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+---- Thread: Meetings and Greetings [Open] (/showthread.php?tid=1260)
Meetings and Greetings [Open] - T'ken - 04.Feb.13
At four years of age, Kela was the youngest of the large shaggy canines that Terken loved best in life. She was the only survivor from the first litter he had bred, and of all the canines, the only one he considered a pet. Her pregnancy was just beginning to show, though since it was her first, she merely looked like she was carrying a bit of extra weight.
He reached down to scratch her ears fondly, and put her on a leash. It was a rest day today. He had hunted yesterday, bringing down two wherries, and all the canines had been fed. Except Kela, they had been exercised as well, and were scattered through out the fenced land he called his own, guarding it, or taken to the beastcrafters to help guard the bovines from Felines.
He jogged lightly to the gather square, Kela keeping pace easily, tail awave with delight. A quick stop by the dining hall had a bowl of water for her procured, as well as a treat because the worker he always talked to had a soft spot for the (overly) friendly canine. Today's bit of work was mostly to keep her social. It meant that he would pick a spot, sit down and wait for someone willing to come and pet her to approach. The question was what spot?
He sometimes took her by the weyrling barracks to keep her well used to the sight and smell of dragon. If he was lucky she would get to meet the dragons, something she seemed to love. He suspected it was the mental touch of the dragons...he didn't know if she could hear them speak, but suspected she picked up on the emotions of the great creatures, if not the thoughts.
Then again, she loved it when he parked them right near the dining hall and the kitchen workers cooed at her during their breaks. He pretended he didn't see them slipping her meat or bones. She loved the creche too, the kids loved brushing her, petting her, throwing a stick or ball for her...and she loved them right back. He chuckled to himself over the canine being dubbed almost as much fun as a dragon.
He picked a spot and set off towards it, sitting down in the grass. Kela followed suit with a hand motion, and he pulled out his favoured brush to start grooming her. He hated sitting idle, hopefully someone would come say hello soon.
Re: Meetings and Greetings - Farren - 03.Mar.13
A canine! Farren swore she'd seen someone with one. She stalked through the buildings now, eager to find the beast and, of course, smother it with love. It had been a long time since she'd seen anything but dragons and men and she was eager for a change in scenery. She'd heard them around the weyr, of course, but finding time to hunt them or their owner down always seemed just out of reach and it had proved a continual frustration for her to not be able to pet the fluffy creatures. How frustrating was it to have something so close but simply not be able to reach it?
She spotted canine and owner across the way and broke into a smile, promptly changing her path to bear down on them. She waved, though she had no idea who the man was and was certain he had no idea who she was. Finally reaching them and stopping a polite distance away she nodded politely before fixing her eyes on the canine. She was adorable! And, she noted, getting fat. A tinge of annoyance touched her there. Even a canine could get pregnant when she couldn't, which meant she couldn't stand! That was frustrating if anything was. When all you want in the world is a dragon and the only thing keeping you from it is your own damnable body you were bound to be a bet testy over the subject.
"Hello!" She chirped, smiling at Terken. "She's lovely... May I pet her?"
Re: Meetings and Greetings - T'ken - 04.Mar.13
Kela stood still, tail waving as Terken worked the comb through thick fur. She stilled suddenly and he looked up in time to see the tail end of a wave.
He set the brush down, murmured a soft word to Kela and she padded over to greet the woman. "Of course, she loves the attention." His words were quiet as he tried to place her.
He failed to, something that didn't surprise him. People weren't his thing, he preferred dogs. Probably one of the stolen, he knew most of the plague survivors, and riders by face if not by name.
Kela sat down next to the woman, politely nudging her hand. Glad that she was staying true to the training he had given her to greet people politely, he decided to introduce himself. "Terken." Hopefully if he gave her his name, she would do the same. "Dog's name is Kela."
Re: Meetings and Greetings - Farren - 07.Mar.13
She almost melted. She dropped to her knees and set about scratching the hound behind the ears. In the typical manner of women smitten with beasts, she crooned and awwed and made all sorts of nonsensical noises at the canine, telling her how pretty she was and how well behaved. She managed to get lost in her interaction with the furry creature and Terken's voice pulled her out of it as she lifted her head and looked abashed.
"Sorry! I should have introduced myself first. I'm Farren. She's beautiful." She planted a kiss on Kela's forehead and resumed her petting, smiling up at Tarken. "Thank you for letting me pet her. I've seen you two around but hadn't gotten the chance to come say hi... Hello!" She laughed, smiling brightly.
