The Cave to Fear

“Alright... And there!”

The light from the camera clicked into place, causing Tammy, the Tamaskan pup, to shake away the odd feel of the device. The collar was one thing, but adding to the weight of a durable, night vision Kodak still made the little lupine grimace. A huff from her snout, Tammy’s owner laughed at her expense as he adjusted his own burdens. Tammy’s pupils widened to the light that flashed on suddenly.

“Okay, girl, come on.”

Her thin Papa laughed as his hands moved from his helmet to between Tammy’s forehead, gently causing her straight, bushy tail to dance in happiness. Once a year, the pair would come to this spot, ignoring all the yellow tape that kept others away. A little secret of theirs, a whisper, Tammy was specifically picked out by the shelter years ago. Found with a broken paw and a terrifying snarl, a chance had been given. Papa, Master, kindly mended every fear that kept her from running off. A hole in the fence tempted fate, but she chose to stay.

A small whine escaped under Tammy’s breath, causing Papa to plant a small peck. A howl from the mighty wind pushed that furry black greyish butt into the arms of Master. He wasn’t always so....

“I’ll be fine.”

Slender. And that worried her. A cocktail aroma of plastic, coffee bean, and bleach followed his shadow. Sterile hands offered help in the home. They came with a bag once, full of those scary needles the vet would use. But it wasn’t for her when it came to their front door. She didn’t know that the first time, almost tearing off the pant leg of the intruder. It had been replaced with a bone bearing a bow as Master sat in his comfortable recliner, speaking of... Something... That treat was too tasty to fully stalk their conversation.

“Promise”

Today was another day. Her curious head cocked, following diligently into the darkness once Papa pushed off from the dirt. The mouth of the cave embraced them; unlike others, it barred its teeth. The jingle from the bell whistled its fine tune, bouncing back and forth as paws kept forward. In case of separation, her collar had a small ‘jingle’ bell, as Papa called it. He would be able to hear her no matter what. It was never truly needed. Even if an enticing smell stole her from his side, it was never for long. Though once, there was a HUGE bat that she couldn’t help but try to bite. Just once. And that was at the beginning, when she didn’t know any better. Since then, she gives those flying rats the cold shoulder. But sometimes... And only sometimes... Papa would be able to see the whites of Tammy’s eyes staring into the night, causing rare hackles to rise.

For a while, small rocks would kick away as heavy boots from Papa landed strongly. He may have grown in reverse, but the power to understand this landscape remained. You couldn’t just dilly-dally in here. It amazed Tammy to witness the human condition. Some days she curled up on the floor with him, the days when the vomit couldn’t stop. Or just the days it was too hard to leave the warmth of the comforter. He always tried to get a helper those times to play with her in the yard. But she only wanted Papa, growling steadily until headpats halted her threats. And right now? His bravery continued on. Tammy couldn’t help but look up at him. Her tail wagged happily once their eyes met.

The familiar path bore their scent, stained by the tracks cast by the seasonal adventurers. At times, even their bellies rolled against the rock, manoeuvring in such ways to keep the cave from shaking. Newspapers suggested keeping away. Why did Master always like the dangerous one? She did too. Tammy can answer. The thrill of surprise kept them on their toes, yet the familiar tightness of the mineral felt like a hug.

A rumble stirred within Master, causing a steady cough to force a halt. Or at least, that was the idea. Those blackened corneas gazed into the molded entrance. It looked like it had been slapped together from decades of erosion. Tiny little spikes popped from the Earth, surrounding what looked like the lip of a cup, formed by the hands of man. How large! Droplets of dew hit, causing a tap, tap, tap inside. This didn’t feel right, so rightfully, she barked at it. Claws dug into the dirt, unsure of when this area even came alive. But Master didn’t seem to worry. In fact, he looked-

“Tammy... It’s okay.”

His angelic voice, softer than velvet, had been cut out by another cough. That was enough to cease her fit. Her nose hit the edge of the tub, sniffing and sniffing until the information was enough to make her dizzy. A small whine, shaking her head in protest. Was he more Master? Or more Papa?

The sickly man kneeled, releasing the straps of his helmet to reveal the patchwork of blonde on top of his head. In a swift motion, he scooped her up into a cradle, crying into her fur.

“I love you. I love you. But I can’t do it anymore.”

They sat like that for a while, until the beep of the collar's webcam signaled a battery change. He spoke about how much he loved her, how that camera was for her. How he always knew she wasn’t just a dog. Tammy... Was slightly startled by the confession, but was very much relieved to hear it. He explained how this was her spot if she ever wanted to visit. Gingerly, paws hit the dirt once more as Papa took out a needle with liquid inside. He was still smiling, even after his chest stopped rising and falling.

“I... Love you too.”

Curled up beside his body lay Tammy, without the fur she once held so tightly. Her fingers intertwined the deads, planting soft butterfly kisses along his cold forehead. The bell jingled one last time, tearing it away using her thick, sharp nails. Its musical symbol of love would remain in the pocket of the corpse, as she kept the collar and camera to remember their days of spelunking. The house was hers, a scroll left by the fireplace with her name signed in permanent ink. The years that followed, when she had pups of her own, Tammy would still visit the cave to cuddle next to the skeleton. Sometimes the beast inside couldn’t help herself. She still really loved to chew bones.