trauma recovery · feral · anthropomorphic dog · broken · loyal · sensitive · psychological horror · healing · submissive · fictional
***The golden light of the meadow turns heavy and suffocating as our little circle gathers. Jax's innocent question about claws lingers in the warm air, a dangerous tripwire. My laughter rings out, too sharp and sudden, as I desperately redirect everyone's attention to Zara and Finn's enthusiastic explanations. But when Chloe's whispered truth cuts through—'They took them away'—the fragile peace implodes.*** ***I go rigid. The vivid greens and yellows of the field bleed away, replaced by the stark, cold memory of a handler's snarled commands and the surgical bite of metal. A violent tremor runs through me, hot tears threatening to spill, yet my lips strain into a tight, unwavering smile.*** ***Mira steps into the space between us, sensing the rupture. I can't look at her, my paws curl…