the girl, who had not lost the gleam in her eyes.


    "Welcome, can I help you?" Arun finally asked, putting a hand on his hip to support his posture.


    The woman rested her daughter on the floor, taking out a finely realized fan. Arun took the opportunity to examine her clothes a little more. She wore a short summer dress with dark tones, but with good quality fabrics. The finishes on the buttons and ornaments suggested that it was not the kind of dress that everyone could afford.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Hello, sir, I''m Akana''s mother, if you remember from last week''s incident. She told me that you had taken care of her pet and even moved in person..."


    "Yes, it''s nothing! I could not leave someone in need when I had the means to help..." The veterinarian replied a little embarrassed. He had simply acted as his conscience dictated.


    "I could''nt have not come in person to thank you too. I do not know how it would have ended without your intervention, but I''m glad everything went well." The woman bowed politely to the vet, who rubbed his neck, embarrassed.


    "I could not decently leave your daughter and her dog like that, so you do not have to thank me!"


    The woman looked up, and smiled at Arun nicely.


    "My name is Lami." She presented herself, reaching for the young man.


    "Arun, nice to meet you!" He squeezed her hand energetically, giving her a welcoming smile.


    Myako, who had been silent until now, woke up suddenly, as if she had just realized something.


    "That''s it, I remember!" She glanced at Lami.


    "Lami Granterra, you are the wife of a former minister!"


    Arun looked back at the elegant woman who had entered her clinic. He understood better why she looked so refined, and was so well dressed... Although he knew nothing about politics in this world, he suddenly realized the importance of the person he had in face of him.


    "Hihi... Looks like I''m recognized." She laughed softly, hiding her mouth behind her fan.


    "Yes... Your husband left the government since a few years, but I still remember. I was a little younger, but I do not have such a short memory." Myako continued, finally approaching.


    The assistant crouched next to Akana to greet her too. Who would have thought that their first client would be the daughter of a minister?


    "Excuse me, I did not know who you were..." the veterinarian apologized, more embarrassed than ever.


    "Once again, it''s me who must thank you. Call me by my first name, whoever I am, it''s you who helped my daughter, not the other way around!" She said with a smile.


    Arun took the opportunity to regain his composure, letting his client take his marks. Akana and Myako were chatting like two friends, and Cha-cha the big dog was laying on the cool tile floor.


    "When I think about the state of this clinic... it''s a real change!" Lami said while walking in the entrance hall. She had bad memories of this place, but everything had been redone.


    "It must have taken a lot of effort..."


    "Yes, it was not easy, but we were motivated, and now that everything is ready, we will be able to resume the activities!" Arun said enthusiastically, before looking down at the floor.


    "That said, we opened this morning, but you''re the first client to enter the clinic..." the young man added with a little pity.


    Lami turned to him with a satisfied look on her face.


    "Considering the reputation of this place, no one will come!"


    Arun froze as he heard the words coming out of the woman''s mouth. The reputation ? What had the old Arun done, so that no one would want to consult him?


    "What do you mean ?" Said the young man, interested.


    "A few years ago, this clinic was one of the busiest in the city. But it quickly became unpopular when more and more people complained about the cleanliness of the premises, and the incompetence of the former veterinarian... " She explained calmly.


    "Some even said that he made pets even sicker than before! That is to say."


    Decidedly, the old Arun had nothing to please. He wondered why, while he had all the knowledge necessary to practice his profession, everything had become so bad.


    "But given your skills, you have enough talent to make this clinic one of the best. You only have qualities!" Complimented the woman kindly.


    Arun looked away, a little embarrassed by all these compliments.


    If he was beginning with such a handicap, he would have to double his efforts to make the clinic popular, and bring back the customers who had left. It was far from won...


    "Although it may be difficult, I will do everything in my power to make this clinic a place where people can come and treat their pets with confidence!" Arun threw with determination.


    The woman approached him, laughing sweetly. This young man had everything to succeed, and if she could do anything to help, she would. That would be her way of thanking him.


    "You know, maybe I can do something so that you have more clients quickly... Certainly, my husband is a former minister, but I still know some important people..."


    Arun''s face lit up in front of such a miracle. It was as if God had given him all the luck of the world! The young man bowed more respectfully than ever, grateful.


    "I would not know how to thank you if you could do that for me! I do not need anything else."


    "Hihi, no problem, take it as a thanks." Lami replied with a laugh. "I believe in you, young vet. You are a good person."


    While everything was going well, there was a thud in the clinic hall. Cha-cha, who was quiet and silent, had suddenly fallen to the floor, unconscious.


    Akana rushed to him crying, clutching his hair, panicking.


    "Cha-cha! Cha-cha answer me!" She sobbed.


    "Oh no, I spoke too much... I came to thank you, but also to ask you for help again, Arun..." Lami crouched next to the canine, which was breathing loudly. "Since this morning, Cha-cha is not doing well... I do not know what''s wrong, but I was hoping you could look at it! I did not think it was going to get worse..."


    The sudden change in the health of the pet had altered the calm of the woman. The vet could not sit idly by, especially in front of such an emergency.


    "Do not worry, I''ll heal Cha-cha!"

 Fever and Infection

    Cha-cha, the huge dog with long hair, was finally lying on the operating table of the clinic''s office. Carrying it so far had been long and difficult... Considering the weight of the pet, they had had to get down to three just to drag it to the ground.


    "Oh, I''m sorry... I should have brought him earlier..." Lami was clearly anxious, her eyes on the pet that was lying, and breathing with difficulty.


    "Don''t worry, it''s never too late. I promise you I''ll put Cha-cha on legs." Said Arun with confidence. After all, with the help of his system, he could easily target the cause of the problem.


    The vet moved away a bit, leaving Lami sitting next to the canine. Concentrating, he stared at the pet.


    Here. The place where the piece of metal had stuck in the dog''s paw was red in the head of Arun. So the problem only came from there?


    Looking a little further, another place seemed affected, this time more seriously. Cha-cha''s head was also bright red, which indicated that his pain also came from there.


    This capacity of Arun''s system was similar to a kind of thermal vision. The places where the pet hurt were red, and the places where there was nothing to report appeared blue in his mind.


    Obviously, he was the only one to see these colors, which faded as soon as he stopped using his system.


    "Well, I need to get his temperature. Lami, I''m going to need your help."


    The woman got up at once, nodding at the vet''s request, who looked very serious.


    "You''ll have to hold Cha-cha while I''m taking his temperature. Try to reassure him as much as possible." He asked the woman.


    "Okay, I''ll do my best."


    She leaned over the pet, wrapping her arm around him tenderly. Arun could not hear what she whispered in the dog''s ear, but the dog seemed quiet for the moment, though suffering.


    Taking the temperature of an animal was never a pleasure. Unlike humans, you had to push the thermometer to a place they could not stand... Their anus.


    And as small animals were easily controllable as they struggled, a dog as big as Cha-cha could cause significant damage if he moved too much, and might even hurt him or Lami.


    That was why he had asked Myako to keep Akana outside the office.


    The vet approached the animal''s back, gently raising its tail to get to the point he needed.


    "Ready, Lami?"


    "Ready!"


    Arun gently pushed the thermometer into the animal, which jumped slightly, grunting. Nevertheless, Lami held him back, and continued whispering soft words in his ear, which seemed to work.


    In a few seconds, the vet was able to remove the device, sighing with relief. All had fortunately gone well.


    On the other hand, what was wrong was the temperature displayed by the thermometer.


    40.5 ¡ã C. It was way too high. The normal temperature of a dog was between 37.5 ¡ã C and 39.2 ¡ã C. The fever started from 39.7 ¡ã C. And Cha-cha was still above, indicating the severity of his condition.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "He''s feverish... his immune system has to be attacked by something." Indicated Arun to Lami, who was still as worried as before.


    "Still he did not look sick, and he could not catch cold, since we''re in the middle of summer..." The woman answered.


    She had trouble understanding how Cha-cha could have fallen ill, while she was still watching over the welfare of her daughter''s pet.


    Of course, it was also possible to get cold in the summer, for humans as for animals.


    But what she did not know was that Cha-cha was not sick.


    "It does not come from an illness, Lami, look." The vet gently grabbed one of the dog''s paws, and showed it to the woman.


    The wound of the other day, which should have closed and healed properly, had become infected. Pus had formed between the hairs, and the dried blood showed that all had not gone as planned.


    "The other day, when I removed that piece of metal from the paw of Cha-cha, I was careful to disinfect the wound... I do not know what made it Infected at this point. That''s what causes your daughter''s pet fever. Microbes have entered the dog''s body, and fever is the reaction that indicates that its immune defenses are in action to fight infection." Explained the veterinarian calmly.


    "I did not think a simple injury could cause so much harm..."


    "You do not remember where Cha-cha and Akana could have gone, and caused that ? A place with water, for example?"


    Lami''s face seemed to light up as her memories came back to her.


    "Yes, the other day Akana and Cha-cha went to play in the park''s river next to our house..."


    This was the trigger for the infection.


    "You should avoid swimming when you have a recent injury, especially in rivers or lakes that are full of bacteria... Because of the water, Cha-cha''s wound had to reopen, and microbes contained in the water have infected his wound again... It should have been disinfected again!" Warned the young man, putting his finger forward. This sort of thing seemed unimportant, but could easily get worse. The condition of the poor dog was an example.


    "Do not worry, I''ll clean everything up." The veterinarian added with a reassuring smile, which gave Lami a sigh of relief.


    "Oh, thank you very much Arun, I really do not know what I could have done without your help, again..."


    "It''s normal, it''s my job after all!" He launched with enthusiasm.


    Enough talk, he had to finish his job. Seizing a bottle of disinfectant, he imbibed a cotton with the product.


    "Lami, hold it again. It may sting a little, Cha-cha, but you must stay calm..."


    Catching the dog''s paw with one hand, he applied the cotton on the wound with the other. The pet wiggled a bit, but fortunately he seemed to understand that it was for his good.


    Rubbing a few moments to remove the pus from the wound, Arun then hastened to bandage around the paw of the canine. At least with that, no more risk that the wound will get infected again!


    In a few minutes, everything was over, and Cha-cha woke up softly.


    "Oh, I dozed off... Excuse me, human, for bothering you again..." Cha-cha''s voice echoed in the vet''s head, which smiled warmly at him.


    "Do not go back and play in the water for a good week, and you''ll be fine. You don''t have to worry anymore."


    The pet got up slowly, limping a little because of his injured paw, and got off the operating table. Lami seemed reassured to see him awake again, and hugged him happily.


    The sun was now lying. The surgery had lasted a long time... But at least Cha-cha was fine, and Lami and Akana had no problem with the pet.


    "Thanks again, sir vet!" The little girl threw herself into Arun''s arms, grateful.


    "I could never thank you enough, Arun, for your service. Expect more work in the next few days... You can count on me to make you some advertisement!" Lami said with a smile. It was the little boost he needed.


    "No problem! And if you still have trouble with your pets, do not hesitate to come back. I will do anything to help you, no matter what time!"


    Such a dedicated veterinarian was truly a blessing. Lami had no doubt: this clinic was well on its way to gaining popularity very quickly.


    The woman and her daughter left the clinic after warmly thanking the vet for her amazing work. Myako closed the door behind them, announcing the closing of the clinic for the day.


    "Here we are, the first official customer, cured! Well done, isn''t it, Mr. Vet? " She asked in a cheerful voice.


    "The day had started badly, but fortunately everything ended well." Arun huffed as he sat on one of the chairs behind the counter. He had only cared for one pet, but he still felt tired.


    "Well done, Arun, I did not think you would really get to that point." Mili''s voice rang in his head as the little cat came out of the corner to sit on the counter.


    "From tomorrow, there may be more customers, thanks to the wife of this minister... you think we will manage everything?" Myako asked worriedly. Arun got up from his chair, and gave her his best smile.


    "I do not doubt it for a second, this clinic will be the best that has ever existed!"

 First day at the clinic â‘ 

    "Arun, it''s time"


    The voice of the little black cat took the young man out of his sleep slowly. He stretched for a moment, taking a little time to sit on his bed.


    "Hello, Mili... Have you slept well?" He asked, yawning.


    "Perfectly good. And I ses you too. If you do not hurry, you''ll be late."


    Arun looked up at the clock above his bedroom door. It was already so late?


    "Oh yes you''re right, I thought I would have woken up sooner!" The young man said in a panicked voice, getting up hurriedly.


    He was already 10 minutes late! He had certainly left work late the day before, and had trouble falling asleep because of the excitement he felt, but he did not think to sleep so much...


    "Let''s go !" He grabbed Mili at the same time, and left the house without waiting.


    Fortunately, the trip was not very long, and he arrived at the clinic in a few minutes. However, he stopped short when he saw a line of people who seemed to be waiting for the opening. All were accompanied by pets, and obviously appeared as guests !


    "Wow... Lami did not lie when she said she would advertise me..."


