Malice and Sarah ultimately were set on following Abby's parents into the Great Hall when they arrived. In that they couldn't follow Abby and Samson as they went to mingle with the others that were there for the party. However, because Sarah was holding the pasta dish that her parents had made, Sarah was left to deliver it to where all the food was being placed. Malice walked along with her as they made there way along toward what would be the dinning room. Both Sarah and Malice wagged their tails at the scent of the sausages that Abby's parents had cooked and had privately agreed to get one of them once they could eat.
"There are a lot of people here," Malice commented as they walked along, her voice sounding somewhat eager about it.
Sarah had a good guess on what that meant as she knew that her former pet and now adopted sister was more interested in finding a mate for herself. Malice's attention was likely on the hope that one of Animalians who had come to the party was one of the uplifted police dogs from the Lyre Police Department or one of the uplifted wolves from the Animalia Police Department.
"I'm sure one of them is off duty at the moment, but right now we gotta get this to the dining area," Sarah said to her sister. "And you don't HAVE to actually take one of the wolves or police dogs as a mate. There are lots of other dogs out there..."
"Like Travis?" Malice asked to Sarah with a smirk.
"Mary Alice!" Sarah gasped, saying Malice's full name.
"Come on he likes you," Malice smirked as some approaching footsteps were heard.
"Who likes who?" came Sophie's voice.
Sarah and Malice both turned to see that Samuel, Jessica, and Sophie had joined them for the moment. Sarah was thankful that neither of her friends could notice her blush through her fur. For while Sarah wasn't outright looking for a mate, that didn't entirely mean she was adverse to finding one. In fact from time to time she found herself thinking about being with an uplifted male dog, as thanks to her own transformation, she was physically closer to a person in their twenties. She could feel all the sorts of urges an adult felt and could hear on how active her parents were at night, and like Malice, a part of her did want to feel the same.
"Travis, he's the son of the Fire Department's mascot," Sarah answered.
"That uplifted Dalmatian I saw you talking with in science?" Jessica asked, "He's like me... only a single doser."
"And born a dog," Sarah sighed, "but I am a dog now, myself, and he is fairly nice... but every time any conversation begins to get away from school work, he seems to get rather nervous and shy."
"Of course he does," Malice chuckled, and poked Sarah's left breast with one paw, "He sees this generous swell and that ends up being a bit intimidating."
"Do you like him, Sarah?" Jessica asked as she ignored Malice's poking at Sarah's generous bosom.
"Well... he is nice and isn't quite as perverted as so many of the human males that have made passes at me... but like I said... he gets nervous when it starts to get away from school work," Sarah sighed, "Maybe it's because Malice is there and since both of us are double dosers and he's only a single doser..."
"How about we get something to eat," Sophie offered, "and then we'll see if he's around and help you out."
"Yeah, sis," Malice agreed, "He seems nice enough, and he is a dog."
"Okay... but remember, we'll have to introduce him to mom and dad," Sarah pointed, "As well as which ever police officer you successfully woo."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
They ultimately did go and get something to eat and joined Abby and Samson, who they found eating with a pair of uplifted tigers. The group then joined them. Malice and Sarah did get a few of the sausages that Abby's brought and they enjoyed them, but they didn't mention anything to Abby, as Sarah had the sense that the dish reminded Abby that because she had become a mare, a female horse, that she couldn't eat sausages. As they began to finish, the group began to break up again for a moment. Jessica took Sammy off to meet with the female hamster that Clara had found and Abby and Samson moved off to see what plans Clara had for their group with regards to panel talks on how they as a group had got on with the Animalia Outbreak, with Abby and Sarah being accidentally infected and later with Jessica joining of her own volition and Sophie remaining human. Sarah knew when and where this was to be at this party, but for the moment, they weren't required for that yet. That gave them the time for some socializing and seeing what was going on.
"Well... that was good," Sarah gave a contented sigh.
"Yeah," Sophie agreed, "and we got about an hour before we're supposed to go for the Animalian/Human cooperation and friendship panel presentation for the party."
Sarah then felt Malice hug her from the side.
"So, let's go see if Travis came," Malice encouraged Sarah, "Sophie and I will come and help keep him around so you can say that you like him."
"What if his parents don't like me?" Sarah said nervously as they stood up.
"Not like you?" Sophie asked, "Sarah... out of you, me, Abby, and Jessica, you were always the most adventurous and the most open to all of this Animalia stuff when it came out. Yeah, you're a double doser and are physically older and sexier than you were before, but that hasn't changed anything else about you. And if you do take him as a mate... he'd obviously get his second dose and would join you and Malice. I don't see any reason why his parents wouldn't like you. The worst you'll face is that they'll ask that you let Travis mature before the two of you officially become mates."
Sarah looked to both Malice and Sophie. Both of them smiled confidently back to her.
"Okay," Sarah spoke, "let's go see if he's here..."