Everyone was back in the kitchen now. You could've sworn that the white-haired lady getting her tresses done by Papa was making a face and squirming a little as she saw you guys, but Papa spritzed her long locks again and she seemed to calm down. He kept brushing her very, very long curls, and she gave another baa-ing chuckle. "What a cute kid," she said to no one in particular as Zoe was taken to the impromptu shampoo station.
Daddy had set things up to wash Zoe's hair in the kitchen sink. He had brought over a chair and sat her down in it. "There we go, pup. I know this is all very last-minute, but we'll get you sorted out and you'll be feeling right as rain. Doesn't that sound nice?"
Zoe had a glazed look, literally. Her face was still wet and shiny from being spritzed. She was mouthing words silently, until she muttered a defiant "N-no..."
Leaning forward, Daddy looked happy and calm as he waited for Zoe to say another word. Just as she was about to whimper something out, he had produced a lollipop in the shape of a cartoon bone and slipped it between her lips. She nodded a little and made a happy noise before she started sucking on it. It had a red-hot cinnamon taste and she quickly started to lick it, eager to tease out more of that spiced flavor. And as she did, she changed even further. Tongue growing longer and thicker. Teeth growing bigger and sharper as she enjoyed the lollipop.
You looked on, fascinated. Daddy gave your head an affectionate pat. It felt good to feel the weight of his hand on your heavy hair. He spoke into your lamb ear, and his warm breath tickled it, making it twitch.
"I always find that when we're working with someone her age, buddy, that something sweet like candy can really help out."
You nodded in agreement. You'd probably agree with anything Daddy said, he was really smart! The older sheep waited for Zoe to suck on her lollipop a little bit more, and then gently took it from her. Zoe pouted.
"I'm sorry, pup, but I need to wash your hair, and I don't want you to choke on anything. I'm going to tilt your head back and wash your hair, and then you can have your lollipop back. Is that alright?"
Zoe nodded reluctantly, and let Daddy dip her head backwards under the running water. He worked quickly and deftly, lathering up her steel-grey hair.
"I normally prefer to take things a bit more slowly," Daddy said to Zoe as he gave her scalp a deep massaging. "Things settle a bit better that way, but I think you're really going to like how this turns out." He turned to you and winked before rinsing out Zoe's hair.
She mumbled as Daddy toweled off her hair. He offered her the cinnamon lollipop, and she eagerly took it. Distracted by those rich flavors, she didn't notice her bushy wolf's tail with a black tip. It was wagging on its own.
"Come on, pup, let's get you seated."
Daddy moved Zoe to a chair close the the pretty sheep woman getting her hair done. He clipped a barber's cape around Zoe, and then whispered to Papa. He nodded, and then angled his head towards you. "Hey kiddo," said Papa, "Can you go and get the suitcase next to the door?"
"Yes, Papa," you said in your cherubic voice. You wanted to show your parents that you could help. As you walked to the foyer, you could distinctly hear Papa telling the lady that she really needed to treat herself to a girl's night out. Whatever that meant. You were far more concerned with helping Papa! Thankfully, it was a rolling suitcase. So even with your frail and dainty arms, you had no trouble taking it to the kitchen.
"Here, Papa," you said proudly. You were happy to help.
"Attaboy, that's going to come in handy later."
Daddy resumed his work on Zoe, and you took a seat nearby to watch. The girl's hair was a dark-grey hue, and Daddy was combing it out. With each pass of the comb, the girl in front of you looked more...right. More familiar. As things should be.
Patting Zoe's head, Daddy went to work on Zoe's waist-length hair. He started with broad cuts. Snip-snip. Scissors sliced through her hair. Taking her locks further upwards. Taking her height further downwards. Canid ears poked through her hair, and you jumped in your seat as you heard the sound of flip-flops plopping onto the floor. Distracted by this, you missed seeing her face push out into a wolf's snout and muzzle.
Zoe's tail was wagging under the barber's cape. She felt a sense of relief as she felt a thick pelt of soft, fuzzy fur growing in. It felt right.
Daddy gave her wet nose a little boop. "You're going to love this. Have you ever heard of a fauxhawk?"
She shook her head, hair swishing and bouncing as she did. "Nu-uh."
"Great. This is going to turn out wonderful."
Daddy went to work on Zoe's hair. He sectioned off the hair on the top of her head and made sure that everything was even before he produced a pair of clippers. Unlike you, Zoe seemed to be a bit braver and didn't wince as Daddy made pass after pass through the sides and back of her hair. Thick locks of grey fell onto the floor, forming silvery piles. In no time at all, the hair on top of her overcoat was taken down to a half-inch fuzz.
"You're such a strong, brave, pup," said Daddy as he unclipped Zoe's hair. Trimming the longer strands falling into her vision. "My son needs a friend like you." Zoe found herself nodding in agreement.
Snip-snip. More hair fell onto the floor. Before Zoe knew it, her hair was a mere 3 inches long. Just enough to work with. Just enough to let the girl try out other styles, if she'd like. Hairstyles like a boyish combed look with a part. Perfect for someone that spent a lot of time outside.
She shifted in her seat, eager to get out, the sweet lollipop filling her with childish energy. She balled her petite hands into fists, feeling great. She could feel her dark claws and soft pawpads.
Zoe could feel something soft and foamy being lathered into her hair. Mousse! Daddy's deft hands and brush were styling her hair into a crested point. She had a perfect, spiky, stiff, fauxhawk. She smirked at her reflection with childish glee. She felt really cool. She felt really tough! Well, besides the fact that she swimming in oversized clothes as Daddy unclipped the barber's cape.
"What a darling wolf," said the sheep-woman in the chair. "How old are you, dear?"
The wolf raised up four digits. "This many," she said proudly. She was a big girl, and she knew it.
Especially compared to you. You were the same age, but she was taller and stronger-looking than you. There was a musky, spiced smell that clung to her with traces of cinnamon, a strong contrast to the grassy scents Daddy had treated your hair with.
The woman gave a baa-ing laugh. "Oh, she's precious. She's going to grow up to be so big and strong!"
Zoe nodded in agreement, and then Daddy gestured to the suitcase. "Come on, pup, let's get you changed."