The goat pen shed had also been totally consumed, leaving only the little cinder blocks it stood on. Spot and Smudge stared at the little dent in the ground under the shed where they had been born.
The pen was empty. Mimi had called Carol Marinson to take Mr. Watt. The old goat had only gotten a little singed, but the rest of the goats and chickens had been in the shed when it went up.
Hamish was glad the farmhouse walls were just black stubs without many recognizable features. He thought it was better the kids saw an indistinguishable mass of something horrible rather than hundreds of twisted and burned detailed memories.
Unlike at the Hogan house, the kids and pups didn’t get too close to the farmhouse. They all just stared in silence from a distance for long minutes until Smudge’s ears turned towards the woods to the north.
Walking into the field was a line of coyotes, led by a big brown and gray female with one ear.
Chapter 70
Hamish poked his head under the thick umbrella of pine branches, and his deep voice said softly, “It’s time to go.”
Spot and Smudge stirred and slowly got up from the pile of wild dogs and Hogan kids. They left the brush nursery and crawled out from under the overhanging canopy. The pups stretched and yawned, and shook their heads and bodies before heading off into the woods for a bathroom break.
“Sorry about that,” Hamish said into Ben’s satphone as he sat down again next to the small fire, “I’m back. So tell me Theo, what do you think?”
“I could not be happier, my chommie,” Theo said, “It’s a radical idea, but after spending a week with Vuur and Rook I’m convinced it’s something you and your team can accomplish for me.”
“Aye,” Hamish said, “I know it’s been tried in the past but we’ve got a different approach now. We’ll solve the problems and train em’ right. I guarantee we can get dogs to police the bush, and they’ll be damn good at it. We’ll skelp your bloody poachers, of that I’m sure.”
“Yebo,” Theo said, “and I’m excited to get started, but I must ask why the change of plans, my friend? You were adamant about waiting until your summer vacation. Is this a money play? It’s lekker, just tell me how much you’ll be bending me over for.”
“Oh Theo, don’t be daft, I already double my prices for you,” Hamish said. A little of the song went out of his voice and he said, “I need a favor. A big one.”
“Name it,” Theo said, “and not because of our pending deal.” There was a pause on the line, and after a moment Theo said, “Just between us, my mother recently took me to task about not acknowledging those who have helped me. She did it with the kindness and iron-fisted honesty only a mother can, and your name was mentioned specifically, and often. As always, my mother was absolutely right. You have been a good friend to me and my family, Hamish. If you need a favor then you name the favor and if it’s within my power to grant it you shall have it. I don’t want you to ever feel as though I have taken our friendship for granted, nor have I forgotten that you saved my life. So, name it…and if you ever mention this discussion to my mother they won’t find enough of you for the vultures to pick at.”
Hamish laughed and said, “Fair deal, Theo, but you have to understand this is a big bloody favor and I don’t ask it lightly. If you cannot accommodate it you won’t be affecting our friendship, or my willingness to help stop this insane poaching problem.”
“Hundreds,” Theo said, “but I don’t want to grow old while I wait for you to ask, Hamish.”
“I need to get my family and our dogs out of the states,” Hamish said, “Tonight, and very quietly.”
“Ah,” Theo said, laughing, “I knew this day would come. No man of your talents is without secrets. Finally you’re talking my language, bru.”
As Hamish finished his call with Theo the kids slowly rolled out of the den with coyotes all around them. The pack stretched, yawned, and shook themselves awake before disappearing into the woods.
Lum, Racket, and Birl were nipping at Ben and rubbing all over him as he crawled out of the soft pine bedding.
“Okay, okay,” Ben said as he stood up, “let me pee first.” He stumbled off into the trees with the hunters bouncing happily after him.
One Ear and Kelcy watched them go as she and the wild dog mother stretched and yawned together.
Ben hadn’t gone that far into the woods. As he arched his back and let fly the three male dogs standing next to him each lifted a hind leg. Their four dancing streams steamed as they cut yellow trails into the snow.
