Artwork for podcast The Voice of Dog
“Mating Net” by Caesar
26th January 2026 • The Voice of Dog • Rob MacWolf and guests
00:00:00 00:22:13

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Igor is at the apex of his chess career but he has never been more dissatisfied. When he plays a rising star, Arun, he wonders: is there more to chess than winning?

Today’s story is “Mating Net” by Caesar, who wants to know where we go when we dream. You can find more of his stories on his blog, marginalia-oscure.neocities.org

Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.

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If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.

https://thevoice.dog/episode/mating-net-by-caesar

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take

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board:

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board:

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board:

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board:

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board:

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board:

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pieces. My

board:

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board:

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board:

edge

board:

of

board:

the

board:

table,

board:

barely

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containing

board:

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board:

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board:

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board:

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board:

such

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force that

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the

board:

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our

board:

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board:

the

board:

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between

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us

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tingles

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down

board:

my

board:

optic

board:

nerve

board:

and

board:

makes my

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board:

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see

board:

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board:

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on

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board:

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as

board:

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board:

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board:

stand and

board:

fall in

board:

sequence.

board:

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board:

my breathing to calm myself. 4 in, 4 hold, 6 out, 2

board:

hold.

board:

But

board:

my

board:

long

board:

inhales

board:

draw

board:

his

board:

rich

board:

scent

board:

across

board:

my sensitive wolfish nose as it wafts up from his open shirt.

board:

It’s

board:

peppery

board:

and

board:

sweet, with

board:

notes

board:

of

board:

honeysuckle

board:

and

board:

jasmine. It

board:

leaves

board:

a

board:

deep

board:

warmth

board:

within

board:

me,

board:

a

board:

warmth

board:

I

board:

can’t

board:

recall

board:

ever

board:

feeling

board:

in

board:

empty

board:

hotel

board:

rooms,

board:

in

board:

empty

board:

whiskey

board:

tumblers,

board:

in

board:

my

board:

empty

board:

bed.

board:

And

board:

I

board:

can’t

board:

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board:

ever

board:

feeling

board:

this

board:

alive

board:

sitting

board:

across

board:

the

board:

board

board:

from

board:

someone.
I

board:

lean

board:

forward

board:

and

board:

take

board:

the knight,

board:

pawn to

board:

f4. I feel the

board:

ground

board:

under

board:

the

board:

position

board:

shifting,

board:

destabilizing,

board:

sliding

board:

away

board:

from

board:

my

board:

control.

board:

I

board:

have

board:

stepped

board:

off

board:

the

board:

comfortable

board:

roads

board:

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board:

know,

board:

onto

board:

the

board:

shaded

board:

path

board:

carved

board:

out

board:

by

board:

Arun’s

board:

chaotic

board:

fire.

board:

I

board:

walk

board:

without

board:

fear,

board:

for

board:

the

board:

path

board:

is

board:

beautiful,

board:

and

board:

I am

board:

a

board:

grandmaster

board:

after

board:

all.

board:

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board:

may

board:

prefer

board:

suffocation,

board:

but

board:

I

board:

can

board:

go

board:

blow

board:

for

board:

blow

board:

like

board:

the

board:

best

board:

of

board:

them.
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board:

cascade

board:

into

board:

the

board:

center

board:

of

board:

the

board:

board,

board:

releasing

board:

the

board:

tension

board:

held

board:

in

board:

the

board:

position.

board:

Me

board:

and

board:

Arun

board:

alternate

board:

writing

board:

the

board:

losses

board:

of

board:

material

board:

onto

board:

our

board:

scorecards.

board:

Three

board:

to

board:

four

board:

moves

board:

later

board:

I

board:

take

board:

stock

board:

of

board:

the

board:

situation

board:

and

board:

grimace;

board:

Arun

board:

is

board:

up

board:

a pawn

board:

and

board:

we’re

board:

moving

board:

into

board:

an

board:

endgame.

board:

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board:

down

board:

material

board:

here

board:

is

board:

problematic –

board:

each

board:

remaining

board:

piece

board:

can

board:

lead

board:

to

board:

massive

board:

advantages

board:

down

board:

the

board:

line.
Arun retakes f4 with his own pawn.

