For all my malamute friends, past and present

  CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  DEDICATION

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  PUPPY TIPS

  TEASER

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  OTHER STORIES BY ELLEN MILES

  COPYRIGHT

  “Wow, I forgot how beautiful it is up here,” said Kamila. “Look at the way these huge old trees arch over the road. And the fall colors are amazing.”

  In the backseat, Lizzie Peterson and her best friend, Maria Santiago, grinned at each other. “Amazing,” echoed Lizzie.

  They were on their way to the Santiagos’ cabin in the country. Lizzie had been there many times before, but always with Maria’s parents. This time, they were with Maria’s cousin Kamila. She was a grown-up, but just barely—she was twenty-two and had just finished college. Going to the cabin with Kamila felt like a big adventure, and Lizzie was excited.

  “When was the last time you were up here?” Maria asked her cousin.

  “It has to be, like, eight years ago!” Kamila answered. “I remember I had this new camera I’d gotten for my birthday. I must have taken a thousand pictures. I probably still have some of them. You were the cutest thing, in your little pink overalls. You were such a curious kid, into everything.”

  Maria laughed. “I remember my pink overalls but I don’t remember that trip.”

  “You sure have grown up a lot since then,” said Kamila. “I really appreciate you and Lizzie coming up here with me to help me get settled in.”

  Kamila was planning to stay at the cabin for a few weeks. She’d asked Maria’s parents if she could spend some time there while she decided what she wanted to do next in her life. Maria had told Lizzie that Kamila wasn’t sure whether she wanted to be a doctor or a writer. After this weekend, Kamila would drive Lizzie and Maria home, then go back up and be on her own at the cabin in order to figure it all out.

  “I still can’t believe my parents let me come,” said Lizzie. “Maybe my mom just wanted me out of her hair for a while.”

  “What?” Kamila asked. She met Lizzie’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Why?”

  Lizzie shrugged. “She says I’ve been acting like Eeyore lately, whining and complaining about everything.”

  “And—have you?” Kamila asked.

  “Well, maybe a little,” Lizzie said. She didn’t know exactly why she’d been feeling so cranky lately, but for some reason it was easier to admit it to Kamila than to her mom.

  Kamila laughed. “Hopefully this trip will help you break that habit,” she said. “I might even have some ideas that could help.”

  Kamila turned off the tree-lined highway and onto a narrow, bumpy dirt road. “Almost there!” she said. “We’ll have a lot to do when we arrive: unload the car, get firewood, start a fire, get dinner going, set the table …”

  At home, Lizzie would have groaned if she’d heard a list of chores like that. But the cabin was different. She could hardly wait to get there and get to work. There was something really special about the Santiagos’ cozy little cabin in the woods.

  The only thing missing on this trip was a dog. Usually Simba would be along. Maria’s mom was blind, and she usually had her guide dog, Simba, at her side. He was a total sweetheart, and Lizzie loved it when Mrs. Santiago told her it was okay to pet and cuddle him a bit, when he was off duty. But since Maria’s mom wasn’t going to be there this weekend, that meant Simba wasn’t, either.

  Lizzie would have liked to bring her puppy, Buddy, to the cabin, but that idea had been vetoed by everyone else in the family. The Petersons were all in love with Buddy. Lizzie could just imagine the scene at home: Her two younger brothers, Charles and the Bean, would be squabbling over whose room Buddy would sleep in that night. Mom would be slipping him extra treats “just because,” even though Lizzie always told her that he should have to earn them by doing tricks. And Dad would be ruffling Buddy’s ears and asking him over and over if he was a good boy. Buddy sure did get plenty of attention at the Petersons’ house!

  “Buddy face,” said Maria, poking Lizzie in the ribs.

  “What’s that?” asked Kamila, glancing into the rearview mirror.

  Lizzie and Maria giggled. “It’s just the face Lizzie makes when she’s thinking about her puppy—or really about any dog,” explained Maria. “Which is basically all the time,” she added, with another giggle. Maria knew that Lizzie was totally dog crazy. She’d spent plenty of time in Lizzie’s room, which was decorated in everything dog. She knew that Lizzie had dog-themed socks, pajamas, and even underpants, and that Lizzie collected dog books, dog figurines, and of course every color and breed of dog stuffie.

