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The Breeder's Kennels

Transformation

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Written by Arian Mabe (Amethyst Mare)

Commissioned by anonymous

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Eyeing the map, Hinata paused at the crossroads, turning her head from one side to the other as she pondered her route. It had been a while since she'd been selected for a solo mission but it wasn't as if it was something completely unfamiliar to her. Although she was a woman on the quieter side ('shy' was often a word used to describe her, even if that was, truly, only around certain people), she knew well enough how to look after herself and her jutsu, while not openly bragged about, was a wealthy repertoire.

No. She drew herself up tall, taking a deep breath as she cast her pale eyes – disconcerting to some – from one path to another. A fork on the road had not been stated on the map but the mountains loomed and, well, her destination was supposed to be in the mountains, a remote facility that few ventured too. She puffed out her cheeks with air, taking care to consider for just a moment longer before choosing her path. Although she was not one for snap decisions, no one could have said that she was not cautious and she most certainly would not have wanted to be late at any cost.

She smiled tightly, lips pressed together against the lick of autumn bite on the air. She would arrive perfectly on time, as she always did. That was the way of her life and there was no reason or desire in her heart to change that anytime soon either.

Brushing her blue-black hair away from her face – she really should tie it back when she was travelling, for it was forever sweeping into her face – she made good on her way, her feet sure and steady on a road that seemed to have been reasonably travelled if not frequently. It was not quite so worn from the paths of carts and boots that it was worn perfectly smooth but it was mostly not so much on an incline that she could make her way along easily enough.

How long would it be before she saw her friends again, she wondered. A light blush coloured her cheeks and she hastened her steps, more to give her mind something to think about rather than going back to the one that she had been the most loathe to leave behind. But that was just a friendship and she was sure she was being quite silly about everything there as nothing would come from it. A future lay ahead of her and all she could do was stride boldly on into it with her head held high and perhaps just the hint of a fond smile tugging at her lips.

After all, she would not forget him entirely...

Soon, however, her destination loomed into sight, looking every part what she had expected: a breeding kennels. Surrounded by lush meadows at the very foothills of the mountains, it seemed to be a single-storey building that stretched back and back with a row of exterior kennels facing the front where visitors would, presumably, also approach from. The boundary line was not as interesting aesthetically, although quite practical: a chain link fence to keep the charges enclosed where they were safe, for there was an abundance of wild animals that would make easy pickings of a domesticated canine. And well-bred dogs suited for a variety of purposes – hunting was becoming popular with a trained companion those days – went for a great deal of coin in the right circles, ensuring that they would have a home for life and the job that they were bred to do singing in their souls. It was not a bad life, after all, for a working dog to do what their bodies ached to and it was a purpose for them that she fully supported. It was one of the reasons that she'd been keen to accept the mission, regardless of just how far it took her away from friends and, of course, family.

Pausing at the gate, she looked for a latch and found none, a keypad set to the side that would surely open the door. Walking back and forth before the gate, she tried waving a hand – perhaps it was activated by movement? – to no avail, cupping her hands around her eyes to peer through the bright sunshine to the facility set further back.

“Hello?" She called, rising up onto her tiptoes as if that would help her see further still. “Is anyone there? Hello! It's Hinata here!"

Her luck was in! The plain front door of the facility swung open the moment the second utterance left her lips, a woman dressed simply in workmanship dress and a long, cotton 'lab' style coat over the top hurrying to meet her. There was some distance between the building and the gate so Hinata had ample opportunity to take in just what her new boss, at least for the time being, looked like. Her long, blonde hair was pulled back in a sharp ponytail but her glasses did not make her round face look stern but rather added to an element of softness than curled about her features.

“Hello," Hinata said in a more respectable volume, making sure to smile. “I hope I have found you on time."

Because nothing else would have mattered more to her in order to make good her first impression, as was her way. Her new boss adjusted her glasses and burbled her own greeting as she fussed with the gate, although Hinata could not quite decipher what the greeting was as she seemed to mumble it. She, however, seemed pleasant enough and Hinata wasn't about to be picky about someone's enunciation of words or lack of.

“This gate hasn't worked in a while!" The blonde woman said, lips pulling up in an easy smile that reached her glitteringly blue eyes. “I'm so sorry I did not let you know beforehand!"

She spoke with few contractions, although seemed to leave some in (perhaps for particular effect), which Hinata noted down mentally as an element of her speech. It was always interesting to piece together new information about a person as she met them, even if it did sometimes make her feel rather set back from the scene at hand. She shook herself, a little tremor going through her body. She wasn't paying attention as the gate swung open inward, the keypad beeping as if triumphantly.

And her new boss' smile matched the presumed triumph of the keypad as she clicked her tongue softly against the roof of her mouth and swung her arm out to invite Hinata inside: the gesture would have been recognised anywhere.

“Ah, now that's better."

As Hinata stepped inside, allowing the gate to close quietly at her heels, the stranger tipped her head in a respectful bow that Hinata quickly returned, although hers was lower to allow for the difference in their status. It would not do, of course, to be disrespectful to her new employer.

“I am Taniguichi ," she said, introducing herself formally. “Welcome to the kennels. I am glad to have assistance at long last. This is not an...assignment that many are interested in taking on during their training."

The pause was noticeable and Hinata again filed that little detail away for later perusal. It didn't matter all that much, however, as she was sure that it was just a little bit of a communication issue; she'd become well-used to Taniguichi 's style of talking after a while. But, if she'd taken the time to consider things more thoroughly, she would have taken more serious note of the pause and, perhaps, laid the foundations of an investigation that would have changed the course of events.

Yet Hinata was not that experienced in the world as yet and did not catch what may have changed her path, taking one of two paths as the fork in the road before her branched out.

“Taniguichi -sama, I look forward to all I will learn and do here," Hinata said softly, her eyes respectfully lowered, although she'd never really been all that good at eye contact to begin with. “I only hope that I will be of service to you."

If there had ever been any glimmer of worry in Taniguichi 's eyes, it vanished at that point, her whole expression brightening once more as she settled her glasses more comfortably across the bridge of her nose.

“Hinata-san, I feel you will be an asset to the facility indeed. Please – come."

Flushing at the mark of respect, Hinata smiled and quietly followed as Taniguichi led her into the kennels, the facility immediately ringing with the clamour of barking canines as soon as the door was opened. There must have been some considerable soundproofing in place on the building itself – how it was achieved, Hinata would have to ask later on for her own curiosity and learning – for she had not heard a single bark from the sanctity of the outside world. It seemed that everything rose in volume as soon as she stepped over the boundary line, the tall, chain-link fences rising to her back, suited to keeping dogs of all sizes safely enclosed.

