faderift | { OPEN } Day to day life, getting settled, etc.

Garahel barks happily and wags his tail, at the moment more in the mindset of an excited pet than fearsome war hound...but that can change in an instant, should Inessa be threatened. She rests a hand on him, encouraging the mabari to quiet down and scritching him behind the ears a little.

"He's a very sweet boy, who just needs to remember that he's not pup-sized anymore. More often than not he does, thankfully. But other days, I swear it's as though he and Potato have decided to team up."

She glances thoughtfully at the little hedgehog. "...now I'm curious to see if any mages have enlarged her kind or similar, since we have varying miniaturized versions. Though it's probably for the best she doesn't have to compete with them in size."

"Oh, no, could you imagine a mabari-sized hedgehog?" she asks with a quick laugh and a faux expression of alarm. "The quills would be a nightmare. And they're such little rollers. I can picture one rolling down the stairs and impaling someone."

She might be exaggerating a little for effect, but hopefully no mages get the bright idea to try enlarging Quillhelmina's kind.

"I do enjoy having a companion I can carry around with me. I want to keep traveling and exploring, but never wanted someone to have to watch a pet for me. Now I have one who can come with me. She can have a cozy spot in my satchel."

The thought of Quillhelmina -or another hedgehog- big enough to impale anyone on those quills has her wincing a bit. Garahel whines a little as well, not minding the comparable size so much as getting hurt when all he wants is a playmate. But that whine doesn't last for long, when the stairs bring them that much closer to food.

"Agreed, she's perfect the way she is, small size included. Has she seen your other forms? I'm curious to know how Quillhelmina has reacted to them, if so."

"She hasn't, but that would be an interesting experiment." It leaves her thoughtful a moment, until she draws in a breath through her teeth. "It's possibly my predator forms might scare her into hiding behind the bed, and she may never come out again. I'm not sure I should try it."

Little Quillhelmina is a delicate lady, and shouldn't be put in shocking situations where she may wet herself.

"The bird might be all right to try. I'd be a companion as small as she is."

"A small bird...true, that might be much less threatening to her, and less of a shock." Inessa smiles at the scarf-gnawing hedgehog, then holds the door open when they reach it, allowing Ellana and Garahel entrance first. The mabari shows enough self-control to wait for his mistress and not immediately dash for the pantry, but he's still wagging that tail in excitement.

Ellana enters with a thank you, looking around to see what's available to nibble on.

"Though she may be upset and wonder where her food giver has gone." She strokes a hand down Quillhelmina's back and gently pries the scarf from her teeth. "Time for good food, all right? No more fabric."

"Yes, you too. Garahel, sit. Show our friends that you have manners." The mabari promptly sits on his hind legs, all alert and eager as she starts to fetch some mabari treats. "Do you want to give him one, Ellana? Ask him to shake."

"Oh, please!" She loves seeing Garahel do tricks. First she sets Quillhelmina down on a table and settles her scarf around her. Taking a treat from Inessa once her friend has them in hand, she turns to the mabari, a bright smile on her face as she shows him the crunchy treat and holds out her hand.

"Garahel, shake?"

Eagerly, Garahel lifts his paw. See, he's being good!

Inessa chuckles as she strokes the bundled Quillhelmina, watching the two. "He's never so attentive as when food is a factor, of course. Now you're his new best friend."

"Yay!" Ellana happily shakes and rewards Garahel with the treat. "I think that's true of most animals. I know in the clan there were times we didn't have a lot of food, so we cherished what little we got. Animals don't have this whole structure of society where people grow and sell food, or raise animals for meat, or any of that. They either have to find their own meal, or trust someone to feed them."

It makes Ellana wonder how her hedgehog made due before finding her. Maybe she spoils her a little because of that.

"Mabari can usually guarantee a safe and happy home, but other breeds aren't quite as meticulously kept, let alone other animals. I'm glad Quillhelmina has found someone willing to spoil her." Garahel, practically inhaling that treat, bumps up against Ellana affectionately.

"That makes two of us," she replies before chuckling at Garahel's thank you. She gives his side a hearty pat before going to grab something for Quillhelmina.

