Summary: Tao could still hear M-21's howls, getting louder as he approached home. It didn't sound like he was in pain or panicked, the sound long and even. He was just howling.

Thank prettymuchobsessive for this continuation. :3

Pace the Night

By Dark Ice Dragon

Plushie [Part 2]

Tao raised his head just after the final bell went. Wasn't that...?

"Tao?" Takeo murmured, glancing at him.

"Can you look after the kids?" Tao said. "I think I can hear M - it's not serious!" he added, seeing Takeo's concerned look, waving his hands, "but I just wanna check, you know?"

Takeo nodded. If they both disappeared, the kids would worry, especially after M-21 had to go home early again; if one of them disappeared, that was just Tao popping off to the shops.

Tao ducked into an alleyway and hopped up to the rooftops, taking the faster route home.

He could still hear M-21's howls, getting louder as he approached home. It didn't sound like he was in pain or panicked, the sound long and even. He was just howling. Which M-21 didn't normally do. Then again, he didn't transform that often either.

Hm, he should start taking notes on when M-21 and if there were any conditions that happened before M-21 transformed. Had it been a month since the last time?

At least they could let the neighbours know when they were looking after a friend's dog again.

Tao didn't bother with the front door, jumping down to M-21's window. As he was pulling it open, he could see a large wolf curled on the floor, nudging at one of the smaller plushies Tao had bought M-21 with his nose. One of the legs had been ripped off, and Tao could guess what had happened.

Tao slid the window open and slipped in. M-21's ears pricked up as soon as he did that and he span up onto all fours, snarling.

"Easy, it's just me," Tao said, smiling and holding his hands up where M-21 could see them, trying to be as non-threatening as possible. He took his shoes off and set them down under the windowsill.

M-21's growl tapered off and his ears flattened. In one smooth movement, M-21 lay down on all fours.

Tao had been studying canine body language, both from the internet and the puppy and going down on front paws but still standing on hind legs was easy. That was a play bow, and Tao saw that often enough with the puppy. But that? Laying on the stomach and looking away? That was submission. Trying to apologise. For the plushie?

"Hey, hey," Tao said, keeping his voice soft, making sure not to raise his voice even though it was habit when he was surprised. "I'm not mad at what happened. Really."

M-21's ears pricked towards him, but he didn't move yet.

Tao got down onto the ground, going to M-21's level. That should help. It meant he wasn't looming over him.

It took a few seconds, but M-21 glanced at him, wriggled a little, and then licked his snout.

Tao smiled, making sure not to show his teeth and licked his lips too. See? It was fine.

Slowly, M-21's body language relaxed, and he sighed, looking at Tao properly.

Tao crawled over to the fallen plushie, and M-21 whined, trying to push the pieces back together again.

"Yeah, sorry, M," Tao said, stroking M-21's fur, "that's ripped off completely. I can't glue that together." M-21's ear's flattened. "Buuut I try my hand at sewing," Tao said, turning the pieces over in his hand. It shouldn't be too hard; M-21's fangs had gone through most of it cleanly like a knife. "I've already had some practice with the masks, heh."

"It'll be fine, M," Tao said, continuing to scratch his fur as M-21 investigated the plushie again. "I'll make it even better than it was before!"

And if he couldn't, then he could try making one from scratch.