Murder in the Flames

Chapter Five- Adjusting to a New Life

Fairy watched nervously as Sword paced back and forth, his other pack members surrounding him. "I expected Flash to attack back by now," he growled.

"Maybe he's too scared?" Hail suggested. Sword snarled, slamming into the pit bull and pinning him to the ground. Fairy flinched, even though she wasn't the one being tackled.

"Did I say you could talk?" he demanded.

"No, Alpha," Hail whined, and quickly scrambled to his paws as Sword got off of him.

"They're probably planning, if I know Flash right," Sword continued, as he resumed his pacing. "That stupid human-licking murderer!" Sword snarled, using one of the biggest insults a Free Dog could call another dog. "Sleet, what did you say about them recruiting more dogs?" the Alpha asked.

"A Dalmatian, Alpha. The others called him Dasher. He's useless, can't fight to save his life, and isn't the brightest, either," Sleet told Sword, dipping her head submissively after she finished speaking.

"If he's so useless," Sword growled. "Why couldn't you and Hail defeat him?" he asked.

Sleet and Hail whined, dipping their heads low and tucking their tails. "It's not our fault," Sleet barked. "Oz and Pumpkin showed up." Sword snarled at them.

"I'm disappointed in you two. Both of you will get last pick off the prey heap tonight. You're lucky. If this had been a real battle, you would have found yourself with no food tonight. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Alpha," Sleet and Hail whimpered at the same time. With last pick, Hail and Sleet would get hardly anything. Food was short. Sword turned away from them.

"I see no reason to punish the rest of you. As far as I'm concerned, you did well," he barked, giving a nod to Gobbler, who lead the attack. Fairy had been relieved when Sword chose Gobbler to lead the attack, because that meant the attack wouldn't be too harsh. When he chose someone fierce like Gunner or Bone to lead the attack, Fairy knew the attack would be brutal. Fairy's heart leapt in her chest as Sword turned his piercing blue gaze on her. "I am tired. Fairy, come rest with me before we eat," he barked, and started to pad over to his den. They lived in an old human mall, and Sword's den was a large closet with piles of clothes to sleep on. Fairy followed him obediently.

Sword lay down on the pile of clothes, and Fairy lay next to him like she was supposed to. Sword buried his nose in her fur, which always made her shiver in fright, though she tried not to show it. Fairy had been chosen as Sword's mate, just because she was a pretty Shiba Inu. She had always considered running away, but was too terrified of being caught. All she could do was listen to what Sword said and hope that he wouldn't decide she was too useless. After all, she didn't fight. She only hunted because food was short. Fairy rested her head on her paws, as Sword licked and nuzzled her head. At least it's not so bad here... besides the fact that I'm always terrified. I'm never hungry because I share food with Sword. I don't have to fight and get hurt.

She repeated those thoughts in her head, but they were hardly comforting. Fairy tried to stay awake so she wouldn't be caught off-guard by anything that happened next, but before she knew it she was dozing off.

                                                                                  ••••••••••

"Get up! Get up! Time for roll call!" Dasher lifted his head at the howl, and began to get to his paws. His sore muscles howled in protest and he sank back down. How early is it? He had fallen asleep in a small and shallow dug-out hole. It was small because it had been Dixie's, so with Lucy's help he had dug it out some more. Lucy is the only dog here that isn't super weird. Each dog seems completely different but exactly the same at the same time! The shallow dip had been uncomfortable because all the moss and leaves had been removed.