{"sf1_id":264146,"sf2_id":"P1EoOMwm","title":"Just Once More","author":"Rtlstien","words":1357,"posted_at":"2011-07-03T14:44:00.000Z","tags":["Canine","Clean","Compassion","Dog","Friendship","German Shepherd","Human","No-Yiff","Realistic"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/264146-just-once-more","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/P1EoOMwm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/74/7f/747fae78-539a-463b-8e68-b5e98d9f307c","description":"","content":"\u0026nbsp;\n\n**Just Once More**\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou were so small when I first met you, and really so was I.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou were a baby and I was just a pup.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhen you saw me for the first time you embraced me in a tight hug.\u0026nbsp; I gave you a soft lick to your cheek.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI knew then that we would be best friends.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhen you finally let go I ran circles around you with joy.\u0026nbsp; You could only crawl then.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThree years passed.\u0026nbsp; You were now four and I was much bigger than I used to be.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was your protector when your parents weren't around.\u0026nbsp; I always kept close to you.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nPlaying together was so much fun since you learned to walk.\u0026nbsp; I loved running around with you trying to catch me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was too fast for you though, but that didn't stop you from trying each time we played outside.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAnd when we were both exhausted we would take a nap together in your bed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhen we had first met I would snuggle up to you, but now you snuggled up to me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nTwo years passed.\u0026nbsp; You were six and started first grade.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou were gone much longer now than when you had started kindergarten the year prior.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhen I was home alone I couldn't help but hope that you were alright every day you were gone.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhenever you came home I would get so overwhelmed with joy that I would jump on you.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou were still smaller than me so I often dragged you to the ground.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou didn't mind though; you just laughed as I licked your face.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe would play for a while outside before coming back inside.\u0026nbsp; I always hoped that we could take a nap together like we used to, but you had to do your homework.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI wished I could rip your homework to shreds, but I knew you wouldn't like that.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI couldn't complain on the weekends, though.\u0026nbsp; That's when we had the most fun.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe masters of the house would take the two of us to the nearby park where we would play for such a long time.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOf course, we would always play our game of chase.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou were much more coordinated than when you were four, but you still couldn't catch me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was glad that we were able to take naps when we got home.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI noticed that you were getting bigger as the years passed while I remained the same size.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSoon you would be bigger than me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFive years passed.\u0026nbsp; You were eleven and started Middle School.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou had grown so much these past five years.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou've changed so much too.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou had made so many new friends in elementary school.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou would occasionally bring them over to play.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI didn't like it when they came over; you would spend more time with them than with me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBut I could see how happy you were so I didn't interfere with your fun.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI did get excited when you and friends decided to play with me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHowever, you were the only one I wanted to play with.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhenever you and your friends played with me there would always be the chase.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYour friends didn't seem keen on the idea of chasing me around the yard.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI could care less what they thought; I was glad they didn't participate.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI've enjoyed this ever since we first met.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was surprised when you came close to catching me a few times.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWere you getting faster?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOr was I getting slower?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThree years passed.\u0026nbsp; You were fourteen and staring high school.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou just didn't seem to stop growing.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMeanwhile I haven't changed since you were just a little kid.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWell... my fur has started to fade in some areas... and I have gained a little bit of weight in recent years.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nDespite that, though, I still enjoyed playing with you.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOn the weekends you would bring me to the park and play a few games.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBut of course we would always get to the chasing eventually.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThings were different now, though.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI had once been able to run circles around you, but now you could catch me every single time.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI couldn't even play as long as I used to; I would get exhausted so much faster than I used to.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI knew I wasn't the only one who realized this; you had looks of concern every time we went out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI knew what you were thinking; you were worried that I shouldn't be exerting myself so much.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI understand that I've gotten old, but you shouldn't ever worry about that.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI would gladly collapse from exhaustion if it resulted from being with you.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYears passed.\u0026nbsp; It was your graduation.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy health has deteriorated these past couple of years.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI couldn't do anything physical except take an occasional walk.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThat was very depressing for me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSomething that made me glad, however, was that I was allowed to attend your graduation ceremony.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAs I lied on the ground I watched you walk up on stage and take that piece of paper.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI couldn't believe how big you were now.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou were an adult.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI smiled when I thought about how cute you were when you were just a little kid.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI remember all the times we played together; how you would come closer and closer to catching me each time.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBut now I'm standing still, and you're still moving on.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI knew you didn't need me anymore.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThat night was the same as any other; you'd be asleep under the covers while I slept at the foot of your bed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI wasn't sleeping though; my mind was elsewhere.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI looked up at the bed and could hear you snoring softly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI slowly got onto all fours and slowly approached the side of your bed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt took a bit of effort, but I managed to get myself onto your bed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe bed creaked a little with the added weight; I had gained even more over the years.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI looked down at you, illuminated only by a dim light.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI couldn't help but picture you when we first met.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHow I wished we could go back to those times.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBut I'm content with the life I've lived.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI slowly lowered myself onto your bed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI know I don't have much time left in this world, and so I'd like to spend it as close to you as I can.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI rested my head on your chest.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI just wish we could do all the things we could when I was younger.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJust once more I'd like you to chase me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJust once more I'd like to jump up on you when you came home.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJust once more I'd like you to snuggle me like when you were just a child...\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAs if you were reading my mind you wrapped both your arms around me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI gave your cheek a soft lick as thanks.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI then closed my eyes so I could drift into slumber.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI wish I could tell you that you are and always will be my best friend.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAnd I hope that I was your best friend too.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nThis is my first stand-alone story.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNow while I'm aware that German Shepherds only live 10 to 12 years, I decided to prolong their lifespans just for this story.\u0026nbsp; (Wouldn't it be great if they actually could live eighteen years?)\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI used a different type of narration than I normally do, so please comment if there was anything I did right/wrong.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHope you all enjoyed it!\n\n  \n  \n\n"}