Gunny the Scentinel

While the magical world has the Knights to protect the residents, Caprenity Farm in the real world, has Gunny, the Scentinel.  The farm was surrounded on all sides by woods, and lots of wild spaces.  It was a great place to live, but sometimes  full of danger.

    When the farm was first built  the human family brought with them two dogs who were basically pets. One of them was a great guardian, but also a herder, and as long as Fynn lived the farm was safe.  She had saved the chickens from a fisher attack, and she had deterred coyotes from coming close to the barn. But dogs don’t live forever, and one day she was gone.     The dogs that followed were great pets, but none of them knew how to gently protect AND diligently watch without trying to control everything.  They were like the first dog, Fynn, but not as balanced.  They were either herders, chasing and trying to control everyone. Or they were guardians, who over-reacted to every flutter of a butterfly wing.  The bears, coyotes, foxes and even a wolf  realized that the farm animals were easy to reach if they waited until the farm dogs were in the house.

     But one day the family came home with a new dog.  He was huge, white and grey, with deep fluffy fur.  He looked scary, and sounded like it too, when he would open his mouth to bark.  At first he was overwhelmed by all the life at the farm, but he was very happy to come live there.  He had been miserable in his past home.     One day Sir Lagamorph grew brave enough to approach the monster mutt. He hopped and stopped, hopped and stopped, waiting for the dog to attack.  But he didn’t. Sir Lagamorph came up to the mountain-dog and touched its nose.  All that the dog did was sneeze.    “Hello,” said the Knight Rabbit.  “Who are you?  Are you here to stay?”       

  The big marshmellow dog spoke quietly “I think so. They told me I could, but I need to make sure I earn my right to stay here.  My before home thought I was a house dog, but they had a little house, and a big dog. It was not a good fit. They loved me, but were always mad when I knocked something over, no matter how careful I was. ”   

  “I get it,” said Sir Lagamorph. “The people here are pretty great. They let us all be ourselves, even those of us who are from “the veil-side.” 

     “Veil?” asked the dog “what do you mean by that?” 

       “This is a magic place. There is a veil between the world of magic and the world of nature, and it is right here.  We have wild creatures that you already know, but we have magical ones, too, like Queen Agra.  I’m Sir Lagamorph, Knight of the Ground Dwellers.  We have lots of other knights, but we all thought I would be the better test of who you are. Since we are talking and not running, I think we’ll get along fine.”  

 “What’s your name?” asked the rabbit.  

 “They call me Gunny.  I have a great sense of smell and I can hear really well, but most of all I can make my voice boom like a cannon. I don’t like to fight, but I will if I have to.  You don't need to worry  about me, but  I am your guardian too. On both sides of the veil.”   

 The other knights all came to meet Gunny over time, but the jury was out about how well he did his job.  Until the day the wolf returned. 

  Near the farm was a sanctuary for wolves who had been raised as pets.  They were fine when they stayed home, but they had no fear of humans, so if they got loose, everyone was in danger. He was not a frequent visitor, but everyone knew he was a threat. Until Gunny came.  

 That day, Gunny was resting after a long nightwatch.  But he smelled something different. It wasn’t quite a dog, or a fox, and it certainly wasn’t a moose.  He sniffed toward the Whale Rock that sat at the edge of the horse pasture, and then he saw him.  A steel grey wolf with sky blue eyes counting goat kids and dreaming of dinners.   Gunny stood straight up and let out a woof that shook the rafters of the barn. 

  The wolf’s hackles raised on his back, but when he looked at Gunny he decided he didn’t want to fight that monster dog.  Gunny didn’t even have to chase him away – the wolf ran off into the woods.  And he never returned.

  But the bears, moose, foxes and bobcats heard that bass bark. It wasn’t like the normal woof of a farm dog, or even the sound they heard every morning when Gunny mumbled “I’m still here,” with his head on the ground.  They knew there was a new dog in town, or at least on the farm, but with that bark they didn’t want to take him on any time soon.

The farmer heard the mega bark and looked out her window.  She saw the wolf at the Whale Rock, and was trying to find a way to drive it away. But she saw Gunny do his job, and relaxed. Se didn’t need to worry anymore.  She went out to the dog and gave him a "Good Boy," and an ear scratch. As long as Gunny was around, everyone was safe. And with that nose of his he was going to be a great Scentinel. She knew that she could rely on him to keep everyone safe.  Gunny knew that he had earned his place at the farm. He had what every dog needs, a forever home.