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 Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:32 pm
The most treasured of days are the ones where the weight of the world does not rest on your shoulders. The ones where a simple, but welcome distraction can change the course of the day, and keep the mind occupied with simpler questions. Questions such as; what class should I enroll for? Who should I team up with for the lesson? How long should I wait before talking to the new kid? Which seat can I take?
Or, in Riley's case, what exactly was she going to do with the little squirming pile of fluff that had been left at her door earlier that morning, with nothing but an anonymous note that said 'Thank you for Prom'?
Her first decision, after trying to pick up the tiny pup, was to immediately take it to Malodore - after all, it was clear this little, helpless, flailing thing was an infant version of the same species of pet Luce was. Malodore would know exactly what she should do with it.
And thus, she found herself entering the undead dorms, shaken with the familiarity of the act even as she knocked on Malodore's door with her foot. The little cwn needed both her hands, because it was squirming every appendage including it's head. It refused to stay still.
Malodore? It's me. Are you busy? Her visit had not been planned, but this too was not something uncommon. She showed up at the plague doctors door far more often than even she would like to admit, nowadays - if she ever even managed to leave it's room at all.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:35 pm
Come in, the thought came, tinged with cheerfulness at the edges. The faint ting! of metal being worked came from inside the room - the plague doctor was hard at work on its little forge, making its own feathers. It was being rather perfectionist about it, but given that it was creating its future wings, it felt perfect wasn't too much to ask for.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:41 pm
Riley truly regretted disturbing Malodore at such an important time, and all she wanted was to let it work in peace - but the conflict of dealing with something like this wiggling lump of cute made her walk in and close the door with her foot, before dumping it down on the bed.
I'm sorry, love. I know you shouldn't be disturbed. I really didn't want to. It's just.
The pup had already managed to squirm so much, that the covers of the bed were rolled up around it so completely it was like a giant ball of bedsheets.
And still it wiggled.
Someone left me a present.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:57 pm
"You are always welcome here, mia cara," it said, putting down the feather it had been working on and tapping the flame-imp under the forge to turn off the heat. "I was ready for a break in any case. It's not a simple thing, forming perfect aerodynamic feathers..."
Luce figured it out before Malodore, naturally - the cwn pup approached the bed with her ears perked up, her hackles showing slightly at her neck, every sense focused. There was a thing in there. A mysterious thing.
The plague doctor glanced from Luce to the bed to Riley. "What manner of present would this be?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:15 pm
The thing itself answered in the form of a tiny, high pitched barking. Riley flew to it's rescue, immediately pulling the sheets away if only to stop it from yapping - and once it was free, it flattened on the bed and wiggled it's tail violently, as if ready to pounce and play. She stood up straight, looking highly unamused.
I believe someone may have seen my love for Luce, and thought this might make for a nice gift. I, too, thought the same when I first saw it.
She turned around to look at Mal, just as the pup scrabbled forward on the bed with awkward steps and started licking her fingers furiously. She ignored it.
After all, Luce is, let us be honest, the best pet ever. She gave the older pup an affectionate look. And seeing one of my own was a happy surprise.
It yapped loudly at the lack of attention.
Until it started yelling at me.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:21 pm
Luce's ears rose so high that they very nearly stood up straight. Then she lunged forward, barking, jumping up on the bed to sniff... well, sniff butts. Canine etiquette is a marvelous thing.
"Ah!" A wave of amusement - and fondness - came from Malodore's direction as it, too, walked up to the bed. "A cwn annwn of your very own! How precious... and my, how Luce has grown. I hadn't noticed..." Indeed, while Luce wasn't fully grown yet, she was quite a bit bigger than the pup on the bed. Its little girl was growing up.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:30 pm
The smaller pup stopped licking the fingers when a more interesting subject hopped on the bed and started sniffing his butt. He yelped and immediately flopped down onto it's back, all four paws waving wildly in the air. It was unclear as to what he was actually trying to do, but he was doing it really, really hard.
Riley sighed sharply. It is precious, Malodore. It's just..
Her eyes flickered from the new pup, to Luce, and back. Her pup was acting like it was having a seizure.
I suppose it was naive of me to think all cwn would be as well mannered and intelligent as Luce..
The pup let out a noise that sounded like a cat dying. How did it even..
Riley let Luce keep it's attention for a while, and snuck around to slink her hand around Malodore's arm affectionately. Well. Regardless, it is my responsibility now. Would you, perhaps, do me the honor of naming it?
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:22 pm
"Did you know that Luce urinated in my room precisely twenty-seven times before she was successfully trained?" Malodore said, its tone conversational. Still, as it got close to the pup, something about its excitement and eagerness was infectious. It rolled out like a wave, until the plague doctor could hardly think about anything else other than excitement! greeting! yay!
