Food for Maximilian (Max, ST, Open) (Autumn 2014)

## Page 1

**Songbird**

**Nov 10, 2014#1**

Tyrone leads Max through the lake hedge-gate to the Freehold Hollow, and--after a few quick words whispered to a blue-haired Waterborn--Max finds himself being feasted like a king in the Spring ballroom, the blue-green ocean walls around him bright with the afternoon sunlight streaming in.

True to his word, there is food. Max is provided with a bacon-wrapped filet mignon, a salted and butter-stuffed potato, a creamy lobster tail (which seems remarkably fresh), a pretty green salad studded with pink cherries that make him feel refreshed and healed on eating, and a basket of tiny rolls that turn out to be stuffed with a sweet mild cheese. (If Max displays vegetarian tendencies, more appropriate food will be provided.)

After some quiet discussion, two people are produced--their mantles both heralding the Autumn, and each marked with a dark crown of twisted branches and dried brilliantly-colored leaves hovering in the air a few inches above their heads. The elder of the two men is a wizened grumpface, frowning and clearly unhappy to be here; the younger man is a truly lovely Beast with soft yellow fur on the back of his hands and a brush of yellow eyeshadow above his wide dark eyes.

When the young man sees Max, he sits solemnly across the small table from him and says, his voice suffused with concern, "I am Fort Worth Autumn King Onawa. Your name is Max? Max, why is a raven like a writing desk? Do you know?"

**Maximilian**

**Nov 10, 2014#2**

Max's eyes light up at the sight of all the food. "Aww man, all this for me?!" He asks eagerly but doesn't wait long for an answer. Being a furry four legged companion of the canine variety for so long, one tends to forget the simple human actions like table manners...or how to use utensils. Max pauses from grabbing more food long enough to glance up at the king. "Woow-er-ot! Er ing?! Mi-oo-mee-oo" If anyone could understand his remarks through a mouth full of food, the more power to them. Max gulps down the bite while grabbing another hunk of meat, though he doesn't take his eyes off the young king. A smug, lopsided smile on his face, Max leans back in his chair with meat in hand. "I don't know, sir-hotness, you tell me, you're the king to this here place. So why is a raven like a writing desk?"

**Songbird**

**Nov 10, 2014#3**

Onawa gives him a very grave look. "I am told there is no right answer," he says seriously. "Though there seem to be many wrong ones. Yet I am collecting possible answers anyway, as I feel it is important to be prepared."

The grumpy wizened breaks in at this point. "Onawa, enough, we'll be here all day once you get started," he snaps. Looking at Max, he grumbles, "*I* am Dallas Autumn King Liam, *you* are hedge-fresh, and we need to get you sorted so that I can get back to actually important things. Which freehold do you wish to swear to, boy? Feel free to pick the pretty one--", here he jerks his head at Onawa, "--as it means I can get back to my work while he sorts you out."

**Pisha**

**Nov 10, 2014#4**

There's the sound of soft singing from the doors as they open again; a woman with dark hair and freckles comes in, holding a tray of delicate desserts on one hand - thin chocolate shells filled with what looks like mousse and strawberries - and a paper bag in the other. She is very pretty, though at the moment her hair is pulled pragmatically back and she wears a flour-smudged apron.

She comes in in time to catch Liam's comments; gently she settles the tray in front of the newcomer and sets the paper bag next to him. There is a lot of curiosity in her eyes as she looks him over, taking in the expression and the lack of clothing besides Tyrone's jacket; given the company, though, she directs her remarks to the monarchs instead. "Sorry for interrupting," she says softly. "Elliot sent me with desserts, and we found some clothes for him too." Inside the bag, if he looks, are a selection of pants and shirts in a range of sizes that approximate his; they're not the prettiest clothes, but they're well-made and comfortable and soft to the touch.

