Chapter 1. No good deed goes unpunished

1916 The Somme, France

The cold squalling rain had finally stopped. With the heavy

cloud cover, dawn appeared to be hours late breaking over

the battlefield.

A red cross dog walked over a tangle of bodies and sniffed

at a soldier lying still and caked in mud. It pawed at his shoulder

and nuzzled his neck. When it picked up the soldier's helmet to

return to the lines for help, Ithaniel rolled over, wiped mud from

his face and smiled. "Hello there."

The saddle bags the dog carried contained medical supplies and

water, and had a name written on it.

"Achilles, is that your name?"

Achilles wagged his tail and dropped the helmet.

"Others will need your help more than me."

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Flares lit the gloom overhead. "I'm just waiting to see a friend."

Ithaniel patted Achilles as an artillery barrage shook the ground.

"Although I will admit I'm rather enjoying the show."

Achilles licked his face and moved on.

Ithaniel watched the red cross dog criss-cross the shell cratered

ground looking for wounded Allied soldiers until it was out of sight.

There was the sudden crack of a gunshot and the unmistakable

sound of a dog whelping - then a second and a third shot.

Ithaniel scowled.

He stood up and his body began to glow like molten metal.

A bullet hit him in the jaw and made his head twist to the side.

He burst into flame as he walked towards where he thought

Achilles had fallen.

*

Achilles lay on his side next to the soldier he'd tried to help.

The flames that surrounded Ithaniel changed to a golden

aura as he knelt down beside him.

The side of Achilles face was torn open.

Ithaniel gently stroked his muzzle. "It looks like you could

use some help yourself my friend."

Achilles panted weakly.

In the glow of Ithaniel's outstretched hand, the bleeding stopped

and connective tissue started to form on the bare bones of the

open wound. Ligaments and tendons followed, then clusters

of nerves and small blood vessels. Flesh, skin and hair knitted

together until the wound was healed.

Achilles lifted his head and licked Ithaniel's hand.

"Lie still." he said gently.

Ithaniel traced Achilles spine until he felt where another

bullet had struck and broken the pelvis. The bones reshaped and

realigned themselves. Tendons, cartilage and muscles re-attached.

Achilles slowly sat up and wagged his tail, then he nosed the hand

of the fatally wounded soldier beside him.

Ithaniel shook his head. "Not him, just you."

Achilles jumped into his arms and licked his face. Sitting back, Ithaniel

smiled and patted him. "Go on, off you go."

Achilles returned to the Allied lines.

There was the crack of a gun shot, and a bullet ricocheted

off Ithaniel's back.

The soft aura that surrounded him instantly raged into flames.

He turned and looked for the heat signature of the bullet's path

in the cold morning air. Seeing it, Ithaniel followed it back to the

German sniper's position.

The body warmth of the hidden soldier was obvious to him.

"You're dog meat." he snarled.

*