Bentley explained the bizarre procedure as Kilian took his turn. Annette couldn't bear to watch as the brown and white terrier's paw was torn open on the nail. He took it well though, only letting out a hiss of pain through his teeth. "The smell of your blood is recorded now. You can be trailed anywhere by ol' Samuel." The muscular gray dog nodded his wide head at the Bloodhound, Samuel, who was sniffing at Kilian's fresh paw print on the fence. "You two gotta earn the right to leave this Junkyard." Bentley said. He released Kilian's paw. "Go on, Boy."
Hopping on three legs, Kilian obeyed the gentle voiced male. He hobbled over to Annette to sniff at her oozing paw before his own. Bentely wasn't done speaking yet, though. "Samuel can track you anywhere, so escape ain't happening. When you youngsters pass your physical assessments, you're gonna be allowed to wander, so keep that in mind."
Samuel swung his head around from the stained wall, groaning faintly. He blinked his red eyes and rumbled, "Duties to the Father cannot be escaped."
Bentley nodded. "Eye, it's true. There is no escape. Now, be off. I can't say anymore." Bentely cast a nervous eye around the area. He tossed his head to emphasize the point, and sent Annette and Kilian limping on their way. Samuel watched them go. His massive nose twitched, as though he was already smelling the pair of dogs.
Annette shuddered. Was there really no escape? Maybe if they made it back to the Victorian house...but how would they get past the dog on the pipe?
Kilian nudged Annette's cheek, pulling her out of her thoughts. "How's your paw?" He said tensely, while they stopped to hide under the detached hood of a car that was jutting out of the massive junk heap. No one said they weren't allowed under the pile.
He leaned down to sniff her paw before she could respond. "It's fine. It was just a little cut. How's yours?" Annette responded. Kilian shrugged. He lifted his tired gaze to Annette's face. She met his eyes while tears welled in her own. She wanted to go home. She was exhausted and filthy, and she missed her family already. Annette thought of Collette, and wished that she could apologize to her for not telling her the truth about Kilian.
Kilian seemed to read her thoughts. He pressed his muzzle to her cheek and mumbled into her fur. His voice broke into a whisper. "I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you." He rasped. Annette's heart went out to the terrier. It wasn't his fault.
She nuzzled him comfortingly. "You didn't know that this would happen." She said. Kilian shook his head and shivered against a cold breeze that had found its way into their meager shelter. Annette pressed closer. "Tell me how you know William and Bill." She offered a subject change, hoping to get Kilian's mind off of things. She knew that there would be no comfort for either of them until they found a way out, but for now she wanted to see her best friend's tensions eased.
The two dogs huddled together against the wind while Kilian began his story. "I've known Will and Bill since we were pups." He began. "Little pups. Our mothers were friends. They would visit each other nearly every day. My mother was a stray, she wasn't no pet. But William and Bill were born for the humans." He looked at Annette as he said this, almost wistfully. "They belonged to the humans, but they were gonna be split up, goin' to new homes away from each other, for human jobs. They ran away. They came to me, but..." Kilian winced, continuing softly. Annette had never heard him speak of his past before. She listened carefully, holding onto every word. "My mother was gone. Bill and Will found me alone. I don't know where she went, and I never saw her again. They told me they didn't wanna go home to their mama, because they were afraid. I was happy to have them. I was alone. Me and those two were a team after that, they helped me look for my mom, and I showed them what she'd shown me about livin' on the streets." He smiled a little at this, remembering his friends fondly. Even in their sad situation, Annette found herself caring for him more all the time. "Things didn't stay like that, though. I lost them a while before you came along. Buster had gotten real nasty, brought in dogs like Harley from somewhere. The gangs started to take over everything, and then, William and Bill left me. I didn't know 'til today that they'd gone and joined these thugs." He snorted the last bit in contempt.
"They changed a lot, didn't they?" Annette mumbled. Kilian nodded and sighed.
"Gather up!" Someone outside of their shelter howled. The two dogs jumped at the sound. They peeked cautiously from their shelter. The six prisoners were slowly making their way to the middle of the now dark, shadowy yard to stand in a line. They looked beaten and defeated. They'd done this before. Annette could see the dog who had made the call now. It was a lean, brown brindled dog with a smashed muzzle. He howled again. "Come on, I want to see everyone here, in line, right now! You know the drill. Get your tails out here, now."
Polly passed Kilian and Annette's hooded shelter. She slowed as she walked by, jerking her head frantically for the two to come out. They scurried out under her paws together without a word. The brindle male was pacing in front of the line of prisoners with his head held high. His white paws kicked up clouds of dust while he walked. Polly, Annette, and Kilian took a place at the end of the line. Annette wanted to ask Polly what was happening, but she bit her tongue. She was afraid to speak with the brindle dog still yelling for order in front of them.
