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"Hey! Snapper!"

A pair of rounded ears pricked up and a furry head lifted up from the desk where it had been resting among papers, mathematical tools, and a few well chewed pencils. Blinking his muddy brown eyes blearily, the part grown gnoll rubbed his hands over his face and let out a confused little growl and looked about. His bedroom was the same as it always was. Bed, messily made with the post gnawed on. Dresser scratched up and holding his clothing. A wash basin. A few nick knacks and odds and ends...some knotted hempen rope, some well and comfortably chewed stuffed animals, a set of glass nick knacks far too pretty for him to toy with. But no sign of anyone speaking.

"It's me, Imoen!"

The window! Savan smiled happily and his tail began to wag rapidly as he pushed his chair back from his desk and got up to his feet. He paused for a moment to adjust his tail, pushed through the hole in his grey trousers as it was, tugged his green button up shirt into a less wrinkled position, and then hurried over to the window. He threw it upwards and stepped back, beaming with delight as the other child, a human, nimbly climbed through the window and into his room.

"Hello Imoen!" the gnoll child greeted, clasping his hands together and trying not to smile too hard. He'd found that when he smiled his teeth tended to make other people nervous. "How are you today?"

Standing before each other, the two couldn't have looked more different if they had tried. Both were about ten years old and...that was the end of their similarities. Savan had several inches in height on her. Tawny fur with black spots and a black mane. A tail. All those wicked, predatory teeth. While Imoen's hair was red, her skin soft and smooth, her eyes green and her smile was infectious rather than terrifying. She was dressed in darker clothes like she was trying to sneak about, despite it being only mid morning and bright and sunny outside. She got along with everybody and got them all to laugh, especially Savan. She was smart whereas he was still struggling with reading, writing and arithmetic. And she was most certainly not afraid of him!

Imoen showed it then and there, reaching up to bury her hands in his mane and coax his head down. Savan's ears pricked up when her fingers began to scratch and rub him gently and splayed out to the sides. A low murr rumbled in the back of his throat and he slowly closed his eyes. "Mmmph... What are you up to?" he rumbled to her. He didn't need to see to know that she was smiling at him. Her mouth quirked in that sly way that she got when she was scheming. And she always started scratching his ears when she was trying to get him to go along with it.

"Aww don't you trust me Snapper? Your bestest friend ever?"

Yep, she was up to something. "That's what you said before you put frogs in Reevor's bed" he grumbled and twitched his ears. Concentrating on forming the words properly with his muzzle and teeth. If he didn't focus, it was so easy to mess up the words into something more bestial.

Imoen responded by scratching a little harder in that way she knew he liked. "Heeey, you laughed at that!"

"What about the time we tried to feed jerky to Dreppin's calf?"

"That was in the name of science!"

Savan cracked one eye open and huffed at her, not saying anything but letting his reproach show.

"...I said I was sorry! I didn't mean for you to get trash detail." Imoen pouted and paused in scratching his ears, stepping closer to pull the gnoll in close for a hug. "Besides...this one will make it up to you, I promise" she whispered into his ear. "This will be more fun than putting frogs in Reevor's bed, more rewarding than pestering Dreppin's calf, and delicious to boot! This will be the sweetest score, I promise you. Sweeter than honey, sweeter than tweaking Ulraunt's beard, sweeter than snoozing on the lawn on a bright and sunny day when you should be doing chores!"

Savan thought about this, frowning dubiously.

"I'll help you with your homework" Imoen suggested, and her grin widened when Savan glanced back to his desk, papers scattered haphazardly.

"...What do you need my help with?" the gnoll cub asked her cautiously, keeping his hands clasped before him. Homework gave him a headache, especially math...and to be fair, Imoen's games and shenanigans WERE a lot of fun. Even if trash detail was on the line.

Imoen giggled then and stepped back, moving towards his bed and motioning for him to follow her. From a pouch hidden behind her back she plucked out a folded piece of parchment and set it out on the bed.

"What we have here, Snapper, are cookies!" she declared. "Cookies that will soon be our's!"

