We arrive at the park after a good twenty minute walk as I listen to every sound and catch every smell, was so many things I was still learning to catalogue and really hoped I would get the hang of it. Charlie looks down and chuckles, "You ready for this, Fluffy?"
I give a small nod. I could see a few dogs in the distance, plus some kids playing, and one guy throwing a frisbee for his dog that catches my interest. I watch it sailing and wiggle my back, wagging hard, wanting to chase it, but I know I can't just go do it.
Charlie laughs seeing this and shakes his head, "You really are becoming a dog, you know that, Fluffy?" he asks as he smiles, "I did bring a ball, but maybe I can use a frisbee another time," he says. That gets a bark from me as I hop up and down.
He laughs as he unhooks my leash and drops it to the ground, "Okay, let's do a fetch," he says as he throws the ball. It isn't a hard throw, but a good warm up as I take off after it, my eyes keeping an eye on it while trying to figure out where it will land.
Racing off, I soon catch up and overshoot it, sliding in the grass slightly before turning back and grabbing it. I feel so excited, though I'm glad I can't see how I look, as I have a very bad feeling it's going to be quite embarrassing. I give a tiny sneeze at the smell of grass growing. I start to prance back to where Charlie is, as I feel the most satisfied look on my muzzle, with my tail standing proudly behind me.
I drop it at his feet as he chuckles, giving me a look, "Did you ever imagine two weeks ago we be playing fetch?" he asks. I just bark and shake my head, not really, but then again, I couldn't have imagined any of this. He pulls his arm back and then throws the ball again, this time harder, as I see it's going to travel much farther.
Quickly bolting after it and kicking up some grass, I follow its path, not noticing that another dog decided to join in, though I hear shouts from my right. I'm too focused on the ball to notice what's happening, but I do FEEL it when the other dog and I collide as we go for the ball, sending us both sliding.
Oh god, I can't breathe, I gasp for air, realizing I got the wind knocked out of me as I lay there trying to get air into my lungs, panicking, I don't hear the dog next to me giving a small, annoyed growl, or Charlie running up. My heart was racing as it feels like I will never breathe again. Soon, though, it starts to return to normal as I give a small cough.
I finally recover enough as I feel Charlie hold me for a second as he looks for any injuries, "You okay, you hurt?" he asks as I shake my head, finally realizing there is a small crowd around me. My ears perk up and smell everyone. There are hints of concern, and about six people and... two other dogs.
"Oh, so sorry about that, my dog took off before I realized it," a woman says as I glance over and realize it was probably the owner of the dog that had collided with me and was growling. I back up behind Charlie as I try to wag my tail, but it's stuck firmly between my legs in fear.
The other dog stops growling and walks over, making me back up a little more nervously, but then I see her wag her tail. I finally can move my tail again as I give it a small wag, and she gives a playful bark, letting me relax. I guess that's her form of no hard feelings. Thankfully, I don't feel anything broken, and a quick shake relaxes me enough to take a deep breath.
Taking a moment to look around, I relax, now noticing the third dog that had joined in and was watching the other dog and me. He looked a little excited as Charlie smiles, "Looks like no one was hurt or upset. I should have been more careful about throwing the ball. Fluffy here is still learning things."
The third finally moves over and barks playfully as it and the first dog take off running, and my body tenses up, ready to follow them before looking over to Charlie, who just shoos, "Go ahead, Fluffy," he says as I'm soon giving chase with the other two giving into the feelings of being a wolf pretending to be a dog.
I follow them, not sure what we're chasing, or why, but it was super exciting for me as I keep barking. In my head I just knew to follow, that we would get somewhere important. Or least how it felt. The lead dog does a quick turn and starts racing back the way we just came causing me to again skid. I really need to get the hang of all this turning and running, or I'm liable to get my dog license taken away.
We run around for a few minutes while I slowly get the hang of turning, figuring out how to use my claws to get better traction and watching the lead dog to see when he turns. It was kinda fun, but I'm soon getting tired as I make my way back over to Charlie while the owners of the other two dogs call them.
Charlie laughs as I return and then flop down in front of him exhausted, that felt good, but was a bit crazy fun, even though I was tired I felt really good. I lay there relaxing, only to tense up when I hear a familiar voice call out, "Hey there, Charlie? Whose the mutt?" I look over realizing that it's John, and see Frank there making me whine in a state of panic.
