They say that love can find anyone. Well, it certainly found me. It all started on a nice-feeling day (since I am blind in both eyes). I was 2 years old. It was also a typical day for me. I was in what felt like the street, and I heard some dogs nearby whispering to each other, "Hey, there's that blind dog.", and laughing. I kept walking, ignoring these dogs. I had endured this and worse for over a year now. Shortly after, I bumped into something furry. When he spoke, I knew it was the one I hated so much - Steele. "Hey, watch where you're going!" he said, then started laughing. I heard some others join in this awful laughter. It was the only laughter I had ever known.

Then I ran off, trying not to bump into anyone else. But I did. I must have been crying because I heard the dog say, "What's wrong?". I told him what had happened just a few minutes earlier. As he listened, he sounded truly sympathetic. Very few dogs who had stood up for me before had been sympathetic. Some of them were my friends. They had just been fending off the others who constantly made fun of me. But this one was different - he truly cared.

I don't know what happened just then, but Brus said "I have to go. My musher is calling. Pleasure meeting you.", he said to me. I replied, "Nice meeting you too, Brus." "I'll see you later, Catherine!" he said, his voice growing fainter. I put my nose to the ground and followed his scent. I stopped when I bumped into something, probably a human. Soon, I heard the hiss of a sled and the barking of dogs as a team went by. I couldn't see them rush by, but I knew Brus was on that team. I could still hear his handsome voice in my head. I have no idea what he looked like, but I felt something inside that I had never felt before. I felt like I loved him. No idea what he looked like, yet I loved him. I sniffed my way to what smelled like an alley. I walked inside until I bumped into something, then I laid down. Something there didn't feel right, so I stood up and made my way out of the alley. I heard a few more comments as a made my way to a spot where it felt warm inside. I went in and laid down by the source of the warmth. I soon fell asleep.

I walked out of the warm place, and I smelled him on the wind. Brus was back! I smelled my way to him. "Hi again, Cath.", he said. "Hi Brus,", I said, "How are you?" In his handsome voice, he said, "I'm fine, thank you. You?" I suddenly remembered my dream. I felt like telling him about it, but decided to keep it to myself. "I'm fine, too." Inside, I felt happy and cheerful. "Well, I'll talk to you later, Brus." I heard him say, "Okay. Later, Cath!" As I was walking away, I felt him watching me. I knew he was smiling, though I don't know how. Just then, I felt an all too-familiar feeling. Not again! I thought. Not in front of Brus! I was helpless as I fell to the ground on my side and couldn't move. I felt my body spasming. I was both frightened and embarrassed. Less than a minute later, it was over. I could move again. As I got up, I hit my head on Brus. He had come to my side to see if I was okay. "Oh my! What happened? Are you okay?", he asked, concerned. I turned my head toward him, not knowing if I was making eye contact or not. Nervously, I answered him. "Y-yes. I-I- I'm sorry you... had to see that. That happens to me a lot. I didn't want to tell you because... I didn't know if you would still like me if you knew. I'm sorry I kept that from you." I had started to cry a little. What he said next was to my relief. "Why would I not like you? That terrified me! I was so worried about you! I know you're blind, but nothing could change what I think of you. Not even your having seizures." "I... didn't know you liked me. What you just said... makes me feel a whole lot better about myself. I think I like you, too.", I said. Brus replied, "You're welcome. I'm glad you do." Somehow I felt he was smiling. "I have to go again. My musher is taking us back to the kennels. Bye, Catherine, I'll see you tomorrow.", he said. "Alright. Bye, Brus."

