finding a furry freind [Terken]

Flora was feeling lonely. She heard that one of Terken's canines had puppies a while back and she went to go see if he had any more of the puppies still left. She hoped that they would be old enough now to leave their mother but she didn't know anything yet about canines or how to take care of them or anything.  So before she asks him for one of the pups she'll have to learn all Terken had to teach her about a canine.

She heard them say that he could be found sometimes in this area so she desided to search here first for the Canine specialist. She wasn't sure what his offical title was though. She just knew that they say that he raises the cainines.

She hoped he was nice and wouldn't think she was odd for wanting a canine of her own. But since she doesn't have a family or anything else to take care of why couldn't she have a cute little canine to take care of .

By now Kela's pups stood past Terken's knee and some of the taller males stood nearly to his mid thigh.  He was working hard to train them, those that had aptitudes for guarding having been separated out to work with the other beast crafters.  Out of the litter of seven, it left him with four.  Two were showing aptitude as hunters, and two he was thinking of offering for those who wanted a canine in the weyr. 

It was the runt of the litter that was the friendliest.  She spotted Flora first, dashing to her and sitting in front of her with a waving tail and happy look on her face.  Terken looked up from where he was teaching one of her sisters to sit on command, and offered a wave.  "Hi I'm Terken.  Don't worry, she's friendly.  She'd welcome some attention." 

Flora smiled brightly as the littlest pup  came bouncing over to her and she reached down to pet her. " hello pretty girl." she said softly.

She looked up as the man started to talk. " Hello Terken, I'm Flora. I was looking for you. They said that you were the one I should see about a puppy of my own. But I guess I better learn a bit before I can get one cause I don't know what all I need to do to take care of a cute little puppy. "  She bounced over and sat down followed by the littlest pup who laid her head in her lap as she continued to pet the sweet little girl pup.

She looked over at Terken and wondered what he would think about that idea of giving a little girl one the precious pups. But she so did want one of her own. And Flora was already inchanted by the tiny pup that was much smaller then the other ones. She leaned down and kissed the top of the pups head and told her what a pretty canine she was. " What is her name?" She asks softly.

He was startled that she wanted a canine of her own.  Most brats her age only seemed to want dragons and firelizards, not other creatures.  She seemed to get on well with the littlest pup, though and was definitely willing to learn how to train and take care of her. 

He watched her fuss over the canine and came to her, Kela at his side.  "She doesn't have one yet.  I was planning to find her a home and thought the one taking her on would want to name her to their wishes."    He paused.  "You'll generally want a name with two sounds to it, like Kela, or Fluffy or even Pansy." 

He looked at her.  "You'll have to feed her and water her, keep her coat brushed.  Make sure she gets lots of exercise and you'll have to train her.  I'll help with all of it, but you'll want to do much of it yourself so she bonds to you."  Kela decided she liked Flora then and laid down next to her, on the opposite side of her daughter.  Terken used it to show her something.  "HEre."  He guided her hand to Kela's ears, showed her how to scratch where the canine couldn't reach.  "There's a similar spot on your puppy."

Flora petted the puppy softly  as she listened to the instructions.  "I can do that I know I can." Flora said excitedly.  It seemed like a lot but she knew that it probably wasn't really once you got into a routine it would seem natural as breathing.  Flora thinks a little  two sounds in a name  "you mean like Iris or Lola. " Flora says softly.  " She though either  was a perfectly nice name. But she wasn't sure if the puppy would like one of the the names or if either  would suit her.  She peered up at Terken to get his opinion.

She felt Terken take her hand and guide it to Kala ears.  She found the spot and scratched it and smiled at the reaction.  She reached out with the other hand and scratched the puppy the same way. "they both like that a lot don't they. " Flora smiled brightly. 

The pup relaxed under the weyrbrat's touch, soothing Terken's worries about this.  He knew he had to settle the puppies soon, with eggs on the sands.  He kept getting assured that he would probably not impress his first time out, few people did but he still worried. 

He spoke softly.  "Either would do very well.  She'll let you know when she likes the sound of her name.  Kela did with me."  He gently petted her, fingers working throught he dog's thick double coat to scratch an itchy spot she couldn't reach.  "Are they going to let you keep her in the creche with you?" 

