The first thing Steele felt when his senses slowly began coming back to him was a source of heat not far from him. Then came the cracks of sparking lumber.
‘A fireplace?’
“Hey… Hey… I think he is waking up!”
Steele stirred, slowly opening his eyes. His body felt stiff and his vision was blurred at first. But he could hear just fine, the voices of those around him. The voices of the pack. More specifically, the voice of Mince was very close to his ear.
“Hmm… Maybe he is dead…” Mince shrugged. “Perhaps we’ll just eat em’ up!”
Hearing those words, combined with the husky’s teasing laughter got him to his paws in an instant. The husky’s laughing ceased upon seeing the panicked expression on their guest’s face.
“Hey, wait.. I was just foolin’... Glad to see you’re alright…” Mince sighed and stepped back, reprimanding himself for going too far.
“Don’t...declare me dead…” Steele said with as much vitriol as he could in his weakened condition before promptly collapsing again, into the dog bed he was only just aware he had been laying in.
“Mince! That wasn’t funny. He’s been through a lot, I bet. I mean, fighting off a bear is bound to take a lot out of one right?” Rodger asked aloud, looking to the others to back him up. Halftail also gave Mince a judgemental look but Tiny instead focused on Steele.
“How about we get him some water?” the akita suggested. “You can all shame Mince later…” The later half was thick with sarcasm.
“Hmmph, sure thing your highness. Maybe we should make it a holiday. Blame Mince Day... Huh, I kinda like the sound of that…” the husky continued to rant to himself as he left to get some water. The other dogs gave Steele the space he needed, retreating to murmur amongst themselves...
With his mind utterly overwhelmed Steele couldn’t recognize what he was feeling at first...then it came to him...fear...he was experiencing fear. In his weakened state, the malamute could no longer keep up his strong facade anymore. They could do anything to him and he would not be able to stop them. And they seemed to toy with the idea of taking advantage of his weakness, but didn’t follow through with it...yet…
It took some time but the husky did return with a bowl. And in that bowl sloshed fresh, clear water. Mince was careful to not let too much of it spill. He hoped that it could be a start to making it up to their guest. There was something about the canine that called out to him…
“Sorry it took so long…” Mince mumbled around the bowl. The other dogs watched as he carefully padded towards Steele and placed the bowl in front of the bed. “You’d better drink it before ya pass out again…”
Steele looked down at the bowl. Sure enough, it contained nothing but ordinary water. But something seemed off to Steele. It was a nagging feeling, urging him not to drink. He looked closer at the water and in it’s reflection he could see Mince staring right at him. Why did the husky want him to drink it so badly to the point that stood there, watching? Was the water not as it seemed? Had he...poisoned it? Full fledged paranoia started to grip Steele’s already fearful mind.
“Hey, come on… I made it special for ya-” Mince unwittingly stoked the paranoia growing in Steele’s mind.
“S-stop toying with me…” Steele cut Mince off, his voice barely hiding his panic. “Quit acting nice...if you are going to hurt me, get it over with!” the malamute hissed.
“Wh-what are you going on abo-...” Mince stopped when his eyes caught Steele’s...the look in them he knew all too well...fear...helplessness...paranoia. The same look that had stared back at him for the longest time whenever he had looked at his own reflection.
Guilt...overwhelming guilt engulfed Mince...had he done this? He knew his joke had been a little dark, but he hadn’t meant anything by it. But then again this new dog didn’t know him and surely wasn’t used to his brand of “comedy.” His timing had been abysmal and he had just ended up tormenting his fellow canine.
Rather than say anything further, Mince knew this was something that he couldn’t solve himself, he was far too ill equipped to handle this. He turned tail and bounded off, leaving the other three dogs confused and very much concerned. Tiny, Rodger, and Halftail stared at the fearful malamute but that in itself added to his fears. Their gazes made Steele sure that there was something afoot. He refused to drink their water and now they were staring at him, whispering about him. He questioned everything that led him to this point. Perhaps even the bear attack had been staged? An elaborate ruse to tire him out and lure him in?
“What the heck is his problem?” Tiny asked, confused by the whole situation.
