mouth. It was a series of high-low-high whistles that he repeated several times, the tone floating across the barn and over the land. Kyle knelt down near the lead harness after a few seconds, but nothing happened.
Several of the dogs’ ears began to press down against their necks. Their tails flattened. Story’s demeanor changed entirely, as she went from biting at Link’s feet to standing alert. She sniffed the air around her as her ears moved independently, locating the sound she heard making its way towards them.
A split second later, King broke Katie’s line of sight. He entered at the far end of the barn, mouth closed, ears standing straight up, and tail curled over his back. He moved towards Kyle with a steady gait, but Katie felt as if he never took his eyes off her.
As Kyle placed the harness around King, Katie was surprised that he would be the lead dog. He spent no time training with the others. In fact, since she had been here he had spent a considerable portion of his time just watching her.
Kyle whispered something to King before he stood, and walked to the back of the sled. He stepped up onto the footboards directly behind Katie. “Line out!”
Kyle’s voice startled her as it carried through the barn.
King reacted immediately. He took several steps forward, pulling the tow line taut.
Katie turned around slightly and looked up towards Kyle. "I appreciate everything you've done. Really. But, I have to get something sent to my agent by noon. And I need internet access to do that."
"Yes, you mentioned that about ten minutes ago."
"Okay. So you have internet somewhere on the farm?" Katie asked, somewhat confused.
"No."
"But..." she offered, hoping he was going to complete that thought.
"I'm not taking you somewhere on the farm."
"Then where are we going?"
"Friday is food day. We're going to town."
"On a sled?"
Kyle didn’t respond.
"Wait. I thought you and Doc told me the closest town was Camden or Florence, which is almost an hour away."
"No. Doc told you the closest city was Camden or Florence. The closest town is the one we're on the outskirts of right now. And it's about a half-hour away. That is, if we ever actually leave."
"And there's internet there?"
King let out a groan from the front of the pack.
"I know," Kyle said. "I told you she was difficult."
Katie sighed. "You know, you could have just told me all of this from the beginning."
"You could have just trusted me."
Katie rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath as she turned back around. "Yeah, because you've given me so many reasons to.
“So, do I just sit here?” she asked more loudly.
“Hike!” Kyle yelled.
She jolted back against the sled rails, lightly banging her shoulder, and dropped her notebook as King and the other dogs propelled the sled into motion.
“And hold on,” Kyle added with a grin.
Chapter 19
Thirty minutes later, King halted the pack without Kyle's command, about twenty feet from a long row of wooden fence that lined the road.
The ride had been a little bumpy, but more than worth it.
Once they had lost sight of the barn, the dogs found their rhythm. Each pair had a purpose, Kyle had explained on the way.
Katie loved watching each of the dogs, but mostly she watched King. He was older, but he was strong and steadfast. She noticed the gait of several of the younger dogs change as they went over a small hill or through a thick patch of grass. But King made the change in pace several yards in advance, and the older dogs followed suit.
Kyle had to correct the younger ones verbally at each fault, which was something Katie also found that she came to like. She had not seem him interact much with the dogs verbally, but from the sled all the dogs were in front of him and hand signals couldn't be used.
As Kyle stepped off the back of the sled, the dogs instantly relaxed. They were already panting, but some sat or laid in the cool grass.
There was a wooden box the width of
Several of the dogs’ ears began to press down against their necks. Their tails flattened. Story’s demeanor changed entirely, as she went from biting at Link’s feet to standing alert. She sniffed the air around her as her ears moved independently, locating the sound she heard making its way towards them.
A split second later, King broke Katie’s line of sight. He entered at the far end of the barn, mouth closed, ears standing straight up, and tail curled over his back. He moved towards Kyle with a steady gait, but Katie felt as if he never took his eyes off her.
As Kyle placed the harness around King, Katie was surprised that he would be the lead dog. He spent no time training with the others. In fact, since she had been here he had spent a considerable portion of his time just watching her.
Kyle whispered something to King before he stood, and walked to the back of the sled. He stepped up onto the footboards directly behind Katie. “Line out!”
Kyle’s voice startled her as it carried through the barn.
King reacted immediately. He took several steps forward, pulling the tow line taut.
Katie turned around slightly and looked up towards Kyle. "I appreciate everything you've done. Really. But, I have to get something sent to my agent by noon. And I need internet access to do that."
"Yes, you mentioned that about ten minutes ago."
"Okay. So you have internet somewhere on the farm?" Katie asked, somewhat confused.
"No."
"But..." she offered, hoping he was going to complete that thought.
"I'm not taking you somewhere on the farm."
"Then where are we going?"
"Friday is food day. We're going to town."
"On a sled?"
Kyle didn’t respond.
"Wait. I thought you and Doc told me the closest town was Camden or Florence, which is almost an hour away."
"No. Doc told you the closest city was Camden or Florence. The closest town is the one we're on the outskirts of right now. And it's about a half-hour away. That is, if we ever actually leave."
"And there's internet there?"
King let out a groan from the front of the pack.
"I know," Kyle said. "I told you she was difficult."
Katie sighed. "You know, you could have just told me all of this from the beginning."
"You could have just trusted me."
Katie rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath as she turned back around. "Yeah, because you've given me so many reasons to.
“So, do I just sit here?” she asked more loudly.
“Hike!” Kyle yelled.
She jolted back against the sled rails, lightly banging her shoulder, and dropped her notebook as King and the other dogs propelled the sled into motion.
“And hold on,” Kyle added with a grin.
Chapter 19
Thirty minutes later, King halted the pack without Kyle's command, about twenty feet from a long row of wooden fence that lined the road.
The ride had been a little bumpy, but more than worth it.
Once they had lost sight of the barn, the dogs found their rhythm. Each pair had a purpose, Kyle had explained on the way.
Katie loved watching each of the dogs, but mostly she watched King. He was older, but he was strong and steadfast. She noticed the gait of several of the younger dogs change as they went over a small hill or through a thick patch of grass. But King made the change in pace several yards in advance, and the older dogs followed suit.
Kyle had to correct the younger ones verbally at each fault, which was something Katie also found that she came to like. She had not seem him interact much with the dogs verbally, but from the sled all the dogs were in front of him and hand signals couldn't be used.
As Kyle stepped off the back of the sled, the dogs instantly relaxed. They were already panting, but some sat or laid in the cool grass.
There was a wooden box the width of
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