“Boys,” Kelcy said as she and One Ear sat down near the fire. She scratched the alpha female’s snout and said, “Thanks for letting us crash, Unc. It think that may have been the best power-nap I’ve ever had. It was like sleeping inside a heated, furry slipper…with a dozen heartbeats.”
She scratched One Ear’s stomach and said, “How are your babies doing in there?”
The big coyote leaned against her, and rolled her head back and forth on the teen’s shoulder.
Kelcy held One Ear’s head, and gave her jowls a rub. The coyote’s one remaining ear was sticking up at a funny angle and her thick neck fur was tufted in crazy swirls. She yawned a big grumbling yawn right in Kelcy’s face that ended in a deep whine and some mouth smacking. Kelcy laughed, and smoothed One Ear’s fur as she said, “That’s some serious morning breath and bed-body you have there girl.”
The big coyote licked her from chin to eyebrow.
Spot and Smudge trotted back into the den and Kelcy gave them each a glancing pat. She turned to Hamish and said, “We okay on time?”
Hamish smiled at her. The teen’s hair was far scarier than One Ear’s, and she had bits of pine needles and dog hair mixed into her halo of kinked locks.
“They left Mari’s place a few minutes ago,” Hamish said. He looked at Kelcy and the pups for a long moment and then said, “So you guys should say your goodbyes.”
Spot nodded, and a tear immediately crept down Kelcy’s face. She gave One Ear a big hug and then started to sob softly into the wild dog’s tousled neck fur.
One Ear cocked her head, and looked at Smudge as she and her brother began to slowly head butt and softly paw the female alpha.
Hamish watched as the three dogs had an animated conversation. He didn’t need Ben to interpret as the hunter’s features began to sink. Her ear and tail drooped, her head hung, and eventually she collapsed at the pups’ feet. She licked their snouts and then just lay still, looking up at them.
Well that went better than I had expected, Spot said.
Oh brother, Smudge said as she leaned against Spot and looked down at the deflated wild dog at her feet, I can’t believe we’re actually leaving home. We’re never going to see her again. We won’t meet her wee pups or see the yearlings grow up to start families of their own.
Spot said, It’ll be alright, and I’m sure we’ll be back. Sis you gotta remember they got along fine before we came here, and they’ll fare just fine after we’re gone. No, even better, with all you’ve taught them. Spot held the back of his sister’s head, and pulled her in close to him.
They won’t be fine, Smudge said, pressing her face into her brother’s neck, We won’t be fine. Think of what we’ve been through together with her, and with all of them…I just don’t know if I can go.
Ben came back with the young male hunters and saw One Ear on the ground in front of his pups. He noticed Smudge’s sunken shoulders and cloudy face, and so did Lum. The runt ran across the trampled clearing of the den and crashed into her. He slid against Smudge and wiggled his way in between her and Spot, rubbing and licking both of them.
Ben read One Ear’s deflated posture, Spot’s furrowed face, and Lum’s pleading rubbing. As Birl and Racket joined them he could understand their pained snorts and shivers as though they were lamenting with spoken words. He sat down in front of his crying sister, and stroked the knot of agitated young dogs.
Hamish heard the brush rattle around him and the woods emptied a
dozen wild dogs into the small clearing. Their misery was equally palpable as they circled around the leaders and human pack members.
The kids were suddenly in the middle of a sea of whining, rubbing coyotes.
Spot signed to Ben.
Ben nodded, and reached out to take Smudge’s sad little black face in his hands.
“I know my wee girl,” Ben said, “I feel you. This is a horrible thing, but we have to leave them. If we stay we could be putting them in harm’s way.”
Smudge pulled away from Ben and signed far too fast for Kelcy to keep up, Could be putting them in harm’s way? Ben we’ve done nothing but put these poor creatures in harm’s way. We slaughtered their alpha and then used them for our own protection while we slept in a warm bed. Piff got killed because we sent her on an errand. A damn errand! What have we done to these poor creatures? And because of us our family will never see this farm again. The home that your Papa built with his bare hands has been burned to the ground. How many people have died because of me and Spot? How many more will? Maybe you guys should just—
Ben grabbed Smudge’s paw and wrapped his arms around her. “Okay little girl,” he said, “That’s enough of that. We stay together, no matter what.”
