War Dog

Chapter 76

I watched as Soap helped Ghost limp over to the medical tent that had been set up in the middle of the encampment. I didn't bother revealing my canid features as my face set in a scowl, annoyed that Ghost had gotten shot. I knew I was drawing glances from the rest of the British SAS that we had been attached to for this mission. They were designed to distract and draw away attention from the covert ops happening in the opposite direction, and for the purposes of today suited us perfectly allowing Ghost easy access to medical care. After he had disappeared into the medical tent I moved through the camp swiftly not pausing for anyone and ignoring anyone who tried to get my attention. My temporary replacement harness sat awkwardly against my fur as I worked to break it in. The blood would stiffen up the material and make it worse so I knew I'd have to find water to clean up with. Fortunately we found ourselves near a forest, there'd be a small body of water somewhere and my nose could already sent the humidity in the air. 

Striding into the forest until I am certain no one can see me, I drop to all fours and sprint through the trees, feet sure footed on the damp leaf litter. As I get closer, my ears perk up at the sound of a trickle. Running water, even better than a little puddle or pond. The trickle gets louder as I approach and I grin as I finally emerge out onto a large pool with the faintest hints of a water fall trickling down the rocks. I eye the water carefully and pick up a rock, my Australian instincts kicking in, fearful of any large predators that may be hiding beneath the surface. I throw the rock deftly into the centre of the pool. I pick up another couple and throw them around the edges. Satisfied that nothing is on the surface waiting for me to enter I step cautiously into the edge of the pool. I stand calf deep in the water hesitant to go any further and grab handfuls of the water and scrub at the fur on my legs. Very quickly there is a pink circle of water surrounding me as I stain the pool red. Happy that my calves are clean, I sit in the water now certain nothing is about to eat me and spend a lot of time scrubbing myself raw. Lastly I dunk my head under the water scrubbing firmly at my ears. When I come up I quickly find that my mask has filled with water and my eyes widen as I panic, wondering if I've damaged the chemical sensors. I take the mask off and drain it as best I can. I'd have to text Rudy and find out how much damage I'd done and if I'd ruined it, beg for another one.

I lay the pieces of the mask on the shore far away from the waters edge and hope everything dries in the small puddle of sunlight I'd managed to find. I remove my harness and run my fingers over the material, gently trying to ease the blood out of it. By the time I was done, night had well and truly fallen. I slipped out of the pool and put my harness back on. I grimace at the wet harness chafing at my wet fur and knew I'd be paying for it tomorrow. I grabbed my mask and slipped that back on. I could at least breath through the filter so that was a plus. I just hoped everything else worked well.

I made my way back through the forest, finding the camp of unwashed soldiers loitering around was much easier than trying to follow the scent of water through a humid forest. As I approached the edge of the forest, I stood back up and slunk through the dark mimicking Ghost's own ability to move through the shadows near invisibly.

I stepped into the medical tent and found Ghost on one of the cots sitting up right still awake and more clear eyed than he had been when I'd left him. He looks up from his phone as I enter and I wonder if he has a sixth sense considering I was moving without noise.

"You look clean. How'd you manage that?" He cocks an eyebrow at me, the mask crinkling up for the effort.

"I found a pool in the forest. Not practical for the whole camp to be using, I ran hard for almost an hour to even find it. I'd say  I'm almost dry from the run back, except it's so humid that I think without a hair dryer I'm not drying off until we leave." I unbuckle my harness and lay it over a nearby seat. The rest of the medical tent was full from the days casualties. The smell of blood and singed flesh was faint through the filter and I suspected the mask was working as it was meant to.  Ghost grimaced as I spoke.

"Are you telling me you're going to smell like wet dog the entire time we're here?"

I hesitate before answering with a grimace of my own. "At least all you have to do is put up with the smell. I have to put up with being damp. Do you know how gross that is?"

"Alright, you win that point, pup." He leans forward and goes to stand up.

"What are you doing?" I ask standing up and going to shove him back down.

"Going back to my tent, whelp." He glares at me, the look daring me to continue what I was about to do. I do it anyway, my hands pushing firmly against his shoulders as I avoid the bandaged area under his shirt. 

"You need to stay here." My voice matches his icy growl. "You got shot."

"Not the first time, won't be the last time. I didn't die, so now that you're back, I'm going back to my tent."

"Ghost, you need to remain under medical supervision. You  always get mad when I try to leave so how dare you try and leave without the say so of the medics."

"That's different, and you know it Wolf. Dr. Cooper was very strict about your medical instructions." Ghost uses his much larger size to push past my resisting hands and stands up, much to my annoyance. He steps lithely past me as if he didn't get shot earlier today and moves with a confidence born from years of pushing through injuries like they were nothing. I huff with annoyance and grab my harness and stomp after him. This time as I move through the camp, I'm behind Ghost. With Ghosts presence I'm not harassed by anyone demanding answers about who I am despite the 141 one patch that accompanied the others on my harness. I had given up trying to maintain any form of secrecy about my nature once we landed back here and I saw Ghost off to the medbay. I figured Price and the ADF could deal with it considering the news had been slowly leaking since they sought to off-load me to a competent handler outside of the Australian SAS.

Ghost found our tent in amongst the the others and motioned for me to stay outside. I crossed my arms, brows furrowed as I hear him rustling around inside. Moments later he throws a rag out through the opening. I catch it deftly and start trying to mop up the last of the moistness of my fur. Satisfied I'm as dry as I'm ever going to get I hang my harness over one of the tent poles, and the rag over one of the tent lines. I pull out a towel from my pack and lay it down on the floor of the tent and lay down on my stomach stretched out with my claws tucked under my head. I watch as Ghost tucks my microphone and headphones into the side pocket of my ruck. I yawn, remembering my mask was still on. I slip it off and tuck it on the top of my ruck and I remember to pull my phone out. I shoot off a quick text to Rudy asking about the mask getting wet and yawn.

I'm asleep before Ghost has even prepared for bed.