You bound back to what you’ve decided to call the squirrel commune and duck through the flap into the common room. You chitter call out a hello. There’s no answer. You sniff deeply and realize no one is here. Instinct tells you should have done that to begin with. They must all be out and about in the zoo. You decide you want some food before heading out. So, you bound over to the “dining” room and snack on an assortment of feed and drink your fill of water.
As you reenter the common room, Cleo darts through the flap and freezes a moment. Her nose twitches briefly. “Oh, it’s you. I wasn’t expecting you back so soon…Aldin, right?” She chitters in amusement. “I figured they’d have you a few more days. You’ve got them perplexed down in administration. They’re not sure what to do with you. I think it’s partially ‘cause you actually read through the contract. I got an email from Mr. Smith asking me to ask you what you wish to do. What position/assignment do you want?” She pauses a moment. “They’ve never asked any of the others since I was ‘hired’ that question.” She moves a little closer to you, but keeps a professional distance, almost like she’s afraid and looks you over. “Nice choice, by the way. It’s a lovely fur pattern. The brown adds a nice touch to your muzzle/face.”
You flick your tail in hesitation a moment. “Do I need to choose this moment?”
Cleo gigglechitters. “No. You’ve got time.”
“Good. One of the things I’m thinking about might be ‘counselor’. I was an underpaid chemist before, working in an office setting to make ends meet while attending graduate school. My master’s degree was going to be in counseling/education. I had two semesters left.” (drooptail) “And, from my encounters so far with the others, I can see, they all could use some ‘job’ counseling…or maybe it’s ‘life-as-a-squirrel counseling’.” You shrug and your tail flicks. “But I’d need to do some research before I decide on that.”
Cleo nods. “Sounds like a good choice. Just email administration if/when you make a decision.” She looks you over again and you twitch involuntarily. She gigglechitters again. “You know, you’re the first one I’ve found even remotely attractive.” She bounds over next to you, snuggles up briefly, wrapping her tail around you in affection. She whisperchitters in your ear, “However, I wasn’t interested in raising any more kids.” She pauses a moment, “Or so I thought before I saw you.” She snuggles into your tail a moment, shakes it with her paws and tosses it over your head. She then caresses you under the chin with her tail. Calls out a chit-chit and bounds to the flap, pauses, flicking her tail at you and ducks out.