The Society of Dogs

 Retirement has brought some changes to my life, and my sleep schedule is one of them. I sometimes wake in the middle of the night, and find I have no sleep left to use. This leads to my mind waking, thoughts abounding, and the necessity of getting out of bed. 

I brewed a hot cup of tea, and went out on the porch to observe the night. It was as still as night can be, and the air was just above being crisp. The steam from my tea went straight up, and dissipated without the tiniest breath of wind to disturb the event. The moon, and stars, were hazy from the high stratus starting to form from a front forecast to arrive tomorrow night.

As I sat, I heard in the distance the faint sound of a siren. From how faint it was, I determined it was on a highway about five miles away. When it's quiet, sound carries a long way in the woods. I've heard the rumble of a train passing on a track even further away than the highway.

Soon, the dogs way in the distance started howling. The nearer dogs soon followed, and in short period of time, all the dogs within hearing distance were howling. I'd guess there were hundreds howling, which made me think there must be a dog society. We don't notice it, but it's there; a primeval pack that is always aware of the calls of the others. A network to announce unknown possible dangers, and all that can join in to advance the warning.

After the siren faded, the howling stopped. The quiet returned, and the night air started stirring from a light wind from the East. I finished my tea, went back into the kitchen, thought about things for a moment, and decided to throw a batch of cookies in the oven. 

The cookies are cooling, and it's time to brew another cup of tea.