Nosey’s “Hard Observer” is definitely going somewhere. After a quarter-season^ of ambling aimlessly in circles, they have found a direction and are travelling (fast for them) from Rise to Set. The pups can comfortably keep pace. They look like small dogs, not pups, now. They are at a gangly phase. If they were in creche, they would be beginning training prep. Their play would be more guided by Soil parents towards discovering and developing their skills. Helping them be ready for the first cycle of training before splitting into specialisms. This is when Service-pack guiders^ visit to identify pups they want to monitor in training. These pups are stronger and wilier than any I have ever creched. But what are their opportunities? No digger-pack guider is going to smell Small Runt^ and ensure that his skills are used. No notched dog will observe Daring or Tunnel First Eyes and their exceptional skills. No scent-scientist will teach Nosey how to make the most of her gifts. She has already surpassed us both in skill; we cannot teach her anything. Maybe her skills will never be perfected. What kind of lives can these Packless-pups have?

The pups even have a little pack-bond. They cannot communicate clearly yet, but most pups don’t even bond experiment until training. They are much older than their days amount to. I am proud of them. If we are to start a new Pack, then these pups are truly better than most dogs I have met. They are fit for this new Pack, more than I. But what was the price of their wisdom and awareness? They are sending each other pack-words in their bond when they smell or hear something interesting. Maybe they are fine, they never had any other Pack. They don’t miss Soil and World. This is their World and, maybe even their Soil. They are all open and trusting in their pack-bond. No-dog is unhappy. Bright is not as confident as his litter-mates. But he is showing interest in being a Soil parent. I try to show him what I do and did for them and what I would be doing with the full facilities. He has the empathy of a Soil parent. If there are any more pups, I will have a good trainee.

Either I’m improving at detecting Hard Observer’s scent or more tortoises have been here. I can barely smell them apart. I nudge Nosey in their pack-bond.

( Nosey, are there multiple tortoises in this area? ) The pack-bond is silent for a moment. It is the first time I have used it and they must be realising what I have been able to hear this whole time. She tries to reply in the pack-bond.

( There are… I smell… ) “There are trails of at least a littersworth^ of individuals, there are two that we have been following for 5 days. One is older than Hard Observer, one is the same age. The older one is excited, the younger is nervous.” That is more information than I could have gleaned with degrees^ of focused study of each scent. She has not stopped to examine these; this is just her casual observations while travelling.

“I could only just tell there were more than one. You really are an impressive scent-scientist.” Obedient First Eyes dips into their pack-bond ( Well done Nosey, that is a rare talent. ) I don’t need to be Nosey to detect her sprouting pride. I feel the glow spread through the pack-bond into us all.

“I am also now catching a dry smell. Wherever we are going does not have many trees or plants. Hard Observer is keen to get there.”

“We can travel faster, maybe they think they are First Eyes and are travelling to accommodate us?” Obedient First Eyes is so eager to see where we are going, she almost runs ahead of the pack and away. Her pace quickens and we find ourselves trotting ahead of her. The tortoise does not react.

A degree of running and I am panting. Hard Observer is still amongst us. They must be doing what they think of as running.

“There are loads of tortoises wherever we are going, too many to smell. They have dragged smells from all elsewheres, here.”

“They must be congregating. Maybe they have been called together.” Obedient First Eyes is almost a puppy at the prospect of a congregation. Maybe she will find the tortoises she is looking for.

“They might have Heat. I know I would be desperate to get there if Heat was waiting!” None of the pups has shown any interest in learning about Heat yet. We will answer any of their questions, of course, but how will we ever tell them that we have ensured they will never get to experience Heat?

It is not yet zenith. The tortoise is getting faster as the day progresses. We are keeping up a good pace. I am smelling forward to finally reaching a point where I can rest. I am not meant for perpetual movement. Obedient First Eyes has trained for this since she was the pups’ age. And she got that training because she already showed an aptitude. The pups were whelped into a life of constant travel. I hope we all get to rest next. Maybe they will know what it is to be a dog rather than having a constantly moving, often in danger, life.

Since we have all been able to smell our destination, we have started passing other tortoises. If we weren’t certain they were all travelling to the same place, I think Obedient First Eyes would have attempted to communicate with every one. Her excitement is growing; she is filled with relief. I know she shares my concerns about what kind of dogs these pups will grow to be. That we have done them a disservice. But after all this time, she may be able to realise her night-walk of the future. Her enthusiasm is contagious. The pups, well used to maintaining energy for a day, are a rolling mass of questions and pack-thoughts and excitement. Each tortoise we pass, Nosey gives us her appraisal.

“This one is disappointed, they have been in a swamp for a long time” Once I know it is there, I can smell the swamp, but the disappointment is not apparent to my nose.

