The transition from life to death was sort of like going to sleep and waking up.

Except for the fact that she woke up to the most brilliant, glittering, golden-bathed sunlight she had ever seen. And right beneath her paws, somehow, was a squishy yet firm layering of cloud.

Gypsy turned her neck experimentally, finding that it was restored. She rose to her paws and lifted her eyes as the massive open land unfurled before her.

For the next few yards, it was soft pink clouds. But beyond stood a tall and golden reflective gate, separating cloud from short-clipped and clean grasses.

The gate was open, and had wild grasses growing up beside it, with bright green ivy snaking up the bars as if had been so for the decades.

The field that amassed beyond was almost endless, dotted with anything a dog could want throughout. Sparkling rivers, lakes, and all types of trees and foliage dotted the landscape. There was twinkling water fountains, some with little dog figures sticking out and spewing water from their pouched lips.

Aghast, yet mesmerized, Gypsy let her eyes take in the mass of hundreds of other dogs. Some were so far off into the distance, that she couldn't see their real appearances apart from a smudge. Some of them played and bounced around, their ears flopping in glee. Others drank or climbed in and out of the water fountains, or ran full-tilt alongside companions, paws flying underneath them.

As the white dog turned her head to the side, she saw a thick pink fog collected behind her. Without warning, another dog appeared there with a flicker of light- in almost the exact same way that Ghost had always shown up.

I died. And this is where I went. And she supposed that was how she'd gotten here.

She felt no shame or fortitude in the thought. Instead, just a pang of pity that she could not share it with her pups and Ace.

To the far right, grass slowly hardened into stark yellow sand with a hazy transition. Gypsy could see a beach, far, far away, and the haze of blue clouds that the ocean reflected above it.

On the contrary, to the far left was a thick forest with foliage crowding it's tree line. It looked nothing like Gypsy's old canopied woods; instead with low-lying and thin trees; which let in the sunlight and appeared much more open and welcoming.

It was strange, to see so many different styles of terrain stretched out miles and miles in front of her. Apart from the natural dips and rises of the forested area, the land close to her was entirely flat.

If she squinted hard enough, though- she could see rolling, lush hills with waving wild grasses far beyond some of the dogs. One or two of the dark-pelted ones were even visible climbing or disappearing between the hills.

There's no leashes or fences. Which is great, but... There's also none of my puppies here. Why? Gypsy wondered imploringly as the dog behind her rose to it's paws. He looked around with a gaze as confused as Gypsy felt.

Suddenly, with a whirling tilt, she felt the entire floor move beneath her paws. The Pitbull was being gently flipped around and tossed through an abyss of thick blue-and-pink clouds. They almost resembled cotton candy.

Breathless, Gypsy saw the stars flash above and below her as the world span. After the lovely hues of the poofy clouds, she began to discern a lush green and blue as finally, she floated lightly down to ground.

Her paws touched soft grass without so much as a brush of sound. She looked up, realizing she was swathed in the shade of a gigantic willow tree. It's falling stems fell down all around her in a curtain of green serenity. Here, the wind actually blew. She could feel a soft breeze stirring her fur, and then stiffened as she had a thought.

Gypsy looked at her own pelt, which had previously been stained with blood and grit. And yet there was nothing- no trace of even a fleck of mud, dirt or blood.

In fact, her fur felt light and clean. As if she were living back in the old days, of having baths and wearing collars around the house.

With a soft burst of pure-white sparkles, something dazzled into view before her. With a small breath, Gypsy stared in wonder at the white-cloaked figure appearing in front of her.

The man's robe was fluffy and thin, yet shone with the glimmer of a thousand suns. He had a halo above his head, as did Gypsy now. He blinked at her slowly, opening a mouth full of flat pearly white teeth to speak.

"Oh, Gypsy. You will never be subjected to such violence again- unless you choose." His voice was warm as honey, smooth as summer rain. And for some reason, Gypsy had no suspicion in her heart. Only trust for this kind, ageless man.