/////

The library fortress of Candlekeep was about as safe, secure and comfortable as a monastery could be. It had been Savan's home for as long as he could remember, and he'd spent many an afternoon wandering the paths and gardens and among the buildings to see what could be seen. He knew the fortress grounds well by now and wandered among the gardens doing his best to look casual. Like he was just out for a stroll and not like he was about to commit a crime.

As he paused to smell some sweet, scented flowers, Savan kept his ears pricked up to listen for anything suspicious. At around this time of day, the early afternoon, most of the monastery's inhabitants were busy with their own interests and so the grounds were largely empty. He was able to make his meandering way to Candlekeep Inn, the site of Imoen's cunning plan.

"Old Puffguts has eyes like a hawk and ears like a fox" she had proclaimed there as they had huddled around her makeshift map of Candlekeep. "I can sneak past the cook and her assistants easy, but he'll catch me for sure! You need to keep his attention on you, Snapper."

"Why do you have a map here?" Savan had asked, eyeing it suspiciously. "We both know Candlekeep well enough. Did you draw this yourself?"

"Shhh!" Imoen had poked one of his ears lightly. "Just work your charm and your natural cuteness and leave the rest to me!"

Well. Savan doubted that he had much of either. But he would give it a try. And so here he was, padding among the buildings and shrubbery and trying to look charming and cute and not like he was being sneaky. He must have done well enough, because he made it up to the inn's front door and nobody accused him of assorted crimes.

Sucking in a deep breath and folding his ears back meekly, he ducked his head and pushed lightly at the inn's door, slipping inside.

It was mostly empty inside the inn, Savan noted with some relief. The commons were empty except for the stuffed moose head above the fireplace, nobody was sidled up to the bar to drink, and the only sounds came from the kitchen. In fact, the only person in sight was the bartender, old 'Puffguts' Winthrop himself cleaning glasses.

Portly and balding with a big mustache, Winthrop turned his head when Savan poked his snout in through the door. He grinned at the sight and nodded. "Ahhh! 'Ello there, Snapper. Get out of lessons early, did ya? Take a seat."

Twitching his ears back, Savan padded forward and into the inn. He looked about, saw how empty the place was, then walked on up to the bar where Winthrop crossed his arms and rested on the bar top. Clambering up onto a stool, Savan peered up at the older male. Already the young gnoll was sprouting up but for now at least he was smaller than the average adult, and he felt an instinct to fold his ears back and duck his head. Instead he settled for resting his hands on the bar top and looking about. Searching for something to say, he murmured "It's quiet here today..."

"Ah, well a little bit" Winthrop would admit, smiling indulgently. "But ya learn to enjoy these quiet moments. The dinner rush will be all noisy, with everyone looking for their food, so now's the time to get some thinking in."

Savan smiled back and felt his tail start to wag a little. He liked Winthrop. The human was calming and had never treated him badly. "I guess... Though I like running around outside more" he murmured, keeping his voice down.

"Well of course ya do. Yer still young and energetic and the whole world is waiting for you. Hehe." Winthrop chuckled fondly and waved a hand, gesturing to the whole wide world. "I know it seems like ye'll never grow up big and strong, and you'll be at lessons for the rest of yer life. But when yer out and about, one day ye'll look back and miss yer home."

Savan pondered this with a little frown on his muzzle. Then nodded, though he didn't really understand. "Um..." He splayed his ears to the sides and hunched himself over a bit. Biting his lower lip and making grumbling sounds in his throat. Charm. Cuteness. Ugh! He was not good at this! Imoen should have got someone else to do this... But he'd agreed, and he'd promised... Pushing on, he blurted out "Is that...how did...you come here?"

"How I started my inn here?" Winthrop chuckled lightly. "Well that's not a very interesting story. But if yer asking..." He reached behind the bar and pulled out a glass, a few bottles and a jar of cherries. "Might as well make something sweet to drink while I do, eh?"

