A Dog's Talk
What did you two talk about that made you so serious, sir?
The question’s a bit out of the blue and Ryan looks up startled from the sword he’s pounding on. What?
You and River. What made you so serious? I mean, more serious.
Ryan goes back to pounding since you can’t just stop this sort of work whenever you feel like it. He frowns at the metal as he works it into shape. River wants to be like me.
Grumpy? Sorry! Dam grins at Ryan's look even as he pins his ears back.
She wants me to bite her. Ryan barely catches a whiff of Damocles’ puzzlement over the ash.
What for?
Because that could turn her into a werewolf, too.
You can do that?
Yes, Damocles. I used to be human, you know. Ryan takes the sword back to the coals.
No, I didn’t. The dog falls silent for a bit. So why does that make you so serious? Isn’t her being like you a good thing?
It’s Ryan’s turn to be silent. I’d like to think so, but humans…don’t usually see things that way. Most like being human very much. They don’t like having to hunt for their food.
But…but hunting is AWESOME.
Ryan can’t help but smile a bit at that. A lot of humans find it violent and unsettling. I did, once.
I can’t imagine that at all.
Well, I’ve changed. River thinks she’d like it, though. I just want her to be sure. It’s not the sort of thing one does lightly.
Because she might not like it.
Right.
But she thinks she would? And you think she would?
She does. And I hope so.
So what’s the problem?
If I turn her and she doesn’t like it, what then? He pulls the sword back out of the coals.
Dam doesn't have a fast answer to that one. Perhaps she’ll learn to like it?
Perhaps, Ryan agrees, frowning as he starts shaping the metal again. Perhaps I shouldn’t turn her at all.
But if you both want to try…you’re always telling me ‘live and learn’. Isn’t this a living thing? Like the time I ate a grasshopper?
It’s a bit more complicated than that. The dog does have a point, though.
Okay. You’ll do what’s best. You’re alpha.
I appreciate the vote of confidence.
The question’s a bit out of the blue and Ryan looks up startled from the sword he’s pounding on. What?
You and River. What made you so serious? I mean, more serious.
Ryan goes back to pounding since you can’t just stop this sort of work whenever you feel like it. He frowns at the metal as he works it into shape. River wants to be like me.
Grumpy? Sorry! Dam grins at Ryan's look even as he pins his ears back.
She wants me to bite her. Ryan barely catches a whiff of Damocles’ puzzlement over the ash.
What for?
Because that could turn her into a werewolf, too.
You can do that?
Yes, Damocles. I used to be human, you know. Ryan takes the sword back to the coals.
No, I didn’t. The dog falls silent for a bit. So why does that make you so serious? Isn’t her being like you a good thing?
It’s Ryan’s turn to be silent. I’d like to think so, but humans…don’t usually see things that way. Most like being human very much. They don’t like having to hunt for their food.
But…but hunting is AWESOME.
Ryan can’t help but smile a bit at that. A lot of humans find it violent and unsettling. I did, once.
I can’t imagine that at all.
Well, I’ve changed. River thinks she’d like it, though. I just want her to be sure. It’s not the sort of thing one does lightly.
Because she might not like it.
Right.
But she thinks she would? And you think she would?
She does. And I hope so.
So what’s the problem?
If I turn her and she doesn’t like it, what then? He pulls the sword back out of the coals.
Dam doesn't have a fast answer to that one. Perhaps she’ll learn to like it?
Perhaps, Ryan agrees, frowning as he starts shaping the metal again. Perhaps I shouldn’t turn her at all.
But if you both want to try…you’re always telling me ‘live and learn’. Isn’t this a living thing? Like the time I ate a grasshopper?
It’s a bit more complicated than that. The dog does have a point, though.
Okay. You’ll do what’s best. You’re alpha.
I appreciate the vote of confidence.