Keep walking
Weeks had passed since Kodi had wandered into the forest outside of town in the cold darkness, to be kept alive by a lifelike dream and saved by Dusty.
The snow still lingered, covering the landscape with a white blanket of snow. The sun is rising.
"Come on!" Kodi ushered. "You don't want to miss it do you?"
Dusty sleepily ran after him along the ice-covered beach."Why does that ring a bell?" she replied.
Kodi stopped and waited for her to catch up to him."This spot will do." He said with a soft smile.
Dusty plopped down with her legs in all directions exhausted by the early-morning running. "Why did you drag me out here again?" She asked, a slight annoyance in her voice.
"To see the sunrise silly" Kodi answered while caressing her cheek with his paw.
Dusty pouted."Like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that."
Kodi shook his head."But it was too cloudy those times. Trust me, there is a reason I'm doing this."
Kodi sat next to Dusty, facing the ocean and the sun. The light slowly creeping over the canine couple, slowly warming them up.
Dusty sighed."You were right, it was worth it" She afforded herself a smile."But is this all there is to your plan?" she asked curious.
Kodi started fidgeting with his paws."Actually…there's one more part to it." He hid his eyes from Dustys now fully awake eyes."And it's the hardest part" he muttered.
"What's is it?"Dusty asked."Tell me, I'm sure I can take it." She joked.
Kodi took a deep breath before resuming. "Dusty, you know that I love you, right?"
"Right" Dusty nodded.
Kodi kept his eyes on the piece of ice between his paws."And you know that I will do everything for you"
"Yes" Dusty said, getting worried."What are you getting to?"
Kodi sighed."So I wondered, even though we have been together for just a few months, would you like to become a part of my family, permanently?"
Dusty froze."Are you asking…?"
Kodi nodded and looked her straight in the eyes."Would you have me as your husband?"
Dustys mouth hung open; this was, if possible, an even greater surprise than when Kodi expressed his feelings to her a few months ago. After a few seconds, she leveled her head with his and looked at him and whispered."Only if you will have me…"
The sun had risen to its peak. Kodi were at his father's boat, talking to Balto. Dusty had gone back into town to see her parents.
"So what have you been up to lately?" Balto asked.
Kodi shrugged."Nothing much, I tried the advice you gave me about the sunrise."
Balto lifted an eye."Oh really? How did it work out?" He asked.
Kodi struggled to find the right words."Well…let's put it this way: You just got another daughter"
Balto blinked a few times, not fully understanding what his son meant."You mean…you didn't… Oh Kodi! That's wonderful!" He quickly got on his feet and almost laughed with joy.
Kodi just stood there smiling.
In the weeks that rolled by after this, a lot happened. Jenna welcomed Dusty into the family, Dustys parents had yet another talk with Kodi, Balto laughed a lot, and Kirby and Ralph made their jokes.
After almost a year, things were better than ever. The team had run their first mail-runs with flying colors. And Kodis initial fear of making the same mistake as he once did were soon forgotten.
Time flied by, and soon, the one-year anniversary of Kodis proposal came. And just like last time, plans were made.
"Oh my, what a surprise. Going to the beach today of all days." Dusty walked behind Kodi with a big grin on her mouth. They stopped at the exact same spot as the year before.
"Here we are again then" Kodi said, smiling at the sunrise.
"Yes we are" Dusty chuckled."Now I wonder what you're going to ask for this time"
"Well" Kodi said. "I was mainly taking you here to mark this day. But since you bring it up, there is something I'm curious about."
Dusty tilted her head in curiosity."And what's that?" she asked.
Kodi looked at her and smiled."You like big families' right? Lots of kids running around and all that?"
Dusty was confused at first"Yes of course I do, now what do you…" she stopped. Kodi wore a soft smile."So you're asking me if…"
Kodi chuckled."I didn't even have to ask this time. So, would you like that?"
Dusty grinned and nuzzled him."Of course I want to start a family with you."
The snow still lingered, covering the landscape with a white blanket of snow. The sun is rising again.
A word from the author
I know, short and without much action. But I intended this to be a bridge between my first story and a series I'm going to write. As you will see, this is only the beginning of a new dawn…
Silwer-Paw