literature

Take Five

Deviation Actions

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Literature Text

The group walked east through the forest for what seemed like hours. Dexter or Sarge at the front, with Sandy and Rocky in the middle. Grover was always at the rear by a good few metres, lost in his own brooding thoughts. The sun shone through the evergreen trees into the snow-covered forest. The light caught the snow in a glittering sheen and cast strange shadows on the ground. The slow and unpredictable dance of the shadows across the perfect white snow joined with the natural freshness of the air, creating an almost magical atmosphere. Not that any of the group were taking in the ambience.

‘Ok, let’s take a break,’ said Sarge.
‘What ever you say, Captain Oats,’ Grover said as he sat down.
‘Sarge? What’s going to happen?’ asked Sandy, the tone of her voice strained with fear. She’d never been far from humans in her life. And now even though she was in the company of her own species, she still had an overwhelming sense of being alone. Dexter moved up next to her and she nuzzled his shoulder for comfort. Sarge looked east.
‘Our first priority is finding the handler that fell out of the plane.’
‘Err,’ Rocky butted in. ‘Not to be rude, but isn’t our first priority finding the plane?’
Sarge chuckled darkly and looked at Rocky. ‘We don’t know the plane actually crashed. It may have made it. But they will send out a rescue party for the missing man, even if he is probably dead.’
‘Will they look for us?’ asked Sandy. Sarge looked at Sandy. He knew the answer, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell the young husky how the humans wouldn’t come just for “army property”.
Grover answered for him. ‘They ain’t coming for us. Why would they? We’re just dogs.’
Dexter shot the Retriever an icy cold look, but Grover wasn’t even looking. Sandy had begun to whimper and Dexter cuddled her close. The cold truth hurt Sandy. Though part of her mind had told her as much, the harsh reality still hit home.
Dexter growled lightly. He knew that Grover wasn’t just telling it like it was for no reason. Like always, he wanted everyone to be looking at him. Every bone in his body wanted to get up and beat the life out of that egocentric smart mouthed idiot. But looking after Sandy was more important and Dexter had to choose.
Grover looked at Sandy. ‘You think they’d come back for us? That’s sweet, cottontail.’
Dexter and Sandy both growled. Dexter held her back as she began to pull away from him. Grover saw what Dexter was doing and smiled.
‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘When ol’ Dex here finally buys it, I’ll keep you warm.’

A set of teeth flew at Grover in a flash of white. The dog snarled and bit at Grover’s face, barking and growling.
‘Sarge!’ shouted Dexter as the Labrador tussled with the Retriever. Grover was in a state of shock. He’d been so focused on winding up Dexter that he hadn’t even seen the black blur of Sarge as it tackled him from the side. The others could do nothing as the two muscular dogs wrestled in the snow, biting and growling at each other.  Sarge soon got the upper hand and pinned Grover in the snow. They were both steaming in the cold as the snow on their coats melted from their body heats.
Sarge leant down to Grover’s face and snarled. ‘From now on you keep your opinions to yourself. I hear one more unconstructive comment from you, and I’ll finish it. You understand?’
‘That all you got?’ Grover growled as he tried to free himself. Sarge pressed down harder on the dog’s front legs.
‘Understand?’ Sarge shouted again as he began to press harder. Grover winced as the pressure on his legs increased. Finally he admitted defeat.
‘Fine,’ he said after a pause. Sarge let him go and he sprung up and moved back to where he’d been sitting.

Sarge caught his breath then turned to the others. He hadn’t had to use his strength like that in so long and it almost scared him that he could have attacked   ‘Ok, let’s go.’
Rocky watched the other three go before turning to Grover.
‘You ok?’ he asked the retriever.
Grover looked up from his daydream. ‘What?’ he snarled.
‘Are you ok?’ Rocky repeated.
‘I’m fine,’ growled Grover. ‘Shouldn’t you be with the others?’
‘I fancied walking in the rear for a spell.’
Grover sighed and got up. ‘Fine. Enjoy,’ he said as he gestured with his paws. Rocky smiled in a way that made Grover grumble as he walked off.

As Grover walked away, Rocky let his smile fade as he looked down at his leg. It was still bleeding. He’d managed to hide it as he’d walked in the snow by kicking snow into his footprint with his back feet. But now the whole lower part of his right front leg was matted with blood. He licked the wound quickly then scrambled off after the others, trying not to notice the cold numbness running up to his collarbone like a slowly restricting vice.
The dogs take a break from walking in the snow, or at least they try to.
© 2006 - 2024 Whatupwidat
Comments11
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Bokin's avatar
Aww Grover. :cuddle:

How did Rocky get hurt?? :confused:

Your writing is soo good!!! :aww: