The wolf woke, dropped to the floor and took in her surroundings. The clean, white and stainless steel room was not what she expected, but it smelled like the outside of the blue box, so it figured that it had to be related.

As she investigated the room, she could see the bench she'd been laying on, cupboards, shelves, monitors, a door, but no windows; an interior room. Tilting her head, she examined the door. It had no handle and no purchase to get her claws around to open it without causing a lot of noise. For the moment, she preferred to keep a low profile until she figured out exactly where she was.

Sitting in front of the closed door, she glared at its blank surface and felt a tingling sensation, like tiny fingers, running over the inside of her skull. The door opened soundlessly and she padded into the corridor beyond.

It was the loud and creative swearing that led her into a room that looked both organic and metallic. A large console was in the centre of the room and a pair of legs protruded out from under it. She raised her snout and sniffed the air. It was definitely the same man she'd seen on the beach.

Quietly walking over to the man, she sat down and ducked her head down to watch him at work. He reached out, feeling around for a tool that had rolled out of his reach. Without thinking, the wolf picked up the tool in a very human hand and placed it in his. She smiled to herself at the absent mumble of thanks, then snickered at the flurry of movement that saw him scramble out of his workspace.

The Doctor stared at woman who was sitting back on her haunches, with her arms wrapped around her legs, returning his stare. He had a moment of deep confusion before he noticed the bronze pendant she wore. "I could swear the last time I saw that hammer, a wolf was wearing it. Wolves don't suddenly turn into humans."

"And humans don't have two hearts." It was an odd rhythm, certainly something she'd never heard before, and it wasn't the only peculiar thing she noticed. "Why can I understand you? Your language isn't familiar, but I know what you're saying."

"It's the TARDIS." He patted the console fondly. "She gets in your head and translates."

"Handy." The woman nodded, it explained the sensation she felt earlier. "It opens doors too."

The Doctor grinned widely. "I'm the Doctor."

"Is that a name or a description?" she asked warily. She wasn't overly fond of doctors. In her experience they tended to be over-enthusiastic in the application of leeches and liked to bleed people at the drop of a hat.

"A bit of both really. So, you got a name?"

"I have lots of names."

Fiddling with his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor wondered what had suddenly changed open curiosity into caution. "How about we start off simple?"

"Wolf."

"Didn't we just have this conversation?" The Doctor laughed as he got to his feet, offering Wolf his hand. "That was a nasty blow you took to the head. I'd like to check everything's okay, but maybe I'd better see what I can do about finding you some clothes first."


15minuteficlets — word #116: linked
pheral — challenge: whumping
Part of the Exile!verse and the Wolf&Declán!verse