A voice, an unknown voice, called out to her. It was impossible to decipher its exact words, whether they be gibberish, powerful screams, or desperate pleads. The voice was deep, making it harder to make out what its request was. Then the visions came, sketching thick woodland pines into her eyes. There were wolves, many of them, shouting and screaming. Someone had died. No, injured, it was hard to tell. There was a crowd, blocking her from seeing. Was this a dream? The voice continued, and finally, called out to her.

You are the key. You are the key. You are the key. 

Sunlight had broken through the Flesh Bag home window. Several shadows were cast into the home, and the gentle Lucky lay napping in her bed near the kitchen countertop. The golden retriever’s tail swept ever so slightly as she dreamt, but dreams are only dreams, not reality. However, the thought of visualizing it felt good to her, like eating tasty food or smelling a good scent. It felt good to believe in it, real or not. A smile crept up her face. The warm breezes of a dream world, stolen by the cold winds of reality.

Her eyes opened, and her smile dissipated to a null expression.

Standing just a meter away was Thomas, her best friend. The husky stood with a null expression too, almost as if he were waiting for his friend to wake up. The two hadn’t maintained silence for a moment, until a small smirk crept upon Thomas’ face.

“Good afternoon, Lucky.” 

It was well past noon.

“Good morning, Thomas.” 

Lucky rose from her pink and fluffy bed, stepping off and stretching into a downward dog position. She rose from this position and began scavenging for food. Their Flesh Bag masters only left the small pebbles of dirt known as “dog food.” It was revolting, but she was hungry, so she began eating one pebble at a time regardless. The hunger masked the taste, numbing the sorrow flavor. Two trays of the these pebbles were left for the two pets, but Thomas had already eating half his bowl and drank most of his water.

Whenever they were thirsty and there was no water in their bowls, they would head outside to the fenced backyard using the doggy door, and in the backyard was a pond made of rainwater. It tasted much more savory than the regular Flesh Bag water they were given, and was constantly supplied by the clouds. Lucky went outside and began drinking from this pond, and everywhere she went so did Thomas. The two were inseparable.

“You have something that’s bothering you.” He stood a foot away. “I can tell. You always have something bothering you.”

“How do you deal with the Flesh Bags?” Her head turned but her body remained in the same position. “They feed us pebbles of poop and piss, and expect us to deal with it.”

“It’s either this or dying of starvation, Lucky–”

“Well, I’d rather die.” She returned to drinking the pond water.

Thomas wasn’t always the best one to receive advice from, “Then don’t eat.”

Her head returned to look back towards him, giving a stern look before resuming to drink from the pond. Splashing sounds emitted with each slurp she gave at the pond, and Thomas continued to observe for the minute this lasted. Her head rose once again, and her entire body turned to face him. His tail was in a docile state, and the two couldn’t help but look at each other.

”I was thinking of something.” She broke the silence.

”What?” He asked.

”I want to leave this place. Maybe go somewhere far.” She looked out past the fence, “Maybe I’ll go to Chowtown.”

“You’ll get slaughtered,” Thomas replied, “It’s safer here. Out there is dangerous.”

“Dangerous? And you think here isn’t dangerous?” Her tone became infuriated, “Every day we must deal with the Flesh Bag who treat us like roadkill, feed us the same thing everyday, expect us to squander around with smiles on our faces!” She let out an exhausted sigh. “I’m tired of that, Thomas! I’m tired of it!”

For the first time in a very long time, Thomas had heard his best friend shout. She remained with the same angered expression on her face for a moment, until several more breaths escaped her mouth, growing calmer the more they puffed out. Her angered expression slowly went for a saddened one the more Thomas maintained his silence, and before he knew it, his best friend was crying, pressing her forehead against his. His heartbeat was gentle, and Lucky’s slowly began receding to a calmer level too, and before the two knew it, the two held each other close.

Thomas whispered, “Why haven’t you ever told me this before?”

“I just didn’t want to disappoint you with the fact I didn’t want to be here anymore.” She raised her head, “I don’t want you to be disappointed with you being all alone here, but this is my destiny, Thomas.”

He raised his head as well. “Look, I’m not disappointed. I always want what’s best for you, and if you think that being far from here is what’s best, then I cannot stop that from happening.” He sighed. “Where do you even plan on going?”

Her head slowly turned to look past the fence, and in that moment, he knew exactly where she wanted to go: the Woodlands. It’s thick woods stretched for miles upon miles. None from the Domesticated had ever ventured into the Woodlands willingly, and all who have never returned. All who reside outside these Woodlands know of it’s boundaries and know never to cross it, but freedom, Lucky thought, is what was inside those treacherous woods.

Soon, night fell, and the duo found themselves sitting in the top floor of their master’s home, observing through the window the vastness of the Woodlands. Tree upon tree. Blade of grass upon blade of grass. It never ended, but Lucky knew what was out there. Opportunity for a better life. Both Lucky and Thomas knew of this.

“You know I can’t stop you, right?” Thomas looked outwards, muzzle raised ever so slightly, “If the rumors of the Woodlands being a vile wasteland are true, then I worry for you, Lucky. The last thing I want to see is you suffer. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want to lose that.”

She looked towards him with a soft expression, looking back and speaking, “I understand, but I want this. You know you can always come with me.”

“No,” His voice was quiet, “Somebody has to look after our masters. Besides, I’m sure I’ll find someone just as perfect as you.”

