The rounded surface of the log forced Dakota’s ankles outwards, and Dakota ended up shifting Tank onto his hip like a toddler.
Tank didn’t love that. He twisted this way and that, trying to see the end, anxious to have his own feet under him, drool dripping onto Dakota’s ear.
As soon as they reached the end of the log, Dakota squatted so Tank could set his paws on Dakota’s thigh, and he thrust off in a magnificent leap that brought cheers and whoops from the crowd.
Dakota jumped down quickly as the bungee tightened, dragging his hips forward. They’d just had a triumph; no point in slip-sliding face-first now.
Dakota had lost sight of Cerberus and was running full steam.
Tank was powering up the steep hill, up and away from the crowd.
“Not gonna lie, buddy, I’m appreciating the assist on this incline.”
All in all, Daktota thought that he and Tank had given a fair showing. And he felt that as they ran the course together, learning at the same time, trust grew between them.
Yeah, today was a good day. Food for the soul.
Dakota stopped at the last obstacle of the run, a forty-pound bag of dog chow that he’d have to carry to the finish line.
In this part of the task, he and Tank were completely in sync. They often ran the park trails long, hard distances. Dakota almost forgot the bag of food draped over his shoulder as he caught up to the others.
“Oy, there you are, mate,” Halo called out with a wave of his free hand. “We were afraid you got lost somewhere along the line. We were just having a chat about who would be on the search and rescue mission to go back and find you.”
“Appreciate the concern,” Dakota said as they passed the table one by one, where they dropped off the bag.
“No more pussy-footing around,” Levi called out. “Last one across is buying the first round.”
They were off, blazing across the finish line to a cheering crowd.
Dakota bent as that petite woman from the parking area stretched to place the completion medal around his neck. “I’m Grace. You must be Raisin. Thanks so much for pitching in.”
“Glad to help.” Dakota huffed, then shuffled forward to be out of the path as he bent to put his hands on his knees and catch his breath.
There, Tank stared into the crowd. His whole body tensed as he focused on a man in a wheelchair with a young boy in a wheelchair to his side. The boy was waving sticks with pom poms attached to the ends. A woman with brown hair had her face turned as she watched the next wave of runners come over the hill.
Tank yipped his high-pitched, “Quick! Come look!”
The woman swiveled toward them and raised her phone to take pictures of the scene, then smiled and waved.
As the boy lifted his pompom, Tank dove forward.
“Hey, ho there, big guy,” Dakota panted out. “That’s not a toy, and it’s not for you.”
Tank took another leap forward. And this time, Dakota shifted his focus to try to understand what was enticing Tank to act this way in public. All three people in that grouping had locked eyes with Tank, and Dakota locked eyes onher.
Suddenly, Dakota felt oddly like there was no definition to his body. If someone were videoing him and, in the clip, he shifted from a solid to a state of floating particles, he would think that was about the right sensation.
“Oy there mate, come on,” Halo called out. “We’re heading back to the vehicles!” The sharp tone glued Dakota’s atoms back together.
It was such an odd sensation that Dakota immediately classified it as a coincidence of focus, while his body freaked out from the heavy exertion and the succession of cold-water plunges.
Tank turned to catch Dakota’s gaze and give him a stomp of dissatisfaction. “Do I smell strange to you?” Dakota asked Tank. “Low potassium? Maybe I need a banana.” Dakota gathered the length of the lead, then signaled Tank to his side as he jogged toward the transport.
Tank’s feet moved forward, but his gaze stayed on the family with the boy and his pompom.
When they got to the group, the men removed the harnesses and dropped them into a bag for cleaning. Then Dakota, still reeling, bent to unlace his shoes. “I mean, it was like a sci-fi movie or something. I don’t think a human body is supposed to feel that way.”
Tank looked up at him.
