Hellhounds: The Legends of Doggy

1: And So It Begins

Insufferable was an understatement. 

His tongue lolled, head cocked like a pigeon as he panted through his thick coat of shaggy fur. Perhaps he was a Demon in disguise, sent to ruin Lich's life by getting on every nerve she had. So far, the mutt was succeeding.

"I'm Doggy, by the way," he said for the hundredth time, tail thumping against the cavern floor.

Lich winced as the noise echoed down the corridor, bouncing off the rocky walls. She froze in her tracks to check for pursuers, ears perked. Other than her weird stalker, Lich was alone. Her enlarged shadow danced across the jaded wall, tinted red with the lighting.

"Doggy, huh? That's creative." Lich picked up the pace, nose pressed to the cool ground. The entire place reeked of death - which Lich didn't mind a bit. Doggy hobbled clumsily behind, his heavy breathing sounding in Lich's ear. That, on the other hand, she did mind. "Stop panting like that," Lich snapped.

Doggy looked hurt, his tail drooping. "I didn't mean to!" his voice rose to a shrill wine.

"Just shut up, okay?" Lich's blazing eyes narrowed as she neared her target, the scent clogging her nostrils. The pure, untouched smell of good made her want to gag. Angels tended to stray from the Asphodel, despite it being neutral ground. That was why those who were forced to enter the territory made for perfect victims.

Voices filtered in from the Meadows, souls moaning as they wandered around without a care in the world. Lich wished she had that freedom, that inherent lack of boundaries. At least she would've made better use of it than any of the Dead. 

"You're sure we're supposed to be here?" Doggy flicked a paw, gaze drifting through the winding cavern. Lich thought it looked surprisingly like Tartarus, minus the unrelenting screaming. "Because there was a 'Authority Only' sign back there, and we jumped over it."

'Authority Only.' Lich scoffed. 'Authority Only' was just a glorified way of saying 'No Hellhounds Allowed.' 

And Lich didn't much care for either message.

"I told you to be quiet," she said, brushing off Doggy's comment. After he'd seen her leap the gate into the restricted zone, Lich hadn't had a choice but to haul Doggy along on her 'adventure'. He wouldn't report her if they'd both been involved, would he?

"We're like spies!" The fire in Doggy's eyes danced. "This is so cool." He pressed himself against  a rocky slab, black fur blending in with the dark stone. "Look at me! I'm in disguise."

Then again, Lich wasn't putting anything past the annoying mutt and his negative IQ points.

"There." Lich halted before rounding the corner, peering out at the Angel standing up ahead. His milky robes rippled as he combed a hand through his dark hair, fingering his golden staff. Why did Angels always have to be so vain? Perhaps being deemed pure enough to govern over the Elysium got to their heads. "You go distract him, and I'll take his stick."

"Why?" Doggy's nose crinkled, and Lich wanted to bite him.

"Just do it," she barked. With that, Doggy lurched forwards, yapping as he ran circles around the Angel.

"Hey." The man recoiled, brandishing his staff. It fired off a bolt of white light, barely missing the scruff of Doggy's neck. Lich hated those things. The staffs were built for defense against Demons, but they still packed a punch. 

"Be distracted!" Doggy reared up on his hind legs, shaking himself like a worm. Lich had to force herself to look away - a distraction was a distraction, no matter how stupid.