BarkingProse - Part 14

My First Bark

by Journey • April 22, 2016

Journey

Excuse me if I look a little disheveled. I was busy playing in the dirt when Ash told me to come post my first Bark.

I know Ash needs help running BarkingProse and I really do want to do my share, but it’s hard to get started.

Ash told me to think about something fun and just tell people about it. He said not all our Barks are serious and I’ll have lots of time to practice.

Maybe sometime I’ll post a silly Bark, but for my introduction I want to talk about Tess.

I was born shortly after Tess died. We passed each other on the rainbow bridge. She had given up her fur to live as a spirit dog. I was leaving the spirit world to take up my new life as a companion dog.

She stopped on her journey to tell me what my life would be like at Asherpark. I listened quietly and tried to remember everything Tess told me. She explained that I could go forward with the soul randomly assigned to me, or she would give me her soul.

Tess

I had no idea what I should do, so I asked her what she thought. Tess said her death had been really hard on her people and her best friend, Asher. It would bring comfort to her pack at Asherpark if they saw signs of her in me.

I quickly agreed, having no idea what I was getting myself into. It was all so confusing. I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing, but Tess was persuasive and I could not say no to her.

Tess said her soul would mingle with my developing soul to form my own identify. She assured me I would be my own soul, but with many of her traits and habits. She said her strong points were her loyalty and her famous nose that was as good as any hound. I would have those traits and a few quirks that she had not polished out during her time at Asherpark.

Tess asked me to stay very still as she slipped her soul into mine. Then it was time for us to part. Tess wished me godspeed and said I’d love the raw meat at Asherpark.

As she disappeared over the far end of the bridge Tess turned and barked, “Tell Ash I will come to him in the ravine.”

I was so exhausted I fell into a deep sleep and didn’t awaken for three weeks, when I was born into the world.

There is more to tell, but it must wait for another time.

Shiloh

Reflections

by Shiloh • April 21, 2016

Shiloh

This has been a hard month for Ash. It was one year ago that he lost his best friend, Tess. I know it’s on his mind even though he can’t bring himself to talk about it.

For months there had been something not quite right with Tess. Mom took her to four different vets but nobody had the answer. When the vets finally figured it out it was too late to save her.

It was hard for all of us when Tess died. She was still a young dog and full of swagger. She and Ash were so close. They used to spend hours sharing secrets and barking at shadows.

Tess and Ash

Tess barely had time to say her good-byes before the vet came to our house to help her across the bridge.

Ash was beside himself with grief. Every night for a week he dug under the fence and ran into the ravine where he played as a boy. He said he had to be alone in case Tess wanted to talk to him.

Ash grieved hard for a long time. He was sad and mad and crazy all at the same time. He wouldn’t let mom out of his sight, but then he’d hear the coyotes and run off to the ravine.

One day I heard Ash tell mom he wanted to raise a puppy. He said the pack needed a new soul and he wanted to teach a puppy the way his beloved Aunt Codie taught him.

Ash told mom he was still young enough to put up with a puppy and they could have lots of fun together. Then he burst into tears and told mom how lonely he was without Tess. Two months later we brought the puppy home and Ash isn’t lonely any longer. There’s more to this story, but for now this picture says it all.

Ash and Journey

Asher

We Are One Now

by Asher • March 2, 2016

Ash

Did you ever want something so bad you couldn’t even talk about it? Just thinking about it made your heart ache?

Since Mama and Shiloh showed up three years ago all I ever wanted was for us to get along as a pack.

When you’re a pack you move together, you think the same thoughts, you know what to expect from each other.

But from the beginning there was trouble between Shiloh and Tess. It got so bad we had to separate into two packs.

I went back and forth between the two camps but Tess and Shiloh always had to be kept separate.

After Tess died it was just me and Shiloh. We were a pack but a pack of two mutts is pretty lame. We needed at least one more soul to make a real pack.

Journey arrived last summer and I thought my prayers had been answered. But Shiloh took a big dislike to little Journey and bit her. So all of a sudden we were back to living separate lives.

Journey was so little she didn’t even understand what was going on. I asked Shiloh why she bit Journey but she wouldn’t tell me. It wasn’t the way things were supposed to be. I could play with Journey or Shiloh but the three of us could never play together.

I watched mom moving gates and dogs. She looked so tired and sad but she put on a good face for us mutts.

Then one day something happened. Journey slipped past a gate and trotted right up to Shiloh. Journey was wagging her butt and doing play bows to show Shiloh she wanted to be friends.

I started to get mom because I didn’t want Journey to get bit but Shiloh nodded to me that it was okay. Shiloh lay real still and let Journey sniff her all over. Then Journey stood still while Shiloh sniffed her.

When they were done sniffing butts Journey gave Shiloh a quick lick on the snout and lay down next to her. And that’s how my heart’s desire came true.

Journey and Shiloh

In that moment we became a pack again. I was silly with happiness. Now all three of us mutts can run together. We can chase the sound of coyotes and bark at the neighbor’s dog together.

When we move, we move as one. It’s a beautiful sight: us three mutts trailing alongside mom as she moves from one chore to another; us three mutts all snoozing in the same room while mom reads.

I’m so happy I think my heart is gonna burst!

Asher