The Dog on the Hill

It was a cold wet and windy day on the hill where they lived, Betty and penny were out about to leave their warm and cosy bed in front of the fire which was made for them the day before.

A mixture of pink and white cotton sewn neatly together and stuffed with goose feather pillows to create the perfect resting spot after long walks such as the one they were about to endure.

Although the weather was far from clear and bright their companion Jessica new she must take them for their daily stretch along the little bank road toward open fields.

The rain stung when it lashed down upon them, "just a short walk today I think" said Jessica to the two pups, they were only 7 months old and still in training but the walks were really needed whatever the weather.

Along the windy and wet lane Jessica, penny and Betty walked toward the field so they could see the cows, how they watched in awe, their little tails wagging in unison and ears pricked up like flames licking from a candle. 

The fields were peppered with cows for what looked like
Miles, the huge Emily moor mast watching over the land looked so much larger in such close proximity.

As they began to walk further up the lane they came across another little dog, he looked much older than penny and Betty but had the same sweet features they each possessed, little tiny black wet nose and a fair coat. He was alone though, "odd" Jessica muttered to herself. Jessica proceeded to kneel and pet the little dog, he was a little wirey haired terrier with such sadness in his eyes. The rain was becoming so harsh that Jessica and the pups must leave. The little terrier had no collar on and no companion in site, it was hard to see beyond the little fellow, blankets of rain waved over the paths ahead and deep puddles were starting to appear on the stoney muddy road. 

"I can't leave him here can I girls?" Jessica said to the pups,
They were so inquisitive of him, sniffing and taking on his scent, not once did they stir and bark, but looked on at him, almost as if they could feel and share his sadness that he was alone on a day like this.

Jessica scooped the little wet dog up inside her coat and headed back to the little cottage she shared with her husband who was hard at work only a few miles from their home. 

"You look like you need a warm bath and a snuggle in front of the fire little man" Jessica said to the little dog.

When they reached the archway which lead to the courtyard where the little cottage was Jessica flung open the old heavy wooden door and immediately began to run a warm bath, she did not want to frighten the little thing so gave him a biscuit to help encourage and give a little confidence.

Once the bath was full all three dogs were placed carefully into the warm water, they looked so content sitting in the warmth to thaw out their cold bones from the bitter typical Yorkshire weather.

Jessica washed each of them, once ready to get out she grabbed three towels that had been warming in front of the fire on a wooden rack, "nice and toasty" she thought.

Penny and Betty always had a little play once their bath was had, chasing each other round the living room and then finally settling on their large plush pillow that they shared.

The little wirey dog looked a little different now, his fir was wet, but a nice wet, he was clean and his body felt warm and tender beneath Jessica's smooth hands. She carefully dried him and tried to coax him into the living room where the little pups were. 

With some encouragement and a few more biscuits he eventually came to sit beside her on the big cream sofa, he sat their just looking around, taking his surroundings in. 

Jessica got up carefully to put the kettle on "time to thaw myself out now with a good brew" she thought. Al three dogs watched on as she pottered about the kitchen retrieving her favourite tea cup from the cupboard and pulling herself a ginger biscuit from the pantry to soak up the tea she so craved. 

She sat back down with her tea and biccy and listened intently to the clock ticking away, the open fire rawed, the logs swelling in the heat and the crackle of the sparks that fled from them, the smouldering ash that lay under the grill  flickered as though a pheonix may rise and be reborn from them.

Betty and penny were laying upon each other licking one another's ears, they really were the best of friends, although not sisters by blood they had come to meet each other through the love that Jessica had for all animals but especially dogs. Born just a mere 7 months prior most people did mistake them for being from the same litter. Penny was a little jack Russel cross chihuahua and Betty and Maltese chihuahua so they did look alike.

The little wirey dog jumped down from the sofa and strolled calmly over to the big fluffy cloud where they were both lying, he sat gently in front of them and just sniffed the pillow, almost as if to gain permission to join them and fall to sleep in comfort of his own kind. 

"Dinner time" Jessica said 
All three sets of ears proceeded to prick up this time, every dog new that word. Each tail wagging like the pendulum on the big grand father clock at the corner of the room. 

"Yorkshire puddings with sausages and gravy tonight darlings" Jessica said.

Preparing the hearty homemade food Jessica set aside her cup of tea on the windowsill and set about making the Yorkshire pudding mixture. 

" 2 eggs, half cup of milk and half cup of water" she said to herself as she measured out the ingredients needed.

The sausages were placed in a deep clay dish and put in the bottom of the oven, the gravy was prepared from the beef that was roasted the day before, the juices oozing from the leftover joint of succulent meat.

As the dinner was cooking she peered over to all three dogs who were now all later together, connected, like carriages of a train. "So beautiful" she whispered.

Jessica pulls out a round clay bowl from the cupboard for the little wirey dog to enjoy his dinner from, she gave each dog a sausage, a Yorkshire pudding and a large pool of gravy.

She had never seen dogs move as fast as they each pelted over to their bowls of hearty homemade goodness. 
They lapped up the gravy and chomped on the sausage and yorkshires. Jessica then sat down to enjoy her well deserve feast. 

When all was eaten, and tummies were full, the plates and bowls were washed and put away each they returned to the cushion in front of the fire, "the three musketeers" Jessica giggled. 

All three dogs fell softly asleep together as if they had known each other all their lives.

"If no one comes forward, I will give you a loving home little man, goodnight little ones" Jessica said 

And with that thought, She strolled upstairs to her own large clean and fresh cotton sheeted bed, she listened a while to the pitter patter of the rain on the single pained windows and fell soundly asleep until James would come home and join restfully beside her. 

Moral of the story 

It just goes to show that you should always try to help those in need no matter of their circumstance or breed. Not much was given, a bath, warm bed and a full tummy, but these are the necessities of life and without those simple gestures not of us in this world would have to strength to make it through, see, help, welcome and trust, it really does go a very long way.