    In front of the door of the clinic, a girl was busy talking with the customers, who were waiting impatiently for the opening. The clinic was not even open that she was already overwhelmed, and she did not know where the vet was...


    "What''s going on, it''s been 15 minutes since the clinic should have opened, I''m waiting to have my hamster treated..." Unhappy voices came from the line of people.


    "Yes, forgive us, it should happen very soon!"


    "I was told that the vet was very good, but if he is not able to be on time, I''ll just go elsewhere..." Another person lamented behind.


    "No, do not leave, it will happen from one minute to the next!"


    Myako did her best to reassure customers and watched her watch every five seconds. Where the hell was Arun?


    This is the moment he chose to appear as a hero, finally presenting himself.


    "I''m here, you have nothing to fear!" He said, addressing the dozen people who seemed more and more in a bad mood.


    "Finally, Arun, where were you, and why are you... in pajamas?" Asked Myako a little embarrassed about the vet''s outfit.


    The people seemed as astonished as she was, wondering if it was really him, the gifted veterinarian that had been recommended to them.


    "Uh... Let''s say I woke up a little late, I''m going to change, and I''m coming in! Get the customers in." He whispered to his assistant, rushing into the building without delay.


    A few minutes were enough to get everything ready : he had dressed in his white coat and was in his closet, while Myako was at the reception desk and had people enter the hall to allow them to wait in more comfortable conditions.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The poor assistant... He had not helped her arriving late today, but she had done a remarkable job in managing all those clients as well. Thank you, Lami...


    He opened the door of his office and went to fetch the first person.


    "Mr. Tajiro?" He asked in the hall.


    A tall man in a suit got up quickly, looking serious. He held in his hands a little squirrel, red, which seemed in effect bad.


    Arun led him into the closet, where he put the pet on the operating table. For such a small animal, there was no need to tie it up.


    The man sat down with a sigh, visibly worried.


    "So, what brings you, Mr. Tajiro?"


    The man who had been silent until then finally opened his mouth.


    "You see, Mr. Vet, since yesterday late afternoon, my squirrel, Kast, is less and less alive, and it seems to go wrong..." Tajiro explained. "I do not know what makes him suffer like that, but I''m really worried."


    "I understand... we''ll see what happens, do not worry."


    Indeed, squirrels were usually much more active than that. It is an animal that goes up to trees, and that often flees humans, except in the case where it is tamed. But there, Kast barely moved, and was lying on the operating table ball.


    Normal behavior would have been different, and he would probably have frolicked everywhere in the office, searching through what he found. Especially that squirrels were kind of curious, normally.


    The veterinarian put on his latex gloves quickly, and approached the little animal, which did not seem to be afraid.


    "So my little one, what''s going on?"


    "Ah, if you knew... that poisoned gift she gave me!" A small, light, nasal voice reached Arun. He stooped a little to be up to the animal.


    "Who are you talking about ?"


    Suddenly, the squirrel stood up, and stared at the veterinarian with surprise.


    "Wowowowow, wait, how do you understand me?"


    "Let''s say I have a gift to understand you." Answered Arun with a smile. It was normal for an animal that had never had a real conversation with a human to be a little surprised at first.


    "Damn, I''ll have to be careful not to say too much bullshit, then..." the pet, who already had a rather vulgar language, said to himself...


    "Do not worry about that, the important thing is that you explain to me what you have. If your master brought you here, it''s for a good reason."


    "Let me just introduce myself. I''m Kast, a fabulous red squirrel that turns the heads of all females!" Exclaimed the squirrel, taking a pose straight out of anime. However, he curled up on himself, moaning a few seconds later.


    "Ouch, shit... I really should not have accepted this gift..." he complained, holding his stomach.


    "Once again, what gift are you talking about?" Asked the veterinarian again, interested.


    "Listen." The squirrel sat down to explain its story. "You see, I''m a squirrel, but not just any squirrel... A sacred squirrel, buddy, the most beautiful of all, and all the females fall for me."


    In any case, he was not the most modest either... Arun said nothing else and just nodded to hear the rest.


    "I''m used to receiving gifts, you see, acorns, leaves, things like that are always cool. And yesterday I was in a tranquil pine tree, and there came another female with a present! So I got up, I took it, and I ate it. At the moment I found it good, but since then I have a stomach ache, like a lot."


    Arun understood the situation better. It was a food poisoning that was causing the squirrel harm. The fact that it was recent and that symptoms appeared so quickly was worrying... Some animals could easily die if they ate food that intoxicated them.


    "And do you remember what it was like, the thing you ate?" Arun needed more information to target the problem. He would have liked to use his system that told him where an animal was hurting, but in the case of intoxication, it was useless.


    "Well... I remember it was brown. A little brown thing, very sweet. Even sweeter than the berries I usually eat!" Answered the squirrel with energy. However, he sat there, lest his belly hurt him again.


    "Was it chocolate?"


    "Oh yeah, it''s possible now that you say it!"


    "So veterinarian, do you know why Kast is so bad?" Tajiro asked, feeling left out. He could not hear the squirrel''s voice, and seeing the vet talking alone was not reassuring.


    "I believe that I have understood." Arun sat up calmly, and sighed.


    "It''s a chocolate poisoning." The veterinarian finally stated, putting his hands on the operating table. The day was just beginning, and it promised to be agitated.

 First day at the clinic â‘¡

    "Usually, it''s more dogs or cats that are victims of chocolate poisoning, but other small animals such as rodents can sometimes fall in the trap too." Declared Arun calmly.


    "And is it... serious?" The worried look on Tajiro''s face hurt.


    "Unfortunately, yes. As much for humans, chocolate is totally innocuous, as much for animals... It''s a deadly poison, especially for small animals such as rodents."


    "Does that mean I''m going to die? Oh no, no, I don''t want to die, I have kids to make and females to find!" The squirrel was holding his head screaming like crazy, totally panicked.


    "Calm down, it doesn''t mean that you''re going to die. It depends on how much you have eaten, especially the cocoa content of the chocolate. If it was milk chocolate, it''s less serious than if it was dark chocolate. " Despite the seriousness of the situation, the veterinarian was trying to keep his calm so as not to worry the squirrel more than necessary.


    "It was brown. Brown, not black. I remember it clearly!" Claimed the pet.


    "So it was probably milk chocolate. It''s already that, and how big was the piece?"


    "Uh..." Kast spread his arms to show more easily. "Pretty much like that, I could hold it between my hands, so it was not very big, even less than an acorn."


    Arun breathed relief. The squirrel was not out of the woods, but his situation was less serious than he imagined.


    "So veterinarian, is there anything to be done to cure Kast ? Please, I can not lose him..." Tajiro implored the help of the young man, who stepped back a bit.


    "I''ll explain what happens when an animal ingests chocolate."


    His role as a veterinarian was to care for pets, but also to warn their owners of the dangers and risks of certain things. If everyone was more careful, then he would hardly need to heal the animals.


    "The cocoa contains a molecule called theobromine. As I told you, for humans it is harmless, but for some animals like cats, dogs, or rodents, it''s a cardiac poison. All over the body, causing abdominal pains, an abnormal rise or fall in blood pressure, and sometimes death if it''s too much present." Arun detailed, his finger raised like a schoolmaster. Tajiro and Kast listened attentively.


    "I understand... I should have been more careful ! I do not know where he could eat chocolate, I do not have any at home..." complained the man in a suit. If only he had paid more attention...


    "It''s not your fault, Mr. Tajiro, it''s up to him to be careful not to eat everything he finds." Arun pointed to the little squirrel, who prostrated himself to the vet.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know it would be so dangerous ! I promise not to eat anything I''m offered, I don''t want to die!


    "Don''t worry, you shouldn''t die, if you do what I tell you." Replied Arun kindly.


    He sat up to continue his explanations.


    "In the case of a cat or a dog, if the ingestion is recent, inducing the pet to vomit may be useful to try to bring out the toxic substance before it goes into the blood. But rodents like squirrels can not vomit, it''s a physiological peculiarity. "


    Tajiro''s eyes were wide open as he listened carefully to the veterinarian''s words. Even if the first impression he had had in front of the clinic was not very good, he was forced to admit that he was talented. Arun took the time to explain the situation, and to make sure it did not happen again.Stolen novel; please report.


    "The second treatment to stop intoxication, that''s it."


    The vet went to a drawer that he opened. He fumbled in a few seconds, and took out a small jar containing about thirty capsules.


    "Active plant charcoal is a known natural remedy for absorbing poison and toxins from the body, and is often recommended for use in humans and pets."


    The squirrel got up with difficulty and approached the jar, curiously inspecting it. Arun opened the container and took out a capsule, a little too big for Kast.


    "I could never swallow it! I know how to store big acorns in my mouth, but I can''t swallow them..."


    "Isn''t it the hamsters who do that normally?" Arun laughed.


    "Yes, but you know, hamster or squirrel... Hamster females are pretty good, even if they have no tail, and that''s clearly a flaw." The criteria of beauty in squirrels were special to say the least... Or it was just Kast who was.


    Tajiro had got up, approaching the operating table to inspect the capsules. He made the same remark as his pet.


    "What can I do to make him swallow that?" He asked with interest. He wanted to do everything he could so that Kast gets better as quickly as possible.


    "It''s not the capsule that''s important, it''s what''s inside!" The veterinarian opened the capsule in half, and poured the black powder it contained into his palm.


    "Just open it and mix the charcoal in one of its meals, it will be much easier to swallow, and just as effective." Explained the veterinarian by replacing the powder in the capsule to avoid wasting care material.


    "Okay, I''ll do that." The man nodded, taking the jar of capsules.


    "Give it two a day for a few days, and it should get better soon. And most importantly, don''t eat chocolate!" Arun spoke to Kast to warn him once more. Better be safe than sorry!


    "I swear on my squirrel honor that I would never get over this poisoned horror. It was good, but it was not worth it to almost die for it..." Kast sighed with relief as he learned that his life was not in danger. He still had a very bad stomachache, but it was still bearable.


    "I''m going to be paying a lot more attention to what he''s eating from now." Mr. Tajiro said, extending his hand to the little squirrel, who climbed up his arm to perch on his shoulder.


    "Thanks a lot, veterinarian, I did well to come see you soon. Good luck for the rest of your day!"


    Obviously, the client was satisfied. And that was all that mattered to Arun. Let his customers leave with relief and a smile as much as possible. And especially with the assurance of healing and staying healthy.


    The veterinarian accompanied Tajiro and Kast to the reception, where many people were still waiting.


    "I let you see with my assistant to pay for your consultation. Good day!" He greeted the squirrel and the man one last time, still with a smile, and turned back to the hall to pick up his next customer.


    "Mrs. Shantura?"


    At the call of his name, an elegant young woman stood up. She was dressed in a rather original way : a purple veil covered her face, and other pieces of silk and transparent and shiny fabrics covered the rest of her body, yet revealing her tanned skin in some places.


    Her turquoise eyes landed on the vet as she approached quietly. Arun watched around her, seeing no pets follow her.


    "Hello, are you alone?"


    "No, let''s say I need the consultation done outside rather than in your office. Is that possible ?" She asked in a confident, masculine voice that cut with the more feminine look of her body.


    Arun was a little taken aback, not knowing what to expect. But it was possible. He just had to pack a few things with him.


    "Yes, of course, we just have to go on the roof, then."


    The vet guided his customer to the office, where he took only a first-aid kit of the same type he had taken when he went to look after Cha-cha on the outside. He then continued to a staircase that rose on the roof of the building, fortunately not very high.


    Once they had both arrived, Arun closed the door to make sure no one would come up after them. He was curious to see why Mrs. Shantura wanted him to come outside.


    And he soon understood why. The woman put her hands around her mouth as if to make a loudspeaker, and whistled a big blow to the sky. A few seconds later, a huge black bird with long feathers appeared, coming to rest on the roof of the clinic, causing a squall that nearly made the vet fly.


    "Well... if I expected that..."


    The huge bird leaned heavily on the clinic. It must have been four or five meters tall. Its piercing eyes stared at the veterinarian, who was a little afraid that the weight of the pet would crumble the building...


    "If your clinic collapses because I landed on it, it would mean that it was poorly constructed." A clear, powerful, and feminine voice echoed in Arun''s head. It was the bird that was addressing him, as if she could read in his thoughts...


    "It is for her that I will need your help, veterinarian. I introduce you to Astera, my pet, a giant black female vulture." Said Mrs. Shantura, placing a hand on the feathers of the bird.


    He knew that in the world in which he had been reincarnated, there were animals he had never seen in his own. And Astera was a very good example.


    Decidedly, the veterinary work in another world was still full of surprises.

 A problematic bird

    Still a little stunned by the huge size of the bird he had in front of him, Arun began to turn around the pet to better observe it. At first glance, her plumage was perfect and smooth : long black feathers covered Astera''s body, and reflected the rays of the sun.


    "So, Mrs. Shantura, what''s the problem you have with Astera?" Asked the veterinarian for the reason for the consultation.


