Post by Amber on Feb 2, 2014 13:13:27 GMT -5
I was born on a tranquil farm in Winchester, England. I was part of a healthy litter of 6 squirmy tricolor puppies of which I was the second to youngest. I became the closest to my youngest brother, who the humans called Apollo, but I called him Thunder because every time he bounded over to my mom, my siblings, or me it felt like the ground was shaking beneath my tiny paws. Thunder was a few minutes younger than I was but he was a chubby puppy and I was rather skinny. I also became very close to my older sister, Skye, but the humans called her Sara. Our older siblings always picked fights with us, even before our eyes opened. I was determined to be the “alpha dog of the pack” even though I knew that my dream would not come true, but I was a determined little pup. The pup that became the alpha was the oldest pup in the litter, Zeke, who was rude, bossy, and didn’t take no for an answer. He always gave us commands like, “Groom my pelt,” or “Get that tick at the base of my tail, will ya?” or “Get me a bone.” If we said no, he would leave the marks of his teeth and claws in our pelts. I, myself, bore a few scars from him because I refused to lick his pelt clean after he had just rolled around in some gooey, slimy mud. He was a good for nothing tail chaser that stole our food from right underneath our noses. My mom seemed to put up with him but I had enough of him. The humans called him Rolf and they called me Winslow. Oh, how I hated that name! Why couldn’t they have named me Shiloh or Rue? When my siblings and I were around three months old, my mom told us about dogs that help people. From police dogs to bomb sniffing dogs. After our talk with mum, we all went off to romp in the grass that surrounded the farm, except for Skye, who stayed behind with me.
“I don’t want to be a helper dog.” She informed me
“Why not?” I asked
“Because I don’t want to get hurt.”
“Well, then what do you want to be?”
“A house dog.”
“A HOUSE DOG?”
Her words nearly knocked me off my paws.
“Yes, a house dog. Do you have a problem with that?”
“Uh, n-no.”
I thought that we were bred to help man with things that they couldn’t do, like sniff out drugs in a car trunk. I had to admit, she had always loved the owner’s grandkids when they came to visit. My sister is afraid of new things and is not a risk taker like me.
“Good. I want to be with a giving family with kids that love me. I want to be pampered and petted every day.”
“Good luck with that.”
She shot me an annoyed look then started to head in the direction that our littermates were playing. I knew right away that that wasn’t the kind of life for me. I love to be out in nature. I love adventures and being able to take in the new sights and smells that the world has to offer. I hate being on leashes and being let out only when the people say I can go out, I like to be free and do things on my own time. I knew then and there, that I wanted to be a detective. Not the kind of dog that assists the human detectives. So, I decided that I would start a group of canine sleuths. No humans involved whatsoever. As soon as I left the farm, I would go to London in search of eligible dogs to recruit into my pack. I wanted to call it the CF (Canine Force).
“I want to be a detective!” I announced
She froze where she was. Her ears forward and tail up.
“Oh gosh, I don’t think I could do that. I don’t have the courage and bravery that you have, Rain.” She said as she turned around
My sister is a prissy dog. If you ask me, she’s more like a Chihuahua than a Beagle. I didn’t know what to say in response to her statement. So, I just stood there trying to think of something to say.
“Uh, th-thanks I guess.”
I always stutter when I’m uneasy or I don’t know what to say. I’ve been doing it since I first learned to talk. It’s a habit that I can’t break. I thought that I heard a sound in the bushes behind me. I pricked my ears to listen to it clearly. I heard a rustle of fallen leaves then a loud bark. I sharply turned around then I pinned my ears back against my head, gave a warning growl, and braced myself for the attack. Then, out of nowhere, Thunder pounced on me from behind.
“Thunder!” I barked
“Gotcha! Gotta be faster next time!” He yipped in triumph
“Get off of me!” I growled
“You gotta try to throw me off.”
I sighed.
“Moron.”
“Don’t be a pussy cat! Try to throw me off!”
