“Come on, Dusty. I’ll walk down there with you. I was going to pick out a little female pup for the weekend, so I’m going that way,” the guy from the doorway spoke up.
Dusty nodded and carefully slid off the table. He walked out of the first-aid room with the other man. I waited in the great room for Dusty to reappear because I really thought he could use company tonight. I didn’t think it would be wise for him to go to a room alone. What if he woke up sick or with some complication from an injury he’d sustained tonight? He could die alone … just like Johnathan did.
Too much time had passed, and I wandered out to the patio. The other man was walking toward the main house, but I noticed he didn’t have a little female with him.
“Didn’t find a pup you wanted for the weekend?” I asked.
“No,” he said as he approached. “To be honest, the sight of Dusty in the light nearly turned my stomach. I don’t understand how someone can do that kind of shit to another person. I think I’m going to check-out and go home,” he said.
“I understand. I’m going to wait for Dusty and see if he wants to get something to eat. I think the dining room is open until midnight.”
“Good idea. He was shaken, that’s for sure. I’ll see you around,” he said as he walked by.
“Goodnight.”
I walked down the path toward the pound. Maybe he was changing out of his pup gear.
“Hey, back again,” Zack greeted when he saw me.
“Hi. I’m looking for Dusty.”
“He’s had a very bad night—”
“I know. I found him like that. He has a room ready for him up at the house. I was going to see if he wanted to get something to eat. Is he changing?”
“He went back to his cubby,” Zack explained. “I didn’t know he was to stay up at the main house tonight.”
“Can you take me to him, please?” I asked.
“Of course.”
We walked around a bunch of masters looking in the cubbies at certain human pets, trying to decide which one they wanted to get their rocks off with. I didn’t even want to get off. I wanted to help someone.
Zack slowed his pace and then stopped in front of a cubby. Laying curled up on his pet bed was Dusty. His battered and bandaged back was facing us while he faced the back of his cubby. He was without his tail but had his mask and hood on.
“Dusty,” Zack called. Dusty rolled over and started to sit up in a ready position. “Dusty, you didn’t tell me that you were to stay at the main house tonight.”
Dusty remained silent. He was back in his full pup world. And maybe it made the attack and assault easier for him to digest and deal with right now.
“Speak, Dusty,” Zack commanded.
“I don’t belong up there,” Dusty murmured.
I reached over the gate and held my hand out toward him. He limped over and pressed the side of his swollen face into the palm of my hand.
“I would very much like to spend the weekend with you, Dusty.”
He needed to feel wanted.
“I … I lost my tail tonight,” Dusty mumbled and started to turn around to show me.
I stopped him from exerting himself to show me what I was already aware of. I’m sure he was even a bit scared, and I knew he was in pain. So perhaps he really was afraid to go with anyone right now. He just wanted to lie down and be comfortable.
I pulled my hand away and then crouched down. I pressed my hand against the gate, and Dusty hurried over to press his face against my palm.Yes, he wanted and needed comfort and care.
“Dusty, I’m not going to hurt you, and I have no sexual expectations. I simply want to be in your presence,” I whispered.
“Even without my tail?” he whispered back.
