[Closed Post: Caught]

[timebethine]

Laertes is in love. He's in love, and he's carrying his whole heart tucked into his coat, held close against his chest. The pup wriggles and squirms and makes little noises that to Laertes's ears are more curious and interested than distressed. "Soon, pet," says Laertes softly as he undoes the lock on the door to his and Sagramore's rooms. Then, louder: "Sagramore! I've brought a friend for thee!"

And he pulls the tiny puppy out of his coat. It blinks ice-blue eyes at Sagramore, then gives an amiable bark.

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[timebethine]

"She can," says Laertes, rapt with wonder; "oh, my heart, look at her go--"

[sagramore]

"Thou wilt be in ecstasy when she sits still, soon enough." He leans over and catches an arm around Laertes' waist. "My thanks. Thou hast-- hast made me so happy, heart's-friend."

[timebethine]

"Thou deservest to be happy," says Laertes, and he lets his temple rest against Sagramore's cheek. "I love her more than sunlight. I love thee more than breathing."

[sagramore]

"I love thee more than any dog in all the world." For a moment he closes his eyes: since they've stopped, Szarka plonks herself down and starts chewing on one of his boot laces.

[timebethine]

"Sweet, no," says Laertes, mindful of Sagramore's admonitions. He scruffs Szarka carefully and moves her bodily away from Sagramore's laces.

[sagramore]

He laughs. "Look thou, thou canst be persuaded to sternness. Well done."

[timebethine]

"It's like a blade to my heart!" Szarka, undeterred, returns peaceably to Sagramore's laces for another go.

[sagramore]

He laughs. "It's easier to redirect than deny. If thou wouldst have her leave off, give her something else to take her attention. At least until she learns no."

[timebethine]

"We'll need toys like Magnus and Galahad have for Drosera. Until then, alas--" and he gently scoops Szarka up again and scoots her away again. "Let's keep going; a meal will certainly be a good distraction."

[sagramore]

"At her age, a dinner will probably at least tire her out." It's honestly hard not to want to detour immediately with every new thought -- to the library, to one of the cupboards to make toys, or continue to the kitchen.

[timebethine]

Laertes is having a similar problem--but he's fixed now on the bright clear point of making his new daughter chicken, and he leads them to their usual kitchen and starts getting out ingredients: bread, a container of beef stock, some chicken breast for cooking. "Should I cook it in butter or oil, or boil it? Can she have butter?"

[sagramore]

"Just boil it plain. If she were a wild dog she'd have no seasoning. I suppose she'd have no cooking, either, but--"

[timebethine]

"Szarike will have the best," says Laertes in immediate agreement. He takes out the cutting board that he uses for meats and slices the chicken breast very small, mindful of how tiny her throat is. "Canst thou start some water boiling for me? I should've done that before I started the chicken."

[sagramore]

"Of course." He fetches a pot and goes to the sink, stepping over Szarka, who has flung herself dramatically to the floor with a giant sigh.

[timebethine]

"Sweet little girl," laughs Laertes, "art thou not getting enough attention? Hast thou been cruelly abandoned?"

[sagramore]

"It's good for her to learn to soothe herself. We may have to leave her sometimes. We can spoil her when we're done with our work."

[timebethine]

"Will we let her roam the woods, or keep her close by?" Laertes asks. Having finished chopping the chicken, he goes to wash his hands--his first-aid book had been extremely insistent on the importance of hand-washing to prevent disease, and it seems to have been working so far; he hasn't been sick (apart from the migraines) since he arrived here.

[sagramore]

"Close by. I don't want her wandering off and getting into trouble, especially before she's fully trained. No, I mean, sometimes she'll have to stay in the room by herself, or wait patiently."

[timebethine]

"Oh--I meant when she's grown," says Laertes. "But thou art right. The woods are strange enough for humans; they would have all manner of trouble for dogs."

[sagramore]

"I'll ride with her, if she needs the exercise, and keep an eye on her. Even grown, I'd rather not have her wander. God forbid she goes after Angus."

[timebethine]

"Or Mothwing! I've still not made her acquaintance, but I should hate to trouble her." The water's started boiling; after another few moments to confirm that the boil has begun in earnest, Laertes scrapes the meat in with the flat of his knife and then sets about washing the knife and cutting board.

Szarka, completely abandoned by her new parents, rolls back onto her feet and toddles off to examine the nearby entryway, which smells of Boot and Dirt and Outside and other interesting things.

[sagramore]

Sagramore goes after her immediately and scoops her into his arms. "Not yet, Szarike. I wonder," bouncing her slightly, "if we could make a little wooden gate to put across the door. Something lightweight we could carry around to keep her in one room."

[timebethine]

"Ay, that would be easy enough," says Laertes. "Are the doorways here all the same size? Or will we need to build more than one gate--or a gate we could make larger or smaller, as we will--"

[sagramore]

"I didn't even think of that, I was thinking make it oversized and just lean it against the doorway, but if thou thinkst we could make something we could change, that would be far and away more secure."

[timebethine]

"I have a few ideas--mayhap I could bring in thine Aleksander; it could give us practice for making his table." With the knife and cutting board safely stowed on the drying rack, Laertes comes over to kiss Szarka's little fluffy head and be licked all over.