A knock came at the door, another knock came, then three others. A groan was heard and footsteps. The little pup whimpered whole she stayed in the basket with her mother. The door was unlocked and opened.

 

 

 

 

“Can I help you?” Tony Hook asked the woman at the door. The women nodded and spoke clearly yet softly.

 

 

 

 

“Yes I saw the ad in the News Paper about the free Irish setter puppies and I was wondering if you had anymore left?” She asked looking at Tony. He nodded and slid his fingers through his hair and told her to wait a moment. He walked up to the little female puppy in the basket and the mother woke up and watched him take her. She got up and wagged her tail slightly following him to the door barking when she saw the women. Tony handed her the pup and she smiled kissing its head. “Oh thank-you so much!” He smiled and nodded. “Sorry, I haven’t come to pick one up, I’ve just been so busy with my daughters birthday, It’s a late present.” She said smiling. Tony widened his eyes and smiled.

 

 

 

 

“Well, no doubt she will like her!” Tony said smiling at the little red female. Apple smiled and lolled out her tongue and licked her pup’s cheek. The red puppy only whined in the woman’s arms.

 

 

 

 

‘Don’t worry honey. You will be living in a good home.’ Apple assured her little daughter. The puppy nodded and nuzzled her mother a good-bye as the women turned to leave. She waved and wondered where her new life would take her…

 

 

 

 

 

 

                            2 Years Later              

 

 

 

 

“Hey Red Fern!” Called a voice behind the popular Irish setter. She smiled and turned around to see Apricot padding up along side her. She nuzzled her friend and spoke with a soft voice as she shook her fur shining in the summer sun.

 

 

“Hey Abbi, what have you been up to?” Red Fern asked smiling at her friend. Abbi was her nickname. She shrugged and nudged her quickening her pace a little bit.

 

 

“What about you Fern?” Apricot asked as Fern caught up to her. Fern was her nickname.

 

 

“Well, not much the only hard thing to do today was get up out of bed.” She giggled as well as Apricot. They stopped and Fern sighed a little. Her friend looked at her. “Abbi, do you ever think of your parents? Your mom?” She asked, Apricot shook her head and turned to the outskirts.

 

 

“Nope!” Apricot smiled as she padded along in the dirt headed to the outskirts. Fern nodded and heaved another deep sigh as she strolled after her. Apricot looked to her friend and spoke with softness and concern in her voice. “Do you?” Fern looked at her and she smiled faintly and nodded.

 

 

“Yeah, sometimes.” She said thinking about her mother. She sighed and looked up at the sky as an airplane hovered about the Oklahoma countryside. Both the dogs stepped back a couple paces and looked as the plane landed where they had been. The plane door opened and a couple people walked out. As the people walked out so did three dogs. “New dogs to meet.” Fern whispered to Apricot. They waited a minute but three dogs where the only dog that walked out. Apricot and Fern looked at each other shrugged and walked up to the dogs. They both smiled politely and introduced them selves. Fern was the one who spoke.

 

 

“Hey welcome to Oklahoma. I’m Red fern but you can call me Fern. This is Apricot but you can call her Abbi.” She said in a slow and calm voice. The two males that had come off the plane smiled at the two. Though the red-blue tint colored female that seemed stuck up snickered and sat down waiting to be introduced to the ‘Fern and Abbi.’

 

 

“Well I’m Mucho and this is my brother Rover.” The dog referred to as Mucho smiled as he looked back at his brother. The stuck-up snorted. “Oh, yeah. This is Princess.” He muttered rolling his eyes as she pranced forward. She smiled bitterly at the girls.

 

 

“Hey there.” She scoffed curling her tail over her back. Fern and Apricot both looked at each other. Rover eyed Fern and smiled when she looked at him.

