The One with the Puppy

The Goose and Fox tavern was bright and cheery, as Sagani imagined it was most evenings, full of people desperately in need of a good drink after a long day's work. The low murmur of a dozen conversations was almost soothing, and whatever was cooking over the spit smelled delicious, and only slightly burnt. She'd never be a city person, but she had to admit that sitting in the tavern, warm and cozy, a mug of mead in her hands, was a far sight better than roughing it in the wilds, fending off yet another lion attack. Her peaceful reverie was broken, however, when she saw the Watcher heading over, a huge smile lighting up her face and something wriggling in her arms.

Sagani sighed and shot Remei a skeptical look. "Really, another one?"

"But he's so cute," she replied, holding the yellow puppy up. "I mean look at that face," she continued, as the puppy looked at Sagani with soulful deep brown eyes, his little tail wagging furiously.

"You can't say no to that face," she said, arranging her own features to match the puppy's, her wide green eyes looking into Sagani's pleadingly.

The puppy barked happily, his tongue lolling out.

Sagani just shook her head in response, and walked away, bemused.

"I have children, Remei, that trick hasn't worked on me in a long time."

Remei rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the puppy, scratching behind his ears, giving him a conspiratorial look. "Don't worry, boy, she'll break down eventually. They all break down eventually."

Her attention consumed, Remei almost didn't notice Edér's approach.

Edér gazed down at the puppy with a delighted look on his face. "Who's a good boy? Who needs his belly scratched?"

Remei smiled at him as the puppy seemed to glow under Eder's attention, nuzzling his head against Eder's palm.

"I think he likes you," Remei said, looking up at Edér.

"Course he does," Edér replied. "Dogs are excellent judges of character."

He turned his gaze to her, a lazy grin on his face. "You're building up quite the collection."

Remei responded with a cocky shrug. "What can I say, I like animals. They get me."

Edér raised an eyebrow.

"I happen to be more complex than I look," Remei replied indignantly, her voice laced with haughty grandeur.

"Can't argue with that. You're a watcher. Awakened."

Remei shifted the puppy to her shoulder so she could wave her hand dismissively.

"That's not what I meant." She gestured at herself with her free hand, before continuing in a solemn voice. "Clearly, I'm a dark and brooding loner with a troubled and mysterious –"

Unfortunately, her dramatic speech was cut off before it could begin when the puppy began licking her ear, and Remei learned the hard way that it's hard to maintain any sort of dignity, much less the sort required for a brooding monologue, when a puppy has you giggling uncontrollably.

Eder laughed. "I don't think he believes you. You're too sweet for all that."

Remei paused and looked up at him, meeting his gaze as a small, almost shy, smile came over her face. And Remei was usually anything but shy.

"You think I'm sweet?"

Eder's smile matched her own. "You know you are."

At the bar, Sagani watched them quietly, shaking her head. She turned back to her drink as her lips quirked into a half-smile. Puppies, the lot of them, she thought.