Chapter 2: His First Words

I heard the incessant beeping of my alarm clock wake me from my slumber. I groaned in protest and turned off the annoying contraption and put my pillow over my head. Then I just remembered… I got a furry yesterday! I jumped off of my bed and got dressed quickly and ran downstairs to the kitchen. The cage was still next to Gaara's dishes. I saw that he didn't eat any of his food. Walking to the refrigerator I also noticed that he was not in his cage. I gasped and grabbed one of his beef tongues in the dish and walked out to the living room.

I made ticking and smooching sounds to try to get him out of wherever he was hiding. "Gaara…? Gaara come here boy…" But he was nowhere to be found. I checked the living room closet, under the couch, even behind the refrigerator. I started to get scared. I ran up the stairs "Gaara…!?" First I checked my room, under the bed, in my closet, in my bathroom. I stood in front of the tub gripping my hair, tears forming in my eyes. "I-I'm a bad owner…" The tears fell, but soon stopped as I heard a purr noise from behind me. I turned to see Gaara sitting in the doorway looking at me. I smiled brightly "Gaara! Thank goodness you're ok!" The ears turned back downward and he began to back away. "Oh uh… don't be scared Gaara, look. I won't hurt you." I showed him the beef tongue in my palm hoping he would take it from me. His scared eyes looked away from me and at the food, inching ever-so-slowly towards me. He glanced at me every second of the way, scared I might lash out at him. I stood still though making no movements whatsoever.

He finally reached me standing still staring straight at me. My complexion was happy and warm, trying not to seem like a threat. With his eyes still on me, he gripped the food in-between his teeth slowly. As soon as he got a grip on it, he jetted in the opposite direction. Slowly, I stood waking to the doorway to see where he went off to. I found him in the right corner of the room chewing his food happily. I watched him as he ate the vile food with ease swallowing it down in moments. When done he turned towards me, his features did not show fear or curiosity as I saw earlier. It showed more of a happy blue light in his eyes. I remembered reading in the online article that being submissive will help your pet to accept you more as being a friend instead of a threat. So that is just what I did. I lay down on the floor on my side and looked at his direction. Said furry just stared and tilted his head. I spoke soft words of encouragement to get him to me so I can touch him. "Come here boy… come here… it is ok… it is alright…" Gaara seemed to poof up slightly and walk his way over to me. No, not stealth but actually walk. Was he not afraid of me anymore? He stood on all fours and looked down on me as if he owned me. So it was a dominance thing he was doing. I reached out to touch his face slowly. I managed to brush my fingers along his soft jaw line. His eyes became wide but he did not move or flinch. In fact he leaned into the touch slightly. I smiled.

I sat up, now looking down on him. He crouched slightly and began to shake in fear looking at eye level with me. I reached out as non-threatening as possible and touched the same spot I touched last. The Furry became confused by my actions. He sniffed my hands as if I had food stuck on them. His trembling stopped and he looked at me again, his eyes were glazed with longing. As if asking me without words 'can I really trust you?'  I reached out again and this time cupped his cheek. He leaned into my touch closing his eyes half way sighing ever-so softly. I smiled at the adorable site. He seemed to want to trust me to hopefully give me a chance.

Now was the best time to introduce him to me and his new name. He was basically under my control. With a soft click I got his attention, he gazed at me ears perked up in my direction. I pointed to myself with my free hand "Lee… L-e-e…" He tilted his head perplexed by this strange language. I spoke again "Lee…" I pronounced each syllable making sure he got it. I let my hand down and said my name once more. His eyes widened a fraction as his paw slowly raised and touched my leg. I looked down at his soft black paw on my knee. I looked back up at him "Lee." I said once more and I got the same response. He tapped my knee with the same paw and looked at me. "Good boy…!" I pet his head. He purred a little and smiled slightly at his achievement.

The next lesson was his name. I pointed at him and said "Gaara." He gave me a confused look and moved out of the way to see what I was pointing at. I fallowed his movement making sure to confuse him as little as possible. He looked back at the hand that was still pointing at him. I said his name again and pronounced each syllable just like the last word. He sat down and put his paw to his chest and tilted his head as he looked at me. I smiled at him and said his name once more. He tapped his chest with his paw "Good boy Gaara…!" I pet him again to reward him for doing well. I went to stand but he jumped in my lap. Scaring the life out of me, I fell back down to a sitting position with a purring Gaara in my lap. He put his paw on my chest "L…l…le…" HOW CUTE!!! He was trying to say his first words! His voice was slightly deep but light at the same time. "Lee." I wanted him to say it so I helped him out by saying it once more to him. "Llle… L…Lee?" The name rolled perfectly off of his tongue. "Good job Gaara!" I scratched my way down his back him arching to my touch. He purred loudly showing he was happy of his accomplishments in such a short time frame. He then put his paw on his chest again "G…Gaa…G…Ga…" I giggled, he was a hard worker I could tell you that. I said his name for him again to help him. "G… Gaar…Ga…G-gaara…?" I shook my head vigorously "Yes, Yes! You're so smart Gaara!" His eyes lit a bright aqua glow, it almost sparkled. He pawed at my chest again "Lee…" Then at his own "Gaara…" I could not help myself I hugged the little furry thing, I was so happy for him. He snuggled closely to me getting comfortable in my arms. I sighed wishing this moment would never end. Sadly it had to, well not all of it. I stood up, keeping him in my arms, and made my way downstairs.

As a treat for Gaara learning how to speak his first words I took one of his usual raw chicken gizzards and fried it in a frying pan. He stayed glued to me the entire time cooking. Once finished I put it on a plate and took it to the table. I told myself I would not let him eat at the table, but only this one time can slip by. He sniffed the nasty smelling food, and his eyes lit up. He devoured it almost in one bite, purring every step of the way. I stared in awe. How could this little guy eat so much? Well I would much rather have a fat Furry than a thin one. He rubbed on me showing his affection on how grateful he was. I whispered soft nothings to him like 'I love you too's' and 'you are so cute's. I looked at the clock; it was 11:47am. "Oh dear! We are going to be late to your appointment Gaara!" He jolted off of my lap in fear of his life due to my loud outburst. Luckily he ran to the cage to hide, but did not expect me to close it in after him. He looked at me from inside the cage. Tears welled up in his eyes and he started to mewl and cry. He looked so sad, I almost wanted to cry. I almost let him out but I stopped and told myself to not give into his submissions.

I slipped a toy through the openings of the cage and carried him to the car. I strapped him in and hopped into the driver's seat and drove off towards the Konaha Furrynerians Office.