He was playfully nipping at my scruff and his thorn sharp claws dug into my skin, which hurt like crazy! I held his gaze, and then I growled at him. With a mighty shove, I finally managed to get that energetic fur ball off of me. He staggered back and I got to my paws, my hackles raised and my lips pulled back, revealing my ivory white teeth. His eyes were wide with shock.
“Whoa, you’ve gotten stronger.” He said in awe
“I’ve always been stronger than you.” I said in a haughty manner
He bowed his head in submission. I love my brother, but sometimes, he just gets on my nerves. I walked away from him to investigate the cat that lives across the field. It just happened to be out and about and in the yard. I was in my stalking position and I was getting ready to pounce when my mom called me over to her. At the sound of her voice, the Orange Tabby darted away. Whatever, I didn’t care that it had gotten away.
“Winslow, Come here please.” She beckoned with a voice that was like water flowing over stones.
Whenever she called any one of us by our “Pet” names, we knew that we were in trouble or that she needed to tell us something serious. I padded over to her and laid myself down in front of her. My mom was relaxing in the shade of an old Oak that grew in the yard. It was a welcoming relief from the scorching heat of the mid summer afternoon.
“Yes, mum?” I said shakily
“I heard that you wanted to be a detective.”
“Yes, mum that is true.”
I was shocked that she knew what I had said. Perhaps she had eavesdropped on the conversation that I had with Skye.
“D-did you hear my conversation with Skye?”
“Yes, I did. It’s impossible not to listen. You talk so loudly.”
I was hot with embarrassment.
“Oh.”
“You know, it’s okay if you want to be a detective.”
“R-Really? I-It is?”
“Yes, dear. You can do anything you want to.”
“So, I don’t have to be a house pet?”
“No, Rain. You don’t have to be a house pet if you don’t want to.”
“Thanks! Oh and mum, may I ask you something?”
“Of coarse, dear, anything you want.”
“D-Do I have a dad?”
She glared at me. Then stood up with her nostrils flared and body tense. Her eyes glowed like live embers. Then she got her act together, and then she laid back down on the cool earth, and relaxed.
“Yes you do. He ran off when you and your siblings were born. I don’t know why. I tried to get him to stay, but he told me that he didn’t want to deal with the stress of taking care of pups.”
Her eyes clouded with grief and she began to whine softly.
“Where is he now?”
“I don’t know, probably somewhere in London.”
“Mum?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry I asked about dad.”
My head was hung below my shoulders.
“It’s ok. You had a right to know. I was going have to tell you sooner or later.”
“Is that all you wanted to talk about?”
“Yes.”
“Am I dismissed?”
“Yes, Rain.”
I got up to leave when she suddenly shouted something to me. My mind was spinning with the stuff I had just heard. I didn’t pay attention. I looked over my shoulder. She was just lying there. Just as I had left her. When suddenly, without notice, an adult human male with a black beard stepped out of the house and called to my mom.
“Belle, come here.” He called while making that stupid clicking sound with his tongue and clapping his hands together to make this sound that made my head hurt.
Stupid Humans. Do they even know how sensitive a dog’s ears are? My mom got up and followed the bearded man back into the house. I waited anxiously for her to reappear. While I waited, I sat down watch my siblings play and to think.
“So,” I said to myself “My mom’s name is Belle. What a pretty name.”
Suddenly, Thunder bounded over to me.
“Come on over and play capture the Rabbit with us.” He pleaded
“Can’t.” I replied
“Well, why not?”
“I have some thinking and planning to do.”
“Why are you always thinking? Why can’t you be a normal puppy and play with the rest of us?”
“Why are you always thinking? Why can’t you be a normal puppy and play with the rest of us? BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! Why can’t you be a normal puppy and stay out of my business! Huh? Huh? HUH?”
At this point, my snout was in his face. I couldn’t put up with him ay longer. I had it with him! He was so nosey! I nipped him on the shoulder and head butted him in the ribs. He yelped with pain and shock.
