Red In The Morning

Chapter 3

The farm felt different.

Less alive and vibrant with life. At least, that's how Bitzer saw it.

His routine was off, his schedule a mess. Somedays he didn't even bother giving commands to the sheep and farm animals... like, like he didn't care anymore.

A week went by... and time seemed to go so very slow. Shaun looked out from the barn one Sunday morning, a whole seven days having passed, and his mouth opened... exhaling a deep sigh from the depths of his heart.

Shaun had loved the farmer like he was their father, more than just an owner. With the farmer gone, it didn't feel like home anymore... it felt like an empty soulless farm.

Bitzer was sitting on the wall that cold Sunday, as winter was approaching quickly in the distance. It was afternoon, and the sky was a deep red.

Bitzer sighed heavily, and closed his eyes, feeling the warm heat from the sun leave him as the ball of light dipped under the horizon.

He jolted a little, when he felt the spot next to him had been sat on, and he turned his eyes... seeing his woolly friend had come to sit next to him.

Shaun nodded his head weakly, and placed his arm around Bitzer's shoulder, comforting the dog with an honest soft gesture, and Bitzer closed his eyes again. A tear drop slipped down his cheek.

Soon other sheep surrounded them, as the whole flock sat on the stone wall.

Timmy sat on Shaun's lap, and the little lamb pointed at the red sun as it finally was hidden completely by the horizon.

Stars began to sprinkle the sky in the next hour that passed, and the animals of the farm looked at the dark sparkling night... thinking that the farmer was up there somehow, watching them... like he had never left.

All was quiet, and Bitzer took a heavy deep breath in and out through his nose, his eyes closed in peace at that moment.

Suddenly the bells chimed, and the animals all turned around, seeing Blondy was ringing the bell to call the dog.

Bitzer inhaled heavily, before hopping off the wall, and going to his new master.

Shaun watched the dog go, and he bleated at the other sheep for them to head in as well.

The flock all gave a nod of confirmation, and Shaun bounced Timmy once more, before handing the baby lamb to his mother.

Shaun slid off the wall, and hit the mucky ground in a small thump. His flock copied, and they all headed in to the barn as night set in more rapidly.

~x~

Shaun sat on the barn's wooden upper floor, looking out through the window to the farmhouse, and seeing Pidsley was licking his paw on the window sill. When the cat caught sight of Shaun's gaze, he hissed and turned around, ignoring the sheep.

Shaun was less than amused himself by this attitude.

He sighed, before heading to his bed and cuddling under the heavy quilt.

~x~

Bitzer watched as Blondy sat on the couch, watching the football game and enjoying himself. The dog couldn't get into the match though, and placed his head on his paw, bored as he gazed with depressed eyes at the screen.

Blondy cheered when the team he was rooting for had got a goal and he went, "Yea!"

Bitzer just rolled his eyes, and Blondy could feel the descent in his mood, as the man turned to see a depressed dog.

Blondy's eyes crinkled a little, upset at seeing this himself.

He thought of some way to make the hound happy when an idea suddenly lit up in his mind. He pulled out the old photo albums on the shelves and nudged the dog to move over. Bitzer obeyed, and Blonde sat beside him, opening up the big book of photos.

Bitzer's eyes widened when he saw a picture of him as a pup, the farmer looking so happy at his pet. Tears welled in Bitzer's eyes as Blondy turned the pages, showing the sheep as young lambs, and the memory came upon Bitzer of a more innocent happy time.

"There!" Blondy said with a small laugh when he pointed at Bitzer in the photo, playing with the sheep and the farmer.

Bitzer couldn't take this, it was too much for him to bear feeling at this moment. He slapped the book closed and threw it towards the open fire.

Blondy gasped and jumped through the air, catching the big book before it hit the flames.

Bitzer was hyperventilating, as tears ran down his cheeks, and he ran out of the house, just as snow had started falling to the ground from the onset of a cold snap.

The dog ran to his dog house and pulled out all his belongings, wrapping them in a cloth. He then tied the cloth to a strong stick and headed for the road.

Shaun had just stirred awake and looked back out the barn window to see how the farmhouse was now.

As he looked around, he spotted Bitzer's silhouette against the bright pale moon, and Shaun yelped, startled at this.

He quickly grabbed hold of the handle of the wire and swung down to the bottom of the shed. When his hooves hit the straw and dry ground he ran on all fours to catch his friend just in time.

Bitzer looked out to a world he didn't know but decided it would hurt less than the world he had known.

The dog took a deep breath in, building up courage. He took one step out of the farm, and then another.

"Baa!"

He froze up a little, before turning slightly to see Shaun approach him quickly.

"Woof..." Bitzer answered his friend, pointing out to the unknown, and Shaun gazed at him worried.

"Baa!" He answered, taking hold of Bitzer's arm and directing him back to the farm.

To their home.

Bitzer shook his head. He didn't agree with that anymore. If anything, the farm hurt him now.

He closed his eyes solemnly and shook his head.

He pushed Shaun aside and walked out to the unknown.

Shaun didn't know what to do.

He grabbed Bitzer's shoulder, and silently nodded to his friend. He stepped out of the farmyard too.

He would go with Bitzer so that he could direct him back to the farm when the dog was ready to face reality again.

But for now, the darkness beyond the farm was where the two of them were heading.

Timmy gazed out through the barn's door, and his eyes swelled up with tears. He quickly frolicked after them as he too would go places he had never been before.

He was ready... or as ready as an infant could be.

The flock of sheep awakening in the new dawn to the realization that two members of their family were missing.