***Honey***
Honey yawned and stretched her back when she woke up. That puppy felt good.
Hey. Wait. Why wasn't she in Collin's jacket anymore? She was on a really soft bed though.
Honey crawled onto Collin's stomach. 'Hey, Collin.' The puppy whined as she pawed at him. 'Collin, wake up!'
The human who carried Collin away from the scary humans came in.
Honey yelped when she picked her up.
"Let him rest. He's feeling yucky."
The puppy whined.
"Your human will be okay. He just needs a good nap."
***
The human carried Honey down the stairs.
The puppy whined. 'Hey! Put me down!'
The human stroked the top of her head. "It's okay. You're okay." She sat down on the couch.
She took off the puppy's splint. A warm, fuzzy feeling washed over the owie.
"Sorry I couldn't fix it the first time."
'That's okay.' Honey licked her nose. 'Thank you.'
The human laughed. "That tickles!"
The human sat Honey in her lap facing her. "Let's talk."
Honey tilted her head.
"I need your help, sweetie."
'With what?'
"Get your human to stay in this house." Her lips were a thin line. "It's important to keep him safe, so his owie gets better."
The puppy whined. She didn't want his owie to get worse.
The human patted her head. "He'll get better. You'll see."
She pulled a ball out of her pocket. "Did you wanna play fetch?"
The puppy barked with her tail wagging a mile a minute.
The human smiled. "Let me show you your new backyard then."
Honey yipped.
Ame set the puppy down on the concrete.
Honey ran to the flower bush.
"Don't eat my flowers!"
Huh? Honey's ears drooped. The flowers smelled pretty.
The human squeezed the yellow ball. "Come play."
'Okay!'
The human threw the ball to the other side of the yard.
Honey ran after it. 'Yay!'
She patted her leg. "Bring the ball back."
Honey tilted her head. Why should she?
"Bring the ball back, so I can throw it again."
'Oh! Okay!'
Honey dropped the ball at her feet.
When she threw it again, the puppy darted after it.
Honey squeaked the ball.
The human patted her leg again. "Come."
The puppy wagged her tail.
She threw it again.
This time, she held it up after Honey returned it. "Sit."
'Sit?'
The human nudged her butt.
Honey went into a sit. 'Like this?'
"That's it!" The human smiled. "Sit."
The puppy sat.
"Good girl!" The human threw the ball again.
Honey squeaked the ball after she retrieved it.
She put the ball behind her back then put her free hand up. "Stay..."
The human took three steps back.
"Atta girl!" She threw the ball with the biggest smile on her face. "Go get it!"
'Yay!' Honey put her butt up in the air and wagged her tail.
The human pointed to the ground. "Lay down."
The puppy tilted her little head. What was Honey supposed to do now?
"Sit." She smiled before pointing to the ground. "Okay, girl. Now lay down."
Honey laid down.
"What a good girl!" The human gave Honey a scratch under the chin before throwing the ball again. "Here you go!"
Honey bolted after the ball.
The human rubbed her arms. "Let's go back inside. I'm getting cold."
Honey hung her tail between her legs. 'Okay...'
***
The puppy followed her back inside.
The human filled a bowl of water before putting it on the floor for Honey. "Here. I'm going to make myself coffee, so I thought I'd offer you a drink, too."
'I am thirsty...'
She smiled before she pulled a sausage out of her pocket. "Would you like a snack?"
'Yes, please!'
She held the sausage out. "Enjoy."
Honey gently took the sausage out of the human's hand.
"That's a gentle puppy." The human smiled. "You're so sweet."
'Of course. I had an owie. Collin has an owie. I don't want anyone else to get an owie.'
She sighed.
Honey nudged her leg with her nose. 'What's wrong? Do you feel yucky?'
The human ran her hand across Honey's back. "I'm okay. I was just thinking."
Honey tilted her head.
She sighed again. "It was such a long time ago. I used to have a sweet puppy of my own. His name was Wilfred."
Wilfred?
"I was six or so when my parents got him. He used to help me get my energy out without getting lost. He was my puppy and no one else's." She had the biggest smile on her face. "He even came home to Kayleigh with me."
Honey tilted her head.
A whistle. "Wilfred!"
A dog walked in from thin air. 'Yes, Mommy?'
"Come meet a new friend."
He came and sat in front of Honey. 'What's your name?'
'Honey.'
'I'm Wilfred.' He looked at the human. 'That's Let. Where's your human?'
'He's upstairs.' Her ears drooped. 'He's sleeping cuz he feels yucky.'
He gave her a gentle lick. 'I hope he feels better soon. I don't like when Mommy feels yucky.'
The human got a blanket before popping her head into the room. "Did you want to check on your human, Honey? His blankey is all clean, so I'm going to give it back before he wakes up."
Wilfred followed Honey and his mommy upstairs into the master bedroom. He stood guard by the door.
The human spoke in a gentle voice. "Here's your blanket back. It's nice and clean for you. Just take it easy. I hope you get better soon."
Honey didn't want to leave Collin's side now. He still looked like he felt yucky.
She used the bench at the foot of the bench to climb up. She then walked in circles before cuddling up next to his good arm.
"Willie, let's let Honey take care of him."
'Yes, Let.' His tail wagged. 'Take good care of your human.'
'I will.'