Ambyr awoke to the usual sights and sounds of Nome only just beginning to open its shops and its busy people only just beginning to struggle to their feets, and start the day. The first thing that popped in her mind was the day. She groaned, and rubbed her eyes with her paws. My holiday, she thought. ...I hate holidays. No mail duties to run, no chores to finish, places to see, or things to do. She wished she could forget that this was supposed to her special day. Glumly rolling over to her side, she spotted Blitz in his corner, curled up in a tight, blue ball, sleeping soundly, as if not a care in the world. Ambyr’s eyes then fell on Haywire, who was just sprawled in a random, but very awkward position on the floor, his chew toy still trapped in the grip of his teeth.

Ambyr yawned and got to her paws. She didn’t care much for holidays. It was all a bunch of mumbo-jumbo in which only humans celebrate the slightest things with the biggest of festivals. She casually shook herself off. Tonight, these quiet streets would be brimming with people, laughing and enjoying their time while Ambyr had to stick with those two oafs, lying about. She wondered at how she was ever brought up to be such a lap dog herself. Why couldn’t she have a lazy streak like Blitz and Haywire?

Give yourself a break, she thought. For once, I’d like to have an afternoon ALL to myself. Taking one more look back at the sleeping dogs behind her, she quietly opened the door to their boiler room, slithered out, then just as quietly closed it back. Once outside, Ambyr took a deep breath, drawing in the fresh autumn air. Today...is MY day off...And I’M going to enjoy it...whether I want to or not. And with that, she began her carefree walk around the quiet town of Nome, adoring the decorations outside houses and the festival preparations being made for the celebration tonight.

Five...four...three...two...one...Silence. Great, thought Blitz She’s gone. Blitz slowly opened his eyes. He saw that Ambyr wasn’t in her usual spot beside the heater. Swiveling his eyes around, he didn’t see her anywhere. Making sure of that, he slowly lifted his head and looked around. Yup...she’s gone, alright. He raised his head a little more and spotted Haywire, sleeping in his awkward position, with his chew toy still squeaking in his mouth as he inhaled and exhaled.

“Haywire,” he whispered. Haywire was silent and still. “Haywire!” he said a little louder. Haywire remained motionless. “Haywire!!” he hissed.

Haywire didn’t move a muscle...save for his diaphragm.

Blitz gave out a light growl and got up. He strode over to Haywire, lying on the floor. Despite him being somewhat mad at him, Blitz had to chuckle at how silly he looked. Blitz then bent down, and slapped the chew toy out of Haywire’s mouth.

Haywire immediately snapped awake, and sprang on all four paws, frantically looking around. “Huh? What? How? I swear, I didn’t do it!!” He saw Blitz staring at him. “What’d you do with Jeffrey?”

Blitz rolled his eyes playfully. “You were supposed to be fake sleeping,” he said. “Until Ambyr left. That was the plan remember?”

Haywire frowned at him. “The plan? What plan?”

Blitz lifted an eyebrow. “The plan, Haywire? The one you and I made last night, when Ambyr wasn’t around?”

Haywire thought for a moment.

...Then two moments...

...Then ten.

Blitz growled at him, and Haywire suddenly perked his ears up at him. “OH YEAH!!! THOSE PLANS!!”

Blitz shut Haywire’s muzzle with his paws. “Quiet, you mutt!! You want Ambyr to hear? She could just be outside the door, y’know.”

“Oh, okay,” Haywire replied. “I remember now. Right, the plan. Well, let’s get going on it then, right?” He skipped over to the door and pushed it open. He poked his head outside and looked around. “She’s not here,” Haywire said. “Come on...let’s go.”

“Right,” Blitz said. “Let’s start with Phase One.”

“You got it!!” Haywire said with a wink. He quickly dashed outside, and slammed the door behind him.

Blitz sat quietly in the boiler room by himself, waiting for Haywire to come back. Sure enough, about ten seconds after he left, Haywire quietly pushed the door open again, and entered the boiler room.

“Err...what was Phase One again?”

Blitz smirked an evil little smirk. “Preparation,” he said. “Get me some dye and paper.”

“We’ll probably be needing the help of a friend, also,” Haywire said with a smile.

Blitz thought a moment, and then read Haywire’s thoughts. “Yes...Indeed, we will,” he replied. He then gave Haywire his smirk again.