  “Lizzie’s family fosters puppies,” Maria told her cousin. “They’ve taken care of so many adorable puppies who needed help. They find the best homes for every one of them! Their puppy, Buddy, was a foster puppy at first, but now he’s their forever dog.”

  “That’s so cool,” said Kamila, smiling at Lizzie in the mirror. “But isn’t it hard to give up the puppies when it’s time? I don’t think I could handle it.”

  “It’s never easy,” admitted Lizzie. “But it helps to know that they’re going to great homes. It also helps that we have Buddy.”

  “Well, those are some lucky pups to have had you in their lives,” said Kamila as she turned the car onto an even narrower, bumpier road. “Okay, keep an eye out for the parking spot,” she told the girls. “I think it’s coming up any minute.”

  Lizzie loved how you couldn’t drive all the way up to the Santiagos’ cabin. You had to park at the bottom of a trail and carry everything in. There were two red wagons, stored in a small shed near the parking area, that they used for hauling things. It was a lot of work, but it made visiting the cabin even more special. You really felt like you were in the wilderness. She peered out the window, watching for the big old oak tree that stood by the parking area.

  “Wait, slow down!” she said suddenly. “What’s that?” She pointed to a flash of white and gray, slipping between the trees on the side of the road. “Whoa! I know there are coyotes around here—but that looks more like a wolf!”

  “Where? Where?” asked Maria as Kamila slowed the car down to a crawl. “I don’t see it.”

  Now Lizzie didn’t see it, either. Had she been imagining things? She stared into the woods. Yes! There it was again. She spotted a bushy white tail and a pair of pointy ears. “There!” she shouted, pointing. “And you know what? It’s not a coyote or a wolf. It’s a puppy!”

  Kamila slowed the car down even more as Lizzie stared out the window. Staring back at her from between the trees was a gorgeous young dog. He stood perfectly still just for a moment, so she had a chance to get a good look at him. He had long, thick fur in shades of white, gray, and black; a beautiful fluffy tail that curled up over his back; and a pair of alert, mischievous eyes beneath two furry stand-up ears. Lizzie drew in a breath. That was one handsome dog. He wasn’t a tiny puppy, but he wasn’t a full-grown dog, either. What was he doing all by himself way out here in the woods?

  Kamila pulled the car to a stop. She and Maria both unbuckled their seat belts, and Lizzie saw Maria reach for the door handle. “No, wait!” she cried—but it was too late. The puppy seemed to melt away out of sight, disappearing into the underbrush after one last teasing glance backward over his shoulder.

  Ha! You’ll never find me. I’m a wild dude, out in the woods.

  “Noooo!” said Lizzie, watching him go.

  “Where is he?” asked Maria, leaning over Lizzie to look out the window on her side. “I don’t see him.”

  “Neither do I,” said Kamila. “Are you sure you saw something?”

  Lizzie laughed. “I’m sure,” she said. “He’s gone now, but he was right there, by that little cluster of birch trees.” She pointed into the woods, which now looked totally empty.

  “We can catch him,” said Kamila. “If we all get out and walk in that direction, we’ll find him in no time.”

  Lizzie shook her head. “I don’t think so. I have a feeling he’s pretty shy.” She wondered if the dog wore a collar. It was impossible to tell, with that thick ruff of fur around his neck.

  “What did he look like?” asked Maria.

  Lizzie pictured the beautiful dog. “I’m almost sure he’s a malamute,” she said. “Like a husky, only different. Their coats and coloring look a lot the same, but malamutes are bigger, with bigger, wider heads. Their ears are set wider apart, and their tails curl up over their backs.”

  “Right,” said Maria. “Okay, so he’s a malamute. And he’s also out here all on his own, maybe a stray. How do we catch him, so we can check if he has a collar and tags?”

