Pure fear had embedded itself into Flare's mind as the minutes ticked by. She counted the seconds by the beats of her own heart.

Jax didn't leave her side, and White Dog came right back after getting a drink from the water-bucket. A light mist soon began to fall, but it was meaningless to her. Flare gazed around the yard whilst unaware of her pelt becoming soaked. She sat there, developed in thought.

To escape the yard, she had to find a way out, under, or over. Easier said than done.

Out meant going through something, like the back door... But the man had come home from work just now, so he wasn't going to come back to the yard until after dark, if at all. He had rarely been fighting the dogs anyways, give or take once a few weeks or so- and feeding the dogs seemed like a chore, as he gruffly threw the food on the ground and left the animals without touching them each morning.

So Flare would have to keep the back door in mind, although it had a very slim chance of being a possible escape route.

Thinking of the back door reminded her of the back fence. It had a gate centered in the middle that led to the outside yard.

All Flare could see over the fence was the tip of a tree's branches and the slab of grey metal that made up the shed. This shed was only a few paces into the outside yard, and a few feet away from the fence itself.

But the back fence wouldn't be opened unless there was a dog-fight tonight... And that probably wasn't happening with the misty rain.

Her panic faded to a dull ache that made her determination of thought feel all the more worthwhile. She studied the fence, and everything that was near it. Which only consisted of a water-bucket, and the two black and rough-edged tires.

Obviously the fence was too tall for any dog to scale, and there was no boost over it unless a dog managed to leap sideways from the tire high enough to catch their paws on the side of the fence and then scramble over it. Flare knew that fence would probably stab at her ribs and scrape against her skin, but the wood didn't seem spiky enough to impale her.

The only problem with that is, other dogs are always laying on the tires...

The slabs of wooden fence appeared to be driven deep into the ground, since she could see a few half-hearted digging holes that just revealed more fence. Digging might be the only real option here, though. The dirt was softer next to the house, where shade sheltered it from sun during the day. So if she dug a hole through the fence along that edge, she may eventually make it through...

Can I really dig a deeper hole than the others have done, all by myself? Flare eyed the male dogs that were closest to her, who had thicker muscle along their chest and thighs. It was here that she realized the other dogs would be able to see and hear her digging, revealing her plans and probably make them dislike her more.

The panic spread to her head again, and brought with it adrenaline. She grasped and groped at any solution to her problem.

As the rain began to reach her skin and trickle down her back and shoulders, Flare finally thought of something else. To simply dart between the legs of either human and into their home, through the front door (which she hoped would be open), and out into freedom. It involved much less confrontation with the other dogs and more with the humans. Even if The Man didn't show up until tomorrow morning to feed her, she'd wait the night out with her rump on the ground. She'd ignore the male dogs just until she got her chance for freedom, and took it.

And perhaps a stroke of luck would fall upon her. The Man could have a dog fight tonight.

She kept her gaze and thoughts dedicated to listening, and watching the back door as much as she could. Jax kept sneaking glances at her.

Flare hated waiting and hoping for something she figured wasn't going to happen. Her hope was sapped with each passing second, until she realized a light fog had settled along with the rain, and it brought with it the cooler scents of evening.

It got dark all too soon. Before Flare knew it, her pricked ears and hopeful eyes became flattened and dull. Dark was now falling, and no humans were coming. She could hear their noise-box running in one of the rooms, and a loud cough erupted from alongside the murmur. Flare almost gave a puppy-like bark, but stopped herself right then because White Dog got up.

"Alright, let's go behind the dog houses." Flare gulped and was sure that White Dog had heard her as he came and nudged her haunches off the ground.

"You've hardly stood up the whole time you've been here," he snickered at the smaller yellow dog. Flare flinched as his cold nose touched her, and her legs twitched as she used them to stand for the first time in hours.

"Might want to get a drink first," chirped Jax. He seemed to be in a much better mood than earlier. "Your legs look all wobbly and saggy," he barked and seemed genuinely amused, as if he'd just made the funniest joke.

White Dog didn't show that he was amused, and he surprisingly wasn't rough with her as he stopped her haunches from touching the ground again. Flare felt a bit self-consious that the other dogs could fight for food and water, but here she was needing help to walk towards it.

A few of her joints popped as they loosened up, so thankfully Flare began walking normal. Her spindly tan legs took her towards the white water-bucket next to the tire, but she stopped with her tail tucked between her legs when she saw Grey Dog.