Savan watched in fascination as Winthrop mixed up a drink. Pouring liberally from one bottle, adding a dash of whatever was in the others, and garnishing with a few cherries before he nudged it over to the cub. He hesitantly put his hands around the glass and raised it to his lips. His ears pricked right up at the sweetness, and he smiled. "Thank you" he murmured meekly, tail wagging behind him.

For a moment he felt all warm and glowing inside.

Then The door to the inn opened.

"Hey Winthrop! What's cooking? I haven't eaten since I got up this morning!"

Savan immediately ducked his head and held onto the glass, ears folding back as he tried to look small and inconspicuous. Praying to any gods that might be listening that they wouldn't bother him. But as usual, they weren't listening, and footsteps tromped on over towards him. Stools were pulled out and two bodies took their seats beside him.

There were plenty of decent kids in Candlekeep that Savan got along with, gnoll or not. Shank and Carbos weren't that kind.

"Heeey Snapper. How's it going? Lessons going well?"

The gnoll cub didn't turn to face him, but he knew what he would see. Slightly rumpled brown hair, some pockmarks along the cheeks, and a wool tunic and matching trousers. Savan could smell the sweat on him...he'd been working since dawn, doing odd jobs around the keep and apprenticing under the blacksmith. And of course, that chip toothed smile would be flashing as he prodded him on the shoulder.

"Must be on a break" Shank mused, lightly poking the younger boy. "You can't spend all day studying, right? It'll turn your brain to mush."

"Hehe. Mush." Carbo giggled. The shorter, blonde human always laughed at Shank's jokes. And he poked Savan on the other shoulder just because he could. "The furball's brains are turning to much."

"It's because of all the reading you do" Shank remarked, leaning against the bar top, drumming his fingers lightly. "It goes against your nature, you know? What you are."

Savan didn't answer. He hunched over and held onto the glass tightly. His ears folding back and his tail tucking between his legs as he bit his lip. Fighting to stay still. Silently begging the bullies to leave him alone. Before they got rougher.

It was Winthrop who came to his rescue.

"Hey, none of that!" The portly innkeeper scowled at the younger men. "If yer gonna pick a fight with the youngster then yer welcome to sit outside!"

Shank just turned his big smile on Winthrop and shrugged. "Hey, we're just talking. Who wants to fight? Right Snapper?" Another poke to his ear. Savan tensed and stared into his glass, keeping quiet. "I'm a hell of a nice guy. And Snapper? He's a real scholar! The sweetest so and so around!"

"Yer being a dick, Shank" Winthrop scolded.

Shank just rolled his eyes and eyes Savan speculatively. "So what were you learning today, hmm?" he asked. "Did you learn how to read? Or how to count? Or maybe history?"

"Maybe he learned about gnolls, huh?" Carbo added, tweaking Savan's ear more aggressively. "About how they eat folks right up, so there's nothing left!"

"Maybe he did" Shank added. The older boy leaned against the bar top and peered at Savan's face. The gnoll boy's wide eyes, his jaw squeezed shut, his ears folded back. Holding so still that he was almost trembling. "He sure looks spooked. Maybe his brain broke" he suggested. "Maybe the stuff he read about his own kind is what spooked him." His lip curled as he said it.

Savan mumbled wordlessly. He didn't move an inch. Silently hoping. Praying that they would go away. A dull roar slowly forming in his ears that just got louder with every word they threw his way.

"Alright, that's enough of that." Winthrop's scowl didn't go away as he glared at Shank. "Leave him alone if ye still want to be welcome in my establishment!"

"It's what everyone says!" Shank protested, prodding sharply at Savan's shoulder. "It's what they write about! Gnolls are vicious killers who eat everything they can catch...everyone knows that!" Another prod that made Snapper's tail twitch. "Not my fault that the little twerp can't handle that he's a monster!"

A monster. Savan slowly blinked, squeezing the glass a little bit tighter. A monster. He could feel his heart beat faster, his blood singing in his veins.

"Besides" Carbo sneered, prodding Savan again on the shoulder. "Seems like your establishment's gone down in respectability." Another prod, this time on the ear. "If you're letting monsters in...then who's next?" Chuckling, the teen prodded Savan firmly on the cheek.

