Malik stretched then checked beside him to make sure that Takeela was okay. Ever since she had come back from the fall off the cliff, Malik was supposed to make sure that she was okay in the morning. When Malik saw that she was fine, he walked over to the house and peeked into the house window. He sighed as his gaze fell on Diamond. Malik and Diamond were mates and Malik was so happy that they were. But then he remembered that there was something special happening.

He ran over to the front door and peeked inside. He saw Trav. He was looking in a mirror, checking to see what he looked like in his tuxedo. Malik had to say that he looked pretty good. Trav turned and saw Malik looking at him. "Malik. Come here boy." Malik happily trotted over to Trav and put his paw in the air. Trav shook it and said, "You are looking rather ratty aren't ya boy? We are going to need to give you a bath." Malik looked at Trav right when he said, bath. He whimpered and ran out the door to hide.

Trav shook his head and whispered to himself, "Cowardly dog." He went back to checking hiself out in the mirror.

Malik was now outside and sitting beside his friend, Hawk. They chatted. Hawk finally asked, "Why do you think we have to take a bath? I mean, who do you think is coming. Or what? I mean, something special is happening today so what or who is coming?" Malik looked at Hawk and finally answered, "I don't know." Hawk looked at Malik and opened his mouth to say something but was interuppted by a horn.

Bo, Hawk, Morphy, Dash, Jedidiah, and Malik's ears perked up. They looked around and Dash looked out the door of the barn. He didn't see anything. "Malik! Bo! Hawk! Morphy! Jedidiah! Dash! Quick!" Trav ran out of the house wearing his tuxedo. "Hurry boys!" The dogs ran out of the barn, staring curiously at him. Trav whisteled and Diamond ran out of the house. She was wearing her diamond collar and a harness. Malik finally knew what was happening. The something special was taking place right then!

Malik jumped into his harness and motioned for the others to do the same. Being careful of not dirting his tux, Trav hooked all the dogs together and put Diamond right behind Malik. Malik smiled at her then got ready to take off. Trav jumped onto the sled and screamed, "HIKE!" Malik jumped and ran as fast as he could. Diamond, close behind him.

Finally, they ran into town square and saw everybody there. Malik twitched with excitement, for he loved celebrations. He looked behind him at his fellow teammates, and saw that Hawk, who was a wheel dog, was jumping up and down. Trav gave him a slight tap on the butt and told him to calm down.

Malik turned to face the front. Right when he turned, he saw a real long vehicle turn the curb. Trav shreiked with excitement and made the dogs go abit closer. Trav got off the sled and patted Malik who looked up at him. Wonder in his eyes. Trav explained, "That, Malik. Is a limosine." Malik smiled and licked Trav's hand. Then a man dressed really neatly stepped out of the front of the limo. Trav explained that that man was a chaffeur. Malik nodded like he understood, but really, he didn't know what any of those things were. Trav walked up to the vehicle and whispered to the chaffuer. 

He nodded and steeped aside. Trav opened the limo's door and out stepped a really expensive looking lady. She was followed closely by a dog. Malik gazed at the dog and looked her up and down. She was brown with black paws. She walked with the woman on a short leash. The woman gave a small tug and made the dog sit. She sat obediently. Malik stared in wonder. Trav hugged the woman and led her over to the sled.

Malik jumped with excitememt. The dog the woman was with, sat right infront of Malik. "Hello." She said cheerfully. Malik replied, "Hello." The dog asked, "What's your name?" Malik answered, "Malik. What's yours?" The dog smiled at him and replied, "Chontay."

Malik said, "Hi. Nice to meet you." Then he introduced the other sled team members. "Chontay. This is Bo, Hawk, Morphy, Jedidiah, Dash, and Diamond. Diamond isn't actually on the sled team though. She is just filling in for Takeela who is hurt." Malik explained. Chontay said, hi and then she felt the slight, tug, of the leash. "I have to go. My mistress is wanting me." Chontay smiled and walked over to the lady.

Malik whimpered, for he had grown fond of Chontay for the few minutes he had known her. Trav walked over to the sled with the lady. "Grandma. These are the dogs I had told you about. This is Malik, Diamond, Morphy, Dash, Jedidiah, Bo, and Hawk." Trav told the lady, pointing to each dog. The lady held out her hand to Malik letting him sniff.

"You're a friendly fellow aren't ya?" The lady asked Malik. He nodded and licked her hand. Chontay smiled and laughed. Malik smiled and laughed too. The lady made her way, patting all the dogs. But when she got to Bo, he growled. He snapped at her and barked. There was a smell on her hands. A certain smell that didn't make him feel safe. He growled and howled. Warning the lady off. Trav screamed as Bo lunged for the lady's hand. "BO!" Trav screamed.

"Bad Boy!" Trav whacked Bo hard on the snout. Bo cried out in shock and all grew quiet. The lady shook and asked Trav, "What has gotten into that dog?" Trav explained that he didn't know. All of a sudden, Malik growled. He tried to leap at the lady. "Grandma? What's that?" Trav asked. For, he too had spotted the brown furry thing that wound itself around his grandmother's neck. 

Trav's grandma, asked, "This?" She held up her hands and pointed to the brown furry thing. "This is Furret. She is a ferret." Trav wiped his brow and sighed, "Grandma. How many times do I have to tell you! No more wild animals!" His grandma laughed and waved her hand as if to shoo away the words.

Diamond, as curious as ever, jumped up to sniff the ferret. All the dogs  tried to. They had never seen a creature like this before. Furret wiggled her body and crawled down Trav's grandma's arm. Malik jumped as the furry creature touched his nose with it's little paws.

Malik gave a short yip of surprise. Furret yelped and climbed up Trav's grandmother's arm. Trav opened his mouth to say something but was interuppted by the chaffuer. "Madam Geraldine. Your ride is waiting." Madam Geraldine(Trav's Grandma) hugged Trav good bye and told him she had had a nice visit. Malik whined, wanting to be patted. Madam Geraldine gave Malik a nice rub behind the ears and tugged Chontay to come.

Chontay followed, looking back at Malik, her eyes saying that she would be back. Malik nodded and watched as Chontay climbed into the limo, followed by Madam Geraldine. Trav waved good bye and he climbed back on the sled. He shouted, "HIKE!" And the dogs ran.

When they got back to Trav's house, his wife, Sal, came out carrying their daughter, Sammee. Sal smiled and moved aside. Takeela walked out of the door, her face shining. Malik saw her and felt his heart stop. Would she freak at me? Would she get mad at me for being Diamond's mate? Malik had questions, but no answers.

But it just so happens that instead of going to Malik, Takeela made her way towards the second back row of the sled. She nuzzled Jedidiah. Jedidiah nuzzled her back. Malik couldn't believe it. The shyest dog on the team was mates with the girl on the team! But Malik didn't care. He had Diamond, Hawk, Bo, Morphy, all the other dogs on the team, Trav, Sal, and Sammee. He also had the newcomer. Chontay.