Hazel Howls

~ Surreptitious Spelunking and a Clumsy Rescue ~

Boy Howdy Hey, (Rez dog cowboy greeting)! I never thought I’d see such a worrisome break in our pack relationships. I spent nearly the whole day by Pru’s side. Silent for the most part, as she was so angry. She didn’t want to listen to much I had to say.

Who was the target of her hot consternation? Dad.

Of the six members of or family pack (four of us four-leggeds and two parent two-leggeds, not counting the revisiting named birds and other animals), Dad would be the least likely for Pru to be so upset with. She adores him, but today if Dad walks by or tries to engage her in play or conversation, she gives him the side-eye and walks away.

He knows why. He also seems to know everything will work out and regain its balance in time.

The break in the pack-peace wore on through the day. It put the house in a tip and required some intervening from the household’s wise philosopher. Me.

I waited till Pru decided to seek solitude in the far garden… with the narrow gate. I positioned myself in its entrance and gave some subtle snorts, and a single low, short growl. In canine parlance, that would mean I’m sensing something without a firm sighting, which I was faking at that moment.

I heard Pru rise from the gravel bed on the other side of the garden shed. As incredibly brave and athletic Pru is, when any of the other pack sounds an alert first, Pru prefers to get around and behind whoever is barking and growling till she can get a handle on what’s going on.

And, true to her form, Pru came around the shed at a trot to take her position. But I was blocking the gate.

“Sit tight, Sis. We need to talk.”

Pru tried to nudge past me but, I pushed back.

“Get it off your chest kid, and let’s clear the air.”

I thought that imitating something Dad would say would give a serious air to the moment. Instead, Pru started laughing.

“You are the most comical when you try to sound like Dad. Please don’t do that, I’ll pee myself.” She tried to get past me again.

“You’re not moving on yet Sis. Us Rez dogs need to talk.”

Bringing up heritage got her attention. It takes her and me to not so pleasant memories. How close we came to short and brutal lives without two-legged intervention.

“What happened with you and Dad this morning? I heard the commotion off in the bedroom while I was in the kitchen and saw y’all coming out with Dad following you. Since then, you’ve been in a snit.”

Pru sat looking over my shoulder, watching Tucker try to find a perfect spot for his business—which entails a complicated ritual of circling in several areas of the yard.

She finally sighed and admitted she was mad at Dad for waking her from a sound and peaceful sleep with some bizarre new game that started with waking her with a crushing weight, and then wrapping her front and back half in blankets and clumsily trying to free her while yelling at her to calm down.

“I don’t know what he was thinking, I’m really offended and ticked off, Hazel!”

“Don’t say ticked, Pru,” Tucker barked from across the yard. “It’s bad luck.”

Tucker had finally found his spot. When he finished, he made his way over to us with a look of satisfaction at a job well done.

“Dad wasn’t playing a game Pru. You thought you could sneak up on the bed and worm your way under the blankets after you’d been told not to do that. AND you went all the way to the foot of the bed thinking you wouldn’t be detected.

“Dad didn’t crush you. You were the victim of Keira’s basketball-sized booty. She didn’t see you under there. Then you panicked and flailed around enough to wrap yourself in the sheets and blankets. Dad was yelling at you to stop being spastic so he could free you.”

With that, Tuck walked back into the house.

Pru leapt over my back and raced into the house. I was afraid she was going to start a fight with Keira because of the new information from Tuck.

Pru raced past Keira in the living room and found Dad in his office. She leapt fully into his lap, and the great face-wash began with Dad’s strident objections.

Before Dad could get sleeves to his face to wipe away the assault, Pru bounded off to Keira.