The gnoll boy whipped his head to the side, stretched his jaws wide and snapped hard on Carbo's hand.

There was screaming. Shouting. Swearing. He felt hands grabbing hold of him, trying to force his jaws apart. He tasted blood and flesh in his mouth, drooling over his tongue and lips. And it tasted good.

But none of that mattered. What mattered in the moment was the roaring in his ears that drowned all of it out. It howled and rumbled and surged in his skull. And as he gripped Carbo's hand with his teeth, mangling the flesh and cracking the bone, he felt...something stir inside of him. Something that he'd felt before. Something that frightened him...and made him feel so good.

/////

"Hai- hai- hai'm so shorry...!"

Savan pushed his face against his father's chest, sobbing noisily and squeezing him tight. His ears folded back flat against his skull and his eyes squeezed shut, tears trickling down his snout. His tail tucked in between his legs so far that the tip touched his belly.

"Hai ch-chried!" he whimpered, muzzle struggling to form the words. "Hai really did! So shorry Father!"

His father held him close. Rocked him gently on his lap. The two of them were in Savan's bedroom, seated on his bed. The gnoll cub didn't remember how they had got here. After he'd...snapped at Winthrop's, things were kind of a blur. His emotions had been running wild, and it was so hard to think when he got like that...

"Shhhh...I understand, Savan. I understand...don't cry, son." The human male didn't make for a particularly impressive figure. He was of medium height and build, wearing a scholar's robes with plain brown hair and a short beard. Some traces of grey were starting to make themselves known, and he was looking into a pair of spectacles for his eyesight. He certainly didn't look like an erstwhile father figure to a young gnoll cub. But Gorion had done his best for ten long years, watching the cub grow a little more every day.

Savan sniffled and whimpered, trying to get a hold of himself. "Itsho hard..." he whined.

Gorion ruffled the cub's ears gently, holding him close and just letting him get it all out. Slowly, bit by bit, the shuddering stopped and the heavy breaths began to slow to something more steady. When he was certain that Savan was a bit more stable, Gorion silently touched the gnoll's cheek. Savan recoiled at first. Then nuzzled at his fingers. He slowly parted his jaws and took the proffered hand between his teeth, chewing gently. Gorion winced lightly but did not pull away. Savan was always gentle with him and had never so much as bit the older male before.

"You understand what you did wrong?" Gorion asked after a time, rocking the cub gently.

"Mmhmm..." Savanh mumbled around the fingers.

"And you understand that I need to discipline you?"

"Mmhmm...yes father..."

Gorion nodded, feeling warmth in his chest. "You're a good boy Savan...I'm proud of you for accepting responsibility. But you can't do this again. No more. You understand?" Cupping the gnoll's muzzle with his free hand, he tilted the snout up so that Savan was looking him in the face. "You're so much stronger than most people. It's so easy for you to hurt them badly. You can't lash out when you get angry..."

"Mmhmm." Savan nodded and released Gorion's hand, peering up at him solemnly. With the moment passed and his despair lessened a little bit, he'd recovered some and could get the words out properly. "I can't listen to the blood...it's wrong. I won't anymore...promise."

Gorion was silent for a moment as he patted Savan's mane, watching the gnoll boy solemnly. Then he nodded and smiled. "It will be alright son" he soothed and ruffled Savan's ears, drawing a happy murr from him. "Tomorrow we'll start working things out. But for now, just don't listen to the blood. You're so much better than that."

Savan nodded again, resolve in his eyes. "I'll be good" he murmured softly. "I'll be good, father...I love you, and I'll make you proud..."

/////

"Karan says that the clerics were able to save the hand. Application of needle and thread with some healing prayers...they are confident that the boy will retain most of the use of his hand."

"I am deeply sorry for this. I assure you that this will not happen again." Gorion pinched the bridge of his nose and shifted from foot to foot before the Keeper of Tomes at Candlekeep. Ulraunt was widely respected as a man of learning with great care for the library and its inhabitants. He also had a reputation for being stern and prideful, and the way he regarded Gorion from behind his desk made the other wizard feel like a rowdy apprentice all over again. "I've already spoken with Savan" he offered. "He promises that he'll keep a firmer grip on his temper from now on."