“Leave me alone you pathetic furball!” I sneered
He cowered, backed away, and then he slowly slinked off with his tail in between his legs. I puffed out my chest in satisfaction. A few minutes later, my mom reappeared with a grim look on her face. I have major mood swings all the time. One moment I’m a ball of fury, the next, I’m a loveable puppy. I cautiously approached her with my head tilted in curiosity.
“What’s wrong?” I questioned
“The humans told me that they have to sell you and your siblings. They will to have sell all of you tomorrow afternoon.” She sighed
“B-but why? We didn’t do anything wrong, did we?”
“No, it’s not that, they can’t afford to take care of you all.”
“Nooooooo!”
I howled so loudly that the birds in the trees that surrounded the farm stopped singing and flew away. This caused all my siblings stopped their antics and dash over to me to see what all the commotion was about. Mum told them what she had already told me. When she finished, all their mouths were agape in shock, except for Skye. She was yipping gleefully and hopping up and down with excitement. No one spoke. My mom finished talking.
“Yes, it’s the unfortunate truth.”
“Never!”
“Honey, just accept the fact.”
I angrily stomped off. I began to furiously dig under the fence. Digging helps me to control and release my anxiety. I didn’t want the lazy, papered life of a pet. My mind was made up. I wanted to be a detective and nothing was going to stop me. I finished digging a hole big enough for me to squeeze through in at least five minutes. So, later that night, when everyone was sound asleep, I whispered goodbye to Mum, Thunder, and the others, I slowly and quietly crept over to the fence and started to squeeze through the hole that I had dug earlier that day. The sound of paw steps startled me. I got up and turned around. It was Skye. I was caught red pawed.
“Rain, what in heaven’s name are you doing?” she whispered
“Busting myself out of here.” I responded
“Why on earth would you want to do that?”
“Because I don’t want to be a pet.”
“Why?”
“I told you why, remember?”
“Uh, no, I don’t.”
“Forget it.”
“What about mum?”
“Tell her that I got dognapped, Okay?”
“I don’t think I can. I’ve never lied before.”
“ Well you’ve got to try. Just do it. You’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“Ok, I will Rain. Good luck and be careful out there. Be wary of shady figures.”
She whispered farewell then licked my forehead.
“Thanks! Don’t worry I will. Remember, no matter how far we are, we are still sisters no matter what. Don’t tell anyone that we had this conversation especially Thunder, okay? He will be heartbroken when he finds out that I have left without him.”
Poor Thunder. He would have no one to play with, except for Skye, and she didn’t like to play fight. He would be miserable without me. I tried not to worry about him too much.
“Okay. You can count on me, Rain.”
“Go back to bed now, Skye. We’ll meet again someday. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight Rain, I’ll miss you.”
She began to whine. I gently silenced her.
“I’ll miss you too.”
My eyes began to water. I shook my head to clear away the tears that were starting to form. No, there was no time for that now. The sun was beginning to peep over the horizon. I had to be gone before sunrise. After I was sure that Skye was asleep again, I once again squeezed through the hole. This time, I had nothing stopping me. On the other side was a new life. A new beginning. Freedom. After I had freed myself, I ran as far away from the farm as fast as my legs would carry me. I was now a year old. My paws thudded against the dewy grass and my heart pounded inside my chest. I knew that I would certainly be missed. I also knew that Zeke wouldn’t give a crumpet about where I was. Oh well, I wouldn’t miss him. Already, I missed my mom, Skye, and Thunder. The sun was up. I wondered if Skye would get her dream family. I hope she and Thunder went to good homes with loving families that treated them with the kindness that they very well deserve. After awhile, the fields and rolling meadows quickly gave way to streams, creeks, shrubbery, and trees. I knew immediately where I was. The forest.
“Godspeed to you.” I whispered to myself as I pelted through the vast expanse of forest.
