by Chris Kurtz
If only Alfred were here with her.
No. It was a good thing her little brother was safe in the pen.
Of course Luna would be just fine. She was happiest telling stories, except now she would have to find someone else to listen to them.
Daylight flashed in through the corners of the canvas sides. In the flashes, she caught glimpses of the dogs. She watched as some of them circled inside their cages before lying down. There were perhaps ten or fifteen altogether, and they didn’t seem afraid or worried.
“Oscar?” she said. It was the only name she knew. “Is Oscar here?” she said louder, though she doubted anyone could hear her over the truck’s roar. There was no answer.
Whether these dogs were from the farm or not, Flora was sure she was the only pig. Judging by how hard the men had worked to catch her or one of her brothers, there must be a need for a strong and fast pig on this adventure. No pig on the farm was stronger or faster than she was.
The drone of the wheels made Flora sleepy. She circled on her blanket as she had seen the dogs do and then flopped down.
Boom!
Flora’s eyes opened.
Crash!
Thunk.
She scrambled to her feet. The truck had stopped moving.
Men were shouting to one another.
The flap at the back of the truck suddenly opened, and light poured in. Two men reached into Flora’s cage, lifted her out, and placed her on solid ground. She rocked a bit, getting used to the feel of a steady surface again. Hands fumbled around her neck, buckling up a leather collar and then chaining it to a short post. The dogs were lifted from the truck one by one, still inside their cages. Then the truck roared away louder than ever.
At first, Flora had trouble opening her eyes. The world was too bright. But by squinting, she slowly got used to it.
The dock was busier than a pigpen full of piglets and noisier than a truck full of dogs. Men in heavy boots stomped here and there. They carried, rolled, and pushed boxes and barrels from one pile to another. A ship with a thundering engine pulled alongside the dock. Waves sloshed as the men tied the ship down as if it were a living thing that might escape. On top of the post sat a white bird, staring at her.
“Hello,” said Flora.
The bird squawked and flew off.
Flora turned her head. In one direction were the piles of boxes and crates and cages. She couldn’t see inside any of them. In another direction, there was nothing but blue sparkling water.
This had to be the ocean Luna described! Who would have thought Flora would someday be here, listening to the waves and actually seeing them? And the smells!
Luna hadn’t told her about the fish smell or the smell of the oily dark wood that she was standing on, plus there was the smell of garbage and, of course, the salty sea. A manure pile smelled fresh and clean compared to this. But Flora liked it. To her, it was the smell of adventure.
“Slide out the gangplank!” a sailor bellowed. A great board banged down from the ship onto the dock, and soon men were filing up it carrying barrels and boxes.
Crash!
Flora jumped. A large wooden box had been slammed to the ground behind her, almost crushing her tail. But the men didn’t seem to notice or care.
Only the ringing of a big bell finally made them stop and look around. They seemed to relax and breathe easier, and they addressed one another for the first time that day. Lunch boxes appeared in strong hands, and the men sat in small groups. They tore at their sandwiches as Flora watched.
That was better. Now Flora could think, maybe even talk to someone.
She took a dainty step. Her chain was just long enough that she could see into the first cage. The eyes that looked back were soft blue with black in the middle. Flora blinked. It was Oscar from the farm. She didn’t remember him being so large, nor that he had strictly black and white fur. He blinked back when he saw her.
Flora cleared her throat. “Good morning. It’s nice to see you again. You’re Oscar, right? My name is Flora.”
The dog blinked again. “That’s right, I’m Oscar. Good morning.”
Oscar had a deep, smooth voice. Flora hoped he would feel like talking. “Do you know what happens next?”
Oscar looked Flora over. It wasn’t an unfriendly looking over, but slow and thoughtful, as if he weren’t sure he should be talking to a pig.
“Yup,” he said finally, “we get on a ship and sail away.”
“That ship?” asked Flora.
“That’s it.” Oscar flipped his nose toward the ship tied to the dock. “The Explorer. ”
“The Explorer?” A thrill went from Flora’s shoulders down to her hooves. “That sounds very exciting. And what is it we’ll be exploring?”
Oscar sat up. “We are going to be the first expedition ever to cross the Antarctic. I’ve already been there. To get ready for the journey, I went with a team months ago to make food drops.”
Flora was confused. “But didn’t I see you on the farm the day I escaped my pen?”
Oscar raised his eyebrows. “Oh, so that’s why you look familiar. Yes, that was me. When I’m not leading a team, I train young dogs.”
“Only this time, you’ll be pulling a sled, right?”
“Yup. That one over there.”
Flora looked. Resting on a cement platform was a wooden sled with curved runners, sweeping diagonal frame pieces, and a long, narrow bed for carrying a load. Flora imagined dogs pulling it over the snow. It looked nothing like the cart with wheels back on the farm.
“Wow,” she breathed. “Is it fast?”
“Depends on the strength of the team.”
No wonder the men had grabbed her. They really did need a strong, fast pig. Flora waited for Oscar to say more, but he was silent. She tried to think of a question to get him talking again.
“Do you like being a sled dog?” she asked.