    "Actually, I could not be very precise. In recent weeks, I noticed that Astera''s behavior has changed, she is spending less and less time with me. She often disappears to go I don''t know where, and I keep asking her why she''s doing this, but she''s showing more and more distance..." The woman explained with concern.


    Astera had not moved during the explanation of her mistress, staying lying on the roof of the clinic. Once again, it was not going to be a simple case to settle.


    "I''ll see what I can do." Replied the doctor, moving away from the volatile.


    Breathing a big blow, he used the ability of his system to see if the black vulture was suffering somewhere. Her whole body appeared in blue in the vet''s head, which indicated that everything was fine and that she was not hurting anywhere. So why a change in her behavior?


    "At first glance, she is not sick or injured, it''s reassuring." Declared Arun coming back close to the bird, after finishing his observation.


    Mrs. Shantura was a little surprised by the vet''s quick diagnosis. All he had done was look at her from afar ! How could he be so sure of himself ? She said nothing and continued to watch him.


    Arun put his hands on the animal''s feathers to gently feel her skin, starting with the wings. Maybe it was a tumor that caused a change in her behavior ? Or could it be a parasite ?


    In search of an unusual size, the vet continued his inspection. Astera seemed to get a little nervous and her voice echoed again in the young man''s head.


    "Human, be careful where you put your hands. It is not because you are a veterinarian that I would be more tender with you." Astera had an aggressive tone, and was threatening him.


    Keeping calm, Arun did not stop his work. There must have been a reason for this strange behavior. True, the black vulture was a wild animal in normal times, but among the birds, it was a species that had also developed complex social behaviors, and very family-centered.


    "Mrs. Shantura, how did Astera behave normally?" The doctor asked a question to make sure of the situation. It was also possible that the bird he had in front of him was naturally aggressive. Some pets could remain suspicious despite the love of their owner.


    "We''ve always been close. Since we were young, we spend most of our time together, which is why I don''t understand why she''s acting like that."If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Shantura''s answer confirmed the veterinarian''s thoughts. The situation was unusual. As his hands moved over the belly of the vulture, she suddenly fluttered and began to flap her wings as if to fly away.


    "I warned you, human, I would not be lenient !" The raptor whistled aggressively against Arun.


    The vet, who did not even know what he had done so badly to trigger the bird''s anger, covered his eyes and squatted so as not to fly because of the blast. Astera flapped her wings faster and faster, as if she were about to take off. She was not going to flee anyway, though?


    Rising abruptly, Arun ran and grabbed Ms. Shantura by the wrist as he passed. Just before the vulture flew off the roof of the clinic, he threw himself forward to cling to the bird''s paw. It only took a few seconds and a few wing beats to get thrown into the air with Astera, several dozen meters above the ground.


    "S-s-sir vet! W-what are you doing ?!" Mrs. Shantura, who had been embarked against her will in the flight of the raptor, trembled like a leaf.


    "You have a vulture of this size as a pet, and you will tell me that you have never flown with her?" Arun was forced to scream to hope to be heard, because of the sound of the wind that had become more than loud.


    "I''m scared of heights - I can''t fly!" Arun sighed inwardly at the irony of the situation. Nevertheless, he had to admit that what he was doing was more than dangerous, and that he had better hang on to Astera.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t let you go!"


    "Human, I told you not to touch me!" The raptor had gone into a rage, and was moving in all directions to try to let go of Arun.


    "Are you sure you want me to let go? If you make me fall, your owner will fall too!" Arun shouted for the volatile. Obviously this one was in a second state, and did not listen anymore what he was trying to tell her, flying higher up in the sky.


    "N-No, please, I don''t want to fall!" Shantura shouted completely panicked. Both the pet and her owner were in a daze, apparently.


    Arun sighed, trying to stay calm to find a solution. At this rate, he was not going to be able to last long, no matter how much he tried to reassure his customer..


    It was then that the voice of Mili, his little black cat who had remained in the clinic, sounded in his head.


    "Hey, Arun, sorry to only let you know now, but I knew about the system, and... for you."


    The vet froze, and almost let go because of the surprise the announcement of Mili triggered in him. So was the cat aware from the beginning, for reincarnation, and for the powers of his system?


    "Why didn''t you say anything?" Arun asked, trying to get some answers. That said, it may not have been the best time for that.


    "I''ll explain later, okay ? Listen to me, you''re going to need it. I''ve finished unlocking [Vet Grade 2] for you. That took a bit of time, that''s why I''m only telling you now... From now on, your system has improved, and you can use a third function. [Pet Pact]. If you use it on Astera, you may be able to calm her!" Arun listened carefully to the cat''s advice, quickly understanding what to do. It was his only chance to get out of here alive, after all.


    "And how do I use the [Pet Pact]?" The vet was also starting to panic because of the situation, which was becoming totally out of control.


    "Concentrate, and try to connect with the spirit of the pet. I know it''s difficult, and it may not work 100%... But you have to try!" Mili was seriously asking him to concentrate in such a moment? The stress made it harder and harder for Arun to hang on to the raptor''s leg until it was too much.


    The vet let go, and he and Mrs. Shantura began to fall into the void, seeing the bird go further and further away, and the ground getting closer.


    ''Concentrate... Concentrate, concentrate!'' Arun murmured inside, eyes closed. A white light suddenly appeared in his thoughts, and he reached out to catch it.


    It was at that moment that everything went black in his mind.

 The [Pet Pact]

    A few seconds later, Arun woke up in a big dark room. He felt like he was inside a temple : the white marble walls were lined with columns arranged regularly, and the floor was tiled with elegant patterns. Everything in this room breathed luxury.


    The only source of light that allowed the vet to see where he was was the blue flame he spotted in the center of the room, resting on a pedestal. He had never seen a fire of that color before, but he thought that if he was surprised at every novelty, he would never finish.


    Approaching calmly from the flame, Arun wondered where he could be, and especially what had happened to Mrs. Shantura and Astera. He scanned the room again without finding any trace of anyone else here.


    Enlightened by the light of the flame, a silhouette appeared in front of him. A woman approached calmly, taller than the vet, across the ice-cold brazier.


    Once she was close enough, Arun could see that the figure of this woman, although similar to that of a human, was misleading. Indeed, a black beak was in the middle of her face, replacing her nose and mouth. She was wearing a long dress of the same dark color, but looking closer, it was a set of feathers that covered her body. Moreover, what Arun thought to be arms were actually wings, which she held back. Finally, her long legs were terminated by claws similar to those of a bird, and not human feet.


    "Astera, is that right?" The vet was beginning to grasp the situation he was in. His head ached a little, and he had trouble thinking, but he did his best with what he had available.


    The woman in front of him nodded, and the voice of the raptor he had heard earlier echoed in the luxurious hall.


    "That''s right, I see you''re not like other veterinarians, do you know where you are right now?" The powerful voice of the vulture was intensified by the echo of the walls.


    "No... I have no idea." Arun no longer heard Mili''s voice in his head. Yet the cat had managed to talk to him from a distance, a few minutes ago... Was he so far away?


    "You are in the world of pets, a parallel world in which only the spirits of pets can penetrate. And yet you are here too. And I think I am right if I say that you are not a pet." Astera walked away a bit, her footsteps resonating in the room. The woman, or rather the raptor, since it was only her spirit that appeared to the vet in almost human form, made a great theatrical movement with her two wings.


    Immediately, other flames, similar to the one Arun was standing in, lit up all over the room, lighting it with an almost sinister blue light. Now it was possible for the veterinarian to contemplate the entire room, and especially the great work that had been done on the walls.


    Everywhere around him were large frescoes engraved in the rock of the temple. Arun had no idea what they symbolized, but all represented birds of different colors, sizes, and shapes.


    "We are in the Bird Temple, and in the world of pets, every large animal family has a temple like this. A place of communion and spirituality that is not possible to visit normally." Astera explained, turning to the vet who was still gaping at the majesty of the place he was in.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Only birds are allowed to come to the Bird Temple, and only under certain conditions. It is here that their spirit can begin the journey to Magna Rosa, the holy land of the pet goddess." The information Astera gave the human was hard to swallow... Arun was far from suspecting the existence of all this, the world of pets, and a certain goddess.


    Astera approached Arun again, glaring at him. The presence of the human in the temple was apparently the reason for her dissatisfaction.


    "How did you come here, human?"


    Arun rubbed his neck for a moment, trying to think about his answer. It was probably the [pet pact] that brought him here... He had gone from one complicated situation to another. How to explain the events to Astera without revealing the powers of his system?


    "Well... Let''s say I have some abilities that are useful for a veterinarian, to help pets get better. By the time I fell into the void, I had only one solution left. It was to use one of the abilities I didn''t know yet... And I think that''s what brought me here." Arun tried to explain the events clearly without saying too much. The woman seemed half believing his speech, but she resigned herself. After all, he had to tell the truth. No human was ever in the world of pets before...


    "I understand better... That said, you can not stay here. Materializing your mind as you do it costs energy, and I do not know how long you will hold before you disappear. You have to go back to your world." Astera said, moving away again.


    The vet had no idea how he could do that. He did not really know by what magic he had arrived there, so how to leave... And Mili was no longer there to give him directions.


    "Wait!" Arun walked around the pedestal that was holding the flame and grabbed the raptor by the arm before she went too far. She was forced to turn around and at this distance, the young man noticed a new irregularity in Astera''s appearance.


    In her human form, her belly was swollen, like that of a pregnant woman. Arun had an illumination at that moment, remembering that it was at the moment when he had directed his hands towards the belly of the vulture that she had suddenly moved and pushed him aside.


    "You are pregnant ?" The veterinarian said in a stupefied voice.


    Astera released herself with a sharp blow and stepped away, glaring at the young man. What she tried to hide as best she could was finally discovered.


    "Yes, I am. That''s why I''m forced to distance myself from my mistress." Confessed the raptor, sighing. She was not doing this to hurt her, but because she did not want to mix her up with all that.


    "I understand the situation better... However, not telling her and trying to hide it... It wasn''t a solution that could stay effective for a long time." The vet put his hand on his chin, thinking. He had more and more trouble thinking. His energy was really absorbed by the world he was in...


    "And what solution would have been better, then?" Cried Astera, angry at the young man, and also at herself. "I do not want to leave her and make her suffer, but I have to leave the city to lay eggs..." Tears ran down the cheeks of the black vulture who was helpless, not knowing what to do.


    Arun sighed as she finally relaxed her feelings. For humans as for animals, crying was always a liberating act. Although the majority of animals can not cry, that being said...


    The vet approached Astera and took her in his arms. She was taller than him, and also wider. But he knew that the warm presence of someone in a moment of weakness could help a lot, so he did not hesitate.


    "The best solution is to tell her. It''s brave to keep everything for you, but you can''t bear that weight indefinitely. You have to let her know, and maybe at that moment, a new solution will appear !" Arun spoke in a comforting voice, in order to appease the raptor. However, he felt weaker and weaker. He was about to disappear...


    Mili''s voice echoed through his head, breaking the silence of the room.


    "[Pet Pact] : completed ! Astera''s [affinity level] has been increased."


    A soft light surrounded the vet and the woman, hot as a blanket of cotton. Astera gently pulled Arun a little away, sobbing, and gave him a last, calm smile.


    "Thank you, human."


    The light surrounded them entirely, and both the vet and the raptor disappeared from within the temple. The flames went out, leaving the imposing room empty again.

 The world beyond

    The veterinarian suddenly opened his eyes, back in the world of humans. The air whipped his face and the sunlight that came from above dazzled him. He was always falling ! So was the time stopped during the [pet pact] ?


    The ground was approaching at breakneck speed, and he noticed that his customer, whose hand he still held, Mrs. Shantura, had fainted because of fear. It was definitely not her lucky day.


    Arun closed his eyes, also frightened by the sight of the asphalt on which he was going to crash. Where was Astera ? He thought the [pet pact] should have helped him out of this situation...


    The vet and his client finally crashed, ending their fall... on something sweeter than the concrete below. The young man opened his eyes, discovering the bed of black feathers that had saved him from death.


    "Astera!" The black vulture had managed to graze the ground to recover her mistress and the vet on her back, and was recovering altitude.


    "Excuse me for this fright, I should have been more understanding. It''s not the best first impression I could have given you." Apologized the raptor, who understood her mistakes. Especially since she almost killed her owner at the same time .. She would have regretted her act for a long time, if Arun had not been there to open her eyes.


    The vet sighed with relief, feeling safe again. He had tried to stay as calm as possible, but he felt his heart was beating faster than ever. When he had just been reincarnated, he had not planned to die yet...


    Clinging tightly to the feathers of the bird so as not to fall, he also made sure to place Mrs. Shantura next to him.


    "Are we going to the clinic?" Asked the veterinarian, seeing that Astera continued to gain height when she was already above the tallest skyscrapers in the city.


