by Andrew Kole
“We’ve passed that rock hours ago,” Winnie said, “I remember it, because it looked like a meatball.”
“Now you sound like Aldo,” Duke said. The dogs got quiet, all thinking of their fallen comrades. They missed Aldo’s comforting bulk and Bohdi’s infectious confidence.
Piper broke the silence. “Winnie’s right. We probably are walking in circles. We’re show dogs. That’s all we know how to do!”
“All of you, just stop talking,” Major said, tired of their whining.
“Being rude won’t help, Major,” Lady Maya said.
“I know where we are... we’re lost,” Duke said.
“We need Bohdi,” Piper said with conviction.
“Well, he’s not here. We’re on our own now. We’ve got to take care of ourselves for a change,” Lady Maya said firmly.
“Need I point out we have no idea how to do that?” asked Winnie rhetorically.
“I guess we’ll just have to figure it out,” said Lady Maya, determined not to give up.
“How about we figure it out in the morning? All this walking is just so exhausting,” said Duke as he curled up in a pile of leaves. The other dogs grumbled their agreement, and lay down next to Duke, getting as close to each other as possible.
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to get some rest. And sun up would make it easier to tell which direction we’re going,” Lady Maya admitted. She joined the snuggly dog pile. “But as soon as it’s light, we get back up on our paws and find our way out of here,” Lady Maya said with a yawn.
The other dogs murmured agreement as all fell into the deep sleep of the truly exhausted.
Chapter 16
Christmas Tree Tea
It was almost dark as Bohdi and Aldo hiked through the forest. Aldo shivered from a combination of cold and fear.
He was glad to be with Bohdi – the only dog who seemed to have any idea of how to survive out here in the unforgiving wilderness – but he missed the comfort of being surrounded by the other show dogs. None of them knew what they were doing, but at least they didn’t know what they were doing together.
“I hope we find them soon,” said Aldo. “I bet they’re lost.”
“It’ll do those pampered pooches good. Maybe they’ll be a little more appreciative after a night alone,” Bohdi said in a moment where he was feeling particularly unsympathetic. After all, he and Aldo were the ones who fell down the cliff.
“You know, Bohdi, they’re not really that pampered. I mean, Lady Maya’s rich, sure. But as far as the rest of us, our people aren’t particularly wealthy. They just love dogs and dog shows,” explained Aldo. “One of Duke’s owners is a teacher and the other is a fashion designer. Winnie comes to the shows in an old minivan. Sandor lives on a sheep ranch in Wyoming. And Piper lives in a small apartment in Brooklyn, not a penthouse on Park Avenue as she’d like you to believe... My people have a little house in the Italian section of Boston. The street always smells like sausage and cannoli.”
Drool oozed out of Aldo’s mouth at the thought of the delicious smells.
But Bohdi wasn’t ready to give up his preconceived ideas about the dogs. “Major is clearly rich. He’s always talking about his private planes and vacation houses.”
“Actually, I heard his people were rich, but they lost almost all their money a few years ago when they made some bad investments. I think he’s too proud to admit the truth to anyone, even to himself,” replied Aldo.
Bohdi thought about this. If this were true, and Aldo had no reason to lie to him, then he, Bohdi, had been guilty of the same thing the Westminster dogs had done to him – judge without knowing all the facts. Bohdi felt terrible. They were all dogs, stuck in the middle of a tough situation. They needed to stick together. To work together.
“I’m really sorry, Aldo. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions,” Bohdi said.
“It’s okay. We all did the same thing. Plus, you had a point – we really don’t know much about being dogs,” Aldo admitted with a smile.
Suddenly, Bohdi caught a whiff of something in the air. “Is that smoke?” he asked.
Aldo sniffed. He smelled it, too. They looked at each other. “People!” Aldo and Bohdi cried in unison and they raced off in the direction of the smoke.