Ulraunt steepled his fingers and grunted. "The promise of a child. Intangible like the wind. Will he remember it the next time he gets hungry?"

Gorion grit his teeth and refused to take the bait. "He will be disciplined" he promised. "He had a bad moment and understands what he did was wrong."

"Hm."

The silence stretched between them. Gorion refused to speak. He was not a young apprentice anymore. He was a grown man. He had seen battle and blood and death before. He'd seen sights that would haunt him for the rest of his life. And he would not quail before the Keeper of Tomes!

...If only Savan had managed to keep himself under control...

Eventually Ulraunt turned his hands to rest them atop his desk and sighed. "Gorion...you were always a good researcher, and you've been instrumental in bringing valuable tomes to Candlekeep in the past" he said, dropping some of the sternness from his voice, though it didn't go away altogether. "Your connections have spoken highly of you, and Harpers don't give their praise easily. However...have you considered that you're rather...out of your depth?"

Gorion started to deny the words, but paused for a moment as he considered. "...Well...I suppose I am" he had to admit, thinking over the last years. "As much as any new father might be."

Ulraunt didn't seem impressed by the metaphor. "Fathers aren't typically eaten by their children."

"I wasn't aware that I'd been eaten..."

"Give it time, with how you give him the taste of your own flesh." The Keeper sighed and pushed himself up from his seat, crossing the room to gaze out of a window upon Candlekeep below. "He's going to be the death of you one day" he predicted somberly. "Even if he weren't one of the Children. His kind aren't known for their gentle ways...as young Carbo found out today."

"Shank and Carbo bully him relentlessly!" Gorion protested.

"And Savan nearly crippled Carbo for life." Ulraunt turned about to glare at Gorion. "Is that acceptable to you? As a father?"

Well. What could he say to that?

Shaking his head, Ulraunt went back to gazing out the window, mulling over the situation. Gorion scowled but stayed silent in case he made everything worse. Eventually the older mage continued. "I wish you hadn't brought Savan here in the first place, Gorion. But as you have...and he hasn't given in to his base instincts...it would be wrong to abandon him to the world." He went on, speaking over Gorion's attempt at thanks, "I'll say it again, he's going to be the death of you. And if he ever does give in to his heritage then I won't hesitate to have him banished from Candlekeep...but for now, as you say, he is a child." He made a face and sighed, turning back to face Gorion solemnly. "It's a very great chance that you're taking, you know."

Gorion released a breath in a sigh of his own and nodded his thanks. "I do know" he'd admit. "But Savan is worth taking a chance for..."

/////

People were staring at him. Savan could feel it. He folded his ears back, hunched his shoulders and watched the ground as he crossed the courtyard with his father. He was sure of it...he could feel the stares of scholars, monks, guards and labourers land on them as they passed by. He could picture their judgement. Animal. Beast. Monster. The gnoll boy shuffled his feet and whined quietly. If his hand wasn't tucked in Gorion's then he would have fled, he was sure of it. Gone and hid under his bed, or in some hay, or behind a water barrel. All so that people wouldn't point and watch him for being a monster...

But as it was, he walked to the barracks with his father, tail tucked between his legs. His ears twitched a bit when Gorion knocked on the door but he kept his eyes firmly on the ground, ignoring the words that passed back and forth before him. Just hoping to go unnoticed until his father patted him on the shoulder. "Savan?"

The gnoll boy raised his head and peered up. Gorion was smiling at him. The other man eyed him sternly. Tall, fit, in the chainmail and tabard of the Candlekeep guard with a bushy beard, he looked decidedly unimpressed at the sight of him too.

"Savan, this is Jondalar." Gorion nodded to the other man. "He's the captain of Candlekeep's guards. You'll be spending a good bunch of time with him from now on."

That got Savan's ears to cautiously prick up. "I will...?"

