Dogs of War

Chapter 32

Medic found the pair of us in the bed a couple hours later watching Caramelldensen. I'd put on the TV, and YouTube had cycled through all the soothing fruit videos until she'd gotten attached to this. The pot cookie must have melted my brain, because I too started watching it and got stuck as Wolf put it on repeat.

"Hey children. How you going?" Archiels soft voice infiltrated our space. Wolfs head turned slowly, eyes wide as if she was expecting to see a spectre standing in front of us. "Oh, hey Archiel," she says, her voice a little softer than usual as she relaxes back against me. 

"Archiel," I greet, my own voice having lost its usual gruff edge under the effects of the cookie the Medic had insisted I eat. 

"I see the pair of you have resorted to watching..." She waves her hand at the t.v. "This?"

"Yes, Wolf seems to be freaking out less under its... influences."

"Mmm, just Wolf hmm?" She grins wryly at me as she steps up to check over Wolfs vitals. For her part Wolfs eyes have glued themselves back to the dancing cartoon characters and she almost seems unaware of anything else around her. 

"Yeah.. Just Wolf," I mutter, crossing my arms. I decide to change the topic, having started sobering up myself as I remember I had questions I'd wanted to ask earlier. "You speak Spanish?"

I watch as the medics paws slow their work as tries not to give away how the question affected her. Her jaw tightens a touch and I know I've touched a nerve. 

"I lived in Mexico years ago, before moving to Australia." Her short clipped words makes me wonder why this topic is a sore spot for her. 

"Why the move?"

"Why the mask?"

"Why so touchy, Fox?"

"Why so nosy, Casper?"

I grin, the mask crinkling. Wolf finally disengages from the T.V, eyes shifting from me and Archiel like she was watching a table tennis match. 

"I'm hungry," she says, her voice surprisingly firm considering her inebriated state.

Archiel looks at her and rolls her eyes. "You're always hungry. That's nothing new for you, Ceri." 

"Yes, but I want more cookies. I can smell you made some more."

Archiel bops Wolf on the nose, a move I know Wolf could have avoided easily even in her current state. "Those are not to be eaten, you little goblin. Those are medicinal only!"

Wolfs tail starts thwacking my leg as her excitement grows. "You made normal ones though." Her voice is so certain of it that even I would have put money on the fact that the medic had gone out of her way to make normal cookies too. The Fox Medics answering sigh and eyeroll confirmed Wolfs nose and she pulled a cookie out of her pocket. It was sealed up in a clipsil bag and before Wolf can snatch it gleefully from the other woman, Archiel holds it out away from Wolfs grabby little paws. 

"One, Ceri. If I catch you eating any more from the kitchen, I'm I'mma smacking you on the nose, got it?"

Wolfs head droops as she pouts, but nods. "Yes Ma'am." She says, sulking. 

"Good Girl." The Medic hands over the cookie, and as Wolf opens it, it's only then the scent hits my own nose. The tantalising fresh baked chocolate chip cookie smells divine, my mouth watering. Before Archiel can say what her face is telling me, Wolf breaks the cookie in half, giving me half and nibbling on her own, clearly intent on making her half last. 

"Huh," Archiel says, frowning slightly. "Was not expecting you to give up your food so easily, Ceri." She says, sounding astonished. 

Wolf looks up, eyes wide as if she's surprised that her existence is being perceived, cookie crumbs dusting her lips. She licks her lips clean before answering. "I love food, but sharing food is my love language."