Post by Athena on Jun 9, 2013 3:11:16 GMT -6
I was born into a Junkyard Dog Pack that lived in a large city inhabited with many humans and many strays. However, this pack, for reasons of their own, abandoned me. I was found by Shiro, a kind, but rather protective Border Collie. She took me in and raised me as she would her own pup. And though I am forever grateful to her, she hated the life of a stray, and at the time, I loved it. The freedom of having no owner, and few responsibilities was nothing short of awesome to me… Young and rebellious, at the age of two, I decided to go against Shiro. She had always told me to never go to the Junkyard, and feared the pack that lived in that area. So, late one night, I snuck out to the junkyard. I had only meant to check it out, but I met a dog there. His name, I soon found out, was Maxon. Something about him was just… right. When I left, he asked to meet me again, and naturally, I accepted. However, I should’ve known it wouldn’t end well. We had many secret meetings together, and I became convinced that he and I were meant for each other – destined to meet.
With that on my mind, it’s no wonder I never saw it coming. I had left in the night, the same way I always did, but Maxon never showed up. I waited until dawn, but his well-built form never appeared. Not wanting to be found out, I headed back home, and what I saw there made my paws stick to the ground.
In short, the Junkyard pack had caught on. They killed Shiro, and I was made to witness Maxon’s death. The Junkyard Dogs made an example out of me, of what would happen should anyone follow in my pawsteps. I never saw the streets the same after that day. At this point, there was a time where I believe no one knows what I did. I broke all ties to any dogs I knew.
But when I suddenly reappeared, I tried to be the dog I used to be, so I would always be the dog that the two I had loved most loved me for. And now… Well, I’m still a stray. What else is there to say?
A lot.
--
Everyone has a story. Many never tell them, many keep them hidden, but everyone has a story, the same as everyone has a past. Sometimes, the stories will find you, weaving you away into a magical wonderland. I warn you, stranger, this is no fairy tale. In my history, a year, a piece of my past, a bit of my story is missing. And I’m going to tell it to you. This is my chronicle. This is my Untold Story.
--
Chapter 1
The rain came down in torrents, stinging my ice blue eyes and drenching my black and brown German Shepherd’s coat so that the colors seemed to blend into a single shade of dark grey, matching the stormy night sky above me. My head was hung low, and I could barely contain the sorrow that filled me to the brim. I was lost, alone… and for the first time in a long, long time, I was afraid. I felt so far away from the times when I believed that the streets were an amazing place, open to everyone with a pair of paws and an adventurous heart. As I padded through the streets, it didn’t look anything like I had once seen it as, and I knew that it would never be the great place I had once thought it to be. All the dogs that had ever really made a good difference in my life were gone. Walking silently though the streets, the cold rain seeping into my skin, I knew where I was going, even if I wasn’t willing my paws to take me there. I was leaving.
Lighting tore across the sky as I looked back into the city. My city, my birthplace, my home… The place where I had lived as a free spirited pup… The world I couldn’t believe in anymore. Following the broken road out of the city, some part about it felt so right, even if it was more wrong than anything I had ever done before.
For nine wet-asphalt smelling days, I followed that broken road, far from my home and far away from all familiar surroundings. The days were almost always rainy, or else cloudy and bitterly cold, with a wind that chilled the soul. For the most part, I hid out in abandoned fox dens, under the branches of trees, sometimes just on the side of the road when I couldn’t summon the strength to drag myself much further than off the asphalt. Few cars passed by, and most of them were going back the way I had come. I ate road-kill when I could find it, hunting if I had to. Finally, on the ninth day, I lifted my head to see a city growing nearer. It wasn’t by any means large, but I hoped it was somewhere that I could stay for a while, even if I was just passing through.
I made it into the city more than a few hours after nightfall. In place of the rain, a thick fog covered the ground, the wind blowing it all around me, though it never seemed to blow it away. I couldn’t see any other dogs, but everywhere I looked, I always thought I could see them, waiting, watching from the shadows. I could always feel them watching me, even if I never saw them. It was clear that the strays here weren’t very inviting towards strangers, and I figured that I was likely one of the few new faces they ever saw. Dreadfully hungry, as there hadn’t been good hunting or road-kill for that matter, near the city, my icy blues locked themselves on a cluster of trash cans. Deciding to try my luck, I padded over to them, rearing to get my front paws on the top as I looked for a way to open it, and cursed the loud bang that it made when I did so. I was just about to knock the can over as solution when an immense weight knocked me down, taking the trash can with me and spelling its contents. Though the clashing and clanking of the metal can made a moderate amount of noise, nothing other than the scene in front of me seemed to be moving.
I scrambled up, finding myself looking up at a huge Doberman. He growled, lowering his head to be eye to eye with me. “You must be new here.” His voice was deep and threatening. “You see those trash cans.” I didn’t turn away as he indicated them. “That’s Junkyard territory.”
I growled back, baring my teeth. My shy, kind nature having nearly, or mostly evaporating in the recent days, I snarled, “Well excuse me if you keep poor watch on your food sources.”
“Stealing with an attitude? Huh, maybe you will fit in.” The Doberman rolled his eyes, turning and beginning to walk away, clearly not intimidated by my presence as he called over his shoulder, “Little scrap like you, just go home. You won’t last a day.”
I lunged forward, tackling him putting the full weight of my body to keep him down. "I think I've got a chance." Believing that I had effectively pinned him, I growled under my breath, "Junkyard dogs, they're all the same."
Taken off guard, the Doberman said, "Fine, so you've got a little strength in those flimsy bones of yours." He stood, shaking me off easily, "Don't oversell it." I got up, looking back at him. He looked me over again, definitely sizing me up again. His tone changed a bit, "Look, you've got spirit, but honestly, if you want to stay that way, go back to where ever you got that attitude. It'll serve you better in the long run. And if you know what's good for you, don't come back to Junkyard territory, it-" He was about to go on when he paused, hesitating before stepping forward and sniffing my fur. I snapped at him, and he backed up, his eyes narrowing. "You're a Junkyard too?"
I still smelled like the junkyard? I wasn't sure if I still smelled like the junkyard from... well... recently, or if he was talking about from when I was born. Shiro had often gotten frightened when she could smell me, but not see me, and it finally came to me why. Replying in the truest answer I could manage, I said, "Not anymore."
Moving in a circle around me, he said, "Hmm... ice blue eyes, small build, a terrible first impression... I've met a few German Shepherds like you little one."
I rolled my eyes, "Just let me have some food and I'll leave," I paused to fit in a neat little glare, "Doberman."
The Doberman sat down, smirking in his way as he said, "The name's Bear, and I was trying to imply that I think I know your family."
Did... Did I really have a family? Did I have a family with real parents? Did I have any siblings? He hadn’t specifically said parent, or parents, or anything about brothers or sisters, but he’d said a family, and that brought up so many unanswered questions… Still though, I tried not to hesitate and instead reply, “Oh yeah? What makes you think that I ever lost them to begin with?”
“You’ve just got to size them up. Look at how they walk, how they talk. Notice things like where they pause, when they hesitate. Not to mention, I never said you lost them. I said I know them.”
Shoot. Bear had gotten me in that one. Guarded, I finally addressed his question. “That family has no place in my heart.” Trying not to look as sorrowful as I felt, I snapped, “And I doubt they ever will.”
Bear shrugged his shoulders, "I would bet my share of food that you still have a place in their hearts... But I don't exactly have a steady source of food." He looked again to the metal cans, “Mostly because strays like you think they’re allowed to just run up and take it.”
Before this time, I had never known why I was left to die. Not even Shiro had told me why I was abandoned, so, on a practical, but possibly misguided hunch, I had always assumed that it was because my parents hated me or something... Had… Had I been wrong? What if they had actually loved me...? I knew this wasn't exactly the time to get all mushy, but what if they hadn't hated me?
I couldn't chance it though. A hardened heart had taught me a lot more about distrust than I had ever wanted to know. Bear stood again, speaking a little softer, "How about you follow me, kid? I can show you where they are."
I... I couldn't. I wouldn't. "No." I growled slightly, "A family is a pack. Packs are... too... claustrophobic... for my taste. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have some unfinished business." Shrugging my shoulders as I tried to look like I knew what I was doing, I made a bolt for it. Streaking past Bear, I grabbed a piece of what I seriously hoped was food from the trash can’s spilled contents. After I had done so, I pushed myself away, darting off quickly as my paws could carry me. I wasn't sure if Bear would chase me, but after a few blocks, I realized that no one had followed in pursuit. Glad of this, not to mention a rather small and bland meal, I finally plopped down in an old alleyway for a rest, relieved to finally be able to get away from all of this for a while.
When I woke, the scene was just about the same, except that it was raining again, and obviously it had been raining for quite some time, as my fur was already soaked. As I said, it was basically the same image... Until I looked around, that is.
"Honestly kid, how long do you plan on surviving the streets?" The stranger asked, moving closer as she went on to say, "'Cause with the ability to sleep through the rain like that and an attitude I haven't seen for a while now, I don't think your future's going very far."
I pushed myself off of the wet alley ground, "You're one to talk. I bet sneaking up on strangers isn't exactly desirable either." I retorted, taking an aggressive step towards her as I tried to make her just... go away or something.
As the stranger, another German Shepherd, neared, I noticed her nose twitch, and then scrunch up, the fur on the back of her neck standing. "Wait, you're a Junkyard?"
Why must I smell like a Junkyard Dog...? "You sound just like that Doberman." I snapped, "I'm not a Junkyard Dog, not anymore at least."
"So you were once?" The other was warily curious, though she moved no closer.
"No! I- ... I wasn't...” I closed my eyes, sighing, “Seems my heart always has been." I muttered the last part under my breath, the noise barely audible over the sound of the rain.
The stranger stood a moment in silence, the rain pounding on us both for a bit before she said, "Come on... You need a place to stay for a while. You can leave when you're ready. I don't want to see another dog die. Too much of that has happened already."
Chapter 2
I persisted, but I found myself walking with the other, dashing across streets and avoiding humans whenever possible, though it seemed that there weren’t too many to be worried about in this town, very different from what I was used to back in the city. Realizing that my persistence was utterly useless, I debated leaving her company, but finally decided to see what this stranger had to offer. The walk lasted a while before she turned down an alleyway that opened to another street, and beyond that, a seemingly abandoned building, surrounded by chain link fencing. We made it safely across the road, and she showed me to where there was a gap between the two gates, just enough to get through. As I padded forward, I felt myself shrinking down a bit. I felt a bit scared, intimidated by this large and unwelcoming building. The other pulled ahead of me, her grey eyes dead set on what seemed to be a closed metal door. I was surprised when I saw her lower herself to the ground and crawl underneath. I hesitated, but then followed in suite, coming to the realization that there was a gap between the metal door and the floor. On the other side, and before I had finished pulling myself out from under the wide metal contraption, another dog challenged us.
I could see at once that this dog, likely a sentry or guard, was confused by my scent, like many other dogs I’d met. He growled towards the both of us, though he obviously still regarded the other female with a seemingly great level of respect. “Bay… It seems you have brought a Junkyard Dog into our mists.”
Pulling myself out from under, I growled back, but before I could think of a comeback toward the other German Shepherd, Bay, apparently the dog who had brought me here, stepped in front of me. “She’s not a Junkyard. She’s just a stray.” Looking back to me, her grey eyes locked with my ice-blues as she added, “And so long as she keeps it that way, she is welcome here.”
After both of us shook off the rainwater, Bay turned, indicating for me to follow her, so, after a slight hesitation, I did, though I could hear the guard calling, “But… But…” He was obviously still confused, but I shrugged him and it off. I wasn’t staying, so it didn’t exactly matter what kind of impression I made, so long as I could come back, of course.
As we went further into the building, passing crates and trash cans, I began to see a few more dogs, and I had the feeling that this building was less abandoned as I’d thought. Some rested in the boxes, some on top of them, while others were just talking. I could see one or two grab what seemed to be something to eat from a pile of what I hoped was food. There weren’t many dogs, but it was enough to make me wonder. “Bay, what is this place? And what’s so wrong about smelling a tad bit like a Junkyard?
Bay whipped around, stopping dead in her tracks to watch me as she said, “I don’t believe I know your name.”
The relevance, I simply just didn’t see. “What does my name have to do with an old building?”
“I asked you a question. What is your name?” Bay repeated, her voice stern, her muscles stiff. I still didn’t see what my name had to do with this, but I answered all the same.
“My name’s Athena, now what of it?!” I half shouted before I realized that I was drawing attention to us. Quieting down a bit, I asked, “What do you want with my name?”
Instead of answering, the Shepherd replied, “Athena, look around. You see the walls, the roof, even the very entryway that used to guard a pack so large that the Junkyards were afraid of them. In this building, fierce young warriors, wise old elders, and all age groups once resided. And do you know what happened to them Athena?”
I shook my head ‘no’, still confused as to why she needed my name to tell me this. I also had the strange notion that I was being accused and blamed at the same time.
“A young male of that pack, going by the name Silas, fell in love.”
That didn’t exactly make much sense. How could one dog falling in love destroy a pack as strong as Bay had described? “What’s so wrong with-“
Bay cut me off. “Silas fell in love with female, but not just any female. He fell in love with the single most powerful dog, a Shepherd by the name River. She was the soon to be Alpha, not to mention the current Alpha’s daughter,” Bay took a breath, “Of the Junkyard Dogs.”
I tried to grasp the importance of the moment, but I wasn’t exactly feeling it. The story sounded rather familiar, though he hadn’t been the next Alpha, nor I in a very strong pack. Not thinking, I blurted out, “So they were in love. It’s not like there was a war because of it.”
Bay rolled her eyes, mumbling something that sounded a lot like ‘ignorant pup’ before she replied, “There was a war because of them! Both sides found out, and both vowed to destroy each other for breaking the rules the founders of both groups had established!” Bay paused slightly, “River… River was more loyal to her pack than Silas. The poor fool never saw it coming. He invited her back to camp in hopes she would join the pack he belonged to. He allowed her passaged straight to the building. In short, she sounded an ambush, and the once great pack was cast into ruin.” The grey-eyed Shepherd turned back to her path, “So if you are getting a lot of dirty looks, just remember that they have good reason for it.”
I still didn’t know why she needed my name, but I was still curious about that old pack, and I sped up, trying to keep with Bay’s quick, steady pace as I said, “Wait! Bay… What was the pack’s name?”
“They didn’t have one.” She called over her shoulder. “They were just Street Dogs. The Alpha, Shepard, never thought it needed a name. In their time, almost this whole city was their territory. They had patrols, scavengers, spies, even dogs who hunted outside the borders, and others who kept the Junkyards in check. These streets were once theirs. They were Shepard’s Streets. Now look at them. We’re left tired and hungry, just because we can’t stand up to some trash-dogs.” Bay used the word as if she was cursing.
The Shepherd sounded as if she’d either been there or if she had been the descendant of one of the survivors… Either way, I didn’t want to bring up anything that might set her off, such as listing the similarities between Silas and River and myself and… I chocked on his name. After a few more tries at it, I finally gave up, reaching where Bay was now standing: On top of a large crate. Next to her, and on crates of smaller size, stood two dogs- a strong, well build border collie, and a stern-looking Dalmation. Raising her voice, she said, “Let all those just of heart gather before me. There are matters that must be discussed.” Dogs boasting all kinds of sizes began to gather, and I made sure to move away from them. If these dogs, likely all of them, still had a grudge against Junkyard Dogs (Even those who only smelled like them), it probably wasn’t the best idea for me to be too close.
Once all the dogs had gathered, a group of about fifteen, Bay said, “Everyone, I know we’ve all had bad experiences with strangers, and I can’t promise that this one will be any different… But I’ve decided to let this Shepherd have passage in our pack’s territory. Athena, please step forward.”
Hesitantly, I walked nearer. I could feel the eyes of all dogs present locked on me. This isn't going to end well... Yes... Because coming here, to the company of a strange pack that had members likely intent on my demise had been a good idea in the first place. Perfect, just perfect.
"Members of the pack, this-"
Bay was cut off by cringing noses and growls of hatred as I supposed my scent finally reached them. They cried 'Junkyard' and growled threats, many standing and taking aggressive steps toward me. I wasn't much better, my immediate instinct turning me to meet the onslaught with a growl and a few under-my-breath insults, though I wasn't sure if they were directed to my stupidity or to the group who threatened to mess with me.
Bay's voice rose again as she tried to regain the attention of her group, "Everyone, please, calm down!"
A bull mastiff wouldn't hear it though, his voice deep and ringing loud and clear for them all to hear, "No, Bay. We all know what these Junkyard Dogs would do to us! I bet she's got a whole patrol waiting for her signal! I won't stand for this, Bay. The Shepherd will die!"
Chapter 3
For a moment or two, I seriously thought that I was going to die. The mastiff lurched forward, my heart skipped a beat, and suddenly, my view was blocked. A strong voice answered in a low growl, "No."
I moved out from directly behind the other dog, but I didn't dare step in front of him. Not even my pride could force me to do that. The mastiff's eyes narrowed as he replied bitterly, "Jonathan... This isn't your fight, and you know it."
I looked to the dog who had stepped in front of me. He was a well-built male, a black and white coat with accents of brown. He was standing as if ready to take on the entire crowd if need be. "Bay wouldn't have brought her back here unless she trusted her enough. You should know that by now, Ian." Raising his head to address everyone in the group, he growled louder, "And if any of you don't trust in our Alpha's skills to keep everyone here safe, maybe you shouldn't be here."
The Mastiff, apparently Ian, looked to Bay, who, oddly enough, was now calmly lying down. "What's wrong, Bay? Need Jonathan to fight your battles now?"
Bay shook her head, "No. He's doing a darn fine job of it though. Why, you want me to come down there and show everyone how much of a milk-drinker you are?" She paused a moment before adding on, "Hey, I'm just trying to let you walk away from this with a shred of dignity."
Jonathan took a step toward the crowd, and to my surprise, most of them responded by taking a step back. "So what'll it be? You can either have Grey over there," He indicated the German Shepherd that had challenged me and Bay earlier, "Escort you out, or, you can stay and listen to what Bay is trying to tell you."
There was a moment of silence, but no one proceeded to walk out of the building. Jonathan turned, nodded to Bay, "Continue." Dipping his head slightly to me, he walked back to where I supposed he had been sitting. The others sat down, settling, but still likely angry. I turned back to Bay, hesitantly taking a step to where she had earlier indicated that I come to.
Bay stood back up, dipping her head to Jonathan before looking to the two dogs at her sides and asking, "Why didn't one of you do something like that?" She didn't wait for an answer though, taking only a moment before she said, "As I was trying to say, this is Athena. In fact, she is not a Junkyard Dog. If she was, she would've tried to kill me long before we even got here. And if she actually had control of a patrol and was going to signal them to attack, I doubt she would've waited this long. Now, she is allowed free passage through our domain, unless," Bay glared a warning to me, "she becomes a Junkyard Dog, or proves my current judgment of her on that matter to be incorrect." Turning back to the crowd, she finished, "If she finds a reasonable amount of food and a decent shelter, providing her with everything necessary to her survival, she will not be allowed to use our stores for either." Turning back to Jonathan, she said, "Since you seem to be the only civil dog down there, I kindly ask that you would show her around?"
Jonathan stood, "I'd be honored."
"Good, then everything is settled. Dismissed."
Jonathan walked over to me, "Alright Athena. Let's go. This place is a bit big." He gave me a slight smile, "And don't worry. I won't let any of them hurt you."
Happy to know that I had someone to help me out in this place, I gladly followed him. The Northern Inuit took me around the building, showing me where food stores were, where dogs slept, and certain ways to get out of the building, just in case something where to happen. The first floor had been where Bay had led me, and where Bay had addressed the pack was called the Gathering Area. The first floor was the general meeting place, where dogs could socialize, not to mention be assigned out for scavenging and the like. The first food store was located there, but it didn't contain all of the pack's food, as Jonathan explained. "It would be too easy for other packs to starve us if our food was hanging out in the front of the building. Even so, at least one guard is always posted at the gate, just in case another dog was to try to steal food." I looked towards Grey and the door, hearing the rain dying down outside as I nodded my understanding. "And the two dogs that had been at Bay's sides were her second and third in command. Her second is Shark, the collie, and the third is Red, the Dalmatian.” He paused to look over to where Ian and female Bull Mastiff were speaking. “And of course you know Ian. The other is his mate, Rune. Ian’s got a grudge, obviously, against Junkyards, but don’t take it personally. His family was here in Shepard’s time, so he’s a little sore on the topic, even though he himself wasn’t there.”
Then the second floor was mostly filled with crates, where Jonathan told me the pack members had slept. Now it was mostly empty, save for the boxes that belonged to the members I had seen earlier. "When that huge pack lived here, almost every box was home to at least one dog, two in a few cases, as I’m told. Sentries would guard the stairs to get up here as well, but as of now, we don't have enough dogs to do that." Indicating a few larger boxes, whose lids were leaning against them to prevent easy or soundless entry, Jonathan said, "That's where the pack's pups used to be, but we haven't seen many young or new faces in the recent years." He paused to look back at me, "Except you of course."
From there, he led me up more stairs, past another sentry, and into the third floor. The place had a larger food store, guarded by many makeshift devices to prevent easy access, not to mention, again, a soundless entry. There were more boxes here as well, and poles and beams leaned against some places. Between two boxes, a beam bridged the gap. "Along with storing our food, protected against thieves both in and outside the pack, this place also serves to teach the young ones. Or at least, it did. Mentors would teach the younger ones balance, fighting moves, stealth, how to tell good foods from bad..." Jonathan sighed a little, "It's been so long since anyone's seen this place in its full glory. My father's father must have trained here..." Shaking his head, he said, "Well, one day, I bet this pack will be like them. Bay's a great Alpha, and I'm sure she can at least partially restore what this pack used to be."
I nodded, but I wasn't so sure. Granted, I didn't know Bay very well, but if her pack was as unwelcoming to everyone as they had been to me, I doubted they would last very long, even if Bay was actually a fine Alpha. There was a moment of silence before Jonathan suddenly smiled at me, his golden eyes staring into mine as he asked, "Wanna see something cool?" Curious, I nodded briefly. Swinging around, he looked led me to a partially open door, looking both directions before he nudged it open, leading me into what I first took to be a small room. As we entered, however, and the door closed almost shut behind us, I saw a dimly lit passage of stairs. Trying to be encouraging, Jonathan took the lead, showing me up to another almost closed door. "You ready?" He asked.
"Oh yeah," I replied, seriously wondering what was behind that door. Brushing his tail against my shoulder, he said,
"Close your eyes. I'll lead you out." I nodded, a bit shaky from anticipation. I heard him open the door, following his scent and the sound of his paws ahead of me. Wind started whipping all around me, and I had the sickening feeling that I was going to fall from where ever I was. The hard ground underneath me was cold, wet, but a light showed behind my eyes, indicating that the sun had somehow broken through the clouds. "Okay," He whispered softly, "Open."
My eyes opened, and I saw the most beautiful thing, surpassing almost everything I had seen in a long, long time. The sky stretched out before me, my front paws elevating me so that I could see over the edge of the building... but it wasn't that that I found to be beautiful. In the far off distance, there was an amazing brilliance. The clouds had turned breathtaking shades of pinks and purples, surrounding where a sun, yellow, orange, and red all at the same time, hung low in the sky. The sky itself was blue, yet with strange streaks of all sorts of different colors, creating the most amazing sight. Jonathan put his paws up on the edge as well, looking out at it.
"It's..." I couldn't describe it, didn't know how.
"Beautiful." Jonathan finished, looking over to me. "How long has it been? I mean, since you saw a sunset?"
Smiling slightly, I could hardly reply, "Too long." Looking into his captivating, golden eyes, I said, "Thank you Jonathan. And... I never got to say thank you for probably saving my life."
"You're welcome, but any dog would've done it."
"But you were the only one that did."
Jonathan opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped himself, looking back out to the sun, which was now lower than it had been. A smile grew on his face as he said, "Athena, my life has always been filled with mistakes and regrets... My mother wanted me to stay with my family, and I didn't, my father wanted me to be like my brother, and I never could... I joined a pack in hopes that I could be part of the change that would put the strays back on top... I made so many mistakes, I was mistaken so many times, and I regretted all of it..." He paused a moment, looking down a little, "I... I just want you to know that... I... It's... It's good to know that I wasn't mistaken this time."
Chapter 4
I was not sure how to respond to that. Did he mean that as a friend? Or did he mean it in a different way? I was a bit too shy to ask, but I didn't get the chance. Jonathan looked back to the door, saying, "I best be going now. My sister went out on a small patrol after you arrived, and she should be coming back soon. I'll uh... I'll be on the first floor if you need anything." He gave me another smile, and the proceeded to head back down the stairs.
As I watched the sun descending in the distance horizon, I felt the reality and sorrow finally beginning to wash over me. Everyone who had made a good impact on my life was gone. Everyone who had been there for me had been slaughtered. Now where was I? In a strange city where the very rivalry I had been trying to escape still existed. And what did I have? Not much. Not. Much. I had access to a pack's stores and a new I-Hardly-Know-You-Friend. Thinking of this ruined the sunset's calming air. The building just seemed so claustrophobic, even up here. The world around me was so tight, closing in on my heart.
Shaking my head, I turned, hopping off the ledge and going back down the stairs. Half-running, I didn't want to be in the building a moment longer than need be. I needed to get out, and run... Just... Run off the boxed feeling that seemed to be taking over. I couldn't stop my feet from taking me down the stairs, through the first floor and out from under the door. Streaking off, I went through a gap in the fence, snagging a bit of my fur on the chain link.
I didn't know where I was going... But did it really matter? I just had to run, and hope that it would whisk the fear and claustrophobia away. And so I did. I ran through back alleys and past humans, not caring when they shouted after me.
A while later, I found myself back where I had started, crawling under the rock thing. The night had turned bitterly cold, and my pelt was covered in icy drops of street water. After Grey had confirmed that I wasn't a Junkyard, Jonathan was the first dog to come to me. His features were distraught, and he looked as if he'd been worried about something for days.
"Athena! Have you seen a patrol? Please, please, tell me you saw a patrol!"
I shook my head, "Why? What's wrong?"
Jonathan slumped down, hanging his head, "The patrol my sister was on never came back... I... What if something happened?"
I was about to try to comfort him when suddenly Grey lifted his nose to the air, saying, "Someone's coming." His announcement was so grave that I held my breath. What if I had tracked some other dogs back with me?! But I had nothing to fear, or so I thought. "It's the patrol!" Grey stood, "They're back!" Jonathan's head shot up.
One by one, four dogs came from under the rock-thing. I could hear Jonathan behind me, speaking lowly as they did. A tall, tan Great Dane came through, barely fitting under the rock as Jonathan said, "Sonny..." After the Dane came a Saint Bernard, a Boxer, and what I took to be a Heinz 57 mutt. I could hear Jonathan's voice growing worried as he said their names, "Oak... Randy... Julia..." Growling, he stood, addressing the patrol, "Where's Ping?"
They all put down the scraps they had found, looking to each other to decide who would begin. The brindle Boxer, whom I took to be Randy, shook her head, "I'm sorry Jonathan... Your sister went on a solo mission, and-"
Enraged now, Jonathan half-shouted, "You left her behind?!"
"No, Jonathan." The Saint Bernard, Oak, answered, "We waited for her. You know your sister, though. She didn't come back. We thought it was just her usual... That is, until it got darker. She's usually always back by sunset..."
Sonny continued for him, "So we waited and waited, but..."
I knew Jonathan didn't need to hear the last part, but the mutt, Julia, in a quiet voice, finished, "She never came."
His teeth gritting, Jonathan growled, "You shouldn't have left her out there!"
An exasperated sigh sounded, coming nearer from the other side of the door. "Really, why must you be so protective?"
Jonathan's features suddenly brightened, his ears perked, and he asked, "Ping?"
Squeezing from under the metal door, she answered, "Well, yeah, who else would it be?" As she came up, Jonathan rushed over to her, and I could tell he noted the many spots where she had been bitten.
"Ping! What happened?" Jonathan was obviously protective over his sister, a lot more than she was of herself.
"Oh stop it, Jonathan. I'm fine." Looking to her patrol, she said, "Oh yeah, sorry about making you wait. I got held up. And as you can see by the sorry lack of food I'm carrying, I also got robbed."
"Robbed!?" Jonathan sounded alarmed, his voice raising.
"Junkyards caught me near their territory. Big patrol, looking for a-" Ping hesitated, suddenly catching sight of me. Speaking lower, she said, "German Shepherd."
Oak moved closer to her, "So they just beat you up, took your food and went on their way?"
"You better believe it Willow-face. Now excuse me, but I just took the beating of a lifetime and I ran around collecting food that I don't have anymore. I think I'm just going to go to the second floor and rest for a few hours so you milk drinkers don't have to worry about me." Ping walked past her brother, bumping shoulders with me as she passed on her way up the stairs.
"How do you stand her, Jonathan?" Oak asked as he watched her walking away. Jonathan shook his head, but didn't answer. I couldn't help wondering if Ping's injuries were my fault. After all, I doubted that there were many German Shepherds that a large patrol of Junkyards would be looking for. Still, I wasn't so sure I wanted to wander alone now.
Jonathan dipped his head to the patrol, mumbling, "Dismissed," before turning to Grey. "I'll take the next guard watch. I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight."
Not wanting to bother Jonathan while he was in a mood, I quietly turned away, noting that it actually was very late. I wasn't tired, but I didn't want to disturb anyone, so I just padded up to the second floor and began looking around for a nice box, away from the others. I knew I wasn't welcome here, and I wasn't going to push that limit. Not now at least.
Walking down the row furthest away from where most of the dogs usually were, I was about to pick a box when suddenly an expected weight threw me to my side. My eyes took a bit to refocus, and by the time they did, I was already pinned. A familiar tan, black, and white face growled in mine, golden eyes glaring into mine. Struggling under her impressive weight, I said, "What are you doing? Get off of me!" Using one paw, Ping pressed down on my neck.
"Don't you dare play dumb with me, Athena."
Growling, mostly because I had almost no idea of what she was talking about, I wrestled with her for a minute, trying to get her off. Finally, I knocked one of her paws out of place, allowing me to get up and her to fall down. Straightening, I questioned, both confused and curious, "What are you talking about?"
The fur on the back of her neck was standing on end, her golden eyes containing rage that I never thought would be possible, considering her brother's usually kind nature. Growling and baring her teeth at me, she said, "I know who you are, trash-dog, and I know you're the dog they're looking for. And," She looked down at her paws, "I don't care if the pack might take you in, Bay lets you stay, and Jonathan protects you... If you know what's good for you," Her nostrils flared, and she looked up, the fire in her eyes enough to burn. Stepping aggressively closer, she shouted, "Take your foul-smelling fur and never come back!"
Chapter 5
I backed up, shaking my head, "Ping, it's not like I can go back." There was nothing waiting for me if I went back. Nothing but a broken heart and blood that was technically on my paws.
Ping's eyes narrowed, but she finished, "Fine then. But if you have one slip up, count on it that I'll tell everyone your secret." Turning around, she started heading back to where she had come, smirking as she called over her shoulder, "Sweet dreams, trash-dog."
Deeply disturbed by now, I felt no obligation to sleep. How on Earth was Ping Jonathan's sister?! It was like they had grown up in different families! And I still had no idea what 'my secret' was! Making a very prominent mental note to steer clear of Ping and not have a 'slip-up', I chose a box, lying down, but not daring to close my eyes. Of course, I had to be rivals with everyone but Jonathan, and then his sister gets attacked and apparently was on my account. Spooked, I just rested there; sleep taking its sweet time with coming to me.
When the darkness finally washed over me, I found myself dreaming, except that I couldn't see anything, hear anything... but I could feel the emotions coursing through me. First came pride and joy, but then it faded to disbelieve, sorrow... There was hatred and love, and an empty feeling of loss... But then, in the darkness, I saw piercing grey-blue eyes... Then a show of bloody teeth...
And then I woke up. My eyes flashed open, and I got up so fast that I hit my head on the top of the box. Growling low to myself, I was glad to see that I had not been brutally murdered in the middle of the night. Making my way cautiously through the boxes and down to the first floor, I spotted the food pile. Dreadfully hungry, I found a piece that didn't seem too disgusting and sat down, eating it quietly.
Knowing that I had free range here, but not wanting to push it, I decided to wander for a while. I knew it was risky, but with Ping around, I didn't want to be anywhere in the building. As I got up to start walking, Jonathan passed me, accompanied by some other dogs, and, to my dismay, Ping. "Hey Athena. We're going on a scavenging patrol, do you want to come?" His voice was so normal that I had to remind myself that he hadn’t seen his sister threaten me.
Just perfect, now Ping was going to be outside. I shook my head, "Nope. I was just heading out. I'll be back later." I could tell from the look on Ping's face that she wanted me to run away – was expecting me to run. Dipping my head in respect, I quickly slipped away, heading out of the building, past the chain link, and into the city. It wasn't raining, but the clouds above me indicated that it wouldn't stay like that for long. I padded calmly down the streets. They were so empty... Too empty. Honestly though, I had been expecting it. If Junkyards were looking for a Husky, I wouldn't talk to any huskies out here either.
I made it unchallenged around most of the city, though I didn't want to go anywhere near Junkyard territory. I wasn't afraid. I just knew that chances were, as soon as I walked past their territory, Ping would tell everyone a secret about me that I didn't know. Making it to the far edge, where a road led out of the city, I had to wonder... What if I did run? The Junkyards weren't looking for the pack, they were looking for me. If I left, and if it was me that they were looking for, they wouldn't have a reason for attacking the pack anymore. No secrets told, no pasts revealed. No one would get hurt on my account... But I had nowhere to go. If I went back... Well, I knew what would happen if I did that.
But what good would leaving do? Junkyards were everywhere, and there were even more in my hometown. No matter where I went, I would always be a...a trash dog. It was a discouraging, but likely true analysis. The more I thought about though, leaving seemed like a better idea. Standing up, my ears drooped, and I finally just decided to leave. No one had wanted me here anyway. This place had never been welcoming. It had never been my home. So why was it so hard to leave? Shutting my eyes tight, I drove myself forward, walking out of the city.
Until I heard a sound that changed everything: A scream.
My head and ears shot up as I looked back, and I couldn't stop myself from immediately beginning to bolt forward. Someone was in trouble! I wasn't sure why, but I felt obligated to save that poor dog, whoever it was. My pace picked up quicker as I heard the scream again. Weaving through the buildings and alleys, I finally slid into view of the screamer. Ping! The whole patrol was brutally fighting with a huge group of dogs. Ping was slumped against a wall, though she still seemed to be conscious, by the fact that she was desperately trying to get up. The others were everywhere, fighting sometimes two dogs at once. Ping shot me a dirty glare, but she seemed too tired to say anything.
Not knowing what to do, I jumped into the fighting, helping Jonathan fend off the Junkyards. "Athena! You came back!" He shouted over the fighting, and I had to wonder how he had known I was going to leave in the first place. But there wasn't time for that. We slashed and bit and tore, weaving in and out of each other, pushing the Junkyards back. And that's when I confirmed my fear. They were looking for me.
"That's the shepherd!" Called the largest, who was fighting all of us it seemed, at the same time, though we weren't even fighting directly with him. Attention turned to me, and I growled fiercely, striking down the Junkyard in front of me and preparing to take on another. That's when everything stopped. The sound turned to silence in a mere second. Everything was in slow motion, because behind me, where I felt sure Ping had been, I heard a sound I will never forget.
*Cr-a-ck*
Chapter 6
My heart skipped a beat, my paws grounded themselves, and I held my breath. In slow motion it seemed, I turned around. Jonathan's voice rang to my side, "PING!!!"
And there was the largest, Ping hanging limp in his jaws. Fearing the worst, I couldn't think of what to do. Obviously though, Jonathan only had one thing in mind.
Growling, he let out a huge bark, charging forth and baring his teeth... I blinked, and when my eyes opened, Jonathan was standing over a dead dog, breathing hard and obviously still angered. Ping was lying beside him, still limp, though I could still hope that I noticed that slight upraising of her chest.
The Junkyards were mumbling disbelief behind us, and though I could hardly believe it, I could hear fear in their voices as well. Jonathan turned back around, making every hair on my neck stand on end. His face was overcome with rage and grief, and he looked as if he would take on all the Junkyards, and still come out of it alive. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Run, trash dogs!" And to my surprise, none of the remaining dogs had any problems with that. So it was just us, the patrol, me, and two dead Junkyards.
My eyes turned to Ping, and I shakily approached her. She was just lying there, her wide and glazed over, her coat showered in red. Of all the injuries anyone had gotten, I knew she'd gotten the worst of it. Whispering, I could barely hear my own voice as I asked, "Is... is she still alive?"
There was no answer... And I guess I had already known. There was no stirring in her chest, and I knew there was no light in her eyes, no beating of her heart. Ping was dead. As if on cue, there was a flash of lightning, the roar of thunder, and the rain began pouring down on us.
My ears drooped, and my head hung. Ping definitely wasn't my friend, but she was Jonathan's sister, and the patrol had attacked her, killed her on their way to getting me. Both reasons were enough for tears to begin streaming down my face. I made no attempt to make it look like it was just rain, because it was like the whole sky was crying with us. Jonathan's growl had faded, replaced by bitter tears and a look in his eyes that would break your heart to see it.