Smudge lowered her head and expanded into Cu Sith. Her chest swelled and her muscles pushed Ben’s arms open as she grew to full size.
Spot and One Ear stood and faced Smudge as she rose up. They all drew a breath as their snouts came together.
The three dogs let out a howl.
One Ear’s started out louder. It was a haunting, deep howl that was quickly picked up by the rest of the pack. They pressed in on each other, and raised their muzzles to the sky together.
Tears flowed down Ben’s cheeks as he and Kelcy leaned against each other. She stopped fighting her sobs as both of them pulled in a big breath and let out their own howls.
Lum went to Hamish and stood in his lap, rubbed against his neck, and then drew back and howled in his face. Hamish felt the hot breath ruffling his beard as Lum’s slightly raspy howl rose. He held the runt’s face, tossed his head back, and let fly right along with him. He offered up a deep, rumbling bay that took him by surprise. The kids’ wails, the pups’ grief, and this runt’s pure act of bonding with him was tapping into feelings he didn’t often show.
Spot caught Hamish’s eye, and noticed the tear rolling down the big Scot’s cheek before it disappeared into his beard. Spot nodded, and tipped his head farther back as he continued to let his howl go. It modulated as it came out, mournful and hollow.
Smudge opened a paw and grabbed Ben’s shoulder. She looked at his wet, howling face as she drew another, bigger breath.
Something rolled up from deep within her. Her rippling, muscled body quivered, and when it came out the low growl started out sub-audible. It rattled the branches and snow fell from the trees around the den. It shook the humans and dogs before rising up to become a pounding roar that shattered the air around them. It rose to a huge howl, and exploded up and out through the forest as it rolled over the hills of The Bogs.
Chapter 71
Another low pressure system slid down from the north, and by midnight it covered Boston in thick clouds and chilling rain. It drenched the runways at Logan airport and by the time the hangar doors opened at two in the morning there were small rivers flowing into the drains on the tarmac.
As the huge doors rolled slowly apart the wet cold pushed into the heated hangar. Dan jogged to the rental vans and dug through a pile of shopping bags. He grabbed the kids’ new sweaters and Mimi’s new wrap, and rejoined the group standing below the wing of a large plane.
A crisply dressed pilot stepped from the office at the rear of the hangar and crossed the polished floor. As he approached the circle of people he noticed a large black man standing at the edge of the hangar doors with a black and white dog at his side. The man stood at rest attention with his hands clasped behind his back. He and the dog were staring out into the rainy airport, and the pilot noticed he held a pistol in one of his big hands.
“Good evening, I’m Captain Tomal,” the handsome pilot said with a big smile in a deep voice infused with a hint of Afrikaans, “Can I assume you are Hamish?” he extended his hand to the tall, bearded man wearing a tam.
“Aye, you assume correctly young man,” Hamish said as he shook the pilot’s hand.
Tomal scanned the small circle of people. They were an odd lot, and all looked to be wearing brand new clothes. The kids’ fleece sweaters still had tags hanging from the sleeves.
Tomal noticed the entire group was very fit. In fact some of them were downright huge. Most of them had a few scrapes and bruises, and they all had a strange edginess to them. It was pretty easy to tell which ones in the group were related. They were a good looking family, but the muscular Chinese man, the pair of tall, tough women, and the massive black man by the hangar doors really piqued his curiosity. He assumed the adults to be either police, or very clean-cut gangsters…except for the old woman giving him a warm smile. He wanted to know what had brought this strange collection of people to his plane in the early morning hours, but he’d flown the king’s family and their guests for many years and knew not to ask.
And then there were the four dogs lined up in front of the group. The big old shepherd and the Doberman were most certainly protection dogs. The two identical medium-sized black dogs were staring at him strangely, and wagged with tails that moved in perfect sync like windshield wipers.
