The Heart of Dog

by Doranna Durgin

  Aleyku's nose filled with rabbit dander from the collision and he sneezed, shaking his head to clear it even as the thumping of crazed feet disappeared behind him—leaving him alone on the edge of a field to stare through teary eyes at a monstrous thing at the far side: a giant of red and gold, scaled skin shining like pebbles in the clear mountain streams. It had a head the size of a bear, rear legs the size of buffalo, and front legs longer than Aleyku from nose to tail. As it laughed, the air grew thick with bitter smoke.

  Tremble, wolf! The thoughts grew in Aleyku's head, as if they had been his own. For if you survive this day you will remember it always as the day you learned true fear! It laughed again, smoke curling from black nostrils at the end of a mouthful of the largest, sharpest teeth Aleyku had ever seen.

  What is it? Mother Instinct spurred the wolf into a fighting stance even as his thoughts fell over each other like watery-legged newborn pups. All other scent was gone, replaced by the reek of fire such as he'd only once encountered before—in the glowing embers of a forest laid to ash. Only a hunter's knowledge gave him the courage to stand his ground: if he ran, this monster would surely follow.

  A chuckling filled his brain. The animal tries to think! In a flurry of motion, red and gold blurred like running water in a stream, and the giant stopped halfway to Aleyku. It fell to all fours, thick, fish-like scales along its spine rising at the back its neck. Aleyku scrabbled back a step but did not turn, meeting his adversary's—enormous!—eyes as his thoughts began to flow again. The way it now stood, the way its scales rose along its back—almost like a wolf might, come to meet a challenge.

  It was making sport of him, Aleyku realized, anger pushing back fear and Instinct. He let out a low growl. For all his shock, and despite the long day's journey, Aleyku felt his body respond to the challenge before him. Let him test me—he'll remember this old wolf!

  Now the monster blinked, huge cat eyes reflecting light as they opened again, head cocked quizzically. It Does Think! came the pleased musing of Aleyku's challenger. Again, the emotions and thoughts appeared inside his skull, and Aleyku shook his head to clear it.

  Of course I think, mountain spirit! Aleyku felt a strange thrill that he would know the thoughts of this opponent, even clearer than he had read each nip and whine of his pack. Come closer, learn what else I can do!

  A cold wind blew across the field between them, carrying snow-scent that replaced the smoke in Aleyku's nostrils. He looked further up the mountain, into the grating wind, and saw the line of snow he'd come so far to lay down on, a white so bright it hurt his eyes. The ache in his bones settled deeper at the sight. Then alien laughter brayed between his ears and the monster standing in his way made the whiteness, so close now, seem almost unreachable.

  Are you here to die wolf? Never fear, for your trespass I will see to it myself!

  Aleyku's answering growl vibrated to the pads of his feet. He sniffed deeper for the scent of his opponent, finding the smoke and strange odor of the thing again and breathing deep, focusing. It would not be a bad end to die with my fangs in its throat.

  It laughed again, this time rearing into the air, startling Aleyku into springing up on his own haunches—but the strange creature did not leap. It flung itself onto its back, shuddering, waves of its emotion pressing in on Aleyku.

  Aleyku snarled and paced nervously back and forth at the mouth of the pass. His warning growl was tinged with a questioning whine. What was the thing? It was nearer the size of the mountain than of any beast Aleyku had seen in his years of hunting and avoiding.

  What...what am I? It repeated in equal surprise, turning its head upside down on the ground towards Aleyku—and digging a trough in the ground as it did. I am dragon, furry morsel. It pulled itself back to its feet; then, to Aleyku's terror, it climbed even higher, surging into the air with each snapping beat of unfurling leathery wings. The ground quakes in fear at our presence, the air shrieks a warning to all who would fly our spaces! We are immortal, invincible. We are Dragon!

  Dragon. Aleyku's legs continued to trot across the mouth of the pass, never ceasing movement, head turned skyward, forgetting his fear. He wondered what those alien thoughts would feel like once he'd sunk his fangs in their maker's side. A part of him noted that no voice in his head answered his assessing thought. I'm no rabbit or elk to scare away, Aleyku thought at the thing, gathering strength to reach the pure snow laying thick and white and cool just a few footfalls past his adversary. My life comes with a cost. Do you hear, dragon? Be off! Find another for your own, and mother dragon won't have to lick your wounds tonight!

