Morpheus blinked at the female’s reaction, the explosive rear that sent water slinging off her in every direction. He took another step back, out of reach of the flying wetness, his face still pleasantly neutral. The curses that spilled from her maw did little to dissuade the placid quality that wreathed him like a secondary coat.

Oh dear.

He stood perfectly still as the frazzled wolf turned toward him, taking note of the shock that spread across her face. He thought he had begun to grasp how best to approach mortals – after all, he had left Pepper in a much calmer disposition than what he had first been greeted with. But perhaps he had overestimated how the others would react – or underestimated the courage that Pepper held, the adaptability that left her scared, yes, but still willing to learn.

The bubble of laughter that burst from this newcomer’s mouth, edged with a feverish hysteria, only further confirmed his suspicions.

“I’m sorry—“ he tried to say, weakly, softly, the words dying before they had scarcely punctured the air, overridden by the female’s own words.

Oh dear.

This might be his worst encounter of the three.

Still, his rising fear that she would totally shatter beneath his gaze was softened when she lashed out at him with a stinging retort. He bore the sharp words willingly, his muzzle wrinkling with some sense of relief. Good, then her spirit had not totally deserted her.

He was all too eager to hurry this conversation along before she lost her nerve.

“The Borealis Lake,” he said. Then, more hesitantly, “I am Morpheus, He who Dreams.”

Compared to his previous charges, this one looked like a drowned rat, and as his eyes roved her sodden form, he picked up on the minute tremors that shook her body. Cold – but of course a creature of flesh and blood was cold.

“Do you need… help?”

How he could help, he did not know. His dreams were not capable of healing, only of providing relief. And he did not how best to help a waterlogged wolf.

There was… grooming – but the thought was discarded immediately. Perhaps a shallow den? It would remove her from the open elements, at least. But he was wary – the others had not needed him so immediately, so physically.

Even the hunger within him was skittish, faced with options that made Morpheus uncomfortable.

I do not like touch, he thought. Interesting.