and said,
“Kodi.” He breathed and apologized.
“Sorry. Okay go ahead.” He waited as she continued.
“Well… remember when I tried to pluck out the quills out of your muzzle. And you couldn’t really move at all, so we decided to stay and spend the night there in the hollow tree’s opening?” Kodi felt his hear beat a little fast now understanding. “Do you get what I’m saying now?” Sandy asked calmly. Kodi sat up.
“I think you’re saying that your…” He couldn’t finish.
“That I’m pregnant.” Sandy finished for him. He nodded. She smiled, he smiled. Kodi nuzzled her gently and then excitedly started jumping up and down around her barking happily. He heard Old Mr. Grand yelling for Kodi to stop barking, but Kodi didn’t care, he was too excited.
Jiminy then came down stairs to the cellar and smiled down at Kodi. He patted Kodi on the head, and scratched Kodi’s chin gently. “Kodiak, how’s it feel boy? Pretty excit’in ain’t it? Now as the Papa of Sandy’s future pups you better take good care of her.” Jiminy paused and leaned closer to Kodi’s ears and whispered. “Sometimes pregnant women get cranked up during holdin’ of the pups. So don’t bother her, ye hear?” Jiminy asked. Kodi nodded, and panted happily, his tongue hanging out all the way.
Jiminy turned around toward a large water jug and filled up one of Sandy’s bowls with the water inside it. He placed it down in front of Sandy. “Drink your fill girl. Tomorrow I’ll be cook’ in’ up special chow for you. Those pups of yours need food too you know.” Sandy smiled and licked Jiminy’s hand. He chuckled and patted her on the head, and gently tickled her chin.
Kodi laid down next to Sandy and once Jiminy left, he licked her between the ears and gently placed his head over hers while they slept together peacefully.
Chapter 3
Kodi the next day went to every-dog’s house, including his father’s boathouse spreading the news about his and Sandy’s puppies.
Jiminy had telegraphed down to Kodi’s house, (the Brooks’ house) about the puppies and what Dr. Heron had told Jiminy about Sandy’s condition. Jiminy also put in the telegraph a request to have Sandy stay at the Brooks’ house, when she would be close to delivery because Old Mr. Grand wouldn’t be able to stand so many dogs around him, especially puppies. The Brooks family agreed to the request to Kodi’s delight, they even asked if they could take her in a bit early. Jiminy telegraphed back that it was fine.
When spring came, during the middle of it, Sandy left to go stay at Kodi’s house. Jiminy brought some of the blankets she had been using in the cellar over at her house for her, along with an old quilt made out of wool. Sandy licked Jiminy’s face when he left her at the Brooks’ house.
“Alright Sandy, here you go girl. Your own little space.” Mrs. Brooks told her and led her to the large coat closet that had been cleaned out. It was warm and mildly vast spaced, since the clothes were gone and put away into the smaller closet and a few of the cupboards.
Kodi laid next to Sandy. She was much more plump after the past months and her scent was starting to change.
“You feeling okay?” He asked her. She smiled at him and licked his cheek.
“I’m fine, you don’t have to keep asking me. But I glad that you care.” She told him gently.
“You sound tired.” Kodi told her. He wonder how she felt. Was she really okay? He wondered.
“That’s what being a mother is mostly about.” She tried to make him feel relieved. Sandy though did feel very tired and hungry. She winced as she felt a kick in her stomach from one of the pups. “Hey Kodi,” She began longingly.
“Yeah?”
“Do you mind getting me a snack? I’m kind of hungry.” She asked. Kodi instantly got up.
“Sure! Anything in particular?” He asked curiously. Sandy smiled at him thoughtfully.
“Well… maybe a few bacon biscuits and cheddar sticks?” Kodi looked back at her.
“Cheddar sticks?” He repeated. He knew Sandy distasted cheddar or anything cheesy. Sandy nodded. Kodi just sighed. “Alright, bacon biscuits and cheddar sticks it is.” Sandy smiled back at him. Kodi left and went on over to the kitchen to retrieve the treats.
Sandy meanwhile gave a blanched look at herself, mostly at her stomach. “Can’t you guys ever make up your minds?” She asked. Then she smiled and licked her stomach gently. “I can’t wait ‘till you guys come out and join the real world, you’ll love it. And Kodi and I will love watching all of you grow up and create your own lives.” She told her unborn pups. Then she fell asleep.
Chapter 4
It was the first week of summer, unusually there was a thunderstorm. Kodi was very anxious. He pattered around in the waiting room of the vet’s office, his father, mother, Dusty, Ralph, Kirby, Bounce, and Dipsy and Mel were there with him.
