The Zookeeper

Ch. 19: Welcome to the Pack

Odalia looked and saw Luz.

"How are you even alive!?" Odalia said, "You feel into a tank with carnivorous animals!"

"For the same reason I am going to beat you." Luz said, as the dogs walked in, growling at Odalia, "I can talk to animals, bitch! Attack!"

The African Wild Dogs charged at Odalia with growls and barked, ready to tear her apart as Luz ran to free Amity!

"Don't worry, babe, I'll get you out of here." Luz said.

"Luz, how did you find me and where did these wild dogs come from?!" Amity asked.

"A, a woman was hired to spy on us helped me after she got paid. B, these are the same African Wild Dogs I told you about, the pack that accepted me as a kid!" Luz said as she struggling to untie Amity with just one arm.

Odalia did her best to fight off the dogs, but she was tackled from behind. They started to rip her apart, her screams filled the air... until they stopped. After Amity was freed from the chair and the pack moved away, Luz and her moved to see what had become of the awful woman. Sure, she was vile, but Amity hopes she was at least still breathing. Just barely. She was going to bleed out, nothing would change that.

"Any last thing to say to her, Amity?" Luz asked.

Looking to her birth mother, seeing her covered in bite marks and scratches with blood coming out nearly every body part while she was clad in torn clothing. She also appeared to be chocking in her own blood as Amity kneeled down beside her with a look of indifference.

"In all sense, you are a stranger to me, yet you gave me life and "cared" for me for 5 years before I came here. For that, I thank you and I pray that whatever god you believe in grants you a peaceful after life." Amity said as Odalia looked to her, "Who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 28:20. You did all this for the money you lost, not for the family you lost. I feel as though, in some twisted way, you actually thought you cared about this family, but, in reality, you didn't. That being said... I will pray for you. I will pray you'll find peace and love in whatever after life you have. Farewell, mother."

Odalia grunted as she reached out to Amity before her hand fell back to the ground limp. She exhaled one last time before her eyes rolled back and she went silent. Amity, while not feeling anything about her death, shed a single tear for the woman. Even if Amity didn't love this woman as a mother or as a person, she still pitied her as she was alone in both worlds.

"Amity?" Luz asked, kneeling beside her.

"It's nothing." Amity said as she moved to close Odalia's eyes before she leaned onto her shoulder.

"Come on, Amity, let's go see if you're injured."

Amity nodded to Luz as they got up and headed for the exit, while Eda walked past them.

"Eda?" Luz asked her.

"Give me a moment, I need to do something about the body." Eda said to her.

Eda made a spell circle and the body started to burn. After that, it was in an urn.

"She at least deserves to be disposed of properly." Eda said, "So, Luz was it?"

"Yes?"

"Is... your mom single?" Eda asked, "Because, I've seen her around the zoo, she's pretty hot."

Luz stopped for a moment as she looked back to Eda.

"What? She's got all the right curves in the right places." Eda said as she put Odalia's urn of ashes in her hair. "A woman like that HAS to have someone with her."

"This is wrong on so many levels." Luz said, "But no, she isn't dating or married."

"YES! Mama has a shot!" Eda cheered as she threw her hands into the air!

"Let's just go before anyone realizes the dogs are gone."

Amity nodded to Luz as they headed back to the zoo with the pack and Eda walking with them.

"Not to be rude, but why are you coming with us?" Amity asked Eda.

"Besides Luz's mom, I want to keep an eye on you if you're curious about your magic." Eda said to Amity.

"Yeah, Miss '100% Human' over here might need a teacher." Luz said, pointing at Amity.

"Odalia must've told you, right? About everything?"

"Yes, but as far as I'm concerned, I don't need to use my bile sack or whatever." Amity said to her.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Just know, magic can come in handy." Eda said.

"Like how?" Amity asked.

"Like this." Eda said as she drew a spell circle, covering everyone and the pack in a yellow glow before they vanished and reappeared at the zoo. "A little teleportation spell."

"Amity, you're learning that spell." Luz said.

It wasn't just her love of magic that made Luz want her girlfriend to know this spell, it was the thought of instantly going from work to home or anywhere else made Luz dread any car ride ever again.

"I will admit, that was impressive, but I still don't think I'd be good a magic since I haven't used it AT all." Amity said to Eda.

"Details." Eda said, "You two just put the dogs back while I go get that hot piece of ass."

Luz covered her ears at that.

"I DO NOT NEED TO HEAR THAT!" Luz shouted as she entered the zoo with the pack behind her and Amity next to her.

Luz brought the dogs back, before she introduced Amity to the pack.

"Alright, everyone, gather around. It is my honor to introduce to you my mate/girlfriend, Amity Anderson!" Luz said as she gestured to Amity before the pack.

"Wait, mate?" Amity asked.

"It's an animal word for partner." Luz said, "Now, let me show you the puppies."

The puppies rushed over to Luz and Amity as the two kneeled before them, one jumping into Luz's good arm as some of them began sniffing Amity.

"You are so cute!" Luz said, "You look just like your parents did at your age."

"We do!?" Some puppies asked in excitement.

Amity couldn't help but chuckle, seeing Luz so happy with the pups. She got on her knees and sat next to Luz. The puppies jumped on her. One of the adults made a yipping noise and nuzzled and licked Amity's hair.

"Uh, what did she say?"

"Welcome to the pack." Luz said.

"Oh! Already? Well, it's an honor." Amity said as she petted one of the adults that licked her hair.

'Maybe I should take a few lessons from Eda about magic. Just to see if there are any spells that could help me understand animals like Luz.' Amity thought.