  “Good question,” said Lizzie. “I don’t want to scare him off, but maybe we should try Kamila’s idea. If we fan out a bit in the woods, we might at least catch another glimpse of him.”

  “Let’s try it,” said Kamila.

  They all got out of the car. Lizzie grabbed her backpack. She knew there was a spare leash in there, and some treats. She liked to always be prepared.

  “Let’s not get too separated,” said Kamila. “We should all keep each other in view as we walk. Your parents would never forgive me if I let you get lost in the wilderness.”

  They walked into the woods, threading their way through the thick forest. Lizzie looked this way and that, scanning the woods in every direction. Nothing was moving except high branches that swayed in the breeze above them. All she saw were trees, and all she heard was the loud rustle of dried leaves crunching under her feet. That gave her an idea. She held up her hand. “Stop, everybody. Let’s stand still and listen for a moment. Maybe we’ll hear him moving.”

  They froze in place. Lizzie listened as hard as she could, holding her breath. The forest was silent. A big black crow flew overhead, and Lizzie could hear the sound of wind beneath its wings: whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. The crow let out one croaky caw! and then there was silence again. “Okay, let’s walk a little more,” Lizzie said. They went on until they came to a fast-moving stream between two steep banks.

  “This must be the same stream we cross when we take the path up to the cabin,” said Maria. “It’s not so easy to cross here, though.”

  “I think we should head back to the car.” Kamila came closer and put an arm across Lizzie’s shoulders. “Maybe we’ll see the puppy on our way back. Or maybe we’ll just have to try to find him tomorrow. But we have a lot of unpacking to do and it’s going to get dark soon.”

  Lizzie nodded, looking down at her feet. She hated to leave that dog outside overnight, if he really was out here alone. “Okay,” she said. But she kept an eye out as they walked through the woods back to the car. Once she thought she saw the flash of a white tail, and another time she caught a glimpse of something gray moving, just out of the corner of her eye. But when she looked more closely, she saw only trees and rocks and moss and leaves. Still, she couldn’t get rid of the feeling that something was watching her. Was the puppy still nearby? Maybe he was curious about these people tromping through the forest.

  The drive up to the parking spot took only a few moments. Lizzie helped Maria and Kamila unload their duffel bags, a cooler full of food, and several boxes of Kamila’s things. Most of it fit into the two red wagons they had pulled out of the shed. “How about if I stay here with the rest?” Lizzie asked. “I promise I won’t budge until you’re back, but it’s going to take two trips, anyway. Maybe the dog will come to me if I just sit here quietly.”

  Kamila looked at Lizzie, as if trying to make up her mind. “What would your mom think of that plan?” she asked.

  “She’d be okay with it,” said Lizzie. “She knows that I keep my promises.”

  Kamila nodded. “Okay. We’ll take this stuff up and unload it quickly, then come right back for you and the rest of the things.”

  She and Maria each grabbed the handle of one of the red wagons and headed up the trail, pulling their loads behind them.

  Lizzie sat on the big flat rock beneath the oak tree. Its leaves were still green—Mr. Santiago always said that the oak leaves were the last to change. She rummaged around in her backpack and pulled out the leash and the treats. Then, holding a dog biscuit in her open hand, she closed her eyes, slowed her breathing, and waited.

  At first she could hear Maria and Kamila talking as they hiked along. Then everything became quiet, so quiet that she could hear the leaves above her rustling in the breeze. Lizzie took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp air. She loved the scent of fall in the country.

  Then she heard a different rustling, lower to the ground, very nearby. The sound came closer. Stopped. And started again. Soon the rustling was right beside her.

  Lizzie didn’t move. She didn’t even open her eyes. She just sat as quietly as she could until she felt a wet nose touch her cheek. Then there was a puff of warm breath on the hand that held the biscuit.

  “Hi there, cutie,” she said as she opened her eyes to see the fluffy puppy sitting next to her. He looked back at her with sparkling eyes as he thumped his fluffy tail on the ground.

  How about it, then? Is that treat for me, or what?

  “You caught him!” Maria said when she and Kamila came back down the path.

