Love is a game (Love in the air collection)

Cat's in the Cradle (a hybrid story)

Sky looks around the building unsure. He is here at his therapist's suggestion. She has told him that he can probably qualify for the emotional support hybrid pet program. Sky has never had a pet before and he isn't completely confident in his ability to take care of one. He thinks of his small economy apartment with a frown. Is it even big enough for a hybrid? Sure, hybrids are smaller than humans but much larger than the traditional pets that their ancestors had kept hundreds of years ago.

Well even Sky admits that the companionship would be nice, and his therapist thinks a pet will help with the nightmares. Sky will try anything to help get rid of those.

"May I help you?" The woman at the front desk asks.

"I'm Sky, I have an appointment to meet with hybrids from the emotional support program." Sky says.

She smiles, "How nice, I hope you find one that you link with." She says and shows him to a private room where he can wait. The room is filled with enrichment toys for all sorts of hybrid species. Sky has specifically signed up as interested in cat hybrids feeling those will be best fit for his small apartment.

The first hybrid his consultant brings to him is a young Siamese. She is very cute but Sky feels no connection with her. His consultant says, "Like I told you on the phone, sometimes it takes months to find a hybrid you link with."

Sky knows from the books he has read on hybrids that a link is a mild empathic connection with the pet that both serves as a bond and allows the owner to know quickly if something is wrong with the hybrid.

They try two more, a white Himalayan and an orange tabby with no luck.

"I have one more for you to meet. He is a sweet little guy, very affectionate and a little clingy not to mention a bit naughty sometimes. Some of the workers find him annoying but I think he's cute." The woman tells him.

She leaves and comes back with a orange tabby. He has very subtle black stripes that are more pronounced around his face and ears and down his tail. His longish hair is a soft blond that frames his face. He is also cutely dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, where the others he had met had been dressed in formal clothes. His feet of course are bare as hybrids cannot stand having anything on their feet, they want to be able to feel the ground. He immediately comes up to Sky and rubs his head against Sky's leg. Sky feels a double wave of affection, his own and that of the hybrid. Sky looks up at the consultant in wonder.

"This is Rain," she says with a brilliant smile."I will begin the paperwork immediately,"

Rain has an extremely good understanding of human language but he mostly tunes them out. Humans seldom say anything interesting or worth listening to. Instead, he lays his head in the man's knees and enjoys the feel of his fingers running through Rain's hair and absentmindedly scratching behind Rain's ears. Rain purrs contentedly. He had immediately fallen in love with this human, although he can also feel a deep sadness in him that Rain wants to comfort away. Humans have such complicated emotions, and it isn't always easy for them to let go of hurt. Rain will do his best though.

Rain's head pops up when he hears a word that does interest him, "treats" but as neither of the humans produce a yummy treat for Rain, he soon loses interest again and lays his head back on the man's knees. Sky, the other human had said the man's name was Sky. His Sky.

Rain has a hard time sitting still as he is fitted with his new collar and leash. He is so happy to be going home with his human he wants to bounce. His Sky takes the leash and Rain's bag with his clothes and toys that had been donated just for him from a kind sponsor of the program. They take a bus from the center to Sky's apartment. Rain doesn't particularly like buses, the exhaust smell makes him feel a little nauseous. He tries to distract himself by smelling the human sitting in front of them, but Sky pulls his leash back with a stern "no" making the woman turn and give them a strange look. Rain gives Sky a pouty look and curls up on the seat beside him, hoping the bus trip will be a short one. He doesn't want to start off with a new human by throwing up on him. Humans don't seem to like that.