  It shrieked. Aleyku flattened his ears to his head as the cry of a thousand birds mixed with the roar of a mountain lion, shaking the mountain and the inside of his head. The dragon beat its wings again and Aleyku's vision filled with red and gold as angry eyes swooped closer, eyes large enough for him to see all of his body reflecting back.

  Varas fears nothing, retreats from no-one! Let alone a skinny bag of fur sneaking onto his mountain home!

  Aleyku felt the world slow down, his senses becoming more acute as they always did during challenge or attack. He watched Varas the dragon throb backwards in the air, carried by the crack of his wings. The fanged cavern of its mouth widened in time with that first stroke, moving forward with the next to snap at Aleyku and a wide strip of ground beneath him—but the jaw snapped closed with only dirt between its teeth when Aleyku leapt between Varas's tree trunk-sized rear legs before it could complete its assault. Golden-yellow eyes wide with the thrill of the chase, he tore across the field towards the snow, feeling the ground shake as his opponent plowed into the earth where four wolf-paws had stood a heartbeat before.

  You should fear your own clumsiness, Varas! Even as the first rush of battle began to wash from his muscles and he struggled with the deepening snow, Aleyku's mind planned. He turned to run beside an outcropping of rock to prevent the dragon from flying over him. A part of his mind reeled: a flying creature that size! Pressing close to his shield of rock made the best use of his fleeing strength, let him choose the site of their next encounter.

  A shadow blotted out the light above him, and Aleyku barked again in surprise as he dodged a spray of rocks loosed by the dragon's violent landing on a ledge just above his head. I'll tear your tongue out for that! Varas called, the thought shrill, reminding Aleyku of a wolf cub's breaking voice trying its first cry.

  Some actions betrayed much about an opponent, no matter the skin they wore: Aleyku knew now that Varas was a youngling, unskilled in the use of his body as a weapon. He reveled in the knowledge. Perhaps this old wolf's strength will fade, he thought, but not his cunning!

  Aleyku barked over his shoulder. Have to catch me first!

  Varas leaped, farther and faster than Aleyku thought anything ever could. Claws dug into the snow inches from Aleyku, very nearly hitting their mark but with a last, painful burst of speed, he avoided death again. Almost, little dragon! Aleyku thought, wincing at the pain the evasive leap had cost him. Keep coming, and you'll learn something about a fight!

  The young dragon radiated anger and exhaustion: from the strained thoughts chasing after him, Aleyku judged it had never been made to fight for its victories before.

  We are Dragon!...Immortal!...In ...vincible!

  Aleyku's toes spread wider for balance in the snow and scanned the height of the few scrawny trees growing this high up the mountain. Pick your stand, Aleyku, or the dragon will do it for you. There! A small stand of trees dipped to barely half the height of the last stand he had passed, while ahead the trees stood taller again. He leapt from the protection of the rocks, galloping flat-out for the deeply buried trees. The air filled with flapping, and he knew his hunter followed.

  What's the matter, mighty dragon? Aleyku's thoughts taunted his pursuer in time with his own gasping breaths. When the snow was deep enough, he spun again to race uphill, far out from his protective outcropping of rock. Do you tire of the chase? The only answer was a loud
er clap of wings, closer, ever closer. When his foot caught against rock under the snow, Aleyku spun and pushed himself down onto the flat shelf hidden just beneath the whiteness.

  The dragon landed badly, tumbling in even deeper snow than Aleyku had hoped for, and shrieked its surprise. Aleyku read murder in Varas' eyes, the same look he had faced from other threats to his den...and other challengers to his rule. A cloud dropped over his thoughts, and he forced his mind from that last challenge, the only battle he'd ever met and lost. Now was not the time.

  The dragon's wings heaved, its rancid and sulfurous breath fouling Aleyku's nostrils. There were no cocky or angry thoughts invading his head now, just a struggle for breath the dragon matched. The dragon laid there, all four limbs sunk to half their length in the snow—too close to Aleyku for comfort, both those tremendous catlike eyes locked on him.

  Aleyku knew he couldn't let his opponent rest. Are you stuck, Varas? Tired? Perhaps you are too fat to fly! he jeered, his tongue panting playfully in and out of his mouth.

