Chapter 24: Late Night Thoughts

DUSK

    Ada and Kimi sat before Dusk, yawning. "So, how was your day?" Ada inquired.

    There was fire burning in the fireplace as Dusk answered, "Kenny told me a story."

    "A story?" Ada asked. "He once told me the story of The Greedy Dog. What did he tell you?"

    "Little Red Riding Hood. Oh, stars, that thing is a forest of flaws!" cried Dusk.

    Kimi nodded. "He told me the tale of The Lion and the Mouse. I must say, it's quite pleasing to see Kenny grow up so fast, and so bold."

    "I fear he turns into a hunter," Ada snorted.

    Kimi sighed, and laid down. Her golden fur yellow in the fire light. "Those sheep in the morning, though," groaned Kimi. "They need a shepherd dog."

    Ada shrugged. "They had one before he ran away," she reminded.

    "Say," Dusk piped up, "I'm wondering if anyone can help me?"

    "Depends," Kimi said. The atmosphere was tense as Dusk shuffled in her spot.

    "I want to go back to my pack. I have a sister and I'm pretty important in coordination, so I left a lot behind," Dusk said, "and I want to continue. Continue with my pack."

    "First of all, we can't leave. If we do, well, it means we abandon our duty and family," said Ada. "Secondly, we don't know where they went."

    "Still!" protested Dusk. "I can't just abandon my family!"

    "The only wolf we've seen is you, Dusk," Kimi said.

    "The advisor wolf told me my chief went down to the watering hole earlier before I came," Dusk said, hoping to get clues.

    Ada frowned. "We've been at it for three hours as Gareth fixed the fences. No one came, Dusk, I can assure you."

    "Then-! How did he get injured?" cried Dusk. 

    "Injured?" Kimi cried, and silence dominated them as the fire crackled. "What happened?"

    "Now, I'm not sure. It was said he got attacked at the watering hole," Dusk repeated.

    Ada frowned. "What injuries does he bear?"

    "Scratches, as if has gotten into a fight."

    "A fight? I didn't hear any commotion."

    Kimi spoke, "Still! If he did appear, I'm scared of wolves appearing suddenly! You can't expect me to fight him!"

    Dusk knew she was right the moment she met her. "Then... Shadow lied to me," Dusk mused.

    "Who?"

    Dusk blinked. "In the wolf pack, my chief has an advisor. His name is Shadow."

    "A shadow of the chief, heeheee," giggled Kimi. Dusk frowned in return.

    "Dear, this... Shadow, what use does he have if he lied about that the chief was attacked? What will that do to us? Or them?" Ada inquired.

    "I don't know, but I'm starting to not liking it," Dusk growled. Sasha entered the room and shook her fur.

    "Hey," she greeted. Her brown and black fur stuck up. She then laid down and licked her fur down. "How's your day, Dusk?"

    "We went over this already, Sasha," Kimi said.

    Sasha shrugged and licked her back. "Where's Thala?" she inquired.

    "Eh, Thala? Thala's with Kenny," Kimi said. "Kenny said he had a nightmare and Thala decided to stay with him."

    "Awww," Dusk cooed. "What's a nightmare?"

    "It's what the humans call a bad dream," said Sasha. "Still, I wonder why it's a mare? What about a b-"

    "You've asked that too many times!" cried Kimi. "Don't ask again!"

    Sasha shrugged once more. "How's that wound coming along, Dusk?"

    Dusk looked at her bandaged paw. "Gareth told me it might heal in a little while by the end of three nights," she replied.

    "The one on your side."

    "Oh stars," said Dusk, sighing, "I dare not to touch it."

    Sasha was quite. "It looks more... furry than usual," she said. "More fur patched up there."

   Dusk leaned in towards it and licked it, wincing slightly. The pain reduced drastically, but what Sasha said was true.

    "What wound?" asked Ada.

    As Sasha filled them in, Dusk studied the cluster of fur. It was white, sticking out like her muzzle. It looked quite odd, but Dusk decided it was alright.

    "Sleep," said Ada. "We have a day ahead of us tomorrow."

    As the other dogs huddled up together and started to drift off, Dusk laid by the fire, thinking about her pack members, especially Shadow.

    Why did he lie to me? What's his purpose? Is he hiding a plan?

    Dusk sighed. In the distance, she heard a howl. A howl of a patrolling dog. It made her even more homesick than she ever could.

    She decided to slip outside, but seeing a pack of dogs together eating on their game made her retreat. What am I going to do...?

Author's note:  Giving Dusk love and things to think about. So, with the raise of this question, Dusk will finally have a progression with her story plot! Holidays make me lazy to type.