He glanced to Rex, flicking an appreciative ear at her cheerful encouragement, but kept his attention on the worms that followed them, though they seemed to become less hostile and interested in pursuit the farther the pair got from the Oasis. Even with the beautiful woman hobbling they were soon out of range, and the Magna Vermis turned their attention back to... well, whatever it was they did, when they weren't bullying people away from the water.
Blue eyes looked again at his friend once he was sure they were safe, and he noticed how clean she was, in spite of rolling around in the mud and wrestling with worms. It made him feel even more grubby in comparison, and his sodden brush and ears drooped with embarrassment at the unflattering comparison. He was definitely not turning back into a man until he'd gotten himself cleaned up! the thought of slime in his long hair made him shiver with disgust. But that meant finding some unguarded water - running water, one of the woodland streams, which would be frigid with snowmelt - and a warm fire soon after. Or maybe Rory would take pity on a poor, filthy fox...
His ears perked forward as she spoke again and made her offer. It was a kind one, and his tail wagged slowly in appreciation for a moment. It was not, however, something he would even consider doing. Joining a lady in the bath under false pretenses was unthinkable, though if the Settlement had a public bath and she knew who he was he would have gladly accepted. Alas, neither condition held true, and while he might need to reveal his shapeshifting to her someday...
The day when he was covered in worm guts and mud was definitely not that day!
With a soft whine of farewell he wagged his tail at her again and then turned to trot off into the greening underbrush to seek his own bath, either in private or with the held of a friend who knew what he was getting into with the decidedly male little fox.
Blue eyes looked again at his friend once he was sure they were safe, and he noticed how clean she was, in spite of rolling around in the mud and wrestling with worms. It made him feel even more grubby in comparison, and his sodden brush and ears drooped with embarrassment at the unflattering comparison. He was definitely not turning back into a man until he'd gotten himself cleaned up! the thought of slime in his long hair made him shiver with disgust. But that meant finding some unguarded water - running water, one of the woodland streams, which would be frigid with snowmelt - and a warm fire soon after. Or maybe Rory would take pity on a poor, filthy fox...
His ears perked forward as she spoke again and made her offer. It was a kind one, and his tail wagged slowly in appreciation for a moment. It was not, however, something he would even consider doing. Joining a lady in the bath under false pretenses was unthinkable, though if the Settlement had a public bath and she knew who he was he would have gladly accepted. Alas, neither condition held true, and while he might need to reveal his shapeshifting to her someday...
The day when he was covered in worm guts and mud was definitely not that day!
With a soft whine of farewell he wagged his tail at her again and then turned to trot off into the greening underbrush to seek his own bath, either in private or with the held of a friend who knew what he was getting into with the decidedly male little fox.
