AN.: Hi everyone!

This is the first fanfiction I've ever published on this site, so any graphic horrors are just me trying to learn how to work it out...

I absolutely LOVE Pride and Prejudice and this little AUish piece of fluff came out almost unexpectedly, I hope you like it.

Any mistakes are mine. English is not my first language, so please let me know if I used expressions that don't make any sense!

As much as I'd want to, I don't own Pride&Prejudice, nor Mr Darcy.

Galeotto fu'l cane

Bump.

Bump.

Bump.

I hate this. I hate going around with this...moving box Master calls carriage! I much prefer my own legs...

Bump.

Grrrrr!

Master laughs and scratches my ear: "Keep up, Old Boy, we're almost there..."

I like Master's voice: it's low and deep, very soothing. I like it when he speaks to me: I don't always understand what he says, but it doesn't matter. Master has always been good to me; we've been puppies together!

I'm a dog. My name is Orion, but Master sometimes calls me Old Boy. I hunt birds for him, and he gives me cookies and scratches my ear. If I catch many birds, he gives me belly rubs. I love belly rubs!

I'd stand all these bumps if we were going Home, but we're not. We'll stay with Puppy, one of Master's friends. His human name is not Puppy, but I call him this way because he reminds me of my brothers and sisters when we were little puppies: eager to please Master, happy and always needing help. Master calls him Bingley, or Charles, it depends on his mood.

I like Puppy, because he makes Master happy, but I don't want to stay in the same house with him: his dogs don't know how to hunt birds and Puppy has a sister...

She's Viper. I hate her; her voice hurts my ears, she smells awful and she always clings to Master like a snake to its prey. Master hates her as much as I do, but for some reason he can't just growl at her like I do, or bite her arm like I'd love to do, so we have to bear with her until we can go Home.

I hope we won't be long.

"Well, Orion, see the bright side of things, you won't be stuck in the stables! I'll let you sleep here, near the fire..." Master tells me. I bark and move my tail, showing him that I'm happy. I like sleeping near him, this way I know he's safe.

He kneels beside me and I roll. I want a belly rub, and he gives me one. "I know that you like it, and if you're in my room, Miss Bingley won't try to come in...Keep her out of this place, Orion, will you?"

Viper will never come anywhere near Master while he's sleeping! I'll bite her if she does! I growl a bit, so that Master knows that I've understood.

I look at my Master and I see his face looks strange; he is silent, but I can feel he is sad. Why is Master sad? I lick his hand, and he starts speaking again.

"You know, Orion...I always feel like one of those birds I taught you to hunt when I'm near Miss Bingley...or any society woman, for that matter...I know that it is my duty to marry well, also for Georgie's sake, but...I don't like the idea of having an unhappy and indifferent marriage just because I followed society rules! How can I understand if the lady in front of me is the right one or not?"

Oh, yes...Master needs a mate! I've heard this for many springs by now, so it must be serious...I don't know how Little Mistress fits into this, but she does and Master cares for her very much; he would do anything for her.

I don't like when Master is sad, so I lick his face to make him laugh. He does and tells me to stop, but I feel he's not serious. Finally, he tells me to lay down and sleep, but I wait until I can hear his breath change rhythm before closing my own eyes.

He feels like a prey near Viper and other females of his kind, and that is not good. Master shouldn't be a prey! I decide that I'll help him find the right mate: I'm an animal, but I know Master better than any human, so I'll know which female is the one for him.

Tomorrow the hunt will start.

We've been here for many Lights by now, but this flat country seems to be empty of human females, so I've hunted birds instead...Master and me have gone out many times, only the two of us, or with Puppy, mostly with their Hard Hoofs; Puppy's is fair, Master's is very dark. Master calls his Hard Hoof Pegasus, and is bigger than Puppy's. We get along, but I prefer feeling Master's legs near me, not Hard Hoof's!

Master has told me that many human males that live here have come to see Puppy and "welcome him in the neighbourhood", though I don't know what this means. He also told me that in a few Lights there will be an "assembly", some sort of meeting humans do occasionally, that Master is compelled to go to, because he needs to look over Puppy, but he will have to be in Viper's company, and he hates it.

Master doesn't like strangers, and neither do I. Actually, I'm cautious: it took me a few to let Puppy scratch me, but I felt he smelt alright, so I let him come near Master. Other people, especially females and Viper the most, smell so bad that I do everything to make them go away. Master told me once that he feels uncomfortable with people he doesn't know well. I believe it means Master feels wrong and in danger when strange humans get near him.

I'm starting to think it will be hard to find a mate for Master.