“This one is proud of their news, they have been in dense forest, near those river-bank reptiles.” I didn’t think she had had long enough to identify their scent in that brief encounter, so long ago.

I can smell a mass of tortoises coagulating into a pack. We are borne by excitement. No-dog amongst us know what will happen, but this is why Obedient First Eyes and I left – to find a new Pack.

As we ride the high of anticipation, we finally break out of lush growth into something much more like World (my part of it anyway). Dry, with far fewer trees and barely any shrubs and ferns ground-cover as we are now accustomed to on Sour-World. Without the background noise of plants, I truly appreciate how many tortoises are here. I can’t see clearly but there are rocks or tortoises clustered from Rise to Set. Hard Observer and we set out to join the swarm.

All I can smell is the tortoise strange, still, mute scent. All I hear is the rustling of their skin and creaking in their shells. Whatever they are congregated for, this is not like any pack-gathering I have ever smelled. There is no focus or clear sub-packs. They are all milling around. Some may be communicating, but I could not fathom what methods they could be using.

Hard Observer cuts a swathe into the middle of a large shuffling group. They stop and settle their feet. We sit nearby. More than one tortoise stops to observe us. There is a relative quiet near us, like the predator-free silence around Hard Observer at night. I begin to groom tired pups. Obedient First Eyes is attentive and alert, monitoring everything around her. Nosey is in her element and doesn’t stop giving information as I groom her,

“There is a ripple of interest. It is concentrated on us. As it passes through the pack, more tortoises are observing us. The shifting to Set – these tortoises know something is important.” She seems fluent^ in their scentscapes from meeting one individual. I hear the creaking of shells against each other. It is creepy, this many individuals in effectively silence. My hearing confirms Nosey’s observations, there is a shifting of hundreds of heavy feet in the dusty ground. Something approaches. The smell of the hot earth is familiar and comforting, not Soil but soil. Obedient First Eyes is alert; she is attending this movement. One thing is certain, if these tortoises have any inclination to fight, even my fierce warrior will not be able to save us. They outnumber us by a littersworth to one. If any of the pups or I would stand a chance, against a dog force, those numbers would not be surmountable. With one potential warrior, we would be annihilated in heartbeats. The thought of returning to this soil on this world makes me shudder.

The creaking and thudding crescendo; I am beginning to smell the importance that Nosey mentioned. There is a clear ring around us but the ranks of tortoises in every direction mean all we can see is legs. Like a forest of reptile-flesh.

As the front row creaks apart to let the importance past, I hear the mumbling of unknown dogs as though from a pack-bond. A pack-bond in which I cannot feel any other life. Direct into my mind and stomach.

« … and after deciding to change the focus of my research– » Obedient First Eyes and the pups are looking around startled. What is happening? Who is talking to us? « …my observations of the group have been illuminating about this alien species. These are indeed sapient mammals. They display some classic mammalian traits such as extended care of offspring. The two larger individuals have been responsible for the well-being and feeding of the smaller, younger 8. » Obedient First Eyes and Nosey are sitting attentively, now facing Hard Observer (what a perceptive name for them) who seems to be the source of these words. The approaching importance is a gargantuan tortoise. They settle themselves onto their belly on the dirt and even I can interpret their interest. Their shell is pocked with divots and ridges, each with a peculiar item cradled in it. I look at them, trying to smell them from amongst those around them. They all smell the same to me. Eventually a huge head turns, it extends towards and peers very closely at me. Then they return their attention to Hard Observer « …they also have some traits far more like a reptile – they are at least partially carnivorous. » There is a collective release of surprise(?) from all around. « They have eaten a range of small reptiles and even mammals in the time I observed them. But they also seem to enjoy provision, particularly tree-fungus^. Which leads me to an interesting observation from the first night I met them. They offered me some of their provision. When I ate it, the smaller of the two larger creatures, returned with more. I am not sure of the significance of these actions, but from this point, a routine began of them leaving tree-fungus for my consumption each time they fed. » A subtle change passes through the crowd, the shifting and creaking stop, all heads turn slowly to the important tortoise. They must be pack guider, though how they asked for this attention is not apparent to me. Eventually the living hill speaks,

« Do you think you confounded your research by taking the provision? It may not have been for you. You started this routine. Any behavioural observations from that point are compromised. » Slowly, every head on a long neck turns to Hard Observer. They are silent. I do not understand what is confounded or compromised but I feel like I owe it to Hard Observer to explain what I thought happened,

« Um » With an alarming speed, the normally slow creatures focus on me. The wave of consternation is apparent to all of our pack. « The first night, I was hoping to begin creating pack with you. I offered you fungus because we had surplus and I thought it might be pleasant to experience something that you, » I turn to them, « would be unlikely to be able to eat often. Since you seemed to like it, I continued to bring it to you when I fetched some for the pack. » The cacophonous silence is crushing. They are all waiting. This feels like a test. I am no good at situations that need confidence and guidance. I should have left it to Obedient First Eyes to be the first to talk to the tortoises.

