Rain
So many of them. Why are there so many of them? There are never this many. All grooming themselves at once, all barking at each other about something
I can't understand. My sister is the center of attention; they all praise her and give approving looks. I wonder as I lay on the floor what it is that she has done.
She has something on her two paws that make loud noises against the ground, she now has a thin fur coat, and she keeps trying to put a flat board with a stringy toy on her head. I want to play with it. She refuses to let me but gives me a pat on the head anyway.
The rest of the pack, including the newcomers, keep looking at her and barking with approval; eager to join in the celebration of my sister, I jump up to speak my piece. But the pack, particularly the alpha, pushes me down and chastises me for speaking.
Still excited, I try to play with my other two siblings. They largely ignore me, with my smaller sister giving me an obligatory pet before she exits the den. The new ones won't play, either, as they are too busy grooming. I am getting more and more excited and, as usual, the more excited I get, the more the pack disapproves.
But now! Now there will be some action. The pack is moving to the entrance of the den. Finally! I'll get to run and play in the open air. A newcomer opens the block to the den...my pack always tries to keep me from the block, but the newcomer won't...I seize my chance and run through it, out of the den, out to explore.
The newcomer barks to my pack, but I cannot hear him anymore. I am free to play. Water falls from the sky. I run past my small sister, who also cries for me. I will return soon, I'm just looking to explore. The worry in their voices confuses me.
All at once there is pain: a harsh blow to my side that causes me to lose my footing. I continue to run, not daring to look back at the thing that has hit me. I just have to get away from it, and I'll find my way back to the den soon enough.
So many of them. Why are there so many of them? There are never this many. All grooming themselves at once, all barking at each other about something
I can't understand. My sister is the center of attention; they all praise her and give approving looks. I wonder as I lay on the floor what it is that she has done.
She has something on her two paws that make loud noises against the ground, she now has a thin fur coat, and she keeps trying to put a flat board with a stringy toy on her head. I want to play with it. She refuses to let me but gives me a pat on the head anyway.
The rest of the pack, including the newcomers, keep looking at her and barking with approval; eager to join in the celebration of my sister, I jump up to speak my piece. But the pack, particularly the alpha, pushes me down and chastises me for speaking.
Still excited, I try to play with my other two siblings. They largely ignore me, with my smaller sister giving me an obligatory pet before she exits the den. The new ones won't play, either, as they are too busy grooming. I am getting more and more excited and, as usual, the more excited I get, the more the pack disapproves.
But now! Now there will be some action. The pack is moving to the entrance of the den. Finally! I'll get to run and play in the open air. A newcomer opens the block to the den...my pack always tries to keep me from the block, but the newcomer won't...I seize my chance and run through it, out of the den, out to explore.
The newcomer barks to my pack, but I cannot hear him anymore. I am free to play. Water falls from the sky. I run past my small sister, who also cries for me. I will return soon, I'm just looking to explore. The worry in their voices confuses me.
All at once there is pain: a harsh blow to my side that causes me to lose my footing. I continue to run, not daring to look back at the thing that has hit me. I just have to get away from it, and I'll find my way back to the den soon enough.