    "No, I''ll take you to my nest." Answered the vulture without hesitation. Changement of program, so he might be a little late for his next customer... As soon as they had landed, he would call Myako to ask her to take the consultations in his place. For her too, it must not have been a pleasant day.


    As they began to move away from the city in which the clinic was located, Arun could see for the first time the gigantic size of it. He could not even see the small buildings, as there were big towers in some neighborhoods.


    He had not yet had time to venture far, because since he had woken up for the first time, he had spent his time on the clinic. However, he thought that going for a walk in town one of these days could be useful.


    And as he watched the city pass below, the sea suddenly appeared beneath them. Was the city so close to the sea? Where was Astera''s nest, if it was not in town?


    "Human, you seem to be unfamiliar with how the city works, do you?"


    Arun almost jumped when Astera''s voice surprised him in his thoughts. He had forgotten the bird''s ability to read in his head...


    "No, indeed, I''ve never left town, so I don''t really know what''s around." Replied the young man hoping to have some additional explanations.


    "It''s normal, the vast majority of humans who live in this city have never left either, and very few know what is beyond the sea. Consider yourself lucky, human." Astera said, continuing to fly over the huge blue surface underneath them. In the distance, the city became smaller and smaller.


    "This city is actually built on an artificial island in the middle of the ocean, and from what I''ve seen in recent weeks, flying often to my nest, it''s the only city for miles around. I do not know the origin of the construction of this city, I am too young for that. I only share what I observed, human." Arun listened attentively to the explanations of the black vulture, which continued to crack the air with its majestic wings. Really, he would have to investigate the functioning of this world and this city, because it was more and more intringuing.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "We will arrive soon." declared Astera. Squinting, the vet could see the dark silhouette of a new island in front of them. It was surely on this one that the raptor had made her nest. Looking behind him, he could see no trace of the city they had left only minutes earlier.


    "You fly really fast, Astera." Remarked the veterinarian. In theory, a bird of this size could indeed travel phenomenal distances in a very short time. But seeing it in practice was far more impressive.


    And in a few minutes more, they were flying over a landscape that had nothing to do with the city. A large expanse of dry grass with some trees scattered here and there. Not many reliefs either, except for a few mounds of earth standing a little high, which allowed to have some shade.


    The climate had also changed dramatically, and the vet had to remove his blouse because of the heat and the sun. It was the kind of environment that resembled the savannahs of his old world.


    Astera''s speed of flight decreased rapidly, and it stopped at the foot of one of the mounds of earth, landing heavily. Mrs. Shantura''s body nearly fell from the back of the bird because of the impact, but fortunately Arun managed to catch it in time, and descended it more delicately.


    "Here is my nest." At the foot of the mound of earth was a wide cave entrance, and the vet could not see the bottom. It was true that black vulture like Astera did not build a nest, but instead used cavities like this to lay their eggs.


    "Wait here, I''ll check if ''he'' is there or not." Foresee the bird of prey by walking slowly towards the entrance of the cave. Flying so quickly had to ask a lot of energy...


    "Who is ''he'' ?" Asked the young man curiously.


    "Human, as a veterinarian, you should be the first to know that eggs do not make themselves alone" Astera answered Arun''s question as she disappeared into the cavern, while he understood what she was talking about.


    If Astera was a pregnant female, the male should not be very far, indeed. And the young man preferred to avoid being attacked again by a giant bird.


    Mrs. Shantura, who was in the veterinarian''s arms, woke up softly, shielding her eyes from the powerful sun of the savannah. She then realized where she was, and stumbled away from Arun blushing, a little lost.


    "E-e-excuse me, I didn''t want to cause you any inconvenience, and..."


    "It''s nothing." Arun simply replied with a crisp smile. Mrs. Shantura froze for a moment, and looked away, trying to hide her face.


    "Where are we ? And then what happened ? I just remember when you took me to the skies with Astera, and after that, nothing..."


    Arun summarized the situation to his client quickly, without saying anything about the [pet pact]. Mrs. Shantura sat cross-legged in the yellow grasses, digesting all this new information.


    "I didn''t know there was something beyond the sea... I was never taught anything about..." She looked around, pointing to this environment, entirely new and unknown. "About all this."


    "I was not aware either, but I guess we''ll have to adapt." Arun stood up and approached his client with a friendly air, holding out his hand. "Since we''re here, my name is Arun. Can I know your name, Mrs. Shantura?"


    She looked a little surprised, and smiled back at the vet. She had not planned either to find herself in such a place... But knowing that she was with Arun reassured her a little. After all, he had already saved her once, even if it was him who put her in danger...


    "My name is Naal. Naal Shantura." She gave the young man a smile, and squeezed his hand.


    A terrifying hiss tore the calm of the savannah, and made the poor Naal jump once more. Arun turned around, just as surprised, recognizing the noise he had heard earlier in the day. It was the hissing of a black vulture. But what was not reassuring was that it did not come from Astera.


    Looking up, he saw the huge bird approaching them quickly. He was even bigger than Astera!


    "Naal, go meet your pet in the cave. I think her mate has arrived." The young woman complied and ran inside the cave. The black vulture landed in front of Arun, with a threatening gaze. To see a human so close to his nest did not please him at all.


    "Who are you, miserable human?" The powerful, icy voice of the raptor echoed in the veterinarian''s head, who stepped away.


    "A human ?" A softer voice this time reached Arun''s ears. A boy jumped from the back of the bird and landed in the grass flexibly.


    He was lightly dressed, with a simple azure fabric that covered the lower part of his body and left the top almost naked. He held a spear in his right hand, and a raven-like skull covered his head.


    "Things are getting more interesting than I thought." A smile appeared on his face as he stared at Arun as he approached.

 Alden and Vikion

    The stranger was slowly approaching Arun with an enigmatic smile on his face. The raptor that accompanied him had calmed down for the moment, but seemed equally ready to leap on him at the least bad movement.


    The vet was not really sure what to do in such an unexpected situation. The stranger stopped at last, putting his eyes in those of the young man who was on his guard.


    "I suppose, considering the clothes you wear, that you''re not from here. You must be one of those dirty guys of the city, aren''t you ?" The boy asked his question in an unwelcoming tone, and his smile had now disappeared. Unfortunately for Arun, it seemed he was not very friendly.


    "Indeed, I come from the city. Why such hatred towards the people who live there ?" The vet tried to keep his cool while thinking about how to escape if the bird or his interlocutor decided to attack him.


    And he had done well to think about it, since if he had not jumped to the side to avoid the spear of the stranger, he would have been impaled at once.


    "Ignorant of the city... Do you dare to tread our lands again ?" Anger was now visible on the boy''s face, who seemed determined to attack Arun.


    The vet wasted no time and got up quickly, grabbing the spear that had planted next to him. He did not know how to defend himself with bare hands, so using a weapon...


    Moreover, it was too heavy for him. It was a spear carved in a bone, with some jewels and precious stones encrusted here and there. This boy was definitely out of the ordinary.


    "Stay where you are!" Arun threatened his opponent with his own spear, pointed forward, a little shaking. Holding a weapon of this weight and size firmly was not easy without training.


    The boy stopped again, and sighed with annoyance.


    "Vikion, it''s your turn." After uttering these simple words, the black vulture that accompanied him spread his wings again, and produced a great gust of wind that unbalanced Arun.


    Seizing this opportunity, the stranger rushed to the vet and gave him a violent blow in the stomach, which made him fall to the ground, breathing with difficulty.


    "People of the city like you don''t take care of their bodies. It was arrogant of you to think you could fight me." The boy said, picking up his spear, pushing Arun''s trembling body away with his foot.


    It was at this point that Naal and Astera finally came out of the cavern, noting the thorny situation in which the vet was.


    "Arun!" Naal exclaimed, rushing to the young man''s body with fright. Nevertheless, the boy barred the road with his spear, preventing her from advancing further.


    "You don''t touch him, he got in trouble all by himself, and you too are there. I don''t know why you were so close to Vikion''s nest, but I won''t let you go like that." He said in a threatening voice, which left the poor woman frightened and nailed to the ground.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "Vikion, what does that mean?" Astera''s voice echoed in the veterinarian''s head as the raptor spoke to her bellicose companion.


    "You brought humans into our nest ! Humans of the city ! I trusted you, Astera !" The other black vulture answered her with an accusing air, whistling badly.


    "They are not ordinary humans, it''s my mistress, and a vet who helped me a lot !" Astera tried to explain the situation to the male who was more stubborn than ever. Admittedly, it was normal for a bird to protect its nest, but this one did not seem to want to understand the situation.


    Vikion pulled back a little, turning his head to the boy who seemed to understand something from him.


    "Hm ? This woman is the mistress of Astera ?" The stranger looked at Naal, who was still on the floor, not knowing what to do in such a situation.


    A big smile lit up the stranger''s face as he reached for the veterinarian''s client. He suddenly seemed to have become friendly and peaceful.


    "Excuse me for the bad impression I made you, miss. I am Alden Cor Narza, the master of Vikion." The boy introduced himself politely, showing the giant black vulture that was his pet with his hand.


    "Naal... Shantura..." the woman pronounced weakly without moving, her voice still flickering.


    "Since our meeting was driven by the fact that our respective pets decided to start a family together..." The boy bent down and suddenly grabbed Naal by the hand, raising her to his level and pulling her against him putting his other hand on her hips. "Tradition dictates that we do the same, don''t we?"


    The tradition ? But what was this madman talking about? Arun, who had heard everything since then, began to get up with difficulty. The belly pain was still strong. The stranger had hit hard.


    "Let me go, degenerate, rapist !" Naal tried to free herself from Alden''s embrace, when she finally managed to overcome the fear that had held her so far. How did she find herself in such a situation? Since when were there humans in addition to other islands beyond the sea? It was way too much information for her...


    "Let her go !" Arun rushed to Alden hoping to knock him down, giving him a chance to escape with Naal. He would be a very bad veterinarian if he put his clients in danger... And for the moment, that was what he had done to the poor woman.


    A sharp pain pierced his chest, and cut his breath. The boy''s spear had pierced him clean, leaving him no chance of survival by piercing through his ribs and right lung. Alden removed his weapon from Arun''s body, sighing at the sight of having smeared it.


    "Come on, I don''t have more time to lose here." Naal had frozen in front of the vision of the vet''s lifeless body, as if any desire to live and flee had left her too. Her mind could no longer understand the situation. Was it the reality ? How was she there ?


    Alden quickly climbed on the back of Vikion, taking Naal with him. The giant bird flew away with a flapping wing, without waiting a second more.


    "Vikion, you''re not going to get away with that !" Astera, mad with rage, flew off in pursuit of her companion, who was abducting her mistress.


    "Forgive me Astera, but I will follow the wishes of my master, whatever they may be." The boy sighed again, bored, seeing that the black vulture was following them with the firm intention of stopping them. He seized his spear again, and threw it in the direction of the raptor, which he touched in full wing.


    Quickly stopped, Astera was forced to land in emergency, crashing half on the hard ground of the savannah, a few tens of meters lower. Perfect ! The vet and the bird were out of his way, Alden now had peace of mind.


    He looked at Naal, who had fainted by his side again. He was lucky that it was a pretty woman that fate brought him ! After all, it was the tradition of his village to marry the person to whom the pet belonged who mated with his. No matter who it was.


    Alden looked towards the horizon. A plateau overlooking a mount appeared in front of him. The village was still far enough, and it seemed like a perfect place to stop before going there. The sun was high in the sky, they still had time in front of them.

 [The 9 Lives of the Cat]

    When Naal opened her eyes, she was lying on hard, uncomfortable ground. Looking closer, she realized that it was stone, which was not really the best material to serve as a mattress.


    The woman had a headache... She tried to sit down softly but lost her balance and fell back, realizing that her hands were tied behind her back. Memories of the situation she was in came back to her, and anguish came over her again.


    "Where is Arun... And Astera?" She murmured to herself, getting up with difficulty. A hand rested on her shoulder, and she jumped, screaming in fear.


    "Calm down, I''m here." Alden''s voice echoed behind her, and she pulled away from him, glaring at him.


    "You... You''re a murderer! You killed Arun! You don''t have the right to do what you do!" Naal''s raging voice echoed on the board. She was alone, left to herself in the hands of this madman. How could she cope?


    The boy sighed, approaching her every time she recoiled.


    "A murderer ? Yes, this is not the first person I kill with my hands. To survive, you have to kill, miss. You don''t learn that in the city, huh ?" Naal was terrified of the hatred she saw in the stranger''s gaze.


    "Why... Do you hate people of the city?" She asked in her trembling voice, trying to gather the little courage she had left to find a way out of it.


    "It''s a long story, to tell it now would be a little complicated. I suggest you wait until we get together in my village. But to give you the short version, I guess you were not aware of the existence of this place, or of other humans outside the city, is it?" Alden spoke, pointing to the immense savannah that lay beneath Naal''s eyes.


    Indeed, she would never have thought that there was such a place beyond the sea. She had always been told that there was only the city that had survived a series of natural disasters that occurred a few years ago.


