The Sands Secrets

Misery had thought it was cool also the first moment he’d seen it.  It still was a fascinating thing but the first wave of emotional awe had watered down to curiosity these days.  “I’m not sure yet,”  the black and silver wolf mused honestly.  “I’ll figure it out with some more experiments though.  However, what you can do with it now is memorize the right paths.  Fight an enemy out there and you have a large advantage.  Just trick them into stepping where the sand is unsafe and you’ve already won the fight.”

Misery looked out across the sands that seemed to go on endlessly, “Mind you I’d be shocked if an enemy tried to come at us from this side so it would be luring one this way.”  Misery looked down at Mac, “anyway, I’ve shown it to you.  Don’t come out here without me for a while, until I’ve shown you the safe areas to walk and I’m confident you memorized them.  You’re valuable, I’d rather not lose you.”  No lying words of love and emotional garbage for Mac but still the assurance of value.

Misery walked forward to being out as far as the direction he’d thrown the rabbit, though obviously, he’d angled away from the specific location. “I came out here a number of times, just for a few minutes to memorize the patterns.  Now,”  walking back towards the beginning, following the exact same path he’d taken before sitting down.  “I’m going to be leaving for a while.  I’m going to be spying on another pack.”   It felt wonderful saying it.  Finally, he’d get to toy with strangers and learn their secrets. “While I’m gone we will be testing what you can do so far.”

Misery watched Mac carefully, a small smile on his face.  Misery expected the kid was loving this.  He got to learn something new, hear he was of value and now was given both a test and a job to do. “How much can you observe and how much of what you observe can you remember?  While I am spying elsewhere you are gathering information here.”   He let that sink in a few seconds, “watch the others in the pack, get to know them all.  Make friends, smile, and play nice.  I’m going to ask for a full report when I come back.  You will tell me the names of everyone in the pack, what they enjoy doing and what rank they hold in the pack.  I want to know what my brothers and sisters are up to as well.” Another pause for a few seconds, just letting it sink in, “all of them, older and younger.  Understand?”  

There was another test Misery wasn’t mentioning.  That test was right now on how Mac would feel about the last part of his orders.  Misery wasn’t just asking him to spy on others but on his own siblings.  Would there be a lie of acceptance, a refusal to do it, hesitation, or would his student be willing to do it with no reservations?

"Misery"