Page 55 of Rescued By the Beast
Mark has turned into a dog, and suddenly it's as if all the seriousness, all the weight of the human world has disappeared. Now he just seems... free. Uninhibited. As if he could be a little silly, a little carefree.
My gaze fixes on the toys. Then, slowly, I lift a paw and pat the stuffed mouse. It slides a few centimetres across the floor.
The animal bares its teeth, and for a second, I freeze again—until I realise it's smiling.
A silent laugh, pure enthusiasm.
His tail wags, and he lowers himself into a playful stance.
A giant wolfdog trying to cheer me up like a playful puppy?
By the stars and Mother Moon! If I thought my life couldn't get any stranger, I was deeply mistaken.
But since I'm already in the rain... I let myself get wet.
I move a hesitant paw and touch the toy between us.
He barks excitedly, jumping back before advancing again, as if to say, "Yes! That's right!"
I feel something inside me warm up, a forgotten emotion taking space between fear and discouragement.
Curiosity.
I let out a meow and my tail moves gently as I push the toy closer to him.
The wolfdog responds by nudging it with his snout and then staring at me, waiting for me to react. So I move the toy again, faster this time.
He responds by spinning around, jumping from side to side like a hyperactive puppy.
If I could, I would be laughing.
That's... surreal.
But it's also fun.
When he lowers his head, his bright eyes fixed on mine, an unexpected impulse takes hold of me.
I would raise my hand if I could, but, being who I am now, I just lift a paw and gently stroke his snout.
My paw pads touch the warm, moist texture of his nose.
Mark closes his eyes for a moment, as if enjoying the touch.
My tail moves slowly behind me, an echo of the excitement that begins to replace the sadness in my chest.
Everything will be alright...
This is my reality now, and it's not bad, just different.
***
We spend a long time playing, running back and forth. He chases me around the house, his huge paws pounding the floor, while I sneak around the corners with feline agility.
In one of these escapes, I pass through the toy tube and hear a thud followed by a frustrated bark. I look back and see him stuck, his front paws and head inside and the rest of his body outside. I let out a sound that is the feline equivalent of laughter.
Taking advantage of my advantage, I turn around and, with a mischievous look, lightly tap his snout with my paws. He lets out another yelp before starting to lick me excitedly.
Eek!
