The next morning, although if it were really morning, D could not be sure,
men's voices behind the metal door awakened him. The boy squinted in the
darkness, noticing regretfully that his fire had burnt itself out. Why
were there no open spaces or windows here? It felt extremely unnatural to
D, who had spent his whole life under the blazing rays of the desert sun.
The door creaked open slightly, and there was more chattering amongst the
men before it finally swung open its full length. This allowed for a
creature to step inside that D had never seen before. He had the form and
bipedal stance of a human, but his features were clearly of the dog
persuasion. The boy gaped at the fangs that hung outside this
contradictory creature's mouth. He was not entirely sure as to how to
react.
The dog-man caught his gaze and smiled warmly. Then he turned back to the two soldiers behind him and said a few words in their language. They looked more then happy to leave when he dismissed them, the sound of their boots on the floor soon becoming a distant series of taps. The dog-man turned his attention back to D and laughed. He had the barking laugh of a hyena, which comforted D slightly. Still, he was not to be caught off guard be these men and their tricks. He raised his arm, holding the shell between him and the stranger. His crimson eyes mirrored distrust and confusion.
"I know it is hard for you to understand what is happening around you. It is not fair that you be left at such a disadvantage," the dog-man said in a gentle voice.
D recognized his comforting tone, but still did not understand the words he spoke. They were the same as the man who had captured him and the soldiers in the hallway. D's lip curled up in a small snarl, his leg muscles tensing. The dog-man seemed to sigh. This time when his long jaw opened, it was a series of grunts and growls that issued forth. The boy's ears perked in surprise as he was addressed in the language of the Wild Dogs.
"They were afraid of you. That is why they ran so fast."
D snickered, remembering the frightened looks on the faces of the guards that had brought this Dog-Man here.
"Of course they were. Me and my new creature are unstoppable," D replied, dropping into a more relaxed position. He tossed his head haughtily, giving the ears of the dog skin a waggle. His company looked amused, if not a little confused.
"Ah, your new creature? I am assuming you are referring to fire," the dog- man said. He glanced at D's posture and took a seat on the floor.
"Fire? Is that its name?" the boy asked, with a snappish tone to his voice.
"Well, yes and no. It is not alive, young one. It is… it is like a piece of the desert sun," the stranger explained.
D gave him a dubious look. The boy sank back on his heals and examined the point of his weapon. He had no reason to believe anything this stranger said, especially since his words might all be a trick devised by the men. The only thing that kept him from ignoring the Dog-Man completely was the fact that he spoke the tongue of the Wild Dog. Thoughtfully, D scraped the point against the hard floor, producing a high squeal.
"I can see you don't trust me anymore then your captors," the Dog-Man said, his eyes roving over D. "Here now, let me give you a reason."
He scooted closer and set his huge paw-fingers on D's shoulder. Stunned and angered by the action, D pulled away, instinctively rearing down to bite at the hand. His teeth closed hard around the thick flesh, the muscles in his jaw bunching. There was no sound from the Dog-Man, only a shake of his head, which sent tendrils of his long mane flying out in all directions.
"My name is Jajuka. I can teach you the language of Men. You don't want the disadvantage of ignorance, do you?" he said quietly.
D's eyes widened slightly, but he refused to let go. Not until he drew blood.
"They'll let you out when I am finished. At perhaps they will give you a weapon," Jajuka continued, smiling and gesturing to D's spiked shell.
"A weapon even better then your makeshift claw."
The boy's grip on his hand began to loosen as his words suddenly became of interest. There was nothing more D wanted then to get out of this dark prison and back into the light. Foolish men, they would give him a weapon? Didn't they know they were begging for death? D's teeth pulled out of Jajuka's skin, leaving a row of marks between the tufts of hair.
A smirk was quick to form as his teeth closed together. Instead of Jasiri, he would take the skin of Yasir instead. Though not as esteemed as the latter, Yasir had made their fight personal over the years with his merciless teasing. How sweet a victory it would be to see the dead dog's paws flop around his arms. Jajuka interrupted his thoughts of bloody conflict.
"You have the spirit of a true Wild Dog. Don't ever let it go," he said, giving D a smile as he stood. With a wave, he was gone, leaving D alone in his dark little room. The boy was caught off guard by his compliment… A genuine grin swept his features, a sense of pride rekindling in his soul. His fingers roamed upward and stroked at the silky ear of the dog skin draped over his back. Those were his real ears, not the shriveled pink things that stuck like parasites to either side of his head. D closed his eyes and listened through his real ears… to the dark… to his true spirit….
