Born to Race

Chapter 4

The race dogs stayed inside the house until The Boss came back with the other three dogs. But he did not mind that the pups and Sasha had stayed inside. After exchanging a few angry words with his mate, he let them stay three more nights and that was it.

Eventually everything was back to normal. Shadow hung out with Smokey, running and playing tug of war with sticks. Tiger would sometimes bite or growl at the whippet and the black pup. He did not like the pups or the whippet. Even though they sometimes talked.

Sasha's belly was growing larger everyday. Tiger brought her leftover bones after feeding time to keep her fed. Sleeping beside her to protect her. It was like this Until one day the puppies came. On a late afternoon on the third day of spring.

"What's happening?" Snowy asked when she saw Sasha whining and panting in her kennel.

"Her pups are coming," said Smokey. "I wonder how many there will be, or what they will look like."

Half an hour later as Tiger and Tan stood by. Sasha gave birth to four lovely pups. Two light brindle ones and two dark brindle ones. Sasha licked them rapidly, her strokes gentle. Tiger nuzzled her affectionately and licked her cheek. Snowy and Shadow approached wagging their tails. But Sasha snapped at them. The mother dog was protective and did not let anyone but Tiger and Tan near.

"So Shadow, wanna play tug of war or something?" Smokey asked, getting into a play bow in front of the black pup.

"Sure," Shadow yipped and followed his friend to find a stick.

Snowy watched them go, she wished she had made friends. But none of the dogs liked her, especially Tan. She watched as Tan slowly padded over to her favourite place near the house. Which was under the roof on the tile floor.

"Snowy," Sasha called in a soft voice.

The white pup whipped around and smiled at the brindle female's litter. They look like their father and their mother. And one of them had their father's personality already showing.

"Would you like to name one?" Sasha asked.

"Um, sure," Snowy was excited at the thought of naming the she-dog's pups. She tried to think, what would be a good name?

"What about Tabby for the dark brindle one?"

"Excellent, and Tiger, what one will you name?" Sasha asked her mate.

"I think Stripe Tail for a boy and Golden for the girl," the old male barked.

Sasha gazed at her four pups, both her and Tiger were filled with pride at their litter. Snowy looked at the unnamed pup, who was just like their father. She knew that he or she would turn out just like Tiger. Or maybe the opposite, she knew that dogs could still change.

"What will you name this one?" she asked curiously.
"The master will take them away once they are old enough, so if they go to a good owner I want them to choose that one's name," Sasha explained.

"What if the pups end up becoming racing hounds?"

"Then they will be the fastest."

"And the bravest because of their mother," Tiger said with a gruff bark.

Snowy was surprised that they wanted their pups to be put in cages for most of their lives and run for human entertainment.

"You know it doesn't have to be this way, we can escape!" Snowy said.

"You think we can escape? There is no way out pup." Tiger laughed at her idea. Shaking his head in disagreement.

"We tried, Tiger and I tried after our first litter was taken but we failed. Ice, you and Jasper better start forgetting about leaving, and begin training for the races."

"My name is Snowy, I don't want to be Ice!" Snowy barked defiantly and padded away.

She found Shadow sitting by the fence and joined him. Lying down she rolled over and swatted at Shadow. The black pup nipped her playfully.

"I got to name one of Sasha's pups!" she said.

"Wow, she let you?" Shadow wagged his tail. "Tiger would never let me near."

"I know," Snowy sighed and sat up. "They still call us Ice and Jack," she grumbled.

"Oh well, at least Smokey sometimes calls me Shadow. He says two names are better than one," Shadow said.

"That sounds like a load of bull droppings! Don't believe all that the whippet says," Tan scoffed as she overheard.

"Hey! That's my friend!" Shadow jumped up and bared his teeth.

"Whatever silly pup," Tan barked back.

The door opened suddenly and the man came out. He went over to Sasha and looked at her pups. He counted four then went back inside. The Boss came back out again with water and put it in Sasha's cage. The female dog drank gratefully and got a pat on the head.

"Good dog," The Boss said.

The dogs understood those words. They were good words, which meant the man was pleased with Sasha's litter.

Tiger laid down next to the cage and watched out over the yard. Making sure Sasha was safe and no dog approached her or the pups.

The Man gave Tiger a pat too before going back inside. Later that night the dogs were put in their cages and each given a bone for dinner from the women. She and her daughter said goodbye to the dogs and left the yard. They would not return to the house until the next winter.