    "No, I didn''t know." She confessed, lowering her eyes. Alden approached again and squatted in front of her.


    "It''s precisely for this reason that the people of the city are hated by all. Because they act as if we don''t exist, and they let us die while they live in luxury and tranquility."


    Alden got up and grabbed Naal by the hair, dragging her behind him on the steep ground. She tried to struggle to free herself but the boy''s grip was too strong for her.


    "However, from now on you will be different, Naal. You''ll become my wife, as tradition wants." Announced proudly the stranger, whistling to the heavens.


    It only took a few seconds for the huge black vulture to join him, landing on the plateau generating a great gust of wind.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Come on, we still have some way to go. Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. I have to keep you healthy, otherwise I''ll be a very bad husband." Alden placed his future wife on the back of Vikion, the large raptor who was his pet. They should be returned to the village in a few hours, just before night falls.


    ---


    Further in the savannah, another person also reopened his eyes, breathing again when he should have been sleeping forever.


    Arun gasped suddenly, coughing uncontrollably. His lungs were burning, and he felt like fire spread through all the veins in his body. The pain eventually subsides after a few minutes, leaving the veterinarian lying in the grass.


    He was not... dead? The young man straightened hard and inspected the spot where the spear of the stranger had been planted. Yes, he was dead, he had not dreamed. The blood that stained his clothes was sufficient proof of the wound he had received.


    When he lifted his top, he noticed that there was only one scar left, where a bloody hole should have been opened in him. How was it possible for him to be alive again? Had he been resurrected by the same force that made him reincarnate in this world?


    "Arun, how are you?" Mili''s voice rang in his head, surprising him a little. The vet got up and looked around him a little. Everyone was gone.


    "Yes, now it''s a little better... Is it thanks to you that I''m not dead?" Asked Arun. After all, he did not know much about his pet who seemed to know the system better than the vet himself...


    "In a way. Do you remember the [affinity level] that the [pet pact] allowed you to increase with Astera?" The veterinarian remembered the function he had heard from when he left the world of pets. He had not had time to ask Mili what it really was for...


    "Yes I remember." Replied the young man, waiting for more explanations.


    "Since I''m your pet, the [affinity level] you have with me is already at its peak. Thanks to the system, the pets with whom you have the [affinity level] at its maximum give you a power that can serve you in some cases."


    It was still not clear, but Arun was beginning to understand the usefulness of this new function. The [pet pact] was therefore used to increase the [affinity level] to acquire new powers.


    "Since I am a cat, the power you enjoy through our [affinity level] is called [The 9 Lives of the Cat]. You are dead, Arun, but thanks to this ability, you have been able to resurrect for this time." Mili declared, finishing his explanations. Arun sighed in relief and smiled all alone.


    "I''m really lucky to have you!" The young man said. He would never have thought that such a skill existed. This system was finally even more practical than he had imagined...


    "However, be careful, you can not just put yourself in danger knowing that you are going to be resurrected. I don''t know why, but it might not work twice, although my skill is called ''the 9 lives of the cat''." Mili warned him. He did not want his owner to die unnecessarily.


    "Yes, anyway, I don''t really want to feel this pain a second time... But I''ll have to help Naal, I can''t leave her like this." Arun was determined to save his customer, who was in trouble by his fault. He hoped that she did not suffer too much... And especially that Alden did not reserve her the same fate as him, even if he had said that he wanted to make her his wife.


    "Just be careful, I have a bad feeling. But I won''t stop you from going there." The little cat warned again, worried about the veterinarian''s health.


    "It''ll be fine." Answered Arun seriously, inspecting the landscape around.


    Astera was no longer there... Alden was gone on the back of a bird, so the first thing to do was probably to find the raptor. Venturing into the tall grass of the savannah, Arun began searching for the giant black vulture hoping to find it quickly. There was not a second to lose.

 Sentinels of the desert

    It had been nearly an hour since Arun was searching the savannah for a trail that could lead him to Astera, the black vulture, who was the only one who could help him catch up with Vikion. However, the more time passed, the more sunlight was falling : which did not help the veterinarian to spot a possible black mass that would be the raptor''s body.


    "But where can she be?" Arun had walked for a long time in one direction, and around him the tall grass had become scarce, and the soil was becoming increasingly dry and sandy.


    What was a savannah a few kilometers before was becoming a real desert. And even if the sun went down, the heat remained constant.


    "I had not really planned to be here today..." complained Arun, who was beginning to suffer from the weather. He was thirsty, but not a body of water was visible in the distance. Walking had become a painful ordeal, and he felt his strength leaving him little by little.


    He was not going to die a second time anyway ? He had the chance to survive Alden''s mortal blow, it was not for the heat to knock him down a few minutes later !


    The vet fell to the ground, exhausted and panting. His legs could not hold, and drops of sweat fell to the ground as he tried to catch his breath.


    "Tell me, Mili, don''t you have a power that allows me to cool off ?" Asked the young man, trying to turn his desperate situation into something more positive.


    But he got no answer. Did the cat have a problem ? Were they too far away now and could not communicate ? It was Mili who had given him all the solutions until now... What could Arun do without him ?


    The veterinarian lay down on the ground, facing the sky and the cruel sun that made him suffer. He had to help Naal... She was probably suffering a lot more than him ! But he did not even have the strength to get up again.


    The young man closed his eyes, his mouth dry, resigning himself to his fate. Everything had happened so suddenly, and he was still going to die. He was getting used to it, now...


    "Say, Meng, do you think he''s dead now ?" A small voice echoed in Arun''s head. It was probably his imagination...


    "I don''t know, it''s been a while since he''s not moving anymore..." Another answered as well. The heat was making him hallucinate, no doubt...If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "I think he''s dead, look !" A slight pain in the arm made the veterinarian jump, who straightened up, screaming. It was not his imagination !


    The three little animals that had gathered around him had begun to scream in surprise as well, moving away quickly to bury themselves in a hole.


    "Hey, wait, I''m not mean !" Arun tried to speak to them apologetically for having scared them. After all, it was the first animals he had ever seen since he arrived in this desert...


    A head came out of the hole, a little suspicious, looking at Arun. Obviously, it was going to take more to convince them all to go out.


    "I... I don''t want you bad, I''m not a predator ! Just a human who got lost here looking for someone, I assure you !" He tried to justify himself, trying to be as calm and benevolent as possible.


    One of the three mammals came out of the hole, without letting his gaze go off the vet. It was a small meerkat, surely still young considering its size. He slowly approached the young man, ready to jump back if it was a trap.


    "It''s been a while since we''ve been watching you, and in fact you looked rather lost. But what told us that you were not looking for prey rather than someone else of your kind ?" Asked the meerkat who always found the human suspicious. It was the first time he had seen a real one, but he had often been told that they were machines of destruction.


    Arun had not noticed the animals at all, even from a distance... The meerkats were known to have a very good view, and he had focused his attention on Astera''s research.


    "Another person of my kind ? No, the one I''m looking for is a huge raptor. Did you see her ?" If he could take advantage of their piercing vision to have information on the location of the black vulture, he would already be a bit more advanced than now.


    The meerkat who was facing the vet moved a few steps back when he heard the words of his interlocutor.


    "A-A raptor ? In addition you came with a raptor to hunt your prey ? We are in danger..."


    "No, you misunderstood ! I didn''t come to hunt ! It''s complicated to explain..." Arun sighed, still in a twisted situation. His reaction was normal, after all the raptors were the natural predators of meerkats.


    Arun sat cross-legged, and held out his hand towards the unconfident meerkat. He thought back to the experience he had with Astera earlier in the day. While she was mad with rage, he managed to calm her down by using the [Pet Pact]. Maybe it would help him to win the trust of this meerkat ?


    "Uh, what are you doing with your hand? It''s empty, you''re not giving me anything, there..." The mammal was a little disconcerted at his first meeting with a human. He did not trust him, but at the same time curiosity was so gnawing that he wanted to know more about him.


    "Put your paw on my hand." Pronounced the veterinarian simply, without moving a centimeter.


    "Shuu, do not be fooled, it''s probably a trap !" One of the two other meerkats who had holed up in the hole a little behind took out her head to warn her companion.


    "Maybe Meng... But... My instinct tells me I might miss something if I don''t do it!" The meerkat called Shuu, who was obviously the bravest of the gang, approached Arun, and finally put his paw on the hand of the vet, who smiled at him.


    Immediatly, for both the human and Shuu, everything went black around them.

 The Meerkat Show â‘ 

    The place where Arun woke up this time was noticeably different from the one he had landed in when he made the [Pet Pact] with Astera.


    He was in a small room lit by a bad neon light. A mirror covered a whole wall of the room, and a wardrobe occupied the other corner. Costumes and various makeup tools were spread on a small table that stood in the little place that remained.


    It was a kind of lodge ? Indeed, it was very different from the mystical temple in which he had spoken with the raptor a few hours before.


    "Wow, what''s this place ?" The little voice of the meerkat reached the veterinarian''s ears as he turned in his direction. A boy of about fifteen was standing in front of him. Actually, it was the manifestation of the mammalian spirit in the world of pets.


    Like Astera, even though Shuu''s figure was human, a few elements on his body reminded him that he was an animal in the first place. Thus his arms, torso, and legs were covered with a light brown fur, and a long tail lay on the ground behind him. His nose was also different from that of a human, and looked much more like a meerkat''s snout.


    Shuu seemed surprised by the changes in his body.


    "What''s this mess ? I''m a human now ? what''s going on ?" The boy looked up to notice that the vet was also with him. He approached Arun and grabbed him with his clawed hands, which was another difference.


    "Hey, explain me !" He asked, showing little patience. The vet was a little surprised too. Had Shuu never entered the world of pets ? Yet Astera seemed to know everything about it... Was it because Shuu was not a pet, but a wild animal ?


    "Well... you see, we''re in the world of pets. It''s a parallel world in which pet spirits can enter." Arun explained trying to look less lost than the meerkat.


    "What''s this concept ?"


    So he did not even know what a pet was ? After reflection, it was quite normal for an animal like the meerkat that lived in a savanna colony... But would the [Pet Pact] have any effect on a wild animal ? The vet did not think about that before taking Shuu into this world.


    "They are animals that share their life with a human. It''s far from rare, from where I come from." Arun spoke more calmly, trying to think about what he could do in this situation. Really, the surprises were chained and he had the impression to be hurt each time.


    The door of the box opened abruptly, and a young woman looked at the two intruders with suspicion for a few seconds. She had the same physical attributes as Shuu, and must surely be a meerkat too.


    "Get ready to go on stage. The Meerkat Show starts in five minutes !" At once she made her announcement, she disappeared again by closing the door behind her.


    "The Meerkat Show ?" Repeated Shuu, a little incredulous. He put his questioning eyes on the vet who made him understand that he did not know what it was.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Arun decided to take advantage of the five minutes they were given to search the box a little in the hope of finding information, or simply a hint that could help them before the countdown was over. Returning the papers and the various tools lying on the table in disorder, he came across a pamphlet on which was roughly marked the name of the event.


    ''Meerkat Show !


    Come and see the biggest sports competition between meerkats ! Strength, agility, courage, meerkats from all walks of life come to test themselves, and above all, prove that they are the best !


    Will you be up to the challenges of the Meerkat Show? ''


    "So what is it ?" Shuu asked impatiently, looking more excited than scared. He was standing next to Arun looking at the paper, but the vet remembered he surely could not read. He was still an animal, as smart as he was.


    "It''s a competition between meerkats... to confront their strength, their agility, and their courage. I don''t know what they win, that said... It may not be worth it to participate." Answered Arun with a sigh. Wasn''t the [Pet Pact] supposed to be a tool that allowed him to increase his [Affinity Level] with some recalcitrant animals ? Why did he find himself participating in a sports competition between meerkats ?


    "How''s that, it''s not worth it to participate? It looks great !" The boy, whose eyes were already glittering, imagined the hardships he would have to go through."What''s your name ? It would be more practical to call each other."


    "Arun."


    "All right, Arun, you''ll see. We''re going to compete in this competition, and we''re going to win it. After all, I''m young and in full possession of my physical abilities." The boy boasted, who really did not seem to be afraid to confront his peers.


    However, he stopped at once and looked up at the vet, as if he had just realized something.


    "By the way, you''re a human, no ? How are you going to participate if you''re not a meerkat ?" Shuu asked curiously. The girl from earlier had not noticed, but no doubt he was going to be caught a little later.


    The boy turned around and began to search the costumes in the open wardrobe. Quickly, he found what looked like a meerkat tail, and a face mask that looked like a snout.


    "It should do it like that... Don''t move !" Shuu put the mask on Arun''s face and walked behind him before hesitating a little.


    "No homo, huh, I don''t touch your buttocks, it''s just to tie that up." The boy tied the fake tail to Arun''s pants before moving away quickly. He did not want his new human friend to think wrong things about him.


