Savage?

Eight

The rain came early the morning after I fled. When I woke up I could feel it, not yet falling, but thick in the atmosphere. The air was heavy, and not a bird chirped. I picked myself up off the ground and regained my sense of direction. I had traveled the rest of the afternoon previously, I wanted to get back with Master where I belonged. My paws had bled and crusted over, but I ignored the pain. I rocked straight into a jolty lope. Grace was not my element, but no matter how it looked it covered distance. They say all dogs came from wolves, and maybe its possible that when in need any dog can uncover the wolf inside. Those days I traveled, I surely uncovered my own personal wolf.

I covered great distances with barely a chicken feather left in my stomach, and when I could no longer put it off, I managed to find prey. My stomach felt like it was eating me when I heard a rustle and a small white bullet exploded to my right. I wheeled and took off after it, but it made it back to a warren before I could catch up. I snarled in angst, and smashed my front paws down angrily. To my surprise the dirt shifted. I smashed down again and part of the tunnel collapsed. My heart beat excitedly as I looked around, some feral part of me looking for the other exit I didnt consciously know would be there. It was. I made my way over just as the rabbit shot out. This time it didn't evade me. I lunged forward and its back leg hit me in the jaw, but I still snapped down on its back. I heard the signature sound if breaking bones and hungrily ripped its stomach apart, not even waiting for the life to seep out of its petrified eyes.

I was sniffing around for a stream or pond to quench my growing thirst when the first drop hit me. It smacked down on my head so hard a snarl rose up in me. I craned my neck to see my attacker, and was baffled to find myself alone. Then another drop hit me, and another and another. I squinted my eyes and opened my mouth to allow the rain to wet my tongue. After I had gotten my fill of water the rain started to annoy me. It was coming down heavily now, the first I had ever experienced. It had never rained inside the compound, and hadn't when I was healing. I could barely see five feet in front of me but I continued anyway. When I got back I could be dry, for now I needed to move.

Even thought it was still early in the day, it was horribly dark outside. Right after the rain began, menacing storm clouds had moved over, blocking out the sun. The howling wind came next, maybe the only thing that ever chilled me to the bone. In it I heard the screams of every one of my victims. It drove me mad. The forest swayed wildly, every skinny sapling diving to kill me. Then for a split second there was blinding light, followed by a massive boom that rattled the earth beneath me. I flinched as a tree to the left of me burst into flames and fell over. The flames spread quickly, undettered by the pounding rain. I ran as far as I could from the flames, even though I couldn't see in front of me. They traveled quickly, engulfing the forest. I was so afraid they would catch up to me before I could reach safety, although I didn't know where safety was. My legs ached as I galloped into the relative blackness ahead.

Then without any warning, the ground fell from beneath me. I was pitched downward at a pretty steep angle. I bumped around several times and then was thrown into water. I gasped but only muck filled my lungs. My paws scrambled for anything, and finally I felt the bottom. I feebly pushed off and felt the cool air hit my face and enter my lungs. Natural instincts kicked in and I doggypaddled to keep my head above water. I saw the flames above me, slowly creeping forward. I couldn't keep swimming, my muscles were already exhausted.

A rare stroke of luck led me to feel a large floating log. I pulled my top half onto it and let the rest of my body lay in the water. My body must have sensed my safety, because at that point I was overcome with sleepiness. I laid my dripping head on the log and promptly fell asleep.

I woke up sometime the next afternoon, with the sky a threatening gray. However, no rain fell. I took in my surroundings for the first time. I was in the middle of a stagnant pond, probably a puddle raised by the storms. There was grotesque residue coating my slick fur. I swam to the bank, my limbs sore. The ground rose quite steeply starting about two feet from the waters edge. I gritted my teeth, set my jaw, and stormed up the ground, my legs burning.

When I reached the top I had to blink several times, make sure it was all real. The ground was blackened as far as I could see in any direction, leaving only the trees--and some of those had fallen over. All the underbrush had turned to ash. I tried to readjust my sense of direction, and I started back on my way.

The next day was uneventful until evening. I spent the whole day trotting through the carnage wreaked by the wildfire, even finding s few smoldering piles I steered clear of. As the sun started to sink low in the sky I could see tall things in the distance, definitely not trees. I picked up the pace, and was able to see them more clearly before the sun set. Buildings, huge ones, flanked by smaller houses similar to where I had stayed with Hush.

Needless to say I was confused. My compound had been nothing near this. I hoped that my doctor was here, and she would return me. I ran at full speed until I reached the first bit of concrete. It wasn't smooth like I was used to, but still made me a bit homesick. I felt small, surrounded by such giant structures. More like Master patrolled the streets, some being led by various dogs. I growled at all, and they cleared my path. As night fell I crawled up in a cardboard box in an alley. How was I to know my adventure had barely began?

Authors note: For all my WDP-RP buddies, this is where Pumpkin's life takes a turn from the pitbull you all know and loved(or loathed, whatever). In that version of her, she reached the Wandering Forest, and not the city. (Also in that version, the dog at the farmhouse had been a bluenose pitbull who had his way with her before she killed him.) Have no idea what I'm talking about? Forget this whole note then. It's unimportant unless it is. ;)