In a few short (still unnaturally long) days we have accelerated Amiable First Eyes’s plans to leave. Still Runt “made the discovery” and Resourceful “came up with the idea” of how impressive it would be if, when communications opened, a Set-Pack was operating independently. Amiable First Eyes’s petty ambition is easy to groom. Something we have not been able to stop, is The Event. Amiable First Eyes thinks it is essential to the cause. Both to recruit and to send a message that Rises are dangerous. He is passionate about showing Rises for the hyenas he thinks they are. He doesn’t sniff that the only dogs doing damage to Set dogs at the moment are “True Set dogs”. We have not been able to find a way to minimise it that would not betray our knowledge and its source. Amiable First Eyes still refers mysteriously to “the others”. No-dog has found clear evidence he is in contact with any-dog outside of his Service-pack. I begin to think he is just bluffing. If not, he is a stealth-genius.

The plan is to trigger The Event then, in the confusion, leave the compound. We have managed to persuade him to leave Soil available for Set dogs to join later with a trusted dog staying behind to collect them and send them through. There will be way-markers for them once they are out. I am just relieved that “Resourceful” will be the one left behind. The sooner Resilient is out of the way the better. Amiable First Eyes says he only trusts Resourceful enough to make the right judgements of who comes through. He is making more show of the sacrifice he will be making than I ever have with Generous. They barely have a pack-bond. Try imagining the ache you would feel if your stomachs have been so tightly bound together that ye can understand each other without even sending thoughts, runt-maker! You know nothing about this dog. You do not even know which pack he originated in. You have never even denned together. He keeps mentioning the sacrifice he is making for Pack. He knows nothing of serving Pack.

This will be over so soon though. Resourceful is making a last attempt this Rise to prevent The Event. But assuming he cannot, we will use it as a public demonstration of how for-Pack both Sets and Rises are. Also, we’ll use it to remove the stealth-dogs from the separtists easily (there is a back-up plan, but it means multiple barrier crossings for us). By nadir, all the separatists shall be on the far side of the barrier with their only means to be able to return controlled by a stealth Rise-dog who can ensure they do not. Pack will have had a collective trauma. But Sweet-Pack Guider^ Sleek Runt Rise will be able to tell Pack they are safe from those who caused it and I will sleep in the den that became “my” den while I wasn’t there. And tomorrow I get to explain to Resilient, in the strongest terms, what he has done and get him doing something menial. He will serve Pack in a less prestigious way until he has learnt to put Pack before himself.

Wary and Bold are coming. They smell put out and tense.

“Greetings Set-dogs. Are ye ready for The Event? I know we cannot share our individual tasks, but I hope ye are well-prepared.” In truth I am pretty sure they are both involved in the planned deployment of the scent-attack. Resourceful was “able to procure” some Rise-tainted soil – as he did to put into Set comfort-units. I have no idea how he explained it to Amiable First Eyes, when I know for a fact Three-Paws Runt has had the job of pissing enough to taint half Sweetment’s comfort-units! This is going to be deployed in Sweetment (none of the stealth-pack has a role in the how of this – which has left an uneasiness in my stomach) and then when Set dogs seek comfort in their own comfort-units – they will find them also tainted. Either Amiable First Eyes is guiding a pack far more organised that we haven’t caught whiff of or he is a complete incompetent too fond of Set stealth scent-stories to know that to be successful you generally need to be a lot more co-ordinated. Successful espionage is more organisation than passion.

“The Event is not happening. That out-Pack Resourceful has persuaded Amiable First Eyes it is better to leave and let dogs discover the comfort-units once we are safely away.” I am shocked and annoyed enough to not have to manufacture a response.

“After all this Service? This puppy pack-bond Amiable First Eyes has developed towards Resourceful has changed him. Is he not a proud Set?” I only have a day left but I feel obliged to damage the pack-coherence as much as I can. Is that too much? Whether they are brilliant or not, they will be away from Pack soon and Pack will be safe. Is it not-for-Pack to make it more likely they will Walk soon? It will hardly be the worst thing I have done for Pack but being close to the end has made me feel sick of damaging dogs who are just caught in this. Wary and Bold share a moment in their pack-bond so quick I cannot interpret it.

“Are you prepared to serve Set-Pack by making sure Sets know what stench they live amongst?” Bold is being cautious. We have always had an unsteady trust in each other. “Are you prepared to do Soil’s Service?”

“Anything.” Tomorrow, it won’t matter if I am loyal to the Separatist-Pack. I can groom this nonsense from my coat and snuffle Generous’ ears. She can lick my scars. I wouldn’t be surprised if I got another after all this. The next will be base of tail, which I have heard is a sore one. I have only met two dogs who did not defer to a tail-scar. I have no idea where the next scars are. I should be paying more attention.

