A Use at Last

Wayne McCoy · 05-11-2012, 08:56 PM

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Somehow, the dusty-colored mongrel was relieved to see the girl look so bright and happy and strong on two legs. He hadn’t been the best mentor for her, remaining awkward and hardly social even when they had one of their few lessons, but he had tried to be there if she needed a playmate when she was young and an ear as she grew older and older. She was a teenager now, and he was somewhat amused to realize that she wasn’t all that much younger than him. It was hard to remember that he had only just turned two years old.

Wayne laughed as the golden teen vaulted over a fence that wound through the otherwise free-range pasture. She was clumsy but determined, jogging toward him and announcing her shift. He nodded in agreement, his cheeks crinkling with his smile; as grouchy as he’d been lately, Adelle was one of the few who could brighten his day no matter what. At least he’d been right in that—he was never harsh to her even in one of his dark moods, although sometimes he was strained and tired.

Brown eyes watched warily as she stroked the mare’s neck, but Fern only reciprocated with a gentle nibble of the girl’s hair; she recognized the smell of the pack well enough and knew it was safe.

The cowboy was caught off guard when the teenager embraced him, but after a moment he wrapped his strong arms around her awkwardly. “Whatcha been up to in your new form?” he asked lightly, mussing her hair as he drew back. Was it really not that many months ago that they explored the waterfalls? Time flew, and it was a bit overwhelming. He cleared his throat and made sure the shovel wouldn’t fall over, brushing some dirt off his fur.

“Suppose I’m obligated to teach ya to ride,” he added warmly. Finally, she was approaching the age where his lessons would be useful. He might never be a true warrior, but learning how to ride horseback was an important part of Casa di Cavalieri’s culture as well.

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