Tales from the STK

[SoundTheBugle]

A place to store my literature for my kennels, Silent Timber Kennels

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[SoundTheBugle]

The Pen

Caitlyn had been working all day alongside Jezabel trying to get the new site in order. They had gone from a small town showering to starting the real deal and they were both nervous but ready. Everything had to be perfect before they could start searching for their new champion. The previous owners had left them with a shell to start with but the town residents warned of big predators in the area so everything had to be fortified and secured. Torn fences and shattered windows told quiet tales of disaster as the pair worked towards cleaning the debris from the nearby woods.
It was nearly a week into their project. The kennels were secured and repaired. They had fenced in the training area with steel fencing, 4ft high. The storage building windows had been replaced with a thicker glass to prevent animals from getting in. Before they had begun, they had a company come in and build a home for them out behind the kennel. The entire setup had taken months before they ever set foot on the kennels grounds. The last thing left to do was remove a fallen tree out by the training pen, and the workers had just pulled up and were setting to work.
As the tree was cleared away, Jezabel and Caitlyn were left in shock at what they saw underneath. The workers slowly cut away to reveal a large, round corral ith fencing taller than the girls. In front of the corral, a broken wooden sign read 'The Pen'. The metal showed signs of wear and was bent from within as if it had been impacted by a heavy beast. The girls looked at each other nervously. What secrets did this place hold?

[SoundTheBugle]

The Meeting

It had been almost a month and finally, everything was ready for them to start the search for their first show dog. Caitlyn was excited to meet her first new friend as they made their way into the future of Silent Timber Kennels. Jezabel had gone to town to do some research on dog breeds, leaving Caitlyn home alone. She didnt mind though, it would give her a chance to rest and catch up on some reading! As a project for her future, she had cleared a small area behind the house and planted some apple trees there. When they grew, she would be able to sit in the little orchard and see the kennels and the lake as she read or daydreamed.
She was standing on the back porch, looking that way when she saw a blur of movement that caught her eye. What could that have been? Way too large to be a deer but she hadn't seen anything else in the area since they had settled. The woods around her had become unsettlingly quiet, and she felt the urge to go inside but curiosity always got the best of her. She moved through the trees and onto the kennels grounds uneasily.
Following her ears, she started towards the training yard and finally caught a better glimpse of the thing she had seen. It was a massive dog! His bulky head whipped around in her direction and he let out a low, soft growl as he stared her down. She froze, taking in this beautiful canine. He was a brown color, with darker spots. He appeared to be extremely thin and she could see something colorful sticking through his matted fur. They locked eyes and stood, neither one daring to move as the seconds turned to minutes. The sound of tires on gravel broke the trance and the giant dog turned and bolted back into the woods he came from.

[SoundTheBugle]

The Storm

It had been 4 days since she had seen the dog. She had talked it over with Jezabel and the two had combed the woods. Traces of fur, paw prints, and bones were all they ever found. Caitlyn was worried. The dog had looked like he needed help and she wanted to help him. She though she had seen the tattered remain of a collar on his neck but she couldnt be sure. If he had been tamed, he needed even more help.
They had left food out, trying different kinds to see if he would eat them and so far the food had remained untouched. Last night she had left it in The Pen with the door slightly opened for him to get in thinking maybe he would come back to the place she had seen him first. When morning came, the storm clouds had rolled in and sheets of rain fell from the sky as lighting lit it up. She wasnt hopeful the dog had come and decided to wait out the storm before she would go check.
She was sitting on the closed in porch when she first heard it. A loud, deep howl echoed through the storm sounding like a lost child calling for its mother. She stood and waited for the call again. Could it be the made by the same dog that had eluded her that day?
A flash of lightening, and a bang where followed by another howl. It came from the kennel grounds! Caitlyn fumbled with her shoes and gave a shout to jezabel to grab a rope, then darted out into the storm, determined to find the dog who sounded so sad.
She dashed through mud, struggling to keep her footing as she hurried towards the kennels. Another crack of thunder and the dog howled again. He was close. She slowed down when she reached the main office, realizing where she was headed. The noise was coming from the pen. As she approached she could hear soft whimpering. Was he afraid of the storm?
She jumped as lightening lit up the sky, a little too close for comfort, and in the flash of light she saw him. He had crawled into the pen and was huddled in a mass of wet fur against the water through. His eyes were wide in terror as he gave a whimper then threw back his head and howled with the thunder.
He was terrified! She slowly approached, avoiding the gate and begin the speak softly to announce her presence.
She saw his eyes settled on her, glowing softly from the light of street lamp at the main office. "Hey buddy, it's ok. You're ok. You're going to be ok" she kept repeating the same words, gently, softly as she lowered herself and approached him. He didnt move, didnt break eye contact. She stood an arms length from him when another flash of thunder came. She heard it strike and heard a tree crack in the distance. The dog screamed in terror and she instinctively reached out to gently touch his side through the bars of the pen. "Its ok. You're safe. I've got you buddy" she whispered.
The dog jumped, then leaned into her touch as if it was the only thing that could stop the storm from hurting him. How long had this poor animal suffered the storms alone?

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[SoundTheBugle]

Homecoming

Caitlyn could feel the dog shaking as the storm raged on. Jezabel was walking up to them now and all three were completely soaked. Caitlyn took the rope from jezabel and tied a quick loop knot at the end so she could create a makeshift collar and lead from it and edged her way to the entrance as jezabel headed off toward the kennels. They had installed a garage door at one end to make loading and unloading dogs easier. Before they had separated, Jezebel had told her she was going to open it to fit the dog inside. They had to get him out of the storm. He seemed calmer now, as if his aggressive attitude had simply been a show to protect himself.
Caitlyn inched into The Pen with him, whispering nonsense to try and keep him calm. Another crack of thunder and the dog jumped up and bolted at her. Caitlyn froze, the relaxed as the dog slid to a stop and gently pressed himself against her whimpering. She slowly moved the loop over his nose, the his neck and moved away. He stood and followed her, his massive side pressed against her.
She slowly led him towards the kennel, and into the door. He hesitated at the door, but another flash helped him make up his mind and he slid inside. Jezabel was nowhere to be seen but she had opened the gate on the first kennel and shut off the access to the outdoor lot. There was a towel hanging on the kennel gate and a blanket on the floor.
Both of them knew time was of the essence. Caitlyn led the big dog into the kennel and he moved into the corner on the blanket, laying down. She dropped the rope and grabbed the towel. Jezabel appeared again at the garage door and quietly closed it, motioning towards the front of the building. She would be waiting.
Caitlyn had been waiting to get her hands on the beautiful dog and she could hardly believe it now as she gently dried his fur. She pulled the rope away from him and dug into his thick fur to find a crude collar. It was thick, with a knot at one end. Frayed fibers led her to believe it had been a rope that had one been used in much the same way she had used her, but with less success. She went to the storeroom to locate something to cut it with, and removed it. Once it was cut away, she was horrified to see it had began to cut into his skin. She would have to treat that later, but for now she settled for drying him off. He seemed calmer inside, and had closed his eyes, enjoying her touch.
He was skinny, and could use a good brushing, but he seemed otherwise well. Who had left this pup to fend for himself? Caitlyn laid the now wet towel on the opposite side of the kennel and grabbed a new one from the storeroom. She laid it over the dog and sat down beside him, leaning against his side. She spoke to him softly, and his breathing became even and heavier. He had fallen asleep! Lulled by the gentle noise of rain as the storm began to die, and the steady rhythm of his chest against her back, Caitlyn fell asleep too.


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