say.”

            “You’ve never said that.” chuckled Duchess.

            “That’s besides the point.” Ritchie laughed.

            Just then they felt a sudden chill as the doggie door opened and Jenna stepped inside.

            “And where have you been young lady?” asked Duchess.

            “Yes Jenna, we’ve been worried.” added in Ritchie.

            “Well, I was just out.” Jenna calmly replied.

            “Out with that Balto character again?” Duchess questioned, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

            ‘How did they find out about Balto? I haven’t had the chance to tell them yet.’ Jenna thought. ‘I think it will be best to cover it up until he gets here.’

            “Nope. I was just checking around town.” she stated.

            “Well good,” Ritchie said, “because we’re going to keep a good eye on you.”

            “Remember Jenna,” chimed in Duchess, “it’s just to make sure that you’re safe.”

            “I know. I know.”  complained Jenna as if she had heard it a hundred times.

            “But let’s forget about that and just enjoy our Thanksgiving!” happily shouted Ritchie, “Thanksgiving equals leftovers, and leftovers equals food for us!”

            Jenna and Duchess’s ears perked. “Now that’s the reason why I love this holiday!” smiled Jenna.

At Sunset:

            “Dinner is served!” Nancy cheerfully cried out.

            She ripped off a table cloth that covered the food. And as she did, a beautiful bouquet of smells was released. There was mashed potatoes and gravy, freshly baked bread, steamed carrots, and even cooked ham!

            “Oh wait! I forgot the main course.” Nancy laughed.

            Right when she went to get it, a hybrid and a goose appeared close to the side of the house and both climbed onto the fence near the window with the table so they could look inside.

            “Hmm… I smell… Goose.” said the hybrid. “I bet you love that idea Boris.”

            Boris the goose spluttered. “Ack! That could be cousin! Or long lost sister! What is it with geese for this holiday I ask you? To me it is just excuse to go killing our kind. Why don’t they ship turkeys? Besides, turkeys are so dumb that there is no point for their existence except for them to get eaten.”

            “Well thanks for risking your life to come here and meet Jen’s parents.” chuckled Balto.

Nancy came back from the kitchen with a cooked goose carried on a silver platter.

            “Okay everyone, enjoy! I didn’t slave over a hot stove all day for everyone to look at it!”

            With that the meal began with the passing around of the food, and dinner talk. They all started to exchange stories about life or past Thanksgivings. And the three dogs eagerly awaited the dropping of any food.

            “Oh I think we got a nibble!” cheered Ritchie.

            Rosie dropped a good chunk of ham by accident.

            “Ladies first.” Duchess said snootily.

            She calmly walked over to it and ate it right there.

            “Mmm... Nancy did a divine job on the ham this year.” she commented after she swallowed the ham.

            After ten minutes, the main course was finished and the family set down their dishes so the dogs could have a shot. Ritchie and Duchess both went after Rosie’s and Susan’s plate while Jenna went for Nancy’s and Tom’s. She took the food off of Nancy’s and put the somewhat meager meal into her food bowl.

            Ritchie started talking with his mouth full. “Wha ah ooh dowin’?”

            Duchess looked up from her plate of near finished scraps. “Dear. It’s not polite to talk with your mouth full.”

            “Soweh.” Ritchie swallowed his food and cleared his throat. “Ahem. Jenna, what are you settin’ that food aside for?”

            “Oh, ya know. Just saving it for later.” Jenna gave a cheesy smile.

            Boris by this time had tried to sit down and started to drum his wings on the planks. “Sure. Humans get to stuff faces while we watch.”

            Boris felt something cold and wet drop onto his head.

            “Hey! What was that!?” He looked up.

            “Sorry there Boris.” Balto guiltily replied.

            “Were you drooling?”

            “Well, that goose does look kinda good.” Balto said hungrily with a hint of sarcasm. “Oh come on Boris. I was just joking.” He said when Boris gave him an appalling stare.

            Balto could see through the window as Rosie finished off the second plate and Nancy brought in three pans that she was balancing pretty well. She set each on the table and lifted off the lids. Each one was a different flavor of pie. One was apple, another pecan, and the last was cherry.

            Balto saw Rosie lick her chops like a dog when she saw the pies. “Ohh thank you mom! Thank you, thank you! You made my favorite!”

            “Just give ‘em at least ten more minutes Boris.”

            “Fine Balto. But not a second longer!”

            And after the eleven minutes, the doggie door opened and Jenna came out with her parents and her bowl in tow.

            Jenna set her bowl onto the ground casually. “Balto?” she asked aloud. “Are you here?”

            “That’s our queue Boris.” smiled Balto.

            “Eh. I could wait ‘till next Thursday personally.”

            “Well, C’mon. We don’t want to be late.”

            “Oh fine, fine.”

            Balto gracefully jumped off the fence.

“Ahhh!” yelled Boris as he tripped and landed beak first.

Balto slid around the corner of the house and came face to face with Jenna and her folks.

            “Hi… I’m Balto. Nice to meet -”

            Crash! Bang! Boom! Ritchie and Duchess both jumped backward as Boris came hurdling from around the corner with two trash cans following him.

            “I-I’m alright.” Boris said in a daze. “Just thought I’d make myself known, heh.”

            “Well I think you did that and also gave me a heart attack pretty well.” Duchess said and tried to put a fake laugh into it.

            There was a long pause. The tension was so thick that you could have cut the air with a knife.

            “So, tell them where you live Balto.” Jenna said.

            “Well, I live in an abandoned fishing boat.”

            “Yes. And he thinks I am maid.” rang in Boris.

            “That’s nice.” said Duchess.

            “Yeah... Interesting.” commented Ritchie. “Umm, Jenna, could we have a word with you?”

            Jenna was just about to answer when…