The Stray

Chapter 10

         

We slammed together with a sound that seemed louder than lightning. Our barks and growls filled the building along with the cheers and shouts of the men leaning over the ring. We bounced back from each their, our eyes narrow and hackles raised. We hadn't fought before, but that's why we were here. His darker grey fur stood rigid, his white muzzle curled. My light fur rippled with my growls and we stood like that for a minute. One of the handlers hit the side of the ring with a bat, snapping us back to attention. We clashed together, our chests connected and we began in a bear hug. My head swung and i bit down into his soft ear, which I just now noticed were not cropped. His teeth connected with my cheek. Our snarls and brawls seemed louder than the men's shouts. His teeth snapped dangerously close to my neck. I released his ear and dive under, my broad head slamming into his stomach. His jaws closed over my back leg, just below my hock. I yelped in pain and tore into his rump, now decorated with slashes of my teeth. We big spun around and grabbed each other's faces, jaws over jaws, blood dripping, who knows whose blood it was. I slipped out of his grasp and closed my jaws just under his chin, right in the throat. I slammed him down into the hard floor and pushed my head deeper. He thrashed and clawed at me for a few minutes. My handler jumped over the ring walls and grabbed my collar while anther man jammed a pile into my jaws, causing me to let go.  The male was still alive but gasping for air, he was picked up and rushed out of the ring. Men cheered and some not. My handler patted my side "good girl, good girl"

          My handler took me outside the building and outed stingy liquids over my wounds, blood turning the stuff red. After that was done he led me to my area and hooked my chain back into the thick collar. He crouched down in front of me. "Now... Now you need a name my little warrior."
My name is Lola
"A strong beaut needs a strong name.."
Lola is pretty strong.
"The Huntress.. Huntress.. My champion Huntress"
I'm not a champion,  just a dog.
He rubbed my head and walked away. I thumped my tail, Huntress had a nice ring to it.  Maybe better than Lola.. I liked my new owner. I let out a low whine as I remembered Jake and mom. How could I be so disloyal? I barked and howled up at the star filled sky. Hoping they would hear me and forgive me.

I woke up to the sound of meat being dropped into my tin bowl, followed by water poured into the Bucket. I looked outside my box and stepped out, my chain dragging behind me. The man was already two dogs down. I dipped my head and gulped down the meat chunks, my jaws closing and opening faster than when I chased squirrels. I finished the food and lapped up some of the water. I perked my ears and looked over at the make next to my area. He had many scars and blandly ignored every other dog. Would I end up like that? I lowered my ears and slipped back into my box. Only my head sticking out as I stared out blanket until my man came over to take me to the exercise shed. I noticed with a whine that dogs were coming out with bloody, sharp ears, even the male whom I had fought the night before..