« My mate-bonded is pack-minded. He fetched fungus nearly every day for one of the litter, so naturally we would want to share with any individual who could be potential Pack. I am not sure how tortoises behave but for dogs, » At this another wave of interest radiates from the crowd of tortoises, « we show Pack by sharing provision. »

Up until now, the pups have been subdued, listening to this alien conversation. At this point, Nosey swarms forward and sits directly under Hard Observer’s shell.

« You are my Pack. » Hard Observer cranes down to her. There is no indication if they feel the same or even understand her declaration. I begin to plan how to explain to her that tortoises don’t seem to have packs. But their pack guider speaks into our heads,

« You seem to have completely confounded your results. You cannot be named “Dog” since none of your results are valid. Return next conference to earn a name. » Obedient First Eyes anticipates her opportunity to communicate with so many tortoises diminishing.

« Excuse me, I can tell this is a significant time for your folk. Are you Pack Guider to this Pack? »

« We do not have packs. We have no guiders. I am giving feedback on their presentation on, well, you. I do not think their observations can be considered valid since they actively engaged with you and your ‘pack’. »

« They never actively engaged with us. We have followed them for a season. We were hoping to reach wider tortoise society. How much can their results be confounded by their actions and how much by ours? What they have put forward thus far, are accurate observations of how dogs live. I am not sure if my words have any value, but I do not think they are responsible for us travelling here. A dog may go where they choose after all. »

« I am only one voice. Many other tortoises are listening. Any of them may name them. They are right though, you are typical mammals, so attached to one another. » A dog making that kind of statement would have dramatically left leaving a scent of disdain, Giant Important just stays where they are. Hard Observer continues their presentation,

« While they have all shown signs of intelligence it is mostly not tortoise-like intelligence. This individual, » they indicate Nosey, still between their front feet, « shows high levels of observational skill. These, » they acknowledge the word Obedient First Eyes used, « dogs, are not sensitive to vibrations. They have excellent scent perception however, another mammalian trait. They are able to locate any provision they have smelled, even when growing a long way away from their current location. They could find each other in an earthquake. Their hearing is also exceptional. You will observe that the dominant individual has only one ear where the others have two. I witnessed the removal of the ear by the less dominant adult. It was infected and impacting the energy levels and ability of the dominant to perform their activities. The less dominant used their nose to establish where the flesh was healthy and removed all of the infection in one attempt. Since this point, there has been a noticeable increase in energy for the dominant. This demonstrates an understanding of infection and necrosis, but it brings me onto the most interesting part of observing the dogs. They must interfere with the course of events if it will be unpleasant for themselves or the other dogs in their group. When one of the young was not growing at the same rate to the others, they were given extra provision. The young are not expected to find their own provision. They are incredibly reliant on each other. I concluded that I was also something upon which they could rely. They do not produce night-hums to keep predators away. Once they learnt that I did, they chose to sleep near me… » so it continues, some tortoises are breaking away and going back to whatever they were doing before we arrived. Giant Important does not though. They stay and listen to every detail.

The circle of tortoises has thinned, it has been enough degrees that the pups are all dozing and I am beginning to think about provision. I can now discern several circles over this savannah. Each must be presenting their own observations. It seems like this is a collection of scent-scientists. When they eventually finish, there are a number of questions from observing tortoises. Tortoises come close to inspect us. Eventually Hard Observer says to Obedient First Eyes,

« Thank you. I appreciate being able to finish my presentation. I know that you will need to feed soon. You will not find any animals in the Conference ground. You will need to return to the forest to acquire animal. » The pups start to stir, sensing a change of pace approaching.

« How can we communicate suddenly? If I leave will communication still be available later? » She glances at the pups, « They will survive a few more degrees if this is a limited chance to communicate. » Giant Important shuffles forward,

« I carry a translation device. When the humans and bees dropped their barriers, they were distributed amongst us. My next name will be on human-bee-tortoise interactions, so I have it for research purposes. I will be around for the rest of the conference. If you wish to talk, come and find me once you are all fed. I do not like the idea of hungry predators in our Conference. » The pups are circling, ready for provision, clamouring to go with Obedient First Eyes.

