A dog was running. Her furry pelt rippled as she jumped over frozen streams. She was tired, tired more than words can explain. But she can't stop. Not now. Not when she had a pup to go home to. She needed to get to him. To protect him.

She smartly weaved and dodged her way around the forest. She leaped fallen trees despite the thick snow clogging up her fur. Finally, she stopped to rest behind a clump of bushes. She crouched, panting heavily. She was sure she'd lost whatever was tailing her.

She waited a few moments before starting off again, easily tearing through familiar territory.

Something hit her foreleg, pain shooting through her body. She slowed, stumbling on the snow. Then she fell. The silhouettes took her away.

***

A waning moon rose over the Icelandic sky. Across the white tundra of Frostypoint, one den housed a single male Husky pup, who had been hibernating for a month; still waiting for the warm presence of its mother. Out of fear and the want to find his mother, the four month old puppy finally stepped out of the den and out onto the icy tundra.

He remembered what he thought was a nightmare; how his mother fell senselessly to the ground after a loud whirr last month. Was it real…or was it just a dream? With every passing second, it was becoming more and more real. The pup whimpered with every pawstep on the frosted ground, whimpering with each painful step.

The last time he'd been out was but a distant memory now. For a long time, he kept to the den, sustaining himself on a furry rabbit his mother caught for him the last time she was here. He stayed where he was, sure that his mother would return. But she hasn't been home for a while, and he had just eaten the last of the rabbit's remains. The puppy assured himself. He was going to find her.

He padded out onto the tundra. He looked up at the sky, starry and wide. The wind blew across the plains, shaking grass stalks and riffling through his fur. This was his place; a place where he belonged. A place with exactly what they needed to survive.

From where he stood at the side of the hill, there was a wide expanse of sea ahead, shimmering brilliantly under the moonlight. The rocky coast glittered. A pine forest stretched widely to his left. Intuition led his paws into its dark shade. It just seemed logical to search the forest first. It's where he and his mother used to hunt. He swiftly traversed the short distance.

The pine trees loomed above him as he walked. The wind whistled through the trunks. It was incredibly quiet; the snow muffling most of the sound. All he could hear was the wind and his paws on the snow. He plodded on, desperate to find his mother, or at least another morsel of food.

Another sound. It was the crunch of something stepping on the snow. He looked around, terrified. He found nothing. But he knew better.

He ran away as fast as he could, breathing out icy clouds of steam. He weaved across the forest, trying to use the trees to shake off whatever was tailing him. He closed his eyes. He heard barks in the distance. The crunching sound got nearer. They were gaining on him. He picked on speed and he heard more barks. Oh no. He wouldn't be able to keep this up. The snow caught on his furry paws, slowing him. He was getting tired.

Zipppppp! A sharp pain shot through his body. It hit his flank. His vision blurred, and his head hurt like he'd run into a rock. Everything faded into black. He fell, the snow cushioning his fall.

"We got him!" a voice sounded, surprisingly close. The snow they stepped on crunched crisply underfoot. A ripple coursed through his body as he felt weightless all of a sudden. He was lifted up and cradled by one of them. Other than a slight kick, he didn't struggle to get free. He was far too weak and exhausted to do that.

"Well, the tranquilizer dart really did get him good!" another voice said, "Let's load him onto the ship." Their voices faded into silence as the young puppy fell into deep unconsciousness.

***

"Lay 'im 'ere, Rick."

The man carrying the shivering bundle transported it to a small sled they brought with them. He lay it on its side. By now, the pup was fast asleep; its breathing slow and regular. As the man tied him down, his fluffy pelt stuck out from the ropes they used to bind him.

"Quickly," His companion picked at the ice coating the front of the sled, "this forest's beginnin' t'give me the creeps." He looked at his companion with an as-a-matter-of-fact expression on his face. He was dressed in an old red sweater and tattered jeans. Fur-lined boots and a gray scarf topped him off.

"Aye, Paul," Rick approved, grabbing the rope that they'd use to tug the sled. "We best get going." He wore the same scarf and boots as his companion; however, his clothes were in much better condition compared to those of his companion's. His sweater was striped green and light green, and his jeans weren't tattered.

Paul just nodded blankly and helped Rick lug the sled to the port.

