"See, girls? Isn't this just the life?" The silver poodle stretched and growled happily as the groomer ran her nails through poofy, fluffy fur.
"No," the Gończy Polski beside her growled. The threat of a muzzle too short for her nose was the only thing that kept her from actually snapping at anyone, although she certainly didn't enjoy being poked and prodded by a gaggle of strangers!
"Oh, Weronika," Elsie sighed disapprovingly. "Your mangy, manky coat certainly could use the attention, you mongrel mutt!"
"Hey! I look more rugged this way!" Weronika snapped back. "If anyone's got the mangy face, it's you! You look like a matted rug!"
Elsie yapped in indignation, but nothing could change Weronika's mind. Humans made no sense. That much, nothing could change her mind on either. From what little she understood of them, in humans' eyes, poodles were symbols of beauty, wealth, and sophistication. Weronika didn't see any of that when she looked at Elsie. The thought alone made her want to snort with laughter!
Bet she doesn't even like baths either! She just likes the attention! Weronika thought, eyeing the other dog disdainfully as she continued to tilt her head this way and that, leg occasionally trembling with glee as the groomer continued to give her what was essentially a full-body massage.
I'm not the only one who doesn't like it! Weronika thought, eyes darting over to one of the other two dogs in the room. The first was a Chinese Crested, and if there was any dog among them who was truly, indisputably ugly, it was her, Sophia. She looked even worse as she was bathed and combed down, her ratty fur becoming even rattier as she trembled in terror.
How do you get DIRTIER while you get clean? Weronika shot the puny, pathetic pup a toothy sneer. It was the one thing she and the pompous, pampered poodle could agree on. Sophia was pathetic. How someone like her was allowed into their pack was beyond them, but…
The fourth and final, but certainly not the least, of the pack was a gorgeous, breathtaking, stunning golden retriever called Neo. But contrary to her breed's reputation, she was the opposite of warm, social, and friendly. She invited Sophia to the pack purely because of how… devoted and loyal Sophia was to her. Elsie was someone closer in status, and Weronika was her rival.
They were a strange quartet to be sure, but Neo was the strangest to them all. While Weronika, and Elsie, and Sophia moved this way and that, whether out of fear, pleasure, or annoyance, Neo was as still and silent as a statue. Her face, and even her scent, were unreadable. But for Neo, this was normal. All she cared about was getting cleaned up, then going home.
ooo
"Nah, man, see? This is why we gotta get back to our roots!" Weronika growled, shaking her fur once they were finally free of the awful, evil groomer. Four black suits accompanied the four hounds of Abyssmare, walking them on slack leashes through the city. "We're not supposed to be just hounds. We're supposed to be wolves!" Right before Weronika could tilt her head back and let rip a gnarly howl, Elsie headbutted her muzzle.
"Don't be stupid, Were-onika! Just because you fancy the idea of being a werewolf does not make the idea any less fanciful!"
Privately, thouhg, Elsie agreed. She wished they could've been real wolves rather than… wannabe wolves. The thought alone made her cringe and shudder, but she could not deny that the four hounds of Abyssmare were only that. Hounds. If they were wolves, they could've commanded all the power they so desired. Elsie could understand Weronika's frustrations in that regard. Often times, she too fantasized about all the blood she could've shed if her teeth and claws were just a little sharper, stronger, and longer. But even though Elsie also dreamed of being a real wolf, her dreams were different from Weronika's.
Weronika was far more shameless and childish in her dreams. Oh, man, if we were REAL wolves, that would be so freakin' cool! She tossed her big, dark head excitedly.I'd be the biggest, baddest alpha anyone ever saw! Dog, wolf, or human! And if we were REAL wolves, we could become one with nature, with the wild! We'd revel in the thrill of the kill, and live for every hunt and chase! Weronika longed for the wind through her fur and ached for the taste of fresh, raw meat in her fangs.
Ain't nothing wrong with dreams like that either! She thought proudly as they continued through the city. We descended from wolves, after all! It's not as crazy as stupid Elsie makes it sound! Besides—she noticed a child crossing the street with his mother up ahead and she grinned—You can always give rides to the little ones or play fetch with 'em!
Perhaps it was their of difference breed, but Weronika would never understand how or why Elsie was so… so… so un-wolf-y! She hated the outdoors unless they were clean, well-kept, and manicured; she found children and puppies annoying and refused to play with or teach them anything ever; and although she and Weronika could relate to the excitement of what it would've been like to be a real wolf, never once did the thought of actual, human slaughter cross Weronika's mind, only hunting for food, fun, or exercise. But the little ones, Weronika could see herself more than happily roughhousing with!
ooo
Unlike the other two, Sophia was not at all concerned with what it meant to be a dog or wolf, rather, she was concerned with who her pack-bond-certified loyalty was supposed to be for.
