Chapter Five: Berserker vs Saber

Kariya found himself walking behind someone in a long blue cape with a furred color. Someone tall. No... it was that he was short. He could tell that after glancing to the side and seeing the partial stone walls, battlements along the top of a castle wall it seemed, to each side of them. The figure before him had a crown on, and the glimpse of golden hair he caught above the furred collar made it clear who this was. Saber, or rather King Arthur. Who was a girl apparently. Something throbbed throughout his entire body at the glimpse of Arthur beyond the cape. No, not Kariya's body. He was quick to figure out he was in Marrok's body.

Is this the feeling a dog gets around its beloved owner? The tugging of Marrok's origin? It took only a moment of thought to realize it was neither. He knew that feeling too well. That transcendent ecstasy ripping every fiber of your body apart because you can't act on it. The struggle of wanting to spend every moment looking at someone even though it hurt like staring at the sun. It was too familiar to Kariya Matou.

When Marrok whined and Arthur turned, the tiniest smile she allowed herself, the brightness behind her controlled gaze, and her words were like a pleasantly tingly fire poker impaling him through the chest and spine. The armored hand carefully patting his head was like the morning sun through your bedroom window as someone kicked you out of bed. Marrok was madly in love with his king. So madly that Kariya wondered if it were his held back feelings rather than his revenge on his ex-wife that qualified him for the berserker class.

"Do not worry yourself, Cavall. I'm simple consulting Merlin on what manner of beast you are. It is strange to find a wolf so intelligent, much less one that can shift its size."

Praise! Praise from Arthur! The urge to run a lap around the battlements leaped up into his chest and shoulders. Instead, Marrok sat on his haunches with a dumb expression and grew to the size of a horse, so that he was just taller than his king, and nuzzled her. He then licked her hand. The same one that had pet him, the same one he had kissed at the shipyard.

Arthur full on laughed at the affection, her stern facade broken briefly, "Show off. Come, return to the smaller size and let us not keep my court mage waiting."

Marrok did so but whined.

"Worry not. Even if he tells me you are a demon it does not matter. Your heart is pure and noble. You have proven that on several hunts on our way back. I trust you, Cavall."

Marrok did a clumsy but positive bark. It was like he was trying to learn a language. Kariya would later learn that wolves don't bark past their juvenile stage, so it was like Marrok was trying to use his high school Spanish lessons to speak to someone with a language close to that.

"Hmhm," Arthur chuckled very slightly at her companion being cute and reached to pet him, "That's a good boy."

Marrok raised his snout into the path of her palm and sniffed it, licking it once. Arthur retracted the hand, then tried again, only to meet the same result. A third from a higher angle met the same fate.

"Oh, so that is how it will be, hm? You challenge the king of Britain? Have at you!"

Kariya woke suddenly from sleep to the sight of a broody looking man with wild hair staring a hole through him. There was something wrong in that man's eyes, and something unnatural in his inflection as he spoke.

"You're being awfully casual about sleeping in the domain of an enemy master."

"The domain of an ally according to Arthur and her master."

It was then that Kariya noticed the command seals on the mans hand. He wasn't even hiding them.

"You aren't Assassin or Caster's master I hope."

"I wish, Saber isn't really suited to how I operate. Especially when she goes around recruiting and promising honorable one on one duels."

"Where's Marrok?"

"In the sitting room with Saber, Irisviel, and the little girl you took from the Matous.'

"He brought Sakura here?"

"He trusts his king. Of course he did."

"God dammit."

"Listen, Kariya Matou, I am willing to do many things, one of them is in fact holding a child hostage to get my hands on the Grail. However, I will not do it unless I feel I have to."

"That's not even the least bit reassuring."

"You think I don't want insurance? You could do the same to my wife."

"Your wife?" Kariya was stunned, "That woman married you?"

The man turned and headed for the door, "Rear garden, thirty minutes. We're going to talk about some things. Remember that I could have slit your throat or shot you just now and your servant would not have been able to stop me."

"Not exactly true, Kiritsugu Emiya." said the voice of Marrok, who materialized sitting on the foot of the bed in his casual wear, "I am a wolf remember? Fast and good ears. Territorial. There's also the little known fact of a long memory."

"Hmph."

"Remember that I could have killed you just now, origin binding me to Arthur or not, for threatening my master. You have a good thing here if you do not ruin it."

