Word count: 462 // +3 points
Alduin’s head tilted curiously when Toby’s growl reached his ears, concern spreading quickly across his face. For a moment, he wondered if he had done something to offend the dog and dipped his muzzle immediately in apology. It was best to assume he had wronged the creature in some way and apologize now than to leave it be and realize he should have done so earlier. His mouth parted to request forgiveness, but it seemed that the shepherd had beaten him to it.
“Oh,” he said, a warm smile finding its way back to his lips. “Don’t worry yourself over it, friend. There has been worse in my life than that.”
The tundra wolf kept his grin up, but found that his mind soon wandered to the not-so-distant past. For the life of him, he couldn’t keep it away. He blamed the encounter with Jaden, and cursed his weakness. Had he been stronger, things would have turned out much differently. The bright smile he held faltered for but a fraction of a second, and his tails snapped once behind him. He felt the burden of shame weighing heavily on his shoulders, and it nearly brought the man to tears. But now wasn’t the time for self-pity. There was another in need, and for as long as Alduin was near him he would do his best to bring the other to peace. He would keep his cool and collected act together, and the show would go on.
Amelia wasn’t as forgiving, however. She didn’t move from her spot in Alduin’s lap—mostly due to the fact that he was holding her down—but she snapped her head up and shot the dog a warning glare from her two beady black eyes. She cried out in low speech, threatening the other man with who knew what. The only thing that one could pick up from her rant was that she was very much upset with Toby for his terrible actions. Alduin could only smile and pat his companion gently on her head to try and calm her down. She grumbled and pouted, but eventually took to baring her teeth at the shepherd before scrambling up Alduin’s arm so she could rest her body across his broad shoulders.
“She grows on you eventually,” he said with a chuckle. “Now, if you are comfortable with talking to me, I am more than willing to listen to what is ailing you.”
His smile continued as he looked at the German shepherd expectantly. He had high hopes that he would let him hear his story, and his eyes shone with excitement. If there was anything good about his new home, it was that there was never a place he could go that didn’t have a story to tell.
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