Conor was not the child he should have been if his life had been uncomplicated. Already he had tasted the bitterness of it, and it had left him hollow full of dread and fear. His natural curiosity had been damaged by the time he had spent in Halifax, and it kept him close to the cabin and to his father, the father he so feared. The Roulette puppy was still there, and the child could not make up his mind if that was a good or bad thing. He did not like new people, though at the same time he wanted more individuals around him. It was a complex cluster of emotion that he did not know how to analyse. The other boy seemed to make up his mind about something, and to Conor’s disappointment and pleasure, he came closer, all the way to the steps.
Conor took a cautious step backwards, sceptical to this whole scene. Dad was inside sleeping, and he was afraid that the other puppy would make him go crazy again just like with Vuk. His silvery violet eyes stared at the Roulette puppy, refusing to let him out of sight now when the other was so close. The Soul child’s tail crept towards his belly, acting out the uncertainty. The brown boy’s ears folded violently backwards when a series of strange words came from the other. Another step brought him slightly back, and his stare was almost accusing because he did not understand. It sounded like the other child was asking him something, what was, and then something more. He was not even certain if he understood that much either, because it had not sounded right, and the way the other boy spoke sounded ugly and harsh in his sensitive ears.
”No!”, the child stated firmly. It had been a question, and whatever it was, Conor was sure the answer was no. Maybe then the other child would leave and not make him feel confused anymore. He tried to look a bit aggressive, but somewhat failed at that.