[Rainbowfox Ari]

Issac closed his eyes to sniff at the food, left ear flicking back at bit. It smelled so good, and looked so tasty, but he knew what would happen if he DID 'help himself'. He would be scolded for being a greedy little boy, whipped until he couldn't stand, and sent to sit in the corner, just like with the smithy. So he held his tongue, held his gaze toward the food, and just sort of... sat there, looking at it. Nothing in his conditioning against watching, just... No begging. No grabbing. No chatting. He would sit there until his new master was done with the food, and then he'd get to pick off what was left. It would always be that way.

To occupy his mind - and keep his stomach from growling - he started doing sums and grammar in his head. Repeating ages old lessons that had been drilled into him since he was a kitten, over and over, to avoid speaking, or even looking at his new master wrong. 1 + 3 = 4.... The dog IS hot, the men ARE hot, the day WAS hot.... 3 + 5 = 8.... Never use ain't, it ain't correct...