I move behind Charlie as I stare at the two of them frozen, afraid to do anything that might give myself away. Charlie is a little quicker on the uptake, "Mike's been sick, and going to Hawaii over winter break, so he had his parents get his sister a dog..." he says, as I can smell many of the same emotions from him as I'm feeling.
John looks at me curiously, "Why are you taking Mike's dog for a walk?" he asks making me get even more nervous as I shake myself out trying to act normal. It was hard but I finally manage to get my tail wagging as I stare between the two.
Charlie takes a moment to respond that feels like an eternity to me before he says, "Well his dad's at work, and Sarah's too young to take a dog alone. As you can tell he's a big boy, we think part wolf. So of course it's better to have him get used to being at the park with someone older," he says.
Frank moves over and kneels down next to me making me go fully still suddenly worried he's going to do something. But to my surprise he just holds out his hand carefully to me as he asks Charlie, "What's his name? He looks friendly enough," he says as I lean forward and tentatively smell him. He's nervous and a smidge scared, but doing a good job not showing it.
He smelled familiar and a friend. I wish that I could tell him who and what I was. But it was too soon, so many things could go wrong. I had barely seen them other than chasing them away from the fort earlier this week. But here they were, so close I could talk to them, but all that I have is a bark and a woof. I shake myself out of my funk for the moment and give a happy little bark, for now they seem to be friendly and not hostile, so maybe I can just be a new self.
I rub my head against the hand giving my tail more of a wag as I slowly relax and Charlie laughs, "Don't hold it against him, but his name is Fluffy, his sister really liked the name Fluffy Butt, though we've been doing our best not to encourage the second part." He adds. I give a small whine at the full name my ears flattening against my head.
Frank and John shake their head, "So what is going on with Mike? You never did answer if he had a boyfriend or girlfriend he was hiding out with," they say as I groan. I know they were joking, but that was a bit too close to home as I bark and prance around trying to distract them.
Charlie laughs at this and offers Frank the ball, "You want to throw the ball for Fluffy? And no as far as I know Mike does not have a girlfriend," he says. I notice that he conveniently leaves out the technically true half. Frank does take the ball and waves it back and forth.
Frank grins as he pulls back his hand. I watch and he throws it forward as I take off running. I got about twenty feet out and realize the ball was missing. I don't notice it till just now but the sound of the ball in the air was missing. My ears perk up as I spot Frank laughing and give a small growl in annoyance realizing what had happened. I quickly return giving Frank a glare as he looks at me, "What? Go get the ball!."
I move over and nudge his hand where I could still smell the ball and give another bark, then a woof wagging my tail. Charlie just laughs, "He's got you there Frank, he's a pretty smart dog, might want to throw it for real," he says.
Frank groans as he nods and pulls his hand back and 'throws' though this time I pay attention and just tilt my head as if to say, 'really? You think I'm falling for that a second time?' He gives a small exasperated look before throwing the ball for real. This time I catch the telltale sound of the ball going through the air and can see it as I give chase.
I give chase keeping an eye out for any other dogs going after the ball, but this time there aren't any nearby and I easily catch up and leap, THIS time managing to get my teeth on the ball though it squeezes through. But at least I almost had it. I run over to where it was and pick it up before running back to the others prancing a little bit excitedly. I even find myself enjoying chewing on the ball as I flop down to chew on it listening to them.
Charlie smiles as he looks to Frank and John, "I know it's been hard for you two with Mike away and sick. I promise you he is thinking about you, and when he comes back from Hawaii he will make it all up to you," he says. I see a little frown form on their faces.
Frank speaks up, "Just let him know we hope he gets better and maybe he can leave us a note or something," he says as Charlie nods my ears twitching between them as I listen to the conversation. I would love to join them but again not the time if ever to do so.
Charlie speaks up, "I will, he's been pretty sick and I doubt he wants to make you sick by being close, but I can see about him making a note for you two." he says as he looks down to me, "But I think Fluffy has had enough and should take him home before Sarah thinks we kidnapped him."
I turn to leave as Charlie motions to me, I'm really thinking that once things settle down I should try to tell them some of what is going on. But for now I was tired and time to head home for dinner. I give one last bark to them as I leave. I see John wave to me and soon we are leaving the park.
