11/9/2025, 9:23 PM
So Nate Ronan weren't born a wolf either, and maybe there wasn't a concept of property ownership or taxes among wild animals.
That was good.
"You been here a while, then?" Cecil asked, sitting to match him. He'd clearly relaxed, but people usually felt better on even footing, and they were still a little unsteady. "Know where we are? Ain't where I remember bein', but I only just, uh, woke." Could be some sort of second life. Another world. Plenty going wrong in the last one.
They'd expect to keep two legs in that case. And there was purpose in questioning, but Cecil kept that thought for later.
Nate was right- they weren't alone. And weren't being ripped into by an animal that saw them as intruder, at that.
"More than you know," Cecil said, and meant it. They were certain as anything they were dead now- but that was all right. Worse things to be.
And that wasn't to say it didn't hurt, just that they could put up with it. All told, their mother would still have brothers and sisters to take care of her. Didn't make up for them not being there, never could, but it made the sting a little softer.
There was something in Nate's smile that looked...a little forced. Not that Cecil knew how to read a wolf's face well, but it would've on a human, and, well, he'd been human once too, hadn't he. Before.. Huh.
"Well, he found me, so there's probably somethin' to it," they said. "Real quick too. How long'd it take you to get used to it? I'll be honest, I've already been strugglin' a little, and I ain't gotten to anythin' more strenuous than standin'...though I'll admit- probably been on horseback for a good few hours before I ended up here, so I might've been havin' some trouble with two."
A wry smile. "Was expectin' a little more pain, though, so I shouldn't complain. Turns out all dyin' gives you is a headache. Well, that and a new body."
That was good.
"You been here a while, then?" Cecil asked, sitting to match him. He'd clearly relaxed, but people usually felt better on even footing, and they were still a little unsteady. "Know where we are? Ain't where I remember bein', but I only just, uh, woke." Could be some sort of second life. Another world. Plenty going wrong in the last one.
They'd expect to keep two legs in that case. And there was purpose in questioning, but Cecil kept that thought for later.
Nate was right- they weren't alone. And weren't being ripped into by an animal that saw them as intruder, at that.
"More than you know," Cecil said, and meant it. They were certain as anything they were dead now- but that was all right. Worse things to be.
And that wasn't to say it didn't hurt, just that they could put up with it. All told, their mother would still have brothers and sisters to take care of her. Didn't make up for them not being there, never could, but it made the sting a little softer.
There was something in Nate's smile that looked...a little forced. Not that Cecil knew how to read a wolf's face well, but it would've on a human, and, well, he'd been human once too, hadn't he. Before.. Huh.
"Well, he found me, so there's probably somethin' to it," they said. "Real quick too. How long'd it take you to get used to it? I'll be honest, I've already been strugglin' a little, and I ain't gotten to anythin' more strenuous than standin'...though I'll admit- probably been on horseback for a good few hours before I ended up here, so I might've been havin' some trouble with two."
A wry smile. "Was expectin' a little more pain, though, so I shouldn't complain. Turns out all dyin' gives you is a headache. Well, that and a new body."
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