TW: Animal dies. Please do not read if this upsets you.

Date: 26th July 2022
Place: Ellon, Scotland

The great black dog cried out. The wound looked excruciating, and Beatrice felt the pain in her bones.

No matter how she looked at life on the farm, Beatrice still hated this part. She was finally old enough to help Da today and had jumped at the chance to help when he had asked her at breakfast this morning. Ella, her younger sister, had moaned and whined the whole time Bea was getting ready, but Bea had tuned her out. The happy laughter she had felt this morning and on her walk across the fields sat low in her stomach.She thought back to what had caused this.

She’d been out helping Da and the muggle neighbours with the goats and one of the standoffish, stubborn bucks had taken one look at Thanatos and charged. The big, black dog had dropped like a log, the dirt rising like a cloud around his prone body. Her Da had rushed to the great beast, swearing his head off, whilst the neighbours had fended off the evil goat. Bea had stood at the fence-line, pale and cold as she watched her Da gently pick up her friend and come towards her.

The quiet moans that erupted from the dog every time he was bumped broke her heart. One look between Beatrice and her Da, and Beatrice knew what was going to happen. The neighbours had shook their heads and lamented about such a fine beast, but Beatrice didn’t here them. Surely when they got home, Ma or Nan could heal Thanatos with magic. It was possible. Beatrice had heard of plenty of like injuries being healed at school. Quidditch produced worse injuries than this for crying out loud! Bea had said as much to Da on the way home, but Da had just shook his head. “It wouldna be right Bea. The neebours hae seen.” He was right, she knew . It would look crazy for Thanatos to be have a life-threatening injury one day and be leaping and bounding across the fields the next. But still… Her heart sunk further and further as the three of them reached the barn.

Da had laid Thanatos down on the straw in one of the barn stalls, stroked his fur once and left for the house. Bea decided to stay and keep the black dog company. As she sat there in the straw stroking her friend, she could hear yelling and loud voices coming from the house. Bea just closed her eyes and clenched Thanatos’ fur. How had such a fun day, finally being able to accompany her Da on the adult stuff, and this happened.

A hand on her shoulder made Bea open her eyes. When had she closed them? She sniffled and wiped her eyes, finding wet tear tracks running across her face. Looking up, she met the grim face of her Da. “It’s time Bea. Let’s go.” He lifted Thanatos up into his arms and took him outside, around to the back of the barn., out of site from the house. Bea, the ever-obedient daughter followed. Her father looked grim, possibly because of the task to come, possibly because he had insisted that his 12-year-old daughter watch. It was apparently the circle of life and the way things were done. Bea hated it. She hated when it happened and hated it afterwards when she had to dig the hole and place the headstone.

The pressing weight she now felt made her feel like she was drowning, and the sun had died. How was she going to ever get rid of what she had watched?