On the edge of today, howls of canines fill the air. Bleariness fills the eyes of a light brown dog. Their eyes fluttering open, the sound of the howls filling the dog's ears, their mind waking as more stimulation fills it. Cold air wafts around the medium small dark eyed dog causing the dog to shiver. Curling up a little more, the dog fills it's mind with hopes of warmth.
A sharp jab on the dog's rib left tingling pain throughout the dog, who whimpers and looks up. A larger, much stronger dog stood over them. Uncurling themself, the dog rolls over in a submissive gesture. Showing the belly to the intruder of their sleep.
The dog growls, saying through grit teeth, "Rocco. Get up now, this is no time for dawdling." The light brown dog, Rocco, rolls back over, glancing away from the dog in order to avoid eye contact. Standing up on their unsteady legs, Rocco glances towards the larger dog.
Whimpering out, "S-sorry Nevada Claw... I'm getting up" Rocco starts to trail out of the den. They glance back to the dark coloured dog, Nevada. "O-out this way, s-sir? O-or...?" Rocco trails on, their voice squeaky with fear.
Nevada rolls his eyes, before trotting past Rocco, his voice fluttering around Rocco, passing them, "Scarlet Crest wants to see you. You're lucky she has to wait for you, otherwise you'd be alone again. Count your blessings now, sonny" Rocco freezes at the mention of Scarlet, letting his head drop down, ears pinning down like he had floppy ears.
"A-alpha? S-she wants to see m-me?" Rocco asks, whispering as his fur prickles up in fear. Nevada turns his head around, leveling his gaze onto Rocco. Letting out a sigh, Nevada gathers up words.
"Yes. As for all tenderclaws who are overdue on their training. You are uncoordinated and a mess. You are as useful as a dead coyote." Nevada snaps, Rocco recoils, his tail now curling under his body. Nevada continues, "What would an outsider think of the pack? A pack that keeps a pack birthed trainee who is bearfodder. Not once proving themselves and becoming a Claw or something useful?" Rocco averts his gaze, holding his head down as he trails after the now moving Nevada.
Padding past cold stones of the pack's den site, Rocco follows Nevada to the crag upon which the pack's Alphas, or Crests sat. A red merle dog sits there, watching Rocco carefully. The dog, leveling her gaze on Nevada, hops down from the crag created perch. "What did you do to make him scared to pieces. He'll be hare-hearted through it all now." The dog snaps, sniffing the air as though contempt were rising in them.
Nevada turns his gaze away before saying, "S-sorry Scarlet Crest, I... I told him what the pack thought of him." The crest stares right at Nevada, a glare forming, and with that, Nevada moves his head down, a gesture of submissiveness.
Scarlet stays quiet for a moment, listening to Nevada, before speaking more, her voice rattling with scratchiness, "Scaring a Tenderclaw ripe for trial increases the odds of death. We need all the Claws we can get, especially in the Frigid season. Spirits, a pack is a pack. Pack is family, and here you are, scaring our family." Nevada looks as though he were trying to hide his emotions, but he was failing, guilt seeping into his expression.
"I'm sorry Sca-" He starts to say, but Scarlet gave him a glare.
"Sorry doesn't catch prey. Go join Heath Crest, He'll be guiding the pack for the hunt tonight. I will talk to Rocco Tenderclaw." Scarlet barks out, her voice full of command, putting emphasis on Tenderclaw as if respect should be demanded for Rocco. Nevada nods, starting to pad off, his head keeping down. Scarlet sighs before rotating her head to look at Rocco. "Come on, Rocco dear." She states, beckoning Rocco to follow her with her tail. From there, they start moving, leaving the pack's den site.
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Authors note
I plan on updating this tomorrow with the second part, then moving onto the third the next day. This story is planned to have a comic as well!
The dog in the image is Nevada, Nevada Claw. Claws are basically packmates. They make up the entirety of a pack. Listening to their higher ups. Hunting and fighting at orders, and more. They don't heal other dogs like the pack's Crescents. Whom are healers of the pack.
The dogs are a bit different then described, but I was working under a fixed amount of words.
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Clawed Trials
Short StoryRocco, a young male dog, was sent to explore the ruins of the city for a trial to prove himself worthy of being a Claw. But one who doesn't know their landscape is bound to be lost... A three part short story that totals to 1,711 words Check out htt...
