UDCFR

Chapter 4

3 years later...

The Ryder's are meeting up with the Oxfords at the neighborhood park. The Oxford couple has a female German shepherd named Roxy. She has soft, delicate brown fur with a chestnut color on her face and paws. Her pale blue eyes glimmer in the sunlight. Max and Roxy started dating two years prior and are now married. This day is a special day. Today is the day for Max and Roxys' first litter of puppies to find homes. Jeff Ryder and David Oxford set up an enclosure for the puppies to be. The trees are yellow, orange and shiny from the autumn sun. The trees cast shade onto the puppy enclosure. Hunter, Max, and Roxy look over the enclosure fence, watching the pups run and play.

"Which one will be adopted first?" Hunter asks Max.

Max scans the pups, looking for a potential first adoption.

"I think Charger will be first." Max says, nodding towards the biggest pup. The pup has dark brown fur all over with light brown fur on his face and paws.

"I don't know, most people want a girl dog." Hunter says. Max looks at him and turns his gaze to the girl closest to them. This pup is unique in color. A light shade of blue with robin blue on her face and paws.

"If they want a smurf for a pet, then I guess you're right." Max says to Hunter, with a slight smile on his face.

"Don't pick on Sylvia." Roxy says with a hint of scorn in her words, "I think she's wonderful."

"But it's your job to think that." Hunter says.

Sylvia runs over to her brother, the smallest, and begins to play with him. Her smaller brother is too small to wrestle with, so she nudges at him, trying to get him to run.

"Poor Chase." Roxy says with sadness, "He's too small to keep up with his siblings."
Chase is the only pup still wearing a blue onesie. His fur is brown with a tab face and paws. There is a brown patch around his nose.

"He's just a bit slower at growing than the others hon'." Max says to reassure his wife, "He'll catch up."

They continue to watch the pups when a three year old toddler walks towards the pen. Three years ago, Wendy gave birth to their first and only son, Zachary Ryder Jr. Since being born, Max and Hunter took to him like a little brother. Zach continues to play with the pups all afternoon. Customers come and go, and one by one, puppies were adopted. When the sun starts to go down, all the puppies have been adopted except for one. Zach continues to hold Chase, the tiny German shepherd, cradled in his arms. The two families pack up everything. It is time to go home.

"I don't understand." Hunter said aloud, watching Zach and Chase, "It's been a month, and Chase's siblings have grown, but he's still the size he was at birth?"

Jeff comes over to Hunter, "Don't worry Hunter. Chase will be fine. He had a vet appointment next week. The vet will be able to answer Chase's problem."

Jeff pats Hunter on the neck and walks back to the family Tahoe. Roxy and Max make their way over to Zach, who is still cradling Chase.

"I think Zach found his favorite dog." Max says. Roxy has a worried expression on her face.

"Are you sure Chase will be okay?" Roxy asks Max.

Max snuggles next to Roxy, "I'm positive. He is fine. The vet will not find anything wrong with him."

Hunter, Wendy, and David Oxford belong to me.
Jeff, Max, Roxy, and Charger belong to ThreadyRumble.
Zach(Ryder), and Chase belong to spinmasters.