Missed It By That Much

Unagi lays on the shore of the lake, pouting into the dirt at the stupid frog that got away. A voice pulls the rotund pup’s attention up to find that her grandmother is walking toward her. She easily springs up to her paws, moving to twine around Venom’s leg in an affectionate greeting that is not all that different from a cat’s. With a sad huff, she plants herself between the monochrome leaders’ paws, leaning back to take some pressure off her big belly. While her siblings all seemed to have the cute ‘puppy pudgy’, the black and white girl titters dangerously on the edge between ‘cute’ and ‘obese’. Yet, even with the added weight, the girl is determined to be a great fighter… like her father.

As she sits between Venom’s paws, she tilts her head back to look up at her grandmother while the girl’s lips pull down into a frown, her bottom jutting out and beginning to wobble. With a sigh, she admits, “I almost had it! I just…” A paw lifts to wave at the lake beyond them as if to show she lost to the frog because of the water. Head falls back down so she can turn her black and pink gaze out over the water. Suddenly, a brilliant idea strikes the girl right between her eyes and her head snaps back so fast, that it causes a wave of dizzy to rush through her head. Blinking away the spots that suddenly appear in her eyes, the pup excitedly says, “Grammie! You’re an amazing warrior! Daddy says so! Can you teach me to be on too?”

All the hopes of the child rest in the question since she holds the woman in high respect. Venom isn’t just a warrior but an Empress to boot. In Unagi’s mind that means she has to be pretty badass… right?


"Hattori-Klein Unagi"