Rite of Merit: Halter With Style

Perhaps it was the glare of the bright midday sun, or the sand mixed muddily with the snow…whichever the reason nobody seemed particularly impressed to be congregated for the day’s merit trails. That was with the exception of one short handler near the front who seemed equal parts excited and nervous as she shakily held an extraordinarily large coffee.

“I can’t believe that oversized rat got excellent!” Elise whispered loudly to her sphinx companion gesturing rudely at the participant ahead of her. Luckily for the both of them, everyone had tuned them out long ago. “He literally picked his nose…are you guys blind? And what kind of outfit is tha…” the woman was interrupted by the sphinx knocking her slightly unbalanced.

It wasn’t that Zola did not entirely agree with her. That poor Tokota did have the misfortune of being dressed by the most fashionably inept person she had ever encountered, and his handler’s hands did wander suspiciously close to his nose. But stating the obvious did little to further their cause, and the last thing they needed was to piss off the judges. Being pretty and dressed well would only get them so far, and while she honestly believed they deserved the heckles, the last thing she wanted was to throw it all away.

“NEXT!” Zola’s ears perked as Elise slowly lead her out.

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