K9LTW – a fiction by MKHurder
Chapter 6: Quiet Signals
Firebase
The jungle didn’t change. But Donnie did.
They were back at Bearcat Firebase. The perimeter was quiet, the sandbags stacked, the concertina wire glinting in the morning haze. Hueys came and went. Crates thudded. Radios crackled. But inside Donnie, something had shifted.
Bodie lay beside the cot, chewing slowly on a strip of jerky. His eyes tracked every movement — the cook hauling a pot, the medic walking past, the distant thump of rotors. He was calm. But not relaxed.
Donnie sat with his back against the wall, boots off, socks damp. His rifle leaned against the crate beside him. The leash was coiled neatly on his lap.
He hadn’t spoken much since the firefight.
McCready was recovering. Dag was limping but laughing. The captured VC had been flown out for interrogation. The squad had moved on.
But Donnie hadn’t.
The Debrief
The debrief had been short. Efficient. Clinical.
“Good instincts,” the captain had said. “Dog saved your ass.”
Donnie had nodded.
“Next time, listen sooner.”
Donnie had nodded again.
That was it.
No reprimand. No commendation. Just a line in a report and a nod toward the kennel.
Bodie’s Signals
Donnie had started watching Bodie differently.
Not just reading him — studying him.
The way his ears moved. The way his tail shifted. The way he paused before turning. It wasn’t just training. It was language.
And Donnie had missed it.
Twice.
He replayed the moment in his head — the leash tug, the growl, the frozen posture. Bodie had known. Had warned him. Had risked discipline to make him stop.
And Donnie had hesitated.
That hesitation could’ve cost lives.
A Walk Around the Wire
They walked the perimeter that evening. No mission. No orders. Just movement.
Bodie trotted ahead, leash loose, nose twitching. Donnie followed, rifle slung, eyes scanning.
They passed the motor pool. The mess tent. The comms shack. Soldiers nodded. Some smiled. One offered Bodie a biscuit.
He took it gently.
They reached the far edge of the base — the old French road, now overgrown. Bodie paused. Sniffed. Turned left.
Donnie followed.
They didn’t speak. They didn’t need to.
The New Handler
Later, Donnie met the new guy — Corporal Reyes. Fresh from training. Assigned to a green Shepherd named Rook.
Reyes was eager. Talked fast. Asked questions.
“How do you know when they’re right?” he asked.
Donnie looked at Bodie, who was watching Rook with quiet intensity.
“You don’t,” Donnie said. “Not at first.”
Reyes frowned. “So how do you learn?”
Donnie shrugged. “You listen. You mess up. You learn.”
Reyes nodded slowly.
Bodie walked over to Rook. They sniffed. Circled. Sat.
Donnie smiled.
“They’ll teach each other,” he said.
Nightfall
That night, Donnie sat outside the tent, Bodie beside him. The stars were out. The jungle was quiet again — not silent, but settled.
Donnie scratched behind Bodie’s ears.
“You knew,” he said softly. “You always know. Now it’s up to me.”
Bodie leaned into the touch.
Donnie looked out at the tree line.
There would be more missions. More trails. More choices.
But tonight, there was quiet.
And trust.
And the slow, steady rhythm of breathing beside him.
The leash lay coiled on the crate.
Not tight.
Not forgotten.
Just waiting.
(to be continued: Chapter#7 – First Steps)
to read another of my fictions in progress: DohReyMe&theKitties3 [Chapter1] look for the link to the prequel below: Doh – Rey – Me
Related Links:
- Four-legged-fighters
- Vietnam Dog Handlers Association
- Military Working Dog Heritage Museum
- Top Dog – Lucca
Bonus Fiction Feature:
If you read any of the fiction I create here to the end, you will be able to download a free copy when It’s complete. If I get a referral from you, I’ll throw in the fiction – Burtt the Blade.
From Popi’s Tales & The Book of Wonders
More from Popi’s Collection of Facts & Fiction
- Burtt the Blade – fiction
- Doh – Rey – Me – fiction – book – written here
- Mystery of Willow Woods – fiction – short Story – written here
- The Last Signal – part one – fiction – book – written here
- Rift Guardians – chapter#1 – fiction – book – written here
- DohReyMe&theKitties3-ch1 – fiction – book – written here – in progress
- Shorty’s Path – non-fiction auto biography book
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