A Guard For the Vulnerable

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 16th February 2014

Characters: Loella, Livie
Description: Loella brings a guard for Karhal
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 5, day 21 of Turn 7
Notes: Follows "A Wedding Reception to Remember"

Loella

Livie paced the small room, her every muscle tense. The canine knew
that something was wrong; her human had not returned and had not been
seen. He had not walked with her, and she had not seen him. The canine
whined and approached the door, scratching at it with growing anxiety.
The clawing became more frantic as she scratched at the wooden frame,
her claws digging into the wood with furious intent.

"Livie!" Loella called to the canine as she ran toward Karhal's house.
"Livie, I'm so sorry." She squeezed in the door and grabbed the lead.
She hoped the big canine would allow her to put the lead on. "We have
to go to Karhal," she knelt in front of the beast. Her hands ran over
the great head as the tears still streamed down her face.

Livie tried to immediately dart out of the door but it shut before she
could shove her head past Loella. She sat immediately, recognizing the
woman and gave a low whine as she knelt in front of her. Sniffing the
tears, she swiped at them with her tongue, trying to clean Loella's
face with canine intensity. Satisfied that she had, she waited for the
lead to be fastened to her collar and rose, pawing at the door before
starting high pitched, repeated whines.

For the first time in hours Loella smiled and let Livie clean her
face. Her fingers found the place on the collar and snapped the lead
in place. Then she opened the door and held on for dear life. She knew
Livie could track Karhal down no matter where he went but he'd been
carried to the infirmary, he hadn't walked so she tried to drag her in
the right direction for her final objective. "He's this way Livie."

The moment the door opened, Livie started pulling in the direction of
Karhal's office. The big canine was well trained to the lead, but was
far more used to Karhal's firm touch and not the lighter pull of
Loella. Her tail up, ears pricked forward and her nose to the ground,
she pulled Loella easily. The tug back on the lead made her pause and
she turned to stare at Loella as if offended. She whined and pulled
against the tug of the lead.

"I know, I know," she said. "But he's not there sweetheart. He's this
way." She allowed some of her frantic upset show as she tugged toward
the healers. "He's sick and he's going to need you to take care of
him."

For some reason Loella knew the canine could protect Karhal when she
couldn't be there to watch over the big guard Captain. Personally, she
planned on making all his food so there could be no chance of anything
being slipped in again. Not that she blamed Zelanka's staff in the
least. But it was foremost and only Karhal that concerned her right
now. Her husband, and she choked up at the thought of that title, was
not going to suffer any more if she could help it.

She pulled her cloak tighter and pushed towards the healers unaware
and uncaring of the muddy sodden mess her wedding dress had become.

The canine looked towards the office and then obediently followed
Loella, moving to walk beside her. There was anxiousness in the
canine's bearing and Livie continually looked over her shoulder
towards Karhal's office. As they approached the infirmary, Livie's
head lifted and her tail stiffened, beginning to wag furiously. She
didn't lunge forward this time, but she did move forward, her nose in
the air to sniff.

"it will be okay girl," Loella ran a hand over Livie's head the way
she'd seen Karhal do it more than once. "It has to be okay... for both
of us."

She pushed through the door of the waiting room and then back toward
Karhal's bed.

Livie went on alert immediately at the scents that surrounded her.
Without warning, she broke away from Loella's grip, her claws
scrabbling on the hard floor as she rushed towards the prone, silent
figure on the cot. She skidded to a halt and immediately started
sniffing around the cot, then reared on her back legs to peer at
Karhal with an intent gaze. Her nose nuzzled his hand, shoving her
nose under it with determination, but it did not move. She shoved
again, pressing her head under his hand. When he didn't move, she gave
a great sigh and sat back down on the floor. Her chest huffed once,
then twice before she tilted her head back and a low mournful howl
echoed through the infirmary.

Loella understood exactly how the canine felt and her heart howled
right along with her. But running feet and a cursing healer changed
things fast.

"Get that animal out of here," he yelled.

Livie responded immediately. Hackles rose as she leapt to her feet,
lips peeling back in a vicious snarl. Her ears swept back against her
head and she snapped her teeth, saliva dripping from her canines as
she placed herself between the yelling healer and Karhal and Loella.
Her haunches tensed as though she was preparing to leap at the man if
he ventured any closer.

"Livie Heel," she commanded and reached for the lead. "I suggest you
adjust your tone. This is a trained guard canine and his companion."
She added to the healer who backed slowly away.

Livie drew back, lowering her lips at Loella's command, but her eyes
never left the healer for an instant, obviously still viewing him as a
threat. The canine was tense with stress and she sat, her body
quivering under the desire to defend both Karhal and Loella. She
finally looked up at Loella, brown eyes waiting.

"I'm sorry miss," he said in a kinder tone eyes rolling at the canine.
"But we don't allow..."

"It's not a matter of what you allow. Someone tried to poison my
husband tonight and until that someone is caught, Livie here will make
sure that someone doesn't get another chance. Her hand dropped to the
big head and she smiled "Good girl Livie," she praised. Then she sat
in the chair next to the bed and pressed lightly... "lay down."

"But we can't..."

She didn't even give him a chance to finish. "You're not hearing me.
You can and will. The only person who'll be able to get Livie out of
here is me, and I'm not doing it." The heat in her gaze was as intense
as a bonfire. "I suggest you have the staff introduce themselves to
her if they need to come in here."

Livie lay down slowly, her body pressed against Loella's legs. As the
man spoke again, she gave a low warning growl, deep in her throat.

He nodded and backed away. He intended to go and discuss this with Chupsin.

Loella went to the pitcher and poured some water into a bowl for Livie
and set it at the foot of Karhal's bed. Then she took a deep breath
and went to the head of the bed. Bending over she kissed Karhal's
forehead and smoothed his hair. "What a wedding night huh?"

Livie stared up at Loella and Karhal, relaxing now that the healer had
left. She gave one thump of the tail and then settled, ears pricked
upwards and alert. Karhal took a deep breath, his brow furrowing, but
otherwise he did not wake.

Last updated on the March 15th 2014

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A Guard For the Vulnerable