It's for Neo, it's for Neo, it's for Neo, it's for Neo! She chanted in her head, even her inner voice a shrill and whining yip. Her claws scrabbled on the sidewalk as she struggled to stay as close to Neo's golden heels as she could without accidentally actually touching them. N-n-n-not th-th-that th-that's anything I would mind… or anything… ehehehe…
The only reason Sophia didn't dare was because Neo made it very clear how territorial she was. And though she was not usually one to speak to Sophia—or anyone, really—unless absolutely necessary, if it served her, she would not hesitate to remind Sophia of her place. That she had been little more than a stray until Neo allowed her to tag along, like Weronika.
Like the others, Sophia knew how odd her inclusion into the Abyssmare pack was. But aside from deep, desperate devotion to Neo, she attributed it to the fact that she was the first to meet Neo. Surely it was fate! Meant to be! Sophia was more than happy to accept Neo as her alpha, and Neo was satisfied with Sophia's "pack-bond-certified loyalty". It was debatable who Neo saw as the beta of the pack, or if she saw herself as a lone alpha. But what wasn't debatable was that she had no qualms using them for all they were worth, and all that they could offer her.
Sophia might've gladly taken on that role, or any other, if it meant Neo was happy. She considered herself more a lapdop (especially if it was Neo's lap) than hunter or fetcher, but she would've gladly retrieved anything for her golden Golden Retriever. Elsie and Weronika had more pride than that. Even Elsie wouldn't scrape her belly so low on the ground, despite acknowledging that she was only part of the Abyssmare pack because of the benefits it offered her. Weronika, meanwhile, would've gone feral—regardless of how much "inner wolf blood" she possessed—if anyone asked her to be an omega, or even a beta, especially if it was Neo.
But Sophia wasn't there to get wrapped up in fights or politics either. She was just there for NeoNeoNeoNeo. Sophia hated crowds, dog or human, and she was already skittish and jumpy as it was! She wasn't just stumbling into Neo because she wanted to be close to the other hound, but because she wanted to avoid everyone else.
Gah! People loud! Loud scary! People scary! Sophia cowered away from the world, tail between her legs for the entire walk home. But, she reminded herself, it was all for Neo, and that made it all worth it.
ooo
Even though they were the four hounds of the Abyssmare pack, most of the interaction happened between Weronika and Elsie. By contrast, Sophia and Neo were nearly silent, both with each other, and the other pair. While Sophia was stricken with nerves, Neo was stricken with narcissism. She was the quietest of the quartet because she didn't consider any of them worth talking to. It was more entertaining to watch their antics from afar as if they were her personal court jesters while she was the queen.
They were sent to the groomer in the first place because of their human owner, and pack cofounder, Sho. They were his Sho-dogs. He came home on lunchbreak just in time to see Weronika attempting to escape the house the five of them lived in. Using a little money magic, Sho was able to book all four of them an appointment immediately and he tasked the four bodyguards with the job of playing chaperone while he returned to work. The reason the other three dogs hadn't tried to stop Weronika was because Sophia was too scared, Neo was too uncaring, and Elsie alone was too small.
Weronika was always stubborn, but her energy was higher that morning than normal. Or perhaps Neo wasn't too uncaring. Perhaps she cared too much about whether or not Weronika would escape, and what would happen next, to want things to end too soon. It was just bad luck that Sho would show up right as Weronika managed to make it outside. He was furious, of course, but he wasn't going to dare cause any sort of lasting harm to his precious, performing pooches.
In fact, the reason he had bodyguards at all was because he acquired them shortly after acquiring Elsie. Weronika and Sophia might've had… humble beginnings, but not Neo, and certainly not Elsie. They were purebred, and thusly worth quite a lot of time, money, and attention. Of course Sho would make sure they were well-monitored.
Now, though, the four dogs were safely home, so the bodyguards were given permission to depart unless or until Sho needed them again. It was almost like nothing had happened at all. Even though Weronika was no longer attempting to escape, she and Elsie were growling and taking their anger out on each other again, occasionally rolling around and playing tug-of-war, getting quite ferocious at times, though never daring to actually draw blood. Sophia was curled faithfully and loyally by the base of the couch upon which Neo rested, golden pelt gleaming in the sunlight.
While Sophia stared up at her with wide, bugged-out eyes, Neo's gaze never left the driveway. She even ignored Weronika's snide, suggestive comments about her obsession with Sho and her desire to be collared and leashed by him like the good little pet that she was. And she ignored Sophia's furious yipping and yapping as she tried to "defend" Neo. All Weronika had to do to scare Sophia back into silence was raise her hackles and bare the tips of her fangs. Elsie snickered, never taking her eyes off of Neo.
Meanwhile, Neo never took her eyes off the driveway, waiting for her master Sho to come home.
AN: I know I said it before, but if Neo actually IS her real name, and her surname starts with L, I'm totally going to make a "that's an anagram for Lone (wolf)" joke.
Also interested if anyone has differing headcanons for what type of dog each member of Abyssmare would be. Or if anyone has any headcanons for non-AM characters LOL! Please leave a comment!
Also also, I think golden retrievers are The Best (LOL lame D4 joke) so that's why I chose them for Neo (and because it amused me since, as stated in the fic, Neo's personality is very NOT golden retriever ish LOL!)
Also also also #Aborkmare? LOL!