  Enjoy the chase while it...lasts! Be thankful you did not choose a different...mountain to die on. The voice grew stronger in the passage of moments. I am youngest, true, and you would not have lasted a second breath trespassing the lands of my brethren.

  The thoughts grew sure again as they rattled in Aleyku's skull. The wolf could not say the same as he watched, awestruck, as all sign of the effort the massive dragon had expelled in his chase disappeared. You're welcome for the lesson, then, child, Aleyku panted, pushing his opponent to keeping him off-balance. Ask me tomorrow on my way back down, and perhaps I'll give you another.

  Varas reared up again, and Aleyku watched it sink even deeper in the snow when it struggled to free its front legs. You should have scampered after the other furry things as they left my mountain. When the Moon reaches its crest tomorrow, all this will be mine alone!

  You're sure you wouldn't like a little more time to prepare? You haven't used up all that pretty fire of yours chasing off those deadly rabbits, have you? Aleyku wished for a moment that he had scampered away with them, but locked his limbs to the ground, forcing his arguing body not to move in the face of the dragon's gathering anger.

  The thoughts grew painfully loud in his head. How dare you! Thick, black smoke billowed from the dragon's scaled nostrils. I should roast your bones where you lay, animal!

  Aleyku struggled to stay put, his body and mother Instinct fighting against the effort of his mind. How deep is it? he wondered, just managing not to turn the snow under him yellow as the dragon's jaws snapped at him—just out of range!—and summoned the courage to offer a last taunt. Roast my bones, whelp? If you can melt the snow between us I'll die of shock!

  Do not doubt my flame, cur! Varas's head shook from the strength of the breath he drew in and, with a roar that almost shook Aleyku's eyes from his head, blew out again. A wall of fire grew between him and the dragon, and heat and steam blistered Aleyku's snout before roiling into the sky. When the air cleared, he saw the dragon standing tall on his hind legs in a deep crater of crackling ice, collecting a second breath.

  A pity this has to end, wolf, but tradition demands I hold this mountain empty in the palm of...my...

  Thunder clapped the ground. The ice beneath the dragon shattered, large chunks falling into the deep dark space below. Aleyku jumped back as the dragon flung itself at the rocks under Aleyku's feet, now blasted free of snow. The dragon missed, and tumbled into the chasm etched in the mountainside by the ice of other ages. Woooolff!

