Not the exercise you thought it was
Shelby
07-22-2021, 10:59 PM
He seemed to try and justify why his former owner's decision had been easier or more justified than maybe she had thought or maybe he was trying to prove how it wasn't necessarily a kindness, but either way it didn't really sway her opinion on it. From her experience with other wolves, they were innately selfish. Even with all of these factors this woman had still been his owner, his master. She very well could have continued to keep him if she wanted, but she had let him go and that was a concept that she wasn't sure she could ever understand. She had changed hands quite a few times in her life, but every time an owner gave her away it wasn't to free her, it was to gain something else. Sometimes she was a bartering tool, a piece of property to trade or exchange for. Other times she was something to loan or borrow for favors, used and returned in exchange for something her owner wanted. Never had the possibility of her freedom ever crossed her mind. This was the closest she had gotten and even now she knew that she had to answer to him in order to continue receiving these kind things like food and a place to sleep.
She noticed how he looked at her and she glanced down at the ground in front of her paws to keep from looking at that hard expression she didn't really understand. Her current state seemed to bother him and she tried not to think about it too much, but it was hard to not feel self conscious and nervous. As he drew closer to brush past her she tensed, taking a couple steps back to create some more space between them. She tried to act as if she was just getting out of his way, giving him room while he worked on putting out the fire, but silently she knew it was simply because her instincts didn't trust him yet. Logically she hadn't had any reason not to, but old hair trigger defenses wouldn't let her fully relax yet. She looked up at him again when he mentioned drying off, holding still as he tossed the warm coat over her. She quietly did as she was told, pulling as much of the moisture out of her coat as she could. When she was done she laid it off to the side and turned to face him again, awaiting his instructions.
She started following his motions as he demonstrated a couple of different stretches, bending this way and that way before stretching out her legs. None of her movements were really quite as far or as deep as his, not wanting to risk reopening her fresher wounds or bothering some of her scars that were newer and the skin still fairly thin from her lack of nutrition causing things to not heal properly. She made herself continue on with the motions even if they were slightly adjusted or adapted. It was hard to remind herself of his rule to not push herself too far. She wanted to mimic his moves exactly and show that she wasn't as weak as she felt, but that just wasn't an option. Right now she hoped that it was enough that she was just trying.