The Pup (3)
It took three weeks to build the fence around the field. While erecting the fence, they expanded the size of the plot, planted even more crops, and even threw in some large potatoes as a bonus.
"Why did you plant potatoes?"
"Well, remember how we weren't going to plant them because we thought they wouldn't grow well?"
"Yes."
"But seeing how well the other plants are doing, I figured potatoes would thrive too."
Chester had watched the plants grow over the last three weeks, and the results were remarkable. They had already harvested the grain and kkae-gamja once and replanted them. The chili peppers and black pepper looked like they would be ready for harvest by next week.
In addition, they had planted a continuous line of insect-repelling herbs along the thorny fence to keep pests away. Of course, some bugs would still find their way in, but it would be far fewer than if they had done nothing at all.
"Alright, let's make a gate here."
Today was the final day of the fence construction. Their task for the day was to build a gate on one side of the field.
Chester and Monia brought over their tried-and-true bamboo stalks, setting them up as pillars on either side of the entrance. They lashed other pieces of bamboo together like a raft to serve as the gate itself. After tying the gate to the pillars to create a swinging hinge, they bored a hole in one side of the gate and threaded a rope through to act as a handle.
"Won't wild beasts be able to open this easily if they just push on it?"
Monia asked, swinging the gate open and shut. It glided so smoothly that the handle felt almost redundant; a simple nudge was all it took to open.
"Well, this should do the trick."
Chester drilled holes into both the gate and the pillar, fashioning a simple latch. He then slid a snugly fitting wooden peg through the loops.
"There. How's that?"
The latch was a bit loose, so the gate rattled when pushed, but it wouldn't open wide enough for any animal to squeeze through.
Having secured the gate with this simple fix, Chester stepped back and gazed at the completed field and fence with a fresh sense of accomplishment.
"Not bad."
"Wow, the newly sown grain has already grown that much."
"Yeah. Thanks to that, I don't think we'll have to worry about food for a while."
"This island really is mysterious."
"Tell me about it."
Aside from the erratic, crazy weather, the two hadn't really felt the island's mystical nature until now, as they stared at the unnaturally rapid growth of their crops.
As they stood quietly admiring the field, Ant—who had grown significantly over the past three weeks and was now toddling around on his own—approached Chester. Ant had gotten much bigger, and his features had taken on a slightly more dignified, wolf-like appearance.
He's still just a little squirt, though.
After all, how big could a creature that was initially smaller than Monia's fist actually get in three weeks? Still, he had already reached about a third of the size of an adult Ant-wolf. Granted, even fully grown Ant-wolves were smaller than your average medium-sized dog.
I've never raised a dog before, so I have no idea if this growth rate is fast or slow.
Chester patted Ant, who was affectionately rubbing his face and body against his leg. Then, reaching into his pocket, Chester pulled out a small wooden disc and tossed it into the distance.
The moment the disc left Chester's hand, Ant bolted after it in excitement. He sprinted forward, leaped into the air, and snatched the disc right out of the sky.
Clap, clap, clap.
"Whoa!"
Monia laughed and clapped at the display. When Ant trotted back with the disc in his mouth, Chester tossed him a piece of meat.
Raising a kid really takes a lot of food.
In his rapid growth phase, Ant devoured massive amounts of meat. Fortunately, now that he was older, they could feed him the offal and entrails that humans didn't eat, so it didn't put too much of a strain on their food supply. In fact, Ant seemed to prefer the organs. Whenever he was given a mix of meat and offal, he always ate the offal first.
"Before, he used to just pick it up after it hit the ground, but now he catches it in midair!"
"Yeah."
"Aww, what a good boy."
Monia picked up the disc Ant had dropped to eat his meat and threw it again. Ant immediately bolted after the flying disc.
Just then, Chester pulled out a second disc and threw it. As the second disc zipped through the air, Ant looked momentarily confused by the sudden appearance of two targets. But when Chester gave a soft whistle, Ant immediately locked onto and snatched the one Monia had thrown.
"Wow! What was that signal?"
"Go for the weaker prey."
"Hey!"
"Your disc was slower and had less momentum, so he went for yours."
"Ugh. I guess I need to practice more."
Monia mimed a throwing motion with a pout. Chester praised Ant as he returned with the disc and gave him another signal.
Upon receiving the command, Ant tracked the scent of the disc Chester had thrown earlier and brought it back.
"Good boy."
Chester tossed him another piece of meat.
It had been three weeks since they rescued Ant. He was shaping up to be an excellent hunting dog.
