Dog and Dragon by Dave Freer

Author:Dave Freer [Freer, Dave]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9781451638110
Amazon: 1451638116
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2012-04-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Fionn was back to following the dog. It was something he was used to doing by now. The trouble, in a way, was that the dog was intent on the straightest line to his goal. Fionn had a slightly wider world view, which included being able to see obstacles which they could not simply go through. Where it might be faster and easier to go around. Unfortunately, all he could work out about “where” was somewhere more or less directly in front of the dog, because the dog would follow a path or road . . . if it didn’t deviate too much. Díleas was bright enough to know that straight was not always fast.

Obstacles, like meals and drinks, were Fionn’s responsibility to deal with.

“I think we’re going to need to try some flying, young dog. At night, perhaps. This country is as stirred up as a hornet’s nest,” said Fionn as they emerged from the ditch where they had just watched a troop of soldiers—and a troop of new-pressed recruits—pass. “If they’d been less noisy calling step, we might have walked into them and they’d probably have wanted me to join the army, which seems odd, because I have never wanted the army to join me. Also, I don’t think they take dogs, and they were going the wrong way, and they’d object to my not going the wrong way with them. Sometimes it would be very convenient not have this inbuilt prohibition on taking intelligent life. Unfortunately, that is the way I am made.”

Díleas nosed him behind the knee. He’d come to understand that by now. It meant “get a move on, that direction,” in basic overintelligent sheepdog language.

So Fionn did. It involved some trespass in various fields, including one with a bull who felt quite strongly about trespassers. “Next time,” said Fionn to Díleas, surveying the bull, who was now convinced the far corner of his paddock was very interesting and that if he ever saw a trespasser again, he would rapidly retreat to it, “Try not to run behind me when you’ve made the bull mad.”

At length they spotted a huddle of buildings, and as the day was drawing to a close, Fionn informed Díleas that they had the prospects of supper and a basket. “If I can find a suitable one, we will try you on being a flying dog. I hope you do that better than you herd sheep.”

The cluster of buildings proved to be a farmhouse, with a farmer’s wife, three small children and another due all too soon, and a sheepdog. The sheepdog was less than pleased to see them. The farmer’s wife was more than pleased to see a man, of any sort.

“My man’s been taken for the army and I’ve yet to get the hay in,” she said, “and there’s two dozen sheep to be crutched and sheared still, and I’ve got the children to cope with. I see you have an eye dog there.” Díleas was staring intently at the other sheepdog.

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