New Generation Part 5 A Twisted Path, an Unexpected Fate

Aaron shook his dark fur and padded through the doggy door. His fur brushed the wood as he pushed his way through. His ears pricked as he heard a happy bark up ahead. The dog padded through the snow towards the sound. He saw his brother, Ron, talking excitedly to his sister, Shadow.

"And-and-and-and the-the-the vet s-s-s-said th-that M-M-M-Mira’s…." he was saying.

"What?" Aaron asked, slipping up to them and sitting down. Ron’s tail was wagging like a maniac’s would wag, his eyes bright. "Shadow, can you tell me?" Aaron asked.

"Nope," Shadow said, looking amused. "He’s making no sense."

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Same old Ron." He cleared his throat. "So, what’s this about?"

Ron looked annoyed at them. He took a few deep breathes then said, "Mira is expecting pups... My pups!" Aaron’s eyes widened and Shadow’s tail wagged.

"Why didn’t I know before?" Shadow asked. "I live in your house!"

Ron shrugged. "I just found out myself! Where’s Flake? I’ve got to go tell her!" Although Flake and Ron didn’t usually get along, he seemed excited to find her. Quickly, he got to his paws and raced deeper into town.

"I’m gonna find Mira!" barked Shadow, happily getting to her paws. She bounded away, leaving Aaron alone… as usual. Shadow, Ron, and Mira all lived in the same house. Ron and Mira were mates, Shadow and Mira were pals, and Shadow and Ron were close siblings. Not to mention that Shadow’s mate lived with them as well. Aaron sighed. Did his family not have room for him? There was Flake but she wasn’t any fun. He got to his paws and started padding through town with no real destination.

"Aaron, how are you?" Night, his mother, started padding towards him. She nuzzled him and stepped back, pride glinting in her eyes. "Have you heard the news? Oh, Ron must be so proud!"

Aaron nodded. "He told me." He was excited for his brother but he felt left out as well. Quickly, he hid his loneliness and grinned. "I’m sort of surprised! Ron of all dogs!"

Night smiled. "I know! Our Ron. I mean he will be a good father but, you know, Aaron, he’s just so…." She shook her head, still smiling. "I never thought he’d settle down."

Aaron flicked his tail. "Same here," he agreed. "Well, I gotta get going," he lied.

Night nodded. "I understand. See you later." Aaron nodded and began walking away.

A charcoal gray female dog stood on a roof watching Aaron. "There he is," she murmured. "I should get going." She turned around and padded to a hole in the roof that led to the next floor. She leapt down and started outside.

As he exited town, Aaron felt as if he was being watched. He spun around and looked behind him but he saw no one. He sat down and curled his tail to his side. Slowly, he looked up to see a charcoal colored husky infront of him.

"Whoa!" he gasped, scrambling back. She giggled and flicked her tail.

"Who are you?" she asked in a friendly tone.

"Aaron," he replied, stepping forward.

"My name is Charcoal," she told him.

"That’s a nice name," he said.

"Thank you," she barked, wagging her tail.

"I’m new here, can you show me around?" she asked, pawing at the ground.

Aaron shrugged. "Why not?" He started to pad into town with Charcoal following.

After the tour, he led her to Shadow and Mira, who were talking about possible names in their owner’s house. He cleared his throat and they looked up at him.

"Hey, Aaron!" Shadow barked, wagging her tail. She saw Charcoal and narrowed her eyes, her tail halting. "Who’s this?"

"I’m Charcoal," said the gray husky.

"Mmm-hmm," Shadow pursed her lips and turned to Mira, who looked friendly but had a gleam of determination in her eyes.

"Nice to meet you," Mira greeted. "I’m Mira and this is Shadow." Shadow gave Mira a look and glared over at Charcoal.

"Can I please speak to you, dear brother of mine?" the black mix asked in a sweet, but yet determined voice.

"Sure," Aaron replied, following her to another room. Soon after, Mira joined them, looking at the ground, the ceiling, anywhere but Aaron.

"She can’t be trusted," Shadow growled.

Aaron snorted with laughter, trying to hide his frustration. "Huh. You know what I love? The fact that you, Shadow, appreciated Mira when Ron met her but you don’t like my new friend."

Shadow stared at him. "She’s not your friend! I doubt she even cares what happens to you! I can sense it!"

Aaron glared. "You know what I can sense? That I have no place in this family." He turned and walked out of the room to take Charcoal out of the house.

Shadow howled with frustration once her brother was gone. "He’s such a pinhead!" she roared.

Mira put her tail on Shadow’s shoulder. "Calm down. He’s just lonely."

"He has us!" Shadow’s eyes were sparkling with tears of frustration.

"But you have Timber and Ron has me. Not to mention we all live in the same house except for him and Flake, who is an idiot." She looked at Shadow and sighed. "Understand now?"

