Intruder Alert

Sprawled in the shade of a tree near the edge of the creek, the round charcoal fuzzball was chewing methodically at a stick, stripping the bark off neatly and dropping it in a pile next to him. As neatly as he could manage, anyway, with sharp little puppy teeth gouging grooves in the stick and fuzzy pieces of bark getting caught in between them. His ears immediately pricked up and his attention was dragged from his task with admirable suddenness when he heard his father call out, though. He gasped aloud, the stick tumbling from his jaws. An intruder?

It was hard to get a pup's roly poly round body up to any real speed, but Eli pushed himself til his little short legs were a blur. His small face was set and intent, until... THERE. He could see the intruder, with her bright coloring and smell like strange far away places. "I'll save you, Dad," he yipped, diving forward. Small puppy paws sought to wrap around her left rear ankle, and sharp little teeth were aimed to gnaw at her hock. A fierce expression filled his young face with determination, though the effect was far less "aaaaahhhhh" and far more "awwwww".