The dog stopped his howling when everyone had finished quietly lining up in a long row, with enough space for another canine between them. Only Annette and Kilian broke the pattern. Annette was afraid of what might happen if she let go of her friend in this place. On the far end of the line stood the Beagle, and nose to nose with him was the brindle, who had stopped and leaned down to stare at him muzzle nearly touched the white streak on the Boomer's forehead. "What do you have to offer?" The brindle dog grunted. The Beagle's big, tan colored ears went back momentarily, but he stood his ground. He was incredibly soft-spoken.
More than once as he responded, he had to clear his throat to adjust his voice. "Bread, Sir. One loaf, nearly whole. Taken from an afternoon picnic." The Beagle's rear paws shifted nervously in the quiet that followed.
After a nearly endless pause, the brown dog moved down the line, repeating the same question to Deedro. Deedro was tall, with black markings and a thick, white ruff of fur around his neck and over his chest. His long legs, which were white almost to the elbow, were braced stiff and straight under him. He was as sunken eyed and unhealthy as his companions, but he kept his proud stance. "Information, Sir." He said uniformly. Annette suspected that he was a working dog in the past. He didn't even flinch when the brindle dog, who was as tall as he, met his eyes. "A farm on the far side of town has introduced a new watch dog, Sir." He continued. The brindle raised a dark eyebrow. "And a fine litter of pups has begun leaving their nest at the firehouse." He paused, letting the looming canine in front of him speak.
"What were you doing near the farms, Deedro?" He growled menacingly. Deedro was quiet. Despite his overall fearless attitude, his tail found its way under his legs. Annette, who had been watching the exchange from her place in line, thought she saw him gulp. "I-I was following orders, Sir. I was told to scout for resources." Deedro was nervous.
The brindle dog's fur was rising on his spine. He curled his lip back menacingly in the border collie's face. The black and white dog involuntarily took a step back as the brindle bore over him. "You know better than that." A snarl ripped through his words like a sharp knife. Deedro stumbled backwards again. He was no longer fearless. He was a frightened pup who was about to be punished harshly. Annette and Kilian cringed into each other. Annette couldn't understand what the collie had done wrong. The brindle answered her question with another heavy snarl. "Home is forbidden. This is your home, Deedro!" He barked, spewing slobber onto the frightened dog. Deedro's mouth had fallen open. His dark eyes were wide enough that Annette could see their whites ringing them. "You belong to us! To your Father, Azriel." The brindle's angry tone died down into a sickly sweet one. He turned to address the golden female that Annette had seen earlier that day. She had arrived only moments ago, curious about the brindle dog's angry barking, which was echoing and ringing through the place like harsh bells. "Mona." He snapped. "Take this one to see Father. He needs to be punished."
Mona nodded and circled around the border collie, herding him away. "You bad puppy, you. Not doing what Scoomp tells you." She said this without expression. Another dog who couldn't care less.
The next dog in line, a speckled, silky coated dog whose description matched the name of Pepper, attempted to follow. She wore a look of terror on her narrow face. When the brindle dog, apparently named Scoomp, blocked her path, she tossed her head wildly. Her tiny paws danced in place. Scoomp shoved her roughly with his chest, pushing her back into line. "What do you have to offer?" He said, acting as though the incident never happened.
Pepper bowed her head in defeat. Her feathery tail fell and she closed her eyes. The spotted dog could hardly be heard. "Children, Sir." She whispered. "To be born and raised here, under our father Azriel."
Annette could hardly believe her ears. She couldn't imagine what it must be like to be trapped in a prison like this, only to find that you were pregnant. It must be devastating. Scoomp gave no notice that this surprised or even affected him. He gave a little snort and moved down the line. Pepper visibly relaxed. Her thin legs were still shaking long after Scoomp had taken his gaze off of her.
Scoomp went down the line quickly after this, without incident. He stopped in front of each dog, asking them the same question. What did they have to offer? They gave him a simple answer, a bit of information about a food source or item, or a potential captor. He was almost at the end of the line now, he had reached the dog closest to Polly, which was the gray female, Stella. She lifted her chin high, as though she was a member of authority herself. She began speaking before Scoomp's question was even asked. "Information, Sir." She said. Her voice was gravelly and rough. She sounded like the kind of dog that would bite your head off if given the chance. "Humans, dogcatchers, planning a raid on the Junkyard. They've been tipped off that we're all here. They are not happy with recent attacks. They say the dog packs across the city will be wiped away to prevent problems."
