27th September, 8am. Prison Cell.

[therealpm]

*Peter paces the cell.  His legs ache from yesterday, but unlike his human form, his wolf form seems more inclined to walk it off rather than curl up in bed.

John had tried the dog food again this morning, and was once again rebuffed until he caved and brought down two packets of sausages, the potion and a bowl of fresh water.  Peter had tried to follow him out the door, whining that this cell was far too small for an adult wolf, but John clearly hadn't been paying attention as he'd nearly closed the damn thing on Peter's nose, leaving Peter to scratch forlornly at the wooden surface.*

Comments

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter tries to approximate a shrug, but with his shoulders now closer in form to a second pair of hips than the upright form he's used to, it undoubtedly looks strange. He pads past John and puts one paw on the door, looking at the man, then back at the door, and whining.

I'm not certain how to make my desire to leave this cell any more obvious, John. Perhaps you could purchase a suitably sized sand pit and I will spell it out?'*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John may not be able to read Peter's mind, but he's pretty sure he knows what Peter's actions mean.*

You want to go out?

*John thinks for a moment. If Peter were a normal dog and John was that dog's owner, taking the hypothetical dog for a walk, the dog would most certainly be wearing a collar and be one a lead. And, come to think of it, a muzzle if the dog had been known to be aggressive.*

*Well, thank goodness John had bought a lead and a muzzle when he'd ordered the collar!*

*John summons the extra items and holds them in one hand while he talks to Peter.*

If we're going to go for a walk, you're going to have to attempt to look like a normal dog, Peter, not a werewolf. That means wearing a lead and this muzzle.

Do you accept this?

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*'Finally, ten points to the gnome in the bad suit.'

Peter waits patiently as John considers.

Oh no. Oh no, no, no. The collar was bad enough. You have to be joking.

He backs up against the door and whines his displeasure. John looks smug, but entirely serious.

I don't need a lead or a muzzle! I've been taking the potion!

He rushes forwards and pushes the bowl into which John had poured the potion earlier for emphasis.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*Why on earth is he pushing at his bowl? John thinks. What was in the bowl that could possibly...*

Yes, Peter, I know you've been taking your potion, but hear me out. If we can prove to Sally that you're safe and that I have taken all the necessary precautions, then there is a distinct possibility that she will allow you near the children sooner rather than later.

So, I ask you again, will you permit me to put the muzzle and lead on you?

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*This isn't fair.

I didn't even try to eat Alastair the second time.

Peter stares at the floor, tail jumping from side to side fitfully as he tries to make a decision.

...you had better not tell anybody about this.

He paws at the ground indecisively, then finally pads over to John and sits down, tail curling around one of John's ankles.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John looks at the wolf next to his leg.*

I am going to take that as a 'yes'. If I am mistaken, I do apologise and I request that you merely growl rather than bite as I attempt to get these into place.

*John cautiously starts to put the muzzle on Peter. When no growl (or bite) is forthcoming, John takes it as a sign to hurry up.*

*Soon, the muzzle and lead are in places.*

Come on then, Peter, off we go.

*John tries not to tug at the lead too often as he takes Peter out to one of the courts.*

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter reluctantly allows himself to be muzzled and leashed, feeling deeply uneasy about what the tabloids would say if they were to get any hint of the matter.

He had been too tired to notice it yesterday, but when he is lead out of the door it becomes clear that every square inch of floor has a scent of some sort and that scent has a history, which if John would just stop tugging on the stupid lead, Peter is sure he could unravel.

After several annoying tugs, Peter runs ahead and in front of John, hoping to tangle the lead and buy himself a bit more time to investigate the myriad of smells present in the coridor.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Peter, do hurry up.

This isn't- what are you-

*Peter nearly manages to knock John to the floor with his dashing ahead, but living with three unruly children (and having a low centre of gravity) means John just about stays upright.*

*After a few shouted curses, John gets himself free off the lead around his legs and tries to chivvy Peter along again.*

The sooner you hurry up, the sooner we'll be outside again.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Satisfied that he has discerned all that he can from that particular patch of floor, and anxious to get out into the open air once more, Peter attempts to race ahead. Unfortunately, John has maintained a tight grip on the lead, and Peter is brought up short after a couple of steps. He turns his head to look at John reproachfully.

Hurry up. You no longer even have the excuse of shorter legs. What's keeping you?*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*He assumes from the look on the wolf's face that John has done something to annoy Peter, but he doesn't try and work out what it was. Instead, he keeps walking, out to Speaker's Court.*

*When they're there, he puts up a number of wards and spells then turns to Peter. He un-clips the lead.*

Go on, Peter.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*He races away, threading between the parked cars, nose near clamped to the ground. The scents of petrol and tar are overwhelming, but as he reaches the exposed wall of the court, new smells: those of the river, the tourists and faintly, the sea, reach his nose and he howls as well as he is able through the muzzle.

Further investigation of the guttering along the side of the court scares up a rat, which he chases- unaware of the faces peering through some of the windows lining the court.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John hears the howl.*

Peter, no, the children-!

