"We're going on an adventure!" Sherlock stated making Mycroft look up from his politics book and raising an eyebrow
"An adventure?" a slight trace of disbelief was in his tone
"Yes Mikey an adventure! I heard there were nasty pirates around the Rusty Key Cove! Isn't that right Redbeard?" Redbeard bounded over to his master when he heard his name. He whined and wagged his tail making Mycroft sigh again
"You know the rules Sherlock don't you?"
"Yes I do! I don't touch thing's I'm not aloud too"
"You need to be careful, mummy and daddy is having some work done in the gardens so there are a lot of wires lying around"
"I've got Redbeard! He'll protect me!" for some reason Mycroft felt this statement was too true. He knew the old dog would sacrifice his life if it meant protecting the youngest Holmes. Sherlock pounded out of the room but Redbeard waited. He plodded softly over to Mycroft, resting his chin on the armrest
"Don't let him do anything stupid Red understood?" the dog let out another soft whine. Mycroft stroked the Red Setter's fine, silky ears and watched as he ran out of the house after Sherlock.
Sherlock was waiting patiently for Redbeard by the big oak tree. He had his best hat on and found a sword so he could strike when needed too. Redbeard stood beside Sherlock; their adventures were sometimes the greatest thing in the old dog's life. Sherlock's imagination was one to be conquered and if let lose in the land of pirates and mermaids there was nothing stopping him. Sherlock leaned down to the ground, inspecting it carefully
"I don't know these footprints Redbeard" the dog looked down at the footprints Sherlock was talking about
"Strangers! What if Black Beard has finally set his attack on us?" Redbeard wagged his tail as Sherlock set off at a fast jog following the footprints. They ran for a couple of minutes before they came to the first obstacle, it was a small tray of flowers but the pair jumped over them easily. By now Redbeard was a little bit a heard of Sherlock making sure nothing came to hurt him but then he felt something curl around his leg, snake like but not quite. He barked at Sherlock and the small boy knew straight away something was wrong
"What is it Redbeard?" Sherlock fell down beside Redbeard. He rubbed his back and saw the copper wire wrapped around Redbeard's paw. Sherlock let out a small gasp, in his mind Sherlock thought it was a snare put down by the evil Black Beard to catch them out
"He'll pay Redbeard! No one hurts my best friend!" the harshness in Sherlock's voice made Redbeard jerk back only tightening the wire that was around his leg
"No, no, no don't move! Don't move Redbeard it will only make it worse!" Sherlock pleaded to the dog. Redbeard let out another troubled whine and started panting
"Sit Redbeard, sit" obediently the dog sat down
"Now down boy, play dead" Redbeard lay down, lessening the pressure on the wire
"Good boy Redbeard, you can't move ok? If you move it will make it worse!" Redbeard nudged Sherlock to try and comfort the little boy and then they heard the powerful voice of Mycroft
"William!"
"It's Sherlock!" Sherlock shouted back. Mycroft rolled his eyes; he walked over to pair and saw the wire wrapped around Redbeard's paw
"What did you do Sherlock?" Mycroft snapped leaning down to examine the scene and being greeted immediately by a lick in the ear from Redbeard, almost relieved to see the oldest Holmes coming to free his paw
"I didn't do anything!" Sherlock sniffed
"It was Black Beard! He's jealous that I have such a loyal first mate and he doesn't!" Sherlock cried. Mycroft sighed and gently untied the copper wire setting the dog's paw free
"There now" he said kindly. Redbeard limped forward and nudged Sherlock. Mycroft sighed and rubbed his little brothers back
"Calm down Sherlock, I know you didn't mean to do it, you were good staying by Redbeard, if you ever see a dog with wire tied round it's paw you need to untie it straight away!"
"Why?"
"Because the wire cuts off the blood making the leg very, very weak and that could lead to worse damage" Sherlock nodded, afraid now to let go of Redbeard in case the dog got anymore battle wounds. He held to the dogs' legs, it wasn't until Mycroft offered to read to them that he let go.
And that was why when John and Sherlock were walking down the alley way Sherlock stopped straight away and kneeled down beside the small Jack Russell. Sherlock made gentle noises, encouraging the dog that he didn't need to be scared of him. John stood there, arms crossed and an eye-brow raised
"Sherlock…what the hell are you doing?"
"Helping him" Sherlock quickly untied the wire and smiled as the little dog wagged its tail before trotting away
"Well that was a waste of time," John muttered rolling his eyes but Sherlock seemed content with what he had done, smiling to himself at the memory of the day Redbeard and him played out in the garden…his loyal old Redbeard.