Walking with Digby on his way to see Chuck was almost always a pleasant way to spend some time. Digby got to explore a bit, and Ned was finding he almost liked being out and enjoying the day. It was a strange feeling.
A familiar looking dog running toward them wasn't exactly an unfamiliar sight, and Ned barely had time to recognize Eugene before she ran past them. Digby barked as she went by, then looked up at Ned almost as if to ask for permission.
"Go get her," he said, almost resigned, then looked back the way Eugene had come for Mikal.
Eugene was more or less stopped by the much bigger dog, which is how I found her a few moments later when I caught up. Without much thought I picked her up, not really chancing her trying to escape again.
"Thanks," I say without even seeing who the man and the dog was. I'm just relieved she didn't go any farther - Mikal would have never forgiven me if she got hurt. It's only after a few more moments I realize I probably should explain what's going on, and I turn around to look at the man.
"I was just trying to give her a bath," I explain once I'm not quite so out of breath, like that explanation ought to explain it all. I realize I know the man - one of the cooks, I think. "Thanks for stopping her. She's faster than I thought."
Mikal finds herself immediately grateful that she's walking in the direction of the waterfall, if only because Eugene winds up scampering right towards her, jumping up with little paws against her jeans. For her part, she only laughs, then crouches to pet the dog on the head, unable to help smiling. This isn't the first time Eugene hasn't wanted to get bathed, and while Mikal probably shouldn't find it endearing, she does.
"No luck?" she asks when Zia comes into view, straightening again and trying to suppress a smile. She can't say she'd expected otherwise.
I'm actually relieved to see her, if only because it stops Eugene in her tracks. I slow to a stop in front of her, pausing to catch my breath as best as I can.
"Not even close," I admit with a sheepish kind of look, shaking my head. "You'd think I was torturing her."
"You mean you weren't?" Mikal teases, not bothering, now, to try to hide her smile. Eugene's all but cowering behind her leg, making very clear that what Zia says isn't much of an exaggeration, if one at all. Sighing a little, she runs a hand through her hair, resigned. "There's got to be an easier way to do this."
The bounding dog causes Ophelia to stop. She drops her things, headless of the dirt and mud that will get on them. Such matters can be washed away but a lost dog can turn to trouble.
Bending over she whistles and holds out her arms, catching the furred creature. "Silly beast," she chides with a smile. "Tis not nice to escape."
I can't even say how grateful I am to find Ophelia down the road once I catch up, holding a wiggling Eugene in her arms. I'd really been behind, and I have a feeling I wouldn't have caught up. She can be fast when she wants to be.
"Thanks," I say, leaning over for a moment to catch my breath. My feet hurt, too, from walking barefoot on the path. Letting out a sort of breathless laugh, I stand up straight again. "I have never seen a dog that hates water so much."
"I think that saying actually involves a horse," I point out with a slight laugh. At least Eugene isn't trying to run away anymore - she's sucking up the attention, in fact. "But it's true either way. You know, I've owned a lot of dogs, and this is the only one that didn't go running into the water at full speed. Maybe it's a small dog thing."
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A familiar looking dog running toward them wasn't exactly an unfamiliar sight, and Ned barely had time to recognize Eugene before she ran past them. Digby barked as she went by, then looked up at Ned almost as if to ask for permission.
"Go get her," he said, almost resigned, then looked back the way Eugene had come for Mikal.
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"Thanks," I say without even seeing who the man and the dog was. I'm just relieved she didn't go any farther - Mikal would have never forgiven me if she got hurt. It's only after a few more moments I realize I probably should explain what's going on, and I turn around to look at the man.
"I was just trying to give her a bath," I explain once I'm not quite so out of breath, like that explanation ought to explain it all. I realize I know the man - one of the cooks, I think. "Thanks for stopping her. She's faster than I thought."
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"No luck?" she asks when Zia comes into view, straightening again and trying to suppress a smile. She can't say she'd expected otherwise.
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"Not even close," I admit with a sheepish kind of look, shaking my head. "You'd think I was torturing her."
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And if that was the case, I'm definitely fine with letting her do it from now on.
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Bending over she whistles and holds out her arms, catching the furred creature. "Silly beast," she chides with a smile. "Tis not nice to escape."
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"Thanks," I say, leaning over for a moment to catch my breath. My feet hurt, too, from walking barefoot on the path. Letting out a sort of breathless laugh, I stand up straight again. "I have never seen a dog that hates water so much."
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"Tis a form of a saying, is it not? That you can lead a dog to water but thou cannot make it bathe."
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