“Well, that’s like asking if a bird likes to fly. Being a sled dog is what I was born to do,” said Oscar. “You have to be willing to work hard and get cold and tired. You have to be just a little bit crazy, but at the end of the day, you know you got the pulling done and earned your supper. There’s no better job on earth.”
Flora was enchanted. She tried to imagine herself running ahead of the team while they were acting just a little bit crazy. “When we get to the Antarctic, do you think you could show me a few things about being a sled dog?” she blurted out.
Before Flora could hear the answer, the other dogs burst out with a great barking and snarling and even began digging and biting at their wire doors.
Flora looked around, heart pounding. What could be the matter?
Chapter 11
The reason for the excitement was a small orange cat.
Walking with its back arched, the cat stared into each cage as if seeking the insults and threats flying her way—as though they gave her power. She stopped in front of Oscar’s cage. Oscar did not bark.
The cat licked her chest twice. “Cat attack,” she said, and gazed at Oscar, daring him to lunge. He didn’t move.
Flora was impressed. Clearly Oscar was a born leader with too much self-control to carry on like a common barnyard dog. And here was someone else to talk with. She cleared her throat.
The cat looked over.
“Hello,” said Flora. “Pleased to meet you. My name is Flora, and this is my new friend, Oscar.”
The cat walked around Flora, slowly viewing her from every angle. “Nice chain you got there. What kind of joke is a pig, anyway? You’re like the mammal version of a frog. No hair, no claws, no horns. No attack weapons and no defense. What is the point?”
How rude! And Flora wanted to tell this cat so. But she wanted her questions answered even more. So she said, “Maybe frogs have qualities that make up for not having those other things. Pigs are known for their spirit.”
“Spirit. Oooh yeah. That makes up for everything.” The orange cat walked in front of Flora’s face, and her fluffy ta
il brushed Flora’s nose. “If you ever get attacked, you can lash out with your spirit.”
Flora wasn’t sure what to do in the face of such unpleasantness. Still, she had so many questions. “Are you part of the team?”
“Team?” The cat’s back arched again. “A cat is never part of a team. A cat is a team unto herself. A cat hardly knows the meaning of the word team. A cat looks down on—”
Oscar growled.
It was very low and soft, but it stopped the cat from continuing.
“Never mind, then. I am Sophia. Sophia is the sheriff of this dock. Sophia is the terror of mice, the killer of rats, and she works alone. By the way, have you seen any?”
“Any what?” Flora asked.
“Rats.”
“No.”
“That’s right. This dock is a rat-free zone, thanks to weaponry that others can only dream of.” Sophia flexed one set of claws. “Have you heard of the killer instinct? Of course you have, and Sophia’s reputation alone is enough to keep the vermin away.”
Flora hadn’t heard of the killer instinct, but she didn’t let on. “If your work here is finished, perhaps they have work for you on the Explorer. You could be very useful. Oscar is a sled dog, and I ... well, I am ready to help in any way I can on our adventure.”
“Heavens, no,” said Sophia. “I wouldn’t be caught dead on a ship. Cats don’t like going on adventures, taking orders, or crossing over water.” She shuddered.
Flora thought back to what put Luna in a good mood. “Your fur looks very soft and clean.”
Sophia sat down, lifted a front paw, and licked it.
Flora tried again. “Maybe you could tell us what you’ve heard about the Explorer and the crew. ”
“Sorry. Sophia wishes she could stay and chat, but she’s gotta—”
Just then a shadow fell on the company of three, and they looked up. A skinny boy had walked over to them. He glanced around, then sneaked a bit of bread and cheese out of his pocket and stuffed it into his mouth.
Sophia rubbed up against his legs. He bent down and stroked her back. Sophia winked at Flora and arched herself into his hands.
The boy looked in at Oscar. “Hello, big guy.” He gently stroked the paw that was sticking out from under the door of the cage. Oscar put his head close to the wire and received a good scratch behind his ears, causing him to half-close his eyes. “Are you ready for an adventure?” the boy asked.
Oh, how Flora loved that word adventure, and how she wished those hands were scratching her ears.
As if he could read her thoughts, the boy stood up and took a step over to where she sat. “And a pig,” he said, squatting next to her and running his hand down her back. Flora wasn’t sure if she should lean on him the way Sophia did or just sit still. As his fingers scratched a spot behind her front left leg, Flora collapsed on the ground and grunted in pleasure.
“A pig, a cat, and dogs. This ship is a zoo,” said the boy. Sophia rubbed against him, not used to being ignored and then jumped into the boy’s arms, making him stand up and laugh. “I bet you’d like to be my cat.”
Flora grunted again. This cat wasn’t even going on the ship. She wished she could tell him that.
Just then the bell started ringing. Men hurried by, stuffing last bites of sandwich into their mouths and wiping their hands on their pants.
“Hey, Aleric!” someone yelled.
The boy set Sophia down.
“Get your skinny behind over here and take these boxes to the hold. Nobody sails on this boat for free, you know.”
Flora felt her chest filling with pride. Just as she thought, they had an important job in mind for her. Nobody sailed for free.
The boy scurried over to a pile of boxes and lifted one. It looked heavy.
