December 25, 2005 ~ Out of the Mouths of Beasts
Sunday.
Folklore holds that animals can speak on Christmas Eve. Personally, I know that animals speak all the time, just in a language we're often too inobservant to understand, but, according to tradition, on Christmas Eve they speak in a way that is plain for all to hear. This is what I overheard last night as I was nursing Grove to sleep. Thank you to Tam for reminding me to listen...
Rose's fairy bell jingled as she raised her head from the rug by the door. "Hey, Monty!"
With a snort, Monty jolted awake, one side of his face all squished from sleep. "Huh?"
"It was a year ago today," Rose said.
"What was?"
"When we came here. It was Christmas Eve last year, remember? Gloria had torn up your paw, and we had that scary ride in the van, and then we came here."
"Ugh. Don't remind me about my paw..."
"Well, you've completely healed. They didn't think you would, what with the severed tendon, but you did! That's probably because the alphas knew what to do."
"Yeah. Our alphas always know what to do. Even the hairy one!"
"Hey, don't pick on him. Just because you prefer 'your Lady'…"
Monty grinned. "So, a year ago? A year ago we came to live with my Lady?"
"Yes. And the hairy one," nodded Rose, not wanting her favorite to be left out.
"A year ago, I learned that even the most impossible wish, the greatest desire of your heart--it can come true."
"Yeah, Dinner Chicken every night is a beautiful thing."
Monty snorted. "You always think with your stomach. No, I mean, I came to live with my Lady--"
"--and the Hairy One," added Rose.
"Yes, and the Hairy One," nodded Monty. "I'd almost forgotten what 'home' meant, it had been so long."
"I'd not known it yet at all."
"And to be loved! To be loved as pack!"
"I'd not know that before, either," sighed Rose.
"You know... I'd always known she was the one, my Lady. Whenever she pulled in to the rescue, my heart just filled up."
"It's hard for me to remember what it was like at the rescue. I was just a pup."
"Well. It was better there than the fear and pain of before. And they took good care of us. But it was nothing like a home. Nothing like having a pack and being loved. Nothing like having two alphas to look to."
"I had a sister there, though... I miss her. I howled and howled when she left."
"Yes. There will always be many to miss." They both sat in silence for a few moments. Monty shifted and said, "It's been a great year, hasn't it?"
Rose gave a silent assent.
Contentment settled over Monty's face. "This year, I learned to love again. I got a pack; I got a home. I learned to trust again, really trust."
"And I learned that the alphas really don't like it when I tear up their bed."
Monty gave Rose a sidelong look. "If you've really learned that, then why do you still do it?"
Rose shrugged. "I just can't control myself when presented with that much fiber. It feels sooo good..."
Monty rolled his eyes. After a pause, he continued, "And now there's a new pup to get to know, The Squirmy One Who Cries," said Monty.
"I have a feeling we'll be learning even more this next year."
"Most certainly."
"I hope the Alphas will have enough love left over to still love us," worried Rose.
"Oh, they will. That's the thing about love. It expands infinitely to fill your need. You can never have too much of it, but you also can never run out."
"Unlike Dinner Chicken," grumbled Rose.
"Come on, Rose. Even if you had infinite Dinner Chicken, you still wouldn't have enough. Who're you kidding?"
"True, true."
Both of them started to drift off again, when Monty lifted his head again. "Hey, Rose?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I just... I wanted to say that it's not just the alphas. It's you, too. I love you, Rose."
"I love you too, Monty. Especially since you always give up food scrap plates to me."
"Eh. It's just not worth the fight."
"Well, I appreciate it."
They fell silent for a time again.
"Hey, Rose?"
"What?"
"Um... Could you distract the alphas for me?"
Rose's eyes narrowed. "Why...?"
"Well... um. Because..."
"This wouldn't have to do with the two new bars of soap we watched them unwrap tonight, would it?"
"Uh... but... well. They smelled sooo good!"
"You're pathetic. Do you LIKE going to the vet or something?"
"But they smelled sooo good!"
"No."
Monty grumbled and put his head back down on his paws. I shifted and tucked a protective arm around Grove, and the pack drifted off to sleep.
|
