She's not real, she's not real, she is not real! That's what Maudeline kept thinking to herself, her heart racing. Today was supposed to be a day without any stress! A harmless day with her daughter and granddaughter (and her son-in-law as far away as possible), not a day with a horrifying creature she'd thought was only in her dreams. Yet here she was, lying in bed with that very creature approaching her bedside. Her previous attempts to brush it off as a trick of her mind almost immediatly fell flat as the door closed, as the floorboards creaked under the skulldog's paws, and as the flickering flames projected a moving shadow on the wall. Maudeline's only option at that point was to deny the entity existed. She denied it as the creature walked closer to her bedside because that was all she could really do with her casts on.
So she soon found herself out of options when Nightshade sat down by her bedside and spoke.
"Bet you didn't expect Liddie to have a friend like me. Then again, you probably didn't expect me to, you know... be real."
Maudeline couldn't even speak. How could she when she couldn't even look at Nightshade? Or at least, she tried to look away from the skulldog. In Maudeline's town, it was the habit of everyone, to some extent, to at least notice anyone or anything strange or extravagant, and Nightshade... well she very easily checked off both the box for strangeness and the box for extravagance in look alone.
"I totally get that this is a lot to take in, especialy within such a short period of time. I also understand if you have any questions, most people skulldogs aid tend to have lots when first meeting them, so feel free to ask."
Maudeline still couldn't speak to Nightshade, even as the questions began to bubble to the surface. She could now at least fully look at Nightshade, albeit full of fear.
"Should... should I leave for now?" Nightshade asked, "As I just said, I get that this is a lot to take in, and I completely understand if you're not ready to talk to me yet."
Maudeline still didn't say anything to Nightshade, even though she wanted to so she didn't look rude to a guest, albeit a guest who entered without her knowledge and with the consent of a one and a half year old girl who clearly was still learning the concept of what a guest was. All maudeline wanted to do was at least let out something, but it all stayed inside. So nothing came out, even as Nightshade got up to leave the room.
Until one of the skulldog's sickle claws brushed against the doorhandle.
"Wait..." Maudeline said softly with some slight urgency, " I... I do have a few questions."
Nightshade turned back towards Maudeline and walked back towards the bedside, a sympathetic look on her face. "Alright then," Nightshade started as she sat back down, "what questions do you have?"
Maudeline only paused briefly to put the words together before asking the question she had for weeks now (much like anyone else who would have met such a unique being recently).
"What even are you supposed to be, exactly? I already know that you're a skulldog, albeit based on only your own statements, but you never elaborated of what a skulldog is supposed to be."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Nightshade replied apologetically, "The first encounter with a skulldog tends to happen in short dreams for some reason, so there typically isn't much time to explain durring the first greeting in general. As for what exactly skulldogs are, we're traditionally a sort of cross between spirit animals and good friends who want to help when we can, if that makes any sence."
An awkward silence soon followed as Maudeline tried to process what Nightshade just said.
"I'm going to have to take the silence as a sign that I need to rephrase a bit, won't I?" Nightshade asked, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"A little more specific explanation would be preferred, if you wouldn't mind."
"Alright then," Nightshade continued, briefly pausing before finding the right words, "how about this? You ever hear stories about charitable neighbors? Well skulldogs are a lot like those. According to our traditions, our main purpose is to be there for people who need us, helping whenever we can."
"Why would you think I would need help?"
"Because skulldogs can sence when someone needs help. Litteraly. We actually evolved to have that as an actual sixth sense. That's why we have glowing orbs on our chests"
"I'm sorry, evolved?"
"Oh right, the theory of evolution wasn't widely accepted in this time. However in your defence skulldogs sit outside the phylogenetic tree in a way that... you know what, we're getting off topic and as much as I love that little nub nomannic Liddie..."
"What did you just call my granddaughter?"
"A term from my time that likely came out backwards meaning cute and precious. And as much as I love Liddie, her little legs can't outrun Victor and Victoria forever, so we don't have much time to waste. Now, is there anything else you want to talk about?"
Maudeline paused for a moment. She wanted someone to talk to about what she was going through so bad. But, who could she talk to? Victor and Victoria likely wouldn't understand, Hildegarde couldn't hear about the situation with the fish cannery, and Nightshade, at least from Maudeline's perspective, could not be trusted. All Maudeline could do in that moment was look over at the candle on her nightstand.
"Why did I have to feel like this around her?" was all Maudeline could manage to whisper.
"You mean your love for Hildegarde, right?"
Maudeline's eyes widened in shock, her mind racing in a panic. How could she know about that? I only just met her! Unless she's been spying on me... although I did just whisper... but how could she have heard that? It was then that Maudeline turned back to Nightshade and noticed something she wish she had remembered before. Oh, curse those fennec fox ears. Those massive things could hear a pin drop at the church.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I just want to let you know something. It's all real."
"What?" was all Maudeline could manage.
"Your love for Hildegarde, silly! The way you blush around her, the way you stumble over your words, how you can't take your eyes off her when she enters the room, that all comes from something genuine! So don't let yourself believe it isn't real or taboo or any of that trash because it is in fact real and perfectly normal! And don't let anyone make you belive otherwise, either. I personally like to say that those people are like that out of jealousy. And on the topic of stuff like that, learn to have a little fun once in a while! You only stay in the land of the living for a set time, and that time should be enjoyed, not wasted on worries related to a person's reputattion, so just loosen up a bit! You have one of the best families a person could ask for and you should focus on spending time with them I stead of worrying about what sone lord you never even met thinks about you! Again, anyone who says otherwise is just jealous of you."
With that, Nightshade turned back to the doors, saying one last thing before opening them.
"Oh, and if you're worried about Hildegarde hearing about your situation with Nell, I'd suggest writing a letter to Victor. In the end this could all be some big misunderstanding, and a letter will keep the situation well out of Hildegarde's hearing range. Trust me, I know it works."
And with that, the doors were open again, and Victor, Victoria, and Lydia entered not minutes later as if on cue, Lydia squirming in Victor's arms.
"Nasha! See Gana! Say hi!" Lydia shouted, more energetic than the one incident that led to a sugar rush.
"I am terribly sorry, mother." Victoria stated, "Lydia usually isn't like this."
"We tried to... Lydia that's my eye... get her to... hands to yourself, Liddie... calm down." Victor said, trying to keep holding Lydia while also keeping his face out of her range, "Seriously, Lydia, did you get into the sugar again?"
"No!" Lydia replied, her responce and gestures comically exaggerated, "One time!"
"It's quite alright, you two." Maudeline added, "There wasn't any harm done, and Lydia had good intentions."
Victor and Victoria could only look at each other in confusion, likely wondering who this woman was and what she had just done with Maudeline. Lydia, being Lydia, took the oppertunity and wiggled out of her dad's grasp, promptly dashing to the bedside.
"Nasha friend?" Lydia asked, eyes wide with innocence.
"I guess you could say we're getting there." Maudeline responded in a warmer-than-normal tone.
"Yay! Stay dinner?"
"Of course Nasha can stay for dinner, so long as it doesn't inconvenience her."
Nightshade, who was standing in the corner near the fireplace, wasted no time in giving a thumbs up.
"Yay!" Lydia exclaimed, running over to Nightshade and hugging her leg. Nightshade, in return, gave Liddie some head pats before looking over to Maudeline with a content look. Maudeline couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
"Are you sure you're okay, mother?" Victoria hesitantly asked.
"Yes, Victoria," Maudeline replied, still partially focused on Lydia and Nightshade, "I'm just fine."