A full moon and a dog - Salem

Being told he had to crash at an orphanage before he could become a full resident was strange, to say the least. A little offensive, too. He was a full-grown adult, even if he didn't have the papers to prove it!

But, that wasn't the current issue.

No, it was the moon looming overhead. Its glow had already seized control, and Salem was unable to seek appropriate shelter in time. One excruciatingly painful transformation later, no longer was he a man but a beast.

A tiny. Fluffy. Beast.

He supposed this was better than turning into a massive wolfman that acted only a hunter's instinct. At least this way he wouldn't be a threat to society.

The black-and-tan Pomeranian shook out his pelt, releasing some of the tension that always built up during transformations. Now he needed to find a place to hide until sunrise. No thumbs meant no doors, so he was stuck outside.

Or, maybe not. Catching the sight of a flame flickering in the darkness, he chased after it like a moth, only to run into the legs of a child.

Sophie Chang

Whoops! Sorry, kid!

The Pomeranian shook himself off again, a quick recovery from the impact. A huff came out more like a sneeze, and the little dog began circling around the girl, sniffing. He had absolutely no idea who this kid was, but she smelled like the orphanage. That was good enough for him.

He paused, ears perked and head tilting at the mention of hungry. The tail that curled over his backside started wagging.

Yes, food, give.

Sophie Chang

Acting like a dog was degrading, but the forced transformation slowly ate away at reason and filled it with instinct. The Pomeranian let out a high-pitched bark and dropped down on his front paws. He took off after the girl, little legs easily overtaking her pace. He would pause and look back whenever that happened, only to turn around and bolt ahead once more.

Sophie Chang

Hide? Why would he hide? The difference in perspective made this the perfect time to explore, and his extremely heightened senses told him to sniff everything. While the girl went off to the kitchen, the Pomeranian shuffled around the lounge, nose to the ground, curled tail high. He paused here and there when a scent caught his attention or when his lowered head caused him to bump into the furniture.

He almost wandered toward the kitchen when the wonderful smell of cooked meat wafted through the air. He stopped himself before his paws could carry him over, a small piece of reasoning reminding him that dog fur should not be found in the kitchen.

Salem carried on with his exploration. He nosed open unlatched doors and poked his head into rooms before backing out. He shimmied under a couch, nearly got lost under there, and finally popped out the other side. Dust bunnies clung to his fur, and a shake of his pelt could only do so much.

That was a matter for another time. The Pomeranian trotted up to the girl once she reappeared, sneezed from the dust, and sat down, head tilting with expectation.

Sophie Chang

Her best was more than enough for him. He could still recall a time back on the mainland when he had been forced to scavenge for scraps. Cooked meat on a plate? That would have been a luxury back then.

The Pomeranian ignored the water and dove straight into the pork, not even acknowledging the hand trying to dust him off. The plate was polished clean within a minute, and he moved on for a quick lap at the water.

Once done, he sat back and yawned.

Sophie Chang

One child left and another appeared, younger than the first. He didn't know what time it was, but it was definitely past this one's bedtime. Black ears raised, curled tail wagging in greeting at the little girl approached.

This better not be one of those kids that liked to pull ears. Kids with grabby hands were the worst.

Sophie Chang

No ears were harmed, so the Pomeranian was receptive to the child's attempts to play. He bowed before jumping to the side, nuzzling at the hand that reached for him. Another jump, another play bow, and the older girl returned.

Still bowed with his hindquarters raised, the black-and-tan dog turned his attention away from the youngest, who was promptly shooed away. Salem stretched out of his bow and shook more dust off his pelt.

He could always hide under the couch again, but that would be highly inconvenient once dawn came. The Pomeranian huffed and turned his head, ears perked and eyes staring off in the distance.

Sophie Chang