Brotherband 4: Slaves of Socorro Read Online Free PDF Page A

underbody. The legs were black to about halfway down their length, where the black fur gave way to tan socks and white feet. There were tan markings on its jowls as well, and a tan spot above each eye. With its eyes evenly bisected by that white strip, and the two identical markings above them, there was a pleasing symmetry to the dog’s looks. Everything seemed to be just right, correctly in place. Its ears were floppy and black, again with tan highlights at the tips.
    Kloof!
    The dog spoke again and Hal sensed that it was hesitating about coming any closer. He dropped to one knee and held out his right hand, palm down and fingers loosely curled, towards the animal.
    ‘Kloof yourself,’ he said in a gentle, welcoming tone. ‘Come and say hello.’
    The dog edged out from the bushes, then retreated half a pace, eyes fixed on Hal. He remained unmoving, still with his hand outstretched. The dog took another pace and emerged fully from the bushes. The big, heavy tail wagged tentatively. No, it didn’t wag, Hal corrected himself. It waved. Back and forth, back and forth, gaining conviction as it did so.
    ‘Don’t be frightened,’ he said, thinking how ironic that was. When he’d thought it was a bear, the dog had nearly caused him to lose control of his basic functions.
    The dog shook its head. Kloof! it said again.
    Hal nodded approvingly. ‘That’s quite a bark you have there,’ he told it. He wriggled his fingers and the dog moved a pace closer. Then two more.
    It stopped just out of reach of his outstretched hand.
    ‘Don’t know what you’re scared of,’ he told it, speaking in a low voice. ‘You could bite my arm off at the elbow if you had a mind to.’
    The dog moved closer still. He could feel its warm breath huffing onto his knuckles. Then the tongue came out and licked his fingers. The tail wagged more convincingly as the dog decided it couldn’t taste any threat on his hands.
    ‘You know,’ he said quietly, ‘my knees are killing me. I might have to stand up.’
    He opened his fingers, touching the dog lightly under its chin, rubbing the soft hair there. Its eyes half closed and he reached further, to fondle it under the neck. The dog tilted its head to enjoy the touch.
    ‘All right,’ he said, ‘I’m going to stand up now.’
    Slowly, he rose from his crouching position. As he began to move, the dog’s eyes snapped open and its ears pricked up in alarm as it reared back half a pace, both its forepaws coming off the ground as it did so. He kept his hand extended, and continued speaking softly to the dog as he stood.
    ‘Nothing to worry about. Nothing to be afraid of. It’s still just me.’
    The dog eyed him warily, then its ears went down and it sidled forward again to be patted. It let out a low-pitched gurgle of pleasure as Hal fondled its ears, then turned and rammed its heavy body against his lower legs, nearly throwing him to the ground. It sat on Hal’s foot, trapping him, and held its chin up for more fondling. He obliged.
    ‘You’re a big one, aren’t you?’ he told it. ‘What’s your name?’ He put a little playful urgency in his tone as he repeated the question, ruffling the fur on its head and ears. ‘What’s your name, eh? What’s your name?’
    The dog stood abruptly, tail lashing back and forth.
    Kloof! it said. He considered the sound.
    ‘Well, I suppose that’s as good a name as any,’ he told it.

O n closer inspection, Hal determined that Kloof, as he now called the dog, was a female. She led the way back to his house, or rather, she pranced ahead of him, turning back from time to time to make sure she was heading in the same direction he was, wagging her tail to encourage him to keep up.
    They approached the side door to the restaurant kitchen, where Hal would normally expect to find his mother, preparing for the evening’s trade. He gestured to Kloof to sit and, somewhat to his surprise, she did.
    ‘Wait here,’ he told her. She thumped her tail once on