The Walk
Disclaimer: I do not own Rangers Apprentice (Surprise, surprise)
AN: Cleaning out my old documents, I found this from last year. I wrote it after my puppy was de-sexed and she came home doped up on medicine and completely miserable. I figured I might as well post it.
I like the sun on a summer's afternoon. I can feel the rays soaked up by my fur, warming my body. The world is slightly hazy; my eyes are half shut in bliss. Total bliss. A yawn nags at me and I let it escape from my jowls. There is no reason to supress the urge, for Will has not given me the silent command.
I can sense him now, approaching the cabin. I heave myself to my feet, regretful that my dozing is disturbed, but now I have a new purpose. Will is back, I absolutely must greet him. I trot a few paces before I remember I'm not to leave the immediate area around the cabin.
Surely, he wouldn't mind if I left just to greet him. With this decision, I race down the narrow path. My paws scuff the ground, my legs a blur of motion. The energy is pulsing through me, how could I have slept the afternoon away? This is what I am made for. This speedy, arrow fast, shot of sprinting.
I smell his famliar scent, mingled with that of Tug. Funny animal is Tug. He lets Will ride on him. It's weird. I would never let Will ride on me.
I bark a greeting and thump my tail, so he knows I'm happy to see him. Not that he could have any doubt. I'm always happy to see him.
"Hullo Ebony," he says. I wag my tail harder. Ebony. That's what he calls me. Ebony. Ebony. I am Ebony. I am Ebony. I am Ebony. I am Ebony. Ebony. Ebony.
"Did you come to greet us?" he asks with a smile.
I've done well. Even though I left the cabin he was glad to see me. After all, what if he got lost and couldn't find his way back? I can guide him.
I keep pace with Tug, eyeballing the horse. I can run faster than you, I taunt him. Tug rolls his eyes and snorts. He disagrees, but I know the truth. I know for a fact that am the fastest thing in the world. Ebony. That's me. Speedy Ebony. Fast Ebony.
"We've got a job," Will says. I can't understand his words. It is the main barrior between us that we can't seem to understand each other, save a few ingrained commands and signals. I imagine he's saying to Tug that I'm faster.
"Halt isn't coming with us today," he says. Halt, I know that word. That's the one that comes by often. He smells similar to Will, though a bit muskier and he's older. "He's busy discussing a new innovation with the Baron. So, we're on our own."
I keep my ears swivelled towards him, listening for a sound that I understand.
He's still talking as we pass the cabin. I give a sharp bark, to remind him that home is behind us. He turns to me. "I know, Eb. Trust me, we've got a mission. Quest, silent."
I wag my tail to show I understand. Quest meant that I could move in front of him, scouting the land, so long as I didn't go too far. Silent meant to be as quiet as possible and to watch out for threats.
Both of these words meant only one thing. We're going on a walk! I run in front of him, checking to make sure he is following. The movement and energy in my legs feels so good. I can run all day, all week if I have to.
My fur ripples in the wind. I am streamlined and sure footed. The mud near the bog doesn't deter me- I once knew a much bigger bog in my old pack- and I don't slip. The fallen trees don't bother me. I leap over them, tongue lolling, eyes alight.
Tug has to slow down in the thicker parts of the forest. I don't. I could disappear in seconds if I wanted to. But I'm much too obediant- I'm such a good girl, as Will says. I love it when he says that. Especially when he follows it up with a treat. Mmmm, treat. That's my favourite word.
I'm aware of a trail of drool hanging from my jowls. I'm panting, my tail swooshing from side to side. Tug snorts at me, and I cast her a lazy dog-grin.
This is one of those really good walks. One of the walks that last over a day. When the chill of the evening descends on us, Will sets up a tent. I nose my into his sleeping bag and get promptly kicked out. Well, it was worth a try. I settle down beside Tug instead, quite content to rest against the slow rise and fall of the horse's chest.
My speed isn't my only talent. I'm also a marvelous guard dog. I sense an unfamiliar presence and sit up, my nose quivering. Tug has sensed it too and he lets out a warning rumble. I pace back and forth impatiently. No intruder will get past me to hurt Will.
Even as I'm doing my best guarding, Will has woken and slipped from the tent. His longbow is in his hands, ready for use. The bow isn't any match for my claws and teeth, I'm a far more deadly weapon.
It's a bear. I recognise the scent. My ears are pricked, my muscles tensed. Tug rumbles with unease.
"Settle down," Will tells us. "If we stay still, it will leave."
