Sugar Plum and Tracker are sleeping in.  It has been a rough week with lots of work to do on the ranch:  weeds to pull, fences to fix, and gardens to be planted.

“Tracker, what is that infernal racket?  Why are the dogs howling?  Go see what has upset Thumper and Gabby.  (Gabby is Tracker’s new puppy, a six month old cousin of Thumper.)  I was hoping to sleep past 5 a.m.!!!”

“What, Sugar Plum?” Tracker mumbles. “I’m not awake yet.  What are you talking about?”

“Tracker, can’t you hear those hounds?  They are standing on the head of the bed, running back and forth, and howling at the window.”
 
“OK. . .Oh, Sugar Plum it is just the family of raccoons having breakfast in that crab apple tree.  I’ll let the dogs out to play.”

“Are you sure?  Gabby is only a puppy.  Won’t she run off?”

“Don’t worry.  I’m sure she’ll stick with Thumper.” 

“I hope you’re right, Tracker. It’s her first time tracking raccoons.”

“Thumper will take care of her.  She will come back.  I’m positive.”

“OK, let them go.  I can’t take the racket!”

Off the dogs go, chasing the raccoons through the pasture. Finally the noise subsides, but the all the commotion has ruined any idea of sleeping in.

About an hour later, while Sugar Plum and Tracker are having breakfast, there’s scratching at the door.

“See, Sugar Plum, I told you they’d come back.”

“Uh, oh, Tracker, it’s only Thumper.”

“Thumper, where’s Gabby?  Why didn’t you keep her with you?”

Thumper just rolls her eyes, as if to say, “She’s your dog.”

“Well, Sugar Plum, it seems Gabby has gone off on her own adventure.  Let’s hope she comes back soon.”

“Well, we better get moving, Tracker.  The chores are waiting.”

Sugar Plum and Tracker work on the ranch until noon.  Thumper never leaves their side.  She knows something is amiss.

“OK, Sugar Plum, that’s enough for today.  It’s getting too warm and I need some lunch.”

“Tracker, aren’t you worried about Gabby?  She hasn’t come back.”

“I’ll ring the bell.
“Gabby!  Gabby girl,” he shouts. “Come home, girl.  Time to eat.  That should bring her back.  She loves food.”

“Holy Hannah!! What is that horrible yelp?
“Is that Gabby?”

Thumper races off after the noise, howling the whole time.

“The yelping is awful, Tracker, I think she’s hurt.  We better chase Thumper.  I’m sure she will lead us to Gabby.”

Tracker and Sugar Plum run after Thumper, through the pasture, over the fence and into the copse of cottonwoods.

“We must be getting closer, Sugar Plum.  The crying’s getting louder.”

“Holy hopping Hannah!  Poor Gabby!  The poor thing’s been in a fight with a porcupine!  There are quills all over her muzzle. She’s lucky they missed her eyes.”

“Oh, look, Sugar Plum, there’s a mother porcupine with her babies. Gabby was probably trying to play with them and mom got mad.”

“Tracker, we have to get her to the vet!”

“Oh, Sugar Plum, we can do it.  Run back to the house and get the needle nose pliers.  I’ll carry Gabby.”

“Tracker, are you sure?
“Oh, look!  The raccoons are up in the tree watching the whole thing.
Don’t you know it’s all your fault?” Sugar Plum scolds.

Back at the house, Sugar Plum has set up the operating room.  She covered Gabby’s bed with a clean towel, put out several sizes of needle nose pliers, ointments and swabs. 

“Tracker, please be careful,” Sugar Plum begs.  “Gabby is in pain.  Don’t hurt her any more.  I think she hurt her left leg, too.  She yelps every time I touched it.”

“I’ll be as gentle as I can, Sugar Plum, just hold her.  Let me do this.”

Thumper whimpers in sympathy.  She understands this will not be easy.

As Tracker pulls the quills out, Sugar Plum has to look away.  Watching Gabby’s discomfort is making her ill, but Gabby is a trooper. 

When the last quill is removed, Thumper starts licking Gabby’s face to help her heal.  It seems to make Gabby feel better.

“Oh, Tracker, isn’t that cute!  Thumper is taking care of her friend.”

“That’s amazing. 
“Gabby’s muzzle is all swollen; her leg is bandaged.   It will be a while before she feels well enough to run around.  I wonder if she’ll milk our sympathy like Thumper does?”

“Well, Tracker, all I can say is I hope they both got the point!”

Aly Matthews Bruner

THE END