by Peter Howe
“If you ain’t gonna eat that,” she was heard to shriek, “I’ll finish it up for you.”
And without waiting for an answer from the food’s unfortunate owner, she did just that. The two big mysteries of life in the park were how Alicia stayed so thin no matter how much she ate, and how Gordo never lost an ounce, even in the leanest times when the dogs might go for days without food.
The next order of business, after the licking and belching that generally followed a meal, was what to do with Felicia. While it was true that she had money, it was not enough for her to stay in any but the most modest of hotels, and furthermore she had an aversion to sleeping in buildings. The problem was, of course, that apart from the park there were very few open spaces in the city where you could pitch a tent—actually, none.
At Tazar’s suggestion the team broke up into several groups to search the area in the general vicinity of the pipe for suitable locations where the tent would be hidden from view. As was usually the case, Gruff stayed behind, claiming a frailty that no one else could see. Lowdown remained for the same reason, only in his case the frailty was apparent to everyone. Lady Alicia refused to join the search, regarding such activities, or indeed any activity that benefited the common good, as being beneath the dignity of a purebred dog.
Waggit went with Cal and Raz, whose company he always enjoyed, and Lug tagged along as well; Gordo lumbered off with Magica, whom he had adored forever, and whom he would have followed anywhere; they were joined by Little One and Little Two, to whom Magica had been like a mother; Tazar and Olang left with the air of dogs who had important business to discuss.
It was Alona and Felicia who found the perfect place. Because Alona had been a loner, which was how she got her name, she knew the Deepwoods End better than anyone. She was also skilled at finding hiding places, a necessity for dogs who lived without the protection of a team. In fact she herself had used the spot to which she took Felicia as a refuge. It was at the foot of a tall, elegant willow tree growing next to a stream. A cascade of long, trailing branches almost touched the ground and became intertwined with rushes that grew around the stream’s edge. Between them the tree and the grasses formed a natural tent, which would almost completely hide Felicia’s. When Alona was sure that her companion was satisfied with the choice she gave out one long and three short, low howls, loud enough for the rest of the team to hear, but not so loud as to attract the attention of any humans who might be in the area.
Soon the other Tazarians gathered around and expressed their approval of the location. Felicia was so excited with the discovery that she wanted to get the tent as soon as possible and erect it on its new site, so she and Alona went to retrieve it from the rocks where they had hidden it just a few short hours ago. The other team members wandered off after agreeing to return to help with any extra camouflage that might be necessary when the tent was in position, and for the first time since returning to the park Waggit found himself alone—well, almost alone, because he still had Lug, his inevitable shadow. They trotted off along a narrow wooded path in the direction of the meadow.
“Where are we going?” asked Lug.
“Back to the pipe,” Waggit replied tersely.
“Are you going to sleep there tonight?” Lug inquired with anxiety in his voice.
“Dunno yet.”
“I hope not. It looks spooky to me,” said Lug.
Secretly Waggit agreed with him. The thought of spending the night in that stuffy, claustrophobic tube was not something that held any appeal for him, despite the fact that he wanted to be close to his old teammates. He wasn’t going to admit this to Lug, however, and so the pair of them proceeded in silence. It was a few minutes later when they literally bumped into Tazar. The path they were on converged with another, but the undergrowth was so high, and Waggit was so preoccupied with the team’s problems, that he didn’t notice the leader on the other path until they collided with each other. Tazar must have been deep in thought also, because both dogs were startled by the sudden appearance of the other, and both raised their hackles and growled.
“Oh, Waggit,” said Tazar. “It’s you.” Then he noticed Lug behind Waggit. “And—er, what’s his name again?”
“Lug,” replied Waggit.
“Lug, yes, absolutely right,” said Tazar in a tone of voice that seemed to indicate he was testing Waggit to see whether he remembered the other dog’s name. “That’s an interesting Upright you brought us,” he continued, “really interesting. Never met one like her.”
“Well,” said Waggit, “so far she’s really been great. I don’t think I would’ve made it back without her. I trust her.”