"Sound enough advice if I can trust you."

Kariya looked to Marrok, "Tell me you were there the whole time."

"I was not. I was however every time his breathing and heart rate changed to indicate he was thinking about killing you. Even that time I was in the west wing and heard it. Right now he is thinking of whether or not he should pull his gun to prove a point, but it would just be a bluff if he did."

Kiritsugu was shocked, but only showed being impressed, "The hearing of a wolf servant is quite sharp. That will be useful."

He turned to Kariya.

"Thirty minutes, rear garden."

Emiya left and a few moments passed before Kariya breathed again, "What that hell is wrong with that guy? You said Kiritsugu Emiya right?"

"Indeed."

"I saw his file in the old man's office. He's a renowned magus killer. Renowned enough to be called 'the magus killer' as a nickname. What the hell kind of monster do you have to be to be the 'the' for that kind of thing?"

"The kind that I am stunned and slightly appalled there are not more of in this war. It is a sign of stupidity that in this type of conflict there isn't a long history of assassins and mercenaries. I understand big squads of troops going after masters in big firefights never occurring. That would draw too much attention. However, if this war made any sense it would be servant, master, and a hit man for every team."

"Isn't your origin nobility? Yet you think there should be one of that guy on every team?
"Head on conflict is my preference, but I am a wolf by birth remember? I am myself a hunter, though in my first pack I was the one that would run straight at the enemy as the decoy for those with a decent mix of speed and strength to hamstring the target into my jaws. Even without a hit man in these battles, the most successful masters are not the support ones. It is ones that can actually provide some measure of offense. Even if it is just hamstringing the target into the servant's jaws."

"So what you are saying is Emiya is the perfect master?"

"With a different servant that can accept or even directly support his style? He might have won by now. After all this is a war about fighting mages and he does that professionally. "

"So do you wish he was your master?"

"The phrasing of that is wrong, but take this as proof I will never lie to you: Would I prefer a master like him? Yes. Would I do better in this war with him than you? Probably. Would I trade you for him if I had the chance and was not unable to due to my origin? No. I am taking you as far as I can because I have accepted you as my master."

"Thanks I guess?"

"If it helps, Master, that preference is a professional one. I personally think I would get along better with you than him on a personal level, and with the berserker effect on my nature I believe that is just as important as a compatibility in styles. Even in that aspect you are not held back much because you have shown a willingness and ability to adapt to my way of doing things."

"That's better. Thanks for being open about it. About everything actually. You trusted me with pretty much everything about you right away. Even how I don't need command spells to boss you around."

"I trust you."

Kariya frowned and looked away, that statement bringing his guilt back up, "Sorry again about sending you against that Archer. I got overconfident because you decimated Lancer so easily."

"On the bright side, it was a night of showing how bad a bad match-up can be in this war."

Kariya got up and stretched, "True."

Marrok patted his master on the shoulder, "Another bright side to look on. Do you recall my brief mention as I was polishing your magic that crest worms were once resistance training for mana?"

"Yeah."

"Now that the weights are off you have quite the mana regeneration. I can already risk trying to bring out my beast form for healing and training."

"Already? How long was I out?"

"Just under twenty four hours."

"I slept a full day?"

"You were exhausted, so we let you sleep. I discussed it with King Arthur and she agreed that you should get as much mana back as possible so I could safely train myself."

"Ah. Well I feel a lot better now that I have in years. Especially after that dream I had."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Kariya thought a moment before deciding to ask, "Is it normal for masters to dream of their servant's past?"

Marrok tensed, "Yes, it isn't rare. I presume from your positive review that you got a good one?"

"Yeah. You and Arthur had a wholesome moment on the way to see Merlin about what you were."

"Oh. I remember that. That's how I learned about origins and that mine was awakened. Merlin could tell."

"Did he also know about your powers then?"

"I found out later he did, even though he didn't mention it to Arthur at the time. He set to working on this form right then apparently and waited for a proper time to give it to me."

"Hm, interesting. I'm a little uncomfortable intruding into your history like this though."

"It is fine. Not like you can help it."

"Still, I kinda could tell what you were thinking then."

Marrok fidgeted, "Do not speak of that."

"You should say something to her."

"I said not to speak of it. It is not so simple as that."

