Chapter 10

Maria's Confession

Maria had seemed down since her fight with Carlos. Xochitl had done her best to give her space, but eventually she couldn't ignore it anymore. No matter how many times she thought about this critically, Maria's mood seemed too similar to the one she gets in whenever the xolo was in trouble. So, Xochi was headed toward her owner, feeling a strong compulsion to apologize for what she knew was not her fault.

"Um, Maria," she began. "Sorry about… today… with Tracker and Carlos."

Maria knelt down in front of her and began scritching her behind the ears. "what are you apologizing for?" she asked. "You didn't do anything, it was Carlos's fault." Suddenly, it dawned on her. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for. "Anyway, if anybody owes anyone an apology, I owe you one," she said somberly.

"For what?" asked the dog.

"Do you remember when me and Carlos caught you and Tracker lying to us?"

Xochitl shivered at the memory.

Maria took a deep breath at the pang of guilt her reaction triggered. "What I didn't tell you that night about my personal deliberation whether or not to follow through with the punishment I threatened to give you if you ever crosse that line, was that in the end, I couldn't bring myself to hurt you like that," she explained apologetically.

"But you di-," began the pup.

"No," interjected her owner. "You only thought I did."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Maria took another deep breath. I then proceeded to place her flat palm on Xochitl's rump, raised her hand, smacked her palms together in a loud clap.

"Is, is that why you asked me to close my eyes?" asked the xolitzcuintly as she began to realize what had actually transpired that day.

Maria gave another guilty nod.

"But why?" responded Xochi, half crying.

"Despite my instinct, and look in your eye after that long guilt trip, I bone headedly thought I need to make you think I went through with my original threat to deter you from doing it again. I was so estupido. However, it wasn't until I saw how nervous you were following the incident with Tracker on that hike, that I realize I took things too far," she confessed.

"Xochitl, I understand if you're angry and want to sink your teeth into me," she stated empathetically. "And I would probably deserve it if she did," she thought, holding out her forearm in resignation. "Just not on the wrist, I could get badly injured if you did that," she added.

They hairless looked back at her owner's limb. She was angry, and extremely tempted to take her up on the offer.

Meanwhile, Maria closed her eyes, wincing in preparation for the pain she was about to feel.

"No," she finally said. "I am your pup, and after today, you need me to be there for you.

Upon hearing this, her touched owner threwher arms around her, and planted a big kiss on her forehead. "I promise I will never ever hit you," she promised in a sentimental tone. Briefly shifting to amore serious tone, she stated, "just to be clear, if you ever cross that line again, you will be punished." Xochitl gave a frightened nod in response for returning to her intimate snuggle with her owner. "So, what now?" she asked.

"I think it's time the two of us hit the sack," suggested Maria.

"When can I see Tracker again?" she asked.

"Who knows," respondent her owner. "Probably not until this fight blows over."

Xochi shot a sad look back at her owner before heading to her pup-house. However, before she got there, she swore that she wouldn't let herself and Tracker become proxies and their owner's spat. "We aren't Yemen," she thought.

Reviews.

(Anonymous) Guest: First, you do realize that scene is not going to go further than Rex and Jura touching each other. Second, since you've been following my works more or less since I started the PAW Patrol stories (presuming you are the reviewer I think you are), I am tempted to write it as a thank you.

Daytongaming: Thanks so much for taking such an interest in my works. I would especially appreciate it if you could comment on some of my older works, Especially, " I just Don't Want to See You Get Hurt"

Colorgotchagamer: I didn't mean to scare you away from leaving reviews

The alcoholic dog story is coming up, I haven't given up on the idea yet. Some things regarding this current story. I have already decided to end the story with Tracker and Xochitl "consummating their relationship". I was planning to do that scene by implication like in my Lady and the Tramp story, but if anybody wants it to be a bit more explicit, now is your chance to speak up. Furthermore, in chapter 6, is implied that Tracker got a little turned on when Xochitl referred to Tracker's thing directly as a penis, because she didn't know what else to call it (I. E. What he called his). Should I reuse this idea that it turns him on for her to refer to his anatomy this directly, or should I drop this idea entirely. For my next couple of chapter ideas, I was thinking Carlos has a similar conversation with Tracker to the one that Maria and Xochitl had, Tracker and Xochitl cross paths in the woods, Tracker and Xochitl set up an "owner trap" to get Carlos and Maria to meet and talk, and finally the big reconciliation chapter. Additionally, should the two dogs have some sort of encounter when they are meeting in the woods. Please leave a review if you have any questions, ideas, or concerns.