Skuld’s sensitive ears and nose had picked out the direction the nibbling squirrel was noisily working away at its cache, her attention momentarily perked and distracted by the unsuspecting woodland creature.  She almost forgot about Akira until he cried out his greeting, ears flipping forward towards the young man, instantly forgetting about the squirrel just as quickly as it has entered her mind.  She beamed at her new owner and if she had more than a stub of a tail it would have certainly been held up with a curly Q tip.<br/><br/>“HI~!”<br/>She bounced and waved at Akira with great gusto, certainly enough to scare off the squirrel and the tiny songbirds that had been close and curious enough to watch the scene.<br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"> "..so you can get to your room. I would have given the tour of the house first, actually but... I really wanted Maleena to see how the room looked like with the add ons of the new sheets and curtains. And also... I think there is a certain feather on the bed, waiting for Skuld..."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Tour, smour!  Skuld was much happier to<em>explore</em>a place on her own terms than be lead around on a boring tour… you only did that in museums (and Skuld was not too fond of those quiet places where you weren’t allowed to touch anything… no, not even the really old and icky looking things no one should want! She just wanted to know what it smelt like, there was no need for the police to intervene! Sheesh.).<br/><br/>Skuld squeaked with joy at the mention of her feather, bounced up to peck Akira on the cheek, stood long enough to wave a goodbye to Doreen and then bolted into the open door with whoop, pink backpack bouncing on her back, headed inside her new house.  No… not  house, a<em>home</em>, for it certainly felt more home-like than anywhere else she had been sent to.  There was great promise here for great joy – and most importantly, there was Maleena!<br/>