Warning! If you're expecting the same old love story, be forewarned! You're not going to get it! Some very mild sexual references.
Ready for Love
By Diann
He woke up to find the hot summer sun blazing down. Man, I must have fallen fast asleep after that big breakfast. What I need is a quick swim in the lake. He got up and shook his red head and started through the stillness of the woods toward the coolness of the lake.
Whoa--who's that foxy little number? I don't think I've ever seen her before. He stepped behind a bush and eased his head around. He watched as she slipped quietly through the trees, taking a nervous glance behind her every few steps. She lowered her head and continued to make her way through the dense, lush foliage. The shafts of sunlight that angled through the trees made her honey-colored hair glisten like gold.
She's headed this way! I sure would like to talk to her, but what do I say? This is silly, boy; she's just a female. Talk to her the same way you would to Patch. Darn these fleas! Reddy squatted on his haunches and used his right hind leg to scratch his neck and ears. Oh, here she comes. Don't scare her any more than she already seems to be.
Reddy casually walked out into an opening in a very non-threatening manner. The collie spotted him and came to a quick halt. She had almost turned to run the other way, when Reddy called out, "Hey, no, stop! I'm friendly! I don't bite!"
The collie stopped and tentatively turned her head to look at this new fellow with the flaming red hair. Cute, she thought. Much nicer than that hideous poodle they brought to play with me that time. She took a few halting steps toward him. He seems okay. Bright shiny smile, although his coat could use a good brushing. Okay, I'll try this.
Reddy wagged his tail in eager anticipation. Oh boy, she's coming over! "Hello! My name is Duke Redmon, Protector of the Glen," Reddy introduced himself and lifted his tail so that she could sniff.
The collie approached the proffered tail and took a small, dainty sniff. Ooo, not bad at all. She walked around to his front and doggy giggled, "But what do your humans call you?"
Reddy hung his head and shuffled his paws, awfully glad that his red coat concealed the fact he was blushing furiously. "Reddy."
"How darling! Reddy. I like that!"
"You do?! And what might your name be?"
The collie returned the tail-lifting gesture as she spoke. "I am Princess Calla Lilly of Yorkshire. My humans call me Callie."
Reddy took his turn to sniff..and sniff..and sniff again. Reddy was nearly drunk from the exotic aroma emanating from this beautiful creature. She doesn't smell anything like Patch or that ratty looking terrier at that grumpy gray-furred human's we go to see every Sunday morning.
"Reddy?"
Reddy lifted his head, slightly embarrassed. "Oh, pleased to meet you Callie. I've never seen you before. What brings you to these parts of the woods?"
Callie started walking down the small path that led from the clearing. Reddy stood mesmerized as he watched her lift and place each exquisitely manicured paw as she sashayed down the path. He loped to catch up with her, but not before admiring how her tail swished in harmony with each step.
"Oh, I don't know, Reddy," she said with a shake of her head. "I live over that hill there." Callie pointed her long slender muzzle in the direction of the Lynch mansion. "I have a nice life there. A large pen where I live with a really nice house to sleep in at night. I always have plenty of food and water. My humans are fairly nice too."
"Who are your humans? Oh, be careful of those thorn bushes, Callie!"
"Thank you, Reddy. I did almost run right into them. That would have made a mess of my coat. I have a lot of humans at my house. There's seven that they call "family." There's two large ones they call Mummy and Daddy and one almost large one that's real nice to me. They call her Diana Dear. There are four small ones that come out and play with me almost every day. Two of them are Larry and Terry. The two littlest ones don't seem to have names." Callie stopped and shook her beautiful honey and white mane. "I think that's kind of sad, don't you, that they don't have names?"
Reddy looked shocked. "Yes, that is rather strange that they would name everyone but the two smallest humans. Maybe they're not old enough for names yet."
Callie brightened. "Yes, that must be it. My, you're very smart, Reddy."
Reddy's coat once again turned a darker shade of red.
They paused during their stroll through the forest to sniff bushes and trees. When it was apparent that Callie had selected a bush, Reddy thoughtfully chose a tree several yards away. He turned his back to her and lifted his large left hind leg and relieved himself. He turned to see her politely kick leaves over her rest area.
He could see that Callie was panting and led her to a large overhang of honeysuckle vines. They stretched out underneath the canopy to cool down.
"But there's something wrong at your house that made you run away?" Reddy asked gently.
