plain and simple. He pushed me harder into the ground, forcing me to withdraw my grasp and gasp for air. He sunk his teeth into my neck and I howled in spite of myself. I gathered my senses and threw my paw into his face clawing his eye. He jumped back, and I was free, and standing on my own four paws.

   The dog prepared to rush at me agian, but then the wind blew firesouly. I was knocked to the ground and when I stood up, the whole area was blinded with sand. I knew a storm had been coming. I heard a shreiking yelp in the distance and one thing went through my mind Issac.

   I ran through the sand, pushing agianst the wind, I had to get too him.

 "Issac" I yelled "Issac where are you"  But I knew it was impossible to hear over the wind. As I almost gave up, my paws hit something, I looked down and burried my nose, it was Issac. I grabbed my teeth around him and pulled, but gently without breaking his skin. I pulled and pulled and pulled. Finnaly after what felt like hours the wind ceased and the sand settled back to the ground. When I looked up, I saw the town, and the dogs were no where in sight, but something told me that wouldn't be the last of that dog, I had insulted him, and his firey eyes screamed for blood.

            **********************

        Issac was unconscious for a few minuets after the fight, which for that I was thankful. His ear was torn, his shoulder showed a gash, and I was pretty sure he had a broken rib. Either was he was one bruised up mutt. I knew when we awoke he would feel the pain.

  A slow moan escaped.

  "Easy pal, your pretty beat up" I said gently.

  "How did we get here" He asked.

  "I brought you here, its all over now" I reassured him.

  "How do you feel?" 

 "I'll be ok, I'll be ok" He said taking some deep breaths.

  "Here go ahead and get some rest ok" I said making him lay back down carefully.

 "But what about"  Issac began.

 "Don't worry about a thing, I'll take care of it" I smiled, he seemed to belive me for the first time and he closed his dim eyes.

   The next few days he laid around alot. He was weak, but thats why I was there. Use to Issac could bounce back from these things, small little fights now put him down for weeks, it was the first eveidence I really saw that Issac was getting old, and now it was my turn to take care of him like he had taken care of me the past few months.

            **********************

  I figured I could learn to hunt well enough. Issac talked like it came natural once you tried it. My shoulder had healed well enough, and Issac was already becoming grumpy agian, so I knew we were out of the woods.

   It was agian, another normal day, for most, but I doubt it will ever be a day forgotten in my memory. I was heading back out to the desert to catch more game. I had always been a pretty fast runner, so I thought today I would try and beat the wind, I ran through the town, laughing as yappy house dogs yelled thier complaints as I rushed by, but I kept going, that is till I hit that sudden stop. Something, or more like someone, came out of nowhere and hit me. We fell side by side, but I was too dazed to tell who it was, my nose ached terribly.

  "Do you mind watching where you're going"  I said, but it was soon regreted.

 "Watch where I'm going" A soft stern voice said anoyed. "You were the one that was flying around like a mad dog, wheres the fire your running too?" It snapped.

  I looked up ready to give that dog a piece of my mind, but as I did my heart suddenly rushed. I was lost, lost in those blue eyes. My breath somehow stolen, and I stood there, like a dumb idiot.

  "Um," She hesitated.

  I suddenly awoke stuttering awfully. "Um, no, no, I'm sorry" I blurted out. "I should have been watching where I was going" 

   I looked at her, on ear down and one ear up, plus I looked like a wreck. A scratch across one eye, wind blown fur with sand mixed in, not to mention I my stuttering problem, and to make matters worse she giggled, quietly, and she tried to hide it but I saw, and if ever a dog turned red I did.

  "Its ok, I should have looked both ways before crossing the street" She said, I smirked.

  "I'm Sam, well Samantha, but I don't like that name much, everyone just calls me Sam for short" She said quickly before the silence could go on much longer, for I didn't know what to say to a dog like her, though she seemed to be a little nervouse herslef.

 "I think its a beautiful name" I said trying to be polite, she seemed to understand for she grinned.

  "I'm Sage" I said finally remembering my manners.

  "Well where do you live?" She asked curiosly, I thought to myself, this is good we are making conversation, but why oh why that question ask me about the weather anyday, but where do I live.

  "Um, well I guess where ever I'm sleeping at the time" I shrugged than thought, where ever I'm sleeping how much more stupid and you get?

  "That sounds nice" She actually sounded sincere.

 "I like being in different places, if I could I would go far away from here" She said with a sad expression.

  "Than why don't you?" I asked gently, she looked up at me, but before she could speak a whistle sounded from a little ways off.

 "Here girl, come on lets go" The voice said kindly, and I saw the same man she had been with before.

  She turned to me, after looking expectantly in the other direction. "I got to go" Se said standing to her paws, but as she did she got tugged back. Neither of us had realized that we were tangled in her bandana.

  "O" "ow" We both said as we laughed.

  "Sorry" I said puppishly.

  "Its ok" She smiled, then she turned to go.

  "Wait" I called back, she tunred around and I was at another loss for words.

  "Um,you never told me where you lived" I stalled. she smiled and I feared she saw right through me.

 "At the American base on the other side of this town"  She said.

 "Yea I know of it."

 "Maybe you should come look me up some time" She grinned slyly waving her tail in the air.

  "I think I'll do that."

  The whistle sounded agian. "Well, I'll see you around." 

   I was left standing there, I felt like the million dollar dog, if there was such a thing. If she had have wanted I could run to France and back, ok well maybe not literally but I could dream.

   I searched to find my breath, but it was impossible because right now I couldn't even find my heart, it was far away from here in Sam's paws, for like she had taken my breath, she now stole my stone cold heart and made me feel like I was safely back home and six weeks old all over agian.

                ***************

  Author's note:

     I hope you enjoy this one, the next will have more Sam and Sage stuff so keep reading and tell me what you think so far!

              Thanks,

                    SouthPaw