Lifting my head to the sky, I took a deep breath, letting a tear stream down my drenched cheek before I howled into the wind, packing it chock full of all my hatred, all my sorrow, all my doubt, in dark hopes that the Junkyards would hear and never dare to attack the strays. But, then my own doubt clouded in, as my head fell and I looked back to the young, spirited, unkind dog that now lay before me, her life gone from her.
You aren't part of their pack... Maybe you should just actually run away, find a wolf pack or something. Or maybe you could just find some shelter? Or... or no. No. Or maybe I should just give in. I knew I could never say it, but I knew it was what I was feeling. If I just gave in, there wasn't much else dogs would get hurt for.
After a minute or so in the rain, we finally all began carrying Ping back, our heads down, our paws barely clearing the ground. We made it back through the gate, walking solemnly into the first floor. Bay took one glance and leaped off her perch, saying, "Jonathan! Ping!" I could hear the worry in her voice as she approached, eyeing the bloody-at-the-mouth Northern Inuit and the rag-doll like carcass that had once been his sister.
I just stayed quiet as the others explained what had happened, going on about how she'd broken from the patrol, and her scream has led them to her, and how I had showed up, and the two dead Junkyards... And how Ping had met her end. Bay looked to all of us, the sorrow in her eyes. It was strange, being sad over someone who threatened you, but I still felt it. She had been a part of their family, even if she wasn't very loved by anyone except her brother.
Jonathan's voice still rang in my head as I turned in that night. I had found the box where I slept the night before, and was hunkered down in it when I heard two others walking down the row. I recognized their voices immediately.
"I... I don't know what got into me. I couldn't help it. I'm sorry Bay."
"Jonathan, I thought we already discussed this." Bay's voice was harsh, "I thought you said you got over your anger issues."
"You know what, Bay, those trash-dogs killed my sister. You really think I would have a fair fight after I saw that?!"
"Playing fair isn't what I'm worried about, Jonathan. What I'm worried about is you causing a war. I don't care how unfair you get, you promised me that you wouldn't kill."
"Bay, why don't you understand?! This is my sister I'm talking about. You would've done the same if they'd killed me... Wouldn't you?"
The sound of padding feet stopped, and I peeked through the cracks in the crate to see Bay turn around and look at Jonathan. Jonathan's ears drooped, and I could guess the answer in her eyes had been no.
"Jonathan, I can see you're having a hard time coping with your sister's death, but-"
Jonathan cut her off, growling as he took and aggressive step towards her, "But nothing. I'm not going to listen to you lecture me like a pup! I lost my sister, and there was nothing I could do about it but take out my rage on her killer! Be glad I didn't turn on my pack members instead."
I could see Bay's eyes narrow as she growled, "You sound exactly like your brother."
The growl faded off of Jonathan's face as he took a step back, "I... I'm sorry Bay. I... I'll be sleeping if you need me."
"Mph. You talked all about loyalty to save that girl Athena's a**, and you can't even keep a promise you made to not only me, but yourself." Walking away, she said, "Maybe I was wrong about you after all, Tiger's Moon."
Chapter 7
Tiger's Moon? Who is Tiger's Moon? I wondered to myself, peering through the cracks to watch Bay leave. After Bay had gone, Jonathan was still standing there, muttering, "I thought I told her not to call me that..." He sighed, but then moved closer to my box, "You can come out Athena. I know you're there." My eyes widening, but I closed them tight and tried to look as if I was sleeping. I heard him pad around to the side where the crate's removed top allowed him to see in. "And I know you're awake."
Figuring that there wasn't much point in trying to fake him out now, I opened my eyes, getting up. He'd cleaned himself up, well, to the extend that he was mostly covered in dirt rather than blood. Not sure what to say, I decided to just say what I was thinking, "Bay was really harsh... Are you sure you're okay?" I didn't want to mention Tiger's Moon, even if I knew Jonathan knew I had heard Bay say it.
I watched as he shrugged a little, sitting down as he began tracing his paw down the crate's lines. "Considering the circumstances, no, I'm not fine. But Bay isn't most of any part of it. I made a promise that I wouldn't lose my temper, and I couldn't keep it."
"But... That dog killed Ping..."
"Revenge isn't the way to go though. No dog should resort to an unnecessary amount of violence. I... I've had problems with this before, so I'm one to talk... Really though, Bay wasn't wrong for punishing me. Murder is a very serious thing, one that Bay doesn't take lightly."
"I noticed... but... Are you really alright though? I mean.. I know Ping was really important to you." I sat down, trying to get him to look me in the eye.
Jonathan shook his head, "It's... Not the same." I knew what he meant. I'd felt it before.
I couldn't think of anything to say, so I just tried to be comforting. I moved over and sat down next to him, and he slightly leaned into me. I could tell he was trying to be strong, but I could see the tear under his eye.
I could hear Jonathan murmur, "Thank you..."
We just sat there for a while, not saying anything. It had been a hard day for him, so I was content to just be there for him.
After a while, Jonathan said, "Thank you Athena. It's nice to have someone to talk to, even if I still have a lot more to say.”
I looked over at Jonathan. "You can stay as long as you want, you know that right?"
I wasn't sure how I had gotten so used to Jonathan in a matter of days, but it was nice to have another friend. However, there were a few things that kept me on edge. Of course, every friend I ever had had been killed. Second, who was Tiger's Moon? And what was Tiger's Moon's relation to Bay and Jonathan? It was all so strange... Yet somehow, I was still hoping that it would come out alright. I was still counting on it that with Jonathan as a friend, I could make it through this... There was a word to describe this... Ah right. The L word.
Lunacy.
Oh, just perfect, my sarcasm was correct for once.
After a while of just sitting there, Jonathan finally pulled away, saying, "I'll be on the first floor, working the graveyard shift for guarding. Goodbye Athena... And thank you for coming back." As much as I wanted to follow him, I was dreadfully tired, and I could feel my tears beginning to drip down my cheek again... though I had no idea why I was so saddened at the Northern Inuit's death. Even if it seemed she had told Jonathan that I was leaving and hated me, she seemed a lot more important than me having just seen her and heard her insults. Whatever the reason, I wasn't sure.
Turning back into my crate, I laid down once more, curling up and closing my eyes. Passing out in less than a minute, I felt the darkness crowding in around me. Almost instantly, that dream came again. The feelings... Except that as I felt the disbelief and sorrow, the broken image of Ping's corpse flashed through my head. Then there was the piercing stare of the grey-blue eyes, staring deep into my soul, then there was the sound of flesh being torn apart in a mad rage of anger, the gut-wrenching pain as teeth ripped into my pelt, and then...
My eyes wrenched open, and I jolted up, snapping to my shoulder and growling like... well, an idiot. There was no one there. I was utterly alone. Reverting slowly back to my old rhythm of breathing, I thought to myself, I... I guess that's it then. Coming out of the box, I sighed slightly, beginning to walk forward when a voice right behind me almost startled me to death. "Athena! We need your help!" Oddly enough, two thoughts happened to cross my mind as this voice spoke. The first was, HOLY S**T, WHERE DID THAT DOG COME FROM!!!
While the second was, Can't there just be one day of my presence here where someone doesn't need me?
Jumping around the face the stranger, I was only slightly aware that for the most brief moment, I actually had half a mind to attack and remind the dog not to scare me. Instead, I just replied through slightly grit teeth, "What is it?"
A dog I definitely recognized to be Shark replied, "Missing dog. Jonathan will fill you in on the details. Now hurry. Bay specifically asked for you."
Missing dog? Who was missing? I couldn't help fearing the worst, even if I didn't know the victim. Shark led me through the crates at a quick pace, then out into the first floor where I realized Bay standing on her box. She seemed to have just finished addressing the pack below her, and as they began to break away, Bay come up to me, "Athena, thank goodness you could make it."
"Did I have a choice?" I asked, letting a bit of my sarcastic thoughts come to light.
Bay growled slightly, "This is no time for sarcasm, Athena. We've got a missing dog, and we're going on a patrol to find them. Now, find Jonathan. He'll fill you in as we go." Stepping a little closer into my personal space than I would've liked, Bay growled, "Now scram."
Making a mental note to not get on Bay's bad side, I turned around, spotting Jonathan and a group of other dogs. Jonathan looked dead tired, and I had to wonder if he had slept, and if Bay was making him come as well. As I got over to where he was sitting, his tired eyes met mind, and he said, "I hope you had a moderately good night's sleep, because I have the feeling that we have a long trek ahead of us."
Looking at the dullness of his eyes, I asked, sincerely concerned, "Are you sure you will make it?"
Jonathan shook his head, "I don't know, but I'm going anyway. Anyhow, we have a lot to talk about." Bay came round, giving the signal for us to follow her. As we exited the building, the fence, and into the streets, Jonathan told me, "It happened early this morning. A scouting patrol came back... and they seemed to have lost one of their members... And... Well..."
"Well, what? Who's missing?"
Jonathan paused a moment, but then replied, "Red. Red's gone."
Chapter 8
Red is gone? How? I wondered, looking to where the Dalmatian had stood. Where could she have gone? And why? I lagged behind a little, letting Jonathan go ahead of me. Ending up at the pack of the group, I found myself in the company of a cinnamon brown Labrador. She seemed quite old, and I had to wonder why she was coming with us.
"So." The Lab commented, looking slightly in my direction, "Yer that Junkyard-smellin' Shepherd, ain't ya?"
Oh great. This will end well, I'm sure. "Yup," I replied shortly, not sure what she was getting on about. "The name's Athena, and you?"
"Maple." There was a long pause before she lowered her voice to a whisper, lagging a little more and taking me with her. "I know 'bout you, Athena."
"Oh, really?" I asked, slightly sarcastic, but I had to wonder what she knew.
"Really." The old lab was dead serious. Looking forward, I expected her to elaborate with some hints about this 'knowing about me', but instead, she said nothing.
The pause continuing, I tried to break it by saying, "So, why are you here?"
Maple, looking straight ahead, replied, "B'cause I know all da buildins' from da Junkyard territtrey to da human's homes. I've got da connectshuns. If Red is anywhere in da city, A'll know." Oh wow. I thought to myself. Now how did she get to learn all that? Granted, Maple was very old, but I couldn't picture her knowing so much about the buildings. And even in the Junkyard territory? That had to be suspicious. Even as I thought so, she said, “Duncha go an git ahl suspishus of ol Maple ‘ere. In ma day, ah culd wak ahl dah way to da fence of da Junkyad, an still be in ma territary.
"Nice..." I let another pause go, considering that Maple was perhaps part of the old, old pack. "But, Maple, you said you... 'know about me'... but what is there to know? I don't exactly have many secrets, you know. I was... I was wondering if you could-"
Maple cut me off, moving ahead of me and calling, "Bay, stop da pa-trol."
"What is it, Maple...?" Bay stopped, turning around.
Maple cocked her head to an alleyway, “Ah got sumeone hoo meight know."
I watched Bay sigh angrily, but stopped the patrol, and Maple walked into the alley. I could hear Maple's accented voice arguing with another dog in low, grumbling voices. Finally, the other seemed to give, and after a moment or two, Maple came back, whispering something to Bay, before returning to her spot in the back. Bay redirected the patrol, and we began heading down another street, avoiding cars and other dogs as much as we could. Feeling uneasy around Maple, I picked up my pace, landing myself somewhere in the middle of the party, keeping my head down so I wouldn't be noticed.
We made many stops after that, sometimes redirecting us entirely. With every twist and turn, I shuddered, but no Junkyards came into sight. Eventually, we ended up looking down a dark alley. Ahead, I could smell the Junkyard border, and leading up to it, I could smell the unmistakable scent of Junkyard... not to mention Red's faint, but recognizable smell.
Lifting my head, I asked, "We're going... in there?"
Bay slightly shook her head, "Well... Not if we don't have to..." She looked to Maple, who kind of shrugged and motioned for her to go forward. Bay stepped forward, but I broke away, moving in front of her.
"I'll go first, Bay. You mean a lot more to the pack than I do." Bay looked as if she was about to say something when Maple suddenly bumped me aside.
"No. A'll go." I wanted to protest, but Maple was already stepping over the border. And as she did, something I had never expected happened. A dark figure leaped out of the shadows, and with one large paw, he struck down Maple's feeble form.
My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn't believe my eyes. But I couldn't hesitate. Too many dogs had died in too few of days because someone hesitated. I leaped forward, slamming into the figure, which carried us both into the light, though further into junkyard territory. As his face came to light, not to mention heard his familiar voice ask, "Athena?"
"Bear?" I was struck with slight disbelief as I saw him... Mostly because I wasn't expecting to ever see him again. Growling, I pinned him harder than I had the first time. The food supplied by the pack had given me some of my strength back, so I had to hope it was enough.
Jonathan's growl sounded behind me, "You know that trash-dog?"
I didn't get to speak before Bay shouted, "Look out Athena! There's more!"
I looked up just in time to see another dog racing towards me, her teeth bared and being followed by a group of dogs. In a split second, I saw a Dalmatian coat, but then my vision was blocked, and I felt myself flying back. Hitting a wall, I was jolted, but I had to fight. Recovering as quickly as I could, I saw that the others had all joined in on the fight, leaving me with Bear and the dog that had hit me. Growling louder, I found myself doing my best to take on the two. Bear seemed to be slightly confused, though I wasn't sure why.
I could see Maple lying there, not moving. Blood gushed from a wound over her eye. The scene was all too familiar, so much that I almost say Ping lying there instead of Maple... I had to fight. Not only for the Maple, but for Red as well. There was so much blood metaphorically on my paws, I couldn't stand to see their blood there as well. Gritting my teeth, my nostrils flared, and I charged forth, attacking the pair of Junkyards. Taken mostly off guard, I put up a reasonably good fight... Until I saw one of the others drop down, alive, but barely breathing. This distracted me for a moment, and another Junkyard batted me back, against the wall so that I landed next to Maple. A bit of blood trickling out of my mouth, my legs couldn't support me. Maple's uncut eye was just barely open, but I could tell she knew it was me.
She edged over, and even as the Junkyards grimly approached, she said, "Athena... Whatever happens to me, this you must know, for if you don't see, your darkness may grow." Slightly startled by her sudden lack of an accent, I just faintly nodded, and whispering in my ear, she forced out,
"He is closer than you think... Just... look... over the... brink."
Chapter 9
Talk about not making any sense. But as I watched, hoping for a translation, her eyes closed, and the shadow of the advancing Junkyards fell upon me. Only able to see the faintest signs of Maple's breathing, rage welled inside of me. No. I will NOT let this happen! Forcing myself up on unsteady paws, I pinned my ears, breathing hard and doing my best to regain my strength. Growling, through grit teeth I said, "You won't break me that easy." I leaped forward, having just enough speed and element of surprise, my teeth latched onto the throat of the Junkyard. The dog whimpered, trying to shake me, but to no avail. I could just barely see that Bear was about to go for me when a dog, larger than him, took him out. I didn't see his face, but the stranger then turned back to where I was being tossed around from the Junkyard's neck. Cleverly avoiding the light, he made an expertly planned move, grabbing onto the dog's neck, but knocking me a bit firmly to the ground. The junkyard unable to fight against the stranger, he tossed the Junkyard aside, and I realized that the battle was over. Pushing myself off the ground once more, when I looked up, the stranger was gone. Confused, but glad, I looked around. Bear and a few others had fled. Two or three lay dead. Four from our side were down as well. Down, but hopefully still breathing.
A few minutes later, it was confirmed that we had lost two dogs, Sonny and Randy. However, Maple and Red were still breathing, though it was very shallow. We got them back to the building, our presence inspiring first hope... but then sorrow. Red was carried through the first floor, and slowly, ever so slowly, was set down in front of and Shark. He looked as if they had just witnessed murder. Shark leaped down, going over to Red. The dogs moved out of his way, leaving a clear path to the gravely wounded Dalmatian. I watched as he nuzzled her, though she didn't wake. She was still alive, we... believed, but she needed proper care, care I wasn't sure they could provide.
Shark's eyes immediately singled me out, and his eyes narrowed, stepping aggressively towards me and growling, "You." Everyone backed up... except me. I found myself standing alone, facing Shark down. "You led them right into a trap, didn't you!?"
Offended, I growled back, "I would never do such a thing! I may not be one of your pack, but that doesn't mean you can blame everything that goes wrong on me!"
Shark dug his teeth into my scruff, casting me aside and sending the other dogs backward. I whimpered a bit, scrambling to my feet, though unsteadily. Growling loudly, he said, "Well why not, Athena!? Everything was just fine until you showed up! Now dogs are dying, our third in command, not to mention a dog from the olden pack are wounded!" Shark seemed about to say more when Bay forcefully pushed herself in front of him.
"Shark! Everything was not 'just fine' until she showed up! Dogs died, Junkyards killed... Is it really that much worse now that she's a part of it? Red would've been taken, many would've been wounded or killed, even if Athena hadn't come. I saw Athena take on Junkyards, I saw them attack her. I saw her kill for our pack! Isn't that proof enough?" Deafening silence went through the building, but then a voice asked,
"Athena... How did you know that Junkyard?"
I looked over to Grey, realizing that the trash-dog hating guard had been on the patrol. Shark positively blew up, not letting me shove in my oar of why I knew Bear. "She KNOWS one of them?! And you didn't take that as a direct sign that she was one of them? Bay, I respected you when you chose to let Athena come here, but the evidence is piling up. She killed a dog, she knows a Junkyard, she smells like trash, and to sum it all up, we've lost more dogs in the past few days than in the past few weeks!" Fighting ensued, shouting things both at me and at Shark. He looked as if he was about to land the killing blow, the final words, when Bay... well... erupted.
"NO SHARK! ATHENA IS GOING TO STAY, AND THAT IS FINAL. I WILL NOT LET YOU KICK HER OUT OF THE PACK LIKE THIS. MY WORD IS LAW, BETA, SO SIDDOWN AND MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL, OR YOU'LL NEVER SEE THE INSIDE OF THIS BUILDING AGAIN!!!"
Everything was deadly quiet, so quiet that the cars outside, not to mention the distant padding of pawsteps could be heard. But I couldn't pay attention to this over the pounding sound of the silence. I looked quietly to Bay and Shark, watching them battle it out, though no one else could hear it. Then, Shark looked down, "Fine." Turning around, he began heading to the doorway.
"What are you doing?" Bay asked, still a bit fuming.
Turning around at the door, he called back, "I'm leaving. Find yourself a new Second in Command."
Chapter 10
Bay stood in disbelief, watching Shark go. There was a long pause, where everyone was just staring at the door, as if he would come back. But he didn't. Bay's mood seemed to affect everyone. After that, everything seemed to be in slow motion...
That was the day that changed... almost everything.
That night, Red died, unable to get the proper care she required.
By choice, and to a long list of conditions, I was made part of the pack.
Maple woke, but she refused to say a word to anyone. Ever since the fight, she has been blind in one eye, and is unable to open it.
Shark never came back. In fact... none of the dogs there ever saw him again, not to my knowledge at least.
Bay didn't pick a new Second or Third in Command. I could never figure out why, but she didn't.
The name Tiger’s Moon was soon forgotten, along with my curiosity of it. Maple's mysterious message also faded with time.
And over the many months that I stayed with the pack, other things happened. Dogs died. Dogs joined. A single pup, belonging to Rune and Ian, was born and named Rook. My knowledge of the city improved. I nearly forgot the other city. And... I found myself falling for Jonathan.
It was a gradual thing, I suppose. Something to that effect at least. I'm not sure where it started... But somewhere all the scavenges, talks, and trash-dog battles... I fell in love.
I looked at the moon from the roof of the building, admiring it. No storm had come that day, and though I knew it likely meant twice as much rain tomorrow, I didn't really mind. Jonathan sat next to me, golden eyes glowing, happiness in his features. I had just had one of the best days in a long time... if only I could tell Jonathan how I felt... I wasn't sure that he would understand though, just in case he didn't feel the same about me. I knew I shouldn't care, but I did... This meant so much... I was just about to break the silence when I heard a voice calling, "Jonathan! Someone needs to talk to you!"
Jonathan looked over to me, "I guess I have to go..." He dipped his head. "I'll see you later Athena." Jonathan went through the door again, leaving me alone on the roof. Alone with nothing but courage to sum up, a thought to speak out, and... time.
I should just tell him... I thought to myself, seeing him far below as he exited the building with another dog. How hard can it be? 'Jonathan, I love you.' How on Earth can four little words faze me? I sighed, but then grit my teeth, saying aloud, "I'm gonna do this. I'm going to tell him that I love him!" Turning off the edge, I made my way quickly down through the doors, through the building, under the large door, and into the streets. I could see Jonathan and that other dog ahead, turning a corner. By the time I reached the corner though, they were already turning again. This lasted until we all reached the forest. Neither of the two others had spoken a word, and neither had noticed me. As they stopped in a clump of trees surrounded by thick bushes, I stopped outside.
I... I don't want to intrude. I'll just wait, I guess. I thought to myself, sitting down quietly. I couldn't help wondering what would take Jonathan this far out into the woods. By the time I could actually realize what they were saying, I heard an unfamiliar voice saying, "So, that Athena. She seems like a nice dog...?"
A slightly growling voice snickered, answering him. And as he did, my heart sank. That voice was Jonathan. "Ha. Athena's nothing. She's just another dog off the streets. We've seen enough of her kind to go around, as I'm sure you know. That trash-dog could hardly pass as anything you'd worry yourself about."
I couldn’t believe my ears, but I knew I should. I also knew that though I wanted to fight him, get angry, or something, I shouldn’t stick around.
After a few seconds, I turned and just ran, passing tree after tree and knowing that I was crying. I’m not sure what my intentions were. I just wanted to run back to the city, just to act like I had never heard him say those things.
The tears were blinding me, to the point that I didn’t even see the animal in front of me until I hit it. I accidentally had crashed into something’s shoulder, and I was disoriented for a second or so before I blinked and looked up to see what I had come into contact with. And when I did, my eyes widened in fear.
A huge wolf, black as night towered over me, its teeth pulled back in a snarl as it moved to face me. Its dark eyes trained on me, and I picked myself up, nearly crawling backward. I rose, the tears still dripping down my cheek, though I tried to look brave, baring my teeth and pinning my ears. I knew I couldn’t take on this wolf though. My heart beating fast, I prepared for the fight of my life.
It launched itself forward, teeth ready to pierce through my throat. I leaped forward to meet it, but a dark figure passed my vision, and my teeth latched on to nothing but air. When I landed, I whipped around to see a dog fighting with the wolf, expertly attacking and taking little damage. After a bite to the neck, which seemed painful, but not fatal, the wolf yelped and reared around, bolting as fast as it could, away from the stranger. “That’s right, milk drinker!” The dog called after him, “Run!”
He turned towards me, and I finally got a good look at him. He seemed to be a wolfdog, likely a cross between a Northern Inuit and a wolf. “Are you alright?” He asked, coming a little closer. “You must’ve been pretty shaken to have run into that thing on accident.” His pelt was dark, black, or either extremely dark brown, with white boots and chin. As he got closer, I could also see that his right eye was blue, while his left was brown. He looked friendly enough, but that just made him seem worse. I wasn’t in the mood to talk.
“I’m fine,” I stated, debating whether or not I should stick around as I sniffed up some tears and tried to look tough. “And if you haven’t noticed, I have somewhere to be, and it isn’t here.”
“Well these forests are full of wolves. It’s dangerous. Can I at least escort you to wherever you’re going?” He offered.
My icy blues narrowed at him, trying to bypass the lingering tears. “I can handle myself.”
“I did just save your life. I was expecting a little more gratitude than that.”
“I don’t know you, and I don’t want to know you. I don’t trust you to have my back. Is that so hard to understand?!”
The other shook his head, “No, no. Loud and clear. Especially since you used small words. I’m sure that helped a lot.” He smiled, “And if you couldn’t trust me, you’d be fighting that wolf right now.” He paused once more before adding, “My name’s Tony, by the way.”
Oh great. Now he has a name. I thought to myself, angry. I brushed past him, “Again, I can handle myself. I don’t need anybody to live my life, and that’s final.”
“Well, at least I know why you were crying.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “What?”
“Well, obviously you just went through something painful concerning someone who protected you. I presume love?”
Was I really that easy to read? Still though, I couldn’t stand his talking. Not right now. “Fine. You can escort me, so long as you stop. Pestering. Me.”
We started walking, and it was a few minutes before he said, “Thanks.”
“For what?” I growled, wishing that Jonathan was still the dog I had thought I knew.
“Well, for letting me escort you of course. It’s not every day that I meet a crying female in the woods and get to bring her safely to somewhere.”
“You say that as if somewhere, that is actually a normal thing that happens.”
He shrugged a bit, “Eh, you never know.” He paused for a minute, “I guess I’m not entitled to your name?”
I thought of giving him a fake name, but what did it matter. “Athena.”
There was a long silence before he asked, “Athena from that nearby city?”
I nodded, “Yeah, what of it?”
“Nothing, nothing. I just… Didn’t picture you like this. The Junkyards make you out to sound like a vicious criminal, so naturally, I was expecting, well, you know, someone a little less… tearful.”
I growled, but said nothing, trying to shake off the tears and ward away the sorrow. After a minute or so of silently trudging through the forest, however, I replied, “Someone I thought I knew turned out to be… well, not what I thought he was.”
Tony nodded, “I know what you mean.” But paused but then looked down, continuing to walk a pace behind me. The sorrowful note in his voice got me to slow down a bit, so that I was next to him.
“Really?” I couldn’t help the soft spot in my heart from acting up.
“When we were both pups, my brother and I were caught by the pound. I thought he was my friend… But he betrayed me the first chance he got. He left me to rot in that accursed place to save his own hide. He’s a police dog now, and every chance he gets, he tries to hunt me down. That’s why I was so far away from town, too. I hate thinking of him, and that town only brings back the memories of when he was my brother.” Tony’s voice had turned bitter at the end, and for a while, we just walked in silence again. I didn’t know how to respond, so I tried to just be quiet. A few minutes after that, we were at the edge of town, and we both stopped. “This… this is as far as I can go. Safe travels, Athena, and good luck.”
I dipped my head in respect, “Thank you, Tony… and safe travels to you as well.”
His features turned to a hopeful, but still sorrowful smile, “Maybe we’ll see each other again sometime?”
I paused, letting a tear fall before I answered, “Maybe.”
I just carried her back home, and when I got there, I set her down before Bay. I knew it was my fault, and even if I wasn’t, I knew I blamed myself. Blue had been my responsibility, technically. So, theoretically, it was my fault. As the older one in the group, I should’ve stopped, waited for the car to pass, or at least have done something. I could’ve prevented this.
Bay walked over to Blue’s body, and I heard her whisper, “Not another, please, not another.” She lowered herself to Blue and nudged her, but we both knew she was gone. “What… What happened?”
“A car. We ran across the street and… and…” I was sure Bay already knew the rest, so I just turned away. “I’m sorry Bay.” I looked back to the little Shiba Inu’s eyes and thought to myself, I’m so sorry Blue… I knew an apology wouldn’t cut it though. She’d lost her life – quite literally lost everything. I was a fool if I thought a ‘sorry’ would be worth anything to anyone.
In fact, we both just stood there for a while, saying nothing. Then I turned, heading out the door, into the rain. When Grey asked where I was going, I just said, “I left food back there to carry her. I wish I could’ve done something… But life goes on.” With that, I made my way back to the East Streets, all the way to where the food was still drenched and waiting for me… Minus one. The pile was a little lighter than I had left it. I was about to just take what was left when I noticed a small trail of crumbs. I knew it was too obvious to be true, but I had to get what I could take, and if I could still take something else, I had to get my paws on it. So I followed the trail, and it led me not far, only around the bend to where the trail abruptly ended, and left me face to face with a familiar character. I was surprised the smell ‘Junkyard’ wasn’t present until I saw him, as now it was screaming out at me.
“Well waddaya know? Hey there kid.”
“What do you want, Bear?” I asked, growling. “You wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t something you wanted to say.”
“Oh, nothing… I just had to offer it up, one last time. Join the Junkyards. If you do, you have your family, which you still haven’t met, I might add. That silly group of dogs you call a pack won’t be hurt anymore, and besides, why do you even stay with them? It’s not like they did anything for you.”
“They gave me a roof over my head and a life I could bear, which is much less than my family ever gave me.”
“You think that building is your home? That crumbled up, old, cement box?” He laughed, “Hardly.”
I was about to reply when a thought came to mind. “Wait, Bear. You said that dogs won’t be hurt anymore… But none have been hurt because of the pack in a while now.”
Bear locked eyes with me, and a pause went by before he said, “You have twenty-four hours, Athena. Twenty-four hours before that building is nothing but ruin, unless, unless you join us.” He turned around, walking away. “See you then, kid.” And slowly, the rain seemed to swallow him up.
Chapter 12
It was a cold, dark night. The rain had gone on all morning, and had left only the freezing cold behind by nightfall. A few lights lined the street, and some headlights could be seen, that of a car driving quietly down the road. In this dark night, not much stirred. The moon hung high in the sky, and many were asleep… But outside a dark chain-link fence, three dogs stood, a pup held in the jaws of one.
The light brown German Shepherd spoke first, though her words were stony, icy. “Hello Annie. Long time. No see.”
The mother shepherd put her pup in front of the first speaker. “I didn’t come to talk Bay, and I’m not going to pretend that everything is good between us. So, I’ll get to the point.” She nudged the pup closer. “I need you to take him. He isn’t safe with me.” Her bright blue collar jingled a bit as she shook her head, “My humans… they… they…”
Bay stopped her. “It’s alright, Annie. I understand. He’ll be safe here.”
There was a pause before the younger nodded, nuzzling her pup, “Take him to his father… And remember; only four dogs are to know any of this: Me, you, his father, and your beta here.
The alpha nodded, "I know. Don't worry." The alpha was trying to look reassuring, and her beta nodded as well.
Annie nodded, looking down to her pup once more. She gave him a lick, then blinked and paused, whispering softly, ever so softly, "Goodbye Dallas..." Then she turned, walking away into the night, a single tear dripping down her face from her grieving, ice-blue eyes.
--
I jolted awake, scrambling to my feet before I realized I had only been dreaming. My eyes gazed up, and sure enough, it was still before dawn. That night had been in my dreams since it happened, and I still could only wonder of the safety of my pup. But there was nothing I could really do about it. So, I just curled back up in the dog house, my collar clipped to a rope that latched to a chain on the outside of this strange little house.
It had been nearly two years since I left Dallas, my only remaining pup, in the company of Bay and her pack, and I hadn’t heard from them since. That is, until a certain chocolate colored Labrador Retriever looked in through the open door of the little dog house. My ears perked up, and I stood, growling and about to bark when the stranger whispered,
“Wait! Don’t bark… I’m a friend of Bay’s. She needed me to talk to you.”
I walked forward, so that she backed up. She and I were about the same height, though, to be accurate, she was a bit taller than me, but she looked friendly enough. “Ugh… This better be important. Who are you? And what does Bay want to talk to me?”
“My name is Dice. I’m the daughter of the current Beta, so yes, this is rather important. The pack needs you.”
“Why?” I asked, narrowing my eyes and glancing past her, at the house, to make sure no one was waking up.
“Bay told me about you. She told me about the kind of dog you were before. Honestly, I think it would be a waste for you to be a pet… You definitely still have potential, potential we'll need if we're going to win." Dice looked over her shoulder, but then looked back, "Things aren't good anymore. We beat the Junkyards and lived in peace... but now they're coming back. They're infe-" She suddenly cut off as the sound of a door opening was heard, coming from inside the house. “No time to explain.” She spoke quickly, “The pack needs you. Dallas needs you. Find me tonight at the edge of town!” Then she turned and ran, jumping onto a box, then a trash can, and finally, straight over the fence, leaving me alone.
About thirty seconds after, the barking of other dogs died down, and one of my humans came out, unclipping me from the dog house. They’d been rather strict about the whole leash thing ever since that night two years ago.
I didn’t move though. I just sat down, blinking. The pack needed me. Dallas needed me. But… how did she know about Dallas? Did she know about Dallas? I couldn’t tell, but I was rather curious.
It had been so long since I'd been out there, on the streets I mean. I had no doubt I could leave, well at least, it was possible physically. Mentally, however, I wasn't too sure. Even after everything, I still loved my humans, and they loved me. That was the reason I'd come back the first time, and the reason I was still here. Still... Dallas needed me.
Sighing inwardly, I knew I would have to help. Dallas and the pack needed help. And I needed to see Dallas. I still remembered the pup he had once been… Playful, cute… He had a caramel brown and midnight black coat, like mine, but with the strong, deep, brown eyes of his father. I remembered that innocent white blaze on his chest, and the way he could never get both ears to stand up at the same time… I knew that wasn’t the Dallas I was going to meet when I went back, but I had to know. I wasn't sure how it would go, but I wanted - needed to see him. I glanced to where my human was, sitting in the house. I would come back. I knew I would. I loved them too much to leave for good. I would go there, stay for maybe a month, or even just a week or something. Maybe the issue wasn't as crazy as the Labrador had made it seem. I hoped.
Either way, by the sunset, my paws were launching me over the fence.
I landed on the concrete of the other side, but one paw hit the side of a trash can cover and made the thing fly into the air, clattering to the ground. Lights came on in the house. I bolted. I was out of the neighborhood by the time the car rumbled to life, and I hid as it drove past me. I could hear them calling, “Annie!?” It was the name I was pretty sure they’d given to me. I’d been studying the sounds humans made, comparing them to other sentences and mumbles they’d spoken, and pieced together that they had named me Annie.
I had begun to think of myself as this Annie dog, the kind of dog my humans thought I was: A young, hardy German Shepherd who showed up at their doorstep and turned out to be pregnant. I had been home for about a year, and when the pups’ father and I found out I was heavy with the little ones, I had left the streets. The streets were no place for pups, so I had gone to a human home, and they had kept me. Their father had gone back to the other town, and Bay’s pack.
Once the road was clear, I ran across, sliding against the wall and avoiding humans and cars as much as possible as I made my way through the city. Dogs barked insults at me when I passed by, but I was going full speed through this, and not listening. I quickly avoided the Junkyard territory, moving in an ark around it.
Not long after, I arrived at the edge of town, in the dark. I couldn’t see any other dogs, and I began wondering if I had come too late, but then a familiar voice asked, “Hey, is that you?”
“Who else would it be? Of course it’s me.”
Her Labrador form appeared at my side, and she smiled, “We’d better get going then. No time to waste.”
I nodded, my head inclined to the long, long road ahead, and I suddenly realized what I was doing. I was leaving my city to help a pack with an alpha that hated me, most because... Well, mostly because of Dallas... But there was something else - something more. It dawned on me that by going back, by helping, I was getting a second chance... A second chance at making things right... But that was only if I could help. If. I reminded myself. I hadn't done anything like this in my life... I commented my thoughts in a mumble, “It’s been a long three years…”
Dice nodded, seeming to know what I meant. “Don’t worry.” She looked out with me, beginning to walk, “I may not know you personally, but I know you. You’re no softy Annie. You’re strong. You’re brave. You’re Athena.”
And just like that, I was leaving my home, my life... And the thought rang in my head: I was going back…
The journey was long, though not as long as the first time I had made it. It was cold and more than a little nerve wracking, returning to the pack. I wasn’t sure what the reaction would be… Of course, anyone that knew me would likely be furious, full of hatred, anything but happy to see me. But there were two dogs that I really wasn’t sure about, and for the love of Pete, one was my son! But, as we padded into the city, I knew there was nothing I could do now. No matter what Dallas felt about me, I was here now. So, I puffed up my chest, and tried to act like I wasn’t falling to pieces as I was reminded of every memory of this place.
In fact, three steps into the place, and I just stopped, the breath knocked out of me as I heard a scream. My eyes widened, and I called out, “PING!!!” I knew better. What was worse: I knew I knew better. But my paws threw me into action, and in less than a minute, I came swinging around the bend. I could still see it… Ping, slumped against the wall... Barely conscious, and making futile efforts to stand. I could still see the Junkyards, their eyes gleaming with loathing and their teeth drenched in blood… But… wait… These weren’t…
“Look out Athena!” I heard someone’s voice call out next to me, and suddenly a weight threw me to my side. I scrambled up, but all I could see was the fight where Maple and Red had been injured. Though, for some reason, I could tell no one said it, I could still hear the rest of what Bay had called out, “There’s more!”
But suddenly, I just… Snapped out of it. My eyes came into focus, and I saw three hulking forms, their eyes bright gold and their size larger than I’d ever seen a dog. One suddenly lunged at Dice. My paws shot me instinctively at the beast, knocking it away. Before it got up, I shouted, “Run Dice!” I saw the Labrador make a dash for it, and I wasn’t far behind. Suddenly, she veered off to the side, and I trusted her, though I wasn’t sure where she was going. And as I followed, she leaped onto a trash can, pushed off a bit from the wall, and appeared on the other side of the chain link.
I threw myself forward, my paws hitting the can, knocking it down, and touching the wall just enough so that I flew over the fence as well. I turned to look behind us. The huge figures had stopped at the fence, barking and snarling, flashing their teeth with their hackles raised.