“Hmm.” Tazar was skeptical. “I’m not sure I would go that far. She’s unusual, I’ll give you that, but she’s still an Upright. When the paw meets the pavement they look after each other before they concern themselves with us, but she’s different enough from all the others to give her the benefit of the doubt. I guess time will tell. And talking about time, how long do you think she’s going to be around?”
“She’s a wanderer,” said Waggit. “I get the impression she doesn’t like to stay too long in any one place, so I don’t know exactly, but I wouldn’t think it’ll be forever.”
“What about the team?” asked Tazar, changing the subject abruptly. “I’m worried about them. They seem so morose much of the time, and I can’t understand why.”
Waggit drew in a deep breath. His heart was pounding with fear, but circumstances would never be better than this to start the conversation the team was relying on him to have with Tazar.
“Well…you know, um,” he said hesitantly, “I haven’t really been around long enough—well, actually, um, not long at all—to help you with that one—although perhaps they do seem a little down.”
“Well, I’d appreciate your thoughts,” said Tazar, “when you zero in on what the problem is.” He looked at the length of the shadows cast by the trees. “Great Vinda, is that the time? I must be off. Let’s talk later.”
As he disappeared into the undergrowth Waggit felt wretched that he hadn’t taken advantage of the opportunity to bring up the subject of Olang. It wasn’t just that he was scared of Tazar’s reaction, although he was. But now that he thought about it more it seemed that he hadn’t been around long enough. There was always the possibility that the team was blaming Olang for things that weren’t his fault—the restricted living conditions in the pipe, for example. Waggit didn’t yet know if their determined dislike of the dog was justified, and until he saw for himself how Olang behaved he would withhold judgment. It was a serious matter to come between a father and his son.
“I thought you wanted to talk to Tazar about Olang,” said Lug, whom Waggit had completely forgotten was there.
“I’ll do it later,” replied Waggit.
“Suit yourself,” said Lug, “but that seemed as good a time as any.”
Waggit decided at that moment that Lug was even more irritating when he was right than when he was cowardly.
Later that afternoon they all stood around the willow tree trying to see where Felicia’s tent was, but the camouflage work that they themselves had done, as well as the natural characteristics of the location, made it impossible to spot. Of course to a dog its scent gave away its position, but their experience with humans was that the poor things had virtually no sense of smell and equally inadequate hearing. Their sight didn’t seem to be that great either, and so the dogs felt fairly confident that Felicia would be in no danger, from her own kind at least. Despite the fact that Felicia was human, the whole team seemed to be excited about helping her. Once again Waggit saw how easily they worked together and how strong the bonds were among them. All except Olang, who sulked or made disparaging remarks about the foolishness of dogs who allowed themselves to be duped by humans. It was an echo of his father, only meaner and angrier.
When night fell Waggit decided that he would sleep with the team in the pipe. This was not because he wanted to; he would
have infinitely preferred to be with Felicia in the safety of her hidden tent. But he felt that if he was truly rejoining the team he had to live with them from the outset and share the discomforts that they suffered. He was also somewhat worried by Olang’s comments about humans, especially when he’d implied that Waggit was a spy for the Uprights and shouldn’t be trusted. The fact that he had left the team once to go with a human and now had returned in the company of another could be fertile ground for suspicion, and he felt he had to prove his loyalty to his teammates.
He settled into the confined space of the pipe. He hadn’t realized just how cramped it was until he tried to find enough room to lie down, in the end nestling between Gordo’s outstretched legs, his head resting on that dog’s ample stomach. The temperature in the pipe soon became significantly higher than outside and the air was filled with the sound of tongues panting, as well as Gordo’s snores. Waggit was hot and restless; he couldn’t get comfortable and found himself wishing that he was Lug, who didn’t have to prove himself to anyone. Because of this the pit bull was now blissfully stretched out next to Felicia in the coolness of her tent.