I was again walking down what felt like the street. It felt like it was nearing the evening. As the snickers of "blind dog" died down, I was still hurt by it, though not as much as I was before I met Brus. I sniffed out an alley, the same on I had entered months earlier. Suddenly, I was knocked down by someone who smelled all-too-familiar - Steele. As I laid there, he said, in that menacing voice of his, "Well, well, looks like I've finally caught you alone now, Catherine. Let's say you and me go for a run together, huh?" I stood up and f aced him. "No way, Steele, you've hurt me to much over the past couple of years. There's no way on Earth I'd do anything with you, ever. Got that?", I said to him, angrily. He responded, "Getting feisty, I see." I heard him walk around me. I felt him push against my side as he stopped back in front of me. I started shaking in fear. I didn't want to know what he was about to do. I started yelling "Bruuuuus! Brus! Heeeelp!" "Trying to spoil the fun, are we?", said Steele. A few seconds later, I heard an "Oof!" as Steele was apparently knocked down. I heard another familiar voice say, "Catherine, are you alright?" It was Brus! Shyly, I answered, "Y-Y-Yes." Steele said "So unwise, Brus, so unwise." I heard Steele leap at him, and Brus the thump as Brus threw him off. After a few more minutes of scuffling, thumping, and shouting, the fight was over. "You got me this time, but next time, I'll finish her off." said Steele, keeping the feeling of defeat out of his voice. Brus said, angrily, and growled, "Get out of here, Steele! Just go! If you so much as look at her, I swear I will turn your day and life into a living hell!" He growled a little more, then stopped, as soon as I no longer smelled Steele. Brus must have turned toward me again, for he said, "Did he hurt you, Catherine?" "No,", I answered. "I'm fine." "Let's get you out of here. Take you somewhere.", said Brus. "Okay." I said, smiling a little. He helped me along and stayed by my side as we walked. Soon, we were in the warm room. We stopped close to the source of the room's warmth. "Thanks for helping me back there.", I said.

Brus then said, "I've always thought you were beautiful. I've always seen how others treat you, Catherine. They were wrong to do that. I've always felt sorry for you. They should have treated you better. I know you can't help being blind or having seizures. It's just part of who you are. And you? To me, you are perfect. I love you, and nothing will ever change that." I got close to him, and he put his head next to mine, and we nuzzled. Shortly after, he led me to a cooler part of the room. It felt different. The surface felt somewhat rough, and felt like it had little hills. One spot felt slightly warmer than the rest of this area. I felt a small amount of light on my fur and on my sightless eyes. "Where are we now, Brus?", I asked. "Under the floor of the hospital.", he replied. He stopped, and I think I bumped into him. "Sorry.", I said. He replied, "That's okay." I heard him walk around behind me, and then I felt him get behind me. "Not yet, Brus. How about tomorrow?". "Okay.", he said. He walked to my side, and guided me out of the below-hospital, until we were back in the warm area. "I just need another day to think about this, Brus. Is that okay? I hope I didn't offend you.", I told him. "No, no, you're fine. It's okay. I understand.", he answered. "Thanks.", I said. "You're welcome, Catherine.", answered Brus.

I woke up feeling good. I got up, stretched, yawned, and made my way out of the alley without bumping into anything. It felt like noon. I heard Brus calling my name. I heard him stop in front of me. He sounded out of breath. "Catherine... ", he panted, "I have... good news... for.. you." "What's that, love?", I asked. "We... don't... have any... sled... runs... for the... next few days.", he informed me. "That's great!", I said. He said, "More... time... for us to spend together." "Sounds lovely.", I said to him. "Yeah.", he said.

We started walking down the street, Brus guiding me, making sure I didn't bump into anything. He led me to what felt like a snow hill. We both sat down. "Nice day, huh, Catherine?", said Brus. "I guess.", I said. "Sure feels like one. I can feel the sun on my fur." I felt a small breeze blowing through my fur. "What is the sky like, Brus? It must be beautiful.", I said. Well,", he began, "The sky is clear and there aren't any clouds. Well, just a few. And the sun is shining." "Sounds beautiful.", I said. "Yeah," said Brus, "It really is. It makes me sad that you'll never see a sunrise or sunset, or the Northern lights." I heard him start to cry a little. I got closer to him. "Makes me sad too, that I'll never see what you look like. But apart from that, I still love you.", I said to him, in the same sad tone. I started to cry, too. I thought of all the things I would never be able to do because I was blind: see Brus, see a sunrise or sunset, see the Northern lights, see our pups (when we have them), and I would never see them grow up, only hear their voices changing. This thought faded from my mind quickly, as I shook my head. I felt Brus get closer. He buried his head in the fur on my neck. I felt him smiling and crying at the same time. "Brus?", I said. "Yes, my love?", he said. "I... I've thought about it. Tonight.", I told him. "Okay,", he said, "Tonight." We both stopped crying, and smiled. "Let's get back to town.", said Brus. He again helped guide me back.