I finally caught up to Dice as we slipped through the fence and where suddenly inside the main territory of the pack. “Who was that?” I whispered, pausing before correcting myself, “Better question: What was that?”
Dice glared at me for a second, “I could ask you the same thing. You nearly got us killed.” She paused, “And those are what we’re up against, the Junkyards.”
I snickered a bit, but when Dice didn’t say she was kidding, I asked, “Wait, what? I heard that the pack beat the Junkyards to a pulp. How are they back? And what… what made them like that?”
We got nearer to the building, and Dice just said, “I’m sure Bay will fill you in on the details.” And with that, she slipped under, and I paused, but then followed after her, into the building.
The immediate reaction was pretty simple: Grey. As soon as I walked in, he was standing in front of me, snarling. “You aren’t welcome here, Athena.”
“Don’t worry Grey, she’s with me.” Dice’s tone was a cross between trying to sound friendly, and being and order.
Grey stepped slightly out of my way, but he was still furious, as expected. I flashed a glare at him, but followed Dice, who led me to just below the three large boxes, where, so long ago, Bay, Shark, and Red had once stood. Just as she did, and we reached the base of the boxes, I heard an all too familiar voice say, “Long time, no see Athena.” And there was Bay, walking up to us. Just by her tone and stance, I guessed it at once.
I turned, growling a little at Dice, “She didn’t know, did she?”
“Well Dice, I see you’re finally back. After what? Over a week? And you come back with her?”
Dice wasn’t going to roll over though, not that quick. “Everyone deserves a second chance Bay. You know that better than anyone here. When you told me about Athena, you made her sound like a great dog, a warrior and whatever you called her. So I brought her back.”
“Dice, we’ve got no chance of winning against the Junkyards. You think one dog could help?”
“From what I’ve heard, this one can. She was the one who started the whole ‘Beat the Junkyards’ thing, and it worked.”
“Only for them to come back better than before. And while we’re on the topic of the defeating of the junkyards, doesn’t everyone remember that she was beta for less than a day, and left before the war was even won?”
This sparked thousands of comments from the onlookers, and for a minute or so, I just listened to them back and forth, and I finally, I just yelled, “Enough!”
The room went silent. “I’ve done my fair share of good things and bad things in my life. I left this place, and everyone who thought it was safe, just so I could save my own hide. I know it was bad, but I need a second chance. I’m not asking for your trust. I know I don’t deserve it. All I ask is that you at least half forgive me, and let me re-join and find my redemption. Let me prove to you that I’m not that dog any more. That’s all I ask.”
There was a long pause. Which continued. And continued… And continued. Finally though, Bay said, “I’ll consider it. Find a place in the West Streets, and we’ll contact you.” West Streets. The words rang in my head, and I tried to shake them out. “Yeah, fine.” I turned, an created a wide rift through the dogs as I left.
A thick fog coated the ground, shifting in the night’s breezes, though it never seemed to break up. The West Streets were empty, just as they had been my last time here. I had chosen an abandoned house like any other, but then I had found my paws leading me here, where I now sat. It was a dark, empty street. The night around me was dreadfully cold, but at the time, I didn’t really mind. I was content to sit in the empty street with the fog, and rest. As creepy as it had once seemed, Miles had always made it sound so much more than that…
But then there was a sound of paws hitting the ground in a steady, rhythmic beating. The form that came into view was taller than me, though his body shape seemed to somewhat resemble a German Shepherd’s, with thinner attributes, shorter fur and such. I wondered if I should be wary, and it crossed my mind that this stranger could be one of the dogs I had encountered earlier. I was downwind though, and his scent was carried to me. It was undeniable that he carried the scent of the pack, Bay’s pack. From what I could see in the dim light, he had a dark caramel coat, darker than mine, though seemingly resembling it, down to the midnight black on his back, and accents on his face, tell, and slightly dark grey on his light brown chest. The male was well built, with dark eyes, which watched me closely. Pointed ears were trained on me, and as he sat, he puffed out his chest, a show of confidence which displayed a beautiful white blaze on his chest.
My voice shook, and I took a step forward, “Dallas?” I knew it had to be him, but he looked so different, so much more grown up… It nearly frightened me. Gone were those ears that refused to stay up at the same time. Gone was his puppy’s playfulness and energy. This dog was nothing like the puppy I had once given up.
“Miles said you’d be here.” His tone was cold, like stones, and he said, “You know, for a dog that only knew her pup for a few weeks, you really didn’t find it hard to tell who I am.”
I winced a bit, feeling the hostility held in his voice. “I gave you to the pack because I knew it was what was best for you.”
Dallas just stared, that cold, dark stare, but then asked, “Why?”
I was confused, “Why? I just told you why. I le-“
He cut me off with a sharp bark, standing, “That’s not why I meant. Why did you come back?”
His tone was venomous, and it made my heart ache. “Dice told me that the pack needed help… That you, most importantly, were and are in trouble.”
He growled, his lips pulling back, showing teeth, and his nose scrunched up. “I don’t need your help, Athena.” He used my name. No more ‘Mommy’ for me… “When the pack figured out that you were my mom, I had to work my hindquarters off to be free of your name.” He rolled his eyes, “You messed up my life up enough already, so just leave. You did it once before, so I’m sure you won’t mind doing it again.”
I flinched, but I knew there was nothing I could do. With that, he turned around, walking away. “You chose your life, sheep. Now step aside and let the wolves do their job.” His voice faded with his form, swallowed up by the darkness, though I could still see a whirling of displaced fog where he had one been… Dallas was gone… He was just gone.
The little German Shepherd Doberman mix puppy was but a broken memory, an illusion just for me to live with. A bitter thought ran through my mind, He’s so much like his father… I was not comforted in the least by this, but I knew it was true. I sat there for a minute or so longer before I picked myself up, turning ‘round and walking away, back to the home I had picked out. The door was shut, but it had window and a box outside of the window. I leaped from the box and into the window, landing in a room of soft floor. It was cold here too, but not as cold as out there. Wet paw prints were scattered around the house, my prints from earlier, when I had first picked the house. More trailed behind me. Moving into a room with a softer floor, I found a corner that was more or less warm, and lay down, curling into a tight ball.
I was nowhere near falling asleep when I heard another dog leap in through the window. I jumped up, but his scent hit me, and I found myself relieved. “Miles!” I barked excitedly, rushed forward, and as expected, the Doberman Pincher was standing there, trying to wipe his paws off on the soft ground.
I stopped a foot or two in front of him, holding myself back. There was a tense silence, but then Miles said, “It’s been a while, Athena.” I paused, but his tone was not harsh, nothing like Dallas’ tone had been.
“Yeah,” I laughed a bit, “A long, long time.” I looked down, growing serious. “I just saw Dallas… He doesn’t think of me as his mother any more… I know, I expected it… But I…” I trailed off, sighing sadly.
Miles walked forward, nosing my chin up. I knew I wasn’t on the brink of crying, but I wanted to cry. All I could do was press myself close to him, and I rested my head on his shoulder, and he did the same on mine. We sat in silence for a minute or so, him comforting me.
Finally, Miles said, “Don’t worry Athena. He just wasn’t prepared for anything like this… I’m sure he’ll come to like you again. He had to grow up a hard life, and he’s just not accustomed to anything nice, like you showing up.” There was a pause before he added, “You know, when he was little, he was always talking about you. Of course, he called you ‘Mommy’ then…” The Doberman trailed, and sighed. I backed up again.
The look in his dark eyes was one of sorrow. “I’m sorry you had to come back to that. No mother should have to lose her pup, especially like that.”
There was a long silence, not awkward or tense, just silence. Finally, I asked, “So, what’s going on here?”
Miles shook his head, “A lot. We won the war, but you know that already. We lived as a good, strong pack. Most of the loners and rogues stayed with the pack, but some left. Snow Lion’s friends, they left, as well as a few others. They’re around, but not part of the pack. We started getting actual pups, and training them as well. We became a large, powerful pack. Eventually, you came with Dallas, and he started growing with the others.” He chuckled a bit, “He became quite fond of another pup, Becky.” He paused, but then continued, “Not long after Dallas began his training, some strangers, Junkyards by the looks of them, came along. Within days, they had gotten control over the Junkyard Pack – They formed a new one – and that’s when trouble started happening. Two of the new junkyards left, but one remained, and the Junkyards… They became different. They grew stronger, faster… But their minds quickly decayed. We aren’t sure what actually happened… Why they became that way, but we know the after effects of it. You can get infected from a bite, a deep claw mark… and you become mindless. We’ve lost so many dogs…” He paused, trailing. “Our ranks were thinned, and we tried to recruit loners and rogues, even pets… But they wouldn’t fight, not against the Junkyards this time. And then Dice disappeared, and came back with you. And here we are. Bay would have a better description of everything, but you don’t need to hear everything right now, right?” He chuckled weakly, “What about you? What’s been happening with you?”
“Not much, not much.” I paused, “After I left, I became a pet. I didn’t want my pups to grow up like I did, on the streets… But my pups were taken away. I had to give Dallas to the pack… When I came back, I was just another pet. I couldn’t leave my home, as much as I disliked the humans for taking away my pups. They love me, and I love them… I don’t know why it’s like that, but it is. Then Dice came and got me.” I hesitated, but then, “Since I’ve been back, I’ve been… I don’t really know. When I first came here, I thought… I thought I heard Jonathan’s sister, Ping, scream, just like she had the night… The night she died. I kept getting flashbacks… I could hear Bay, even when I knew it wasn’t here. I saw the Junkyards… I think I even saw Red at one point…” I shook my head, “I’m sorry… I just thought you should know. I don’t know what’s wrong with me…”
Miles cut me off, giving me a swift lick on the cheek, “Don’t worry about it Athena. Coming back put a lot of pressure on you, so it’s no wonder you’re having trouble.” He looked to the door, “Bay is expecting me back. I have to go.” He nuzzled her a bit, and then turned around. “It’s okay Athena. Things can only get better from here.”
Only now do I know how wrong he was…
I hid in the West Streets for nearly a month. I got frequent visits from Miles, and Miles told Dallas and a few other dogs that still didn’t hate me. Dallas never visited me, but I got a visit from one or two other dogs, and to my surprise, near the end of the month, Dice came. She couldn’t stay long, but she informed me that Bay was near making a decision. The odds looked hopeful, for me, but many of the pack members still weren’t sure. With every day I wasn’t helping, I began to wonder if I should just help on me own, be a rebel and fight without the pack. However, with redemption on my mind, I stuck it out. I got rather mad at the pack though, so at one point, yes, I did manage to sneak past Grey and take some food from the pack’s pile. It was a onetime thing, and no, I wouldn’t risk it again.
At the very end of the month, a heavy-footed dog leaped through the window, landing with a thud. It took me a few seconds, but I recognized that deep presence. That was an Alpha’s presence. “Athena.” Bay’s voice addressed me, and I stood, greeting her with a respectful show of submission, though I refused to show full submission. Just respect. Bay wasn’t my alpha, not yet at least, and I wasn’t a kiss-up.
“Bay,” There was a silence before I said, “I suppose this is where I’m kicked out of West Streets, and you just wanted to do the honors?”
Bay stared at me, not amused. “No, in fact. The pack agreed that every dog on our side is one less on theirs. Not to mention, you don’t seem like you’ll leave, this time.”
I suppressed a low growl, “I left on bad terms last time. I’m making it right now. I’m staying for me, but most importantly, my son.”
“You know he hates you, right?”
“He doesn’t have to love me for me to help him. I’ve come to the conclusion by now that he’s not just going to love me. I left him. He has every right to hate me.”
Bay just stared at me, but then let out a ‘hmph’, and continued, “Either way, you’re in the pack, so long as you stay loyal to us.” She paused, “By the way, I know it was you that took some food out of our pile. Believe it or not, you’re starting to get that non-yet-seemingly-Junkyard scent again.” She looked out the window. “Through the other side of the city, scouts found a river at the bottom of a valley. A bridge of some kind spans over it, and at least once every day, a monster, large and dark, travels across the bridge. It doesn’t enter the city, turning right before it gets too close. Stay away from the bridge, Athena, but chances are, you should try to wash that Junkyard-ish smell off of you, before the pack assumes you’ve been places.”
I nodded, and Bay turned around. “I’ll see you later then, Athena.”
I refused to offer a goodbye myself, and watched as Bay left the house, leaving me alone.
I waited a minute, but then followed Bay’s instructions. I didn’t really have anything in the house that I called mine, so I figured I could just leave, wash up, and go back to the building. The directions Bay gave me were rather hard to follow. I got lost about three times, but then my eyes caught something that gleamed in the sunlight. I quickly made my way over to it, and found my paws a foot or so away from some sort of… strange… I wasn’t sure what. I had never seen anything like it before. I was sure these led to the bridge though. I got in the center of the two shiny things. They resembled the stuff on cars, with beams crossing between them. I had no idea what strange contraption they could be.
But, just as I expected, they led to the bridge, and I could hear running water, though I couldn’t see it. I was surrounded by trees and hills of many sorts. I couldn’t see the other side of the bridge though. The roadlike-thing I was between curved around a bend. I stepped off the road thing, heading down the side, which sloped steeply into a river. The river seemed calm enough, but later on, it grew into rapids, a frightening sight.
Soon enough, my paws were in the water. I winced. The river was freezing. Still though, I was not going to be thought of as a Junkyard, not again. That had not ended well last time. So, little by little, I inched my way into the river, the water rushing past me, though not enough for me to lose my footing.
“Stupid river,” I growled, letting out a yelp of surprise when a shift in the wind sent a small wave of icy water to touch my underbelly. I was shaking a bit, but I knew I had to go under. Stupid junkyard scent. I was about to just leave when suddenly the bridge far above me started shaking, and a huge, deep scream, unlike any noise I had ever heard, sounded. It seemed to shaking the ground beneath me. My eyes widened, and my first instinct took over. I sprang forward, landing in the icy water. I kicked out my feet, panicking as they hardly scraped the ground.
My head flashed above the surface with a spray of water. I coughed, blinking the water out of my eyes and trying to regain my senses. My paws just barely touched the stones below as I drifted down the river. That was not my concern however. On the bridge, a huge, dark monster was flashing by, faster than any dog or car. The noise of it was that of thunder.
It scared me, but I had nearly no time to think, as I was hit broadside by a rock sticking out of the water. I screamed, and I began spinning a bit. The impact hurt. As I came into contact with the second, I yelped in pain, scrambling to keep afloat. For a second, I could feel solid ground beneath my freezing paws, but then it was gone. Locating the rapids not far from my position, the next time I got to a patch of ground and a rock, I through myself forward, landing with a stinging sensation in my paws.
The rock was definitely small, but I was out of the water and that was enough. I shook the water from my fur, shivering violently. I was freezing, and the breeze was more of an actual wind now. I looked around, but my rock was the only one near me. The only chance I had to get to a larger rock, or a better standpoint would be to float down the river and land on one of the rocks there.
I was thinking about leaping to one side, but then I heard a familiar female’s voice saying, “Need some help there?”
I looked over. A chocolate Labrador stood on the side of the river, where I had come from. Dice. Thank the stars. “Umm…” I glanced around, still soggy from the water. “Well, yeah. I guess I do. Who knew, right?”
Dice laughed a little, “No kidding. Don’t worry though. We got swimming training when we were younger.” She paused, but then leaped into the water, with a splash. When she came up, she shouted, “Okay, now jump, towards me!”
Jump? JUMP? Dice didn’t seriously expect me to jump, did she? But there she was, padding toward me in the icy water, confident as can be. I shook my head. No time to think. My paws left the rock, and for a moment, I was weightless… But then I came slamming into the water, and for a moment, I was completely submerged. The iciness was all around me, silence crowding me in. It was calming, but frightening at the same, strange time. I kicked out my legs, but it was a strong, though not painful, grab on my scruff that pulled me out of the water. I stayed close to Dice, gliding toward the edge. “Stay calm.” She told me. “Maple says it helps if you do that, and just let the water carry you to the side of the river.”
We reached the bank, and shook the water from our coats, though I was still thoroughly chilled. I paused before I asked, “Is Maple still alive? More important, when did she start talking again?”
Dice glanced at me funny for a second, but then nodded, “Oh, yeah. The older dogs said she stopped talking for a while. From what I’ve heard, she started talking when Dass…” Dice hesitated, “Dallas, I mean, came here.”
“Ah.” I nodded, pausing a bit. Amused, I had to ask, “Dass?”
Dice shook her head, “As a pup, as you may remember, he couldn’t say his name that well, so we just called him that, Dass.”
“He doesn’t like it anymore, but I call him that sometimes. Dass was much cuter than Dallas.”
She paused, faltering, “I, uh, not saying that he isn’t cute now, or that I liked him, or that I like him now, or… uh…” Dice stumbled, but I just chuckled.
“The word you’re looking for is that Dass was adorable as a pup.”
Dice nodded, “Yes, that.” She seemed embarrassed, but relieved.
“I know what you mean, though. He was much cuter as a pup. Now, well, he’s practically an adult now. He isn’t the pup I used to know…” I paused, “When… When did that happen?”
“Well, I suppose it started after word got out that you were his mother. When he suddenly had to fight for everything, he became a little less picky as to how he got it. I’m still not sure how they found out. Maybe it was something he did, something he said... Rebecca and I were the only dogs that were his friends. But then… It was near when the Junkyards first began actually attacking. He convinced me, Becky, Roan, Dawn, and a few of the other apprentices to go on an attack party.” She shook her head, “It failed. We lost almost everyone. Dallas managed to kill one of the Junkyards, but he nearly lost Becky in the process.”
There was a pause. I shivered. Finally, Dice said, “He started the whole thing to finally earn his stripes, but it only made it worse. From that day on, he became obsessed with revenge, redeeming his name.” She chuckled, “Huh, I guess it runs in the family.”
“No kidding.”
“And… That’s why we aren’t friends. I know it doesn’t matter, but I just… I don’t do revenge. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, you know?” She looked at my clueless expression and laughed, “I know, it probably isn’t something you are familiar with… but yeah.”
I nodded, “Yeah, the whole concept is a little iffy to me…” I let my voice trail, but then decided it was time to get moving. “So, we should probably be heading back now, I suppose? I don’t want to be late for my unceremonious arrival.”
Dice nodded back, “Yeah, I guess.”
I paused, “Oh.” I turned to Dice. “Do I smell kind of like a junkyard to you?”
Dice shook her head, “Nope.”
Satisfied, I chuckled a bit, “Thank goodness. It was a problem in the past.” Dice chuckled as well for a few seconds, but then her eyebrows scrunched together, and the look on her face told me she was confused. I didn’t want to elaborate, so with a simple, “Let’s go!” I turned in the direction of the pack’s building and set off with a steady jog, knowing that Dice would follow me.
We made our way back to the pack’s building eventually, and luckily for us, we ran in to little trouble. True, some knots in my fur got me stuck in the fence for a minute or two, and Dice nearly attacked a leaf that fell on her, but for the most part, it was fine. Best of all, no flashbacks.
I thought back to my reentry into the city, about how I had heard Ping, just like I had the day she died. And then, when there, how I had seen Bay instead of Dice, after Dice had used the same phrase Bay had used once before. It occurred to me that the best way to avoid getting a flashback was to not put myself in a situation where I would remember anything painful. I wasn’t sure if it worked for good memories, and I had to wonder if going up to the top of the roof would give me pleasant memories of when Jonathan was the love of my life. Well, they wouldn’t be so pleasant anymore, but still.
I took a long, deep breath before I entered, letting Dice go in front of me. I had my eyes closed as I slinked under, but I opened my eyes as I came to the other side. For a second, I could almost see the old building – Bay in front of me, Grey challenging me, but then my eyes opened, really opened, I mean. The place was completely different. A Rottweiler stood where Grey had once been, giving me a glare, but not challenging me. There were many, many more dogs, but I could tell that it was nowhere near the amount they used to have, when I was gone. Something in their eyes told me they had lost too many to count.
Where the three boxes were, upon which Bay, Shark, and Red had once sat, there sat two strangers. One was a brown lab, supposedly one of Dice’s parents, if she’d been telling the truth. The second was a dog, much larger than I was. I guessed he was a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. He was very strong, by the looks of him, and I wondered if he was the Delta, or if he was simply a dog hanging around the Beta. He carried himself with honor, so I supposed it was the former.
Bay was nowhere in sight, though I looked around quite a bit. It occurred to me that she might be out on patrol, or even in the upper floors. Things had changed. Since she now had a Beta and a Delta, she might be allowed to leave more often.
“Look out!” I tensed as a voice called, and nearly throwing myself back as two battling mastiffs nearly barreled into me and Dice. I was about to stop them when I realized that they weren’t biting each other, only snapping near the skin, pretending to fight. They stopped a few seconds after, and the smaller, a female, was giving the larger male a glare.
The male nodded, “That’s what I mean. You need to be ready for anything, including an attack from one of your own.” He side glanced at me, though I’m sure I wasn’t supposed to notice. “You never know who you can trust.”
“Fair enough,” The female rolled her eyes. “I’ll be prepared next time then.”
The male turned to us. “Sorry about that Dice. I’m trying to teach Scarlet a few things about being ready for anything.”
Dice was scowling. “Just don’t let it happen again, Rook. This is the second time this week I’ve nearly been pummeled by you and your sister.” She turned to me. “Come on Athena. I need to introduce you to my mom.” I was still lingering, staring at the hunk of flesh that was Rook. How could that dog be Rook? I had to remind myself that it had been a long time since I’d seen Rook. He’d been a puppy back then.
I jogged to catch up to Dice, who was talking. “I understand why he does it, but I don’t want to be squashed.” She paused, “Losing his dad must’ve been hard on him, and on top of that, he has to take care of his family now. Rook had to grow up fast, so his sister didn’t have to. And now that she’s not so much of a pup, he’s trying to teach her, so she’s ready for when she has to go out there too. It’s a noble cause, but I would’ve enjoyed staying a pup for a little longer.”
I stopped her, “Back up Dice. If that is Rook… Ian is dead?”
She nodded. “More or less.” She paused before explaining, “A little after the Junkyard Crisis started, we began looking for more dogs to join our cause, like you did once before. Ian was leading a patrol through old Junkyard territory, looking for dogs, and… well… things happened. Ian was infected. He made the rest of the patrol leave before they could become infected as well. No one has seen him since.” She shook her head. “I don’t even want to imagine what would happen if we were out there one day and we saw him like that… Infected, I mean. He was a good dog, and it would kill me to see him like the Junkyards.”
I hadn’t been paying attention, looking at Dice actually, so that when she stopped, I bumping into someone. I backed up to look at the stranger. She was the brown lab from before, obviously Dice’s mother.
“Uh… Sorry about that.” I mumbled, not sure if she would get on my case for it.
“It’s alright.” She nodded, “I’m assuming you are Athena? We’ve heard a lot about you here at the pack.”
“Not all good stuff, I know, but that’s why I came back. I need to redeem my name as a pack dog.”
Dice’s mother chuckled, “You sound just like Dallas.” She paused, “My name is Rain. As I’m sure you know, I’m Dice’s mother, as well as the current Beta of the pack. I joined before the Junkyards got out of hand again. If I’m correct, you were the Beta before me, right?”
I tried to stand up a little taller as I nodded, “Yes, I was.” I trailed a little, sinking, “But I guess everyone knows how that turned out.”
“Athena, you came back so everyone would forget the things you did in the past, and consider you a part of the pack again. If they’re going to accept you, you’ll first have to accept yourself.” She paused, but then looked over my shoulder. “Bay’s back.” She looked to me. “We’ll talk later.” She padded past me, and I turned to watch her great Bay, who was followed by a group of rather soggy and mud-covered dogs. They looked very, very sad. I turned around, trotting over to get within hearing range. Bay sounded angry, and I decided that I was definitely not talking to her today.
“Bay, are you alright?” Rain was obviously concerned, but not scared. “That isn’t just mud on your coat. It’s blood. Did you run into trouble?”
Bay bumped past her, growling. “Two junkyards on the edge of the forest. We chased them, until they met up with three more. We battled at the river, further down in the rapids.” She stopped a few seconds after, “We lost three of our own, so no. I’m not fine.”
“What of the Junkyards?” Dice piped up from behind me.
Bay growled, “Two dead, two washed down the river. One ran away.”
“Who did we lose?” I found the courage to ask. She knew I was there, anyway.
“No one you’d know, Annie.” I wanted to glare, but I couldn’t find it in me. I’d lost my edge over the three years I’d been a pet.
However, I did manage a slight growl before I turned around, deciding that I wasn’t wanted here. My paws carried me away, up actually. They led me up the stairs, but I nearly turned straight around when I saw who was waiting for me up there.
As soon as my icy blues caught his golden ones, and I recognized the greyish-brown flecked fur, I let out an exasperated sigh, rolling my eyes and turning to leave.
“Athena, wait.”
I whipped my head around, “What do you want?!”
Jonathan’s eyes narrowed, and his voice seemed sharp, the kind of professional air equipped with a hostile spit, reserved only for the enemies you find the most annoying and impossible to deal with. Come to think of it, I probably used that look a lot. He moved in front of me, staring me down as he growled, “Look, I know we’re still sore after what happened before you left. No, what you heard isn’t what happened, but there are more important things to deal with right now.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off. “No.” He stepped closer to me, looking larger than I remembered him being. “I heard you came back just to, what? Redeem your name? You aren’t going to find it, not here, or at least, not now.” He looked past me - down the stairs, and his voice became low. “Follow me. We can’t talk about this here.”
I growled, but I followed him. To this day, I’m still not sure why. Either way, I followed him through the boxes, all the way to the back, or at least to a darker part of the second floor. There, he stopped and turned around. I paused, cautiously lifting my nose and inhaled deeply. Only one distinct scent was recent, though there were many old, very old scents that I didn’t recognize.
“I’m the only one who has used this place recently Athena. Dogs stopped coming here a long time ago.” He shook his head. “But that’s not what I’m going to talk to you about. You want to fix whatever life you’ve made for yourself? That’s great. Why not. But whatever you’re looking for, you aren’t going to find it here.”
“Jonathan, you’re going to have to explain what’s going on if you want anything done.” I growled, slightly irritated, though my head was cocked ever so slightly to the right.
Jonathan growled, “Fine. After you left, and the war was won, it wasn’t even half over. Bay may be the alpha of this pack, but she isn’t the one running it.” He paused to let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s Tiger’s Moon… My brother.” Jonathan turned, beginning to pace a little. “He’s done some bad stuff, from murdering innocent dogs to deception, I’m sure he’s covered it all. Ever since the war was won, he’s been the alpha… But only three dogs in the pack know it, and two of them are standing right here.” He stopped, slowing down a second, “The third is Bay herself.”
I snapped at him, “Bay would never let someone like that control the pack!”
No, I wasn’t on the best of terms with Bay, but that wasn’t something she’d do. I just knew it.
“Like you’d know,” He retorted, “when you’ve been a leash-licker for years.” He snarled, “And anyway, you’re the one who left your pup with a group of street dogs. You would never understand why Bay has done what she’s done.”
There was a long pause, but then I asked, “Why then? Why doesn’t she call the shots, instead of your brother?”
“When the war ended, we thought there was peace. I didn’t get the whole story, but Bay became cozy with this other dog, one of the males we recruited. He stuck around, and before long, we found out that Bay was pregnant. The litter was born, a small group of five pups. They were cute, soft creatures… only innocent pups. But then tragedy struck, only a day after the pup’s birth, and before many dogs knew that the litter had come the night before.” He shook his head, as if trying to shake a memory. His eyes seemed clouded, distant. “A group of junkyards burst in, and they found Bay and the pups. Her guards tried to hold them off, but failed. Four of the pups were killed, and one stolen. The junkyards vanished into the night, without a trace. And, while they had frightened the dogs, no harm appeared to have been done. Only the few dogs that knew of Bay’s pups had the knowledge of their deaths. These dogs, a circle of only five, swore that they would find the last pup and bring her back. They told the other dogs that all of the pups had been stillborn, and that was the story that everyone went with.”
To fill in a pause, I slowly asked, “Who were the five?”
Jonathan hung his head a little, “The five were Bay, Ian, Rain, Maple, and me. By the time we could do anything, the infection had started.” He paused. “When the pup was taken, Tiger’s Moon began blackmailing her. A mother Junkyard was feeding the pup, keeping her alive, but she was - is under constant threat. If Bay doesn’t do what Tiger’s Moon tells her, he will kill the pup. He’s said it a thousand times, and would often scare the pup by telling her this.” He shook his head. “Sick. It was sick.”
There was a pause, and I hesitated before I asked, “Jonathan, why me? Why not tell one of the other dogs? What do I have to do with any of this?”
“Athena, you just got back. That means that you still remember a time when things weren’t like this. The others… The others think this is just normal now. They have no idea what’s going one. But...” He stopped his pacing, turning to face me. “There’s something else though, a dog that has always puzzled me. When he first came, things were at peace. Life was finally at ease… It’s only after he arrived that things started changing.”
I was rather curious as to just who this dog could be, but I didn’t want to interrupt him.
“When he came, Miles stopped travelling, became an official part of the pack. Maple started talking again. Bay had her pups. The pups were killed, one taken. The blackmailing began. The strangers came. The infection started. Somehow, I’m beginning to think that this is, in some way, revolving around this one dog.”
A chill went down my spine, and I adjusted my position uneasily. His words rang in my head. Miles became an official part of the pack… Maple started talking again… I growled low, my lips drawing back. “You can’t be talking about who I think you are…”
“Doesn’t it bother you, Athena? All these important events have one thing in common? He was there. He was there when Miles suddenly joined, something that was supposed to never happen. He was there when Maple, after a year or so of silence, began speaking once more. He was only a row away when Bay’s pups were born, and somehow, I think he’s always known that the Junkyards killed them – that they weren’t stillborn. Athena, he was there when the strangers came. He led an attack on infected Junkyards and got most of the younger dogs killed. Doesn’t it bother you Athena?” He shook his head, “Because it sure bothers me.”
I growled. “You leave him out of this.” I didn’t want it to make sense, and saying that it did… saying that it had something to do with him, it would make it real if I said it, even if I didn’t believe it.
“I don’t think you understand, Athena.” His voice was threateningly low, and dangerously calm. “Think about it, Athena. Everything happened after he came back - after your blood came back to this city. This, whatever 'this' is," He shook his head, "This…”
I snapped at him, snarling, “You keep my son out of this!”
“You’re the one who brought him here!” He took three aggressive steps forward, forcing me to step back.
I could nearly feel the growl in his stomach and throat, making me shudder a bit. He wasn’t like this before… Or maybe he was, and I never noticed. “You make whatever you want of this situation, but you’ve got to know the facts first. You’re going to fix the pack; I just know it because for some reason, you just have to be the hero.” He shook his head, “I don’t understand it, but Dallas is the same way.” His voice got a little softer, “If anyone can save us though, it’s you. Personally, I’d rather see this place free than whatever…” He shook his head and pushed past me, “than whatever this is.”
I turned around, but Jonathan was, remarkably, half-way down the row already, and disappeared among the boxes. I let out a frustrated bark, and it echoed slightly, though I was moderately sure that it didn’t make its way to the other side of the room. I stood in an irritated silence for a while before I realized that there was somewhere that I could think about this. Without a word, I turned around, found my way out of the boxes and exited to the third floor.
My paws froze as I heard voices, and I was surprised to find that my eyes were met with a rather strange sight. Though I was sure Dice had told me, it hadn’t yet clicked in my mind that the third floor was active once more. No longer only a storage for food, it was a training ground once more.
Boards were stacked and leaned on metal posts, some made to be like platforms. As I watched, a dog leaped from one of the platforms to the next, a wide jump that I had been sure they wouldn’t make. A young group of perhaps three or four dogs were looping through a training session, leaping over difficult boards and ducking through low passages. As far as I could tell, they would sometimes pick up objects that, from this distance, seemed to be rocks, and dropping them elsewhere, where they were quickly picked up by another. One of the dogs looked up, spotted me, and slowed down. The others did as well, and soon were all stopped.
It was at this point that I realized an old, old accented voice was asking angrily, “Why ah we stoppin’?” I located the voice a moment later. An ancient looking Labrador stood next to the looping course. But, then she turned, and looked to me. The silence was heavy, thick with a crushing weight. Finally though, she asked, “What ah ya doin’ ‘ere?”
I stepped up, officially onto the third floor. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?
Maple shook her head, “Ya’ve got naw ideah.” She turned back to her ‘class’ of sorts, “Keep runnin’ the cose. A’ll be back.” Maple came closer to me, drawing me aside.
Her accent became a little softer as she turned to me, “Ya ain’t gonna be sneakin’ aff to da up top agin, ah ya?”
That’s exactly what I was going to do. “I just need some time to think. Coming back has been… difficult.” I paused, thinking about it. I hadn’t wanted to talk to Maple, but perhaps this was exactly who I was supposed to be talking to. “Maple, all those years ago when…” I hesitated, glancing to the gruesome scar over her eye, “when we were trying to reach Red, and you were down, you told me…”
Maple shook her head, “Ah told ya ex-actly whacha needed ta know.” I paused, looking over to her with a questioning gaze. She looked back and me and rolled her eyes. “Ah thought ya woulda figa’d it out ba now.” She paused before continuing. “Ah saw Jonathan tawlkin’ ta ya ealia. Didn’t ‘e tell ya?” She shook her head, mumbling something about someone, likely Jonathan, being useless. Or perhaps she said spineless. I couldn’t really tell with that accent. “Ah tried ta warn ya, Athena. Tiga’s Moon ain’t that far. Neva was. Whuts moar, e’s got connectshuns.”
“Connections?” I asked, “With… with who?” I knew at least one of the answers, but I was holding my breath, just in case she said someone else’s name. Like Dallas, perhaps.
“’Is brotha ah cose. Jonathan ‘asn’t ulways bin on da riet side ah all dis.” Maple paused once more, looking over to me curiously, “Ah’m surprised ‘e didn’t tell ya. Specially ‘cause dat was da meetin’ where ‘e pretended ya didn’t mean jack to ‘im.”
I stopped, turning towards Maple. “What?”
“Dat was da tiem when ‘e…” She shook her head, “Naw. Ya ain’t gonna ‘ear dis from me. A-teena, ah told ya Tiga’s Moon was closa den ya thought. Ya found dat out when ya looked offa da buildin’ an fallowed Jonathan and Tiga’s Moon.”
“Maple, what do you mean? How do you know all this?!” This was all so strange… Why wouldn’t Maple tell me what she was talking about.”
“Cuz,” Maple snapped. “Ah may nawt be da yung dawg ah wuz, but ah ain’t no leash-licka neitha. Besides, any leash-licka with haffada skill ah got culd track a dawg like ya-self throo da farest.” She shook her head, “Ah ain’t got tiem fa dis. Ah gotta git back ta wok.”
I watched as Maple walked laboredly away back to her ‘class’, and I noted how she was walking in a slight arc, something I was sure she’d picked up after losing the use of one eye. Now confused, and still rather angry, my paws still guided me to the door, which led to the top of the building. To my irritation, the door was shut. Still, however, I wasn’t going to go back down and have to deal with Bay and the other dogs just yet. I glanced over, and located a block of wood. I wasn’t sure if the door needed it, but I wanted to put something there, just in case. The only problem was getting the door open.
Finally though, I came up with a plan. Standing on my hindlegs, I put my paws up on the door, and dragged them down. As hoped, though it made a loud ‘ccgghh’ sound, my paw got caught in the stick-like metal, and it turned. This was a process I had seen my humans do many times before, but I had never thought to try it. Carefully, I backed up until the gap was wide enough for me. As quickly as I could, I released my paw and slipped into the empty space, letting the door lightly bump my side before I stretched out, grabbing the rock and bracing it against the door. The door didn’t seem to need it, but I didn’t want anyone closing it, and I didn’t want to get stuck on the top of the building.
And then, I turned. I could see a cold light shining through the open top door. A freezing wind whipped through my fur and howled in my ears, and I closed my eyes. A chill went down my spine, and I could suddenly feel a slight touch of fur on my cheek, leading me forward. “Close your eyes, I’ll lead you out.” His voice came from just in front of me. Startled, I opened my eyes, but no one was there. I blinked, and looked around. There was nothing but an empty hallway, and a dark stairwell, leading up. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes again. And there was the tail. I followed its lead, my paws touching the stairs with the same uneasy anticipation they had once placed themselves with. The ground was becoming wet beneath me, and suddenly I was out in the emptiness.
A voice spoke, sweet as honey, yet strong as a storm. “Okay,” he whispered, “Open.”
I was alone. I was alone on the top of the building, a tear sliding down my cheek. A light rain sprinkled gently over the land, and a wind blew it around and into me. I missed it. I missed the days when things were simpler, when I was a younger and stronger dog. Things were better back then. I supposed I’d missed my chance for a life like that a long time ago.
For a while, I just waited there, lying down in a curled-up-ball and trying to think some things out. Maple’s words echoed in my head, pairing to something Jonathan had said, so long, long ago. He had told me that he could explain what I’d heard, but didn’t want to hear it. It was just before I had left, if I was correct. I had cut him off before he had said anything. Was this what he meant? I shook my head, sighing. What really happened that night? And what do I do about this Tiger’s Moon situation? And what does Dallas have to do with anything?
