Dog Season (Discontinued)

Part I: Chapter Five

A strong wind whistled through holes on the trees made by woodpeckers. Patches of grass danced in the forest and tickled Charity's feathered legs. She continued to carry her rabbits and trotted carefully on her injured limbs, bouncing every step, on the leafy forest floor lit by a beam of moonlight. The rabbits bounced in her jaws every step, with their ears swaying.
Fear and cautiousness wrapped around the young dog's mind.
What if Axle changed by now? What if she's behind me, stalking me like prey?
Charity glanced behind her then began to sprint, her heart pounding, and her right legs throbbed but she ignored it. Her fear became too great for pain. Branches and tiny trees whipped Charity's back, face and legs, but she continued to run blindly through the dark forest. She dropped the rabbits with a thump and huffed in breaths, feeling lightheaded from sucking in the air, and began to hyperventilate.
Charity's breaths became startled pants and she began to feel faint again. The world began to spin instead of blacking out, making the Silken Windhound dizzy.
During that moment, Charity recalled Axle's calming words back at the shelter when they first met.
"Young one! Young one, calm down! Take a breath!"
She followed the Lab's advice again and inhaled slow, deep breaths. The world's spinning slowed, and eventually stopped.
Charity pointed her muzzle to the black sky sprinkled with white. "Thank you, Axle." She sighed and peered over at her rabbit. Charity's stomach growled and she began to feast upon her rabbits. The juicy, meat heavenly flowed down her throat and warmed her insides.
A twig snapped in the bushes in front of Charity, an aggressive instinct made her snarl and step over her rabbits protectively. She lowered her neck and pierced her pelt to appear larger. A fierce growl rose in her throat as she glared at the bushes.
Whatever the intruder was, it began to come closer. Through the bushes, a white and brown dog shape appeared, and a glint of light shown from the strap around its neck.
It's a pet!
Without warning, Charity flung herself and tackled the dog. The mysterious character yelped in shock and snapped at the Windhound's long fur. The two dogs tumbled in the long grass, and the dog's tags on its collar jingled. Charity rolled the dog onto its back and pulled back on its collar, into the moonlight and pinned it down.
"Who are you and why were you spying on me?!" The sighthound asked while leaning her weight on her paws.
"I-I smelled meat and I-I was hungry..." A female voice whimpered. Charity grumbled deep in windpipe.
"Leave. Now." She began to climb off the female and stroll back to her half-eaten rabbits.
"Wait! Charity, is that you?" The dog's voice stopped her in her tracks, and answered without turning back.
"How do you know my name?"
Charity could hear the female step forward and her tags jingled. "Because you're my sister."
The dog's words made the Silken Windhound turn and face the dog who's supposedly her sister. Charity's fur spiked and she couldn't believe her eyes. There stood her older sister Kimora. The sisters' colors and muzzles matched, but Charity's fur grew long and silky. While Kimora's pelt was short and grew a bit wiry.
The two sisters curled necks and inhaled each other's scents.
"I can't believe we found each other!" Kimora yipped happily.
"Same here! Sorry about the tackling and alla that." Charity mumbled apologetically.
"Oh, that's alright." Her sister began to scratch her neck with her right hind paw. The tags clanged and jangled noisily, making Charity cringe with annoyance.
"Could you...maybe...stop!"
Kimora halted her scratching. "Sorry. This stupid pink collar is very itchy."
"Then take it off."
"I can't! I wish I could..."
"Here." Charity grabbed her sister's collar with sharp fangs, startling Kimora.
"Put your head down!" She managed to muttered with her mouth full of leather. Her sister obeyed and lowered her neck. Charity slipped the strap over Kimora pulling with all of her strength, knocking herself off her feet. The younger sister rose to her paws and shook off.
Charity spat out the leather collar and the tags rang when they hit the ground. "There ya go." She mumbled, still recovering from her fall.
Kimora began to hop around like a bunny. "Thanks!" While her sister continued to goof around, Charity snuck to her rabbit and brought it back to Kimora.
"Here. Have one." The older sibling stopped acting squirrelly and scooped the rabbit in her jaws, gobbling it up instantly.
"Hey, you never told me how you got here." Charity curled up, ready to listen to a long story.
Kimora laid down across and cleared her throat. "Well I'll start from the beginning. After I was separated from mother, this lady brought me home and fed me and gave me water and took me to a groomer. She was very nice and she would spoil me a lot."
Charity rolled her eyes at her sister's previous life, but didn't comment.
"She wrapped that annoying collar around my neck and I wore it for three years, then you ripped it off."
"How did you get here? In the forest?" Charity asked impatiently.
"Yeah yeah I'm gettin' there. My owner and I went on a camping trip. I found and chased a squirrel. Then I couldn't find my way back, I wandered wandered but couldn't find my owner.
And now I'm here. What about you?"
Charity situated her body, trying to get more comfortable. "When I was separated from mother, this lady brought me to her house and she had a family. The kids pulled my fur, tail and ears and the male human would kick me. One day the door opened and I ran out without looking back. I spent years in the forest and then I met a dog who eventually became my mate-"
"You have a mate?" Kimora interrupted.
"Yes, now shut up. Anyway, I found my mate, Forest and we fell in love and stuff. Then one day, we were looking for food and I stumbled upon a pizza box. Then all of a sudden, a net fell on us and we were taken to a shelter. Forest escaped, and I escaped the next day. He said he would come for me, but he never did. I met an old female lab named Axle and we escaped together. She became my friend and we found a cave. I went hunting for the both of us. Then when I returned, Axle was fighting a rabid wolf."
Kimora's brow raised with surprise.
"She got bit saving my life and told me I should leave because she didn't want her to change and bite me. Then I left and found you."
"Wow, it sounds like you've had quite the journey."
"Yes, yes I have." A cold breeze whistled and Charity saw Kimora shiver. She crawled over to her sister and curled up flank to flank. Charity laid her head on Kimora's back, which stopped her trembling.
"Good night, Charity." Her older sister yawned.
"Good night." The younger sister nuzzled in tighter, happy to have some company again.