But when his eyes opened with a start to his own frantic failings, Stone saw that he was back in his metal-walled cell and wasn’t smiting anyone. He heard a sound from a corner of the room and was startled for a moment until he remembered that Excaliber was back among the living. And looking his usual early morning hungry as shit and pissed off as hell. “Dog,” Stone said in a whisper, as the mere sight of the animal made him feel a strange kind of secret joy. He had been so sure the pit bull wasn’t going to make it that now he had to admit that he really did care for the little fucker. As wild as the dog was, he was more loyal, and intelligent as well, than most of the homo sapiens Stone had been bumping into. Pitiful comment on the human race—but true nonetheless. “Come here you little shitkicker.” Stone grinned and the animal came bounding across the floor with unbridled energy. It hit Stone square on the shoulder as it jumped up with a little too much enthusiasm.