Kariya thought back to his own situation in romance, "Yeah, I can relate. Not to the whole being a wolf in your situation part, but the basic situation."

"She is never to know, understood?"

"I'd never spill, Marrok. We're brothers in arms in this sort of mess you know."

"Thank you. Now, let us go show Sakura you are fine."

"Right. We should see her. How's she been?"

Marrok motioned Kariya to follow him as he proceeded into the hall, "Irisviel has been doting on her like a mother, mentioning that she reminds her of her own daughter."

"Wait... that Emiya guy is a father?"

"Surprising, I know. However that man loves children. He will not show it to us, but I have caught him smiling at her with shocking kindness in his face."

"Are we sure he's not a pedophile?"

"Yes."

"Positive? Can you read intent as well as you told Emiya earlier?"

"No, I was bluffing. I could not smell his thoughts in such detail. That was just a common sense psychology thing. I am also very good at discerning the true intentions of people who put on a cold face to cover their emotions."

Kariya thought back to Arthur. That knack made sense. Marrok had years of practice with one.

"That aside, Irisviel has been teaching her some magic, and I have been assisting. After the strategy meeting, you should let her show you what she has learned."

"I will."

A moment later the pair strolled into the sitting room where the lessons were taking place. Irisviel was just finishing up for the night, "And that is that. Do you have any questions, Sakura?"

"Oh, umm... do you know what a bitch is, Auntie Iri?"

Irisviel immediately turned to glare at Kariya and Marrok.

Later, the group had put Sakura to bed and convened in the back garden. Kiritsugu had brought some kind small bundle and woman unfamiliar to Kariya to proceedings. The woman was an icy but beautiful woman with a precise and utilitarian (though still flattering) hair cut.

Kiritsugu was the one to speak first of course, "First of all, I what to lay some ground rules for this alliance of ours. There will be of course the obligatory ceasefire between us until all other opponents are defeated. That includes Archer, Rider, Assassin, and the Caster that hasn't shown himself yet. Sakura will be allowed to stay with us and will be taken care of. This is not a hostage sort of thing unless you force that. When it comes down to the final two, Each side agrees to separate our people safely before the truce ends. No hostage taking to gain an edge."

Kariya nodded, "That sounds fair."

"I'm the one in the position of power here though. Saber is much stronger than Berserker. I gain the least from this and have more to lose."

Saber probably didn't like what was being discussed, but said nothing. It was perfectly reasonable for Kiritsugu to want more concessions to ensure he, who had all the cards really, would not be betrayed.

Kiritsugu passed the bundle to the cold looking lady that Kariya didn't know, "My associate Maiya will be holding onto the relic Kariya was carrying as an insurance policy."

"Hey! Wait a minute! That thing is my only remaining possession and pretty much priceless!"

"So you won't be betraying me before you get it back then will you. There is no way I will be letting you carry that thing around us to use against us. I trust Marrok, but you don't have what amounts to a geas on you."

Kariya growled, but he knew Kiritsugu had a point.

"No further objections?" Kiritsugu glanced to Marrok.

"So long as it is returned before the truce is over."

"Good. Now. We're in the garden for two reasons. One I wanted to check for assassin again, and if he being smarter this time, it's fine if they know this has happened and they get all this information. We'll just presume they know what we discuss here."

Marrok reasoned, "I cannot hear or smell him, but I presume we will discuss detailed strategies in a more secluded location."

"Of course. For now the second reason is this back garden is better for getting Marrok used to being a berserker, and for showing us what he can do. If I'm getting a tool that I have to fight later, I want to see what it's capable of."

"Fair enough. What did you have in mind?"

"You'll spar with Saber. You are compelled by your very nature to not harm her, so she should be able to handle you better. The rest of us will be watching from inside."

Saber perked up, but was still inexpressive and dignified, "Oh, excellent. I have never gotten the chance to spar with you, Sir Marrok. It will be a pleasure I'm sure."

"Clash swords with him for a while, and when you feel he's ready have him go completely into wolf form. I'll trust you can handle him from there."

"Of course, Master. You can rely on me."

Kiritsugu couldn't help but notice the distaste Marrok had for Saber calling him that, "Good. Let's get inside then and the two of you can start training."

Kariya paused, "What a second. Marrok was terribly wounded by Archer wasn't he? Is his wolf form able to handle this?"