Malodore shook its head and took a few steps back until it could think again. Odd. Perhaps like master, like pet? "Naming? Ah, yes... I might try. I've only named five things in my life, though. Parassiti. Fiore della Morte. Luce, Dolce. And myself."
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:44 pm
Riley's face shriveled at the idea, and looked at the pup. Urination. What joys she had waiting for her as a new owner.
That's.. interesting. I suppose I should have known. Shehk's hunting pup was so easy to train, though.. it somehow always knew to leave of it's own accord when it had bodily duties. Ah well.
She sat down on the bed, and reached out to brush her claws against the top of the tiny pup's head. He reacted instantly by squirming back onto it's stomach and placing one of said claws between his mouth, gnawing with what pathetic little strength it could.
And I love each, and every one of those names. I would be proud to own a pet named by you. She responded to Malodore after it listed them. I, ah, have another favor to ask of you, but first..
She looked away, back to the pup gnawing on her finger.
First a name, I think.
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:42 pm
"Ah, see, you have used up your easy-training fortune on the wolf," Malodore said, opening its beak in a mischievous smile. "You have no one to blame but yourself."
That said, it sat down on the edge of the bed. "Hmm..."
It was a little hard to think. It felt like tapping its foot; its tail swished back and forth behind it, bumping against Riley's back lightly. A name. Have to think of a name...
"... Ombra? It means 'shadow'. With any luck, it will be a little shadow to you, yes?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:57 pm
As soon as Malodore uttered the name, Riley nodded in approval. Perfect. I knew you were the right one to come to for this. She reached back to the tail she felt bumping against her, but by the time she'd done it, it was already gone - swished in the other direction. Was Malodore.. wagging it's tail?
She was glad to see it in such a good mood. Her eyes were watching it carefully, studying it's features. She knew them all by heart, but it never stopped her from wanting to stare.
But her eyes eventually dropped to the bed again, as she chose to stop biding her time. And it was at this point that her carefully guarded emotions flooded with fear. Naturally, she did not allude to her fear physically, as her face retained it's obligatory mask of blank caution.
Then I suppose there is nothing left but to tell you the other reason why I have come. It concerns something you won't be very happy about. Quite honestly, I feel Ombra would be safer staying here with you for a little while. Just until I can guarantee it is safe in my dorm room again.
The words sounded worrysome for Ombra, but in truth she wanted, so badly, to say that it was she who should stay with Malodore, until it was safe again. The problem lay in the fact that she didn't think that particular day would come.
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:20 pm
Malodore didn't hear a word Riley thought in its direction after the word perfect, because a sudden, terrible wave of fear rose around it, sourceless and nameless. Its eyes widened behind the lenses, and it automatically shrank in on itself; its beak clattered before it forced it shut.
What... what was happening? Its head hurt - one hand went up to touch at its temple, even though it couldn't possibly touch the actual flesh because its mask was in the way.
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:27 pm
Riley looked up, looking about ready to go into more detail, when it became quite obvious that she was talking to a being that wasn't listening - but instead cringing in fear itself. Her own eyes widened, and she immediately moved to it's side, wrapping her arms around Malodore and pulling it into her lap as tightly as it could. The canines sitting on the middle of the bed were dislodged in place at the sudden jump in her movement, and Ombra even bounced up slightly, bumping his head right back into the bed when he landed. He immediately twisted his little body around to look around in shock, stilled as he tried to discern what had just happened.
Malodore. Malodore. My darling. Riley coo'd as she cradled it back and forth, running her hand down it's back. What's wrong, what's happened? Shhh, I'm here. I'm here.
Every speck of fear was now replaced by worry. What had just happened? Why was Malodore suddenly as afraid as she had felt inside? Was something threatening it, just as dangerously as Andeon's presence now threatened her?
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:32 pm
Comfort prickled for a moment before it was replaced by worry in a rising tide, sweeping away everything else despite Riley's closeness. "I... I don't know, I was just suddenly... so afraid, so..." Its stomach twisted unpleasantly. Anxiety curled around it and settled hard. What was happening? It didn't - couldn't - get sick...
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:42 pm
Riley stilled her hand, staring at the plague doctor with a single raised eyebrow. Her mind worked at an immeasurable speed, trying to piece together exactly why Malodore had just practically collapsed in fear for no known reason.
And now? How do you feel, now? She leaned in, and rubbed her face gently against it's beak, closing her eyes. She was so worried, all she wanted to do was make it feel better. Her heart fluttered with emotion.
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