HOME | DD

Description
The small brown pup sighed tiredly, rolling his cheek against his paw as he shivered from the cold. Noon was almost at end, and with the sun slowly sinking behind the enormous buildings, the temperature was slowly seeping lower. A solemn look creased his brow, and all the little male could think of was a repetitive question that has irked him for the past... now maybe thirty minutes or so. How was he going to find his way back home?

It was just about an hour ago when Sarge became separated from his adoptive caretakers, Nikki, Kaltag and Star. It had been by accident - the dogs had decided to take the pup to town during their daily meanderings, conversing with the locals and the like. It was a mere simple and uneventful trip, which was probably why Sarge had gotten himself into this predicament in the first place. He had become to bored listening to the adults talk, gossiping of topics Sarge didn't quite understand yet. So, he had ventured off, unintentionally too far and having not informed any of the adults of his absence. He could only imagine how petrified they were... And the looks he would get when he somehow managed to get home, or if they found him before sundown. He could walk out into the street, but words of wisdom whispered to him, "Humans can be greedy, uncaring, and deceiving - and... and... well... They will snatch any cute puppy up, so be careful and don't just walk up to any stranger."

Kaltag always had a way with words, even if it was hard to understand him sometimes when he tries to describe something specifically. But those words were enough to stick with the little pup and force him to remain hidden, and he did so in a small crate in an open alleyway. Humans seemed to pass it without a second glance, fortunately. For now he would be safe, though he knew that he could not hide here for long - his belly rumbled, and he hummed sadly. He wondered if his caretakers went home?

"Hey!"

Some minutes had ticked by, and the voice had jolted him from dozing off. Sarge yanked up off his belly and scooted back, but when his blurry, sleepy eyes cleared, he felt his pounding heart feel at ease. It was just another puppy, about his age. With a clay-colored pelt and sapphire eyes, she smiled invitingly at him from outside the box while waving her tail in greeting. Sarge noticed movement behind her, and he realized that following her pawprints in the snow was another puppy, whom he assumed was this female's brother. They seemed similar in some ways. He had red and brown fur with fiery orange eyes. Both had oddly yellowish tints to their eyes.

Sarge blinked, pawing at his eyes as he recovered himself from a rudely disturbed nap. He yawned as he padded to the box opening and, after the female was ushered to back up by her brother, he exited onto the snow. "Hello..." he said, trying not to sound as miserable as he felt.

The red male pup opened his mouth to speak, but his sister yapped on before he could begin. "What are you doing here by yourself? Do you not have a human?" The red pup nudged her roughly with his elbow, and when Aleu blurted "What?!", he rolled his eyes.

Sarge shrugged, pawing at the snow distractedly. "I do! I just... lost him."

"Lost him?" the male pup repeated, eyes round with curiosity. "What do you mean you lost him?"

The female then huffed. "Maybe he was abandoned?"

At this, Sarge frowned and made a 'hmph' sound as he sat down. He stuck his nose up. "I was not abandoned! I just got separated - on my own!"

Though the thought did occur to him that his caretakers should have found him by now... He wondered what was taking them so long. Surely they would have stumbled upon him by now! He wanted to go home, and he wanted to eat... But the thought of being abandoned made his heart flutter with anticipation and terror. He almost whined, but it only showed itself as a sigh as he hung his head. The red pup caught onto this stranger's sudden state of sadness, and he hurried to cheer him up, or at least distract him.

"My name's Kodi," he watched as Sarge lifted his head. He seemed uninterested, but he seemed to focus on him anyway. "... and this is Aleu, my sister. What's your name?"

He hesitated, and Aleu stepped towards him and into his space - Sarge leaned back onto his hind paws with a look of discomfort on his face. "You do have a name, don'tcha?"

"... Yes..." he replied softly. "Sarge..."

So the puppies conversed for some minutes, and then later Kodi suggested they play a game or two. Sarge was thankful that he had something to take his mind off of his misfortunes. These puppies seemed nice enough, at least they knew most of the games puppies his age did, though this Aleu girl was quite rough and sometimes had to be controlled by her brother. Kodi was more soft-spoken and very patient, while Aleu was impatient and energetic, a duo Sarge wasn't sure how to respond to when the two would bicker every so often. As the dispersing sun turned the skies into brilliant oranges and pink, Sarge looked up upon the pups finishing their game of tag. And so far, no sign of his caretakers.

"Looks like we need to head home..." Kodi observed the skies, and when he turned to Sarge, his ears dropped. "Are you staying here?"

Sarge looked back at the box. Now it seemed cold and uninviting, not like the safe shelter he had found it to seem before. "I guess so. I don't have much anywhere else to go except home, and I don't even know how to get back..."

"Come with us!" Aleu suggested suddenly, and Sarge almost replied - if it weren't for a familiar, purplish-brown figure that briefed the end of the alley, and a familiar voice that called his name. His ears perked and the pup couldn't suppress the ecstatic yip that shook his body as he leaped past Aleu and Kodi.

