=D Just a continuation of our storytelling thread, I guess!
Word Count → 384
Hati waited but heard no response. Assuming Lottie or whomever it was simply hadn't heard him, he returned his attention to the old book, turning the yellowed page delicately to see what else it contained. That page had no diagrams, so he flipped to the next one, interested when he found a drawing of a human skull. It was so round and flat compared to that of canines. He tried to picture a creature with no muzzle like that, but didn't have anything to base it on. Perhaps there were illustrations of humans in this encyclopedia.
Then he heard Terra's cheery greeting, and glanced up in surprise. His household largely preferred the upright Optime form for their daily lives, what with the civilized culture of reading books, sleeping in beds, cooking their food, eating with utensils and plates, even horseback riding. It was the way Hati and his littermates had been raised, and being able to shift was an important rite of passage, since now he could take part in all the little rituals. It was still fun to run around on all fours, and usually a faster way to travel, but Hati was feeling more and more comfortable standing on two legs. It was a cultural difference, though, because he was aware of packmates such as Terra that preferred the wild freedom of their Lupus form. That was what surprised him, not her presence there but rather to see her enter standing upright. She was still smaller than him, lithe and skinny as always, but he liked seeing this side of her. Her pointed coyote face was framed by her wild red mane, drawing out the green hues of her eyes as well as the silver necklace and collar she was sporting.
"Bonjour, Terra! You look pretty today," he said with a smile as she settled next to him, sneezing at the dust from his book. "Everyone else does seem to be out," he admitted with a shrug, unperturbed. It was quieter when his family was out and about the kingdom, although there were still unexpected guests like Terra that dropped by from time to time, seeking an audience with the king. "Who did you come to see? I can tell them you dropped by," Hati offered politely, assuming it was probably Skoll.
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