With deft fingers she plucks one of the desserts from the tray and plops it into King Liam's hand, leaning in to swiftly kiss his cheek before he can dodge away. "You are so sweet, your Majesty, helping him feel comfortable in his new home. I'm sure he appreciates your kindness, after Arcadia."

She gives King Onawa a friendly smile too, and spares one last curious - but welcoming - glance for the newcomer, before retreating to stand near (but not too near) Tyrone, waiting to bring back the empty dishes after this meeting.

**fruitbat**

**Nov 10, 2014#5**

"Sampling both Spring courts now?" A woman has emerged behind Liam, skin and hair pale as snow. "I presume there was some reason for having me summoned; dinner conversation perhaps? Food-tasting?"

**Songbird**

**Nov 10, 2014#6**

There is a very brief moment, no more than a second or two, when King Liam seems to be literally trembling with rage, though whether it is because of Milada's teasing or Hrimveig's insinuations (or both) is unclear.

"*Ice Princess,*" he says coldly, and there's a definite sense that he's trying to be chilly and frightening and very Autumn-king, but it is admittedly very hard to rattle a Shadowsoul or a Snowskin and Hrimveig is clearly both, "I summoned you here because we have a new hedge-fresh member and I thought you might show him the ropes." He gives her a dark glare, and it's clear that the 'suggestion' isn't intended to be turned down.

**fruitbat**

**Nov 10, 2014#7**

Hrimveig rolls her eyes. "As you desire it, majesty." Turning to face the stranger she invokes Witches' Intuition against him (OOC: 15 - Max's Composure, success grants Hrimveig knowledge of one of his fears). "Did you bring a name out of the thorns with you?"

**Maximilian**

**Nov 10, 2014#8**

(ooc: One of his fears: being scolded for being a "bad dog")

Before Max could take another bite, the room became packed with so many people talking and asking him questions that all he could do is sit there and blink.

He nodded to King Onawa, giving him a half smile. Then there was a sack in his lap full of smelly clothes. Max stuck his head in to take a big whiff before another smell hit his nose. Something more on the sweet side...chocolate. But before he could focus on that, someone else is suddenly talking, taking his attention. "Ahh whaa..?" Max points at himself, tilting his head to the side with confusion. "You mean, my name? My name is Maximilian! Call me Max!" A little pink tongue makes it's way past his lips again, hanging like a happy puppy's would. "Grrrr, I'm a Wolf!" he says with a wink and play growl.

fruitbat

Nov 11, 2014#9

"... I think not."

Hrimveig sighs and gives Liam a quick glare. Turning back to Max she adds, "Are you a child also? If you must be puppyish, please apply it to eagerly answering my questions... and perhaps to eating, though I understand chocolate is harmful to your kind. What do you already know of your condition?"

**Songbird**

**Nov 11, 2014#10**

King Liam very deliberately sets the chocolate shell on the table and wipes his hand on the tablecloth as one would scuff a muddy boot on a doorstep. "I wish to return to my work," he grumbles loudly, though this is directed to no one in particular. "Someone get the boy to decide which Freehold he wants so that he can either swear to me or we can dump him on Onawa--either way, I can get back to my *duties*." This last word is an irritated sneer.

King Onawa peers carefully at Max, taking in his ears in particular. "I do not understand," he says slowly, "how you can be both a wolf and a puppy. Are there wolf-puppies? I think I would like this explained to me, if anyone can do so and is willing and if the explanation would not take longer than the span of years I have left on this mortal coil."

## Page 2

**fruitbat**

**Nov 11, 2014#11**

"He is being inaccurate: a wolf's young are known as pups," mutters Hrimveig under her breath. Aloud, she says, "Well, Max? You have the wonderful choice between an apathetic seer whose visions of late are decidedly more... vernal... than before, or a man who cannot parse nominative confusion. Which is it to be?" After a pause she adds "You should also know that swearing to him -" she indicates Liam - "will grant you more freedom, while his counterpart's Freehold trades some of that for greater safety."

