When Friends Must Part
First new story I've written in ages, and its a sad one. I began this one some years back after having to say goodbye to a much loved four legged friend, but I never did have what it took to finish it. Now as the time draws near that I must part ways with another very dear old friend, I somehow found the strength within me to finish it. Perhaps having written it will help me cope with the difficult trip to the vet's that looms ahead. Saying goodbye is a very hard thing to do...
It was a beautiful morning. The air was delightfully cool and the sun bright and warm as it rose over the treetops.
The old dog trotted easily over fields of glistening grass under the welcome light of the morning sun. She felt good this morning, better than she had in a very long time. The arthritic aches in her hips and back were gone and the deep pain that had slowly grown in her side over the last few months had vanished without a trace. She did not question why these things had happened, she just revelled in the quiet beauty of a warm summer morning as she jogged to and fro, sniffing here and there for the scents that are visible only to keen nose of a dog.
She recalled little before she had woken up; there were some vague memories of her two legged friend and a few others of his kind hovering over her but these were rapidly fading away. There had been kind words and compassion before she had gone to sleep and after that, nothing. She did recall that she hadn't felt very good at the time and when she had faded into sleep it had been a welcome blessing.
And what a change the morning had brought! She couldn't remember when she had felt this good! She wanted to run, to stretch out her legs, to feel the cool air against her tongue as it lolled happily from her muzzle.
This place where she had woken up was familiar to her, and a place of many happy memories. Her two legged friend often brought her here. There were usually other dogs to play with, gophers to chase, and lots of space for her to run around and sniff out the marks left by the other dogs.
Her friend was close by, she could feel his presence. However, instead of walking beside her as he usually did, he sat quietly on the crest of a small hill, the sun at his back, arms resting upon his knees. He did not call out to her so she took her time and wandered through the meadow, sniffing here and there at her leisure.
Soon, a new scent swirled in on the morning breeze and the old dog became aware of another presence. There was another dog here, but one unlike any she had ever met before. It was a dominant presence, yet benign at the same time and she instantly liked this new dog.
Her head snapped up, ears perked, and she stared curiously at this potential new friend. This other dog was much like her, a female, long in pelt and with erect triangular ears, but solid white in colour instead of wolf grey. As she trotted closer she could see that this other dog had vivid blue eyes. There was an aura of power around this other female and the old dog lowered her ears slightly as she approached, and her tail, usually held curled up over her back, descended to a more submissive position.
"Hello Friend." said the white female with a panting canine grin. "It is good to see you."
The old dog was quiet for a moment. There was a familiarity to this other dog that she couldn't quite pin down. Her scent was unique, yet familiar, but she couldn't quite place it in her memory.
"Who are you? " She asked after finally sorting out this stranger's scent and storing it in her memories.
"I am a friend Old One, and I am here to help guide you on the journey you must soon take."
The old dog cocked her head at this stranger. "A journey?" she asked in confusion, "But I do not want to go anywhere. I am happy here with my friend."
The white dog drew closer, tail wagging, and nuzzled her ear. "I know, my friend, but the time has come for you to move on."
The old dog didn't understand. She trotted over to where her friend sat quietly on the grass and stopped suddenly beside him.
She could feel the pain that wracked him and she stopped in confusion as he reached up to wipe away a tear that crawled down his cheek. Worried, she went to lean against him to cheer him up but the white dog at her side held her back.
In quiet words she explained. "He is sad because he has had to say goodbye to a very dear friend." The white one held old dog's eyes with a sympathetic stare. "Yes Old One, those tears he sheds are for you. Don't you remember? He was there at your side as you went to sleep."
"Yes," she said slowly as the memories returned. "I remember his touch as I faded away. He was so sad and there was nothing I could do about it. I was always so good at cheering him up."
"He had just made a very difficult decision. You were a very old dog and had grown very sick. Soon you would have been in a lot of pain. He didn't want you to go through that so he decided to have you go to sleep at his side. He knew that it was the last time he would see you, and he was saying goodbye the only way he knew how."
The white one turned to stare at the human who sat morosely on the crest of the hill a short distance away.
"It is a curse of the humans that they must live so much longer than we do. They share their lives with us, bring us into their homes even though they know that they will have to watch us grow old and eventually move on. It is not easy for them but the happiness we bring into their lives makes it all worthwhile."
"He was always so good to me." The old dog said sadly. "He gave me good things to eat and a nice soft place to sleep at his side. He took me to places where I could run and he was always willing to play. I do not want to leave him."
The softest of smiles grew on the muzzle of the white dog. "I understand, Old One, but you must move on. It is the nature of life. Just as all things have a beginning, all things must also come to an end. Another life awaits you. Your friend here will move on. He will grieve, as he must, but eventually the pain will fade. There will be other dogs at his side in the years ahead but he will always remember you fondly."
The old dog stood uncertainly for a moment, staring sadly at the friend who had always been there for her over the last twelve years. "Do I get to say goodbye?" she asked.
The white one smiled. "Of course."
*****************
The man stood up and sighed, brushing strands of grass from where they clung to his jeans. He wasn't sure why he had come here. After the difficult trip to the vet's office this morning his thoughts were more than a little preoccupied.
It was a beautiful morning though and the sunshine helped push a bit of his sadness away. He sighed again and a wistful smile came to his face. This off-leash park had been one of her favourite places, even when her arthritis had gotten so bad that she could no longer run very far.
He felt so lost without his old friend at his side. Funny, he thought, that dogs wormed their ways so deeply into our hearts and lives.
He turned to head back to the truck and stopped suddenly, a questioning look on his face.
Just for a moment, a familiar weight had pressed against his leg and he felt soft fur beneath his finger tips, then it was gone.
He stood still for a long while before a soft smile flowed over the features of his face.
"Goodbye old friend." He whispered, and turned his steps towards home.