They pulled up in front of Dom’s new house, the headlights casting long shadows over the front steps. Dom took a breath, a strange melancholy settling over her as she looked at it.

“There it is. Pretty, huh?” she said, a small sigh escaping.

Nile shot her a sidelong glance, catching the note of something deeper in her voice, but he didn’t push. He knew her well enough to wait until she was ready to talk.

“Yeah,” he said quietly, nodding. “It really is.”

They both sat in the van for a while, not moving, not really wanting the night to end just yet.

After a moment, Nile broke the silence. “I still don’t get why your dad decided to go for a new place instead of just moving back to your old house. I mean, sure, this one’s closer to the school and all, and with his leg it’s probably easier for him. But I miss knowing you’re just a coin toss away.” He gave her a quick smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Dom returned it, a wan smile. “Yeah, me too. I tried to talk him out of it, but... after my mom died, I think it was too much for him to handle. Moving back would’ve been like walking into a ghost every day, a constant reminder that she’s gone.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Nile replied, his tone softening. “If I lost the love of my life, I don’t think I’d want to be haunted by all those memories every time I opened the front door. Like, ‘Here’s your daily heartbreak, with a side of nostalgia.’ No thanks.”

Dom chuckled, giving him a playful nudge. “There you go again. You’re like Fezzik from The Princess Bride, only instead of rhymes, you come out with poetry.”

Nile grinned. “Hey, I’ll take it. Speaking of rescues, we’d better get these furballs inside before your dad gets home. Come on, no more wasting time, I mean it.”

With that, Dom climbed into the back of the van, grinning as she crouched down beside the Tramp-like mutt. “I think I’ll call this one, Peanut,” she said, wrapping her arms around him.

They both laughed at their shared joke, and Peanut must have thought it was funny too, and Peanut seemed to agree with the name, and the joke - or maybe he just loved the attention - because he gave her a big, slobbery kiss on the cheek. Dom laughed, squeezing him as he wagged his tail with such enthusiasm it made the whole van rock.

“Now why don’t you hurry up and go let us out of here, yeah? I’m not the only one who probably needs a bathroom break,” Dom said.

Chuckling, Nile hopped out and went around to the back, opening the van door with an exaggerated bow. “As you wish.”

With a mock regal air, Dom took his hand as he helped her down, playing the role to the hilt as Peanut followed, jumping down after her. Nile wrinkled his nose in dramatic disgust.

“Well, you may be a princess, but right now you smell more like the farm boy. Ouch!” He winced, rubbing his shoulder where Dom had socked him.

Dom smirked, leaning into the back to survey the other dogs. “So, genius, how are we supposed to get them into the yard?”

Nile shrugged, Peanut tilting his head as if sharing his confusion. Dom mused to herself that their poses looked almost identical. “How should I know? It’s your house. There’s gotta be a gate or something on the side.”

“Of course there’s a gate, brainiac,” Dom shot back, giving him another playful punch. “I meant how do we get them from here to there? How about you work a little more of your Mickey Mouse magic on them or something, or are you out of tricks?”

Dom looked at Nile challengingly, but he just shook his head as he walked towards the house, waving a hand back at the van. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s not like I can just snap my fingers, say ‘Follow me, my noble pack!’ and they’ll just line up like we’re on some magical puppy parade.”

Dom’s sharp intake of breath stopped him in his tracks. He turned around, only to freeze at the sight that met them both. There, standing in a single line like obedient little soldiers, were all nine dogs, each nose-to-tail like dominos, waiting in eerie silence.

“Whoa,” Nile whispered, eyebrows climbing. “That’s not just weird. That’s, like... Stephen King creepy.”

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Dom just nodded in agreement, wide-eyed. “Totally bizarre.”

Shaking her head, she strolled past him toward the house, holding the gate open with a wry glance back. “Well, don’t just stand there, Mister Piper. You coming, or what?”

Nile snapped out of it, hurrying to join her as the dogs, in perfect single file, walked past them, and through the gate into the yard.

“Yeah, they’re definitely drugged,” Dom murmured, throwing a wary glance at the parade of silent, well-behaved dogs filing into the yard. “That’s not natural.”

Nile nodded, his brow furrowed as he scanned the scene. “Wait a second... Dom, did you notice any other animals hitching a ride with our rescue squad?”

Dom frowned, tilting her head in confusion. “Uh, no? Just the nine pups, far as I could tell. Why?”

“You’re absolutely sure?” Nile hesitated, eyes widening as he gestured to the back of the line.

Dom followed his gaze and did a double-take. Trailing behind the furry convoy, like the caboose of some bizarre canine train, was a sleek, jet-black cat with delicately boned features and a gaze that seemed to pierce straight through them, as if daring them to deny her.

