Free Shorts: The Furry Years by John Van Stry Page A

be close to him, but he'd been sly so far, going upstream at each of the little water routes he had taken. His pursuers were not terribly bright and would expect him to repeat himself a third time. Not wanting to split their numbers anymore then they already had. After all, they were strangers here! Not him, though as he looked around he had to admit that he wasn't terribly familiar with this part of the forest anymore. He mentally cursed the accident of fate that had sent him south instead of west this morning.
    Who'd have though that damn Shepherd would have been over there?
    "Oh well" He breathed quietly to himself, "What's done is done!"
    Slowing down again to take another break on his tired legs he listened closely for any remaining pursuers, and was rewarded with the sound of rustling leaves not too far away!
    "Damn!" He swore quietly and started off again, panting hard now. All of that doubling and trail re-crossing took time and energy; he was tired and needed a break. But the sound of pursuit was close, closer than he could believe! He sprinted across an open meadow and started to make a straight run for an outcrop of rocks that he remembered vaguely from years gone by. Just as he cleared the meadow he thought he heard a grunt behind him, but no barks or baying.
    "That's one thing about the Hounds," He thought to himself, "They always bay when they sight you!"
    Figuring himself to still have a good lead on his pursuit he broke straight for the rock pile, dashing up it an off to the side. The hounds would circle it, most likely to the right, and he'd gain a few more seconds on the ones behind him.
    Panting harder now he ran straight ahead for a series of brambles dead ahead. They'd tear his clothes up bad, but they'd slow the hounds down as well.
    Then he heard it, a panting louder and deeper then his! Redoubling his speed he put everything he had into it, running full out, his legs aching and lungs burning!
    "Just a little more!" He begged, "Just another yard ...."
    With a growl the dog was upon him, knocking him down, tumbling him end over end! Exhausted he rolled tangled up in a ball of fur and limbs, coming to a rest under the dog's bulk just inches from the shelter of the brush.
    Tired from the running since dawn, tired from the panicked dash, downfallen at being caught so close to freedom, Jacob collapsed totally. Eyes closed gasping for breath. Caught.
     
    "Hey you okay?"  Harold growled down at the Fox sprawled semi-conscious beneath him. "I didn't mean to hurt you, but I knew if you made the bushes there I'd never get you!" He panted.
    Jacob opened an eye to see who had caught him, then started in surprise! "You're ... You're the German Shepherd that I bumped into this morning! What are -you- doing here?"
    "Oh," He grinned, "My Company sent me over here to work with our foreign office, and when I heard that my local co-workers were going on a Fox hunt, well, I just couldn't resist."
    "But only Hounds can catch a Fox ..." Jacob started, and then paused.
    "Oh?" Harold laughed, "And how many have caught you?"
    "None in the last six years of my working here at the games," He chuckled. "But to be caught by a non-hound, how embarrassing!"
    "Oh? Really? Why's that?" Harold asked a little upset.
    "Oh not for me!" Jacob reassured him, "It's embarrassing for me to be caught by anybody. But your co-workers! They'll be teased for weeks round the game circuit! Though I suspect you're going to be quite popular."
    Harold reached down and offered the Fox a hand, helping him to his feet. Looking down at Jacob as he winced a little.
    "You okay?"
    "I think I twisted my ankle a little in that fall there."  Jacob looked up at the shepherd, noticing just how large he really was. "Damn you're a big one! How'd you keep up? Oh, and I'm forgetting my manners, aren't I? I'm Jacob."
    "Oh, I'm Harold. As for keeping up, well you never did run a straight course, but I did."
    "Then how on earth did you follow me?" Jacob grumbled.
    "Oh