A few hours later, I came down, still soaking wet, though the rain had stopped a while ago. Cautiously, I made sure neither door shut all the way. I still wasn’t too clear on much. Sitting up there had brought me three conclusions, but nothing else. The first: Jonathan and I needed to catch up. The second: I needed to talk to Jonathan about how I could help. The third: Dallas must have nothing to do with this.
It was easy enough to come to these, but I had to actually act on them now. With the day slipping away, I figured there was no time to lose. If the situations here were so dire, I had to act fast. No one was on the third floor. No guard was stationed near the extra food. I shuddered, and hesitated before lifting my nose to the air. I was just about to take in the scents, but there was no need. A howl, from somewhere down in the building, echoed up to me. It wasn’t a normal howl though, not one of sorrow, or strength. It was part yelp, the howl of an injured dog letting out a screech of pain.
And suddenly, I was sprinting, missing steps and stumbling, but not caring. Water flew from my pelt, surprisingly drying me a little. I passed row after row of crates and boxes, but no familiar faces showed themselves. I turned down the last stairway, and stopped. In a large crowd, slowly growing closer was where most of the dogs were. The bottom floor reeked. The smell was of junkyard, but diseased, as if they were rotting. My eyes began searching the faces of those I could see. Miles was right in front, but I only saw his back. Bay was across from him, Rain at her side, with Dice and Jonathan on her other side. Oh no. Of all the faces, only one was missing. I trembled as I made my way down, pushing through the other dogs with a forceful shoulder, until I was right next to Miles. In the center of the circle, there was Dallas. He was definitely in pain, his teeth grit and hit eyes closing tight shut every few seconds, hissing through his teeth. His once brown shoulder was now stained red, and a bit of white foam was around it. He was bleeding. He was bit.
As I stood, my eyes wide and my hold body shaking, Dallas shot me a glance. Suddenly, I realized Jonathan was looking at me too, and so was Miles, and so was Dice.
I steadied myself, clenched my teeth. Life must go on, Athena. I paused. Not everyone’s life. I stomped a paw down. I was no second in command, a beta as they now called it, but someone had to do something. “Jonathan, Miles, Dice, you’re coming with me.” I turned, and began walking to the exit.
“Athena, what are you doing?” A voice, Miles, growled from behind me.
I didn’t glance over my shoulder, only able to growl and glare forward, stopping. “I’m going to attack them. What do you think I’m going to do?” I continued walking, my blood boiling.
“You don’t have the power to make a call like that, Athena.” Bay’s voice came a second later.
I kept walking. “I don’t care if you’re my Alpha again Bay. You aren’t stopping me.” I slipped under the metal door, and as I walked, picking up a faster pace, I was surprised to hear paws hitting the ground behind me. I glanced over my shoulder. Sure enough, Dice, Miles, and Jonathan were following close behind me. I picked up into a run, following the scent trail. It stood out among the other smells. I guess smells like death and decay have a tendency to do that. It led me back through streets that had once been pack dog territory, and obviously weren’t anymore. As far as I could tell, Junkyard territory started inches from our fence.
Once the smell had become so clearly imprinted upon my senses, I picked up a dead run. It led me through back alleys, and complicated streets that I didn’t recognize. All the time, the smell was growing stronger, but at the same time, fading in with the scents of Junkyards all around me. I couldn’t see them, but I could smell them. I could feel their gazes in the shadows, and a chill went down my spine. Why aren’t they attacking? I slowed down, stopped, and checked over my shoulder as we came into an empty intersection. To my surprise, there were now four dogs behind me, instead of the three I had originally brought with me. I growled, quite suddenly alert that we might’ve picked up a lurking stray. The dog’s scent was foreign to me, but before I could do anything, Dice’s voice whispered.
“Don’t worry Athena. It’s only Becky. There are more dangerous dogs out here.” The dark figure, which I assumed was Becky, dipped her head. I didn’t return the gesture, only turned around. I picked up my paws to begin running, but I only went a step before I halted. Something wasn’t right. Junkyard scent was strong, very strong here, concentrated somehow. It was too quite. The pack dog’s breaths, mine included, were hushed.
I closed my eyes for a few seconds. A paw stepped contacted the ground, and a distinct slight crunch-like sound followed, something I recognized as the nearly silent crinkle of worn pawpads. Heavy breathing began, not labored, but somehow still raspy. I shivered, ice-blue eyes opening. Thick claws scratched against the asphalt, to my side. I only managed a yelp before I was shoved onto my side.
For a second, when I looked up, all I saw was my first night here, when this situation had led to me meeting Bear. I couldn’t help wondering what had happened to him. Last I’d heard from him was before I’d had my pups. At first, I had been furious at him for coming to me, but he gave me an update on the things that had been happening, mostly about how we’d won, and how he had left the junkyards, and became a pack dog.
But this wasn’t the time to worry about a Doberman I hadn’t seen in years. For, when I looked up, though a Doberman stood there, he wasn’t facing me, and his name was Miles. He was standing protectively over me, though blocking my view of whatever was on the other side of him. I scrambled to my paws, my heart beating out of my chest. The five of us were all growling, defensively backing into each other.
Junkyards snarled and snapped at us from all angles, effectively blocking any possible escape. My heart skipped a beat as I realized with startling clarity that there was no logical way any of us were going to make it out of here. But then, above the noise, a voice growled, “Silence.”
The growling and barking stopped. I shivered. That voice was familiar… I turned toward the voice, while keeping my body angled toward the Junkyard Dogs. They were all staring at the voice’s owner. I took a gamble and looked.
His coat was dark, something near black, with white boots. I knew that coat. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew what they would be like. One would be blue, and one would be brown. I couldn’t stop myself from asking in a low growl, “Tony?”
But it wasn’t Tony’s voice that spoke. It was Jonathan’s. “His name isn’t Tony, Athena. It’s Tiger’s Moon.”
I shook my head. That didn’t make sense. How could Tony, the wolfdog that escorted me back to safety, saved me from a wolf, and had a brother than abandoned him, be Jonathan’s brother, Tiger’s Moon? And in that case, what was the real story behind everything? Tony’s story and Jonathan’s story of their history were completely different… And why did Tony save me from that wolf? I shook my head again. Later. A dangerous situation was unfolding here.
Tony… Tiger’s Moon spoke. “You know, Jonathan, you’ve got no idea just how much of a fool you are for switching sides. You could’ve had this, an empire strong enough to take down the pack dogs.”
“Your empire is nothing but a crumpling heap, brother. I’d rather kill you than be a part of it.” Jonathan’s words were venomous, yet he spoke as if Tiger’s Moon was the snake.
Tiger’s Moon stood taller, pumping out his chest with his ears pinned, his lips pulling back into a snarl, broken and yellowed teeth showing. His barks rang through the silence, “Then come and fight me!”
There was no time to react. Suddenly, Jonathan was leaping forward, and we were being attacked from all sides. I knew better than to go directly for the Junkyard, but the beast brought the fight to me. Before I knew it, my teeth were locked in its flesh, and I tore as best I could, though I couldn’t tell if I’d done any actual harm. The lighting was terrible. But I wasn’t dwelling on anything. This could be the Junkyard that bit my son. Any one of them could’ve. If Dallas died, or became… like this… I wasn’t sure what I would do. Well, the answer was certain, actually. I was going to kill all of them, even if he survived. Yet though I knew that my chances of surviving this were weak as his, I still went in for another bite, going for the neck. But something snagged on my collar, the same something that tore into my shoulder. The pain was intensely hot, and I wailed, though I knew I couldn’t stop, not if I was going to get out… Have a chance. I hadn’t heard of anyone getting bit and not becoming infected, but for some strange reason, my mind told me that I could make it through this. That for some reason, I was an exception.
So I steadied myself, looking up only to find that the dog I had been fighting was dead. A voice called over the noise, “Run!”
The dog in front of me turned and began sprinting away. I was quick to follow, and as far as I could smell, Dice was right behind me. Though my shoulder burned, and some of the frothy white stuff was beginning to drip down my pelt, I could still run, for the most part. With the burst of adrenaline, I clenched my teeth and just ran, following the dog, Becky if I was correct, leading us in the direction of home. I wasn’t sure where Miles and Jonathan were… And in my state of mind, I could only assume the worst.
It happened just as it had last time. My paws hit the asphalt, still wet from earlier, splashing the puddles underneath me, which kicked water onto my underbelly. I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest, just like I had so long ago. Just as before,
What did you think so far? Comment if you want to!
Also, instead of symbols, I'm just using the words Chapter (Insert Number here), so you can search that instead to find the chapter you are looking for.[/div][/div][/font]
With that on my mind, it’s no wonder I never saw it coming. I had left in the night, the same way I always did, but Maxon never showed up. I waited until dawn, but his well-built form never appeared. Not wanting to be found out, I headed back home, and what I saw there made my paws stick to the ground.
In short, the Junkyard pack had caught on. They killed Shiro, and I was made to witness Maxon’s death. The Junkyard Dogs made an example out of me, of what would happen should anyone follow in my pawsteps. I never saw the streets the same after that day. At this point, there was a time where I believe no one knows what I did. I broke all ties to any dogs I knew.
But when I suddenly reappeared, I tried to be the dog I used to be, so I would always be the dog that the two I had loved most loved me for. And now… Well, I’m still a stray. What else is there to say?
A lot.
--
Everyone has a story. Many never tell them, many keep them hidden, but everyone has a story, the same as everyone has a past. Sometimes, the stories will find you, weaving you away into a magical wonderland. I warn you, stranger, this is no fairy tale. In my history, a year, a piece of my past, a bit of my story is missing. And I’m going to tell it to you. This is my chronicle. This is my Untold Story.
--
Chapter 1
The rain came down in torrents, stinging my ice blue eyes and drenching my black and brown German Shepherd’s coat so that the colors seemed to blend into a single shade of dark grey, matching the stormy night sky above me. My head was hung low, and I could barely contain the sorrow that filled me to the brim. I was lost, alone… and for the first time in a long, long time, I was afraid. I felt so far away from the times when I believed that the streets were an amazing place, open to everyone with a pair of paws and an adventurous heart. As I padded through the streets, it didn’t look anything like I had once seen it as, and I knew that it would never be the great place I had once thought it to be. All the dogs that had ever really made a good difference in my life were gone. Walking silently though the streets, the cold rain seeping into my skin, I knew where I was going, even if I wasn’t willing my paws to take me there. I was leaving.
Lighting tore across the sky as I looked back into the city. My city, my birthplace, my home… The place where I had lived as a free spirited pup… The world I couldn’t believe in anymore. Following the broken road out of the city, some part about it felt so right, even if it was more wrong than anything I had ever done before.
For nine wet-asphalt smelling days, I followed that broken road, far from my home and far away from all familiar surroundings. The days were almost always rainy, or else cloudy and bitterly cold, with a wind that chilled the soul. For the most part, I hid out in abandoned fox dens, under the branches of trees, sometimes just on the side of the road when I couldn’t summon the strength to drag myself much further than off the asphalt. Few cars passed by, and most of them were going back the way I had come. I ate road-kill when I could find it, hunting if I had to. Finally, on the ninth day, I lifted my head to see a city growing nearer. It wasn’t by any means large, but I hoped it was somewhere that I could stay for a while, even if I was just passing through.
I made it into the city more than a few hours after nightfall. In place of the rain, a thick fog covered the ground, the wind blowing it all around me, though it never seemed to blow it away. I couldn’t see any other dogs, but everywhere I looked, I always thought I could see them, waiting, watching from the shadows. I could always feel them watching me, even if I never saw them. It was clear that the strays here weren’t very inviting towards strangers, and I figured that I was likely one of the few new faces they ever saw. Dreadfully hungry, as there hadn’t been good hunting or road-kill for that matter, near the city, my icy blues locked themselves on a cluster of trash cans. Deciding to try my luck, I padded over to them, rearing to get my front paws on the top as I looked for a way to open it, and cursed the loud bang that it made when I did so. I was just about to knock the can over as solution when an immense weight knocked me down, taking the trash can with me and spelling its contents. Though the clashing and clanking of the metal can made a moderate amount of noise, nothing other than the scene in front of me seemed to be moving.
I scrambled up, finding myself looking up at a huge Doberman. He growled, lowering his head to be eye to eye with me. “You must be new here.” His voice was deep and threatening. “You see those trash cans.” I didn’t turn away as he indicated them. “That’s Junkyard territory.”
I growled back, baring my teeth. My shy, kind nature having nearly, or mostly evaporating in the recent days, I snarled, “Well excuse me if you keep poor watch on your food sources.”
“Stealing with an attitude? Huh, maybe you will fit in.” The Doberman rolled his eyes, turning and beginning to walk away, clearly not intimidated by my presence as he called over his shoulder, “Little scrap like you, just go home. You won’t last a day.”
I lunged forward, tackling him putting the full weight of my body to keep him down. "I think I've got a chance." Believing that I had effectively pinned him, I growled under my breath, "Junkyard dogs, they're all the same."
Taken off guard, the Doberman said, "Fine, so you've got a little strength in those flimsy bones of yours." He stood, shaking me off easily, "Don't oversell it." I got up, looking back at him. He looked me over again, definitely sizing me up again. His tone changed a bit, "Look, you've got spirit, but honestly, if you want to stay that way, go back to where ever you got that attitude. It'll serve you better in the long run. And if you know what's good for you, don't come back to Junkyard territory, it-" He was about to go on when he paused, hesitating before stepping forward and sniffing my fur. I snapped at him, and he backed up, his eyes narrowing. "You're a Junkyard too?"
I still smelled like the junkyard? I wasn't sure if I still smelled like the junkyard from... well... recently, or if he was talking about from when I was born. Shiro had often gotten frightened when she could smell me, but not see me, and it finally came to me why. Replying in the truest answer I could manage, I said, "Not anymore."
Moving in a circle around me, he said, "Hmm... ice blue eyes, small build, a terrible first impression... I've met a few German Shepherds like you little one."
I rolled my eyes, "Just let me have some food and I'll leave," I paused to fit in a neat little glare, "Doberman."
The Doberman sat down, smirking in his way as he said, "The name's Bear, and I was trying to imply that I think I know your family."
Did... Did I really have a family? Did I have a family with real parents? Did I have any siblings? He hadn’t specifically said parent, or parents, or anything about brothers or sisters, but he’d said a family, and that brought up so many unanswered questions… Still though, I tried not to hesitate and instead reply, “Oh yeah? What makes you think that I ever lost them to begin with?”
“You’ve just got to size them up. Look at how they walk, how they talk. Notice things like where they pause, when they hesitate. Not to mention, I never said you lost them. I said I know them.”
Shoot. Bear had gotten me in that one. Guarded, I finally addressed his question. “That family has no place in my heart.” Trying not to look as sorrowful as I felt, I snapped, “And I doubt they ever will.”
Bear shrugged his shoulders, "I would bet my share of food that you still have a place in their hearts... But I don't exactly have a steady source of food." He looked again to the metal cans, “Mostly because strays like you think they’re allowed to just run up and take it.”
Before this time, I had never known why I was left to die. Not even Shiro had told me why I was abandoned, so, on a practical, but possibly misguided hunch, I had always assumed that it was because my parents hated me or something... Had… Had I been wrong? What if they had actually loved me...? I knew this wasn't exactly the time to get all mushy, but what if they hadn't hated me?
I couldn't chance it though. A hardened heart had taught me a lot more about distrust than I had ever wanted to know. Bear stood again, speaking a little softer, "How about you follow me, kid? I can show you where they are."
I... I couldn't. I wouldn't. "No." I growled slightly, "A family is a pack. Packs are... too... claustrophobic... for my taste. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have some unfinished business." Shrugging my shoulders as I tried to look like I knew what I was doing, I made a bolt for it. Streaking past Bear, I grabbed a piece of what I seriously hoped was food from the trash can’s spilled contents. After I had done so, I pushed myself away, darting off quickly as my paws could carry me. I wasn't sure if Bear would chase me, but after a few blocks, I realized that no one had followed in pursuit. Glad of this, not to mention a rather small and bland meal, I finally plopped down in an old alleyway for a rest, relieved to finally be able to get away from all of this for a while.
When I woke, the scene was just about the same, except that it was raining again, and obviously it had been raining for quite some time, as my fur was already soaked. As I said, it was basically the same image... Until I looked around, that is.
"Honestly kid, how long do you plan on surviving the streets?" The stranger asked, moving closer as she went on to say, "'Cause with the ability to sleep through the rain like that and an attitude I haven't seen for a while now, I don't think your future's going very far."
I pushed myself off of the wet alley ground, "You're one to talk. I bet sneaking up on strangers isn't exactly desirable either." I retorted, taking an aggressive step towards her as I tried to make her just... go away or something.
As the stranger, another German Shepherd, neared, I noticed her nose twitch, and then scrunch up, the fur on the back of her neck standing. "Wait, you're a Junkyard?"
Why must I smell like a Junkyard Dog...? "You sound just like that Doberman." I snapped, "I'm not a Junkyard Dog, not anymore at least."
"So you were once?" The other was warily curious, though she moved no closer.
"No! I- ... I wasn't...” I closed my eyes, sighing, “Seems my heart always has been." I muttered the last part under my breath, the noise barely audible over the sound of the rain.
The stranger stood a moment in silence, the rain pounding on us both for a bit before she said, "Come on... You need a place to stay for a while. You can leave when you're ready. I don't want to see another dog die. Too much of that has happened already."
Chapter 2
I persisted, but I found myself walking with the other, dashing across streets and avoiding humans whenever possible, though it seemed that there weren’t too many to be worried about in this town, very different from what I was used to back in the city. Realizing that my persistence was utterly useless, I debated leaving her company, but finally decided to see what this stranger had to offer. The walk lasted a while before she turned down an alleyway that opened to another street, and beyond that, a seemingly abandoned building, surrounded by chain link fencing. We made it safely across the road, and she showed me to where there was a gap between the two gates, just enough to get through. As I padded forward, I felt myself shrinking down a bit. I felt a bit scared, intimidated by this large and unwelcoming building. The other pulled ahead of me, her grey eyes dead set on what seemed to be a closed metal door. I was surprised when I saw her lower herself to the ground and crawl underneath. I hesitated, but then followed in suite, coming to the realization that there was a gap between the metal door and the floor. On the other side, and before I had finished pulling myself out from under the wide metal contraption, another dog challenged us.
I could see at once that this dog, likely a sentry or guard, was confused by my scent, like many other dogs I’d met. He growled towards the both of us, though he obviously still regarded the other female with a seemingly great level of respect. “Bay… It seems you have brought a Junkyard Dog into our mists.”
Pulling myself out from under, I growled back, but before I could think of a comeback toward the other German Shepherd, Bay, apparently the dog who had brought me here, stepped in front of me. “She’s not a Junkyard. She’s just a stray.” Looking back to me, her grey eyes locked with my ice-blues as she added, “And so long as she keeps it that way, she is welcome here.”
After both of us shook off the rainwater, Bay turned, indicating for me to follow her, so, after a slight hesitation, I did, though I could hear the guard calling, “But… But…” He was obviously still confused, but I shrugged him and it off. I wasn’t staying, so it didn’t exactly matter what kind of impression I made, so long as I could come back, of course.
As we went further into the building, passing crates and trash cans, I began to see a few more dogs, and I had the feeling that this building was less abandoned as I’d thought. Some rested in the boxes, some on top of them, while others were just talking. I could see one or two grab what seemed to be something to eat from a pile of what I hoped was food. There weren’t many dogs, but it was enough to make me wonder. “Bay, what is this place? And what’s so wrong about smelling a tad bit like a Junkyard?
Bay whipped around, stopping dead in her tracks to watch me as she said, “I don’t believe I know your name.”
The relevance, I simply just didn’t see. “What does my name have to do with an old building?”
“I asked you a question. What is your name?” Bay repeated, her voice stern, her muscles stiff. I still didn’t see what my name had to do with this, but I answered all the same.
“My name’s Athena, now what of it?!” I half shouted before I realized that I was drawing attention to us. Quieting down a bit, I asked, “What do you want with my name?”
Instead of answering, the Shepherd replied, “Athena, look around. You see the walls, the roof, even the very entryway that used to guard a pack so large that the Junkyards were afraid of them. In this building, fierce young warriors, wise old elders, and all age groups once resided. And do you know what happened to them Athena?”
I shook my head ‘no’, still confused as to why she needed my name to tell me this. I also had the strange notion that I was being accused and blamed at the same time.
“A young male of that pack, going by the name Silas, fell in love.”
That didn’t exactly make much sense. How could one dog falling in love destroy a pack as strong as Bay had described? “What’s so wrong with-“
Bay cut me off. “Silas fell in love with female, but not just any female. He fell in love with the single most powerful dog, a Shepherd by the name River. She was the soon to be Alpha, not to mention the current Alpha’s daughter,” Bay took a breath, “Of the Junkyard Dogs.”
I tried to grasp the importance of the moment, but I wasn’t exactly feeling it. The story sounded rather familiar, though he hadn’t been the next Alpha, nor I in a very strong pack. Not thinking, I blurted out, “So they were in love. It’s not like there was a war because of it.”
Bay rolled her eyes, mumbling something that sounded a lot like ‘ignorant pup’ before she replied, “There was a war because of them! Both sides found out, and both vowed to destroy each other for breaking the rules the founders of both groups had established!” Bay paused slightly, “River… River was more loyal to her pack than Silas. The poor fool never saw it coming. He invited her back to camp in hopes she would join the pack he belonged to. He allowed her passaged straight to the building. In short, she sounded an ambush, and the once great pack was cast into ruin.” The grey-eyed Shepherd turned back to her path, “So if you are getting a lot of dirty looks, just remember that they have good reason for it.”
I still didn’t know why she needed my name, but I was still curious about that old pack, and I sped up, trying to keep with Bay’s quick, steady pace as I said, “Wait! Bay… What was the pack’s name?”
“They didn’t have one.” She called over her shoulder. “They were just Street Dogs. The Alpha, Shepard, never thought it needed a name. In their time, almost this whole city was their territory. They had patrols, scavengers, spies, even dogs who hunted outside the borders, and others who kept the Junkyards in check. These streets were once theirs. They were Shepard’s Streets. Now look at them. We’re left tired and hungry, just because we can’t stand up to some trash-dogs.” Bay used the word as if she was cursing.
The Shepherd sounded as if she’d either been there or if she had been the descendant of one of the survivors… Either way, I didn’t want to bring up anything that might set her off, such as listing the similarities between Silas and River and myself and… I chocked on his name. After a few more tries at it, I finally gave up, reaching where Bay was now standing: On top of a large crate. Next to her, and on crates of smaller size, stood two dogs- a strong, well build border collie, and a stern-looking Dalmation. Raising her voice, she said, “Let all those just of heart gather before me. There are matters that must be discussed.” Dogs boasting all kinds of sizes began to gather, and I made sure to move away from them. If these dogs, likely all of them, still had a grudge against Junkyard Dogs (Even those who only smelled like them), it probably wasn’t the best idea for me to be too close.
Once all the dogs had gathered, a group of about fifteen, Bay said, “Everyone, I know we’ve all had bad experiences with strangers, and I can’t promise that this one will be any different… But I’ve decided to let this Shepherd have passage in our pack’s territory. Athena, please step forward.”
Hesitantly, I walked nearer. I could feel the eyes of all dogs present locked on me. This isn't going to end well... Yes... Because coming here, to the company of a strange pack that had members likely intent on my demise had been a good idea in the first place. Perfect, just perfect.
"Members of the pack, this-"
Bay was cut off by cringing noses and growls of hatred as I supposed my scent finally reached them. They cried 'Junkyard' and growled threats, many standing and taking aggressive steps toward me. I wasn't much better, my immediate instinct turning me to meet the onslaught with a growl and a few under-my-breath insults, though I wasn't sure if they were directed to my stupidity or to the group who threatened to mess with me.
Bay's voice rose again as she tried to regain the attention of her group, "Everyone, please, calm down!"
A bull mastiff wouldn't hear it though, his voice deep and ringing loud and clear for them all to hear, "No, Bay. We all know what these Junkyard Dogs would do to us! I bet she's got a whole patrol waiting for her signal! I won't stand for this, Bay. The Shepherd will die!"
Chapter 3
For a moment or two, I seriously thought that I was going to die. The mastiff lurched forward, my heart skipped a beat, and suddenly, my view was blocked. A strong voice answered in a low growl, "No."
I moved out from directly behind the other dog, but I didn't dare step in front of him. Not even my pride could force me to do that. The mastiff's eyes narrowed as he replied bitterly, "Jonathan... This isn't your fight, and you know it."
I looked to the dog who had stepped in front of me. He was a well-built male, a black and white coat with accents of brown. He was standing as if ready to take on the entire crowd if need be. "Bay wouldn't have brought her back here unless she trusted her enough. You should know that by now, Ian." Raising his head to address everyone in the group, he growled louder, "And if any of you don't trust in our Alpha's skills to keep everyone here safe, maybe you shouldn't be here."
The Mastiff, apparently Ian, looked to Bay, who, oddly enough, was now calmly lying down. "What's wrong, Bay? Need Jonathan to fight your battles now?"
Bay shook her head, "No. He's doing a darn fine job of it though. Why, you want me to come down there and show everyone how much of a milk-drinker you are?" She paused a moment before adding on, "Hey, I'm just trying to let you walk away from this with a shred of dignity."
Jonathan took a step toward the crowd, and to my surprise, most of them responded by taking a step back. "So what'll it be? You can either have Grey over there," He indicated the German Shepherd that had challenged me and Bay earlier, "Escort you out, or, you can stay and listen to what Bay is trying to tell you."
There was a moment of silence, but no one proceeded to walk out of the building. Jonathan turned, nodded to Bay, "Continue." Dipping his head slightly to me, he walked back to where I supposed he had been sitting. The others sat down, settling, but still likely angry. I turned back to Bay, hesitantly taking a step to where she had earlier indicated that I come to.
Bay stood back up, dipping her head to Jonathan before looking to the two dogs at her sides and asking, "Why didn't one of you do something like that?" She didn't wait for an answer though, taking only a moment before she said, "As I was trying to say, this is Athena. In fact, she is not a Junkyard Dog. If she was, she would've tried to kill me long before we even got here. And if she actually had control of a patrol and was going to signal them to attack, I doubt she would've waited this long. Now, she is allowed free passage through our domain, unless," Bay glared a warning to me, "she becomes a Junkyard Dog, or proves my current judgment of her on that matter to be incorrect." Turning back to the crowd, she finished, "If she finds a reasonable amount of food and a decent shelter, providing her with everything necessary to her survival, she will not be allowed to use our stores for either." Turning back to Jonathan, she said, "Since you seem to be the only civil dog down there, I kindly ask that you would show her around?"
Jonathan stood, "I'd be honored."
"Good, then everything is settled. Dismissed."
Jonathan walked over to me, "Alright Athena. Let's go. This place is a bit big." He gave me a slight smile, "And don't worry. I won't let any of them hurt you."
Happy to know that I had someone to help me out in this place, I gladly followed him. The Northern Inuit took me around the building, showing me where food stores were, where dogs slept, and certain ways to get out of the building, just in case something where to happen. The first floor had been where Bay had led me, and where Bay had addressed the pack was called the Gathering Area. The first floor was the general meeting place, where dogs could socialize, not to mention be assigned out for scavenging and the like. The first food store was located there, but it didn't contain all of the pack's food, as Jonathan explained. "It would be too easy for other packs to starve us if our food was hanging out in the front of the building. Even so, at least one guard is always posted at the gate, just in case another dog was to try to steal food." I looked towards Grey and the door, hearing the rain dying down outside as I nodded my understanding. "And the two dogs that had been at Bay's sides were her second and third in command. Her second is Shark, the collie, and the third is Red, the Dalmatian.” He paused to look over to where Ian and female Bull Mastiff were speaking. “And of course you know Ian. The other is his mate, Rune. Ian’s got a grudge, obviously, against Junkyards, but don’t take it personally. His family was here in Shepard’s time, so he’s a little sore on the topic, even though he himself wasn’t there.”
Then the second floor was mostly filled with crates, where Jonathan told me the pack members had slept. Now it was mostly empty, save for the boxes that belonged to the members I had seen earlier. "When that huge pack lived here, almost every box was home to at least one dog, two in a few cases, as I’m told. Sentries would guard the stairs to get up here as well, but as of now, we don't have enough dogs to do that." Indicating a few larger boxes, whose lids were leaning against them to prevent easy or soundless entry, Jonathan said, "That's where the pack's pups used to be, but we haven't seen many young or new faces in the recent years." He paused to look back at me, "Except you of course."
From there, he led me up more stairs, past another sentry, and into the third floor. The place had a larger food store, guarded by many makeshift devices to prevent easy access, not to mention, again, a soundless entry. There were more boxes here as well, and poles and beams leaned against some places. Between two boxes, a beam bridged the gap. "Along with storing our food, protected against thieves both in and outside the pack, this place also serves to teach the young ones. Or at least, it did. Mentors would teach the younger ones balance, fighting moves, stealth, how to tell good foods from bad..." Jonathan sighed a little, "It's been so long since anyone's seen this place in its full glory. My father's father must have trained here..." Shaking his head, he said, "Well, one day, I bet this pack will be like them. Bay's a great Alpha, and I'm sure she can at least partially restore what this pack used to be."
I nodded, but I wasn't so sure. Granted, I didn't know Bay very well, but if her pack was as unwelcoming to everyone as they had been to me, I doubted they would last very long, even if Bay was actually a fine Alpha. There was a moment of silence before Jonathan suddenly smiled at me, his golden eyes staring into mine as he asked, "Wanna see something cool?" Curious, I nodded briefly. Swinging around, he looked led me to a partially open door, looking both directions before he nudged it open, leading me into what I first took to be a small room. As we entered, however, and the door closed almost shut behind us, I saw a dimly lit passage of stairs. Trying to be encouraging, Jonathan took the lead, showing me up to another almost closed door. "You ready?" He asked.
"Oh yeah," I replied, seriously wondering what was behind that door. Brushing his tail against my shoulder, he said,
"Close your eyes. I'll lead you out." I nodded, a bit shaky from anticipation. I heard him open the door, following his scent and the sound of his paws ahead of me. Wind started whipping all around me, and I had the sickening feeling that I was going to fall from where ever I was. The hard ground underneath me was cold, wet, but a light showed behind my eyes, indicating that the sun had somehow broken through the clouds. "Okay," He whispered softly, "Open."
My eyes opened, and I saw the most beautiful thing, surpassing almost everything I had seen in a long, long time. The sky stretched out before me, my front paws elevating me so that I could see over the edge of the building... but it wasn't that that I found to be beautiful. In the far off distance, there was an amazing brilliance. The clouds had turned breathtaking shades of pinks and purples, surrounding where a sun, yellow, orange, and red all at the same time, hung low in the sky. The sky itself was blue, yet with strange streaks of all sorts of different colors, creating the most amazing sight. Jonathan put his paws up on the edge as well, looking out at it.
"It's..." I couldn't describe it, didn't know how.
"Beautiful." Jonathan finished, looking over to me. "How long has it been? I mean, since you saw a sunset?"
Smiling slightly, I could hardly reply, "Too long." Looking into his captivating, golden eyes, I said, "Thank you Jonathan. And... I never got to say thank you for probably saving my life."
"You're welcome, but any dog would've done it."
"But you were the only one that did."
Jonathan opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped himself, looking back out to the sun, which was now lower than it had been. A smile grew on his face as he said, "Athena, my life has always been filled with mistakes and regrets... My mother wanted me to stay with my family, and I didn't, my father wanted me to be like my brother, and I never could... I joined a pack in hopes that I could be part of the change that would put the strays back on top... I made so many mistakes, I was mistaken so many times, and I regretted all of it..." He paused a moment, looking down a little, "I... I just want you to know that... I... It's... It's good to know that I wasn't mistaken this time."
Chapter 4
I was not sure how to respond to that. Did he mean that as a friend? Or did he mean it in a different way? I was a bit too shy to ask, but I didn't get the chance. Jonathan looked back to the door, saying, "I best be going now. My sister went out on a small patrol after you arrived, and she should be coming back soon. I'll uh... I'll be on the first floor if you need anything." He gave me another smile, and the proceeded to head back down the stairs.
As I watched the sun descending in the distance horizon, I felt the reality and sorrow finally beginning to wash over me. Everyone who had made a good impact on my life was gone. Everyone who had been there for me had been slaughtered. Now where was I? In a strange city where the very rivalry I had been trying to escape still existed. And what did I have? Not much. Not. Much. I had access to a pack's stores and a new I-Hardly-Know-You-Friend. Thinking of this ruined the sunset's calming air. The building just seemed so claustrophobic, even up here. The world around me was so tight, closing in on my heart.
Shaking my head, I turned, hopping off the ledge and going back down the stairs. Half-running, I didn't want to be in the building a moment longer than need be. I needed to get out, and run... Just... Run off the boxed feeling that seemed to be taking over. I couldn't stop my feet from taking me down the stairs, through the first floor and out from under the door. Streaking off, I went through a gap in the fence, snagging a bit of my fur on the chain link.
I didn't know where I was going... But did it really matter? I just had to run, and hope that it would whisk the fear and claustrophobia away. And so I did. I ran through back alleys and past humans, not caring when they shouted after me.
A while later, I found myself back where I had started, crawling under the rock thing. The night had turned bitterly cold, and my pelt was covered in icy drops of street water. After Grey had confirmed that I wasn't a Junkyard, Jonathan was the first dog to come to me. His features were distraught, and he looked as if he'd been worried about something for days.
"Athena! Have you seen a patrol? Please, please, tell me you saw a patrol!"
I shook my head, "Why? What's wrong?"
Jonathan slumped down, hanging his head, "The patrol my sister was on never came back... I... What if something happened?"
I was about to try to comfort him when suddenly Grey lifted his nose to the air, saying, "Someone's coming." His announcement was so grave that I held my breath. What if I had tracked some other dogs back with me?! But I had nothing to fear, or so I thought. "It's the patrol!" Grey stood, "They're back!" Jonathan's head shot up.
One by one, four dogs came from under the rock-thing. I could hear Jonathan behind me, speaking lowly as they did. A tall, tan Great Dane came through, barely fitting under the rock as Jonathan said, "Sonny..." After the Dane came a Saint Bernard, a Boxer, and what I took to be a Heinz 57 mutt. I could hear Jonathan's voice growing worried as he said their names, "Oak... Randy... Julia..." Growling, he stood, addressing the patrol, "Where's Ping?"
They all put down the scraps they had found, looking to each other to decide who would begin. The brindle Boxer, whom I took to be Randy, shook her head, "I'm sorry Jonathan... Your sister went on a solo mission, and-"
Enraged now, Jonathan half-shouted, "You left her behind?!"
"No, Jonathan." The Saint Bernard, Oak, answered, "We waited for her. You know your sister, though. She didn't come back. We thought it was just her usual... That is, until it got darker. She's usually always back by sunset..."
Sonny continued for him, "So we waited and waited, but..."
I knew Jonathan didn't need to hear the last part, but the mutt, Julia, in a quiet voice, finished, "She never came."
His teeth gritting, Jonathan growled, "You shouldn't have left her out there!"
An exasperated sigh sounded, coming nearer from the other side of the door. "Really, why must you be so protective?"
Jonathan's features suddenly brightened, his ears perked, and he asked, "Ping?"
Squeezing from under the metal door, she answered, "Well, yeah, who else would it be?" As she came up, Jonathan rushed over to her, and I could tell he noted the many spots where she had been bitten.
"Ping! What happened?" Jonathan was obviously protective over his sister, a lot more than she was of herself.
"Oh stop it, Jonathan. I'm fine." Looking to her patrol, she said, "Oh yeah, sorry about making you wait. I got held up. And as you can see by the sorry lack of food I'm carrying, I also got robbed."
"Robbed!?" Jonathan sounded alarmed, his voice raising.
"Junkyards caught me near their territory. Big patrol, looking for a-" Ping hesitated, suddenly catching sight of me. Speaking lower, she said, "German Shepherd."
Oak moved closer to her, "So they just beat you up, took your food and went on their way?"
"You better believe it Willow-face. Now excuse me, but I just took the beating of a lifetime and I ran around collecting food that I don't have anymore. I think I'm just going to go to the second floor and rest for a few hours so you milk drinkers don't have to worry about me." Ping walked past her brother, bumping shoulders with me as she passed on her way up the stairs.
"How do you stand her, Jonathan?" Oak asked as he watched her walking away. Jonathan shook his head, but didn't answer. I couldn't help wondering if Ping's injuries were my fault. After all, I doubted that there were many German Shepherds that a large patrol of Junkyards would be looking for. Still, I wasn't so sure I wanted to wander alone now.
Jonathan dipped his head to the patrol, mumbling, "Dismissed," before turning to Grey. "I'll take the next guard watch. I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight."
Not wanting to bother Jonathan while he was in a mood, I quietly turned away, noting that it actually was very late. I wasn't tired, but I didn't want to disturb anyone, so I just padded up to the second floor and began looking around for a nice box, away from the others. I knew I wasn't welcome here, and I wasn't going to push that limit. Not now at least.