"Yes. I overheard the Daddy human talking to the Diana-Dear human, saying. 'Callie is coming into season. Dr. Joseph is bringing his collie from New York so they can breed.' Then later on Diana-Dear told Larry and Terry that I was getting married and that my husband would be here soon." With that Callie put her head down between her paws and began crying softly.
Reddy's little doggy heart just ached. He felt so bad for Callie because obviously this marriage thing was upsetting her and he felt as though she were being snatched away before he had time to know her. He wasn't sure what to say so he just scooted closer to her and lay with his side snuggled up to hers.
In just a moment, she lifted her head. "I'm so sorry for breaking down like that, Reddy. Would you get that tear off my face?"
Reddy gently licked her face. He had never tasted anything so sweet in his life. Oh my gosh! I think I've got it--puppy love! Patch would just die if he knew.
Callie suddenly leaped up and shook her pretty coat to get out the leaves and sticks. "I just don't believe in these pre-arranged marriages. I think dogs should be allowed to chose their own mates, don't you?"
Reddy stretched forward and then back before answering. "Yes, I do, Callie. I guess humans don't realize that we have feelings too."
Callie's eyes lit up. "Oh Reddy! That's wonderful! I can see we're going to be great friends!" She gave his ear a quick spontaneous lick and then started trotting back down their path.
Reddy stood rooted to his spot, experiencing some very strange feelings in the pit of his stomach. I'll never wash that ear again.
A thought broke through Reddy's beginning fantasies. He began running. "Hey! Come on!" he called as he trotted past her. "I've got something to show you!"
The two dogs began bounding their way through the woods, jumping fallen logs, zig-zagging around blackberry vines, barking and laughing and running carefree toward Reddy's surprise. He then slowed down and stopped in an extremely thick section of forest.
"Is this it?" Callie asked, not really seeing anything but not wanting to hurt Reddy's feelings.
"Oh, no," Reddy grinned mischievously. "But you may get a little mussed up. Can you handle it?"
Callie lifted her slim snout and sniffed. "Of course! Anything you can do, I can do!"
"Okay, follow me!" Reddy got on the ground and belly-crawled under a dense stand of bushes. He heard Callie following close behind and occasionally felt her brush his extended tail with her outreached paw. It was a rather nice feeling.
After a few minutes Reddy panted back to her, "We're….almost….there. Okay, close your eyes and crawl forward just a little bit more. Okay, stand up and open your eyes!"
Callie did just as she was told and the sight she beheld was definitely worth messing up her $250 grooming job. "Oh, Reddy," she breathed, "this is the loveliest spot in the whole world!"
Reddy beamed as he saw his new friend drink in the splendor of his special place: the small clear pond adorned with lily pads; the flower garden of yellow jonquils, white daisies, and lavender buttercups; the thick patch of wisteria and honeysuckle where two hummingbirds were busy gather nectar; and the greenest, lushest grass this side of heaven that surrounded the pond.
"Do you come here with your humans?" she inquired, still entranced by her beautiful surroundings.
Reddy shook his head, "No, even though they practically grew up in these woods, they don't know about this place. In fact, it's amazing the things they don't know about here. Anyway, I've never brought anyone here, not even my best friend Patch. You're the first."
Callie's deep brown eyes brimmed with tears. She moved closer to Reddy and placed her right front leg inside his strong left one, her paw gently brushing up against his. "That's so sweet and so romantic, Reddy."
The two canines stood quietly, motionless, each experiencing a full rush of emotions and not knowing exactly what to do. Reddy summoned up every bit of his encourage and stepped back. He then leaned forward and caressed her ear with his tongue. She responded by nuzzling his neck.
Reddy nudged her with his nose. She understood and smiled.
Epilogue
"Mummy! Daddy! Come quickly!" Diana's shrieking voice broke through the early morning stillness. "Callie's had her puppies!"
The sudden feel of a wet nose being pressed against her hand made Di jump. "Oh, goodness, Reddy! You startled me! What are you doing up here so early?" she asked the Irish setter. "I swear it looks like you're smiling! You just wait right here. I'm going in to see Callie's new puppies."
Di made her way into the fence and back to the doghouse where Callie lay proudly with her new children.
"Reddy, look! Two little girls that look just like their mother! That's okay, Callie girl, I'm not going to hurt them. Hey, here's a third puppy. This is odd. It's a boy but it's all red. Kind of looks like your coat, Reddy."
Diana stood up with the boy puppy in her arms. A wide grin broke out on her face. "Reddy! No wonder you're smiling!"
The End