Finally, they reached it. A man stood on the pier, apparently waiting for them. His thin, gaunt frame stood eerily as night shadowed over his features. He wore clothes fit for a skipper; a sharp-looking uniform, navy blue and gold. The breeze let his messy brown hair fly, partly covering his face.

The duo stopped next to him, letting him inspect the puppy in the sled. He sighed, sending a cloud of steam off into the wind.

He cracked his knuckles with satisfaction and a side of his mouth curled upwards in a fascinated smile. "Near full grown. He's a fine one, indeed."

Rick nudged Paul, as if to encourage him. Paul hesitated but finally got the courage to speak up. "Are you sure about your plan, Cap'n Monty?" He tried to keep his voice steady, but it wobbled a little. "I mean, why take them away in the first place?"

"Because, dear Paul, it has to be done," he crooned coolly, "The new complex will be built in that area soon, and we don't want trouble with the environmental groups. They're watching us like hawks." He gave a slight shudder, glancing over his shoulder for emphasis. "They're supervising us on the entire thing. Remember, the owners of the proposed complex will want no trouble with them, and they're counting on us."

"And don't worry," he added, "they'll be plenty safe and satisfied in Ýmir. It meets the requirements. 3 meters wide, 2 meters long and 2 meters high. It has a place for them to sleep and a window to help them with motion sickness. Salmon for the next 4 months. Makes me wonder how much money they have to spend."

"Alaska or Siberia?"

"It would be better for the fledgling to be sent to Alaska instead of Siberia. Now," The captain held his hands out to them. "Load it onto that ship."

He pointed to a bulky ship which was docked a few dozen meters behind him. The two looked back at the dog, still out cold. They were still hesitant, so the captain took a different tone to try and get them to do it.

"So, are you two angels just going to stay there and freeze to death? I said, Load it onto that ship!" The sharp, sarcastic edge to the order got them. The two nodded almost at the same time. They rushed the shivering bundle across the snow passing the ship they intended to transport him without even a glance back. Pushing the sled and going as fast as their feet could take them, they stopped in front of the gigantic cargo ship.

"Hey, Stone!" Paul called up, "Husky cargo at 3 o' clock, Luke!"

Luke Stone looked below the ship and acknowledged. He let down a ramp and gave them both a handshake.

"Rick… and Paul! Welcome to the Ýmir! Wow, that one looks really healthy!" He looked at the Husky, looking well-fed and fluffy. "We better get you guys in, along with the cargo."

They followed him, lugging the Husky and chatting idly up the ramp.

"So this guy says, 'I nearly slashed it out on 'im. Ye should've seen 'is face!" Rick articulated to Luke, who was listening attentively. "The next moment, he slips on the flippin' swab, and hits his head on the prow! He hid himself in his bunker, he did."

"Oh, really! Hahahahahaha! What a great laugh I suppose that was!" Luke expressed himself gleefully.

They put the sled in a small hold, big enough for a puppy his size to move comfortably. It was made of metal walls with a single bowl of salmon in one corner and a hanging bunker made of cold steel, cushioned with a soft mat, on the other. A glass window opened to the sea. Luke looked at them both, his gaze drifting across the two.

"Unstrap the puppy," he commanded.

Rick and Paul hurriedly unstrapped the figure which was beginning to stir. They laid it down gently on the bunker. The puppy gave a whimper of discomfort. Luke stared at it for a moment that seemed to last a second or maybe a month. He finally mumbled with a long sigh. "I suppose we should give him more cushions to rest on."

Rick and Paul replied simultaneously. "Uh-huh."

Getting a pillow from the storage, they placed it on the cold bunker under the pup's head.

They, along with Luke, went off for the steering deck.

"Come on and let's get Ýmir off for her maiden voyage!"

***

The sound of the door closing roused the sleeping pup. He was now fully conscious and looked around with panic. Scrambling to his paws, he threw itself full-force upon the steel door. It wouldn't budge. He tried jumping into the sea, but was blocked out by the glass. Hurt and bewildered, he closed his blue, round eyes and clearly heard the call of the tundra, howling for him to come back… home.

2: Night Call

It was really cold, considering that I became used to snuggling under my mother's belly and lived in a den. After I've gotten shot by some sort of thorn, a dart they call it, and stored away in a cold, metallic den in … something... I don't know.