Walking down the row furthest away from where most of the dogs usually were, I was about to pick a box when suddenly an expected weight threw me to my side. My eyes took a bit to refocus, and by the time they did, I was already pinned. A familiar tan, black, and white face growled in mine, golden eyes glaring into mine. Struggling under her impressive weight, I said, "What are you doing? Get off of me!" Using one paw, Ping pressed down on my neck.
"Don't you dare play dumb with me, Athena."
Growling, mostly because I had almost no idea of what she was talking about, I wrestled with her for a minute, trying to get her off. Finally, I knocked one of her paws out of place, allowing me to get up and her to fall down. Straightening, I questioned, both confused and curious, "What are you talking about?"
The fur on the back of her neck was standing on end, her golden eyes containing rage that I never thought would be possible, considering her brother's usually kind nature. Growling and baring her teeth at me, she said, "I know who you are, trash-dog, and I know you're the dog they're looking for. And," She looked down at her paws, "I don't care if the pack might take you in, Bay lets you stay, and Jonathan protects you... If you know what's good for you," Her nostrils flared, and she looked up, the fire in her eyes enough to burn. Stepping aggressively closer, she shouted, "Take your foul-smelling fur and never come back!"
Chapter 5
I backed up, shaking my head, "Ping, it's not like I can go back." There was nothing waiting for me if I went back. Nothing but a broken heart and blood that was technically on my paws.
Ping's eyes narrowed, but she finished, "Fine then. But if you have one slip up, count on it that I'll tell everyone your secret." Turning around, she started heading back to where she had come, smirking as she called over her shoulder, "Sweet dreams, trash-dog."
Deeply disturbed by now, I felt no obligation to sleep. How on Earth was Ping Jonathan's sister?! It was like they had grown up in different families! And I still had no idea what 'my secret' was! Making a very prominent mental note to steer clear of Ping and not have a 'slip-up', I chose a box, lying down, but not daring to close my eyes. Of course, I had to be rivals with everyone but Jonathan, and then his sister gets attacked and apparently was on my account. Spooked, I just rested there; sleep taking its sweet time with coming to me.
When the darkness finally washed over me, I found myself dreaming, except that I couldn't see anything, hear anything... but I could feel the emotions coursing through me. First came pride and joy, but then it faded to disbelieve, sorrow... There was hatred and love, and an empty feeling of loss... But then, in the darkness, I saw piercing grey-blue eyes... Then a show of bloody teeth...
And then I woke up. My eyes flashed open, and I got up so fast that I hit my head on the top of the box. Growling low to myself, I was glad to see that I had not been brutally murdered in the middle of the night. Making my way cautiously through the boxes and down to the first floor, I spotted the food pile. Dreadfully hungry, I found a piece that didn't seem too disgusting and sat down, eating it quietly.
Knowing that I had free range here, but not wanting to push it, I decided to wander for a while. I knew it was risky, but with Ping around, I didn't want to be anywhere in the building. As I got up to start walking, Jonathan passed me, accompanied by some other dogs, and, to my dismay, Ping. "Hey Athena. We're going on a scavenging patrol, do you want to come?" His voice was so normal that I had to remind myself that he hadn’t seen his sister threaten me.
Just perfect, now Ping was going to be outside. I shook my head, "Nope. I was just heading out. I'll be back later." I could tell from the look on Ping's face that she wanted me to run away – was expecting me to run. Dipping my head in respect, I quickly slipped away, heading out of the building, past the chain link, and into the city. It wasn't raining, but the clouds above me indicated that it wouldn't stay like that for long. I padded calmly down the streets. They were so empty... Too empty. Honestly though, I had been expecting it. If Junkyards were looking for a Husky, I wouldn't talk to any huskies out here either.
I made it unchallenged around most of the city, though I didn't want to go anywhere near Junkyard territory. I wasn't afraid. I just knew that chances were, as soon as I walked past their territory, Ping would tell everyone a secret about me that I didn't know. Making it to the far edge, where a road led out of the city, I had to wonder... What if I did run? The Junkyards weren't looking for the pack, they were looking for me. If I left, and if it was me that they were looking for, they wouldn't have a reason for attacking the pack anymore. No secrets told, no pasts revealed. No one would get hurt on my account... But I had nowhere to go. If I went back... Well, I knew what would happen if I did that.
But what good would leaving do? Junkyards were everywhere, and there were even more in my hometown. No matter where I went, I would always be a...a trash dog. It was a discouraging, but likely true analysis. The more I thought about though, leaving seemed like a better idea. Standing up, my ears drooped, and I finally just decided to leave. No one had wanted me here anyway. This place had never been welcoming. It had never been my home. So why was it so hard to leave? Shutting my eyes tight, I drove myself forward, walking out of the city.
Until I heard a sound that changed everything: A scream.
My head and ears shot up as I looked back, and I couldn't stop myself from immediately beginning to bolt forward. Someone was in trouble! I wasn't sure why, but I felt obligated to save that poor dog, whoever it was. My pace picked up quicker as I heard the scream again. Weaving through the buildings and alleys, I finally slid into view of the screamer. Ping! The whole patrol was brutally fighting with a huge group of dogs. Ping was slumped against a wall, though she still seemed to be conscious, by the fact that she was desperately trying to get up. The others were everywhere, fighting sometimes two dogs at once. Ping shot me a dirty glare, but she seemed too tired to say anything.
Not knowing what to do, I jumped into the fighting, helping Jonathan fend off the Junkyards. "Athena! You came back!" He shouted over the fighting, and I had to wonder how he had known I was going to leave in the first place. But there wasn't time for that. We slashed and bit and tore, weaving in and out of each other, pushing the Junkyards back. And that's when I confirmed my fear. They were looking for me.
"That's the shepherd!" Called the largest, who was fighting all of us it seemed, at the same time, though we weren't even fighting directly with him. Attention turned to me, and I growled fiercely, striking down the Junkyard in front of me and preparing to take on another. That's when everything stopped. The sound turned to silence in a mere second. Everything was in slow motion, because behind me, where I felt sure Ping had been, I heard a sound I will never forget.
*Cr-a-ck*
Chapter 6
My heart skipped a beat, my paws grounded themselves, and I held my breath. In slow motion it seemed, I turned around. Jonathan's voice rang to my side, "PING!!!"
And there was the largest, Ping hanging limp in his jaws. Fearing the worst, I couldn't think of what to do. Obviously though, Jonathan only had one thing in mind.
Growling, he let out a huge bark, charging forth and baring his teeth... I blinked, and when my eyes opened, Jonathan was standing over a dead dog, breathing hard and obviously still angered. Ping was lying beside him, still limp, though I could still hope that I noticed that slight upraising of her chest.
The Junkyards were mumbling disbelief behind us, and though I could hardly believe it, I could hear fear in their voices as well. Jonathan turned back around, making every hair on my neck stand on end. His face was overcome with rage and grief, and he looked as if he would take on all the Junkyards, and still come out of it alive. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Run, trash dogs!" And to my surprise, none of the remaining dogs had any problems with that. So it was just us, the patrol, me, and two dead Junkyards.
My eyes turned to Ping, and I shakily approached her. She was just lying there, her wide and glazed over, her coat showered in red. Of all the injuries anyone had gotten, I knew she'd gotten the worst of it. Whispering, I could barely hear my own voice as I asked, "Is... is she still alive?"
There was no answer... And I guess I had already known. There was no stirring in her chest, and I knew there was no light in her eyes, no beating of her heart. Ping was dead. As if on cue, there was a flash of lightning, the roar of thunder, and the rain began pouring down on us.
My ears drooped, and my head hung. Ping definitely wasn't my friend, but she was Jonathan's sister, and the patrol had attacked her, killed her on their way to getting me. Both reasons were enough for tears to begin streaming down my face. I made no attempt to make it look like it was just rain, because it was like the whole sky was crying with us. Jonathan's growl had faded, replaced by bitter tears and a look in his eyes that would break your heart to see it.
Lifting my head to the sky, I took a deep breath, letting a tear stream down my drenched cheek before I howled into the wind, packing it chock full of all my hatred, all my sorrow, all my doubt, in dark hopes that the Junkyards would hear and never dare to attack the strays. But, then my own doubt clouded in, as my head fell and I looked back to the young, spirited, unkind dog that now lay before me, her life gone from her.
You aren't part of their pack... Maybe you should just actually run away, find a wolf pack or something. Or maybe you could just find some shelter? Or... or no. No. Or maybe I should just give in. I knew I could never say it, but I knew it was what I was feeling. If I just gave in, there wasn't much else dogs would get hurt for.
After a minute or so in the rain, we finally all began carrying Ping back, our heads down, our paws barely clearing the ground. We made it back through the gate, walking solemnly into the first floor. Bay took one glance and leaped off her perch, saying, "Jonathan! Ping!" I could hear the worry in her voice as she approached, eyeing the bloody-at-the-mouth Northern Inuit and the rag-doll like carcass that had once been his sister.
I just stayed quiet as the others explained what had happened, going on about how she'd broken from the patrol, and her scream has led them to her, and how I had showed up, and the two dead Junkyards... And how Ping had met her end. Bay looked to all of us, the sorrow in her eyes. It was strange, being sad over someone who threatened you, but I still felt it. She had been a part of their family, even if she wasn't very loved by anyone except her brother.
Jonathan's voice still rang in my head as I turned in that night. I had found the box where I slept the night before, and was hunkered down in it when I heard two others walking down the row. I recognized their voices immediately.
"I... I don't know what got into me. I couldn't help it. I'm sorry Bay."
"Jonathan, I thought we already discussed this." Bay's voice was harsh, "I thought you said you got over your anger issues."
"You know what, Bay, those trash-dogs killed my sister. You really think I would have a fair fight after I saw that?!"
"Playing fair isn't what I'm worried about, Jonathan. What I'm worried about is you causing a war. I don't care how unfair you get, you promised me that you wouldn't kill."
"Bay, why don't you understand?! This is my sister I'm talking about. You would've done the same if they'd killed me... Wouldn't you?"
The sound of padding feet stopped, and I peeked through the cracks in the crate to see Bay turn around and look at Jonathan. Jonathan's ears drooped, and I could guess the answer in her eyes had been no.
"Jonathan, I can see you're having a hard time coping with your sister's death, but-"
Jonathan cut her off, growling as he took and aggressive step towards her, "But nothing. I'm not going to listen to you lecture me like a pup! I lost my sister, and there was nothing I could do about it but take out my rage on her killer! Be glad I didn't turn on my pack members instead."
I could see Bay's eyes narrow as she growled, "You sound exactly like your brother."
The growl faded off of Jonathan's face as he took a step back, "I... I'm sorry Bay. I... I'll be sleeping if you need me."
"Mph. You talked all about loyalty to save that girl Athena's a**, and you can't even keep a promise you made to not only me, but yourself." Walking away, she said, "Maybe I was wrong about you after all, Tiger's Moon."
Chapter 7
Tiger's Moon? Who is Tiger's Moon? I wondered to myself, peering through the cracks to watch Bay leave. After Bay had gone, Jonathan was still standing there, muttering, "I thought I told her not to call me that..." He sighed, but then moved closer to my box, "You can come out Athena. I know you're there." My eyes widening, but I closed them tight and tried to look as if I was sleeping. I heard him pad around to the side where the crate's removed top allowed him to see in. "And I know you're awake."
Figuring that there wasn't much point in trying to fake him out now, I opened my eyes, getting up. He'd cleaned himself up, well, to the extend that he was mostly covered in dirt rather than blood. Not sure what to say, I decided to just say what I was thinking, "Bay was really harsh... Are you sure you're okay?" I didn't want to mention Tiger's Moon, even if I knew Jonathan knew I had heard Bay say it.
I watched as he shrugged a little, sitting down as he began tracing his paw down the crate's lines. "Considering the circumstances, no, I'm not fine. But Bay isn't most of any part of it. I made a promise that I wouldn't lose my temper, and I couldn't keep it."
"But... That dog killed Ping..."
"Revenge isn't the way to go though. No dog should resort to an unnecessary amount of violence. I... I've had problems with this before, so I'm one to talk... Really though, Bay wasn't wrong for punishing me. Murder is a very serious thing, one that Bay doesn't take lightly."
"I noticed... but... Are you really alright though? I mean.. I know Ping was really important to you." I sat down, trying to get him to look me in the eye.
Jonathan shook his head, "It's... Not the same." I knew what he meant. I'd felt it before.
I couldn't think of anything to say, so I just tried to be comforting. I moved over and sat down next to him, and he slightly leaned into me. I could tell he was trying to be strong, but I could see the tear under his eye.
I could hear Jonathan murmur, "Thank you..."
We just sat there for a while, not saying anything. It had been a hard day for him, so I was content to just be there for him.
After a while, Jonathan said, "Thank you Athena. It's nice to have someone to talk to, even if I still have a lot more to say.”
I looked over at Jonathan. "You can stay as long as you want, you know that right?"
I wasn't sure how I had gotten so used to Jonathan in a matter of days, but it was nice to have another friend. However, there were a few things that kept me on edge. Of course, every friend I ever had had been killed. Second, who was Tiger's Moon? And what was Tiger's Moon's relation to Bay and Jonathan? It was all so strange... Yet somehow, I was still hoping that it would come out alright. I was still counting on it that with Jonathan as a friend, I could make it through this... There was a word to describe this... Ah right. The L word.
Lunacy.
Oh, just perfect, my sarcasm was correct for once.
After a while of just sitting there, Jonathan finally pulled away, saying, "I'll be on the first floor, working the graveyard shift for guarding. Goodbye Athena... And thank you for coming back." As much as I wanted to follow him, I was dreadfully tired, and I could feel my tears beginning to drip down my cheek again... though I had no idea why I was so saddened at the Northern Inuit's death. Even if it seemed she had told Jonathan that I was leaving and hated me, she seemed a lot more important than me having just seen her and heard her insults. Whatever the reason, I wasn't sure.
Turning back into my crate, I laid down once more, curling up and closing my eyes. Passing out in less than a minute, I felt the darkness crowding in around me. Almost instantly, that dream came again. The feelings... Except that as I felt the disbelief and sorrow, the broken image of Ping's corpse flashed through my head. Then there was the piercing stare of the grey-blue eyes, staring deep into my soul, then there was the sound of flesh being torn apart in a mad rage of anger, the gut-wrenching pain as teeth ripped into my pelt, and then...
My eyes wrenched open, and I jolted up, snapping to my shoulder and growling like... well, an idiot. There was no one there. I was utterly alone. Reverting slowly back to my old rhythm of breathing, I thought to myself, I... I guess that's it then. Coming out of the box, I sighed slightly, beginning to walk forward when a voice right behind me almost startled me to death. "Athena! We need your help!" Oddly enough, two thoughts happened to cross my mind as this voice spoke. The first was, HOLY S**T, WHERE DID THAT DOG COME FROM!!!
While the second was, Can't there just be one day of my presence here where someone doesn't need me?Jumping around the face the stranger, I was only slightly aware that for the most brief moment, I actually had half a mind to attack and remind the dog not to scare me. Instead, I just replied through slightly grit teeth, "What is it?"
A dog I definitely recognized to be Shark replied, "Missing dog. Jonathan will fill you in on the details. Now hurry. Bay specifically asked for you."
Missing dog? Who was missing? I couldn't help fearing the worst, even if I didn't know the victim. Shark led me through the crates at a quick pace, then out into the first floor where I realized Bay standing on her box. She seemed to have just finished addressing the pack below her, and as they began to break away, Bay come up to me, "Athena, thank goodness you could make it."
"Did I have a choice?" I asked, letting a bit of my sarcastic thoughts come to light.
Bay growled slightly, "This is no time for sarcasm, Athena. We've got a missing dog, and we're going on a patrol to find them. Now, find Jonathan. He'll fill you in as we go." Stepping a little closer into my personal space than I would've liked, Bay growled, "Now scram."
Making a mental note to not get on Bay's bad side, I turned around, spotting Jonathan and a group of other dogs. Jonathan looked dead tired, and I had to wonder if he had slept, and if Bay was making him come as well. As I got over to where he was sitting, his tired eyes met mind, and he said, "I hope you had a moderately good night's sleep, because I have the feeling that we have a long trek ahead of us."
Looking at the dullness of his eyes, I asked, sincerely concerned, "Are you sure you will make it?"
Jonathan shook his head, "I don't know, but I'm going anyway. Anyhow, we have a lot to talk about." Bay came round, giving the signal for us to follow her. As we exited the building, the fence, and into the streets, Jonathan told me, "It happened early this morning. A scouting patrol came back... and they seemed to have lost one of their members... And... Well..."
"Well, what? Who's missing?"
Jonathan paused a moment, but then replied, "Red. Red's gone."
Chapter 8
Red is gone? How? I wondered, looking to where the Dalmatian had stood. Where could she have gone? And why? I lagged behind a little, letting Jonathan go ahead of me. Ending up at the pack of the group, I found myself in the company of a cinnamon brown Labrador. She seemed quite old, and I had to wonder why she was coming with us.
"So." The Lab commented, looking slightly in my direction, "Yer that Junkyard-smellin' Shepherd, ain't ya?"
Oh great. This will end well, I'm sure. "Yup," I replied shortly, not sure what she was getting on about. "The name's Athena, and you?"
"Maple." There was a long pause before she lowered her voice to a whisper, lagging a little more and taking me with her. "I know 'bout you, Athena."
"Oh, really?" I asked, slightly sarcastic, but I had to wonder what she knew.
"Really." The old lab was dead serious. Looking forward, I expected her to elaborate with some hints about this 'knowing about me', but instead, she said nothing.
The pause continuing, I tried to break it by saying, "So, why are you here?"
Maple, looking straight ahead, replied, "B'cause I know all da buildins' from da Junkyard territtrey to da human's homes. I've got da connectshuns. If Red is anywhere in da city, A'll know." Oh wow. I thought to myself. Now how did she get to learn all that? Granted, Maple was very old, but I couldn't picture her knowing so much about the buildings. And even in the Junkyard territory? That had to be suspicious. Even as I thought so, she said, “Duncha go an git ahl suspishus of ol Maple ‘ere. In ma day, ah culd wak ahl dah way to da fence of da Junkyad, an still be in ma territary.
"Nice..." I let another pause go, considering that Maple was perhaps part of the old, old pack. "But, Maple, you said you... 'know about me'... but what is there to know? I don't exactly have many secrets, you know. I was... I was wondering if you could-"
Maple cut me off, moving ahead of me and calling, "Bay, stop da pa-trol."
"What is it, Maple...?" Bay stopped, turning around.
Maple cocked her head to an alleyway, “Ah got sumeone hoo meight know."
I watched Bay sigh angrily, but stopped the patrol, and Maple walked into the alley. I could hear Maple's accented voice arguing with another dog in low, grumbling voices. Finally, the other seemed to give, and after a moment or two, Maple came back, whispering something to Bay, before returning to her spot in the back. Bay redirected the patrol, and we began heading down another street, avoiding cars and other dogs as much as we could. Feeling uneasy around Maple, I picked up my pace, landing myself somewhere in the middle of the party, keeping my head down so I wouldn't be noticed.
We made many stops after that, sometimes redirecting us entirely. With every twist and turn, I shuddered, but no Junkyards came into sight. Eventually, we ended up looking down a dark alley. Ahead, I could smell the Junkyard border, and leading up to it, I could smell the unmistakable scent of Junkyard... not to mention Red's faint, but recognizable smell.
Lifting my head, I asked, "We're going... in there?"
Bay slightly shook her head, "Well... Not if we don't have to..." She looked to Maple, who kind of shrugged and motioned for her to go forward. Bay stepped forward, but I broke away, moving in front of her.
"I'll go first, Bay. You mean a lot more to the pack than I do." Bay looked as if she was about to say something when Maple suddenly bumped me aside.
"No. A'll go." I wanted to protest, but Maple was already stepping over the border. And as she did, something I had never expected happened. A dark figure leaped out of the shadows, and with one large paw, he struck down Maple's feeble form.
My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn't believe my eyes. But I couldn't hesitate. Too many dogs had died in too few of days because someone hesitated. I leaped forward, slamming into the figure, which carried us both into the light, though further into junkyard territory. As his face came to light, not to mention heard his familiar voice ask, "Athena?"
"Bear?" I was struck with slight disbelief as I saw him... Mostly because I wasn't expecting to ever see him again. Growling, I pinned him harder than I had the first time. The food supplied by the pack had given me some of my strength back, so I had to hope it was enough.
Jonathan's growl sounded behind me, "You know that trash-dog?"
I didn't get to speak before Bay shouted, "Look out Athena! There's more!"
I looked up just in time to see another dog racing towards me, her teeth bared and being followed by a group of dogs. In a split second, I saw a Dalmatian coat, but then my vision was blocked, and I felt myself flying back. Hitting a wall, I was jolted, but I had to fight. Recovering as quickly as I could, I saw that the others had all joined in on the fight, leaving me with Bear and the dog that had hit me. Growling louder, I found myself doing my best to take on the two. Bear seemed to be slightly confused, though I wasn't sure why.
I could see Maple lying there, not moving. Blood gushed from a wound over her eye. The scene was all too familiar, so much that I almost say Ping lying there instead of Maple... I had to fight. Not only for the Maple, but for Red as well. There was so much blood metaphorically on my paws, I couldn't stand to see their blood there as well. Gritting my teeth, my nostrils flared, and I charged forth, attacking the pair of Junkyards. Taken mostly off guard, I put up a reasonably good fight... Until I saw one of the others drop down, alive, but barely breathing. This distracted me for a moment, and another Junkyard batted me back, against the wall so that I landed next to Maple. A bit of blood trickling out of my mouth, my legs couldn't support me. Maple's uncut eye was just barely open, but I could tell she knew it was me.
She edged over, and even as the Junkyards grimly approached, she said, "Athena... Whatever happens to me, this you must know, for if you don't see, your darkness may grow." Slightly startled by her sudden lack of an accent, I just faintly nodded, and whispering in my ear, she forced out,
"He is closer than you think... Just... look... over the... brink."
Chapter 9
Talk about not making any sense. But as I watched, hoping for a translation, her eyes closed, and the shadow of the advancing Junkyards fell upon me. Only able to see the faintest signs of Maple's breathing, rage welled inside of me. No. I will NOT let this happen! Forcing myself up on unsteady paws, I pinned my ears, breathing hard and doing my best to regain my strength. Growling, through grit teeth I said, "You won't break me that easy." I leaped forward, having just enough speed and element of surprise, my teeth latched onto the throat of the Junkyard. The dog whimpered, trying to shake me, but to no avail. I could just barely see that Bear was about to go for me when a dog, larger than him, took him out. I didn't see his face, but the stranger then turned back to where I was being tossed around from the Junkyard's neck. Cleverly avoiding the light, he made an expertly planned move, grabbing onto the dog's neck, but knocking me a bit firmly to the ground. The junkyard unable to fight against the stranger, he tossed the Junkyard aside, and I realized that the battle was over. Pushing myself off the ground once more, when I looked up, the stranger was gone. Confused, but glad, I looked around. Bear and a few others had fled. Two or three lay dead. Four from our side were down as well. Down, but hopefully still breathing.
A few minutes later, it was confirmed that we had lost two dogs, Sonny and Randy. However, Maple and Red were still breathing, though it was very shallow. We got them back to the building, our presence inspiring first hope... but then sorrow. Red was carried through the first floor, and slowly, ever so slowly, was set down in front of and Shark. He looked as if they had just witnessed murder. Shark leaped down, going over to Red. The dogs moved out of his way, leaving a clear path to the gravely wounded Dalmatian. I watched as he nuzzled her, though she didn't wake. She was still alive, we... believed, but she needed proper care, care I wasn't sure they could provide.
Shark's eyes immediately singled me out, and his eyes narrowed, stepping aggressively towards me and growling, "You." Everyone backed up... except me. I found myself standing alone, facing Shark down. "You led them right into a trap, didn't you!?"
Offended, I growled back, "I would never do such a thing! I may not be one of your pack, but that doesn't mean you can blame everything that goes wrong on me!"
Shark dug his teeth into my scruff, casting me aside and sending the other dogs backward. I whimpered a bit, scrambling to my feet, though unsteadily. Growling loudly, he said, "Well why not, Athena!? Everything was just fine until you showed up! Now dogs are dying, our third in command, not to mention a dog from the olden pack are wounded!" Shark seemed about to say more when Bay forcefully pushed herself in front of him.
"Shark! Everything was not 'just fine' until she showed up! Dogs died, Junkyards killed... Is it really that much worse now that she's a part of it? Red would've been taken, many would've been wounded or killed, even if Athena hadn't come. I saw Athena take on Junkyards, I saw them attack her. I saw her kill for our pack! Isn't that proof enough?" Deafening silence went through the building, but then a voice asked,
"Athena... How did you know that Junkyard?"
I looked over to Grey, realizing that the trash-dog hating guard had been on the patrol. Shark positively blew up, not letting me shove in my oar of why I knew Bear. "She KNOWS one of them?! And you didn't take that as a direct sign that she was one of them? Bay, I respected you when you chose to let Athena come here, but the evidence is piling up. She killed a dog, she knows a Junkyard, she smells like trash, and to sum it all up, we've lost more dogs in the past few days than in the past few weeks!" Fighting ensued, shouting things both at me and at Shark. He looked as if he was about to land the killing blow, the final words, when Bay... well... erupted.
"NO SHARK! ATHENA IS GOING TO STAY, AND THAT IS FINAL. I WILL NOT LET YOU KICK HER OUT OF THE PACK LIKE THIS. MY WORD IS LAW, BETA, SO SIDDOWN AND MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL, OR YOU'LL NEVER SEE THE INSIDE OF THIS BUILDING AGAIN!!!"
Everything was deadly quiet, so quiet that the cars outside, not to mention the distant padding of pawsteps could be heard. But I couldn't pay attention to this over the pounding sound of the silence. I looked quietly to Bay and Shark, watching them battle it out, though no one else could hear it. Then, Shark looked down, "Fine." Turning around, he began heading to the doorway.
"What are you doing?" Bay asked, still a bit fuming.
Turning around at the door, he called back, "I'm leaving. Find yourself a new Second in Command."
Chapter 10
Bay stood in disbelief, watching Shark go. There was a long pause, where everyone was just staring at the door, as if he would come back. But he didn't. Bay's mood seemed to affect everyone. After that, everything seemed to be in slow motion...
That was the day that changed... almost everything.
That night, Red died, unable to get the proper care she required.
By choice, and to a long list of conditions, I was made part of the pack.
Maple woke, but she refused to say a word to anyone. Ever since the fight, she has been blind in one eye, and is unable to open it.
Shark never came back. In fact... none of the dogs there ever saw him again, not to my knowledge at least.
Bay didn't pick a new Second or Third in Command. I could never figure out why, but she didn't.
The name Tiger’s Moon was soon forgotten, along with my curiosity of it. Maple's mysterious message also faded with time.
And over the many months that I stayed with the pack, other things happened. Dogs died. Dogs joined. A single pup, belonging to Rune and Ian, was born and named Rook. My knowledge of the city improved. I nearly forgot the other city. And... I found myself falling for Jonathan.
It was a gradual thing, I suppose. Something to that effect at least. I'm not sure where it started... But somewhere all the scavenges, talks, and trash-dog battles... I fell in love.
I looked at the moon from the roof of the building, admiring it. No storm had come that day, and though I knew it likely meant twice as much rain tomorrow, I didn't really mind. Jonathan sat next to me, golden eyes glowing, happiness in his features. I had just had one of the best days in a long time... if only I could tell Jonathan how I felt... I wasn't sure that he would understand though, just in case he didn't feel the same about me. I knew I shouldn't care, but I did... This meant so much... I was just about to break the silence when I heard a voice calling, "Jonathan! Someone needs to talk to you!"
Jonathan looked over to me, "I guess I have to go..." He dipped his head. "I'll see you later Athena." Jonathan went through the door again, leaving me alone on the roof. Alone with nothing but courage to sum up, a thought to speak out, and... time.
I should just tell him... I thought to myself, seeing him far below as he exited the building with another dog. How hard can it be? 'Jonathan, I love you.' How on Earth can four little words faze me? I sighed, but then grit my teeth, saying aloud, "I'm gonna do this. I'm going to tell him that I love him!" Turning off the edge, I made my way quickly down through the doors, through the building, under the large door, and into the streets. I could see Jonathan and that other dog ahead, turning a corner. By the time I reached the corner though, they were already turning again. This lasted until we all reached the forest. Neither of the two others had spoken a word, and neither had noticed me. As they stopped in a clump of trees surrounded by thick bushes, I stopped outside.
I... I don't want to intrude. I'll just wait, I guess. I thought to myself, sitting down quietly. I couldn't help wondering what would take Jonathan this far out into the woods. By the time I could actually realize what they were saying, I heard an unfamiliar voice saying, "So, that Athena. She seems like a nice dog...?"
A slightly growling voice snickered, answering him. And as he did, my heart sank. That voice was Jonathan. "Ha. Athena's nothing. She's just another dog off the streets. We've seen enough of her kind to go around, as I'm sure you know. That trash-dog could hardly pass as anything you'd worry yourself about."
I couldn’t believe my ears, but I knew I should. I also knew that though I wanted to fight him, get angry, or something, I shouldn’t stick around.
After a few seconds, I turned and just ran, passing tree after tree and knowing that I was crying. I’m not sure what my intentions were. I just wanted to run back to the city, just to act like I had never heard him say those things.
The tears were blinding me, to the point that I didn’t even see the animal in front of me until I hit it. I accidentally had crashed into something’s shoulder, and I was disoriented for a second or so before I blinked and looked up to see what I had come into contact with. And when I did, my eyes widened in fear.
A huge wolf, black as night towered over me, its teeth pulled back in a snarl as it moved to face me. Its dark eyes trained on me, and I picked myself up, nearly crawling backward. I rose, the tears still dripping down my cheek, though I tried to look brave, baring my teeth and pinning my ears. I knew I couldn’t take on this wolf though. My heart beating fast, I prepared for the fight of my life.
It launched itself forward, teeth ready to pierce through my throat. I leaped forward to meet it, but a dark figure passed my vision, and my teeth latched on to nothing but air. When I landed, I whipped around to see a dog fighting with the wolf, expertly attacking and taking little damage. After a bite to the neck, which seemed painful, but not fatal, the wolf yelped and reared around, bolting as fast as it could, away from the stranger. “That’s right, milk drinker!” The dog called after him, “Run!”
He turned towards me, and I finally got a good look at him. He seemed to be a wolfdog, likely a cross between a Northern Inuit and a wolf. “Are you alright?” He asked, coming a little closer. “You must’ve been pretty shaken to have run into that thing on accident.” His pelt was dark, black, or either extremely dark brown, with white boots and chin. As he got closer, I could also see that his right eye was blue, while his left was brown. He looked friendly enough, but that just made him seem worse. I wasn’t in the mood to talk.
“I’m fine,” I stated, debating whether or not I should stick around as I sniffed up some tears and tried to look tough. “And if you haven’t noticed, I have somewhere to be, and it isn’t here.”
“Well these forests are full of wolves. It’s dangerous. Can I at least escort you to wherever you’re going?” He offered.
My icy blues narrowed at him, trying to bypass the lingering tears. “I can handle myself.”
“I did just save your life. I was expecting a little more gratitude than that.”
“I don’t know you, and I don’t want to know you. I don’t trust you to have my back. Is that so hard to understand?!”
The other shook his head, “No, no. Loud and clear. Especially since you used small words. I’m sure that helped a lot.” He smiled, “And if you couldn’t trust me, you’d be fighting that wolf right now.” He paused once more before adding, “My name’s Tony, by the way.”
Oh great. Now he has a name. I thought to myself, angry. I brushed past him, “Again, I can handle myself. I don’t need anybody to live my life, and that’s final.”
“Well, at least I know why you were crying.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “What?”
“Well, obviously you just went through something painful concerning someone who protected you. I presume love?”
Was I really that easy to read? Still though, I couldn’t stand his talking. Not right now. “Fine. You can escort me, so long as you stop. Pestering. Me.”
We started walking, and it was a few minutes before he said, “Thanks.”
“For what?” I growled, wishing that Jonathan was still the dog I had thought I knew.
“Well, for letting me escort you of course. It’s not every day that I meet a crying female in the woods and get to bring her safely to somewhere.”
“You say that as if somewhere, that is actually a normal thing that happens.”
He shrugged a bit, “Eh, you never know.” He paused for a minute, “I guess I’m not entitled to your name?”
I thought of giving him a fake name, but what did it matter. “Athena.”
There was a long silence before he asked, “Athena from that nearby city?”
I nodded, “Yeah, what of it?”
“Nothing, nothing. I just… Didn’t picture you like this. The Junkyards make you out to sound like a vicious criminal, so naturally, I was expecting, well, you know, someone a little less… tearful.”
I growled, but said nothing, trying to shake off the tears and ward away the sorrow. After a minute or so of silently trudging through the forest, however, I replied, “Someone I thought I knew turned out to be… well, not what I thought he was.”
Tony nodded, “I know what you mean.” But paused but then looked down, continuing to walk a pace behind me. The sorrowful note in his voice got me to slow down a bit, so that I was next to him.
“Really?” I couldn’t help the soft spot in my heart from acting up.
“When we were both pups, my brother and I were caught by the pound. I thought he was my friend… But he betrayed me the first chance he got. He left me to rot in that accursed place to save his own hide. He’s a police dog now, and every chance he gets, he tries to hunt me down. That’s why I was so far away from town, too. I hate thinking of him, and that town only brings back the memories of when he was my brother.” Tony’s voice had turned bitter at the end, and for a while, we just walked in silence again. I didn’t know how to respond, so I tried to just be quiet. A few minutes after that, we were at the edge of town, and we both stopped. “This… this is as far as I can go. Safe travels, Athena, and good luck.”
I dipped my head in respect, “Thank you, Tony… and safe travels to you as well.”
His features turned to a hopeful, but still sorrowful smile, “Maybe we’ll see each other again sometime?”
I paused, letting a tear fall before I answered, “Maybe.”
Chapter 11
When I got back into the city, I didn’t go back to the pack’s building. I waited a few hours, wandering the darker regions of town. I couldn’t bring myself to go back… Jonathan would be there. My paws fell on cold, hard ground in a pounding, dense rhythm, weighed down by a heavy heart.
I considered going back to the forest and finding Tony again, and seeing if he had a place to stay for the night. I was dreading having to sleep even in the same room as the Northern Inuit who’d broken my heart… Though he just didn’t know it yet. I discarded the thought though. I wasn’t going to turn coward. Not now.
By the time the moon was high in the sky, struggling to break through the clouds, I was standing on the roof of the pack’s building, afraid to go outside. My fur stood on end when I heard the door open, as I was sure it was Jonathan, but instead, when I looked, I saw Julia. I didn’t know the mutt very well, and she hadn’t said much to me, so I just said, “Hey Julia.”
She dipped her head in acknowledgement, walking over to where I was and putting her front feet up on the rim, she gazed up at the moon. It was shaped like a claw tonight, but Julia didn’t call it such. “It’s a Jay’s Moon tonight.” She commented. “When I was younger, my mother told me to never trust a Jay’s Moon, because you can never tell if they will leave you in the dark, or lead you to the full moon.” She looked over to me, “Honestly though, I don’t think the latter is such a great thing either. The full moon illuminates all things, so that not even lies can remain unseen.” This was the most I’d ever heard her speak, and her quiet voice seemed haunted.
“Why would that be a bad thing?” I asked. Bringing secrets to light didn’t seem like too bad of an idea.
Julia stared at me in silence for a while, but then she looked back to the moon. “Some secrets are better left in the shadows, Athena. You’d best remember that.”
I had to stare at her for a while, but she just looked off in the distance. I wasn’t sure I liked her much when she spoke. It was really weird, and it made me feel like I was talking to a dog who spoke only in riddles. Perhaps she was speaking in riddles, but I was too confused to notice. Either way, I didn’t like her too much. I preferred her when she didn’t say a word. I know how terrible that sounds, but hey, I’m telling the truth here.
We both waited up there in silence for a few more minutes, but then, without a word, she retired to the inside of the building, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I procrastinated for a few more minutes, lingering around on the top floor for a bit, but then I finally decided it was time for me to go downstairs and sleep.
I made it to the room full of crates where the dogs of the pack lived. There were still too few dogs to fill them all up, so it was mostly the front few rows that were occupied. When I had been a loner, I had slept in one of the outer boxes, but since I had officially been accepted into the pack, I had been sleeping in the empty box near the others, and, since I had been so dead set on loving him, the crate I had picked was only a crate down from where Jonathan slept. I couldn’t chance it. As much as my pride pushed me to sleep there anyway, I made my way to my old crate. The extremely stale scent of Junkyard still hung in the air around it, and it made me tense before I realized that it was just my old scent. I was told that I didn’t smell too much like Junkyard anymore, so at least that whole scare every time I came into the room was over, and I was glad the scent was gone, more or less.
I slipped inside the wooden thing and lay down. This box was a lot less comfortable than my new one, having been neglected for several years, or somewhere around that mark, even before I came to inhabit it the first time.
My eyes stayed open for a while, but eventually I fell asleep.
