Pack Dog

• Emily French, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2022

Pack dog
The wind blew through the trees the sky was dark but the moon still leaving a bright trail along the floor. A dog who was part blue heeler and a mix of other breeds took her last surviving pup and placed her hidden in a cave. The pup had not even opened her eyes and probably wouldn’t survive the cold night alone without her mother’s warm fur or her littermates staying close, or the warm milk filling her empty belly. But her mother had no choice. After leaving her pup she left and got taken away, a chain wrapped around her neck a constant pull on her neck, choking her until she got into a metal cage so tiny, she whimpered once more and then never was seen again by her pup nor the wildlife of the forest. She was now gone, taken by the two legs. The pup somehow had survived the long night and the pup survived most night just getting thinner and weaker by the day. Until soon the pups’ eyes opened, and she could now smell all the scents that blew through the forest and now of course the weak pup tried her hardest to get up on all fours, after many failed attempts she got up. The pup tried to focus on one of the many exiting and new scents. She caught eye of something small grey and furry with a thin tail and larger ears, her instinct told her to get it and eat it so of course she tried, a few times she would be too loud on her feet and the grey mouse would rush off, but the pup kept watch of it until one last try, she finally got it and licked the bones clean. Each day she would hunt different animals and ate till she was full enough. She soon realised that food wasn’t never ending it was scarce and most days very hard to find. She never took notice of the animals around her because there was none only her prey.

One evening in the forest a skinny looking tall dog walked in, a greyhound, the greyhound approached the heeler with her tail wagging. But after she walked in ten other canines followed, they were skinny as well. Of course, without any hesitation the heeler snapped and growled at the pack of dogs in her territory. The dogs simply barked but the greyhound stepped out and growled “we aren’t here to hurt you we are here for food’’ the heeler stepped back and spoke “well go somewhere else its my territory”. “Please can we stay here just till morning at least” the greyhound spoke again. “Well, I guess but don’t disturb me and don’t eat all of my food” the heeler snapped. As it fell dark the heeler had found herself enjoying the company. She offered the pack to stay, and they could all start their own pack together. The pack even gave her a name, IvyClaw.