"Mama Mama!" cried the pups.

The little puppies tripped and tumbled all over eachother to get to Sofia.

"Hey! Slow down kiddos!" cried their father, grabbing two by the scruff of their necks. They licked and yipped as he set them down again.

Sofia lay lounging in the sun, a few metres away.

"Oh, Nicki. Let them be. They're just puppies." she smiled as Lady and Benny (two of the pups) snuggled around her paws.

"But puppies are playful," he said "..And sometimes just alittle too much.." he added at the end, as Sugar Plum and Nicki the second (two more pups)  jumped on him to try and reach a butterfly.

They were behind the petshop, in the little yard they owned.

Sofia was the proud mother of five, and Nicki was an almost as proud father. Their pups were Lady, Benny, Sugar Plum, Nicki the second and Natalia. Sofia's owners also owned the local pet shop.

This is how they spent most afternoons.

Ben and Chloe (Sofia's owners) had their lunch break, so the family had a break too.

Sofia was trying to make the most of this afternoon, becase in two days her pups would be gone.

Nicki was running around with the active pups, and Sofia was curling up with the less-active ones.

"Mama, you know what?" asked Benny.

"What dear?" murmered Sofia, half asleep with Lady and Natalia.

"I just ate a whole grasshopper!"

Sofia flinched. Opening one eye, she looked at Benny.

He had no sign that he had eaten a grasshopper.

"Go wash your mouth," she said. "and warn the grasshoppers, nine of their friends dissapeared."

"Okay!" he cried, running over to the water bowl.

Sofia wasn't bias, but she had to think 'I won't be totally heart broken when the pups go.'

They spent another hour out, until it became dark.

A sharp whistle from Danny (Nicki's owner) signaled that his work shift at the pet shop was over, and it was time to go home.

Nicki gave Sofia a quick nuzzle, the pups a quick lick, and was off, walking home.

Chloe came out and she and Sofia rounded the pups up, and went inside for tea.

After tea, Sofia placed the already sleeping pups into their basket.

But Sugar Plum was still awake.

"Are we going to be adopted tomorrow?" she asked nervously.

"No, the day after tomorrow, and it will be alright." she said, nuzzling her.

Sugar Plum crept into bed, and watched her mother walk out of the room, falling asleep.

The next day, Wednesday, Ben, Chloe and Danny closed the pet shop for the day. They decided to enjoy their time with the pups, and to give them a special outing.

Taking them out to the dog park, with a huge lake and lots of space to run, was a great idea.

The pups had a great time, and Sofia and Nicki and Ben, Chloe and Danny did too!

When it was time to go, they were sad, but the parents agreed that enough was enough!

On the walk home, a man was working in his garden, and a lady was sitting on the porch.

They seemed very interested in the dogs, especially the puppies.

Sofia liked them, the man had a kind face, and the lady had gentle hands.

Nicki didn't like them at all, and growled at them to stay away.

"Nicki!" Danny scolded.

Nicki just gave a threatening bark and turned away.

As they continued the walk, Sofia asked:

"Nicki, why were you so unfriendly?"

He answered: "I didn't like them." and that was that.

That night, Nicki waited until the pups had all gone to bed to go home.

Sofia sat on Ben and Chloe's bed and cried.

Nicki couldn't jump up next to her, but he tugged on the blanket to snap her out of it.

"Come down, Sofie, please." he begged.

Nicki was the only one that ever called (and was Allowed to call) Sofia Sofie.

She rolled off the bed, to tired to jump.

He nuzzled her. "Don't worry." he told her. "Its not the end of them. We'll see them all the time. Its time for the puppies adventure now."

Sofia sniffed. "I know, but its just sad. All mothers go through with this..." she murmured.

Nicki licked her nose. "Well, you aren't alone. And besides, Danny's letting me stay the night. You'll be fine."

Sofia smiled at that, and they went to bed.

In the morning, Sofia woke up to find all the pups in the basket with her and Nicki.

She smiled fondly.

Getting up quietly, as to not disturb them, and padded out into the kitchen.

Her breakfast was there, but she didn't feel hungry.

Instead, she walked out to the front of the house.

The front of the house is the pet shop, but the back of the house is completely private, and is Sofia's home.

She waltzed though slowly, looking at all the animals, still asleep.

But at the puppy place, some pups were awake.

The 'puppy place' is an open glass box, that the puppies stay in.

Some of them are taken out and put into the window, but they only stayed their for work hours.

One of the pups that was up was Pup 7. The pups were named that because their adopters would name them permanently.

"Hello, Seven." Sofia said.

Seven turned around.

"Oh, hello Sofie!" he cried.

Seven called her Sofie even though she had asked him (or, begged him) not to.

She cringed, but smiled.

"I hear there are some more pups coming in today." Sofia said.

"Really, who?"

"My puppies. They're getting adopted today."

"Wow, I can't wait to see them face to face!" Seven said exitedly.

A whistle came from the kitchen, and Sofia realised that everyone would start to get up now.

Running back inside, the pups were eating their last breakfast in the kitchen.

Sofia joined them, and Ben brought out Nicki's bowl (as Nicki stayed their during the day) a little early.

After breakfast, the pups said one last goodbye to the house (which took a long time) and went into the pet shop.

They were put into 'puppy place' and Seven was extatic.

At exactly 8 o'clock, the shop opened.

Sofia and Nicki stood infront of 'puppy place' and watched as the first visitor came in.

It was the man with the kind face from yesterday.

Nicki let out a low growl, so Sofia gave him a warning kick. He shut up.

"Hello James!" Ben said. "What brings you here?"

"Hello Benjamin, Chloe. I'm here for a puppy for Darling." he said.

"Well, Jim, what kind of puppy do you want?" asked Chloe.

"Do you know if you have any cocker spaniels, like the ones you were walking yesterday?" James asked.

"Well, as a matter of fact, we have those same puppies up for sale today." Ben said.

"Really!" James said.

"Mmm hmm. They are Sofia and Nicki's puppies. Pure bred cocker spaniels." Chloe answered. "They're up for sale for $400." she said.

"$400! Well, I guess they are purebreds. Let me have a look." James said.

He peered into 'puppy place' and looked straight at Lady.

"How about that one?" he asked.

"She's a little lady," Chloe said. "You want her?"

James scratched his chin. "Deal." he said.

Ben took Lady out, she was yipping with exitment.

He placed her on the ground, to say good bye to her parents.

Sofia and Nicki nuzzled her.

"I love you, my little Lady." Sofia said.

"I love you too, Mama." Lady said, smiling.

And then she was scooped up by James, and (after paying) took her home to Darling, whom Sofia presumed was the lady from yesterday.

After that, Benny was adopted by a boy named Thomas, who acted alot like Benny.

Sugar Plum and Nicki the second were adopted by two twin teenage girls, Mandy and Marissa.

And little Natalia was adopted by the butcher, who was their neighbour.

After that day, Sofia saw her pups all the time. She knew they would become fine young dogs.

And have their own adventure, someday in the future.