A Sniff on Christmas Night

We were known to like cold weather. Our coats were made for it. The snow falls right off of us. I could be a statue in this weather, unmoving as it falls, for hours, days even, and I would be alright. I'm built for this. I know this. She knows this. But regardless, she wants me to come inside. She's stopped yelling my name and only watches me from the door. But I'm not budging. If I fight my impulses a little longer, I might get away with it this time. I stare up at her from the spot I made on the ground. My frigid blue eyes almost blending into the white around me. Ending our back and forth from my reluctance to move, she gives up and slowly closes the big door. I know this trick, the battle is not over yet. I lay still on the ground until I hear a small click-my personal door was now open. I watch as a hand pushes it in, the door swinging back and forth until it stops, now together, like me, still. That was all the confirmation I needed. I won! I think to myself as I jump up, the snow dusting around me from my quick movement. I happily rolled around the yard. The snow envelopes me as my own cooling blanket, like her's but better. I pause, with my belly facing up, and look into the sky; bright colored lights from below flash and cascade under my eyes while the more familiar moon shines brighter. It was like it was speaking to me. Hello, Mackie-Hello, Moon. 

Snoring inside my play house, I'm at ease until I'm not. Startled awake, I'm suddenly standing at full alert. Something is here. I pad around my territory, looking and searching for what woke me, until I hear it again, this time from above. I could only stare forward, my icy blues wide open. I didn't understand what I was seeing, five great moose on the roof of my other house. Their hooves step and clamore loudly on roof tiles causing heaps of snow to move in heavy footfalls as it comes down in droves, covering the porch. I don't know why I couldn't smell them earlier; it must've been the heavy air. Curious to find out what was going on, I make my way to the house, pushing through my door cautiously before stepping in. Shaking the snow petals off my fur, I look around the quiet house, trying to assess the situation, and then abruptly, I sense it. My nose starts moving before I do as it swivels in the direction of the scent. The living room! I guess as I run through the house, turning corners and avoiding chairs and furniture, leading with my nose. I'm not sure I ever smelt something like this before. But no doubt this was another animal. The new smell of forest copper in the house told me that much. One more hallway and I caught you! I think to myself excitedly, my tail wagging in *trepidation. I skid to a stop and my tail freezes mid-air at the sight I come face to face with. Who are you? My nose asks. I raise my leg, unsure of myself and frozen as I think. Leaving it up to my instincts, I move forward before being stopped by the large head of what I now recognize as a much bigger dog. Never in my life have I seen a dog this big. It stares at me with big, dark eyes, both shouldering my entire vision. Only the warm embers of the fireplace reflect in the corners of our eyes as I look into mine.

Apprehensive, I don't look away. We share eye contact until the other dog, uninterestedly, moves back and away from my face, turning its attention to the other side of the room. Calmy, my eyes follow their gaze to spot a big stranger. Although my ears perk up, I was not concerned due to all the visitors we had gotten today. But I had thought they all went to bed! Forgetting the large dog, I walk over to greet this guest I didn't honestly recognize. Everyone that came in today pet me but you! No trouble, I thought as my tail wags, you can pet me now. I gaze up towards him and linger around him patiently, waiting as my tail gestures for attention. This large man in red turns around, crumbs dropping to the floor as he moves. I watch as he bends down to pick them up. She does the same thing when she drops something she doesn't want me to eat. They must be good friends. 

He kneels to my level, his face warmed by the lights. I've never seen a stranger this happy to see me. My tail wag continues as he brings a white covered hand closer to me. I couldn't quite explain it but the world would always change when it got cold outside. But with this guy, it was like the season was inside my house. I sniff him furiously, he smells like winter. He laughs loudly in great pauses. Huffing as he stands up. He reaches into his pocket pulls out a shiny gold ball adorned with string and stares at it thoughtfully. He wants to play, I thought to myself. 

I drop to the ground waiting for him to throw it but disappointedly watch it return to his pocket. I huff myself, and look the other way, deciding I was done talking to him. He lets out another hearty laugh and calls my name, my head whipping back in his direction immediately. "Mackie.", he says quietly. "I got something for you.". My tail wags again as he reaches into his pocket, this time instead, pulling out a bright red ball. He squeezes it and at the release, I drop to the ground as I hear a loud squeak. "Ready?", the man says to me. Suddenly he throws it to the other side of the room and I watch it fly into the hallway. Like the speed of light, I chase it down before it leaves the room. It was like the ball was a boomerang, it just wouldn't stop moving! This was going to take a while.

As quick as he came, he was gone, and so was his dog, who I'm also sure I don't remember greeting at the door today. How could anyone have missed me? I was right by the front the whole time today! And where did all this stuff come from? I glance briefly at the soft toys over the fireplace filled with things and then to the tree filled with more things, this was ridiculous! I drop the ball from my mouth and sniff the mysterious black stains on the floor. Don't even get started on the mess the dog made. She's not going to be happy about all these paw prints. I huff. No one told me anything about another guest coming tonight because, if they did, I wouldn't have stayed out. That must be why she wanted me back in! Yawning, I go upstairs. Eager to sleep in her warm bed. I'm not staying outside any longer tonight.