Chapter 9-Shards

Whew, I was tired! I feel somewhat rested now, though. I bet we'll have to work soon, but it's nice to relax while I can. Wonder what torment they'll put us through today? Better get up quietly, so I don't wake my pack.

Gosh, I haven't had one of those to call my own in forever. I feel... complete; like a part of me was missing before, but has now been found. But hey, I'm a shifter. I need a pack. It's in my nature.

Now, if I avoid clicking my claws on the wood when I get up, it should be perfectly silent... yes!

"Hey, Eneipe! How'd you sleep?"

Well, got up quietly for nothing; I guess they're up!

"I'm alright, Alpha, at least I think I am. That floor really did a number on my side, though."

Come to think of it, it feels like there's something poking my side.

"Did you get any splinters?"

"No, wait, ehrmmm, maybe."

"It'll fall out soon. It's old wood: not very firm."

"Oh, well, that's a relief, and-oh, wow. That was fast!"

It feels wierd to just have something slowly slide out of me, with no recolection of it ever entering. I doubt I'll get used to it, but I bet it'll happen all the flaming time.

"Yeah, that's how it usually is."

"Homey."

"Home is where the pack is."

"Yeah... thanks again for taking me in. I feel whole again, at least in part."

"A pack is everything, I knew how much you needed one. I could hear it."

"Hear it, Alpha?"

What the flames is this guy talking about? How do you hear a need?

"Yes, hear it, Eneipe. You sounded hollow before, but now you sound like a young pup should: happy. Or as happy as you can be in this situation."

"Yeah, I feel better too. Also, I'm not that young."

"Well, I say you are. And I'm the Alpha, so that means you are."

"Wha-oh, c'mon!"

Flames, that was a cheap move.

"Alright, hehe, that's enough. Time to get ready; they'll be opening stables soon. Remember: stay strong, for you are in a pack now."

"Okay, thank you."

"Alright, alright, hush now. They'll be here any minute."

I really hope that they don't put me on the wheel again. I really hate that wheel.

"Good morning, mutts. As you know, we have been fighting various threats across the planet. As a result, we need more Etiord on the front lines, and they need wolves to ride into battle. You need to be ready within six months. However, one of you will be lucky enough to leave in a week, so some of the Etiord can test how this batch behaves in battle. This lucky mutt will be put through intense training every week."

I bet my tail it's me; he hates me enough to do it.

"So congratulations 66, and follow me. Oh, right, the gate. I always forget that you're incapable of opening it."

Flames, he's annoying. He knows it was built that way on purpose!

So I need to obey him, but not that much; I'll just move really slowly! But not too slow where he says something, that would be too much one way, but too fast is too far the other way. Flames, this is going to be hard.

Anyways, it looks like he wants to go to the fields. This should be fun, in the same way the wheel is: not.

"So today we will practice riding. Nothing much, just some low hurdles. Ready? Just kidding, we're doing it now regardless."

Should I let him on easily, or-woah, he's heavy! Alright, guess easy... for now.

"Alright, here's a blindfold, and that's good... Good. Now, you need to trust me, whether you like it or not."

Flames! I hate not being able to see. The last thing I want to do it trust Him.

"Now, let's do one practice lap. Go around once, and skip the hurdles. Hya!"

Yeah, like I'm taking him anywhere. He can't use the shock collar while he's on me!

"Yip!"

But he can kick me with a surprisingly swift boot. Rather hard, too. Kind of like his heart.

Now I got something warm and sticky on my leg, and wait, am I bleeding? He has something sharp on the heel of his boot! Flames, I'm in trouble.

"I said, hya!"

Well, might as well get going. Left, right, left, right. He's nudging my right side with his knee, so that must mean I need to go left. Not much, though, it's a light nudge. Why does it feel like he's nudging my paws? Wait, no, why is the ground so pointy?

"I hope you like the new track. It's the old one, but we tossed glass shards on it just for you, 66."

Well that explains why my paws hurt, and why I smell more blood. I'm leaving a trail, which I can smell and follow! Then, when I need to do the hurdles, they are to the right by a few feet, based off of where I started. I can jump the first one, and then go under the second. I think there was enough room. Oh, that'll show him! I'll obey him,at least until I turn the tables.

"Alright, a bit slow for a lap, but we'll just have to practice more. Now, jump when I tell you to."

Alright, here it comes... Just a few more feet...

"Jump!"

What?! Already?! Alright, tense, release, and... I'm soaring! I'm-

"Yip!"

Ow! My head! What did I hit? It felt hard, metallic, even. Wait, did I not go high enough?

"You useless mutt! You landed too late! You know what, you're only good for one thing; teaching arriving Etiord how to deal with mutts such as yourself, and how to rid them of evil. Though, in your case, you'll never be rid of it. You'll just go through the pain over-"

"Yip!"

He doesn't have to kick me!

"-and over-"

"Yip!"

What do I do? I can't fight back, he'll beat me even more!

"-and over."

"Yip!"

Plus, I can't see him. So I couldn't fight if I wanted to.

"You! Knock him out!"

Yeah, like I'm letting that happen! Time to bolt in whichever direction He isn't! Still a little dizzy from hitting my head just now, though. Uh, forwards! I'm gonna make it, I'm gonna- ow!

"Hit another hurdle? Nevermind, he knocked himself out. Hehe. Pathetic mutt."

No... stop... it... flames...