The Test Of Loyalty

He stood, oak walking stick and trusted Shepherd by his side. It was a view not for mere mortals, life was not stingy with rewards, such as this view from Obersalzberg. He'd baptised it Wolfsschanze, with which he had expressed the thought that it would make a launching ramp for the great wolf, son of the old eagle. Today was graduation for ten officers, Sturmstaffel, also called SS, they'd demonstrate the ultimate of all: Life for the Fuehrer and the Fatherland. The training had been tough and cruel for man and beast, all Shepherd dogs, each candidate was given a male pup to raise, from weaning time, with utmost care to teach the tricks a German dog should know, until the very day they'd stand before their god. The presentation was an eye-pleasing success, the Fuehrer watched as dog and man performed, until the Obersturmbannfuehrer's sharp command, they froze in place, awaiting graduation. Then, Adolf Hitler, undisputed leader of the Reich, he raised his arm in a salute, and with a voice both soft and urgent gave the ultimate command: 'Use only both your hands and your new combat knife, and cut the throat of your companion here and now, it is the final test of loyalty to me.' There was a deadly silence then, an eagle hovered above the valley, boyed by rising currents, and as it watched, the ten cadets reached down to touch their charges by the neck, with grim determination. Ten pairs of trusting eyes looked at their masters, as love flowed from within to meet the blue-eyed tears, and death that day could not be understood. Perhaps the Fuehrer would explain it all, one day