Heat
"Going into heat soon?" A small tri-red Australian Shepherd speaks to you. Her green eyes are a pretty color, but her words bring you up short when you're about to hit the agility course.
"Excuse me?"
"No offense, but I can smell it on you. It's going to happen soon, isn't it? No wonder you're on the women's track. Want to get in a few more days of peace before it starts, huh?" Her face is friendly and sweet, and she speaks about you going into heat like it's something that you should be looking forward to. You certainly aren't -- in fact, you give a small shudder and shake your head.
"I'd prefer to avoid it altogether, if it's all the same to you." Your words bring her up short, so much that she tilts her head to the side and her ears perk up slightly.
"You can't do that though... it's natural. It's what we were made for." She speaks the words as though she believes them, and as though your questioning of the logic of what she's used to is almost blasphemy to her. Clearly, the society here is something strange to you... something that you can't quite grasp. It isn't about possessions or wealth. It isn't about materialism. It's about what you can offer to the next generation, it's about pecking order.
It's about pure instinct.
"So I'm just supposed to let it happen?" Your voice sounds a little strained, and you can hear the whine replacing the growl. She offers you a kind look, and starts stretching before her run.
"It's your first time, isn't it? Don't worry... it only hurts for the knotting. And as long as your stud is a handsome one, the pups will make you forget all about that."
Knotting.
There's that word again, and it makes your stomach sink.
"What if I just... don't?"
"Well, you can't do that, can you?" She gives you the answer that you don't want to hear as though it's the only answer that there is. With another kind look, she takes off at a sprint, leaving you with more questions than answers and a feeling of dread building in your stomach over something that seems damn near inevitable for you to avoid, even though you were so sure that you weren't going to have to deal with it at all.
Written by Karlyene on 26 June 2018