I didn't like it here. The den I was kept in felt too small. The ground was cold, making me shiver. The only thing I love about this den is the soft thing at the corner. It's so silky.

I hear other dogs, howling, somewhere close by. I understood what they were thinking. Why did we get taken away? They probably felt the same way I did, feeling lonely and alone; stuck here in a small den. I remembered my old den. It was warm, soft enough and most of all, I didn't feel alone. I was loved there. Having to be taken away from my old home tugged at my heartstrings.

I strained to hear the familiar bark I yearned to hear, hoping she would be here to comfort me. Nothing. I padded to the soft thing and settled myself, head slumped in defeat. I think I was meant to sleep on it.

"Here's your food, baby." came the voice of the local feeder.

I'd swear I'd rip her to mince-meat if I didn't have this harness on. Baby, indeed! So I promptly ate the raw salmon as she walked out the door. So I went for a nice, long but lonely rest.

The days that followed were incredibly boring. I met a couple of the dogs close to me... kind of. I didn't see them from the door that kept me in, but I talked with them. From them, I learned that thing we were kept in was called a room, and the room was inside a ship. The conversations weren't interesting. They actually seemed more depressed than I was.

I looked out the window in my room and saw the half moon rising high in the black sky. For some time on this ship, I've counted the rise and fall of the moon as a kind of pastime. I counted 20 cycles. 20 days.

"Pana, are you there?" A whimper echoed into my room, surprising me. It was Willy, the dog who I talked to most often. He talked to me late at night, every night. Like the crows cawing in the middle of the night in Frostypoint.

"Yep." I replied. The sound echoed coldly.

"I want to go home, Pana."

As if he didn't tell me that already. "Don't worry," I barked, "we'll get out of here soon."

"I know! I think we'll be landing soon!" Landing? Great. Another weird word.

"What do you mean by landing?"

"I don't know all the details, but it'll involve us being released from this place!" My heart soared. I can go back home!

"Really?" I yipped enthusiastically, "That's great! Then why tell me you want to go home when it's obvious we're going home soon?"

I could now sense that Willy was worried. "I'm n-not sure wh-wh-where we'll be released."

I felt myself begin to worry. What if he was right? I waved the thought away. "Don't worry. We'll be back to our dens."

I heard him yawn. I yawned in response. It was getting late. "I'll be back to bed," he woofed, "Let's talk again tomorrow."

"Sure thing." I looked back to the soft pelt I slept on. "So, it's called a bed, huh?" I mumbled to myself. I flopped down on it. It didn't take long for me to get to sleep. Now, I knew that there was escape from this place. My paws itched with anticipation. That night, I dreamt of running through the thin snow covering the grass on the tundra, the wind ruffling through my fur. I kept running until I woke up to the same routine. Talking, drinking, eating, sleeping.

3: Wood-Scent

I want to go home. That was the only thing that was running through my mind as I paced back and forth in my room. I missed the wide plains, where I could run as far as I could, without anything to stop me from going wherever I wanted to.

Days passed, and it felt like the room got smaller and smaller; the walls closing in on me, wanting to keep me in. At times, I would get so scared that I’d ram myself against the walls, scared, of this place where I didn’t understand anything.

I looked to the moon shining outside the window. The whole day, I was pacing, ramming and howling; all to no avail. I still can’t get out of this place. My whole body felt like it was on fire. I winced; my legs and head hurt. All the days of longing and stress had made my pelt unkempt and messy. I felt lonely and I hurt all over. I had to sleep. I settled myself above my bed and lay on it. A refreshing darkness swiftly overtook me.

***

When I woke up, I felt stiff and a bit numb. Like when I ran through snow for too long. I looked around and saw that I was in something. It was cold like the ship but I could see through it. It was a kind of cobweb. I would have gone crazy if I didn't feel so tired. A human was carrying me! The human was holding the cobweb from above. Oh no. I have to get out of here. I tried standing up. The mesh of cobweb shook. My legs buckled under me as I lost balance.

Frostbite! I cursed silently as I staggered back a little. I still felt groggy for some reason. I’ve been awake for a while now! It isn’t supposed to be like this! My head spun and my legs felt weak. Finally, my attempt to keep standing finally lost.

I collapsed. The cobweb was cold and shiny. I shivered and narrowed my eyes as the material touched my stomach. It seemed to be made of the same thing that my room was made out of.