Marrok put a hand on his master's shoulder, "I will be fine. I have recovered mostly. Enough for a spar at least. Since you have recovered so much mana so quickly while resting, I was able to heal most of my wounds. Not enough for a true battle, but enough for this."

"If you say so, I'll trust you. Don't push yourself too far."

The humans left the servants to it, retreating to the relative safety of the windowed sitting room adjacent to the garden. Artoria drew her blade, the faintest signs of a smile on her face; but she did not ready it quite yet. Marrok did the same. Despite the power of the blade to remove anything on a cut, in servant form the rules dictated it needed to have its true name invoked to unleash that power. So it would be fine for the exchange.

"Sir Marrok, it is an honor."

"The honor is mine, my King."

"Pity we haven't gotten to speak much in the past day. I wanted to thank you for your efforts at Camlann."

"I failed to stop Mordred. I accept no praise for that."

"Mordred was quite the foe. Even wounded I lost my sword to him in our exchange. You managed well against the traitor. It makes me eager to test myself against you."

"You have more skill with a blade than her. I will likely fair worse against you."

Saber smiled, again very slightly, readying her blade, "You flatter me. Regardless, I bid you to spar with me at the best of your ability. With that, your awakened origin should pose no barrier. En garde!"

Marrok leveled his blade at his king, "Have at you!"

Saber rushed in, and was promptly caught off guard when Marrok's block buckled immediately, pushing the attack aside as it used the momentum of the swing to rotate the pommel of Marrok's blade so that it pointed to Saber's face. Reflexively, she tried to move her sword back to block and her feet to keep the distance correct. A pommel strike to the face wasn't what was coming though. Marrok pivoted the pommel down to hook behind the grip of Artoria's sword and bring the blade towards Saber's neck, the intent being a draw cut. A short range slice done not with momentum but by drawing the blade across exposed flesh. Artoria was prepared though, letting her sword go from one hand and preparing to belt Marrok with an uppercut.

Clang!

The flat of Marrok's blade collided with Artoria's wrist armor. He'd shifted the counter blow and tapped her arm. If he'd done the move for real he'd have drawn first blood. He then shoved her back with both hands in an attempt to throw her off balance, but she abruptly recovered and thrust fast as he was reorienting his sword. The blow was pulled and tapped his chest armor instead of piercing it.

The two stepped back to regroup and silently complement each other. Neither strike would have been kill shots in a real battle between the two, but in either case a lesser swordsman would have already gone down. Both silently agreed that Saber had scored the better blow though.

Watching, Kariya was a little shocked, "Wow. Seeing servants in a fairly even fight is something else."

Kiritsugu was not pleased at the closeness in skill there seemed to be; but he had to admit, "Those two are incredibly high caliber swordsmen. Saber's skill is more direct and powerful. Berserker, strangely, makes up the difference in power with technical knowledge."

The cold woman, Maiya, spoke for the first time to contribute her own assessment, "His preferred range is also shorter. If Saber were even slightly worse with a sword he would have her."

"Yeah. Saber's range is just beyond the halfway point of her sword and he knows it. Berserker is using everything below that so far. Very wolf-like form of swordplay."

They watched as Marrok hooked Saber's blade and tried to move her into closer range, but Saber read it and kept the distance where she wanted it.

"There it is again. He wants her as point blank as he can. Saber's got a read on it though. I don't see him winning this."

None of them could even follow the next exchange. Rather than being swordplay that was like art, it was like sword-fighting turned into a science to the point that it was beautiful. Somehow, at the end of a long exchange that took an entire two seconds, Saber had disarmed Marrok of Cavall and then two movements later Marrok had Excalibur, which he then lost in a tussle that sent him rolling back to where he could grab Cavall and answer a strike from Saber with a parry and a downward strike that was parried. At some point that the observers didn't catch, Saber had scored two more points on Marrok and Marrok had scored only one on her. The only indicator to the onlookers that contact had ever been made in the sequence was the fighters noting the score.

Saber shoved aside the wolf knights blade and came in hard to shoulder ram him for a felling follow-up slash, but a deft move to the side and key foot placement set her off balance lunging forward and wide-open for a downward slash that Saber barely parried as she took a knee to rapidly shift her facing and lunged at Marrok with a thrust.

Excalibur landed several feet away from an upward parry, and Marrok came in for an overhead swing, only to fall prey to Saber thrusting her palm up fast and hard towards the pommel, "Too high!'

