Chapter One The kennels were overcrowded and had been for as long as the unnamed husky could remember. The incessant barking had long ago faded into the background of the dog's mind and he hardly noticed it anymore. He hardly noticed the dirt and foulness of his own fenced in square, either.

He rolled over onto his back, looking up at the sky. The packed earth beneath him was hard, but he'd never had a bed and didn't know what softness felt like. The thought occurred to him to eat some kibble, but there were bugs crawling through it and he was putting off the tasteless routine for as long as he could.

Just as the dog was beginning to doze, he heard a noise that was not part of the frenzied background noise. Human voices! Sitting up, the husky let his eyes roll over the lanes of kennels. There, two humans! One was a kennel attendant, but he other was a stranger! This could only mean one thing... the stranger would choose one of the many dogs and take him or her with them, away from this place!

The husky didn't know what happened to the dogs that left the kennels (they disappeared and were never heard from again) but no matter what it was, it had to be better than wasting the days away by watching clouds and bugs. The dog stood up excitedly, tail wagging quickly, as the stranger and the attendant moved closer. He heard the stranger asking questions, moving from one dog to the next.

"How about this one?"

"Not the best genes, but a good personality." The attendant answered, both humans looking at the excited dog. The husky tried to keep his calm, but moved closer to the fence that separated him from the human. The other dogs were wild, jumping up and down, desperate for attention. This dog wanted the human to know he had some control.

"He seems calmer than the others. Is he sick?" The stranger asked.

"Nah, just his personality." The attendant rocked back on his heels, clearly not impressed by the unnamed canine.

"I'll take him. He's exactly what I'm looking for." The stranger announced, opening the fence door just enough to pet the unnamed dog. "He looks like a 'Zeus' to me. Don't you, boy? You want me to call you Zeus?"

The dog accepted this without a thought. Zeus! He definitely felt like a Zeus. He felt like an anything if it got him out of these cramped kennels.

"I'm Max." The human continued, pulling out a leash and collar and clipping them around Zeus's neck. Zeus barked his acknowledgement. He may not have been the brightest dog, but he knew good fortune when he felt it snap around his neck.

"How much do I owe you?" Max asked, holding Zeus' leash tightly as the dog bounced around a couple of times. He couldn't rememeber ever leaving his tiny kennel!

"Five thousand as he's yours." The attendant explained, and Max handed the money over. Then, he turned and knelt down to pet Zeus' head. "It's you and me now, buddy." Zeus wagged his tail and gave the human a grateful lick.