[ 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 .

`` You are my Totem.'' 
 
 This is what the Guardian said when he first held me in his arms. I was nothing but a whelping then, not even able to open my eyes. But I remember the words. Totem. That's what he called me. And I was his. 
 
 The Guardian loved my brothers, and sisters, but I was the one who he deemed to stay. `` There is no higher honor,'' my mother said on her deathbed. `` Protect the Guardian. Honor him as he has honored you and our family.'' 
 
 I did what I could to become a member of his pack. There were other Tall Ones who entered our den, but never before I approved. There would be times where he'd leave the den and travel for years, but I let no intruders disrupt our home while he was gone. As I grew older, he allowed me to travel with him in the loud carriage of steel and fire. The beast scared me at first, I'm old enough to admit that, but I learned that it does n't eat as we do, and cares not if we inhabit its belly. 
 
 The Guardian showed me the world outside the valley of cold stone and oil. He showed me the Green, a place of other-dogs, quick morsels, and kind Tall Ones who smiled and called me good boy. The Green was my favorite place. There was so much room to run and jump and sing. The Guardian never did these things, but he'd always wait on me with a smile on his face. 
 
 The years went by and I grew old. I still enjoyed the Green, but we went less often. It was fine by me, my joints could n't take as much running and jumping as before. The Guardian did n't look any different from when I first opened my eyes, but he did n't move as much. There was a different smell about him. One that had been growing throughout the years. Something rotten, but not like a good morsel. I had smelled something like it a time or two before around other Tall Ones. Once around an other-dog. It worried me, but I did my best to please the Guardian. I never left his side, even when we traveled to the White place that smelled like nothing. 
 
 Things changed very suddenly. One morning, he would not wake. I shouted and frantically licked his face, until a Tall One entered our den. I should have investigated the intruder, but I did not want to leave the Guardian's side. Thankfully, it was one I knew, the Guardian's whelp. She was young by Tall One standards, only a few centuries old. I jumped off the Guardian's bed and rushed to her. My joints burned and screamed, but that did n't matter. 
 
 `` Totem! Where's Dad?!'' 
 
 I knew my name and her word for the Guardian. I yelled for her to follow and returned to the Guardian's den. When she saw the Guardian, her eyes watered and smelled of salt. This worried me, I had only smelled this a few times before, mostly at the White place, but it was never a good thing. She pulled the glow-box from her bag and began shouting into it. I stayed by the Guardian's side. Before too long, more Tall Ones arrived. They smelled like the White Place and THEY TRIED TO TAKE MY MASTER. The whelp had to restrain my old bones before two of the Tall Ones carried him away to their fire carriage. Damn my joints and the whelpling's paws - if not for them, I would have ripped the flesh of the Tall Ones who touched my Guardian, no matter what the consequences. 
 
 My Guardian's whelp dragged me into her fire carriage, one that still smelled of my sister, even though she had passed. We arrived at the White place that smelled of nothing. As soon as she released me, I attempted to find my Guardian, but whatever magic robbed the place of smells must have affected him too. The whelp took the lead, something I'm not proud to admit, and we visited more Tall Ones until we arrived at a small den. This place had a smell, but it was of that terrible salt. As we settled in, the smell of the awful rot began to seep in as well. It was everywhere. I was so scared that I nearly wet the den, but I knew I had to be strong for the Guardian. It was what he expected. 
 
 After an eternity, Tall Ones escorted me to see my Guardian. He was laying in an odd shaped bed with too much cold metal for my liking. There were far too many smells I did n't recognize in this den, but the rot was the most present. 
 
 `` Totem. Bring him here, Sarah. Next to me.'' 
 
 The Guardian's whelp carried me and laid me down next to my Guardian. I nestled to him as closely as I could, trying to share what warmth my old bones carried. I licked his paw and he scratched my forehead. 
 
 `` You are my Totem.'' 
 
 I stayed by his side even when he stopped scratching my forehead. I licked his paw even though it grew cold. I remember the words. Totem. That's what he called me. And I was his. 