Cavall landed not far from Excalibur.

The two servants grinned at each other, like two wild dogs having a good sporting wrastle. Kiritsugu didn't like that look very much. They were getting far too into it, and he could tell if it went to unarmed combat it would escalate far too much. Plus based on his sword style, Marrok was probably a very skilled hand-to-hand fighter. It was important not to risk any means of victory for Marrok even seeming possible. If it ended now, it was Saber's victory. It was clear that Marrok was as much a master of the sword as you would expect a Knight of the Round Table to be. However, Saber was much better than him overall. She wasn't even fighting at full power while he was being pressed by that much.

So he shouted out the window, "That's enough! On to the wolf training!"

"Yes, Master." Saber looked as disappointed as Marrok, but went along with it, "Alright, Sir Marrok. I will grab my blade to defend myself just in case, and then we'll stand apart from each other. Would you recommend that I get in the space between you and the house, or would that risk you seeing the others and going for them when you would not have?"

"I suppose a happy medium would be best."

"So, house to one side so I can intercept while not having the house in our view."

"Yes."

"Very well." both moved into position, "Whenever you are ready, turn all the way into wolf form."

Marrok motioned with one and dismissed his human form completely, all at once. There he stood on all fours, not wolf or horse size, but the size of a man. He was a fine looking wolf in this form, one with quite the bearing and plenty of muscles. You could shoot a wolf movie with him as the star. A wolf befitting serving as the king's hound.

Saber was pleased, "Ah, your wolf form was always very majestic, Marrok."

For some reason, the wolf did not seem pleased at the compliment, but also it was not raging. It sniffed around, and growled a little. Not at Saber, just at the smells.

"Marrok!" Saber tried to draw his attention, clapping her hands as one would a dog.

"GRRRRR!" Marrok suddenly snarled, then yelped as if pulling a leash.

"Marrok? What's wrong? Is it the Madness Enhancement?"

Kariya rolled his eyes, knowing that his unrequited love treating Marrok like a dog wasn't exactly going to help his mood.

Saber was oblivious though, "Calm down, Marrok, and come over here."

Marrok, looking depressed, walked over and sat down before looking up at her.

"Hm. You don't seem to be having much trouble at all..."

Saber moved her hand out to her side, Marrok followed it out and back to her side.

"Marrok if you have your intelligence raise your right paw."

Marrok raised his right paw and set it on Saber's boot.

"Good. I wonder if it's just the in between states that are hard? Or perhaps you are just so loyal to me that you can't-"

Abruptly, Marrok bolted, chasing a squirrel that barely made it up a tree. Marrok tried scurrying up after it twice, snarling like a rabid dog. His madness and anatomy preventing it for working out. Though he get yank a large branch off.

"Marrok st-"

Marrok could not hear the rest, as the noise of him yanking the large tree completely out of the ground with his teeth and beating the squirrel to death with it drowned it out. Moments later, Marrok brought the very smooshed squirrel to Artoria.

She tried not to look grossed out, "Good boy?"

Marrok sensed displeasure, and so he went back to the tree and grabbed it, carrying it over to her as an extra present. He sat one paw on it and had a dumb, pleased with himself look on his face.

Saber figured it out, "I see... your canine instincts are being amplified by the enhancement. You can still understand me though, right?"

"ARF!"

"Can you stay calm while I bring one of the others out?"

Marrok tilted his head, confused. Perhaps right then, Artoria was his entire world and he didn't remember Kariya? That hurt his master's feelings a little.

Saber decided to risk it, "Kariya, come out slowly and tell him to stay calm. His origin should keep you safe."

Kariya was skeptical, knowing that Marrok cared for her a lot more than him, but he was also pretty far away from where they were standing. Surely Saber could stop him. If not he had command seals.

He stepped out, slowly, "Hey, Marrok, it's-"

Marrok got in between Saber and Kariya and started snarling savagely, then he yelped again, lying down and twitching a little in discomfort.

"Buddy, it's okay, it's me. Kariya. Your Master."

The wolf started to snarl at the word master, then stopped. Marrok struggled to his feet, looking a little sick to his stomach. Later he would reveal that the madness enhancement coming into conflict with is origin is very painful.

Saber called on him, "Marrok! I can tell you are in there. We just have to temper the wild in you a bit."

