Painted Flowers

Chapter 8 - The Guest

Insects droned on and on as the three Ash dogs guided the "wanderer" deeper into the heart of their territory. The dense forest parted into rough terrain, and jutting stones merged into tall cliffs. Seemingly out of nowhere, a mouth in the rocks stood, which Layali could barely make out against the shadows and thick growth of brambles.

Zahra, the particularly long-legged dog and Zain's sister, stood in front of the tunnel for a moment, before using a single claw to part a path through the thorns, hooking branches against one another. Layali simply stared as Zahra then led the way into the pitch-black abyss, a bit nervous at being unable to see where she was going. But with a rather harsh nudge from Feoria, she was forced to take her first limp. Layali glared over her shoulder at the two Ash dogs bringing up the rear before timidly entering the rest of the way, pressing her fur against the cold walls to avoid losing her sense of direction.

At last the tunnel opened up again, and Layali had finally made it to the home of the Pack of Falling Ash.

Several dogs, from a glance already more than the entirety of the Pack of Bright Meadows, were scattered about in what appeared to be a sandy hollow surrounded on all sides by rocky cliffs. Some of them were resting, while others gathered around what Layali recognized as the remains of the impala carcass from hours before. She even saw a mother with three little puppies, tumbling and playing. And one dog in particular was...

Was that dog controlling fire?

Layali recognized the flickering orange flames from what her parents had described for her. She had never seen fire herself, but considered herself lucky in that regard--apparently, it was one of the most dangerous things a dog could encounter; far worse than any predator. It was hot like the sun's rays, would scorch fur and blister skin, and consume anything and everything in its path...or so Layali thought.

This fire seemed to be contained, with large boulders blocking its escape. The kindler dog was feeding it with a few sticks of varying sizes, and it glowed peacefully, completely safe as long as distance was kept. Layali could almost feel it from where she stood, an unusual warmth against the chill of the night. What did Ash dogs have to benefit from keeping a fire in the middle of their camp? Did they need it to illuminate the area, because the moon was too soft? Did the camp grow cold at night nestled against these stone walls? Layali was in awe.

A nip to her tail from Feoria made Layali realize that she was still blocking the tunnel's entrance. Apologetically she limped forward, sticking close to Zahra, who seemed the friendliest of her escorts. The tall dog gave her a sympathetic smile and slowly padded around the campfire, keeping Layali's pace as she followed. Layali continued taking everything in.

It seemed like an average day for the Pack of Falling Ash as the many dogs milled around, chittering and minding their own business, but a few perked their ears to stare curiously at the newcomers. Layali avoided the gazes shyly. To her it almost seemed as if something were...missing.

Where's the grass? The soft downy bedding?

She suddenly found herself longing for the familiar terrain she had grown up with. As Zahra led her, they passed what appeared to be a pair of mates, curled up in the dirt with their eyes closed. Layali couldn't help but steal a glance.

Do these dogs just sleep on the dirt ground? How...undignified.

The relentless feeling of being stared at was now prickling at her fur. Layali looked up from the soil surrounding her and immediately took note of, on the other side of the fire pit, two dogs standing tall among the others. Blood from the carcass stained the lips of a large shaggy male, and his top canines seemed to jut out in a sneer. His companion flicked an ear, but returned to gnawing on a leg bone, as if they were uninterested. The toothy one was different, and drew himself up as he padded closer. Layali could not take her eyes off of the accessory he wore: a necklace, studded with what appeared to be bones, sharpened in such a way that they matched the fangs in his overbite.