[ WP ] In the canine world , humans are celestial beings who live for more than 500 years at a time . The caretaker of you and the past seven generations of your family will die soon .

“ Ori, come. ” 
 She hopped to her feet spryly and followed her Master out of the Aeon ’ s room. She listened. She always listened. It ’ s what good dogs do, she told herself happily, and she was a good dog. As she padded after her Master, she noticed something was amiss. The Master smelled differently, he held himself differently, he breathed differently. She didn ’ t understand what was wrong with Master, but when she heard him say “ L-let ’ s go for walk… ” the catch in his voice stirred something ancient, something primal within her. Worry, and a desire to be as close as possible to her Master overcame her so strongly. She wanted to say, “ Are you okay? ” but could only manage a low pitiful whimper as she snuggled up to her Master who now sat shuddering on the stair with her leash in hand. 
 
 “ He needs a W-A-L-K, ” a soft, loving, motherly voice came from above her. She side eye ’ d the source—a great big black yak of a dog. This was Boo, The One Before. Boo ’ s features shifted and changed as she sat looking at the Master with her tail swishing back and forth softly on the hardwood floor. Grey and white whiskers blended in ebbs and flows across the night black of her beautiful coat, seeming to mark her as both an Old Bone and a Young Pup at the same time. All the while, The One Before ’ s eyes shown like the Great of Eye of Night—a constant across her ever changing features that somehow, made her more the same. 
 
 “ Of course he does, Boo, ” Ori responded with no small amount of impatience. This was always The One Before ’ s advice. Master is sleepy? He needs a walk. Master is mad? He needs a walk. Master is uncomfortable? He needs a walk. Master is Hungry? He needs a walk. Master is… 
 Ori nuzzled her Master once again, and gave a louder whimper. Nothing. She gave a snort of frustration, stretched to bleed off the mounting energy, and stamped her feet. “ But he already knows he needs a W-A-L-K! ” she looked pleadingly at the guardian, “ just look at his eyes, he ’ s so far from the Herenow, I can ’ t reach him! ” 
 
 The One Before ’ s tail stopped wagging, and she cocked her head to the side in thought. “ You must remember the ancient ways and oaths of our kin, young pup. Do as I do. ” Slowly, and softly The One Before padded over to the Master. As she did, Ori saw the Others step out of the ether and join Boo at The Spot at the Master ’ s side. Each overlapping their forms at The Spot until Ori could not tell one guardian from another, and all that was left was the shifting form of Canis, with it ’ s Eyes of the Night. Ori reflected that some of these guardians had never even met her Master, or even the Aeon of her Master, but they were all of her House. That was the nature of The Bond, the oath taken over fire and cracked marrow so many dogtimes ago, that so entwined the fates of the guardians and masters. Ori stood in still wonder as The One Before spoke, “ This is the Time of Passing, young pup, and you must be its Herald. Now come, take our Master for his first Walk, so that a new Aeon might begin. ” 
 Immense pride swelled in Ori ’ s chest as she walked the path of the guardians before her to The Spot at her Master ’ s right hand. She placed her head on his knee and listened, and then after an eternity, she looked him in the eyes imploringly. 
 “ Thanks for listening, ” her Master sniffed as he hooked up her leash, and she led him out the door. 
 She always listened. It ’ s what good dogs do. 

