The Amazing Adventures of Stumps

Chapter 1

The Shelter

In a small mountain town, there is a place where cats and dogs can go if they don’t have a home.

At the shelter, there is protection and food to fill your belly, but what the shelter doesn’t have is a family to call your own. Let’s just say it's not exactly an island paradise. The shelter is dark, and the floors are cold. Chain link kennels filled with animals’ line both sides of the hallway. Some animals stay in the shelter longer than others, but in the end, they are all eventually picked by a new family.

However, there is one kitty who feels like getting picked by a family will not happen soon enough.

"Hey! Stubby! Why don't you stand up!? Oh, wait you are!" one of the brothers hollers out.

"Yeah, you probably won't be picked for a while, they might think there is something wrong with you!" another sibling joins in on the taunting.

The short black kitty is used to being bullied. Being born with very short legs, he didn't look like a normal kitty, and his six brothers and sisters made sure he didn't forget it.

The short kitty has had enough bullying for the day and crawls up to the corner of the kennel and blocks out the noise of the shelter. One day, I will get out of here and have the perfect family, he thinks. He closes his eyes and dreams about his perfect home with a perfect family. Soft bed, with canned tuna, all of the toys a cat could dream of, and a family who will love him for him. He could picture it all, and every night, he tells himself that tomorrow is the day his dream will come true.

The next day came and no luck for the stubby cat. A dog got picked, and an old mopey cat got picked. How the heck did they get picked and not me? He thinks to himself. The cat smells like pee, and the dog never stops barking.

“No brains, no headaches,” he says, looking at the people who picked them.

Weeks started to go by, and all of his brothers and sisters were picked for new homes.

“Well, on the bright side, at least I get this cold kennel to myself,” he says talking to himself. “I can even stretch my legs out!” he laughs to himself but deep down, he is losing hope that he will ever get out of the shelter.

The next day comes, and he is up and ready.

"Today is the day," he exclaimed!

"Ya, that's what they all say!"

"Ah, you are just being bitter Tank," he yells back at the large chocolate lab in the kennel across the hall.

"Kid, I hope you do get picked one day but I sure as heck know that no one wants this old dog!"

Tank is a big boy, probably 50 times bigger than him. He had been brought to the shelter a month ago because his owner said he couldn't take care of him anymore. Sometimes it's hard for the older pets to find new homes, so Tank isn’t exactly the most positive dog in the shelter.

"What would be the first thing you would do if you were picked by a new family, anyways?” Tank asks.

"Probably eat canned tuna. I hear it's the best!" the kitty had a big grin on his face.

Tank drops to the floor laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asks standing as tall as he can while staring at the chocolate lab.

"I'm sorry kid, that was just hilarious how you said that. Plus, I don't eat tuna so I can't relate," he says, still chuckling under his breath.

"Well, what would you do if you went to a new home smart guy?" he retaliates.

"Probably sleep. Maybe get some belly scratches and a bone, and then sleep again," Tank said.

"Wow, big dreamer," the kitty says rolling his eyes.

"Hey, when you are an old dog like me, that's paradise, kid."

The shelter door opens interrupting him and Tank’s conversation.

"Well, here comes in another one," Tank says.

The shelter guard walks in with a female black Labrador. Young, with an athletic build and shiny coat, you could tell she wasn’t a dog living off the streets.

"Tank, you are drooling," he says looking at the chocolate lab with disgust.

"No, no, no, I'm not," Tank stutters back not taking his eyes off of the new addition to the shelter.

They walked down the hallway until they got to the kennel next to him.

"In you go now, girl," the guard ushers her into the kennel.

"Hi, I'm...," the black lab goes inside her crate and lays down before he could finish his sentence.

"Yeah, the first couple days in the shelter are always the hardest," Tank say's with empathy.

The sitting around game was something that he and Tank were familiar with. After all, there wasn't much to do in the shelter. Their cages were just big enough for them to walk around in and the concrete floors were hard and cold. They would get two meals a day and it never varied. He has a window that he could at least look out and do his daydreaming. Tank would get to go out to the gated yard a couple of times a day. This always made Stumps envious because he had never been outside.

During their downtime, they would talk about what they would do when they get picked, then take a nap, eat, wait for visitors to come, and then repeat it the next day. So, to them, it was their life so he could understand how hard it is for new animals to come to the shelter.

Chapter 2

The Hunting Champ

"Today is the day!" the kitty yells.

"Seriously? It's not even daylight yet," Tank says rolling over.

"Tank, there could be a family blasting through those doors looking for a big grumpy old fart like yourself any minute now. So, get up, do your morning stretches, and let's get ready to be picked."

"Tank?"

"I think he's snoring."

It’s the black lab talking, and sure enough, she was right. Tank was fast asleep, again.

"Uh, yeah, that guy is sure hard to talk to sometimes," he replies nervously.

The black lab tilts her head curiously looking at him and his short legs. She is an intimidating dog, taller than most females from her breed, and her presence is captivating.

"So, what's your name there, kitty?" she says, looking at his unproportioned body.

"Well, my brothers and sisters call me Stubby because of my short legs, and Tank calls me, kid. I was never really given a name from a master because I was born in this place."

"Okay, well, nice to meet you. My name is Anna," she says.

"Anna? That's the most beautiful name in the whole wide world."

They look over to Tank who is now wide awake and staring at Anna.

"This is Tank. He has been in here for a VERY long time," he says poking fun at the old dog.

"Don't mind him! The kid is just poking fun. I have only been here for a couple of days.” Here we go, he thinks, knowing what Tank is trying to do.

“I'm technically reserved, and my new master will be coming any second. Big house, he has a big house, and a pool, it will be sweet. You should come over sometime, Anna, when you get out for sure."

"Um, okay, I will think about it, thanks," Anna says rolling her eyes at Tank.

"So, Anna, what brings you to the shelter?” he asks changing the subject from Tank’s attempt to impress Anna. “You don't look like most dogs who are brought here."

"Hey!"

"No, offense Tank," he says trying not to hurt Tank's feelings.

"I lost my master, so they brought me here," she answers looking away.

He could tell this is a tough subject for her.

"We don't have to talk about it. I didn't mean to bring up bad things from your past," he says apologizing.

"No, it's fine. I'll tell you. I mean, what else are we doing?" she takes a deep breath and continues. "We were the best hunting team. We even were champions at one point. He always called me his champion bird dog. I was his best friend, and he was mine. I think we won 10 medals when I was with him, and he was always so proud of me. But one day, I could tell he wasn't himself. He had been sick before, but I could sense that this time, it was different. The sickness kept getting worse until one day, he didn't come home, and I knew I wasn't going to see him again. Later, some people came to get me and brought me here. My master didn't have any family besides me, so there wasn't anywhere for me to go. Now, I'm just a homeless hunting champ without my best friend."

"Aw, Anna don't cry, it will be alright," the little kitty tries to comfort the upset dog.

"Yeah, at least we still get two meals a day!" Tank piped up.

"Tank! Not a good time," he says sternly.

"No, it's okay," Anna interjects. "I can't sit and feel bad for myself because the bad times never last forever."

"You are right because you will get picked in no time! But it will be a while for me because I look like I have something wrong with my body. People come in here and think I am an alien kitty or something,” he says feeling bad for himself.

"Do you think that you don’t have anything good to offer a new family?” Anna asks.

He had to stop and think about it.

"I guess I don't know if I do or not," he says looking down at his paws.

"Well, that's your first problem."