After about half an hour of tossing and turning, none of which disturbed Gordo’s slumbers, Waggit decided to go out for some fresh air, and maybe join Little One and Little Two, who were on sentry duty that night. Normally only one dog would be on eyes and ears, but these two never did anything without the other. Waggit stepped as carefully as he could around the other dogs in the pipe, although even with his vigilance he still managed to provoke a few growls on the way out. He finally scrambled up the entry tunnel and into the cool night air. He took several lungfuls that tasted as sweet as cool, fresh water, shook himself, was about to go and find the sentries when he heard a wheezing chuckle behind him.
“Heh, heh. Too friendly for comfort down there?” inquired Lowdown.
“Well, it is a bit cramped,” admitted Waggit.
“And a bit warm, I’ll bet.”
“How come you’re not in the pipe?”
“With my legs!” exclaimed Lowdown. “I’d have to get Cal or Raz or another of those strong boys to carry me in and out like a puppy, and I’m way too old to be a puppy. No, they know I don’t sleep there. What they don’t know is where I do. Come, follow me.”
Lowdown hobbled off painfully, with Waggit following closely behind. They had gone some distance from the pipe’s entrance when they came upon a large, dead oak tree, most of its branches missing, with ivy all over its trunk and ferns growing at its base. Lowdown walked straight up to it and pushed some of the foliage aside with his nose to reveal that the tree had a completely hollow trunk. Into this the short brown dog had pulled some cardboard and newspaper, and now had a safe, cool, and comfortable spot to spend each night.
“Home,” said Lowdown. “And my house is your house.”
Waggit looked at his generous friend and a wave of affection flooded over him. He began to lick the old fellow all over his face.
“Hey, hey, enough of that,” spluttered Lowdown. “You know I don’t hold with too much washing.”
“That’s not washing,” said Waggit. “That’s love!”
“Yeah, well,” Lowdown grumbled. “Whatever it is ain’t going to get us a good night’s sleep.”
Then they settled down to rest.
18
Olang’s Challenge
Waggit woke up with a start the next day, disoriented and confused. Once again he was in a strange place, as he had been on so many mornings recently. It seemed it was something he would never get used to, and it wasn’t until he heard Lowdown’s gentle snoring and turned to see his friend beside him that he began to relax. The hollow of the tree trunk was not big, but it was cool and dry, and a soft green light filtered through the leaves of the ferns that concealed its opening. As he lay there a sense of calm and peace began to wash over him, relaxing muscles that were still stiff from the night’s sleep. He was content.
The only place I’ve ever been that I feel like this, he thought, is here in the park with Lowdown and the others.
If he had reflected a bit harder he would have remembered that he had also been this content in the woman’s apartment and with the dogs who lived in the same building. He was so angry with her for abandoning him at the farm that he wouldn’t allow himself to remember the good times they had, nor dwell on the fact that he owed his life to her just as much as to Tazar and the team. If she had not come along in the nick of time and rescued him from the pound he would have met the same fate that awaited most of its inmates.
But these memories were the farthest thing from his mind on this warm summer morning. He was content to let his body absorb his surroundings, smelling the scent of the earth and feeling a soft breeze ruffle the hair of his coat. A dove cooed gently and was then drowned out by the more insistent rat-a-tat of a woodpecker, and underlying all these sounds was the hum of the traffic that never seemed to stop. A sudden early morning itch developed behind his right ear that needed scratching immediately, and in doing so he woke up Lowdown. The old dog yawned, his long pink tongue with its purple patch looking much too big for his mouth. He groaned softly as he stretched his ancient limbs.
“Why is it you youngsters have to get up so early?” he asked, pretending to be grumpy.
“Well, somebody has to go out and provide for you old guys,” teased Waggit, “’cause I don’t see you hunting too often.”
The old dog laughed.
“You got that right,” he said. “My hunting days were never filled with glory at the best of times. Now my aching old body can barely make it to the stream for a good drink of water.”
“I’m sorry to see you like this,” said Waggit, now serious.
“Don’t be,” said Lowdown. “The way I am now is the result of living a long time. It’s better than the alternative, let me tell you. And for the most part it’s been a good life too.”
“Is it still?” Waggit asked.
Lowdown thought for a moment.