Master is in a bad mood. The meeting is next Light and I can feel he is already nervous; I think he needs to go out, I know it makes him feel better.

I bark and scratch the door, moving my tail. When Master looks up, I see his face stretch and then he gets up. "Do you want to go out, Old Boy?" I bark again and I move behind him, to push him towards the door. He laughs. "Alright, alright! Come on, let's go!"

We've not reached the grounds yet, when Viper appears and clutches her stenching body to Master's one. "My dear Mr Darcy, where are you going? Is it not too early to go out? Come and break your fast with us!"

I immediately snarl. She finally sees me, and her face becomes downright hostile. Were she a dog I'd grab her by the throat for this! Her shrill voice sounds like something screeching. "Mr Darcy, what is that...beast doing inside the house? Should it not be in the stables as my brother's dogs?"

Master's voice is as cold as ice: "Miss Bingley, Orion is not a beast. He is my dog, so it is my decision if he is to stay in the stables or with me. Moreover, as you know, I am an early riser, and I'm not at all bothered by a walk at this hour. I will see you later, madam." He inclines his head and starts walking outside. I growl lowly at Viper again, then canter near Master.

We walk for a long time, and Master lets me explore on my own in the woods. Though it's not Home, this place smells good and I like moving around, discovering. I hear Master walking at some distance, far from the trees. If I know him, he's probably staring far away...

A new, strange, heavenly smell hits my nose. My mouth waters and I immediately move towards it. I stop, though, when I feel that this smell is mixed with a human scent that I've never smelt before, but is just as good as the former. It comes from behind the trees...

I find a small space covered with glass, and in the centre of it there's a human female, sitting, and eating...are those cookies?! Oh, I love cookies!

She turns and sees me: human females are usually scared by me, because I'm quite big and they think I'll bite them. Instead, she looks at me and shows her teeth. I've learnt that when humans do this, it means they're very happy: Puppy does it a lot, Master quite rarely. Then, she speaks, and her voice is as sweet as the best of cookies.

"Hello there! Where have you come out from?" Her voice is very friendly, and I approach slowly. She moves her hand and lets me sniff her. When I lick it (mmh, it tastes like cookies!), she laughs. "Why, you surely are a gentleman!" I have no idea of what she's talking about, but it sounds so well it must be a good thing!

I search for the cookies, and she understands it immediately. "Are you hungry, my furred gentleman?" She takes a cookie and gives it to me. Oh, it tastes sooo good! "Do you like it?" I bark twice and roll in happiness. She gives me a belly rub and I know I'm lost.

Master must meet her! She's the only human female I've ever liked instantly apart from Little Mistress, she can only be Master's mate!

I jump to my feet and lick her face; she laughs and caresses my fur. I run away, hoping that she stays where she is, then I search Master. I find him sitting on a fallen tree, his hat in his hands, staring far away. I come in front of him and start barking as I do when I'm hunting. He looks at me and speaks: "What is it, Old Boy? Is something wrong?" I run in circles around his legs since he is standing, still barking.

He sighs and says: "We cannot play now, Orion...It's late, we must go back...come on!" He starts walking in the wrong direction. No! Not there! I sit and bark, but he turns and uses his tone of command. "Let's go, Orion!"

Usually I obey to Master, but this is different: he won't go back without seeing her first!

I move near him, apparently obeying him, then, when he least expects it, I grab his hat in my mouth and run towards the trees.

"ORION!"

He does exactly what I want him to do: he runs behind me, yelling my name and commanding me to stop and come back. I search the place again and I see that the female with cookies is still there, though she is standing now.

I stop just in front of her, then I sit and drop the hat at her feet. She looks at me, her eyes wide open, so I bark, loudly enough for Master to hear me. I see her teeth again and then she speaks. "Well, I thank you, my dear gentleman, but I fear that I do not understand why you would bestow such a...masculine gift to me!"

She bends and takes the hat in her hands and at that moment, I hear Master's feet come near and stop suddenly. The female turns and so do I.

Master is as still as a tree. He blinks many times, then finally moves, looking between me and her. I get near him, licking his hand and moving my tail. The female approaches and says: "I think, sir, that this belongs to you...and this furred gentleman too, I suppose!"

Master's breath quickens and I can hear his heart beat faster, as if he'd been running. Then, finally, I hear his voice. "Yes, they do, madam..." He takes the hat from her hands. She speaks again.

"I fear that your friend has been quite negligent in introducing himself...Do you happen to know his name?"

And then, it happens: Master shows his teeth at her, and she responds in the same way.

"His name is Orion, madam, and I am sure that he would like to be introduced to you...Who do we have the honour to speak with?"

