The sergal didn't have to try too hard to catch it. Such a small creature couldn't run far. He held it once, placed it between his paws, and since then, he hasn't done much more. He simply understands his place.

When he decides to rest, he settles down and extends his paws in front of him. It's not a command, but it functions as one. The gesture is calm, almost absentminded.

The creature approaches on its own.

At first, it was fear that made it obey: the disproportionate size, the weight capable of crushing it effortlessly, the intense scent that filled the air and constantly reminded him who was in charge.

Fear, proximity, the scent that enveloped him after each day's work. But the fear transformed into something else: an imposed routine that eventually became a habit.

Now it kneels without being asked.

The enormous paws rest open, trusting, almost indulgent. Its dense, thick, warm paw pads hold a strong, unmistakable scent of long miles traveled. The sergal doesn't try to hide it; on the contrary, it deliberately leaves them untouched and allows the aroma to linger unashamedly, as if daring the smaller creature to bear it: an invisible weight that presses with the same force as the size difference.

The first contact is awkward. The pads give way under the timid pressure. The sergal exhales, barely perceptible, and doesn't withdraw its paws. That's approval enough.

Over time, the movements become more confident. Cleaning. Pressing. Tracing every curve. The scent never disappears; it remains, constant, reminding it of its place. It no longer tries to ignore it.

And each time it finishes, the small creature stays a moment longer than necessary.

Because it's no longer there simply because it was caught.

It's there because it wants to stay. Because it wants to keep touching.
_____________________________________________

This is the first story I've created to accompany the uploaded art. Sorry if it sounds strange or if anything is missing; I had to use a translator to translate it into English.



Sergal model by ZealotDKD on itch.io
The smoll avali belongs to me