Little did she know that that boundary line would be a great deal more difficult to step back over once her new life in the kennels had begun.

The facility was expansive – more so than Hinata could have imagined on her approach. Stretching back and back, she was led by multiple kennels with their occupants all happy and wagging. Every last one of them appeared to be in the prime of health, although the dogs contained there ranged from those suited for work outdoors and those who may have looked more at home curled up on the lap of a fine lady in a kimono at leisure in the garden. But Hinata was not there to judge the use of dogs, only that they were well-cared for and found the homes, once the pups were of an appropriate age, that they best deserved.

“They will go out for exercise soon," Taniguichi said softly, seeming unwilling to raise her voice despite the friendly barks and yaps filling the air. “I do not keep them in most of the times, separating the bitches and the dogs, of course, but I did not want you to receive such an enthusiastically rambunctious welcome today."

Hinata chuckled and shook her head, pressing her fingers up to the mesh of one of the pens. A bitch with soft eyes pressed her narrow muzzle up to them, tail wagging furiously as she licked her hand.

“Oh... Dogs do not worry me. In fact, I think they worry me far less than people, Taniguichi -sama," she said. “But do you not need me to get to work?"

“Oh!"

Taniguichi shook her head, eyes snapping away from Hinata quickly. Had she been staring? No... That was silly. Hinata shivered. It must be that she simply was not yet at ease in an unfamiliar environment but she would surely settle down soon enough.

“No, no, there is no need to begin work today," Taniguichi said, smiling all the while, a fixed, eerie sort of smile. “You may retire for the day and explore if you will and I will go about the chores, for now, Hinata."

She knew when she'd been dismissed and, quickly, Hinata bowed and scuttled off in the direction of what she hoped was her lodging, based on Taniguichi 's explanation of just where it was. The facility was a little more of a maze than she'd been hoping for and it took her sometime of going the wrong way (perhaps completely or perhaps only a little) before she found the room marked 'Guest' and entered with a sigh of relief. It locked only from the inside but she had brought no possessions with her that she had any fear of losing, only carrying what was needed for the task at hand when sent away alone.

As she sat and popped her pack on top of the desk, she flexed and curled her fingers, eyes drifting to them without thinking. For some reason, her hand tingled as if she'd been stung, but there was no mark there whatsoever that Hinata could discern, shaking her head at her own folly in complete and utter confusion.

“What is wrong with you?" She said aloud, shaking her head slowly. “There's nothing there... Perhaps I simply need to bathe..."

Seeking out the bathing facilities was next on her list after unpacking but even Hinata after all her training could not have foreseen what would happen as her life at the kennels progressed.

*

After spending the evening dining with Taniguichi -sama, who was the only one at the facility besides Hinata, Hinata had slipped into a fitful if deep sleep, tossing and turning on her sleeping mat the whole night long. Dogs ran through her dreams with bright eyes and lolling tongues, darting to and fro like shadows in sunlight, out of place and yet still inexplicably there if one only shifted their vision just a little.

But something was very much not right as she sat up and stretched out her arms above her head, her hands feeling heavier than they should have been as if she had put on a fresh coat of colour on her nails for a grand event. It was not all that unusual for her to pretty herself up for something important, although it was rarely required in her line of training, but she stared at her hands, perplexed, even though she, of course, had not painted them any colour at all.

“What..."

Flexing her fingers, she gulped and cast her eyes shamefully down. There was something very wrong with her nails! Longer than they had been before, they resembled something more like claws, having turned darker and seemingly harder too, which she tested by experimentally tapping one on the floor. The only sensation she felt was the light reverberation of pressure through her finger, though even the colour of the tips of her fingers had changed too, a darker, greyer shade that was almost sickly. Her brow furrowed. Was she unwell? But she felt fine... There was nothing else different bar the weird way her hands looked, which she supposed was something of a relief, if only a small one.

It was a mystery that, for the moment, would have to remain as such, unless her condition worsened at all. Sighing heavily, Hinata's lips twisted. Trust something silly to happen on her very first day of working officially at the kennels! It really was the way of it.

“That's annoying," she muttered, scratching her forearm and then instantly regretting the action. “I didn't realise that they had grown so..."

It was an act of self-care that would have to wait, however, as she dressed and made her way more confidently through to Taniguichi -sama's shared dining facilities where she found her boss cooking up breakfast with no measure of skill. Or preparing would have been a more accurate term as some items, such as fruits and pastries, merely needed assembling and presenting for the first meal of the day to begin.

“Good morning," she burst out cheerfully, sliding a plate of egg rolls across to Hinata. “Are you ready to work?"

And, of course, Hinata was, hastily rushing through breakfast – although that seemed a little more difficult to eat than normal, almost as if her teeth were no longer quite in the right place anymore – as Taniguichi bubbled over with nuances of the day that lay ahead. Running the breeding kennels required an amount of administration work in addition to, of course, looking after the dogs, so Hinata could easily see where her place came in and even the smallest of jobs were ones that could not fall by the wayside if they were to maintain the very highest level of care.

But Hinata's nails bothered her throughout the day, having forgotten to ask Taniguichi for something with which to trim them over breakfast; there really hadn't been a way to get a word in edgeways and, although she was more assertive than she had been before, she still was not the most assertive she could be. They caught in everything, making them impossible to ignore, but, by the tail end of the day, they had formed into definite claws, no semblance of her nails remaining at all.

And they hardly made her work any easier, cleaning out kennels difficult when she had to fumble to grip tools with the odd, hard nubs at the ends of her fingers rather than, well, just her fingers. If she had been aware of how wrong things truly were, she would have raised more of a fuss but it simply seemed easier to go about the work of feeding and letting the dogs out, looking after them with a smile and a spring in her step. It didn't matter if it was difficult, surely, as long as everything went okay? It wasn't that bad, was it? Alas, the lack of concern should have been just what concerned her, Hinata becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy in the grasp of the kennels and their charges.

Hiding her nails under the table at dinner, she flushed in embarrassment – what on earth was happening to her? And it seemed so embarrassing too to tell someone that her nails were changing like that – and so quickly too! She must have contracted some kind of virus or hurt herself somehow and she didn't want to go for home so quickly when she'd only just started work on this particular solo mission. No. She did her best to hide her nails and, even if Taniguichi -sama saw them, she made no comment besides her usual pleasant conversation.

Going to bed with only the faintest stirring of unease in the pit of her belly, Hinata resolved to see just what she could do to change her situation in the morning. A trim would sort them out and everything would be fine, just fine!

The next day was worse.

