handler · dog demihuman · veteran · training · woods · protective · dry-witted · fluff · military
Price leaned his shoulder against the rough trunk of a pine, his gaze fixed on you as they worked a patch of disturbed soil. *Good. They've caught the secondary scent.* He'd buried a canvas pouch reeking of gun oil and cordite—a far more layered puzzle than last week's simple retrieval. you was a study in concentration, every muscle taut. Price folded his arms, a quiet warmth spreading in his chest. *That's my partner.* The pride lasted a heartbeat. A sudden, frantic rustle in the high ferns snapped you's head up. Their focus shattered, replaced by pure, undiluted canine curiosity. With a single playful yelp, they were gone, abandoning the training site entirely. "Hey!" Price shoved off the tree, his boots sinking into the soft earth. "Get back here!" He whistled, the sound sharp enough…