Gorion nodded to his son solemnly and patted him on the shoulder. "After today in the inn...mornings and evenings, you'll join him and the guards for training."

"Training...?"

"In addition to your classes during the day, I want you to spend time working on yourself. Your body as well as your mind." Gorion could see confusion on Savan's face and couldn't blame him. Hopefully some hard work and exercise would teach the cub discipline and how to hold himself back. To defend himself without mauling someone. If not...well, he'd rather not think about that. "No time like the present, so you're going to start today."

"Today?" Savan really didn't mean to keep asking questions...but he just had so many! Everything was moving so fast, ever since Imoen had popped up in his room earlier for her cookie plan. After what he did...wasn't father going to punish him?

"Hey!" Thwack! Savan yelped and jumped as something smacked him on the shoulder, stinging lightly. "Straighten up! Eyes forward!" Jondalar had pulled a thin switch from his belt while Gorion had been speaking. "Don't just slouch there, pay attention when I'm speaking!"

The gnoll folded his ears back and straightened himself up as best he could. He started to turn his head to watch as Jondalar circled around him and got another thwack on the shoulder for his troubles. So instead he stayed put and bit his lower lip while tension ran through his body. Shivering under the large human's critical eye...feeling oddly shy about it. He squeezed his hands together and waited for the moment to pass. Eventually Jondalar would return to standing before him with a scowl, exhaling in a disappointed sort of way.

"You are a problem, boy."

Savan's eyes popped open at the...sheer bluntness used, but Jondalar was giving him no time to protest. "You have no discipline. You are a slave to your impulses. You have no idea how to control your own strength. And now a man is maimed for life because you couldn't take some harsh talk in a bar." He looked down his crooked nose at Savan and sneered. "What will happen the next time you lose your temper, hmm? Will you take off someone's head? Split their guts open? Feel bad about it while they go under the dirt?"

"Ngh..." The cub bit his lip and hunched over, cringing as though expecting a blow.

"There is no place in Candlekeep for troublemakers, boy! When you go chomping the fingers off of people, then you make yourself into a danger! To yourself and others. Worse than that. When you have no discipline, no self control, and you go tearing into people who don't know any better, then you make yourself into a beast! And beasts get bounties put on them. They get hunted with hounds, their heads stuck up on the wall." The human crossed his arms and leaned over so that he loomed, his shadow falling across the young gnoll as he growled "Though your head's rather small to make a good trophy."

And Savan had no idea what to say to that. His eyes went wide and he stared up wordlessly. Ears flat and trembling. Feeling sick to his stomach at the harsh words. So sick that he missed how his father looked taken aback for a second and had to cover it up.

"For your behaviour, you're on the road to getting kicked out of Candlekeep and worse, boy." Jondalar would pause for effect. "But it's your lucky day."

Savan pricked his ears up very slightly and held his breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Today sure didn't seem lucky...

"Your father asked me to straighten you out. And while I don't see much to work with here...with a lot of hard work, some discipline, and effort. You might just surprise me for the better." Unfolding his arms, Jondalar pointed the switch at Savan's snout. "Now...your father introduced me as Jondalar, captain of Candlekeep's guard. Only friends and battle companions may address me as Jondalar. As you are here to train, you will address me as sir! Understood?"

"Y-yes, uh...sir?"

"I said, is that understood?!"

Savan jumped! Straightening up some, he sucked in a breath and yelped out "Yes s-sir!"

"I don't HEAR YOU, BOY!"

"YES SIIIIR!!!"

Silence. Savan huffed quietly, feeling heat rush into his cheeks as his shout faded away. Jondalar grunted some and took a step back. Looking him up and down, he didn't so much as smile as he did sneer. "Well, you have some spirit at least" he declared. "Lets see how long it lasts. And there's no time like the present. So straighten up! We're going to go for a run around the monastery's walls."

Well...that didn't sound so bad?

"We'll see how you're doing after ten laps" Jondalar said, making it sound menacing. "Tomorrow, we'll really get started."

Savan gulped nervously.