**Maximilian**

**Nov 11, 2014#12**

Max tilts his head to one side, then the other, looking at everyone in the room as if searching for direction. Finally he puffs up his chest, taking in a deep breath. The once playful look now replaced by a more serious one. His mind has been made. Jumping from his chair he bounds with one great leap. His feet seem to barely graze the wooden surface before taking off again directly toward King Onawa. A few plates of partly eaten food scatters. A glass of liquid spills. As he pushes forward, his form begins to change. His arms and body shifts, becoming a gray furry blur towards the king. Then over, right over his head he flies, landing behind him with a thud. Claws tapping on the hard floor. Standing behind the king now is a large, gray wolf with one brown eye, one blue. He opens his mouth as a long pink tongue hangs out between sharp fangs, panting.

(ooc: Cloak of the Bear's Form)

**Songbird**

**Nov 11, 2014#13**

Onawa is, for his part, entirely calm as the boy-turned-wolf leaps over him and lands on the far side of the room. Turning to face him, he peers at him with an intense gaze, clearly fascinated. "Well, he doesn't *appear* to be a puppy, Hrimveig," he says reasonably. "Or a pup. He *looks* like a wolf, though I suppose appearances can be deceiving..." His voice trails off thoughtfully.

"He does have food on him, though," he adds after a moment's reflection. "Does the existence of food-on-fur affect scientific classification?"

**Maximilian**

**Nov 11, 2014#14**

Max gives a big shake in hopes of ridding himself of whatever food Onawa is talking about. Without delay, the wolf walks closer towards him, stopping only a few inches away from his hand. His wet nose twitches, nostrils flaring. Max sits by Onawa's side, gazing up into his new King's eyes.

**Songbird**

**Nov 11, 2014#1**5

Onawa gazes calmly at the wolf. "Would you like me to pet you?" he asks solemnly.

Liam throws up his hands in relief. "Good!" he announces. "The boy can be Fort Worth, the Ice Princess can get him a nice Autumn contract or three, and Milada and Onawa can pet him. *I am going back to my scrying*. If any more hedge-fresh stumble out, send them to Eric, I've no time for this." With that, the Wizened king storms out.

**Maximilian**

**Nov 11, 2014#16**

Max's fluffy tail wags as he rests his chin gently on Onawa's lap in preparation for pats. Contradicting his hyper self just a few moments before, Max is quite calm now, despite his current form. *This day keeps getting better and better*, he thinks to himself.

**Songbird**

**Nov 11, 2014#17**

A delicate hand descends to stroke his head gently. "There, there," the king says solemnly, but not unkindly. "You appear to be, in all respects that I am capable of determining with any degree of surety, a good wolf. There, there."

Along the back wall, Tyrone's serious face twitches with an unidentifiable emotion.

**Maximilian**

**Nov 11, 2014#18**

His tail doubles it's waging speed at his king's praise. At this rate, he'll be hand fed and brushed before the week's end. All he needs to do is play his cards right. *Just a little to the left, come on Kingy... the spot, get the spot. Right behind the ear*. If Max's body inches any closer, he'll be in Onawa's lap. Which wouldn't be a bad thing in Max's mind. His eyes beg the king for more and he presses his luck. Indeed, he missed this attention more than he thought.

**Pisha**

**Nov 12, 2014#19**

Milada shoots Tyrone a warmly amused grin, then moves forward towards the table. She scratches the wolf's head lightly in passing, then begins neatly stacking the spilled plates and glasses. She smiles, looking up at Onawa. "Apparently you have a new friend, your Majesty."

**fruitbat**

**Nov 12, 2014#20**

Hrimveig grimaces. *Dogs*.

"Max, if you want to be his pet then by all means keep this performance up. If you want to be his subject, pay attention to the oath and swear to him." She recites the Freehold oath to him. "Then, since I am apparently to be your tutor, answer my earlier question: how much do you know about what you are? And don't answer 'wolf' or 'puppy'."

