Keula mushes over the tail sending bits of snow and icy flying as he leads his pack. Turning his head while being careful to nor lose his footing he glances at the malamute bitch running along beside him. “Pretty good for a puppy.” He barks between pants.
Amber the malamute bitch flicks her ears back glancing to her mate. “If we did not wear our harnesses and be in the traces I would make you eat those works.” She tells him flicking her ears back as she hears one of the team dogs behind her snickering at the exchange. Narrowing her eyes she starts moving her paws faster threw the snow to show these males what a bitch can do. Her past life as a human little more then a dream to her now. She even has memories of her self as a puppy thanks to tales Keula told her.
“Slow down you puppy! You’re destroying the team pace.” Becky barks in anger from her place behind Amber. Speeding up she tries to give the green dog a punishing tail nip. While being a green dog as well she thinks the place beside Keula the team leader should be hers by rights. Very jealous of Amber the only thing that keeps her from picking a fight with the bitch malamute is the fear Keula might disapprove. Still remembering her human life she wonders at times what ever happened to her friend. Thinking of the other dogs as nothing more then dogs she feels she is better then them. As after all she was human and a human is better then a dog right?
“Becky!” Iiumni barks from beside the husky bitch. “No fighting in the traces!” he tells the bitch he thinks of as his mate. Of course Becky herself has yet to say anything on his courting her but he hopes she will be more willing once her season comes upon her. Least she does not maul him like the other dogs do he thinks. And if she expects him helping her with fights against other dogs, well with her protecting him it’s the least he can do. His eyes for Becky alone he no longer does anything but follow the bitch around. Keula glad the husky is no longer getting in his way encourages the match between the two huskies to the point he tells all the dogs to attack Iiumni if he is ever out of sight of both musher and Becky.
The musher holds tight to the sled as he calls out commands, which Keula is quick to obey, and teaches to Amber. Smiling he looks over the running team thinking this round of dogs will fetch a good price at the dog auction. His fears that one canine might remember being human still causes him to keep a close watch for any noncanine behaviors. Having over the years gotten himself a name for breeding very intelligent sled dogs mushers come form miles around to buy dogs from him. Millions of dollars in the bank and all it costs him is a bit of time and monthly trips to a shaman for the dog leather.
“Whoa!” the musher yells while pressing his boot down on the brake. “Harry that you? Where is your father?” he asks looking to one of his best customers of sled dogs.
“Keula why are we stopping? I want to run some more!” Amber barks then whines not even casting a look to the sled team of Harry. Her own team her world now she simply has no interest about things not affecting her own teammates.
Becky sits the moment the team is able to stop running. Having to watch the rump and tail of Amber for the entire run having about driven her insane. Do not bite. Do not bite. She tells herself over and over knowing the musher is watching her closly and any fighting will get the whip on her. Not to mention she needs it to look like Amber started the fight or risk the team turning on her.
As if able to read the thoughts of his bitch Iiumni gives her a playful paw bat trying to distract her from staring at Amber.
Keula looks back over his team and to the musher eager for any signals. But as his human begins talking to the other he finds his own attention drifting to the group of other dogs. Its then that he spots the malamute Bryan. Growling slightly he presses against Amber and lays his muzzle over her back.
“Oh my sister and I are racing to see who gets control of the family kennels. But saw this lost dog here so stopped for him.” The young man Harry replies reaching down to pet Bryan’s ears.
“Lower!” Bryan tells the human while turning his head and making his ears easier to reach.
“Did you just hear him talk?” Harry asks looking to his fellow musher hoping to not seem foolish.
Keula thinking of the rifle his musher keeps on the sled watches and listens to the two humans interacting. Keula’s dog team seeing the leader takes interest in something become interested themselves.
“Is that the husky who ran away?” Becky asks Iiumni who is laying beside her idly licking his paw pads free of ice balls.
“Bryan? No the musher would have sold him.” The husky replies with a yawn. But having the attention of his bitch a thing very worth his attention he looks over at the dog in question then blinks. “Looks about the right coloring. But would have to be closer for a sniff to make sure.”
Amber also having taken this rest time to clean her paws looks up at the sound of her mates growling bristling herself ready to fight beside him. “Is it Bryan?” she asks her leader looking to Keula for direction as most of the team does.