Laika glared at the wolf, growling low in her throat, "I won't leave this spot."

Gently, "I won't force you, but I do have to leave. I have to. And you want to get out of here just as bad- at least, away from me and out of this cave. So please just help me. You'll say I just escaped on my own. And then, we never see each other again."

She growled, "A big bad wolf like you needs help from a domestic like me?"

"Look, I don't love the domestics after what they did to us. But I know that wasn't just you as an individual. I have nothing against you except for the fact that you put us both here to begin with."

"Hey! If I had known that I'd be tied up in this dark room with you, I would have never helped to catch you."

The wolf sighed, frustrated, like a parent to a child, "Okay. I just need to get out of here. Even one more day of being stuck here and getting meals that others have caught for me will drive me insane."

Laika sighed, too, "I get that. I like hunting my own prey, too, but it's not allowed in the Tribe."

"Really? In our pack it was allowed as long as the little ones got to eat first."

The dark pointed saluki sat up, looking at him with a slightly tilted head, "The pups ate first?"

"They always did."

Laika slumped, "Here, the leaders eat first. If you are not high status, then you might starve. That's how they get us to work harder."

"Seems elaborate."

"It is."

A short silence followed, just as thick as ever, and finally the wolf stood up, shaking the dust out of his coat. Suddenly, Laika was amazed at just how huge he was, even with his head so low.

He spoke, facing the tunnel, "It won't be long until we are brought our meal for the day, will it?"

"Not much longer, I don't think," Laika said, staring into the dark tunnel and wondering what the wolf could be up to. There, they waited, and soon enough, an echo of pawsteps down the hall, and a domestic brought them their meal; a large deer leg, dropped in their room but not too close to the wolf. They always stayed far away from the wolf.

"Hey." The wolf spoke with authority and gruffness, and the deliverer froze. He was a short-haired dog with dark fur and tall ears, and right now, he had wide amber eyes, frozen with fear.

"Yes? Anything else you need? Another deliverer will bring a full water dish soon, like usual."

"No. I want to bargain with you."

"Oh, we'll, I'm not really supposed to talk...."

"Don't worry. It will work out in your favour." The wolf smiled, as if to show his trustworthiness, which didn't seem like much right then. The dark male dog just stared at him, ears pricked, wondering what comes next with a thudding heart.

The dog hesitated, facing the wolf, "O- Okay. Tell me your offer."

"I offer you this female tied to me," the wolf pointed his nose at Laika's shocked expression, "In exchange for you freeing me from this stone."

Laika seemed to yowl, "This is your big plan?!" And the wolf, although he hated to, bared his fangs at her lowly. They gleamed wet in the dimness. Stepping back, eyes a bit wide and ears a bit long, Laika sucked in a silent breath, catching the air for a moment of stunned silence. For just a second, he admired the bright orange beneath her cheeks and muzzle, the orange on her chest and feet. Her points seemed to make her dazzle and become vibrant in the dark, and her brown eyes were just as bright. Still, she was silent from fear, taking a few steps back with her tail lowered, and the wolf suddenly felt immense guilt for his rudeness.

He could not back down now. After this, Laika could do whatever she wanted, and he would respectfully leave her alone.

The dark male looked at them both, his eyes darting from one canine to the other, where they paused on Laika's dark, smooth form. His eyes scanned her up and down, his ears perked, and then with an exhale the dog relaxed a little, smirking slightly and turning back to the wolf.

"Alright," he said, a bit of smugness to his tone, "Alright. I'll accept that offer. I'll cut you loose. Let me grab a cutting stone. I'll be back." Then, with a funny scoff, "Don't go anywhere", he turned and walked quickly out, leaving the deer leg behind.

Immediately after the dog's footsteps had faded out of earshot, Laika exploded, turning to the wolf in a blazing fury, "What the hell? You traded me off like some- like some prey?!"

Not daring to look up at her, the grey wolf slank to the floor, whining gently, "I'm not going to do that to you. It's stupid he accepted that... trade... but I couldn't think of anything else. As soon as he unties us, we will make tail and run past him. I'm big enough and you're fast enough; nobody could catch us."

"I won't forgive you for this," Laika huffed, growling a bit, brows furrowed.

"I'm sorry, and I know."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Get off of the floor, you big mutt. You're way too respectful for a beast of your kind. You stand hunched too long."

The wolf sat up, but still remained with his head lowered below hers. An ear tilted sideways, he asked, "Too respectful?"

"You're a wolf. You could kill me if you wanted to."

"You could've killed me the other day."

Eyes narrowed, "I only didn't because I was following orders. I still believe you beasts belong in the ground."

Something changed subtly; a flicker of ignition in the wolf's dark eyes, and he slowly sat up straight, inhaling, towering over Laika even as she stood looking up at him with tall confidence.