## Page 3

**Maximilian**

**Nov 12, 2014#21**

Max's ear twitches, but he doesn't take his attention off the king, giving Hrimveig a whiny yawn at her "king's pet" comment. When she starts to recite the Freehold oath, he gives up more attention. His body begins to shift again, gray fur shrinking back into his skin as his form grows to look more human. "I swear," he says at the end, his transformation fully complete. His lips softly brush the back of the same hand the King was using just a minute ago to pat him. Max looks up at his King, still gazing into his eyes as he stands to face him and everyone else in his new home.

"I am alive," he answers with a half smirk, looking over his shoulder towards Hrimveig. "I am alive and I am home." Max turns around to face her, posing with his arms cross. "So you tell me, teacher, what do *you* think I am?"

**fruitbat**

**Nov 12, 2014#22**

Hrimveig appears unimpressed by his posturing. "You are a Changeling, a bastard born of human flesh and fairy pacts. As are we all, here. Beyond that, I would call you a lapdog with delusions of grandeur but fortunately that is something you can change." She sits down at the table and takes one of the chocolatey desserts. "And Liam seems to think you will join us in the Autumn Court, though since you're not his subject and choice of Court is not something a monarch can command in any case, that is really up to you. Do you feel any kinship with fear or knowledge?" *Not promising at all so far*.

**Maximilian**

**Nov 12, 2014#23**

"Lapdog? Hey now, that depends on who's lap!" He sticks out his tongue in a mock, then puffs out his chest. "You don't think I'm scary enough? I can scare off anyone! I'm a wolf, after all!" His ears flatten out and he bares his fangs to show off his features. "As for knowledge, I know lots of stuff!" His expression lightens up with a toothy playful grin. "Like how to hunt down pray, and chase! And learning new tricks!" He seems especially proud of the last example, grinning ear to ear. "I'm rough and tough!"

**fruitbat**

**Nov 12, 2014#24**

"If you were one of my wolves you wouldn't last the night. Still, if you can learn new tricks..." She takes another dessert and eats it slowly. "Very well, I shall find a room here for you and make you a signatory to some of Autumn's contracts." She wrinkles her nose. "Preferably after you bathe."

**Maximilian**

**Nov 12, 2014#25**

"Bath time?" His eyes light up immediately with interest. While most dogs run at the mere mention of a 'bath', Max's past experience with bathing was quite different. He raises his arms up over his head for a good stretch, flexing his muscles. With a wink and a grin, he walks over to her, then spins around to look at everyone else. "All right, now we're talking! I haven't had a bath since I ran off. I can't wait to meet everyone! Lead the way, Hrim-lady!"

**fruitbat**

**Nov 12, 2014#26**

Hrimveig looks at Milada for reassurance. "No one gets that enthusiastic over a bath, surely?" She turns back to Max. "Autumn is no place for puppies. Control yourself."

**Songbird**

**Nov 12, 2014#27**

King Onawa blinks and stands slowly. "Hrimveig, are we going to the lake? I do not understand the apparent reference to group-bathing."

He looks at Milada, clearly quite confused. "Should I get my swimsuit?"

**Pisha**

**Nov 12, 2014#28**

"Ahh..." Milada sets the plates down in a neat stack on the table, leaving out the desserts that Hrimveig keeps swiping. Approaching the young man carefully, she smiles. "Max, right? Max, when you say *bath*, what are you expecting? Use your words," she adds patiently.

**Maximilian**

**Nov 12, 2014#29**

Max grins quite happily at Milada, tilting his head at the question. "Huh? You know, bath time! Rub-a-dub-dub?" He jesters his hands scrubbing his head, ruffling up his hair. "Don't tell me you have never taken a bath before? You don't know what your missing! All the pats and scrubs- your fur feels like a million bucks after! Not to mention scratching behind the ears! Who DOESN'T love bath time?" He lets out a happy giggle, then scratches himself.

