I saw mention of Loren Eiseley for some reason or other on Facebook and was immediately reminded of a quote he made that I have saved. An anthropologist, he collected fossil bones and in this scene his dog claimed one of those bones:
"A low and steady rumbling began to rise in his chest, something out of a long-gone midnight. There was nothing in that bone to taste, but ancient shapes were moving in his mind and determining his utterance. Only fools gave up bones. He was warning me.
As I advanced, his teeth showed and his mouth wrinkled to strike. The rumbling rose to a direct snarl. His flat head swayed low and wickedly as a reptile's above the floor. I was the most loved object in his universe, but the past was fully alive in him now. Its shadows were whispering in his mind. I knew he was not bluffing. If I made another step he would strike."
... Instinct.
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