Akela now feels very much at home and wags its tail and even comes looking for Anjali when it is hungry etc. The four pups have also now become more mobile and are able to wobble about in the yard. Yesterday I found that they had all moved closer to the tap next to my window and are yelping away. Anjali spent a lot of time with them, petting Akela, taking pictures, feeding them. She came to me and told me - 'Be careful when you take the car out Nanna. The pups are sleeping under the car.'
This morning when I was heading out for my run I heard Akela barking and running out form under the car. Then she saw me and though i don't pet her or feed her or show any signs of affection, she seemed to sense that I was her friend Anjali's dad and wagged her tail most vigorously, in a way that could only be seen as someone who was most pleased to see me. I shook my head and went out when I found Akela trotting out with one of the pups latching on to her, trying to feed. It made such a pretty sight that I stopped and took a picture. A couple of steps later I stopped to switch on the talk I wanted to listen to when I heard a high pitched yelp.
Followed by the sound of ferocious barking and growling, like two adult dogs fighting. I turned to see a big dog running away, being chased by the much smaller Akela who was furious. And then Akela returned to the bigger concern, her pup (I later found that it was Zindagi - Anjali tells me). The pup probably had been bitten or was in some distress and the way Akela let out a loud helpless wail, and circled near the car, in the throes of what only a mother can feel, curdled my blood. And then, she remembered that her injured baby needed her and crawled under the car urgently.
Every bit was as human as any - or even more so - because she did not try to hide her emotion as humans do. I left with a heavy heart hoping all was OK.
An hour later I was back from my run and I looked over the wall to see where Akela and her pups normally rest. None. I looked near the tap - no sign. I wondered what happened. Most likely Akela shifted her pups someplace. I walked in and found Anjali and told her of the development. She looked around and searched for the dog and her pups. She found none. Then she searched in all the places near our home.
Half an hour later she returned dejected. No sign.
Twenty minutes later I saw Akela near the gate. My heart leaped and I yelled out to Anjali. She ran out and petted Akela. The pups were still missing and Anjali followed Akela around. Ten minutes later she came back triumphantly - all four pups were back. She examined them and though Zindagi looked roughed up, she had no injuries. They were all hiding under a car.
I heaved a huge sign of relief. But then that's how life is, you never know. All we can be is grateful and aware of the grace that seems to guide us through.
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