**Pisha**

**Nov 12, 2014#30**

Milada nods solemnly. "Oh, yes, I've taken lots of baths before. I agree, they're wonderful." She smiles. "But when I take a bath, I - *usually*," and she flashes a quick self-deprecating grin at Hrimveig, "bathe alone. Which means washing your own body and your own hair and fur. It's still really nice, but it doesn't have all the pats and scratches."

She takes his hand. "And you're only part-wolf now, Max. You're part human too, and humans have to learn how to take baths by themselves. Have you ever taken a bath like that before?"

## Page 4

**Maximilian**

**Nov 12, 2014#31**

"Sure I've taken baths alone before- all the time! But i can never reach all the places with this form. People tend to get mad if I lick in public." He gives a little snort, rubbing the back of his head. "You mean you don't have bathing servants? But how do you get all the dirt off, or dry yourself?" Max's ears droop. "I...don't remember. I was always this way. People took care of me. They...loved me. I...was special."

**Pisha**

**Nov 12, 2014#32**

Her expression softens and she reaches out to ruffle the boy's shaggy hair. "Well, you're still special," she says. "And people will still love you. But you're going to have to learn some new tricks, okay? You told Hrimveig you were good at that, so that shouldn't be too bad."

She tilts her head. "I think you'll like human baths," she says. "It's not getting scrubbed by other people, and it's not licking either. There's water - warm water or even hot if you like that - that falls from above, and you use the same nice soaps but you scrub *yourself*. It's called a shower, and it's really relaxing and fun." She smiles at him. "Do you wanna try one? And then Hrimveig can teach you some more fun things?"

**Songbird**

**Nov 13, 2014#33**

Tyrone takes this opportunity to very quietly leave the room.

**Maximilian**

**Nov 13, 2014#34**

"ok..." he says with some disappointment. He's not sure how this will work or be as fun as when other people give him a bath, but he'll give it a chance. Max looks back at his King with a sad expression, then back at Milada. "I'll learn."

**Pisha**

**Nov 13, 2014#35**

"Well, come on then," she says, tugging gently on his hand, and smiles. "You'll like it, you'll see. And then you won't have to wait for someone else to give you a bath so you can feel clean and soft; you can have one anytime you want."

She looks at Hrimveig. "Do you want to come with us? You could wait and teach him magic afterwards. Or I could bring him to you afterwards." *So you can teach him Autumn magic. Whyyy??*

**Songbird**

**Nov 13, 2014#36**

Onawa watches all this with his head increasingly tilted to one side, like a particularly confused owl. Finally, he says, very slowly, "Max... do you *want* to learn Autumn magic?" He blinks softly. "Milada is Spring, and they know magic to heal. Tyrone..." He looks around, only just now missing the hare-man. "Well, he brought you here. Tyrone is Summer, and they know magic to harm. We don't have any Winters in the room..."

He pauses, and looks around *very* slowly. "None that I can discern, anyway," he clarifies. "But they have magic, too. You can join any court, you don't have to join Autumn just because Liam suggested it." He hesitates. "I don't like to venture an unformed opinion before I have had ample time to ponder it, but if I were forced to make a suggestion in this situation--and I am told that kings sometimes do--I might venture to suggest that you could be very happy in the Spring courts. They are very fond of luxuries and nice things, or so I am told."

**Maximilian**

**Nov 13, 2014#37**

Max puffs out his cheeks with a frown, much like a protesting child would. "I told you, I'm a wolf!" He repeats to the room. "With sharp teeth and claws to hunt!" He shadow boxes the air to showoff. "Just watch me!"

**Songbird**

**Nov 13, 2014#38**

"I see." King Onawa hesitates and then turns to Milada. "Miss Heartstrong," he says solemnly. "Would you please tell me what this good wolf desires? I believe that would help me make the necessary recommendations."

[OOC: To be clear on who will hear these desires, the only people in the room at this point are Onawa, Max, Hrimveig, and Milada. Let me know if I've missed someone.]