There was a strong contrast between them. Laika was thin, elegant, smooth-coated and fringed, with a long, thin snout, large eyes, and a gracefulness to ever light-weight step. Her inhales showed her ribs and hips prominently, each bone defined with a white sheen across her silky fur. The wolf, on the other hand, was thick and built like a square; not like an S. His coat was wiry, rigid and heavy, and nearly waterproof.

And now, there was even more contrast between them in the dark. Here, standing tall, was a Black and Tan pointed saluki and an agouti grey wolf, one strong in mind and aperture; the other pleasingly submissive. And in the darkness of this dusty tan cave, there was a conflict between them; one easily agreeable and kind, even towards the domestics which he had no good history with; and the other stubborn and dangerous, especially towards the feral beast that loomed before her, shadowed and infamous: the one that had slaughtered hundreds of her people once upon a time. She ever did fail to consider the thousands that her breeds had slaughtered of his. A simple prejudice of domestication versus ferality.

Laika did not cower beneath the wolf's judgement nor stare.

"I hope to someday change your mind," the wolf said.

"You won't."

"We'll see," and he gave her a small smile. Then, the pitter-patter of footsteps down the made both of their ears perk and turn their heads to the darkened hallway as the male dog approached once again, his fur on end and a gleaming black stone in his maw.

The wolf's eyes widened gently, "Obsidian."

"Sharpest tool. It's what we use for ropes twined like those." The dog glanced up at the wolf, a glimmer in his eyes. Then, he said, "I cut you loose, and then I cut you apart and take the girl?"

The wolf, "Yes."

He smiled, "Good." The wolf couldn't help but notice the roll of Laika's eyes, frustrated.

The black male took no hesitation to grinding away at the rope with the blade in his jaws, and soon, it snapped, and the echoing sound ran through the halls and the cave and signalled to both the wolf and the saluki to run like hell. And hell, did they run.

The wolf took of first in great, furious bounds, kicking up loose bits of dirt and gravel behind him; the saluki followed suit, a thick rope still flying between them; and damnit! Why didn't they think to let that punk dog cut the rope between them, too? Their freedom just tasted too good for them to wait a second longer, after an entire week of being caged up with nothing but the boring other for conversation.

That black male called after them with a throaty howl, "They're getting away! Catch the wolf!"

Laika, through pants, "The rope!"

"I know!" The wolf growled back. "We're stuck together now!"

They took a speedy turn, skidding on the rocky floor and then running right into a large white male: The Baron, his hackles raised and teeth glinting. Before any dog could think, the wolf pushed ahead and past, the saluki dragged along, and The Baron snapping and giving strong chase. He was a huge livestock guardian dog, a massive, rippling beast, like a whale in water. He was as big as the wolf himself.

The wolf cried gently at the back of his throat, panic and bile building up. If he was caught, he was dead. The saluki could hardly keep up to his scared sprint despite her agile build; she was much less afraid of her very own tribe, and rather, was comfortable and wanted to stay.

A moonlight up ahead shone into the large cave entrance in beautiful, illuminated blue rays, casting a glow of bokeh circles along the stoned floor. The fresh breeze whispered and flew, touching the wolf's breezy coat and face, lifting his hair, and he smiled, tongue out as he ran like the wind itself.

Then, a huge yank at the thick rope on his neck and he was forcefully pulled backwards, falling mid-air to the ground with a painful thud. Snarling, he stood quickly, coughing from the sore throat, flinging himself around with unruly hair on end to stare down the animal that had dared to stop his mighty escape, who had dared to withstand his taste of freedom once again. With a shock, his eyes widened and mighty posture faltered as he saw the Saluki herself pulling back on the taught lead, grunting with effort to keep the wolf in place.

"You belong in the ground!" She snarled, "You're dangerous! These dogs will kill you like you deserve."

The wolf opened his jaws to speak but was frozen in place as a scene before him unfolded with quick, adrenaline-rushing intensity. The saluki yipped in surprise as a flash of dark fur flew past her and landed across the grass with a dampening thud, and the thick stench of aching blood filled the air. Behind her now was The Baron in a quick motion, muscles rippling beneath strong, dense white coat, eyes narrowed in a moonlit flash of swift, motion-blurred fury, and suddenly he was bounding in the air, blood on his teeth, and upon the black and tan saluki. She collapsed to the ground, his full weight upon her, yanking the cord at the wolf's throat and forcing his head to the floor with a groan.

Then, The Baron snarled to all of the gathering dogs, "Watch what happens when anyone in this tribe disobeys their mighty Baron!" And held the back of Laika's slender neck in his wide jaws, tight, too tight, wrapping large forepaws around her hind hocks and forcing her hips back unto him, to which she cried, and to which the wolf glared, eyes narrowing, brows turning down, and lips peeling back in a wrinkled snarl. His fangs were more magnificent than ever, gleaming beneath the blue moonlight. The fangs became a flash of muted white, reflective starlight as he moved in a furry whir. A tornado he seemed to become.