"Sort of," Shadow grumbled. "Did you sense it too, Mira?"

"Yes," admitted the husky. "I-I did." She looked at the floor, as if she knew something more.

"So why can’t he?" asked the black mix desperately.

Mira sighed again. "Maybe he’s blinded by the truth of having his own friend."

Shadow’s ears drooped and she lowered her head. "Do I really ignore him?"

Mira shrugged. "Maybe not but it may seem like he doesn’t belong to him." Shadow whimpered and covered her face with a paw.

Aaron was frustrated as he led Charcoal to his parents. He caught Night’s scent and followed it to find her talking to Ron, who was nearly jumping up and down with excitement.

"Hi," Aaron greeted. "This is my friend, Charcoal."

"Hello," Ron said.

"Nice to meet you," Night barked. "I’m Night and this is Ron." Aaron felt happier that his mother and brother were kinder than his sister and sister in law.

"Hello," said Charcoal softly. Ron glanced at Aaron and grinned. Aaron cocked his head and Ron stifled a laugh. Aaron raised his eyebrows at his brother and turned to his mother. The four of them talked for a while then Night suggested Charcoal meet Storm.

"All right," Aaron agreed. "Let’s go." He started padding away but stopped and looked over his shoulder to see Charcoal still standing there, looking at Ron with a weird look on her face. "Charcoal!" The husky looked at him and started after him.

That night, Aaron walked Charcoal to her house. "So, good night," he said.

"Night," she murmured. "Thanks, Aaron." She padded into her house and Aaron smiled as he padded home.

Aaron was awoken a week later by the sound of rock music, dog food being poured into a bowl, and claws walking across the tile floor. He leapt up, swishing his tail in aggravation. A dog was in his house? He let out a growl and crawled towards the sound, his belly fur rubbing on the ground. He knew the intruder was just around this corner, he could hear them. He leapt around the corner and snarled to see none other than Storm.

"What?" Storm asked, looking amused. "Am I not allowed to see my son anymore? What is this? Wacky rule number 50?" Aaron blushed, not because he mistook his dad for an intruder, but he had been making crazy rules for his family to follow ever since Charcoal had come to town. "I thought these rules for were for when Charcoal was around? I don’t thinks she’s around here. Unless you put her in a trash can."

Aaron raised an eyebrow and tried not to laugh as he sat down. As his father moved toward a trash can, it was very hard to manage to keep the smirk back. "Pop, what are you doing?"

"Just checking," Storm replied. "Nope not in there." He sat up and flicked his tail.

"What do you want?" Aaron sighed.

His father grinned. "I want a new chew toy and a pet crab."

"What?!" Aaron gaped at him. "What’s that about?"

"You asked me what I wanted," Storm replied. "So I told you."

His son let out a soft groan, hoping his dad wasn’t serious about the crab. "Okay, then, let me rephrase this, what do you want at my house?"

"That’s easy," Storm said, looking at his son. He sat there for a moment or two before continuing. "Okay, Shadow wanted me to talk to you, she’s concerned."

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Pop, she’d be concerned about a rain cloud. What now?"

The dingo/husky mix frowned. "Rain cloud? She rather likes rain…."

His son grumbled. "What’s she concerned about?" he asked, though he already had an idea.

Storm cleared his throat. "Well, you see, she’s concerned about Charcoal. We all know you two are close and getting closer but, son, you have to understand-"

"Understand what?" Aaron scrambled to his paws. "There was nothing to understand for-for Shadow o-or Ron!"

"Ah, that was different…."

"How?!"

"Timber or Mira weren’t recognized!" Storm yelled.

Aaron scoffed. "Recognized? By who? Santa Claus?"

His father sighed. "By Mira."

Aaron’s pelt prickled. "Wait a moment! I should have known! Mira recognized her! Oh, well, that makes it right then!" he said sarcastically.

Storm sighed. "Aaron, we feared you’d take it like this."

"I’m not doing anything," he snapped. "I’m just frustrated that, yes, Mira was recognized. Or have you forgotten Ron’s nightmares?"

Storm stared at Aaron. "No, of course not! But, Aaron, those were-"

"Ron’s?!" Aaron demanded. "Precious Ron’s? Of course we can’t make him mad, he fits in!"

"What are you talking about?" Storm asked.

Aaron felt tears of anger and resentment coming to his eyes but he blinked them back. "What am I talking about? You know, Dad! You know! Ron and Shadow and Mira and Timber, they have each other! Flake has the other lazy dogs in town and you and Mom have each other! That leaves me with whom exactly? Never thought of that did you? Never cared what Aaron thought, did you? Now, I’ve found a friend and you’re all shooting her down!" He took a few deep breaths. "Well, you know what? I don’t need you lot either." He raced out