Wild Dog City (Darkeye Volume 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Bii
directly onto the bed, but the fox suddenly squirmed in his
jaws.
    "Put me down," he said, a bit breathlessly.
"I have to greet him."
    Mhumhi obliged, and the fox tottered a bit
before getting his bearings again. Kebero whined and looked at
Kutta for some direction.
    Bii struck a peculiar pose, arching his back
and tail, and hopped sideways towards Kebero. The motion was
unfamiliar, but the intent seemed clear, and Kebero tensed for an
instant before bowing on his front legs with his rump wagging in
the air.
    At once Bii hopped at him with his front paws
raised, surprisingly spry even with his injured foot, and Kebero
gave a puppyish growl and raised up to box with him, tumbling him
at once- even Kebero was bigger than him. Bii took it well and
rolled on his back and pushed at his muzzle with all four paws,
tail wagging against the floor.
    "They're getting along," said Kutta, glancing
at Mhumhi, but he'd gone into a play bow instinctively at the sight
of Kebero's and now bounded up to shove at her shoulder, wagging
his tail.
    "Oh, come on," said Kutta, but he batted at
her shoulder with his front paw and she twisted and boxed back at
him, waving tail betraying her.
    The four of them play-fought for a little
while, panting and laughing, until Kutta noticed Bii, who was
pinned under Mhumhi's forearm, wincing and bleeding.
    "Come on, stop, stop," she cried, nipping
Mhumhi sharply on the flank so that he jumped away, and picked up
Bii herself to lay him on the bed. "I'm sorry, Bii, I forgot you
were injured."
    Bii didn't respond, looking weary, and turned
to gingerly lick at his foot. Kebero jumped up beside him, ears
back, and licked under his chin.
    "He likes, him, right?" Kutta said softly to
Mhumhi. "That's good- no, stop it, Mhumhi, we're done playing
now."
    Mhumhi had been poking at her again, but he
slowly put his paw down.
    Kebero cuddled next to Bii, and the fox
turned to lick the top of his head with his tiny tongue.
    “Can you speak yet, little one?”
    Kebero raised his head and gave a long
whimper that turned into a word. “Auuuuuuuwoh- woh- yes.”
    “Wonderful,” said Bii, drawing his lips back
into a smile, as Kutta shuddered. “You’re doing very well. Can you
tell me-“
    “Wohhh,” moaned Kebero, and then he began to
twitch strangely. “Wh- wh- wh-“ He bobbed his head, licking his
lips convulsively. “Wh-“
    “Kebero, stop it,” said Kutta. “Come on-”
    “Let him work it out,” said Bii, suddenly
somewhat sharp. “Kebero, it’s all right.”
    Kebero’s mouth worked, and he twitched and
shuddered. Mhumhi was fairly sure Bii’s words weren’t reaching him
anyway; his little eyes were focused on something beyond their
vision. Eventually he stilled, his jaws slack and his tongue
hanging out.
    “If he talks too much, that always happens,”
said Kutta, her eyes rather thin as she looked at Bii. “It’s not
good for him.”
    “It’s not good to stop him from speaking,”
retorted Bii. “You’re hindering his growth, that’s why he’s having
these difficulties. Didn’t your mother teach you how to care for
puppies?”
    Kutta stiffened, her tail bristling, and
Mhumhi licked his lips; but then she seemed to relax and ducked her
head.
    “Mother hasn’t been around for a while. And
Keb came to us when he was- well, when he was a little too
old.”
    “I see,” said Bii, rather softly. “It’s all
right. He’ll be just fine.” He turned to lick Kebero again, and
Kebero blinked, coming out of his odd stupor. Mhumhi averted his
gaze, feeling a bit ashamed. When Kebero’s speech-convulsions had
started he himself had been repulsed, and rather afraid of them,
though his mother had assured him they were normal for a young dog
learning to speak. Sacha had been indifferent, even cold; but that
was no real surprise. She had taken some time to warm up to Mhumhi
himself. Kutta had spent most of the time out of all of them with
Kebero, but even she often went off with their