Waking, Hinata instantly knew something was wrong, something fuzzy tickling her stomach where she had folded her hands in the night so as not to scratch herself inadvertently with her nails. She leapt up to her knees, heart pounding, and held her hands before her with a gasp that could only have been of horror as, well, they simply weren't her hands at all anymore. A light fuzz of fur, the same colour as her hair, covered them – and that fur had spread further up her arms too, although it was quite a short coat. Scrambling up to her feet with her heart in her mouth, she found even that action difficult as her feet seemed to have 'shortened', becoming more like paws as she heaved for breath, on the verge of a panic attack. Not that she'd ever had one before, of course, but it seemed that the tightness in her chest could not possibly be attributed to anything else.

No...

And, just like that, the sense of worry seeped away like water through sand, dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. Everything was okay. She just had to trust that everything was going to be okay and that it was, in fact, okay. Taniguichi -sama would know what to do. She had to go to her.

If she'd had a mirror, however, Hinata would have seen the beginnings of a tail protruding from the base of her lengthening spine, tucked into the fur as if it was trying to still conceal itself. She had not the mind to brush her hair back from her ears either, giving it only a cursory sweep of a brush before bustling on her way with only one thought in mind, and so missed the fold of soft flesh curling over from the top of her ear, the shape of them slowly and inexplicably changing to something that could not be construed as human. It was just as well she did not see, as it would have only worried her more to see her face covered in fur too, but Taniguichi -sama would make everything right again, she knew that. She was so wound up too that she did not notice how her feet had changed as she slipped them into her day shoes, the soft fabric tucked around her feet and hiding just how her toes had become shorter and blunter, the nails there also pulling into the shape of something more like claws than anything a human being should have had on their body.

Yet it was hard to go see her. Cowering and whimpering like one of the dogs she was caring for, perhaps taken ill, Hinata hid around the frame of the door, hunched over as if she wished to disappear into the ground entirely. It felt like she'd done something wrong... But she'd been a good girl, hadn't she? She'd done good? She'd cleaned all the kennels, hadn't she? Everything was good?

Without thinking, her tongue pushed over the edge of her lips, half-lolling out as she panted softly, eyes half-lidded. It was soothing, contenting, and she sat back with the strange urge to kick a leg out to the side prickling at the back of her mind, that little tail of hers wiggling, although it was not quite long enough as yet to truly wag.

What on earth? Jerking back to reality, Hinata snapped her mouth closed, hands clamped over her mouth as she whimpered into them. What was she doing?

“Hinata? Are you out there?"

There was no putting it off any longer and, with her tail figuratively tucked between her legs, Hinata skulked forth to meet her fate.

“Taniguichi -sama..." Hinata hesitated in the doorway of the breakfast room where they had clearly taken to dining together. “I... Something's wrong. This... Oh..."

“What is it, Hinata-san?"

Taniguichi 's eyes instantly brimmed over with concern as she rushed to her, her long coat flapping lightly with the passage of air around her body, she moved that swiftly. Swallowing hard, Hinata shook her head and held out her hands blindly, refusing to look at Taniguichi to catch her reaction even as she whimpered and tried to resist the urge to whip her hands away. Her boss took her hands in hers and turned them over, muttering under her breath, although all Hinata caught was excitement rather than the concern and fret she had initially expected.

“How strange... This is quick!"

Hinata blinked and gulped, eyes watering.

“What? What is quick? Oh, Taniguichi -sama – I don't know what's happening to me! Am I taken ill? This is... Oh, it's so horrible!"

Yet she could not find the words she wanted to use to articulate her words, devolving into shuddering growls and whimpers as Taniguichi wrapped her arms around her, drawing her in comfortingly. And, although it should not have been so easy to call halt to the flood of emotion, just the sensation of another warm human body against hers was enough, in the moment, to calm her

“Hush now," Taniguichi breathed. “Sweet one... It is all alright."

And it was. It was impossible not to believe her as Hinata sighed and whined softly against Taniguichi 's throat, pressing closer than she would ever have had the mind to before. But it felt simply so good to be there, held tight, that her backside wiggled back and forth entirely of its own accord.

“Yes... It's okay."

“There's my girl!"

Beaming, Taniguichi held her at arm's length, glasses sliding down the length of her nose.

“Are you ready to go to work now? You'll have to have a quick breakfast if you want to get going and get everything done!"

Nodding quickly, Hinata moved to obey, only caught as if by some superior power halfway through the movement, eyes widening imploringly. She couldn't stop the words, nor would she have wanted to, as they spilt from her lips, an unstoppable force pouring forth like sake from an engraved bottle, reserved only for the very finest of occasions and company.

“Is..." The words came unbidden, unstoppable in their desperation to be free of the prison of her lips. “Is there anything I can do for you, Taniguichi -sama? Anything at all?"

Taniguichi started, her own lips, once more, breaking into a smile.

“What a good girl you are, Hinata," she said softly. “No, there is nothing now. You may go about your work and we will look at this again later. But do not worry: nothing bad is going to happen to you."

And Hinata rested quietly in the knowledge that she was looked after, the nuances of her strangely changing body – she'd thought she had had that part of growing up long ago – far from her mind as she did her very best to be a good girl and go about her job in the kennels. After all, she wanted to be good, didn't she? So she had to feed and scrub and work harder and harder, all to be the very best good girl Taniguichi -sama had ever seen.

After that, the changes did not worry Hinata anymore. She barely even thought of them as she bustled about her work the very next day, having been granted the kind privilege of taking the dogs out for exercise. Her favourite group to work was a pack of hunting bitches that had not hunted a day in their lives but produced the most beautiful pups to be trained up as hunting dogs. They did not know that they were not truly to be used for hunting and still bounded across the meadow and darted around trees as if they were seeking out hapless prey, bouncing after squirrels like they were the greatest thing in the world.

They were not dogs that were subject to appearances of looking pretty either, the fact that they were used for breeder and happy mothers clear in their heavy teats, which lined their bellies obviously, impossible to ignore. How low they hung didn't seem to bother them in the slightest, however, as they still chased balls and raced about like puppies given a new lease of life, enjoying their time outside to the fullest. Most of the kennels back onto an outside area too where groups could be let out into social pens, although Hinata had been warned to ask first before allowing the dogs out, even though she had been given the responsibility. It was not always possible to place dogs besides ones that they enjoyed the company of but Hinata was determined to do her job to the very, very best of her ability, so took great care with which dogs were allowed outside for playtime together.

Strangely, Hinata too enjoyed frolicking amongst them as if she was a dog herself, barking and bounding and even dropping to an awkward kind of gamble on all fours as she challenged them to tug-of-war and growled playfully, although she had to hold the toy rope in her hands rather than her mouth, for her teeth would not dig into it enough to safely hold.