My dream seemed to be a contorted collage of questions, riddles, places, and faces, some of which I wasn’t sure how I still remembered. And then there was the looping reel of Julia’s voice saying, ‘Never trust a Jay’s Moon, never trust a Jay’s Moon.’ It was all quite confusing and it left me befuddled, so it was no surprise I woke very early in the day, having gotten few hours of sleep. As much as I wanted to fall back asleep (And trust me, I tried my hardest), I couldn’t. So, with a huff, I got up, and walked to the first floor, hoping to be there early enough to get signed onto the first patrol.
Bay appeared to be half-asleep, by the look on her face, but I admired her for pulling through. Leading the pack had to be hard, especially with Junkyard dogs to worry about, not to mention that the highest we’d ever gotten was seventeen members in all, and we were now at only about thirteen strong. Still though, I knew it would be much easier for her if she chose a second and third in command, but she had refused to do so.
Knowing this, I decided to give it one more go, before the grouchiness provided by sleep wore off. “Bay, you look awful. Your lack of sleep is evident, and I’m doubt you can hold together much longer like this. At least choose a second in command, for crying out loud.”
Bay scowled at me, “I’m not ready, Athena.” She puffed out her chest and raised her head, trying to look like the Alpha she was. “I will choose when, and only when, I am ready.”
“Well get ready,” I snapped. “When dogs join this pack, they expect it to be strong, and able to protect them, and…” I trailed, realizing that I was just letting my anger out on Bay. I quickly stated, “Never mind. I’m sorry, Bay. You’ll choose when you’re ready.”
Bay was obviously a bit angry with me, though her sleepy nature must’ve cut the edge off of her, for she replied only with, “Whatever. And you’re on the first patrol. You’ll leave as soon as I get enough dogs to go with you. Patrol the East Streets and for the love of Pete, stay away from the human homes.” I knew she was just reminding me to be careful out there. Grey had nearly been taken into a home and turned into a pet, as far as I’d heard.
As I waited for more dogs to turn up, I began thinking about who would be on the patrol with me. I wasn’t too fond of a few of the others now, and vice versa. Honestly, the only two I was actually hoping would be on my patrol were Rune and Oak, but Rune still had to look after Rook, and I needed more than one other dog to go with me.
I was relieved to see Oak come down the stairs first, and get assigned to be with me, and at least okay when Blue, a Shiba Inu I knew, more or less, came along, but severely disappointed when Jonathan was put on the same patrol. Well, at least I had seen it coming. I couldn’t avoid him forever, after all. As they gathered, I said, “Alright. We’ve got the East Streets. Remember: be careful of humans, even the little ones. We’re looking for anything we can eat, and taking back anything we can carry.”
Oak and Blue nodded, with Jonathan a second later. I turned and nodded, setting off under the metal and out of the fence, turning to the east side of town and continuing on. As a group of dogs was often seen as a threat to humans, we split up into two groups of two, and I was quick to pair myself with Blue, while Oak and Jonathan paired and took one side, and we took the other.
Blue, from what I knew of her, was a good dog. She was loyal, kind, and friendly, but she knew what her ideas were, and she would stand by them, and was rather stubborn about it. The black Shiba Inu was good company, at first, but quickly turned into a nuisance after a few conversations with her.
“We should probably check all the trash cans.” Blue said, looking to the house we’d skipped as a steady rain began to fall.
“Nope. I’m not wasting my time with all of them. I’ve been here enough times to know which houses never give good enough foods.” I passed by another house without checking, and I could tell I’d annoyed her.
“Well what’s wrong with those cans?”
“That family only eats green stuff, as far as I can tell, and the other two are always filled with a lot of glass and bottles. Ever knocked a can full of those down? It gets real loud, real fast, and it gets you into a lot of trouble if you aren’t careful. Besides, the less cans we knock over, the better.”
The next house had only one trash can, but I had been there enough times to know that what they threw away usually ended up in the bellies of strays like us. I turned to go there, sniffing around the thing and trying to see if I could tell if there was anything good without knocking it over. I couldn’t tell, so I knocked it over, and rummaged around in it, finding a box with a half-eaten chicken leg in it before we had to avoid getting caught by the owners of the house. We repeated this process down the line, and then to the houses on the other side, trying to find as much as we could. But, when we’d gotten to the last house with not too much to go on, Blue growled, “This must be wrong. There has to be more than this.” She looked to the opposing row, walking across the road. The rain began pouring harder.
“What are you doing?!” I whispered loudly, though I’m not sure if she heard over the rain. She didn’t answer me though, and went to the first house I’d skipped; knocking down each trash can with a bang and a clatter. Alarmed, I whispered louder, “Blue! Stop it!”
But when she didn’t find anything there, she went on to the next house, and knocked down the next can. Pets began barking, and I growled, “Blue! This is enough! Get back over here!” But she didn’t. Lights turned on in the houses, and then she pulled another can down. Bottles came clunking out, and a few shatters. She screamed with a frightened bark, turning tail and running as the lights came on and the sound continued to echo throughout the streets, loud and clear, even through the sound of rain. I grabbed as much of the food as I could, racing for home with Blue a step behind. I could hear angry shouts from behind as I crossed the road. My paws hit the wet asphalt, splashing the puddles underneath me. I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest, in time with my racing paws. Then there was a blaring horn, a blinding flash of lights, a scream and a whimper, and then my paws touched the sidewalk, grey concrete underneath me.
I was breathing hard, and pressed into the shadows of the tall wood fence that was now beside me. Drenched and shaking, I was glad to be alive. Surprised that we were okay, I laughed a bit, but my voice was still slightly stern as I said, “I don’t think they saw us, so we should be fine. You shouldn’t have…” I trailed, then blinked a few times before I paused, holding my breath. I didn’t hear anyone else, nothing but angry human shouting and the silence of the rain. “Blue?”
I hesitated, waiting for an answer, but when none came, I had to do it. I looked up, and then over to the road. And there she lay. I just stood there in silence for a few seconds, but then I set down the food, walked over to her, and picked her up. She was light enough for me to carry, with some effort.
I’m not sure why I didn’t cry. I just… didn’t.
I just carried her back home, and when I got there, I set her down before Bay. I knew it was my fault, and even if I wasn’t, I knew I blamed myself. Blue had been my responsibility, technically. So, theoretically, it was my fault. As the older one in the group, I should’ve stopped, waited for the car to pass, or at least have done something. I could’ve prevented this.
Bay walked over to Blue’s body, and I heard her whisper, “Not another, please, not another.” She lowered herself to Blue and nudged her, but we both knew she was gone. “What… What happened?”
“A car. We ran across the street and… and…” I was sure Bay already knew the rest, so I just turned away. “I’m sorry Bay.” I looked back to the little Shiba Inu’s eyes and thought to myself, I’m so sorry Blue… I knew an apology wouldn’t cut it though. She’d lost her life – quite literally lost everything. I was a fool if I thought a ‘sorry’ would be worth anything to anyone.
In fact, we both just stood there for a while, saying nothing. Then I turned, heading out the door, into the rain. When Grey asked where I was going, I just said, “I left food back there to carry her. I wish I could’ve done something… But life goes on.” With that, I made my way back to the East Streets, all the way to where the food was still drenched and waiting for me… Minus one. The pile was a little lighter than I had left it. I was about to just take what was left when I noticed a small trail of crumbs. I knew it was too obvious to be true, but I had to get what I could take, and if I could still take something else, I had to get my paws on it. So I followed the trail, and it led me not far, only around the bend to where the trail abruptly ended, and left me face to face with a familiar character. I was surprised the smell ‘Junkyard’ wasn’t present until I saw him, as now it was screaming out at me.
“Well waddaya know? Hey there kid.”
“What do you want, Bear?” I asked, growling. “You wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t something you wanted to say.”
“Oh, nothing… I just had to offer it up, one last time. Join the Junkyards. If you do, you have your family, which you still haven’t met, I might add. That silly group of dogs you call a pack won’t be hurt anymore, and besides, why do you even stay with them? It’s not like they did anything for you.”
“They gave me a roof over my head and a life I could bear, which is much less than my family ever gave me.”
“You think that building is your home? That crumbled up, old, cement box?” He laughed, “Hardly.”
I was about to reply when a thought came to mind. “Wait, Bear. You said that dogs won’t be hurt anymore… But none have been hurt because of the pack in a while now.”
Bear locked eyes with me, and a pause went by before he said, “You have twenty-four hours, Athena. Twenty-four hours before that building is nothing but ruin, unless, unless you join us.” He turned around, walking away. “See you then, kid.” And slowly, the rain seemed to swallow him up.
Chapter 12
I grabbed the food, and ran as hard as I could back to the building. However, when I got back, I hesitated. If I just left, and joined, I wouldn’t even have to do this… I pushed the thought away. I have a family here. Not a really great one, but enough that I can stick to them. I have twenty four hours… I set my teeth. There was no room for mistakes. I had to do this right, or else… I didn’t want to think what would happen if ‘else’ came about. So, I pushed myself through the fence and into the building. I set down the food and immediately looked around, unable to spot Bay.
“Hey Athena.” Jonathan called over. The normality in his voice would’ve stung me like needles if I hadn’t been looking for Bay.
“Where’s Bay?” I turned to him, subduing a growl in my voice.
“Ouch. Something happen? Something wrong?”
I couldn’t help it. I snapped at him, “Where’s Bay?!”
He paused, but then said, “She’s up on the second floor. After… Blue… she decided to check up on Rook. Something about wanting to see the future, not the past?”
I glared at him for a few seconds. I knew he knew I had something against him, but I doubted he knew why. Hopefully he just assumed I was on an urgent mission and didn’t want to talk. Hopefully.
Either way, I quickly padded past the Northern Inuit, up onto the second floor. I had the feeling she would be with Rune and Rook, where the pup box was. Sure enough, I arrived to the sight of Rook waddling around, with Rune and Bay talking. Bay looked troubled, but happy in her own way.
When she saw me, her face darkened, but I couldn’t consider that. Rook barked excitedly, and began stumbling over to me, but Rune picked him up by his scruff, taking him back into the box. “I need to speak with you.” I pulled Bay aside, out of earshot of Rune and Rook.
After a minute or so, there was the perfect place to talk it out. I turned around and addressed her upfront. “Twenty-four hours.”
There was a silence, and Bay seemed to be trying to figure out what I meant, but found no answer. “Twenty four hours for what?”
“Not for,” I said grimly. “Until.”
Another silence passed, and I explained. “Bear- I mean… A junkyard dog came up to me. Told me to join, or else Junkyards would tear this building down. He said I have twenty four hours.”
“You aren’t joining, right?”
“No.” I came back quickly, making sure that point was made, though I wasn’t positive about it. “What I’m saying is that we have twenty-four hours. It’s make or break time. We need to get everyone ready.”
“Ready for what?”
I looked at her. I locked eyes with her. “War.”
Bay turned away, though I saw her roll her eyes, “Athena, do you really think we’re able to battle? We have a mother and pup here, for crying out loud. Besides, how many dogs do we have compared to them? We wouldn’t stand a chance.” Her gaze was turned to the distance. “I’ll arrange the evacuation. If we’re out before tomorrow, maybe they won’t be able to find us.”
“Bay, we can’t leave!”
She whipped around, “Well what other choice do we have?!” There was a silence, but then she went on. “There’s a family here, and have you even seen how outnumbered we are? After Blue, we have what? Sixteen dogs?”
Her words hurt. I grimaced, but then sighed. I knew Blue was my fault, but I had to do this. “Look… Bay, I know how you feel. I’m feeling it too… But you have to listen to me. When I first left my home, my old home, I mean, I left to escape the Junkyards there. But when I got here, I landed myself in the same position. The Junkyards are everywhere. No matter where we go, this problem with always face us. We can’t run away from them. We have to stay. And I don’t know about you, but I’m going to fight. For the good of this pack, I hope you do too.”
There was a long silence again. Bay silently locked eyes with me. For a few minutes, she just stared at me, her piercing grey gaze enough to chill my bones. Then she sighed, “I’ll ask the others. If they choose to stay and fight, then so be it. But if they decide to evacuate, I am ordering you not to carry out with your Warpath. Is that clear?”
I nodded, “Yes, Alpha.” Bay disappeared among the many rows of boxes, leaving me to wait. I didn’t exactly know what to do though. As much as I wanted to go to the top of the building, it smelled like Jonathan up there. So, hoping to ease my mind on it, I went to see Blue.
If I was lucky, she was still there. As expected, two dogs had carried her out of the building and to the back, but had likely been called in to council with Bay. So, thankfully, I had some time alone with Blue and the rain. As it poured around me, drenching my multi-colored coat, and dripping constantly into my icy orbs, I sank down, lowering my head and closing my eyes, just concentrating on breathing for a few moments before I spoke low to her, my voice drowned out by thunder and rain.
No one heard what I told her, but the rain knew. Sometimes, I can still hear it echoing my words, though she is but a memory now.
A few minutes later, Bay emerged from the building, her mostly black, though also tawny coat soon becoming as drenched as mine. As she approached, I could see her grey eyes avoiding my own for a second before she spoke. “I held the council with the others. Rune and Rook are going to hide until the battle is over.” She paused, “But everyone else agreed. We are going to fight.” Her grey stare was hard, and her voice harsh as she said, "We're only going to get one chance to do this right, Athena, so you'd better know what you're doing. I'm appointing you as my Beta. Let's hope that I'm making the right decision, for the sake of us all." I just set my teeth, puffed out my chest, and readied myself. This would take every ounce of my strength, I was sure. Bay turned around and began walking back. “Come on Athena. We have work to do.”
For hours, Bay and I spoke, going over plans and strategies. It was hard though. The odds were fearful, and the chances slim. We simply didn’t have enough dogs. We were left with two chances, attack with the element of surprise, or chance a defensive hold over the building. Both seemed hard to pull off, impossible, maybe, but they just might work.
Finally, we looked to each other, and I looked to the entrance of the building, which was in plain sight, considering our position in front of the three boxes, where the Alpha, Beta, and Delta address the pack, or at least, they would’ve, if the pack had them all. I heard Bay’s voice beside me. “We’ll need dogpower to pull this off.”
I nodded. “I’ll leave, and get two dogs to go with me. Any strays I see, I’ll talk to them.”
“What will you tell them though? It’s not like you can just get them to join.”
“They aren’t joining us Bay. It’s not just our pack that they will be saving. They will be freeing this whole city, not to mention themselves, by siding with us. Sure, the battle will be hard, but it will be worth it. I’ll remind them of that, and hopefully, they’ll see what I mean.”
Near the afternoon, the rain stopped. With about eighteen hours left, I chose Oak to go with me, and somehow Julia came along. The clouds still thick and dark overhead, and the puddles dotting the streets like a Dalmatian’s spots, it became my mission to speak with any stray I saw and try to get them to join.
“There’s a stray hanging around the West Streets, or at least there should be. Unfortunately since the area of the West side he’s in is mostly abandoned and run down, it might be hard to find him.” Oak mentioned as we began, and I looked to a silent Julia before saying.
“I’m sure we can find him, unless anyone has any faster ideas.” I tried to recall the strays I had seen in all my days here, but I had seen remarkably few. I knew about the dog in the West Streets, and I was moderately sure that there was a dog whose owner had died a week ago, but they were still in that area. However, that meant going to the East Streets, a place I was hoping to avoid.
Julia gave no input, so I decided to go looking for the West Street dog first. We turned and headed into the West side of town. From what I’d heard, the West side was mostly abandoned by humans, and had been that way for a long time. I also recall someone mentioning that when the West Streets were part of the old pack’s territory, they had allowed Strays and other dogs to reside in the abandoned houses. Then again, that same dog had also tried to scare Rook by saying that ever since the Junkyards killed the West Street dogs, it had been haunted, the voices and pawsteps of the vengeful-hearted dogs still able to be heard if you listened close. Thank goodness Rune had put a stop to that, and laid Rook’s mind to rest, but as we got closer, I began to realize this was the perfect place to be haunted.
Torn fabric of some kind waved out of some of the windows in a wraithlike motion. They were blackened, or grey. And through open windows, sometimes there was nothing there, just pitch blackness as deep as the eye could see. Through others though, I could see the faint outlines of dark shapes, and sometimes I would think these shapes were moving. Every now and then, I could’ve sworn I saw a glimpse of shadow move across my vision, either in the house, or on a road, or even once across two rooftops.
I would hear pawsteps every now and then, and I was sure they were not our own. Still though, I tried to dismiss the thoughts as we went further into the ghosttown before us. We walked through the back alleys, through the streets, and searched for this West Street dog. No dog turned up though. I glanced to my paws. We’ve already wasted what? Half an hour? Looking for this dog… We should just think of another place to look. I was about to suggest this when I looked up, and before me, at the next intersection, stood a dog. He was definitely underfed, and it showed in his plainly obvious ribs. He was a big dog, or would be if fed, so that would help, if we could convince him to side with us.
“Who are you?” His voice was deep, nearly growling. It carried determination in it, though it was betrayed by a peppering of uncertainty and fright, not to mention a dash of desperation.
“We aren’t here to hurt you. We need your help, we need every stray’s help.”
I could hear him sniff a bit, “Huh, I take it you’re from that pack in the building. And what would you need help with? Junkyards? Food problems? I’m sure a little ol’ stray like me has so much help to offer. After all, I have a great home. Right next to the Junkyards, and the pack, I’m sure nothing gets stolen from me on a regular basis, which would make me never want to speak to either side. So, I’m honestly very happy to lend a paw or the rest of my huge food stock.” The amount of sarcasm in his voice broke records.
I heard Oak beside me speak, “As much as you don’t like either of us, soon, this will be your fight too. No, we aren’t asking for your food or demanding for your help. We’re just reminding everyone that the pack isn’t afraid to fight those trash-dogs, and if you stand with us, you won’t have to either.”
“Huh,” I could tell he rolled his eyes, “Only if you win. Don’t get so confident about it yet.” He sighed, “Don’t get me wrong. I would love to see the Junkyards ran out of their city, but honestly, what are the chances of a sloppy group of dogs against them? Besides, if you thought you could take them on, you wouldn’t be asking for any Stray’s help.”
I cut in, “We aren’t a sloppy group of dogs. We may not know exactly what we’re doing, but we’re a family – a pack. Our pack has been taken from, its members killed, and all of us have been threatened, just like the rest of you. But frankly, we’re the only ones out here that are actually going to do something about it. So, you can either go back to your little home and wait this out like a coward, or when someone asks you years from now where you were when this city became free, you can answer, ‘I was there.’” I stepped forward, walking up so close to him that his black Doberman face and stormy chocolate eyes were directly in front of my. “Make your choice before midnight tonight. Either show up at our building or stay here and hide.”
And without another word, I walked past him, bumping shoulders with him and knowing that Julia and Oak should follow after me, which they did. From there, to my disappointment, we landed ourselves in the East Streets. In my haste to remove myself from the seemingly haunted side of town, I had ended up moving us directly into the East side.
Setting my teeth against painful memories of Blue and earlier that morning, I was able to make myself looked unfazed, even as we passed the very road she’d died on. We found the other dog pretty quick, and she was rather quiet, but not the shy or vulnerable type of quiet. She was the type of quiet that assured you she would attack you if you so much as breathed wrong. She was easily convinced, and had no qualms about it, as far as I could tell. When we left, she was already heading for our home.
Thirteen hours remaining…
When we got back, it was about four or five, and some of the Strays we’d met were already here, but many were still missing. I was a little sorry I hadn’t seen Tony out there, but I wasn’t sure I would actually ever see him again. The chances of meeting him were really slim. When we got back, Bay was speaking to the strays, telling them something about the war, and making sure that they were positive that they wished to risk their lives in it. Honestly, I think it was a bad move to ask, but no dogs left, so I suppose no harm was done.
All in all, we’d gained a good five to seven dogs from that, but I was rather disappointed. We’d spoken to at least twenty dogs, anywhere from the forest rim to the Junkyard border. For Pete’s sake, we’d even met a dog who represented a small pack housed near the outskirts of town, and neither she, nor any unfamiliar faces that would’ve belonged to that pack, where here yet. Still, I figured they had about six hours. If we didn’t get enough dogs by midnight though, I feared what might happen.
After she’d finished with the dogs that had arrived already, Bay came down to me. “Good job, Athena.”
“It could be better.” I glanced to the door. “We spoke to many more dogs that this. I was expecting a pack, not some strays.”
“We still have time Athena. Besides, by the looks of it, we’ve got more visitors.” She looked over my shoulder, and I turned to see a group of four dogs lead by a white pelted mutt.
“I got this one Bay.” I walked over, dipping my head to the one in front; who I assumed was leading the group. I didn’t see anyone I had spoken too, and I was sure that this was not the small pack one of them had spoken of.
She female spoke with a confident, though respectful tone, “Hello. We heard that this pack is having a… problem? With the Junkyards, I believe?”
“I fear this problem may belong to all of us, not just the pack. I’m the Beta, Athena. And you?”
“I’m Snow Lion, the self-appointed leader.” The moderately fluffy dog replied, shifting and nodding a snowy head to the group behind her. “We aren’t too sure about this, but we agreed that if we didn’t stand with you, we didn’t stand for anything.” She looked back to me with bright blue eyes. “I know I’m young, we all are, but we know how to fight.” I finally saw that all the dogs in the group were only about two years old, and it dawned on me that the reason I hadn’t realized this was that when I was two, I had not been as ready to willingly give my life for something like this. This group was completely different from me as a younger dog, so I had assumed that they were three, maybe four or five. I know I thought that Bay made a bad move with it, but I had to ask as well.
“I’m afraid I must ask, out of concern, are you positive you want to risk your life for us? You still have a long life ahead of you, and I don’t want to let any of you lose that.”
“We’re all ready, Athena. None of us are going to leave.” I paused, but if Snow Lion and the rest of her pack believed they were ready, it didn’t believe I could change their minds.
“Okay… I’m just giving everyone the chance, just in case.” I paused, but then went on with what I was supposed to be saying, “So, as I’m sure you know, we’re going to be at war with the Junkyards. We don’t wish to kill their ranks, but we will if we have to. Our intention is to drive them out. Beat them into submission. Either they will be only a few trash dogs scouring a junkyard for food again, or there will be no dogs in the junkyard.” I sighed, “And I’m afraid that by tomorrow morning, whatever happens, there will be no going back.”
Snow Lion looked back to her group, but then back to me, standing up straight and tall. “So be it.”
Eight Hours remaining…
That night, the building housed more dogs than I’d ever seen, and we encouraged dogs to go to sleep early, as most would wake before dawn tomorrow. As for the rest of us, we stayed awake. Bay and I went over the plan a few more times, and decided on the dogs we would need for it. I still hadn’t heard anything from many of the dogs we had spoken too, and apparently our call for aid hadn’t spread very far. Snow Lion and her group seemed to be the only ones I hadn’t spoken to that had sought us out.
But that wasn’t what was really on my mind. I was thinking about everyone, pack dogs and strays included. It bothered me that I didn’t know their names, and we were to head into battle. If one went down and never came up, they lost their lives for the pack, and for a cause that would only help if we won. And if we didn’t? Dogs would’ve died for nothing. Their lives would be ripped from them for no reason. I didn’t want that for any of them.
Still though, I knew this had to be done.
Five hours remaining…
Midnight drew near.
There was no sign of a pack.
No sign of West Street Dog.
Bay had gone to sleep. She told me to do so soon.
Everything was silent. Grey sat at the entrance, half-asleep, with one eye on the watch. I was plenty tired, but I had to wait for midnight. I could hear the sounds of cars outside, and every now and then I would see the flash of headlights. The night was chilly, and I wished that it was morning… Well, I wished that it was yesterday morning, so I could correct all of this.
For me, I was sure there was no turning back, even now.
And as I listened, I heard the pitter patter of a dog’s paws falling on asphalt. The sound was getting nearer, and I saw Grey slowly coming out of his half-nap, though obviously still tired. I stood, but as the form slipped through the door, I could make out that it was a Doberman, you know, the sarcastic non-junkyard. For lack of a name, I quietly called over, “West Streets?”
“I have a name.” He responded, looking around. “Huh. I expected more dogs.”
“They’re mostly asleep. You know, you took your sweet time deciding to come here. I thought you’d gone and hid.”
“Me? No. I don’t hide. And trust me, the only reason I’m here is because I think you have a shot, if you do this right, to get those trash-dogs out of here. And, unfortunately for me, I can’t resist the chance of not being a part of this if it works.”
I nodded slightly, “Well, you’re here. That’s all that really counts for me, West Streets.”
“I said I have a name.” He sounded rather annoyed.
“Well you could’ve mentioned it instead of only saying that you’ve got one.”
He nearly cut me off. “Miles.” He said. “The name is Miles. There. Now that that’s settled, what else is there to say?”
I hesitated, looking over to him. I shook the thought, stumbling over my words a bit before I said, “Err… Not much. I just have to make sure you’re positive you’re ready to risk your life, and remind you that we aren’t looking to kill the trash-dogs, only drive them out or at least drive enough of them out to have little to no dogs in the junkyard… Just that kind of stuff.”
He managed a half-hearted chuckle, “The way you say it makes it sound so normal.” He paused, walked over, and sat next to me. I thought I heard him mutter, “I hope it doesn’t become normal.” Then again, it might’ve been something else. After a few silent seconds, he said, “So, pack dog. You really think that a bunch of strays can defeat the Junkyards?”
“Athena. My name is Athena. But yes. I do think we can do it.” I sighed, “We just… we have to do this right. We won’t get any second chances.” I looked back over to him. He seemed to be debating saying something, and opened his mouth to do so, but then turned away, looking in the opposite direction.
What he said was obviously not what he’d been meaning to say. “I… er… I really hope that we win. I know I’m not exactly gung-ho for this, but if we win, I hope to never tremble again at the sight of a Junkyard. I’m tired of being afraid of them, and if fighting is our chance… As small of a chance as it may be, this might me our only chance.” The smile on his face was more of a half-smile as he stood, “No pressure.”
He began walking away, and I could hear him turn a few times before I called over, “Sleeping quarters are on the second floor!”
I heard a pause, a shuffle, and then, “Oh.” Another pause, then pawsteps padding away. “I knew that.”
I rolled my eyes, but continued to wait at the door for others. After a while of waiting, and no one else showing up, I finally retired to my box, now the box next to Bay’s, and fell asleep.
Three hours remaining…
“We don’t have much time Bay, and if we’re striking first, we have to move now.” I could see that the Alpha was still having some doubts about this. To tell the truth, my stomach was swarming with butterflies, and I felt a little lightheaded. Nevertheless, the others seemed ready. I could see Snow Lion and her group flashing teeth at each other and apparently having a friendly bet as to who would scare off the most Junkyards. I knew they were dead serious though. They wanted the Junkyards out. This was probably just their way of coping with the nervousness.
Bay paused, but then nodded, “Alright. I’ll divide the whole group in ones and twos. I’ll take the ones, you take the twos.” I noted a slight hesitation before she headed off into the group, pausing to briefly address each dog. Once she had gotten to the back, I heard her call out, “Alright. All the ones, you’re leaving with me. If you’re a two, stay behind with Athena. Let’s go!” I saw numerous dogs leave, among them Jonathan. I scowled as I saw him and immediately turned away. I wasn’t going to think about him right now.
I waited a bit in silence, letting the others converse while I counted the seconds. We had to get this timed right, or else it wouldn’t work. My eyes were closed, and I muttered quietly, “Fifty-Six… Fifty-Seven… Fifty-Eight… Fifty-Nine…” I paused. My icy orbs opened. I knew the uncertainty that they held in them, but we had to do this. We were really going to do this. “Alright everyone,” I said, picking up my volume so that everyone could hear me. “If you’re a two, come with me. The rest of you are staying behind to watch over home while we’re gone. Let’s move!”
Most of the remaining dogs followed me through the crawlspace and slipped through the fence. If I was right, we were only about a minute behind Bay. I went over this calculation a few times as we went through the city. We traveled through back alleys, no dogs seen on the streets. What was strange though was there weren’t any sounds. The rain wasn’t going too bad, and the cars were still on the roads, and humans still in their houses laughing and screaming and making the noises that humans do… But there were no noises of fighting. I picked up our pace, eventually scaling it to a run. No sounds of fighting. Something was wrong. We crashed through the mental and scent barrier that used to keep us from entering, but our pawsteps stopped as I came to the fence. Loner Intel had confirmed that there was an open gate by which dogs entered and exited the Junkyard. I could see it from here. And just beyond the fence was a small shed. And beyond that shed was the Junkyard. But, only a few feet after the shed, I could see Junkyards closing in on someone… Someone with a caramel and black pelt and grey eyes.
Bay.
And behind Bay, I could see one… two… three, maybe four dogs. I couldn’t tell who they were, but that didn’t matter right now. To blazes with waiting for signals. We had to strike now. A quick nod to Snow Lion was all the group needed. Our pawsteps became a chorus, then a rumble, and then, finally, with the courage and power of a mighty storm, we became the thunder. Many broke off, leaping straight over the fence while I led the others through the opening. I could see Snow Lion, to my right, leap on a few boxes, then up to the roof of the shed, launching herself off of it and into one of the Junkyards. A few of the others did the same. I raced to where Bay and the remnants of the ones were, biting one in the shoulder and taking it down. An intense wave of fear suddenly shone out of the Junkyard’s eyes. It suddenly clicked that this dog was probably about the same age as Snow Lion. I couldn’t dwell on it though. Not wanting to kill unless I had to, I bit the Junkyard again and let it run off, quickly darting back into battle. I was fighting tooth and claw, sending as many dogs running as I could, when suddenly, in my peripheral vision, I caught movement. A dog was tossed to the side as I turned to face this new enemy. He was a brute, large and bulky, but I couldn’t let that stop me. And that wasn’t what stopped me. What stopped me was the young dog fighting him. Her once white pelt was torn in multiple places, and she was nearly coated in blood. Still though, her eyes blazed with anger and courage. And not even in that dreadful moment when the brute lunged at her, nor even seconds later, when he crunched down on her neck, did I ever see fear in her eyes.
My blood boiled, and I screamed in rage, charging at the beast. The adrenaline coursing through me landed a solid bite on him, and allowed me to ignore the pain as he swatted me off. I shot myself at him again, my teeth shredding through flesh his. Bay’s familiar form joined me, and then Miles. It wasn’t until I was knocked away once again that I realized the battle was over everywhere else, and from almost every angle, dogs were coming at this last one. And, as I pushed myself back up, the dog collapsed, whimpering and wincing from the many bites. Gritting my teeth, I walked up, raising my head so that I could look down upon him.
Though my teeth wished to make contact with him again, to kill him like he’d done to Snow, I only growled low, “Run.”
--
The rain had begun pouring harder as we sat in the building, drenched with blood, mud, and rainwater – some of us even having trash stuck in our pelts. In our first battle, we had lost five dogs, among them Snow Lion and Oak, with major injuries on some of the dogs. Bay was pretty sure that most of us would survive, and be able to fight by tonight, more by tomorrow, but I had come to my own conclusions. With many dogs resting, I pulled Miles aside, and spoke to him for a while in a low voice. He listened the whole while, and when I was done, for a moment, he could only look at me. He closed his eyes, and I saw a tear come, but only a single one before he opened his eyes, looked at me, and forced one of the fakest smiles I had ever seen onto his face as he said, “If that’s what makes you happy, then okay.” I forced a smile back, took a deep breath, and whispered a single word into his ear. ‘Goodbye.’
--
The rain poured down on me. My wounds still stung, and there was probably a slight blood trail behind me, but it didn’t really matter. Sitting at the edge of the city, my icy blue eyes looked outward, at the road stretching in front of me, and the sidewalk ending abruptly about a foot in front of me. I was just about to begin when a familiar voice asked, “Athena?” I turned to see Jonathan. I would’ve been furious, but there was no point. “What are you doing?”
He asked, but I had the feeling he already knew. I turned around and sat back down. I heard him walk up, behind and slightly beside me as I smiled dryly, “Oh, because you care so much about me.” I was calm, but somehow angry.
There was a pause, but then he stepped closer, “Athena, I know you’re angry, but I can explain what you heard. You see, I-“
I stopped him, getting up and turning around, “No!” I paused, “No. It’s said and done, past and not forgiven. But that’s not it… The war is raging on and both packmates and friends are dropping like flies. I’m not angry with anyone, Jonathan. I’m leaving.”
There was a long pause, but then he asked, “But, where will you go?” He shouted over the rain and a sudden blast of lightning and thunder, “Is there even anywhere for you to go back to?”
I turned around, facing the open road ahead of me. Turning my head slightly towards my shoulder, and a bit down, I said, “I’m going home, Jonathan.” I blinked. Once. Twice. My head inclined to the journey ahead of me. “I’m going home…”
I know, my ending is no hero's tale. But I said it once, and I'll say it again, my story is no fairy tale. It's only the truth. I know, I can't hide the truth, no matter how much I regret it. However... sometimes, I have to wonder if my story will ever be told... I don't think it will though. And that's why my story is untold. After all, who wants to hear the story of Athena, the dog who ran away? Still though... Maybe one day. Someday... Maybe someday, somehow, I'll find a way... Someday a story of my courage will be told... Well, at least, I can hope.
“Hey Athena.” Jonathan called over. The normality in his voice would’ve stung me like needles if I hadn’t been looking for Bay.
“Where’s Bay?” I turned to him, subduing a growl in my voice.
“Ouch. Something happen? Something wrong?”
I couldn’t help it. I snapped at him, “Where’s Bay?!”
He paused, but then said, “She’s up on the second floor. After… Blue… she decided to check up on Rook. Something about wanting to see the future, not the past?”
I glared at him for a few seconds. I knew he knew I had something against him, but I doubted he knew why. Hopefully he just assumed I was on an urgent mission and didn’t want to talk. Hopefully.
Either way, I quickly padded past the Northern Inuit, up onto the second floor. I had the feeling she would be with Rune and Rook, where the pup box was. Sure enough, I arrived to the sight of Rook waddling around, with Rune and Bay talking. Bay looked troubled, but happy in her own way.
When she saw me, her face darkened, but I couldn’t consider that. Rook barked excitedly, and began stumbling over to me, but Rune picked him up by his scruff, taking him back into the box. “I need to speak with you.” I pulled Bay aside, out of earshot of Rune and Rook.
After a minute or so, there was the perfect place to talk it out. I turned around and addressed her upfront. “Twenty-four hours.”
There was a silence, and Bay seemed to be trying to figure out what I meant, but found no answer. “Twenty four hours for what?”
“Not for,” I said grimly. “Until.”
Another silence passed, and I explained. “Bear- I mean… A junkyard dog came up to me. Told me to join, or else Junkyards would tear this building down. He said I have twenty four hours.”
“You aren’t joining, right?”
“No.” I came back quickly, making sure that point was made, though I wasn’t positive about it. “What I’m saying is that we have twenty-four hours. It’s make or break time. We need to get everyone ready.”
“Ready for what?”
I looked at her. I locked eyes with her. “War.”
Bay turned away, though I saw her roll her eyes, “Athena, do you really think we’re able to battle? We have a mother and pup here, for crying out loud. Besides, how many dogs do we have compared to them? We wouldn’t stand a chance.” Her gaze was turned to the distance. “I’ll arrange the evacuation. If we’re out before tomorrow, maybe they won’t be able to find us.”
“Bay, we can’t leave!”
She whipped around, “Well what other choice do we have?!” There was a silence, but then she went on. “There’s a family here, and have you even seen how outnumbered we are? After Blue, we have what? Sixteen dogs?”
Her words hurt. I grimaced, but then sighed. I knew Blue was my fault, but I had to do this. “Look… Bay, I know how you feel. I’m feeling it too… But you have to listen to me. When I first left my home, my old home, I mean, I left to escape the Junkyards there. But when I got here, I landed myself in the same position. The Junkyards are everywhere. No matter where we go, this problem with always face us. We can’t run away from them. We have to stay. And I don’t know about you, but I’m going to fight. For the good of this pack, I hope you do too.”
There was a long silence again. Bay silently locked eyes with me. For a few minutes, she just stared at me, her piercing grey gaze enough to chill my bones. Then she sighed, “I’ll ask the others. If they choose to stay and fight, then so be it. But if they decide to evacuate, I am ordering you not to carry out with your Warpath. Is that clear?”
I nodded, “Yes, Alpha.” Bay disappeared among the many rows of boxes, leaving me to wait. I didn’t exactly know what to do though. As much as I wanted to go to the top of the building, it smelled like Jonathan up there. So, hoping to ease my mind on it, I went to see Blue.
If I was lucky, she was still there. As expected, two dogs had carried her out of the building and to the back, but had likely been called in to council with Bay. So, thankfully, I had some time alone with Blue and the rain. As it poured around me, drenching my multi-colored coat, and dripping constantly into my icy orbs, I sank down, lowering my head and closing my eyes, just concentrating on breathing for a few moments before I spoke low to her, my voice drowned out by thunder and rain.
No one heard what I told her, but the rain knew. Sometimes, I can still hear it echoing my words, though she is but a memory now.
