Chapter Text
She likes snow. She likes to jump and catch little snowflakes with her maw, she likes to roll on snow and she likes the crunching sounds she makes every time she walks or runs. She doesn’t feel cold, her fur gives her enough warmness to endure the chill of the winter. But her moma , on the other hand, doesn’t like the cold, even though she likes winter.
Of course she knows Rhaenyra isn’t her real moma , but she is still her moma.
Syrax stops her prancing in the snow and looks at moma , who doesn’t pay her any attention, all her attention is on her phone. Moma face is all red, especially her nose, and moma shivers slightly even having layers and layers of cloth. It takes her ages to get ready to walk in winter and sometimes it’s hard for Syrax to wait, especially in the mornings. Moma doesn’t look at her, so she prances to her and puts her head in moma’s lap, asking about petting. Moma doesn’t look at her, still focused on her phone but she starts to pet her.
Syrax likes to be petted. Her short tail wiggles while moma pets her head and growls a little when moma stops. Moma doesn’t like when she growls so Syrax stops almost immediately and goes to Vhagar, mastiff, that lies near the bench. Vhagar isn’t the most active one, and she is old , so she just nuzzles into her cheek and licks her face.
“ Syrax.” Vhagar barks, a little bit irritated.
Syrax doesn’t answer her, just sits on the ground next to her and observes the playground that is all covered with snow. It’s lunchtime and not many dogs are playing around. She knows all the dogs, but she doesn’t want to join any of their activities right now. She has already played enough, she has done all her business and probably it's time to go home. Syrax looks at her moma again, but moma doesn’t react to her, and she looks sad. Syrax doesn’t like it, but moma looks sad lately. And no matter how Syrax tried to cheer her up, it didn't help much.
Syrax isn’t that old, it’s her second winter but her moma got sad last year in the winter, and this year she is sad too. She had this sad time of the year too, three times in her two years of living , wanting something she didn’t understand she was craving. It wasn’t her favorite treat, or ball, or toy, or petting from moma, even though petting helped little. She didn’t eat much, and she was by moma’s side constantly. It was a sad time. Vhagar didn’t explain much, and Syrax didn’t ask other females about it.
Maybe moma’s has a similar time of the year.
But Syrax all forgets about her musing, when a new dog enters a playground. She isn’t the only one to see him of course. Other dogs stop too, and while males seem to be suspicious and a little on edge from the start, females seem to make themselves more presentable. Syrax does nothing, she is always presentable and she knows hierarchy with her being one on the top of the pyramid.
The newcomer is the same breed as her. He is tall, taller and heavier than her. He is sleek and muscular. His ears and tail are cropped too. And his coat is dark black and shines. He smells nice. And he behaves like he is the top-dog there with his confidence. Rhaegal, Cane Corso , is the top-dog there, at the top of their hierarchical pyramid. She is the next one in that pyramid. She is Rhaegal's favorite, he shows his affection, but she doesn’t like him. He is smelly and mean to other dogs and they fear him just because he is the largest, not the smartest one.
Syrax doesn’t know this male, but as he is the new to their playground she wants to know him. She looks at the man that walks beside him. Syrax can’t judge a human's appearance, but this human seems good looking, even all his face is red, just like her moma’s. And he looks at his phone, just like her moma.
She looks back at the newcomer who strolls across the playground like it belongs to him, sniffing. He pisses on the largest tree and keeps his strolling, while other dogs don’t really move. It’s funny and Syrax snorts. That catches newcomer attention who stops and his head snaps at her.
Well . He has an intense gaze, while looking her all over. Syrax never doubted her own beauty. After all moma always calls her beautiful, and pretty, and she knows females don't like her that much because she steals males attention. She likes attention, but at the same time she doesn't like males way too much. Sure, she plays with them, but when they try to snuggle with her or lick her, she starts to fight. They know not to do that now.
This male doesn’t know any of that of course. He walks to her with the same confidence and barks:
“ Caraxes.” He doesn’t try to sniff her rear and keeps his distance. Smart move or she would have bitten him.
“ Syrax .” She answers but then turns her attention to moma, waiting for her … approval?
But moma doesn’t look at her, and this time Syrax isn’t irritated by it, as her moma look at Caraxes’s human with a smile, and Caraxes’ human stares at her moma. She probably stares like that at her favorite meat treat.
She feels moma’s interest, and her eyes shine. And that's an interesting reaction. That way moma reacts rarely.
“Daemon.” Male introduces himself and holds out his hand to moma.
“Rhaynera.” Moma smiles at him, gives him her hand in return and giggles when the man kisses her hand.
“ Human mating.” Caraxes says, distracting her from watching interaction between moma and … Daemon.
Syrax wants to know what mating is, but she doesn’t ask. She doesn’t want to look stupid. She just huffs and strolls to the tree he marked. She needs to mark it too before moma and her go home.