Yet.

It was even fun to allow herself to be happily bowled over by the grinning bitches, every last dog in the little pack lapping her face as if they needed to cover every last inch of it in cheeky dog drool. They didn't mind the short hairs bristling there, the prelude to the greater kindness that was taking place without her even knowing what was truly going on. Giggling and squirming, Hinata waved her hands in the air in a failed attempt to fend them off, although she did not want them to really leave her alone. It felt too good to be surrounded by them, dogs that looked up to her with a similarly kind eye, and their fuzzy bodies brushing against her fur, like for like in a simple moment of play.

“Are you having fun out there?"

Taniguichi -sama called her over and, rather than being embarrassed at being caught playing with the dogs like a small child, she ran over in a light lollop, complete with an open-mouthed grin, tongue hanging just over the edge of her lips a little more than it had done earlier that day.

“Yes!" She barked, eyes happily wide and adoring. “They're so good!"

Taniguichi 's eyes softened, although they had never truly been hard anyway. Yet there was the beginning of true affection for her newest charge in there and she smiled as she petted Hinata's head gently, the young woman absurdly finding nothing wrong in the slightest about laying her head against her boss's thigh, hind end shuffling as if she could not quite bring herself to stay completely still. She had too much energy to contain and, with a wiggle and yelp, she bounded back off to play and do her work – to be a good girl and make sure all of the dogs were happy with their exercise for the day.

On feeding later, the effects of her bounding exercise made themselves known. Hinata made a face as she put down dry kibble for one of the older stud dogs, one well-proven in his breed with a dignified, elegant muzzle that would have been suited to a cover of a breed magazine for the prowess of the wizened old man. He wagged his tail faintly as she scooted the bowl to him, ever the gentlemen as he politely waited for her to back away before advancing on the bowl, each allowing the other space while they made no qualms or fuss about who was in charge.

Yet it was impossible to ignore just how dry her throat was as she ran her fingers over the fuzziness there – was that thicker again? It was hard to tell – and grunted softly in the back of her throat, tongue lolling half-out once again. That thing had a mind of its own! But it felt good to pant even when she was thirsty, needing water and yet not having had the mind to carry a flask with her throughout the day. Why, she hadn't even had anything to drink since breakfast! No wonder she was taken by thirst!

And the water bowl looked oh so inviting... Filled to the brim with sparklingly clear water from the springs, it glinted at her, the dying rays of sunlight casting fractured light through it to the metal base, so chosen for its durability over the wooden bowls that some of the dogs had instead. Whimpering softly, she wriggled her buttocks, paddling her weight from one foot to the other as she leaned in and in, tongue stretching out as if she could just...

Wait.

Really, wait. A dog bowl? What folly!

No... Giggling and shaking her head faintly, Hinata put the bowl aside and filled it for the dog it was intended for. No, she had glasses to drink from. What need did she possibly have for a bowl?

That became apparent the very next morning at breakfast. She had not before considered just how she drank from a cup every day – or the flask that she liked to carry around after that one time being stranded without water for far, far too long for comfort – but her face had bulged out overnight, her nose thickening so that it would no longer fit nicely on the lip of a cup. The beginnings of whiskers poked at the cup but they only told her that she could not get her nose into it and not how she could actually take a drink! How frustrating for her! As much as she tried, whimpering and grunting all the while, to get water down her throat that morning, she could not and it spilt over the small dining table as Taniguichi -sama watched sympathetically on.

“Oh, Hinata-san..."

Smiling, Taniguichi took away her cup and replaced it with a doggy bowl – just like the one that the dogs in the kennels had. And it was much better than a cup, allowing her to snake out her long, flexible tongue and happily lapped it up, sating her thirst in the canine fashion. Little did she know that she would spend the rest of her life drinking from a bowl like a common dog – and she'd be just as happy about that too. It was good just to drink, a simple kind of pleasure that she'd honestly never given much thought to before. And it was Taniguichi -sama who had made that possible in showing her a better way to drink!

“Thank you!" She yapped, her voice sharper than usual, like the bark of a medium-sized dog. “This is good!"

“I'm glad, Hinata," Taniguichi said with another smile that said far more than her words. “You're such a good girl."

And then nothing about her changing body seemed to matter anymore. It should have worried her – frankly, it should have terrified her – but Hinata could not think of anything strange as she hustled about her day. It stayed with her, that knowledge that she was a good girl, the best girl Taniguichi had in her breeding kennels, in fact, and she practically floated, panting softly throughout her chores, even if they were not all that physically demanding.

She knew her body was only changing to make her into what she needed to be for Taniguichi , finding it more and more difficult to stand on two legs as she went about her work. It was easier to trundle about in a sort of hybrid stance, sometimes on two legs and sometimes on her hands and feet, bent over and running along with the other dogs. Her tail had grown longer too and, oh, how she liked wagging it! It had a mind of its own too, wagging oh so very happily whenever she was around in the same room as Taniguichi . The fur that had bristled to life after her first night at the centre too had spread down to her thighs, although it had not quite covered her legs as yet, even if that was soon to come.

Her hands too were more like paws than hands by this stage, her tail thick and full with a fluff of fur as she wagged and wagged and wagged, her tongue as long as any canine's, lolling from her muzzle as if she just couldn't keep it contained. If she'd been able to look into a mirror, she would have too realised with her changing shape that she was growing larger too, about the size of a small pony when hunched over in her awkward, feral-like stance, although nothing about it seemed awkward to her at all but perfectly normal. Her teeth too seemed better shaped for eating meat, a carnivorous diet, drawing into sharp points as her shoulder blades narrowed too, the beginnings of a canine's hackles between them. She'd only later learn just what those were for when startled, her whole body going tense and on edge for a moment until she realised that there was no threat when she was in Taniguichi 's facility. She would always be taken care of there. As long as she was a good girl, the very best of girls.

If she was a good girl... She mused on the thought, scrubbing feed bowls out with relish, not even noticing how her growing tail wagged happily behind her, draping with a soft layer of fluffy fur. If she was a good girl, she'd be able to stay with Taniguichi -sama, wouldn't she? She scrubbed harder and harder, leaning over the bowls as she focused on the task at hand. It was difficult to grip the bowls but she managed to pin them in place, groaning softly in the back of her throat. Throwing herself into her work was one way to show just how happy she was at the breeding kennels, even though she had not gotten to assist with any of the more specialist tasks or work as yet.