“Tiny...be quiet!” The akita’s eyes went wide upon hearing Rodger’s deadly serious tone. That tone of voice Rodger reserved only to the rare situations that were really dire. Even Halftail was speechless. It had been a long time since he had seen the elkhound snap. But it was much more than that, taking a closer look it was clear to see that Rodger was on the verge of tears. He had no idea what was going on but what the bear dog did know was the canine that saved Rodger was clearly scared and could be in pain… if not physical, then mental anguish. Halftail knew he was often called a coldhearted dog but even he was starting to get worried when he saw the despair on Rodger’s face.
Halftail and Tiny were the first that found their way to this unexpected sanctuary. They were both running and found each other. Coming from similar backgrounds they stuck together and found the territory and they were welcomed. The next to come was Mince, running from his own fated death. He was certainly glad to find a place where he didn’t have to live in fear. Although it took some time for the husky to not panic whenever Connor picked up a sharp object... And the last to join them was Rodger. A dog that was also running. From what? To this day none of them knew. Rodger couldn’t remember so he couldn’t tell them… He didn’t even have a name. Not that any of them had once they first came here. But upon finding the other three, he was happy and Connor came up with a name to match that seemingly unending optimism. Seeing Rodger upset struck something deep inside Halftail, stirring up protective feelings he hadn’t felt in a long time and he wanted to do something but he had no idea what…
But there was someone who could make sense of everything that was happening. And he was brought in by Mince. The husky wore a look of regret and shame as he led their owner to the new dog in the small room. He soon stood back and watched as the man looked around the room until his eyes fell on the unfamiliar canine.
“Is this him?” the man asked, looking at the panicked Steele. He stepped towards the malamute and Steele scrambled to his feet within his bed, trying to back away from the human, but his body wasn’t well enough to even attempt to move so all he managed to do was collapse again. The man paused seeing Steele act like that, then he moved to the dog’s side with even more determined steps.
Steele was anxious about what he would say as he got down and looked him straight in the eyes, but the moment stretched on...he just...didn’t say anything…
The malamute focused on the man’s eyes, trying to discern what kind of malice they held...only to find none. They were unyieldingly firm...but concerned.
Slowly...ever so slowly Steele felt his manic heartbeat slow down...his panic gradually starting to lift.
“No one is going to hurt you here” The man said resolutely and something inside Steele fought its way through the fear and paranoia and urged him to believe what he said.
“What is your name?” he asked him.
“Steele…” the words left his mouth before he even realized it, he had felt compelled to answer.
“Hmm...that is a strong name. Good that you remember it, few who come here do.” The unexpected praise quashed the rising panic of revealing his name. It felt like it had been the right thing to do.
“My name is Connor, I hope you will consider placing yourself in my care.” Care...what did he mean by that? That was a strange way of describing ownership...
Wait...did he...understand what he had said? No...that was impossible, humans didn’t understand what dogs said to each other! But clearly he somehow had...
“Calm down…” Connor urged and he put a palm on Steele’s head, almost immediately a wave of relief rushed through the canine and he felt much calmer.
Connor turned to the others, one look was enough to make them understand and give them more space. Tiny, Halftail and even Rodger all backtracked until they stood alongside Mince. All they could do was watch as Connor further tended to the malamute.
“What brings you here?” Connor asked as he checked Steele for any major wounds.
“I… I was running away..” Steele admitted without any fear in his heart. Somehow he knew Connor would not judge.
“Yes, all who come here tend to be running from something… Something that wishes to bring them harm…” For a moment Connor’s gentle look faded. He scowled briefly before looking away so he could swiftly collect himself. Clearing his throat, Connor returned that gentle look to Steele. “But I assure you, no harm will come to you here. This is a safe place for our- your kind…”
That little slip-out did not go unnoticed by Steele and he filed it away for later. He had learned there was something valuable in words that weren’t meant to be said. The malamute was no exception...
“You need only to accept it and this place can be your new home, your second chance…” Connor looked back to the other dogs and gave them a small smile. “The others here have known their own hardships and pain…”
“Halftail has adopted what was once a punishment as his pride and identity,” Connor revealed. Upon hearing his name being heard, Halftail stood tall. Steele latched onto a certain word. ‘Punishment.’ A punishment made into his pride?