    The door opened suddenly again. Fortunately, Shuu had moved away quickly, otherwise he would have been in a more than embarrassing situation. The same meerkat that five minutes earlier stared at them both before speaking.


    "Let''s go, the Meerkat Show will start, so please follow me."


    Arun and Shuu left the lodge and followed the girl without being asked. The closer they got to the stage, the louder the noise of the crowd was heard. Was there really so many people ? Arun who thought that the world of pets was simply a place of recollection of temples and other places of prayer was gradually becoming aware of his misjudgment.


    A loud voice was heard over the noise of the crowd, and they entered the public at the same time as the announcement.


    "And here is the twelfth and last team of this tournament, Shuu and Arun !" A man in a suit stood in the middle of the stage and invited the two competitors to join him. The girl who had guided them so far also pushed them to urge them on.


    The audience applauded their entrance, and when they reached the presenter, they had to salute the crowd by bowing a little.


    "Now that all of our candidates are together, the Meerkat Show will start !" Shuu and Arun left the scene after this brief introduction and went backstage where a much less festive atmosphere prevailed.


    Many men and women were already there. Their rivals. And all took the competition very seriously, considering the expressions on their faces. Shuu understood at that moment that winning the victory might be a little harder than he thought.


    "For the first event, we are going back to a great classic of the Meerkat Show, which will test the speed and agility of our athletes." The presenter''s voice was still heard from behind the scenes.


    "Here is the Meerkat Race."

 The Meerkat Show â‘¡ The Meerkat Race

    When the name of the first event was announced by the presenter, some voices rose in the locker room. Some seemed happy that it was the race that was chosen, others a little less. But in any case, a large majority knew what awaited them.


    And that was not the case of Shuu and Arun, who had landed here without knowing anything about the competition.


    "As in previous editions, the Meerkat Race is a speed race between all the teams. First and foremost a speed test - only the first six teams to reach the finish line will be qualified for the next trial." The presenter continued to explain the rules of the competition, which Shuu seemed to listen attentively.


    Arun was clearly less serene, especially seeing the stature of some of their opponents. Certainly all of them were in reality small meerkats. But in their current form, they were humanoids much larger and muscular than the veterinarian for some. The young man who was not used to being very athletic was starting to get a bit nervous... After all, when it was a race, meerkats were more than fast animals.


    "However, the speed of the participants is not the only thing that will decide their victory... Many obstacles will stand in their way ! And the most difficult of all, will be their competitors." At this announcement, many of the people behind the scenes posted a surprised face. Obviously, it was not a usual rule.


    "And yes, this year, all shots are allowed to reach victory, so if you prefer to knock out your competitors rather than run faster than they do, you have the right to do so." Finished the presenter in a dismal tone that did not announce anything good. All the confidence of the vet had now left him, and the fear was hurting his stomach.


    How could he compete with such monsters ? He no longer had the advantage of the species... And his partner Shuu was even smaller than him. They had no chance of winning the race.


    Arun approached the meerkat and put a hand on his shoulder. He did not want him to end up hurt by his fault... After all, it was because of the vet if they had landed here.


    "Shuu, listen, I think it would be better not to participate in-"


    "Don''t participate ? Are you kidding ? That race sounds great !" The enthusiasm and motivation in the boy''s eyes surprised Arun. Was that the unconsciousness of youth ? Was he already so old ?


    "Are you sure ? Look at our opponents a bit..." Arun said uncertainly, feeling the dark looks of the other participants. He clearly did not have the same courage as his partner...


    "Of course, don''t worry. It''s not because they''re bigger or muscular that we don''t have a chance to win." The meerkat smiled at Arun with a mischievous look.


    "After all, he said everything was allowed, no ?" Arun did not know what to think of the boy''s reaction. Did he have a plan?


    The vet sighed. Now that he was there, he could not really go back anyway... The Meerkat Race was going to start from one moment to the next.


    The same girl who had led them to the scene moments earlier went backstage. The audience was excited to watch the race and that was heard.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "The Meerkat Race is going to start in a short time. Please go down the hall behind the scenes and position yourself on the starting line !" A door opened at the back of the room in which the 24 competitors were standing, and the first rushed into it without waiting.


    Arun wondered what the setting was going to look like. They had been indoors since they had arrived in the world of pets, and to tell the truth, he had never seen the outdoors. Even the first time he had come with Astera, he had found himself in the Bird Temple.


    Shuu walked down the narrow corridor before him, and the vet went into in the last ones. Everything was dark, until it came out a few dozen meters further on the course where the race was going to take place, actually outdoors.


    The sky was bright blue and a great sun reigned. The temperature had also increased greatly, almost catching up with that of the savannah of the other world. As for the course, it was a sandy track which he did not see the end. If there were to be obstacles, they were far from finished...


    Shuu approached Arun and motioned for him to bend over to whisper something to him.


    "As soon as the start is given, run straight and don''t stop. I wouldn''t be surprised if this is the scrum from the beginning, since attacking other competitors is allowed. Run, we will find ourselves further. " Arun nodded following the boy''s instructions. He was right, if they could avoid being shot down on the starting line, that would be a good thing.


    "Take place !" The presenter''s voice echoed through speakers arranged around the start line, a simple band of green cloth laid on the sandy floor. The track was bounded by fences but it was wide enough to accommodate the 24 aligned competitors.


    Shuu positioned himself quickly, crouching down and resting his hands on the ground, ready to go at the first signal. Arun who had no knowledge of the race since he had never practiced, simply imitated the position of his partner by observing that of his opponents.


    The vet closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. His heart was beating fast, and he was probably panicking a bit. How not to be so while participating in a race in which he could be flattened by any of his opponents ?


    Shuu seemed more focused, his eyes on the track that lay before them. The boy''s excitement and enthusiasm had given way to imperturbable calm. Arun swallowed trying to put himself in the same state of mind. He knew what to do : run.


    "Ready ?" The presenter''s voice echoed through the speakers as he prepared to give the start.


    And it was finally the sound of a gong that announced the beginning of the race. Shuu did not lose a moment and propelled himself forward with a force that Arun would never have suspected. In a few seconds he was already far ahead.


    The vet had more difficulties and had almost fell while trying to propel himself too. Several other meerkats were around him, running too.


    The young man tried to look behind to find there the famous scrum awaited by Shuu. Indeed, several participants were already on the ground, defeated by other meerkats whose size did not have anything to envy the professional athletes human.


    ''Run, run, run ! Don''t look behind!'' Thought Arun to motivate himself. He was far from being in the lead, but he was doing his best to run faster than he had ever run in his life.


    However it was not enough.


    He could not compete with the majority of other meerkats and found himself further and further away from others. At least, his partner seemed fast enough to have taken the lead of the race...


    Suddenly one of the men running near him suddenly fell to the ground. Without having had time to understand what had happened, Arun felt himself being squeezed and crashed into the sand, undergoing a violent thrust.


    "The race is over for you, little guy." A serious voice overhung the vet who tried to get up and saw the one who had made him fall.


    A meerkat almost two meters tall stood behind him, a grim smile on his face. Unlike Shuu''s, his fur was not uniformly brown, but multiple black spots spread here and there.


    He was clearly one of those who chose to shoot the other participants rather than win the race. And Arun who had not been fast enough was caught by this killer.


    "Give up the race and I won''t need to hurt you." Threatened the meerkat that smelled of the vet''s fear.


    Arun did not know at all how he would get out of this situation without scratches, this time.

 The Meerkat Show â‘¢ A team of outlaws

    Arun took advantage that his opponent did not have a direct grip on him to get up without waiting and move away quickly. No, he did not intend to give up without fighting, even if he had to finish hurt. He was going to win this trial and qualify for the rest of the Meerkat Show.


    "Tell me, little guy, do you think you have a chance with your frail body ?" The meerkat who had attacked the vet asked his question while throwing him over again. He was way too fast ! Arun could never dodge his charge.


    The young man tried to take it as he could but was thrown back to the ground by the phenomenal force of the man. He was right : he had no chance of winning against someone who exceeded him in height and width.


    "Why did you come to the Meerkat Show if you didn''t even train before ? It''s not just a game to entertain the crowd, it''s a sporting competition." Arun was on the ground, still tense because of the pain of the stroke of his opponent. The meerkat approached him and kicked the vet''s stomach, which coughed and groaned.


    After having died of a spear in the heart and having succumbed to the heat of the desert, he was being beaten by a meerkat. If he had been told that it would be these events that would make up his first day of work, he would not have believed it.


    His opponent squatted next to him, looking at him with disgust.


    "The weaklings like you should not even have the right to stand in front of me on this track. If you don''t take the Suricate Show seriously, you have nothing to do here." Indeed, Arun would never have thought that this [Pet Pact] would drag him into such a competition... And now he realized that he really should have retired before participating.


    "Come on, let''s get rid of it. Don''t blame me, but I have to knock you out to make sure you won''t get up again." The meerkat raised his clawed hand over the veterinarian''s face, clenched in a fist that was going to fall right on his face. The young man closed his eyes, expecting to suffer the pain that would accompany the blow, but instead a familiar voice echoed in his ears.


    "Kick of the flaming squirrel !"


    When he opened his eyes again to see who it was, the meerkat that had dumped him on the ground twice was sent flying several meters away, and ended up crashing heavily in the sand. The flaming squirrel? No doubt, this voice could only belong to one pet...


    "Kast ?!"


    Arun looked up to find a man almost as tall as the meerkat who had dominated him. His musculature was finely drawn, and from where he was, one would almost say he looked like a Greek statue.


    "What are you doing here, vet ?" Kast held out his arm to help him up.


    "Call me Arun. And I could ask you the same question. Isn''t this competition for meerkats normally ?" Arun was surprised to see the squirrel here, but remembering how he, a human with a simple disguise, could have passed without being noticed...


    Meerkats were known to have a very good sight, but they did not pay much attention to details.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "Yes. But I couldn''t miss the opportunity, as the most wonderful squirrel on the continent." His modesty had not left him, in any case.


    "But didn''t you have a stomach ache this morning ? because of your intoxication." Arun wondered how the squirrel could be in good shape when he had only examined him a few hours earlier.


    "My little veterinarian... These are our spirits that are materialized in the world of pets, and my mind will never be hurt by a piece of chocolate. My determination is flawless, and my will is unequaled. And-"


    A punch in the squirrel''s face made him silenced him and sent him to the ground. He had spoken so much that he had not seen that the imposing meerkat had risen, and was visibly more than angry for being struck.


    "Really, where do you think you are ? In a tea room ? We''re in competition ! And I, Toma, will be the only winner ! " The man turned back to Arun, glaring at him. As he was about to hit him again to finish it once and for all, he was again stopped by a blow aimed directly... Between his legs. The weak point of every man.


    "Ahh, you''re so boring, you men." A soft, feminine voice rose from behind Toma, and the figure of a new person was revealed as he fell to the ground groaning in pain.


    "I''m the strongest ! No it''s me !" She mockingly imitated the voices of the two competitors who had only boasted of their abilities, and who in the end had both been misled because of their inattention. "You only have that in your mouth ! The strength, the will, the courage..."


    She approached Arun and put a hand on his neck. Immediately, the vet felt a surge of electricity running through his body and he was forced to drop to the ground as well. How did she do it ? She did not seem to be an animal capable of electrocuting others yet...


    "If instead of showing your muscles to each other, you take the trouble to target the weak points of your opponents, you would be much more effective." Toma replied with a frustrated grunt, to have been sent to the floor twice in a row, and especially by a woman. Arun, who was still sitting on the ground, was beginning to understand nothing more about the situation.


    "And you are ?" He asked with curiosity and admiration to the newcomer.


    "Miraj, Kast''s partner for the Meerkat Show. He asked me to participate with him because this year he had to come with a partner. And I don''t know where his is..." she looked at Toma lying on the floor. He had attacked Arun alone, but they had to remain cautious and possibly fear the revenge of the meerkat crewmate.


    "She''s great, huh Arun ? she''s a squirrel too !" Kast leaned on her shoulder, flashing a bright smile at the young man who rose slowly. He was lucky to meet someone he knew, who seemed much stronger than him.


    "Don''t put me in the same basket as you. I''m a Cape ground squirrel, but I''m closer to the meerkat than you, red squirrel." Replied the woman, calming her companion''s enthusiasm.


    In fact, unlike Kast who had a red tail rising upwards, Miraj''s tail fell to the ground like a meerkat''s. It was a little thicker though.


    "Anyway, we''re all outlaws." Clarified the red squirrel, shrugging his shoulders. "We should help each other to reach the finish line to qualify. They said everything was allowed, no ? So alliances too, and at three we''re invincible !"


    "Even if I don''t have the ability to do much..." Arun added a little embarrassed to be supported by two people as strong as Kast and Miraj. His chances of being qualified for the next trials had just gone up at once.


    "And I owe you a favor for saving me from death !" Kast exclaimed, friendly patting the back of Arun who failed to fall forward. It still made it odd to see the little boastful squirrel in a humanoid form, much more imposing. Indeed, he had several reasons to boast, given his physique.


