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Saturday, July 7, 2012

Jess, you smelly mutt...


Kylan’s thoughts of the wedding were marred when he heard a plaintive wail coming from the trees to his right. He could not place it, and frowned as he listened intently. There it was again, softer now. He knew that sound, and it called to him, tugged at his heart. He sat up and stared in the general direction of the sound. When it came again, he knew why it was affecting him so…it sounded like, like…Jess! And she was hurt; sounding like the time when that darn tabby turned on her, scratching her beloved nose to shreds.
He rose quickly and, glancing at the others, noticed they were intent on their own tasks. Some were talking, some repacking gear, others sleeping, even Kisha. He did not want to disturb her, she got little rest, her sleep plagued by nightmares, and the others had obviously heard nothing. Maybe he imagined it, maybe he had dreamt the sound of Jess’ distressed wail…he would look a right fool if he drew everyone’s attention to a dream sound.
But he had to be sure.
He loped off into the trees, going where he thought he had heard it come from, hearing nothing…and then it came again. A wail of pain, asking for help…dear god, he had thought her dead, more than dead, burned, vanished. Had he not looked hard enough? Had he missed her, left her behind? As he ran he castigated himself in no uncertain terms…she had been hurt and he abandoned her.
‘Jess?’ he called out, and whistled his special tune for her. ‘Where are you, girl?’
He stopped to listen, and heard a soft bark of recognition up ahead.
‘That’s my girl!’ he called out louder. ‘I’m coming…’ He whistled again to let her know it was him, that he was on his way, and his tears ran unchecked. He heard her bark again, hearing in it a faint, pleased excitement.
Slowing down to hear her more clearly, not to miss her, he began searching the undergrowth, she was close, and kept up a faint whistling…
‘Jess?’
Up ahead there was an old elm, green with moss, its foliage untamed. He knew it, had been here before. He rounded its broad girth…and stopped dead in his tracks.
He sank to his knees, feeling as if he were going to die; from guilt, and sadness so great the human heart could not possibly hold it all.
‘Oh, Jess, sweetheart, I’m sorry…’ The tears were a torrent now, he was sobbing, seeing his beloved childhood companion, loyal always, often his only friend, ensnared in a vicious contraption. A poacher’s trap! How it could be there in that beautiful place was a mystery, given folk were terrified of the Forest, but there it was, and Jess, dear, sweet Jess, was caught in it. Both her hind legs were cruelly snared, the rusty wire biting deep, exposing bone…and she was emaciated, resting on bent front legs, her head drooping to one side. When she saw him she lifted her head valiantly, and stared at him with liquid brown eyes, no reproach, only happiness, as if she had known he would come and make it all right. Such trust, such loyalty, his heart could not bear it. She tried to wag her bushy tale, but no longer had the strength…her usually shiny brown coat was matted, dirty, lifeless…
Dear god, how long? Nearing two months, surely, since Infinity surprised them that night…surely she had not been trapped here all that time? No, she had run off, he had not searched hard enough, and she floundered into that trap…later, it had to be later…
‘Still, Jess, I’ll get you out, girl…’ Gasping through tears, Kylan felt for the knife in his pocket…not there! God, no! Then he remembered he placed it beside him when he laid down to rest…damn, damn! ‘Don’t you worry now, my angel, we’ll make another plan…’
He crept forward, whispering soothingly, and rubbed her forehead gently, her dry tongue licking his hand, little sounds of pleasure…his heart breaking anew, he bent to the task of undoing coils of wire. Hands bleeding, slipping, slipping minutes later, he knew he was beat. He needed wire-cutters, a saw, something…he would have to go back.
He did not want to leave her. To walk away would break her sweet heart…but he had to free her, he would be back. Explaining all this to her as calmly as he was able to, knowing she would understand, she was a clever mutt, he quickly searched around and found some big leaves holding water. He stared at those leaves a moment. They seemed artificial, deliberately placed, but then he shook it off as fanciful and carried them like the most precious gold to his Jess, and sobbed as he watched her lick with great effort, her eyes never leaving his. He patted her gently and ran a soothing hand along her flank…
‘I’ll be back soon, Jess, I promise.’ Crying, he backed away, the hardest thing he had ever done, her eyes following, reproachful now, worried. ‘Hang in there, girlie…I’m coming now-now…’ He turned and ran with the hounds of hell chasing him.
He was lost, could not find the clearing- how on god’s good earth could he not know where he was? He shouted, called, anyone? ANYONE? Ran and stumbled…oh no, oh no, oh no, Jesssss, JESS! I’m sorry, sorrrryyyy…


Shades of Shadow

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