With his trilby hat set beside his favorite rock, Spike took a seat in front of a modest-looking campfire. Inside the flame was a marshmallow, its stick snaking up to a canvas tent, which looked more like a hammock.
Nestled within was the whiskered beagle's brother, Snoopy.
"Snoopy, I appreciate you bringing along the marshmallows, but I have some stuff lying around. The coyotes usually take what's good, but roasted cactus hits the spot." Spike said, tucking himself into his new sleeping bag, yet another gift from his brother.
"As much as I appreciate the gesture, my doctor told me to avoid prickly foods."
Above the pair, a beautiful arrangement of twinkling candles lit up the otherwise pitch-black sky, the subtle differences in each visible through their colors and light.
Hopping down from his makeshift bed, Snoopy lied down beside Spike. "Y'know, the view of the stars is great here, you must love it."
"They make for good company. You get used to them, though. They say that stars make for worse conversationalists than tumbleweeds."
Snoopy stayed silent as his brother pointed upwards at an especially bright star next to the Little Dipper. "That, Snoopy, is Michelle. She's alright at first, but good luck shutting her up... Don't tell her I said that."
A few moments passed before Snoopy spoke.
"Does it get lonely out here in the desert, Spike?"
"... Terribly. But you find creative ways to pass the time." Spike said.
The desert wind felt chilly as both brothers observed the twinkling night sky. In the distance, a chorus of coyotes howled at the full moon.
"Lots of people back home would love a new dog, Spike."
Spike grinned. "A kid in your neighborhood wrote to me once, asking if I wanted to stay with him. I think it was the youngest of the Van Pelt's? Even though I'm okay with what I have here, I made the trip."
Snoopy glanced at his brother as he continued to speak.
"And you know what happened? The poor kid thought I was too skinny. I guess in taking the time to write to me, he was expecting someone more like you." the whiskered beagle said.
"Spike…" Snoopy's low demeanor matched the inflection in his voice.
"Some dogs just don't make good 'dog' material, Snoopy. And that's okay. I'm satisfied with what I have. Besides, I've got commitments here." Spike motioned to a set of cacti to his right. "I couldn't leave the greatest square-dancing team in Needles behind."
"Couldn't a nice family in Needles take you in?" Snoopy said.
"How's your owner doing, by the way? I forgot to ask." Spike interjected.
"That round-headed kid? He's alright, I guess his moodiness this time of year is part of why I visited. He could be more efficient in serving up dinner, but I've learned that beggars can't be choosers." Snoopy stood up from lying next to his brother and climbed back on top of his tent. Snoopy glanced back at his brother and made one last point, "After all, a full belly, even if it isn't perfect, is better than nothing at all."
It wasn't long before "Joe Astronomer" shut his eyes, studying the various constellations of the limitless space above him.
Spike followed his brother's lead, saying goodnight to Michelle, Jacob, Ezekiel, and his other "friends." Despite his new sleeping bag, he sought his trilby hat for warmth, as he still felt cold.
"Here's to another day in Needles," he said to himself.
And with that, Spike drifted off to sleep, knowing exactly what he'd see tomorrow.
A/N: I've been doing some reading into Spike recently and felt motivated to write a little something about him. Even though he's not a fan favorite, I find his character to be very relatable, especially in contrast to how eccentric Snoopy is sometimes. Given how little attention he gets despite how much he appears in both the comic strip and specials (He's not a listed character on here), I figured doing a little writing with him would be worthwhile.
This one-shot isn't officially connected to my current fanfic (Of Babysitting and Sweet Babboos) but you're free to make that connection if you'd like.
As usual, I appreciate feedback and hope you enjoyed my second fanfic as much as I enjoyed writing it!