Important: The speech in bold is Dracowolvian – the language Apollo and other dogs can speak – EvilWaffles xx
The wound on his paw was stinging. When the ambulance arrived Lana tried to encourage him closer but her young daughter took a picture of him, the flash was Apollo's time to run. He fled, even on three legs he was fast. He stayed hidden for half an hour and returned to the river bank after the commotion had ended. Apollo was obvious as a dog, his fur was a pure red, except his white underbelly and the patch that rose up from his tummy to his neck and lower jaw. Nobody seemed too interested in him, so he got to work. He traced the scent of her attacker but quickly lost it.
He sighed in defeat before running towards Simon's cake shop to tell him the news.
"She what!?"
"She was thrown into the river Simon. I had to help get her out then the ambulance came and I left. There was a man on the bridge recording the whole event – or at least I think there was." Apollo panted. "Simon please go and see if she's ok!"
"I can't Apollo, the hospital she probably went to…they want to conduct tests on me there." Apollo looked sceptic. "It's a long story." Apollo sighed in defeat before limping out to the hospital alone. "Do tell her I said hi though!" Simon called after the red wolf.
When Apollo was at the hospital near the window to her ward he overheard a doctor saying that she would be out by the morning. It was getting dark now and he needed to seek refuge, after all he had been attacked by one black Dracowolf and that meant that there were more to come. He knew where to hide, using his speed to his advantage as he limped past a line of shops on the way into the city. When he found his destination he would sleep for the night.
-x-x-
The man on the bridge had recorded the whole event on his cellphone, he had sent the video to Lana and when Lana showed Ema, she couldn't believe it. A red wolf like dog had jumped in after her then got scared and fled. She'd received the news she was safe. But the fact that her saviour was a dog, and more likely a feral dog meant that probably would never be able to thank him. She was saddened.
The night as she lay alone in the hospital bed she dreamt of many different things – of Apollo, if he was safe, visions of the attack on Klavier and that gorgeous red wolf that had leapt in after her in the river.
-x-x-
The following morning, once Ema was released she organised a group of five people into two groups. Unfortunately, she had some how wound up with the fop.
"Lana, Jake and little Tia, your job is to ask around the park and shops to see if anyone knows where the dog hides and if it has an owner." Tia, Lana's baby daughter seemed eager to help, after all, while she didn't mean it she had scared him away the day before. "I'm still sure I've seen this dog before…"
That nagging feeling Ema always got (usually involving science) wouldn't stop. She had convinced herself she had at least seen an image of the dog before.
"Monroe's cake shop!" Lana exclaimed. "You're right! The image is on the wall with all those other dogs that the pound won't touch."
"You're right! Fop, you're coming with me to the cake shop to ask old man Monroe what he knows about that dog."
"Fraulien Detectiv could you at least use my name!" Klavier whined like a ten year old boy.
"No, now shut up." She snapped back – some things about Ema never changed even when she was sick – her attitude was one of these things.
"Can I take my bike?" Klavier whined again once they got to the door.
"No, glimmer boy we can walk." She heard Klavier's groan. "Exercise won't kill you. Bet it's different when it's sexercise with a fan girl."
"Hey!" He growled. "So what are we looking for exactly."
"A red dog that looks like a wolf. It has a bandage on its neck and an injured paw. I doubt there's going to be more than one of those."
"Alright Fraulien, so why are we going to some boring cake shop?"
"Two things, first the owner has an image of the same dog on this board the city's pound use. Second I want some strawberry cheesecake."
"You can get that from the corner shop…"
"You think you're so smart having a remark for everything don't you?" She snorted sarcastically. Klavier beamed and nodded. "Clearly you also have no idea of the concept of sarcasm too…" She growled to herself. "If you eat one of Monroe's cakes you'd know why it has to be his."
"Mr Monroe! You in here?" Ema called over the counter and out emerged the man with the little grey puppy in his arms.
"Ah, Ema. The usual order?"
"No thanks. I'd like some information." She smiled. "I was thrown into the river yesterday and one of the dogs you have on the board over there leapt in after me."
"Ah so I heard. What makes you think it was one of my dogs though?"
On the board were roughly twenty images of the same wolf-like breed of dog. Most of them were grey like Jessica or a chestnut brown. There were several white ones and then that striking red one with the pale white chest.
"It was the red one in the middle. I have a picture my sister's daughter took as well." She watched as Monroe lifted the hatch and stepped into the main area of the store and pulled the image from its position.
"Come, follow me." He signalled and she followed him into the main living area connected to the huge kitchen. He placed the image on the table and compared it to Ema's image. "The dogs are one and the same. Say, this must be your boss Mr Gavin."
"Unfortunately. He was the only person free to come with me."
"Still no Apollo?" Monroe asked with concern.
"No." Klavier caught hint of the sigh.
