"Yeah? Why don't you use it t'throw yourself up there?" Tal taunted back, looking entirely pleased with himself at earning that dirty look.
The smugness faded to a faintly sympathetic grimace as Sah continued and the courier heaved a reluctant sigh at the mention of tragic puppy howls. "Oh, I have. My sis breeds dogs, remember? Every coupla years one of 'em welps a mountain goat instead of a pup an' we get t'do this. But they aren't companion-smart so we can usually bribe 'em down with treats." And thank goodness for that! Worst case scenario, Boreal could carry them down, but they were used to her mothering them and Tal didn't have to worry about them trying to hold a grudge.
Companions, on the other hand...
He listened to Sah's usual list of remedies and nodded in agreement at most of them. Then he heard what Pad's tender palette preferred with brows that rose steadily and whistled in appreciation. "Well, you can stay here an' play with the kids, an' I can run back t'the store--" he started to offer, but then a prancing wolf was on his back and Tal staggered forward, teetering as the breath was knocked out of him.
"Oof! Lilly, no--!" He landed in the snow but not before Boreal had wriggled her butt like a cat and nosedived out of the tree to return the favor to Sah, claws carefully blunted for play. Tal tried to push himself up and dislodge the wolf while his dragon 'helpfully' tried to knock Sah down next to him.
The smugness faded to a faintly sympathetic grimace as Sah continued and the courier heaved a reluctant sigh at the mention of tragic puppy howls. "Oh, I have. My sis breeds dogs, remember? Every coupla years one of 'em welps a mountain goat instead of a pup an' we get t'do this. But they aren't companion-smart so we can usually bribe 'em down with treats." And thank goodness for that! Worst case scenario, Boreal could carry them down, but they were used to her mothering them and Tal didn't have to worry about them trying to hold a grudge.
Companions, on the other hand...
He listened to Sah's usual list of remedies and nodded in agreement at most of them. Then he heard what Pad's tender palette preferred with brows that rose steadily and whistled in appreciation. "Well, you can stay here an' play with the kids, an' I can run back t'the store--" he started to offer, but then a prancing wolf was on his back and Tal staggered forward, teetering as the breath was knocked out of him.
"Oof! Lilly, no--!" He landed in the snow but not before Boreal had wriggled her butt like a cat and nosedived out of the tree to return the favor to Sah, claws carefully blunted for play. Tal tried to push himself up and dislodge the wolf while his dragon 'helpfully' tried to knock Sah down next to him.