"What's that?" he replies.

"You don't believe in yourself," she's lying down now with her full attention on him.

He tries to deny the accusations, but he knows she is right. He doesn't really believe he will ever be picked because who wants a cat who looks so weird compared to any other cat he has seen before?

"Let me ask you a question," Anna says looking at him.

He could tell she was being serious, "Okay," he replies.

"If you were picked by a new family, would you love them?"

"Of course! I would do everything I could to make sure I become the best pet ever!" he exclaims.

"That's great, but how can you give someone all your love if you don't even love yourself?" she asks with a soft smile.

This got him thinking. Ever since he was little, he had felt like he wasn't good enough and that's why all of his brothers and sisters were picked for new homes and not him.

"When we would be in the field and winning was on the line," Anna continues. "I had to believe in myself because I would have never been a champion if I hadn't believed I was good enough first. When you get knocked down, you have to get back up again. So, don't give up hope, there's a family out there for you. You just have to believe it."

"Dang, that was motivational," Tank says killing the moment.

"Really, Tank?" he says shaking his head.

That night, the kitty thinks long and hard about what Anna had said. Maybe, I do have some good things about me, he thinks. Tomorrow is a new day, and I am going to get picked because I am good enough, he thinks to himself. He curls up on the cold kennel floor and starts dreaming about his perfect family again until he falls asleep.

Chapter 3

Rose

"Today is the day!"

"Seriously, kid?" Tank complains.

"Come on, Tank. Don't put the kid down," Anna replies defending the kitty.

"I'm just saying it's been a couple of weeks, and nothing has happened."

"I'm telling you Tank, today is the day," he says smiling.

"I hope so kid. I really do," the old dog lays down for his first nap of many for the day.

The day goes by, and no potential families came in. His hope is slowly going away. He's used to this feeling of defeat, but it always hurts the same. He is just about to call it a day when the shelter door swings open. He bolts to the front of his kennel and eagerly looks down the hall. A little girl and her mom walk in. This is it; he thinks to himself.

"Okay, Hunny, go pick which one you want," the mom says to the little girl. The little girl's blonde hair is braided, and she is wearing a summer dress. He felt like she got dressed up just to bring him to his new home.

He tries to lean against the kennel as hard as he can to get noticed, but he is so short that he can't see where the little girl is. He looks over to see if Tank is trying to get noticed by the little girl, but he's snoring again.

"Anna do you want to get picked?" he asks.

Noticing that he wants to be picked, she replies, "No, I'm not ready for a new master. She's all yours, my friend."

His eyes grew, and he turns his whole attention to the little girl coming towards him. Please, pick me. Please, pick me. He thinks to himself.

The little girl gets to his kennel and looks at him. He freezes.

"Mom! Look at this black cat. He has tiny legs!"

"Oh, would you look at that," the mom says in awe, "He does have tiny legs, doesn't he, dear?"

"I want him."

Tank wakes up to the little girl's statement. The kitty and Anna look at each other puzzled.

"Rose, are you sure you want this short black cat instead of a puppy or a different kitty?" the mom asks feeling concerned.

"Yes, he's perfect. I'm gonna' call him Stumps because he’s short like the tree stump in our front yard!"

"Um, okay, we will take Mr. Stumps," the mom says turning to the guard.

"I have a home!" Stumps exclaims to Anna and Tank.

"Stumps, huh? Well, she was pretty close to Stubby, but either way, congrats, kid. I'm happy for you," Tank says giving him a head nod.

"See, the good days do come. You just have to believe that they will. Now, go get your canned tuna."

"Thanks, Anna. Wait, will I ever see you guys again?" Stumps says realizing he is leaving his only friends.

"I hope so," Anna says smiling at him,

"I'm going wherever Anna is going," Tank says winking at Stumps.

"Take care of yourself Stumps," Anna says ignoring Tank's nonsense.

Chapter 4

Home Sweet Home

“You are going to love our house, Stumps.”

Stumps is laying on her lap as they drive to his new home. He has never really been “pet” before, and he can see why animals like it so much. For the first time, he is feeling like he belonged. We are going to be best friends, he thinks to himself. Stumps lays his head down and purrs himself to sleep.

“Here, we are Stumps!” Rose exclaims.

Stumps wakes up and looks out from the car window. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The house is humongous! Rose carries Stumps into the home, and he lights up like a Christmas tree. It is exactly how he dreamed. The big house, the comfy bed, toys, and of course, the perfect little girl to take care of him. Good things really do come if you believe they will, he thinks looking down at his shiny collar with his name engraved on it.

“Okay, Stumps. I have you all set up. Here is your bed, your mouse toys, and a blankie just in case you get cold. This is your new home now; you can do whatever you want!”

Stumps is so overwhelmed that he isn’t even sure what to do first. He is waiting to wake up from this dream, but it is real. Home sweet home, he thinks.

“Oh, you are probably hungry!”

I am pretty hungry, he thinks, hearing his tummy growl. Rose runs to the pantry and grabs a silver can. Could it be? He thinks.

“I had my mom get you a special treat. She says you can’t have it all the time, but I think for your first dinner, in your new home, you should eat like a king!”

A king? He thinks. That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to him. Rose carries the dish and sets it in front of Stumps.

“Tuna for the best kitty in the world!” Rose exclaims.

Stumps thinks he just died and went to heaven. He pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. He looks at the dish and cannot believe he is truly looking at tuna. He dips his paw in the dish to make sure it is real. Holy moly, it is real, he thinks, who is laughing now, Tank! Stumps dives right in, savoring every bite.

“Whoa, Stumps you sure were hungry!” Rose says looking down at the empty dish.

This is the best day of my life, Stumps thinks. But at the same time, he had some guilt as he thought about Tank and Anna, and how they were doing. I hope they find someone like Rose, he thought.

“Okay, Mr. Stumps it’s time for bed,” Rose picks him up and carries him to his bed. “Here you go!”

Stumps curls up in his new bed for the first time and falls asleep right away.

Months went by, and Rose and Stumps were inseparable. They would play all day running through the house. Most of their adventures involve them teaming up against the evil teddy bear, Dr. Paws.

“We did it, Stumps! We saved the day again! We are the best team.”

Rose picks him up and hugs him tight. I could do this every day, Stumps thinks to himself.

Sometimes, Rose would take Stumps into the backyard to hang out. The backyard is an interesting place for Stumps, and it makes him curious. Having been in the shelter for most of his life, the outside world is something unknown to him.

The backyard bordered what Rose calls a gully. It is a steep hill with tall grass and trees. At the bottom of the gully is a loud creek that is higher during the summer from the melted snow in the mountains.

Rose always makes sure Stumps knows that he shouldn’t wander onto the other side of the fence.

“Stumps, there’s a lot of bad guys like Dr. Paws in the gully, and it’s no place for a small kitty.”

He looks down at the gully and wonders what kind of “bad guys” she is talking about. He could hear the birds chirping and the creek running. It doesn't seem like a place for bad guys, he thinks. He thinks back to how mean his brothers and sisters were to him. To him, those were bad guys.

“Don’t get too close, Stumps. You could fall down!” Rose says picking him up and moving him away from the fence. “Let’s go back inside. I’m sure Dr. Paws is planning his next crime!”

Stumps looks over her shoulder at the gully as she carries him inside.

Stumps lays awake that night thinking of what Rose had said. “…It’s no place for a small kitty.”