  Tail wagging, Aleyku stood and lapped at a pool of fresh water on the flame-blasted rocks. He panted happily as the wordless fury lashing at him from far below faded. Then, before starting back up the mountainside he lifted his hind leg above the chasm, very glad that he hadn't turned the snow yellow before.

  ~~~

  The light was dying before Aleyku came close to the summit. His paws were numb from vaulting drifts of snow, the pain in his haunches a constant companion now, and sleep was almost a solid thing pulling him toward the ground. He shook himself awake and raised his head to the Moon, majestic and full: just one last tower of rock obscured its surface. The Moon was his ally, calling to him not to quit, to climb that last height, sing to Her one last time. Then I can lay down to sleep.

  Aleyku savored his victory over the dragon, Varas, won by the strength in his old but not yet frail limbs and sealed in a split-second of cunning. Through his exhaustion, a strong pride lingered.

  If only there was someone to share it with. Aleyku froze when something tickled the scruff of his neck —from the inside. Then a distant rumble echoed up the mountain, followed closely by the dragon's own victory cry as it gained its freedom.

  I come for you, Aleyku.

  Aleyku whined—confused, despairing. The dragon was too powerful to outrace again, especially on legs exhausted from their last gambit. And, though it was young, he knew his opponent would not be fooled again. The Moon. Aleyku spurred himself faster towards the peaks in the hopes that the night and snow would slow Varas' search just long enough.

  He growled as the pain in his back leg grew worse, and hid from it in happy memories of family. Lovely Ursa, lifemate. Chetan, his firstborn, fiercest and wisest of all the children of the pack. He knew it was only right that he'd been challenged, that a younger, stronger wolf now protected all those Aleyku loved. All that Aleyku had lost. He knew it, but couldn't accept it.

  Why must it be this way?

  Barely half the way up that final peak, Aleyku heard the clap of dragon wings, and knew his race was lost. He snarled, cursing that last shelf of rock that seemed to stab at the heart of the eternal Moon, and then cursed the harsh codes that had exiled him from all he loved in order that they might thrive. Finally, with the claps of giant wings coming closer and louder, he cursed the cruel world that pitted an old wolf—not ready for death, nor for the loneliness that was left of his life—against a solitary dragon that would destroy anything that dared share its world.

  Eyes wet from more than the chill, Aleyku sat in the snow and waited.

  The ground shook when Varas landed close behind, but Aleyku kept his gaze on the imperfect Moon. A heavy footstep fell, then came the leathery crackle of wings furling and unfurling. The heat of the dragon's massive body warmed Aleyku's snow-crusted fur, but nothing touched his mind, and no final blow fell. Was the dragon nervous? Don't be afraid of an old wolf, Varas, he called. I've no tricks left.

  Varas laughed, but it was a shadow of his earlier glee. There could be no other outcome, foolish animal. Why would you seek this death? Varas' mental touch was thoughtful now, almost reverent. Aleyku decided he'd been right, that the dragon had never known any thoughts but a dragon's, let alone a creature he'd been bested by.

  Aleyku had always hated waiting. Why else would the proud beast put off the kill I robbed him of before?

  Varas wouldn't be deterred. You are strong enough and fast enough to catch stupid rabbits, or even fish in the stream if it came to that. With cunning enough to thrive for seasons more. Why fight so hard for death?

  Aleyku lifted one paw, licking at an age-cracked pad. Without a pack to share the catch, or to warm my side on cold nights? That's no life, to me.

  Another heavy foot smashed down in frustration close behind. Snow and pulverized stone sprayed Aleyku. If passing your days alone is such pain, why not simply show me your throat in our first meeting!

  Aleyku's eyes pored over each ripple of shadow and light on the brightening Moon, and wondered distantly at Varas' confusion. I love every scent left to my fading nose, every changing leaf yet to fall before my dulling eyes, but succumbing in challenge is a better end than dying alone.

  The dragon roared in anger, but like the laughter before it, this sound too was curiously empty. I don't desire your end. I only wanted you to run from my domain!

  Aleyku cocked its head at the Moon, in search of some angle, some view he had not yet feasted on in his lifetime. Such a lonely domain. Why
live on this rock alone? To me, without another to share your prize it seems a prison, at best a beautiful place to die.

  Dragons do not share, animal. The ground shook again as Varas sat beside Aleyku, quizzically following the wolf's raised snout to the Moon above. Every dragon must fight to carve out their domain, must fight to keep it. I will shield these lands with my blood each day of my life. It is an honor to claim such a majestic peak for my home.

  Aleyku watched his breath rise across the Moon. But who will know this honor?

  You know, wolf, and I will remember the lesson you have taught me, and honor you for it. The thoughts dimmed, colored with regret as they settled in Aleyku's mind. But I am dragon, and you must pay for your trespass.

  Aleyku almost laughed, wondering what lesson the youngling would remember. You will miss me, Varas? From what you have said, that's not very like a dragon.

  I shall not forget the night I was bested by a wolf, it promised. Yet, the world is what it is.

  Aleyku blinked away the water in his eyes, choked away the desire to beg the Dragon for a little more time as it leapt to its feet and paced away. His head never left the precious jewel in the sky as the dragon's breath came quicker and his wings once again beat in preparation. The world is the world, and we are each born what we must be. Varas's thoughts entered Aleyku's mind reverently, as if at prayer.

  Aleyku shook his head, teasing the thought apart. You are wrong, Aleyka decided, the world is not unchanging: ice thaws, rivers change their course...perhaps even the rabbits down the mountain will one day see a dragon learn new ways. Only the Moon remains unchanged, Aleyka thought inwardly.

  It could not be, Varas rumbled, drawing himself up to its full height, breathing deep. It would be seen as weakness, another of my brethren would issue challenge and the rabbits would just have to run again.

  Aleyku cocked his head, surrendering in his last moments to the curiosity of a younger wolf, and feeling a shadow of his once-joyful smile twist his lips. But wouldn't that be something to see? A dragon defending a land not stripped bare, but full of rabbits and elk. Perhaps even wolf. I would like to see the look on your challenger's face, Varas, with all of that standing in league with a dragon.