Dressed in all their layers again, Taylor heated water over the fire. Spencer still shivered a little, as he was not quite warm. Taylor picked some fresh pine needles from a nearby tree and added them to the water. She handed the bottle to Spencer. “Drink up.”
He looked at it suspiciously. “What is that?” “My mother called it Christmas tree tea.”
“That sounds awful,” said Spencer. “Hot chocolate would be okay... but tea made from pine needles?”
“Trust me. You’re so hungry, it’ll be the best thing you’ve ever tasted.”
“It looks disgusting.” “Don’t you like tea?”
“Not really,” Spencer replied, making a face.
“Well, it’s full of vitamin C. And it’s warm. Plus, it’s not like we have a choice – it’s all we’ve got.”
Spencer took a cautious sip. “That’s actually pretty good,” he admitted as he sipped again. “Your mother taught you a lot, huh?” “She was amazing. She really knew these mountains and taught
me to respect them. I was lucky to have her as long as I did.” “What about your father?” Spencer asked.
“I was adopted by my mother when I was a few weeks old. She was single and never married. So I never knew my birth parents. But my grandpa is an awesome father figure,” she said.
Of course, Taylor had a biological dad out there somewhere, but she had learned early that family was not defined solely by DNA, but by the people who showed up, who loved her, who raised her, and didn’t let her down. By that standard, Taylor didn’t miss the biological parents who had abandoned her. She knew how loved she was by the family that had chosen her.
“Sorry,” Spencer said, fearing he might have opened up an old wound.
“It’s okay,” Taylor said. “I was kind of like the dogs in the shelter, just hoping to get a good home, and I did. I was lucky. I got a mother who loved me until she died, and a grandfather who loves me every day. My family might be small, but it’s a great one.”
Spencer could see how fiercely Taylor loved her family, unusual as it was. He was happy for her, even as he was sad for his own strained relationship with his parents. He held the bottle of tea out to Taylor. She waved it away.
“Don’t you want any?” Spencer asked.
“I’ll make more later,” she said.
“We can share.” Spencer really was happy to share. It wasn’t something he had much experience doing, but it felt good.
“Thanks,” said Taylor as she took the bottle of Christmas tree tea. She had barely taken a sip when something small and furry barreled into the circle of light cast by the campfire. Taylor and Spencer jumped, startled.
“Taylor! Taylor! I found you! I found you!” barked Bohdi joyfully as he danced at Taylor’s feet. He was elated to see her, overwhelmed with joy. And not just because she was a person, but because she was his person.
“Bohdi? You’re okay!” Taylor said, as he jumped into her arms and she hugged him fiercely. “I can’t believe we found you!”
“I think we found you,” Bohdi said with a gigantic smile, though Taylor couldn’t understand.
In that moment, looking at the joy on Taylor’s face, Bohdi realized he might have underestimated how much she cared for him. Bohdi’s little heart swelled with love and he nestled into Taylor’s arms. This is where he belonged. This was home. This w
as family.
Aldo waddled and huffed into camp, barking, “People! People! People! People!” Taylor put Bohdi down and snuggled Aldo who was a licking machine, he was so happy.
“Why are there only two of them?” Spencer asked worriedly. “Where’s Maya?... Where are the rest of the dogs?” Taylor, Bohdi and Aldo could tell from the expression on his face that Spencer was seriously worried.
Taylor looked Bohdi right in the eye and asked, “Where are the other dogs, Bohdi? Where’s Lady Maya?”
“Do you think they’re alive?” Spencer asked Taylor fearfully. “If Bohdi and Aldo made it, I’m sure the other dogs made it
too,” Taylor said with more confidence than she felt. “I’m sure we’ll find them.”
Bohdi barked over and over to say she was right, that the other dogs were alive and that he and Aldo would find them, no matter what. But of course, Spencer and Taylor couldn’t understand him.
Chapter 17
Time to Dog Up!