Ambyr never knew just doing nothing could be so much...dare she say it...fun. Looking at large, hallow, orange fruits she only saw around this time of year, carved with freakish faces that humans called “Jack-O-Lanterns” reminded her of Blitz and Haywire.

No, no, no!! She thought. This is ME time!! Don’t think of those two!! Why don’t you be a little selfish for once, and only think about YOU?

I dunno...what of Haywire and Blitz get into trouble again?

Oh, please. Like you haven’t gotten them out of trouble enough? Just mind your own business. Those pups can take care of themselves.

Ambyr listened and paid close attention to smells and sights she only experiences on this certain time of year. There was this heavenly aroma in the air where humans put out, hot, steaming air fresheners outside their window. She fathomed at how good they smelled, if they were any good to eat as well. Listening in on some people, she soon learned the names of the giant air fresheners were called “Pumpkin Pies”.

Humans, Ambyr thought with a smile. They can think up a name for ANYTHING.

Taking a stroll out on the shallow edge of the forest, she spotted the first glimmers of frost on the ground. Looking up, she saw the rare of sight of red, orange, and yellow leaves replacing the light, powdery snowflakes she was used to seeing. Everything was so serene and relaxing, she wondered at how in the world she’d ever want to get back to work again.

Suddenly, Ambyr’s fantasizing daydreams were interrupted when she suddenly heard her name being called by a familiar voice. “Ambyr!! AAAMMBYYYRR!!”

She turned her head, and was horrified to see Haywire come running up to her.

Quick!! Hide yourself!!

Oh, yeah, sure. Great. Where? Under a rock?!

Well, ANYWHERE!! Haywire’s coming. Hurry up!!

Too late...he already saw me.

Ambyr lowered her ears sadly as Haywire came bounding up to her. “Hey!! I’ve been looking for you all morning!!” he said.

“Yeah? Well, pretend I’m not here and keep looking,” she replied with a groan.

Haywire blinked at her, then shrugged. “That’s fine. Then, I won’t give you your love letter.”

Ambyr snapped her head to him, shocked. “My what?”

Haywire smiled. “That’s right, Princess. I have a letter sent exclusively to you right...here.” He patted a spot under a buckle that was latched around his neck. “It was slipped under the door to the boiler room his morning.”

Ambyr scowled. “Tch...Yeah right. And lemmie guess, YOU wrote it?”

Haywire shook his head. “I don’t know how to write human-ese...and even if I did, I wouldn’t know how.” He looked down at the shape of his clumsy paws.

“Then maybe BLITZ wrote it.”

“I haven’t seen Blitz all morning either. I think he might be at the track. But still...I don’t think he knows how to write too.” Haywire then looked up at Ambyr and smiled his mischievous smile. “But since you’re not here, I might as well take advantage of my loneliness to...y’know...take a small peak at what might be inside.”

Haywire reached under his buckle and pulled out a slip of paper, all wrinkled and crinkled. He held it up to her face. “It’s funny how we can’t write human-ese, but we can understand it...wouldn’t you agree?” He waved it some more, and then slowly started to unfold it.

Ambyr’s eyes grew wide, and her pupils retracted. “GIVE THAT TO ME, YOU LAP DOG!!”

Haywire gave out a yell as Ambyr leapt on top of him. He fell flat on his stomach, and had to power to stop Ambyr as she effortlessly wretched the slip of paper away from his grasp. She rolled off of him, and then waved the paper in his face. “Not so smart are you now, huh?” She giggled at poked Haywire’s side. Then, she lowered her head close to Haywire’s ear and whispered very quietly, “Thank you, Haywire!!” She giggled again, and tucked the slip of paper under her own buckle. Then, she sprinted off in the distance, laughing to herself.

Haywire got up, and watched her go. Once she was completely out of sight, Haywire smirked himself, and whispered, “Phase One...complete.”

Ambyr quickly sprinted to an old alleyway, checking to make sure she was alone. Her heart was thumping faster than her paws were at mail-team tryouts. She forced herself to steady her breathing as she took out the crumpled letter, and looked down at it. The letters were marked in red dye that wobbly spelled out her name: AMBYR

There was only one canine in the world Ambyr would’ve wished this note came from. Checking one more time to see if she was alone, she quickly unfolded the paper and