I have never been both so tense and so bored in my life. Scrawny and Pompous have, somehow, gleaned that buzzer-paste is related to the control of the machines. So, they are trying to persuade All-Pack Guider^ No Eyes First Eyes Runt^ Rise to let them dig up the secret deep-store and use some sparingly in experiments. But she, nor any other dog in this circle other than Pompous, know that is what Scrawny is talking about. He is talking about scent structures none of us have smelled or could understand and how they made the discovery not what it is or the implications or what they want. All-Pack Guider is listening politely but clearly formulating questions. She is calm and his incoherent diatribe seems to part and go round her like a breeze round a Soil Sentinel^. When he finally reaches a break in his stream of almost incomprehensible noises to any-dog not in scientific Service, she gently says,
“Your excitement is infectious,” (though she shows no evidence of her finding it infectious to my nose) “but I do not have the level of knowledge you clearly do in scent science. I look forward to sitting with ye,” magnanimously including us all as well as Pompous, “and grooming someday while you explain the science behind this discovery to me,” (closer than I ever hoped could be possible! How could one serve better than at the side of All-Pack Guider?) “but right now I need to understand what it is you have found, what this means for Pack here and out there and what Pack can do to facilitate this.” She inclined her head towards the wider pack, subtly but politely suggesting that another dog might want to try explaining. Swift steps forward.
“What I have understood is: that buzzer-paste is crucial to using buzzer-tech,” Both All-Pack Guider No Eyes First Eyes Runt Rise and Silky flick an ear at the same moment, like they both heard something but we are in a deep-den and there is nothing to be heard outside this chamber. “that with only one dog who has had a small taste of buzzer-paste in-pack, we can almost lift a dog with the flying-rig and can almost fly it independently. If we all were to take some then we, as a pack, may be able to achieve a lot more. And it might allow us to access some other technology the buzzers left behind. And to do that, can Scrawny and Pompous have access to the deep-store dug to store the buzzer-paste–”
“We would only take a very small sample, we are aware of the risk of the substance in significant amounts, we would not want to put other dogs at risk. I propose we do not tell any-dog outside of this den. Most dogs have forgotten about it, they need not be reminded. We only have one flying-rig so no need to train up other packs yet. We can continue controlled experiments.”
“That sounds like a reasonable plan with the correct level of caution. I trust you to make the best decision as to how much is a ‘very small sample’. You are doing what is right for Pack and I shall trust your wisdom,” now Swift hears something that isn’t there, an ear flick and a tiny puff of anger “to not put wider Pack at any risk. Once again ye are the bravest amongst us, prepared to do your Service even when it is hard. Ye are all model dogs. I am proud to have ye on World where you will help All-Pack. Silky was still serving directly under me when that was dug and, I believe, did a fair bit of the dig himself so he can take you and help ye seal it effectively again.” She is such an inspirational Guider, not like so many pack-guiders of history who perpetuated inter-Pack conflict for generations, resulting in so many dogs Walking needlessly.
I would've had to have started paying attention before I realised that Silky was already taking us to the store to be able to find my way back. We are scent-masked as tight as possible, as has been any dog who has ever travelled down these passages. We have been travelling for multiple cents^ from an already deep location. The tunnels are ancient and the shores have in places been diligently replaced, the smell of logs only recently stripped of bark echoes^ eerily through the passages, as the only being that cannot conceal their state.
( Any-dog else keeping track of our path? ) Asks Swift.
( We have been thinking about how much would be reasonable to take in this first sample and what experiments we should prioritise. ) Scrawny indicates he and Pompous have been discussing in their private bond. At least he has some-dog to share the thoughts with who understands and is as excited as he.
