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CHAPTER VI

The Plot Calls the Kettle Black

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Friday admired Jake as he watched the sheep. She found herself drawn to him more as the days and nights together passed. He was a clumsy lover new to it all but she was helping him practice happily. She took to all fours and began to creep in the grass towards him, she would plant his muzzle deep in the ground and maybe tease him a little. She slunk toward the unsuspecting dog. About thirty meters from Jake she caught a scent that killed her playful spirit, the scent of fresh dug dirt and death. She jerked her body from the deep grasses, the sudden appearance of the collie made Jake turn about but before he could do anything but call to her she bolted.

Her heart was in her throat, the soil and the scent was familiar but why, why would anyone dig in Berrys' grave? She came up the fencepost that once marked his grave. Jake had followed her thinking she saw trouble but the scent of fresh dug dirt told him what Friday was here for. The place that once held Berry was now a shallow hole, as if for some reason Berry was dug up and removed. Friday looked to Jake, ‘why was Berry dug up?'

I don't know." Jake said sniffing about "It smells like Mr. Athens." Jake looked unsure at the hole then to Friday. Friday looked furious, her brown eyes alight like when she first came to the farm, alight with rage and hate. She took to all fours, bolting toward the main house, Jake behind her.

Mr. Athens was honestly startled when the front door slammed against the wall and the seething bitch marched with intent toward him with Jake grabbing her arm to pull her back with unheard please to be careful and turn back. Mrs. Athens looked in from her hobby room at what the commotion was about and put away her spinning project as Friday stood standoffish to her husband.

"What the hell are you doing? Close that door damnit." Mr. Athens scolded the bitch and she almost complied but her anger kept her in her place and that alone made Mr. Athens cock his head curiously. Jake and Mrs. Athens arrived at the same time Friday glaring but Mr. Athens stance, the pure power and calm of the old man unnerved her a bit. Seeing Jake from the corner of her eye she pulled him in front of her and began to sign.

"What did you do with Berry and the others?" Jake said in a timid tone, unsure if the messenger was as guilty as the dictator.

Mr. Athens looked honestly taken aback then spoke to Friday, "You came barging in here all full of yourself to ask one question like a drama queen?" Mrs. Athens almost grinned at the scolding the collie was given, a bit of offbeat nostalgia of Tiffanies rebellious teen years. She followed Jake and her husband who pulled Friday by the collar beside him.

Tiffany rode up on her ATV curious and concerned about her father pulling Friday along and the others following.

"What's going on?" Tiffany asked with no response but a shrug from her mother, Jake intently watching Friday with his ears folded back and his paws against his own chest in some leftover canine submission ploy that did not look right in the bipedal form. She looked at her father and saw no gun so was relived he was not finally going to shoot her, but she was rather surprised when she followed the entire family to the family plot wondering what sort of thing her father was planning for her dog. She dismounted and followed the procession into the graveyard.

Mr. Athens let go of Fridays collar, the collie just staring daggers at him, but her cutting glare was blunted with curiosity. Mr. Athens grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in front of him and pointed to two new mounds of earth. both had a metal bar in the ground at the head with a little collie head. "Berry and your little charcoal fragments, and," he said pointing to the mound they were in front of, then pointing to the second mound "Everyone else, I want to say about three more, and a chicken bone, intentional or not it's all in there."

Friday did not move at all, her eyes were wide and no one saw the dog breathe or blink. Mr. Athens was about to turn to walk away when Friday rounded to face him and wrapped her arms around him and buried her muzzle in his chest. Without thinking he held the shorter collie and dipped his head to kiss the top of her head, something he had done so often with his daughter in years past, and he was happy to do it again, missing the times he was able to hold and comfort his child.

Mrs. Athens wiped a tear from her eye as Jake stood clearly baffled over the scene, and dog like owner was also confused as to what had just happened.

"Mom," she whispered to her mothers' ear, "what just happened?"

Mrs. Athens didn't stop watching the scene as she whispered to her daughter, "your father, that man, just buried her friend and the others she brought from the Cox farm in the family plot for Friday."

Tiffany looked at her mother confused as to why this would bring her to tears, or why Friday sobbed in her fathers chest like that. What magic trick did her father perform to make everyone awe at him, and especially make Friday cry like that?

"Your father just told Friday that she is a part of this family, this land by putting her loved ones in our plot. Your father finally adopted that dog of yours and she now knows she is here for good, in the safe place you made for her." her mother finally looked to her daughter, "congratulations, you now have a dog."