Low hanging branches whipped my body and face as I ran. Oh well, this is far better than being cooped up in a house all day with no thrill and excitement whatsoever. I was free at last, and I never looked back. Not once. Although, I thought that I heard Thunder’s howl somewhere in the distance.
“They’re up.” I told myself “Thunder has just discovered that I wasn’t at the farm.”
Then my mom’s howl joined in with his. I tensed my muscles, ready to run. Then I relaxed. The wind had just carried their voices. They were miles and miles away from where I was.
“Skye just told her that I was “dognapped.” I said once again
Oh, how I wanted to howl back to tell them where I was, but I knew that if I did, they would bring me back and I would be sold. I began to move on. After stopping a few times at a stream to drink some water, I continued on my trek to London. At sundown, I saw city lights and the outlines of skyscrapers against the pale dusk sky.
“London.” I breathed
I had made it. Now,to go explore.
“I don’t want to be a helper dog.” She informed me
“Why not?” I asked
“Because I don’t want to get hurt.”
“Well, then what do you want to be?”
“A house dog.”
“A HOUSE DOG?”
Her words nearly knocked me off my paws.
“Yes, a house dog. Do you have a problem with that?”
“Uh, n-no.”
I thought that we were bred to help man with things that they couldn’t do, like sniff out drugs in a car trunk. I had to admit, she had always loved the owner’s grandkids when they came to visit. My sister is afraid of new things and is not a risk taker like me.
“Good. I want to be with a giving family with kids that love me. I want to be pampered and petted every day.”
“Good luck with that.”
She shot me an annoyed look then started to head in the direction that our littermates were playing. I knew right away that that wasn’t the kind of life for me. I love to be out in nature. I love adventures and being able to take in the new sights and smells that the world has to offer. I hate being on leashes and being let out only when the people say I can go out, I like to be free and do things on my own time. I knew then and there, that I wanted to be a detective. Not the kind of dog that assists the human detectives. So, I decided that I would start a group of canine sleuths. No humans involved whatsoever. As soon as I left the farm, I would go to London in search of eligible dogs to recruit into my pack. I wanted to call it the CF (Canine Force).
“I want to be a detective!” I announced
She froze where she was. Her ears forward and tail up.
“Oh gosh, I don’t think I could do that. I don’t have the courage and bravery that you have, Rain.” She said as she turned around
My sister is a prissy dog. If you ask me, she’s more like a Chihuahua than a Beagle. I didn’t know what to say in response to her statement. So, I just stood there trying to think of something to say.
“Uh, th-thanks I guess.”
I always stutter when I’m uneasy or I don’t know what to say. I’ve been doing it since I first learned to talk. It’s a habit that I can’t break. I thought that I heard a sound in the bushes behind me. I pricked my ears to listen to it clearly. I heard a rustle of fallen leaves then a loud bark. I sharply turned around then I pinned my ears back against my head, gave a warning growl, and braced myself for the attack. Then, out of nowhere, Thunder pounced on me from behind.
“Thunder!” I barked
“Gotcha! Gotta be faster next time!” He yipped in triumph
“Get off of me!” I growled
“You gotta try to throw me off.”
I sighed.
“Moron.”
“Don’t be a pussy cat! Try to throw me off!”
He was playfully nipping at my scruff and his thorn sharp claws dug into my skin, which hurt like crazy! I held his gaze, and then I growled at him. With a mighty shove, I finally managed to get that energetic fur ball off of me. He staggered back and I got to my paws, my hackles raised and my lips pulled back, revealing my ivory white teeth. His eyes were wide with shock.
“Whoa, you’ve gotten stronger.” He said in awe
“I’ve always been stronger than you.” I said in a haughty manner
He bowed his head in submission. I love my brother, but sometimes, he just gets on my nerves. I walked away from him to investigate the cat that lives across the field. It just happened to be out and about and in the yard. I was in my stalking position and I was getting ready to pounce when my mom called me over to her. At the sound of her voice, the Orange Tabby darted away. Whatever, I didn’t care that it had gotten away.
