Happiness
Mara had never had many opportunities for happiness in her life. She’d grown up walking on eggshells, afraid of attracting her brother’s attention and catching the wrath of his gleaming teeth.
She was away from all that now but still found it hard to fit in. She wanted to … she just couldn’t quite figure out how. She sighed, watching Flint and Captain playfully wrestling – the bigger dog pinning the Border Collie. A few feet away from them Wisteria was sitting primly, an amused smirk on her face as Lucy laughed loudly and even the shy Rylee smiled at whatever had been said.
Meanwhile, Hanna was stretched out on the grass, sleeping with her legs in the air and tongue lolling. Next to her, Halen and her brother Zeppelin lay side by side chatting quietly. Several other dogs were scattered across the town square in groups, having a good time.
Mara realized that she was the only one alone and slunk down, too scared to approach anyone for fear of being rejected … again.
She turned to leave, almost crashing into Brigadier who was just arriving. She ducked her head, avoiding his eyes, “Excuse me.”
His mouth opened in a broad grin, “Hey, leaving already?”
She struggled for words, finally settling on an awkward nod.
He cocked his head, his eyes too knowing as he examined her. “Would you care to join me?”
Her head slowly raised, not even daring to let the hope shine in her eyes, “I don’t want to impose-”
He cut her off, trotting to her side and tilting his head companionably, “No imposition. C’mon, it’ll be fun.”
Hesitantly, she followed him, unable to prevent the soft wag to her tail as she followed Brigadier to where Keid and Harper were lounging next to a paint covered Mona who was clutching a paint brush in her teeth before a colorful canvas while Stetson watched.
They all easily accepted her, allowing her into their tight knit group without making her feel like an outsider. It was one of the first happy days she had ever had in her life.
She was away from all that now but still found it hard to fit in. She wanted to … she just couldn’t quite figure out how. She sighed, watching Flint and Captain playfully wrestling – the bigger dog pinning the Border Collie. A few feet away from them Wisteria was sitting primly, an amused smirk on her face as Lucy laughed loudly and even the shy Rylee smiled at whatever had been said.
Meanwhile, Hanna was stretched out on the grass, sleeping with her legs in the air and tongue lolling. Next to her, Halen and her brother Zeppelin lay side by side chatting quietly. Several other dogs were scattered across the town square in groups, having a good time.
Mara realized that she was the only one alone and slunk down, too scared to approach anyone for fear of being rejected … again.
She turned to leave, almost crashing into Brigadier who was just arriving. She ducked her head, avoiding his eyes, “Excuse me.”
His mouth opened in a broad grin, “Hey, leaving already?”
She struggled for words, finally settling on an awkward nod.
He cocked his head, his eyes too knowing as he examined her. “Would you care to join me?”
Her head slowly raised, not even daring to let the hope shine in her eyes, “I don’t want to impose-”
He cut her off, trotting to her side and tilting his head companionably, “No imposition. C’mon, it’ll be fun.”
Hesitantly, she followed him, unable to prevent the soft wag to her tail as she followed Brigadier to where Keid and Harper were lounging next to a paint covered Mona who was clutching a paint brush in her teeth before a colorful canvas while Stetson watched.
They all easily accepted her, allowing her into their tight knit group without making her feel like an outsider. It was one of the first happy days she had ever had in her life.
Beauty
Wisteria knew that she was beautiful. There was no doubt in her mind about that. She also knew exactly how to flirt to get what she wanted. She could have a male panting at her feet in a matter of minutes if she tried.
So why was it she was the one being ignored while Captain stared across the square at Mara? The female fox in question was unaware of the attention, busy ducking her head in embarrassment as Brigadier playfully bumped his forehead against her shoulder.
Captain roused himself, turning his attention back to her. She knew she was beautiful … so why did she suddenly feel so unattractive.
So why was it she was the one being ignored while Captain stared across the square at Mara? The female fox in question was unaware of the attention, busy ducking her head in embarrassment as Brigadier playfully bumped his forehead against her shoulder.
Captain roused himself, turning his attention back to her. She knew she was beautiful … so why did she suddenly feel so unattractive.
Sleep
Mona Lisa had a hard time sleeping. Her mind was constantly racing and she would occasionally wake herself up, rising before she was even fully awake and stumbling to her canvases to roughly paint out a design before stumbling back to bed. Even when she was in bed, she would toss and turn all night as well as mumble away.
Stetson tended to lay sprawled on his side, still as death until morning. He could sleep through almost anything and usually didn’t wake up at all in the middle of the night.
Somehow they managed to complement each other completely. Mona tended to sleep better curled next to his side while Stetson would occasionally wake in the middle of the night to watch her paint.
Stetson tended to lay sprawled on his side, still as death until morning. He could sleep through almost anything and usually didn’t wake up at all in the middle of the night.
Somehow they managed to complement each other completely. Mona tended to sleep better curled next to his side while Stetson would occasionally wake in the middle of the night to watch her paint.
Garden
The garden belonged to Kachina. She spent many hours there, tending the plants and whispering soothingly to them. She spoke to them more often than she had ever spoken to anyone else. The roses knew her secrets and the tomatoes knew her insecurities.
Most other dogs kept out of the garden, leaving her to take care of it by herself and she was overjoyed at the empty grounds she had been given.
There was only one other dog who came out to the gardens regularly. Apollonia was stretched out on the grass, a book forgotten next to her as she dozed off in the warm summer sun.
Neither one of them enjoyed constant conversation and they had an unspoken agreement to ignore each other for the most part. That’s not to say they didn’t get along and had, in fact, formed a fairly decent friendship. As good as either of them could form with another dog.
Kachina turned back to the peas, humming quietly to them and easily dismissing her musings.
Most other dogs kept out of the garden, leaving her to take care of it by herself and she was overjoyed at the empty grounds she had been given.
There was only one other dog who came out to the gardens regularly. Apollonia was stretched out on the grass, a book forgotten next to her as she dozed off in the warm summer sun.
Neither one of them enjoyed constant conversation and they had an unspoken agreement to ignore each other for the most part. That’s not to say they didn’t get along and had, in fact, formed a fairly decent friendship. As good as either of them could form with another dog.
Kachina turned back to the peas, humming quietly to them and easily dismissing her musings.
Imagination
Stetson liked to believe that he was one a hero in one of the western novels he favored. He would sometimes don his leather cowboy hat and picture himself fighting the good fight. More than once Brigadier had wondered into the jailhouse to find his deputy engaged in a fictional battle against the marauding forces of evil.
That didn’t bother him. Instead, it was the leading lady that he was having trouble fitting into his ideal daydream. In the past he had pictured some generic damsel in distress, crying out for him to save her from the masked bandits. When he first started to grow closer to Mona Lisa he tried to picture her in his fantasies but she refused to fit the part. Instead, she managed to save herself and he couldn’t get fantasy-Mona to scream in terror at the outlaws but instead she growled at the irritation.
Eventually he realized that she could take care of herself and she would never be that damsel in distress that he had pictured all his life … and somehow, that was even more than perfect.
That didn’t bother him. Instead, it was the leading lady that he was having trouble fitting into his ideal daydream. In the past he had pictured some generic damsel in distress, crying out for him to save her from the masked bandits. When he first started to grow closer to Mona Lisa he tried to picture her in his fantasies but she refused to fit the part. Instead, she managed to save herself and he couldn’t get fantasy-Mona to scream in terror at the outlaws but instead she growled at the irritation.
Eventually he realized that she could take care of herself and she would never be that damsel in distress that he had pictured all his life … and somehow, that was even more than perfect.