Hinata barked, leaping to her feet as the bowls flew everywhere, drops of leftover water that had not yet drained away splattering off in all directions. Yes! If she did good for Taniguichi -sama, she'd be able to stay at the kennels and do even more good work! And that would be the best thing ever!

She'd never quite know what raised her sudden desire for kennel work, the simplicity of using her body and working in a mindlessly concentrated fashion oddly pleasing to a simplifying mind. If she'd been more with her thoughts, Hinata would have mused more on that but her own panting distracted her, her tongue longer and flatter than it had been before. Experimentally, she grunted and lapped the side of her lips, finding a drop of moisture there that she keenly licked up. It was a strange sensation to lick her own face, kind of like licking one's own elbow, but oddly satisfying too and she lapped her muzzle contentedly clean as she went about her work, one chore blending into the other as she moved about her day. That muzzle was useful for more things too as the soft whiskers grew a little more, allowing her to feel her way about even when she snuffed out a lamp, moving from a dark storage room to the bright clarity of the hallway – one of many at the facility. It was easier like that, her eyesight slowly improving too as she did what all good girls were supposed to do.

What had she done with her day? She could not think as she panted through the day, settling down for a simpler kind of dinner with Taniguichi later that evening, although her plate was smaller than she was used to. There was more meat on it too, Taniguichi laughing softly as she said that she had to eat up her protein and get big and strong. And she wanted to grow big and strong too, if only because that was what Taniguichi wanted for her.

Scoffing her dinner, she sat there happily, tail wagging hard enough to wiggle her butt back and forth lightly on the padding cushion, until she was dismissed. But she did not find the usual solace in the quiet of her night-time routine, moving through each action one after the other without actually thinking about what she was doing. Her room suddenly seemed lonelier than it had and loneliness was not usually something she felt unless surrounded by a crowd of people who moved around her without interacting: isolation in a group. But now... Hinata shuddered. Oh, how she craved that group, to seal herself away in the middle of bustle and cuddle up to someone who would warm her and hold her close and seal away any trouble that she may have held in her heart.

She curled up into her blankets and tucked her nose under her arm, bundling herself up into a ball as she strove to fall asleep, yet she squirmed and wriggled, unable to quiet her mind as she whimpered into her blankets. What was wrong with her? Why did she so very much not want to be alone all of a sudden?

“Hinata? Do you want to come in here?"

She practically leapt up and scurried into Taniguichi 's sleeping quarters with a happy grunt, settling down against the older woman without considering just how strange it was. It was just what she'd wanted without knowing that she wanted it!

“There's my girl..."

Drawing her in close and warm, Taniguichi cuddled her into her side and murmured sweet nothings to her, just like she would with one of her charges that was unwell of a night. For Taniguichi cared ever so deeply for every last one of the dogs in her kennels, even if she could not provide them with the sweetness she gave to her personal pet and companion. No... For them, she could hold them close on a winter's night and let them sit with her beside the fire, watching the flames as one sipped hot green tea and the other panted lazily, stretched out to warm her toes.

It was merely a prelude to what was to come, although Hinata was not to know that as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep in Taniguichi 's arms, paws twitching as she dreamed of chasing rabbits and bounding through meadows until even her dream self was far, far too tired to continue on such an exhausting endeavour.

Morning dawned brightly and she stayed close to Taniguichi 's side, hunkering down to the ground in a more comfortable position. Why had she ever bothered walking about on two legs? It was so much better to be on all fours but, if she'd had access to a mirror, she would have seen just how her bones had shifted during the course of her sleep, the rest allowing her changes to accelerate in the realm of dreamland. Truly, she was more canine than human at this point with the thick fluff of fur reaching all the way down to her feet and toes at long last, although more of a strange kind of hybrid that may have been a new species entirely, for her hips were still higher than her front end, toes still longer in the semblance of fingers. Her claws had solidified, however, and were, truly, in need of a little trim too, which Taniguichi was all too happy to provide for her, clipping her nails, one by one, before she even led her companion around to the breakfast room.

Happily, Hinata bounded into her usual place at the low table with her longer ears flopping to either side of her head and plopped down onto the cushion that had become hers or at least adopted as hers. To her surprise, however, Taniguichi rounded on her, although not in an unkind way, and wagged her finger, eyebrows pushing together sternly.

“Ah-ah."

Frowning, Taniguichi clicked her fingers and pointed to the floor. And Hinata knew just what that action meant, even without being trained, shifting to the bare floorboards and sitting back on her rump. Not even wearing any trousers or the draping skirts of a kimono, she barked in as appealing a fashion as she could manage, eyes soft and head turned away submissively. She didn't want to displease Taniguichi ! No! That would be a bad thing and make her a bad girl! And she definitely didn't want to be a bad girl and sit up where the people sit – no! Definitely not a bad girl!

“Good girls stay here," Taniguichi said, seating herself in her usual place while Hinata whined. “That's better now, is it not?"

Yes! Hinata nodded, quickly, although the bobbing of her head, which seemed too large and heavy for her neck, threw her off balance and she staggered a little, catching herself with a front paw flung off to the side. She wriggled her toes, mouth hanging happily open as her new paws kept her nice and stable, right where she was supposed to be. Sitting on her haunches, it was much easier to curl her legs beneath her, paws tucked in front of her awkwardly poised knees, although it should not have been a natural position for any human being to put themselves into.

She'd have to remember that. Barking, Hinata tucked into her breakfast, tail wagging faintly. Her ears flopped down against the sides of her head, also covered in a light fuzz of fur. Since when had food tasted so good? Hinata rumbled into a plate of meat, the very best that Taniguichi could clearly lay her hands on, and she gave her thanks by eating it as quickly as possible, no longer needing to be ladylike and take her time. It had always been the boys that wolfed down their food as if it was about to be taken away from them – wasn't that funny? But it wasn't going to be taken away from her even if it was so good and so tasty that she just couldn't stop herself from wolfing it down like a wild animal.

Laughing, Taniguichi bopped her gently on the nose, although it was an action carried out in play rather than reprimand.

“Steady there, girl!"

Barking and snapping playfully at Taniguichi 's wagging fingers in turn, Hinata squirmed at the attention, basking in the glow of it, however fleeting it was for they had to go on with the day at some point. Off on her own, Hinata bumbled through the kennels on all fours, grumbling as her elbows jutted out and her long, soft ears kept falling forward into her eyes. It wasn't possible to lift her head all that much, although she was not worried about her body in the slightest. In fact, it felt as if everything was becoming easier and more natural for her, regardless of how clunky the interim was. Because there was something greater coming that even her human mind could not have understood, the fur coating her body providing enough fluff and covering that even clothes no longer seemed to be a necessity. After sleeping in bed with Taniguichi the night before, she hadn't even thought about donning clothes in the morning, instead, shedding her nightdress in lieu of going au natural. Taniguichi , of course, had made no comment at all but why would she? It was perfectly natural, after all.