“Well, Amiable First Eyes’s plan is to leave at the beginning of the Set hunting-degree^ so we can all get a decent feed before; it might be a few nights before we know what kind of provision you guys are able to bring in.” I feel a swell of pity. Without the providers in the separatist pack (who are all stealth dogs, who will remain behind), they might not get to the breakdown of pack dynamic. “If you lingered back, then you could trigger it and then go to Resourceful to get Soil and join us later in the night. We can’t get away with it, but you could be late - if you sent Still Runt along, saying you’d been held up. We’ll tell Resourceful to expect you. If you are quick, he won’t know what you’ve done before you join us.” Neither of these dogs have ever fully trusted me but they want to ensure me the freedom they think Set-dogs deserve. All I can see is an opportunity to shorten this mission and subvert The Event. Still Runt and I would be left behind – “lost to the cause”. The other three can either not make the rendez-vous or get lost. Resilient can let them back in in a day. Maybe a day of unsupervised, unprotected time outside the safety of Pack would be good for them. They are still nowhere near the level of professionalism that Still Runt has, though so much better than Resilient I would not think to complain most days. The Cunning Runt Set Wary and Bold know is patient and cautious, does not show emotion strongly. I give a measured response.

“I think that would serve. You would have to tell me how to set up the mechanism. I will sniff Still Runt in a degree, I will tell her the plan and we will join ye. Can ye leave scent-markers for us?”

“Of course.” Wary is so earnest. I am imagining romping with Generous and chewing her ears. After so many trials, this final stage is coming together perfectly.

“I am happy to do that, for the good of all Sets. If even one more Set thinks twice before eating or denning with a Rise it will have been worth it.” They seem pleased.

“The mechanism is already set up. We will load and prime it before we leave. You will just need to chew through the four tension lines. There will be one device in the Rise-grass by creche, one under the cloy-berry bush by the stores, one is set up between the rocks to the Rise of the feeding spot for newly graduated warriors and the last one is between the two spicy-smelling trees at the entrance to the little-wild we first met in.” I make a show of committing them to memory.

“I will smell you when we are free.”

“May all the wisdom and focus of the Sets be ours.” They leave. I thank Soil and World for this luck. I can disarm everything. I know where to guard. They will never know. They will Walk within a cycle and Pack will be safe from a threat it never knew it faced.

I feel buoyant as I go to tell Still Runt and the others. Heading to our den complex, I am passing the creche. I reach my nose out to the device I now know to be hidden there. It is well hidden; I cannot detect Rise at all. I let myself stretch and trot, the sun on my spots feeling welcome. The Sweet-world is not that terrible for not-Soil and not-World. There is plenty of provision and the weather here feels familiar. I can almost feel like a dog on World. Maybe Generous and I would be able to go on a long-trip and find the equivalent of the Set mangroves where we first formed our pack-bond and vowed to serve Pack together until we Walk.

I join dogs on zenith-break wandering together, and am turning to the provider-den. I hear a whooshing. I smell it before it hits me. Hard. Rise-tainted soil. I have nothing against Rises but I don’t want to be covered in it. I can even smell Three-paws’ scent as the moist dirt breaks over me. What is happening? The Event has been cancelled. Did Amiable First Eyes trick Resourceful? Did Wary and Bold trick me? Did some unsuspecting dog trigger the mechanisms? But then they should not be loaded yet. Who is responsible for this going away from the plan? The trail into Sweetment is busy enough. Dogs are responding – mostly by getting away from me. I become the focus of every dog’s nose. I recognise a couple of dogs who know the false version of me. They know I am snooty about Rises. They try to suppress their mirth at seeing me so brought low.

I hear a more distant swoosh and thump. Not a mistake then. I smell no separatists. Not knowing who I need to be in this moment, I shake the Rise-mess from my coat. I scent surprised and annoyed. There is another whoosh. I am clear by the time it hits a passing Rise who is equally disgusted. Another whoosh. They had a lot more set up than I was led to believe. Dogs begin to retreat to the safety of dens. Those of us hit, roll and shake and head to the openings. I see a few Set dogs curl their lips as I take shelter with a mix of dogs. It is effective as an attack. A slow burn.

Well if they are leaving now, I can take this, and it will be Generous who grooms me clean. I decide to let Wary and Bold have what seems to be an attempt to ensure I don’t leave with them. I have no idea who is double-crossing who but the trouble in the separatist-Pack runs deep. I will give it a few degrees and then check if the others are gone. Then I will find my pack, who have hopefully been sensible and “gotten lost”. Then I am going to ask Resilient what happened. If he turns out to be some kind of sympathiser with Set separatists or if he’s made another decision without thinking of Pack, I will take his ear myself.

I don’t know who it is, but some-dog in this operation is smarter than they seem. Resilient was still with Amiable First Eyes when Wary and Bold approached me. The Event went as well as Pack could hope; dogs of both sides came together to clear the communal spaces. I know some comfort-units have been restored by Three-Paws and Honest, where high-notches have sacrificed their Soil for the betterment of Pack. Three-Paws and Honest have also emptied a few Rise units to top up Sets to make it less conspicuous. Over the next twentieth^ we were going to restore Soil to as many comfort-units as we can, hoping we play the odds right.