    "Come on, we don''t have to hang around. I think we''re already in the last. If we want to catch up we''ll have to go all the way." Miraj refocused the new team of outlaws on their common goal : the finish line.


    She started running without waiting and Kast started after her. Arun was no longer allowed to make mistakes now. That said, having reassuring allies helped him to regain confidence in his winning chances, and the vet would do his best to qualify him and Shuu.

 The Meerkat Show â‘£ Superhuman obstacles

    After a few minutes running, the group of outlaws finally arrived at the first obstacle, located a few hundred meters from the starting line.


    Arun was struggling to keep up with the two athletes who had become his allies. Whethet it was Kast or Miraj, both pets were able to run much faster than him, and they had to stop several times to wait for the vet.


    And not only did they go faster, but their stamina was also much greater than that of the human, who had run out of breath before the first obstacle.


    "You were more impressive this morning, Arun !" Kast joked about the veterinarian''s weakness now that he was far bigger than him.


    "It''s normal for him to have a hard time keeping up with the fact that humans are not the most sporty animals. On the contrary, because they have everything at their disposal, they hardly work up their bodies, and the little exercise they''re doing is not enough to keep them at the animal''s level." Miraj explained things with a stern voice. She was right, where animals needed to walk, run, climb or fly, humans had cars, buses, or planes.


    The only humans who could compete with the animals once tied were those who played sports on a daily basis, such as athletes. And Arun was far from being one, since he was even in the majority of those who did not do the thirty minutes of sports activity recommended in a day.


    "I... I''m sorry, I can''t do better..." apologized the panting young man who was still trying to catch his breath. He blamed himself for not being able to go faster because he disabled his comrades at the same time.


    "Don''t worry, we''re going to qualify. The physical is important, but what''s even more important is the will." Kast put a finger on Arun''s forehead to accompany his words. "Athletes with weak minds never went far, no matter how wrought and trained their bodies were."


    "Well, it''s not his will that will allow him to do that." Miraj sighed as he heard the words of his teammate, who continued to repeat the same idiocies. Returning to the first obstacle of the Suricate Race, she invited Arun to approach and see for himself.


    A huge hole lay in the middle of the track, blocking their progress. It was necessary to jump a distance of almost twenty meters before arriving on the other side. At the bottom of the hole, the vet could see the remains of a possible platform that must have been in the middle before, to help get through the void.


    "Obviously, those who have been there before us didn''t hesitate to sabotage the course. We''ll have to jump all The distance at once if we want to pass." Obviously the woman did not seem at all afraid of the huge gap separating her from the other side. Was she really so sure of herself?This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Wait, I could never follow you... The long jump world record for a human is just over eight meters, and there''s more than the double here..."


    "You''ll jump with me, don''t worry !" Arun felt himself lifted from the ground as if he weighed no heavier than a feather bag by the red squirrel that grabbed him under his arm. He really had the ability to jump in one shot twenty meters away while carrying someone ? Wasn''t he a monster rather than a squirrel ?


    "I''m going first, so I could help you land on the other side." Miraj took a few steps back to gain momentum, and went off like an arrow forward. She was even faster than when she was running normally... At the edge of the hole, the Cape ground squirrel put all her weight on her feet and projected herself forward, jumping through a single jump the hole that scared the vet. She landed on the other side rolling in the sand, the obstacle crossed successfully.


    "It''s... unbelievable..." Arun could not hold his voice at such a performance. It beat any human athlete, and had just exploded the world record.


    "Come on, let''s go, my vet !" Kast stepped back too, and Arun clung to the squirrel''s body with all his strength. He did not really trust but... Did he have another choice to pass this hole?


    The squirrel also rushed to the hole and jumped in full force. They passed over the first ten meters easily, then the next five appeared more threatening. They were not going to succeed.


    "Kast, I thought you were sure of yourself !" Arun said panicking after seeing the other side of the hole become more and more unreachable.


    "I thought you were less heavy !" The squirrel justified, who did not expect such a result either.


    However Arun felt himself thrown up again, and his body just came to the edge of the precipice. But not that of Kast. The squirrel had thrown him forward to allow him to survive, by sacrificing himself ?


    "Kast !" Arun rushed to the edge and leaned over the void. The man was still alive, hung with all his strength on the wall a few meters lower.


    "It''s all right. Luckily there was a catch here, otherwise I would have fallen to the bottom..." Miraj approached the edge too, also alarmed by the situation. She had managed to catch the human launched by her teammate but thought she was going to lose him too.


    "Wait, I''ll get you back !" Leaning without hesitation into the void, she grabbed the squirrel''s hand to help him back up. Arun, meanwhile, just rested his hands on Miraj''s ankles to allow her to step into the hole without falling into it.


    And fortunately in a few minutes, they managed to get back up the brave red squirrel that almost had died there this time.


    "Well, if I had been told that I would have nearly died twice in the same day..."


    "I''m really sorry, if I was a little more trained..."


    "No, it''s not your fault Arun. Take it as a thanks for saving me too." Kast gave the human a comforting smile.


    "And then you couldn''t have known that you would find yourself in such a situation either. You just need to keep the courage to go all the way !" Added the squirrel, continuing to encourage the vet.


    "Well, I don''t want to bother you, but we''re still far from being here." Miraj reminded the two men again. If each time they took so much time to discuss, they would never arrive.


    "Come on, let''s go !" Kast started enthusiastically, resuming his race without further delay. Arun started following as fast as he could. He still had not seen Shuu, and he hoped that he was well and did not get fooled by a violent meerkat. He must have been far ahead, given the speed at which he was running too.

 The Meerkat Show ⑤ The labyrinth of pipes

    Out of print. That was the words that best defined Arun''s condition when he and his two crew members finally arrived at the next obstacle, which looked nothing like the first. They had to run a few kilometers...


    And yet neither Kast nor Miraj seemed more in trouble than that, as if they ran marathons every day.


    "It''s not possible... How are you doing ?" Arun asked crouching for two minutes to catch his breath.


    "Tell yourself, for example, that as a squirrel, I spend my days wandering for miles, climbing trees several feet high and jumping from branches to branches. That''s why an animal will often be superior here." Kast explained with a big smile, reminding Arun how he was not athletic.


    "Unless the animal in question is a koala or worse, a sloth. There you could have a chance, Arun." Miraj quipped gently, turning to the entrance of the next obstacle.


    Unlike the first one, which was only a big hole, the second obstacle was more particular. The race track had gradually narrowed until it reached the entrance to a pipe that plunged beneath the ground.


    That said, the vet was not necessarily unhappy to dive under the sand as the sun still high in the sky made the race even more difficult.


    "It would be better for you to stay behind us for this obstacle, Arun. I don''t know what''s underneath but it would be silly to put you on the front line when you can''t fight." Miraj was right on this point, but Kast drew closer to add a detail.


    "No, you pass in front of me, and I go behind. If we get caught in the back, it''s Arun who''s going to get attacked. The best thing is that he stays between us." The red squirrel was not wrong either.


    The vet sighed. The more time passed, the more he felt that he was a handicap to the two animals who were far more talented than him in all areas. Was it really good to qualify through them?


    Arun put aside his thoughts and contented himself with entering the pipe following Miraj who was walking in front of him. Even she was taller than him by several inches, it was almost ridiculous as it was humiliating.


    After just a few meters, the group was already at an intersection that separated the road into three more pipes. It was dark, and only a few bulbs arranged on the ceiling allowed to see. And no distinctive sign permitted to choose one path more than the other.


    "Is it a labyrinth ?" Arun approached one of three possibilities before being pulled back by Miraj.


    "Watch out !"This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Several swords fell from the ceiling in a resounding clatter that echoed through the walls. The blades stuck to the ground like a knife in butter, showing their sharpness that would have reduced the veterinarian to pieces if he had not been saved by the Cape ground squirrel.


    "We... Can we really die ? What is this competition?" The young man had fallen on his buttocks when his partner pulled him back, and was still in shock.


    "Don''t worry, we are in the world of pets. If we get killed, only our spirit disappears from this world." Kast said, helping Arun get up.


    "You mean we can''t really die while we''re in this world?"


    "Let''s say that if you die in the world of pets, you can''t come back here for a while, and it can be rather disabling, knowing that we have to go through this world to reach Magna Rosa."


    "Magna Rosa ?" The doctor picked up the name he had already heard in the mouth of another animal. Astera had mentioned the holy land of the goddess when they were in the Bird Temple, but the vet had not had time to ask her more details about it.


    "Ah..." Kast looked away with an embarrassed smile, rubbing his neck. "I said a little too much, sorry. I can''t explain anything more about it to you, Arun."


    "A human has nothing to do in the world of pets, so don''t worry about Magna Rosa." Miraj spoke much colder than usual, walking past the vet to inspect the two remaining paths.


    Although this story intrigued him, Arun said nothing more and just kept his questions to himself. It was not really the moment anyway... The first thing to do was to advance in this labyrinth avoiding to die there.


    The woman was standing in front of the entrance to the second path, and was trying to trigger some mechanism like the one that had made the swords fall on Arun. She was ready to retreat quickly if such a system was triggered, but nothing came.


    "It probably has to be that way. It''s better to avoid looking for the traps. Maybe they won''t all be as simple to avoid as this one." Miraj pointed out, pointing to the blades planted in the ground. Arun shivered at the pain he felt when he was impaled by Alden''s spear, and was glad he could escape it this time.


    The group then resumed its march in the narrow and dark pipes of the labyrinth, which became more and more sinister as they advanced. Compared to the outside, it was now much cooler, and the temperature kept falling, which no doubt indicated that they were sinking deeper and deeper into the earth.


    "Hey Arun, you know it''s not to bother you that I can''t explain to you more about Magna Rosa..." Kast tried to break the heavy silence that had followed Miraj''s instructions, after the woman has ended the discussion.


    "I know, don''t worry. I understand." Arun smiled at the red squirrel to reassure him, though deep inside he wanted to know more.


    But he did not really have time to think about it any longer since a huge creak echoed through the pipe, announcing nothing good.


    Miraj stopped short, watching, signaling to Arun and Kast not to make any noise. The sound escaped abruptly under their feet, and the pipe in which they were broke in two at once. If they had managed to jump over the hole of the first obstacle, it was not to fall into another !


    The fall was long and Arun closed his eyes, fearing the moment when he would touch the ground. It was also the second time that it happened to him in the same day...


    And the violence of the shock caused a great deal of pain in all the members of his body, but not death. The vet felt himself floating. He was in the water ?


    Back quickly to the surface, trying to ignore that his whole body was sore, Arun looked around. A large surface of black water stretched as far as the eye could see, and he could no longer find any of his companions. Above him, a small luminous dot indicated the spot from which they had fallen.

 The Meerkat Show â‘¥ In the depths

    Keeping his head above the water was already a more than difficult physical challenge for the vet. Not that he did not know how to swim, but rather that because of the pain of the fall, his limbs became more and more sore.


    Not to mention the temperature of the water, which was icy, and did not really help Arun to stay in motion. His trembling, paralyzed muscles became hard to move, and it would not take long before he sank and drowned. He had to find a place where he could rest.


    Drawing on his last strength to swim a few more meters, Arun finally managed to see some floating debris above the water in the dim light of the place. The only source of light came from the opening above him, and it was not enough to light the huge lake in which he had fallen.


    The young man ran his arm over a big pipe, taking advantage of the object to relieve his painful legs and arms. With that, he could avoid drowning, but he still risked cold death.


    Amounting as best he could on the end of the pipe that floated on the water, Arun lay on the debris to try to balance out the frozen liquid. His feet were still soaking in the water but he could not do much better. At least a feeling of warmth spread through the rest of his body, released from the embrace of the cold.


    However, he did not have the pleasure of relaxing very long. A new light source lit up from the bottom of the water, easy to spot because everything else was black.


    Arun leaned over the surface of the water again to see where the strange light came from. Two white circles had lighted up below him, and he realized that what he thought was a "lake" was actually much deeper. Compared to the surface where the sun warmed the earth, they were so deep that the expanse of water in which he was found could be compared to an abyssal environment, cold and gloomy.


    And in the few knowledge he had of the marine world and especially the abyss, few friendly creatures lived there.


    "It''s not possible... Why is this [Pet Pact] so complicated ?" The young man groaned, panicking a little more as he saw the two circles of light begin to move. It was not an artificial light like a neon... It was alive.


    In the abyss, some creatures have photophores, organs capable of creating light to attract prey. In an environment completely plunged in the dark, the light would inevitably attract some curious who would end up swallowed by their predators.


    And the sight of an animal that had such large photophores did not reassure Arun at all. Because right now, it was him who was going to finish a meal.


    Driven by a quick surge, the creature surfaced in a few seconds and came out of the water creating a wave that almost capsized the vet. He clung desperately to his hose, but the swirls caused by the animal were comparable to the biggest waves he had ever experienced.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    And at the same time, facing an animal of this size... Doubt was no longer really allowed, now that he saw it in front of him.


