Red In The Morning

Chapter 6

As the two headed back to the cottage, Shaun got an idea and giggled to himself. He scooped some snow off from the ground, and balling it up, he threw it at Bitzer.

It hit the dog square in the face, and Bitzer stumbled back, startled. He looked Shaun's way, and the sheep just hid his hooves behind his back, whistling innocently... or very suspiciously.

Bitzer gave a small grin, and scooped up a snowball for his own revenge. He tossed it forward, but Shaun dodged it, rolling on the ground in cheeky laughter.

Bitzer chuckled, and bent down, picking up as much snow as he could and walked on unsteady feet towards Shuan. The sheep suddenly looked above himself, and gasped when he saw Bitzer drop the armful of snow onto his woolly coat. Not only that, but the snow had completely covered Shaun.

Bitzer snickered, and Shaun's head popped out of the freezing white snow, his teeth chattering.

Bitzer suddenly realised that he had gone too far, and pulled Shaun's arm, yanking the sheep out of the freezing cold icy snow.

Shaun stood there shivering, and Bitzer had a flashback of finding the farmer dead. He was terrified that he had caused Shuan, his best friend, to get seriously cold... and so he rushed the sheep inside the warm cottage.

The old lady looked at the shivering sheep, and her eyes widened in horror. She put some more logs on the fire, and placed Shaun in a warm armchair, with a big heavy warm blanket over him.

Bitzer bit his claws in extreme anxiety, and sat down on the ground beside Shaun's chair. All he could be was loyal and there for the sheep. But the thought that this was all his fault entered his minds, and he grabbed his head, shaking it in terror.

There was a sudden knock on the front door, and the elderly lady opened it. She froze when she saw it was the farmer's brother, holding up a picture of Bitzer and Shaun.

She looked into the living room, and Bitzer quickly waved his arms about, giving her the sign to keep quiet.

The lady stared at him confused, until she heard a muffle, and turned back to Blondy. She nervously shook her head, and the blonde man sighed, turning around and leaving her property.

Bitzer wiped his sweaty forehead relieved the man had left.

Shaun had closed his eyes in a painful slumber, and Bitzer wanted to comfort his cold friend. He got another warm blanket and threw it over Shaun's woolly body, but the sheep just blinked opened his eyes, and pat the spot next to him for Bitzer to join in on the heat.

The dog mumbled surprised, but shrugged his shoulders and climbed on the chair next to Shaun.

The two closed their eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.

The old lady watched the two from away at the door and went "Awe..." as she watched the two animals snuggle for companionship and warmth.

~x~

Meanwhile, Blondy looked all around the frozen countryside for the missing dog and sheep. He began to dread the worse, thinking that the two had gotten hypothermia from the cold.

As he entered back into the farm after a lengthy search, Timmy looked up at him, the little lamb's big eyes staring at the tall man, amazed.

When Blondy saw the little sheep, he picked Timmy up and blew into his wool as he sobbed and squeezed the lamb close.

The sheep all poked their heads out of the barn, and Timmy squeaked from the big hug. Blondy placed him down to the ground and patted his head as he went away back inside. Something, however, had fallen out of his pocket, and Timmy lifted up a poster that showed a picture of Blitzer and Shaun, saying Missing. The sheep all gathered around, and Timmy pointed to the road, remembering the path he had taken the other night before Shaun had made him go home. He took a few steps across the snow but suddenly fell into it. His mother gasped, worried, and picked her son up, putting him on her shoulders, and he pointed ahead.

The sheep all followed his direction, walking in a line out of the farmyard and onto the road.

~x~

Bitzer dreamt a nice dream, as he cuddled into Shaun. It was a dream about the farmer, the ginger middle-aged man throwing a stick into the distance and Bitzer running after it in joy. His tail wagged side to side, and when he collected the stick, the farmer presented him with a bone.

He smiled gleefully and grabbed the bone licking it.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Shaun felt something licking him, and opened his eyes weakly, seeing Bitzer was licking him in his sleep. Shaun bleated at him annoyed and shook the dog. Bitzer slowly awoke, and Shaun just laughed at Bitzer for his dreamlicking.

The two snuggled back into the blanket, and Shaun didn't feel chilly anymore. He stretched his arms and gave a loud yawn.

And because yawns are contagious, Bitzer copied him. The two laughed again, and the old lady came in with a grin on her face, as she handed the two a cup of soup each.

The two cheered and took the hot mugs off her.

Shaun blew on his soup to cool it down, but Bitzer took an eager gulp, and spat his out when it burnt his tongue.

Shaun and the old lady laughed at the dog, and Bitzer just giggled, being more careful as he drank the rest of his soup.

The old lady then went before the two and lifted up the piece of paper Blondy had left with her. The two stiffened in worry, afraid she was going to take them home, but she only pointed at the word of the paper that said, Missing.

The two looked at one another, and then back at her, and when she saw their concern, she smiled softly. She ripped the poster in half and the two's mouths dropped open.

She pat Bitzer on the head, then Shaun, and left for the kitchen.

The two watched her go, before leaning back on the couch in relief.

When Shaun closed his eyes again, he saw the image of the farmer shaking his head in disapproval of the two. The sheep bounced awake, touching his head as if he was coming down with a fever. But he knew that wasn't it.

What it was, was guilt.