First Step [Video; public]

[dogwalksyou]

Hello? Hello, yes.

[The dog comes into focus at an odd angle - the communicator is on the floor, between her forepaws as she peers down over it. Apparently satisfied that it's working, she yips in delight, rushing out of view in a close-up whirl of paws and tail and glimpses of an old timber ceiling as she spins in a circle. Then her face reappears, tongue hanging out slightly from her canine grin.]

Hello! I'm the Disreputable Dog. Or the Disreputable Bitch, if you want to be technical. Who wants to go for a walk?

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[routemistress]

We're on, then, sweetheart. Meet you up there?

[dogwalksyou]

Okay!

[She barks gleefully in excitement, dashes off - then scrambles back when she remembers to turn the feed off first.]

[routemistress]

[Chester is Claire's dog, that Iris and Claire's inmate Guerrero are looking after while she's in a coma. It's clear at once, seeing them together, that while Iris isn't Chester's own personal person, she's a person he approves of. She's also brought a pocketful of liver treats, a chuck-it and several tennis balls. She smiles to see the Dog and holds out a hand to be smelled.]

'Ey there lovely, welcome aboard. Nice to 'ave more non-human staff.

[dogwalksyou]

[She isn't matching him for breed - she's an unidentifiable mongrel, with the scruffed up ears of an old fighter - but she seems like she might be a bit smaller than she was looked on the communicator. She yips at Chester and they circle each other a bit, both amiably. The Dog's tail never stops wagging - she's very happy to meet new people and has no ill intent at all. Chester's wordless permission obtained, she happily sniffs Iris's hand, then licks it.]

I've never met one of you before!

[routemistress]

[Iris' tail would be wagging along with Chester's and the Dog's if she had one, that much is obvious from her demeanour.]

No? Are you from Dog World? I used to 'ave a dear friend from there, a poodle. And some enemies and all, but isn't that always the way, eh?

[She answers the lick by caressing the Dog's jawline and, unless she chooses to evade it, follows that up with an ear-rub.]

...let's go throw balls.

[The CTS gives them a field of fragrant, scarlet-coloured grass speckled with fragile yellow flowers under an orange sky, and Iris gives it a cynical look before striding in without comment. Playing with Chester is always one of the bright spots of her day, and she's too old and too much in the moment to find a randomly Gallifreyan landscape disturbing. It's not a place that's ever felt like home to her anyway, even during the version of her past in which it was.]

[dogwalksyou]

[She leans happily into the ear rub, tail thumbing even louder against the deck for the duration, chatters answers happily on their way.]

A whole world for dogs? I shall have to go there too!

No, I'm from a little world. mostly humans, and magic, and a few surprises here and there. The people there just call it the Old Kingdom, mostly. It's a bit out-of-the-way and not so distinctly named, but I do love it.

[She yelps in delight at the alien landscape racing in a few little circles through the red grass, sniffing intently.]

Are you from here?

[routemistress]

[That is a complicated question, and Iris tilts her head at the double suns - one huge and dark orange, one smaller and bright - in the sky, and loads a ball into the chuck-it before answering.]

I was once, aye - though not from this bit, I were from the mountains. Not any more. Not sure I've actually ever been 'ere any more.

I still remember it, more or less, so I s'pose that counts.

[She throws the ball, and Chester breaks out of his eager circling to chase it.]

Ooh, I love worlds with magic, and I really love surprises. Were you one of 'em?

[dogwalksyou]

Oh, maybe a little one. A nice surprise!

[She runs straight through some of the flowers, and promptly sneezes. She points half instinctively when the ball flies, but mostly lets Chester get it, since it's his playtime, frolicking a bit more aimlessly.]