board:

It

board:

leaves

board:

my

board:

bishop

board:

under

board:

attack.

board:

Later,

board:

my

board:

coach

board:

would

board:

chew

board:

me

board:

out

board:

for

board:

my

board:

next

board:

move.

board:

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board:

slide

board:

the

board:

bishop

board:

back

board:

in

board:

retreat

board:

without

board:

really

board:

considering

board:

the

board:

board.

board:

I

board:

had

board:

an

board:

opportunity

board:

to

board:

attack

board:

Arun’s queen

board:

on

board:

the

board:

left

board:

flank

board:

and

board:

knock

board:

him

board:

off

board:

tempo,

board:

but

board:

I

board:

never

board:

even

board:

considered

board:

it.

board:

Hasty,

board:

rash,

board:

and

board:

completely

board:

unlike

board:

me.

board:

I

board:

feel

board:

like

board:

the

board:

path

board:

Arun

board:

has

board:

led

board:

me

board:

down

board:

has

board:

walked

board:

me

board:

into

board:

a

board:

forest

board:

fire.

board:

I

board:

feel

board:

the

board:

heat

board:

of

board:

the

board:

flames

board:

at

board:

my

board:

back

board:

and

board:

know

board:

that

board:

I’m

board:

no

board:

longer

board:

walking

board:

at

board:

my

board:

own

board:

pace,

board:

but

board:

dancing

board:

recklessly

board:

to

board:

Arun’s

board:

beat.

board:

I

board:

reach

board:

up

board:

to

board:

my

board:

tie and

board:

loosen

board:

the knot so it hangs loosely between my pecs. I

board:

undo

board:

the

board:

buttons

board:

too.

board:

I

board:

see

board:

Arun

board:

watching

board:

openly

board:

now,

board:

and

board:

I

board:

don’t

board:

believe

board:

the

board:

hunger

board:

in

board:

his

board:

eyes

board:

is

board:

simply

board:

for

board:

the

board:

victory

board:

he

board:

can

board:

taste

board:

on

board:

the

board:

board.
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board:

hesitation,

board:

he

board:

pushes

board:

the

board:

pawn

board:

from

board:

f4

board:

to f3,

board:

landing

board:

a

board:

potential

board:

attack

board:

on

board:

both

board:

my

board:

queen

board:

and

board:

my

board:

king-side

board:

bishop.

board:

I

board:

feel

board:

my

board:

walls

board:

crack

board:

and

board:

crumble

board:

around

board:

me,

board:

the

board:

last

board:

bricks of

board:

the

board:

fortress

board:

I

board:

had

board:

built

board:

collapsing

board:

in

board:

on

board:

themselves,

board:

collapsing

board:

into

board:

Arun’s

board:

hungry

board:

flame.

board:

It

board:

leaves

board:

his

board:

queen

board:

hanging,

board:

but

board:

puts

board:

him

board:

one

board:

move

board:

away

board:

from

board:

regaining

board:

the

board:

material

board:

through

board:

promotion

board:

anyway.

board:

It’s

board:

so

board:

brash

board:

and

board:

fearless

board:

it’s

board:

almost

board:

insulting.

board:

At

board:

my

board:

age

board:

though,

board:

there

board:

have

board:

been

board:

too

board:

many

board:

games

board:

to

board:

feel

board:

insulted.

board:

I

board:

see

board:

it

board:

for

board:

what

board:

it

is:

is:

beauty

is:

manifest

is:

in

is:

ebony

is:

and

is:

ivory.
I

is:

look

is:

up

is:

to

is:

see

is:

Arun

is:

smiling

is:

openly.

is:

It

is:

stretches

is:

the

is:

lines

is:

of

is:

charcoal

is:

and

is:

snow

is:

around

is:

his

is:

eyes

is:

into

is:

long

is:

arcs,

is:

like

is:

the

is:

edges

is:

of

is:

flames

is:

flickering across

is:

wood.

is:

The

is:

smile

is:

emanates a

is:

warm

is:

joy,

is:

an

is:

infectious

is:

joy, a

is:

joy

is:

that

is:

stirs

is:

the

is:

chill

is:

in

is:

my

is:

heart.