Tiffany looked at her mother then back at her father. The man was scary most of the time, he was mean and gruff and even threatening, but he knew what to do, and how to make things right, whether it made you happy or not, and right now his putting things right brought the greatest joy to Friday she had ever seen on the dog, even if she was sobbing into his chest with no sign of letting up.

Mr Athens waited until the dogs shuttering breath let him know it was time to pull her away from him, but not let her go, he smiled to her, "Now you are a piece of this farm, so I expect you to pull your weight." Friday wiped her eyes and shook her fur out a bit and nodded licking the old man on the cheek and nuzzling him if he was her own father, a being she would never know much like her mother. But now she had a father, a family and a mate. She smiled a canine smile and coughed a bit before she flung herself into Jake's body hugging him hard enough to make his back pop but he didn't complain, he held her back and kissed her.

Tiffany felt even more hollow, she didn't have anyone to hold like Friday held Jake. She nodded and only her mother took notice of her leaving.

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The sheep were tended, the horses brushed, the tack cleaned and hung up properly in the tack room. The house and barn was clean and Tiffany just shook her head as she looked at the perfectly aligned rotated and stacked straw bales.

Friday grinned as she swung her legs over the side of a straw bale. She signed something to Tiffany but she still had not caught on to what the dog said. Maybe she would have to get Andrew to teach her. and if Friday kept this up she would have the time to do it. Tiffany gave the border collie bitch a scritch behind her ears, "you really are helping out a lot, thank you."

Friday smiled and nodded and got up and licking herself a few times and giving herself a sniff she left the barn out to jake.

Jake smiled to her as he saw her and waved and she waved back cheerfully. "how is everything?" he asked in passing as she walked by him, he swore she was strutting a bit and her tail brush over his sheath was intentional.

‘Good, your mistress is pleased.' She smiled and hugged to the merle.

The inside of his ears turned red and he slipped form her grasp focusing on the sheep who really didn't need it and he felt like a fool but he just could not be close to her like that comfortably.

Friday looked at him and tilted her head. She nodded and pet his head and he wagged his tail a bit which made her smile.

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"I'm really impressed with Friday," tiffany said to her dog as he laid his head on her thigh as they sat on the couch watching tv, "she has been busting her tail this month and I have to say, I think she is going to make it, I think she will finally make it." She said the last with a bit of satisfaction.

"She is really different now, she seems to be happier and flirts a bit more."

"That's because she likes you Jake, you are a sweet boy." She ruffed his head and gave him an awkward hug from their positions.

Friday looked sharkily over the back of the couch and stood still as the wto with voices bantered on about her. She saw Jake lounging on the couch seat with his mistress. She took her tail and softly teased the side of Tiffanys' ear and she turned her head and rubbed her ear and then turned the other way to see what had escaped her vision and Friday licked her wetly from chin to eye and then pounced on Jake nipping him playfully. Tiffany grabbed Friday and pinned her to the couch as Jake grabbed her feet. The collie struggled but Tiffany just looked at Jake and grinned. Jake went for the belly attack, tickling her with his muzzle nips and tongue while Tiffany blew in her ears. Friday tried to swat Jake away with her tail as she kept her maw open playfully trying to nip Tiffany as she hid one ear then the other trying to avoid the puffs in her ears. Friday finally got a lucky shot on Tiffany, sticking her tongue in the woman's mouth and licking the roof of her mouth before she could puff in her ear. Tiffany revolted and took her hands off the collies' paws to wipe her tongue with her hands and Friday balled up on Jakes head and nipped his scruff and fell off the couch with him. The two got up dueling muzzles before Tiffany grabbed the collie bitch from behind and held her. She tried to kick Jake away with her paws but he grabbed them both and began nibbling them. Friday laughed silently and tried to kick him off but he had a good grip on her paws. Her eyes widened as he licked between her pads and her toes and stuck a finger in the same spot on her other paw. Friday squirmed in Tiffanys' tight hold but to no avail, she was too busy laughing to retaliate against Jakes mistress. Friday was tightened up and tried to free herself and to her unknown advantage, she farted. Tiffany wrinkled her nose and coughed and put Friday down on her tail laughing. Sorry Friday, but you win. She said breathlessly from both playing with the dog and her unexpected defense. Jake just looked at Friday who was panting a silent laugh both in joy and to catch her breath from the tickling. Jake ruffed her ears, "Just cause you're black and white don't make you a skunk." He teased her and she kicked him with a paw playfully and got up to go outside to pee. Jake sighed and panted for his breath and a smile, "she still isn't used to the toilet?" he asked Tiffany and she smirked, "only as a water bowl. You really know how to pick ‘em Jake." She teased

Jake smiled and got up walking over to his mistress and hugged her, "I'm glad she's here." Tiffany smiled and pet him, "so am I, she is really turning into a part of the family. I knew I could get through to her. She smiled smugly.