**Pisha**

**Nov 13, 2014#39**

"Of course, your Majesty," she replies with a warm smile. Still holding the young man's hand, she looks into his eyes for a few long seconds.

At first, there's a barely-visible trace of apprehension on her face, replaced almost immediately with relief. But then a touch of pained surprise dawns, before her expression shuts down, quickly replaced with a gentle, blandly pleasant mask.

After a moment, she smiles. "Ok. Max, why don't you have one of the desserts and wait for a minute? We'll go get you cleaned up soon, okay?" She nods to Onawa and Hrimveig, and with her eyes asks them to step off to the side for a moment.

Once out of earshot (even allowing for doggy hearing), she speaks to them quietly. "Well, I wasn't able to delve as deeply as I'd like - I could only cast it a few times, because I didn't meet the catch. Thank *goodness*," she adds with feeling. "But he..."

She glances back at the dog-man, a look of intense pity on her face that she would never let him see. "There's barely anything human in him," she whispers. "His desires are that of a dog. He wants food, he wants comfort, he wants to be petted and scratched and told he's a good boy. He wants to sniff things and lick things and -" she breaks off, looking at Onawa, and oddly for Milada, blushes furiously. "And other doggy things," she finishes. "He *doesn't* want to get scolded or smacked. But... I'm just... I'm not getting the sort of desires you normally get from, well." She shrugs. "From a person."

She looks at him for a moment, then grins. "He *does* really, really want us to think of him as a big scary wolf instead of a small pampered pup," she adds. "Which is... technically Autumn, in that he wants to be able to scare people? Honestly though, he might be better off staying Courtless until he gets a better sense of who he is." She shrugs again. "Not really up to me, though."

**fruitbat**

**Nov 13, 2014#40**

Hrimveig shrugs. "If he wants to be a dog, we can treat him like one. Autumn's a good place for a guard dog."

## Page 5

**Songbird**

**Nov 13, 2014#41**

Onawa looks intently at Milada--and then at Hrimveig--through this, nodding slowly. "Thank you, Miss Heartstrong," he says with solemn kindness, giving her a tiny bow. Then he will gesture for them both to follow him back to Max.

"Max," he says slowly. "Which court you join is a decision that only you can make. I cannot force you to join a court, nor could I bar you from one; the wyrd has heard your desire to be Autumn, and will cloak you as it sees fit. And my counterpart King Liam seemed to believe that you are fit for this court, or perhaps simply foresaw that it would be so." He hesitates for a long moment.

"However, it is my duty as king to look after your assimilation into our community, and I believe I would be remiss in my duties were I to *not* order you to experience greater exposure to the other courts. For the remainder of my seasonal reign as king, I am going to require you to spend time weekly with representative members of the courts, so that they can introduce you to their philosophies and the types of contracts that they are pacted with. I believe that this knowledge will help better inform your growth here."

He looks to Hrimveig and Milada. "Mistress Hrimveig shall be your Autumn instructor, and you shall obey her as you would a representative of the crown. Miss Heartstrong will teach you the philosophies of Spring. Madam Mara Steele, of the Winter court, will speak to you about her court, as I think this will be good experience for her." Then he hesitates. "I... will have to speak to someone in Summer, there is a new member but I cannot recall her name for the moment. She will teach you the ways of the Crimson Court."

Then Onawa considers for a long time. "You will be given lodgings of your own. I would prefer that you reside on your own and learn to be reasonably self-sufficient. But in addition to these teachers, I will appoint a member of the Freeholds to help you when you should require it. But you are only to rely on her in time of need; she is not your owner nor your caretaker. I think Maliri might be the best choice, and you shall go to her with general questions and concerns."

He takes a deep breath, looking suddenly very anxious. "Does that-- Does anyone have any questions?"