"Star!"

The figure paused where only the back half could be seen, but then Star turned and peered into the alley with wide, searching eyes. A utterly relieved smile spread across his muzzle as he met the scrambling pup halfway and embraced him with a great sigh. "Oh thank goodness - Sarge, where have you been? We've been looking all over for you!"

Star went to look at Sarge's face, but the pup had his face pressed against Star's chest tightly. "I'm so sorry! I won't ever run off again! I only wanted to go exploring - I didn't mean to walk away so far but when I didn't see you and I - I couldn't find you and - and... I -" he was now sobbing into Star's fur, and about that time Nikki and Kaltag trotted around the corner, eyes searching before they landed on Star's form.

"Hey, hey! It's okay, we're here now!" Star smiled, and finally he lifted himself up, forcing Sarge to release him and plot back onto the snow.

Kaltag then inspected Sarge, sniffing at his small body, and when he concluded Sarge was physically unharmed, he sighed and relaxed his shoulders. "Kid, what were you thinking?"

"We's been looking all over for yous!" Nikki exclaimed at Star's other side.

Sarge pawed at the snow, now more embarrassed and bashful as he expected a punishment. What kind, he didn't even know himself. "... I'm sorry..."

The three adults exchanged concerned looks, but finally, they seemed to agree to something and Nikki stepped forward, gently grabbing Sarge by the scruff. Star smiled, reassuring Sarge everything was all right, followed by Kaltag agreeing and earning a smile from Sarge. But before the group headed off, Sarge called out to the two pups who still remained near the box.

"Maybe I will see you later?" he asked. The adult males looked to the pups, all looking to each other with surprise and realization, though none said anything. Kodi and Aleu smiled, and both of them sent their goodbyes to him. Sarge smiled and waved a paw at them as Nikki turned away to begin home, followed by Star and Kaltag. The little brown pup sighed as he relaxed, grateful to finally be reunited with his caretakers, and to be going home.

***

Just a lazy story and an image to go with it. I wanted to draw some puppies and I just whipped these guys up, plus I wanted to show these guys interacting in a more positive way than I had portrayed them in Sarge's old story. I used my version of Kodi and Aleu's colors, as I didn't want to change their designs up too much.

Background came from here: www.animationsource.org/balto/…

Character art and Sarge by me.
Aleu, Kodi, and background belong to Universal.

Description
The small brown pup sighed tiredly, rolling his cheek against his paw as he shivered from the cold. Noon was almost at end, and with the sun slowly sinking behind the enormous buildings, the temperature was slowly seeping lower. A solemn look creased his brow, and all the little male could think of was a repetitive question that has irked him for the past... now maybe thirty minutes or so. How was he going to find his way back home?

It was just about an hour ago when Sarge became separated from his adoptive caretakers, Nikki, Kaltag and Star. It had been by accident - the dogs had decided to take the pup to town during their daily meanderings, conversing with the locals and the like. It was a mere simple and uneventful trip, which was probably why Sarge had gotten himself into this predicament in the first place. He had become to bored listening to the adults talk, gossiping of topics Sarge didn't quite understand yet. So, he had ventured off, unintentionally too far and having not informed any of the adults of his absence. He could only imagine how petrified they were... And the looks he would get when he somehow managed to get home, or if they found him before sundown. He could walk out into the street, but words of wisdom whispered to him, "Humans can be greedy, uncaring, and deceiving - and... and... well... They will snatch any cute puppy up, so be careful and don't just walk up to any stranger."

Kaltag always had a way with words, even if it was hard to understand him sometimes when he tries to describe something specifically. But those words were enough to stick with the little pup and force him to remain hidden, and he did so in a small crate in an open alleyway. Humans seemed to pass it without a second glance, fortunately. For now he would be safe, though he knew that he could not hide here for long - his belly rumbled, and he hummed sadly. He wondered if his caretakers went home?

"Hey!"

Some minutes had ticked by, and the voice had jolted him from dozing off. Sarge yanked up off his belly and scooted back, but when his blurry, sleepy eyes cleared, he felt his pounding heart feel at ease. It was just another puppy, about his age. With a clay-colored pelt and sapphire eyes, she smiled invitingly at him from outside the box while waving her tail in greeting. Sarge noticed movement behind her, and he realized that following her pawprints in the snow was another puppy, whom he assumed was this female's brother. They seemed similar in some ways. He had red and brown fur with fiery orange eyes. Both had oddly yellowish tints to their eyes.

Sarge blinked, pawing at his eyes as he recovered himself from a rudely disturbed nap. He yawned as he padded to the box opening and, after the female was ushered to back up by her brother, he exited onto the snow. "Hello..." he said, trying not to sound as miserable as he felt.