What does she mean by that? He thinks. Does she think he isn’t strong enough or good enough to handle anything on his own? Stumps plays different scenarios in his mind where he would go into the gully and stop every bad guy all by himself. Nobody stands a chance against the Amazing Stumps! The Amazing Stumps, he likes the sound of that. He pictures Rose putting a medal around his neck for being the hero of the gully.

He replays these scenarios in his head. Tomorrow, I’m going on the other side of that fence. I need to know if I really am just too weak and small, he thinks.

Chapter 5

The Gully

Stumps wakes up early the next morning and goes straight to the window to look down at the gully. It doesn’t look that bad. I’ll just do a quick tour to the bottom, check out the creek, and head back. No harm is done; he thinks reassuring himself.

“Bye, Stumps, I’ll see you when I get back from school!” Rose rushes out the door for the school bus.

Time to make my move, he thinks. Stumps knows that if he explores the gully the minute Rose leaves then he would have plenty of time to check things out before she gets back. School days were always boring for him anyways. He would sleep a lot during the day and stare out the window looking at what is going on in the woody ravine.

During the school year when Rose is home, she has no time to take down the evil Dr. Paws. She would always be doing “homework”, but he didn’t know what exactly that meant. He loves his canned tuna, his cozy bed, and of course, he loves his little girl, but still, Stumps feels like there is something missing. All he ever has known is the shelter, Anna, Tank, and Rose. At first, this seems like everything he ever needs but now he feels like it still isn’t enough.

Stumps heads downstairs to the basement. He goes to the back bedroom that Rose's parents were remodeling. The room is cluttered with fresh paint on the wall. The parents left the window open so that the fumes from the paint will air out.

Stumps hops onto the chair near the wall and makes a leap for the window seal. He slips through the cracked window and jumps down to the deck. This is the first time he has ever been on the deck without Rose.

Maybe I should go back inside, he thinks feeling guilty that he is disobeying Rose.

“No, you have to do it, or you might not ever know what the gully is really like,” he says giving himself a pep talk.

Stumps sticks out his chest, takes a deep breath, and heads to the edge of the fence. The fence posts were separated just enough for Stumps to squeeze through. He heads down the gully. The grass is so tall, and Stumps can only see the giant trees above him. As he heads down the hill, different sounds were coming from all around him. The birds were chirping, and he could see some squirrels above him playing.

He pretends like a lion in the jungle from a tv show that Rose would always watch. He could see a grasshopper on a rock nearby. He crouches down ready to pounce on his prey. Stumps jumps toward the grasshopper but misses his target.

Thinking about his time and not wanting to cut it too close to when Rose will get home, he continues down to the creek to see what it is like. Once, he gets out of the tall grass, Stumps could see a ledge that looks like it has a view of the creek bottom, so he heads towards it. He heads to the very edge of the lookout point and takes a view. The trees were so close together that it looks like he is looking down a tunnel of trees. The different colors of the leaves and the view of the creek bottom is a different kind of beauty he has never seen before.

“Bad guys? What bad guys? I think Rose just didn’t want me to come down here because I’m so small. I am like the king of my own jungle!”

“Nice day for a walk by the creek,” the voice coming from behind sends chills down his back. He slowly turns around to face the voice. He is greeted by a grey dog with yellow piercing eyes. He doesn’t look like someone's pet like Anna or Tank did. He doesn’t have a name tag and definitely hasn’t had a bath in a long time.

“What brings you down to my gully?” the grey dog asks as he takes a step closer to Stumps.

“Uh, just came down to check out the view but I am going to head back to my home now.”

Before Stumps tries to take a step, the dog moves closer, forcing Stumps to take a step back closer to the edge.

“What's your hurry? It's not every day that lunch comes right to me.”

Lunch? Stumps thinks to himself. Oh no, he’s talking about me! The dog lungs at Stump's, but he falls backward falling off of the ledge before the dog could grab him. He lands in the creek and goes underwater. He is being swept by the raging creek now and is doing everything he can to keep his head above water. He kept trying to get a paw on a rock or tree branch, but the creek is too strong.

Stumps could feel the water getting rougher and he tries to turn his body downstream to see what is ahead. He could see the creek coming to a waterfall and tries to swim as hard as he could to the shore, but it is too late.

Chapter 6

The Wise Old Owl

Stumps wakes up and finds himself on the creek shore. He looks around and tries to remember what happened.

The panic is setting in as he starts to remember the grey dog, and falling into the creek, “Oh no, what have I done now. Rose is going to be so worried about me. I’m worried about me!”

It is starting to get dark, and Stumps is shivering uncontrollably. He starts to walk cautiously up the creek bed. As it gets darker outside, he worries more about running into that grey dog again. This time I might be a late-night snack instead of lunch, he thinks.

There were noises coming from all around him, and now at this point, he is very scared. A tree branch breaks nearby, and Stumps takes off running as fast as his short legs would let him. He runs into a hollow tree trunk and tries to hide.

“You’ll be fine, you’ll be fine. It was just a tree branch,” he mumbles under his breath trying to slow down his racing heart.

Just when he starts to somewhat calm down, he hears a loud thud on top of the log. He froze, trying not to make a sound.

“Who’s in there?” A voice yells out.

Stumps doesn’t move a muscle.

“I said WHO is in there?” the voice asks again.

Stumps still doesn’t move. The creature starts making its way to the end of the log to the opening. Stumps tries to ball up as small as he could, hoping whatever is going to be at the end of the log wouldn’t see him or eat him for that matter.

“Ah, well, I thought that was a kitty going into the log.”

Stumps slowly opens his eyes to face the voice.

“Hello, little one, don’t be afraid.”

Stumps is staring at an owl. The owl inches her way into the log. Stumps tries to back away, but he is at the end of the log.

“My name is Nora, what is your name?” she said with a soft and comforting voice.

“My name, my name is Stumps,” his voice is still shaky.

“Nice to meet you Stumps. I saw you running through the creek bottom and once you bolted into the log under my tree, I kind of figured you were a little lost. What is a little kitty like you doing in a dangerous place like the gully?”

That didn’t make him feel any better. Not only was Rose right about the gully being dangerous but now he is lost in it.

“A grey dog was chasing me, and I fell off a ledge and landed in the creek. And apparently, I’m not a very good swimmer.”

Nora looks concerned.

“You said a grey dog was chasing you in the bottom of the gully?”

Stumps nods looking down at his paws.

“Sounds like you must have run into Jocko, the coyote.”

“Jocko? And what’s a coyote?” he has never heard of this word before.

“A coyote is a wild dog that claims no master and lives in gullies like this causing trouble. Dangerous trouble. Let’s just say that they aren’t the good guys.”

Oh great, he thinks feeling foolish for what he did. Nora could tell that Stumps is scared, so she tries to change the subject.

“I’m guessing you have a master,” she says looking at his collar. “What is her name, or is it him?”

“Her name is Rose, and she is probably so worried about me right now. We can’t be a team if I’m not there with her to take down the evil Dr. Paws. How could I be so stupid?” he says on the verge of tears.

“Seems like you really care about her,” Nora moves closer to him trying to comfort the scared little kitty. “Why were you in the gully in the first place? You know it’s not exactly the best place for a house cat?”

“I have never explored anything before. My whole life, I have always been told I couldn’t do things because of my extra small legs.”

Nora looks down at Stumps legs acknowledging that he did, in fact, look out of the ordinary compared to the cats she would normally see in the neighborhood.

“Are you not happy with your life because it seems like this little girl Rose really cares about you.”

