Fire Dog

Lunar New Year fell on Feb 14. Anyone born before that date belongs to the previous year (Rooster).

Dogs keep a private line they will not cross, quiet most of the time and suddenly very hard when it is reached. Their loyalty is practical: they remember your appointment, take the long way to bring you something hot, and never mention it. They read people quickly, clocking who is performing and who is not. First impressions say reliable and direct. What is less known is how heavily they weigh being let down. The page does not turn easily, they just stop talking about it. They will answer at two in the morning, and they will remember that you called.

Jia is the tree that grows straight up, Xu the dog at the gate and the vault where fire is stored. A fire on the hilltop is visible from far away, but the wood up there lasts only so long. People like this stand high and get seen, and they burn very bright while it lasts. They are loyal to anyone they have claimed. After a hard stretch they need to disappear and rest, so do not push them while the fire is low. They rarely ask for help, feeding the fire alone when the wood runs short.