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I know my tail wasn’t sticking out, so how the fluff did you find me?

Logan took a long, deep sniff, then huffed snow on Rusty’s cheek.

Same way the pups eventually will.

I was hoping to make them work for it.

We will, if I can just get a few more inches here…

Unless you have a magic wand…

Rusty tried curling up tighter while Logan attempted to drape himself over Rusty’s back. What resulted was an avalanche of snow and leaves cascading down on top of them.

Or we could try this. Logan said, nuzzling Rusty’s neck.

How can I say no when you ask like that?

You can’t.

Exactly.

Maybe if we stay completely still, we won’t give ourselves away. Or so Rusty hoped.

At one point, he spotted them romping past the trees, noses to the ground, following the twisty trail he’d created, until a chattering squirrel caught their attention and they gave it the fright of its life. It zigged one way, it scrambled another, then the poor squirrel tried to go for a tree and Wren woofed in its face, forcing it to change directions, right into the path of the exuberant pups. The game officially shifted from hide and seek to pounce practice, which was a good thing too, because Rusty and Logan had shaken most of the snow off their furry bodies trying not to let out woofs of laughter at the sight. They were quaking from the effort when the squirrel spotted an opening and darted, only to have Wren leap into its path to give the pups another opportunity to try to pounce on it. They all missed spectacularly, with Clover landing on Acer and proceeding to lick his ears once she realized it was her brother she’d caught.

Rusty couldn’t hold it in anymore. First, he snorted. Then Logan woofed. The pups whirled, allowing the squirrel to finally escape up a tree where it thought better of chattering this time and disappeared from view. That critter probably wouldn’t come out of its hole for the rest of winter. It wouldn’t surprise Rusty if the squirrel relocated to another tree far away from the house and any and all rambunctious pups.

Rusty caught sight of Baz slipping in and out of the trees, weaving toward them, tongue lolling, which told Rusty he’d seen the way everything had played out too. Hell, from the direction he was traveling, he’d probably witnessed Rusty’s efforts to hide and Logan’s snowy intrusion into the unfortunate blackberry and leaf dome. Before Rusty could ask, the pups decided that stationary targets would be easier to pounce on and used him and Logan as their targets.

The first of many messes I’ll get us into, I’m sure, Logan said as laughter rang through Rusty’s head as a pup climbed on top of it, using his ear to give them a boost.

Bowie.

When the pup started slipping, Rusty carefully turned his head, making it easier for him to become king of the mountain. At least until Anais climbed up Rusty so she could climb on top of Logan, who was still sprawled out across him. Of course, she inspired Acer and the other pups to climb higher too, with Wren getting in on the fun.

Rusty grunted as a paw landed on his nose before he was swatted across the face by Clover’s tail. How did I…wind up…oof…on the bottom of the pile?

Just lucky, I guess, Logan replied.

The click, click, click of the camera on Roark’s phone was practically nonstop by this point. There was probably video footage too, which Roark would take great pleasure in sharing every chance he got.

Rusty lay there as the weight on top of him grew heavier even as the squirming slowed.

“I think some pups are ready for cuddle time,” Roark said, tucking his camera in his back pocket as another pair of legs appeared.

“Looks that way,” Kale said as he bent to scoop up two of the pups while Roark snagged the other two.

Wren climbed down off Rusty and Logan, shook, and started prancing after Roark and Kale. In hindsight, Rusty should have expected what happened next. Wren had, after all, been raised by Logan, but the only thing on Rusty’s mind after he’d picked himself up out of the snow and stated following the others was hot cocoa with whipped cream, liberally laced with Irish cream and chocolate shavings. When Wren whirled around and pounced him, they caught him mid-step and completely off-guard. Rusty’s shoulder collided with a snowbank that exploded upon impact, fluffy powder flying everywhere, leaving him blinded and disoriented.

Rusty blinked snow out of his eyes to see Wren sitting on his side, peering down at him, tongue lolling out of their mouth as they laughed at his predicament.

Gotcha, Papa.

You sure did. Nice pounce, pup!

One day, I’m going to pounce on that old squirrel too.

I have no doubt. Rusty replied. Ready for movie time?