Red In The Morning

Chapter 7

Shaun looked around the surronding area. The pastures were green and his flock were eating the grass, looking very merry themselves.

Shuan bleated happily, and walked over in gleeful steps to his family.

Timmy was playing with his teddy, and when the small lamb saw his cousin, he waved his hoof about eagerly, coming over and holding his toy in front of Shuan.

When the older sheep looked at it, he gasped, shocked. The teddy wasn't a bear anymore, it was a stuffed small Bitzer.

Shaun felt sick in the stomach, and took the Bitzer toy from Timmy, feeling teardrops swelling around his eyes.

Suddenly there was a howl in the distance and Shaun looked ahead, seeing a wolf in the nearby field.

The sheep all trembled at the sight of him, and just as the wolf was about to lunge at them, they ran to the barn, and slammed the wooden doors closed.

Shuan stood back from the entrance way, and could hear the wolf snarling and growling outside the large barn.

Shaun looked at the Bitzer teddy, and felt tears slip down his cheek. How were they going to protect themselves against a giant wolf?

The wooden doors thumped, being slammed against from the outside, and the sheep were shaking. Then it happened, the doors pounded forward, and swung opened, revealing the beast.

Shaun screamed as he saw his flock get massacred.

It was then that Shaun woke up from the horrifying nightmare, and saw he was alone in the living room of the old lady.

He glanced from side to side, before taking a deep sigh out in relief. He had never had a dream that scary before.

He could hear noise outside the house in the backyard and stood up, looking for what was making that sound.

The glass was all fogged up, but the sheep wiped it with his hoof and looked through it, seeing the old lady shaking a bone at Bitzer. The dog clapped his paws happily and she tossed the bone off into the distance.

Shaun watched as Bitzer chased after it, and leant his head on his hoof, at peace at the sight.

Suddenly there was a doorbell heard dinging in the distance. Shaun yawned, stretching his hooves, before opening the front door.

He gasped amazed.

Right before him was his flock, with Timmy leading the sheep. Shaun bleated happily, and the flock jumped on him, hugging him in joy and relief.

Shaun waved them into the cottage, and the sheep all settled into the living room, as Shuan boiled the kettle for tea.

~x~

The old lady laughed when Bitzer handed her back the bone, and pat the dog softly on his head, patting his hat.

She waved for him to come back inside, and Bitzer "woofed" as he followed her, his tail wagging.

When they entered back into the warm cottage, the old lady froze in her steps when she saw a large flock of sheep drinking tea and hot coco in the living room. The flock all turned they heads to look at her, and pointed their hooves at Shaun. Shaun mumbled under his breath, annoyed at this.

The old lady didn't know what to do, and just stepped into the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of hot coco too.

Bitzer approached the flock and climbed back onto his spot on the armchair, next to Timmy and Shaun.

The dog nudged his head, indicating the large gathering of sheep, and Shaun only shrugged his shoulders, not knowing how to respond to that.

The old lady came back in, and handed Bitzer a cup of tea. Bitzer took it and swallowed down the hot liquid, heating up his insides.

Timmy shook Shaun just then, and pointed to the outside direction that led back to the farm.

Shaun knew that the lamb was trying to ask him if he would come back home with them, and he nudged Bitzer, asking him the same.

Bitzer grew quiet, memories passing through his mind of the farmer being gone, and how Blondy couldn't be a replacement for him.

He bit his lip, and sadly shook his head. When the sheep all saw this, they gasped and got on their knees, begging him to reconsider but the dog had made up his mind.

The sheep all looked distraught, but Bitzer couldn't change the way he felt.

Life had led him somewhere new, somewhere he felt he could start again.

Bitzer looked over to the old lady, and came over to her, placing his tea on the coffee table and begging for her to let him stay.

Shaun watched this terrified, and fell to his own knees, begging the lady to reject Bitzer's plea.

The old lady looked back and forth between the two, and closed her eyes, nodding to Bizter and not Shaun. The sheep all gasped and Bitzer clapped happily, giving the frail lady a big hug.

Shaun felt tears surround his eyes, and they slipped down his cheeks in despair. So did it happen to the sheep, as they cried at this development.

Timmy's mother opened the front door, and began to head out in the cold. Timmy and the flock sadly followed, and Shaun eventually pursued them, but not before looking back over at Bitzer.

Tears were in Shaun's eyes, and Bitzer gazed dowm to the ground, hopelessly feeling the guilt in his heart.

He walked over to give Shaun a goodbye hug, but the sheep only pushed him aside, shaking his head and only turned to leave.

The dog felt so heartbroken, but felt the old lady place her wrinkled hand on his shoulder, and led him back to the warmth of his new home.

~x~

It was a bit of a walk, but the flock eventually reached the farm again. They entered the barn, and snuggled together for warmth because of the cold.

After ten minutes, Blondy stepped in and looked at the chilly sheep. When he noticed Shaun had come back, he grabbed him and shook him asking with his grumble, where was Bitzer the dog?

Shaun shrugged his shoulders, and Blondy grumbled, dropping Shaun to the cold ground, leaving again to do who knows what?

Shaun sighed heavily at the thought of his friend leaving them. But he hoped beyond hope that Bitzer would return home to his loved ones.