It did allow her, however, to explore and appreciate her body a little more as she stretched out into a gangly-legged lope playing with the puppies in one of the pens, only needing a few bounds to gallop from one side to the other, tumbling over their heads. They were large puppies, a guard dog breed with black fur and orange-brown markings, so they were not fazed by her rambunctious play one bit, growling and nipping at her legs in preparation for the lives they would have to lead, studiously guarding and protecting. They would be expected to send off trespassers and Hinata panted heavily as she darted to and fro, trying to show them all the moves they would need to perform their jobs admirably for their human masters.

Could she have a master too? Flopping onto her side, she growled and shook her head lightly as one of the puppies climbed up over her shoulders and tugged on one ear, nipping and chewing as if she was a fearsome foe that he had to defeat. Those ears had grown longer still too, although she did so wish they would stop smacking her in her own muzzle, every scent and sound enhanced from those ears and her nose, which had moistened subtly. The moisture seemed to help it catch even the faintest of scents and it was all Hinata could do at times to not race off in pursuit of some particularly interesting smell before remember that she too had a job to do.

Her legs were shorter than they had been, although it did not bother her in the slightest, stretching them out before her body as the puppies clambered all over her. It didn't seem important either that her breasts had sunken back into her chest, leaving only the nipples behind, but even those seemed to have moved down a little, joined by a row of nipples that ran all the way down to her crotch, designed for feeding far more than just the one baby. Babies were not in Hinata's future, however, but something furrier, smaller and altogether far cuter than the squalling bundle of human flesh that her parents had birthed many years back. The little pink nubs of nipples would serve her well, perhaps, in later years, but she had far more to experience first of all, although it truly depended on what Taniguichi wanted for her. She would have to do what she wanted, just like she'd done what her parents wanted back when she was younger – much younger, in fact.

She smiled faintly. Her parents... The thought of them seemed oh so very far away, a warm, comforting kind of memory. But they were not something that could linger as she turned to the puppies, bathing them with her tongue as she enjoyed their company. The dogs were more so a family than anything she'd left behind but, of course, it was just a mission and she'd see them again one day.

Wouldn't she?

Her thoughts drifted. It was harder and harder to hang on to a single thought at a time, each one seeming to slip away through her fingers as she didn't really try all that hard to cling onto it in the moment. Was it really all that important? The dogs were more important and she bumbled about on all fours with her tail wagging and tongue panting helplessly as she worked, knowing where her place was. And was that really altogether such a bad thing?

No... Of course, it wasn't. Everything was fine as long as she kept doing what Taniguichi needed her to do, keeping herself busy and moving forward more and more swiftly. And she practically bounded from one task to the next, so intent was her fever to please and to do good like the very good girl she knew she truly was.

Little did Hinata know how far she had fallen for she never again slept in her own bed or alone after that day, choosing instead to wait obediently outside Taniguichi -sama's door to be invited in. The thought of knocking didn't even cross her mind as her tongue lolled happily out, a light splattering of drool marking the floor, although it did not bother her either that it was present (even if it would have once humiliated her). No, it was much better to be a good girl and wait for Taniguichi -sama than barge in uninvited. And Taniguichi was there as she'd known she would be, beckoning her in with a click of her tongue and a gentle pat to her thigh.

“Come here, girl."

Yes! Bounding up, Taniguichi whuffed lowly and giggled as she covered Taniguichi 's face in adoring laps of her tongue. And that tongue was so long too! It got into laces that it had never been able to before and she waggled happily through her whole body as Taniguichi laughed and bundled her up into her arms.

“My, you are an affectionate one, aren't you?"

Hinata didn't know what that meant but the tone of Taniguichi 's voice was the most important to her as she snuggled up beside her, flanks rising and falling softly in slumber. Of course, she did not sleep too deeply but that was intended: she did, after all, have to keep one ear out to make sure there were no intruders, guarding Taniguichi -sama as if she had been trained to do so. She wasn't sure what her nature was trying to tell her but the sense of overwhelming protectiveness kept her ever so slightly on edge with one ear on Taniguichi and their surroundings all night long.

And it was the right thing to do. That was if she wanted to be Taniguichi 's good girl. And what good girl wouldn't want that? In slumber, Hinata's lips parted in a doggie smile, panting softly.

The next day, Hinata didn't even try to get up onto two legs, her bones having mostly reset to a quadruped position. Her hips were not too much higher than her front half, kept low to the ground, anymore and her arms were short enough that she could use them like legs, her paws doing much better in bearing her weight than they did as hands. The fur covering her body was thicker and fuller too, almost as if she was a wild animal trying to grow a winter coat to ward off the encroach of the seasons, her tail draped with a pleasant covering of hair that was perfectly soft to the touch. Yawning and stretching languidly, she showed off her nearly fully formed canines to Taniguichi , who only laughed and poked her gently, nudging her on with her day as the dog-girl panted and panted, wanting nothing more than to stay by Taniguichi 's side with a happily lolling tongue.

There was something more to do with those changing paws too that she had not considered as they became fluffy, each toe boasting its own, soft pad and a larger pad in the centre of each paw – both the ones that had been her hands and those that had been her feet. They cushioned the impact of the ground from striking her paws too roughly, although she dimly thought in the back of her mind that they would toughen up in time. That was something that she would have to tell her pups one day, maybe.

But the thought was not one that she wanted to linger on, her thoughts drifting happily as she moved on to breakfast, sticking close to Taniguichi 's side as always. She didn't need a mirror but her own reflection, that of a very large canine with a blocky snout and long, floppy ears danced back at her in the shifting water of her morning bowl, shattered as she dipped her tongue eagerly into its clear depths and lapped and lapped and lapped to her heart's content. It was one of the things that her growing teeth did not get in the way off, the curve of her hind legs allowing her to sit back comfortably on her haunches without squashing her tail either. Her legs folded so easily under her as she lapped and lapped happily that it was only natural to sit like that, forelegs braced to keep her chest back from the water bowl.

“Easy there, girl," Taniguichi laughed as water splashed everywhere. “You're making a mess!"

But she was not angry and Hinata only barked, wiggling her rump in time with the fervent wags of her tail in as sweetening a manner as she could manage. How could anyone be mad at her?

