His Domestic Wolf

Bad Run

Ruth wanted to bark. She wanted to bark, whine, growl, hiss, anything to convey how unhappy she was. She'd chew the furniture if she needed to, to show her displeasure.

Emma was getting ready for another run. She heard her mention a new route but Ruth never heard her say how long or short it was. It was dark, not a usual time she'd take Ruth on a run. She didn't mind though, it would be cooler. 

Emma walked to where she was on the bed, making her sit up knowing she was going to be put on the leash. The click of the leash had her beside Emma. They walked to the front door where she grabbed her apartment key, wallet, and mace. They left the apartment and down the elevator. Ruth's stance widened, still a little unfamiliar with the elevator. On the bottom floor, Emma walked to the door and started her jog the moment she stepped out the door. 

Ruth could feel each run becoming easier. But tonight she seemed to enjoy it a little more. The quiet environment had her ears heightened. Instead of being flooded with noises, she was able to pick out sounds, cats, certain cars, and people in bars that they jogged by.

The route they ran was different, very different. It had Ruth a little nervous. She was trying to make sure she remembered her way home, but with the concrete, smells didn't stick to those surfaces very well, so she was worried about being lost if she lost sight of Emma. 

However, something else was bothering her. There was a smell. A smell of a man, it was a man but there was something odd with his smell. No, something wrong with it. It was lingering and didn't come with a sound or voice. She could sense the presence of him near but she didn't know from where. Her ears moved forward, trying to pick him out. She could smell the liquor in his breath, the stench of his body. It was as if she could hear his stillness. She had smelled many passed-out drunks in the city. But this man wasn't asleep and she had no idea where he was.

This man was stalking them.

"Ruth?"

Ruth tucked her tail between her legs and got close to Emma. Emma stopped, gathering up her leash.

"Ruth. What's wrong?"

Ruth could sense, Emma's unease. With her head low, she looked around. No one was around, not even cars. Maybe if she barked and angered some neighbors she could create attention that could scare off this mystery man. It'd make her a bad dog.  But she didn't care.

She barked then paused. She didn't bark often and it was strange to hear one coming from her own lungs. She circled Emma and raised her hackles, barking again and again.

"Ruth, no!"

Emma tightened the leash and tried to get her to stop barking, tugging on the leash. Ruth ignored her. Her eyes were set on the alley they had just crossed. She barked in that direction with her hackles raised. 

Slowly, another dog, a wolf stepped out of the alley. Its body was low and its eyes were set on Emma who was now frozen behind her. It was big, for once she was staring at another wolf her size. Its orange eyes glowed in the dark. Its mixed white and brown coat was unkept and wild. She yanked free of Emma's grip and stopped barking. She heard Emma calling someone for help in a wavering voice.

"Ruth, get back here," Emma spoke quietly as if she was scared to anger the other wolf.

Ruth knew better. This wolf was already with its intention set. Its eyes were wide and wild. Its body tightened like a rubber band, ready to lung out at Ruth.

What scared Ruth was not its size or aggression towards them. It was how she could smell the man on the wolf. No, this dog smelled like a man. She could smell the alcohol emitted from each steamy breath it made.

Ruth growled, life in the city was supposed to be easier.

She lunged for the wolf. Met her lunge with a growl. Ruth cried out when she felt its teeth sink into her neck. She had never been in a dog fight before. She never bit a dog before. Even with the adrenaline running through her system she wasn't moving fast enough. She tried to stay on her feet as her attacker thrashed his head, blood spreading across his muzzle.

She broke from her hesitation when she heard Emma cry. It sobered her from the moment. She reached her head around and bit into the wolf's greasy and dirt-covered coat. It didn't puncher the wolf's skin, but it was a firm grip. The wolf was stronger, but she was the heavier of the two. She tried to drag them both away from Emma, back into the alley where he came from. 

The wolf let go and shook Ruth off of him just to bite her cheek. Her eyes shut in an attempt to protect her eyes from his teeth. She took it, crying but keeping him in the alley with her. She hurt. She felt her paws scratching at his muzzle to get him off.

Then he was off, completely. Opening her eyes she was staring up at a man. He threw the wolf into the wall and growled, growled like a wolf.

"You keep your filth off of her."

It was Noah.

The wolf trotted off with its head low. Noa stood where she was, watching him disappear behind the trash at the end of the alley. She looked up to Noah. Her heart was still beating in her ears. Noah turned to her, his eyes the same orange as the other wolf's. When he got to his knees she barked at him, sending him right back to his feet.

He smelled just like that wolf. That is what was wrong with him. She couldn't pin it down before but now she could. Like how she could smell both man and wolf in the creature that just attacked her, Noah smelled the same. He was the same as what just attacked her.

Ruth wined and snuck out of the alley to Emma who was crying. when Emma saw Ruth come to her she fell to her knees and wrapped her shaky hands around her.

"Oh, Ruth." her throat was hoarse and her face was covered in tears and snot. "Thank you, Noah." She let Ruth lick her face as she tried to stop her crying. "Thank you."

Ruth could see Noah from where she was cuddled to Emma. He wasn't smiling. He looked hurt, defeated. He avoided looking at the two of them and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Anytime."