filia-florum:
( happy tails, nasty teeth ; with @filia-florum & @uchinot )
It wasn’t that he didn’t like animals, but Leon just didn’t see much use in them. As a child he never wanted something as silly as a ‘puppy’, although he did receive numerous horses while training to be the mounted combat type of fighter he was today. So when Leon opened the door to his team’s first challenge and was greeted by the visage of several small dogs, all looking to be rather young, he wasn’t all that phased.
If anything, he was surprised.
“What kind of challenge is this supposed to be…?” Leon asked, scoffing as he entered the room fully, the small canines gathering to greet the party as they entered. He turned to the rest of his team, tossing them an almost worried glance, if it weren’t his mastery of his own brand of poker face.
“Just how weak do they believe us to be without our abilities, that he can’t escape a room of puppies…?”
Truth be told, Estelle had always wanted a pet. But with little say in how her life was run until very recently, she only heard tales of what it was like to have a trusty steed, or faithful hunting dog, or even a spoiled cat. To make matters worse, the only dog she has ever formally met refused to entertain her childhood fantasies. Just one scratch behind the ears, Repede, that’s all –
Needless to say she’s much more excited than her leader is when the party is greated by a chorus of small, happy yips. With caution only at the very back of her mind, Estelle strides past Leon in order to meet their challenge. When she bends down and reaches out her hand, nothing utterly detrimental happens either; a multitude of curious noses prode at her open palm and even then, her fingers are all remain intact.
But for as thrilled as she is initially, it does seem rather odd…
“I wonder if this is some sort of mental challenge,” she ventures, gently patting the head of a small brown puppy. “Perhaps they’re a riddle or a clue to our next task?”
@uchinot
There were a lot of things that could have gone wrong in this situation. One, they are free to roam the area rather than be bound down in an unknown place forced to escape. Two, they were taken at a prime time when a lack of food has yet to hinder their bodies. Three, they have one another for support, even if all may be strangers to each other.
It wasn’t the worst situation he’d been through in life and it wasn’t the best, but they at least had these three things. The entrance to the door the other two boldly opened not blowing up in their faces was a plus.
“Maybe I should add a ‘Four’.” A mumbled statement made only for himself as he made to follow after his merry band of children (oh how he always seemed stuck with them). Ferocious animals didn’t exist, instead were puppies that the found girl had already taken to liking. One even taking the time to sniff at his foot before backing off quickly.
Yeah, he already carried the scent of another pack on him...
“This rooms looks to just be a distraction. Shall we move on?”
