Lucky (Slow Updates)

Chapter One - A New Home

Lucky and the puppies grew older and bigger, until one day they were big enough to be put in a wire pen outside. The pen was very small, and slightly cramped for the five puppies.

"Mother, what are we doing?" Dina asked Mindy, who had come to say goodbye.

"You are being taken away by humans who will love you, like my human loves me and Rex," she explained.

"I don't want to leave, I'm scared!" Daisy whimpered.

Mindy licked her daughter's ears through the pen. "Soon you will forget about this old family and have a new one. You will make new friends, and see new places. It'll be fun, I promise." She assured her.

Then Rex came over. "Goodbye, puppies." He said in his low, rough voice. He sniffed noses with them, then he and Mindy walked away, out of the puppies' lives forever.

Daisy whined softly, to be comforted by Tuffy. "It's alright, Daisy! Mother said it'll be fun, remember?" Daisy licked his nose fondly. "I guess," she agreed.

Lucky sat down on the prickly grass and scratched her ear, watching her owners greet a bunch of other people that had come. The people had brought pups of their own, who eagery ran over to the puppy pen. A little human girl pup reached inside and picked up Daisy. She squealed with delight as Daisy wriggled around and tried to lick her face.

Lucky and her siblings put their front paws on the side of the pen and yipped in hopes of capturing the girl's attention. She smiled and patted Jasper on the head, but then walked up to her mother with Daisy. She held up the little puppy for her mother to inspect. She got the approval, and smiled, cradling Daisy carefully. Then she and her mother got in their rumble beast and left with Lucky's sister. Lucky knew that Daisy would be fine.

Then two old humans came to take home her other sister, Dina. They crooned over her, carrying her to their own rumble beast. Lucky yipped one last goodbye to Dina, who barked happily and snuggled into the old lady's arms.

Lucky waddled over to where Jasper and Tuffy were being played with by a human pup just a bit older than the first. He laughed as Tuffy licked his fingers through the wire pen. Lucky gave a little bark and his eyes rested on her. He went over to her and waved his fingers over the pen. She stretched up on her hind legs and nosed his hand hopefully. He smiled and picked her up. Lucky's heart leapt. She wanted this nice boy to take her home.

He carried her to a male and a female human talking to Mindy's owner. They stopped and smiled at Lucky, who wagged her tail at them. "Mom, Dad, can we get her?" The boy asked.

"Yes, she's very cute, isn't she?" His mother said, scratching Lucky behind her ears. She licked the woman's hand.

"That one's named Lucky, because she was very lucky indeed to make it. She was the runt of the litter," he told the parents. "But she sure grew quick!"

"Lucky. That's a perfect name." The boy said.

"Come on, Jack. We can take her home now," his mother said with one last wave to the owner. They began walking to the car, Lucky nestled in Jack's arms the whole time. Lucky turned around and called a fairwell to her brothers. They barked enthusiastically at her, wishing her their best, then Lucky's view was obstructed by the inside of the rumble beast. She was placed gently on a towel, and the noisy beast started growling. Soon they were moving forward.

Lucky had never ridden in a rumble beast before, but Mindy had told her stories about the exciting sights and smells. It was actually pretty fun, once she got past the queasy motion and the constant growl beneath her paws.

Then they slowed to a stop and the beast opened up. Lucky was picked up again by Jack and he carried her to the new house. The first thing that Lucky noticed was the scent of dog. It was strange, nothing like Rex or Mindy or her siblings. Then Jack opened the door and Lucky was greeted by another puppy, a bit bigger than herself, with shaggy black fur and a large, strong build.

"Yay! You're back! Who's that? Where'd she come from? What's her name? I wanna see her! Hey, you! Who are you? My name's Koda!" The black puppy jumped up and down excitedly.

Jack set Lucky down on the floor in front of Koda. "M-my name's Lucky," she stammered.

"Are you the new puppy they were talking about getting?" Koda bounced forward and began sniffing Lucky. "I've been here for three months, so I know this whole place!" he boasted. The human pup is Jack, he's my favorite. The other two are Mom and Dad. They're nice, but sometimes they shout at me if I do something I'm not supposed to. Come on, I'll show you around!" He yipped.

"Okay!" Lucky agreed.

Koda raced off to show Lucky every inch of the house. "There's the den, where Jack and Mom and Dad watch the moving box. They call it a TV.

"And over here," he barks, nosing a door open, "Is the bathroom. That thing is a toilet. It's really fun to drink out of, but Mom gets mad if I do."

They pad into another room. "In here is Jack's bed, where I sleep at night. I guess you'll sleep here, too. That closed door is Mom and Dad's bed. Never go in there, I'm not allowed." They turn the corner again into an open room. "This is the best place! The kitchen is where we eat, and sometimes I get food scraps!" Koda yaps excitedly.

The house wasn't too different from the one Lucky was born in. But then they went through a doggy door and out onto a hard scratchy surface. In front of them was the weirdest thing Lucky had ever seen. It was like a giant blue puddle in the middle of the hard ground.

"What is THAT?" Lucky asked.

"It's called a pool. Jack usually swims in it to cool off. Sometimes he takes me out on a raft in the middle. It's super fun! But I wouldn't swim in it alone, it's deep." Koda warned. "Well, that's it!" He finished.

"Wow." Lucky sat down on the scratchy ground. This was a lot to take in. "Wait, what's behind the fence?" She inquired.

"Oh, you know. Trees, bushes, squirrels..." Koda thumped his tail on the ground.

"What's a squirrel?" Lucky cocked her head in confusion.

Koda stared at her. " You don't know what a squirrel is?" He asked, astonished.

"No. I'm only four months old!" Lucky barked defensively.

"Okay, okay, but I am, too, and I've seen plenty of them! They're smaller than us, they're gray, and they have a really bushy tail. And they are so fun to chase." He told her.

"Sounds cool." Lucky scratched her shoulder.

"They are!" Koda woofed, spinning in a circle.

That is one hyper dog. Are all other puppies like this? Lucky wondered.

"What kind of dog are you?" Lucky asked.

"I'm a black lab/golden retriever mix. That's why I'm so big and why I have such long fur. What about you?" He wagged his tail.

"I'm a great dane/lab mix," She yipped.

"That means we're both part lab!" Koda nosed her happily.

Lucky decided that she loved her new home.