{walkwalk}

[vulcans_purr]

{sniffsniff

Comments

[len_not_spock]

It was another lovely day out on New Vulcan - not that there had been any so far that hadn't been. The slight strangeness of walking down streets filled with (almost) nothing but straight-faced Vulcans had worn off, by now, and Leonard was enjoying the hustle and bustle taking place around him.

Especially since he was taking the puppy (who still didn't have a name, alas) for a walk, and watching her reactions to this new and stimulating environment, as she sniffed her way around on the farthest reaches of the extendable leash they'd found, was a joy in and of itself.

He was so focussed on her he almost missed the blur of dark fur darting in between people's feet.

[vulcans_purr]

{sniffsniff}

{???}

{new smell?}

{turn---}

{!!!}

Mrrrr....!

{smelly ugly thing!}

{get away from me!}

{backup backup}

{PUFF UP! I AM BIG!}

{YOU WILL FEAR ME!}

HISSSSSSS!

{SWAT!}

[buick_riviera]

The nameless puppy was suffering a strange division of her consciousness.

Half of her remembered cats, and was not threatened by them. Had, in fact, been rather worried about them hiding behind her wheels but enjoyed them perching on her hood. Cats were tiny and somewhat delicate, as all small creatures were.

But the part of her that was now puppy was both intrigued and utterly intimidated. She crouched back, flattening her ears but wagging her tail, a pose which had, thus far, pleased her people.

[vulcans_purr]

Hissssssss...!

{back arch!}

{stay sideways!}

{FEAR ME}

{BIGGER THAN YOU!}

{yes! you will lay down!}

{bow before me!}

{puffypuffypuffytail}

{still bigger than you}

[len_not_spock]

Leonard, stopped in his tracks by the hissing of the cat which was quite simply impossible to miss, cautiously reigned in the length of the leash as he approached slowly.

The puppy did not seem all that inclined to try and chase Yontaya around, at least, although the tentative wagging of its tail would surely be misinterpreted. He crouched down, extending a hand in Yontaya's direction.

"Hey Yontaya," he coaxed softly, "I haven't seen you in a bit. She won't try to hurt you, promise."

Well, it was worth a shot anyway.

[vulcans_purr]

{big-person!}

{make the smelly-ugly go away!}

{sniffsniff?}

{!!! chemical-calm!}

{...}

{not going near smelly-ugly}

{slooooow skirt past}

{stay by chemical-calm}

{still puffy}

{not afraid of you, smelly-ugly}

[len_not_spock]

And now he was kneeling in the middle of a busy street, curious puppy to one side of him, suspicious cat to the other.

Leonard fought very hard not to laugh, for fear of startling either of the animals - the Vulcans would not-quite frown at him, regardless.

"It's alright," he soothed again as he ran a hand over Yontaya's smooth fur, even as his other reached out to stroke the puppy. "I know she's strange, but she's just a puppy. And wants to be your friend, I'm sure."

[vulcans_purr]

Mrrrrrrrr.....

{dubious look}

{must be joking}

{smells bad}

{jump!}

{climb arm}

{hug shoulder}

{am higher than you, smelly-ugly!}

{preen}

[buick_riviera]

Of course, getting higher only offered the puppy an impossible temptation. She stood, wagging harder, hoping it wanted to play now. It was small and dark, like her, and it smelled interesting and warm. She barked, high and excited, and bowed most enticingly. She had been stupid to be afraid!

[len_not_spock]

The cat was now balanced precariously on his shoulder, claws digging lightly (for now) through his thin shirt, and the puppy wanted to play.

This, Leonard realized, with an eye-widening sense of horror in the split second before her barks had finished ringing through the air, would not end well.

[vulcans_purr]

{LOUD!}

{CLAWS! need balance!}

HISSSSSS!

{will DESTROY you, smelly-ugly!}

Mrrrrrr.....!

{am loud!}

{YOU WILL FEAR ME!}

YOWL!

[buick_riviera]

It was playing! And it wanted to play with Len-person, too. Puppy was happy. She wagged and bounced, waiting for it to come down and chase her.

[len_not_spock]

Playing was not the first word that sprang to mind as Yontaya's claws dug sharply into his shoulder. "Fuck," came a hell of a lot closer, along with a hiss of his own.

If he moved, he knew, Yontaya would only cling all the more fiercely to him by instinct.

"Hush now," he directed firmly at the puppy instead, slightly hysterical laughter just beneath the surface, "down girl, down."

[vulcans_purr]

{aaaaaaaaaaarch}

{you come any closer and I will hurt you!}

hisssssssssssssss!

mrrrrrr....

{chemical-calm make smelly-ugly STOP!}

[buick_riviera]

She sort of knew these words. They linked to form something contrary to what she wanted. Contrary to what she thought the situation called for.

She sat, restless and kept still only by Len's perverse command.

[len_not_spock]

Perverse the command may have seemed to be, to her, but Leonard breathed a sigh of relief.

"There you go," he murmured, "good girl."

And slowly, cautiously balancing Yontaya on his shoulder with his hand whilst attempting to not get it tangled with his free hand, rose to his feet.

Best to put a bit of distance between them, for now.