I don't want to stay still. I want to run after it and bark and bark and bark, but I'm still under the silent command and I won't disobey. So I press my belly to the ground and wait.
Will begins to light a fire. He scrapes his flint together, bursts of light flashing. A low growl forms in my throat. I can't see how a little light would frighten away a bear. I for one, am quite comfortable with fire, and I'm much smaller than a bear.
Much more deadly though, I preen to myself.
With this encouraging thought in mind, I crept closer to the fringes of trees around us. The bear had paused and was watching us. I can't see it, but I can taste it's uncertainty in the air. That's how good my nose is.
It snuffled and grunted, and it was too close to my personal space. I couldn't help a bark- just a small, short yap, but Will hissed at me anyway.
That is when the bear moves.
I'm not sure what's happening anymore. My side is aflame. I'm yowling and barking. The bear is around somewhere and I fear it will harm Will, so I heave myself onto my feet- when did I fall over? I hear the familiar hiss thunk of Wills longbow, a grunt of pain and I let myself keel over.
"Ebony!"
That's my name. Ebony. It always makes me feel good when he says it. I thump my tail, but I'm surprised at how hard the action is.
"Hang on, Ebony!"
His gentle fingers are touching my side. I recognise the sterile smell of his medicine kit. The fire he'd been lighting was now fully ablaze, but the flickers of red and orange seem dull to me. I whimper, to let him know I'm in a lot of pain, and even worse, I don't know why. I think the bear might have been involved, but everything is hazy.
Will lets me lie in his sleeping bag. That's unusual. I grin at him and give a feeble wag. I'm quite enjoying his attention, even though I can't stand the pain that is spreading throughout my body.
His hand strokes the top of my head, and ruffles the fur around my collar. He's talking to me. I can't understand the words, but the tone is comforting and I let my eyes drift shut as I listen.
"You'll be fine, Eb. You know, your mother had a wound similar to this, only hers was caused by a bad man. She was fine though, so you'll pull through, I know it."
He lies down next to me, and I whimper again, but then force myself to remain silent as his fingers thread through my tousled fur and his breath tickles my nose. Just since he's there, in front of me, I give him a quick lick and he laughs.
The next few days pass in a blur. I'm in the saddle bag on top of Tug. My wound is jolted and I have to bite back whines at every step. I'm on fire, in burning pain. My only comfort is when Will applies medicine, and whispers to me.
He's stitched me up with string and I keep twisting to try and tear it out. Will doesn't let me. He tells me 'no' in his stern voice and when I rest my head against the top of the saddle bag, conceding that I will not tear anymore, he says, 'good girl' in that way that I awlays strive for. I can't go against that.
I've lost track of time. I never really had a good sense of it anyway. But I notice when we're back in Redmont. I lift my head and give a steady wag. Will pats me, a smile on his lips.
"It's good to see you in high spirits again."
When we pass the cabin, I'm expecting us to head indoors, but we just ride on by. I bark at Will to remind him that's where he lives- honestly, what would he do without me?- and he just rides on.
Still, I'm not one to complain. We ride up to the castle. I catch the scent of the hunting dogs that live here (such a masculine smell, I want to meet them) and the rose garden in the courtyard. I fidgit in the saddle bag. It's been a while since I've run on my own two feet and I'm getting tired of the saddle bag. The pain has now dulled down to an ache, so I think I can manage on my own.
I spot another scent. This one is light and floral, but a fake, sharp kind of floral unlike the roses. I can also detect human under that.
"Alyss," Will said. Yeah, that's her. The sweet, floral human.
She embraces Will and the two seem so lost in the moment, I have to whine to get her attention. Will immediately spins around to me.
"Alyss, Ebony was injured," he says. He lifts me from the saddlebag and Alyss takes me into her arms. I like Alyss, she's very gentle and she has the most calming touch. She kisses my forehead and I try to lick her back, but she moves her head away. I have to content myself with a wag.
"I think she'll be alright though," Will adds hopefully. "I was thinking about getting the castle hound master to have a look at her."
They keep on talking to themselves in their odd, human language. I can't understand it. I just know I have their hands stroking my fur, their smiles directed at me, and that Will thinks I'm a good girl. Anyway, I can guess what they're talking about. I imagine Will is telling Alyss how brave I was. How I fought the bear and defeated it with my mighty prowess. How I was really clever and speedy.
Brave, fearsome, clever, speedy.
Yup, that's me.