Crazy Canine
By Legaleen
Inspired and Dedicated by Matthias (RIP)
Note: All characters are made by me and may not be used or reproduced without permission
Sakura (Lakoko) walked into the stable after lunch one day. She was getting paid to break a saddlebred that was new to the stable. He was called, Patriot and was a huge piebald stallion. Blaze was walking beside her, on his harness, as usual. "Hey boy," she stroked the horse's head. Sakura let Blaze of his harness, "Go lay down," she said to the wolf; he did as he was bidden. "Blizzard," Sakura snapped at the other wolf, who had just walked into the stable, "don't!"
Sakura had worked with the stallion before and he was now ready to be ridden the first time. She tacked him up in a light weight saddle and led to the arena. "Stay here you two," she said to the wolves, who were trained to follow her until she told them other wise.
This wasn't on her list of 'things I most want to do this summer', but it was in her job description so she went ahead and mounted. Right away the horse was fine, allowing Sakura to sit on his back in both walk and halt. Sakura loosened up and starting riding like she was cooling down Star.
After about five minutes of this she thought she should see if he would trot for her, she squeezed her legs and clucked to the horse, he walked faster, she clucked again; he finally went into a trot. "That's a good boy," she leaned down to pat the horse. Suddenly she yelled to the back of the arena, "What are you doing? Ahhhh!"
Sakura fell and landed hard on the sand, Patriot was going insane, he reared and bucked, Sakura, still lying on the ground, covered her head and tried to roll out of the way. "Patriot stop!" she yelled up at the horse, "Calm down, its okay!" Suddenly a flash of gray and white came into view, she gasped, "STAY!" but it was too late both Blaze and Blizzard had come to her rescue. Blizzard came over to Sakura and stood between her and the horse, barking. Blaze was trying to get the horse away from his master, he nipped at the stallion heals and barked like mad. Sakura got to her feet and yelled at her crazy canine, "Come here!"
Suddenly there was a yelp that came from Blaze, "Blaze!" Patriot had kicked the wolf in the chest; he was now lying there, fighting to get up. "Blaze, stay!" Sakura ran to the horse, oblivious to the flaring legs of the stallion, "Shhhh," she said to both the horse and her wolf who was lying on the ground under her. She cooed to the stallion, "Shhh, calm down shhhh," the horse clamed down to her soothing words.
"Are you okay?" Sakura whipped around to see a stable hand running up to her.
"Yeah, fine, can you put him away?" The stable hand nodded, "Good, and let Star out of his stall, quickly." The stable hand came in and grabbed the stallion's reins, she ran to the stable as fast as she could, Patriot trotting behind her, before long Star was running to them.
"Good boy," she said, "down," Star went down on his knees, Sakura levitated Blaze up onto his back and then climbed up behind. Tears were inevitable as she saw her dog like this.
"Can you help him?" Sakura's voice was shaky and full of worry.
"We'll see what we can do,"
"Please,"
"We're going to try, but we can't promise anything,"
"Isn't there someone who can heal him?"
"Please calm down, we don't know what we can do, you better go back home,"
"NO! My wolf!"
"Go on home, he won't heal any faster if you stay or leave." Sakura walked out of the vet's office, feeling defeated and useless. Blizzard and Star were both waiting for her outside. She went to the horse's left side and got on as Star went down. She got on. "Tsk, Tsk," she clicked to the horse and squeezed with her left leg. Star was walking back to the stable. Tears were still flowing from Sakura's eyes, how could this have happened, Blaze always listened to her every command, except for the one time his life was in the balance. They reached the stable and Sakura gave Star a treat and left.
"What's wrong Kora?" Elrend had just finished in the forge for the day.
"Oh Elrend!" Sakura flung her arms around her boyfriend and cried on his shoulder.
"Shhh, it's okay," He rubbed her back with one arm and held her with the other. Then he mouthed to Keomi, 'What's wrong?" Keomi mouthed back, 'No idea, she wouldn't talk,' Elrend rolled his eyes and said to Sakura, "It's okay, shhh."
