bunn: (Rosie Down Hole)
bunn ([personal profile] bunn) wrote2016-09-20 09:58 am

The elusive saluki : an unrealistic and gothick tale

I spent two hours yesterday walking, and then running through increasingly darkening woodland in woeful pursuit of Rosie Roo, who had somehow lost me.

In the woods, where black shapes of trees stood starkly against the darkening sky, strange noises came out of the dark: most notably a vast grumbling hissing rumble which I cannot explain except by introducing a dragon.
I became convinced Rosie had somehow got into a field and had been trompled by cows, for the cows were wild and frisky and kept gallopping about madly in the manner of cows that have seen a dog and trompled it.   But Brythen assured me that all would be well.  I was covered in mud, soaking wet and well scratched by this time so it was all very hurt/comfort.

At last, we heard a terrible unearthly wailing upon the mire, which turned out to be the missing hound, who had finally looked around and realised I was no longer behind her, and therefore believed I had abandoned her.  She was very pleased to see me, when Brythen and I finally staggered out of the bushes (well, I staggered.  Brythen pranced, strong, elegant and not even muddy).
If there is a next time, I am just going straight back to the car, since clearly she has no difficulty finding her way back there on her own, and she, too, was not even particularly muddy. She stood there glowing in the moonlight like a unicorn, only prettier.

Whoever is scripting this stuff seems to have absolutely no concern for realism or indeed my dignity.

[identity profile] puddleshark.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 11:10 am (UTC)(link)
Were there bats? There have to be bats if it's going to be properly Gothic... Bats and owls.

Oh, Rosie! What a worry! I'm glad you were safely reunited, and hope there's no ill effects this morning.
ext_8151: (mice)

[identity profile] ylla.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 11:21 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, Rosie.

I am glad she's not stompled by cows or eaten by dragons, but it does sound like treating her like a cat stuck up a tree might be the way to go!
ext_189645: (Default)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 11:22 am (UTC)(link)
I forgot to mention the bats and owls. There were MANY MANY bats and also, at least 5 owls.

I actually saw one of the owls, which you so often don't, and at one point I could not work out where the tragic howling was coming from, because all around me in the tree-infested blackness were owls loudly replying to it, and me.
ext_189645: (Rosie Runs)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 11:24 am (UTC)(link)
... and yes, thank you, she is fine. She didn't get up until 11am, but she then ate a large breakfast and demanded that I place her bed in a sunbeam. :-D

[identity profile] alitheapipkin.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 11:29 am (UTC)(link)
Oh Rosie.

Glad you are all safe and sound, that is indeed a gothic tale ;)

[identity profile] parrot-knight.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 12:02 pm (UTC)(link)
I can imagine Rosie as a single spot of light in a dark landscape, drawing the diminishing rays of the sun to her and magnifying them as she wailed.
ext_189645: (Brythen)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 01:02 pm (UTC)(link)
It was seeing the trompling of the cows that worried me, or I would have left her to get on with it and come back later!

Thankfully, she never has been a one to jump fences. Physically she's entirely capable of it, of course, but it's not something that she does as a routine thing. (the same used to be true of going under gates, but sadly Brythen has taught her how to do that now).
ext_189645: (Default)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 01:03 pm (UTC)(link)
At least it didn't have a horrific ending!
ext_189645: (Default)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 01:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Moonrays, I fear - the sun had long gone to bed by the time I made my way back to the car and found her waiting (and wailing)

[identity profile] winniepoodle.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Stop abandoning Rosie.

[identity profile] heartofoshun.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
What a horrible, nerve-wracking and uncomfortable situation! All's well that ends well, I guess. Beautifully described though.

[identity profile] wellinghall.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
With a title like that, the story is crying out to be illustrated in the style of Edward Gorey.
ext_189645: (Rosie Runs)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 07:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Hah! I bet you'd support her campaign that My Tea is Her Tea as well!
ext_189645: (Default)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 07:17 pm (UTC)(link)
I sometimes feel that my natural writing niche is the Dog Disaster story...
ext_189645: (Default)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
I quite like Gorey, but not enough to revisit this enfuriating memory in detail!
ext_8151: (confuse)

[identity profile] ylla.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 07:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Hmm, true. I don't really understand what excites cows, but they're scary beasts!

Who taught Brythen to go under gates, or is that natural depravity? As long as no one teaches the cows to jump fences we're ok...
sally_maria: (Another shirt ruined)

[personal profile] sally_maria 2016-09-20 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
My sympathies, what a tale of horror, even though you manage to write about it so entertainingly. I hope you are okay today.
ext_189645: (Brythen)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 08:16 pm (UTC)(link)
I am not sure if Brythen was born with the cunning to wriggle under gates, or if he learned it during his formative ? 10 months as a dodgy traveller-camp puppy.

(At the age of 10 months, he buggered off from his traveller owners, who did not fancy paying a fine to get him back, so he ended up in rescue and came to me to enjoy his current life of luxury! )

[identity profile] penichops.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Haaaaahaha oh I know it wasn't funny, but it IS funny. You poor poor thing. Shame you couldn't outrun a Saluki Unicorn. Good on you for trying;)

[identity profile] winniepoodle.livejournal.com 2016-09-20 09:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Indeed
ext_189645: (Default)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-21 07:50 am (UTC)(link)
I was fine as soon as I saw she was safe and not injured!

If mildly annoyed at myself for falling for it once again...
ext_189645: (Default)

[identity profile] bunn.livejournal.com 2016-09-21 07:54 am (UTC)(link)
Life is unfair! Why do I have such short and inefficient legs???

(whenever this sort of thing happens I swear off sighthounds. But I never stick to it. Who wouldn't want a pet that is part dog, part cheetah, part rollercoaster and part Ferrari...? )

[identity profile] dhampyresa.livejournal.com 2016-09-22 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
You need a better scriptwriter.