Dog On A Rope

13 - Fear

"Instincts?"

"You've heard the old stories," Oona explained, "Wolves are known for their apathy, for their aggression, and their instincts to kill. Just like how he killed your friend."

"His life was threatened." Laika did not hesitate. She did not stutter. She stood as tall as the burrow would allow, as tall as that rope around her neck would allow.  Her eyes were narrowed, ears perked.

Oona did not cower beneath her, either, and instead rose, looking up at her, "Would you kill? Even if your life was threatened?"

"Oona, whatever game you are playing is over. Take the hide, give us the stone, and leave."

"You're not thinking about your safety, or the safety of others," Oona growled, "You are being selfish. You could save lives right now."

"Yeah, by what? By staying on this leash with a fucking wolf?"

"No," Oona said, withstanding a smile, "I cut your rope, and then leave him on his. We could tie him to a tree, someplace where we can bring him food and he has access to water and... burrow-digging areas. He would be confined. He would be safe, and so would everyone else."

"He wouldn't enjoy a life on a leash," Laika said softly, "He likes to travel, likes to run, like a wolf should."

"No," Oona said sternly, "A wolf should not wander, should not run. He should be confined, where he cannot hurt anyone else ever again. Listen," Oona paused, "We can take him down together. Cut your rope, tie his up. It's for the better."

"It isn't for the better," Laika protested.

"He's a killer, Laika, and you know it. We need to protect the people that we love."

"We do," Laika said firmly, eyes narrowed into slits, glaring at Oona with brows furrowed.

"Fine, then," Oona growled, "I'll do it myself, but I'm not taking you off that leash. You belong on it, tied to a killer, and never able to live a normal life. Is that really what you want?"

"Goodbye, Oona."

"This isn't goodbye," The coyote said, "That wolf is very valuable to me. And he's more valuable dead than alive. His pelt could make me rich!"

"So that's what you wanted all along? All this time, trying to convince me, I thought you were just a prudish coyote trying to stick your neck out for someone else. But no. You're sick, Oona. You're just a stupid, little coyote."

"I'm fast, too."

Laika rolled her eyes, shaking her head in a scoff, then opened her mouth to speak. But, by the time she had, Oona was gone, a muddle yellow blur hidden by shade that had zipped from the cavern to the open outside, slipping through the burrow's entrance like she was built to do so. Her bushy tail disappeared through the opening and into the mid-day light outside.

Laika panicked, staring in disbelief with wide eyes and slacked ears for a moment, as a shuffle of pawsteps overhead thundered quickly. Then, a sharp tug of the rope on her throat forcing her forward, and her paws began to move on their own. She clumsily, and a little shakily, scrambled up the inclined tunnel and forced through the entrance, coating her slick pelt in crumbling dirt. The thick, taught rope yanked her neck forward and she struggled to keep up, scrambling loosely to her paws, panting heavily. Her body coursed with adrenaline and rush and nervous energy, paws trembling just a little, eyes wide, heart pounding.

Fear. She felt fear.

With this sharp energy, she ran, following where the rope went. At first, her emergence from the dark burrow blinded her, the sun's rays too bright. But the shade of the trees guided her, and her eyes very swiftly adjusted. Then, the forest was moving around her in a blur of paled green, brown, and grey. Large brown oaks, leaning up and touching the sky with a thousand smaller arms, each beginning to sprout measly greenery. The beginning of spring. The ground was yellow and brown, littered with brown leaves and limbs. The sun shone dappled light through the branches of treetops overhead, casting spotted glows over the three canines as they ran.

Oona has leapt from the burrow and immediately upon Afore with a trained, accurate viciousness, paws clawing and teeth slashing. Laika had followed not far behind, being yanked painfully by that rope, giving a burn on the back of her long neck. She followed its lead through those woods.

But as Laika ran behind the two, she noticed something unusual. Oona was not on the offence. She acted like a pest, snapping at Afore's hocks and rear, pulling tufts of grey fur from his coat, snarling and growling and yipping. Hackles all raised. No, Oona was not trying to kill nor hurt him, and as Laika sprinted behind them, rope wavering between the two in a maddening fury with ringing motion, she wondered what Oona was up to.

Soon enough, lungs burning, legs pumping, coat hot and sweaty, they raced, raced, and raced, and it became clear what Oona was trying to do. By the time both Afore and Laika had noticed, it was too late. She had been herding them back to her tribe. Laika thought, stupid Afore and his need to not hurt others. If he had just turned around and fought back...

The tall, mighty walls of Jall Tribe appeared up ahead through the dense shrubbery and light dappled trunks.  Domestic canines perimetered the wall.

"The wolf!" Oona yipped, racing ahead, "A wolf is here!"

Loud voices overlapped from beyond the walls, "A wolf?"

"A wolf!"

"A wolf is here! Attacking us!"

"After the wolf!"

Afore froze, skidding to a halt and tumbling into his side, crumbling dirt slipping out from underneath him and flying forward in a muddy spew. Laika came to a more graceful stop beside him, her gallop coming to a halt beside him. She towered over him as he laid in the dirt, catching his breath for a quick, mere moment. He was panting, dripping spit from a long outward tongue. The spit pooled then split on the rim of a flat tongue.

There was brown dirt littered across Afore's coat, face, and mouth. He heaved, exhausted and frightened and surprised. A heavy weight pooled in his gut, forcing him down, causing him to tremble. He couldn't seem to catch his breath, eyes mooned, heart and mind racing in a quick, panicked flurry. It was dizzying.

"Afore," Laika said quickly, "Afore! Get up!" She helped him to all four feet, lifting his heavy, pounding chest with her muzzle. He was still dumbfounded and disoriented, tail between his legs. He spun in a short circle, wide eyes flickering in every direction, watching as mountains of dogs began to pile, surrounding them, fangs bared or knives in maw. They all poured in from Jall Tribe.

Afore was terrified. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move, entire body pulsating with the numbing sound of voice and growl and forest. Hackled raised.

Laika flipped around in a similar manner, eyes scanning the small upcoming crowd for a way out. The number of Jall Tribe dogs had not yet reached them; there was still an opening behind them where they could run. If only Afore would just move! He was frozen in place.

"Afore," Laika repeated, loud enough to be heard over the ruckus of dogs. "Afore, move! Afore!" Laika turned away from him and began to run away, the rope pulling Afore along. He seemed to snap out of it, but was still hazy, watching every dog warily.

"Is that a real wolf?" A voice rose.

"A wolf? Really, a wolf?" Another. They were a deafening chorus.

"Wolves aren't real!" Another called.

A harsh tug on the rope, and Afore was up and running, bounding, tail tucked and ears pinned back.