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Rurik wasn't particularly spiritual; he only really paid any attention to Stribog as a god, and even then it wasn't anything like any usual religious worship—his religion might be likened to a loose set of beliefs more than anything else. There were the Vodyanye, of course—these were the water spirits that Rurik paid special attention to while he was on the ship. Beyond that, there was only the nameless Domovoi—the house spirits. Rurik had several of these throughout his life, ranging from the very placid and very old one in the Sobirat'sya house—an ancient old dog who liked to appear on the porch, curled up in one of the corners. She was a quiet one, never making trouble for the Russo family—rumors spread that she was one of the Russo ancestors, but as Rurik recalled, the dog blood came from his mother's side—so maybe that was made-up. It was still a nice little tale, though. “Maybe so! Zhat would be vonderful. Mine daughter Liliya and mine other son Silas are here, too,” he said, smiling broadly, proud of his little Russian enclave.
It didn't take a moment for the man to understand as the other canine began explaining, and the nervousness faded quickly from the silver-furred werewolf's face. At the feline's words he smiled, and bowed his head to her, a clear sign of respect from the silver-furred werewolf, though he did not believe it respectful to address her in return. Spirits such as these were both beautiful and dangerous in the werewolf's head regardless of what Nayati said; they were otherworldly and their powers extended beyond what Rurik could see and sense. “I vill ask Anatoliy about eet later. Maybe he does not know spirits—he never saw Sobirat'sya Domovoi,” the werewolf said. “Domovoi ees house spirit. They protect, keep the bad spirits out—but keeping happy ees hard verk, sometimes,” the man said, smiling. He accepted these things without much fuss at all; the silver-furred werewolf had little experience in these things, but he knew well enough where to show respect. “You are lucky man, I zhink,” Rurik said slowly. Truly benevolent spirits such as this were rare in Rurik's eyes.
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