THE YARD

Chapter 7

Shadow, unlike the other dogs, still had not used his words against another dog. The next morning Flare was one of the last dogs to wake up, but she did so with Shadow close by and waiting to ask questions.

"So where does the food come from in this joint? I'm so hungry, it's all I can think about..." He said while sniffing the air rapidly. There was a fantastic scent on the breeze, of meat being cooked on a grill somewhere in the neighborhood. Flare had to stop herself from thinking about it too much as well.

Before she answered, she cleared her throat and felt that it was super dry. With a pointed glance at Shadow, she started stalking towards the water-buckets near the tire. They had been cleaned and refilled to the brim last night. The rain was gone, but it left the ground sticky and sucky with churned mud.

Grey Dog was there to defend the water bucket, and depending on his mood she would or wouldn't be permitted to have a drink. Since Grey Dog had repeatedly marked the side of the white bucket, it was stained yellow in certain places and had a distinctive reek of his urine. She tried to ignore the overpowering scent and bent her neck over the edge to get a drink.

Just like the dozens of other times in the past long months, Grey Dog raised his head from his paws and leaped to his feet once he saw Flare drinking from it. He gave a guttural growl from where he stood, knowing that Flare would move away without a sound.

As she immediately turned away with her tail tucked, a more feminine voice spoke up from behind.

"Grey Dog, you haven't let any dog use your drink in days." She had the hint of a warning in her voice, and Flare almost cowered even more as she realized that Grey Dog might attack Mocha.

But he didn't. Instead, he lowered his head but kept up his growl as he looked at Flare. It was all Flare could do not to sprint back to her spot near the porch.

"But White Dog's bucket is over there," he argued back. "And the best breeding and fighting dogs should be the ones to drink from them."

"You're so selfish, Grey," she spat down at him from up on the tire. Flare's neck-fur stood up as she fully expected Grey Dog to lunge at Mocha.

"You know that she-dogs need proper nutrition if they're going to mate, just like male dogs." The hint of a snarl crept into her voice, as if she dared Grey Dog to disagree with such a fact. Flare almost felt like Mocha was standing up for equality among male and female dogs, until she remembered that Mocha accepted being controlled by a male.

"Go on and take a drink, tan-dog. I'll fight him myself if I have to." She seemed to know full well that Grey Dog wouldn't hurt her, though. But why? Because they bred together?

Brindle eyed Flare after she realized that the other she-dog hadn't moved a muscle on her command. The male dog's posture was still aggressive and his gaze was sharp as flint.

"Come away, Grey Dog," she growled in a commanding tone.

"You know you won't challenge me when I'm carrying pups, and you shouldn't be doing it to her, either." She rolled her eyes and started muttering to herself. "Male dogs think they have to control everything..."

Flare licked her lips nervously and drank the water with lightening speed as soon as Grey Dog joined Mocha on the tire. While she was finishing up, she realized that her belly felt a lot better and heavier. I don't think I've ever been allowed to drink my fill. Flare turned and beckoned with a flick of her ears at Shadow, who stood looking at her with his tail raised.

"This will be your only chance to drink for days, unless White Dog let's you use his..." Shadow looked pointedly at her, and she stifled a laugh at his expression, knowing very well that White Dog seemed to hate Shadow's guts.