“They thought they could break me, but their attempt only made me stronger.”
Though he hardly knew the bear dog, Steele had to give him credit. After all, he was running in order to avoid his own punishment. But the idea of adopting what was coming to him as his identity didn’t sound very appealing. That would take a level of fortitude he wasn’t sure he would ever have.
“Tiny was once revered as the prime of his breed. His owner bought him for a pretty penny, intending to offer to let others use him for his breeding potential and to win dog-shows all over the world. But humans are fickle beings, overnight opinions suddenly changed and Akitas fell out of style… Tiny was taken from his home, only to learn that he was being ‘replaced’...”
“A dog like myself never goes out of style… At least that's what I thought…” Rodger gave him a look of sympathy and placed a paw on his shoulder. Tiny smiled and stood a bit taller. “But whether or not they think so, I still shine brighter than Halftail…”
“Why you-”
Tiny’s mood lightened in an instant as Halftail seethed from the unexpected jab at him. He stomped towards the other dog, snarling. Rodger stood between them, looking rather worried.
“Halftail, temper. Tiny, don’t agitate him.” Connor said it in an even tone like he had said it a thousand times before. Both looked embarrassed and immediately stopped much to Rodger’s relief.
“And poor Mince… His owner was once a nice man. But hard times befell him, drove him to wits end. Terrible as it is to say but there is a market for certain… things of all kinds. In Mince’s case there was someone out there willing to pay a high price for him...in pieces that is…”
Even though Mince had already alluded to it, hearing Connor say it still hit Steele hard. His own owner, someone who had once treated the husky with love would kill him for something as trifling as money. Something about that hit the malamute right to his core, it hit a little too close to home for comfort. After all his job entailed delivering precious cargo to places that cars and trucks couldn’t reach. Many of those objects they carried were expensive and even priceless sometimes. The few times that there was a mistake, the canine responsible was duly punished in a fashion that was more than enough to make sure it never happened again. He got faint phantom pains just thinking about the one time he fouled up. But the idea of looking his owner in the eyes while he held a knife in hand, ready to pierce him with it made the malamute’s stomach churn. And yet, that was a reality that Mince had experienced and made it out of alive.
Hearing his past being retold made Mince look away for a moment. He hated the looks he got whenever his tale was told aloud. They were always looks of pity. The husky was a strong dog who didn’t live a life of hardship or the high life of being prized. He was an ordinary dog who loved his owner. And that was not only taken from him, but it was by the very owner who he had cherished. Knowing that hurt enough in itself, but seeing everyone look at him like he was made of glass made him seethe. Connor told him time and time again it wasn’t his fault, but Mince was sure he could have done something to help his owner. He could have even gotten a job as a sled dog…something to bring some money in. But his owner decided Mince was worth more dead than alive. Eventually, the husky figured he deserved it for letting his master down...in a way he knew it had been desperate madness, he could never get himself to hate his former owner...only pity him.
“Heh...he had always been clumsy with his fingers...couldn’t even hold the knife steady…” Mince chuckled bitterly. “That oaf swung down the blade and nicked right through the rope holdin’ me down… I suppose it was fate. I didn’t wanna leave him, but I took the chance I was given and ran.” Somewhere deep inside Mince desperately wished that his owner had done it on purpose, given him that opening to run away, but...he knew he was likely just deluding himself.
“Mince…” Rodger frowned.
“Don’t look at me like that… What’s done is done. After all, I’m still in one piece, ain’t I? And that’s all thanks to you blokes…” the husky sighed and dared to face his friends, allowing them to see the tears misting his eyes.
It wasn’t your physical health I was worried about Mince, Rodger thought as he looked at the husky.
“You already seem quite familiar with Rodger, Steele,” Connor noted as Steele looked to the elkhound.
“He doesn’t remember what happened to make him run away, his mind has utterly suppressed it. But I know it is not something to take lightly, the nightmares he sometimes has are very vivid and worrying. I have to sit with him for a long time before he calms down after one”
The jolly dog with endless enthusiasm...having horrible nightmares? It seemed like such an odd thing, contradictory almost.
