War Dog

Chapter 55

The new moon overhead left the entire night dark. The only one amongst the team who did not require night goggles left me feeling free and light. My eyes picked up the soft movements of the trees in the wind. My sense of smell directed me through the forests near Las Almas. The cartel had scattered, the news of our arrival sending them fleeing like rats from a ship. After our initial foray into their base, only the cowards had remained, and Alejandro and Rudy's men were struggling to round them up. 

I stretched my arms out and begin to lope into a slow run, Ghost keeping pace just behind me gun at the ready. Not knowing the scents of our prey individually, I didn't know who I was running towards but they were the closest. Ghosts footsteps behind me despite being quiet to the human ear sounded loud to me and I huffed in annoyance, my own footsteps feathlight through the undergrowth. My eyes latched onto movement just ahead and I grinned, knowing we've found our prey. I leap ahead, taking off without Ghost as I chase down the woman who'd seen me just a hair too late. 

Ghosts orders of keep them alive echoed through my skull as I leaped, claws out. I knocked into her, sending her sprawling against the forest floor. I clamped my jaws around the base of her skull threateningly, but did not puncture the skin. 

Ghost caught up with me several minutes later, slowing to a brisk walk as he noticed my captured prey. "Teresa," Ghost hummed, pleased. "Good work Wolf."

"We've got Mario," Rudy's voice crackles over Ghosts comms. 

"Two out of four." Ghost leans down and cuffs Teresa, pulling her upright into a standing g position when I let go. Now that she was free of my teeth she began hissing and spitting vitriol at us in Spanish. I grinned at the woman, pleased that my Spanish lessons with Rudy had paid off when I understood every couple of words. Pretty sure she was callings sons of fatherless whores. 

The rest of Alejandros men caught up with us, looking disgruntled. They had not been pleased to finally learn my true nature, though I could tell some had suspected it having seen me wandering around on all fours when the human disappeared from Ghosts side. They had all been eager to watch me in action, but unused to keeping pace with Ghost and I had missed it completely. a couple of the men who had drawn short straws hauled Teresa away and took her back to the humvee to be relocated back to the cells of Alejandros base.

"Alright Wolf, where too?" 

"The river is throwing me off. It's close enough that the smells and sounds are interfering with my ability to pick up unknown human scents. Are we sure we don't have something that belongs to them?"

"Negative." Came Ghosts short reply, irritated. "Let's keeping heading this way, and track them the old fashioned way."

"Sure Ghost."

I drop my nose to the forest floor, picking up a waft of Teresa. I let my eyes scan the floor, picking up on the leaves that have been displaced. I continue moving, letting instinct and skill guide me until I come across a tree that has heavy scent marking over it. Definitely human and recent too. With the smell locked in, I grin. "Gotchya." 

I can smell Ghost behind me, anticipation filling him as he hears my comment knowing it's go time. I follow the scent more easily now that I know what I'm looking for. It winds up close to the river and I can see the footsteps in the muddy banks. I begin to lope along faster, enjoying the run after so long cooped up inside. This member had managed to get a lot further then his two other compatriots so far. 

Ghosts voice crackled in my ears. "Wolf, you're getting too far ahead, slow down."

I hesitate, wanting to disobey Ghosts command, especially as I know it's born from concern about the last time he let me get so far ahead and I got captured, but I slow down. "Affirmative," I respond back, letting him know I was in fact obeying his orders. He caught up to me quick enough, and I took off at another easy pace that Ghost could keep up with as I made sure to navigate us smoothly across the dark landscape. I could hear the crackling over Ghosts comms as the men we had once again left behind complained in Spanish that they had to track us down now to find us.