Annette felt a strong, warm flare of hope in her chest. She and Kilian shared a look. If the humans stopped these dogs, then they would be allowed to go home. Nothing could stop angry humans. They had too much up their sleeves. Scoomp's eyes widened. He was speechless. Annette could practically hear the wheels squeaking in his massive head while he tried to comprehend this. He eventually tossed his head in the direction of the junk heap. "Tell Harley that you have my permission to see Father." He muttered.
Stella ducked her head, almost bowing as she back out of the line. "Yes Sir." She said, sounding utterly triumphant. Her eyes glittered excitedly. Annette had a bad feeling about this dog.
Scoomp turned sharply to Polly, but lost focus on her when he saw Kilian and Annette, huddled together at the end of the line. His brindle ears perked as he gazed down on the smaller dogs. "What's this?" He said, half to himself. Neither Kilian nor Annette spoke. The brindle dog leaned down for a closer look. "Too close." He shoved Annette away from Kilian, making her fall into the dust with a grunt. Annette was terrified. She was separated now from Kilian's warmth and comforting, and there was an unpleasant cold creeping through her fur where he'd been seconds before, warming her. "What is your offering?" The dog demanded. He was edgy now.
Polly spoke up for the two. Scoomp whipped around to glare at her when she answered for the pair. "They just got here. They have nothing, they aren't allowed outside, Sir. You see their marks are still fresh."
In the blink of an eye, Polly's head reeled back as Scoomp hit her hard across the cheek. She yelped and fell to the ground. Annette half expected her bones to rattle with the impact. Scoomp stood over her threateningly. "And what do you have for me, wretch?" He barked. Polly cowered into the ground with her eyes shut tightly. A few of the dogs backed up, trying to distance themselves from Scoomp's attack. Polly didn't respond. Scoomp aimed a kick at her middle, making her groan. She curled herself into a tight ball and shook like an infant. She didn't retaliate or protest, or try to escape the beating. She accepted it with only a pained expression on her face. Annette didn't understand it. She cast a terrified look at Kilian, who returned it. There was nothing they could do to help the poor dog. "What do you have, Polly?" Scoomp growled again. Polly whimpered and shook her head. She had nothing. "I was worried about that." Scoomp shook his head. "You know what happens when we don't bring anything home, now." He said slowly, as if the skinny dog wouldn't understand him otherwise.
Polly's eyes flew open wide. She scrambled for a hold on the ground, suddenly panicking. "No, please!" She was on her belly, clawing the ground around Scoomp's paws. "Please, don't do this. I can't-I won't-you can't do this!" The brown dog was in hysterics. Tears were welling in her brown eyes.
Scoomp shook his head once more, feigning sarcastic disappointment. "Harley will see you in the morning. Now get out of here!" He kicked the sobbing dog again, who bolted for the carriage across the junkyard. Annette could hear the pups faintly whimpering inside, happy to see the chocolate dog.
Annette turned back to Scoomp, glaring hatred at him. She wasn't sure what the vicious dog was up to, but she knew that it involved hurting Polly's children. She had never wanted to hurt another dog in her life, but this beast made Annette's blood boil hot and furious. She imagined what the humans would do to him when they got here. She hoped that somehow, he would suffer. She wanted most of the canines in this hell-hole to suffer. Her own thoughts scared her badly, but she couldn't shake them.
Scoomp turned to leave. He stopped briefly to cast a message over his shoulder at the five remaining dogs before trotting away. "You're all free to go." He muttered. Everyone released their tensed muscles. No one was relaxed, though.
The dogs all bowed their heads, blinking sadly. There was a grief stricken silence hanging heavily in the air. The shy Boomer was the first to break it. "They'll take her own." He whispered raggedly. Annette understood. They were planning on killing one of Polly's pups to punish her.
"Is there anything we can do?" Annette dared to utter. A few of the dogs looked at each other as if they were searching each other for an answer.
Sunny spoke up when no one else did. "We've tried to help her. We were gonna help her get out with the pups, before Harley got there. We lost her son for it." He closed his eyes and shivered. "We all got punished bad."
"Scoomp is always on Polly for something. He finds the worst punishments possible for her." Pepper said tearfully.
Kilian closed the distance between himself and Annette while he spoke. "The humans are coming soon. We'll be out of this place before long, right?" He said hopefully. "Maybe we could hide the pups somewhere until-" Pepper practically tackled Kilian in her efforts to shush him.
All eyes landed on Mona, who was shoving Deedro along in front of her. She commanded him to stop, and he did. "Stay here, until its over." She demanded. Deedro moved to sit down and recieved a sharp bite to the cheek that left him bleeding. He yelped and stumbled backwards. "You're not allowed to sit, Kid." Mona said. "No sleep. No food, no water. No rest. Three days." Annette heard this and closed her eyes. She gave a silent prayer that she would escape this place soon.
