charisstoma

Arath/Poof, Malakishel/ Kish, Elert/ Kormier (Squeeky), Familiar Studies 101

Title: The Herb Shop (Part 5)
All in the Familiar Animal Shelter series - "On the Streets"
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 599

“I’ve had a call from a someone named Kish, who said he’s Arath’s Dad. He asked if everything was alright, that Arath is worried, not having seen you in class.”

Poof groomed a stray bit of fur better into place before answering Elert, the wizard half of his familiar-wizard family. “The ‘From Demon Concealment’ tonic you helped me with has been working. He never knew I was even in the area.” More smuggly, “Not that he didn’t look around.”

Elert nodded, “So it’s effective administered in a spray. Good to know.” He smiled, “Will let it be known on a need to know level. It’s handy to be undetectable to demon in some situations.”

“What’d you tell him?”

“The truth, of course.” As Poof’s eyes rounded, “Squeeky’s been fractious lately and you were staying home more with your Papa in case it might be infectious. Always best to mix the truth in with an evasion and that doesn’t work against parents,” was added severely, “just in case you thought to try it with us.”

“Me?” Poof innocently said.

“I was once young too, you know,” was grinned back. “Showing teeth in a wide yawn is only impressive if the individual it’s being done in front of to impress isn’t onto that person’s tricks.”

“Hmmm,” Poof hummed and was rewarded by Elert’s laugh.

Kormier wandered in with Squeeky dangling from his mouth, mumbling around kitten, “Wha yu tethin tha kittan?”

“Lying effectively without lying,” brought Kormier to a pause to look at his mate before his leaping up onto Poof’s bed and arranging himself and Squeeky.

“It’s not good lying to a demon. Gives them too much leverage if they catch you in it,” he reminded Elert and Poof. “So be careful and when in doubt, don’t. You will need to face him again though, soon. No sense pushing your young demon-wizard into doing something rash you’ll both regret.”

Poof sighed and nodded. “I don’t know how.”

Shrugging Kormier said, “Bump into him before class on your terms. Since you’ve been wearing the tonic, I suggest you don’t spray it on in the morning. No sense alerting him that you’ve been hiding in plain sight from him. Be clear with him about what you expect from him but let him try to explain himself first.”

Elert had winced during Kormier’s advice but he’d nodded, “Listen to your Dad. It works real well.”

Kormier laughed, “You didn’t require all that much training. Difficult to improve upon perfection.”

“You’re going to leave Squeeky here for me to mind while you two have couple’s time.” Poof observed; he knew the signs.
“He’s played and been fed and washed. He should be about ready to fall asleep soon. You could read your text book to him.”

“It’s the part about comparing courtship between the various cultures and how it affects cross-cultural interactions,” Poof informed his Dad askance.

“Well,” Kormier paused and took a breath, “that will be good practice and information for a certain difficult conversation tomorrow.”

“Ooooo-kay,” was responded doubtfully and earned a laugh from both his parents.

It did help though, Poof found. He could comment to Squeeky, an obviously impartial listener, on each point he thought was important and would be useful. Almost he was sorry when Squeeky fell asleep and he had to give up his monologue for fear of waking him. So he went back to the beginning and took notes on what he’d read and continued through the rest of the material. He could use them as an ice breaker when he talked to Arath tomorrow before class.