as the dark tan pup, Chameal, jumped in.  Malik backed away a few steps as he watched his sister play in the snow before leaping into it himself, his light tan fur glistening with snow as he landed.

          

            Rosie looked at Autumn who was laying a few feet away watching her girl and pups.  The girl laughed mischievously and picked up a snow ball.  With a smile, she gently threw the snowball at Autumn, making the husky jump slightly.

 

            Standing to her paws, she playfully leapt into the snow band, causing snow to fly up and hit Rosie.  She laughed, jumping halfway on Autumn in a tight embrace before rolling away.

 

            She was about to throw another snow ball at Autumn when a red male husky appeared from behind the house.

 

 

            “Shadow!” Rosie cried happily, scrambling up to give the dog a hug.

 

            He wagged his tail and licked her gently, rubbing his head against her hand.

 

            “You probably came to see your pups, huh, boy?” she laughed, glancing at the three pups who were running towards their father barking happily.

 

            Autumn walked over to Shadow and rubbed against him lovingly.  The red husky gently licked her on her muzzle before the three eager pups leapt on him.

 

            “Take it easy pups,” Rosie laughed.  “You don’t want to hurt your dad.”

 

            She stood up and brushed the snow off of her pants and tuned around, giggling.  Walking up to the door, her hand on the knob, she looked back at the pups and their parents, sadly thinking about how it was probably going to be the last time their little family would be all together at once.

 

 

            And I still have to pick the pup I am going to keep, she told herself.

 

            Taking her hand off the door knob, Rosie ran down to the dogs again, giving each a hug.  All five of them wagged their tail and gently licked Rosie’s soft cheek.

 

            “It’s time to go inside,” Rosie told her pups and Autumn, petting Shadow.  “You can see him later.  Come on.”

 

            Autumn gave Shadow another loving nuzzle before following her pups up to the door, waiting patiently for her girl to open it.

 

            As Rosie opened the door, the pleasant heat hit her face.

 

            Her father walked over and held onto her shoulder.  “Have you decided which pup you are going to keep?”

 

            Rosie lowered her head.  “Yes,” she said, glancing from her father to the three pups crowding around their bowl of food.  “I will keep--”

 

a           a           a

 

  

 

 

“Malik,” Rosie laughed, picking up the light tan pup.  “Come on.”

 

            She hugged the pup close, gently kissing him on the top of his head.  Reluctantly, she lowered the small pup into a box.

 

            “Chameal,” the young girl picked up the dark tan pup, hugging her as well.  “I love you,” she said, giving the small female a kiss, a tear rolling onto her soft puppy fur.

 

            Setting Chameal in the box next to her brother, Rosie lifted Jenna off the ground, tears falling from her green eyes onto the pup’s red fut.  Jenna squirmed and licked her young owner’s face, whining.

 

            Autumn looked at her two pups in the box, then glared at the sign hanging on it.  Although she could not read it, she knew it attracted humans.  The same sign had hung on a box the day her siblings all got humans of their own.

 

 

            “You’ll really miss them like me, girl, huh?” Rosie asked the husky, putting her arms around her.

 

            Rosie’s parents walked up to her, putting their hand on her shoulders protectively.  The young girl looked up at each of them then back at Malik and Chameal in the box.

 

            Autumn whined, licking each of her pups.  She glanced around and spotted a young child boy, about Rosie’s age, coming toward the box, a huge smile on his face.

 

            “Look mommy!” he cried excitedly, grabbing his mother’s hand and pulling her toward the box.  “Puppies!”

 

            His mother smiled and laughed, then looked to Rosie’s parents.  “How much for a pup?” she asked, reaching into her purse.

 

            “Free as long as you give them a good home,” her father said, pointing to the sign.

 

            The boy’s mother nodded.  “Pick the one you want.”

 

            He smiled and looked at the two pups, petting them both, laughing as they licked his hands.

 

            “I want them both mommy,” he pleaded, glancing to his mother.

 

            “Well… having two would be better than just having one,” she said, looking at the two pups.  “Then they would never get lonely…”

 

            The boy’s smile grew.  “Does that mean I get to have them both?”

 

            “I guess so,” she laughed.

 

            Rosie looked down at Malik and Chameal, the tears falling freely.  “They already have names,” she informed the boy and his mother.  “This one is Malik,” she told them, hugging the light tan pup tightly.  “And this on is Chameal,” she said, holding the dark tan pup in a tight embrace.

 

            “Those are beautiful names,” the young box said, smiling at Rosie.  He looked up at her parents then back at her with a serious look on his face.  “And I swear I will take very good care of these puppies.  Malik and Chameal.”

 

 

            The young girl smiled weakly and watched sadly as the boy picked up the two pups and carried them away.

 

            Rosie hugged Jenna tightly, crying softly into her fur.  The pup licked her girl gently on her nose, attempting to cheer her up.  With a half-hearted laugh, Rosie walked back toward her house, almost expecting to hear Malik and Chameal running behind her.

 

            Jenna looked over Rosie’s shoulder, cocking her head.

 

            “They aren’t coming home with us, girl,” the young girl told her pup.  “Malik and Chameal have their own family now.”

           

            As if understanding what she said, Jenna whimpered, letting her tail droop down.  She gazed back at the box, hating it with all her heart.

 

             Sighing, Rosie turned her head, looking at Autumn starting off in the direction the young boy went with two of her pups.  She whined sadly, standing to her paws, her tail hanging limply down, her head so low it almost touched the ground.

           

            “Come on Autumn,” the girl called, patting her leg softly.  “Let’s go home.”

 

            The husky turned and followed Rosie, glancing back only once, hoping to see her pups running back to her.

 

            A cold wind blew gently as they walked home.  Rosie looked around the house sadly, missing the sound of puppy paws scampering around.  Never would it be

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