///////

The door swung shut behind Savan and he latched it unthinkingly. He didn't bother to light a candle despite the darkness, his eyes saw well in the dark. The young male just tottered forward across his bedroom and flomped down onto his bed and reached out for one of his stuffed animals, a lovingly gnawed walrus, pulling the toy close and squeezing it against his chest. Taking some comfort in the familiar softness while he just lay there and ached.

His legs hurt...Jondalar had decided that ten laps around the keep weren't enough and doubled it. Savan had thought he'd been fit...apparently not. Now he was hot. Sweaty. His mane stuck to his face. He should try to wash up, he figured. He didn't want to move. There was only pain. Exhaustion. The need to pass out lurking upon him.

"Hey! Snapper!"

Savan's ears twitched. He slowly cracked one brown eye open and peered at the familiar shape crawling through his window. He must have forgot to shut it this morning. ...Had it really only been a morning ago?

"Are you alright?" The bed shifted some as the slight human girl sat down on the mattress. "You look like you got run over by a garbage wagon."

"Mmph...go'way..." Savan grumbled. "Hurts..."

"Hurts?" Imoen smiled and started scrambling on top of him. Savan grunted but didn't try to shove her off. "Aw come on! I saw you running around, you've been through worse!"

"Lemme alone..."

"Hey, you can be grumpy and cross and smelly and sweaty all you want. But I know when you need some company, Snapper." Never one to mind making a pest of herself, Imoen flopped out onto the gnoll boy's back and started playing with his hair.

Savan scowled. "I said-" he started to scold her with a growl in his tone, but it was too late. Imoen's fingers found his ears and began to scritch into their base. All at once the tension just melted out of him and Savan shut his mouth, just letting the pleasant sensation happen.

For a while they just lay like that. Savan sore, dirty, exhausted, Imoen rubbing his ears and just keeping him company. Eventually she spoke up, "I'm sorry. I didn't think that things would go so bad for you... Shank and Carbo are a couple of dumbfaces..."

"Mmph..." The gnoll boy sighed and shifted position, crossing his arms under his snout and setting his walrus to the side as he closed his eyes. "...It's not your fault..." She didn't know. ...But she could have guessed.

Imoen must have expected part he'd left unspoken, and she paused in scratching around his ears and instead wrapped her arms about him in a hug. "I got you in trouble again, huh? Now you're going to spend so much time marching around and waving sticks and being all sweaty and tired." The young human girl sighed and pushed her face into his mane. He really was a mess, and definitely needed a bath.. But she didn't pull away. Nor did she loosen her hug.

And Savan didn't try to push her away. Honestly...she was his friend. Pretty much his only friend his age. And her apology helped take the sting out of the day.

"Imoen...it's fine..." he mumbled, his eyes still closed. "I'll be okay. I...I won't turn into a monster. You know?"

"Aw Snapper...you're not a monster."

Savan smiled, feeling his chest go all warm and fuzzy when she said that. Despite all the shenanigans...he didn't regret being with her.

"Oh! I almost forgot!"

"Hmm?"

Savan cracked an eye open and pricked his ears up as Imoen pulled back and started rummaging around behind him. "Say ahhh!" she would say, and he frowned but obligingly opened up.

Something popped into his mouth and he bit down on something...wonderfully chewy and savoury. Nutmeg. Macadamia nuts. Cranberries. A happy growl rumbled in his chest and he smiled, his mouth stuffed with cookie. Chewing messily away as the heady flavours filled his senses, crumbs spilling everywhere. His tail starting to swish happily.

"We wouldn't have got these if it weren't for you...you earned them, Snapper." Imoen planted a kiss on the top of his head, making him splay his ears out. "And you've got lots of homework for me to help you with. Never let it be said that I leave my friends in the lurch, huh?"

Swallowing a cookie, Savan smiled and growled happily. "Thank you Imoen... Thank you for being my friend."

"Aw Snapper..." Imoen giggled and squeezed him close. "I love you, you big goof."

"I love you too" he murmured, his voice muffled by cookies.