High Maintenance (Liam Payne AU)

Part 21

"Let's go!" Liam called. Gen was in the house, taking some Pepto Bismal, not wanting Liam to know that she still felt nauseous. She grabbed her coat and headed out the to the sled. She crawled into her seat, smiling when she saw that Carl was trying swing dog today. "We are going out onto the river and up into the lake today. Saw a moose yesterday. Maybe I can get him."

The idea of shooting a moose turned her stomach again. She wasn't in the mood for looking at dead, raw moose.

Liam hollered for the dogs to go and they shot off, down the frozen river. She felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as the dogs ran. She watched Carl, seeing that he was doing a good job. Swing dogs pulled the team into the turns. It took a special dog for that spot. They needed to be smart. She hoped he was good enough to earn that spot on Liam's team.

The lake appeared in front of them and the dogs ran faster, loving the flat smooth surface. "Look!" Liam yelled, "Over there!" She followed where he was pointing and saw the moose. Liam yelled. "Haw!" and the swing dogs started the turn. She watched Carl pull the line, leading the dogs in the correct direction.

The dogs moved to the edge of lake, Liam planning to park them and walk around the lake to get the moose. He parked the dogs and walked into the woods surrounding the lake, hoping he hadn't already spooked it into running. Gen waited, her heart in her throat. She watched as he approached the moose, slowly, aimed and fired.

The BANG rang though the forest and Carl dropped, just like she taught him. He pulled half the dogs with him and the ice cracked. The brake was on the sled and the dogs panicked, not able to move off the cracking ice. Gen pulled herself out of the sled, heading for Bugs and Al, the lead dogs. She was going to try to lead them from the cracking ice. Carl and the other dogs got back up off the ice and she heard another louder crack. Bugs and Al dropped from sight, plunging into the lake, threatening to take Carl and his partner, Dan down, too. She knew the water wasn't deep here, but she dropped down anyhow, spreading her weight. Bugs and Al were trying to get out of the water, but the edges broke as they tried to climb on them. Gen slid to Carl and Dan, grabbed their lines and pulled back. The dogs figured out what she was trying to do, pulling backward, lifting the dogs out of the water.

Liam turned back to the sled, hearing the ice crack and watched the dogs go down. He ran, yelling for Gen to get off the ice. He saw her leave the sled, trying to save the dogs. By the time he got to the sled, Bugs and Al were out of the water, shaking off the water. Gen pulled off her coat, rubbing Bugs dry. Liam grabbed a blanket and worked on Al. "What happened? What happened? Why didn't you get off the ice?" he yelled, his heart racing, still feeling the fear of losing her coursing through his veins.

Gen looked at him, trying not to cry. "Carl dropped when he heard the bang and pulled half the dogs down. I'm so sorry. I didn't know!"

"It's okay. It's okay. You are okay. The dogs are okay." He grabbed onto her, hugging her tight. "Jesus Christ! Next time, get off the ice! The dogs will get out. I can't lose you. I can't!"

Gen let herself cry. "I'm sorry. I just...I just love these stupid dogs! I could have killed them!" 

Liam shook his head, his hands shaking. "Everything is fine! Nobody is dead. Let's just get these dogs home. They should be fine. Alaskan huskies are build for this. I'm not letting them pull, but they should be just fine." Liam put both dogs in the sled and called Gen over. He put her coat in the sled and handed her a dry blanket. "You are going to have to stand."

"What about your moose?"

Liam shook his head, again. "I'll come back for him with the snow mobile." Liam put her between the sled and himself. He called for the dogs to go, and they flew for home, Gen's legs aching from trying to keep her balance. He pulled them right into the barn and turned to Gen. "Can you do this? I want to get the moose. Put Al and Bugs in a stall with some blankets. Feed them first."