The dark night lay over the Westminster dogs like a thick blanket. Exhausted from hiking all day, they slept deeply until a grumbling noise drifted to Sandor’s sensitive ears. He sat up, looked around, but between the dark and the hair in his eyes, he couldn’t see a thing. The grumbling came again.
“Duke... Wake up,” Winnie said nudging him. “Did you hear that?” “It’s just Aldo’s stomach. Go back to sleep,” Duke grunted, his eyes
still closed.
“It’s not. I know what Aldo’s stomach sounds like,” Sandor said sleepily.
“Aldo’s not here,” snapped Major. “Shush. Some of us are trying to get some rest!”
But then the grumble sounded again. Fully awake now, Lady Maya tilted her head to listen. “I think it’s coming from the trees.”
Worried now, the dogs sat up and peered into the woods. A pair of glimmering spots floated in the darkness. “What are those?” Piper asked. Another pair of glowing dots moved into view. And another. And another. “Are those... eyes?”
The dogs pressed together, trembling with fear. “Maybe they’re more of those adorable chipmunks,” Winnie said hopefully.
“Chipmunks don’t growl,” said Lady Maya, her voice low and tense.
As if in response, the grumbling growl came again. Just as the three sets of glowing eyes moved out of the deeper darkness under the trees. And those three sets of glowing eyes belonged to...
“Wolves!” shouted Duke, Piper, Sandor, and Winnie in unison.
“Run!” yelled Lady Maya.
The Westminster dogs were up on their paws in a flash. But, because they were caught completely off guard, they couldn’t decide which way to run so they ended up going in all directions, bumping into each other, running into trees and tripping over rocks. Winnie even managed to trip over her own paws.
The four hungry wolves couldn’t believe the dogs’ antics. They were used to having to chase their prey. But this prey couldn’t even figure out which way to run!
The wolves’ startled hesitation and confusion actually gave the dogs a lucky break, a chance to escape. Lady Maya was the first to get her bearings. “This way!” she hollered, and ran away from the wolves as fast as she could go. The others oriented themselves and managed to follow Lady Maya.
“We can’t let our dinner get away,” snarled Blue Eyes, the alpha wolf.
“Let’s go get them!”
“We’ll go look for the dogs at first light,” Taylor said “What if Maya’s hurt?” Spencer asked.
“We can’t help her or the other dogs if we fall off a cliff or something in the dark,” Taylor reminded him.
Bohdi and Aldo barked their agreement – they knew all too well how real the danger of falling off a cliff could be. But then Bohdi’s keen ears went up and twitched. There was a ruckus in the distance. It sounded like... barking and howling?
“Aldo! It’s the other dogs!” Bohdi cried.
Aldo listened closely. “Yeah, but it sounds like they’re in trouble,”
Aldo said with a worried whimper. “And it sounds scary.”
The barking and howling was getting louder. Now Taylor and Spencer could hear it too.
Bohdi could tell by the fear in the barks that now was not the time for caution. “We’ve gotta help them!” Bohdi said and turned and ran into the dark woods.
“I’m with you, little buddy!” Aldo yelled and charged after Bohdi. “Bohdi!” Taylor yelled. But the little dog didn’t wait, and neither
did Spencer who grabbed a flashlight and raced after the dogs. “Spencer! Wait for me!” called out Taylor, as she quickly doused
the fire, grabbed their gear, and followed at a sprint.
Higher up on the mountain, Amos, Indy and Shuttleworth lay in their tent pitched at the snowline. Shuttleworth groaned and shifted uncomfortably in his sleeping bag. The movement woke Amos from his doze. “How are you feeling?” Amos asked.
“Like I’ve been run over by a bus,” replied Shuttleworth. “Maybe you should stay here tomorrow. We’re not far from the
peak. At first light, I’ll hike up and use the satellite phone to get an update from Manny.”
