I woke to the sensation of something warm and wet on my face.
"Luna, no," I groaned, gently pushing the puppy away. She'd somehow climbed up from the foot of the bed to my pillow during the night. Her tail wagged furiously as she tried to lick my face again, completely undeterred by my protests.
Sunlight streamed through the narrow window—actual sunlight from an actual sun in an actual other world. The surreal nature of my situation hit me all over again as I sat up, squinting against the brightness.
Thor and Maxwell were still curled up at the foot of the bed, though Maxwell's eyes cracked open at the movement. He yawned, showing tiny puppy teeth, then stretched in that adorable way puppies do—front legs extended, rear end up in the air.
"Good morning, guys," I said softly, running a hand through my hair. My phone sat on the bedside table, now at 39% battery. I'd have to be careful about using it. No way to charge it here, which meant every photo, every note, had to count.
Luna yipped again, more insistent this time. Right. Puppies needed bathroom breaks. Frequently.
I scooped all three of them up—not easy when they were wiggling—and looked around the room. No obvious exit except the main door, and I had no idea what the protocol was for... well, for puppy bathroom needs in a medieval fantasy temple.
A soft knock on the door saved me from having to figure it out.
"Marcus Chen? Are you awake?" Sera's voice came from the other side.
"Yeah, come in. Fair warning, I have three puppies who desperately need to go outside."
The door opened and Sera entered, carrying a wooden tray with what looked like bread and some kind of fruit. She took in the scene—me standing in yesterday's clothes, holding three squirming puppies—and smiled.
"I thought you might need assistance. There's a courtyard garden behind the temple. It's private and enclosed."
"Perfect. Lead the way."
The walk through the temple's corridors was an education in itself. The building was massive, with high vaulted ceilings and stone walls covered in tapestries depicting various heroic scenes. We passed a few early-rising priests, all of whom gave me and the puppies a wide berth. One actually pressed himself against the wall as we walked by, clutching his prayer beads.
"They'll adjust," Sera said, noticing my expression. "Most of them have never seen creatures that weren't trying to kill them."
"These three couldn't kill a butterfly," I muttered, though Thor was currently trying to bite my thumb with all the ferocity of a particularly determined cotton ball.
The courtyard was beautiful—a small garden with neatly trimmed grass, flowering bushes I didn't recognize, and a small fountain in the center. The morning air was cool and crisp, and I could hear birds singing somewhere nearby.
I set the puppies down on the grass and they immediately scattered, sniffing everything with intense puppy curiosity. Luna found a patch of flowers and promptly squatted.
"Good girl," I praised, watching carefully. Housetraining was going to be interesting without the usual tools I'd rely on. No puppy pads, no enzymatic cleaners. Just patience and consistency.
Thor and Maxwell followed Luna's example, doing their business in different corners of the garden. At least the instinct to keep their sleeping area separate from their bathroom area was still intact.
"They're very... orderly about it," Sera observed, sitting on a stone bench near the fountain.
"Dogs are naturally clean animals. They don't like to soil their living spaces." I kept my eyes on the puppies as they began exploring. "The trick is teaching them where the appropriate bathroom areas are. Consistency is key."
"How long does it take?"
"Depends on the dog and the trainer. Weeks, usually. Sometimes months." I watched as Maxwell tried to fit his entire head into a bush. "These three are smart though. Golden retrievers usually are."
Luna wandered over to Sera, tail wagging, and put her front paws on the priestess's leg. Sera's expression softened immediately.
"May I pick her up?"
"Sure. Support her rear end—there you go."
Sera held Luna carefully, and the puppy immediately tried to lick her chin. The priestess laughed, a genuine sound of delight that seemed out of place in the serious atmosphere of the temple.
"I've never experienced anything like this," she said, gently petting Luna's soft fur. "In Ethernia, beasts are... they're dangerous. Tools for war or threats to be eliminated. The idea of one being affectionate, choosing to be close to you..."
"That's what dogs do," I said, sitting down beside her. "They're pack animals. Social creatures who bond with their family. In my world, they've been human companions for thousands of years."
"Thousands?" Sera looked surprised.
"At least. Some scientists think dogs were one of the first animals humans ever domesticated." I smiled as Thor tried to climb onto my lap and failed, his short legs not quite up to the task yet. I helped him up. "We evolved together, in a way. They helped us hunt, guarded our homes, herded our livestock. We gave them food, shelter, and companionship."
"A partnership," Sera said thoughtfully.
"Exactly."
We sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the puppies play. Maxwell had found a small stick and was attempting to carry it despite the fact that it was almost as long as he was. Thor pounced on his brother, and both puppies tumbled into a wrestling match that was more adorable than fierce.
"I spoke with the head priest this morning," Sera said eventually. "He's arranged for you to visit the beast tamer division this afternoon. They're located in the military district, about an hour's walk from here."
My stomach tightened slightly. "Good. The sooner I understand what I'm working with, the better."
"Marcus," Sera's voice was quiet, almost hesitant. "What they do there... it may be difficult for you to watch."
I looked at her, then back at the puppies playing in the grass. Luna had abandoned her wrestling brothers and was now trying to drink from the fountain, her tiny paws barely reaching the edge.
"I know," I said. "But I need to see it anyway."