Levi

The wind bit onto my fur as Jessica's laugh rang in my ears. I walked down the street with her, my head held high, dragging a large stick too big for me. I repeatedly tripped over the stick, but my motive was untarnished; I walked home with Jessica laughing her head off every time I tripped. I didn't mind because I liked making Jessica laugh.

We reached our apartment, where I stood panting outside the door while Jessica tried to find the key in her bag. We walked inside and were greeted with cold. Jessica stopped by the doorway and squatted down to my height. Roughly patting my head, she said, "Buddy, you can't fit that in the house; you know we can't." She looked at me with her head tilted. "Come on, it's freezing. Drop the stick and come in."

My ears drooping, I sadly lowered the stick to the ground, but then stopped and pounced back, the stick bared in my teeth. I gave a muffled bark. Jessica dramatically gasped and said, "You dare defy my judgment?"

That's how the rest of the evening played out. She chased me around the block as I ran away—a classic battle of chase. I always let her get really close, then pounced away before she caught me. On one of my tricks, I tripped over the stick and fell first into the grass. Jessica rushed over to check if I was okay and then heartily laughed at me.

My tongue lolling out, my tail wagging hard, I sat up and vigorously licked Jessica's hands. I growled at the stick that had made me trip and let myself be dragged inside.