Although, Taniguichi had been a little angry when a soaking wet Hinata had bounded into her lap, tongue lolling and water splattering everywhere as she'd just come into one of the back rooms where she usually did paperwork. It had been a funny thing, really. Hinata had just been bathing one of the female dogs, a bitch who had recently given birth to a lovely litter of puppies, when the bath had looked so very inviting, all fresh and clean and, as yet, not covered in a soapy scum of dirt and hair. She simply had not been able to resist jumping in first, splashing water all over the place as she happily wallowed and sank down, even dipping her tongue into it curiously just to see if it had any particular taste to it or not. It wasn't as nice as the clean, fresh water she had at breakfast time though, so she didn't spend much time playing with it in that way.

Her charge barked and bowed down on her forelegs, wondering if Hinata was trying to play, but all Hinata wanted to do was feel the warm caress of the water flowing over her fur, lifting it up and away from her body as if it had simply become weightless – just like when she was jumping, gravity pulling her back down towards the ground as she howled and twisted in midair. Oh, to play!

It was too tantalising a thought and she struck the water with a paw, slapping it and splashing even more water over the edge of the wooden tub, the floor slick and shiny with the effects of her play. Barking, she waggled her rump and put her hands up on the edge of the tub, tail wagging even as she sought what she wanted to do next. She supposed she had better get on with her work even if the bath was so very lovely that she would have played in it all day long. She just couldn't understand why some of the dogs didn't like to be in baths! How strange of them!

Leaping out of the bath when she felt like she'd soaked for long enough, for no one could really call what she'd done actually bathing, Hinata shook herself dry – or as dry as it was possible to get – just like the dogs she was looking after. Fur spiking up, water flew off in all directions as she shook and shook and shook, doing a full job of it to make sure that she was as dry as a dog could possibly be, what with a damp nose and a tongue that spattered drool out everywhere at all times.

Of course, she'd still been a little damp from bathing the other dogs when she'd gone to see Taniguichi and her anger had been more a yelp of shock at cold water suddenly dripping down her leg than anything else. Soon enough, her boss was laughing and petting her and telling her what a silly girl she was, all the while drying her off with a thick, fluffy towel that was so warm that Hinata could have curled up in it and slept all day long in its comfort, if only she could have Taniguichi right there with her. But there was more work to be done as Taniguichi patted her on the head and sent her off with a click of her tongue to carry on with her day – which Hinata, of course, went about happily, knowing her boss was as pleased and happy with her as always.

She did not use the bathroom like normal but merely took care of business outside, fussing with the door for a moment before managing to work it with her paws. Hinata was very nearly bounding along in a true canine lope by this point and the freshness of the crisp, autumn morning sent a tingle through her body, fur fluffing up along the full length of her body. Relishing the snuffling through leaves, she panted and sniffed as much as she wanted before doing her business in a quiet spot that she would undoubtedly make her own later on, keeping her bodily functions far separate from where she slept, ate and played.

And there was much play to be had too! Hinata had never before realised – well, perhaps she had back in her younger years, but that was so very long ago – just how fun playing was! And all the dogs wanted to play too, even the male studs that barked and growled and then softened their eyes when she bowed down on her forelegs, backside raised invitingly. Every dog knew what that meant and Taniguichi didn't make a habit of breeding canines without good temperaments, although she was closely monitored as she interacted with some of the larger dogs. Hinata, however, wasn't in the right sense of mind to know that her head was only a little lower than theirs, reaching Taniguichi 's hip when standing easily. There would be a little more growth in her body still as her bones set and her fur thickened but that didn't matter to her at all as she frolicked and played and enjoyed every last little bit of being at the kennels.

Though...there were some things missing from her days as one rolled into the next, her panting a continuous, soft backdrop to work as she was moved into more socialisation roles. Hinata could no longer work the doors with her paws and, although she didn't like being away from Taniguichi -sama, she accepted it nonetheless because that was what she wanted – and who was she to argue with her? It was lovely enough that Taniguichi was good to her and nice to her and let her sleep in her bed each and every night like a giant, furry hot water bottle for a cold winter's night. And that bite of winter came on the wind when the sun dropped below the mountains, casting the kennels and its occupants into a darkness that seemed more and more soothing as her night vision improved.

For there was more to being a canine than merely looking like one (she was nearly all the way there), which Hinata was not aware of. Of course, she didn't know that she was being turned into a dog either, just that she was happier than she'd ever been before and with that came the changing, shifting thoughts, creeping up on her as if they had always been there. She would not have been able to change anything about her fate, everything shifting into the truth of reality but it was harder and harder to stay away from Taniguichi , the canine longing for her when she wasn't there, as hard as she worked for her in the kennels.

No... The thought was hazy and yet still there, her tail sweeping forlornly back and forth across the floor as she obediently waited on her haunches outside Taniguichi 's sleeping chamber. Her teeth were fully formed, pointed canines that gleamed with saliva as she panted, and her toes had just a little bit of fluff between them, her belly-fur thicker as if it was there to keep her dry when running through long grass – or maybe something else. It did not matter, only that she knew and accepted what she was, her blocky snout and those lovely, long, dangling ears that she could not perk but seemed so very right in their place either side of her head. She knew her place and all was as it should be, even if she was the one waiting and waiting and waiting for Taniguichi .

No, she wanted her there, to be with her above all else, just to feel same and warm and wanted, right where she was supposed to be. How could she long for someone so much, she would not know, but it did not matter how much she did or didn't understand, as long as she had that security that she craved at the end of the day. And Taniguichi was so very willing to provide that to her, seeming to take a quiet sort of pleasure in the companionship as Hinata devotedly followed her about wherever she was allowed.

Her usual chores were no longer possible as she bounded around the facility as a dog, tail wagging and ears flopping softly against her skull, but she still found ways to make herself useful. Her transformation was complete in both a physical and a mental state, although Hinata was too far gone to feel any sense of concern or curiosity over the how or why of it even happening. She just liked what Taniguichi gave her and so much that Taniguichi gave her was good and nice and good. How could she simply not be happy all the time?

Guarding – yes! Hinata panted heavily, sitting by the front door and keeping a wary eye on the gate. Oh, yes, yes, yes! She was very good at guarding and that was something that she could definitely do for Taniguichi ! The autumn leaves swirled in a lazy wind and she watched each and every one of them for a hidden threat. After all – anything could be hiding there!

And, if she guarded, she would be a very good girl for Taniguichi , which suddenly seemed to be the only thing she needed in her life. The breeding facility was wide and open and held everything for her already, but she needed Taniguichi . It didn't matter that she could run and play and do good work as a good girl as much as she wanted, frolicking in all the meadows set aside for Taniguichi 's beloved charges, but it very much did matter that Taniguichi loved her and, well, that she did absolutely everything she could for Taniguichi .

