Stop and Stare

So engrossed in catching bugs he hadn’t noticed anyone – especially another pup- approaching him, thus, as he stuffed his squished fireflies into his bag he would be startled by the friendly greeting. Jumping back, leaving the bag on the ground, he would turn to look at the other pup with wide eyes. She had the dark and light markings that reminded him of a raccoon…but obviously he wasn’t going to tell her that. He would laugh softly, a light giggle almost, at himself for being startled by a pup his own age. Ears twitched as she told him her name, Siobhan…interesting. “Sandor…” He offered her, his shy smile slowly growing as tail began to wag.

Her next blurted out question made his ears fall back and he faltered for a moment. She was a pup, no harm in telling her that his family was gone…. “Yeah…my dad and mom are gone…” He tried to play tough, like it didn’t bother him, but there was sorrow in his eyes as he pushed away the memory before tears formed. Fortunately, the sad subject- for the moment- was cast aside as a firefly zoomed by her and she snapped at it. He giggled again and would attempt to pounce on some more in the grass, eager to fill his bag up…although he wasn’t sure what exactly the prize was.