Shadow was quiet on the way back to the house, but it seemed to Chance that he was panting more heavily than usual, a sure sign that he was deeply worried. For whatever reason, he had decided not to follow the scent trail, and Chance was just as glad of that. It meant he didn't have to pit his pride against his cowardice, or look bad in front of Shadow. It also meant he wouldn't have to face the thing, which he was convinced could tear him apart.
He was reminded distantly of the bear he'd encountered once. Somehow the scent gave the impression of a hulking, shaggy behemoth, ferocious in disposition and inherently violent in nature. Only this thing smelled ever so much more dangerous than a mere bear. That single notion was enough to make Chance lag behind, dragging his feet miserably at the thought that there was something in the world more hazardous than a raging mother grizzly.
A thought struck him and he felt a surge of hope. He loped up to Shadow's side and voiced his hopeful thought, wishing with all his heart that Shadow would see it as a sensible one and confirm what he wanted to believe more than anything in the world.
"Maybe... maybe it's gone on," he suggested, "Maybe it's just passing through. You know, like it's migrating or something. Or... um... well, maybe it's looking for a hunting ground. There's not enough wildlife here to support a big predator is there? Is there?"
Truthfully, Chance hadn't the foggiest idea how much prey there needed to be to support a big predator, he'd never once given it a thought. And he'd barely given consideration to what made animals migrate either. But now he'd latched onto the idea, he wanted it to be true. It seemed reasonable. After all, there weren't bears or mountain lions around. Not here.
"No," Shadow replied, "But I don't think it's going to be that easy."
"What? Why not?"
"That scent..." Shadow paused, almost uncertainly, giving Chance a chill as he concluded, "It didn't belong to a predator."
"Huh?" Chance stopped dead in his tracks, then had to run to catch up with Shadow, "What do you mean? It was chasing the deer, it must have been hunting them."
"So what?"
Chance wasn't sure how to answer that. By his understanding, predators chased, killed and ate other animals. That was what made him predatory. Or would have, if he'd been a wild thing as he often pretended to be. Mostly he just chased without catching, and ate what he found in his bowl (or on someone's plate, when the opportunity arose). Sassy herself was predatory, if only because her cat food wasn't mouse flavored. But still, wasn't the whole chasing thing part of it?
"Chance, that wasn't the smell of a hungry animal," Shadow sighed, seeing the bewilderment on the younger dog's face, he added, "It wasn't hunting the deer for food."
"It wasn't? What was it hunting them for then?"
"You should know," Shadow replied, "You do it all the time."
"Do what?... you mean... track and chase for fun?" Chase guessed. "Well yeah, but I don't run deer like that. You didn't see them," he shuddered, remembering.
The deer had been rolling their eyes, foam had spewed from their open mouths as their tongues lolled and flapped in the wind generated by their forward motion. Their bodies had been so heated that Chance could feel it from a distance. They'd been run into exhaustion.
"And I don't kill things," Chance went on, "Except squirrels. I'd totally kill a squirrel."
"If you could catch it," Shadow snorted, then became serious, "That's the difference between us and that... thing. We've killed for food, and Sassy kills to keep the vermin population down. Never mind that she has fun while she's at it, that's more about sharpening her skills anyway. But that... out there," he halted and looked over his shoulder uneasily, "That isn't an animal. I don't know what it is, but I do know that. And, whatever it is, it's hunting and killing only for the fun of it."
Chance shuddered, then shook himself, "Well maybe it'll have more fun in somebody else's woods, huh? I mean, I chase the animals around here all the time. I bet there's more somewhere else, that are easier to catch, right?"
"Maybe," Shadow conceded, but did not appear convinced.
As they approached the house, Chance realized there was something out of the ordinary. Something seemed different. The smell was different. He felt a stab of fear, not for himself, but for Jamie, who was inside the house. He let loose a thunderous bark and bounded towards the house.
"Chance! Wait!" Shadow shouted after him, but his voice went unheard.
Chance bounded onto the porch and heaved his full bulk of ninety pounds against the door. Still barking, he backed up and lined himself up for another go at the door, which hadn't budged.
"Chance, stop it!" Shadow barked, but the young dog lunged at the door a second time anyway.
Shadow climbed the porch steps and, as Chance backed up to hit the door again, he stepped into the bigger dog's path with calm deliberation. And there he stood, cool and completely collected.
"Stop it. Right now," Shadow said, and this time Chance heard him, "Can't you smell straight? We just have company. That's all. Calm down."
At this point, Jamie opened the door.
"Come inside, Chance," he beckoned, "Aunt Tracy and Uncle Jim are here."
Meekly, Chance padded past Shadow and Jamie and walked into the house. He followed Jamie into the living room where the guests were seated, drinking coffee and chatting with the family. Aunt Tracy was Mom's sister, Jim was Tracy's husband.
Chance stood in the middle of the room, looking from one family member to another. Sassy was curled up on the piano for a nap, but her sapphire eyes opened at the sound of the dog's nails clicking on the floor. Shadow had taken the rear of the procession and went to lie down next to Peter.
"Well, what did you find?" Sassy asked, trying to sound casual.
"Evil, that's what," Chance snapped, and paced mournfully across the room to sit next to Jamie.
He looked up at his boy, but found no comfort there. Jamie was blissfully unaware of the thing in the woods, oblivious of all danger and fully absorbed in what the humans were talking about.