Re: Meetings and Greetings - T'ken - 09.Mar.13
That Kela lapped up the attention, coos and affections was a source of amazement for Terken. She wriggled, waved her tail and when Farren dropped to her knees, proceeded to nuzzle and wash her face in happy greetings. Well...at least one of them knew how to treat a girl.
What did one say to a girl? They...giggled. He touched the back of his neck trying to think a moment as Kela tried to crawl into the woman's lap so she could give more affection to her. His face took on a deer in the headlights look and he scrambled for something, anything to say.
He decided he just couldn't be quiet, it might be rude. Females were remarkably inventive about revenge when someone had been rude to them. "Hello." He didn't plan to say anything else, but silence stretched and he scrambled for soemthing. Anything to say. "I am glad you like petting her."
Then he remembered some advice. 'When all else fails, talk of the weather.' It was as good a topic as any. He hoped. Right? "So....Nice weather we're having?"
Re: Meetings and Greetings - Farren - 10.Mar.13
Fortunately for Terken, Farren had no problem talking to people. About anything. She could, almost, pull a topic out of thin air, though he was doing a lovely job with the bit about the weather. It wasn't top-notch conversation, but it was a beginning. Certainly better than sitting in silence while she smothered his canine with love.
"The weather has been nice," she agreed. "Though, I'd appreciate a good rain. A day to sit inside and get crafts done." She nodded, satisfied with that. She scratched Kela behind the ear and smiled down at the canine. "How old is she? Does she have puppies? Are there puppies?!" She turned, grinning up at him. The chance to play with puppies was an exciting one!
Re: Meetings and Greetings - T'ken - 13.Mar.13
Blue eyes blinked at her words about rain and said, without thinking about it, "I hate being inside. Walls feel like they're closing in after a bit. How do you do it?"
Embarrassed, he covered the slip, by answering, "About 20 days she'll have puppies. Got another litter from some of the other canines I'll start training to hunt tunnel snakes soon...they're about 12 weeks old now."
He paused. "Most of the dogs get put to work right off but I've been thinking of placing some of the pups and older dogs with people around the weyr. What do you think of the idea?" It was an idea his mother had violently opposed, but he thought it might be a good way to ensure that bloodlines didn't die out...And those dogs that had managed to reach old age here deserved a chance at a good life for their last few years. She would have said he was soft for thinking of it, but he loved the canines for themselves. She hadn't.
Katila was rough on its canines, the fact that Kela was the sole survivor of her litter and the dwindling number of her type that were of breeding age showed that. It might help him keep bloodlines strong if he started ensuring a couple of canines from each litter made it to adulthood, even if it was as glorified pets.
Kela licked and nuzzled at Farren's hand, tail stirring in the grass and body wriggling as she laid down and let her head rest in Farren's lap, calming a bit as the woman did.
Re: Meetings and Greetings [Open] - Farren - 19.Mar.13
She snorted, promptly covering her mouth and looking embarrassed at the sound. She changed it into a lighter laugh and smiled up at him. "I'm a woman. You get used to being trapped indoors." Kela didn't have to do much to keep Farren showering her with affection as she thought over Terken's idea.
"It would make sense. Assure that at least some are kept safe and can breed. I think it sounds like a fine idea!" She nodded, smile growing wider. She adored canines, though she'd never really had the opportunity to raise one. Her hold had had a couple, but they weren't her's nor were they pets she could love on. She stole them rare pats and scraps from the table when she thought she could get away with it, but other than that this was the closest she'd been to a canine and she'd promptly fallen in love.
Re: Meetings and Greetings [Open] - T'ken - 20.Mar.13
Terken looked down. "It's wrong to make women used to that." Kela was currently trying to fit as much of her bulk into Farren's lap as she could, making him snort at the canine's dismay as parts of her kept falling out.
He hmmed and offered, having the distinct feeling he would regret it, but that it would make her very happy. "Would you like to come meet the other canines at my hut? I created some kennels and runs...not entirely done yet,but what I want is coming together. You can see those puppies I mentioned." His words were hesitant, almost shy. She was a girl but she seemed to love canines as he did.
Kela perked at the thought of going somewhere, tail waving as her rear half slid out of Farren's lap and she tried to resettle properly. When she did, this time her front half slid from her lap and she whined softly, shifting to sit up and nudge Farren in a plea for more pettings.