Verbena brings a new friend

[Verbena Domitia]

[September 26th]

As she will eagerly tell anyone whom she can trap into a conversation, Verbena has been spending the majority of her time in Applevale, establishing business relations ("Successfully, of course, they're remarkably civilized there, considering the location."). However, she has made a habit of coming into Holdfast mid-morning each Wednesday. Today is no exception to her schedule, though as her cart trundles to a halt, there's an uncharacteristic impatience to her manner, as if something were different this time. She hitches her oxen by the roadside and whistles.
There's a sound of scrabbling, whereupon a glossy-coated golden retriever hops out of the cart. She smiles at him, and he follows at her heels as she makes her way up the path. Reaching the inn, Verbena sits on the deck, scratching her new pet enthusiastically behind the ears. Her posture is deliberately casual, but her eyes dart about occasionally as she waits with poorly-disguised eagerness for someone to comment.

[Torvallis!]

"It's a puppy!"

Torvallis! points with a large grin.

"Whossss a gud puppy? Is it you? Oh yes, you're a puppy! You're such a puppy"

[Verbena Domitia]

Verbena looks up and smirks at Torvallis! before turning her eyes back to the dog. "Oh, dear, he's not a puppy. He's a full-grown dog, and a gorgeous specimen. He doesn't need to be patronized." Her voice shifts into something more playful. "Do you, Volk? No, you don't! No, you don't!" The dog licks her face, and she giggles.

[Torvallis!]

" . .. is it just named Volk, or is it actually Volk?"

Torvallis! looks like they're ready to start scolding a dog.

" . . . I guess it's not brooding very much . . ."

[Verbena Domitia]

Verbena's expression shifts to one of extreme distaste as she stares openly at Torvallis! for a long moment before responding. "...No. No, Volk here has nothing to do with Other Volk. But I think that he rather redeems the name, don't you?"

[Torvallis!]

"I mean, to be honest, becoming a literal dog might be one of the few ways to potentially redeem Volk. It's not out of the question to do that to him."

Torvallis! grins at the dog again.

"You're a good dogger! You want pets?!"

They turn to Verbena

"Does he want pets?"

[Verbena Domitia]

"Oh, he's insatiable for pets." She pauses and looks Torvallis! up and down, considering them carefully. "You may pet him, if you wish," she says, with only slight reluctance. "He's not inclined to bite."

[Torvallis!]

Torvallis! gives Volk all the pets.

"So, whatever happened to human-Volk?"

[Verbena Domitia]

Verbena's posture becomes a hint more rigid. "Don't know. I watched him run off into the flames of some outport he'd arranged to be sacked. Hasn't been seen since, as far as I'm aware. I rather suspect he's bereft of any friends or allies at the moment, and I can't imagine a single place he'd be welcome, to be perfectly honest. He has a talent for self-destruction." She shrugs. "It's a shame. He was an individual of great constructive potential. To see it all go to waste is frankly disappointing." She scratches behind Volk's ear. "Fortunately, this Volk has been an unqualified success on every level."

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