Packmates - at last

April 16, 2015

“OW!” (ow, ow, ow, ow)

Lucy put as much distance between she and JoLee as possible.

“What?” JoLee demanded, crossly. “If you insist on putting that long nose in my business, well, I’m going to bite it!”

“But that was my EYE!” Lucy whimpered. “You could’ve blinded me, Jo!”

JoLee stalked out of the room, and stomped up the stairs to the Observation Deck off the bedroom. He felt bad, but he was feeling more grumpy than conciliatory. “Danged puppy,” he muttered under his breath. “If I had my way, she’d be gone.” He stomped around in a circle, three times, and threw himself down. “Outta here gone. Like, forever gone.”

Elbie looked over at him. “Lucy bugging you again?” He rubbed his face on his paws, hiding a grin.

“Yeah,” JoLee said gloomily. “No matter where I am, there she is.” Both Jo and Elbie turned their heads as a small sound was heard in the bedroom. “And there she is again.” Jo looked pained. “I just can’t escape her!!”

“Well, she just adores you,” Elbie grinned. “Don’t you like that, just a little bit?”

Jo rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Like Mom likes getting splinters.”

“Well, Mom isn’t going to be happy if you left a mark on her, you know.”

Jo got up and went into the bedroom, where Lucy was moping on the Big Bed.

“Let me see where I bit you,” he said. Lucy obligingly turned her head and showed him the red mark near her eye – almost a bite mark, but not quite bleeding.

“Gosh, Lucy, I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to bite you that hard,” Jo said. He gently reached out with his tongue gave her a lick. She hung her head.

“And I’m sorry, too, Jo. I don’t mean to be such a pain, but… I love you.”

Jo nudged her with his shoulder. “I know.”

“Did you mean it, really? That you wish I would go away?” Lucy’s eyes were brimming.

“Nah,” JoLee said, and he gave her another nudge. “But if you don’t back off, I’ll bite you again!”

Lucy rolled over against Jo, put her head down, and heaved a big, contented sigh. In seconds, she was asleep.

Jo looked out to the Observation Deck, where Elbie was watching with a big grin on his face, and shrugged. “Puppies. What can you do?”