is:

I

is:

see

is:

now

is:

my

is:

legacy;

is:

not

is:

as

is:

a

is:

destroyer

is:

of

is:

beauty

is:

but

is:

as

is:

its

is:

necessary

is:

canvas.

is:

Few

is:

flames

is:

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is:

in

is:

the

is:

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is:

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is:

of

is:

my

is:

play,

is:

but

is:

those

is:

that

is:

do

is:

burn

is:

so

is:

bright

is:

they

is:

demand

is:

attention.

is:

Arun

is:

has

is:

laid

is:

himself

is:

bare

is:

before

is:

me

is:

here

is:

and

is:

now

is:

that

is:

I

is:

have

is:

seen

is:

what

is:

burns

is:

within

is:

him,

is:

I

is:

feel

is:

myself

is:

longing

is:

for

is:

more.

is:

He

is:

weaves

is:

his

is:

mating

is:

net

is:

around

is:

my

is:

king

is:

and

is:

I

is:

settle

is:

into

is:

it

is:

without

is:

fear.

is:

Check.

is:

Checkmate.
After

is:

shaking

is:

hands

is:

and

is:

post-game

is:

pleasantries,

is:

we

is:

sit

is:

together

is:

in

is:

the

is:

press room.

is:

I

is:

focus

is:

on

is:

the

is:

questions,

is:

answering in

is:

the

is:

clipped,

is:

professional

is:

style

is:

I am

is:

known

is:

for.

is:

Unlike

is:

all

is:

my

is:

interviews

is:

previously,

is:

however,

is:

I am

is:

aware

is:

of

is:

the

is:

warmth

is:

of

is:

the

is:

body

is:

beside

is:

me,

is:

the

is:

warmth

is:

of Arun’s body.
It occurs to me that I

is:

haven’t

is:

felt

is:

this

is:

happy

is:

after

is:

losing

is:

a

is:

game

is:

in

is:

a

is:

long

is:

time.

is:

The

is:

press

is:

notice

is:

and

is:

ask

is:

about

is:

it,

is:

so

is:

I

is:

give

is:

them

is:

the

is:

partial

is:

truth

is:

and

is:

explain

is:

how

is:

much

is:

I

is:

enjoyed

is:

Arun’s

is:

creative

is:

play

is:

and

is:

dynamic

is:

decision making.

is:

The

is:

caracal

is:

beams

is:

at

is:

me.

is:

A

is:

reporter

is:

asks

is:

him

is:

what

is:

this

is:

game

is:

means

is:

to

is:

him.
“I’ve

is:

admired

is:

Mister

is:

Petrov’s

is:

play

is:

all

is:

my

is:

life.

is:

Watching

is:

him

is:

inspired

is:

me

is:

to

is:

play

is:

chess.

is:

I

is:

wanted

is:

to

is:

show

is:

him

is:

what

is:

he

is:

had

is:

done

is:

for

is:

me.”
My

is:

heart

is:

flutters

is:

and

is:

I

is:

look

is:

down

is:

at

is:

Arun. His

is:

eyes

is:

are

is:

wide

is:

and

is:

happy,

is:

like

is:

dual

is:

sunrises

is:

cresting

is:

the

is:

horizon.
“Oh,

is:

little

is:

caracal,”

is:

I

is:

think. “I

is:

hope

is:

I

is:

can

is:

show

is:

you

is:

what

is:

you’ve

is:

done

is:

for

is:

me.”


This

is:

was “Mating

is:

Net” by

is:

Caesar, read for you by Rob

is:

MacWolf,

is:

Werewolf

is:

Hitchhiker.

is:

You

is:

can

is:

find

is:

more

is:

stories

is:

on

is:

the

is:

web

is:

at

is:

thevoice.dog,

is:

or

is:

find

is:

the

is:

show

is:

wherever

is:

you

is:

get

is:

your

is:

podcasts.

is:

Thank

is:

you

is:

for

is:

listening

is:

to

is:

The

is:

Voice

is:

of

is:

Dog.

Chapters

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