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Yipe!

You instinctively pull the covers up to your neck. "Fred!!", you wail at the unexpected intrusion.

"What?", he replies, baffled. "I just thought you'd want to know -"

"Um, Fred", the new arrival says, tapping the musclebound wolf on the shoulder, "I think he might want to put some clothes on?"

Fred blinks. "Um, oops. Sorry." He and the new guy retreat to the den.

After you're up and dressed, you finally come out and meet the guy. He's human, surprisingly, and looks about thirty years old, to judge by looks. His long brown hair is pulled back into a tail, and his beard and moustache almost cover his mouth ... somehow, though, he gives a general air of ... well, harmlessness.

"Sorry about that", he says as he extends a hand to you. "Fred can be a little ... headstrong." He gives the wolfmorph a sidelong glance as he says that.

"I know", you tell him wryly. "And you are ... ?"

"Oh, of course", he smiles at you. "My name's Carl. I originally helped Fred get started on his diet."

You blink. "His diet?"

"Well, yes", he replies. "Surely you don't think anyone looks like that", he gestures to Fred, "without a lot of diet and exercise."

"He's really good", Fred puts in. "He even helped me figure out my calories and everything!"

Carl rolls his eyes. "Yes, and created a monster. You're not trying to become Mister Lupine Universe, you know."

Fred rolls his eyes in return. "I like being this size!"

Carl rolls his eyes one more time. "See what I mean? Give him a few muscles and he's the Big Bad Wolf."

"Um, are you a doctor?", you manage to ask during a lull in the banter.

Carl chuckles. "Sadly, no. Just someone who studies Comparative Anatomy, Physiology, and Nutrition for fun."

"For FUN?"

He shrugs. "I'm weird that way. Anyway", he waves away whatever you were going to say, "Fred wanted me to look at your diet and exercise routine and see what's wrong. I have a feeling he's not going to like the answer", he tells you semi-conspiratorially. "He hates being wrong."

You begin to understand why Fred doesn't blow up at Carl the way he blew up at you. It's almost impossible not to smile at the guy ... it's like he's an old friend that you've only just met.

Over the next few hours, you're weighed and questioned. Carl gets the nutritional information from Fred, but also makes sure to quiz you on how things are going ... you even tell him how Fred's been treating you, though you do your best not to make it sound too bad. Fred's your friend, after all.

"Well", Carl says at last, "the answer turns out to be pretty simple ..."


Written by Wanderer (edited by wanderer)

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