He didn't go in expecting anything big. Some tiny fluffy owls, a couple of toads, pygmy puffs that were clearly for girls - all animals he wasn't interested in. Sure, the owners likely had cats, but if he himself owned a cat then it would just be a conversation piece that people came up to pet. When you were nice people took advantage of you, and he didn't want anyone taking advantage of a pet he adopted. So... yeah, Max didn't go into the Magical Menagerie prepared to come out with anything substantial.

Perusing a bunch of overly-friendly kittens and allowing himself a moment of cheerful scratching under their chins, he let out a small sigh. Too happy, too easy to for people to use. If he grew into his father's business there would be no end to what people would use against him, and a cat was absolutely fair game. He made to turn away and nearly let out an unseemly shriek at the sight of an old woman standing behind him with her hands folded out neatly in front of her.

"Find what you were looking for?" she asked as he tried to calm breaths that had become rather erratic. "We have other kittens if you're interested. We've also just gotten the nicest little snowy owl in, I'm sure she'd love a home with a well-to-do young man since her personality is rather..." It was clear what she'd been about to say before she trailed off and Max couldn't hide the disdain that passed over his face at the thought of buying a messy, diva-like owl.

"I'm good, thanks," he mumbled as he attempted to sidestep her, hiding his annoyance. He'd always hated it when shopkeepers came up to hawk their wares, and it seemed even cheaper in a pet store since one was essentially selling a sentient creature. Besides, this was a waste of time that his father wouldn't appreciate since he was supposed to be learning 'budgeting'. The more time you had to look for deals, the better, and so there was no more time to waste here.

"Before you go, I'd like to introduce you to one other creature." Max opened his mouth to protest but the look the woman gave him allowed no room for argument; as kind as she appeared, it seemed there was some sort of steel in her. With another heartfelt sigh that made it clear he didn't want to spend anymore time in the shop, Max followed her into another room, side-eyeing a pink ball of fluff that stared rather intensely at him. "The thing many students don't understand," the woman said, jerking him out of his thoughts. "Is that animals are somewhat like wands. The right creature needs to fit the right person so that they can bond completely. It may sound silly, but I think you'll understand when you meet her."

"Her?" Max asked, however his only answer was a grandmotherly smile with a hint of mischief. Curious now, he pressed on until they came to a comfy-looking crate sporting a massive beast of a kitten. No, there was no way it was a kitten. This was a cat and she had a veritable mane of black around her face that lent her a look of regality. She was like some sort of queen, and the way she ignored him made him fall instantly and irrevocably in love.

"Hi, sweetheart," he greeted softly, barely aware of the shopkeeper woman as he knelt down to be at the cat's level. "What kind of kitten are you?" He stretched out a hand and had only got a finger through the slat when she moved. Quick as a viper, she was on her feet with his finger clutched between her teeth before his voice rose on the question. He heard a sharp breath behind him but he kept his eyes on the cat, the two of them watching each other for what seemed like an age.

Whether it was a couple of seconds or a couple of minutes, she eventually released his finger and he withdrew it to put it in his mouth and suck the blood away.

"She's - "

"Perfect," Max finished, unable to contain his grin as the cat watched him carefully through slitted yellow eyes, tail lashing back and forth. "Like a queen of some wild cat army. Or a queen of - " He narrowed his eyes, his grin growing fiercer as the cat bared her teeth. "Gorgo. I've been looking for you for a long time, you know." The cat's flattened ears suddenly perked as if she liked the name, and Max immediately turned to the old woman with a handful of coins.

"However much she is, I'll take her," he said, 'budgeting' all but forgotten. "Whatever I have to pay, she's coming home with me."

The woman merely smiled and nodded, nice enough not to gloat about the victory of winning a surly boy over. She didn't need the satisfaction of gloating anyway; one look at the way the disdainful boy and contemptuous cat studied each other was enough for her. However rocky their relationship was about to start off to, they'd end up friends for life.

What animal do you wish to purchase? Chartreux
What do you want to name it? Gorgo
Is this a boy or a girl? Girl
What is your pet's date of birth? Unknown, 2015
Word Count: 875