Mince sighed and composed himself. “Anyway, that’s all about us, what’s the dirt on you, mate? Everyone here is running from something. What was it? A person? A place?”
“Mince that’s not how you-” Connor’s reprimanding was cut short as Steele casually answered the husky’s questions.
“A title…” Steele weighed how much he dared tell them “One that dominated my life, that I fought to keep, but lost...and was about to face the dire consequences of losing.”
“I’ve made a mistake before, but I had never...utterly lost…” Steele admitted. Just saying those words aloud made him feel vulnerable.
“My loss was complete...that title was all I had...but I was about to lose more. I couldn’t stand it...it wasn’t...it wasn’t fair! After all I had ever done for them, they just...disregarded it all and was ready to throw me away like I was worthless.”
Connor let the malamute finish, get all his anger out. “It’s okay.”
Steele wanted to ask what he meant was okay...but suddenly he felt so tired...maybe he meant…
“It’s all gonna be okay. All you gotta do is answer one question: do you want a second chance?” Connor asked.
Steele thought the answer would be an obvious “yes”, but...he wasn’t sure anymore...did he? Was he even worth a second chance? He looked to the other dogs. They were all so different yet there were so many things that made them the same. To be given a second chance? At first he wrote the dogs off as fools who were aimless, serving no good purpose. But he now knew that they were all once proud and loved much like himself. They were given a second chance even after escaping death… But his own predicament had been caused by his own actions, unlike the others. It was things out of their control that put them in such horrible situations. Could he really lay claim to a second chance like they had?
“Steele…” Rodger caught his attention. His face was kind and encouraging.
“Everyone deserves a second chance,” he said as if he had read his mind.
“I-” a stream of memories from throughout his life flashed before his eyes...he was on top...he was the lead.
“I-” But something was missing...how...how had he never realized? He had everything! Or...so he had thought…
“I-I-...” Struggle after struggle, a never-ending fight to stay on top. But never...he had never…
Steele whimpered “I-” he teared up as he finally realized it: He had never been happy.
“I want a second chance…” Steele’s answer sprung from the very bottom of his heart.
Just saying those words seemed to ease the weight of his shoulders. That weight that had him tied down for so long. He no longer wanted to be that which others had decided for him. Day after day, job after job. Sure he was ‘top dog’ but at the end of the day he was nothing more than another source of labour even in his owner’s eyes. No doubt his presence was not mourned anymore than the former lead bernard, he would have been replaced by sunrise… Everyone would be told that he was not important, ‘just forget about him’ they will say.
A day ago such words would be a tarnish on the metal that Steele could see as his being. But now that metal had been cracked, shattered. But there was still hope. The pieces could be collected and melted down, reforged into something new, perhaps even stronger… this time...he would decide, not them! He could remember a time when his owner spoke of the old days. When man wielded nothing more than a sword. That sword could mean life and death, whether by the hand of someone else or their own… For so long Steele’s own ‘sword’ had been in the hand of someone else. But what if he were to take up his own blade? Was he able to bear that new weight? Living for himself? Doing what he wanted? It sounded simple but there was a certain heaviness that came with the reality. There were so many things he had never done before, especially not for by his own personal choice...Where would he even start?
“It’s alright. You can start slow,” Connor spoke, seemingly reading his troubled thoughts. “And always remember that you can lean on us if you feel uncertain. Now rest Steele, rest and be ready for your new life beginning tomorrow.”
Barely had the words registered before Steele already felt himself nod off, he wanted to protest, but suddenly a form got up besides him and cuddled up to him.
“Mind if I lay here?” Rodger asked, looking up at the bigger dog with pleading puppy-like eyes. Steele was too tired to respond and the elkhound took his silence as consent. One by one the other canines padded close to the dog bed and laid nearby it. Mince laid down, curling himself up in a tight ball. But Tiny and Halftail, in a surprising display, laid close to each other, pressing their bodies close as they settled down.
Steele was already fighting a losing battle against his tiredness, but the odd feeling of safety the others gave him by being near was too much and finally he surrendered to the urge and fell asleep.
