A Street Dog Named Pup by Gill Lewis

Author:Gill Lewis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: David Fickling Books Ltd
Published: 2021-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

SNATCHERS

Pup’s wounds slowly healed. It took a few weeks before he could walk without a limp. The broken skin on his neck formed a tough scar.

Merle was restless, circling the other dogs, counting and re-counting the dogs in her pack. But two of her flock were missing, and she couldn’t herd them back again. It gnawed and gnawed at her collie soul. Reynard was gone, and now Fifi. Two less, two less, two less, she whispered in the dark hours.

The nights were still cold, and the days were interrupted by sharp, sleety showers, but the dogs picked up on Merle’s restlessness.

Saffy nodded. ‘I think it’s time we left. I keep thinking about the beach of white sand.’

Clown bounded about, chasing a bee that had bumbled into the den. ‘Me too. I imagine a place where you can run, and not stop running.’

‘I don’t feel safe here any more,’ said Merle.

‘Me neither,’ said Saffy.

‘When can we leave?’ asked Pup.

Frenchi shuffled to the entrance to the den and looked up at the clear blue sky. ‘We’ll leave tonight, when darkness falls and the dog star, Sirius, can show us the way. We’ll follow him home.’

Rex sighed. ‘Home,’ he repeated. He joined Frenchi and looked up at the sky. ‘Maybe there is such a place for us. Just for dogs. No humans. Somewhere safe and warm with plenty to eat.’

‘Let’s rest,’ said Frenchi, ‘and save our energy for our escape tonight.’

Pup curled up and watched the shaft of sunlight that sliced through into the den turn with the arc of the sun. His thoughts were filled with Fifi and Reynard. If they weren’t in this world any more, then where could they be? ‘Who are the sky wolves?’ he whispered.

Frenchi opened one eye. ‘Some say they are our wolf ancestors who welcome us home when we die.’

Rex stretched out in the darkness. ‘Only in death can we be truly free of man.’

Saffy yawned and settled into sleep. ‘Some say they are our wild souls set free to run together with our pack.’

‘This is our pack,’ said Pup.

Frenchi gave Pup’s nose a lick. ‘And soon we will be able to run free together across the sand with the wind in our ears and the sun on our backs.’

Merle circled them all again. ‘Sleep now,’ she said. ‘For tonight our new life begins.’

There was anticipation in the air. Even Rex seemed changed. He was silent and watchful, but a strange calm came over him. Pup’s paws twitched with the promise of a journey. They would be following Sirius, the dog star, to the place where the ocean meets the sky at the very end of the world.

It had been real in his dreams for so long now.

And Pup couldn’t wait to set out.

*

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