Kodi and his family had brought Sandy to the vet’s office at 10:00, and it was now 11:30. Sandy’s water had broken unexpectedly while they had been at the beach playing since it had been bright and sunny during the day. As Kodi had been racing with his family towards the vet’s office earlier, he had been barking the news the whole way. Zack had been sent by his father to go get Jiminy so he could go onto the vet’s also. Old Mr. Grand couldn’t go, but Jiminy told the Brooks that he wished his best for Sandy.
Kodi kept pacing around. He kept looking up at the human clock and door anxiously.
“Kodi, don’t worry Sandy’s probably fine.” Balto assured him. Kodi kept pacing around staring at the clock and door.
“Yeah Dad…” He responded, since he didn’t hear his father talk. Then came out Josh.
“C’mon Kodiak. Sandy’s pups are here!” Josh told him happily. Kodi bounded into the room.
Sandy was there in a basket on the floor, nursing eight healthy puppies! Kodi gasped unsure of what to do. He gulped a little. Two of the puppies wined trying to get some milk. Dr. Heron then said, “Alright, I’ll be right back and get some milk bottles.” Then Dr. Heron left closing the door behind her.
The younger kids, Josh and Susie came to Sandy and petted her and Kodi gently. Then they stepped back and all of the humans then stood a distance away from the dogs and their offspring thinking of names for the puppies.
“Alright. Why don’t we think of a topic to name the pups on. It’s a traditional way of doing it.” Mrs. Brooks proposed.
Jiminy scratched his whiskered chin thoughtfully, nodding in agreement.
“Why don’t we do it on different places of Alaska?” Josh purposed eagerly. His little sister jumped up and down agreeing excitedly, holding Timbly tightly in her right hand. Mrs. Brooks and Mr. Brooks looked at each other thoughtfully.
“Alright. But only one pup a name.” Mrs. Brooks told the children to their disappointment.
“Okay.” Josh sighed, but then became eager once again as he rushed towards the basket where Sandy and her pups laid, with Kodi there protectively beside them.
“Careful kids. Josh let your sister name one of the pups first.” Mr. Brooks called. Josh reluctantly let his little sister come ahead of him around the basket, and let her pick a pup to name.
Susie carefully inched forward and looked down at the pups. Her face brightened when she spotted a puppy that looked like the second or third youngest out of the large litter. Susie gently picked her up. Sandy looked up worriedly as the pup squeaked almost, since she had been nursing. Susie nodded as she heard her mother tell her “Careful!” Susie brought the pup closer to her as she cradled it. She turned towards her mother.
“Are there islands in Alaska mommy?” Susie asked curiously. Her mother smiled gently, and nodded. Before her mother could answer, Zack pulled out something from his pocket. It was an middle-aged map. He put it on the bulletin board on the counter behind him, and bulletined it up with tacks.
“There. Now take a look Susie.” He invited her over. She held the pup carefully still as she made her way over. Standing on her tiptoes so she could see the map, she squinted her eyes and then stood on her regular position and faced the others. “This puppy’s name, is… Attu.”
Attu had her mother’s overcoat coloring and her father’s undercoat coloring, she was one of the prettiest pups of the litter. Susie gently placed Attu back down, who pushed her way back to try and nurse, since one of her runtier siblings had taken her spot when Susie had picked her up.
Josh soon looked at the map to memorize some names for the pup he would pick to keep in mind. After Susie left the basket after returning Attu, Josh went on over to look at a pup he would name. He saw one pup that caught his eye. This pup was the only one that resembled his grandfather on his paternal side of the family, which was Balto. Except this pup’s fur color was a bit lighter and his fur was a little more brown than grey like his mother’s overcoat, than Balto’s and he didn’t resemble as much as a wolf as Balto did. Josh petted the pup gently who fussed a little, kicking Josh’s hand with his paws. Everyone laughed, including Kodi and Sandy who chuckled lovingly and nuzzled each other watching Josh pick a name for the little pup. Josh stood up proudly as he turned to face the others behind him.
“This pup’s name is Umnak.”
Soon most of the pups had names, Mrs. Brooks named one pup that was male, which she named, Barrow, who had his father’s overcoat, his mother’s undercoat, and his mother’s blue eyes.
Mr. Brooks named another pup that looked a lot like Kodi, except his muzzle and face was mostly like his undercoat, and that he had Balto’s eyes, which was named, Adak.
Jiminy named one pup that also looked more like Kodi, except his eyes were brown, this came from Sandy’s family, on her maternal side. The pup was named, Yukon, since that was where Jiminy and Sandy were originally from.
Another male pup that looked a lot like Kodi, Zack named, Atka, was very feisty and had the naive sense of stubborn and well-thought leadership, just by how he acted.
Eventually Old Mr. Grand actually came later on to visit the pups so they gave him an opportunity to name one. He named a female, who was
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