After Sakura regained herself Elrend left to shower before dinner (working with a hot fine and beating medal is quite a workout), Keomi had left to help with dinner, leaving Laloka and Sakura alone.
"So what happened?" Laloka said, trying to sound as nice as possible.
"Blaze,"
Laloka gasped, "Is he okay?"
"He might be. He was kicked by the horse I was trying to break," tears were still falling from her eyes.
"Its okay girl, he'll be fine. That wolf's a fighter, he's been kicked by a horse before." Laloka looked like Sakura was making a big deal of nothing.
"Yeah, in the leg or the rump, but he was younger than, and this time it was in the chest by a young, feisty, and spooked stallion!" Laloka nodded, she seemed to have just figured out how upset her friend was.
They say in silence for a few minutes before Elrend walked in. "Hey, so what's wrong?" Sakura told him the whole story again. Elrend looked shocked that Blaze would disobey Sakura, he never did that before. He would kill someone if she told him to! "It's okay he'll be fine. My father personally picked out these vets they'll do all they can." Elrend sat down by her and rubbed her back gently. He turned to Laloka and shook his head; they all knew that Blaze had a low chance of living.
"Hey baby, how ya feelin'?" Sakura talked gently to her wolf, she stroked him and petted him softly. She turned to the vet, "How is he?"
"Better, I guess, he perked up when you came in. He didn't notice anything before." Sakura nodded.
"Kora?" Elrend had been standing beside her, "I've really got to go to work, and you should to. I'll meet you back at the steil later, okay." Sakura nodded through tears, Elrend turned and walked out the door, making his way to the forge.
"Bye baby, I'll be back to see you later." She stroked her pet and started to walk away. Blaze whined and tried to get up, "Stay!" Sakura yelled and ran out the door, face in hands.
A few minutes later Sakura was at the stable. She walked by Strider's stall. He stuck his head out of the door right in front of Sakura so she had to notice him. "Be right back," she said, pushing his head out of the way. Strider whinnied at her, but Sakura didn't take any notice. She went to the tack room and open Strider's box. She grabbed his halter and lead and walked back to his stall. "Hey, want to go outside?" She put of his halter and walked him out of his stall. She then put him into a pasture and put up a "Warning Stallion" sign. Strider didn't like the idea at all, he ran around the pasture wondering why he wasn't being ridden today.
Sakura, having gone to the vet and being late didn't have time to exercise her baby. People with lessons would be here any minute and she had to get the horses they were riding out. She went back towards the stable and turned to go into the door. "Ahhh!" she yelled out. She rubbed her head which she had just hit on the side of the door. "Now I really miss you Blaze."
Sakura stepped into her room and sat on the bed. Blizzard came up to her and nuzzled her hand in a 'hey, I'm still here' sort of manor. The girl forced a smile, "Hi honey," she said patting his head gently. She looked at her watch, which she never wore and gasped, "I'm going to be late," she said in a worried tone to the wolf. She went over to her sword case and flung it open. Her grabbed both of her swords, her sword belt, scabbards, and protective cloth and ran out the door, "Let's go Blitz," she yelled back.
Lakoko slowed down to a walk after she left the building. She walked around to the south wing. Her hand was moving across the wall to make sure she didn't stray. "Hey, Lakoko, wait up!" Lakoko quickly turned around to find Laloka coming up to her. She had her stuff for combat (which consist of a belt full of throwing daggers, and a heavy sword, in case you want to know) and seemed to be waiting for her friend to come from the stable. "Hey let's go, we'll be late!"
It turned out they were late and there instructor wasn't to happy about it,
"Where have you two been?" Caplin asked looking down at the two girls.
"Sorry sir," Lakoko said looking at the ground, "It longer to get here than usual."
She motioned to her left and Caplin seemed to understand.
"Okay, its fine, go get changed." Both girls nodded and ran to the dressing room.
