The Foster: Part One

      Samantha, more commonly known as Sam, looked up from her shaggy green hooves as her newest owner, a foster, closed the door behind them. The girl's name was Savannah. She had shoulder length golden brown hair and sea blue eyes. In her hands was one of Sam's three duffel bags. The girl seemed nice enough, but the Peophin didn't trust her. It was nothing personal; she was just like that. She didn't trust anyone.

      Sam had always been a bit hostile, but after Bree, her original owner, had left her, she had decided to never care for anyone ever again, as it was just too painful when they left her. Turning her gaze on Savannah, she frowned.

      The girl's smile flickered, but it returned so fast that the Peophin wasn't sure if it had been her imagination or not.

      "So, where is my room?" she asked in a bored tone, glancing around. Sam didn't see too many rooms, but Savannah had claimed to have nine other pets.

      "Oh, I forgot to tell you!" the blue eyed girl giggled nervously, and Sam frowned a second time. She didn't like the sound of that laugh. "Since our house is still under major construction, almost all of the rooms haven't been made, so each of my pets share a room. You'll be rooming with Maddie, my faerie Kougra. I hope that you don't mind."

      "I don't mind," Sam lied, but inwardly groaned. She did mind. A lot. Back at her original home, she had had her own room stocked with all of her favorite items that Bree had lovingly purchased for her. Sam's eyes flashed as the scene that had ruined her life replayed before her eyes. She shook her head to clear the memory. "Where are your other pets, exactly?"

      Savannah smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth. "They all spent the night at one of my friend's homes last night, while I got ready for your arrival." She paused, and glanced at the Official Usuki Alarm Clock that hung on the wall above the front door. "How about I get us something to eat while you unpack?"

     ******

      Reaching into one of her three duffel bags, Sam pulled out her 2 Gallon Hatz CDs and a black leather jacket, and then threw both items onto her girly Beauty Bed in disgust. The green Peophin hated the color pink.

      With a groan, she collapsed sideways onto the fluffy bed, and looked around the large bedroom. It smelt of cinnamon and peppermint. A small, wooden bed with a deep purple comforter was standing a few feet away, nestled snugly in the corner of the room. The name 'Madalleena' was carefully carved on the headboard. Two Purple Wardrobes were in another corner of the room, right next to a bulletin board covered in pictured. Different stories from the Neopian Times covered the wall, each having a few notes scrawled on it in blue ink.

      The green Peophin rolled over in the bed and shoved her face into her pillows. Her fiery red mane hung loosely on her beck, still lank and unwashed from weeks since her previous home and shower. She knew that she would have to take a good shower here before she was dumped back into the Pound. It was like that in every home. Owners would adopt her to try and 'help' her, whether by color or personality, but she was always abandoned shortly after, for many different reasons. Some said that she was too aggressive. Some just got tired of hearing her mope. Once or twice, it had just been a snotty pet that accused her of their wrong doings. But none of them liked her. They thought that she was a rebel, someone who would never fit in. It was the same with the pets, too. They called her names and shoved her down and laughed at her every word. But it wasn't her fault. Her life didn't used to be like this. She used to be the pet that everyone liked. But not now.

      A single tear rolled down Sam's face, and she hurriedly reached up to wipe it away, but it was too late. She was soon crying loudly, pressing her face into the pillow and shaking with sobs. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair.

      Suddenly, she felt a tentative hand rest on her shoulder. Rearing up in surprise, the Peophin wiped away her tears and looked up.

      "Sam, darling, are you alright?" Savannah asked, stroking the Peophin's skin. Her eyes were full of worry, and she held a tray of Neocrackers and Neocola.

      Pushing the girl's hand away, to Savannah's dismay, Sam rubbed her eyes and grabbed a hoof-ful of Neocrackers. She hated for people to see her cry. "I'm fine," she mumbled through a cracker. The girl smiled gently and nodded, but Sam could tell that she wasn't buying it.

      "Well... okay. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you to not be nervous about living here. We want you to be at home with us, so don't be afraid to poke around a bit and ask questions."

      Right then, they both heard the distinct cry of an Eyrie cab, and then Savannah squealed like a high-on-sugar Ixi on Christmas morning, "They're here!" Before flying down the stairs and out of the house. Curiously, Sam followed.

      Outside, four pink Eyries swooped down from the sky, and landed on the fluffy clouds of Faerieland. Sam drew back as all of the pets began to leap off. The faerie Kougra was the first to meet them.

      Savannah bent down and the two embraced. When they finally broke apart, the young owner turned to face her foster pet. "Maddie, this is Sam. Sam, this is Maddie." The Kougra waved in a friendly way, and then stuck out her paw to shake, but Sam ignored it and turned to watch the other pets getting off of the Eyries.

      She didn't like being around so many pets all at one time, and eyed each one carefully. There was Emily, a hyper shadow Xweetok, holding Misty, a baby Xweetok. Behind them came Alisa, a young speckled Acara, and Zana, a striped Xweetok. And, getting off of the final two Eyries were Kisa, a motherly starry Cybunny, and Wren and Dove, two identical, twin blue Xweetoks. They were all friendly towards Sam, but after a few minutes, she felt as if she was drowning in their attention, so she galloped up the stairs to her and Maddie's room to be alone.

     ******

      Madalleena watched as Sam galloped away to their room. The Kougra sighed sleepily, exhausted from staying up late with her friend Amanda, and walked into the kitchen, where the whole family was waiting for Kisa to finish cooking dinner, as Savannah wasn't allowed near the stove. Emily patted the seat next to her, and Maddie gratefully slipped into it.

      "Where did Sam go?" their owner asked worriedly, placing Misty into her highchair, the baby cooing happily.

      "She ran up to my room a second ago," Maddie explained, nodding her head upwards, where they could hear the distant sounds of the twangy 2 Gallon Hatz music.

      The owner furrowed her eyebrows, and then smiled. "How about you go and take her dinner? She's probably just shocked at how large our family is."

      "Okay." The faerie Kougra smiled back, and in a few minutes was flying upstairs with a plate of pot roast and rolls. Walking into her bedroom, she found the Peophin lying on the hideous Beauty Bed that Savannah had bought. Maddie rolled her eyes. It was way too girly and frilly for Maddie's liking.

      "Sam?" Madalleena yelled over the music that was blaring through the speakers. The Peophin didn't seem to hear, so Maddie pressed the 'pause' button on the speakers. Immediately, silence filled the room, but only for a few short moments.

      "What do you want?!" the foster pet growled in a stony voice, sitting up quickly. Her eyes were red and swollen, like she had been crying.

      The Kougra was taken aback by the Peophin's sudden anger. "I... I was just bringing you your dinner." She held up the plate of food, and Sam frowned at it. The older pet placed Sam's dinner on the floor, and then walked out, closing the door behind her. Within seconds, the music was turned back on, louder now.

      Later that night, after Maddie had finished her own dinner, the faerie Kougra hurried back upstairs, while her sisters headed to their own rooms.

      Opening the door a crack, Madalleena leaned her head in and gasped. A large pile of tissues sat beside Sam's bed. The closet door stood half open, showing that the foster had been snooping in there. A full length mirror by the door had Sam's name written on it with lipstick. One of the blood red duffel bags lay open, on its side, its contents leaking onto the floor. And in the midst this all, lying sideways on the now crumpled sheets of her Beauty Bed, was Sam, snoring loudly.

      Burrowing her head in her paws, Madalleena looked around her room, and began to scoop the tissues into a trash can. It would be a long night.

To be continued...