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Post by hadopelagic on Nov 6, 2023 0:32:22 GMT -6
"Dangerous," she whispered, tucking her chin on Pomeranian Cassius's head. "Cone snails, sea slugs, all of them venomous. He fought with toxins, tried to kill me with a dagger, and it smelled like a concoction of many deadly things, all mixed."
Quickly, Una shut the door and walked toward the exit. The traitor must visit the store to buy deadly animals. They could have a stakeout. He might not return for weeks, but ...
Above all, Una was patient.
She grabbed the exit handle and pulled.
The door didn't budge.
Laughing, embarrassed, she tried to push instead.
Again, it didn't budge.
"I locked it," said a female voice. "You smell like brine, but you aren't a friend of mine."
Una turned slowly and stared at the shopkeeper with bafflement. The woman stood a few feet away, hands on hips, expression severe and piercing.
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Post by jarahamee on Nov 6, 2023 1:41:07 GMT -6
The tiny dog, no more than ten pounds, wheeled on their attacker, the shopkeeper. No doubt she had deadly toxins on hand somewhere and could potentially hurt Una in her clumsy human body. The worst part was that the gig was up. She knew what they were looking for, and potentially who they were.
So, he did the only thing he could do.
Th Pomeranian dashed towards the shopkeeper, leaping into the air… and then collapsed with a soft yelp like a rag-doll, falling heavily to the ground on his side.
He slid past her and into a shelf behind, quivering, legs twitching, head outstretched. He then took two big breaths and lay completely still and limp on the ground.
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Post by hadopelagic on Feb 10, 2024 17:52:14 GMT -6
The shopkeeper's eyes widened in an expression of panic. "Did he eat anything in the back room?" She dropped to her knees and put a hand against Pomeranian's side. Her skin was dry and warm. Quickly, the shopkeeper checked that he was breathing. Meanwhile, Una--catching on to the brilliant distraction ploy--let out an exclamation of fear.
"Puppy! My sweet puppy, what's wrong?"
Because humans cry when they are upset, she also made a sobby sound and rubbed her cheek.
"He needs to go to an emergency vet." The shopkeeper scooped up Pomeranian and thrust him into Una's outstretched arms. "As soon as possible. Go!"
Nodding quickly, Una turned to leave ... but was stopped by a firm grasp on her arm, the shopkeeper's fingers squeezing tight enough to hurt.
"Tacitus will hear about this," the shopkeeper warned.
With that, she pushed Una toward the door. Still cradling Pomeranian, Una scampered outside and began to run. Tacitus? Who was Tacitus? She'd never heard the name before. Was he involved with The Traitor's plan? Or he was The Traitor's alias in Wathais?
"The traitor killed my mentor with poison," she whispered into Pomeranian's ear. "And tried to kill me the same way. He's a master of chemistry, Cassius! The traitor is no different than a cubozoan with a thousand different toxins."
Una continued running until she found a convenient alley to duck into. She sat against the brick wall, among the filth, and held Pomeranian snugly. Una was excited--they'd found a clue--but worried, too. Because the shopkeeper would tattle, and the traitor, one way or another, would know that Una was close.
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Post by jarahamee on Feb 11, 2024 0:21:01 GMT -6
The Pomeranian remained on his side, perfectly still and stiff even as Una picked him up. His little tongue flopped out of his mouth, filled with 42 perfectly sharp teeth. The little paws twitched as he lay in her arms. His eyes were firmly shut to help sell the impression of death, a seizure or a fainting episode. Whatever they wanted to think of him.
His ear twitched, almost against his will, when he heard the shopkeeper talk about “Tacitus” but he maintained his act. The little dog only needed to sell himself as a dog for a few more minutes. They already had all the information they might need.
As soon as they moved behind the wall, the Pomeranian opened his little eyes, first one, and then the other. His apparently rigid body wriggled right into a more comfortable position in Una’s arms, and began to lick her cheek and forehead to comfort her.
He wriggled again, as if asking to be let out of her arms, and then tugged his cell phone in its carrier from her grocery bag.
The little dog then used his paw to tap on the phone pad.
WE HAVE HIM
WE CAN PUT EYES ON HER
DO NOT WORRY
The dog then spun in a circle around the phone, and got on its hind legs, wiggling its front paws in the air.
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