Juggling supplies in one arm and gripping a leash in the other, Asha ran down the hall. She slid to a stop when she reached the map, but the hound didn't. It yanked her hard enough she almost went to the floor. The cleaning supplies tumbled from her grasp. Now that she had a free arm, she used it to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

"3,988...3,988…" Her eyes bounced around the symbols and numbers on the map.

The facility was the largest in the clan. It bred, trained, and boarded Yaut hounds. As a kennel attendant, her main duties were to feed and exercise the animals while also maintaining a clean environment for them. When asked, she also brought hounds to the vet or groomer...If she could ever find the right room.

"Ha! There it is!" She tugged on the leash, "Come on, we were going the wrong way."

The hound switched directions and began to pull.

"Oh wait, wait!" Asha scrambled to pick up the cleaning supplies.

The hound gave an impatient snort.

"Ok, ok let's go."

He pulled her down the hallways fast enough she slid around the corners. Her eyes jumped back and forth, trying to catch the numbers. They almost passed up the grooming room. Asha braced her shoulder against the door frame with a giggle while the hound dug its nails into the tile, fighting her.

"This way you silly puppy!"

The hound turned, releasing tension on the leash so suddenly she almost fell backward. After regaining her balance, she led him inside to a small kennel to wait for his turn. He went right in, but did a circle, and tried to come back out. She closed the door in front of his face. The hound plopped his butt down with a huff.

Asha reached in her pocket for a treat, but her fingers went through a hole. She patted her other side, sticking her hand in a string of slobber. Asha let out a sigh that turned into a laugh. She knelt down in front of the kennel and stuck her arm through the bars to stroke his side. The hound leaned into her touch.

In the hall, Asha's boss passed by, "You finished your duties an hour ago, go home ooman."

"I know. I was just helping…" The female continued down the hall, so Asha jogged after her, "Well, anyway, I needed to talk to you about the pay."

"Your paycheck was already transferred."

"Yes, I noticed. But I overheard the other employees and I found out it's much less than usual."

"You're ooman."

"What does that matter?"

"You're slower."

The female passed through a large revolving door, stopping Asha in her tracks. The area was off-limits. Asha took her lower lip between her teeth then stepped forward. The female turned around immediately, her expression hardening.

"Pay me the same rate as the other employees or fire me."

She didn't break eye contact while the female scrutinized her. Asha expected to lose her job, but then the female relaxed, "I'll correct your paycheck."

"Thank you."

While the female got on her wrist computer to transfer Asha more money, her eyes wandered. The off-limit area didn't look much different than the rest of the facility. Rather than bars, the kennels were enclosed in glass. At the end of the hall was a hound with broken spines and deep scars. There was blood smeared across its muzzle and the glass.

"He's injured."

The yautja female looked up and followed Asha's line of sight, "Don't worry, you don't have to tend to that one. He's due to be euthanized tonight."

"Why?"

"Abnormal aggression."

Her eyes stayed on the hound. His hind leg lifted to scratch at his neck. Before he was even finished, he flopped onto his side with his tongue out. To her, the behavior didn't look like mental illness or rabies.

"Was he checked for injuries? A tooth abscess even? He could just be irritable due to pain."

"He was thoroughly examined. It's his mind that is broken."

"He doesn't act any different than the other hounds." Asha walked to the end of the hall.

Even when she reached his kennel, the hound remained on his side. His breathing was normal. His pupils weren't dilated. He wasn't pacing or scratching at the door. Asha had a hard time believing he was mental.

The female walked up beside her and touched her palm to the door. There was a slight ripple in the glass. The hounds head snapped up then and it was on its feet. It charged into the glass with a thump, leaving a smear of blood from its already broken teeth. Asha staggered back.

When the female's hand pulled back, the hound stayed hunched in front of the door but could no longer see them. "One-way glass."

Asha nodded, her heart still pounding against her ribcage.

"Our trainer worked with him for a few weeks. We even tried to give him a companion, thinking it would soothe him."

"And?"

"He killed her."

Asha wiped her hand down her face before glancing back at the hound.

"This was a championship hunting hound, raised from a pup. It is a shame."

"What happened? Was this change gradual or sudden?"

"An animal ripped a hunk of his flesh off that contained the tracking implant. The hound was lost for weeks. By the time they found him, he was starved and the wound was infected."

"That's awful."

"Hunting has its risks."

Asha leaned her shoulder on the side of the cage as she gazed in at the hound. Sad, dark eyes darted around the glass but were unable to see her. Asha recalled how Mah'ku had trained his hounds to run after prey, even through weapon fire. Judging by the patchwork of scars that marked the hound's body, she could tell it had done just that. The hound had given its all, and they were so ready to dispose of him.

"I'll take him."

The female cocked her head.

"You said he's going to get euthanized. Well, if he's of no value to you I'll take him off your hands."

"That hound will rip you apart ooman."

"I can handle him."

"You won't get him home."

"Let me prove you wrong?"

She grunted, "Were you always this way ooman?"

Asha's eyes went to the wall as she shook her head, "No. This version of me was built from experience and pain, suffering and abuse...Now can I have that hound?"

"He's yours."

Getting the beast home was no easy task. Rather than endanger herself or anyone else, she made the decision to have him sedated. With help, the hound was moved to a room in her new house. The door had to be reinforced. That, and buying food for the hound used up what money she had to spare.

As she was loading the meat into the cooling unit, Asha suddenly paused. Her hand went to her mouth. She barely made it to the sink before she threw her guts up. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her stomach writhing.