*This is something fun and light-hearted that I just HAD to include in this book, before we get to the more serious writing. I hope it's not disrupting the pace too much. Enjoy!*

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Princess, I'm sorry to wake you but I need to be let out, Snow heard a silky voice say in her head.

Not again! she thought as she turned to see a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Chow Chow by her bed. "This has got to stop, I cannot be doing this every morning," she croaked. She hobbled out of bed, wincing at all the aches and pains from her training last night, and pushed open the door.

Thank you, I'll see you later! he said before dashing out. She closed her door with a bang, emitted a sound that was a mix between a yawn and a groan of pain, and toppled back into her bed.

She would have slept the whole day if she could, but at about midday, she heard her mother-in-law's voice outside her yurt. What is Mother doing here! she thought with horror as she leapt out of bed and got dressed faster than a soldier called up for war.

"I came to check on your foot," Oyunchimeg said when she bustled into Snow's yurt with her healer's bag. Her movements were efficient and fast when she unwrapped the bandages and inspected Snow's foot. "Any pain?"

"No, Mother, I don't feel any pain when I step with it," Snow replied, hoping that her mother-in-law did not notice her uncombed hair.

The older woman's eyes scanned her from head to toe, but did not comment on her appearance. She helped Snow to her feet and made her take a few steps.

"I'm surprised you've recovered so quickly. Maybe what you've had was a very bad sprain, though I could have sworn you had all the signs of a broken bone."

"Oh, yes, I thought so too," Snow said with a nervous laugh.

Oyunchimeg started packing her bag, which was filled with salves and medicine bottles – items that the leading clan healer would often use. "You're free to go out now. Just don't stress your foot too much, alright? Don't come back to me with another broken bone. I've got too many things to do as it is."

"Thank you, Mother! I won't!"

That evening, Snow waited at her door frame for Chow Chow to come home, with a bowl of warm food in her hands.

Princess, you've taken off your – oh, something smells yummy! he said as he trotted between the yurts towards her.

"Yummy, right?" she said, reaching into the bowl.

Chow Chow's pink tongue lolled out of his mouth and his round eyes sparkled like black diamonds when she dangled a choice cut of mutton in front of her.

That looks so tasty! Give me!

Upon seeing the eager look on his face, Snow felt like making him work a little harder for his dinner. She held the meat high up in the air. "Come and get it!"

He stood on his hind legs, and was about to close his maw around the piece of meat, when a dark blur swooped past. It flew by so quickly that Snow felt only a gust of wind ruffling her hair and the meat snatched out of her hand.

"Huh?" Snow said in puzzlement, staring at her now empty hand. Chow Chow also stared with his mouth hung open, but not for long. With an indignant howl, he chased after the bird that had stolen his dinner.

"Geriel!" she heard Erhi shout over Chow Chow's furious barking. "Sorry, Big Sister, I was bringing her back to her perch but she flew off. I don't know what came over her."

They both ran in the direction of his barking. After pushing through a small crowd of onlookers, they found him pacing like an irate lion beside a yurt. Above him on the roof, Geriel was tearing bits of meat with her beak and gulping them down, which made him bark even louder.

"You'd better take your dog away before it knocks down Tuul's yurt," one of the onlookers told them.

"You're right," Snow said, seeing how Chow Chow was readying to leap up the side of the yurt to get at Geriel. He was so huge that if he pounced onto the yurt, the whole thing might collapse. "Come on, big boy! Let's go home!"

No!

"Come on! Don't cause a scene," Snow said through gritted teeth as she put her arm around his neck and tried to drag him back home.

I refuse! he said, slipping out of her grasp. He got up on his hind legs by the yurt and gnashed his jaws, but the golden eagle was just out of his reach. She bobbed her head and made a goading, cackling sound which enraged him even further.

"What's the meaning of all this? Who's causing all this ruckus?" Snow heard her mother-in-law's resounding voice cut through the noise behind her.

Oh no, we better get out of here! Snow thought. "Erhi, help me grab his back legs," she said as held him by his front paws.

No! Just let me at her!

If he were still a little Pekinese, she could have easily scooped him up and tucked him under one arm. Unfortunately, he was not.

I just had to ask for the biggest dog known to man! Snow groaned to herself.

It was a miracle that the two young girls could half-carry and half-drag a dog the size of a pony back to Snow's yurt, especially when it was fighting them at first. Thankfully, they had help from other passers-by who dared to lift Chow Chow from under his belly. When his paws left the ground and he realized there was no use struggling, he went limp and allowed himself to be carried like a long sack of rice.

Once they got to the yurt and the two girls pushed him through the door, he keeled melodramatically onto his side as if struck dead.

My dinner! he whined mournfully. That thieving vulture! Wait till I sink my teeth into her feathered rump!

"It's okay, Chow Chow, I've got more meat for you here," Snow huffed, breathless from the exertion.

She took the best piece! I wanted that piece! He threw his head back and yowled from the floor.

Oh, good Gods, she thought, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. "There's more in the bowl, why don't you just eat that?"

I'd rather starve than eat anything other than the best of your cooking!

He moaned some more like the end of the world was near, and Snow did not know whether to be flattered that he only wanted to eat her cooking, or annoyed.

That was until Erhi said to Snow, "Why don't I go get some meat from my yurt and cook some for him? Since Geriel has eaten his share, I can give her share to him."

Chow Chow's head lifted up so quickly from the floor that Snow was startled by the sudden movement. His eyes, blazing with thoughts of revenge, trained on the young girl.

Her share?

"Oh, see? He wants me to cook for him. Right, buddy?"

He got to his paws with his fluffy tail wagging so hard his bottom moved left to right.

"Let's go!"

Traitor! Snow thought as he trotted out with Erhi, oblivious to his mistress's glare.

Author's note: 

Chow Chow can be a bit of a drama queen, don't you think?

Since last year, every time I see a white dog in the park, I'd think OMG Chow Chow. But recently I saw a huge, fluffy, 17 month old golden retriever, with the most beautiful eyes and such a playful personality that I thought, Chow Chow! I've found you! 😂

Come back next week for the chapter titled A Life Together, it's going to be a sweet one 💖