Chapter Two

The other humans left together and my sisters were bouncing around with excitement chatting eagerly about their new humans and how they would be spoilt and loved in their homes. Our humans had vetted these prospective owners thoroughly, my sisters would have long happy lives with their new families as their beloved family pets.     

I sat away from them lost in my own thoughts and my Mother noticed that I did not share their excitement.                                                                                                                                                     ‘Are you afraid Sirius?’                                                                                                                                         She asked me gently, sitting down beside me,                                                                                         ‘There is no need to be afraid you know, he will take good care of you, he has waited a long time for you to return’                                                                                                                                                             ‘I am not afraid Mother and I know it has been a long wait, Dog moves in mysterious ways and His plans for us are not always what we would want for ourselves’                                                                                   I looked up into her eyes and I could see my ancestors, the first ones, those wild dogs who took that first step to bond with humankind. The bond that was now unbreakable had been forged over centuries and the weight of it hung heavy on my young shoulders,                                                                                              ‘I cannot change what is to come but I swear to Dog I will do my best to live up to my name, I am the first and my time will come’                                                                                                                              I snuggled down next to her latching on to her teat I drank quietly, I wasn’t hungry I just needed the comfort of her unconditional love. I did not even object when my sisters joined me, their warm bodies gave me comfort as we curled together sleeping. The next few weeks passed quickly, our Mother began to teach us independence leaving us alone for longer and longer periods. Encouraging us to eat the food our humans put down for us and not rely on her milk. We soon found that we did not need her as much and enjoyed the freedom we had. My sisters spent their days playing happily together, getting into mischief, and looking cute. Our humans rarely told them off, preferring to cuddle with the little bundles of fluff who bit their fingers and licked their noses.They were making the most of the short time they had left with them, it never occurred to them that our Mother would have enjoyed that time too.                                                    I sat apart watching them, I did not ‘play’ as they did, instead, I looked inward and began to piece together my identity. I knew that I was a dog/wolf and that I was different, I could think for myself, reason things out, and understand concepts and logic. I could talk, not just with my Mother and Sisters like all puppies, I could mind link with humans and understand them, I could also reply if I desired. I did not talk to the humans, who owned my Mother, they were not part of my Pack and I knew it would be very dangerous of me to reveal myself in that way. I also knew that talking to humans was for the future. What was more important to me was that I began to remember my previous life, slowly putting the pieces together like a jigsaw, I would lie for hours with my head on my paws letting those memories swamp me. The female human thought I was ill because I did not act like my sisters. She became so concerned she took me to visit the Animal Doctor, or Vet as you humans call him. He found nothing wrong and just gave me a vitamin shot in case I needed a boost, it made no difference I was not like my sisters they just had to accept that, and they left me to my own devices. Then came the day when our Mother did not return to us, she had warned us repeatedly it would be happening. She explained that the male human would come for her in the morning and she would not be allowed to return to us. She hated them for doing this and she told us she would miss us dreadfully but they locked her away in another room. At least they were responsible owners she would not have another litter for two years. Before she left she reminded us that we should go with our new humans without a fuss and make the best of our lives. We came from a proud bloodline and we had a lot to live up to she told us proudly that we must never forget that. This meant we would be leaving this home and going to our forever homes very soon and my sisters grew more and more excited as the days passed bouncing around and playing each with other. Our humans loved to come and play with them, they all had pretty collars with their new names, Athena, Atlanta, and Ariel and they could not wait to start their new lives. I wore no collar, it was beneath my status to be treated in such a way and I knew he understood that, he had always understood that.  My sisters left me alone, I could not tolerate their boisterous behavior any longer so I kept myself to myself, by now I was twice their size so when they forgot themselves a sharp nip to their haunches sent them whimpering back to their siblings. They did not understand me and I did not enlighten them, they were mere puppies, born to a life of human servitude, they would live happy uncomplicated lives and beloved family members. By now I was different so they left me to my silent, lonely vigil with confused looks.  I watched the door, from waking up to sleeping I never moved from my station, when the human came to feed us she thought I was strange too. She told her mate that I gave her the creeps and that she would be glad when He came for me it was a feeling I shared very strongly, I longed to start my new journey with him.                                                                                                                     ‘He’s the most beautiful puppy we have ever bred’                                                                                       She told her mate, looking down at me while both humans played with my sisters,                                         ‘But his behavior is odd. I swear he understands every word I say to him and he can work things out for himself. It's all very strange, he’s never behaved like the other puppies, always kept himself aloof as if he’s waiting for something or someone. It’s like he’s been here before, you know?

The male human looked down at me and frowned,

‘I hope that Commander Bloke still wants him, he’s paid cash up front, the whole amount but I haven’t heard from him since he came to see him four weeks ago.’

His mate nodded and replied

‘Not like the other families, I’m sending them pup-dates virtually every day they can’t wait to take their girls home but he has refused all contact saying he will return to collect the puppy when he is old enough to leave his Mother. I think it would be hard to find that little guy new owners at this late stage and it would be such a shame to have to euthanasia him he’s such a pretty boy.’                                                             She patted me on the head carelessly and as they left the room I could have reassured her, that she did not need to worry about the Commander. He would arrive on time, he always did, but I did not want her to know just how very different I was from my siblings.                                                                                      We were eight weeks old and it was time for us to start our new adventures, one by one my sister's new human families came to collect them. I had always known I would be the last to go and watched impassively as they said their goodbyes to each other. When they came to say goodbye to me I reiterated to them what our Mother had told us about moving on to our new homes and families,                                ‘Be kind, be patient, and always look after the little humans’                                                                             I said to each of them nudging them gently with my nose,                                                                              ‘I will not forget you, if you ever need me I will come for you, I swear to Dog I will always protect you’           They understood what I was trying to say to them and with a quick lick to my nose they were taken away to their new homes.  I was alone for the first time in my short life, I no longer had my sister's warm bodies to snuggle up to at night, I tried to snuggle into the old blanket that had served as our bed but it was not the same. I was surprised at how lonely I felt. I knew the Commander was collecting me the next day but I was still a very young puppy and the loneliness swamped me. I sat below the window staring up at the huge moon shining brightly in the night sky and I felt the most primitive of dog urges pour through me. Throwing back my head I howled my misery just as my Ancestors would have done, it echoed hauntingly through the silence.  The humans living in the house were furious at the noise, the adults came rushing down their stairs and slammed open the door to my room startling me and making me stop abruptly,          ‘Stop that fucking racket right now’                                                                                                                The male human yelled at me, he looked so big and angry in the moonlight as he approached me.