« Yes, you can all come if you like. Best scent-masks on though, I want this to be as quick a hunt as we can manage, there is much to be discussed with, » she breaks off to address the tortoises, « what are your names? »

« I am Leaf mould-Ferns-Grasses-Mice-Mammal reproductive strategies-Macro mammalian communication-Vibratory capacity of mice-Mammalian-tortoise interactions-Tortoise ova-predation by archaeopteryx-Archaeopteryx roost-site choice. » I have no idea how to comprehend that. A name longer than All-Pack Guider No Eyes First Eyes Runt Rise and made up of many words I do not understand. Obedient First Eyes manages to repeat it back to them.

« I am impressed. The humans are mostly overwhelmed by my name. A younger tortoise, just named, they seem to be able to understand but by the time a tortoise has done 4 or 5 research presentations, humans lose the ability to keep track. »

« I am Obedient First Eyes Set, my mate-bonded is Loyal Set. Our pups are Tunnel First Eyes Wild, Bright Wild, Quiet Wild, Small Runt Wild, Cheerful Wild, Boisterous Wild, Daring Wild and Nosey Wild » Both tortoises share a knowing look.

« So, either you have a family of prodigies or your young have names from first breath. The humans also do that. I guess the bees do too, but their naming is procedural. »

« We name pups when they are whelped. »

« We do not, our young must complete and defend their first research presentation to earn a name. » I nudge Obedient First Eyes in the pack-bond. The Set hunting-degree has begun and the chances of success will decrease dramatically if it becomes full night – not least the increased risk without a tortoise “night-hum”.

« I must provide for the pack. I will find you when I return. I would like to understand more about the humans and bees and tortoises if that is acceptable to you. »

« Of course, you have your ways. I will stay here a while anyway. » We turn as a pack to head to the hunting potential of the forest.

« Obedient First Eyes, may I stay here and talk with Hard Observer? » Nosey is sitting under her “Pack” still.

( I will stay with her, and Bright, he will not cope with that tonight. ) She turns and leaves with a pack of 6.

When the providers return, I know far more about the plants of this world than I ever did on World. The two tortoises and Nosey have been sharing observations. They seem intrigued by the things that she knows when she doesn’t know other things. She has been on the front legs of Hard Observer while the two tortoises lie on the earth. Bright has not been following the conversation either. He is tired. His physical condition is not as good as his litter-mates so it is not surprising. He lies on my legs as Nosey lies on her mighty mound. Tunnel First Eyes approaches us, smelling of provision,

« Obedient First Eyes did not want to bring our provision into your Conference ground because of your concern about predatory animals. Loyal, Nosey, Bright, would ye like to join me and I shall take ye to the provision. » Her glowing pride melts me. She is so determined to be the best dog she can. But she doesn’t know what it is to be a dog in-Pack.

« We will be back soon. I would love to discuss feather ferns further. » Nosey dismounts and runs ahead of Tunnel First Eyes.

« I will follow ye both in a moment. I want to talk to Bright for a moment. » Tunnel First Eyes runs to make it seem like she is in First Eyes, setting the pace rather than one of two pups running for provision. I turn to Bright.

« My spots, I know you do not want to eat provision, but there is no fungus to eat here. That grows in wet places only. Tomorrow, you and I can take a little provisioning trip to fetch some for tomorrow Set but we have nothing else to eat right now and we were running much of the day. If I regurgitate a little for you, can you try to eat? » He agrees to try. He does not want to, I can feel him broadcasting his trauma again, without knowing. I groom him gently.

« Wait, there are some tubers that grow here that might replace tree-fungus. Mice like them. I do not know what dogs eat (other than apparently other animals) but you could try them. » Leaf mould-Ferns-Grasses… I can’t remember, Giant Important, is levering themselves to their feet.

« Thank you Leaf mould-Ferns-Grasses-Mice-Mammal reproductive strategies-Macro mammalian communication-Vibratory capacity of mice-Mammalian-tortoise interactions-Tortoise ova-predation by archaeopteryx-Archaeopteryx roost-site choice. Loyal, maybe I could eat like a tortoise. »

« Let’s see, my spots. You are growing, you might need other kinds of provision. » I have an idea.

( Scent of my soul, Bright does not want provision but Leaf mould-Ferns-Grasses-Mice… all that, has an idea of an alternative. I will go with them to try the alternative. Don’t worry if there is not much provision left. )

( Of course, my World. Anything to help him put on some weight, I would like to be able to discuss something else in den! ) Her gentle teasing has been missing for a season and it returns like Soil in my nose. ( I did get some fungus though for him…and you. But that will keep in a cache-pouch until the Rise if this alternative is palatable or can remove the taste if it is vile. We are almost done. We will be returning to ye shortly. ) I am overwhelmed with love for my dog with one ear. She has known this was coming. I regret any moment of doubt I ever had. The pups won’t have a usual dog life, but they will enjoy their lives, and love their Packs. I skip to catch up to the tortoise leading Bright away.