Homecoming

[Claudius Aston]

310.
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[/html]The call roused Claudius from a deep, conscious slumber. He was concentrating so hard on his carving that it took him a few moments to realize what was going on. At first, it didn’t register, but after a few more times of digging his knife into the wood, he realized what had just happened. Slowly and almost lethargically, he placed his knife and piece of wood on a small dirt ledge. It was made of packed dirt and was quite convenient for when he was carving. He moved to stand up, but then thought better of it, since traveling to the borders would be quicker if he was in his four-legged form. Instead of shifting to his most base, animalistic form, he instead stopped halfway in his Secui form. He wasn’t in any rush, but he wanted to see who it was at their gates.

As he emerged from his den, he returned the howl with one of his own to inform the other canine—whomever they were—that he would be along shortly.

He arrived to see a brown and black wolf standing beside a pure black horse. He immediately noticed that the black horse had an unusually-coloured mane. Most of the black horses he’d seen had a black mane to complement their black body. This didn’t allay his fear, but it did take the edge off. At least he had something to think about for when he began to worry.

“Huh-huh-hello,” he began. He took a long, deep breath and then introduced himself: “I-I a-am Cuh-cuh-Claudius… Asto-on, the Re-epresenta-a-ative. Why-y do you ca-all for me?” He tried to give the wolf, a young girl, a small smile. He hoped that he did not seem too ridiculous, staring up at the two-legged wolf and her horse, all the while trying to maintain his authority in his almost-tall Secui form.[html]

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