Furwaggle Chapter 35

Chapter 35
Reunion

In the real world humans gather together on various occasions, such as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and just a family reunion. Most of these get togethers are planned, but there are some that are just spontaneous. But in the fictitious dreamland called Furwaggle, where animals talk to each other, reunions are rare and never planned.
Today we find Fluffy laying on the chuck house porch taking a little snooze while he waits for the dinner bell. This is his favorite place; he is rarely disturbed because no one else is as devoted to eating as Fluffy. But all of a sudden there is an ear splitting ruckus, causing Fluffy to come out of his slumber and to open one eye part way. Things are a little blurry but Fluffy can make out that there is a chicken jumping up and down while making the loudest screeching noise he has ever heard. Fluffy gets up and puts his paws to his ears and yells out, “Ok, already. Stop all that screaming you’re hurting my ears”. Fat Chicken yells back, “You would be shrieking too if you had seen what I seen”. Fluffy is wide-awake now and he realized two things. First off, this chicken is gone full mad and second he’s not going to be able to go back to sleep. “Ok”, Fluffy asks, “just what is it that you seen that makes you so outrageously crazy”? Fat Chicken takes a deep breath and starts in, “There is a wacky dog down at the chicken pen snapping at every one, and it’s all your fault”. Fluffy starts to say something in self-defense but then stops and after a moment of thought asked. “Did you say a snapping dog”? “Yes, that’s what I said. Now what are you going to do about it”, replies Fat Chicken. Fluffy yells, “Oh no”. Then he jumps off the porch and breaks into a dead run toward the chicken pens.
On his way toward the chicken coops he passes Zorba high up in a tree yelling something that sounds like, “help…mad dog”. Next he sees Wiggles running toward him and he is yelling, “my tail feathers, my poor tail feathers”. But again Fluffy doesn’t stop to chat. He runs even a little faster if anything. Then the next thing he realizes is that he is at the chicken pen wire fence and he is going too fast to stop. With a bump he hits the wire and is thrown for a full loop and lands with a thud on his back. He is stunned but looking up he sees a familiar face looking down at him. The face is saying, “You always did like to make a spectacular entrance Fluffy”. As Fluffy stagers to his feet he realized the talking face was his cousin Snapper. Fluffy blurts out, “Snapper, what are you doing here”? Snapper replies, “Why I’m here to see you cousin. I’ve heard so much about this fictitious dreamland that you live in. I just had to see for myself”. Then Fluffy sees thru the chicken wire that there were about half a dozen chickens running around and squawking about their tail feathers. With a stern look Fluffy tells Snapper, “You can’t go around snapping at chicken, duck or any feathered types here”. With a sheepish grin Snapper said, “I’m sorry. I was just trying to be friendly”. Then Fluffy asked, “Just how long are you planning to be here”? While pointing toward the grassy field next to the barnyard, Snapper said, “Well I just don’t rightly know. It all depends when the rest of the in-laws get here”. Fluffy turns in the direction Snapper is pointing and he is shocked at what he sees. The field is full of dogs, all sizes, shapes, and breeds. “What, … what is all this”, Fluffy stutters. Snapper takes a deep breath and starts in naming the relations, “There is cousin Jake and aunt Mary, uncle George and his kids, Manny, Moe and Jack. Then on the off breed side of the family there is Spot, and his two brothers Larry and Larry… blab, blab, blab, and so on…” “Wait, wait”, yells Fluffy. “You mean to tell me that there are brothers with the same name”? With a knowing look Snapper said, “Well sure, it is a big family and they ran out of names”. With a dejected look Fluffy asked again, “How long are you and your pack going to stay here”? Snapper answered, “We will most likely decide that at the family meeting just after the howling contest”. “Oh no”, said Fluffy with a shock. “Just when is this howling going to start”? With a knowing look Snapper said, “Oh, whenever it gets dark enough to see the moon”. Then Snapper asked, “Say isn’t it about time for dinner. It’s been over an hour since we ate last”? Just then the dinner bell rings which triggered a mad rush to the chuck house.
After about an hour of slurping and chomping most of the pack has finished their dinner. Fluffy is about the last one to exit the chuck house and everywhere he looks, he sees a sleeping dog. It seems that being a big eater and after a meal, sleeping is a family trait. Fluffy goes over to his doghouse but it is already full, there is even a large Doberman lying on its roof. Just then, Wiggles came walking by and asked, “What’s the matter Fluffy”? With a whimper Fluffy replies, “I don’t have any place to sleep. They have taken over my little doghouse”. “Not to worry Fluffy”, said Wiggles. “You can sack out in the hay loft in the barn”. By the time they got to the barn it was almost dark and the howling was starting up. It came from all areas of Furwaggle, a bark here a howl there and each one louder then the last. Inside of the barn Wiggles stuffed cotton in his ears and Fluffy put his head under a bale of hay. Both settled down for a fitful nights sleep.
The next Fluffy knew was he was being shaking awake by Wiggles as he shouted, “Come on Fluffy its wake up time”. Fluffy pulled his head out from under the bale of hay and gave out with a big yawn. Wiggles cheerfully said, “Come on, let’s go greet the sun rise”. They both climbed down the ladder from the hayloft and walked out into the barnyard. All was quiet and calm except for a far off bird chirping. Also there wasn’t a dog in sight. They did see Zorba walking toward them. He called out, “Hello boys, I see you are up bright and early this morning”. “What happened to all of Fluffy’s relatives”, asked Wiggles. Zorba replied, “Oh they packed up and moved out during the night, right after the howling competition”. “You were at the howling contest”, asked Fluffy. Zorba puffed up his chest and said with pride, “Not only was I there I came-in third place and was awarded a bronze medal”. Wiggles asked, “Howling isn’t an Olympic event is it”? Zorba snapped back. “No it isn’t yet but they have done dummer things like stopping women’s soft ball”. With that both Wiggles and Fluffy nodded their heads in agreement. Then Fluffy asked, “What caused the dog pack to move along”? With a snicker Zorba answered, “Well, at the meeting after the howling, I happened to mention that there was a place past the south mountains called Dogland that was run by dogs. It is a wonderful place where there is plenty to eat and cats for the chasing”. “Huh, I never knew there was such a place”, stammered Fluffy. Fluffy then asked, “Are you sure…”? but before he could ask any thing else Zorba interrupted with, “Say, did you hear that. I think it’s the bell ringing for breakfast”. That was all it took, Fluffy spun on his heel and took off on a run toward the chuck house. He yelled back to Zorba and Wiggles, “See you after breakfast”. Zorba and Wiggles started following Fluffy at a slow pace. Wiggles said to Zorba, “You made that up about Dogland. Didn’t you, you silver tongue devil”? Zorbas response was, “Say, did I ever tell you that I have a sure cure for making duck tail feathers grow”.
My tiny mind thinks that there is an art to communication.
Continued… (Maybe).
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Here is a simple little teaser for you
Spider Maze