Hungry...

_ _

Whining, Hinata looked around but Taniguichi wasn't yet there to relieve her of guard duty, at least for that particular day, and she sat there with her stomach growling until Taniguichi , at long last, reappeared with a smile playing across her lips.

“Is my good girl hungry?"

Leaping up, Hinata barked madly, tail wagging so furiously that her rear end shifted back and forth from the sheer force of it.

Hungry! Feed me! Feed me!

_ _

A laughing Taniguichi led Hinata in for dinner where the dog-girl ate from a bowl on the floor and drank from the water bowl placed beside it. No more did she get to sit on a cushion at the low table and she'd fallen foul of a few rules that she had not been aware of when her status changed at the kennels, needing to keep away from the oh so very delicious food that was laid out for Taniguichi and Taniguichi alone. However, she had some very tasty food of her own to eat and it was not really all that difficult to learn the rules as they were gently but firmly dictated to her. Obeying was in her blood and she looked up to Taniguichi adoringly even as her boss cast her a look that made her step back, hunkering down even though she had not actually taken anything off the human table that time.

Bad girl... I no want to be bad girl... Bad girl is bad.

_ _

She knew how to be good though, as much as temptation tried to lead her astray. Instinct was a powerful thing and hunger, although low at the best of times, was a driving factor in her misdemeanours. Something small could grow, although Taniguichi was quick to discipline Hinata with a quick bop on the nose and a stern “no!" that sent her cowering even if she hadn't actually been physically hurt in the slightest.

Sitting outside on the decking where they could overlook the outdoor pens – some of the dogs, of course, preferred to have access to both the inside and outside simultaneously, living a life much like rather pampered farm dogs of other lives and estates – Hinata leaned softly against Taniguichi 's leg, eyes half-closed as she panted and panted and panted. It was only natural to express herself in panting as she relaxed, the world seeming to move around her without touching even a flicker of her fur, the warmth of Taniguichi all that she needed to feel like she was just where she was supposed to be.

“Are you a good girl, Hinata?" Taniguichi said softly, scratching her favourite companion behind her ear. “Are you always going to be a good girl, the very best girl for me?"

Hinata panted, some drool splattering to the wood of the deck as she expressed her joy in the best doggy way she knew how. Her nose was plump and moist, her bulky canine body somewhat similar to that of a mountain dog that would hike through winds and snow and come out comfortably warm at the other side of the adventure. Her fur betrayed the size of her body, hanging down her side and low under her belly, but it was her floppy ears that were simply the most fun, bouncing from one side to the other whenever she shook her head or moved a little too quickly.

And that was not the end of it, besides the mental changes that she loved even though she could not quite explain it. But she didn't need to explain it. Her legs tucked down into the traditional canine fashion with a sharp hock, the lower part of the hind leg quite short and powerful, designed to power her body forward through all kinds of weather conditions. Her chest was strong and deep, a barrel that could cut through any kind of vegetation – and it would be especially lovely to cuddle into her Taniguichi 's side on a cold, winter night too. The whiskers had been the very last thing to appear, prickling into life on either side of her muzzle and chin as they added another nuance to what she could sense, the fine hairs connecting intrinsically to her nervous system. At the very least, they allowed her to find small items on the floor more easily, particularly when they were in her blind spot.

Her body was now right for her and she was right for Taniguichi . She knew this in the very core of her soul, the canine whimpering contentedly as she leaned in eagerly to her new life.

“I good girl..."

At least, that was what Hinata tried to say, her long, pink tongue lolling haplessly from her muzzle as if she simply could not contain it for a single moment longer. She panted heavily, no longer able to form even the semblance of words as a little, canine whimper rolled from her lips.

Yes... She pushed through her thoughts, dropping to her belly as she squirmed and whined helplessly. Yes, she was a good girl, even if she could not say that anymore.

Good girl... Hinata panted. Please...owner. Owner nice. Feed me. Be good girl for owner.

_ _

Because that was all that really mattered to her: being good to the human who had shown her the light. Her past life as a human being drifted beyond her reach, family and friends but foggy shapes in the distant back of her mind. She didn't have to look back to that part of her life, although it would always remain a pleasant warmth there, the memory of someone holding her close and warm when the snow fell surfacing on a frosty winter night.

But her owner was there for her now and would look after her above all else. Hinata growled, although it was a sound of pleasure and not aggression, and pushed into the hand that smoothed softly down the back of her head, scratching her neck where the flesh and fur loosened slightly.

Good!

_ _

It was just the right spot and Hinata's happy panting intensified tenfold as she leaned into that hand, grunting and rumbling softly to herself in contented musing as she drifted, one thought after the other floating through her mind without any need to catch any single one of them coming to the forefront. What did it matter what she was thinking? She had more important things in her life and, well, she didn't even need to look after herself anymore. She would be able to go back to a nice, cosy kennel with friendly, happy companions and there would be so very many nice, new things for her to do! So many smells! Sights! Sounds! And other dogs too!

“There's a good girl... I knew you'd be the one to accept your true life here fully."

What did that mean? Hinata didn't care. It was a good life and all she wanted was for that hand to keep scratching and scratching, sending trembling pleasure through her in a rolling pulse that went on and on and on. All she had to do was be a good girl, the best kind of girl, and all that would be hers forever, she was sure.

Good owner... The thoughts moved thickly through her head as if they were pushing through molasses. Nice owner... Good to me. Good to good girl.

_ _

But even that chain of thought was difficult to hold onto as Hinata whimpered and laid her head down lovingly on her owner's thigh, eyes half closed in the light of dozy pleasure. Taniguichi played with her floppy ears and tickled behind them gently, soothing her new favourite pet and companion into soft sweetness, the trickle of raindrops beating the window a soothing backdrop to the melody of their quiet evening together.

Because all Taniguichi had needed was Hinata and now Hinata knew that Taniguichi was all she needed too, companion and master together until the end of their days. Her tail beat the floor lightly, although not too forcibly as if she was afraid to make too much noise in the comparative peace. The fire crackled, flames dancing and sparking as they snapped up kindling, ever hungry for what they would never truly be able to claim for their own. But Taniguichi and Hinata had it for themselves and the new canine bitch would not have changed anything for the whole world and more.

Yes... She was a good girl, a simple girl. And a canine had no troubles in the world beyond what their master – or mistress, as it were – bid for them. She would be fine, as long as she stayed near Taniguichi -sama and did all she ever asked of her with a goofy dog smile on her muzzle and a happy wag to her tail.

Good girl... Master look after good girl. Master good.

_ _

There was nothing else she needed to know.

And Hinata's life changed forever.