There was a cat in the bushes. Usually there isn’t a cat in the bushes, but today there was. I don’t think Gracie had noticed, but Skipper and I had. Our usual walking spot had been infiltrated in a feline manner, and I sent out the silent alert.
Soon enough, Skipper was on target as well. We both stood very still. You see, a cat will not move unless you move, so it’s best to stay still and see who blinks first. But with two of us on the job, the cat was sure to give in to our little game.
We sat and stared at the cat, waiting and watching, not knowing who would make the first move. Meanwhile, Gracie was playing on her silly ringy-box thingy that she sometimes talks to for strange reasons I can’t figure out. But she still had our leashes, so we knew we couldn’t get to far without resistance.
Gracie giggled her funny laugh and that’s when the cat decided to move. It was fast, everything was fast, and we had to be just as fast to keep up with things. I moved along with Skipper, and we met the end of our leashes just in time to watch the cat gain another leap over the next hedge.
But here’s the thing, the resistance at the end of the leash wasn’t exactly what had been expected. It was just a light tug and then it was gone. We were loose, and so the chase could continue.
Skipper and I raced after the cleaver little feline critter, over the hedges and then crawling under a bench. After a round about the big stinky trash can, we were out on the open pathway with our nose right on target.
We raced past a few people, not wondering if they were carrying food at all. You see, when a dog has his mind set on something, getting sidetracked is not an option. And we were on a mission to catch that cat, even if we didn’t know what to do with it when we caught it. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever caught a cat. They’re pretty fast.
And that cat turned out to be too fast for us. The escape was clever, and I can’t climb trees or hop on top of roofs, so there goes our plan. I stopped and took a breath while Skipper sniffed for a way for us to get up on the roof.
“It was a fun chase,” I panted, “just give it up.”
“Naw!” Skipper panted back. “I want to see if the cat had a squeaky tail.”
“Cat’s don’t have squeaky tails…” I mentioned. “At least, I don’t think so.”
“That’s why I have to find out!” Skipper woofed, trying to climb up the tree, only to fall over like a fluffy pillow.
That’s when I finally realized something was wrong. You see, we were alone. Well, both of us were together, but we were missing someone. Gracie hadn’t kept up with the chase. She’d gotten lost somewhere along the way.
“Hey!” I ruffed to Skipper. “Where’s Gracie?”
Skipper looked around and finally realized the situation. There was a look on his face, probably very similar to the one on mine. We were alone. And Gracie was lost, so it was up to us to find her and bring her back home…
Author:
Jason Duron is a short story writer and author of several fiction stories. Curious and lovable as dogs can be, the Adventures of Rocky, Nixi and Dante give you a chance to see daily life from a “dog’s eye view” and share in their thoughts. Please enjoy, and we hope that you’ll feel free to comment and give us insight into your dog’s very own adventures.