“Winslow, Come here please.” She beckoned with a voice that was like water flowing over stones.
Whenever she called any one of us by our “Pet” names, we knew that we were in trouble or that she needed to tell us something serious. I padded over to her and laid myself down in front of her. My mom was relaxing in the shade of an old Oak that grew in the yard. It was a welcoming relief from the scorching heat of the mid summer afternoon.
“Yes, mum?” I said shakily
“I heard that you wanted to be a detective.”
“Yes, mum that is true.”
I was shocked that she knew what I had said. Perhaps she had eavesdropped on the conversation that I had with Skye.
“D-did you hear my conversation with Skye?”
“Yes, I did. It’s impossible not to listen. You talk so loudly.”
I was hot with embarrassment.
“Oh.”
“You know, it’s okay if you want to be a detective.”
“R-Really? I-It is?”
“Yes, dear. You can do anything you want to.”
“So, I don’t have to be a house pet?”
“No, Rain. You don’t have to be a house pet if you don’t want to.”
“Thanks! Oh and mum, may I ask you something?”
“Of coarse, dear, anything you want.”
“D-Do I have a dad?”
She glared at me. Then stood up with her nostrils flared and body tense. Her eyes glowed like live embers. Then she got her act together, and then she laid back down on the cool earth, and relaxed.
“Yes you do. He ran off when you and your siblings were born. I don’t know why. I tried to get him to stay, but he told me that he didn’t want to deal with the stress of taking care of pups.”
Her eyes clouded with grief and she began to whine softly.
“Where is he now?”
“I don’t know, probably somewhere in London.”
“Mum?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry I asked about dad.”
My head was hung below my shoulders.
“It’s ok. You had a right to know. I was going have to tell you sooner or later.”
“Is that all you wanted to talk about?”
“Yes.”
“Am I dismissed?”
“Yes, Rain.”
I got up to leave when she suddenly shouted something to me. My mind was spinning with the stuff I had just heard. I didn’t pay attention. I looked over my shoulder. She was just lying there. Just as I had left her. When suddenly, without notice, an adult human male with a black beard stepped out of the house and called to my mom.
“Belle, come here.” He called while making that stupid clicking sound with his tongue and clapping his hands together to make this sound that made my head hurt.
Stupid Humans. Do they even know how sensitive a dog’s ears are? My mom got up and followed the bearded man back into the house. I waited anxiously for her to reappear. While I waited, I sat down watch my siblings play and to think.
“So,” I said to myself “My mom’s name is Belle. What a pretty name.”
Suddenly, Thunder bounded over to me.
“Come on over and play capture the Rabbit with us.” He pleaded
“Can’t.” I replied
“Well, why not?”
“I have some thinking and planning to do.”
“Why are you always thinking? Why can’t you be a normal puppy and play with the rest of us?”
“Why are you always thinking? Why can’t you be a normal puppy and play with the rest of us? BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! Why can’t you be a normal puppy and stay out of my business! Huh? Huh? HUH?”
At this point, my snout was in his face. I couldn’t put up with him ay longer. I had it with him! He was so nosey! I nipped him on the shoulder and head butted him in the ribs. He yelped with pain and shock.
“Leave me alone you pathetic furball!” I sneered
He cowered, backed away, and then he slowly slinked off with his tail in between his legs. I puffed out my chest in satisfaction. A few minutes later, my mom reappeared with a grim look on her face. I have major mood swings all the time. One moment I’m a ball of fury, the next, I’m a loveable puppy. I cautiously approached her with my head tilted in curiosity.
“What’s wrong?” I questioned
“The humans told me that they have to sell you and your siblings. They will to have sell all of you tomorrow afternoon.” She sighed
“B-but why? We didn’t do anything wrong, did we?”
“No, it’s not that, they can’t afford to take care of you all.”
“Nooooooo!”