Jake gave his mistress a canine kiss on her cheek and smiled as Friday came back in and on seeing Jake hugging his mistress ran over to be hugged and hug Jake before jumping on the couch and sitting doggy style and squeaking her bone at him. Jake and Friday both went back to the couch to sit and both took and end of Friday to scritch and pet as they watched TV.

Friday worked as hard as she could on the farm, she still ate the rats in the barn but she began to love her new soft life. Jake tried to teach her the toilet but she could not see why she would use a bowl of water that way so insisted on her outside ventures. She tried to impress Jake with her skills and tried showing off a few times.

Tiffany stroked over her mares coat with the brush prepping to saddle her. she had just put the brush down when Friday startled her. Tiffany held her chest where her heart raced as she looked to the bitch holding her saddle and blanket. Tiffany stood a bit straighter looking at the dog disbelieving. "Hi there" she said and smiled to her. Friday lifted the moderately heavy saddle to Tiffany and wagged her tail a bit. Tiffany assessed the collie and took the saddle with a smile and a thank you.

Friday handed her the things she needed to get the mare ready for riding and even opened the stall doors for her and the horse. Tiffany reached down form her horse and pet Fridays head. "thank you Friday."

Friday smiled and wagged her tail. Surely Jake will appreciate her being kind to his mistress.

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The summer sun beat down on the planes and hills sending the sheep to the shade of the sparse trees and hedgerows. The collies romped in the thick grasses amongst the grasshoppers, butterflies and countless gnats and winged insects that fled the places the dogs rolled ran and played. It was an easy day until barking and the bleats of terrified sheep made the canine duo look up and see five dark shapes causing the lightly wooled sheep to bolt and bleat in terror. The two collies ran to the invaders at full speed on all fours, leaping fences and tearing through long grasses until they came to face the invaders. Three large blue ticks and two smaller but no less dangerous beagle fox terrier mutts. No one in these parts would own dogs like this and by their condition they had not known friendly human hands. Friday was startled by how large and ferocious Jake looked on all fours with his thick fur puffed up. Friday flashed her teeth backing Jake up hoping to make the intruders think twice but they did not hardly hesitate to attack the two shepherds. Jake surprised everyone going on the offensive, leaping up and onto the back of one of the larger blue ticks and did something that made Friday take a new perspective of the shy awkward collie, he fought more viciously than anyone she had ever seen, he grabbed the blue tick with his arm around the dogs' throat the other arm behind his head and his paw gripping the rear arms triceps and began flinging the thrashing choking dog around as a shield that the other dogs had no problems attacking. Friday was taken off guard, watching Jake too much and not watching out for herself when one of the smaller dogs and one blue ticks were on her. She leapt up and bounded over a fence then ran along it the dogs barking viciously at her but not smart enough to cross the fence and get the collie bitch that distracted them as Jake let go of the unconscious and chewed up dog he had used as a shield, she tried to cry out a warning to him as he squared off with the larger blue tick and the second smaller dog attacked him from behind. She thought about jumping the fence to help him but she was only going to bring two more combatants to him. She watched in horror as Jake was bitten in the back of his right leg.

Jake felt the dog close his mouth on his thick fur and nothing else, but that was enough of a distraction that the blue tick lunged and Jake could only put up his arm in defense, and let the massive maw lock down on his arm. He shrieked a yelp that made Fridays heart sink and desperation rise.