*Too late. Already poking their noses over the, John spots Freddie, Oliver and Jemima looking down over the courtyard. He distinctly sees Jemima mouth the word "Doggy" and grin, then they are gone.*

*John curses again.*

Peter! Peter, get back here right now before the children get into the court!

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter looks up. In the excitement of the chase, he had rather let his wolf form take over for a little bit, and it takes him a while to process what John has shouted.

When he does... well, this is an opportunity for him to show Sally and John exactly how safe the children are around him...

He wanders over to the door, tail relaxed and ears up, the picture of a calm and playful dog. Jemima, for once, is out the door first and he allows her to pat his nose, or what she can reach of it through the muzzle, without complaint.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John tries to get to the door, but too late; the children are there already. Sally is going to murder me... he thinks.*

Yes, yes, very well, children, do calm down...

*John clips the lead back on to the collar as Freddie and Oliver are stroking Peter's ears.*

No, Oliver, the dog isn't a present for you.

Yes, I know you've been very good recently, but that doesn't mean-

...the dog's name, did you say? Er, well it's, er-

*John thinks on his feet. He can't call the wolf "Peter" (Freddie would never let him leave) but suddenly all the names have flown from John's mind.*

His name is-

*What's Peter's middle name?*

Benjam- Ben. Benji. Benji.

The dog's name is Benji.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter rankles slightly at the lead, but it barely registers through the happy haze that sprung up as soon as the boys began scratching behind his ears.

Bit to the left... bit to the left...

My tail's wagging. I didn't ask it to do th-

Ohhh... keep going....

What's that John?

Benji?

Really?

I may have a muzzle but I also have claws and I'm going to get yo-

...a-after they've stopped scratching my ears. After that.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John tries to assess the situation. on the one hand, Peter doesn't seem to be in an aggressive mood and the children appear safe. On the other, he's hardly acting like Peter (unless Peter always has a blissed-out expression on his face when someone scratches behind his ears, but John has never tried, so doesn't know)... could it be a ruse to fool the children? Has the wolf taken over again? Better to be safe than sorry...*

Come on children, back upstairs, I have to take Benji back now.

Back where, did you say Freddie? Back to his home.

I'm looking after him while his owners are away, that's why, Freddie.

...a good question. If his owners are away, why am I taking him home? Well, the answer to that is... we... it's because...

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*The children pause their scritching behind his ears to argue with their father, and Peter turns his head to grin smugly at John's inability to manufacture a convincing story.

Tell me, how low is the bar to becoming a Tory MP?

His smug internal commentary is cut off by Jemima's determined assault on the bit just at the junction between his jawbone and his neck. Freddie, perhaps worried that the petting zoo will be closed soon, renews stroking the bit behind Peter's ears, and much as Peter tries to follow the thread of John's stuttering explanations in order to mock him later, he finds it very difficult to contain the urge to close his eyes, lean in to the scritchings and let his tail wag furiously.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Because... because...

Because that is the arrangement I and his owner came to.

Now, don't you have homework to do, children? I thought to! Go on, get back to it.

Hmm? Will you get to see Benji again?

*John looks at Peter's reaction to being fussed. He's nearly falling over he's so relaxed.*

I cannot promise anything, and of course I will have to speak to your mother, but I don't see why not.

But that will only remain the case if you get all your homework done.

*The children rush off, betting that whoever finishes their work first gets to pet the dog first too. Only when they're safely inside does John return his attention to Peter.*

I think that's enough excitement for one day, don't you - Benji?

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Whining, he tugs at the lead, trying to follow them, putting a paw against the door when he is tugged back.

I cannot believe you've been foolish enough to do that twice, one might almost think it was intentional... if they had a vastly optimistic perception of your abilities, anyway.

He drops his head and follows John back through the carpark and corridors to his cell, nudging the food bowl with a paw when he gets there.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Hungry again, are we?

Oh very well, and since you behaved in front of the children...

*John heads off back to the flat. He returns a short while later with a tray of meat - chicken, sausages, bacon, a few burgers and more. He puts the tray on the ground for Peter.*

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*John removes the muzzle and Peter's tail wags...

I'm really going to have to get that under control, it's becoming embarrassing.

...as he wolfs down the food. Eventually the tray is empty and he laps up the remaining water in his bowl.

John has apparently stayed to watch, which Peter finds a little intrusive, but no matter. Now fed and watered, he takes the corner of John's jacket in his teeth and tries to gently tug him towards the door.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John looks down at the wolf tugging him towards the door.*

*He raises an eyebrow*

You want to be left alone, do you? Well I do have rather a lot of work to catch up on, it must be said.

Goodbye, then, Peter. I shall visit later, no doubt!

*John makes his way out of the cell, nudging Peter back so he doesn't get hurt by the wards.*

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*No, you stupid man, I want to get out of this cell again.

Peter whines and pushes forward until his nose is almost touching the wards, putting his body in the way of John's attempts to shut the door.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Wha- What are you-

...you're not permitted to come with me, Peter!

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter sits on his haunches and whines.*

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

No, Peter!

*John pushes the wolf backwards and slams the door shut quickly. He ignores Peter's whining and returns to his work.*