Round 133 Special Prompt

Tek was more than used to dealing with monotony. Before he had come to live at the Slate Mine estate, every day for the collie had basically been the same. Watch over the deer herd, eat, watch over the deer herd, maybe get a drink, then watch over the deer herd. Sometimes there would be slight changes, especially when the weather became more unpredictable. But for the most part, Tek knew what to expect every day.

The new schedule at the Slate Mine estate had been scary at first, but Tek had soon settled in. Months later he found himself falling into similar repetition. Much to his dismay, the collie had begun to grow bored with the training and competing. He found himself longing for something different, something to break up his day. The trainer must have noticed, because when Tek woke up that morning he could sense that something was different.

There was a leash hanging over the fence. Tek eyed it carefully, unsure what it meant for him. He hadn't been walked on a leash much in his life, and he found them rather restrictive. Still, the trainer seemed pretty chipper about it. Tek stood warily as the trainer clipped the leash to his collar.

"We're going on a walk," the trainer explained with a grin. Tek raised an eyebrow. He'd never been on a walk.

The collie was cooperative, driven to please the trainer he'd grown to love. He followed at a slight distance as he tried to figure out where they were going. The trainer looked back to face him and smiled.

"We'll just go to the end of the driveway today," the trainer assured him. "Don't want to take you too far out of your comfort zone just yet."

Tek was grateful. It was strange to be outside of an enclosed, fenced area, but the collie's confidence soon started to grow. He moved to walk beside the trainer, taking in the sights and smells. He'd never realized just how long the driveway up to the estate was. The plants that bordered it were fascinating, and he saw a lot of wildlife as they walked. He eventually got comfortable enough to walk ahead of the trainer, and did so right up until they reached the end of the driveway.

"You look like you enjoyed yourself," the trainer said with a chuckle. Tek barked happily in response.

He hoped they could do that again.