There, we walked the streets, talking and laughing, until it began to feel like nighttime. Then he led me back to the warm room. I heard a slam as he pushed the door shut. "You sure this time, Catherine?", he asked. "Yes.", I said. He led me to the under-hospital, and we came out a while later. Back in the warm room, we both laid down in front of the source of the room's warmth, Brus resting with a paw around my neck. We soon fell asleep. Before I fell asleep, I said softly, I love you, Brus." "Love you too, beautiful.", he said back. Then we fell asleep.

Again, I woke up feeling good. Brus woke me up. "It's morning, my love. Tie to wake up." I opened my eyes a little and turned them up toward Brus. "Morning.", I said, smiling. I stretched, yawned, and stood up. "How are you today?, I asked him. "Fine, you?, he responded. "I feel pretty good, actually. I slept well. No dreams though. Mine is looking me right in the face." Somehow, I knew he was smiling then. Just then, I felt an all-too-familiar feeling hit me again. I fell on my side and my body started spasming. I couldn't move; I felt paralyzed. My sightless eyes rolled up into my head. Another seizure. A couple minutes later, the seizure ended. Brus was right by my side. He asked, in that voice I had fallen in love with, "It's okay, my love. I'm right here. I'm right here." I stood up and we nuzzled. "Thanks.", I said as I buried my head in the folds of his neck. "Anytime, my love. I'll always be there for you.", he said. He guided me outside and we walked the streets some more. The next few days passed uneventful. Brus and his team went out on a sled run, and they returned about a week later. I was so happy to hear his voice again. "How are you, babe?", he asked. "I'm fine.", I said, smiling. "How was your run?", I asked him. "It went well,", he began, "We almost lost the sled when it fell through some ice and drug some of the team in with it. I pulled them out, and so did the two or three others that didn't fall in, but other than that, it was pretty much uneventful." "Wow,", I said, "Sounds exciting." "It was.", he said. "Now I'm back here with you, and that’s all that matters to me."

A month passed, and so did a few more sled runs for my Brus. I was starting to get bigger around the midsection, thanks to Brus mentioning it. I felt a little heavier too. I was restless some of the time, and wandered around smelling for the place. A couple weeks later, I started to lose my appetite. I hardly ate anything, and didn't really feel like it. I threw up almost every morning. That went away in about a week. By then I felt a little tired. Every once in a while, I felt movement in my belly. Almost every hour, Brus kept checking on me and asking if they were okay. I kept saying yes, and sometimes snapped or yelled, but then quickly apologized. I felt moody these days. I was beginning to tire of it. A few days later, my human put me in what felt like a basket with a pillow in it. A few more days later, and then I started breathing heavily.

I heard Catherine. I was standing outside the building she was in. She was breathing heavily, and I was slightly concerned because I thought she was having another seizure. But this didn't sound like a seizure. I left for a few minutes and then came back. All was now quiet. I felt nervous. My heart was racing. I felt like I would faint at any second. Then the silence was broken by her beautiful voice. "I know you're out there, Brus. Come on in. I have a surprise for you." She sounded happy. I heard a few yips as she spoke. I nervously entered the room. There she was, lying in a basket with six pups nursing away by her belly. "Hi... Catherine. Are they... are they okay?", I asked. "I think so.", she replied. I walked closer. There they were. I was now a father. I stepped closer to get a look at them. "So,", I said, nervous and happy at the same time, "Wh-What should we name them?" "Well," said Catherine, "I've always liked the name Ambrose. How about that for one of the boys?" "I like it.", I said. So we named the rest of them, and the time with my Catherine was enjoyable. A couple months later, the pups were put in a crate, which was set out on the wooden sidewalk outside one of the buildings. Catherine and I both sat there. I stared at her, smiling, watching our pups get adopted one by one.

That was a few days ago. I love her now more than ever, and I tell her every day that I love her. Sometimes I see a human child playing with one of our pups, and it makes me happy knowing they all found good homes. I am not on the team anymore. I miss it, but not much. Seeing Catherine every day makes me happy, not running and pulling a sled through miles and miles of frozen Alaska wilderness. Seeing her beautiful face every day is worth every minute, worth every second. I'm always there by her side, to reassure her when she has a seizure, to guider so she doesn't bump into anything, and also to protect her from those who still taunt her. Our love for each other will never fade. Never.