“Yes,” he said after careful consideration, “I would say so. The team looks after me well, and I ain’t got no complaints. It ain’t like it used to be, but then nothing is.”
“What’s the difference?” asked Waggit.
“The dogs are more scared,” Lowdown replied. “They ain’t as open with each other as they was, especially when that brat Olang’s around. You can’t say nothing in front of him without him going to Tazar and telling him what you said, only making it sound much worse. You certainly can’t joke around in front of him; he don’t know what a joke is, and it’s sad, ’cause we all used to have so much fun.”
Both dogs fell silent. Waggit had already experienced the unease that he described. He knew that the old dog thought Waggit was the only animal who could do anything about it, but he wasn’t so sure. Why would Tazar pay any attention to him after he had betrayed everything the leader believed in when he left to live with the woman?
“Well, even though it ain’t the team it used to be,” Lowdown said, interrupting the other’s thoughts, “it’s still the team, and we’d better go and see what it’s up to today.”
“Lead on, old friend,” said Waggit.
“Happy to,” replied Lowdown. “Just don’t expect any speed records to be broken between here and there.”
When they arrived at the pipe they found the team assembled, and in a strange mood. The dogs were all quiet and clearly uncomfortable. They barely responded to Waggit’s cheerful greetings and avoided making eye contact with him. Only Olang seemed at ease, strutting around the group with his tail up and his ears pricked.
“Something’s happening,” Lowdown whispered in Waggit’s ear, “and Olang’s behind whatever it is.”
Olang saw the two of them and swaggered up.
“Why, Waggit,” he sneered, “I didn’t notice you sleeping in the pipe last night. Didn’t want to get too doggie, maybe? Spent the night with your Upright friend, did you?”
Lowdown stepped between Waggi
t and Olang.
“He slept where I slept,” he said to Olang.
“And where would that be?” Olang asked.
“None of your business,” replied Lowdown.
“We know you’re too old and decrepit to get into the pipe,” taunted Olang, “so we overlook what you do, but if Waggit wants to come back to the team he has to be a part of everything we do, unless, of course, he feels too grand for us with his precious Upright ways.”
“If I felt too grand,” said Waggit, trying to be as calm as possible, “why would I have come back here in the first place? No, I don’t feel too good to come back to the team, but I feel good enough.”
“Well, you’re not good enough in my eyes,” replied Olang, who turned and walked away.
None of the other dogs said anything during this exchange. Whatever feelings they had were put on hold with the appearance of Tazar, who jumped agilely onto a nearby rock so that all could see him. As he did this Olang sidled up beside him, a smug expression on his face.
“Okay, team, listen up,” said Tazar in his most commanding manner. “I have an announcement I need to make.”
Once again Waggit noticed how the team had changed as it gathered around the rock. The dogs were no longer eager to hear what Tazar would say, no longer anticipating a hunt or a game or an expedition to other parts of the park. Now they were apprehensive.
“Olang and I have been talking,” Tazar continued, “and we’ve come to the decision that the team must no longer have anything to do with Waggit’s Upright, Felicia.”
A gasp went through the animals, followed by soft murmurs. They were confused; only yesterday Tazar had directed them to camouflage Felicia’s tent. Waggit felt all their eyes on him, watching to see what his reaction would be.
“Now here’s why I’ve come to this decision,” said Tazar. “Why we’ve come to this decision. Felicia is remarkable, for an Upright. I’ve never known one like her, and she certainly helped our brother to come back to us. She has ways that none other of her kind have, and she can be very charming. But, and this, my friends, is important—she is still an Upright, and Uprights are the natural enemies of dogs. They cannot be trusted, and we have allowed her to seduce us into trusting her, and we are foolish if we let this continue. Waggit himself knows how treacherous Uprights can be, and yet he still continues to believe there are some good ones in the world. Dogs can’t live in peace with an Upright, and neither can Uprights live in peace with us. It isn’t natural, and it won’t be tolerated. I’ll tell you honestly that she had me captivated for a moment, I won’t deny it, but she didn’t fool my son here, and I thank him for bringing me back to reality.”