Dog On A Rope

7 - Criminal

"You know," Laika said, "When I was a pup, I never could have ever imagined meeting a real-life wolf. I never really wanted to, but I can't say I wasn't curious." The night had grown long, and the moon outside peeked in to the darkness of the den with a small sheen of pale blue light. The moon had risen perfect align with the hole's entrance and now shone dimly upon Laika and the wolf's faces.

The newly-named Afore tilted his head with a questionable look at Laika's comment, and said, "Curious of what?"

"Well, I was curious as to just how vicious wolves truly are. If they were monsters like everyone said they were."

"And? Are we?"

Her eyes glared, a mere glint of amber in the dark, "I still believe that. You killed one of my tribe."

Afore winced. He had done that, after all, and it was a memory he had forced to the back of his mind. But now, out and under the moonlight, the memory flooded back to him, filling his senses with the cold familiarity and getting his heart drumming. He wished to forget that feeling, the feeling of a strong adrenaline rush and the excitement of a fight, the excitement of competition. He hated it. Oh, how he hated it, and how it made him hate himself.

"You we're trying to kill me," Afore responded, a little coldly. A little weakly.

Laika cut him off, ignoring what he had said, "It's your turn to ask a question."

"I'm not sure I want to play anymore."

"Whether you like it or not," the dog snapped suddenly, teeth bared, "We are stuck here together. I want to know if I should be fearing for my life where I stand or not!"

"No, Laika! Believe it or not, but if I wanted to kill you, then you would be dead already!" Even the wolf stood up, his ears touching the den's ceiling, his eyes narrowed, saying, just try me. The side of his face was gently illuminated by moonlight, and the other side was darkened to black, only the glint of an angry brown eye visible. He looked like the moon, half of it dark, and half of it bright. In a way, he was a lot like the moon. A part of him was sinister, tucked neatly away, and another part of him was approachable.

Laika jumped up and snarled, "Like you're not just enjoying the hunt, you sick canine!" Her teeth flashed white against black as she moved. Her tan face and neck markings looked grey in the pale lighting.

"Oh, you," the wolf groaned, "You, you!"

"I what? What about me, wolf?" Her voice was risen.

"Everything about you!" Afore snapped, "Everything about you drives me insane! You judge me before you know me, and everything is about you!"

Exasperatedly and with sarcasm, Laika responded, "Yes, everything is about me! All about me! Because I was the one that caused both of our lives to be ruined!"

Afore, then, with a growl, "You should have kept out of mine."

"I wish I had!" Laika said loudly, "Oh, how I wish I had!" With a huff, she laid down, curled up with her dark back to Afore. Afore did not respond to her final remark. Instead, he let the silence sink in deep to his bones like ice and snow. He suddenly became alone again.

Curling up opposite to Laika, the wolf spoke quietly, "I am sorry for getting on your nerves. I'm not quite sure what I did."

"I should be home, in my hut, sleeping in my bed right now," Laika hissed, lifting her head to glare back at him.

He looked at her with wide eyes, "I know. I'm sorry..." The silence was insufferable. Laika rested her head back on her paws, turned away from Afore. The air suddenly felt hot and stagnant. "Laika?" He asked again.