I was nervous, but excited. Leopold had put a harness on me several times over the last week. He would always take it off before he left, but Tasha had told me today was the day I would leave the park with him.

Just one thing left to do.

"Mom, can you and Dad please meet me at the pond?"

"On our way."

We had bickered about this for a few weeks after I told them. They were afraid for me instead of happy that I accomplished my goal. But we had spent more time together in the past month than in the previous four months, and they had hidden in the trees a few times to watch me interact with Leopold.

Now I had to tell them I was leaving. I knew Leopold would bring me back to visit once I started talking to him, though.

It took me by surprise when Tasha made that mistake. She had been out with her handler and the woman he was courting. There was danger, and she yelled out in the mindlink to warn him, and he heard her.

After getting home, he asked her why she had never spoken to him. She told him about the humans keeping us in cages, threatening to kill us if we were sentient, and the deaths of all her friends and family by the Votaks. She didn't mention she used to be human, or that those the Votaks killed had been human, but she stressed we were terrified of all other races. He had promised to keep her secret.

Serena and Tom would also talk to their handler eventually. Once we became bonded animals, we were no longer pets, but more like children to them. When the time came, I trusted Leopold would keep my secret, too.

My parents arrived and greeted me happily. I hoped they took this well.

"Tasha informed me a few minutes ago that Leopold got permission to remove me from the park. When he comes today, I will leave with him," I said softly.

"Clover, please don't do this. We are so scared for you!" my dad spoke up.

"Please understand. I will be safe with Leopold. He will take good care of me. I know this is hard to explain, but it's not just wanting to hunt Sicora anymore. It's this deep feeling of caring I have for him. I’ve bonded with him, and I need to be with him. I'm glad they finally said I could go, because I almost followed him out of the park yesterday. I don't want to be separated from him anymore. I know he's not like a mate, but I have similar feelings. Please be happy for me."

I knew my parents were talking through a private link. Finally, they turned back to me.

"We talked to Serena and Tom. They also spoke of this link they have with their handler." Mom chuckled a bit, then continued, "She talks of how spoiled they are. Food, heat lamps, oil massages! They get Sunburst berries all the time!"

It seemed my mom was finally coming around.

"Do you promise to talk to me every day?" Dad asked.

And my dad was, too!

"I promise."

When Leopold arrived, Tasha and her handler were with them. Leopold seemed tense. Maybe he was nervous I would not go with him. Like that would happen!

I greeted Tasha, then I went to Leopold’s shoulder. He pulled out the harness and put it on me. I opened my wings to make it easier for him. I chirped at him and rubbed my head against his face. He reached up and tickled my belly. I chirped a laugh back at him.

I glanced up at the trees and saw my parents and some of my friends watching.

"See you later!" I yelled through the link.

The joy in my heart threatened to overwhelm me as I finally accomplished what I'd wanted for over half my life.

As my handler walked away from the park with me happily perched on his shoulder, I had no urge to look back.

*******

We were in a training building where the Kymari had dead animal skins on little robots that moved around. The smell I remembered from childhood was potent in the air. I did not have much control over my instincts. But Tasha was giving me directions.

"Growl louder for a Sicora and softer for a Crawler."

"When we get to an intersection, fly around and stop in whatever direction you smell it coming from."

I'd led the Kymari down four different hallways so far. The scent was powerful. I could feel the fire building in my throat. I wanted that thing dead!

"You are doing great so far, Clover! Just follow your instincts."

"They won't let you go after the monster, but they will show you the dead body so you can calm down. For some reason, our instincts will keep going until we see the body. They figured that out very quickly with me."

There it was! It crawled out between two boxes. I shrieked in alarm and threw a stream of fire at it. Leopold's guards used their energy weapons on it.

"Good girl!" Leopold said to me.

I was still too worked up to respond, but I shook my scales and settled down once it stopped moving. I liked to hunt. This was what I wanted, what I had worked for. I was proud to be a Sicora hunter, a bonded fire lizard.

"Let's go home, Clover."

I nuzzled his neck and laid down on his shoulder.

Yes, let's go home.

*******

Leopold and I had the morning off, and we were walking through the marketplace. I looked around curiously. There was a table with round balls made of glass that sparkled in the light. I chirped and stared at them, hoping he would buy me one.

Leopold noticed everything with me. We'd been together for several months, and I could not be happier. He had almost caught on that I was aware, even though I had not spoken to him yet. He would just look at me sideways and then shake his head when I did something odd. Thank goodness!

"How beautiful she is."

I looked in the direction the voice came from and saw the woman from the park. I had wondered if she would ever show up. Tasha was probably right about this being what she needed to win over her father.

"Good morning," Leopold said softly.

I looked from her to him and saw the stars in his eyes before he quickly hid them. I had realized early on that I could tell his emotions by his eyes. I had to look closely, and with me being right on his shoulders, I was pretty close.

"Good morning. I heard she had become yours, and you're now a bonded animal handler. Congratulations."

"Thank you. I was very honored that she chose me." Leopold looked at me as I chirped at him.

"I was in the park with a friend when she first approached you on the climbing wall. It was amazing how she just came right up to you," she said.

"It shocked me, too. I never thought my life would take this path."

"My name is Asielle."

I felt a tremor go through him. Giving names in this culture was a huge deal.

"My name is Leopold," he finally said.

"I must be going, but I hope to see you again soon, Leopold."

She walked away with a content look. Leopold just stared after her.

"What just happened?" he asked, so softly only someone on his shoulder could hear him.

We walked home, the bauble I wanted forgotten. He took my harness off and hung it by the door, and then he sat down with a faraway look. After a few minutes, he turned to me.

"What should I do?"

I knew the poor man wasn't expecting an answer, but I couldn't help myself.

"I like her! We should take her to the park with us!"

The end.

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Thank you for reading my very first story on Wattpad. I love all the feedback I've gotten. The Bonus Chapter is next!