Dog Season (Discontinued)

Part I: Chapter Seven

Thunder roared through the dark, clouded sky while lightning danced in sparks. No birds flew or sang, all of them were settled in their nests. Rabbits took shelter in burrows they made. The deer curled up with their fawns and took refuge under bushes to keep warm from the cold rain.
Many dog-lengths away from all the prey creatures, Charity laid across Axle's muddy grave, ignoring the pouring rain. She placed her soaked head on her dirty paws and hasn't moved for suns. Kimora caught rabbits for the past three suns, but Charity never touched them. The prey now absorbed all the rain, in a watery mess of fur, blood and mud.
Kimora slouched under a sagging branch, sopping with water. She had given up on her depressed sister, who hasn't spoke, and only moved to do her business in the bushes.
From a distance, Kimora could see Charity shivering in the cold rain that poured down on her nonstop. "Charity? You should get under this branch, I don't want you to get sick."
Her sister lifted her drenched head and glanced back, then laid her noggin back down.
"Charity, I will drag you if I have to!" Kimora shouted over the thunder that echoed through the forest. She quickly padded forward and softly grabbed her sister's scruff. Charity let out a warning snarl, but the older sister continued to haul her under the branch.
Kimora released her grasp and quickly grabbed the watery rabbits. She took her teeth and skinned the wet pelts, leaving their red flesh revealed.
"Eat." The older sister ordered while hunching over Charity, who laid still.
"Hmph. And I though you were strong. I guess that's what you get from runts: weakness." Kimora grumbled in her ear on purpose, knowing her younger sister hates to be called weak.
Charity leaped onto her paws and tackled her sister onto the watered, forest floor. She snarled in her wire-furred sister's face. "I am not weak, you hear me?! I am not weak!"
Kimora smiled, unafraid of her angry sister. "Hey, you're back!"
The younger Windhound pawed her sister's face playfully and took shelter under the branch. Kimora nuzzled the rabbits towards her sister, and Charity began to eat the furless rabbits.
Above them, the grey clouds parted and the sun peeked through. The horizon in the distance became invisible behind the fog. The pouring rain turned to leaks dripping from the heavy tree leaves. Prey scurried out of their nests and birds glided through the low clouds.
The soggy branch Charity and Kimora hid under continued to drip water so they crawled out from under and padded through the drunken forest. Their muddy pelts wore them down so they found the fish pond and washed up.
After getting clean, the sisters inhaled the air but couldn't scent anything after the sky washed the terrain. A faint whiff caught Charity's nostrils.
A dog! She picked up her pace and smelled harder. Male...sighthound!
Kimora trotted behind confused. "What do you smell?"
"A male dog. A sighthound." Charity answered without a glance. The dog's scent became stronger.
"If you find him, remember you have a mate. This one's all mine...if he's good lookin'."
Charity rolled her eyes and they came across a vibrant green prairie. In the prairie, stood a handsome, male, fawn and black, Sloughi dog. His ears flopped and his chest was broad. He nosed to the ground, probably looking for prey.
Kimora glanced at her younger sister, who's eyes were full of delight. She shouldered Charity. "Hey, remember. You got a mate."
"Y-Yeah I know. For all we know he could have one too."
"Well, let's go find out." Kimora galloped ahead.
"No, Kimora!" Charity whispered and crouched down in the wet grass. She leaned in a single ear to hear her sister and the mysterious dog.
"Hey." Kimora breathed, trying to appear attractive.
The male dog stared at her with a weird look. "Hi."
"Name's Kimora."
He nodded. "Cori." The sighthound continued to smell the ground, clearly unimpressed with Kimora. Then Cori lifted his head. "I though you weren't alone. There was another dog that looked like you. Where'd they go?" He looked off into the distance and made eye contact with Charity.
She shrunk down, then a thought popped into her head. Why are you acting so helpless? He's clearly harmless!
Charity erected from the ground and began to strut down to them, the wind swirling through her long pelt. She saw the dog's eyes bulge and move up and down her curvy body.
     "Hi." He gasped. "Name's Cori."
"Charity."
"You're beautiful-I mean your name is beautiful."
"Thanks. Uh, so Cori where'd you come from?"
"I'm in a pack. I was hunting for them."
"Alone?"
"Yeah. Everyone else is asleep."
"Oh."
"Where'd you girls come from?"
"Kimora's a lost pet and I'm a stray."
"Hey! Charity already has a mate so you can't be with her!" Kimora erupted out of nowhere.
Cori looked at Charity in surprise. "You do, huh?"
The Windhound shrugged. "Sorry."
"Don't be. I have one too. Her name's Rose."
"Rose must be a lucky dog." Kimora muttered.
"Yeah she's alright. She can be a little pushy, though. What's your mate's name?"
For a moment, Charity couldn't think about his name. "F-Forest."
"Forest? Did you say Forest?" Cori's excitement surprised the younger sister.
"Yeah. He's a black and tan-"
"German Shepherd?"
"Yes! You've seen him?"
"Seen him? He's part of my pack!"
"Bring me to him!" Cori sprinted ahead and the Windhound sisters followed closely. He lead them to the forest and hopped over a small stream.
An excited feeling struck Charity and it made her heart pound against her rib cage. I'll finally get to see my Forest!
Cori suddenly stopped and Charity accidentally rammed into his rump. They tumbled and Cori landed on top.
"U-Um sorry." Charity mumbled awkwardly from under him.
"It's alright. As long as Forest didn't see that." Cori climbed off of her and shook off. "We're here, but wait. Alpha can be a little grumpy around new dogs. He was the same when Forest joined." The Sloughi disappeared through a large bush. Charity could hear him, talking to his leader.
"Alpha, I have brought two dogs with me and one of them claims to be Forest's mate."
"What? Forest hasn't mentioned a mate." A young, but gruff voice growled.
Hasn't mentioned? Forest hasn't mentioned me?
"Forest?!" The leader rumbled.
A dog's paw steps sounded. "Yes, Alpha?" The voice was definitely Forest's.
"Cori says he's found two dogs and one of them claims to be your mate. Do you have a mate?"
Forest please say yes.
"Charity? Is that her name?" Forest sounded excited.
"Yeah. That's her name." Cori answered.
"Where is she?!" Forest demanded.
"Just a second." Cori's paw steps drew close, then he came around the bushes. "C'mon." He said, signaling with his head. The Sloughi guided them around the bush and that revealed a camp.
A tall rock stood to the right and dens to the left. Dogs stared at them and whispered to their neighbors. Charity glanced over and she spotted a handsome German Shepherd.
"Forest!" She howled.
"Charity!" The Shepherd bounded towards her and stuffed his large, black nose into her silky fur. She lapped his pricked ears and nuzzled his cheek.
"I can believe I found you!" Charity wrapped her neck around Forest's.
"I missed you so much." The male dog cooed while returning a hug.
A dog cleared his throat and interrupted their reunion. "She cannot stay."