"Let's see... I think a bit of dried fruit will be a nice treat." She takes a piece and breaks it up into smaller bits before setting one down on the table in front of the hedgehog. She sniffs at it a moment before deciding it suits and nibbling on it.

"Much different eating style to a mabari, isn't it?"

"In terms of content and amount, mostly. Mabari crunch treats are just elfroot and deep mushroom together, but you can be sure he eats a variety of other items as well. Truth be told, it can be an issue sometimes, when people are eager to feed him something which I'm trying to limit, for health reasons."

Garahel's too busy eating to whine about that, but his wounded looks later are prime guilt-tripping.

"It's pretty hard to resist his face," she replies, though thankfully she isn't guilty of giving him something he shouldn't have.

"What's the most decadent thing someone's ever fed him?"

Inessa sighs,crossing her arms as she thinks back. "Oh, let's see...I remember this servant at the Winter Palace, who had been in the empire for a long time but was originally Fereldan. She absolutely loved Garahel, and kept dropping treats for him to inhale. This included those fancy little cakes and a dessert called Marie du Lac Erre’s Sweet Ruin. Have you heard of it? They're biscuits with cream, melted chocolate and powered sugar. Glorious...but I refused, because of the chocolate and the fact that it was just too rich for him. She must have given him some when I had to use the restroom, and when I returned, he was on the floor whimpering, too full of what wasn't meant for a dog."

Garahel looks up and wags his tail. Someone still thinks it was worth the pain.

Edited 2018-05-12 00:00 (UTC)

"I haven't! I thought the tiny cakes were decadent enough, but this thing sounds even more so!" She looks down at Garahel and laughs. "I'll bet the aftermath wasn't pretty, when it was time for his body to get rid of it all."

"Oh, indeed not. He was sick all evening afterward. And as he could not sleep, neither did I. So in order to avoid an encore, I strive to be all the more vigilant. I can't blame him for taking treats from a friendly soul, but he deserves better protection on my part."

"If only he had followed you to the bathroom, hm? Though he might have ruffled some Orlesian ladies' feathers." Ellana is picturing shrieking and fainting as ladies in big dresses ran straight into a giant, drooling war hound.

"True, and we couldn't afford to offend potential allies. That was...an exceptionally long night." The Game was tedious on every level and she hadn't even played it as actively as others, but policing her every word and action in front of a very critical -and at times, blatantly anti-elf- audience was special form of torture. She smirks a little, watching Quillhelmina. "She would be have been small enough to hide on you, and thus much less offensive."

"That's true. Not that Garahel would ever mean to offend anybody. It's just stuffy people who would take offense, right?" She makes a pouty face at the dog, as if he's so oppressed in being himself, then scratches him under his chin.

"I plan on taking Quillhelmina around with me a lot, unless I have a need for stealth. Not that she's loud, but I wouldn't want to take the chance, you know?"

Garahel whines in agreement -at least Ellana can see his plight!- and wags his tail happily at all the chin-scratching. Inessa, meanwhile, strokes their smaller animal companion. "Of course, there's no need to put pressure on either of you. If you need a babysitter while I'm available, I would be happy to watch her."

"That would be great! I can already tell you two get along well." Granted, Quillhelmina would like anyone who pets her and gives her food, but perhaps deep down there's some animal instinct to trust such a nice person too.

"Now, how's this for our snack time? Have we had enough?" Ellana has a feeling Garahel will protest that he's not been given near enough just yet.

Garahel lets out a whine and paces, but Inessa stands firm. Well, fine, he can have a scratch behind the ears. "Yes, we have. Garahel needs to remain in fighting shape, after all. With that in mind, it's time for some exercise. You'll be the better for it, my friend."

The mabari seems to accept that, but also goes to Ellana one last time for a petting.

"And while you two get on that, I need to rewrite these pages so I can send them off." She obediently pets Garahel again, because he has her pretty well trained by now. Then she scoops up her hedgehog friend.

"I'll see you two around!"

{ OPEN } Day to day life, getting settled, etc.

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