Hellhounds: The Legends of Doggy

3: Upholding The Law

Lich wasn't a fan of rules, much less following them.

From what she knew of the Elysium - not much, considering she'd never entered the golden realm - the Angels had practically made a livelihood out of pointless laws. There must have been a dress code, at least, or else they wouldn't all wear those ugly white tunics.

"We have fifteen minutes until one of the guards switches out," she told Doggy, keeping her voice hushed. "Stay right here, and don't move."

"Roger that, Super-Agent XYZ." Doggy pressed himself up against the tree trunk like he was hugging it. 

Lich resisted the compelling urge to bite him, creeping away into the Meadows. The tall grass scratched against the fur of her stomach as she sniffed the air. Although the job wasn't in high demand, there was always a party of Angels and Demons hanging around the Asphodel.

There. Lich picked up on the odor of corruption, lengthening her strides as she neared the Demon. His black eyes glared down at her, forked tongue dashing across his lips. Having spent time in Tartarus, Lich wasn't daunted by the Demon's red skin and stumpy horns.

"Have a piece of paper?" Lich asked. She already knew the answer, of course.

"What's it to you?" The Demon brandished his pitchfork, three metallic points emitting a fiery glow. "I'm doing hard work managing this place, so scram."

Managing? Lich scoffed. The Demons did about as much 'management' in the Asphodel as Hades.

Lich plopped down onto her haunches. How was she supposed to mollify a Demon enough to listen to her? "I'm going to mess with one of the Angels," she said, eyes darting across the clearing. "They're going to be furious. All I need is a slip of paper and a pen."

The Demon's midnight irises brightened, as if struck by lightning. He reached a clawed hand into the pocket of his torn tunic, extracting a frayed letter. "Don't make me regret this, mutt," he dropped it at Lich's paws.

"Pen?" 

The Demon pulled out a ball-point smudged with black, and Lich grasped it in her jaws. The ink-smeared writing utensil tasted like acid in her mouth, her nose wrinkling at the bitter flavor. Lowering her muzzle, Lich scrawled her note, careful to form each letter without making any stray marks. Upon finishing, she stepped back to admire her work.  

It was a beautiful creation indeed.

The Demon followed a distance behind Lich as she slunk back to the gate, head down to avoid drawing attention to herself. She hoped he wouldn't interfere with her master-plan.

"Doggy," Lich nudged the Hellhound, his limbs splayed out as he gripped the tree. He tumbled backwards, paws flailing as he struggled to break his fall. 

"You're back." Doggy's tail thumped, crawling to his feet and brushing the grass off his pelt. Lich breathed a sigh of relief at the lack of code names as Doggy motioned to the parchment tucked between her fangs. "What's that for, Super-Agent XYZ?" 

Nothing good ever lasted long, did it?

"It's important," Lich mumbled through a full mouth. "Just follow me and don't say anything." She narrowed her flaming eyes as the Angels conversed among themselves, oblivious that they were being watched. Within moments, the swap would begin, one shift ending and another beginning. It would be the perfect time to strike.

"Roger that, Super-Agent XYZ."

Lich exhaled, practicing what little self-restraint she had. She would not bite Doggy. She would not bite Doggy.