He would learn from men, but he would not become one. They would never know how badly they were being taken advantage of.
The dog-man caught his gaze and smiled warmly. Then he turned back to the two soldiers behind him and said a few words in their language. They looked more then happy to leave when he dismissed them, the sound of their boots on the floor soon becoming a distant series of taps. The dog-man turned his attention back to D and laughed. He had the barking laugh of a hyena, which comforted D slightly. Still, he was not to be caught off guard be these men and their tricks. He raised his arm, holding the shell between him and the stranger. His crimson eyes mirrored distrust and confusion.
"I know it is hard for you to understand what is happening around you. It is not fair that you be left at such a disadvantage," the dog-man said in a gentle voice.
D recognized his comforting tone, but still did not understand the words he spoke. They were the same as the man who had captured him and the soldiers in the hallway. D's lip curled up in a small snarl, his leg muscles tensing. The dog-man seemed to sigh. This time when his long jaw opened, it was a series of grunts and growls that issued forth. The boy's ears perked in surprise as he was addressed in the language of the Wild Dogs.
"They were afraid of you. That is why they ran so fast."
D snickered, remembering the frightened looks on the faces of the guards that had brought this Dog-Man here.
"Of course they were. Me and my new creature are unstoppable," D replied, dropping into a more relaxed position. He tossed his head haughtily, giving the ears of the dog skin a waggle. His company looked amused, if not a little confused.
"Ah, your new creature? I am assuming you are referring to fire," the dog- man said. He glanced at D's posture and took a seat on the floor.
"Fire? Is that its name?" the boy asked, with a snappish tone to his voice.
"Well, yes and no. It is not alive, young one. It is… it is like a piece of the desert sun," the stranger explained.
D gave him a dubious look. The boy sank back on his heals and examined the point of his weapon. He had no reason to believe anything this stranger said, especially since his words might all be a trick devised by the men. The only thing that kept him from ignoring the Dog-Man completely was the fact that he spoke the tongue of the Wild Dog. Thoughtfully, D scraped the point against the hard floor, producing a high squeal.
"I can see you don't trust me anymore then your captors," the Dog-Man said, his eyes roving over D. "Here now, let me give you a reason."
He scooted closer and set his huge paw-fingers on D's shoulder. Stunned and angered by the action, D pulled away, instinctively rearing down to bite at the hand. His teeth closed hard around the thick flesh, the muscles in his jaw bunching. There was no sound from the Dog-Man, only a shake of his head, which sent tendrils of his long mane flying out in all directions.
"My name is Jajuka. I can teach you the language of Men. You don't want the disadvantage of ignorance, do you?" he said quietly.
D's eyes widened slightly, but he refused to let go. Not until he drew blood.
"They'll let you out when I am finished. At perhaps they will give you a weapon," Jajuka continued, smiling and gesturing to D's spiked shell.
"A weapon even better then your makeshift claw."
The boy's grip on his hand began to loosen as his words suddenly became of interest. There was nothing more D wanted then to get out of this dark prison and back into the light. Foolish men, they would give him a weapon? Didn't they know they were begging for death? D's teeth pulled out of Jajuka's skin, leaving a row of marks between the tufts of hair.
A smirk was quick to form as his teeth closed together. Instead of Jasiri, he would take the skin of Yasir instead. Though not as esteemed as the latter, Yasir had made their fight personal over the years with his merciless teasing. How sweet a victory it would be to see the dead dog's paws flop around his arms. Jajuka interrupted his thoughts of bloody conflict.
"You have the spirit of a true Wild Dog. Don't ever let it go," he said, giving D a smile as he stood. With a wave, he was gone, leaving D alone in his dark little room. The boy was caught off guard by his compliment… A genuine grin swept his features, a sense of pride rekindling in his soul. His fingers roamed upward and stroked at the silky ear of the dog skin draped over his back. Those were his real ears, not the shriveled pink things that stuck like parasites to either side of his head. D closed his eyes and listened through his real ears… to the dark… to his true spirit….
He would learn from men, but he would not become one. They would never know how badly they were being taken advantage of.