"Bob and I, well, we need some time alone together," Mom was saying, "I'm so glad you and Jim can stay for the weekend, it takes a lot of the pressure off."
"We're happy to do it," Tracy replied, "The kid's will be fine, don't you worry about it."
"I can't help it," Mom said, "But I'm sure you'll take good care of them."
"And they'll take care of the animals," Dad replied, "Jamie might forget to feed Chance, but you'll know if he has because Chance... well... he's unmanageable anyway, but it's worse if he hasn't been fed."
"Besides," Peter put in, "Chance wouldn't let us forget. If he doesn't get fed, he'll bark."
"A lot," Jamie added, "and he drools too."
"Oh no," Shadow moaned, looking from one family member to another.
"What? What's going on?" Chance asked, rising to his feet.
"They're going to leave," Shadow replied, moving to a sitting position, "Bob and Laura, they're going away. They shouldn't go away," he looked up at Peter as though seeking in the boy's face some sort of understanding, but there was none to be found.
He was clearly resisting the urge to whine, but Chance didn't have the self-control for that. He whimpered morosely and sat, leaning against Jamie, licking the boy's hand.
"How can you tell? Are you sure?" Chance asked.
"Yes, but I don't know why. They really shouldn't leave right now," Shadow repeated.
"Then we've got to stop them!" Chance decided, getting to his feet again.
Purposefully, he bounded from the room and leaped up the stairs. To his dismay, the master bedroom door was shut. He pawed at it, but it was latched. Frantic now, Chance scratched at it and began to yelp his distress. Sassy, who had followed him, looked on dispassionately.
"You'll never get in that way," she purred, "and why do you want to anyway? What's so bad about them leaving? They'll be back, I can tell they won't be gone long. Shadow can too. And besides, Hope is staying here, that's what matters most."
"You weren't there," Chance growled, still digging futilely at the door, "You didn't smell it, so you don't know! That thing in the woods... it's not just a wild animal... it's... it's... I don't know... maybe it's a moose. I just know it's bad, and they shouldn't go, they shouldn't leave us here."
In Chance's view, and Shadow's as well, Mom and Dad (or Laura and Bob) were the pack leaders. It was their job to protect and give instruction to the rest of the family. To decide what should be done in tense situations. And this certainly qualified. Neither Chance nor Shadow relished the idea of that responsibility falling to them. But it surely would if the parents left. The kids certainly couldn't make the tough choices. Not yet.
Sassy, being a cat, didn't get what the big deal was about. Independent by nature, she didn't feel the need of anyone's protection. Save, perhaps, Shadow. Her trust in the old dog knew no bounds. Being a cat, Sassy had no illusions that humans were anything special. Where a dog looks upon man as man might look upon God, a cat will do no such thing. She may love her people, but she believes that it is they who should adore her, not the other way around.
"Well wild animals never come near houses. Shadow says so," Sassy told him matter-of-factly, "So don't worry your dumb smelly head about it. Go chew some shoes or something, you'll feel better."
"But it's not!" Chance was panting now, and still pawing at the door with all his might, "It's not a wild animal! Shadow said it's not an animal at all!"
Sassy's eyes widened perceptibly, but she didn't have time to answer.
"Chance! Come here, boy!" Jamie called from downstairs.
For the first time, Chance was reluctant to answer his boy. He hesitated, but at Jamie's second call, he turned away from the door, accepting that he couldn't get in. Dejectedly, he descended the stairs and traipsed into the living room, avoiding Shadow's gaze.
"You had to know the door was locked," Shadow said gently, "Humans learn from experience, and you've torn up enough blouses for them to take some precautions."
"Yeah..." Chance sighed and dropped to a lying down position heavily.
The three animals watched nervously while Mom and Dad made their final preparations, observed in silence as they went upstairs for their bags, then followed them to the door. Mom and Dad, happy and unaware of the danger, hugged everyone and then left. The remaining family waved from the front porch until the car was out of sight.
"Now we're in trouble," Chance groaned, "I... I don't like this. Maybe I can chase them down and make them come back. You think that would work?"
"No," Shadow replied, then sighed, "No. They're gone, and it's up to us to protect the family until they get back," he got up and strode to the edge of the yard and looked out at the forest.
Chance stayed closer to the house, but watched the old dog closely, wondering what Shadow was doing. Sassy, for her part, had been picked up by Hope and carried into the house, where she would have her afternoon brushing, as was necessary for a cat who had a coat like hers.
For a moment, Shadow dropped his head down between his shoulders. The fur along his back and neck stood on end and he seemed twice as large somehow. His tail stood out behind him stiffly. He then let loose a noise which was half a bark, half a growl, and all menace. Just one, and that was all. But the meaning was clear. Even a human could understand it. It meant: There's a dog living here, and he'll protect this place. Stay away if you know what's good for you.
"Shadow? What is it, boy?" Peter asked from the porch.
Hearing the voice of his boy, Shadow flattened his coat and turned towards him, jaws parted in a nervous pant. Silently, he came to stand by his boy.
"Don't worry, Shadow," Peter said, "They're only gone for the weekend. They'll be back on Monday."
But Shadow would not be soothed. He had no way of knowing what that meant. If he had known what day of the week it was, or what a week was, it wouldn't have made him feel any better. Monday was a long way off.