THE YARD

Chapter 5

Flare hated waiting and hoping for something she figured wasn't going to happen. Her hope was sapped with each passing second, until she realized a light fog had settled along with the rain, and it brought with it the cooler scents of evening.

It got dark all too soon. Before Flare knew it, her pricked ears and hopeful eyes became flattened and dull. Dark was now falling, and no humans were coming. She could hear their noise-box running in one of the rooms, and a loud cough erupted from alongside the murmur. Flare almost gave a puppy-like bark, but stopped herself right then because White Dog got up.

"Alright, let's go behind the dog houses for some privacy." Flare gulped and was sure that White Dog had heard her as he came and nudged her haunches off the ground.

"You've hardly stood up the whole time you've been here," he snickered at the smaller yellow dog. Flare flinched as his cold nose touched her, and her legs twitched as she used them to stand for the first time in hours.

"Might want to get a drink before this," chirped Jax. He seemed to be in a much better mood than earlier. "Your legs look all wobbly and saggy," he barked and seemed genuinely amused, as if he'd just made the funniest joke.

White Dog didn't show that he was amused, and he surprisingly wasn't rough with her as he stopped her haunches from touching the ground again. Flare felt a bit self-consious that the other dogs could fight for food and water, but here she was needing help to walk towards it.

A few of her joints popped as they loosened up, so thankfully Flare began walking normal. She didn't know it yet, but stretching out her limbs would've prevented the stiff movements. Her spindly tan legs took her towards the white water-bucket next to the tire, but she stopped with her tail tucked between her legs when she saw Grey Dog.

His small dark eyes looked furious, as if he were going to surge forward in a fury at any moment. Still, he didn't speak as White Dog came up from behind her and took a long drink, as if challenging Grey Dog to do something about it. Which he very well could, because he claimed this very water-bucket.

"Get your drink and get a move on," he growled to none of them in particular, then lowered his nose onto his paws. Flare's paralyzing fear melted, and she stretched out her scruffy neck to dip her nose into the water. She heard the man come outside the front door and start up his truck, driving away- but it didn't register in her mind as something to remember.

Though it contained strands of grass and some dirt, Flare hadn't taken so large of a drink since she was a puppy. It tasted fantastic and went down just as satisfying as a piece of chicken would. She must have drank for a whole minute or two, because when she moved away her muzzle was wet and her energy felt restored. The gripping ache in her calmed to a gurgle.

"It's not hot out here at all anymore. Let's get a move on, like he said." The tall white dog held more authority in his voice than before, although he still didn't shove Flare or nip her in the haunches.

Jax got a drink and seemed renewed afterwards, too. He followed them in a much more hurried way, catching up and then running in circles ahead of them and back. He stopped to smell Flare every now and then, his tongue lolling out and his legs twitching.

"Stop acting like that," growled White Dog. "You're making the she-dog more nervous."

"Who cares?" Jax said offensively, and shoved his face in Flare's. He sniffed her all over, and then, suddenly, nipped Flare roughly on the ear. Flare was nowhere near as shocked as the other times he'd done it, but she still recoiled in surprise. Her back end bumped White Dog's foreleg, and he looked down his nose at her. Flare would've been taller than his legs and chest, if only she could stand up straight instead of cowering.