The red male pup opened his mouth to speak, but his sister yapped on before he could begin. "What are you doing here by yourself? Do you not have a human?" The red pup nudged her roughly with his elbow, and when Aleu blurted "What?!", he rolled his eyes.

Sarge shrugged, pawing at the snow distractedly. "I do! I just... lost him."

"Lost him?" the male pup repeated, eyes round with curiosity. "What do you mean you lost him?"

The female then huffed. "Maybe he was abandoned?"

At this, Sarge frowned and made a 'hmph' sound as he sat down. He stuck his nose up. "I was not abandoned! I just got separated - on my own!"

Though the thought did occur to him that his caretakers should have found him by now... He wondered what was taking them so long. Surely they would have stumbled upon him by now! He wanted to go home, and he wanted to eat... But the thought of being abandoned made his heart flutter with anticipation and terror. He almost whined, but it only showed itself as a sigh as he hung his head. The red pup caught onto this stranger's sudden state of sadness, and he hurried to cheer him up, or at least distract him.

"My name's Kodi," he watched as Sarge lifted his head. He seemed uninterested, but he seemed to focus on him anyway. "... and this is Aleu, my sister. What's your name?"

He hesitated, and Aleu stepped towards him and into his space - Sarge leaned back onto his hind paws with a look of discomfort on his face. "You do have a name, don'tcha?"

"... Yes..." he replied softly. "Sarge..."

So the puppies conversed for some minutes, and then later Kodi suggested they play a game or two. Sarge was thankful that he had something to take his mind off of his misfortunes. These puppies seemed nice enough, at least they knew most of the games puppies his age did, though this Aleu girl was quite rough and sometimes had to be controlled by her brother. Kodi was more soft-spoken and very patient, while Aleu was impatient and energetic, a duo Sarge wasn't sure how to respond to when the two would bicker every so often. As the dispersing sun turned the skies into brilliant oranges and pink, Sarge looked up upon the pups finishing their game of tag. And so far, no sign of his caretakers.

"Looks like we need to head home..." Kodi observed the skies, and when he turned to Sarge, his ears dropped. "Are you staying here?"

Sarge looked back at the box. Now it seemed cold and uninviting, not like the safe shelter he had found it to seem before. "I guess so. I don't have much anywhere else to go except home, and I don't even know how to get back..."

"Come with us!" Aleu suggested suddenly, and Sarge almost replied - if it weren't for a familiar, purplish-brown figure that briefed the end of the alley, and a familiar voice that called his name. His ears perked and the pup couldn't suppress the ecstatic yip that shook his body as he leaped past Aleu and Kodi.

"Star!"

The figure paused where only the back half could be seen, but then Star turned and peered into the alley with wide, searching eyes. A utterly relieved smile spread across his muzzle as he met the scrambling pup halfway and embraced him with a great sigh. "Oh thank goodness - Sarge, where have you been? We've been looking all over for you!"

Star went to look at Sarge's face, but the pup had his face pressed against Star's chest tightly. "I'm so sorry! I won't ever run off again! I only wanted to go exploring - I didn't mean to walk away so far but when I didn't see you and I - I couldn't find you and - and... I -" he was now sobbing into Star's fur, and about that time Nikki and Kaltag trotted around the corner, eyes searching before they landed on Star's form.

"Hey, hey! It's okay, we're here now!" Star smiled, and finally he lifted himself up, forcing Sarge to release him and plot back onto the snow.

Kaltag then inspected Sarge, sniffing at his small body, and when he concluded Sarge was physically unharmed, he sighed and relaxed his shoulders. "Kid, what were you thinking?"

"We's been looking all over for yous!" Nikki exclaimed at Star's other side.

Sarge pawed at the snow, now more embarrassed and bashful as he expected a punishment. What kind, he didn't even know himself. "... I'm sorry..."

The three adults exchanged concerned looks, but finally, they seemed to agree to something and Nikki stepped forward, gently grabbing Sarge by the scruff. Star smiled, reassuring Sarge everything was all right, followed by Kaltag agreeing and earning a smile from Sarge. But before the group headed off, Sarge called out to the two pups who still remained near the box.

"Maybe I will see you later?" he asked. The adult males looked to the pups, all looking to each other with surprise and realization, though none said anything. Kodi and Aleu smiled, and both of them sent their goodbyes to him. Sarge smiled and waved a paw at them as Nikki turned away to begin home, followed by Star and Kaltag. The little brown pup sighed as he relaxed, grateful to finally be reunited with his caretakers, and to be going home.

***

Just a lazy story and an image to go with it. I wanted to draw some puppies and I just whipped these guys up, plus I wanted to show these guys interacting in a more positive way than I had portrayed them in Sarge's old story. I used my version of Kodi and Aleu's colors, as I didn't want to change their designs up too much.

Background came from here: www.animationsource.org/balto/…

Character art and Sarge by me.
Aleu, Kodi, and background belong to Universal.