Friday began to think about things she could do to help she took to teasing the dogs by acting like she was trying to cross the fence. Then she ran far away, making sure the dogs followed her on the other side of the fence, then with collie agility she leapt the fence and led her pursuers to something she noticed a while ago, a beer bottle resting by a fence post. Braying after the collie genome the hunting dogs followed her across the field and then ran headlong into the fence she so nimbly leapt. She took the beer bottle by the long neck and smashed it against the ceramic electric fence insulator breaking it into a jagged and fragile knife. Friday had to get to Jake, so went on the offensive. She stood up like a human and teased the dogs, the beagle mix leapt up and hit the electric fence, and looked stunned for a moment, the moment that Friday needed to slit its throat with the bottle. The dog fell back with a yelp as its blood pulsed from a cut artery. It staggered and fell to breath it's last as Friday tried to tempt the larger blue tick to the same fate but it was smarter and to Fridays' surprise took a running start and leapt the fence and was immediately on her, Friday slashed it's muzzle with the bottle every time it lunged for her, it's large vicious maw spattered her with saliva and then blood as the cuts she inflicted ran freely. Friday lost her footing when the dog leapt at her snapping it's jaws what looked to her like wildly. Unable to defend against the fast hard advance with her bottle knife she lashed out hoping to inflict a grievous wound but missed totally and was pushed over onto her back the dog rushing in to savage her. She put up her hands and grabbed the dog by it's throat she lacked the power to choke it like Jake could but it kept the snapping jaws from her but the claws slashed and dug at her and beat at her arms, her own digagrade legs bent up under the dog to slash to no real effect and eventually were just to help keep the dog off her. She felt herself tire and weaken under the assault. She thought about how she couldn't help Jake. She was sad that her life would end like this, after she found happiness. She began to bite at the muzzle that was getting closer and closer to her head trying valiantly but vainly to thwart her attacker. Her muscles ached her body shook with fatigue and her hope was gone when the dog fell on her, her body no longer able to hold him off. She bit and thrashed and bit wildly at the weight over her the taste of blood in her muzzle made her fight with all the more frenzy her legs kicking and thrashing until the dog fell off her sideways. Free she leapt up and took on a fighting stance but the dog just laid there. She cautiously approached the dog but saw the copious blood that flowed from it's head from a large hole then Friday heard a thunder clap and ducked on instinct fearing for her life, but this was her farm, she would not be shot, would she? She looked around and saw in the distance Mr. Athens standing on his ATV with rifle at the ready, but he was not aiming at her, then she remembered Jake and bolted to where she last saw him. he was not standing and the smell of blood was thick in the air. Her heart raced thinking of the night she lost berry, the blood smell that tainted everything, the sulfur that reached her nose from the rifle. She searched and found Jake lying in the grass, his coat was matted in blood, his own blood. She knelt human like beside him looking at his torn body ebbing his life away. He breathed but not much else. Friday licked him franticly, trying to heal him to make him better when she was pulled back by her collar. She was about to bite her new attacker when she realized it was Mr. Athens. He had the First aid kit from the ATV and began looking Jake over as Tiffany and even Mrs. Athens came up both armed with rifles. Tiffany shrieked and ran to Jake and was pushed away by her father just like Friday was. Friday ran over to Tiffany hugging her tight hoping for comfort and she was gripped by Tiffany in the same desperate embrace.

"Dad, Dad how is he?" Tiffany asked for both of them as Mrs. Athens knelt on the other side of Jake helping her husband bandage the worst of Jakes wounds.

Tiffany noticed the sudden tensing in Friday and her attempt to break away when there came a shout from the fence line. Friday barred her teeth to the man who carefully jumped the fence and came running with his rifle. Mrs. Athens and Tiffany held their rifles ready as the obviously irate man came at them.

"What the fuck did you do to my dogs?" he yelled and looked at two shot dogs close to were Mr. Athens was working on Jake.

"your dogs?!" Tiffany screamed at him, "your dogs trespassed and attacked our livestock and our dogs you sonofa bitch. I want your name so we can sue the fucking hell out of you."

"Fuck you! You stupid whore,.."

"Tiffany, I want you and Friday to take the ATV with Jake and get him to the vet, now." He cut off the trespassing man as if he did not exist and picked up the wounded limp collie. Friday looked at Jake and bolted to the wounded dog with nothing but fear and worry in her eyes and motions. Tiffany was just as fast in abandoning the trespasser to see to the health of her dog.

Friday sat facing backwards holding Jake down in the rear rack as Tiffany raced over the pastures and around fences to the driveway, but along the way she looked up from Jake to see Mr. Athens and his wife talking to the man calmly with rifles relaxed before they disappeared behind a hill and were gone from sight and she had no distraction to how terrible Jake looked matted in blood, his lip was torn as well as his left ear. The blood on his face hid the multiple small wounds that looked like one massive wound. His bandaged arm already began to bleed through in places, the bandage on his right thigh doing the same. Friday helped Tiffany put Jake in the back seat of her truck staying with him to make sure he did not fall off the seat as Tiffany tore out of the driveway as she hit her vets' number on the speed dial.