"I'm glad we didn't get into too much trouble," Laloka panted as the entered the locker room.
"Me too," Lakoko seemed kind of distant, Laloka paid no mind.
After the two girls changed and put on their protection oil and went out and started working on what everyone else was working on, just basic blocking and attacking. They talked as they went.
"So how is Blaze?" Laloka leaned back as Lakoko's katana came in for a swipe.
"Nice!" her friend said, "Oh and Blaze, I guess he's doing okay."
"That's good." Just than Caplin's whistle screeched, all movement stopped and they all turned quickly to their teacher, hands at sides.
"At ease," Caplin said, all the kids relaxed, "Nice work today, go ahead and leave." Caplin nodded once and left back to his steil.
"Hey, Damio!" Lakoko turned quickly around to see Nova coming up to her. "How's that mutt if yours doing?" She seemed very confident in her self.
Lakoko smirked at her and started to leave. "Hmm, didn't think you'd tell me. After all I did here it was all your fault that he got hurt."
"What did you say?" Lakoko spoke through her teeth as she slowly turned towards Nova.
"Yeah, you heard right. You're the one the mutt was trying to save, so therefore it is your fault he is hurt." Nova was enjoying herself.
"He's not a mutt, he's a purebred artic wolf, and watch what you say you bitch!"
"Uhhh, temper, temper," Nova waved a finger at her. Laloka was at her friend's side and had an arm out in front of her.
"Don't waste your breath on this filth, she's not worth it."
"Yeah Kora, keep your head down." Elrend had just come out of the locker room and was standing on Lakoko's other side. Lakoko turned around and started to walk away.
"And want to know why else it's your fault? You can't control a horse." Faster than anyone could stop her Lakoko had turned around and was running at Nova, eyes flaring at her long time enemy.
"I told you to watch out, now you dead! Do you here me? DEAD! I rip you to rib Ahhh," Lakoko had lost control of her body for a second and was jerked back, she turned around and saw Elrend on the ground his hand on head, but she was in such a bad mood she really didn't care, she got back up and started running back to Nova when Laloka grabbed her from behind, just long enough for the stronger Elrend to regain himself and grab her instead.
"Sakura! Calm down!"
"LET ME GO! You heard what she said about me, and my wolf. Let me get my hands on that bitch!" Sakura's arms flashed wildly, her swords still in both hands.
Nova laughed out loud, "She can't control a horse, or her emotions! HAHAHAHAHA!"
"I can control a horse; you're the one who spooked Patriot in the first place!" Nova was taken aback.
"Say what you want. I didn't spook any horse."
"Oh you didn't?" Lakoko struggled more wildly against Elrend's tough restraints. Elrend just held tighter.
"Sakura, that's enough!" He brought his head back as her straight sword swung by but it put his left check in the perfect spot for a swipe from the katana. It hit him hard. He yelled out loud as the blade cut into his unprotected face. The Mation signature of sapphire blood ran down his check. "Sakura! Stop this! That's and order!" Lakoko stopped resisting immediately. "And you!" He turned to Nova, "I order you to go back to our steil and stay there, I'll deal with what you did later!"
Nova was shocked at the sudden order, but bond by Mation tradition she did as she was told.
"Ouch! Kora, that stings," Keomi, Laloka, Elrend, and Lakoko all were in Lakoko's room. Elrend sat on her bed while Laloka sat in her desk chair and Keomi leaned against the wall. Lakoko was bathing the wound on Elrend face with rubbing alcohol.
"I know, I'm sorry," she dabbed at it again with the cloth, Elrend winced. Lakoko shook her head and sighed, "It's really deep," she said tilting his head up so she could get some better light on it. "It's all my fault, I lost my temper."
"Don't worry about it; I would've done the same thing." Elrend grabbed Lakoko's hand mirror and looked at the wound himself, it was swollen and sapphire blood still ran slightly from it. "Except I would've done less damage," he motioned to his sling and rock bag, his only weapons besides his natural strength and agility. Lakoko held back a laugh, with his marshal arts he could've killed someone.