“No, I am! I don’t know what I was thinking. I just felt like if I prove to everyone that I wasn’t just some goofy kitty with miniature legs and that I was stronger than I looked, then everyone would think I am good enough.”

“Good enough for who?”

He didn’t reply right away trying to think about who he is actually talking about.

“Well, everyone!” he exclaims in defense.

“But who is everyone?” she says with a soft smile.

Stumps could tell what she is doing.

“I only ask because it sounds like everyone is really only Rose, and I don’t think Rose believes you aren’t good enough because she must have picked you for her pet for a reason.”

Stumps thinks back to the day in the shelter when he first saw Rose. She could have picked a cute puppy or Anna the hunting champ or even Tank, but she picked him. Maybe Nora is right. Maybe he had just put it in his head that he wasn’t good enough just because he is so different from his brothers and sisters, and other cats.

“Happiness comes from within, Stumps,” she continues, “You have to be grateful for what you do have rather than what you don’t.”

Nora could tell he didn’t fully understand what she meant.

“Tell me, does Rose take care of you?”

“Of course, she does. She picked me from the shelter when no one else would. She gave me a home with a warm bed, fun toys, tuna, and she gave me her love,” he quietly says the last part realizing how much he missed her.

Nora smiles at him, “Now, let me ask you a question.”

Stumped looks up at her.

“Would you trade all of that in order to be like all of the other cats?”

He shakes his head understanding what the wise owl is saying.

“I’ll tell you what. I don’t usually sleep in a log on the ground, but tonight I’ll make an exception, and in the morning, I am going to introduce you to an old friend who I bet can help get you back to your little girl.”

“Really!?” he exclaims.

“Really. Now let's get some sleep because you have a big day ahead of you.”

Chapter 7

Sal

“Stumps, it’s time to get up.”

He opens his eyes looking at the owl. This is the first time Stumps has seen her in daylight. She has big round yellow eyes, and broad shoulders. Her mature presence makes Stumps feel better about leaving the safety of the log.

They came out of the log with caution. Making sure there isn’t any danger lurking before they start their journey back up the creek. Nora flies above Stumps to keep a lookout just in case he needs to hide from any bad guys.

“Who are we looking for?” Stumps asks.

They have been walking for a while now, and Stumps is getting concerned.

“His name is Sal. He is an old friend of mine who owes me a favor.”

Nora and Stumps come around the creek bend and hear a voice coming from over the hill.

“And I gotcha!” the voice yells.

Stumps walks to the top of the hill curious about what the animal is making all the commotion.

“And I almost gotcha!” the voice yells again.

Stumps could see the animal now and like Jocko, the coyote, he has never seen a dog like this.

“Don’t be scared, Stumps,” Nora could tell the kitty’s reservations after meeting Jocko face to face the day before. “This is who I was talking about. Sal isn’t the type of fox to eat little kitty’s anyways.”

Stumps watches as the fox sits in the middle of three holes in the ground. He is trying to catch a field mouse, but he isn’t exactly the best hunter. The mouse is definitely faster than him and seems like it is having fun frustrating the fox. The mouse would pop his head out of a hole and when the fox would pounce, the mouse would duck into the hole popping out of another hole, taunting the red, bushy-tailed dog.

“Sal,” Nora says trying to get the fox attention, but he didn’t hear her.

“Sal.”

“SAL!” she screams.

The fox is startled, he turns his head to the owl in the tree giving his breakfast a chance to run away.

“Nora! What the heck are you doing? Can’t you see I’m trying to do something here?”

“Sal, I need your help,” the owl quickly replies.

“With what? I kind of have a busy schedule. You can call my assistant and see if I can get you in for a 10-minute appointment.”

“Sal,” Nora says directing her narrow eyes to the kitty standing below her.

Sal turned and looks at Stumps. Sal is smaller than Jocko but with a red coat and a big bushy tail. He looks at Stumps with curious eyes.

“So, what do you want?” the fox says to Stumps with an annoyed tone.

This is who is supposed to help me find my home? Stumps thinks.

“Uh.”

“I need you to help him find his way back home,” Nora says before Stumps could answer.

“What? Why me?”

“Because Sal, you owe me a favor, and this is your chance to pay it forward.”

Stumps could tell that Sal knew that he didn’t have a choice.

“Okay, you old bird. What is the story on short stack here?”

“He got swept away by the creek. Jocko was after him,” she responds ignoring his tone.

“Jocko?”

Stumps could tell Sal’s demeanor changed.

“Yes, Jocko is back in the gully. I heard a word from Keeto and Rue a couple of nights ago,” Nora says.

Stumps could tell there is a concern in both of their voices. There must have been more to the story because even Sal, who Stumps could tell is a very confident and carefree animal, has reservations about the coyote causing mayhem in the gully.

“So, what do you want me to do with short stacks, here? I can take him home, but I think instead I could train him to be my sidekick. He might fit in these mouse holes,” Sal chuckles at himself looking at the kitty’s short legs and long body.

“Sal, all I need you to do is to guide him to Keeto and Rue. They know this gully better than anybody else, and I guarantee they know his little girl.”

“Fine. I will take him, but if I run into Jocko, there is only so much I can do for him.”

“Everything will be fine. He’s a strong cat. Just get him to Keeto and Rue, and they can lead him the rest of the way,” Nora says smiling at Stumps.

“Okay, I will do it. Let’s go there Stumpy. We are running out of daylight,” the fox gives a head nod to his old owl friend and turns up the creek bottom.

“Thank you, Nora. I hope to see you again,” Stumps knows that without Nora, he probably wouldn’t have even made it this far.

“I’m sure you will kid. After all, I can fly so I’ll probably see you first,” Nora says taking off from the tree she is perching on.

Stumps turns to Sal unsure of what to expect next.

“Well, short stacks, are you ready for this amazing adventure?” Sal says sarcastically.

Even though Nora is the one to take Stumps to the fox, he couldn’t tell if he could completely trust his intentions. What do I have to lose, he thinks?

They walk through the gully for several hours without saying much. Stumps stays on Sal’s tail making sure he doesn’t fall too far behind.

It has been a rough couple of days in the gully and Stumps keeps thinking about how worried Rose must be. He feels so awful for what he did. If I don’t die, I’m never leaving her side again, he thinks to himself.

As they walk, he tries to envision being back in the house playing and taking down Dr. Paws. Stumps thinks back to what Rose calls Christmas. There is a tree in the house with large sparkling bulbs hanging from it. She would give him his own stocking above the fireplace because he is a member of the family.

Sometimes, her parents will fight, and Rose will go to bed, holding him tight crying herself to sleep. He knows that if he can be there for her, then she will never feel alone. Now, he is lost, and she is without her friend, and he is without his. This is all because of his selfish mistake, he thinks feeling ashamed.

“Okay, let's take a quick break,” Sal says lying down in the tall grass next to the trail.

Stumps sits down next to Sal and let out a big sigh.

“Why the long face, short stacks?” the fox says smiling at the kitty.

“Nothing,” Stumps replies looking down.

“Well, we can talk about it if you want. We have nothing but time.”

“I just want to go home, and I feel so stupid for my mistake,” Stumps finally says.

“Listen short stacks. I know you are upset about what happened but beating yourself up because you made a mistake isn’t going to make it better. We all make mistakes. It’s all about how we react to those mistakes. You can either make the choice to be better the next day or you can sit around and feel sorry for yourself.”

