"Pissed," I offered.
"Yeah," he said. "I wanted to make the Moles pay. I thought I'd just be able to take Narina's dog and kill them all, but I was wrong."
"Moles are a plague," I told him. "But you'll get it."
"Thanks. Sorry she blindsided you."
"That's why I'm here," I said.
Then he whistled sharply. "Pepper, come!"
Pepper did not come. She sat, looking up at Ayla. It was only when Ayla pointed that the dog moved, and maybe I was makingit up, but I swore Pepper didn't want to leave Ayla's side. She walked so slowly back to her owner that it almost looked like she was sulking.
But Ayla didn't give the dog any attention for sulking. Instead, she petted Holly, then turned to help the next person. That man finally got Pepper and started working with her again, but it was getting clear the dog had not bonded with him.
I started making laps again, but this time I was picking out dogs and people a little easier. The dog who'd tried to take Ayla's gun finally managed to disarm me - and hard. A few others did too, and somewhere in there, I saw Lansin talking to Pepper's person.
So, when Xav said it was his turn, I headed to the side, aiming straight for the man who knew dogs the best. I had questions, and I knew he wouldn't bullshit me about any of it.
"Lansin!" I called, gesturing for him to head my way.
"Yeah?" he asked, then grinned. "Shadow, get Rymar!"
I groaned, but before the dog made it even halfway, Lasin snapped, "Shadow, down!"
His dog was trained alotbetter than most of the ones here. When Lansin said down, Shadow's belly hit the ground - even though the dog was still moving forward. Shadow slid, glanced back at Lansin, and then waited to be released.
"Good boy!" Lansin said when he caught up to his dog. "Heel." Then he reached me. "I think this is good for you too, Rymar. You didn't even flinch."
"Think of it more as giving up," I told him, then turned so I could see the man and Pepper again. "So, that guy? What do you know about him?"
"His partner of three years was killed when the Moles attacked us the first time," Lansin said. "Pepper was hers. I'm pretty sure he's never worked with the dog before today. I mean,he turned her loose when the Moles came, but that's not quite the same."
Which confirmed what the guy had told me. "Did you train Pepper?" I asked next.
"Nope," he said. "His partner did. I didn't breed her either. She's out of the livestock dogs, but has some guardian lines a generation back. That's why she's smaller."
"What, a hundred and twenty pounds instead of one-fifty?" I asked.
"I said smaller," he corrected, "not small. Why?"
I waggled my finger between the man and his dog. "Because he doesn't sound invested. That dog clearly knows what to do, but it's not listening to him at all."
"And this is why I suggested all of you learn how to handle Holly," he told me. "Dogs bond. They need faith in their leadership to obey a command, and Moldan is a farmer. Not a guardian, not a herder, and definitely not a dog handler. I wish he'd sell that dog already. Tried to convince him, but he didn't want her to do nothing but breed."
"Why would she only be good for breeding?" I asked.
Lansin laughed once. "Because that, Rymar? That's a woman's dog."
And I could feel a smile starting to take over. "Oh really?"
"Fuck," Lansin groaned, immediately seeing what I was thinking. "Pepper's worth about three thousand bucks, and that's on the high side. She has potential. I'll cover the money if you don't have enough on you right now, but on one condition."
"What's that?"
Lansin dropped a hand on my shoulder. "When that dog has puppies - if she ever does - I get a female from the litter."
And I thrust out my hand. "Done. I just need one more thing."
