The Doggone Pet of mine.
Authors Note: This is a
short tale on the title above.
Contests rules:
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I just came back
from my long hiatus up in the mountains, and I saw the tavern on my walk back to
the settlement. Now I have been away from the elixir of Man for some moons and
I doubt I could walk past that aroma without taking a sip of it. I walked into
the place and dropped my loads of pelts onto the floor. I saw the Tavern owner
looking at me.
"I am sure my
load would be safe under your roof while I quench my thirst." I looked at
him and he eyed the musket held in my hand and pistol on my waist. He nodded
his head and I proceed onto his counter to get myself my drink. The flow of the
elixir of Man dribbled down my lips side were swiped by my hands and licked dry
to avoid any running off to waste. Then I overheard the conversation between two
settlers who plow the land instead like me who shoots those who feed on it.
"I say
gentlemen; your conversation intrigues me. You mentioned that a dog cannot do
what a cat can. Mind if I may ask of what do they differ?" I looked at the
two settlers who are young of an age, but their pocket lines with coins which were
what caught my eyes.
"Tom was
saying that dogs cannot climb trees and I said I have seen one myself. But he
disbelief me, and I wager that I would show him one when I see that dog again."
I looked at Tom and shook my head.
"I would say
this once, young man. Dogs like most animals of the great Kingdom do climb
trees. If you tell me your disbelief, you are challenging the creation of God
and himself." Now the other man was taken aback by my words and his face
turned red. If not for my large frame, I would have said he would have sunk his
fist into my belly. But I doubt he would as my belly is the largest part of my
frame. "Let me put this right to you., as a Man's word has to be proven
and be seen by his eyes. I would wager to you that I can show you a dog that
can climb a tree if there is a need."
"I would take
your wager..... " I saw he finds difficulty with my name as I have not
told him as yet.
"Ben Grizz as
I hunt the bears with my bare hands most times." I extend my hand to him
for a shake and he merely touched it before pulling it back. I took no offense
to it and smiled at him. Many had shaken my hand and leave with it useless for
a week. I placed three coins on the table and then looked at him.
"My name is
Jonathan Black and I stand to your wager." Jon placed his bet and we both
smiled. I wanted to pat him on the back but I think I would be back for now as
he may not survive the blow. I told Jon to go outside and stand by the young cedar
tree. I then went over to the Tavern Owner and asked him for a piece of raw
meat.
I placed on the
tree branch the meat and took to whistle out a high note to the nearby trees.
Out came my wild pet, the half canine fox breed, I named "Dog." It
came running and sat at my feet with its long tail wagging. I introduced it to
the young men. Then I point to the meat on the branch, and said; "Go and
get it."
My pet went running
and jumped onto the tree trunk and gripped it tightly with its claws on the
bark. It used its hind legs to pushed itself up and over to the branch before
it slowly make its way to the meat. It grabbed the meat and down it sailed by
the same way it went up. My pet then enjoys its meal with relish.
"Now that is
my Dog who just shown to you that it can climb trees. Do I win the wager?"
"Jon, the
creature does look like a dog but it's more also a gray fox. Ben, are you sure this
is a dog?" I looked at the two young men.
"Are you
saying I am lying? Did I not called it Dog? And I did not say its a not a dog.
It's a mixed breed of a dog and a fox. You see the wonders of life; they
allowed you to evolve. What you can't do, they adapt to it. So pay up or I
would pound your flesh for my dog." They paid and left me alone in the
Tavern. The owner came to sit by me.
"Ben, don't
you think you been harsh to the young boys?" I looked at the owner who is
my old friend for many years.
"No, I taught
them a life lesson. Don't be foolish with your money and you could be better
off. And the other is not anything is impossible in this world. Yes, the dog
may not be able to climb a tree like a cat but if they are as smart we are,
they could adapt like my dog then no cats would be safe. You see out there on
the skies. I always wondered why can't we fly as we have no wings. But if one
day we can create wings, would we be flying too?"
"Ben, take
your drink and get a wash. Your brain is as clouded as the layer of dirt on
your body." We both laughed and have a drink on the wager I won. But
little does he know, I was not been dense in the brain but I am thinking. It's
a skill we of the hunter breed have to have or we are dead by then.
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