10

"You need to understand how hard this is" Ianto was explaining to Ton, "Not just for us, but for her too. It will take two and a half days or so for her fur to dry, dreadlocks like Manny. We can't rush it and no … we cannot clip her. If we do it will take years for her fur to grow back and they like their warm dreads."

"So. She is a sheep dog?" Ton asked.

"Originating from Hungary, yes. They were for sheep protection. A wolf could not bite the dog through its protective coat." Ianto said absently as he started to carefully shampoo the huge dog, the ribs now able to be felt as she reluctantly let his fingers slide into her coat, separating and cajoling the large curls of dreadlock to separate. "She will not be happy, and will be wet for days. The smell alone is going to piss me off. Never mind, not her fault. Can't be helped now, she needs a bath, flea treatment and food."

"And now we have a name, she needs a collar, can she wear a collar?" Ton asked with a frown "I don't want her uncomfortable."

"So. Wolves" Ton said after he realised his Tad was not going to get into the 'ownership' conversation yet.

"And bears" Ianto nodded "They attack a predator by leaping at it, using their weight and strength to knock it over, gain the upper hand."

"cool. An attack mop" Ton giggled, "Taddy?"

Ianto sighed softly "Ask your father."

Ton left his Tad who was now carefully drying the dog as best he could with a mountain of little flannels, sliding them between the dreads to try and dry the parts next to her skin, then teasing the dreads out while trying not to pull too hard. She seemed a good girl taking the discomfort as she looked adoringly at the Hooman who was being so kind.

"Dad?" Ton found his other parental with Gwen and Rhys, Gwen eating a muffin with soft moans of delight.

"Yes Tonny?" Jack turned to look at the bedraggled teen, his hair sticking up in weird angles and wet to the bone. "You need to get changed."

"A shower, then changed. She stank!" Ton sighed then canted his head "We keeping her?"

"Yes" Jack said firmly, "She was not just abandoned, she was badly treated and I will not let her go anywhere. Nope. Jill is our dog now!"

A classroom set up in the living room became a screaming mess of excitement as a damp dog escaped Ianto, the soft singing finally alerting her to other little ones in the house and she ran in to let them look at her in her now white dreadlocks.

Ianto gave in, mopping the tiles floor with a grunt of annoyance.

Still.

She was a nice girl.