Stumps is taken back by the advice from Sal because the fox seems not to be interested in him or taking him back to his home.

“Would you like to hear a story before we get back on the trail?” the fox continues.

Stumps nods his head for the fox to continue. Sal hasn’t given much mind to Stumps up until now. He has always acted like he is more of a burden than anything, so he is okay with any type of friendly conversation.

“Back when I was a younger fox. I had gotten into a lot of mischief, and you can say I acted exactly how most people view foxes.”

Stumps tries to act like he didn’t know what he meant.

“You know what I mean. Don’t tell me you have never heard the saying sly fox.”

“Okay, you are right. I am sorry. I had heard it on one of my master's shows.”

“I don’t know what a “show” is, but you get my point. Anyways, I would sneak into the farmer’s chicken coops down from the gully. I had been causing trouble in them for quite some time and never got caught. Until one day, the farmer set a trap. I was able to escape, but as I ran out of there, my leg caught a piece of metal sticking out and it cut my leg really bad.”

“So, what did you do?” Stumps says getting into the story.

“Well, I got as far as I could, but I couldn’t make it to my den, so I had to hide in the tall grass. I was cut really bad, and things weren’t looking too good until Nora showed up.”

Stumps thinks back to what Nora had said to Sal.

“This is the favor you owe her, isn’t it?”

Sal continues without answering his question, “She got me to my den and for the next month, she brought me food and helped me care for my cut. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be here today. She taught me that just because you make a mistake doesn’t mean that you are a bad guy. She didn’t need to help me that day. She could have left me in the field to die, but she didn’t. She taught a young fox a very valuable lesson that day.”

“Don’t go into the farmer’s chicken coop?” Stumps says trying to joke with the fox.

“Yes,” Sal shoots him a serious look. “But she also taught me that if you have integrity, it doesn’t matter what others think of you.”

“What’s integrity?” Stumps asks stumbling on the word.

“Well, short stacks, integrity is who you are when no one is looking. Nora didn’t have to help me at all that day, but she did because it was the right thing to do. My point is this, your mistakes don’t define you. It’s what you learn from the mistakes and who you really are that defines you. I might be a fox, but I am not a sly fox. I made a mistake that day, but I learned that I could be better.”

“But you didn’t seem very excited to help me,” Stumps was trying to call him out on his statement.

“You’re right, I am far from perfect but doesn't mean that I didn’t know it was the right thing to do. Plus, if you do the right thing, good things will come full circle. And after all, if you do eventually get eaten, then Nora can’t be mad at me because I still tried to help you,” Sal says giving the kitty a joking smirk.

Stumps rolls his eyes at Sal’s last comment, but he knows that the fox is right. He did make a mistake, but it is up to him to make it right. He isn’t a bad kitty or a bad pet, but he knows that he owes it to Rose to be a better friend.

Chapter 8

Nutty Advice

Sal and Stumps continue through the gully. The hottest part of the day is approaching, and for a black kitty, it is too hot to be in the sun.

“Sal, are we almost there? I am kind of melting back here.”

Sal stops suddenly.

“Shh, get down,” Sal says cutting Stumps off.

They both crouch down as low as they could and stay quiet. Something is stirring through the grass ahead of them. He could tell that Sal is concerned. Please, don’t be Jocko, Stumps thinks. Sal might be witty and athletic, but he is more than half the size of a coyote like Jocko. Stumps is more than half the size of Sal so Stumps knows they will be in trouble if it is a bad guy coming towards them.

Whatever is in the grass is coming closer. They both stand still waiting for the worst to happen. Just when Stumps thinks this is the end, out came a fawn deer from the grass.

“What the heck?” Sal says with surprise and relief that it isn’t Jocko he is staring at.

The small deer is just as surprised as them, but he is also terrified. He burst backward and tries to run away but trips over the log behind him.

“Wait! It’s okay, we aren’t going to hurt you!” Stumps walks slowly towards the small deer trying to show that he isn’t a threat. “My name is Stumps, and this is my friend Sal. What is your name?”

The deer is backing away unsure of his company. His legs were shaking, and they could tell he has been lost in the gully for a while.

“Kid, I would have eaten you by now. It’s okay, short stacks is right, we aren’t going to hurt you.”

Stumps looks back at Sal giving him the same look he would give Tank when he would say stupid things.

“Ignore him. I promise we are here to help,” Stumps backs away from the fawn to give him more room. He is still crying and shaking. “Are you lost? Because I am lost too. Sal is helping me find my home.”

The fawn’s crying calmed, and he looks up at the fox and kitty.

“My name is Wynn, and I got separated from my mom two days ago. I don’t know where she is,” he starts sobbing again.

“It’s okay. It’s okay, I completely understand. I tell you what. How about you walk with Sal and me, and we will look for your mom along the way?”

“Wait, what? No, no, no, no, listen, short stacks I told Nora I’d help you get back. Not sign up for taking another lost boy,” Sal says not liking Stumps idea.

“What happened to integrity and doing the right thing?” Stumps says back to Sal making him eat his own words.

The fox takes a deep breath because he also knows the short kitty has a point.

“Okay, fine. I will help but if Jocko shows up, there is only so much I can do.”

“That’s fair. Thank you, Sal. Come on, Wynn, you are with us now. Let’s find our homes!” Stumps gives the scared deer a head nod and helps him up.

“We need to get going. If we wait too long to get to Keeto and Rue, we are all going to be in trouble,” Sal says to them.

The three of them head through the trail at a fast pace. Stumps and Sal know that in the gully, the closer it gets to nightfall, the more dangerous it becomes.

“Sal, who even is Keeto and Rue?” Stumps asks.

“You will see, but they aren’t what you’d expect.”

“Why, are they turkeys? My mom always said those turkeys aren’t the smartest of birds,” Wynn says from the back of the line.

Wynn is small and brown with white spots on his side. He is taller than Sal, but you could tell he is young.

“Geronimo!”

They all stop and look around for where the voice was coming from.

Sal shoots to the side just in time for the squirrel to hit the ground next to him. The squirrel lays there motionless.

“Is he dead?” Wynn asks looking at the squirrel laying on the ground.

“He’s fine. Keeto, get up,” Sal moves the squirrel with his paw.

“Ta-Da!” the squirrel shoots up with his hands in the air like he has been planning this for a week.

“How long are you going to try and scare me before you realize you have no chance?” Sal asks the obnoxious squirrel.

“I almost had you this time!” Keeto says giving his fox friend a fist bump.

“Keeto, you have never even been close. The one-time Sal was sleeping, and you still didn’t come close to scaring him,” another squirrel says as it comes down from the tree. This must be Rue, Stumps thinks watching the female squirrel as she comes down from the tree. He could tell just by her first minute being around that she is the mature one of the two squirrels.

“Hey there, Rue, good to see you again,” Sal says greeting the squirrel.

So, these are the infamous Keeto and Rue that Sal has been talking about, Stumps thinks. Wynn and he sit there quietly waiting as the fox and his buddies play catch up.

“So, Sal, Nora must have you on a mission, huh?” Rue asks prying into the fox’s life.

“Yeah, what did you do this time, Sal. Repaying a debt?” Keeto adds.

“I am paying back a favor. You know how the owl is. She can make you feel bad without even doing anything. I am taking the kitty back to his home, and I need your help.”

“What about the fawn? Another favor?” Rue asks looking at the defenseless deer.

“Just trying to do the right thing on that one. He got separated from his mom, so I am hoping that we can find her along the way of taking short stacks home.”

