A New Beginning

Part 1 Dakota

           As the car slowed to a stop, my owners' daughter started crying.  What's going on I wondered as I turned and licked the little girl's face.  She wrapped her little arms around my neck and hugged me.  We had driven out to the middle of a forest for no apparent reason.  My male owner got out of the car and opened my door so I could jump out.  I was so glad to be able to stretch my legs.  We had all been crammed in that car for half an hour, and I am a big dog.  My male owner unclipped my red collar, which has never been taken off before, and tossed my favorite tennis ball into the forest.  I bayed with delight and sprinted as fast as I could to find it.  Finally, after a little searching, I found it under some leaves and started to head back the way I had come, when I heard the car door slam shut and the car roar as it sped off down the gravel road.  Oh no I thought as I ran back to where the car was, only to find that my car was nowhere to be seen.  I started to panic and run in circles.  Where could they have gone?  They were just right here.  They wouldn't leave me, right?  I'm not that bad of a dog.  I finally decided to sit by the road and wait for them to come back.  I watched the road for my car and waited for them to come.  Eventually, I gave up and just watched the sun set.  Finally defeated, I went off into the forest.  Not to far away, I found a tree that had a large hollow area under it.  I settled down and waited for sleep to come.  They will be back in the morning I told myself as I drifted off to sleep.