Jasmine and I were on the way home and we were both quiet. I reminded the Lord I was willing and I prayed for us trusting He was Listening. I was calm and carefully welcomed her down which she was more than fine with and we went in to our home. I had set up one of the bedrooms as “her” spot to get acclimated and proceeded to get the metal cage out of the SUV and into the bedroom. What a rig amoral that was. Esther and Gideon kept a quiet curious distance and they both went into my room under the bed after hearing and seeing the dreaded metal cage. I closed the door for them to feel safe and set things up. Jasmine looked discombobulated and seemed unusually subdued. I spent some time with her speaking softly and stroking her and then gave her some space of her own. I began to discern some serious complexities in her but things were too fresh and new yet. One thing I did know is her name wasn’t right. It just didn’t fit and she didn’t respond to it at all as if she couldn’t hear it.

Esther and Gideon had come out from under the bed and were relaxed and curious. Esther was more so and even went to the door of the bedroom she was in and meowed in her sweet soft way. As if to say I know you’re in there and it will be ok. When Esther did that again I knew she would have me open the door and let her in and I did. Jasmine, was tucked in a ball in that metal cage and peeked at Esther from behind the paws covering her muzzle. She lifted her head and with both ears out to the side as she watched Esther carefully but deliberately made her way to the cage. Esther sniffed, purred, meowed looked very intently into her eyes and then quietly left with a gentle expression as she walked out. Jasmine put her head down. Gideon took his time but also found his courage to approach and took a good long look and sniffed many times. I often say he has a better sense of smell than most dogs. She looked softly at him more comfortably than with Esther and didn’t make a sound. Gideon walked around the cage as if he was disgusted with it and then purred and gave a huge meow and then walked right out of the room. It was good intros. Not one bit of aggression and unbelievably submissive.

It was time for her first backyard moment and for a potty break before getting some treats and water before bedtime. I had to work in the morning and it was getting late. I opened the cage and welcomed her out. For a while she just sat there staring out the metal door. All of a sudden she got right up and timidly followed me to the sliding door in the kitchen. It was then I saw how thin and frail she was and wondered what on earth had she been through. I had pretty tall block walls surrounding the perimeter and knew she was safe to roam freely and encouraged her to go at will. When she decided to explore her new territory, she looked everywhere for a way of escape. Back and forth from one end to another, she was stressed. It was time for another prayer for God’s Peace and Security for all of us. Not having had a husky before I did not know this was even a thing with some of them. Thankfully she realized there was no way over the walls. Jasmine showed me she had definitely had some kind of trauma in her past. When overwhelmed with her anxiety she would collapse into this little round ball and just freeze. I had to carefully pick her up that night and many nights after to bring her in. When I brought her in that first night Gideon was waiting right in the middle of the kitchen. I carefully placed her on the floor and he proceeded to go right up to her and rub her with his head and body right to the tip of his tail. She stood there and let him do it with a cautious appreciation for his expression. His display of affection surprised me as he was always the nervous of the two kitties. The fact that Jasmine allowed this not knowing him and permitted that very personal encounter after being stressed outside was amazing to me. She and I walked back to the bedroom after a few treats, a good drink of water and a few moments in the living room bonding. She did not want to be in that metal cage. They said it would be safe for her. I was beginning to wonder about that. That night she went in and we said our good night prayers together. I thanked her for being there before I closed the door.