“I’m guessing short stacks is the short-legged kitty here?” they were talking as a group so Wynn and Stumps couldn't hear what they were saying.

Stumps could see Sal gesture to him.

“What are they saying, Stumps?” Wynn says in a worried tone. Stumps could tell it has been a long couple of days for the small deer. He could relate to his worry.

“I think they are trying to figure out what to do. I am going to go see what’s going on.”

Stumps walk up confidently interrupting their conversation.

“You know I can help get myself home, too. If you have any insight on Wynn’s mom and where my home is, we can make it on our own.”

“I am sorry. We didn’t formally introduce ourselves. My name is Rue, and this is my brother, Keeto.”

“But some call me king of the rock!” Keeto says standing on a rock with his chest out and hands on his hips.

“My brother is a jokester, so don’t acknowledge everything he says,” Rue says.

Stumps could tell she is the leader between the two. Keeto is bouncing off the walls and didn’t seem to take much seriously.

“Rue, Keeto, have you seen the kitty's family? He got washed away by the creek after Jocko tried to eat him for lunch,” Sal asks the brother and sister.

“Jocko! I want nothing to do with that guy,” Keeto tries to run away, but his sister grabs him.

“We can help. My brother isn’t as tough as you can see. Tell me, Stumps, what do your master and house look like?” Rue asks.

“Well, Rose is a little girl with blonde braided hair, and we would hang out on the back deck sometimes. The house is white with red around the windows. The fence borders the gully, so I know it has to be somewhere close,” Stumps replies.

“I know the house, but you have a little way to go. I had heard Jocko was back so if we are going to get you back, we need to move as fast as possible. Keeto, what do you think?” Rue asks her brother, but he didn’t answer. “Keeto!?”

Keeto is juggling three acorns and balancing on one at the same time. Rue walks up and kicks the acorn out from under his brother making him fall flat on his back.

“Goodness, why did you do that? That was the longest I’ve ever balanced and jungled at the same time!”

“Keeto…,” Rue says trying to get her brother to be serious for once.

“Okay, okay,” Keeto replies. “Your house is two miles down, up the hill, and to the right. If we move now, I might be able to get you there before nightfall. However, we have to be very careful because I saw Jocko moving through the area two days ago.”

Keeto can remember anything. The problem is always keeping him focused.

“You know where my master lives!?” Stumps exclaims. This is the first time since he has been lost that he has any hope of getting home. “What about Wynn?” Stumps asks realizing that the small deer still needs to find his mom.

“I believe I saw your mother, but I am not sure if it was her or not. If it was her, then we might have a good chance of seeing her along the way,” Keeto says trying to calm Wynn down.

“You saw my mom?!” Wynn exclaims.

“He may have,” Rue responds, trying not to get Wynn’s hopes up.

Sal gives Stumps a hint to come and talk to him in private. They walk behind the tree, and Sal sits down and looks serious.

“Listen short stacks, this is where my adventure comes to an end. Keeto and Rue will take you from here. However, what I need you to understand is that they can only do so much for you and Wynn.”

Stumps cut him off, “You know, Sal. You aren’t that bad,” smiling at the fox. “And don’t worry about us. We are a lot stronger than we look, you know?”

Sal looks down at the small cat and gives him a head nod.

“I know. Take care of yourself and be careful out there.”

Sal and Stumps hug and say their goodbyes. Stumps is thankful for his new friends and the help he has received. Sal made him realize that the good outweighs the bad. Sure, he ran into Jocko, but he had already met five good animals. I knew there was hope, he thinks.

“Keeto and Rue, I know you will take care of these two. Good luck and be safe,” Sal says to the squirrels.

The fox takes off over the hill. The sun is getting towards the hottest part of the day, which means that not too long, the dark would come and that there could be trouble for everyone in the group.

“Listen up. This is your captain speaking,” Keeto has his hand up to his face acting like an airplane pilot talk through a radio. “There is a southwest wind coming from the east and gas coming from the south, excuse you Rue,” Rue glares at him but Keeto continues. “If we are going to get there on time, I need everyone to pull their weight. When I say mush, you mush. And when I stop you better stop, or you are fired.”

Wynn and Stumps look at each other confused about what the nutty squirrel is talking about.

“Do you ever stop talking? We will be heading up the trail on the right side of the creek. Stumps your house will be right after the waterfall,” Rue takes charge disregarding her brother’s silly command. “Let’s get moving though.”

The four of them head up the trail. Stumps is really hoping he could find his way home before nightfall. He could use his bed and ten cans up tuna. The trip through the gully had got better though. Keeto and Rue would go back and forth telling jokes. Rue is definitely the more mature one, but she likes to tell a joke just as much as her brother did. They would laugh and play tricks on each other. Stumps has never seen anything like it. They weren’t exactly in a place to be joking with them moving closer to Jocko’s territory.

“One cat turns to another cat and says, ‘I got a hairball!’ and the other cat says, ‘You got to be kitten me!’” Keeto falls down laughing at his sister's joke.

Wynn and Stumps look at each other confused.

“Come on, Stumpy. That was a good one!” Keeto could tell the cat and deer weren’t having nearly as much fun as him and his sister.

“Do you two play and tell jokes all day?” Stumps asks the goofy squirrels.

“Of course, we do! Life is too short not to have fun!” Keeto replies.

“Like Keeto said, we still gather food and take care of each other, but we just make sure we have a lot of fun along the way. Having a good attitude, especially in moments like right now is very important. It’s easy to think the worst is going to happen but it’s even harder to believe everything will work out.”

“Wow, you two aren’t as crazy as I thought,” Stumps replies. “That makes sense though. I have been pretty negative through this whole thing, which is easy to do.”

“Yeah, me too. We will find your home Stumps, and we will find my mom, too!” Wynn calls out trying to be positive.

“That’s the spirit! Now, MUSH!” the three of them roll their eyes at Keeto and laugh.

They walk for a little while, playing, and singing making most of the adventure.

“I don’t know what I’ve been told but walking through the gully is getting old,” Keeto sings. “Sound off.”

“One, two.” the three joined in.

“Sound off.” Keeto sang again.

“Three, four,” All four of them stop in their tracks at this deep, familiar voice.

They all slowly turned around to see Jocko standing directly behind them. His eyes were cold, and he has an evil grin on his face.

“What? No, more singing? I kind of liked that song. Kind of has a dinner bell ring to it.” Jocko says moving closer, backing the four of them against a big pine tree.

“Rue,” Keeto says gesturing to the tree branch right above Jocko. Rue understands what he is saying, and they scurry up the tree.

“Now, there's only two. That’s fine. Not much meat on squirrel anyways.” Jocko says inching his way towards Stumps and Wynn.

Jocko goes to take a bite at Wynn and Stumps lungs forward and scratches Jocko on the nose. The coyote lets out a big yelp. The claw marks on his nose starts to bleed.

“Stumps I think you made him madder,” Wynn says with his voice trembling.

“Fine, I will eat kitty first,” The coyote says redirecting his focus on Stumps.

Jocko lunges at Stumps and just when Stumps thinks he is done for, a giant tree branch lands on Jocko’s head. Stumps opens his eyes seeing Jocko with the tree branch on top of him.

“MUSH!” Keeto yells out.

They took the nutty squirrels advise this time and ran for it. Jocko regains focus and glares up at the squirrels. He takes off after Stumps and Wynn.