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn; and may I have the honour to be introduced to Mr Orion's friend?"

"I can assure you, the honour is all his: Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, in Derbyshire."

I knew it. I just knew it. She's Master's mate!

Darcy did not know why Orion had acted like that, but he was grateful that he did: when he had reached the meadow, he had been stilled by the most beautiful vision he had ever seen.

A young woman, clad in a simple light green gown and a dark purple spencer, was standing under a ray of sunlight, basking her with a magical glow. Her heart-shaped face looked lovely, with full lips, a creamy complexion coloured with a healthy, rosy blush, and large, sparkling eyes surrounded by thick and long lashes. Her bonnet was lying at her feet, so he could see her hair: it was curly, shiny and of a beautiful dark shade of red, on which the sun created a copper halo. She looked like a nature goddess, and she was keeping his hat in her hands!

After she- Miss Elizabeth Bennet- had asked his dog's name, Darcy completely forgot about Orion, too focused on the creature in front of him, completely lost in her midnight blue eyes, shining with violet sparkles. Her voice sounded like music to him and it took him a bit to understand that she was also speaking about intelligent things.

They started walking, since Miss Elizabeth needed to get back home and he intended to escort her, no matter how far it was. Darcy was quite sure that Orion was following them closely...He soon discovered that Miss Elizabeth had brought fresh baked cookies with her, and his dog had been conquered by the smell. "She offered him cookies and a belly rub...No wonder he likes her!"

"Where are you residing, sir?" She asked him, piercing him with her inquisitive gaze.

"At Netherfield Park, Miss Bennet; I am a guest of the Bingleys, who have leased it some weeks ago."

She smiled brightly: "Ah, our mysterious new neighbour! Does this mean you will attend tomorrow's assembly, Mr Darcy?"

For the first time, Darcy smiled at the thought of attending a ball of any sort. "I will, Miss Bennet..." A sudden idea came to his mind: "May I be so bold to request a set with you, madam?"

He saw a blush darken her cheeks, but she didn't lower her eyes; instead, she smiled again and said: "You may, sir...I'm willing to give you the first set, if it pleases you..."

"If I could do what pleases me, I'd probably kiss you right now...Wait, where did that come from?"

"Your wish is my command, Miss Bennet!" He chuckled, bowing over her hand when she stopped.

Miss Elizabeth blushed again, then said: "I believe we can separate here, Mr Darcy. My house is just behind the trees, I think I can manage from here!" A soft laugh escaped her lips, then she curtsied. He bowed in response and murmured: "Until tomorrow, then, Miss Elizabeth." He waited until Orion had given his own farewell to the lady, then walked away, though still glancing back at her until she disappeared from his sight.

Elizabeth had wondered many times when and how she would meet the man of her dreams, but never she would have imagined him coming to her running behind his dog! When that handsome, copper furred hound had come out of the trees and almost begged for a cookie, she had known its master couldn't be far, and that he must be a gentleman of some means, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight of him.

Now, looking at Mr Darcy's broad shoulders disappear through the trees, she sighed deeply, feeling like a maiden who had met Prince Charming. He was devastatingly handsome, so tall, lean, with a noble mien and regular features, raven black curls and goodness, those sky blue eyes! His voice had a deep, baritonal tone that had made her heart race and when he smiled broadly, a pair of adorable dimples made him look younger, even boyish.

She had enjoyed her little witty banter with him about his dog being a gentleman, and somehow they had ended up speaking about myths and constellations...not the usual conversation between a man and a woman that had met by chance in the woods!

When he had told her that he was a guest at Netherfield Park, the little girl in her wanted to jump around in glee: they would meet again then! And she was even more happy to discover that he would actually attend the assembly the next day!

Her heart had never beaten so fast as when he looked straight into her eyes and asked her for a set.

And she thought she would positively swoon when he bowed over her hand with his dimpled smile shining for her!

When she arrived home, the first thing she did was to go to her room and search in her closet to choose a gown for the assembly, feeling pretty much like Lydia, but she didn't care: the most handsome man she had ever met wanted to dance with her!

While she compared an ivory gown and a blue one, a fleeting thought passed her mind: "Thank God I decided to grab those cookies from the kitchen today!"

A spring has passed from my hunt, and now Master has a Mistress, a Mistress who gives the best belly rubs and the best cookies I've ever eaten!

Master has become even gentler with me: now I sleep on soft pillows near the fire every night and he just laughs when I grab his hat from his hands to play.

I am happy when Master is happy.

And Mistress has made Master very happy!

AN 2: Orion is an Irish Setter, in case you are wondering...

Read, Review and maybe I can convince him to share a cookie with you!