Marrok calmed and stared at her.

Alright, now. Let's call on an old memory. When I met you, you came up to me and offered a paw."

Marrok lifted a paw, which Artoria shook.

"Good." Saber smiled, "I then held my palm up to show I was friendly."

Marrok licked it.

"That's it. Then I pet you." Artoria reached out to pet Marrok.

And he raised his snout, sniffing at the palm and licked it once. The same hand he had kissed at the shipyard and done this very same thing to in the dream. Arthur retracted the hand, then tried again, only to meet the same result. A third from a higher angle met the same fate.

Saber couldn't help but smile big and wide, "Oh, so it's this again is it, hm? You seek to continue our duel? Have at you!"

Saber lunged, and the palm was quickly licked by the wolf that sprinted away and to the side. Saber was quick to side step and close the several meter gap for another attempt that proved fruitless. She chased him to another tree that he ran partway up and full-on back-flipped over a petting attempt, which he spun around in the air to lick. Artoria nearly caught him on his landing, but he licked again and sprang backwards, too fast on his feet for the king of knights. He darted across the garden in less than a second and barked at her.

"Oh, ho. You think you have bested me?" Saber's mana suddenly surged up. Kiritsugu noted it was very much like when she had used wind mana in the fight she'd had with Lancer.

Kariya was of course flabbergasted, "Oh, come on, Saber. Don't you think that's little much?"

"A king must answer every challenge with his utmost!" the King of Knights erupted forward at impossible speed, causing a small crater in the garden. She closed the distance in a blink, "You shall be pet, my honor demands it!"

A moment before she would reach out, Marrok flopped onto his back submissively, doing his best to look adorable. Saber halted, observing this behavior and then began to reach down. It was then she realized... he had flattened the top of his head to the ground. Saber could not pet him on the head as she had been trying to!

"You dastard!"

Marrok sprang up and licked her palm before she could retract it and bolted away.

"You dare!"

A burst of speed set Saber after Marrok, who immediately stopped, causing the lunge to fly over him. As Saber tried to reach down and pet his head, he licked the palm yet again and then sat down. Artoria continuing her flight until she guided her weight to stop, land on her feet and dart back. When Marrok didn't do anything to evade, she hesitated and stopped, reached out with blinding speed to pet him, and her hand was licked. She shot out her hand three more times to no avail. For some reason, it was some unspoken rule that she only use that hand. As if that were the terms of some duel.

It took Saber another seven minutes to finally pet him. It was insanely jarring. Not only how bizarrely intense that play had become (ruining most of the garden), but also the change in Artoria's demeanor. She had completely stopped being the stuffy formal king. As she darted around, playing with her hound, the king bore such a wild, joyful expression that everyone observing her immediately changed their opinions of her. She was a normal person, though insanely competitive and tomboyish.

Both servants were panting heavily at the end, and Saber seemed satisfied with the win, "There, I got you. And it's clear you have most of your intellect recovered. Right Marrok?"

Marrok reared up on his back legs and did a very cute salute.

"Good. Can you handle Kariya?"

Marrok walked over and sat next to Kariya, and barked.

Saber motioned for more people to come out. Kiritsugu came out first, and though Marrok went into a loosely defensive posture, he was calm. There was no change from that when everyone else came out. In fact, he calmly walked over when Irisviel called for him and allowed himself to be petted. He immediately rejected an attempt from Kiritsugu though.

A slightly bizarre response was the wolf then went over and sat right in front of Maiya, staring at her. The woman was puzzled, "I do not want to pet you."

Marrok kept staring.

"Are you dog or man? Act reasonably."

Marrok stared.

After a moment, Maiya gave it and pet the wolf, who barked and then walked back to the middle of the group.

Kiritsugu looked at his aide quizzically, "What was that about?"

"I have no idea."

"Maybe he's a lady's man... dog. Whatever."

Saber, pleased at her knight's quick mastery of his true form, spoke to him, "That should be fine Marrok. Turn back into your human form."

Marrok barked and then reared back his head... nothing happened.

"Marrok?"

The wolf looked at himself, then tried again. Nothing. He soon looked around at himself and bounced up and down anxiously, trying again... Nothing.

Frantically he drew in the dirt with his paw, "STUCK!"

Next Chapter: Hidden Emotions