Upon Paws

Chapter 20~The Harness

Chapter Twenty~The Harness
The silence was peaceful, wrapping around me like a blanket. After all the noise of the dog, I basked in the quiet, the soft sound of our pawsteps not bothering me.

But I knew I had to break it. I glanced uncomfortably at my companion, Iggy. He was careful to avoid my eyes, keeping up to the brisk pace I set. My teaching methoods didn't help him at all. We weren't hunting, but his pawsteps were still painfully louder then mine. He pretended it didn't bother him, but I knew it did. I haven't known him for long, but his body language was easy to read.

"Look," I began, making Iggy flinch. "I didn't mean to get so frustrated. I'm...not a good teacher, and I've never actually taught anyone anything...." I trailed off, the last part awkward to admit.

Iggy deflated a bit. He hadn't known that. "I'm sorry Fern, I shouldn't have exploded. And assumed that you knew everything." He delicately stepped over a patch of water.

"I'm sorry as well."

We lasped into silence. We hadn't heard anything from where we had encountered the dog, at least not coming towards us. It was clearly circling the puddle, trying to figure out where we went.

"I-" I slapped my tail across Iggys mouth, my ears angling forwards. His muffled voice cut off as he heard what I heard; shuffling and crunching, and the soft sound of grass and leaves bushing fabric. By the sound of it, there seemed to be at least three people. They weren't speaking, seeming to be searching for something.

For us, I realized as I heard the first voice. "Are you sure they went in here?" Tazan.

A voice I didn't recognize. "You saw the pictures, you tell me if those creatures were them."

"Well, yes, but-"

"Both of you be quiet! I'm picking up something." The voice made my blood turn cold. T'Cap.

I knew he was here, what did I expect? His dog was here, and I knew he was searching for us. I wasn't completely sure why, but I had a few guesses. I creeped forward, my belly brushing the grass. I opened my mouth and could taste them on the wind, Tazans scent familiar while the others were not.

"Fern. Fern." Iggys voice broke into my thoughts, and I turned to him. "What are we waiting for?" He hissed.
I glanced around us, looking for cover. The only thing stopping the aliens from seeing us was a bush and some trees, so moving to the side would be risky. Going under the bush was our only option.

I flicked my tail at the bush, and Iggy opened his mouth the protest but my glare made it snap shut. He crawled under the bush just as the voices started again.

"Two heartbeats, splitting up....one seems to be getting closer," Tazan reported.

"Watch your ankles, I heard the orange one was fierce," the new voice joked.

"What are we waiting for?" T'Cap demanded. A click, then the sound of velcro being pulled off then attached.
I scrambled under the bush beside Iggy. I didn't go far before hitting a tree.

"If it's them, we don't want to scare them. Let me go first, alright?"

"Iggy, their coming. Get up the tree; they won't expect it," I nudged him to the trunk urgently.

"Fern, you're the one they want, you go," Iggy retaliated. "I can't even climb!"

Someone rounded the tree slowly, the device in his hand humming lowly. I pushed Iggy again, but he rounded the other side of the tree out of my reach.

"Hey, girl. Come out, please?" I whirled around. Tazan was crouching in front of bush, hand parting the bush.

I hissed lowly, eyes wide. I didn't want to have to hurt him. But I couldn't stay with him; I wanted to just be free and live on my own.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," T'Cap announced, twigs crackling as he rounded the tree. "Move." He shoved Tazan out of the way and sank to his knees.

Now this was someone I could hurt. I hissed, pulling my lip back. I took a slow step forward, ignoring Iggy quietly yelling at me to stay back. T'Cap had blackmailed Carlos and had scoured the entire forest for us.

"I don't think--" Tazan began but go shushed by the other alien, the one I didn't know.

I tested reaching out to him, my mind stretching towards his. When I found it, I tried to out in as much menace as I could. "I think its time for you to get what you deserve."

I charged at him just as he pulled out a weird looking pistol. I jumped to the side, but he fired, what looked like a rope hurtled towards me.

It hit my side, the impact knocking me back. The rope coiled around me till it was a harness, a rope still attached to the gun. T'Cap yanked back, and I was pulled towards him.

"No, I think it's your turn." T'Cap smirked, fingers going around the harness and lifting. A sack appeared, opened, and he dropped me inside.