His small dark eyes looked furious, as if he were going to surge forward in a fury at any moment. Still, he didn't speak as White Dog came up from behind her and took a long drink, as if challenging Grey Dog to do something about it. Which he very well could, because he claimed this very water-bucket.

"Get your drink and get a move on," he growled to none of them in particular, then lowered his nose onto his paws. Flare's paralyzing fear melted, and she stretched out her scruffy neck to dip her nose into the water. She heard the man come outside the front door and start up his truck, driving away- but it didn't register in her mind as something to remember.

Though it contained strands of grass and some dirt, Flare hadn't taken so large of a drink since she was a puppy. It tasted fantastic and went down just as satisfying as a piece of chicken would. She must have drank for a whole minute or two, because when she moved away her muzzle was wet and her energy felt restored. The gripping ache in her calmed to a gurgle.

"It's not hot out here at all anymore. Let's get a move on, like he said." The tall white dog held more authority in his voice than before, although he still didn't shove Flare or nip her in the haunches.

Jax got a drink and seemed renewed afterwards, too. He followed them in a much more hurried way, catching up and then running in circles ahead of them and back. He stopped to smell Flare every now and then, his tongue lolling out and his legs twitching.

"Stop acting like that," growled White Dog. "You're making the she-dog more nervous."

"Who cares?" Jax said offensively, and shoved his face in Flare's. He sniffed her all over, and then, suddenly, nipped Flare roughly on the ear. Flare was nowhere near as shocked as the other times he'd done it, but she still recoiled in surprise. Her back end bumped White Dog's foreleg, and he looked down his nose at her. Flare would've been taller than his legs and chest, if only she could stand up straight instead of cowering.

"I do!" barked the make dog loudly. He flashed his teeth as a night bird flew out of some nearby tree, screeching in alarm.

It appeared that Jax had the sense not to speak out again this time. He was silent.

"Remember that I can breed with her by myself if I wanted to. You can't beat me, runty mutt!" Flare thought she saw him smirk, but couldn't be sure because his jowels were so floppy and scarred. White Dog was usually even-tempered, but he clearly intended to use his power over Jax if he needed to.

"Females don't breed well when they're all nervous and jumpy," he said matter-of-fact. "But then it's not like you would know since you're so young and have no experience. You can't just fight them and bully them like other male dogs, or they get all hysterical or too submissive." He didn't look Flare's way as he spoke.

Jax had no answer for him, although after they made it to the dog houses Flare heard him mutter "sorry..." to White Dog. His apology hadn't sounded very sincere.

Flare's stomach flipped upside down. The water no longer helped her feel any better, because she knew her chance of escaping The Yard before having puppies had just run out. She was stuck here until these dogs bred with her, and she had their puppies, and then her puppies would be stolen from her and given away to other horrible humans.

She felt herself shutting down involuntarily. Flare's haunches sank to the ground and she sat, holding herself halfway up with ragged breaths of panic and disbelief. This couldn't be happening to her.

This can't be happening to me! She repeated with a shriek in her head as Jax pawed at her face and back, clearly attempting to make her stand up again. It was dark in the shadows behind the dog-houses, and all she could make out was the shape of their rotting wood and the other two wet dogs close to her. White Dog's scent flared up through the heavy smell of wet grass and fur, as if he were becoming impatient or excited too.

"Go over in the dens for a moment, Jax. You can wait your turn."

"No way!" He said, flipping around from where he stood next to Flare. He was about a head shorter than her, but his paws were a lot larger and had tan hair caught between them where he'd idly scratched at her flank. Flare didn't know if he'd broken skin or not; all she could feel was her own pinched nerves, knowing that her hair would've been standing on end if she weren't soaked.

"I'm taking my turn first!" He looked small and non-threatening in front of White Dog, who simply stared down at him pointedly. Jax had an ugly grimace on his face that was slightly unsure.

All the while, it was clear that Jax wouldn't stand down. White Dog snorted and lowered his head to barrel into the offensive male. His head and tail had been completely stiff and high a moment before; now they ducked low as White Dog thrust his head and chest forward.

The two dogs hit each other chest-to-chest with a wet smack. Flare tried to back farther away as they snarled and snapped at each other's lips, but she was caught up in a dog's leg. Jax came crashing down from a heavy paw-thump a second later, close to her face.

Flare yelped as she was moved from the dog's heavy flank bumping into her. She'd just flanked so roughly that she felt his ribs graze against her own.

White Dog must have finally finished whatever blows he was landing on Jax, because he then stilled.