“Run, Wynn, Run!” Stumps yells at his young friend.

“He’s gaining on us!” Wynn cries out.

“Just don’t look back.” Stumps yells back to him.

They came to a fence and Stumps jumps through, but Wynn is too big to go through.

“End of the line. Nowhere to go now,” Jocko moves in closer backing the small deer against the fence.

“I can’t get through, Stumps. Go without me,” Wynn yells.

Stumps thinks about taking the opportunity, but he remembers what Sal had said about having integrity. He jumps back through the fence and stands alongside his friend.

Jocko comes closer. Wynn is crying, and Stumps is afraid of what is about to happen next to him and his friend.

“Mom!” Wynn cries out for help.

“There’s no one here to save you,” Jocko says as he moves in closer.

In the distance Stumps can see a large deer running towards them. Jocko is so fixated on his prey that he doesn’t hear the mother deer coming from behind him.

Wynn’s mom stands on her back legs and comes crashing down on top of the coyote. Jocko is knocked onto his back. He stands back up and tries to attack the deer, but she kicks him with her powerful back legs, sending him flying. The coyote has had enough and ran away whimpering with his tail between his legs.

“Mom!” Wynn runs to his mother.

“Wynn, I am so glad you are okay. I have been worried sick,” she says embracing her son.

Stumps smiles as he watches them reunite. I better find my home now, he thinks.

“Who’s your little kitty friend, Wynn?”

“This is Stumps. He helped me when I was lost. He has been trying to find his way home, too.”

“Nice to meet you Stumps. Thank you for watching out for him.”

“We made a good team,” Stumps replies giving a head nod to the fawn.

“Where do you live, Stumps? We can walk you there,” the mother deer asks.

“I have to go through this fence and to the waterfall, and I am pretty sure my home is right after that. Wynn can’t get through the fence, and I don’t want you two split up again so I will be fine on my own. It’s not much farther.”

“Okay, be careful Stumps. Jocko might be hurt and gone for now, but it won’t take him long to try and get his redemption,” the mother says warning the kitty.

“I will. Thank you for saving us. Wynn, I will see you around but don’t go getting lost anymore,” Stumps says smiling at him.

“I won’t,” Wynn replies smiling at his joke. “Thank you again, Stumps. You're a good friend.”

Chapter 9

Old Friends

Stumps knows he is out of trouble for the time being, but if he doesn’t make it back home before nightfall, then there’s a good chance he’d be back in the same situation. He hears his stomach growl. He hasn’t eaten for the last two days, and it is starting to wear on him.

“Maybe, I will just make my way up to the top of the gully and see if I can find a house with some food,” he says looking up the hill.

Stumps walks up the hill, but the grass is so tall he can’t see far ahead. In the gully, it is open so he can see where he is going but staying down their meant bad guys, and no food.

He walks blindly through the tall grass. It is a steep walk up the hill and Stumps didn’t have much energy left. Then he smells something familiar. He remembers the smell from Rose mom when she would make them dinner on the deck.

“Rose?” he says thinking he might be home.

He starts running as fast as he could through the grass to the opening ahead.

“Rose, I’m home!” he yells bursting through the tall grass.

Stumps heart drops. It isn’t his home, and there isn’t anyone on the deck. He goes onto the deck anyway to look for some food. There must be something here, he thinks looking around the deck.

“Ah, here we go,” Stumps says looking at the silver dish.

“Dog food!? Yuck, I don’t want any of that stuff. Why couldn't things just go right once in my life and it had to be tuna?”

It is easy for him to complain because his stomach feels like it is going to eat itself.

“Ugh, fine. Maybe it’s not that bad. Tank would always scarf this stuff,” Stumps says thinking back to the big chocolate lab who would inhale his food in a matter of seconds.

He takes his first bite and almost pukes.

“This stuff is garbage! I’d rather starve,” he says hangry (hungry and angry, as Tank would call it) he goes to go lay down under the barbeque where it is safe. To his surprise under the barbeque, there is one small piece of leftover chicken. Who knows how long it has been there, but Stumps is so hungry he doesn’t care.

“I knew I smelt something!” Stumps pounces on the piece of chicken and goes to town.

The sun is going down, and Stumps has had just enough food in the stomach to hold him over for the night. He curls up under the barbeque and goes to sleep.

Stumps wakes suddenly the next morning to footsteps on the deck. He overslept, and it was mid-morning already. He could hear the animal sniffing the ground and pacing back and forth on the deck. Oh great, now a dog, he thinks.

The dog's footsteps were getting closer, and Stumps is preparing his getaway off the deck. The dog comes around the barbeque and shows her face. It is a tall black lab, with an athletic build, and shiny coat.

“Stumps?” the dog is amazed.

“Anna!?” Stumps runs towards her and gives her a big hug. “Anna what are you doing here?”

“I live here, silly…” she laughs. “The real question is what are you doing here?” she has a concerned look on her face. Stumps is dirty, and it is obvious he hasn’t had much sleep. He looked better in the shelter than he did now.

“Well, I kind of got lost.”

“Stumps?” Anna has always talked to Stumps in a mother-like manner in the shelter. He knows it’s because she cares for him. Most animals would just ignore him because he looks different, but Anna is always so nice to him.

"Okay, a few days ago, I went down to the bottom of the gully to check things out, and I had a coyote try to eat me, and I fell into the creek. I've been trying to make my way back home ever since."

"Goodness, Stumps, no wonder you look so awful." Stumps bows his head embarrassed. "I mean you don't look that bad. You just need a bath. Why did you go into the gully anyways? Is your master mean to you?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. Rose is everything I dreamed for, and the house is beautiful. I just wanted to see what else was out there. I hadn't seen anything other than the shelter and her home, you know?" Stumps replies. He is starting to get defensive at the hunting champ.

"I know, Stumps. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to get on your tail about it. I understand wanting to see more, and I know the tough life you had in the shelter. I just want to help you understand that the grass is never greener on the other side." Stumps put his head down feeling ashamed as his old friend spoke. "I would give anything to have my master back, but I can't. You have a little girl that chose you to be hers, and I don't want you to lose sight of that. When someone loves you for you and only you, now that's something special."

"I know, Anna. I feel awful." his eyes start to swell up with tears, and his chin shakes.

"Hey, look at me,” the dog looks down at him with her amber eyes and smiles. "You made a mistake, but now it is up to you to fix it."

"I have to be close to home. I'm just not sure how far I am away still."

"I think I can help, but you know, I'm not the only old friend that lives here?" she says smiling.

Stumps thinks for a second confused about what she is talking about, and then it hit him.

"Tank!?" he exclaims. "He got picked by a new master!?"

"Yep, the same master," she grins.

"You mean you and Tank live together?" Stumps bursts out laughing. He hasn't laughed that hard in his whole life. "How long did it take him to quit annoying you?"

"I keep him in line. He's just an old lazy pain in the butt."

"So, where is he?" Stumps asks looking around for the big dog.

"He's in his kennel in the yard. Sleeping I'm sure."

Stumps runs to the kennel, and sure enough, there was the old chocolate lab snoring. Stumps crouches down like he is stalking his prey.

"I gotcha!" Stumps jumps on top of the dog.

Tank didn't move. He just keeps snoring.

"You have to be kidding me, dude. Wake up, Tank. It's me, kid."

"Five more minutes, Anna. I'm napping."

Stumps shakes his head and pushes the dogs head as hard as he could. Tank cracks one eye and then closes it. And then he opens both eyes waking up immediately.