Shuttleworth pushed himself up on his elbow. “Amos, I know I’m slowing you down, and I’m sorry about that. But I can’t just lie here and do nothing. He’s my son. I’m going with you.”
Amos was pretty sure that was the first time Shuttleworth had used his first name. Amos understood. The pain in Shuttleworth’s body was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. Amos nodded. “We’ll get up there together. I promise.”
Bohdi was incredibly agile as he darted through the forest, over rocks, swerving around trees, ducking low branches, moving like he didn’t even know he could. Aldo tried to keep up, but even with his longer legs, he was no match for Bohdi’s speed, agility and sheer determination.
Ahead, Bohdi heard snapping, snarling and howling. Whatever trouble the dogs were in, it didn’t sound good. He only hoped he would reach them in time.
With a vertical wall of rock at their backs, the Westminster dogs were trapped by the four wolves. The clouds overhead glowed with distant moonlight, illuminating the saliva that dripped from the fangs of their leader, Blue Eyes.
“Got ourselves some domestics out here,” she said. The other three wolves, Scar, One-Ear, and Fang, chuckled at this.
The dogs shivered under the eerie stare of the pack of wolves. Fang murmured hungrily, “They should be nice and tender.”
“Not gamey at all,” One-Ear said.
“You’re on the wrong side of the mountain, Fido,” added Blue Eyes. Duke cowered behind Sandor. “Protect me!” begged Duke. “Who’s going to protect me?” said Sandor.
A trembling Winnie made herself as small as possible as she tried to hide behind Duke, “Or me?”
Lady Maya was the only dog who stepped toward the wolves. She glared at the pack. “You better run,” Lady Maya challenged them. “We got a wolfhound with us. She was bred to hunt the likes of you.”
Blue Eye looked down her snout at the cowering Winnie and grinned. “I think you mean to say, her ancestors were. Your wolfhound looks like a big appetizer to me.”
Scar cackled evilly at this. The jagged pink scar across his snout made him all the more menacing as he focused on Major, who was scared into silence.
Lady Maya was determined to rally the terrified dogs. “We can do this. We just need to dog up and fight back! We’re champions. We’re not letting a scraggly bunch of wolves get the
better of us!”
“Respectfully, let me just say, YOU’RE OUT OF YOUR MIND!”
Piper shouted at Lady Maya. “We’re gonna be wolf-kibble!”
“You’re out of time, Goldilocks. I hear the dinner bell,” said Blue Eyes, as she licked her lips, anticipating a delicious feast.
With a spine-chilling howl, the wolves leaped forward causing the Westminster dogs to scatter. The scattering was actually what saved them – four wolves couldn’t follow six dogs at once.
Duke dove into a hollow log. Scar pounced on it, tearing hunks out of the rotten wood trying to get Duke.
Winnie and Sandor ran in circles – evasive maneuvers – with One-Ear in pursuit. “You don’t want to eat me! I’m really not very tasty,” Winnie cried out desperately.
“I’ll worry about that when I’m pickin’ you outta my teeth,” One-Ear slobbered with delight.
“I understand you’re hungry,” Sandor said politely. “I’m hungry, too.
Can’t we find something else to eat, instead of me... maybe a chipmunk?”
One-Ear’s only reply was a snarl.
“I suppose I’ll take that as a ‘no’!” squealed Sandor as he barely dodged One-Ear’s snapping teeth.
Piper somehow managed to scale the rock wall and was perched precariously on a thin ledge just barely out of reach of Fang’s fangs.
“I’m gonna gobble you up in one bite!” Fang said.
“You have to catch me first!” said Piper with more confidence than she felt. It would only take a little slip for her to tumble down into the waiting jaws of the hungry wolf.
Major had taken advantage of the chaos to slip away and was now hiding behind a boulder. He saw that his fellow dogs were in a world of trouble, but his own fear kept his paws rooted to the earth. He just couldn’t bring himself to help. His instinct to look out for number one, himself, was still too strong.