Duds

23 The City

We walked down the winding road for what seemed like hours, so I talked to Ash and Gerry to pass the time.

"So, Ash. How do you think that went back there. Did I make enough damage to keep them busy for a while? Or should I have made more of a mess? Or should I have done something to confuse the hounds? Oh my god, do you think that the hounds are right behind us?" I turned around, quickly as if to catch the Hell hounds hiding in the bushes.

Ash wrapped his arm around me, "It's Ok. I think you gave them enough to think about. Those hounds are probably not even close-"

Ash was cut off by the baying of the hounds. "I told you!" I said, my voice squeaking in fear.

"It's Ok. Let's just do what we did before. We fly and outrun them," Ash proposed.

"I don't think that's gonna happen," Gerry said, pointing.

I turned around to find to my horror that the dogs were already there and closing in. We were frozen in fear. Why can't they just leave us alone? Leave me alone! I shouted at the dogs in my brain. They hesitated, looked at each other and pressed on. What just happened? Did I actually speak to the dogs in my head? I reached out with my mind towards the dogs.

Suddenly there was a splitting pain in my head and I doubled over. When the pain resided there was a multitude of random thoughts floating around in my mind. Food. Kill. Target. Retrieve. Will master be happy? Don't I look good in this newly-washed fur? This is fun, we never had this fun since the last kid. Fresh meat...

More and more thoughts bombarded me. These must be what the dogs are thinking, I mused. The dogs froze and their thoughts became more confused. What was that? Did I just hear a voice? That sounded like that girl! What did she do?

STOP! I yelled at them and their minds fell silent. They stood frozen in place. Now, boys and girl we are not your enemy. We mean you no harm. We are just trying to escape master. We are as trapped as you are. Please help us.

Help? Master or girl?

Who has been nicer to you? Master or girl?

Girl. Girl. Girl. Master.

The fourth deduction surprised me. I knew that they had to be smart enough to make complete thoughts, but not smart enough to make that decision. Why master? I asked.

Master saved us. When we were pups. She took us in. We love her.

And how well has she treated you since. Not letting you run around, having fun. She keeps you in tiny cages until she needs you then yells to get you to do something. I would never be that mean. I would have yelled at you less, let you have more fun, and give you bigger cages. I'm nicer. Please help me and my friends, brothers? We can help you if you help us. If we get away, we will come back and free you. So?

They looked at each other and looked at me. Ok! Sure! Yeah! Fine, but you have to come back otherwise we will hunt you down. And to prove her point Princess growled at me.

Thank you! We will come back as soon as possible! Could you lead them off our trail to give us a chance to get away?

Sure, she answered and lead the pack off into the trees.

I turned to the boys, smiling like an idiot, "Solved it! Now let's go before the Boss gets here."

I moved off, but was slow enough to catch Gerry's remark.

"She never ceases to amaze me."

"Yeah," Ash agreed.

After a few more minutes of walking the road started to narrow into a one lane road and we started to hear sounds other than normal forest sounds.