The Blue Eyes of Sparrow

Chapter 2: Picking Our Battles

Fleck yawned as she lay in a patch of sun, watching drowsily as Red wrestled with Socks. White was yipping with excitement. "Go, Red! Go, Socks!" "Come on! You can do it!" encouraged Black. Red was pawing softly at Socks' face. Socks yipped and nipped Red's foreleg.

"Done!" announced Mother. "That was nice Socks, Red, next time try to get behind him and surprise him!" She scanned the pups as Red and Socks scurried back to their places. "White, fight with Spotty." She said calmly.

Fleck's heart leaped in her chest as Spotty stepped to the opposite side then White. "Begin!" howled Mother. Spotty remained motionless, and Fleck wondered whether she heard Mother. White yipped and leaped for her, when they were almost nose to nose, Spotty darted behind her, nipping her hind leg.

White yelped in surprise and spun around, flashing out a fast paw and catching Spotty's shoulder. Fleck gasped, as Spotty rolled with impact and threw herself at White, catching her leg and bowled her over.

Every pup howled their support. Eyes gleaming, tails flicking, they watched as White stood up, panting. "Done!" said Mother again. "Spotty, that's was clever, that last move. White, next time be faster, and use your weight to trap her."

"I'll do that next time." She promised. Spotty flicked her tail, smiling. "Go back to your places." Mother murmured. "Fleck you'll fight Rose." Rose was named after the pink-red colored stripe on her muzzle.

Fleck stood and went to opposite corner of Rose. Rose was strong and smart, and she was brilliant fighter. Fighting her would be a challenge.

"Fight!"

As soon as the last letter came from Mother's mouth, Rose leaped for Fleck's shoulder, knocking her legs from under her, spraining her shoulder. Growling, she nipped her leg, a little harder than she wanted to. Rose let out a howl, and she ripped her leg free of Fleck's grip, drawing blood.

Rose leaped for Fleck's shoulder her again, this time sinking in her teeth. Fleck screeched as her fangs sank deeper. "Enough!" Mother snarled, knocking Rose and giving her a hard nip, drawing blood on her ear. "Yowch!" screamed Rose.

Mother turned to Fleck and cuffed her hardly. "Don't draw blood." She growled to Fleck and Rose. "But-" Rose protested. Mother turned to the pup. "No buts! No fighting for you for a week." She growled. "for both of you. I will see you both later privately."

Mother walked away, throwing words over her shoulder. "This self-defense lesson is over." She bared her teeth before going into a basket.

Fleck licked her shoulder, gagging at the metallic taste of the blood. Spotty scampered over and sniffed at Fleck's shoulder. "That looks bad." She murmured, adding her licks to Fleck's. "I know." Fleck growled. "Rose sprained my shoulder, then bit it." She flexed her shoulder, wincing.

Fleck looked around for Rose. She was sitting with Red, talking quietly with him, shooting furious glances at Fleck. Red looked as furious as Rose, but he had a gleam in his eyes, as if he were excited.

Fleck watched them for a moment and rested her head on her paws, tired. Spotty seemed to notice Fleck's wariness. "Have a good rest. You deserve it." she murmured in her ear.

Nodding, Fleck sighed and closed her mind in time with Spotty's rhythmic licking.

***

Fleck was dreaming, chasing a squirrel up a tree. She barked happily, scrambling up the tree. The squirrel was on a high branch, and Fleck followed, determined to get it.

An invisible force knocked her from the tree, making her howl. She landed in a thick bramble bush. The thorns were scratching at her pelt, with them came a choking black darkness.

She jolted awake to a sharp, mercilessly blow to her cheek, another blow came to her bad shoulder. Rose and Red were attacking her, she leaped up onto three legs, wincing at her leg.

Rose's snarl sounded in her ear. "There is only room for one!" Then she bit Fleck's tail, crunching though her bone. Agony shot up her spine, she wanted to howl, but paws covered her mouth, making her unable to make a sound. Claws dealt a stinging blow to her ear.

A wail was rising in throat, she looked around in the darkness. She spotted a hole in the fence, and the door was open. "This isn't over!" she growled and fled into the darkness, her broken tail dripping glittering blood behind her.