But it is gone. All the Soil. Resilient didn’t know until the others left (they took Proud and Timid Runt but Mirth got away, no sign of Still Runt yet). He has been left with enough Soil to cross the barrier and persuade Amiable First Eyes to give him enough to send over any recruits. We cannot restore all the comfort-units. We cannot send dogs over easily to find the stolen Soil. We risk unrest if we requisition any more units. Either way. That is a problem for the Rise. I trudge down the never-got-the-chance-to-be-familiar tunnels and head to where my bond-mate dens.

I enter den. I smell and taste the peppery beauty of the dog who is my Pack. I roll in the sleeping spot. I pass the comfort-unit. I wait.

Not for long. I never do. She enters, sighs. Runs to me, starts to lick me. I nip at her ears and we tussle. I have a mouthful of her mane and she is biting my leg when she relaxes, and we become a pile of limbs. We lie there, connected, seeping oxytocin^ into the air for a while. Then she wriggles from under me and starts to methodically groom me, like I am a particularly difficult experiment that must be monitored.

( You still stink. Not a Rise thing, just a piss thing. )

( I know. After so many months having to hate Rises it was more shocking than it needed to be. I still don’t really know what happened. But they’re gone now. The new mission will be more suitable for trainees. We will get some Soil and send a pack out to bring back the stash, wherever it has ended up. I do not need to go so we can have a good long time. )

( That’s great. I am pleased you’re feeling confident of their skills. )

( I was wondering if you would be able to come and find a new place to be our place on this world – since we are going to be here for a bit. )

( My spots, I think you know what you’ll need to do next. ) Her words are ice in my belly. Some part of my mind has realised, but I am not letting myself think it yet. ( You know what Pack needs. )

( Pack needs nothing I have to give right now. The Soil can be retrieved without me. )

( Yes but, you know All-Pack Guider No Eyes First Eyes Runt Rise wants all the information she can get about the other species. We have a unique opportunity to find out what’s happening on this world. We have no idea if they have made these discoveries yet on World. The more information we can give them about any of the parasites on World the better for Pack. )

( OK, my pack can take notes when they go looking for the Soil stash. )

( You know that Sweet-Pack Guider Sleek Runt Rise will not trust that sort of mission to any un-scarred. )

( Still Runt is turning out to be an excellent stealth-dog. Honest can go. )

( Yes, she is but you know he can’t. If the Separatists have been smart enough to take the Soil and unpredictable enough to make a Runt of one of their own, then he would not be as safe as you. You would be a runt-maker if he was made-runt. )

( Blah blah blah. I am already a runt-maker, many times over. ) She chucks. ( Why do you always have to be so compassionate? You should be as cold as me! )

( You aren’t as cold as you, my spots. You can be Cunning Runt Set, bond-mate to Generous Set. Scarred stealth-warrior maybe. But never cruel or cold. Always doing what’s best for Pack. )

( So, I take it Sweet-Pack Guider told you. )

( Yes. )

( How long do we have? )

( Tonight. ) My world ends. One night. After a cycle apart. Why would Pack ask so much of me? Pack only asks what a dog can give. Can I give this?

( Then I want to hear every bit of news that you have. )

The Rise hunting degree has begun. Generous told me everything that has happened in her research-suite. She has already found compounds similar to those we use on World to replace all the perishable and limited essentials. Her research-suite is now developing a type of scent-recording made possible by nectar of what they are calling Generous bushes. I have told her about all the things that made up my life as a provider, I do not include the stealth elements. She can guess and I don’t want to think of them. She has told me of all attempts on the comfort-unit. She told me that she thought I was visiting. I tell her it was Still Runt.

As if by thinking her name, Still Runt approaches and sits beyond the entrance. She knows I will be with her soon. How do I leave? How do I walk away from this dog, the only thing that is den to me? I begin to panic. I reach to her with body and bond. I nuzzle her neck and bury my nose into her smells. Ever the stronger of the two of us, she nips my scruff and leaves. I can’t move but I follow her with the bond.

( Farewell my Soil and World. No-dog serves Pack as you do. ) I can’t even reply. She is gone. I shake, stand and enter the tunnel. With every bit of Pack-Service I have, I turn from the tinge of pepper in the tunnel and follow Still Runt the other way.

When we break the surface, I am back into my doga of Cunning Runt Set – stealth dog runt-maker. Then I will don the doga of Cunning Runt Set – provider, then finally Cunning Runt Set – the not-for-Pack separatist.

( I guess we will need to start with busting into a comfort-unit to get Soil. Just like the good old days. ) I try to smirk. She seems embarrassed,

( Actually, I have a small stash already. Just under one comfort-unit’s worth. Enough to get us both out. ) I realise to what she must be referring and don’t conceal my shock or how impressed I am. Sure enough, she leads me to a cache she has dug herself, conveniently between the den-complex where Honest denned with Generous and where she denned with me, and opens it to the smell of not just Soil, but Generous and Honest. She has almost emptied our comfort-unit. I don’t bother to ask how. I am sure we will have many nights when my soul is not being ripped out to chat about how she managed that!

It is already in a cache-pouch. We grab it. We run. We reach the barrier. We upend the pouch. We roll. We walk into an assault of nectar, to serve Pack.