"Okay, Jax! So you'd like a wound to match the one from earlier?" He snarled in question but didn't wait for an answer. Flare shut her eyes tight as her body was spun along the ground, and then a different rib squashed painfully by one of their paws. They were fighting on top of her. She fought the urge to whimper like a scared pup. Her teeth clenched and she tried feebly to crawl away.

"Arrogant runty mutt!" White dog howled the insult he'd used earlier, his teeth landing dreadfully close to Flare's flank and he aimed for Jax's muzzle. The smaller black-and-white male bully pulled his face away and the bite didn't make contact. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction for dodging the blow. To Flare's dismay Jax was also now crushing her even plumy tail with one of his back paws.

Face looked for an open space, then kicked her back legs against one of their pelts and skidded out from underneath the tussling dogs. She saw White Dog react to a haunch bite with a snap of his teeth that almost made contact with Jax's eyelids. Flare scrambled to her paws, knowing that she was still way too close. Her ribs and ears still felt bruised, but she realized her legs and everything else was fine. The slim tan dog slunk away with her ears pinned. She was uninjured and able to get away NOW, if only she could find an escape route!

Flare tried to be quiet as she moved across The Yard towards the back porch, not entirely sure of where she was going except away from the male dogs. The dog's snarls were growing louder behind her as if they were fighting harder now. Mocha's eyes flashed in the dark, and she could see the white parts on pelt on near the tire.

But the brindle-and-white dog didn't move and held the stare for a long while. Although it was curious and strong, it wasn't threatening.

But then Flare's heart pounded against her ribs as another pair of eyes caught the meager moonlight and Grey Dog began barking. The sound of his aggressive warnings caused Jax and White dog to stop for just a moment, long enough to flick their eyes towards Flare.

Paw-steps echoed across the ground soon after. Flare watched with a pain in her chest as Jax and White Dog trotted across The Yard in unison. Her heart seemed to skip a beat and freeze for a second as fear engulfed her and Flare once again hugged the ground.

"I KNEW IT! TAN DOG, GET OVER HERE!"

White Dog didn't sound agitated anymore; he sounded full-fled enraged as he snapped out the words. Mocha and Jax looked at the house nervously, as if they also knew that the human inside would've heard all of Grey Dog's barking. None of them looked sorry or concerned about her, and even in the misty drizzle she could see White Dog's gaze piercing her like he would attack at any moment.

Flare couldn't move towards him even if she wanted to, because her paws were rooted to the ground. Her skinny frame was ducked low and her ears were pinned against her skull. Stilled with fright, she couldn't even tremble her tail.

"I'm sorry..." A softer voice spoke and it took Flare a second to realize it had been Mocha, but she had been staring at Flare with a thoughtful expression.

"But you have to just put up with it," she said stronger, hardening her voice like all the other dogs did.

"It's a male-dog's life nowadays, and it's better than being chained up alone. You don't know that it's worse in other places yet, because you're so young."

It feels like this place is still pretty bad compared to anywhere else, Flare thought but had the sense not to say it aloud. Besides; what about the warm, squirmy puppy bodies beside her on the soft blanket? And her mother's large feathery bulk settling close beside her, ladden with milk-scent? Though she remembered little, the place where Flare had come from had no trace of aggressive dogs or humans. That's why she had to escape this yard, and find somewhere like that again. She remembered seeing and pawing the fluffy tan puppies amongst her, with eyes that were shiny and newly opened. There was no male dogs like this where I came from! Flare simply couldn't accept what Mocha had said.

Mocha had been eyeing Flare with her head raised, but when Flare didn't answer for several heartbeats, she huffed and flicked her brown-brindle ears back. Her tail was straight up, though she glanced at each of the other dogs quickly as if embarrassed for commenting.

Before turning, Mocha got a drink of water passively and then headed into the darkness next to the fence.

When Flare felt all the eyes of the male dogs turn back towards her the panic lit up again. She let her eyes dart towards each opening, knowing she was close enough to the back porch to get away if a human came out.

Just as Flare stared at the door with hope keeping her on her toes, she heard the faint echo of footsteps and saw the silver gleaming knob twist. By some miracle, perhaps her hope had won.

The back door swung open and The Man stepped out, with a rope in his hands that stretched a little ways inside the house. The sudden light blinded her, so that she couldn't made out any features of what was behind the man's legs.

What am I doing? Flare asked herself. Run for it!

She gauged her claws into the dirt and locked eyes on the crack in the door. The man's legs were in the way, but she could just slip through them.

Flare knew she had to try, so she flung herself over the concrete slab of a porch with an enormous leap.

~

Image shown is Grey Dog