Looking around, I noticed that the human carrying me was talking with some other humans in deep, weird howls. All the noise they made came together in a loud buzz. Other humans were carrying meshes too, with other puppies like me in them. Some meshes had been put down on the floor, with yet more dogs in them. Most of them were asleep. The rest looked around with a glazed stare. Is that what I look like? I wondered.

Beyond them, I saw water stretching out for miles. The waves were rolling in. On the other side, light gray rock was similarly stretching far. Other rocks, each with different colours, were on the gray rock. I looked back to the floor the other meshes were laid on. It was a light brown. I took a sniff, trying to figure what it was made of. Apart from the cold smell of the humans and the musky smells of the other dogs, I picked out a distinct smell, earthy and mild. Wood!

So the floor is made of wood. But why is it flat? Aren’t tree trunks rough and round? I looked at the scenery, overwhelming me with new sights, scents and sounds. Wait a second. Flat wood ground? Rough gray rock? Coloured boxes? Lots of humans? My mother told me of a place like this in some of the stories she told me. The port!

I looked around again and I was not mistaken. This place matched her description nearly word for word. This was the place where humans get stuff from the sea. It’s called cargo, apparently.

“Hey, there!” I was startled to hear Willy’s voice, calling to me from a nearby mesh.

“Willy!” I yelped, “What’s happening? Where are we?”

“We’re at the port right now,” he replied to me, shaking his fur. Why does he seem cool about the entire thing? It seems like he doesn’t feel as tired as me or the other dogs.

He lolled his tongue out, his panting breaths turning into mist in the cold dawn air. “We’ve just landed!” he barked. He looked as if he would have jumped, had it not been for the weird cobweb mesh we and the rest of the dogs were kept in.

Thoughts whirled in my head. It began hurting, either due to all the thinking I was doing or because it just started to snow lightly. “This...” I began, shaking snow that was coating my fur. I wished I could shake off my anxiety just as easily. “This is landing? It’s horrible! You made it sound so great! Now, I’m in this... thing! It’s a fourth of the size of my room in the ship! And just to add, we’re now out in this cold! I feel so tired, I can’t even stand! Forget about balancing!”

I was surprised at just how angry I’d become. After a long silence, my head cleared a little. I realized I’d been snarling at Willy. I also realized that some of the other dogs had started to look at us. The humans hadn’t paid attention. They were either too busy or they couldn’t hear us.

Willy looked taken aback. “Chill! It ain’t over yet. Let me explain.” His voice was puzzled, not angry or annoyed at all. I was a little impressed, I’ll admit. If it had been me, I’d have kept from talking to him.

He shook his fur again, creating a cloud of dusty snow. “While we were asleep, they got us on tranquilizers. It’s so that we’d still be asleep while they put us into these cages.” I looked at the mesh. Cage. Got it.

Willy dropped to a sitting position. “They put all of us into the cages. It’s to keep us from running away before they want to release us.” At this thought, I felt a growing resentment towards these humans. Who are they to dictate when or where we can go?

On the bright side, that explained a lot of things. The stiffness and numbness I’m feeling, for example.

“Thanks,” I dipped my head, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

Willy wagged his tail. “No prob.” He looked around, as if he was looking for something. He then turned back to me.

“So, any other questions?” he asked.

“How come you know all this stuff?” I queried, genuinely curious about how he had managed to pull all this together without a problem. “I mean, you’re kind of wild too, right? You live with humans?”

Willy flinched. He looked at me as if I was going crazy. “No way,” he replied, “I ain’t sleeping with those humans. I just get along with other dogs better than you do; no offense.” He scratched behind his ear. “Other than you, I also talk with the guard dog, Alfie. He roams the ship. He’s the one who lives with humans. He taught me all those terms.”

“Oh. Makes sense.” I was about to turn away when I remembered a question I wanted to ask him.

“Hey, Willy.” I woofed, calling his attention.

“Hmmm?” He opened an eye to look at me. It appeared that the tranquilizers were beginning to take effect on him. “What is it?”

“Where are we?” I pricked my ears, to make sure that I would miss what he said. But it was too late. Willy was now fast asleep, his slow, steady breath lost in the sound of noise caused by humans.