**Pisha**

**Nov 13, 2014#42**

Milada smiles, and she looks at the young king with both approval and respect in her eyes. "I think we can handle that, your Majesty." She looks at Hrimveig. "So. Again, do you want to come back with us to get him presentable, give him some basic Autumn-y information? And then we can go introduce him to Maliri."

**fruitbat**

**Nov 13, 2014#43**

Hrimveig nods. "That sounds sensible." She turns to Max. "First rule: anyone who must tell people they are scary inspires embarrassment, not fear. Remember that."

**Songbird**

**Nov 13, 2014#44**

[OOC: Hrimveig, Milada, Mara, and Lucia will be asked by the Autumn monarchs--yes, both of them, as Dallas and Fort Worth are united on this particular issue--to open threads with Max over the Autumn 2014 season and have at least one session with him bringing him up to speed on their courts and, ideally, helping him to become a self-sufficient person in addition to a sweet baby direwolf puppy.

I will leave this to the players to start rather than requiring an ST prompt, but if you *need* an ST prompt to set the scene, let me know.]

**Pisha**

**Nov 13, 2014#45**

(Ooc: waiting for Max to respond, then taking him to a room.)

**Maximilian**

**Nov 13, 2014#46**

Max entertains himself with handstands while waiting for the others to return. Seeing the king and others approach, he quickly tumbles to a sitting position with his legs crosses on the floor.

He nods at Hrimveig, ears at attention. Slowly, his tongue slips through his lips and before he realizes, he's panting again. Everyone around him talking is exciting him. The closer people are, the stronger his doggy urges become. Finally, Max jumps up to his feet. He can't hold his excitement back anymore. He wants to show her that he understands, just words doesn't feel enough. Springing forward towards Hrimveig, he takes her hand. At first it looks like a normal hand shake, but a second later she can feel something warm and wet slide across her cheek. "Got it, Hrim-lady!" He says with an accomplished smile as if agreeing to some deal.

**fruitbat**

**Nov 13, 2014#47**

Hrimveig freezes. She fixes Max with a glare that could cow an army and, through gritted teeth, whispers just loud enough for him to hear, *"Bad. Dog."* (OOC: Intimidation check. Pulled a 32 vs Resolve+Composure, sorry Max!)

**Maximilian**

**Nov 13, 2014#48**

A high pitched whine squeaks from the mutt. His ears flatten back, eyes widen to their fullest. He drops to his knees, cowering before her, whining. If he had a tail in this form, it would be between his legs. His whines become more high pitched as he rolls over to his back, submitting himself. Totally confused and frightened, he tries to show he didn't mean any harm. He didn't know what he did but suddenly he is being called a "bad dog." Whatever it was, he hopes this fixes the situation or he'll have to resort to something more messy.

**Pisha**

**Nov 13, 2014#49**

Milada covers her mouth, watching this, then reaches out a hand to him. "Max, remember, you're part human now," she says gently. "It's not polite to lick other people..." She glances up at Hrimveig again, biting back a smile. "At least not without permission."

**fruitbat**

**Nov 13, 2014#50**

Hrimveig crouches down and re-establishes eye contact. "In the general case, Milada is correct. In my case? Do not. Lick. Me."

## Page 6

**Maximilian**

**Nov 13, 2014#51**

Max's body shakes a little, but he nods slowly. Still not knowing what to do with himself and trying to calm down, he rolls over to his knees, ears still down, and whimpers. "Ok," he manages to choke out between silent trimmers and sobs. "I'm...here." It will take a long time before the mindset of being a dog all the time wears off, but he'll try to fit in. Max bows his head, still shaking, looking to the floor.

**fruitbat**

**Nov 13, 2014#52**

Hrimveig rises to her feet and rolls her eyes. "If he needs pats, you give them, Milada. I swear, not even children are this infantilised." She looks down at Max again. "Follow." (OOC: move to his new apartment?)

**Maximilian**

**Nov 13, 2014#53**

Max slowly gets up, head still bowed and follows Hrimveig.

(Go back to Worth Hollow)