"Star!!!" Gypsy and her puppies cries were in vain as she howled from beside them. It was the next morning, and she knew all of this was just a last-hope attempt at honing in on Star's location.

The forest was silent with twittering birdsong in the treetops as they then cuddled each other after the in-vain yelping. Kiwi and Finn had now lapsed into quiet uncertainty, joining Copper in his benevolent whimpers.

They drew their paws in at each fluttering leaf, rather than pouncing on it like before.

"It's okay, you can play." The white mother-dog calmed them with tears in her eyes. The grass felt stiffer, the earth harder, the light more piercing against her slanted eyelids.

"Bronx said its very rare for stuff like that to happen. And owls only hunt at night, so you're safe now." She struggled to keep the whine out of her voice as her puppies looked at each other.

"Okay, then. Let's play, Copper!" The male pup turned his head away, however.

"No thanks. I'm still scared that it might come back. Like what if Star didn't fill his belly?"

Dejected, Gypsy tuned out the puppies. She was thinking of her little white male pup, playful and eager to know more about the world. He would've grown into a wise dog. Star always knew how to get others into the spirit of play.

But now he's dead... I'll never see him again.

The thought in and of itself made tears gush from her eyes like a faucet. Gypsy laid her head down on her paws to try and hide her grief from her puppies.

Bronx had tried to comfort her after the long search last night, but it was to no avail. They'd searched high and low, but dogs couldn't reach the very tops of the trees. And an owl's nest was nowhere in sight among the trunks and forks, either. Yet Bronx had time and time again assured her it was an owl.

Gypsy could only assume he'd been taken far away and killed by the bird. She almost wished that some dog had seen Star be taken, so she could know for a fact that it was indeed what had happened to him.

But it wasn't like she could find out. She still had three pups to take care of, and they needed dry food. So, when Ace approached with it, and asked Gypsy what was wrong, she let her pups eat it all as she told him.

"It's so good!" Chimed Finn, as Copper filled his jowls with the meaty kibble next to him.

"No, I'm not okay. Star's gone. I can't get him back... there's no scent, no pawsteps, no fur, no trace...!" Her voice rose viciously on the last few words, and the two male puppies who were eating paused to glance at their mother.

"I know... I'm sorry. I looked again this morning, too. I think it's strange how there's so scent- or even trace of the owl. Only our usual packmate scents. And not even a dropped feather..." Ace lowered his voice. "Do you think North could've killed him out of jealousy? She's the only one who was away from camp at that time. Maybe she snuck back and-"

Taken aback, Gypsy looked him up and down in disbelief. "North?! Of course not. She lost her male pups from sickness while I was gone, remember?" Lifting her head, the she-dog stubbornly looked up at the cloud-littered sky. Why would North be so petty as to do such a thing?

Kiwi fell away from Gypsy's flank with a feeble tumble. She began coughing, but the Pitbull was too distressed to notice that her female puppy wasn't getting any food.

"I know. I mean, I didn't see them very much before they died... but I know where their graves are now," Ace began softly.

"And I sort of meant- maybe she's jealous that your pup lived... rather than her two.
But-Okay then..." Ace trailed off uncertainly. "Anyways- where's Bronx?"

"He's out on patrol," she said patiently, her gaze finally flitting towards her three remaining pups. She was glad for the change of conversation.

Copper and Finn stood back, looking a bit guilty but also pleased as they laid with their full bellies pressed against the earth.

"You didn't save any for Kiwi!?" The pups mother-dog roared, rearing up and startling the she-pup who had been resting against her flank. Kiwi feebly said, "it's fine, Mother!" with a weak whine but Gypsy was having none if it.

As she scolded her tiny puppies for being greedy, Ace hastily began to retreat. His thick black-and-cream pelt blurred behind the trees.

"I'll get more. I'm sorry it wasn't enough!" Called the male as he rushed away with a guilty look on his face. Touched, Gypsy attempted to call him back.

"Wait! Ace, it's not your fault! I just... I'm worried about Kiwi." She peered down at her tiny female dog, who's ribs poked through her thin puppy pelt. The little she-dog had bony cheeks and paled skin, as if she was a husk of herself.

"I think she's dying." Young Gypsy steeled herself against the turmoil of emotions that threatened to wash over her like a stormcloud. I said it out loud. I don't know how, but... I said it.

Yet Ace hadn't heard her. His retreating paw-steps crunched against fallen leaf and debree as he receded.

"I'm so sorry," Ghost said with a weak sigh of painful pity as he flickered into view like a lit candle.

All Gypsy could do was gather herself, wondering if he would indeed say the words that she expected him to say next.

It's almost like having a vision, knowing something in your gut. Knowing the worst will come true. "Knowing your biggest obstacle is coming," Ghost said knowingly. Extra wrinkles formed around his eyes as he smiled sadly.

"It'll happen tonight."

Her tears began flowing without warning; and she let them. She let them soak down her peach fuzzed face and into her chest fur as Ghost stepped closer and touched her head.

"Why would you tell me?...Before."

He seemed not to hesitate. Because for some things, the man already knew the answer. "You needed to know. You have a way of steeling yourself against things, and you'll need to use that talent time and time again very soon. But just know- It'll all be worth it in the end.

And I don't know how-" he added as Gypsy's soaked eyes peered over at him with pleading anguish. "I only know that you cannot prevent these occurrences, and that someone has a plan for us. That much, at least- has been revealed to me."

Ghost quieted, looking down at his boots. It was odd, but even through the blur of her tears and the sheen of his light, she could see worn down leather at the hems. Like somehow, Ghost had really worn that once. Really been alive once.

"Thank you. I'm starting to believe you." Her voice shook as she carried on. Something broke and then opened and then poured out inside of her.

"I know I'll get through it. I get through everything, don't I? I just... didn't want this litter to-" the she-dog gasped with emotion choking her throat.

"It's okay, Gypsy." He gazed fondly, and protectively over her puppies as they ignored their mother's whispers to a ghost. As they span in circles, chasing each other and their little stubby tails, their mother's sniffles carried on.

"I know about your last litter. I knew about it since I manifested here, without even the memory of a name. I know so much more now... and we'll find out more together," Ghost commented with emotion as the mother-dog wept on.

"I cried for you before you woke up that night. Somehow I feel... I know the pain."

Finally, this level-headed man lapsed into complete silence.

Together, both souls watched Gypsy's three pups in the clearing. One soul was dead, and one was alive. Yet both souls emitted a shine of light, and truth; and love.

It was quiet and peaceful all throughout the hours until Ace returned. When he did, the male spent a significant amount of time conversing with Gypsy and Ghost. He bent his head protectively over Gypsy's own, cuddling her into the gloom as her pup took it's last breath.

And although the ghost-man couldn't touch her, or anything for that matter- he still stayed close by. His arm rested over Gypsy's back, sitting crisscross applesauce to accommodate for the dog's shorter statutes.

Kiwi's brothers seemed to sense that something extremely negative was happening. Something was being taken from the world, as Kiwi's life was wiped from her now-vacant eyes. Her chest fell one last time, and Ghost's eyes stretched wide with wonder as he waited for a ghost to emit.

No spirit rose from Kiwi's corpse. Confused, Ghost questioned the odd scenario all over again. He wondered what involvement he had in Gypsy's grief once again; if not to comfort her.

And so, that's just what I'll do. Ace and Ghost stayed with Gypsy throughout the night, as she mourned her only female pup. Graceful, benevolent, attached Kiwi.

______

Kiwi