Terken eyed her and added, "Food is the easiest part.  You'll want to give her meat every day.  I generally feed the dogs the same diet the dragonets and firelizards get, with a bit of people food for Kela and the occasional bone.  The kitchens will help with that." 

Flora nodded her head and  curled with the pups head on her lap petting and scratching  it behind her ears.  Flora looked her over and desided on a  name then and there question was weither  the puppy would like the name she had choosen or not.  She was sure that they would be going on many fine adventures  and when the pup got biggers she would be able to go into the woods and explore there with her. But since she was still a little pup  Flora dinna want to take her to far from home.

" I think I will call her Iris. I do like that name.  And it suit her i think"  flora said softly.

At first, T'ken wasn't sure what to make of one of his canines being named after a flower.  Was the girl not aware that the pup would likely be the same size as Kela when she grew?  Then he remembered a talk he'd had with his foster mother once in the woods, her talking of flowers and how some believed each represented different things to people.  That she'd had a book once that had said irises conveyed...faith and...something else.  Maybe the name would fit after all. 

"I think it will."  He reached over to rub Iris's ears.  "You'll have to use it around her often.  Canines need to be taught their name."

Flora smiled brightly as the keeper of the puppies agreed that it would be a nice name but that she would have to use it often to teach Iris her name.  "Hello Iris" Flora said softly  as she petty the pup. She  could tell that Iris could grow to a very big size judging from the look of the mother but she still though that the name would suit the pup.  "I hope you will like your name, Iris. " She made mental notes in her head about care and feedings and everything that Terken said.

She smiled down lovingly at her new freind. She already was growing attached to the little dear  that will soon be her constant companion.

Iris's tail wagging was a good sign.  T'ken thought to himself that it showed she was submissive to Flora, which would make it easier for the girl to train her. 

He leaned forward.  "I'll ask that you start being able to spend a little time with me every day.  We'll work on training her up together.  Life's easier when the canine's know the basics before going into a new home, least that's what my mother used to tell me."  He petted Iris gently.  "Do you have chores in the mornings or afternoons normally?" 

He'd been able to keep Kela in the creche due to sheer stubbornness on the parts of him and the canine, but complaints had persisted until he'd had her perfectly trained.  The worst of them had died down after that, though some stubborn souls had grumbled even then.  Well, Kela had kept him sane...and he suspected that Iris would do the same for Flora.

"She should be able to be with you full time very quickly.  She's already weaned, so it's just the training."

Flora peeked up at Terken " I usely do morning chores that way I have more free time and its nice getting up before the hustle and bustle of the day starts.  I generally help in the kitchen getting the first meal of the day all set out and ready when everyone gets up to get ready for the day.

Flora was supper excited  she wanted Iris to be able to come with her she was  practically fluttering about and glowing with excitement at the prospect. " How much would we have to train? " Flora hoped that it all wasn't going to be to complicated and hard  cause then it might take longer to learn. Though she was a pretty smart girl and would probably be able to learn things quickly  didn't mean that the young girl wasn't nervous still the same.

T'ken listened, thinking of how his schedule could mesh with Flora's.  Settling the hows and all that in his mind, her leaned forward.  "She knows some of hwr basic commands and is mostly housebroken.  I'll have to work with you so you can learn what she knows and work on teaching the rest.  It will be easier for you to keep her with you if she isn't trouble, or at least is less trouble than pup usually are."

He picked up on her nervousness and said gently, "Relax.  It's fairly easy when you have help.  You won't screw up."  He wouldn't let her screw up.  "Here..."  It was a silly trick, and he hadn't taught her to do it for reasons of it being a trick, but so he could check her paws for thorns easily, but Iris doing it at Flora's command could build confidence.

"Look at her, say her name, then hold your hand out in front of her, like this."  He demonstrated with Kela, saying her name to get her attention, then holding his hand out in front of her, lower than chest level.  The canine instantly placed her paw in his hand, and he shook it like he would someone's hand and let her take her paw back.