Thoth sat next to the stolen pup, his charge now whether or not the world would agree with the youth. He accepted the nipped affection from Sekhmet, a burden he tolerated with a strange sense of calm poise. Even in his silence it seemed as though he would take her actions even quieter. His companion moved to the side after she had released her call. His eyes flicked to her then back down at the quiet pup. The patched puppy had tried to shuffle himself over to Sekhmet, knowing the treatment he had received from her and fearful of this new silent unknown. Thoth gently put a restraining paw on the boy and bared his teeth at him. The prize was not to get away, and was to behave.
As silent as ever between the three of them, Thoth waited until at last the form of the Monster approached. Her words were issued, cold as ice but short and sweet. Even still, it grated on his ears. A barely audible breath came from his nose as he pushed Zeru, son of Aranck about three inches forward. He looked to Sekhmet, then to the direction of Iromar, the route from which the larger pup had taken to bring the whelp to their door. He lowered himself to lay beside the child, wrapping his big paws around the little creature and licking him oddly against the slate and black grain, Thoth’s creamy head tilted just to the side in question. Zeru may have been given, or stolen, to be a price paid to Asteraia, but he had been given to Thoth. It was his prize, his project, his to groom with the guidance of the surrounding pack.
Young and naive, only a year older than softly squeaking puppy, Thoth did not know what it would take to mold this life, but he wanted to try his experiment. He ducked his head over the boy once more and gazed up at Tick Tock. Grudgingly, he offered a single wag of his whip-like tail with a slightly curled lip, asking if he could be the owner of this little bundle of moldable fur. Only he wasn’t asking.