Chapter 15: A Turn for the Better
Back at the sandstone cliffs, it had been three months since Steven had left. The new dens were almost completed and as an extra safety measure, Adam had ordered for an intricate tunnel system to be dug out, a sort of maze connecting all the dens, meant to confuse and maybe trap any enemy that tried to attack them.
Meanwhile, things had started to take a turn for the better for Kenya. Snow had begun falling outside of the house where she was living, and the temperatures had begun to drop. Yet she was still being forced to sleep outside most nights. However, she had been noticing a slight change in her owner lately. He had been drinking from his flat, shiny container less. And somehow, that was causing his mood to get better. Ever since he began drinking less of whatever was in that thing, he had begun to treat her better. Before she knew it, he had started letting her inside at night, and was less harsh with his punishments. It wasn’t long before he got rid of the flask entirely and he seemed like a completely different person.
He stopped forcing her to sleep outside and didn’t lock her up when he had visitors. He began treating her much better and the two had begun to form a bond. She was no longer restricted from interacting with the other Cani around town, so her and Nugget were talking a lot now. Most of what they spoke about was just friendly talk, but sometimes they spoke about the Mysterious Man, who had been slowly growing in popularity among the neighborhood pets, the very thought of him, looming over all their heads.
“Kenya,” Nugget detto one day. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
“About what?” she asked.
“About that man.”
“What is it?”
“He still hasn’t returned from the forest,” Nugget said. “It’s been five months, and no one’s seen any sign of him.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Kenya asked. “That means we won’t be seeing him again. He’s probably Lost o dead.”
“I don’t think so,” Nugget replied.
“What do te mean?”
“Apparently, there’s a rumor going around that he’s one of the greatest hunters in the region. If anyone could survive in the forest for this long, chances are, he could.”
“What do te think he’s doing out there?” Kenya wondered.
“I don’t know,” Nugget replied. “My best guess is that he’s tracking something o someone.”
“Any idea who?” Kenya asked, hoping it wasn’t someone close to her.
“No, unfortunately.”
Kenya and Nugget changed the subject to something better than a murderous lupo slayer. Over the successivo couple of years, Kenya’s relationship with her owner continued to grow and although she never would’ve admitted it, she was beginning to like this life. Away from the woods, sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza from anything that could hurt her, in a place where Cibo wasn’t difficult to find. She still missed Humphrey, of course, but she knew he could handle himself out there. Kenya remained in the human town for almost 30 years until Humphrey would return and they would finally reunite.
Back at the sandstone cliffs, it had been three months since Steven had left. The new dens were almost completed and as an extra safety measure, Adam had ordered for an intricate tunnel system to be dug out, a sort of maze connecting all the dens, meant to confuse and maybe trap any enemy that tried to attack them.
Meanwhile, things had started to take a turn for the better for Kenya. Snow had begun falling outside of the house where she was living, and the temperatures had begun to drop. Yet she was still being forced to sleep outside most nights. However, she had been noticing a slight change in her owner lately. He had been drinking from his flat, shiny container less. And somehow, that was causing his mood to get better. Ever since he began drinking less of whatever was in that thing, he had begun to treat her better. Before she knew it, he had started letting her inside at night, and was less harsh with his punishments. It wasn’t long before he got rid of the flask entirely and he seemed like a completely different person.
He stopped forcing her to sleep outside and didn’t lock her up when he had visitors. He began treating her much better and the two had begun to form a bond. She was no longer restricted from interacting with the other Cani around town, so her and Nugget were talking a lot now. Most of what they spoke about was just friendly talk, but sometimes they spoke about the Mysterious Man, who had been slowly growing in popularity among the neighborhood pets, the very thought of him, looming over all their heads.
“Kenya,” Nugget detto one day. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
“About what?” she asked.
“About that man.”
“What is it?”
“He still hasn’t returned from the forest,” Nugget said. “It’s been five months, and no one’s seen any sign of him.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Kenya asked. “That means we won’t be seeing him again. He’s probably Lost o dead.”
“I don’t think so,” Nugget replied.
“What do te mean?”
“Apparently, there’s a rumor going around that he’s one of the greatest hunters in the region. If anyone could survive in the forest for this long, chances are, he could.”
“What do te think he’s doing out there?” Kenya wondered.
“I don’t know,” Nugget replied. “My best guess is that he’s tracking something o someone.”
“Any idea who?” Kenya asked, hoping it wasn’t someone close to her.
“No, unfortunately.”
Kenya and Nugget changed the subject to something better than a murderous lupo slayer. Over the successivo couple of years, Kenya’s relationship with her owner continued to grow and although she never would’ve admitted it, she was beginning to like this life. Away from the woods, sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza from anything that could hurt her, in a place where Cibo wasn’t difficult to find. She still missed Humphrey, of course, but she knew he could handle himself out there. Kenya remained in the human town for almost 30 years until Humphrey would return and they would finally reunite.