A few minutes later, Bay emerged from the building, her mostly black, though also tawny coat soon becoming as drenched as mine. As she approached, I could see her grey eyes avoiding my own for a second before she spoke. “I held the council with the others. Rune and Rook are going to hide until the battle is over.” She paused, “But everyone else agreed. We are going to fight.” Her grey stare was hard, and her voice harsh as she said, "We're only going to get one chance to do this right, Athena, so you'd better know what you're doing. I'm appointing you as my Beta. Let's hope that I'm making the right decision, for the sake of us all." I just set my teeth, puffed out my chest, and readied myself. This would take every ounce of my strength, I was sure. Bay turned around and began walking back. “Come on Athena. We have work to do.”
For hours, Bay and I spoke, going over plans and strategies. It was hard though. The odds were fearful, and the chances slim. We simply didn’t have enough dogs. We were left with two chances, attack with the element of surprise, or chance a defensive hold over the building. Both seemed hard to pull off, impossible, maybe, but they just might work.
Finally, we looked to each other, and I looked to the entrance of the building, which was in plain sight, considering our position in front of the three boxes, where the Alpha, Beta, and Delta address the pack, or at least, they would’ve, if the pack had them all. I heard Bay’s voice beside me. “We’ll need dogpower to pull this off.”
I nodded. “I’ll leave, and get two dogs to go with me. Any strays I see, I’ll talk to them.”
“What will you tell them though? It’s not like you can just get them to join.”
“They aren’t joining us Bay. It’s not just our pack that they will be saving. They will be freeing this whole city, not to mention themselves, by siding with us. Sure, the battle will be hard, but it will be worth it. I’ll remind them of that, and hopefully, they’ll see what I mean.”
Near the afternoon, the rain stopped. With about eighteen hours left, I chose Oak to go with me, and somehow Julia came along. The clouds still thick and dark overhead, and the puddles dotting the streets like a Dalmatian’s spots, it became my mission to speak with any stray I saw and try to get them to join.
“There’s a stray hanging around the West Streets, or at least there should be. Unfortunately since the area of the West side he’s in is mostly abandoned and run down, it might be hard to find him.” Oak mentioned as we began, and I looked to a silent Julia before saying.
“I’m sure we can find him, unless anyone has any faster ideas.” I tried to recall the strays I had seen in all my days here, but I had seen remarkably few. I knew about the dog in the West Streets, and I was moderately sure that there was a dog whose owner had died a week ago, but they were still in that area. However, that meant going to the East Streets, a place I was hoping to avoid.
Julia gave no input, so I decided to go looking for the West Street dog first. We turned and headed into the West side of town. From what I’d heard, the West side was mostly abandoned by humans, and had been that way for a long time. I also recall someone mentioning that when the West Streets were part of the old pack’s territory, they had allowed Strays and other dogs to reside in the abandoned houses. Then again, that same dog had also tried to scare Rook by saying that ever since the Junkyards killed the West Street dogs, it had been haunted, the voices and pawsteps of the vengeful-hearted dogs still able to be heard if you listened close. Thank goodness Rune had put a stop to that, and laid Rook’s mind to rest, but as we got closer, I began to realize this was the perfect place to be haunted.
Torn fabric of some kind waved out of some of the windows in a wraithlike motion. They were blackened, or grey. And through open windows, sometimes there was nothing there, just pitch blackness as deep as the eye could see. Through others though, I could see the faint outlines of dark shapes, and sometimes I would think these shapes were moving. Every now and then, I could’ve sworn I saw a glimpse of shadow move across my vision, either in the house, or on a road, or even once across two rooftops.
I would hear pawsteps every now and then, and I was sure they were not our own. Still though, I tried to dismiss the thoughts as we went further into the ghosttown before us. We walked through the back alleys, through the streets, and searched for this West Street dog. No dog turned up though. I glanced to my paws. We’ve already wasted what? Half an hour? Looking for this dog… We should just think of another place to look. I was about to suggest this when I looked up, and before me, at the next intersection, stood a dog. He was definitely underfed, and it showed in his plainly obvious ribs. He was a big dog, or would be if fed, so that would help, if we could convince him to side with us.
“Who are you?” His voice was deep, nearly growling. It carried determination in it, though it was betrayed by a peppering of uncertainty and fright, not to mention a dash of desperation.
“We aren’t here to hurt you. We need your help, we need every stray’s help.”
I could hear him sniff a bit, “Huh, I take it you’re from that pack in the building. And what would you need help with? Junkyards? Food problems? I’m sure a little ol’ stray like me has so much help to offer. After all, I have a great home. Right next to the Junkyards, and the pack, I’m sure nothing gets stolen from me on a regular basis, which would make me never want to speak to either side. So, I’m honestly very happy to lend a paw or the rest of my huge food stock.” The amount of sarcasm in his voice broke records.
I heard Oak beside me speak, “As much as you don’t like either of us, soon, this will be your fight too. No, we aren’t asking for your food or demanding for your help. We’re just reminding everyone that the pack isn’t afraid to fight those trash-dogs, and if you stand with us, you won’t have to either.”
“Huh,” I could tell he rolled his eyes, “Only if you win. Don’t get so confident about it yet.” He sighed, “Don’t get me wrong. I would love to see the Junkyards ran out of their city, but honestly, what are the chances of a sloppy group of dogs against them? Besides, if you thought you could take them on, you wouldn’t be asking for any Stray’s help.”
I cut in, “We aren’t a sloppy group of dogs. We may not know exactly what we’re doing, but we’re a family – a pack. Our pack has been taken from, its members killed, and all of us have been threatened, just like the rest of you. But frankly, we’re the only ones out here that are actually going to do something about it. So, you can either go back to your little home and wait this out like a coward, or when someone asks you years from now where you were when this city became free, you can answer, ‘I was there.’” I stepped forward, walking up so close to him that his black Doberman face and stormy chocolate eyes were directly in front of my. “Make your choice before midnight tonight. Either show up at our building or stay here and hide.”
And without another word, I walked past him, bumping shoulders with him and knowing that Julia and Oak should follow after me, which they did. From there, to my disappointment, we landed ourselves in the East Streets. In my haste to remove myself from the seemingly haunted side of town, I had ended up moving us directly into the East side.
Setting my teeth against painful memories of Blue and earlier that morning, I was able to make myself looked unfazed, even as we passed the very road she’d died on. We found the other dog pretty quick, and she was rather quiet, but not the shy or vulnerable type of quiet. She was the type of quiet that assured you she would attack you if you so much as breathed wrong. She was easily convinced, and had no qualms about it, as far as I could tell. When we left, she was already heading for our home.
Thirteen hours remaining…
When we got back, it was about four or five, and some of the Strays we’d met were already here, but many were still missing. I was a little sorry I hadn’t seen Tony out there, but I wasn’t sure I would actually ever see him again. The chances of meeting him were really slim. When we got back, Bay was speaking to the strays, telling them something about the war, and making sure that they were positive that they wished to risk their lives in it. Honestly, I think it was a bad move to ask, but no dogs left, so I suppose no harm was done.
All in all, we’d gained a good five to seven dogs from that, but I was rather disappointed. We’d spoken to at least twenty dogs, anywhere from the forest rim to the Junkyard border. For Pete’s sake, we’d even met a dog who represented a small pack housed near the outskirts of town, and neither she, nor any unfamiliar faces that would’ve belonged to that pack, where here yet. Still, I figured they had about six hours. If we didn’t get enough dogs by midnight though, I feared what might happen.
After she’d finished with the dogs that had arrived already, Bay came down to me. “Good job, Athena.”
“It could be better.” I glanced to the door. “We spoke to many more dogs that this. I was expecting a pack, not some strays.”
“We still have time Athena. Besides, by the looks of it, we’ve got more visitors.” She looked over my shoulder, and I turned to see a group of four dogs lead by a white pelted mutt.
“I got this one Bay.” I walked over, dipping my head to the one in front; who I assumed was leading the group. I didn’t see anyone I had spoken too, and I was sure that this was not the small pack one of them had spoken of.
She female spoke with a confident, though respectful tone, “Hello. We heard that this pack is having a… problem? With the Junkyards, I believe?”
“I fear this problem may belong to all of us, not just the pack. I’m the Beta, Athena. And you?”
“I’m Snow Lion, the self-appointed leader.” The moderately fluffy dog replied, shifting and nodding a snowy head to the group behind her. “We aren’t too sure about this, but we agreed that if we didn’t stand with you, we didn’t stand for anything.” She looked back to me with bright blue eyes. “I know I’m young, we all are, but we know how to fight.” I finally saw that all the dogs in the group were only about two years old, and it dawned on me that the reason I hadn’t realized this was that when I was two, I had not been as ready to willingly give my life for something like this. This group was completely different from me as a younger dog, so I had assumed that they were three, maybe four or five. I know I thought that Bay made a bad move with it, but I had to ask as well.
“I’m afraid I must ask, out of concern, are you positive you want to risk your life for us? You still have a long life ahead of you, and I don’t want to let any of you lose that.”
“We’re all ready, Athena. None of us are going to leave.” I paused, but if Snow Lion and the rest of her pack believed they were ready, it didn’t believe I could change their minds.
“Okay… I’m just giving everyone the chance, just in case.” I paused, but then went on with what I was supposed to be saying, “So, as I’m sure you know, we’re going to be at war with the Junkyards. We don’t wish to kill their ranks, but we will if we have to. Our intention is to drive them out. Beat them into submission. Either they will be only a few trash dogs scouring a junkyard for food again, or there will be no dogs in the junkyard.” I sighed, “And I’m afraid that by tomorrow morning, whatever happens, there will be no going back.”
Snow Lion looked back to her group, but then back to me, standing up straight and tall. “So be it.”
Eight Hours remaining…
That night, the building housed more dogs than I’d ever seen, and we encouraged dogs to go to sleep early, as most would wake before dawn tomorrow. As for the rest of us, we stayed awake. Bay and I went over the plan a few more times, and decided on the dogs we would need for it. I still hadn’t heard anything from many of the dogs we had spoken too, and apparently our call for aid hadn’t spread very far. Snow Lion and her group seemed to be the only ones I hadn’t spoken to that had sought us out.
But that wasn’t what was really on my mind. I was thinking about everyone, pack dogs and strays included. It bothered me that I didn’t know their names, and we were to head into battle. If one went down and never came up, they lost their lives for the pack, and for a cause that would only help if we won. And if we didn’t? Dogs would’ve died for nothing. Their lives would be ripped from them for no reason. I didn’t want that for any of them.
Still though, I knew this had to be done.
Five hours remaining…
Midnight drew near.
There was no sign of a pack.
No sign of West Street Dog.
Bay had gone to sleep. She told me to do so soon.
Everything was silent. Grey sat at the entrance, half-asleep, with one eye on the watch. I was plenty tired, but I had to wait for midnight. I could hear the sounds of cars outside, and every now and then I would see the flash of headlights. The night was chilly, and I wished that it was morning… Well, I wished that it was yesterday morning, so I could correct all of this.
For me, I was sure there was no turning back, even now.
And as I listened, I heard the pitter patter of a dog’s paws falling on asphalt. The sound was getting nearer, and I saw Grey slowly coming out of his half-nap, though obviously still tired. I stood, but as the form slipped through the door, I could make out that it was a Doberman, you know, the sarcastic non-junkyard. For lack of a name, I quietly called over, “West Streets?”
“I have a name.” He responded, looking around. “Huh. I expected more dogs.”
“They’re mostly asleep. You know, you took your sweet time deciding to come here. I thought you’d gone and hid.”
“Me? No. I don’t hide. And trust me, the only reason I’m here is because I think you have a shot, if you do this right, to get those trash-dogs out of here. And, unfortunately for me, I can’t resist the chance of not being a part of this if it works.”
I nodded slightly, “Well, you’re here. That’s all that really counts for me, West Streets.”
“I said I have a name.” He sounded rather annoyed.
“Well you could’ve mentioned it instead of only saying that you’ve got one.”
He nearly cut me off. “Miles.” He said. “The name is Miles. There. Now that that’s settled, what else is there to say?”
I hesitated, looking over to him. I shook the thought, stumbling over my words a bit before I said, “Err… Not much. I just have to make sure you’re positive you’re ready to risk your life, and remind you that we aren’t looking to kill the trash-dogs, only drive them out or at least drive enough of them out to have little to no dogs in the junkyard… Just that kind of stuff.”
He managed a half-hearted chuckle, “The way you say it makes it sound so normal.” He paused, walked over, and sat next to me. I thought I heard him mutter, “I hope it doesn’t become normal.” Then again, it might’ve been something else. After a few silent seconds, he said, “So, pack dog. You really think that a bunch of strays can defeat the Junkyards?”
“Athena. My name is Athena. But yes. I do think we can do it.” I sighed, “We just… we have to do this right. We won’t get any second chances.” I looked back over to him. He seemed to be debating saying something, and opened his mouth to do so, but then turned away, looking in the opposite direction.
What he said was obviously not what he’d been meaning to say. “I… er… I really hope that we win. I know I’m not exactly gung-ho for this, but if we win, I hope to never tremble again at the sight of a Junkyard. I’m tired of being afraid of them, and if fighting is our chance… As small of a chance as it may be, this might me our only chance.” The smile on his face was more of a half-smile as he stood, “No pressure.”
He began walking away, and I could hear him turn a few times before I called over, “Sleeping quarters are on the second floor!”
I heard a pause, a shuffle, and then, “Oh.” Another pause, then pawsteps padding away. “I knew that.”
I rolled my eyes, but continued to wait at the door for others. After a while of waiting, and no one else showing up, I finally retired to my box, now the box next to Bay’s, and fell asleep.
Three hours remaining…
“We don’t have much time Bay, and if we’re striking first, we have to move now.” I could see that the Alpha was still having some doubts about this. To tell the truth, my stomach was swarming with butterflies, and I felt a little lightheaded. Nevertheless, the others seemed ready. I could see Snow Lion and her group flashing teeth at each other and apparently having a friendly bet as to who would scare off the most Junkyards. I knew they were dead serious though. They wanted the Junkyards out. This was probably just their way of coping with the nervousness.
Bay paused, but then nodded, “Alright. I’ll divide the whole group in ones and twos. I’ll take the ones, you take the twos.” I noted a slight hesitation before she headed off into the group, pausing to briefly address each dog. Once she had gotten to the back, I heard her call out, “Alright. All the ones, you’re leaving with me. If you’re a two, stay behind with Athena. Let’s go!” I saw numerous dogs leave, among them Jonathan. I scowled as I saw him and immediately turned away. I wasn’t going to think about him right now.
I waited a bit in silence, letting the others converse while I counted the seconds. We had to get this timed right, or else it wouldn’t work. My eyes were closed, and I muttered quietly, “Fifty-Six… Fifty-Seven… Fifty-Eight… Fifty-Nine…” I paused. My icy orbs opened. I knew the uncertainty that they held in them, but we had to do this. We were really going to do this. “Alright everyone,” I said, picking up my volume so that everyone could hear me. “If you’re a two, come with me. The rest of you are staying behind to watch over home while we’re gone. Let’s move!”
Most of the remaining dogs followed me through the crawlspace and slipped through the fence. If I was right, we were only about a minute behind Bay. I went over this calculation a few times as we went through the city. We traveled through back alleys, no dogs seen on the streets. What was strange though was there weren’t any sounds. The rain wasn’t going too bad, and the cars were still on the roads, and humans still in their houses laughing and screaming and making the noises that humans do… But there were no noises of fighting. I picked up our pace, eventually scaling it to a run. No sounds of fighting. Something was wrong. We crashed through the mental and scent barrier that used to keep us from entering, but our pawsteps stopped as I came to the fence. Loner Intel had confirmed that there was an open gate by which dogs entered and exited the Junkyard. I could see it from here. And just beyond the fence was a small shed. And beyond that shed was the Junkyard. But, only a few feet after the shed, I could see Junkyards closing in on someone… Someone with a caramel and black pelt and grey eyes.
Bay.
And behind Bay, I could see one… two… three, maybe four dogs. I couldn’t tell who they were, but that didn’t matter right now. To blazes with waiting for signals. We had to strike now. A quick nod to Snow Lion was all the group needed. Our pawsteps became a chorus, then a rumble, and then, finally, with the courage and power of a mighty storm, we became the thunder. Many broke off, leaping straight over the fence while I led the others through the opening. I could see Snow Lion, to my right, leap on a few boxes, then up to the roof of the shed, launching herself off of it and into one of the Junkyards. A few of the others did the same. I raced to where Bay and the remnants of the ones were, biting one in the shoulder and taking it down. An intense wave of fear suddenly shone out of the Junkyard’s eyes. It suddenly clicked that this dog was probably about the same age as Snow Lion. I couldn’t dwell on it though. Not wanting to kill unless I had to, I bit the Junkyard again and let it run off, quickly darting back into battle. I was fighting tooth and claw, sending as many dogs running as I could, when suddenly, in my peripheral vision, I caught movement. A dog was tossed to the side as I turned to face this new enemy. He was a brute, large and bulky, but I couldn’t let that stop me. And that wasn’t what stopped me. What stopped me was the young dog fighting him. Her once white pelt was torn in multiple places, and she was nearly coated in blood. Still though, her eyes blazed with anger and courage. And not even in that dreadful moment when the brute lunged at her, nor even seconds later, when he crunched down on her neck, did I ever see fear in her eyes.
Snow Lion dropped to the floor, dead.
My blood boiled, and I screamed in rage, charging at the beast. The adrenaline coursing through me landed a solid bite on him, and allowed me to ignore the pain as he swatted me off. I shot myself at him again, my teeth shredding through flesh his. Bay’s familiar form joined me, and then Miles. It wasn’t until I was knocked away once again that I realized the battle was over everywhere else, and from almost every angle, dogs were coming at this last one. And, as I pushed myself back up, the dog collapsed, whimpering and wincing from the many bites. Gritting my teeth, I walked up, raising my head so that I could look down upon him.
Though my teeth wished to make contact with him again, to kill him like he’d done to Snow, I only growled low, “Run.”
--
The rain had begun pouring harder as we sat in the building, drenched with blood, mud, and rainwater – some of us even having trash stuck in our pelts. In our first battle, we had lost five dogs, among them Snow Lion and Oak, with major injuries on some of the dogs. Bay was pretty sure that most of us would survive, and be able to fight by tonight, more by tomorrow, but I had come to my own conclusions. With many dogs resting, I pulled Miles aside, and spoke to him for a while in a low voice. He listened the whole while, and when I was done, for a moment, he could only look at me. He closed his eyes, and I saw a tear come, but only a single one before he opened his eyes, looked at me, and forced one of the fakest smiles I had ever seen onto his face as he said, “If that’s what makes you happy, then okay.” I forced a smile back, took a deep breath, and whispered a single word into his ear. ‘Goodbye.’
--
The rain poured down on me. My wounds still stung, and there was probably a slight blood trail behind me, but it didn’t really matter. Sitting at the edge of the city, my icy blue eyes looked outward, at the road stretching in front of me, and the sidewalk ending abruptly about a foot in front of me. I was just about to begin when a familiar voice asked, “Athena?” I turned to see Jonathan. I would’ve been furious, but there was no point. “What are you doing?”
He asked, but I had the feeling he already knew. I turned around and sat back down. I heard him walk up, behind and slightly beside me as I smiled dryly, “Oh, because you care so much about me.” I was calm, but somehow angry.
There was a pause, but then he stepped closer, “Athena, I know you’re angry, but I can explain what you heard. You see, I-“
I stopped him, getting up and turning around, “No!” I paused, “No. It’s said and done, past and not forgiven. But that’s not it… The war is raging on and both packmates and friends are dropping like flies. I’m not angry with anyone, Jonathan. I’m leaving.”
There was a long pause, but then he asked, “But, where will you go?” He shouted over the rain and a sudden blast of lightning and thunder, “Is there even anywhere for you to go back to?”
I turned around, facing the open road ahead of me. Turning my head slightly towards my shoulder, and a bit down, I said, “I’m going home, Jonathan.” I blinked. Once. Twice. My head inclined to the journey ahead of me. “I’m going home…”
.:End of Part 1:.
I know, my ending is no hero's tale. But I said it once, and I'll say it again, my story is no fairy tale. It's only the truth. I know, I can't hide the truth, no matter how much I regret it. However... sometimes, I have to wonder if my story will ever be told... I don't think it will though. And that's why my story is untold. After all, who wants to hear the story of Athena, the dog who ran away? Still though... Maybe one day. Someday... Maybe someday, somehow, I'll find a way... Someday a story of my courage will be told... Well, at least, I can hope.
Part Two
It was a cold, dark night. The rain had gone on all morning, and had left only the freezing cold behind by nightfall. A few lights lined the street, and some headlights could be seen, that of a car driving quietly down the road. In this dark night, not much stirred. The moon hung high in the sky, and many were asleep… But outside a dark chain-link fence, three dogs stood, a pup held in the jaws of one.
The light brown German Shepherd spoke first, though her words were stony, icy. “Hello Annie. Long time. No see.”
The mother shepherd put her pup in front of the first speaker. “I didn’t come to talk Bay, and I’m not going to pretend that everything is good between us. So, I’ll get to the point.” She nudged the pup closer. “I need you to take him. He isn’t safe with me.” Her bright blue collar jingled a bit as she shook her head, “My humans… they… they…”
Bay stopped her. “It’s alright, Annie. I understand. He’ll be safe here.”
There was a pause before the younger nodded, nuzzling her pup, “Take him to his father… And remember; only four dogs are to know any of this: Me, you, his father, and your beta here.
The alpha nodded, "I know. Don't worry." The alpha was trying to look reassuring, and her beta nodded as well.
Annie nodded, looking down to her pup once more. She gave him a lick, then blinked and paused, whispering softly, ever so softly, "Goodbye Dallas..." Then she turned, walking away into the night, a single tear dripping down her face from her grieving, ice-blue eyes.
--
Chapter 1
I jolted awake, scrambling to my feet before I realized I had only been dreaming. My eyes gazed up, and sure enough, it was still before dawn. That night had been in my dreams since it happened, and I still could only wonder of the safety of my pup. But there was nothing I could really do about it. So, I just curled back up in the dog house, my collar clipped to a rope that latched to a chain on the outside of this strange little house.
It had been nearly two years since I left Dallas, my only remaining pup, in the company of Bay and her pack, and I hadn’t heard from them since. That is, until a certain chocolate colored Labrador Retriever looked in through the open door of the little dog house. My ears perked up, and I stood, growling and about to bark when the stranger whispered,
“Wait! Don’t bark… I’m a friend of Bay’s. She needed me to talk to you.”
I walked forward, so that she backed up. She and I were about the same height, though, to be accurate, she was a bit taller than me, but she looked friendly enough. “Ugh… This better be important. Who are you? And what does Bay want to talk to me?”
“My name is Dice. I’m the daughter of the current Beta, so yes, this is rather important. The pack needs you.”
“Why?” I asked, narrowing my eyes and glancing past her, at the house, to make sure no one was waking up.
“Bay told me about you. She told me about the kind of dog you were before. Honestly, I think it would be a waste for you to be a pet… You definitely still have potential, potential we'll need if we're going to win." Dice looked over her shoulder, but then looked back, "Things aren't good anymore. We beat the Junkyards and lived in peace... but now they're coming back. They're infe-" She suddenly cut off as the sound of a door opening was heard, coming from inside the house. “No time to explain.” She spoke quickly, “The pack needs you. Dallas needs you. Find me tonight at the edge of town!” Then she turned and ran, jumping onto a box, then a trash can, and finally, straight over the fence, leaving me alone.
About thirty seconds after, the barking of other dogs died down, and one of my humans came out, unclipping me from the dog house. They’d been rather strict about the whole leash thing ever since that night two years ago.
I didn’t move though. I just sat down, blinking. The pack needed me. Dallas needed me. But… how did she know about Dallas? Did she know about Dallas? I couldn’t tell, but I was rather curious.
It had been so long since I'd been out there, on the streets I mean. I had no doubt I could leave, well at least, it was possible physically. Mentally, however, I wasn't too sure. Even after everything, I still loved my humans, and they loved me. That was the reason I'd come back the first time, and the reason I was still here. Still... Dallas needed me.
Sighing inwardly, I knew I would have to help. Dallas and the pack needed help. And I needed to see Dallas. I still remembered the pup he had once been… Playful, cute… He had a caramel brown and midnight black coat, like mine, but with the strong, deep, brown eyes of his father. I remembered that innocent white blaze on his chest, and the way he could never get both ears to stand up at the same time… I knew that wasn’t the Dallas I was going to meet when I went back, but I had to know. I wasn't sure how it would go, but I wanted - needed to see him. I glanced to where my human was, sitting in the house. I would come back. I knew I would. I loved them too much to leave for good. I would go there, stay for maybe a month, or even just a week or something. Maybe the issue wasn't as crazy as the Labrador had made it seem. I hoped.
Either way, by the sunset, my paws were launching me over the fence.
I landed on the concrete of the other side, but one paw hit the side of a trash can cover and made the thing fly into the air, clattering to the ground. Lights came on in the house. I bolted. I was out of the neighborhood by the time the car rumbled to life, and I hid as it drove past me. I could hear them calling, “Annie!?” It was the name I was pretty sure they’d given to me. I’d been studying the sounds humans made, comparing them to other sentences and mumbles they’d spoken, and pieced together that they had named me Annie.
I had begun to think of myself as this Annie dog, the kind of dog my humans thought I was: A young, hardy German Shepherd who showed up at their doorstep and turned out to be pregnant. I had been home for about a year, and when the pups’ father and I found out I was heavy with the little ones, I had left the streets. The streets were no place for pups, so I had gone to a human home, and they had kept me. Their father had gone back to the other town, and Bay’s pack.
Once the road was clear, I ran across, sliding against the wall and avoiding humans and cars as much as possible as I made my way through the city. Dogs barked insults at me when I passed by, but I was going full speed through this, and not listening. I quickly avoided the Junkyard territory, moving in an ark around it.
Not long after, I arrived at the edge of town, in the dark. I couldn’t see any other dogs, and I began wondering if I had come too late, but then a familiar voice asked, “Hey, is that you?”
“Who else would it be? Of course it’s me.”
Her Labrador form appeared at my side, and she smiled, “We’d better get going then. No time to waste.”
I nodded, my head inclined to the long, long road ahead, and I suddenly realized what I was doing. I was leaving my city to help a pack with an alpha that hated me, most because... Well, mostly because of Dallas... But there was something else - something more. It dawned on me that by going back, by helping, I was getting a second chance... A second chance at making things right... But that was only if I could help. If. I reminded myself. I hadn't done anything like this in my life... I commented my thoughts in a mumble, “It’s been a long three years…”
Dice nodded, seeming to know what I meant. “Don’t worry.” She looked out with me, beginning to walk, “I may not know you personally, but I know you. You’re no softy Annie. You’re strong. You’re brave. You’re Athena.”
And just like that, I was leaving my home, my life... And the thought rang in my head: I was going back…
I was going back.
Chapter 2
The journey was long, though not as long as the first time I had made it. It was cold and more than a little nerve wracking, returning to the pack. I wasn’t sure what the reaction would be… Of course, anyone that knew me would likely be furious, full of hatred, anything but happy to see me. But there were two dogs that I really wasn’t sure about, and for the love of Pete, one was my son! But, as we padded into the city, I knew there was nothing I could do now. No matter what Dallas felt about me, I was here now. So, I puffed up my chest, and tried to act like I wasn’t falling to pieces as I was reminded of every memory of this place.
In fact, three steps into the place, and I just stopped, the breath knocked out of me as I heard a scream. My eyes widened, and I called out, “PING!!!” I knew better. What was worse: I knew I knew better. But my paws threw me into action, and in less than a minute, I came swinging around the bend. I could still see it… Ping, slumped against the wall... Barely conscious, and making futile efforts to stand. I could still see the Junkyards, their eyes gleaming with loathing and their teeth drenched in blood… But… wait… These weren’t…
“Look out Athena!” I heard someone’s voice call out next to me, and suddenly a weight threw me to my side. I scrambled up, but all I could see was the fight where Maple and Red had been injured. Though, for some reason, I could tell no one said it, I could still hear the rest of what Bay had called out, “There’s more!”
But suddenly, I just… Snapped out of it. My eyes came into focus, and I saw three hulking forms, their eyes bright gold and their size larger than I’d ever seen a dog. One suddenly lunged at Dice. My paws shot me instinctively at the beast, knocking it away. Before it got up, I shouted, “Run Dice!” I saw the Labrador make a dash for it, and I wasn’t far behind. Suddenly, she veered off to the side, and I trusted her, though I wasn’t sure where she was going. And as I followed, she leaped onto a trash can, pushed off a bit from the wall, and appeared on the other side of the chain link.
I threw myself forward, my paws hitting the can, knocking it down, and touching the wall just enough so that I flew over the fence as well. I turned to look behind us. The huge figures had stopped at the fence, barking and snarling, flashing their teeth with their hackles raised.
I finally caught up to Dice as we slipped through the fence and where suddenly inside the main territory of the pack. “Who was that?” I whispered, pausing before correcting myself, “Better question: What was that?”
Dice glared at me for a second, “I could ask you the same thing. You nearly got us killed.” She paused, “And those are what we’re up against, the Junkyards.”
I snickered a bit, but when Dice didn’t say she was kidding, I asked, “Wait, what? I heard that the pack beat the Junkyards to a pulp. How are they back? And what… what made them like that?”
We got nearer to the building, and Dice just said, “I’m sure Bay will fill you in on the details.” And with that, she slipped under, and I paused, but then followed after her, into the building.
The immediate reaction was pretty simple: Grey. As soon as I walked in, he was standing in front of me, snarling. “You aren’t welcome here, Athena.”
“Don’t worry Grey, she’s with me.” Dice’s tone was a cross between trying to sound friendly, and being and order.
Grey stepped slightly out of my way, but he was still furious, as expected. I flashed a glare at him, but followed Dice, who led me to just below the three large boxes, where, so long ago, Bay, Shark, and Red had once stood. Just as she did, and we reached the base of the boxes, I heard an all too familiar voice say, “Long time, no see Athena.” And there was Bay, walking up to us. Just by her tone and stance, I guessed it at once.
I turned, growling a little at Dice, “She didn’t know, did she?”
“Well Dice, I see you’re finally back. After what? Over a week? And you come back with her?”
Dice wasn’t going to roll over though, not that quick. “Everyone deserves a second chance Bay. You know that better than anyone here. When you told me about Athena, you made her sound like a great dog, a warrior and whatever you called her. So I brought her back.”
“Dice, we’ve got no chance of winning against the Junkyards. You think one dog could help?”
“From what I’ve heard, this one can. She was the one who started the whole ‘Beat the Junkyards’ thing, and it worked.”
“Only for them to come back better than before. And while we’re on the topic of the defeating of the junkyards, doesn’t everyone remember that she was beta for less than a day, and left before the war was even won?”
This sparked thousands of comments from the onlookers, and for a minute or so, I just listened to them back and forth, and I finally, I just yelled, “Enough!”
The room went silent. “I’ve done my fair share of good things and bad things in my life. I left this place, and everyone who thought it was safe, just so I could save my own hide. I know it was bad, but I need a second chance. I’m not asking for your trust. I know I don’t deserve it. All I ask is that you at least half forgive me, and let me re-join and find my redemption. Let me prove to you that I’m not that dog any more. That’s all I ask.”
There was a long pause. Which continued. And continued… And continued. Finally though, Bay said, “I’ll consider it. Find a place in the West Streets, and we’ll contact you.” West Streets. The words rang in my head, and I tried to shake them out. “Yeah, fine.” I turned, an created a wide rift through the dogs as I left.
A thick fog coated the ground, shifting in the night’s breezes, though it never seemed to break up. The West Streets were empty, just as they had been my last time here. I had chosen an abandoned house like any other, but then I had found my paws leading me here, where I now sat. It was a dark, empty street. The night around me was dreadfully cold, but at the time, I didn’t really mind. I was content to sit in the empty street with the fog, and rest. As creepy as it had once seemed, Miles had always made it sound so much more than that…
But then there was a sound of paws hitting the ground in a steady, rhythmic beating. The form that came into view was taller than me, though his body shape seemed to somewhat resemble a German Shepherd’s, with thinner attributes, shorter fur and such. I wondered if I should be wary, and it crossed my mind that this stranger could be one of the dogs I had encountered earlier. I was downwind though, and his scent was carried to me. It was undeniable that he carried the scent of the pack, Bay’s pack. From what I could see in the dim light, he had a dark caramel coat, darker than mine, though seemingly resembling it, down to the midnight black on his back, and accents on his face, tell, and slightly dark grey on his light brown chest. The male was well built, with dark eyes, which watched me closely. Pointed ears were trained on me, and as he sat, he puffed out his chest, a show of confidence which displayed a beautiful white blaze on his chest.
My voice shook, and I took a step forward, “Dallas?” I knew it had to be him, but he looked so different, so much more grown up… It nearly frightened me. Gone were those ears that refused to stay up at the same time. Gone was his puppy’s playfulness and energy. This dog was nothing like the puppy I had once given up.
“Miles said you’d be here.” His tone was cold, like stones, and he said, “You know, for a dog that only knew her pup for a few weeks, you really didn’t find it hard to tell who I am.”
I winced a bit, feeling the hostility held in his voice. “I gave you to the pack because I knew it was what was best for you.”
Dallas just stared, that cold, dark stare, but then asked, “Why?”
I was confused, “Why? I just told you why. I le-“
He cut me off with a sharp bark, standing, “That’s not why I meant. Why did you come back?”
His tone was venomous, and it made my heart ache. “Dice told me that the pack needed help… That you, most importantly, were and are in trouble.”
He growled, his lips pulling back, showing teeth, and his nose scrunched up. “I don’t need your help, Athena.” He used my name. No more ‘Mommy’ for me… “When the pack figured out that you were my mom, I had to work my hindquarters off to be free of your name.” He rolled his eyes, “You messed up my life up enough already, so just leave. You did it once before, so I’m sure you won’t mind doing it again.”
I flinched, but I knew there was nothing I could do. With that, he turned around, walking away. “You chose your life, sheep. Now step aside and let the wolves do their job.” His voice faded with his form, swallowed up by the darkness, though I could still see a whirling of displaced fog where he had one been… Dallas was gone… He was just gone.
The little German Shepherd Doberman mix puppy was but a broken memory, an illusion just for me to live with. A bitter thought ran through my mind, He’s so much like his father… I was not comforted in the least by this, but I knew it was true. I sat there for a minute or so longer before I picked myself up, turning ‘round and walking away, back to the home I had picked out. The door was shut, but it had window and a box outside of the window. I leaped from the box and into the window, landing in a room of soft floor. It was cold here too, but not as cold as out there. Wet paw prints were scattered around the house, my prints from earlier, when I had first picked the house. More trailed behind me. Moving into a room with a softer floor, I found a corner that was more or less warm, and lay down, curling into a tight ball.
I was nowhere near falling asleep when I heard another dog leap in through the window. I jumped up, but his scent hit me, and I found myself relieved. “Miles!” I barked excitedly, rushed forward, and as expected, the Doberman Pincher was standing there, trying to wipe his paws off on the soft ground.
I stopped a foot or two in front of him, holding myself back. There was a tense silence, but then Miles said, “It’s been a while, Athena.” I paused, but his tone was not harsh, nothing like Dallas’ tone had been.
“Yeah,” I laughed a bit, “A long, long time.” I looked down, growing serious. “I just saw Dallas… He doesn’t think of me as his mother any more… I know, I expected it… But I…” I trailed off, sighing sadly.
Miles walked forward, nosing my chin up. I knew I wasn’t on the brink of crying, but I wanted to cry. All I could do was press myself close to him, and I rested my head on his shoulder, and he did the same on mine. We sat in silence for a minute or so, him comforting me.
Finally, Miles said, “Don’t worry Athena. He just wasn’t prepared for anything like this… I’m sure he’ll come to like you again. He had to grow up a hard life, and he’s just not accustomed to anything nice, like you showing up.” There was a pause before he added, “You know, when he was little, he was always talking about you. Of course, he called you ‘Mommy’ then…” The Doberman trailed, and sighed. I backed up again.
The look in his dark eyes was one of sorrow. “I’m sorry you had to come back to that. No mother should have to lose her pup, especially like that.”
There was a long silence, not awkward or tense, just silence. Finally, I asked, “So, what’s going on here?”
Miles shook his head, “A lot. We won the war, but you know that already. We lived as a good, strong pack. Most of the loners and rogues stayed with the pack, but some left. Snow Lion’s friends, they left, as well as a few others. They’re around, but not part of the pack. We started getting actual pups, and training them as well. We became a large, powerful pack. Eventually, you came with Dallas, and he started growing with the others.” He chuckled a bit, “He became quite fond of another pup, Becky.” He paused, but then continued, “Not long after Dallas began his training, some strangers, Junkyards by the looks of them, came along. Within days, they had gotten control over the Junkyard Pack – They formed a new one – and that’s when trouble started happening. Two of the new junkyards left, but one remained, and the Junkyards… They became different. They grew stronger, faster… But their minds quickly decayed. We aren’t sure what actually happened… Why they became that way, but we know the after effects of it. You can get infected from a bite, a deep claw mark… and you become mindless. We’ve lost so many dogs…” He paused, trailing. “Our ranks were thinned, and we tried to recruit loners and rogues, even pets… But they wouldn’t fight, not against the Junkyards this time. And then Dice disappeared, and came back with you. And here we are. Bay would have a better description of everything, but you don’t need to hear everything right now, right?” He chuckled weakly, “What about you? What’s been happening with you?”
