Bab 170: I'm not a dog person, I'm a cat empress

She yelped in surprise, as a surprisingly excitable Hugin - Octavian's otherwise docile hunting dog - pounced her.

The big black mass of fur threw itself on top of Isabelle, nearly knocking the breath from her lungs, and started licking her face frantically.

She might have been terrified by his sheer weight, size, and sudden attack...if there were even the tiniest shred of malice or aggression in the giant dog atop her.

Isabelle spluttered through wet, slobbery kisses, hands flailing uselessly in the air.

"Huginnn!" she managed, muffled under a happy dog.

He paid her protests very little mind.

"...Ah." Octavian gave a rather...subdued response to her near smothering by his dog. "My apologies, I should have warned you he gets...excited about getting treats."

She pushed at the massive black hound to dislodge him. He did, finally, rolling off of her, but continued to sit next to her, staring at her excitedly.