"That Nova!" Laloka turned to her friends, "How could she purposely spook a horse? It's against Mation laws!" she pound her hand on Lakoko's desk, registry papers flew everywhere. "Sorry."
"That's fine," Lakoko levitated them all and put them back into a pile, "Yeah, but then again, Nova couldn't care less about the laws; she reads my mind all the time."
Keomi opened his eyes and looked at them, "Yeah, but we can't do anything about it really, her father is the judge."
"Yeah, even ze (zane) can't overrule him, what he says goes, in the court at least." Elrend made to get up, but Lakoko pushed him back down.
"Stay here, we can't let that cut get infected while it's healing." She put on some sort of cream.
"What are you doing?"
"It works really well, believe me." After that she took a piece of cloth from her grooming bucket (which had just been cleaned) and pressed in on the wound. "There we go, that should do it." Elrend didn't look too sure, but trusted his girlfriend.
"So what are you going to do?" Laloka came over to them and petted Blizzard, who was sitting at Lakoko's feet.
"Me?" Elrend looked at her, "What can I do?"
"I don't know, but you said 'I'll deal with what you did later'," Laloka sat down on Lakoko's bed.
"I don't know. Should I go talk to her?" Elrend looked very confused.
"Maybe you should talk to your parents?" Keomi tried to sound helpful, but it didn't work.
"How's that suppose to help?" Lakoko broke out, "as we said, there's not a fucking nothing we can do. El, if I were you I'd just brake my order on her."
"No you wouldn't," Laloka said, trying to make a joke, "you would just keep it on her just so you wouldn't have to deal with her outside of the steil."
"Oh shut up." Lakoko wasn't in the mood for jokes.
"Sorry, just trying to help."
"Well your not, I'm going to visit my wolf, I'll be back for dinner, maybe." Lakoko walked out of the room, Blizzard on her heals. The other's eyes followed her. Elrend shook his head, Keomi looked at his friend.
"Can you control your girlfriend?"
Elrend touched the bonding on his cheek; then he looked at Keomi, "No."
"Hey baby," Lakoko's temper had just changed for the better after she had seen her wolf. "How ya feelin'" The vet came up behind her,
"He's better, actually. Not by much, but he does seem to be healing."
"Do you know what happened, a bruised lung or heart maybe?"
"Well we think both; he's been having trouble breathing." Lakoko sighed, and went back to petting Blaze. "I'm sorry, I really am," the vet looked at the sore wolf, who was wagging his tail at his owner.
"Nova," Elrend's voice was cold as he called to her. Nova looked over at him, he jerked his head, motioning that she should come over.
"Will you release me from this stupid order?" Nova leaned on her left leg, "all my friends are laughing at me because of this." She motioned over to where she always sat; the group of people there were all trying to conceal laughter.
"You call those friends? Anyway, I'll ask you this straight out, and don't you lie, did you spook Patriot?"
"No," Nova's voice was stern with not a bit of laughter.
"Well then why did Kora say you did?" Elrend wasn't in the mood for this.
"She wasn't thinking straight, she let her temper get the best of her, again."
"Shut up; now tell the truth, before I order you to."
"Fine, yes I did, but I never intended to hurt that mutt, it was his bitchy owner I was after." Elrend held his temper as best he could.
"Fine, I release you from the order." He turned to Keomi and Laloka and nodded happily. After Nova left he starting talking to his friends, "I got her to say it, now all we have to do is convince the court to book her for it. I'll go tell ze (zane) now."
"Thanks for telling me ekra; I'll see what I can do about her." Elrend was standing in his father's office the next morning.
"Thanks ze (zane)." Elrend said nodding to his father.
"No problem and what happened to your face?"
Elrend turned around and started to the door, "Oh nothing just a scrap, it's almost healed already" He walked out of the door to his office to the waiting eyes of Laloka, Keomi, and Lakoko.
