Fly

Epilogue

"It's a tough one, boy. I'm not gonna lie to you. We're gonna have to work really hard if we want to get a place on the podium today..."

"Aw, stop complaining, Poppy. We all know you and Storm'll be great, you always are!"

I wagged my tail in response. After everything, I felt ready for anything life could throw at me. The last year had been full of ups and downs, lefts and rights, dare I say it, even life changing directions. But I, together with the most important people and dogs in my life, had overcome everything.

My girl ruffled my ears affectionately, a slight smile playing on her lips. "You wanna go for a look around? We've got plenty of time 'till our class, lunch break is first". I nodded my head with enthusiasm. My girl grabbed my lead, slipped my harness over my head and fumbled slightly with the clip before calling me to jump off the bench.

My girl took a step forward but I did not; we were forgetting someone. She seemed to realise what I was implying and laughed.

"You don't really think I would forget Bo did you, or Lily, Breeze, Nugget and Natcho? Come on, bud, give me some credit", she chuckled heartily. I just rolled my eyes. "Did you just roll your... Go Ring The Stormtrooper Jones, don't ever do that again, young man!", she warned jokingly.

I hid my face under my paws as if I was scared, my tail still wagging steadily.

"You really have become a cheeky little man, haven't you?", my girl said jovially, the same smile still on her lips. "I bet this is because of Bo. Jealous much, Storm?"

"I don't care if he's jealous, Poppy, but I know I am. I know I've said it a hundred times before, but the relationship you two have is insane. I mean, your dog rolls his eyes at you, what kind of dog does that!?", Lily asked, bemused by the way my girl and I interacted.

Just for effect, I rolled my eyes again. Lily chuckled, obviously glad they she had proved a point. My girl glared at me. "Would. You. Stop. Showing. Off! You're such a naughty little toad!", she exclaimed, I merely smiled, shook my head and turned to face Bo.

"You know I'm not jealous that you're here, don't you, Bo?", I catechised. I felt kind of stupid for worrying that he would feel as though I didn't want him around, yet I also feared that was indeed how he did feel.

"Huh, Storm you have every right to be jealous of me, but I know you aren't. I've seen plenty of jealous dogs before, but trust me when I say you're nothing like them."

Satisfied by the sincerity of his tone, I turned back to my girl who was digging around in a bag trying to find Bo's harness. I could see Lily a few benches down trying, but failing, to organise her three lively dogs. Breeze turned to me and our eyes met, she smiled, a genuine smile, and I knew that things were going to be just fine, and fine for all of us.

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I eyed the tennis ball intensely; You. Are . Mine! Well, if my girl says I can have you. I put on my best puppy-dog face, turned to face Breeze and called her name to get her attention.

"Breeze, is this a cute enough face to persuade my girl to buy me a new toy?"

She giggled and nodded her head. "You really need to teach me how to pull off that face though. Last time I tried, Poppy thought I was having a seizure. Do you remember that? She looked like she was going to have a heart attack!", Breeze responded.

I playfully nudged her shoulder in defence of my girl. Turning back around, I glanced at the tennis ball one more time and went to ask my girl. She was sat with Lily at a table next to one of the food stands. Our pack of dogs were lazily lying around by their feet, except for Natcho who was insistent that she was entitled to eat the food off Lily's plate.

She smiled as she saw me approaching, and offered her hand out for me to rest my chin on. I took this as my opportunity to beg for the toy;the puppy-dog face was unleashed!

"Storm, you could stand there all day and I still wouldn't buy you that toy. You've got plenty of them, you don't need another one!"

Damn, my plan had been foiled. I made a mental note to start learning some new tactics because my girl now knew all of my classic ones. Sighing dramatically, I made my way back over to the other dogs, avoiding glancing at the tennis ball I had lost without even a chance to chew it first. But my girl did have a point, I had plenty at home.

When lunch had been eaten, our bellies filled, we continued on our way. Unlike at Crufts, we looked a little out of place here. Olympia was primarily a horse show, not an agility show, although they did have a few classes held here each year. A few funny looked were hurled in our direction, but it didn't affect us any more. This was nothing compared to what we had all been through together.

We headed back to our benched to prepare for our afternoon classes, stopping only so my girl and Lily could buy some treats for us all along the way.

It watched my girl as she stood in the queue with Lily. She had never looked so carefree and at ease, and it made me proud to be a part of the mixture that had allowed her dreams to come true. Then to Breeze stood next to Nugget and Natcho. The three were laughing at an anecdote Nugget had told about a friend he used to know. Bo, what could I really say about him? He was, well he was Bo; contented after being granted the thing he had wished for more than anything else in the world:a home.

How could things get any better?

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"Could all competitors it class twelve-grade five to seven jumping-make their way to the collecting ring please", a voice over the tannoy system announced.

My girl turned to me, beckoning me to her side. A determined, mischievous glint shone in her eyes.

"Come on boy. We have work to do..."

I smiled.

I had conquered my past, my present was only going to be as good as I made it, and my future, no matter where it may take me, would always be great, just as long as I had my girl by my side, my friends in my heart, and agility intertwined in my life.

This was where I was meant to be.