“Not much, not much.” I paused, “After I left, I became a pet. I didn’t want my pups to grow up like I did, on the streets… But my pups were taken away. I had to give Dallas to the pack… When I came back, I was just another pet. I couldn’t leave my home, as much as I disliked the humans for taking away my pups. They love me, and I love them… I don’t know why it’s like that, but it is. Then Dice came and got me.” I hesitated, but then, “Since I’ve been back, I’ve been… I don’t really know. When I first came here, I thought… I thought I heard Jonathan’s sister, Ping, scream, just like she had the night… The night she died. I kept getting flashbacks… I could hear Bay, even when I knew it wasn’t here. I saw the Junkyards… I think I even saw Red at one point…” I shook my head, “I’m sorry… I just thought you should know. I don’t know what’s wrong with me…”
Miles cut me off, giving me a swift lick on the cheek, “Don’t worry about it Athena. Coming back put a lot of pressure on you, so it’s no wonder you’re having trouble.” He looked to the door, “Bay is expecting me back. I have to go.” He nuzzled her a bit, and then turned around. “It’s okay Athena. Things can only get better from here.”
Only now do I know how wrong he was…
Chapter 3
I hid in the West Streets for nearly a month. I got frequent visits from Miles, and Miles told Dallas and a few other dogs that still didn’t hate me. Dallas never visited me, but I got a visit from one or two other dogs, and to my surprise, near the end of the month, Dice came. She couldn’t stay long, but she informed me that Bay was near making a decision. The odds looked hopeful, for me, but many of the pack members still weren’t sure. With every day I wasn’t helping, I began to wonder if I should just help on me own, be a rebel and fight without the pack. However, with redemption on my mind, I stuck it out. I got rather mad at the pack though, so at one point, yes, I did manage to sneak past Grey and take some food from the pack’s pile. It was a onetime thing, and no, I wouldn’t risk it again.
At the very end of the month, a heavy-footed dog leaped through the window, landing with a thud. It took me a few seconds, but I recognized that deep presence. That was an Alpha’s presence. “Athena.” Bay’s voice addressed me, and I stood, greeting her with a respectful show of submission, though I refused to show full submission. Just respect. Bay wasn’t my alpha, not yet at least, and I wasn’t a kiss-up.
“Bay,” There was a silence before I said, “I suppose this is where I’m kicked out of West Streets, and you just wanted to do the honors?”
Bay stared at me, not amused. “No, in fact. The pack agreed that every dog on our side is one less on theirs. Not to mention, you don’t seem like you’ll leave, this time.”
I suppressed a low growl, “I left on bad terms last time. I’m making it right now. I’m staying for me, but most importantly, my son.”
“You know he hates you, right?”
“He doesn’t have to love me for me to help him. I’ve come to the conclusion by now that he’s not just going to love me. I left him. He has every right to hate me.”
Bay just stared at me, but then let out a ‘hmph’, and continued, “Either way, you’re in the pack, so long as you stay loyal to us.” She paused, “By the way, I know it was you that took some food out of our pile. Believe it or not, you’re starting to get that non-yet-seemingly-Junkyard scent again.” She looked out the window. “Through the other side of the city, scouts found a river at the bottom of a valley. A bridge of some kind spans over it, and at least once every day, a monster, large and dark, travels across the bridge. It doesn’t enter the city, turning right before it gets too close. Stay away from the bridge, Athena, but chances are, you should try to wash that Junkyard-ish smell off of you, before the pack assumes you’ve been places.”
I nodded, and Bay turned around. “I’ll see you later then, Athena.”
I refused to offer a goodbye myself, and watched as Bay left the house, leaving me alone.
I waited a minute, but then followed Bay’s instructions. I didn’t really have anything in the house that I called mine, so I figured I could just leave, wash up, and go back to the building. The directions Bay gave me were rather hard to follow. I got lost about three times, but then my eyes caught something that gleamed in the sunlight. I quickly made my way over to it, and found my paws a foot or so away from some sort of… strange… I wasn’t sure what. I had never seen anything like it before. I was sure these led to the bridge though. I got in the center of the two shiny things. They resembled the stuff on cars, with beams crossing between them. I had no idea what strange contraption they could be.
But, just as I expected, they led to the bridge, and I could hear running water, though I couldn’t see it. I was surrounded by trees and hills of many sorts. I couldn’t see the other side of the bridge though. The roadlike-thing I was between curved around a bend. I stepped off the road thing, heading down the side, which sloped steeply into a river. The river seemed calm enough, but later on, it grew into rapids, a frightening sight.
Soon enough, my paws were in the water. I winced. The river was freezing. Still though, I was not going to be thought of as a Junkyard, not again. That had not ended well last time. So, little by little, I inched my way into the river, the water rushing past me, though not enough for me to lose my footing.
“Stupid river,” I growled, letting out a yelp of surprise when a shift in the wind sent a small wave of icy water to touch my underbelly. I was shaking a bit, but I knew I had to go under. Stupid junkyard scent. I was about to just leave when suddenly the bridge far above me started shaking, and a huge, deep scream, unlike any noise I had ever heard, sounded. It seemed to shaking the ground beneath me. My eyes widened, and my first instinct took over. I sprang forward, landing in the icy water. I kicked out my feet, panicking as they hardly scraped the ground.
My head flashed above the surface with a spray of water. I coughed, blinking the water out of my eyes and trying to regain my senses. My paws just barely touched the stones below as I drifted down the river. That was not my concern however. On the bridge, a huge, dark monster was flashing by, faster than any dog or car. The noise of it was that of thunder.
It scared me, but I had nearly no time to think, as I was hit broadside by a rock sticking out of the water. I screamed, and I began spinning a bit. The impact hurt. As I came into contact with the second, I yelped in pain, scrambling to keep afloat. For a second, I could feel solid ground beneath my freezing paws, but then it was gone. Locating the rapids not far from my position, the next time I got to a patch of ground and a rock, I through myself forward, landing with a stinging sensation in my paws.
The rock was definitely small, but I was out of the water and that was enough. I shook the water from my fur, shivering violently. I was freezing, and the breeze was more of an actual wind now. I looked around, but my rock was the only one near me. The only chance I had to get to a larger rock, or a better standpoint would be to float down the river and land on one of the rocks there.
I was thinking about leaping to one side, but then I heard a familiar female’s voice saying, “Need some help there?”
I looked over. A chocolate Labrador stood on the side of the river, where I had come from. Dice. Thank the stars. “Umm…” I glanced around, still soggy from the water. “Well, yeah. I guess I do. Who knew, right?”
Dice laughed a little, “No kidding. Don’t worry though. We got swimming training when we were younger.” She paused, but then leaped into the water, with a splash. When she came up, she shouted, “Okay, now jump, towards me!”
Jump? JUMP? Dice didn’t seriously expect me to jump, did she? But there she was, padding toward me in the icy water, confident as can be. I shook my head. No time to think. My paws left the rock, and for a moment, I was weightless… But then I came slamming into the water, and for a moment, I was completely submerged. The iciness was all around me, silence crowding me in. It was calming, but frightening at the same, strange time. I kicked out my legs, but it was a strong, though not painful, grab on my scruff that pulled me out of the water. I stayed close to Dice, gliding toward the edge. “Stay calm.” She told me. “Maple says it helps if you do that, and just let the water carry you to the side of the river.”
We reached the bank, and shook the water from our coats, though I was still thoroughly chilled. I paused before I asked, “Is Maple still alive? More important, when did she start talking again?”
Dice glanced at me funny for a second, but then nodded, “Oh, yeah. The older dogs said she stopped talking for a while. From what I’ve heard, she started talking when Dass…” Dice hesitated, “Dallas, I mean, came here.”
“Ah.” I nodded, pausing a bit. Amused, I had to ask, “Dass?”
Dice shook her head, “As a pup, as you may remember, he couldn’t say his name that well, so we just called him that, Dass.”
“He doesn’t like it anymore, but I call him that sometimes. Dass was much cuter than Dallas.”
She paused, faltering, “I, uh, not saying that he isn’t cute now, or that I liked him, or that I like him now, or… uh…” Dice stumbled, but I just chuckled.
“The word you’re looking for is that Dass was adorable as a pup.”
Dice nodded, “Yes, that.” She seemed embarrassed, but relieved.
“I know what you mean, though. He was much cuter as a pup. Now, well, he’s practically an adult now. He isn’t the pup I used to know…” I paused, “When… When did that happen?”
“Well, I suppose it started after word got out that you were his mother. When he suddenly had to fight for everything, he became a little less picky as to how he got it. I’m still not sure how they found out. Maybe it was something he did, something he said... Rebecca and I were the only dogs that were his friends. But then… It was near when the Junkyards first began actually attacking. He convinced me, Becky, Roan, Dawn, and a few of the other apprentices to go on an attack party.” She shook her head, “It failed. We lost almost everyone. Dallas managed to kill one of the Junkyards, but he nearly lost Becky in the process.”
There was a pause. I shivered. Finally, Dice said, “He started the whole thing to finally earn his stripes, but it only made it worse. From that day on, he became obsessed with revenge, redeeming his name.” She chuckled, “Huh, I guess it runs in the family.”
“No kidding.”
“And… That’s why we aren’t friends. I know it doesn’t matter, but I just… I don’t do revenge. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, you know?” She looked at my clueless expression and laughed, “I know, it probably isn’t something you are familiar with… but yeah.”
I nodded, “Yeah, the whole concept is a little iffy to me…” I let my voice trail, but then decided it was time to get moving. “So, we should probably be heading back now, I suppose? I don’t want to be late for my unceremonious arrival.”
Dice nodded back, “Yeah, I guess.”
I paused, “Oh.” I turned to Dice. “Do I smell kind of like a junkyard to you?”
Dice shook her head, “Nope.”
Satisfied, I chuckled a bit, “Thank goodness. It was a problem in the past.” Dice chuckled as well for a few seconds, but then her eyebrows scrunched together, and the look on her face told me she was confused. I didn’t want to elaborate, so with a simple, “Let’s go!” I turned in the direction of the pack’s building and set off with a steady jog, knowing that Dice would follow me.
Chapter 4
We made our way back to the pack’s building eventually, and luckily for us, we ran in to little trouble. True, some knots in my fur got me stuck in the fence for a minute or two, and Dice nearly attacked a leaf that fell on her, but for the most part, it was fine. Best of all, no flashbacks.
I thought back to my reentry into the city, about how I had heard Ping, just like I had the day she died. And then, when there, how I had seen Bay instead of Dice, after Dice had used the same phrase Bay had used once before. It occurred to me that the best way to avoid getting a flashback was to not put myself in a situation where I would remember anything painful. I wasn’t sure if it worked for good memories, and I had to wonder if going up to the top of the roof would give me pleasant memories of when Jonathan was the love of my life. Well, they wouldn’t be so pleasant anymore, but still.
I took a long, deep breath before I entered, letting Dice go in front of me. I had my eyes closed as I slinked under, but I opened my eyes as I came to the other side. For a second, I could almost see the old building – Bay in front of me, Grey challenging me, but then my eyes opened, really opened, I mean. The place was completely different. A Rottweiler stood where Grey had once been, giving me a glare, but not challenging me. There were many, many more dogs, but I could tell that it was nowhere near the amount they used to have, when I was gone. Something in their eyes told me they had lost too many to count.
Where the three boxes were, upon which Bay, Shark, and Red had once sat, there sat two strangers. One was a brown lab, supposedly one of Dice’s parents, if she’d been telling the truth. The second was a dog, much larger than I was. I guessed he was a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. He was very strong, by the looks of him, and I wondered if he was the Delta, or if he was simply a dog hanging around the Beta. He carried himself with honor, so I supposed it was the former.
Bay was nowhere in sight, though I looked around quite a bit. It occurred to me that she might be out on patrol, or even in the upper floors. Things had changed. Since she now had a Beta and a Delta, she might be allowed to leave more often.
“Look out!” I tensed as a voice called, and nearly throwing myself back as two battling mastiffs nearly barreled into me and Dice. I was about to stop them when I realized that they weren’t biting each other, only snapping near the skin, pretending to fight. They stopped a few seconds after, and the smaller, a female, was giving the larger male a glare.
The male nodded, “That’s what I mean. You need to be ready for anything, including an attack from one of your own.” He side glanced at me, though I’m sure I wasn’t supposed to notice. “You never know who you can trust.”
“Fair enough,” The female rolled her eyes. “I’ll be prepared next time then.”
The male turned to us. “Sorry about that Dice. I’m trying to teach Scarlet a few things about being ready for anything.”
Dice was scowling. “Just don’t let it happen again, Rook. This is the second time this week I’ve nearly been pummeled by you and your sister.” She turned to me. “Come on Athena. I need to introduce you to my mom.” I was still lingering, staring at the hunk of flesh that was Rook. How could that dog be Rook? I had to remind myself that it had been a long time since I’d seen Rook. He’d been a puppy back then.
I jogged to catch up to Dice, who was talking. “I understand why he does it, but I don’t want to be squashed.” She paused, “Losing his dad must’ve been hard on him, and on top of that, he has to take care of his family now. Rook had to grow up fast, so his sister didn’t have to. And now that she’s not so much of a pup, he’s trying to teach her, so she’s ready for when she has to go out there too. It’s a noble cause, but I would’ve enjoyed staying a pup for a little longer.”
I stopped her, “Back up Dice. If that is Rook… Ian is dead?”
She nodded. “More or less.” She paused before explaining, “A little after the Junkyard Crisis started, we began looking for more dogs to join our cause, like you did once before. Ian was leading a patrol through old Junkyard territory, looking for dogs, and… well… things happened. Ian was infected. He made the rest of the patrol leave before they could become infected as well. No one has seen him since.” She shook her head. “I don’t even want to imagine what would happen if we were out there one day and we saw him like that… Infected, I mean. He was a good dog, and it would kill me to see him like the Junkyards.”
I hadn’t been paying attention, looking at Dice actually, so that when she stopped, I bumping into someone. I backed up to look at the stranger. She was the brown lab from before, obviously Dice’s mother.
“Uh… Sorry about that.” I mumbled, not sure if she would get on my case for it.
“It’s alright.” She nodded, “I’m assuming you are Athena? We’ve heard a lot about you here at the pack.”
“Not all good stuff, I know, but that’s why I came back. I need to redeem my name as a pack dog.”
Dice’s mother chuckled, “You sound just like Dallas.” She paused, “My name is Rain. As I’m sure you know, I’m Dice’s mother, as well as the current Beta of the pack. I joined before the Junkyards got out of hand again. If I’m correct, you were the Beta before me, right?”
I tried to stand up a little taller as I nodded, “Yes, I was.” I trailed a little, sinking, “But I guess everyone knows how that turned out.”
“Athena, you came back so everyone would forget the things you did in the past, and consider you a part of the pack again. If they’re going to accept you, you’ll first have to accept yourself.” She paused, but then looked over my shoulder. “Bay’s back.” She looked to me. “We’ll talk later.” She padded past me, and I turned to watch her great Bay, who was followed by a group of rather soggy and mud-covered dogs. They looked very, very sad. I turned around, trotting over to get within hearing range. Bay sounded angry, and I decided that I was definitely not talking to her today.
“Bay, are you alright?” Rain was obviously concerned, but not scared. “That isn’t just mud on your coat. It’s blood. Did you run into trouble?”
Bay bumped past her, growling. “Two junkyards on the edge of the forest. We chased them, until they met up with three more. We battled at the river, further down in the rapids.” She stopped a few seconds after, “We lost three of our own, so no. I’m not fine.”
“What of the Junkyards?” Dice piped up from behind me.
Bay growled, “Two dead, two washed down the river. One ran away.”
“Who did we lose?” I found the courage to ask. She knew I was there, anyway.
“No one you’d know, Annie.” I wanted to glare, but I couldn’t find it in me. I’d lost my edge over the three years I’d been a pet.
However, I did manage a slight growl before I turned around, deciding that I wasn’t wanted here. My paws carried me away, up actually. They led me up the stairs, but I nearly turned straight around when I saw who was waiting for me up there.
As soon as my icy blues caught his golden ones, and I recognized the greyish-brown flecked fur, I let out an exasperated sigh, rolling my eyes and turning to leave.
“Athena, wait.”
I whipped my head around, “What do you want?!”
Jonathan’s eyes narrowed, and his voice seemed sharp, the kind of professional air equipped with a hostile spit, reserved only for the enemies you find the most annoying and impossible to deal with. Come to think of it, I probably used that look a lot. He moved in front of me, staring me down as he growled, “Look, I know we’re still sore after what happened before you left. No, what you heard isn’t what happened, but there are more important things to deal with right now.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off. “No.” He stepped closer to me, looking larger than I remembered him being. “I heard you came back just to, what? Redeem your name? You aren’t going to find it, not here, or at least, not now.” He looked past me - down the stairs, and his voice became low. “Follow me. We can’t talk about this here.”
I growled, but I followed him. To this day, I’m still not sure why. Either way, I followed him through the boxes, all the way to the back, or at least to a darker part of the second floor. There, he stopped and turned around. I paused, cautiously lifting my nose and inhaled deeply. Only one distinct scent was recent, though there were many old, very old scents that I didn’t recognize.
“I’m the only one who has used this place recently Athena. Dogs stopped coming here a long time ago.” He shook his head. “But that’s not what I’m going to talk to you about. You want to fix whatever life you’ve made for yourself? That’s great. Why not. But whatever you’re looking for, you aren’t going to find it here.”
“Jonathan, you’re going to have to explain what’s going on if you want anything done.” I growled, slightly irritated, though my head was cocked ever so slightly to the right.
Jonathan growled, “Fine. After you left, and the war was won, it wasn’t even half over. Bay may be the alpha of this pack, but she isn’t the one running it.” He paused to let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s Tiger’s Moon… My brother.” Jonathan turned, beginning to pace a little. “He’s done some bad stuff, from murdering innocent dogs to deception, I’m sure he’s covered it all. Ever since the war was won, he’s been the alpha… But only three dogs in the pack know it, and two of them are standing right here.” He stopped, slowing down a second, “The third is Bay herself.”
I snapped at him, “Bay would never let someone like that control the pack!”
No, I wasn’t on the best of terms with Bay, but that wasn’t something she’d do. I just knew it.
“Like you’d know,” He retorted, “when you’ve been a leash-licker for years.” He snarled, “And anyway, you’re the one who left your pup with a group of street dogs. You would never understand why Bay has done what she’s done.”
There was a long pause, but then I asked, “Why then? Why doesn’t she call the shots, instead of your brother?”
“When the war ended, we thought there was peace. I didn’t get the whole story, but Bay became cozy with this other dog, one of the males we recruited. He stuck around, and before long, we found out that Bay was pregnant. The litter was born, a small group of five pups. They were cute, soft creatures… only innocent pups. But then tragedy struck, only a day after the pup’s birth, and before many dogs knew that the litter had come the night before.” He shook his head, as if trying to shake a memory. His eyes seemed clouded, distant. “A group of junkyards burst in, and they found Bay and the pups. Her guards tried to hold them off, but failed. Four of the pups were killed, and one stolen. The junkyards vanished into the night, without a trace. And, while they had frightened the dogs, no harm appeared to have been done. Only the few dogs that knew of Bay’s pups had the knowledge of their deaths. These dogs, a circle of only five, swore that they would find the last pup and bring her back. They told the other dogs that all of the pups had been stillborn, and that was the story that everyone went with.”
To fill in a pause, I slowly asked, “Who were the five?”
Jonathan hung his head a little, “The five were Bay, Ian, Rain, Maple, and me. By the time we could do anything, the infection had started.” He paused. “When the pup was taken, Tiger’s Moon began blackmailing her. A mother Junkyard was feeding the pup, keeping her alive, but she was - is under constant threat. If Bay doesn’t do what Tiger’s Moon tells her, he will kill the pup. He’s said it a thousand times, and would often scare the pup by telling her this.” He shook his head. “Sick. It was sick.”
There was a pause, and I hesitated before I asked, “Jonathan, why me? Why not tell one of the other dogs? What do I have to do with any of this?”
“Athena, you just got back. That means that you still remember a time when things weren’t like this. The others… The others think this is just normal now. They have no idea what’s going one. But...” He stopped his pacing, turning to face me. “There’s something else though, a dog that has always puzzled me. When he first came, things were at peace. Life was finally at ease… It’s only after he arrived that things started changing.”
I was rather curious as to just who this dog could be, but I didn’t want to interrupt him.
“When he came, Miles stopped travelling, became an official part of the pack. Maple started talking again. Bay had her pups. The pups were killed, one taken. The blackmailing began. The strangers came. The infection started. Somehow, I’m beginning to think that this is, in some way, revolving around this one dog.”
A chill went down my spine, and I adjusted my position uneasily. His words rang in my head. Miles became an official part of the pack… Maple started talking again… I growled low, my lips drawing back. “You can’t be talking about who I think you are…”
“Doesn’t it bother you, Athena? All these important events have one thing in common? He was there. He was there when Miles suddenly joined, something that was supposed to never happen. He was there when Maple, after a year or so of silence, began speaking once more. He was only a row away when Bay’s pups were born, and somehow, I think he’s always known that the Junkyards killed them – that they weren’t stillborn. Athena, he was there when the strangers came. He led an attack on infected Junkyards and got most of the younger dogs killed. Doesn’t it bother you Athena?” He shook his head, “Because it sure bothers me.”
I growled. “You leave him out of this.” I didn’t want it to make sense, and saying that it did… saying that it had something to do with him, it would make it real if I said it, even if I didn’t believe it.
“I don’t think you understand, Athena.” His voice was threateningly low, and dangerously calm. “Think about it, Athena. Everything happened after he came back - after your blood came back to this city. This, whatever 'this' is," He shook his head, "This…”
“It’s Dallas.”
Chapter 5I snapped at him, snarling, “You keep my son out of this!”
“You’re the one who brought him here!” He took three aggressive steps forward, forcing me to step back.
I could nearly feel the growl in his stomach and throat, making me shudder a bit. He wasn’t like this before… Or maybe he was, and I never noticed. “You make whatever you want of this situation, but you’ve got to know the facts first. You’re going to fix the pack; I just know it because for some reason, you just have to be the hero.” He shook his head, “I don’t understand it, but Dallas is the same way.” His voice got a little softer, “If anyone can save us though, it’s you. Personally, I’d rather see this place free than whatever…” He shook his head and pushed past me, “than whatever this is.”
I turned around, but Jonathan was, remarkably, half-way down the row already, and disappeared among the boxes. I let out a frustrated bark, and it echoed slightly, though I was moderately sure that it didn’t make its way to the other side of the room. I stood in an irritated silence for a while before I realized that there was somewhere that I could think about this. Without a word, I turned around, found my way out of the boxes and exited to the third floor.
My paws froze as I heard voices, and I was surprised to find that my eyes were met with a rather strange sight. Though I was sure Dice had told me, it hadn’t yet clicked in my mind that the third floor was active once more. No longer only a storage for food, it was a training ground once more.
Boards were stacked and leaned on metal posts, some made to be like platforms. As I watched, a dog leaped from one of the platforms to the next, a wide jump that I had been sure they wouldn’t make. A young group of perhaps three or four dogs were looping through a training session, leaping over difficult boards and ducking through low passages. As far as I could tell, they would sometimes pick up objects that, from this distance, seemed to be rocks, and dropping them elsewhere, where they were quickly picked up by another. One of the dogs looked up, spotted me, and slowed down. The others did as well, and soon were all stopped.
It was at this point that I realized an old, old accented voice was asking angrily, “Why ah we stoppin’?” I located the voice a moment later. An ancient looking Labrador stood next to the looping course. But, then she turned, and looked to me. The silence was heavy, thick with a crushing weight. Finally though, she asked, “What ah ya doin’ ‘ere?”
I stepped up, officially onto the third floor. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?
Maple shook her head, “Ya’ve got naw ideah.” She turned back to her ‘class’ of sorts, “Keep runnin’ the cose. A’ll be back.” Maple came closer to me, drawing me aside.
Her accent became a little softer as she turned to me, “Ya ain’t gonna be sneakin’ aff to da up top agin, ah ya?”
That’s exactly what I was going to do. “I just need some time to think. Coming back has been… difficult.” I paused, thinking about it. I hadn’t wanted to talk to Maple, but perhaps this was exactly who I was supposed to be talking to. “Maple, all those years ago when…” I hesitated, glancing to the gruesome scar over her eye, “when we were trying to reach Red, and you were down, you told me…”
Maple shook her head, “Ah told ya ex-actly whacha needed ta know.” I paused, looking over to her with a questioning gaze. She looked back and me and rolled her eyes. “Ah thought ya woulda figa’d it out ba now.” She paused before continuing. “Ah saw Jonathan tawlkin’ ta ya ealia. Didn’t ‘e tell ya?” She shook her head, mumbling something about someone, likely Jonathan, being useless. Or perhaps she said spineless. I couldn’t really tell with that accent. “Ah tried ta warn ya, Athena. Tiga’s Moon ain’t that far. Neva was. Whuts moar, e’s got connectshuns.”
“Connections?” I asked, “With… with who?” I knew at least one of the answers, but I was holding my breath, just in case she said someone else’s name. Like Dallas, perhaps.
“’Is brotha ah cose. Jonathan ‘asn’t ulways bin on da riet side ah all dis.” Maple paused once more, looking over to me curiously, “Ah’m surprised ‘e didn’t tell ya. Specially ‘cause dat was da meetin’ where ‘e pretended ya didn’t mean jack to ‘im.”
I stopped, turning towards Maple. “What?”
“Dat was da tiem when ‘e…” She shook her head, “Naw. Ya ain’t gonna ‘ear dis from me. A-teena, ah told ya Tiga’s Moon was closa den ya thought. Ya found dat out when ya looked offa da buildin’ an fallowed Jonathan and Tiga’s Moon.”
“Maple, what do you mean? How do you know all this?!” This was all so strange… Why wouldn’t Maple tell me what she was talking about.”
“Cuz,” Maple snapped. “Ah may nawt be da yung dawg ah wuz, but ah ain’t no leash-licka neitha. Besides, any leash-licka with haffada skill ah got culd track a dawg like ya-self throo da farest.” She shook her head, “Ah ain’t got tiem fa dis. Ah gotta git back ta wok.”
I watched as Maple walked laboredly away back to her ‘class’, and I noted how she was walking in a slight arc, something I was sure she’d picked up after losing the use of one eye. Now confused, and still rather angry, my paws still guided me to the door, which led to the top of the building. To my irritation, the door was shut. Still, however, I wasn’t going to go back down and have to deal with Bay and the other dogs just yet. I glanced over, and located a block of wood. I wasn’t sure if the door needed it, but I wanted to put something there, just in case. The only problem was getting the door open.
Finally though, I came up with a plan. Standing on my hindlegs, I put my paws up on the door, and dragged them down. As hoped, though it made a loud ‘ccgghh’ sound, my paw got caught in the stick-like metal, and it turned. This was a process I had seen my humans do many times before, but I had never thought to try it. Carefully, I backed up until the gap was wide enough for me. As quickly as I could, I released my paw and slipped into the empty space, letting the door lightly bump my side before I stretched out, grabbing the rock and bracing it against the door. The door didn’t seem to need it, but I didn’t want anyone closing it, and I didn’t want to get stuck on the top of the building.
And then, I turned. I could see a cold light shining through the open top door. A freezing wind whipped through my fur and howled in my ears, and I closed my eyes. A chill went down my spine, and I could suddenly feel a slight touch of fur on my cheek, leading me forward. “Close your eyes, I’ll lead you out.” His voice came from just in front of me. Startled, I opened my eyes, but no one was there. I blinked, and looked around. There was nothing but an empty hallway, and a dark stairwell, leading up. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes again. And there was the tail. I followed its lead, my paws touching the stairs with the same uneasy anticipation they had once placed themselves with. The ground was becoming wet beneath me, and suddenly I was out in the emptiness.
A voice spoke, sweet as honey, yet strong as a storm. “Okay,” he whispered, “Open.”
I was alone. I was alone on the top of the building, a tear sliding down my cheek. A light rain sprinkled gently over the land, and a wind blew it around and into me. I missed it. I missed the days when things were simpler, when I was a younger and stronger dog. Things were better back then. I supposed I’d missed my chance for a life like that a long time ago.
For a while, I just waited there, lying down in a curled-up-ball and trying to think some things out. Maple’s words echoed in my head, pairing to something Jonathan had said, so long, long ago. He had told me that he could explain what I’d heard, but didn’t want to hear it. It was just before I had left, if I was correct. I had cut him off before he had said anything. Was this what he meant? I shook my head, sighing. What really happened that night? And what do I do about this Tiger’s Moon situation? And what does Dallas have to do with anything?
A few hours later, I came down, still soaking wet, though the rain had stopped a while ago. Cautiously, I made sure neither door shut all the way. I still wasn’t too clear on much. Sitting up there had brought me three conclusions, but nothing else. The first: Jonathan and I needed to catch up. The second: I needed to talk to Jonathan about how I could help. The third: Dallas must have nothing to do with this.
It was easy enough to come to these, but I had to actually act on them now. With the day slipping away, I figured there was no time to lose. If the situations here were so dire, I had to act fast. No one was on the third floor. No guard was stationed near the extra food. I shuddered, and hesitated before lifting my nose to the air. I was just about to take in the scents, but there was no need. A howl, from somewhere down in the building, echoed up to me. It wasn’t a normal howl though, not one of sorrow, or strength. It was part yelp, the howl of an injured dog letting out a screech of pain.
And suddenly, I was sprinting, missing steps and stumbling, but not caring. Water flew from my pelt, surprisingly drying me a little. I passed row after row of crates and boxes, but no familiar faces showed themselves. I turned down the last stairway, and stopped. In a large crowd, slowly growing closer was where most of the dogs were. The bottom floor reeked. The smell was of junkyard, but diseased, as if they were rotting. My eyes began searching the faces of those I could see. Miles was right in front, but I only saw his back. Bay was across from him, Rain at her side, with Dice and Jonathan on her other side. Oh no. Of all the faces, only one was missing. I trembled as I made my way down, pushing through the other dogs with a forceful shoulder, until I was right next to Miles. In the center of the circle, there was Dallas. He was definitely in pain, his teeth grit and hit eyes closing tight shut every few seconds, hissing through his teeth. His once brown shoulder was now stained red, and a bit of white foam was around it. He was bleeding. He was bit.
I felt sick.
As I stood, my eyes wide and my hold body shaking, Dallas shot me a glance. Suddenly, I realized Jonathan was looking at me too, and so was Miles, and so was Dice.
I steadied myself, clenched my teeth. Life must go on, Athena. I paused. Not everyone’s life. I stomped a paw down. I was no second in command, a beta as they now called it, but someone had to do something. “Jonathan, Miles, Dice, you’re coming with me.” I turned, and began walking to the exit.
“Athena, what are you doing?” A voice, Miles, growled from behind me.
I didn’t glance over my shoulder, only able to growl and glare forward, stopping. “I’m going to attack them. What do you think I’m going to do?” I continued walking, my blood boiling.
“You don’t have the power to make a call like that, Athena.” Bay’s voice came a second later.
I kept walking. “I don’t care if you’re my Alpha again Bay. You aren’t stopping me.” I slipped under the metal door, and as I walked, picking up a faster pace, I was surprised to hear paws hitting the ground behind me. I glanced over my shoulder. Sure enough, Dice, Miles, and Jonathan were following close behind me. I picked up into a run, following the scent trail. It stood out among the other smells. I guess smells like death and decay have a tendency to do that. It led me back through streets that had once been pack dog territory, and obviously weren’t anymore. As far as I could tell, Junkyard territory started inches from our fence.
Once the smell had become so clearly imprinted upon my senses, I picked up a dead run. It led me through back alleys, and complicated streets that I didn’t recognize. All the time, the smell was growing stronger, but at the same time, fading in with the scents of Junkyards all around me. I couldn’t see them, but I could smell them. I could feel their gazes in the shadows, and a chill went down my spine. Why aren’t they attacking? I slowed down, stopped, and checked over my shoulder as we came into an empty intersection. To my surprise, there were now four dogs behind me, instead of the three I had originally brought with me. I growled, quite suddenly alert that we might’ve picked up a lurking stray. The dog’s scent was foreign to me, but before I could do anything, Dice’s voice whispered.
“Don’t worry Athena. It’s only Becky. There are more dangerous dogs out here.” The dark figure, which I assumed was Becky, dipped her head. I didn’t return the gesture, only turned around. I picked up my paws to begin running, but I only went a step before I halted. Something wasn’t right. Junkyard scent was strong, very strong here, concentrated somehow. It was too quite. The pack dog’s breaths, mine included, were hushed.
I closed my eyes for a few seconds. A paw stepped contacted the ground, and a distinct slight crunch-like sound followed, something I recognized as the nearly silent crinkle of worn pawpads. Heavy breathing began, not labored, but somehow still raspy. I shivered, ice-blue eyes opening. Thick claws scratched against the asphalt, to my side. I only managed a yelp before I was shoved onto my side.
For a second, when I looked up, all I saw was my first night here, when this situation had led to me meeting Bear. I couldn’t help wondering what had happened to him. Last I’d heard from him was before I’d had my pups. At first, I had been furious at him for coming to me, but he gave me an update on the things that had been happening, mostly about how we’d won, and how he had left the junkyards, and became a pack dog.
But this wasn’t the time to worry about a Doberman I hadn’t seen in years. For, when I looked up, though a Doberman stood there, he wasn’t facing me, and his name was Miles. He was standing protectively over me, though blocking my view of whatever was on the other side of him. I scrambled to my paws, my heart beating out of my chest. The five of us were all growling, defensively backing into each other.
We were surrounded.
Junkyards snarled and snapped at us from all angles, effectively blocking any possible escape. My heart skipped a beat as I realized with startling clarity that there was no logical way any of us were going to make it out of here. But then, above the noise, a voice growled, “Silence.”
The growling and barking stopped. I shivered. That voice was familiar… I turned toward the voice, while keeping my body angled toward the Junkyard Dogs. They were all staring at the voice’s owner. I took a gamble and looked.
His coat was dark, something near black, with white boots. I knew that coat. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew what they would be like. One would be blue, and one would be brown. I couldn’t stop myself from asking in a low growl, “Tony?”
But it wasn’t Tony’s voice that spoke. It was Jonathan’s. “His name isn’t Tony, Athena. It’s Tiger’s Moon.”
I shook my head. That didn’t make sense. How could Tony, the wolfdog that escorted me back to safety, saved me from a wolf, and had a brother than abandoned him, be Jonathan’s brother, Tiger’s Moon? And in that case, what was the real story behind everything? Tony’s story and Jonathan’s story of their history were completely different… And why did Tony save me from that wolf? I shook my head again. Later. A dangerous situation was unfolding here.
Tony… Tiger’s Moon spoke. “You know, Jonathan, you’ve got no idea just how much of a fool you are for switching sides. You could’ve had this, an empire strong enough to take down the pack dogs.”
“Your empire is nothing but a crumpling heap, brother. I’d rather kill you than be a part of it.” Jonathan’s words were venomous, yet he spoke as if Tiger’s Moon was the snake.
Tiger’s Moon stood taller, pumping out his chest with his ears pinned, his lips pulling back into a snarl, broken and yellowed teeth showing. His barks rang through the silence, “Then come and fight me!”
There was no time to react. Suddenly, Jonathan was leaping forward, and we were being attacked from all sides. I knew better than to go directly for the Junkyard, but the beast brought the fight to me. Before I knew it, my teeth were locked in its flesh, and I tore as best I could, though I couldn’t tell if I’d done any actual harm. The lighting was terrible. But I wasn’t dwelling on anything. This could be the Junkyard that bit my son. Any one of them could’ve. If Dallas died, or became… like this… I wasn’t sure what I would do. Well, the answer was certain, actually. I was going to kill all of them, even if he survived. Yet though I knew that my chances of surviving this were weak as his, I still went in for another bite, going for the neck. But something snagged on my collar, the same something that tore into my shoulder. The pain was intensely hot, and I wailed, though I knew I couldn’t stop, not if I was going to get out… Have a chance. I hadn’t heard of anyone getting bit and not becoming infected, but for some strange reason, my mind told me that I could make it through this. That for some reason, I was an exception.
So I steadied myself, looking up only to find that the dog I had been fighting was dead. A voice called over the noise, “Run!”
The dog in front of me turned and began sprinting away. I was quick to follow, and as far as I could smell, Dice was right behind me. Though my shoulder burned, and some of the frothy white stuff was beginning to drip down my pelt, I could still run, for the most part. With the burst of adrenaline, I clenched my teeth and just ran, following the dog, Becky if I was correct, leading us in the direction of home. I wasn’t sure where Miles and Jonathan were… And in my state of mind, I could only assume the worst.
And that’s when we crossed a street.
It happened just as it had last time. My paws hit the asphalt, still wet from earlier, splashing the puddles underneath me, which kicked water onto my underbelly. I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest, just like I had so long ago. Just as before,
There was a scream.
A thud.
And a whimper.
And then all was silent.
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Also, instead of symbols, I'm just using the words Chapter (Insert Number here), so you can search that instead to find the chapter you are looking for.[/div][/div][/font]
