The Nineteenth Trial

[hot_mess_express]

Who: Everyone
When: Day 43, evening
Where: The Mermaid's Beach

Come on, come on heroes...! Come hither!

[ There's a playful giggle and the sound of splashing as the Mermaid's beach appears in the clearing. ]

Let's play a game...!

Comments

[bowtiedbones]

[HANDS FLUTTERING]

Oh no! Are you okay!?

[daydreamshimmer]

[Spitting out sand and sitting up.]

I hate not having a tail.

[bowtiedbones]

Would a tail really have helped there??

[daydreamshimmer]

Balance. [Paaaaause.] And you really should remember that I am working with a new balance system, shame shame.

[Sighs, brushing away the sand.]

[Then touches her toes on the ground.] Done. And that's two squares.

[bowtiedbones]

Wait it's two? Which two?

[daydreamshimmer]

Follow an order and reprimand someone.

[bowtiedbones]

Reprimand... That's a really uncute square compared to the rest of them.

[daydreamshimmer]

That ant the wrestling do seem like dramatic shift in tone.

[bowtiedbones]

The wrestling one I'm just going to see if someone wants to roughhouse with a wolf.

[daydreamshimmer]

.....

I need to cuddle and pet someone for five minutes.

If we do that first, then I probably won't freak out at wolf. You know, exposure.

[bowtiedbones]

I'm a very soft and well-behaved wolf.

[daydreamshimmer]

All right. Well, already on the ground, so let's go for pets and cuddles.

[bowtiedbones]

Okay. Get ready!

[holds up her fingers, counting down 3, 2, 1... and turns into A WOLF]

[daydreamshimmer]

[Tenses as she sees WOLF because, well, wolf.]

[Staring for several long moments.]

[Breathe in, breathe out.]

Just like a really big dog, huh? [Reaching out a hand to pet.]

[bowtiedbones]

[lifts her ears and wags her tail. friendly body language!!]

A really big dog that also talks.

[daydreamshimmer]

....that does help.

[Slow petpetpet.]

[A little more sure petting.] Certainly helps the nerves.

[bowtiedbones]

[flops down, soooo much tail-wagging]

It's actually been shown that spending time with a dog or a cat can help reduce stress.

[daydreamshimmer]

Makes sense. Helps their stress too, if they don't want to live in the wild.

[More sure petting. A lot easier talking, her nerves quieting down now. Just Eliza being a big dog, not a wolf.]

[bowtiedbones]

It's win/win.

[being mindful of her teeth and keeping her big paws tucked in, casually hiding the wolfiest bits]

[daydreamshimmer]

Usually is. And pets can help if a pony has too much to do, at least keep them on track.

[bowtiedbones]

Oh, like working dogs?

[daydreamshimmer]

There are those. I think most farms have one or two around. Cows and sheep might argue with a pony, but throw a barking dog at them and they get they really need to let the farmers work there.

[bowtiedbones]

Argue like with words?

[daydreamshimmer]

Yes?

Just cause they like to live a more nomadic life doesn't mean they can't talk.

[bowtiedbones]

But you chase them off with dogs?