I sighed and turned away. The question had been bogging me for a while now. So, we landed. Great. Now the question is where we landed. I hoped with my heart of hearts that it would be Frostypoint, or a place close by. But my hopes felt like they were slowly sinking in icy water with every lungful of air I breathed in this place. It didn’t smell at all like Frostypoint. In fact, this scent was different in that it was darker somehow.

I forced myself to think that the scent was coming off the humans; that it was their scent overpowering the scent of the wind coming from what lay beyond this port. The thought comforted me, and I stayed awake, confident that this will be the day I’d be free again after many months.

4: Escape

I was at a loss for words. This wasn’t the first time it showed up. It wasn’t. But the last time I felt my senses shifting was…  I unintentionally recalled a memory from our den. I was young; half-asleep from worry and fear, having a nightmare of humans taking away my mother. I felt the same fear weigh back in my chest like a heavy stone.

I grit my teeth and growled low in my throat. I was determined to keep whatever this was in check. It caused me pain all those months ago. It wasn’t going to do that again.

The human was here now, counting the dogs in a line. It as “Ninety-six, ninety-seven…” the human counted, pointing at me and at Willy. He counted three more dogs to our right. “—One hundred!” he exclaimed proudly, “We did it! They’re complete!”

Complete? What could he mean? I glanced back at Willy, who was frozen stiff. Fear-scent came off him in waves. I found myself beginning to shiver. “What’s happening?” I asked Willy, hoping that he could assure me somehow.

“I don’t know,” he finally mumbled, taking a deep breath before continuing, “I’m not sure what’s next.”

The human barked orders at other humans, who obeyed readily. I guessed this must be their alpha, with the way he directed things so efficiently.

The others started lifting some of the cages into some gigantic creature. It had huge black paws and its sharp features looked unnatural. The cages were loaded into its back end. I was in utter shock. What were they going to do to us?

The dogs barked in alarm as the back end was closed. I couldn’t see them anymore through the barrier blocking them from sight. I felt my senses slowly begin shifting again, trying to get a better glimpse at them. I looked away before it could fully take over. Not anymore! I reprimanded myself.

The alpha human walked up to the gigantic creature and gave an affirmative bark. Instantly, it woke, sparking to life in a loud growl. The other dogs yelped. My tail dropped between my legs in apprehension. And then, it started moving. I yelped in distress, thinking of all the dogs in there. My throat tightened.

It took on speed; still growling as it sped farther and farther away, until it was lost from sight. Its disgusting fumes still burned at the back of my throat and stung my eyes. My eyes refused to blink after what I’d just seen. They’re gone.

I glanced furtively at Willy and found that he was just as afraid as I was. There was no longer any sign of the confident dog I talked to when we got off the ship. His tail was far between his legs in fear and he whimpered pitifully.

“Second truck’s ready!” A human shouted as another one of the gross monsters came.

“No! Wait!” I howled imploringly. It was no use. Another human grabbed my cage away. But he didn’t lift Willy’s.

All of a sudden, I realized that every other cage, except his, was going to be taken to the giant monster. From the hard mesh I was kept in, I saw his cage drift away from view.

Willy. He’d been my friend for four months. He was a friend I could talk to. Someone I could confide in. He trusted me. And now he was going to be gone forever. I growled, then I woofed as I hit the side of the cage with all the force I could muster.

It worked! The human dropped my cage, and I hit the ground painfully. Something clinked on the hard gray rock. The impact had dislodged a little stick from the side of the cage. The cage swung open, and I didn’t wait a second before escaping.

The humans shouted at me from everywhere as I tore towards Willy’s cage. It had been so long since I’ve given my stiff joints a good stretch. It had been such a long while since the last time I ran that I almost forgot how to do it. It felt really good to have the wind flying past my fur and my paws against ground again.

I skidded to a halt in front of Willy’s cage. The ground was hard and rough; not good at all for running. My paws were bruising after just a short distance. “Quick,” I woofed breathlessly, “Let’s get out of here!”

“I…” Willy stuttered on his words. He hesitated. I nervously scanned the area behind. The humans were running in our direction; in their hands were long sticks with a vine loop at the end. There’s no time!

I barreled into the side of his cage, feeling my shoulder thud painfully against the mesh. The cage tipped over, but there wasn’t a clink. They were nearing. I briskly glanced around, and found the twig still lodged on the cage side.