 

 

“Well welcome to our county.” Fern said eyeing Princess. “Shall we show you around?” She scoffed at Princess looking at Apricot. She nodded and the boys did as well. The princess only rolled her eyes and followed the four others. The girls showed them around and ended up last in the boiler room. Even though it was hot outside the dogs hung out there. They all decided they would stay for a while. “So, how do you like the town?” Fern asked Rover smiling sitting down in a corner away from another talking group. Rover shrugged and smiled at her sitting beside her as Princess and Mucho sat by each other also in the corner. Apricot found a spot beside her friend, Fern.

 

 

“Yeah, well it’s pretty cool, I have to get used to it.” He chuckled smiling at her, she giggled and laid her head down.

 

 

“You think you could get used to it?” She asked smiling up at him. Princess only rolled her light blue eyes at the pair. Rover nodded and scooted closer to her coughing lightly as if he hadn’t done anything and Mucho hid a chuckle. He was happy his brother had already found a friend. Fern smiled and laid her head down on her paws. Rover looked away at his brother and smiled. Mucho smiled back and laid his head down as well. The night seemed to come fast and the three new dogs needed to leave. Princess was the one to first say anything about it.  Fern held back a sigh and looked around. Mucho looked outside and then at Rover.

 

 

“Brother it’s about time to get home.” He said soundly. He didn’t know where home was but he had a good sense of smell. Rover grunted annoyed but nodded to his brother. Fern watched as he got up and followed him. Apricot stayed in her place. Princess as always was at the first of the line.

 

 

“Hey, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Fern asked rover. Rover smiled and nodded at her.

 

 

“Definitely.” He replied holding back the desire of to nuzzle her. His brother smiled and turned to walk. “I’ll meet you here at noon.” He smiled. Fern smiled and nodded walking back into the boiler room and lying back beside her friend. Apricot smiled at her. Fern looked up from her paws and cocked her head.

 

 

“What?” She asked smiling at her friend. Apricot rolled her eyes and smirked at her friend.

 

 

“You know what.” She laughed. “You like him.” Fern’s eyes popped wide open when she said so.

 

 

“Nah, no I don’t” She said covering her face. Apricot laughed and nudged her. Fern kept her face down.

 

 

“Yeah, what ever.” Apricot smiled. “Fern you know you can tell me. We’ve been friends since pups.” She huffed.

 

 

“Oh, alright.” Fern smiled. “Yeah, I like him.” Fern said coming right out with it. Apricot giggled and nudged her. Fern smiled and laid her head down falling right asleep although she had dreams about Rover. Apricot too fell asleep, she dreamt of no one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Fern, Fern wake up… Called a calm voice. Fern grunted and opened an eye to see who was calling her. “Aha, she lives!” Apricot yipped as Rover came forward. At the sight of Rover, Fern jumped up and smiled at him.

 

 

“Yeah, I’m up.” She smiled. Rover chuckled and looked at her. “What time is it?” Fern asked narrowing her eyes and looking out the window. Apricot laughed.

 

 

“Yeah, huh, it’s like ten after noon.” Apricot laughed looked at the shocked expression on her friends face.

 

 

“You serious?” She asked looking at rover. He nodded and smiled at her. “Oh wow. Ugh would you like to walk?” Fern asked walking out. An embaresed look on her face. Rover looked at Apricot and smiled following Fern out of the boiler room. When they got far from the boiler room rover decided to start a conversation.

 

 

“So, you sleep there last night?” rover asked. Fern smiled at him and nodded sheepishly. He chuckled and turned into an alley. “So, I have to go in a little while. I promised little miss Princess I would do something for her.” Fern nodded and forced a smiled in her face. She deeply wanted to frown. “Hey, actually let me go. I’ll meet you in the boiler room okay?” He asked smiling at her. She nodded and he nuzzled her a good-bye. She giggled and nuzzled back then turned to leave. She needed to go to her sisters home.

 

 

                                Hours Later                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rover smiled at Princess and turned to leave. She stepped in front of him and smiled.

 

 

“So where are you going?” She asked batting her eyes. He smiled and grunted.

 

 

“Only to the boiler room. I’m meeting Fern there.” He said moving out from beside her and headed to the boiler room. She rolled her eyes and trotted

1 2

Next page