“Now where did you come from?” Dom murmured, stepping over to pick up the cat. She moved cautiously, just in case it was feral, but the cat regarded her with the kind of half-lidded indifference only cats could master - a look that somehow conveyed tolerance, thinly veiled contempt, and an almost predatory hunger all at once. Nile had always been amazed by cats and their ability to make you feel like a mere guest in their presence.

Dom cradled the cat thoughtfully, running her hand gently along its back. The cat purred with a sound like a miniature buzzsaw, leaning into her touch.

Nile raised an eyebrow. “So, what’re you gonna do with our little stowaway?”

Dom shrugged, smirking. “Stowaway? Please, you probably let her out when you were opening cages. And she was smart enough to think, ‘Eh, why not join the jailbreak?’”

“Maybe,” Nile said, eyeing the cat suspiciously. “But how she managed to keep her cool cooped up with all those mutts is beyond me. That’s either impressive or totally creepy.”

Dom chuckled, scratching the cat behind her ears, though she kept an eye on those claws in case the purring stopped and the swatting began. To her surprise, the cat practically melted into her arms, eyes half-closed in bliss.

“Well, since you named Peanut,” he said, glancing over at Dom, “I get to name her.”

The cat’s eyes snapped open, regarding Nile with a glare that clearly said, Choose wisely, mortal, or face my wrath, for despite my current comfort, if you choose poorly, I will forgo my perch and I will scratch you for your insolence.

Nile appeared to think a moment before he grinned up at Dom, mischief dancing in his eyes. Nile crossed his arms, putting on a mock-serious expression. “Alright, alright, let me see…” He paused, then gave the cat a reverent look, his face the very picture of solemnity. “I hereby dub thee, Charlie.”

The cat blinked once, then let out a dignified “meow,” as if to say, Very well, human, I accept this offering.

“Well, looks like Charlie’s approved,” Dom said with a grin. “And with that settled, maybe we should get the dogs situated before the rain really starts coming down. Then we can go inside.”

She led Nile and their strange little menagerie into the backyard, where the dogs were finally beginning to act like dogs, sniffing every plant, rock, and crevice as if cataloging the scents of their new domain. Charlie, on the other hand, perched loftily in Dom’s arms, looking down at the canine madness with a mix of disdain and mild curiosity. Dogs, her look said. Ugh.

Dom gave her a little squeeze.

“You really don’t want to join those scruffy guys, do you, Charlie?” she murmured, keeping her voice soft as she rubbed behind the cat’s ears. Charlie’s ear flicked in response, her eyes drifting half-closed in what could almost be called reluctant contentment. Peanut, noticing the attention, gave a little huff and turned back to his own explorations, clearly too dignified to compete.

Nile stepped into the yard, letting out a low whistle as he took it all in. Paved stone paths wound through a scene that looked like the lovechild of a Japanese rock garden and a lush tropical paradise. What grass there was, was neatly manicured, and every plant seemed to have its place. He heard the gurgling sounds of a nearby stream and following one of the paths leading away from the house he reached a small wooden bridge that spanned a meandering brook. Over the sounds of the dogs and the water, he was able to make out the chirrups of crickets and frogs. All in all, it was a very idyllic scene. If he had to guess, this garden spanned at least half an acre of expensive, well-tended landscape perfection.

“Man, your dad sure has some serious taste,” he said, eyes wide.

Dom shrugged, rolling her eyes. “Sure, it’s pretty - but where’s the pool and hot tub, huh? He told me if I wanted a pool, I’d have to redesign the whole yard myself. Said he didn’t want it messing with his ‘feng shui.’ Ugh, so new-agey.”

Nile grinned, giving her a playful nudge. “Hey, I think it’s cool. And anyway, pools and hot tubs are way overrated.”

“Oh, says the guy who’s had both his entire life?” She raised an eyebrow, cocking a fist. Nile took the hint and stepped back, hands up.

“Fair enough! I withdraw my comment. But look - these guys are gonna be fine out here. Plenty of cover from the rain, and they’ve got all the nature vibes they could want.” He gestured at the garden. “Now, what about this grand tour you promised me?”

Dom’s smirk was tinged with sarcasm. “Oh, you’re gonna love it. This place is a real treat.”

Her tone wasn’t lost on him, and Nile snickered, matching her sarcasm. “Lead on, oh prickly one,” he said, bowing with a dramatic flourish. She rolled her eyes and started toward the house, Nile trailing behind.

“Hey, don’t leave me hanging here - a person could get lost in this fancy jungle!”

Dom snorted, tossing a smirk over her shoulder as she slipped away, quickly disappearing from sight.