Ant-wolves lived in packs, but they strictly regulated their numbers to ensure they never exceeded a certain limit. They instinctively knew that a pack too large would attract the attention of more powerful predators and lead to their demise.
Whenever the Ant-wolves grew too numerous, the creatures known as the Island Owners would descend to cull them and preserve the ecological balance. This ancestral trauma had been hardwired into the Ant-wolves' instincts, preventing them from ever forming massive packs.
Once a pack reached a certain size, they would cast out several members to fend for themselves. These exiled Ant-wolves would pair up, dig a new den, and attempt to start a new pack. Of course, lone Ant-wolves were highly vulnerable, and most were hunted down before they could ever establish a new territory.
Ant had been incredibly lucky. Instead of falling prey to other beasts like his siblings, he had been rescued and raised by Chester and Monia.
Though he was being trained as a hunting dog under their care, his primal instincts as an Ant-wolf remained intact. Lately, Ant had developed an obsession with digging dens.
"Remember how those Ant-wolves climbed up the trees?"
"Yes."
"Now I see how they did it."
The hard-packed earth that Chester and Monia had struggled to till with their hoes crumbled effortlessly beneath Ant's front paws.
"It looks like Ant-wolves have insanely powerful front legs."
When they climbed trees, they must have hooked themselves onto the branches and hauled their entire body weight up using that sheer upper-body strength. Chester's hypothesis was spot on. While an Ant-wolf's primary weapon was its fangs, its most remarkable feature was its powerful front limbs and claws, designed for effortless digging.
Ant wiggled his rear as he dug furiously, eventually squeezing himself into a tiny hole.
"Oh."
"Oh dear."
The hole was apparently too narrow. Ant's plump rear got stuck right at the entrance. His tail wagged frantically, and his hind legs kicked wildly in the air as if he were swimming.
- Whine, whiiine, whiiiiine.
Hearing Ant's pitiful whimpers, Chester gently pulled him out of the hole. Perhaps traumatized by his brief imprisonment in the dark, narrow space, Ant buried his face in Chester's chest, trembling. However, he quickly forgot his fear and went right back to wiggling his butt, digging a brand-new tunnel. He already seemed more adept at it than before.
"..."
"..."
Whenever Chester and Monia took breaks from their chores, they would either train Ant or quietly watch him go about his day. Monia was content just looking at him, while Chester found it fascinating to observe the ecology of an unfamiliar creature like an Ant-wolf. Ant was highly intelligent and a quick learner, making him a joy to train.
Ant-wolves are smarter than I thought.
Then again, they possessed enough intelligence to scale trees they shouldn't have been able to climb just to launch an ambush. They had even used decoy tactics during that fight to draw Chester's attention away. Perhaps Ant's level of cleverness was actually the norm for his species.
If I combine simple signals, I might be able to give him more complex and varied commands.
Chester knew the theory of training hunting dogs and had played with the hounds owned by his father's hunter friends. However, actually raising and handling one himself was a first, and he had expected to go through a lot of trial and error.
I'm really glad Ant-wolves are so smart.
Fortunately, Ant's high intelligence spared him from most of those struggles. Chester chuckled as he watched Ant, who had successfully dug a proper tunnel and was now poking only his face out of the entrance.
- Woof!
Sensing Chester's approval, Ant let out a happy bark.
As they prepared for the winter that might eventually arrive, time flew by for Chester and Monia. It flew by even faster for Ant; about two months after being rescued, he had grown into a fully mature adult.
Throughout his rapid growth, Ant thrived on their affection, plenty of food, and Chester's rigorous training.
The eyes that once couldn't even open were now sharp and alert, constantly scanning his surroundings. His once tiny, moist nose twitched incessantly, mapping out the environment through scent.
His fur, which had been a dark, muddy brown to help him blend into the shadows of a den, had transitioned to a light brown base patterned with dark brown stripes—perfect camouflage for roaming the forest.
Most notably, his hunting fangs had grown formidable, protruding past his lips to give him a fierce, menacing look.
Planting his massive front paws—which were significantly larger than his hind paws—firmly on the ground, Ant stalked through the forest without making a single sound.
Suddenly, the silent predator snapped his head up, locking his gaze onto a specific direction. Chester quietly stepped up beside him.
"Did you find something?"
At the low whisper, Ant gave a subtle nod.
"Good."
Chester loaded a stone into his sling, while Monia notched an arrow to her bow.
Today, the two of them were setting out on their very first hunt with Ant—a rite of passage for their growing companion.