  “Sort of,” said Lizzie, ruffling the puppy’s furry ears. “Or you could say he caught me.” She was already in love with this spirited, happy guy. “Isn’t he beautiful?”

  Kamila came right over and knelt down to give the puppy a pat. “Oh, he’s so soft,” she said. “And he looks good, except for these tangles in his fur. He can’t have been a stray for long.”

  “That’s what I was thinking,” said Lizzie. “And look, he even has a collar on.” She parted the thick fur at the puppy’s neck to show them the faded red collar he was wearing.

  “No tags, though?” asked Maria.

  “No tags,” said Lizzie. “We can still try to find his owner. Maybe he’s been microchipped, but we won’t know until we can take him to Dr. Gibson when we get back home.” Dr. Gibson was the Petersons’ veterinarian. She was always a huge help with their foster puppies.

  “Wait a sec,” said Kamila. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking we should bring this puppy up to the cabin with us?”

  Lizzie grinned. “Of course I am,” she said. “I mean, can we?” Lizzie remembered she was a guest this weekend. “It’s up to you since it’s not my cabin. But we can’t just let him wander around in the woods by himself all night. He may look like a wolf, but he’s just a big softie. He’d never survive on his own.”

  As if to demonstrate, the puppy tried to climb onto Lizzie’s lap to give her cheek a snuffle. He was way too big to fit on her lap, but he didn’t seem to know that. His legs sprawled out and his tail hung over the side. “Hey,” said Lizzie, laughing. “You’re kinda big to be a lapdog.”

  Kamila tilted her head to one side, thinking.

  “But before we take him home,” Lizzie added, “we’ll have to drive down to the store and get him some dog food.”

  Kamila sighed and shook her head. “First we’ll ask at the store if they know about anyone missing a dog. If nobody does, then we can buy some dog food and bring him back with us.”

  “Deal!” Lizzie said.

  “I should have warned you,” Maria told her cousin. “If Lizzie finds a puppy who needs help, that’s it. She can’t stop herself!”

  The puppy seemed to know that they were talking about him. He squirmed off Lizzie’s lap and went over to sit in front of Kamila. He lifted one big furry paw and put it on her knee, looking up at her with his head tilted.

  C’mon, you love me already, don’t you?

  Kamila smiled down at him. “This guy really is pretty cute,” she said finally. “As long as he behaves himself, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  Lizzie held up one end of the leash she’d had in her backpack. The other end was clipped to the puppy’s collar. “I promise to keep a close eye on him,” she said.

  “Okay, then,” said Kamila. “I guess we’d better head to the store.”

  When Lizzie stood up, the puppy jumped to his feet as well. He stretched, with his big chunky paws way out in front and his butt in the air. Then he gave himself a long shake.

  Great! We’re on the move. We’ve been sitting here FOREVER!

  Wagging his white plume of a tail, he charged toward the car, dragging Lizzie along behind him. “I guess he doesn’t mind coming with us!” she shouted over her shoulder as she trotted to keep up.

  When Lizzie opened the car door, he jumped into the backseat without a second of hesitation. Lizzie and Maria squeezed in on either side of him. His tail draped across Maria’s lap, while his big head and one heavy paw lay in Lizzie’s. The puppy who had at first seemed so shy was already making himself very much at home.

  Maria looked down at him. “I just want to say, this is not a small puppy,” she said.

  For some reason, that made all three of them crack up. Lizzie was still giggling as Kamila pulled up in front of the old red house with the GENERAL STORE sign over the door.

  “Okay, pup,” said Lizzie as she and Maria eased themselves out from under the puppy. She opened her window just a bit to make sure he wouldn’t overheat, even though it was cool outside. “You stay for a minute. We’ll be right back.” He looked at her with begging eyes, but she shook her head. “No dogs in the store.” He sighed and lay back down, stretching out full-length along the whole backseat. Lizzie and Maria started to laugh again as they followed Kamila up the stairs to the porch. “That is definitely not a small puppy,” repeated Lizzie as she pulled open the door.

 

1 2 3 4 5