“What’s a hold?” asked Flora.
“Bottom of the boat,” said Oscar. “That’s where they put anything they don’t want to think about until they need it.”
Aleric staggered onto the ship, through a dark doorway, and out of sight. The three animals watched him go. Flora was afraid Sophia might decide to leave too. “I think he liked you,” she said.
Sophia licked herself. “No one can resist a cat.”
“What’s your secret?”
“Too many questions, sister.” Sophia’s tail twitched, and she began to walk away.
“Wait!” Flora called. “Just one more.”
Sophia paused. Flora rushed on before the cat could change her mind. “You’ve watched ships leave these docks before, right?”
“Hundreds,” said the cat.
“Then you can probably tell me, why am I going on this ship? Do I have a job? What’s my job?”
“Oh, you have a job,” said the cat. “No extras here. On an expedition, everybody has a purpose.” She turned to go. “But some purposes are better than others.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Sheriff needs to be off on her rounds. Goodbye for now.”
Flora called after her. “Or forever!” Sophia disappeared ^ between two barrels.
“Well,” said Flora to Oscar, “she’s kind of interesting, and a little mysterious.”
Oscar raised his eyebrows and blinked. “Pretty much stuck up and all about herself, if you ask me. But she’s a cat, so whattaya gonna do?”
“Oscar, I want you to know, if I can help you in any way, I would be a hard worker, a good team member, and I never complain. And in case they separate us and I don’t get to talk to you, I want to say right now, good luck.”
Once again Oscar looked Flora over. She couldn’t be sure, but he seemed a little bit sad. Then he rested his head on his paws. “You be careful.”
“Sure, you too.” Flora nodded. Thanks to Luna, she was ready to land on her feet. If only someone would tell her about her job, it would make it a lot easier to prepare.
After the hours of truck noise and a day of dock bustle, night floated down as soft and quiet as a bird’s feather. All that could be heard was the gentle splashing of waves. Flora felt as though she might be the only one awake. She looked up into the clear night sky and ... there they were.
Stars. She’d had no idea there would be so many, and they doubled themselves by reflecting off the water. Some were bigger and brighter than others, and they almost blinked if one watched them long enough.
Eyes watching over me, thought Flora.
Her mind went back to her mother and brothers on the farm. For just a moment, she missed the cozy pigpen and her family. She imagined her brothers sleeping on one another for company. She hoped Mother and Alfred were together again. Maybe Luna was looking up at the same stars. Flora wondered if her friend missed her at all.
As she fell asleep, Flora thought of what Luna had told her about snow. She dreamed that Antarctic snow was falling. The team was struggling to move the sled forward. Paws were slipping. All around her, dogs were stumbling. Only one sled puller had any traction—the one with hooves. Hike!
Chapter 12
Load up the dogs! Move it! You there, be of use or get out of the way!”
Flora woke to someone shouting, and to bright sunlight. A moment later, she was being led toward the ship, the salty air tickling her nose.
“Bye, Oscar!” she called over her shoulder. “See you on board.”
She was so happy to be truly starting her adventure, she could put up with anything—even the sailor’s rough tug on the chain around her neck as they went up and into the ship, past rows of empty cages on either side, each with a soft-looking blanket.
Which one was hers? Maybe her blanket would have a picture of a pig or a star on it.
She kept stopping to look and sniff, but the sailor kept yanking her forward. She hoped he wouldn’t shove her into a cage on the end. She enjoyed company, and if she had two friendly neighbors, she might be able to get sled-pulling tips from them.
They walked past the last cage on deck. Flora tried to turn around. There must be some mistake. But as she protest
ed, the sailor dragged her through a dark doorway. A steep staircase stretched in front of her into the gloom below.
This must be the hold. Why was he taking her there? What about her soft blanket? Her cage among the members of the dog team? Flora locked her legs and pulled back with all her strength, but she was forced to hop down each step, behind her clanking chain. The shouting and banging from the world above got more and more muffled as she went down.
At the bottom of the stairs, the sailor walked a few paces in and clipped her chain to a box. She didn’t turn to watch as he clomped back up. She just listened. Then she was alone.
Flora blinked.
The only light in the hold came from the opening at the top of the stairs. Her chain clinked and her thoughts whirled as she looked for a blanket. There wasn’t one. She slumped onto the hardwood floor and put her chin between her front hooves.
Something rustled.
She lifted her head and called softly, “Hello?”
Nobody answered. The hold was where they put things they didn’t want to think about ... until they needed them. That was what Oscar had said. Wait a minute—she wasn’t a box of tools or a barrel of cheese. How long would it take them to realize she’d been chained below by mistake? Oscar and the other sled dogs were up in the fresh air, so why wasn’t she?
She laid her head back down and tried to imagine what advice Luna would give her. Flora could hear her friend say, “Adventure quickly turns into trouble.”
Sighing, Flora tried to think more positively, until a clatter distracted her. A sailor with a box in his arms pounded down the wooden stairs, and behind him was another sailor and another. A long line of men darkened the doorway, each with a box or barrel or sack.
She hopped up. She wanted to make it easy for someone to spot her.