"Kid!?" Tank jumped up and hit his head on top of the kennel. "Ouch!” Tank Yells rubbing his head. “Kid, is that really you?"

"Yep, it's me you old mutt. I see you are still getting your daily naps in."

“What are you doing here?” Tank asks still trying to figure out if it is really Stumps.

“It’s a long story, but we can talk about it later,” Stumps says avoiding the conversation. “Look at you with your new master, and you weren’t kidding when you said you were going wherever Anna was going. You old dog, you,” Stumps says giving Tank a push.

“Yeah, what can I say? This old dog still has some tricks up his sleeve,” this is the Tank, Stumps remembers. “One day, I was sleeping in the shelter,” surprise, surprise Stumps thinks. “And in walks this young guy. He obviously took one look at Anna and wanted her, but he also picked me! I think he felt bad for me because I’m old, but that’s okay because he is the best! And it’s super cool, Kid, because he happens to bird hunt, so Anna gets to go like she used too,” Stumps could tell he is just as happy for Anna as he is for himself. He is always good to others like that.

“That’s awesome, Tank. I am happy for you two.”

“That’s not even the best part, kid. When him and Anna go hunting. I get to lay on the couch and chew on a bone just like we talked about in the shelter! He says he feels bad because I am too old to go with them, but he doesn’t even know that it’s paradise for me!”

Stumps thinks his old friend is going to have a heart attack from excitement.

“That’s great. I seriously so happy for you.”

Tank could tell something was up. Why would the kid even be here in the first place?

“So, what about you kid? You look like crud,” the lab says looking at his frazzled fur and blood shot eyes.

“Thanks, Tank,” Stumps replies chuckling at his honesty.

“I mean you look good… but bad, at the same time. How’s your new master? Is she treating you good? Seemed like a sweet girl.”

“She’s amazing. She really is. The dream came true just like we talked about. The big home, the sweet master, the comfy bed, and I got tuna!”

“Tuna!? You actually got it?” Tank says amazed “I thought you were just dogging me when you would talk about this tuna stuff. How is it?”

“Tank, the best thing I have ever had!”

“Sounds gross, but glad it’s exactly what you dreamed of. You deserve it. But why are you here and not there, with her? Sounds like things are awesome!”

“I just screwed up Tank, and I got lost. Now I am trying to find my way back before Rose forgets about me.”

“No one could forget your stubby legs, kid.”

Stumps looks at him, not appreciating his joke.

“Kid, you have never been one to give up, but you have always been one to be hard on yourself. This girl loved you from the first time she saw you, and if you love her, then you need to get your little body back to her,” he says giving him a smile. Tank has always been more like a big brother to Stumps. Tank always called it “tough love”.

“I know, I know. Boy, Anna sure has been filling you with some motivation, lately hasn’t she?” Stumps says impressed with the advice from the old dog.

“I guess so,” Tank replied, chuckling. “She has her sneaky ways, doesn’t she?”

“You would be lost without me,” Anna says walking over to them. “Stumps, I know how we can find your home. Are you ready to go back to Rose?”

“Yes! I need tuna and a bath!”

Chapter 10

Full Circle

“Okay, so what do I need to do?” Stumps asks Anna.

“Just sit there and look pretty and I will do the rest.”

Anna goes to the door on the deck and starts barking. She has a deep and intimidating bark that most of the neighborhood could hear. Well, everyone except for Tank who has already napping again. Stumps starts to get confused on what exactly she is trying to accomplish.

Then, the upstairs window opens, and a woman's voice yells, “Anna, no bark… Oh! There's a kitty on the deck!” The woman pauses when she sees Stumps sitting next to Anna on the deck.

The woman runs down the stairs and onto the deck.

“Anna, who is your little friend? He’s adorable and look at those stumpy legs,” the woman says admiring her kitty visitor.

“This is your master?” Stumps whispered to Anna.

“No, this is my master's person. Her name is Tess. She’s really nice. She always takes care of us when my master is gone. Tank likes her because she gives good belly scratches,” she giggles looking over at the Tank snoring again.

“Let’s look at this collar and see if I can find your home,” the woman picks Stumps up and looks at his collar. “Stumps, huh? That’s a fitting name. It says you are the property of Rose and it looks like you live at 50 Moose Can Gully Road. That’s only a block down the street! Anna, what do you say we wake up old Tank and go for a walk? This kitty probably has someone missing him!” Anna give a bark of agreement to the young woman.

“Tank, get up we are taking our friend Stumps home,” Anna yells at him.

Stumps is so relieved that he thinks he is going to faint. It has been a long adventure for the little kitty.

The four of them walk down the sidewalk, and Stumps excitement starts to turn into worry.

“Anna, what if she already got a new kitty?”

“I doubt it. I bet she went with a puppy this time,” Tank jokes.

“Tank!” Anna shoots him a glare. “Stumps that little girl will be so happy you are back. I promise.”

Stumps could see his home in the distance. He could feel the nervousness set in. I really hope Tank is wrong, he thinks.

The four of them get to the house and the woman knocks on the door.

“I’ll get it!” A young voice yelled.

Rose opens the door, and she gasps. “STUMPS!” She reaches out for her kitty.

“Where have you been? I was so worried!” she says hugging him tight.

“You must be Rose. I found him hanging on our deck with Anna and Tank.”

The little girl stops petting Stumps and looks down at the familiar dogs.

“Hey, you two were in the shelter the day I picked Stumps! Mom come look! Stumps is back, and he was with the dogs from the shelter!” Rose’s mother comes down to the stairs to see for herself.

“All be darned. It sure is,” the mom says with amazement.

“It’s a small mountain town, after all. No wonder you two didn’t mind having the kitty around.” Tess says looking down at the dogs. Tank and Anna were wagging their tails with excitement. “I guess we will have to plan some play dates. We are just down the street.”

“Yes, lots of play dates. They would be good help in taking down Dr. Paws!”

“Who?” Tess asks confused.

“He’s the bad guy,” the mom says to the woman.

“Ah, I see,” she says catching on to the girl's imagination. “Well, if you ever want to let Stumps come see his old friends, just let us know. As long as it’s okay with your mom.”

“Okay! Thank you so much for bringing him home. I don’t know what I would have done if something bad happened to you Stumps. I love you so much,” she says hugging him.

“I love you, too,” Stumps says as he purrs.

Rose takes Stumps upstairs and cracks open a can of tuna for her favorite kitty. Stumps is starving and scarfs down his food. He gets a bath which isn’t his favorite, but much needed after being in the gully for two days.

Rose gets him all cleaned up, and instead of him lying on his bed on the floor, she lays him on her lap.

“I’ll never lose you again, Stumps. You are irreplaceable. Plus, we have a lot of bad guys to take down tomorrow. Dr. Paws has been causing mayhem!”

I’ll be there, he thinks. Stumps lays his head down and thinks about what has happened in the last couple of days. He came face to face with a real bad guy. Found out that his old friends live down the street. He also met some awesome animals that he had never knew existed and they turned into friends who taught him valuable lessons.

Nora helped him realize that he has a good life with Rose and that true happiness comes from within. Sal taught him what integrity is and how important it is to always do the right thing. The nutty squirrels showed him how to have fun no matter how bad things may seem. Lastly, Anna reminded him how special it is when someone loves you for who you are.

Sal was right, things do come full circle when your intentions are good. What an amazing adventure, he thinks as he lays his head down and falls asleep.

The End