When I was a pup, I had four littermates and my mommy. But when I got older, I had to leave.
The two nice people I stayed with became my new pack. They set limits, but they loved me, and I loved them.
()()()
One day we all entered a big building and didn't leave it for many days. It was so big it had a park inside, that was like outside but not quite like outside.
When we left the building, the air didn't smell right, and it was hot, and I felt heavier. I whined but my pack didn't change it. They did pet me and talk to me in reassuring voices.
I got used to the new place even though the days and nights were shorter than they should be.
I got to know everyone in the settlement. Most were friendly. I was happy.
()()()
Then the sickness came. I wasn't sick, but many of the people were. Both the people in my pack died, though the last one to die crawled to the door and opened it. I stayed. I licked my people and whined and as they began to smell dead, I howled.
But the pack must go on. Even if the pack was just me.
I walked.
There was a strange noise. A new building arrived. A Traveler emerged.
I sniffed the Traveler. The Traveler had numerous smells, many new, some quite rich and some subtle.
The Traveler spoke reassuringly. I trusted the Traveler.
The Traveler met the surviving people and soon became the new leader of the pack of us all. The survivors got well again.
Then the others came. They smelled like bugs but were big like people. They attacked people with strange forces that caused death. The new pack leader led us to defeat them.
But there were only three of the original people left. When the air went bad, we got into the Traveler's building. The noise came again.
We were all sad, but grateful for having survived.
The noise came again, and the three people left the Traveler. But they couldn't take me with. The youngest one was quite sad. I felt sad.
The Traveler spoke reassuringly. I cheered up. Life could be good. The people left.
()()()
I slept with the Traveler as we were one pack. Sometimes I'd go to a big park that was inside but seemed outside, it was so big. I could play there. Sometimes we played together.
When the noise came there'd be a new place outside the Traveler's building. The Traveler would usually go outside.
Sometimes I would stay behind and wait.
Sometimes I would come. Sometimes it was nice. Sometimes we'd be inside a building the whole time, and sometimes we'd be outside, and often we visited inside and outside. Sometimes there was danger and we ran. But we always got back alive. I was safe with the Traveler.
I began to get used to feeling heavier or lighter when we got out and to it being hotter or colder. Used to the air being different and a new rich universe of smells to explore. I was the Traveler's dog companion.
()()()
One day we visited a settlement where there were no dogs. But people seemed to wish there were dogs. Many people treated me like royalty. It was great.
Then I heard the noise and I ran. But the Traveler was gone. I howled and howled. But my pack was gone. People came over to cheer me up.
The pack must go on. I let myself be adopted into a new pack. Life was good. And I gradually became an old dog. A very old dog, too old to ever run.
One day I heard the noise. So I took a walk. Then I smelled strangers.
Only one wasn't a stranger. The smell was different, but even to my old nose, enough was the same that I knew the Traveler.
I greeted the Traveler, my old pack leader, as a loving dog. The Traveler seemed confused. Maybe the Traveler thought I was mad for being left in a place where I was cherished. But soon the Traveler pet me. A reunion of the pack.
()()()
A companion said, "That dog certainly seems to know you Doctor."
The Doctor said "Hazard of being a time traveler. Maybe in my future I came here before." The Doctor turned "You're a good doggie."