Survival of the Wild - New World

Chapter Seven - Ignis Alcove

Aiko awoke to the frantic rustling of a swarm of stranger dogs rushing down a narrow lane. What on earth was going on?
Warm, slimy liquid ran down his spine. It seeped through his grey fur leisurely as he shivered. Swinging from side to side, he felt warm fur pressed against him. As they were carried by a fluffy stranger, he turned his head to another puppy clutched up to his side. The pup he shared the slimy ride with looked just as frenzied as him; her amber eyes darted from side to side and her tiny teeth bore in a nervous whine. All around them, oodles of canines were packed in a man-made ravine that towered up high above them. The stones of the ravine were neatly stacked on top of eachother, glued together with now hardened substance. Below them, the floor was made of ribbed iron. Aiko's teeth grinded as he heard the iron scrape underneath the dogs claws as everone clambered over it. The iron floor seemed to be stooping lower and lower - the grey pup wondered if it'd ever end.

"What's going on?!" Aiko yelped to the pup beside him.
There was no reply. Of course, it was understandable - the puppy must have gone into shutdown with the shock of so many dogs panicking around, it was overwhelming.

It wasn't too long before an opening appeared in front of the canines. They quieted down in awe as they all stumbled into an immense bunker - it was lit in every corner by torches, and every ounce of stone seemed to have a story behind it as if the place had been lived in for centuries. There was a certain feeling of ancient presence the moment they set paw inside. Yet, it smelled modern - as if the bunker had only just been built. There were massive open doorways that dotted themselves all over the bunker. The dogs were taken into a huge clearing, with white light shining through small slits above them. Shadows flickered over the floor as a fan rotated behind the slits. Either side of the vault-like entrance were ramps, leading up to a balcony that stretched down the sides of the walls and stopped right at the end. More openings crowded around the balconies, making the place seem like a maze.

After the group of dogs had spread out into the clearing and finally seemed a little more settled, Aiko and the stranger pup were gently placed down into a small, white pen, along with three other pups. He glanced back to see a big, fluffy Golden Retriever with gentle amber eyes. A sweet-smelling blue collar cradled his neck and a shiny little golden tag jingled from it.
Smiling, the dog gently licked the two pups on the head before trotting off into the crowd.

Aiko studied the pup he'd travelled with and finally got a good look at her. She was a tiny brown and white Border Collie with sparkly amber eyes.
"What's your name?" he asked her. He thought that if they were all being put here together, he may as well start to get to know her. Assuming they'd be here for a while, Aiko had a feeling that friends might just be the most valuable thing.
The pup pinned her ears back and scraped the floor with her mini paw, hesitant to reply. Glancing up to Aiko, he smiled kindly at her.
"Sonya..." she finally replied. Her amber eyes darted around the room and she started to cower close to Aiko, finding comfort in the friendly face. After all, he wasn't the only one who knew nobody here.
"I'm Aiko. What do you think is happening?" he gently leant against her to comfort her. Sonya was so little she looked as if she had barely just opened her eyes! She was too young for this kind of stress.
"I don't know..." she stammered, snuggling into Aiko's warm, grey fur.
Aiko sympathised with Sonya. Although he was fascinated by the story behind the bunker they'd found themselves in, it surely wasn't the most comforting of places - especially not for such a young pup. Though the little Border Collie was kind, he couldn't help but wish that he'd been with Spectre - he missed his best friend so much.
"Everyone! Everyone, gather round!" a howl echoed through all the tunnels of the cave.

A huge black Wolf stood atop a ledge that jutted out high above the crowd at the far side of the cavern. Behind him was an archway that led into yet another room, around the archway were the most beautiful intricate carvings that coated in a shiny gold. It was too far away for Aiko to make out what the carvings were, but he saw that colourful gemstones had been carefully placed in the gold, making it stand out more than any other entrance in the bunker. Surrounding him were four other dogs. 
The first one stood closer behind him than the others. She was a white, tall Dogo Argentino. Head held high, the Dogo Argentino scanned the room with mysterious brown eyes. 
A towering tan and brown Belgian Malinois stood just behind the Dogo Argentino, her amber eyes burning into every canine that crowded beneath her - Aiko shivered as he recognised the dog in the alleyway that had popped Ruby's ball. What was Mavi doing up there, all high and mighty?
Just next to Mavi, stood an Alaskan Malamute. He had long, thick fur and stood tall, his chest puffed out and his dark eyes scanning the crowd beneath him. He was plastered with thick, nasty scars.
The last one, Aiko barely spotted, was a dainty pure white Wolf that lay silently in the back. Flickering her stunning ice-blue eyes over the crowd, she groomed her long, white fur.