The pup ran, rough and tumble as pups do, across the hot sand to reach the cooler grass in the shade. He ran from death and from danger toward he know not what. This was the first time he had been away from the pack and separated from his mother. The monster had come in the night when they slept and singly decimated the wolf den. The pup was all that had survived.

He did not know where to turn for help or food, much less how to survive on his own at four months old. Eagles terrified him as they passed overhead, crying their screeching calls, and buzzards began to circle expectantly, waiting for an easy meal. He reached the shade of the tree and nestled in against the trunk to sleep.

A man approached, seeming to materialize out of the shifting heat and the pup stirred from his slumber. He knealt down next to the pup and stroked his fur inquiringly to determine if he was alive or dead. Pup perked up and looked up at the strange man rubbing his fur. The ugly features in the man’s face were repulsive and Pup wondered at how they made tribes if everyone was so ugly, but he was no authority in human beauty. By degrees, Pup became more comfortable with Man and the assessment became more petting than anything else. Man petted him for a long time and eventually produced some food scraps which he graciously gave to Pup, who gobbled them up eagerly. Mutual trust grew between them as they sat in each others company until Man rose to leave.

Pup whined for his departing acquaintance and Man turned back to beacon for him to follow. Pup bounded forward and circled Man playfully before they set off together. Man picked Pup up after a while and they made faster locomotion that way, quickly arriving at Man’s domicile.

Man set him upon a chair with a soft cushion and turned toward a close corner where he caught, then presented a formidable cat to Pup. His smile was contagious as he introduced the great cat who seemed immune to the infectious smile that had caught both Man and Pup.

“This is Pup,” Man said to the cat before turning to Pup and saying “meet Dragon.”

He placed Dragon on the floor where he promptly leaped to the chair and circled Pup to size him up. He returned to his cozy corner and napped without making any other movement.

Pup tumbled out of the chair and walked over to Dragon, curled up against his long fur, and fell asleep. This was home, finally.