Nixi Adventure
Nixi still didn’t quite know what to make of the new dog. He was a nervous pup, constantly shaking despite the warmth of being cuddled consistently by his companion. Nixi tried to talk to him, but it didn’t get far. A few grunts and snorts later, the small puppy had done his best to tell the others not to bother him.
Of course, this was not interpreted as so by Nixi or Jewel. The two pups looked at one another, sort of confused by the jibberish they’d just heard. It wasn’t even doggy talk. The tone came across as friendly, at least they thought it did.
But when Jewel went in for a closer look, she got an unwelcoming look and a much clearer “no” from the pup and his companion. Jewel gave the pup one last “come and play” look before giving up and deciding to play a game for two.
Nixi led the way to the toy box. She wanted to take her mind off the food and the guests for a while, perhaps secretly understanding that things take longer when you wait for them. But if you make them wait for you…
A game had to be played. Which one though? There were plenty of balls to chase, but few paws skillful enough to throw. There was plenty of rope, but there wasn’t enough room to play inside. A couple of stuffed toys might make good keep-away objectives.
And then there was one of Brandon’s old toys he’d made for Nixi. It was a hardly recognizable frog that had been brought to life with a shaky-ball that giggled when you touched it. This particular toy had made it through several different covers, from a bears to dragons, and even a unicorn once. Luckily, despite it being hidden at the bottom of the toy box for so long, the power was still on.
Jewel dropped the frog onto the ground, and the fun began. The frog bounced away, chittering and giggling in a motorized voice that was sort of creepy but funny at the same time. This was the perfect taunt to get a dog to give chase though.
The frog rolled over its own face, bouncing along in light hops that sent vibrations through the floor. These same vibrations tickled the jaws of the pups when they did finally grab onto the thing, and it was a game to see who dared to hold on to it the longest.
Nixi grabbed, shook the frog to help eliminate the tingling, and then tossed the shaky toy away. Jewel scooped it up no problem and pawed at it, demanding that the frog calm down for a second. The frog was relentless though, never giving in to the demands of the pups. He was his own frog, clicking, shaking, and giggling as it played along.
This scene had intrigued the cuddled pup. From his seat in the arms of his companion, he studied the frog and the two dogs that seemed to be having way more fun than should be allowed at any given time. Back and forth, the pup’s head tilted as he watched the frog bounce back and forth with the two pups sharing in fun times together. It was subtle at first, but soon enough, the pup began to feel a little envious of the excitement. It wasn’t something he normally saw or even participated in at his own home.
The frog bounced back and forth some more, Nixi and Jewel were head to head, trying to win at a game that no one was actually keeping score. One might say that the score was who was having the most fun, and that was definitely keeping things tied up at the moment.
And that’s when the small pup decided to mix things up. He struggled out of his companion’s warm arms, his sweater getting caught up on his friend’s jacket, which only slowed him for a moment. He was tired of watching and wanted to partake in the fun.
Down and across the floor, his collar jingled as he made a straight shot for the frog. As it turns out, it was as big as him, so when he latched on, it was with all four paws, tail and teeth that made it quite the sight to see.
Nixi and Jewel cheered him on as he rode the frog like a rider holds on to a bucking bronco. The time was spinning by now, and before anyone knew it, the food had been prepared, and it actually took three calls to get the pups to their seats, a bowl of food stuffs for each, so that everyone could partake in a nice meal together. And for that, the pups were surely thankful.
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.