Tomal spoke loudly enough to be heard over the rain, “On behalf of the king I would like to welcome all of you. Normally I have a much longer speech but I understand we’re looking to leave as soon as is practical. If you promise not to tell on me I suggest we get you out of this dreadful cold first. You are welcome to board at any time, and if you require assistance with your baggage please ask as we have staff to assist you. We’ll talk more once you’re onboard and settled.” He smiled broadly and clapped his hands together as she said, “It’s eighty four degrees and sunny in Durban right now so I say we go there, yes?”
His audience smiled and nodded, the dogs wagged, and Tomal motioned for Hamish to join him while he inspected the plane.
As Tomal shined a flashlight up into the landing gear doors he said, “Did mister Mufamadi explain the details of your passage?”
“Theo just said to come to this hangar,” Hamish said, “wait for you, and not worry.”
Tomal smiled, and as they moved to the front of the plane he said, “Cousin Theo and I grew up together and I love him like a brother, which is why I can get away with saying how much of a pain in the hind end he can be.”
As they walked to the far landing gear Tomal turned and said, “Hamish, I was on my way to pick up the king and wife number four in Mexico City. The king himself called me to say they were staying an extra few days, and told me to divert to Boston. A few minutes later Theo calls and tells me to take you, and whomever and whatever you want home to the reserve using the king’s diplomatic registrations.”
“Is this putting you in a tough spot, Captain Tomal?” Hamish asked.
“It’s just Tomal, and not at all,” Tomal said, “We’ve done some pretty crazy stuff with the king’s plane, my point is simply that we usually keep it in the family, if you know what I mean.”
Hamish nodded.
“Theo said you were essential to his operation, and you may be staying indefinitely,” Tomal said, “but I don’t see any luggage.”
Hamish nodded.
Tomal held Hamish’s eyes for a moment, and then said, “He said I can trust you like family. He also told me you saved his life?”
“Aye,” Hamish said, “I pulled his drunk ass off the ugliest woman in the KZN before he suffered a lethal blow to his self-esteem.”
Tomal let out a big laugh. It was loud enough for Mimi to look at them from across the hangar and shake her head at Hamish.
Tomal turned back to the plane and said, “So here’s the deal, my bru. Th
is is the king’s private plane. You can bring whatever you want on board and it won’t be touched until it has been delivered safely to Theo’s ranch on the king’s game preserve. If you’re bringing on anything that smokes or goes boom I need to know about it. We also take our ecosystem seriously so if you have any animals, plants, or seeds I need to know about those, too. And if you’re carrying any drugs you need to tell me.” Tomal smiled, and said, “And share.”
The family watched as Hamish shook the pilot’s hand and walked back under the plane to join them.
He looked around the circle, clapped his big hands together, and rubbed them back and forth as he said, “Right, so that’s it. You lot can get onboard.”
The group looked at each other for a long moment.
Comina crossed the circle and pulled Mimi, Aila, and Kelcy into an embrace. Fingers reached out and pulled Ben and Dan in as well, and then Christa and Blu. Hamish waved for Ollie to join them, and Kelcy reached out and grabbed Tian. The odd circle looked like a rugby scrum around the wagging dogs.
“Thank you,” Hamish said, “Thank you all.”
The rest of the family nodded at their circle of friends.
Mimi let her forehead linger against Comina’s as she said, “Are you sure you’d not rather come with us, dear?”
“I’m more useful here,” Comina said, surprised by the tear that ran down her cheek, “And I have some unfinished business to attend to.”
“We can’t thank you enough,” Mimi said, wiping at her eyes, “I’m sorry about your jaw, and that poor VB.”
“Aye,” Hamish said as he straightened up and put his hand on the tall agent’s shoulder, “You’ll need to be careful here.”
Comina nodded, and then reached out to hold Kelcy’s chin. She said, “Listen to me young lady, find a way to continue your studies. You’re the brightest girl I’ve ever met, go do great things. That goes for you too, young man. I’ll be checking in on both of you, and I carry a gun.”
Let Slip the Pups of War: Spot and Smudge - Book Three Page 31