Onboarding

The big dog ("That Old Dog") drew the little one ("Catch him!") out of hiding for a bit of neighborhood onboarding. The big dog showed the little one places where people put food out, the outdoor shelters that were safe, and the better hiding places for when you had to run. That Old Dog gave him the yelp sequence to call for the right kind of help when he was in trouble and gave him the lay of the immediate land. "Not there," he said to Catch Him, shaking his head. "They masquerade as kind, but run a ring that always needs bait dogs - and not there, because the house is warm and sparkly on the outside, but unsafe on the inside (a product of her failing health). Never eat this food (even if you're desperate); we think it's drugged (they don't really like extras in the neighborhood). These two are great if you need help or you're so tired of everything that you want to enter the rescue and adoption race; they're connected, so slip through here onto their porch and wait." "You ever enter the race?" Catch Him asked shyly (because some did and yet got spit out again). "No, not yet," came the reply, "but soon. There's an old guy two blocks down who likes me plenty and I think he'd be good company in my twilight years. But you don't have to wait, little one; you can pick and choose." "I'd choose you if you were human," Catch Him whispered and the night felt light and safe for a bit.