She'd been napping, but the sound of footsteps brought her out of it.
Two, she thought. One she didn't recognise. The other she did.
"-just in here because this is where the cage lives."
Master's voice. Instantly she was up and on her knees, in position like she'd been trained. It was automatic, and she also knew it was what he wanted, so even if it hadn't been automatic she would have done it anyway.
When the door opened she was ready, and she smiled at her, which was everything.
Another man she didn't recognise was with him. Men mattered more, she knew, but Master mattered most, and he was right there, so it was him all her attention was on.
"Must have heard us coming," the other man said.
"She knows the sound I make when I walk," Master said, clearly proud. A big bubble of happiness built inside her. Master was proud of her! "She's coming along very well."
"No more talking back?" The other man asked.
"Heh, well. I couldn't get rid of that completely, but she's certainly much better behaved now. And at least now she isn't talking back with words. Pups don't have people words, do they?"
This last part was a question, and so she knew she was expected to answer. She yipped, frowning. She hadn't meant to do that, she'd meant to actually say something, but the words hadn't come. They couldn't. They hit something and came out like that. Something he'd put there. Knowing that made her whimper.
"Very cute. And being locked in the cage is part of that?"
"No. Doesn't need to be. I put her in and shut it, she comes out when I let her. Why would I need to lock it?"
What he'd built in her head was much stronger than bars, anyway.
The other man had noticed and picked up something that had been hanging on the outside of the cage. He was squinting at it. When this didn't make it any clearer, he held it towards Master for an explanation. Master chuckled.
"Little hard to read. I had her write that. Pen between her teeth. It's meant to say 'I am a good girl I do what I am told and I make Master's cock cum lots' but, well, I mean..."
Master took the sign and turned it so she could see. Squiggles and smears.
"Pups don't have people words, do they?" He said again.
She felt so small when Master used that tone on her. She felt herself drip onto the bottom of the cage, making the wet patch that had already started between her legs just that little bit bigger. Her lip was wobbling. Master noticed.
"I think we should let her out," he said, taking the leash from where it was hanging. "Let her stretch her legs. And maybe show you a few of the other tricks I've got her to learn."
Master opened the cage and motioned for her and she bounded out, holding still for him to clip the leash to her collar, the only people word she could really hold onto just ringing over and over in her head:
Master Master Master Master Master Master Master