She smiled gently upon hearing these words escape his mouth, and a smile broke from Thomas’ lips too. She felt relieved knowing that her best friend was accepting of her departure, and gave a gentle lick on the side of his lips. Eventually, the two would spend the night together, laughing at each others jokes, play fighting, talking with one another, and, generally, spending her last night together, the only thing the both of them truly wanted.

Then, dawn came, and for the first time ever, she dreamt of something that truly became a reality: Thomas. The two smiled at each other the first moment they laid their eyes on each other.

Her plan was simple. Spend the entire day with Thomas and just him. At the crack of nightfall, they’d both bite a hole big enough for her to fit in the fence and escape, and that is what they did. As the moon rose high in the sky, the hole was made, and Thomas, standing just a foot away, watched as Lucky began crawling through the hole, but coming to a halt halfway. She returned back to Thomas’ side of the fence and looked towards him. He stood in confusion, but suddenly, a barrage of licks were planted on his face, causing him to chuckle and laugh. After she stopped, she finally began her departure, keeping her once great friend Thomas in a special place in her heart, beginning her expedition into the Woodlands.

Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to travel at night.

Her soft paws made their first steps into the dirt-filled terrain past the fence, an area she has never trekked through before, but today her odyssey would begin. It was impossible to see the distant Woodlands due to the tree’s obstructing her field of view. All was dark, fear filled, to the point where not even the sound of clicking crickets could be heard making their daily clicks.

Click click, click click, click click, click click.

She was at the point of no return. The faint lights of the once town she lived in had gone blurry, faint, barely visible, and the darkness of the Woodlands surrounded her in an infinite abyss of terror. The sound of a distance snapping twig could be heard, and her heart stopped. She froze, listening to the sound of rustling bushes and leaves nearby. Somebody was watching her. Studying her. She was ready to accept her fate, but her legs objected. Before she knew it, she was sprinting deep into the forest. Loud and powerful howls could be heard following her, but she was outrunning them. Their pants grew exhausted, but so much fear filled her with the adrenaline needed to sprint long enough.

Then, a flash of lightning struck her.

She was pinned down to the ground by a massive force, perhaps a foot taller than her. The others caught up, laughing and howling in excitement over their catch.

“Quite the runner!” 

“Domesticated runts always fail to surprise me!”

“What’d we do with this one?”

“Let’s slaughter her!”

“Now hold on, mate! Let’s have our fun with her first! Never’ve done it with a Domesticated before!”

She knew of her fate and was ready to accept it. Her eyes closed and her heart was ready to face whatever her captors were planning on doing with her. However, an unfamiliar scent struck her nose, and a large streak of the unknown leaped in the air and attacked what appeared to be the leader of her assailants. All had rose from the fearful Lucky and looked towards this unknown entity. Suddenly, everyone grew feared. They knew well who it was.

Three wolves stood aside the savior Fideus, presumably his allies. Fideus’ fur was of a bright white and gray, with the tips of it’s ears glowing the brightest of all the regions of his body. This trio of heroes was massive, much taller than Lucky’s assailants.

“Piss off, Kolossiaíos! We found her fair and square!” Shouted the enemy.

“In our lot, which means we have full liberty to slaughter you now.” Fideus replied as the enemy looked around,  “Now answer me this: are you willing to quarrel over one Woodlander?”

The enemy remained silent for a moment, until the leader gave the command, and they had vanished into the wild. It was silent for another moment as Fideus approached the debilitated Lucky, raising her head higher the closer her savior approached. A maple leaf was present on his left ear and a large scar across his chest. His stern face became a smirk upon locking eyes with Lucky. She was still filled with fear.

“And here I thought mice ran fast. Not even the wind can catch up with you, Woodlander.” His  breathing was gentle, and his musk smelled fantastic. “Rise, Woodlander. It’ll be okay.”

Her fearful panting calmed down, and soon she found herself standing in the presence of a massive alaskan wolf, surely a foot taller than her. She was unsure of whether to continue to be afraid just as much as her attackers were, or trust these unknown saviors. Not even a word could escape her mouth due to the traumatic event. Fildeus’ allies, Praetorius and Augustus, stood aside their leader, but Praetorius’ nose caught an unfamiliar and nasty scent.

“Blegh!” He shouted in disgust. “Reeks of the Domesticated!”

“I smell it too, Fideus.” Augusten commented, giving Lucky a sniff as well. “She’s from outside the Woodlands.”

Eventually Fideus caught the scent. “It appears so.”

“What a waste!” Praetorius licked his wound. “If I’d know we were saving a Domesticated I would’ve let the Silny have her!”

“Allay your anger, Praetorius!” Fideus looked down towards the now-concerned Lucky, looking at the trio. “She might have unknowingly wandered these Woodlands, no?”

Everyone fell silent, eyeballing Lucky. They were waiting for her to respond, but it was impossible to come up with words to say now. Fearful of answering incorrectly, her words came out as stutters.

“I-I’m sorry! You’re right. I’ll be on my way, I promise.”

Before she could leave, Fideus stopped her. “Now hold on. Julien will want to know about this. We bring her to the Pack and let him deal with this.”

Augustus objected. “Bollocks, Fideus! Bring a Domesticated into the Pack? Are you mad?”

He hadn’t replied as his decision was taken as final. Before she knew it, Lucky was taken by this trio into a fate she had no idea would end up as. Perhaps a prisoner, she thought.