“Look out!” Willy gave me a heads up. I ducked just in time to dodge the loop they tried to fit my head into. I sensed another stick on its way to my head. I jumped. It went under me. I swiftly tore away. I’ll be back. I promised Willy silently.

I kept running. Everywhere I looked, there were giant yellow things looming overhead, ships from the sea, and those huge colored square rocks. I didn’t know which way to go. I just had to follow my instincts, and my instincts told me to keep running. I heard a little whooshing sound. Oh no. Not this again.

I swiftly changed direction, making a zigzag motion. I heard the ping of the dart hitting the ground harmlessly. I’m safe! I leaped a little, feeling triumphant.

 I then caught a whiff of something; coolly comforting out of all the acrid odors in this human world. Pine trees! I was sure of it. If my intuition was right, there would be a pine forest nearby. I took another quick sniff of the numbingly cold air. The smell was coming from my right.

I looked to the right, and sure enough, I saw a clear path to a forest beyond the expanse of gray rock and human stuff. I tore past all the commotion surrounding me. I was eager to finally feel real ground underpaw, after all those months in the hands of humans. Excitement began filling my body from muzzle to tail. I was so close! I could feel the fresh air wafting from the pines and the scent of quarry making my mouth water.

I took a final leap, landing on a soft cushion of pine needles layering the forest floor. I didn’t stop running, afraid that the humans were still tailing me. I wouldn’t be settled until I was deep into the forest.

As I ran, I looked around, savoring the sounds of small birds, mice and the rustle of leaves; all sounds I haven’t heard for a long time. I took a deep breath of air. The air was clear and crisp, nothing at all like the stifling stillness or muzzle-wrinkling sourness I’ve experienced. I slowed my pace, sure that they wouldn’t chase me this far into the wild.

I suddenly became acutely aware of the sharp pain in my belly. I remembered that I had just eaten when I started running. I shook myself too much, and now I was feeling the consequences. I could only close my eyes against the twisting pain. I looked around for a spot to rest myself, and found a well-sheltered spot under a tree. I lay myself down with a grunt, partly relieved of the hurt on my paws and body. I breathed as shallowly as possible, hopefully trying to make more space for my stomach.

“Ouch.” I whimpered through gritted teeth. I wouldn’t be able to move for a while. I looked around shakily, hoping that nothing was watching or following me. I couldn’t see anything. I looked to the midday sky and closed my eyes, grateful that I was able to escape the humans.

My mind drifted back to the port, where I’d nearly been taken away. Willy! I left him behind! His cage didn’t open even when I toppled it. Why? What were they going to do to him? What were they going to do to the other dogs? I suddenly visualized him, eyes filled with terror as he was taken away by the truck. It was all too easy to imagine.

It felt as if an icicle had pierced my chest. He had been my friend for so long. He was always so interactive; so understanding. I looked up at his courageousness, and I’d hoped we’d escape together, looking for our homes side by side. My head drooped in grief, and I was silent. He was gone now. I could have saved him, but I wasn’t good enough.

 

I woke up at dusk. With bleary eyes, I eyed the surroundings. Clear. I stood up, realizing that my stomachache had disappeared. I shook myself and then I shivered slightly. Lying motionless in a cold place was inevitably going to give me chills. So I decided to take a walk to warm myself up.

The orange light of the day about to end cast long shadows on the ground, stretching out eerily across the forest floor. Various animals called out for night.

So this is the forest at dusk. I gazed around in awe of the stars peeking through the canopy. I wasn’t allowed to venture out of the den when the sun went down. My mother simply told me it was safer in the den. But I began to think whether she was speaking the truth or not as I saw the moonlight filtering softly through the trees. It was a majestic sight to behold. I stopped, reveling in the beauty of the surroundings. I found a sparkling stream nearby, flowing with clear water. Remembering just how much I needed to hydrate myself, I quickly padded up to it and took laps of the cold liquid. It was refreshing. Now I could think straight.

I walked slowly onward. The forest was now speckled with white light. I glanced everywhere, astonished. I noticed a large brown rock in my path. I was just going to skirt it. But then as I got nearer, I noticed that it had fur. It had four huge paws and a bulky body. Its round head turned to face me, and my heart caught in my throat as it reared up on its hind legs and roared.