Dog On A Rope

25 - New Perspective

The crowd dispersed, though bystanders came and went to observe the mystical wolf in a mixture of awe and mocking. The colourful morning turned to bright yellow day, and then faded back into deep blue evening and dark. Laika and Afore did not talk much, and laid in the dust a few feet away from one another, despite the thick rope that connected them both, and the straps tying them to their each individual posts. A guard dog brought them food and water, which they gratefully took.

The arena's fencing was surrounded by large domestic canines to act as guards and prevent escape, but only a few actually stood within the walls of the fencing. Afore, exhausted, slept peacefully, curled up in the dust by his post.

As the night grew longer, another guard dog approached. He was lighter in colour, and much smaller than the rest. Laika identified him as a Basenji, orange in colour with white feet and chest, a tightly curled tail, and a sleek, athletic build. His eyes were dark brown, glinting in the night. The moonlight draped over his back, painting him blue. Laika stood up defensively, towering over the small dog. He stood a few feet away with wide, pricked ears, observing gently. His expression was soft, but strong.

"What are you here for?" Laika growled, lowering her head to meet his gaze. She was like a horse or perhaps a deer, long and large in body, yet slender and finely built; elegant, with a long, flexible neck and a long snout to match, hair that was short on her body but fanned and fringed out along the edges like a mane. Her tail even looked like a horse's tail with the flag of black and orange hair upon it. Her shoulders were strong, but thin in the chest, allowing her agility and the ability to move in tight spaces. If she had been a gazelle, one could think she was about to drag a front hoof in the sand and huff from strong nostrils, then charge whoever was in front of her with a powerful, elegant grace. The basenji must have thought as such, for he took a few small paces back. His small feet made pitter-patter sounds against the grain like raindrops.

"I'm just here to be your guard."

"You're watching us," she said.

"No," he corrected, "I am watching you." His voice was different from hers and from Afore's. It was cleanly cut, precise, and punctuated well, with good pronunciation of his T's and D's and strong beginnings and ends to syllables.

Laika's own voice seemed to flow smoothly compared to his abruptness, "Why?" She was on edge, hackles raised.

"I feel bad for you," he said plainly. "I think it's wrong what our Baron is doing." He lowered his voice slightly, so that the surrounding guards could not hear.

Laika softened slightly, but still remained cautious, "You do?"

"Of course I do... Not everyone in Castimun is as evil as our Baron. And I'm sure you can understand that... have you had a fowl Baron?"

"I did," she admitted, thinking of Veal Tribe's mighty white Baron. "I wished I could do something to stop him and save my tribe." It pained her to think of her tribe, and all that she had been forced to leave behind. It had been partly her decision, true, but she wished for a better life for the dogs of Veal Tribe. She wished for things to go back to the way that they were before Afore was ever in her life. She turned and looked at his peacefully sleeping self, not aware of the look of disgust on her face.

"Do you hate him?" The petite basenji asked, stepping closer, and looking at the wolf himself. His expression was unreadable, and Laika became curious of him.

She shook her head, "Of course not. He's protected me so far..."

"But?"

She shook her head again, as if she could shake the thoughts away, "I just grow worried sometimes."