dS Snippet: Leashed
Fandom/Character: due South, Diefenbaker
Rating: PG
Length: 295 words
Challenge: ds_snippets Challenge #12: "Ownership", Diefenbaker theme
Spoilers: The Wild Bunch
Thanks to: My beta omphale23.
He says he doesn't own me, which is true. I don't own him, but he is owned. Collared by Duty and leashed by Law. Sometimes, at night, I imagine the wolf in him growling and snapping at his bonds.
One door, one man between me and freedom. If I'd been captured by Criminals, we'd escape in moments. But this is Animal Control, where dangerous animals are sent to die. On the tundra the only rule was survival, and we saved each other every day. Now we are in the city, Law has its teeth at my throat, and he will not save me. He wants to, I think. But his leash jerks him short.
He talks and talks. Under the words, I sense his fear that I've gone wild. I know I never stopped. I almost close my eyes, shut him out, but that would be cruel. He offers to stay, but I send him away.
He stands to leave. I scent my mate, and she is afraid. I try to tell him, to ask for help, but his head is full of stupid man-thoughts. Regrets, and Grief, and Memories. I sight her through the open door.
Stop this! He is deaf to me, blind to her.
Challenge! I lunge, slash, taste his blood. He doesn't fight back. Shocked says his scent, Betrayed say his eyes, but his lips say nothing as he closes the door and leaves me behind.
So, this is how it ends.
I circle three times, lie down, lick my own fur until my mouth tastes clean. I'm not angry. It's just his nature. Tonight he may whimper in his bed; not me. I am wild and I am proud. They may kill me tomorrow, but they will never own me.
Rating: PG
Length: 295 words
Challenge: ds_snippets Challenge #12: "Ownership", Diefenbaker theme
Spoilers: The Wild Bunch
Thanks to: My beta omphale23.
He says he doesn't own me, which is true. I don't own him, but he is owned. Collared by Duty and leashed by Law. Sometimes, at night, I imagine the wolf in him growling and snapping at his bonds.
One door, one man between me and freedom. If I'd been captured by Criminals, we'd escape in moments. But this is Animal Control, where dangerous animals are sent to die. On the tundra the only rule was survival, and we saved each other every day. Now we are in the city, Law has its teeth at my throat, and he will not save me. He wants to, I think. But his leash jerks him short.
He talks and talks. Under the words, I sense his fear that I've gone wild. I know I never stopped. I almost close my eyes, shut him out, but that would be cruel. He offers to stay, but I send him away.
He stands to leave. I scent my mate, and she is afraid. I try to tell him, to ask for help, but his head is full of stupid man-thoughts. Regrets, and Grief, and Memories. I sight her through the open door.
Stop this! He is deaf to me, blind to her.
Challenge! I lunge, slash, taste his blood. He doesn't fight back. Shocked says his scent, Betrayed say his eyes, but his lips say nothing as he closes the door and leaves me behind.
So, this is how it ends.
I circle three times, lie down, lick my own fur until my mouth tastes clean. I'm not angry. It's just his nature. Tonight he may whimper in his bed; not me. I am wild and I am proud. They may kill me tomorrow, but they will never own me.