Crad

Crad is one of the two main antagonists of Alan Caillou's original novel The Cheetahs, alongside Shama. He is an African wild dog owned by Aklilu and his family and has a deep hatred against hyenas.

Biography
He is a huge, shaggy black dog who is descended from his wild dog ancestors and is owned by a family led by Aklilu. Although his job was to guard the family from other opposing tribesmen, Crad's ancestry got the better of him. Ever since he was attacked by a clan of hyenas and his tail got bitten off when he was a pup, Crad developed a vicious and enduring hatred for hyenas. He also hunts his prey out of malice, rather than for food and can even take down prey 3 times his size. Whenever he'd hear the shrieks of a hyena or other prey, he would sneak out of the compound and avoid a beating from Aklilu. One day, Aklilu had noticed a hole that Crad had dug and realized that there would be Somali invaders. He is very relentless and would be beaten harder by Aklilu if he had known better.

After Aklilu began to adopt the orphaned cheetah cubs after his encounter with the mother led to her death, Crad noticed him and attacked the basket the cubs were in. Aklilu ordered Crad to back down, but the dog continued to attack the basket until Aklilu kicked him aside near the chicken coop. After Aklilu showed the cubs to his family, Crad once again confronted him, but Aklilu ignored him. Crad tried to prove his independance to Aklilu by snarling at the cows, but the cows ignored him. However, Crad bites one of the cows' legs to get revenge on Aklilu and was delighted with the taste of the cow's blood. Aklilu then decided to build a cage for the cheetahs where Crad can't get to them.

Crad comes up to the cage and snarls at the cubs. He reached in and grabbed the male's throat until the female lashed out at him and Aklilu threw stones at him. Aklilu kicked Crad in the belly and began constructing a thorn fence that would prevent Somali invaders. Aklilu's punishment against Crad is what made him learn the first lesson of their dependence on him. Crad stared at the two cheetahs and began to lunge at them. The female ran in fear, while the male slashed Crad in the nose. As the male ran to the female, Crad crawled over to the cheetahs until Aklilu got back and grabbed his tail. He threw Crad across the compound and shut the cage door. Crad snarled at Aklilu until he grabbed a stick and beat him with it.

Instead of going out to hunt the hyenas, Crad paced around the compound while trying to find a way to break down the door and get to the cheetahs. As the morning sun came up, Crad began to viciously bark at an intruder and Shwayi warns them that a Somali is invading the zeriba. Aklilu heads out to confront the intruder, but realizes that he must tie Crad up so he wouldn't bother him and settle the situation by himself.

While Aklilu and Ngatua are concerned about the cheetahs, Crad glares at them while eating his meat in his cage. He then went into the zeriba instead of hunting outside the compound as he heard the shriek of hyenas outside. Aklilu then decided to have Crad put in the cage and let the cheetahs roam freely.

After Aklilu found the cheetahs wounded after the flood, Carlo came to visit them and buy the cheetahs. However, Shwayi refused and Carlo left. Aklilu tied Crad to his post, while he let Amro and Taitu roam freely around the compound. The cheetahs taunted Crad and then left him before the sandstorm hit. The family and the cheetahs were forced to look for shelter, while they had to leave Crad behind. Aklilu could hear Crad howling in fear and reluctantly heads out to rescue him. Aklilu tries to free him, but Crad is too terrified to free himself. After the storm, Ngatua decided to name the cheetahs Amro and Taitu.

It is revealed that Crad survived the storm and was watching Aklilu near the zeriba nearly unconscious. Crad showed signs of docility to Aklilu and he threw a piece of meat to Crad. While the rope he was tied to was bitten halfway through, he took this as a sign for an award as he decided to settle with Taitu and Amro. Crad broke free from his rope and went to the tukul to make sure Aklilu was asleep. He crept over to the zeriba where the cheetahs were and dug into the cage. As he heard the sound of a hyena and a flock of vultures fighting over a carcass, Crad wanted to pick a fight with the hyena, but he decided to deal with the two cheetahs first. Amro woke up and lunged at Crad. Amro tore off Crad's ear until the dog pushed the male cheetah off him. Taitu came over and slashed his belly. Crad freed himself and proceded to attack Amro. He went for Amro's foreleg and sunk his teeth into it. Taitu continued to scratch Crad's belly and began to attack his shoulder. He knocked Taitu towards the bars and let go of Amro's leg. Taitu grabbed hold of his spine where he couldn't move his head and Amro aimed at Crad's throat. Crad freed himself from the cheetahs' grasp and tried to escape, but Amro was still attacking him. Crad lunged at Taitu before the female proceded to bite through his spine. Aklilu burst into the cage and threw Crad out of the cage. Taitu was still sinking her teeth into Crad's back until Aklilu pried her apart.

Crad fled the scene and escaped through the thorn fence surrounding the compound. Aklilu comforted Taitu and assurred Ngatua that the fight was over. Crad picked up the scent of a hyena with two jackals feasting on a zebra. In spite of his injuries, he decided to pick a fight with the hyena. He lunged at the hyena's throat and killed it before returning to the compound to go to sleep.

After Aklilu's encounter with an opposing Galla tribesman, Destu begins to worry about their well being drained out and orders Aklilu to chain up Crad, because there might be a conflict with Somali tribesmen. While Crad wants to be free from his chains, Aklilu noticed the silhouette of a camel, which meant that there were Somalis. Aklilu took out his rifle and took Crad with him to confront the tribe. The cheetahs came out of the tukul and Destu came out with a spear. The tribe demanded Aklilu water from his well, but Aklilu told them that there was water at the salt lick. The Somalis denied that there was water at the salt lick, but Destu confronted them and told them that only a Somali would lie. Crad stops barking at the intruders and continues to growl at them. The Somali ordered Aklilu to open the zeriba, but Aklilu refused. A battle ensued and Crad joined the fight. Destu throws his spear at one of the men's leg and Crad lunges at a Somali, but gets speared in the process. The cheetahs join in as well and Taitu aims at one of the Somalis, while Amro lunges at Crad, but realizes that he was the wrong enemy and attacks another Somali. Aklilu and the team easily win and drive them off. Aklilu comes to Crad's aid and assures Destu that Crad is indestructible and he will be alright. Shortly after, Crad regains consciousness and hobbles back to the compound.

While the cheetahs are roaming freely around the compound, Crad breaks Shwayi's water jar. Aklilu wanted to tie up Crad, but decided not to after he helped him fight off the Somalis. Aklilu heads out to the village to buy something from an Indian trader, but buys a watch instead from a trader named Shama after he offered to buy the cheetahs. Aklilu brings the watch home, but Ngatua is worried that the cheetahs are gonna be sold.

The next morning, Shama arrives at the tukul with a greyhound to train the cheetahs for a race. Crad notices them and begins to snarl at the greyhound. As the race begins, the greyhound could pick up Crad's scent and became somewhat fearful of him. The following night, while Ngatua is begging for Aklilu to call off the bet, a shriek of a hyena is heard and Crad goes out to attack it. As Aklilu confronts Shama and calls off the offer, Crad snarls at Shama as if he were a Somali and he leaves.

After Destu's death, Shwayi is forced to move away and Aklilu gives Crad to her to keep her company, while Aklilu and Ngatua stayed at the compound with the two cheetahs. Crad then glanced back at the compound to see where the others were before leaving with Shwayi.