No.... A soul. He is a soul. Like....me.

She looked up at the other spirit uncertainly, wondering why her paws were solid instead of transparent like Ghost.

"What do you mean? What can I choose?"

The godly figure didn't hesitate before answering. As he spoke, the wrinkles around his eyes softened. His blue irises were sympathetic and filled with love.

"You can choose to go back. But you won't remember your puppies, not until after another death. You won't see them again until after you have lived a second life."

She looked down at her paws as she contemplated this.

"Then what would be the point?" The Pittie challenged, but she held no anger in her heart. The loss of her puppies, in a place filled with packs of dogs, was almost too much.

"That is up to you," the tall man smiled, and blinked knowingly down at her. Then, with another explosion of white sparkles he had transformed within the blink of an eye.

The man was a dog now, one that was pure white like her- yet more masculine. His own halo reflected the one above Gypsy's head as he tilted his muzzle forward.

The dog's wrinkled brows were laid back in a friendly, knowledgeable look of certainty.

"How'd you do that? And how did you send Ghost? Are you God?" She questioned.

"Yes. But nothing in my power matters, my love.  Not without you." He spoke solemnly, as if he were telling nothing but the truth.

The dog then gave a calm, wise smile.

As if he had smiled for a thousand years, and all throughout just as patiently and sincerely.

"You may choose your own path here. But, if you wait now... You will see them all again one day. Maybe tomorrow, maybe in a long time. That, we cannot control." The dog's soft rumbling tones were gentle and suggestive, as Gypsy thought about which supposed path she would now take.

"I just miss my puppies. All of them," she said as she began sniffling.

"My old litter and my new one. Ace and Obelisk and even Lavender. I miss all of them," the mother-dog began to wail- and was grateful for the privacy of the willow tree's dropping curtain of stems.

"It's okay, my child. We know how you feel. Everyone here," he said as Gypsy shot him a quelling look with red, puffy eyes.

"We have all lost our loved ones, and some still wait for the day that they will see one again." His voice soothed her, as the white dog turned his head and looked up through the leaves. Now, his eyes seemed to shimmer gold under the tiny jets of lights that made it through the canopy.

"Here, creatures talk about their loved ones with each other every day. It's how they deal with their losses. Now, my dear... There's something you should know." he looked back over at her with a warm gaze, and scooted closer to be better heard over Gypsy's sniffles.

"You are a guardian angel. You have served to love time and time again in your life, showing other dogs how and earning the respect of all among Christ." Gypsy's shoulders stilled as she listened, but her ears had flattened.

"I know. I saved that little boy. And... I wanted to help him...but I didn't want to die. I didn't want him to die but I also didn't want me to-"

"It will all be alright, my child. You've earned your halo. No need to question." The larger white dog stepped forward to support her, offering Gypsy his shoulder to lean on.

Underneath the wash of green-and-yellow, the young female finally felt her body stop shaking with grief at all she had lost. She felt her tears dry with the wind, beginning to wonder if he might be right.

I'll wait forever on my puppies. And Ace. And Obelisk. And Finn. No matter if it took a thousand years, I can wait until they're here.

"It won't take that long, lovely Gypsy." The God-dog complimented her with a fond look and stood up. Casually, he had heard her thoughts.

"I brought you here for quite the opposite, actually."

As if on cue, the white Pitbull heard a trilling of high-pitched puppy barks in her ears. She raised her head, paws shaking. Because she knew it could not be true.

There's no way. But... There is, isn't there? It's heaven.

The God-dog next to her nodded.

From a distance, there was a throng of puppies running towards the tree together. They bumped into each other, stumbled and rolled, all with their little ears flying.

"I...- You..." She couldn't say more, as her throat closed with emotion.

"Don't worry about it, my child. You've earned it."

________________

Visualization of the dogs in heaven

Gypsy