Where The Tracks End

Chapter 6:

I froze as Suzie growled. Something was there. Was it a wolf that had come from the mountains? Perhaps it was a lost pet, looking for it's owner? Whatever it was squealed and began to cry. Then I knew it was a little girl. Suzie noticed this too, and ceased her growling. Her hackles fell flat and her ears came forward again. I crept over to the side of the chair and peered around. The girl was clutching a teddy bear close to her chest, and she was huddled against the seat. She was crying softly. 

"Hello," I whispered to her. She jumped and looked over at me before crying again. "Don't hurt me!" She wailed. "I won't hurt you. Are you lost?" I asked her calmly as Suzie poked her head around the corner. The girl screamed and jumped to her feet, squeezing the bear closer to her. "It's the bad dog! The one that was growling at me!" She cried. "No it's okay!" I said. "She won't hurt you. She just didn't know who you were, and the train crash scared her. Come over here, and tell me who you are." The girl looked at Suzie for a minute before nodding and tip-toeing across to sit next to me. "What's your name?" I asked her. "Lorrie." She answered shyly. "What's your name?" 

"I'm called Kelly, and this is my dog, Suzie." Suzie crept over on her belly and licked Lorrie's hand gently. But instead of squealing, the  little girl laughed and smiled. "Do you know where your parents are?" I asked. She shook her head. "I woke up under a seat. It looks like the world is the wrong way up!" She looked around. "What do we do now?" She asked. "Let's wait until morning. Then I can save the battery in my torch and we can both find a way out. Would you like a cookie?" I asked, pulling my backpack toward me. Lorrie nodded and Suzie wagged her tail hopefully. I still had some dog food in here.

I pulled out a cookie and handed it to Lorrie. Then I scooped out a handful of dog biscuits and laid them on the floor in front of Suzie. The little poodle wagged even harder and gobbled up the biscuits gratefully. I took out another cookie to eat myself.  Then we settled down to sleep. "What if something comes to eat us?" Lorrie asked, shaking a little. "Don't worry," I replied, "Suzie will protect us." Lorrie nodded and we drifted off to sleep.

Suzie laid her head on her paws. The little girl was alright. She had patted Suzie, and made a fuss over her, so that made her good in Suzie's mind. But she was never going to be as good as her Mistress. Suddenly, Suzie lifted her head. What was that noise? It sounded as though something else was coming up the train, and it defiantly wasn't a little girl this time. It had four footsteps, and Suzie could smell a slightly dog-like smell. It wasn't a dog though. Suzie flattened herself against the floor as something large appeared at the end of the seat. 

It was a wolf. It's silvery fur glistened in the moonlight, and Suzie could see the light of the stars shining in it's amber eyes. It lifted it's nose, sniffing the cool night air. It's large, bushy tail swished silently from side to side. Then it looked over at the sleeping girls. The wolf crept forward, eyes on it's prey, until Suzie stood up and let out a low, threatening growl. It was a clear warning. "Leave my Mistress alone!" She snarled. The wolf sized her up then crouched, ready to pounce. But the littlest girl was stirring. If she woke, the prey would escape. The wolf decided it would have to look elsewhere for a meal. It slunk back and prowled away into the shadows. 

Suzie was satisfied. She laid down as a though occurred to her. However that wolf had gotten in, there must also be a way out. Suzie looked over at the girls doubtfully. They looked tired, and there was no way that even Mistress' light stick could provide enough light to find the way out. She would just have to wait until morning. Suzie laid her head down on her paws and fell into a deep, soothing sleep.