"Perhaps you should have a coffee on the house before we begin…"
-x-x-
Apollo's paw was strong enough to walk on now, a dog's wounds healed much faster than a human's. He continued his steady walk through the back alleys and side streets of the city. A pleasing scent caught his attention, a smell of fresh cooked dough from the bakery with its door open. The chef was all too happy to share a piece with him, he continued until he got the scent of fresh cut flowers from the flower shop which made him sneeze. Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks, ignoring the pleasing smells and focusing on the scent of a human. It was Him, the one who had attacked Ema. As Apollo stepped from the alley he could see the man on the market stall, spying on a young girl. He growled and readied himself to move.
-x-x-
"That dog's the nicest one of the lot except when he's trying to catch someone for hurting a person close to him. Knows his way round the city blindfolded too. He's playful but a little wary of people. If you prove you're friendly he's all too happy to play. He swings around here for about a week every couple of months before he heads off to a new area of the city to explore. Heck, I think he knows everything about the place we call home." Monroe chuckled hearing and translating Jessica's low pitch happy sound which came out as 'Apollo' repeated over and over again. "To make friends with the dog, you've got to get through his stomach. He doesn't eat dog food or uncooked meats so you have to feed him human food. When he appears round here, I usually give him some coconut cream pie."
"Why do the pound not touch him?" Klavier asked.
"Shut up!" Ema snapped at him. "When was he here last?"
"The pound don't touch him because he's too friendly but also too fast – like all the dogs on that board – although the others have all been caught at least once before." Simon chuckled. "I found him outside my door about ten o'clock in the evening the day before yesterday, that means he's probably still around here somewhere. He looked like he was in a scrap, so I bandaged his neck and let him rest for a few hours. I gave him some food and he was on his way."
"Where would I find him?"
"Not sure my dear. You can take Jessica with you to help trace his scent if you'd like." Monroe suggested taking her lead from the hook by the door then taking a rope lead that looked a little like a choker chain. "If you befriend him he will let you put this on. If you get him, bring him here when you bring Jess back ok?"
"Alright thanks Mr Monroe. Can I take some strawberry cheesecake with me as well?"
"Sure." He emerged from the kitchen with two small boxes. "The other box is coconut cream pie, give it your dog if you see him. The man who threw you in…did you seem him?"
"For a brief second. I'd recognise him if I saw him though."
As Jessica guided Ema and Klavier through the alleys Klavier caused them both to come to a complete stop.
"Fraulien, you shouldn't be running round the city like this, you're sick."
"What do you care?"
"I like you Fraulien – I love you." He pulled Ema into a kiss. She rejected him, breaking free and slapping him around the face.
"You don't know what you do to me." She snarled. "Don't you ever try that again or you'll find some chemical on that pretty boy face of yours."
"Fraulien, what do you mean?"
"You tease me, wind me up, treat me like crap and flirt all the time. Reality check, I don't like you in fact…forget it."
"Just because you fancy Apollo." Klavier replied smugly.
"Leave him out of this!" She continued to follow Jessica.
-x-x-
Apollo sprang out, the man, immediately recognising Apollo tried to flee. Apollo barked loudly before chasing the man into an alleyway which was sealed at one end. He growled and showed all his teeth before pouncing him down.
"You hurt Ema." He whispered in human tongue in the man's ear, he screamed and Apollo leapt off before chasing the man down. "Nothing like playing with your prey for a little while." He could here the excited voice of Jessica and Ema telling her to shush up. Apollo had an idea. He soon caught up to the man again and chased him to where he could hear Ema's voice.
At one end of the alley were the jaws of the red dog, on the other a police officer and a prosecutor.
"It's him!" Ema screeched. Apollo stepped forward, still bearing all his teeth. Each time he took a step, the man stepped backwards towards Ema and Klavier. Klavier tacked the man and brought him down to the ground once close enough. He called for back up.
When it arrived Ema forced him to go with the officer who had come. He sighed heavily, still recovering from the sting of being rejected. Apollo had calmed now and was sat patiently, all the time paying close attention to Ema's movements. She was afraid and yet happy to see him.
"Apollo!" Jess yelled in Dracowolvian (which to Ema sounded like a bark).
"Hey Twitch" Apollo chuckled before turning back to Ema.
"Hey little fella." She took a step forward and Apollo readied himself to run. "No! Please…" She reached into her bag and produced a snackoo. "Here…" Apollo sniffed the treat curiously. "You were the one who got me out the river – right." Apollo took the treat gently from her hand and nodded. "You understand me?" He nodded again.
"Apollo, she wants to say thank you." Jessica barked happily. Ema held out her hand to stroke him and after a few tense moments he let her.
It wasn't long before she had made a new friend and was on her way back to the cake shop.
Sorry for the late update guys!