I know everyone around me, though. I can still smell.
The masters look at our world differently. It must be a better way than ours, for they are the masters. But I could never understand how they can live without sniffing and touching. What might they be missing, that I could show them if I could?
Masters are strange. But we all love them so.
The games grew rougher, and it began to hurt. The Big Master would urge me to bark, and then bite. No one likes being bitten, so that led to fighting. Then the Big Master would pull me away, and stroke me, and tell me what a good girl I was, and feed me treats. And I would wag my tail, happily addicted to pleasing him. The Big Master would take me places in the long black car, and it was so exciting, with the innumerable scents flying through the open windows. But there was a price to be paid. Our trips would always end up with me fighting. I started NOT liking trips in the long black car… but I knew that is what the Big Master wanted.
So I went.
And fought. And shook myself to unsettled sleep at nights, after the Big Master had tended my wounds. I just wanted to please him. And worried so that I would fail, and not please him. Was I wrong?
Gradually, I sensed the Big Master was unhappy with me. I faked wanting to ride in the long black car and barked my head off before the fights to show how much I still wanted to please. But I knew he was spending more time with others living in the house. I kept trying and trying to please him. What else could I do? I was hurting so bad, but he wouldn’t tend my wounds and comfort me, like he did before.
About then, a pack of Stern Men all smelling cold invaded the Big Master’s home. The Big Master was angry, but he couldn’t make the Stern Men go away They put him in a special car, while we all barked our heads off. The Master was being taken away! What would we do? Who would take care of us? Who would we have to please?