( Sorry, I didn’t start paying attention early enough. ) I admit. Fierce doesn’t reply but does share her intense concentration, telling us she’s focusing and please don’t interrupt. ( I guess we don’t need to know it, Silky will get us back out. ) That doesn’t break either of my notch-mates’ concentration at all. I won’t add anything if I have a half-remembered trail. Instead, I think about what these next experiments might mean. I assume the three of us in this pack-bond who haven’t, will get to give in to the scent of buzzer-paste. I think of Wilful’s strange behaviour and devastating howl. I don’t want us to be reckless. I smell a tiny whiff of her but maybe my thoughts conjured her to my nose. I thought I had forgotten what she smelled like but it washes over me bringing clarity of memory. I don’t remember what she smelled like (if I ever knew) before she ate buzzer-paste. This scent has a touch of the sweet but endlessly tempting buzzer-paste. My thoughts are probably being polluted by Pompous and Scrawny’s chat and Fierce and Swift’s concentration, as my thoughts are polluting theirs and making tracking even harder for my dapples. I try to ignore my puzzlement and uneasiness and think small private thoughts without emotion.
I can only assume at least a degree^ has passed, Swift and Fierce have given up trying to keep track and we are chatting in our pack-bond. We did chat out loud a short while but Silky said he needed to concentrate, which we understood.
( What do you think these tunnels were for? They are generations old and obviously not used for much but are meticulously maintained. ) It’s much less boring walking nose-blind when you can chat.
( I guess there have always been things that need to be kept away from Pack for the good of Pack. ) Swift bond-mutters.
( I heard about tunnels under the Great Set Settlement on the Central Continent. All the creche-pups used to freak each other out with scent-stories of how a pup would go missing and would never be found because they would be too far from a nose. ) Fierce’s thoughts taste of scent-stories.
( I wonder if I was from here rather than on the Rise Continent I would have heard similar stories. ) I wonder how different I would be if I grew up smelling Sets on the horizon.
( I creched on the Central Continent. ) Swift did and she feels the same as me, so maybe no different.
( Yeah but you were on the coast. I don’t know any Sets not from the Great Set Settlement who knew the stories. It was great in training. On those early pack-finding trips, none of the others were from the Great Set Settlement so I had plenty of scent-stories to freak everyone out with. ) Fierce chucks at the memory and sends us the scent of Sets at Set trying to keep their fear in check but being delighted with their fear.
Silky stops short and becomes attentive. We six become tense and focused. Silky sniffs and looks at Scrawny. The smell of buzzer-paste is apparent in the passage. Very faint.
“Is that what I think it is?” asks Pompous, the only dog here to never have smelled buzzer-paste before, “No wonder it is dangerous, my mouth is watering and my stomach is growling with it buried! I had begun to wonder if this much caution was necessary but All-Pack Guider No Eyes First Eyes Runt Rise truly is as wise as she seems.” Pompous takes a breath and notices that the rest of us are still in alert stances. We must have rubbed some warrior into Scrawny’s hide because he moves with us as a warrior-pack. We go down the passage and round the corner so no-dog could pass us. Swift’s ready to chase and Fierce’s ready to pin. Silky and Scrawny are waiting for guidance. I’m in First Eyes, tapped into every-dog’s senses to get as much information as I can before I make any decision. The passage is empty. There is a deep hole in the middle of the passage about a dogs-length away. Silky instantly panics,
“We dug this store so deep. It is so hard to get to. You would have to know where to dig. Which dog did this?” For such an experienced and steady warrior this is a surprising level of emotion, even if the loss to Pack is that we cannot further experiment. No other dog knows that it would definitely help with buzzer-tech.
“You can’t be considered responsible, Silky,” says Swift, “I think we know, the only dog who would have any interest in getting to this. If she got in she must have some pack still who helped her.” None of us look at Pompous but I can feel a fleck of suspicion. We stand for a few moments.
“Well, Silky, can you get us back to All-Pack Guider No Eyes First Eyes Runt Rise?” I ask, “I think she needs to know about this as soon as we can get the information to her.” He turns and bolts. We speed to keep up. Wouldn’t want to be a lost creche-pup.