Title: HSU FIC-Lions, Tigers, and the General-Oh, My!
Author: Ellie
Rating: HOMD-High on Mountain Dew
Timeline: After Kendra's Road Trip
Archive: Yeppers
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the lint in my belly button, okay that's sounds gross, but it's almost true, please George don't sue.
Summary: Shana gets to house a tiger in the library so Ellie figures she can get some wild pets of her own, but are they all the four legged, furry kind.

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"They'll never let you do it," Kendra warned her friend, Ellie.

"Why not? Shana keeps one in the library with the loony Emperor and Dorotea doesn't even mind." Ellie battled with her roomie. "What I'm asking you is do you mind? You are my roommate so your opinion actually counts this time." Ellie grinned and watched as Kendra gave her a glare. She huffed and relaxed her stare.

"Oh, all right, I don't mind if you get some cats. Which ones in particular?" She eyed Ellie suspiciously.

"Well, Siberian Tigers were always my favorite, but it might get crowded in here when it gets older. I did a research trip on ocelots once, they're small and docile," Ellie wrote something on the pad of paper on the bed in front of her and continued talking, though now it was clear she was talking more to herself than to her roommate. "Snow Leopards are nice, but they like to climb and I don't think my bookshelf is equipped. Let's see, cheetahs, no, not enough running room. Gosh, the ocelot needs a friend I can't think of anything. And I call myself a specialist." Ellie kept muttering and Kendra took the liberty of smacking her upside the head. "Hmm?" Ellie looked up in surprise. "What is it?"

"You're rambling."

"Oh, sorry, I'm trying to think of another species. What is your favorite?" She looked at her friend expectantly.

"Hmm, I'm not sure, how about a black leopard?"

"Hey, that's pretty good. Still climbers, but not as much. We can taker her to the orchard down the road every now and then. I'll have to give my friends a call over at the sanctuary. Now they aren't exactly tame animals, they still have their wild instincts, so we'll have to be careful."

"Kind of like the General when he's horny, huh?" Both girls fell into a fit of giggles.

Kendra stifled her laughter and turned serious. "Come on, quit dawdling. You know the bus is here and you know I'm going to make you go on the trip so don't even try to get out of it." She gave her friend the don't-even-bother-smarting-off-or-I-smack-upside-the-head-look.

"Oh, fine, let me tend to some things." Ellie marched into her bedroom and closed the door quietly behind her, tiptoeing her way to her closet.

**Across campus**

 Kymira sat with her wench mother and Dande and watched them bond over hairsprayed hair and big biceps talk.

Darry walked by giggling with a big bag of Pounce in her arms. Looking for any way out, Kymira tried to get her attention.

"Darry, what are ya doing?" Kymira asked. Darry looked up from her crouch in the hallway and ssshhed Kymira with her fingers.

"I'm hunting a putty tat," Darry whispered and threw her head back in a shrill laugh. She placed a treat precisely on the tile and rose, dusting off her Armani pants. "Don't say a word to anyone about what you've seen."

Kymira, Jen, Dande and even the wench mother all stared in disbelief at the little scene that had just played. Wench mother began ranting about the strange goings on, and didn't Kymira have any normal friends, and what EXACTLY was going on at this school anyway, and who was the guy in black leather. Dande rolled her eyes and the other girls swooned, thinking about The Look.

**Back in the dorms**

"Ellie, are you ready yet?" Kendra yelled as she opened her roomie's door, then stopped short at the sight she saw. Ellie stood standing in the open closet door, handing a sandwich and a soda to a rather out of place hockey player. "Ellie, you've still got him in your closet?! You said you were going to send him back."

"Well," Ellie said meekly, "I haven't gotten around to finishing that paperwork for Darry. I haven't come up with a plausible excuse for the General. He doesn't mind, though, do you Darryl?" Ellie purred at her hot hockey hunk.

"Of course not Miss Ellie." Darryl leaned close and gazed into Ellie's eyes. Kendra couldn't believe it; the man was swooning.

Kendra gave up and walked out of the room mumbling to herself, "What I have to put up with living with her. First she wants wild animals, now she's got a hockey player living in her closet. Jeez, what will she come up with next?" Kendra slammed the door behind her as she went out but the other two didn't even notice.

**Outside at the bus**

"Ooh, I wonder where we're going to go. I hate when he tries to be sneaky." Lynne complained as all the girls milled about.

"I happen to like when he plays sneaky," Robin said with a sly grin and all the girls blushed and gave her knowing looks.

**Back at the dorm**

"Alright, are you going to be okay in here for a few more days? You've got some takeout, sorry I don't cook, and some magazines, and the little TV. I'm all set then. I'll see you in a few days."

"You girls have fun. Hey, does this TV get cable? I think there's supposed to be a hockey game tomorrow night," Darryl inquired. Too bad he didn't realize that there was indeed a game, a Stanley cup game, that he was supposed to be at, but Ellie intended on keeping here just a little while longer. If only she could get a hold of the Nurse about that Application she'd filled out.

"Nope, no cable, sorry sweetcheeks. I'm sure they'll be plenty of soaps. Well, have fun. Tootles." She closed the door and left the hunk to pine for her. The way it should be for any Ho; she just hoped the General wouldn't find him.

She grabbed her bag and a good book for the bus ride and flew out the room, collecting Kendra in her wake and making her way to the bus. Road trip! They were always so much fun. She knew just where she wanted to go!

Texas! They could go to a dude ranch. The General would look glorious in tight jeans, leather chaps and spurs. Not to mention riding...er...horses. They could also drive down to the Gulf. Yummy! The General in a bathing suit, dripping with seawater, a glimmer in his eye; it just sounded scrumptious.

Ellie shook her head and tried to focus. She mentally checked everything off. She called her friend and put in the order for her cats, they'd arrive when she returned from the trip. She hoped none of the staff would object. The more the merrier she figured. Darryl Sydor was fed, entertained, and safely hidden away in her closet. Yes, everything was in order.

Kendra and Ellie stepped into chaos as a herd of HSU students were loitering around the bus. Things were looking as if a catfight might ensue over where the destination would be.

"Girls, quiet down." The General strode into the masses and gave them the Look and everyone hushed. "I'll decide where we are going so don't you worry your pretty heads about it. Now, load up your gear, we're almost ready to depart on our Road Trip." The girls all stared as he proudly announced his plans with a twinkle in his beautiful green-blue eyes. He definitely had something special in store for his girls.