While the desert was an unforgiving wasteland, the smells and sensations were an unrelenting temptation that drew her back again and again. She would not wander far though, for she always kept an eye on her boy, who walked these rugged paths with her. He was slower than she, walking upright on those two twigs. While she was barely two years old, she was confident with her movements and could navigate the rocky terrain with nimble agility. This boy, who had been by her side since she was a puppy, was still somehow unfamiliar with his own legs and awkwardly lagged behind her. She assumed that he would never figure out his body and was probably going to be stuck like that forever.
Occasionally the boy would call her name, a clear indication that he needed her supervision. She would rush to his side, inspect the surroundings, and confirm his well-being. He was never in any danger when he called her. He was just lonely. As she hurriedly patrolled their perimeter and the path ahead, his obviously poor eyesight and lack of awareness filled him with anxiety. He needed her close to feel safe.
But he wasn’t completely helpless. From time to time, a threat would emerge from the wilderness. It could be one of those coiled menaces with the rattling tail or an angry furry wild boar snorting and gnashing its teeth. In each case, the boy would rush to her side while shouting her name. He was loyal like that and would stand next to her in any battle. Together, they could counter anything the dust could throw at them.
And he carried that stick. Whenever they ventured into the unknown lands, it would rest silent and cold, slung on his back. Then, in the blink of an eye, he would thrust it into the face of the horrid beasts and fire and thunder would flash from its tip. As if with the crack of a whip, all the vile creatures would either turn and flee or drop dead in fear.
She found those moments magical. While she was the ever-vigilant watcher, the guardian of their path, and the sleepless sentry scanning the horizon, when the opportunity arose, he would rise to the challenge with the same fury as the summer storms. In those flashes of brilliance, she couldn’t help but be proud of him. She would lock eyes with him and smile. He was always clearly shaken following those harrowing episodes. Therefore, she would let him hold her tightly in his arms and run his hands through her fur. It helped comfort him to have her close.
After a few minutes, with the threat assuredly gone, they would both stand and return home. While there, he would put his stick away, she would rest on his lap, and together they would look into the night sky.
She was happy to be there for him. With how much trouble he constantly gets into, he certainly wouldn’t be able to survive in the desert without her.