The Brave Fluffy White Dog

 The door opened and I ran out into the backyard. One of my favorite places in the whole world!  I ran around and around, leaped up and down and felt the blades of grass tickle my paws.

Then I stretched out on the grass, rolled over on my back and basked in the sun. The sun warmed my belly and it felt so good.  Aaaah!   I feel completely relaxed and carefree.

As I lay on my back, I wiggled my white furry paws happily in the air.” One paw up, one paw down. Repeat.” I said to myself. Suddenly, my perfect day was interrupted by an odd sound.

It was a strange, frightening sound. Not soothing or happy. A grating cak-cak-cak sound. Alarm raced through my body. My nerves instantly went on alert and tingled. I didn’t move and stayed still hoping that whoever was making that sound wouldn’t notice me.  I pretended I was a white fluffy pussy willow flower that had floated unto the grass.

I didn’t move but knew I couldn’t stay. Only moving my eyes, I carefully looked right and then left searching the source of the sound. I shut my eyes. Maybe whatever it was would go away and I wouldn’t have to deal with it. If I don’t see it, then it doesn’t exist I momentarily thought. But deep down, I knew better.

A large shadow slowly hovered over me. The shadow circled around and around and quickly flapped its wings. My eyes were closed. I didn’t want to look. I was paralyzed. I couldn’t move. The shadow passed me by. “Whew, that was close!” I softly exclaimed.

I peeked thru one eye and saw a large menacing hawk looking at me from the top of the fence. Just sitting and contemplating what side dishes he planned to eat for dinner. Ugh!

I quickly gave him a name in order to make him less frightening to me. I named him Cooper. I was sure he was a Cooper Hawk, so the name fit him.  He had a long tail and wore a black cap of feathers. His red eyes seem to pop with color from his steel blue-gray feathery coat. He was an impressive bird of prey.

I knew I had to be brave. I would face the danger, or it would return again and again.  I took a deep breath and stood up fiercely on my four snow- white furry paws. I swung my long white silky tail quickly from side to side in order to show Cooper I was not afraid. And then I looked directly at him!

My fluffy white hair moved gently with the breeze as I stood my ground.

He looked back at me and stretched out his right claw.

 “Yeah, yeah, so you have a big claw. So, what!  He’s bullying me” I thought.

So, I stared back and stretched my whole body into a downward dog yoga pose. “Hmph. Try that Cooper!”

I knew he wouldn’t eat me now as I had given him a cool name. He was tough but I was tougher. Maybe he hadn’t noticed all the lush vegetables in the garden. He could eat one of them instead of me.  " I thought hopefully.

As he stared at me, I walked slowly over to the garden. “Look big fella. Here are delicious vegetables you can eat. Here’s a fat, juicy red tomato or maybe a long, tender, crisp carrot”.  He didn’t respond and slightly tilted his head so a red eye could see me.

I had to figure something else out.

Then Cooper flew down and landed next to me. He turned and said “thank you for thinking of me but I don’t eat vegetables or fluffy white dogs that are pretending to be a pussy willow flower. I’m looking for …. that! He suddenly flew up and began chasing the fluffy little bunny who chose the wrong time to visit the vegetable garden.

The End.