Annette slept that night curled into Kilian, in a long, wooden crate that was missing one end. The two dogs were shivering and hungry, but they managed to find sleep. The filthy little cocker spaniel dreamed terrible things when she slept. She dreamed of escape, only to find herself impaled on giant yellowing teeth when she made it onto the streets. She dreamed that Polly, who was sleeping nearby with her puppies in her arms, tried to hide their lifeless bodies in a crocodile's mouth, and Jim Dear came to give her a much-needed bath, only to have her find that he was Azriel, and she was watching his cool blue eyes from under the surface of the bath water as she drowned.
A bloodcurdling howl woke Annette before the sun had even risen. She and Kilian both raised their heads quickly, forgetting for a moment where they were. The howl erupted again. It was a sound filled with such grief and desperation that it made Annette's entire body ache with longing for whoever it belonged to. And in that same second that she thought it, Annette realized who it belonged to. She and Kilian exchanged a look of absolute horror. They scrambled to their feet and rushed out to help in whatever way they could. Where were the other dogs in this time of crisis? Annette jerked her head back and forth in her shocked state, searching for them. Boomer was hiding near the wooden crate, shaking like a leaf. Pepper was being held back by William and Bill, pinned at her side against the fence that lined the Junkyard. She lashed out every now and then, with a bite aimed at the two dogs restricting her movements.
Annette stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the horrifying scene before her. Sunny and Deedro were standing nearby, gazing sorrowfully at Polly, but doing nothing to help. There was nothing that could be done. The spaniel's throat grew tight and her eyes stung with hot tears. It was too late for the tiny brown pup that had looked so much like its mother. It hung limp and lifeless in Harley's mouth. He swung his enormous head around to Polly, who was pinned on her belly under three muscular dogs, including Scoomp and Mona. She was fighting them wildly. Her paws were bloodied from clawing the ground under her. She was no match for the healthier dogs. Harley stared for a while, and then strode away with his prize. When he had left their sight, the three dogs released Polly, who began to writhe on the ground, wailing pitifully for someone to kill her. The pair that had pinned Pepper to the wall backed off of her as well.
Annette closed her eyes and tried to block out Polly's crying. It wasn't need though, as one of the dogs startled the grief stricken Labrador into hushing with a single, sharp blow to the head. After recovering from the shock of being hit, Polly just laid her head down and covered it with her paws, whimpering softly.
"Attention." An almost cheerful voice called from above. Everyone but Polly looked up to see Azriel standing high on the mound of trash. "Bad behavior, bad behavior." The mottled dog tsked. "Father doesn't appreciate this in his mission for union." He went on. "Under any other circumstances, you would all be punished severely for this." All of the dogs stared blankly at Azriel. None of them knew what do do. "But, I come to you children today with sad, sad news."
"Sadder than dead puppies?" Kilian muttered angrily. Annette almost didn't catch what he had said.
Azriel was too far away to hear him, much to Annette's relief. The blue-eyed dog was still talking. "And that is why," He was saying. "We must leave this town. Humans will ruin our unity if we stay." There was a collective gasp all around. Even Azriel's thugs looked shocked. "I want to be at the rail yard before dawn breaks."
Kilian stepped forward, shouting angrily to the bigger dog. Annette tried to hold him back, but she couldn't stop his words. "You're insane! Why are you doing this to us?" He barked.
Azriel turned slowly to see Kilian. A wry smile crossed his face. "Father knows best." He sounded like he was talking to an infant. "Unity is needed to maintain a relationship with me, as your father."
Kilian snorted and spit on the ground. "You are not our father! We have homes and families, and you're taking us from them. You're hurting innocent dogs." He called.
He didn't get any further than this. Azriel made quick eye contact with Harley, who was on top of poor Killian, like a wolf after it's prey. Annette was brushed to the side while the monster canine lashed into Kilian's face, not making a single sound the entire time. Killian howled with pain, as blood welled from his ravaged cheek. He fought back valiantly, at one time managing to kick Harley hard in the throat. The bigger dog didn't show any sign of stopping this senseless assault.
By the time he stepped calmly away from the terrier to walk over to Azriel, Kilian was a bloodied mess. His fur was streaked with gashes and blood, and he had a puncture through the tip of his left ear. He was breathing hard, and he struggled to sit up. No one but Annette dared to move. She carefully skirted around Harley to help Kilian, leaning on him while he stood. He could hardly raise his weakened head. Everyone stood motionless and watched.
Azriel, without looking at anyone in particular, called out to the surrounding dogs. "You see? Father knows best. Father will teach you all unity."
Annette heard a growl bubbling in Kilian's throat, but their 'father' was already leaving, stepping over the still whimpering Polly. "Now, be ready to leave. Our journey is beginning."