THE YARD

Chapter 28

The strong gusts of wind had finally calmed by the time that Flare woke. She hadn't been asleep for long, and hesitantly stretched out her limbs, expecting Shadow to have awoken her close by.

However, a much shorter stature was in front of her. Shadow was still asleep in a mound close by- his legs and tail stretched out as he lay sideways in the dark. And the dog in front of her was black-and-white with a wrinkly face; not brown with a long nose and floppy ears.

"What do you want, Jax?" Flare growled. She was a bit grouchy at being woken up so early, then became more annoyed as she thought, at being woken up at all! I've only slept a wink.

"Sorry." For a moment, he looked genuinely apologetic. But then the young male's stump of a tail began wagging. "I just smelled your heat-scent all the way from over there, as I was falling asleep-" he gestured to the dog-houses area. "And by that point I was wide awake. Just figured I'd ask if you'd like to-."

Flare could see where this was leading. She broke into a quiet, authoritative growl.

And yet somehow the male had the nerve to carry on! His eyes shone with fruitful suggestion.

"Mate with me rather than Crow. And seeing as how your friend, Shadow, won't because-." This time, Flare cut him off with an angry bark. She rose from her warm sleeping spot and dove for the male, who flinched just out of reach.

Flare's hackles were raised and her tail eerily still. She flattened her ears to protect them in case Jax attacked, but he was already backing away.

"Jeez, sorry. Why do all she-dogs act like Mocha? Such grumps. It doesn't matter who father's the pups!" Jax's voice receded into the shadows, and soon Flare could only see a pale splash of white against the dark ground. Her fur prickled. Did Jax not listen to anything that happened yesterday? He must've missed the whole point of mine and Crow's fight!

"What happened?" Shadow had awoken from the sound of Flare's bark, but Flare reassured him that everything was fine with a weak tail wag. "Nothing- just Jax snooping around."

Shadow nodded before he drifted off to sleep again. His floppy ears dropped over his paws as he rested his head between them. Flare watched him for a few moments with a bit of tightness in her chest.

She still couldn't figure out how she truly felt about Shadow. But something in her gut was leaning more towards friends than mates.

Sighing, Flare let herself enjoy the quiet. Her belly was hungry, but it was no new experience. The dark clouds rolling across the sky were nice to look at.

However, her dark and peaceful evening alone was soon interrupted. Again?! The rustling of grass sounded from behind her, so Flare flipped around and tried to pinpoint Jax among the darkened grass.

"Jax? Go away," Flare snarled a warning.

But she smelled a scent before she's seen any dog. Crow's sleek black pelt was unrecodnizable amongst the black edges of the Yard, swamped in shadow.

Flare narrowed her eyes at the area where she could hear the flattening crunch of grass being stepped on. Her hackles sprang up in high defense. I may have to fight him off again. After all, I'm still in heat. Couldn't a she-dog get any personal space around here?

Crow's voice was hoarse and sad, and he coughed to correct himself; a bit off-putting coming from such a powerful male. It's probably another trick. The tan female showed her teeth fretfully.

"I-I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry." Suprisingly, it sounded sincere. Flare let him continue on without dropping her lips to cover her exposed fangs. They were at the ready.