I howled so loudly that the birds in the trees that surrounded the farm stopped singing and flew away. This caused all my siblings stopped their antics and dash over to me to see what all the commotion was about. Mum told them what she had already told me. When she finished, all their mouths were agape in shock, except for Skye. She was yipping gleefully and hopping up and down with excitement. No one spoke. My mom finished talking.
“Yes, it’s the unfortunate truth.”
“Never!”
“Honey, just accept the fact.”
I angrily stomped off. I began to furiously dig under the fence. Digging helps me to control and release my anxiety. I didn’t want the lazy, papered life of a pet. My mind was made up. I wanted to be a detective and nothing was going to stop me. I finished digging a hole big enough for me to squeeze through in at least five minutes. So, later that night, when everyone was sound asleep, I whispered goodbye to Mum, Thunder, and the others, I slowly and quietly crept over to the fence and started to squeeze through the hole that I had dug earlier that day. The sound of paw steps startled me. I got up and turned around. It was Skye. I was caught red pawed.
“Rain, what in heaven’s name are you doing?” she whispered
“Busting myself out of here.” I responded
“Why on earth would you want to do that?”
“Because I don’t want to be a pet.”
“Why?”
“I told you why, remember?”
“Uh, no, I don’t.”
“Forget it.”
“What about mum?”
“Tell her that I got dognapped, Okay?”
“I don’t think I can. I’ve never lied before.”
“ Well you’ve got to try. Just do it. You’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“Ok, I will Rain. Good luck and be careful out there. Be wary of shady figures.”
She whispered farewell then licked my forehead.
“Thanks! Don’t worry I will. Remember, no matter how far we are, we are still sisters no matter what. Don’t tell anyone that we had this conversation especially Thunder, okay? He will be heartbroken when he finds out that I have left without him.”
Poor Thunder. He would have no one to play with, except for Skye, and she didn’t like to play fight. He would be miserable without me. I tried not to worry about him too much.
“Okay. You can count on me, Rain.”
“Go back to bed now, Skye. We’ll meet again someday. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight Rain, I’ll miss you.”
She began to whine. I gently silenced her.
“I’ll miss you too.”
My eyes began to water. I shook my head to clear away the tears that were starting to form. No, there was no time for that now. The sun was beginning to peep over the horizon. I had to be gone before sunrise. After I was sure that Skye was asleep again, I once again squeezed through the hole. This time, I had nothing stopping me. On the other side was a new life. A new beginning. Freedom. After I had freed myself, I ran as far away from the farm as fast as my legs would carry me. I was now a year old. My paws thudded against the dewy grass and my heart pounded inside my chest. I knew that I would certainly be missed. I also knew that Zeke wouldn’t give a crumpet about where I was. Oh well, I wouldn’t miss him. Already, I missed my mom, Skye, and Thunder. The sun was up. I wondered if Skye would get her dream family. I hope she and Thunder went to good homes with loving families that treated them with the kindness that they very well deserve. After awhile, the fields and rolling meadows quickly gave way to streams, creeks, shrubbery, and trees. I knew immediately where I was. The forest.
“Godspeed to you.” I whispered to myself as I pelted through the vast expanse of forest.
Low hanging branches whipped my body and face as I ran. Oh well, this is far better than being cooped up in a house all day with no thrill and excitement whatsoever. I was free at last, and I never looked back. Not once. Although, I thought that I heard Thunder’s howl somewhere in the distance.
“They’re up.” I told myself “Thunder has just discovered that I wasn’t at the farm.”
Then my mom’s howl joined in with his. I tensed my muscles, ready to run. Then I relaxed. The wind had just carried their voices. They were miles and miles away from where I was.
“Skye just told her that I was “dognapped.” I said once again
Oh, how I wanted to howl back to tell them where I was, but I knew that if I did, they would bring me back and I would be sold. I began to move on. After stopping a few times at a stream to drink some water, I continued on my trek to London. At sundown, I saw city lights and the outlines of skyscrapers against the pale dusk sky.
“London.” I breathed
I had made it. Now,to go explore.
