Rise of the Frostdog


After the Fall things changed.  Even once tropical areas where dense jungles prevailed turned to bitter ice and snow. Creatures that couldn't adapt died, often including man.  The Fall also caused other changes.  Harsh environments pushed evolution in ways not previously seen.  Some say it was the radiation.  Some say this was just nature taking its course.

The change was significantly more noticeable in dogs.  This was no longer a world fit for teacup poodles and chihuahuas.  Husky-like wolf dogs became more prevalent.  Likely nature turning back the clock to make them more like whatever uber-wolf first came down from the mountains and helped man hunt.  We now had a similar agreement again due shear will of shared survival.  Man's best friend became ever closer, and more intelligent.

Unatsi was sitting by my feet enjoying the fire.  I'd been hunting with this animal since he was a pup that I found in a cave during a particular bad storm.  We've been inseparable ever since.  Sometimes I think this dog can read my mind.  Instinctively knowing where I needed him to be to flush out or menace prey.  Many of the men at camp were starting to feel the same way about their dogs.  In addition, their pack mentality and ability to work together started appearing just as strategic as any war plan followed by the soldiers of old.

It started simple at first.  Unatsi perked up suddenly from his slumber, and the word "rabbit" popped into my head.  "What is it boy?" I said picking up my crossbow.  He gave a low growl and took off for some frozen brush.  Suddenly I heard the word "right" when a large white hare leaped out of the tree line heading just to the right of me.  I didn't hesitate to take down the potential meal.

I wanted to ask the other men about it over rabbit stew that night, but feared I'd be removed from camp for losing my mental faculties to the frozen forest.  Then the winds shifted, and all the dogs took attention to the west at once.  I don't know where it came from, but I distinctly heard "coyotes" from somewhere.  I quickly warned the other men who immediately leaped to their feet.

These were not the coyotes from before that preyed upon small neighborhood dogs and cats.  They adapted, as they always done back when urban homes and buildings started invading their habitats.  Similar to what raccoons have become they hardly look like the skittish and timid beasts they used to be.  With no trash cans to raid any longer they sought other opportunities to not only scavenge, but hunt in superiority.

The dogs took a wide spread protective V lined formation directly in front of us with Unatsi at the front.  I heard the word "many" in my head, and I'm pretty sure I saw several of the other men flinch.  All of us had our weapons at the ready be it bow, cross, or ax, blood pounding in our ears.  The wind picked up then.  Sending large tufts of swirling white powder in the air.  When the wind died down it's as though they appeared out of nowhere.  Large copper fur covered monsters, and there were "many" indeed.

A coyote with a large great mane that would look more fit on a lion than anything canine stepped forward.

It's at this point there was a flurry of voices that carried upon the cold air as these two alphas otherwise stared icely at each other:
"Protect"
"Why"
"Friends"
"Kill"
"Share"
"No"
"Protect"
"Leave"
"Peace"

Some of the men had dropped their weapons and had their hands over their ears even though by now we all knew the sound was invading from the inside rather than out.  I had to steady myself as I saw the great pack of coyotes slowly turn around and head back west.  One of the men got overzealous, lost in his frost madness and picked up his bow again.  Unatsi looked in the man's direction and the warning "TRUCE" shouted loudly enough that the man dropped his bow again, and actually fell down.  Unatsi simply gave that doggy smile with his tongue slightly out, one that I imagine he would have shown more if the world hadn't changed.

None of the men wanted to talk about what happened.  We all ate our stew in silence and prepared for the long night.

It was dark when I woke.  I could hear Unatsi give a distressing whine beside me.  There was a soft whisper in my head.  "Up" it gave caution.  At first I thought it was urging me to wake up, but the subtlety of it made me look up instead.

There sitting in one of the high frozen trees was a large cat.  It's eyes shimmering in the light of our fire.  My blood suddenly ran cold when I heard another voice:

"SOON"





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