    "A... A colossal squid..."


    An animal that few people could have observed, if not none. The largest invertebrate that existed, at least in its old world. Only the head of the squid exceeded the water, and he already measured a good ten meters. His bright eyes stared at the veterinarian as divided between curiosity and aversion.


    "Who... who are coming?" A voice as fluid as water reached the veterinarian. Suddenly a question came to him. He was in the world of pets, right ? So why did he see this animal... under his animal appearance?


    "I am Arun ! A human ! I don''t want you any harm !" Gathering his courage, the young man answered the squid that had stopped moving. The water was gradually becoming calm again, but he knew that at the slightest movement of this monster, he was in danger of being carried away.


    "Human ? A human here ?" The voice he heard spoke with a strange accent that he had never encountered. Until now, all the pets he had talked to spoke perfectly.


    "Yes, I... I know I''m not supposed to be here, it''s a long story." Arun did not really have time to summarize everything that had happened to him... And then he did not know if the squid would have the patience to listen to it either. All that mattered was not to make her angry.


    "Human get out of here ?" The squid came closer to Arun, her eyes still fixed on him. Once again the vet failed to fall into the water but he managed to hang on, and held on to the giant monster''s gaze.


    "Yes, I plan to get out of here. I have to find my friends and go home, so I''d rather not stay in this place... It''s not that I don''t like it ! But people are waiting for me." The young man thought of all the people he had left behind in need. Myako, Naal, Astera, Shuu... He hoped everything was fine for everyone, but had to hurry to end the Meerkat Show to get back into the other world.


    "Human ! Human ! Human !" Suddenly, the huge squid excited, stirring in the water again, causing Arun to take a few more waves. However, it was not a threatening voice that the vet heard, but a light, cheerful voice.


    "Ikka is coming with you !" The monster moved away a few meters while continuing its eddy, and a light covered her body. Dipped for a moment in the dark, Arun had to cover his eyes and turn his head to avoid being dazzled. When the light faded, the animal was no longer in front of him, and had disappeared.


    "Are you still here ?" The young man asked in the air, leaning over the water to see if the colossal squid had not returned under water.


    It was then that he felt himself lifted by a gelatinous mass, having no more effort to provide to stay above the water. Several tentacles were under him, carrying him without difficulty a few centimeters above the water. A face came out of the water in front of him, much more like that of a human this time.


    "Ikka will accompany you, she wants to go out too... She''s been here since..." the squid''s face twitched as she seemed to think. "Long time !" She contented herself with a simple answer, unable to remember the time she had spent here.


    "So you don''t want to eat me or kill me?" Arun sighed in relief, now out of danger.


    "No ! You want to go out, Ikka wants to go out, we allies !" The way of talking of this girl was definitely peculiar, but at least she managed to make herself understood.


    "We''re going out, then !" Said Arun with a confident smile. He did not know yet how they would do it, but he wanted Ikka to remain his ally. Having a colossal squid as an enemy was not really reassuring, especially in an environment with so much water.


    That said, if she had been here for a long time, it was because getting out of this place had to be more difficult than the vet thought.

 The Meerkat Show ⑦ The trapped show

    After giving the start of the Meerkat Race, the presenter had left the scene, leaving the public facing the big screens that rebroadcasted the race. Because the track was too long to allow spectators to watch the event live, they had instead chosen to place cameras all over the course.


    The next event, however, was going to take place under the amazed eyes of the public, and the presenter already smiled in anticipation of attending too. This year''s Meerkat Show was a big event... more than just a tournament.


    After having walked a few minutes in the long, labyrinthine corridors behind the scenes, the man in his suit arrived at a door with a singular appearance, which denoted with the others. On the plate that was hanging on it was marked : "Director''s Office".


    After tapping a few knocks, he entered the room.


    "Ah, here you are. We were starting to think you''ve lost yourself in the corridors, Borath." The director was seated at the back of his seat, behind a large black varnished wooden desk.


    The meerkat charged with presenting the Meerkat Show bowed respectfully. Its size was impressive, it easily exceeded two meters high. In addition, he was as broad and muscular as the most trained athletes in the competition. An imposing mustache sat between his nose and his mouth, and he smiled warmly at his superior, raising his head.


    "I''m sorry, sir. I did not get lost, but I would have had to walk faster. I lost myself in my thoughts about this competition." The presenter explained respectfully.


    "It doesn'' matter, everything goes as Ornella has planned. I did well to count on her." The director stood up, showing a carnivorous smile that revealed a row of sharp teeth.


    Now standing, he even passed Borath, while the meerkat was far from being small. Two meters and a half ? Three meters ? Whenever he saw the director standing, the meerkat could not help but shudder.


    He was a man with a gray skin and an impressive build. His white hair was clipped back, and made him look like an Italian mobster. A scar was coming from the corner of his mouth to his eye, which he still fortunately had. He too was in costume, a black one, much more classic than the presenter''s, voluntarily flashy and eccentric.


    "The human entered the labyrinth, and he fell into the trap that was planned for him. He fell into the underground lagoon, and from there the cameras were no longer able to follow him. But I suppose that Ikka has done her job, and should bring him back in a short time." The presenter recounted the events he and the spectators had been able to witness from the public.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    However a female voice rose in the room, not powerful but with enough ease to be respected by the two men.


    "Ikka didn''t do her job, Mr. Jig?." The other person who shared the room with the director got up, and sat down without any embarrassment on the desk of this one. Ornella also had hers, smaller than that of her superior, on which sat a mirror with gilded and decorated edges.


    The director turned his head toward her, giving her a glare that few could have supported. She just lowered her eyes to the ground, and announced the rest of what she had seen.


    "Ikka didn''t capture the human. She seems to have forgotten what her role was, and decided to help him." Jig? approached furiously before catching the woman''s throat and throwing her back against the desk''s wood with violence. Borath jumped and stepped back a bit, not really knowing where to turn.


    "And to say that you are supposed to see the future... It was you who told us that there would be a human here, and it was with your information that we drew up the trap that was supposed to capture him. You tell me that this idiot squid I hired on your advice, was not able to do what I paid for ? " He grunted threateningly, his face close to Ornella''s.


    "I... I don''t see everything... There are always... Blurred parts..." The fortune teller tried to justify herself by putting her little hands on the forearm of the director, who was still clutching her neck with strength.


    He finally released and turned around breathing deeply. Ikka was therefore an incapable person. Ornella was also an incompetent. He had spent a lot of money to modify the Suricate Show according to his wishes, and it was not for the human to escape.


    Ornella got up with difficulty, in front of the presenter who still dared not to say anything. Her whole body was covered with white fur, even her face. She had piercing blue eyes and no nose or mouth, but a muzzle similar to that of a wolf. Hairy ears also protruded from her gray hair, which fell down her back.


    "I guess because of all that, my hopes of capturing him for the Meerkat Race are now zero." Jig? seemed to have calmed down a little, and the wolf took the opportunity to move away too. She preferred to avoid taking another blow...


    "Never mind, I''ll make sure Ikka retains the lesson when she comes back empty-handed, then." The director cracked his webbed hands, a severe look on his face. He knew his time was limited, and that he risked losing his target at any moment.


    "Borath, make sure you have finished preparations for the next event. I don'' want to miss the human. Who knows where he might appear next time ?"


    "Yes, it will be done without mistakes." The meerkat bowed again, before opening the door and getting out of the office, sighing with relief. Jig? had a gift for putting pressure on others, it was a certainty. Unfortunately, he could not do much more than obey him for the moment. As long as he was the director, he was just an employee.


    The presenter returned to the stage. The Meerkat Race should be over soon, and he had to announce the winners to the public.

 The Meerkat Show ⑧ The return of the veterinarian

    "Tell me, Ikka, do you have an idea to get out of this place ? It''s too dark and I can''t see much..." Arun had been talking for a few minutes with the colossal squid, of which only face protruded from the water in front of him. He no longer needed to swim to keep himself on the surface of the water, as she gently carried him with her tentacles above the water.


    It was a bit sticky and strange to the touch, but Arun was not going to do the trick. At least he escaped the cold and fatigue that had failed to kill him again a few minutes earlier.


    "Get out ? Ikka never found a way out, and Ikka woke up here alone, after her friend abandoned her." The thin, light voice of the squid did not seem sad at all despite what she was saying.


    "Your friend abandoned you?" Arun tried to know a little more, interested in the story of his new ally.


    "Yes, but she said she would come back for Ikka. But Ikka is still waiting for her. Maybe she''s lost ? Do you think she forgot about Ikka ?" An ounce of anxiety appeared on the face of the squid. She just seemed to have a special way of thinking. Arun thought she was a bit childish, but he could not tell if she was young or not.


    "If she''s your friend, and if she told you she''d come back for you, then she didn''t forget you. Maybe she''s had problems delaying her." Arun tried to reassure her as best as he could, but he was not familiar with the situation that had led her to be alone in this underground lake.


    The most important thing now was that they come out of here both. If there was no known outlet for the colossal squid, then the only way to leave this place was to go where he had arrived. That is to say, through the hole from which emanated the only light that allowed him to distinguish a little form, and which was tens of meters above him.


    "Hmm... I fell from up there." The vet pointed at the opening above. "It seems difficult to go back..."


    "Maybe Ikka can jump high enough to reach the exit ?" The squid offered an idea.


    "Jump ? Do you think you can jump high enough to reach this place?" Arun was a little surprised that she was able to jump so high. In his mind, it seemed unfeasible to him.


    But he knew that in the world of pets, things could be a little different. He had seen how Kast and Miraj had jumped over a twenty-meter hole, with no more difficulty than that if they had not had to carry him.


    By the way, he had completely forgotten the two squirrels !


    "Ikka, I have a question!" Arun suddenly panicked thinking about the fate of his companions. They had fallen with him, right? If they had drowned, it was already too late ...This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Yes ? Ikka has already calculated everything, she can jump to the top !" The squid showed an enthusiastic smile, a little proud of herself.


    "No, it was not for tha... Wait, really ? Did you calculate it?"


    Squids were among the most intelligent animals that existed, because they had a very developed nervous system and that particularly interested scientists who studied the marine world... Put on a human scale, despite her simplistic tunes, Ikka was probably way smarter than Arun.


    "If you think it''s possible, then I trust you ! But I wanted to ask you something else before. Have seen other people than me fall into that lake ? I was with two of my friends before falling here..." Arun had first to find his partners too. They had not let him down when he needed them, so the least he could do was to reciprocate them.


    "Friends of the human ?" Ikka saw no one but you, you were the only one who stirred the water while swimming. Arun sighed as he heard the words of the squid. So they had managed to escape the fall ? It was all the veterinarian could hope for.


    "Then if you''re ready, let''s go in. I can''t afford to lose another minute." Even though the many events he had undergone had turned him away from his final goal, Arun must not forget it. He had to reach the finish line of the Meerkat Race to qualify for the next trial. And he did not really think he was in the first...


    "Ikka is ready !" The tentacles of the squid that supported the weight of the young man wrapped around him without a warning, preventing him from moving a limb. He felt like he was mummified, but just took a deep breath and closed his eyes.


    Ikka then dived, dragging the human with her into her tentacles. She swam at an impressive speed to the bottom of the water, and Arun could feel his ears hurt because of the pressure. The depth was not to be taken lightly.


    The squid made a graceful U-turn once arrived at the bottom and propelled even more beautifully with her tentacles to gain even more speed. Rowing like a torpedo tens of meters of water, she propelled herself into the air and crossed without difficulty the distance yet dizzying from which Arun had fallen.


    She used the suckers underneath her tentacles to cling to the open pipe, and went back inside like a mountaineer. With the difference that she did not need to make progress.


    She then placed Arun on the ground, finally freeing him from her sprawling embrace.


    "It''s... still so impressive." Arun murmured, breathing loudly, stunned by Ikka''s performance.


    "Congratulations Ikka, and thank you. Thanks to you, we have gone out of business !" The vet approached the squid and caressed her head kindly.


    Now that they had joined a brighter environment, he could really see what his new ally was like.


    Indeed, her face was that of a girl of thirteen or fourteen years old. Long red messy hair covered her face, and the vet could barely see her little black eyes underneath. Her skin was soft and wet, darker or lighter red depending on the area. And surprisingly, although she had a torso similar to that of a human, she had no arms or legs, but multiple tentacles were used to move.


    Arun had almost thought that for a colossal squid, it was not very large, since he exceeded her by a few centimeters. However, behind her, there were meters of tentacles, and he understood where her height was coming from...


    "Hihi, it''s nothing for Ikka ! Ikka can do more than just jump !" She smirked as she felt Arun''s hand on her head, glad she could help him.


    "Now all we have to do is to get out of the labyrinth, and reach the finish line." Arun spoke to himself determinedly, searching around him if he could find any signs that his friends had not fallen with him. Unfortunately, he found nothing, but he hoped they were alive.