the situation but still able to muster up a pleasant demeanor in the presence of another acquaintance.

“Hello, Stella.  It’s nice to uh…to meet you.”

Stella just looked to Boris almost skeptically as well as unimpressed.

“He’s not another trouble-dog is he?”

“Trouble-dog???” Boris proclaimed as he smacked Dingo’s back with a wing. “When I said Balto was trouble-dog that was exaggeration.  THIS one’s real trouble-dog!”

“Now wait a minute Uncle Boris, I-“

“He was first one adopted and taken into good home; he was meant to set good example for other ones.”

“Oh no-“

“But now he did not make sled team like his brother,”

“Easy there-“

“And he was even kicked out of home because he’s-“

“That’s it!”

To avoid any further embarrassment Dingo quickly grabbed a strong hold of the goose and covered his big mouth with one of his large, wolf-like paws.

“Alright Uncle Boris, I think that’s enough of that.  Sorry to bother you with all that Stella, but Boris here just wanted to tell you goodbye because he didn’t get to earlier.  Anyways, we’re headed into town now.  See you later, perhaps…”

“Oh…well…alright then…  Bye Boris…Dingo…”

Dingo just gave her a nod in confirmation and then, moving Boris’ face from under his paw to inside his mouth, started walking off.  Once a reasonable distance separated them from Stella, he spit the goose back out.

“And just what was that back there???  You trying to make me look like a loser in front of everybody now?”

“Like I said before boy-chick,” Boris said calmly as he got up and brushed himself off, “your problem is now Boris’ problem.  Besides, I was only telling the truth kiddo.”

Dingo then hung his head lower, both in depression and aggravation.  His present life coach just came to his side again, wrapping a feathered arm across his back as the mutt rolled his eyes.

“Yes, the truth hurts sometimes.  Just like being dog and wolf, you just have not found your place, eh?”

“Correction.  I HAD a place, and now I have a new one with Dad.  He said I could stay with him for a while, let things blow over before I go looking for another place.”

“Aha!  And now we see problem!” Boris proclaimed as he started poking his feathered finger into Dingo’s forearm. “YOU need a PERMANENT home!”

“The home I had WAS permanent, and look how that turned out.  How can I be certain that anything I end up with is going to end up being permanent anyway?”

“Only time will tell that boy-chick!  No need to go rushing into things.”

“But I wasn’t until you-“

“Ah, stop!” Boris interrupted and ruffled his feathers in Dingo’s face again. “We go into town now.”

“Ugh, fine…”

The goose looked back to say his own goodbye to Stella, who just waved back still in disapproval.  Dingo then continued to be pushed at Boris’ hand until he began walking on his own in the proper direction.

“Alright alright, I’m going!  Geez…”

Boris then took the lead with his waddling to show the way towards the town as the sun reached the center of the sky, Dingo slowly following and hanging his head low.

“Hey uh, Uncle Boris…can I just ask that we don’t go anywhere near the mail dogs’ hub?”

“Ah yes, Jenna told me you and Kodi get in fights.  Say, what happened between you and mail dogs anyway?”

Muk and Luk had caught up with the two of them and hid in a pool of water nearby, raising their heads above the water as their interest was aroused by Boris’ subject.  They watched on and listened as Dingo delayed his answer momentarily before beginning.

“Well…it’s a long story…”