"So how'd it go?" Laloka looked hopeful.
"He said he'd do what he can."
"Well that won't be much, will it?"
"Sakura!" Keomi shook his head at her outburst.
"Keomi," Elrend gave him a, 'let it go' look and shook his head.
"If we're lucky she'll be banned from the stable," Laloka said as they made there way to the vet.
"If were lucky they'll ban her from living anywhere near the animals." Lakoko said, "She couldn't care less about our laws providing them."
Elrend put an arm around her shoulders, "I know she's just a first class bitch." Lakoko gave Elrend a 'don't touch me' look and he moved his arm, shrugging his shoulders at Keomi. They were at the vets in a matter of minutes. Lakoko went straight over to the wolf. Keomi and Elrend held back.
"What's with her?" Keomi asked looking at Lakoko stroking Blaze.
"I don't know, she usually doesn't mind me touching her, I guess its Blaze."
"You let her get away with that?" Keomi looked shocked.
"Yeah, I do. Just keep your nose out if things you don't understand."
"Fine, I will. Just tell me why." Keomi looked over at the half witch again.
"Because, okay? Don't worry beyond that."
"Can you believe our luck?" Lakoko was standing outside of the court house with her usual group.
"Not at all, I was certain that she would get her father in trial and the case throne out," Elrend's face had now healed and he looked no worse for where.
"Yeah, well let's hope everything works out how we wanted it to," Laloka was leaning against a pillar.
Keomi nodded, "Yeah let's hope," he said. An hour later Nova came out yelling in outrage.
"How could they do this to me, I'm the judge's daughter! Wait till Ze (zane) hears about this!"
"So what happened?" Lakoko came over to Elrend and leaned on his shoulders.
"I don't know." Elrend looked confessed.
"Hey, Ms. Damio!" Lakoko turned around to see a man running up to them, "I'm pleased to inform you that the one you call 'Nova' is now banned from going into or within 200 yards of the stable."
"Oh, that's great news, thanks so much!" Lakoko turned to her friends who nodded to her, smiling. The man that came up to them left.
"Good, now the only thing we have to worry about is Blaze." Laloka tried to sound positive.
"Yeah, poor baby, my poor BLAZE!" Lakoko saw Blaze running up to her. Blaze seemed to be completely healed. "Blaze!" she said as the wolf jump up on her. Lakoko was about to fall down, but Elrend caught her, but he too staggered back because of the large weight increase due to the wolf.
"He's better." Laloka came over to her friend and patted the wolf's head.
"I'm glad," said Keomi, who had also come over.
"Sorry about that!" Lakoko pushed Blaze down to see the vet running up to them.
"It's fine! How'd ya heal him?" Lakoko asked as she went down of her knees to allow Blaze lick her face.
"I didn't, someone just came into the clinic and asked if he could try something to heal him. I was about to give up on the sweetie so I let him try and the second he ran his hands over your wolf here he was fine," all the friends looked at each other in disbelief, then Lakoko said.
"Who was it? I want to thank them."
The vet shrugged her shoulders "He wished to remain anonymous," she said, "Well I better get back to the office, good luck with him."
"Thanks and if you see the person who helped him again tell him thank you for me."
"I will," and with that the vet saw gone.
For the next few minutes that friends remained silent petting the wolf they thought would never be without pain again until Keomi talked, "So why did the person not want to be known?"
"I don't know," said Lakoko.
"Maybe they knew he was yours." Elrend suggested.
"Why wouldn't they want me to know?" Lakoko pulled hair out of her face as she spoke.
Laloka decided that it was her turn to join the conversation "Maybe because they knew you two were going out," she motioned to Elrend and Lakoko, "and being our leader's son you can get almost anything you want and they didn't want to be covered in gifts, 'cause I know you would do that if you knew who helped him."
Lakoko stood up and nodded "Yeah, you're right, but I wish I knew who it was."
This was, obviously said in Mation, but has been translated for your use.