Mud and Flames
The rain was oppressive. It had made the last few days and nights feel like time had dragged far more than was natural. As she struggled through the muddy yard, boots sucking in the wet ground and skirts gathering weight with every step, her spirits sank ever lower. She was used to these times alone, but this time felt so bleak. It was as if she was on the edge of a precipice, hanging by threads, just waiting for horrible news. She shook her head; wet curls sent a spray of water around her much like one of the hounds after a bath. At this she smiled. She wondered if Thom and the pack were faring any better with the weather now that they were over a couple days'walk from the place.
At the pen she found Cait panting with her muzzle in the wire. The poor dear. She really seemed so pitiful all alone with the others gone. Yet, Thom had been right, she was unusually heavy with pup. Maire let her out and Cait wound herself around the woman's legs. The she-hound was not acting at all like herself. She had never been an affectionate one before, always stand-offish. "Perhaps motherhood is changing her?" Maire thought. She looked down into the liquid caramel eyes and mused, "Perhaps not just the pups.The hound has a look of loneliness about her." It felt to Maire, somehow, that the she-hound missed her mate. Och, there she was again, ascribing human emotions to the hounds, her Thom would have a laugh at that. He would surely think she had gone soft in the head. Still, Cait looked so plaintive. She let the hound follow her about as she completed her tasks, mud sucking at her with every step.
Finally done and wet through, she made her way back to the pen to put Cait away. She opened the gate and gave her a pat, "In ye go." But rather than the obedient response she expected, Cait rolled back onto her haunches and looked up at Maire, seeming to plead for more time with her. "Truly after all this time, now ye've decided to spare me a bit o' attention?" Maire gazed at the hound. "All right then, as it is just us two women-folk, we'll make do together. But don't ye be tellin' my Thom on me, ye ken?" Cait stood tail wagging and eyes suddenly bright.
Maire made her way to the pump through the clinging mud and retrieved an extra bucket of water. "Ye willna' be likin' this I'm thinkin', but that mud isna 'comin' in my house," she grinned. Cait followed her to the porch and sat patiently while Maire slipped out of her muddy garb and down to her shift. She sluiced herself off and dried with the bit of towel she had left there, then opened the door. The hound rose expectantly. "Ye'll be stayin' there for the moment," stated Maire pointedly. The hound cocked her head and stood still.
The woman slipped inside and quickly donned her scrubbing clothes, found a brush, soap and old rags, then hurried outside. Cait stood exactly as she had left her. At the sight of the soap and the brush she began to back away on the porch. The fear in her eyes left no doubt that she remembered her last bath. "Come now girlie, tis na so bad, an' after ye will have a lay by the fire an' a few o' me biscuits," crooned Maire as she approached her slowly. The hound slowed her retreat just long enough for Maire to catch her by the scruff and drag the bucket over with her other hand. Cait jerked as the first sluice of cold water ran down her haunch, but gradually steadied under the soothing stroke of the brush. Maire took her time, getting the great clots of mud out and brushing through the tangles in her wiry fur, using the water carefully to make sure she was free of suds so as not to dry her more sensitive motherly skin. She was not quite fast enough with the rags, though, as when she turned to get the cloths, Cait gathered herself and shook with all her might, sending water droplets in a wild rain and soaking Maire as much as the rain outside had earlier.
"Och, well, at least we're both clean," she laughed. She rubbed the dog down and marveled at the swell in her belly, the engorged teats. Cait was bound to have either a big litter or a litter of big pups. It was likely that she was going to have them soon as well. Yet that hardly seemed possible given the time she was seeded. Was it even possible?
Deeming the hound dry enough she wadded up the cloths and ushered her into the house. Cait walked right to the fire, circled twice and lay down as if she had been there a thousand times before. "Perhaps ye'll make a fine guest after all," thought Maire as she went to change yet again.
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