Rufus studied her.Pets?Yes, he had just told her so.
Maybe New Lady not used to dogs.
He nudged her again.Waited.Felt her hand lightly stroke the back of his neck a moment later.
Oh, gentle hand.He liked that.
He nudged her again, wagged the end of his tail to show he liked it.New Lady nice.She would not hurt Rufus.
“Oh my God, you’re just a sweet old man under that intimidating look, aren’t you?”
Rufus did not understand that word.He only cared that she kept petting him.
Her palm stroked over the top of his head.
Oh, yes.More, please.Long time since someone pet Rufus like this.
She laughed when he lowered his head in pleasure and let his eyelids droop.Her fingers scritched behind his ears.
Aww, yiss.Right there.His back foot started to tap on the hard floor, nails scratching.
All the ladies laughed.He didn’t care that they laughed at him, as long as New Lady kept giving scritches.
“What do you say, buddy?Wanna get out of here and try living with me?”She had a nice voice.Soft.Not scary or mean.
The lady who had put him in here stepped forward.Rufus saw the rope in her hand.
He scrambled away from her and New Lady, cowering in the back corner.He growled low in his throat to warn them to stay back.
No rope.Hate rope.Chokes.Traps Rufus.
“He’s scared of the leash.I got this,” Old Lady said, and stepped forward.She bent over in front of him, hands on her knees.No rope.“Hey, Rufus.Wanna go for a car ride?”
Car ride?Rufus stopped growling, eyeing her in suspicion.Trick?
Old Lady pushed the cage door open wide.New Lady and other lady stepped out of it.
He licked his lips, unsure.Looked at the wide-open door.Maybe he could get past them.Run outside.Be free and go back to his house where Old Man lived.
“Come on, buddy,” Old Lady said, drawing his attention as she waved him forward.Still no rope.“Let’s go for a ride.”
Not trick?
Rufus got up and shot past her out the open door, his tail wagging like crazy as he tore down the hallway.Oh, boy, car ride!
