Angel On Earth- A Dog Novel

14🐾 Capture 🚗

Alternate Chapter Name; This is where sh1t really hits the fan
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The day after, Gypsy had once again been entrusted to watch Lavender. Her talk with Ace had gotten a little too intimate, and they'd ended up falling asleep together after a cuddle. The male dog Bronx had oddly been gone very late hours into the night. Gypsy thought of asking him where he'd been when he got back... But from the distracted stony look on his face, she hadn't gained the nerve.

Subdued, she tried to distract herself from her thoughts of borderline cheating on Bronx.

But it wasn't working. He'd be so angry if he knew... that I'm starting to like Ace back. Ace would be a wonderful, involved father-dog. Even to pups that aren't his! And he isn't gone all day... Gypsy and the husky-mix had grown closer than they'd ever been before.

Yet her mate often patrolled from dawn until dusk- while Ace was busy feeding Obelisk and her, or marking one border or another at Bronx's command.

Bronx seemed to try and keep Ace busy, but the husky mix was always done with his chores before mid-day. Why did he let Ace join if both him and North treat him like such an outsider?

Yesterday, she had seen North snap at him for treading too close to Lavender. Ace had acted oblivious and stepped away, but she knew it had hurt him.

I'm starting to realize what Ace has to go through here. Would it be wrong if I brought up the idea of... leaving?

But that would mean leaving Bronx, and taking her puppies. Gypsy liked this territory, and the life she had built here. It was so easy to find food, or keep herself entertained with the forest.

"Let's go do something," she hollered impulsively at her pups, standing up. Lavender walked up to her heels, tail wagging.

"Do what?"

"Anything. I need to get out of my head." She threw the black-and-white pup a friendly glance.

"How about we all go to the houses for food together? It'll be their first time," she said while turning her muzzle towards Finn and Copper.

"Ooh, yes! Mother took me there once. All the human-y stuff is so weird and cool," Lavender's eyes lit up in a sort of contagious glee. She bounced on her long, thin legs- but was still only about half of Gypsy's size.

The young pup was growing into a fine young she-dog. In the two days that Gypsy had gotten to know her, she seemed a lot like Finn.

Enthusiastic and positive, but with more of a selfish edge to it. Lavender persisted her male puppies to play, fetch her sticks and beetles, and even said where they had to walk. She was quite the bossy little thing, as if her mother's protectiveness caused her outspoken demeanor.

"No, walk beside me. I can't see through your haunches at what's ahead of us!" Trilled Lavender with a slightly annoyed tone. She flicked her floppy black ears back, tossing her head.

Gypsy didn't mind. She, too, could be a bit overly bossy. And it would teach her male pups to respect female authority.

Copper quietly moved out of the way, following behind his mother-dog as Gypsy led them though the woods.

It was a carefree walk. Lavender entertained her pups with constant chatter and attitude. The rain had relented into the previous night, but was now nothing more than a distant memory. Mud squelched underneath Gypsy's paws as she traveled.

"We're almost there," she said as they came up to the road, bordered by a ditch full of rainwater. All the dogs took a drink from the ditch, then patiently waited to cross the road.