Over the Lazy Dog
Humans are such a fascinating species.
In the limited time I've spent with my human friends, I've learned quite a lot about them. It never ceases to amaze me how different they are from my species. Perhaps their very appeal lies in their strangeness.
In the past, I often wandered around whenever I felt bored. Sometimes, my human friends split off into groups while exploring this strange world they called "the TV," and it offered me the opportunity observe their peculiar behavior. One thing that caught my attention was what appeared to be a rather bizarre set of courtship rituals.
My friend, the leader of his pack, possesses this strange, almost… animal magnetism about him. The females of the pack find him utterly irresistible, and I must confess, had I been human, I may have considered him for as a potential mate. Such is his power to attract the females of his species.
The strange thing is that—with one exception—the other females do not seem to know what to do when he is around. They speak with him, but they never seem to speak about him when amongst themselves. It is almost as if being attracted to him is a "secret" they know they share, but are not willing to discuss it openly. I find this behavior most strange.
That is certainly not the case with my species. We celebrate our feelings for our mates, or potential fates, and we do not try to hide them. There is nothing shameful about being attracted to a male. What is the point when our desires are not expressed?
But I digress.
Perhaps even more interesting than that is the fact that each individual female has her own unique way of hiding and hinting at her feelings. Take the one who laughs like a hyena, for example. All things considered, she has all the qualities of a good mate: she is kind, gentle, modest, and very supportive. And yet she even attempts to conceal her feelings from another female whom she considers her close friend.
Perhaps that is why I sense some tension between her and her close friend. It is not merely the tension that comes from both females being attracted to the same male. I cannot prove this, but my instincts tell me that she may be attracted to her female friend as well.
Now it is not unheard of for two members of the same sex to be attracted to another in the animal kingdom. And yet, it is more the exception rather than the rule.
In any case, this close friend of hers and a third female in the pack are also very peculiar. They are perhaps the only two females who act as if they are males. They do so in different ways, though. The first one seems like a very physical human—she fights like a cornered animal. The other female prefers to dress in what appears to be male clothing.
Her disguise was so convincing that it momentarily fooled the other members of the pack. She could not fool my nose, though. I knew she was female from the moment I laid my eyes on her, and I also knew that she wouldn't be able to maintain the disguise for very long. It seems I was correct.
Perhaps the only female who appears to be extremely sure of herself is the one who never participates in direct combat. She is the only one makes no effort to hide her feelings for the pack leader; she even goes so far as to flaunt her personal charms in front of the leader in the presence of the other females. If ever they feel challenged by her behavior, they again make every effort to conceal their emotions.
The females are not the only peculiar members of the pack—the males exhibit their own strange behavior as well. There is this one male who stands out from the rest in terms of appearance; he resembles a bear more than a human. He is a very frisky fellow, and I've witnessed him expressing overt interest in the females on more than one occasion. I do not know who he is or where he comes from, but the other males accept him, and so do I.
One of the males appears to be his close friend, very much like the female with the hyena's laughter and her own friend. He has an interesting approach to combat—it consists of tapping his foot and wearing this odd contraption over his head that appears to be a set of large mechanical ears.
Then there is this other male who seems to bluster and threaten at every opportunity. I fully expected him to challenge the leader over the right to mate with one of the females, but he seems to have acknowledged my friend's dominance over him without a fight. I thought him more than that, but it seems his fear is keeping him from doing so. I believe he is afraid of something that he cannot put into words.
Finally, I cannot bring myself to forget the leader of the pack. There is an air of silent strength about him, tempered with compassion and fierce loyalty. Of all the humans, he was the most helpful in leading other members of his species to leave their offerings at the shrine.
That was not the only way he helped me, though. I clearly remember how he took the time to pat my head during those days when I was in a foul mood! He is truly a remarkable human. I can see why he is the leader of the pack.
Such are humans. Their ways, their thoughts are very different from my species'—utterly unfathomable. That is why I find them so fascinating. That is also why I felt sorrow at their leader's departure.
For reasons unknown to me, however, he left his pack behind and ventured into the unknown by himself. As I behold the faces of the humans who comprise his pack, I can see signs of tension and struggle. They appear every bit as sorrowful as I am, and yet, at the same time, they also appear happy. If any species on earth can appear this contradictory, it is the humans.
Perhaps I shall never completely understand. As it is, I do not even bother to try. The important thing for me is that I've thoroughly enjoyed the time I've spent with my human friends. Nevertheless, I have my own cubs to look after, and my instincts tell me the pack leader will return someday.
Yes, they are truly fascinating species—so far removed from my own. Their behavior perplexes me, but it also instructs me and amuses me. I do not regret the time I'd spent with them, and I would gladly do so again should the opportunity present itself in the future.