God let a dog stay with his master.
By
SasukeBFF
Disclaimer: I do not own Where the Red Fern grows.
Billy's point of view.
Old Dan should not have lived past a few hours, atleast that is what mama and papa thought. I knew better, my dog was strong and he would hold on. I was so sure he would make it. My thoughts drifted to what had happened just a few hours earlier, my dogs and I went to hunt in the cyclone timber country of the Ozark mountain area which we live in. My dogs had quickly struck a trail. Old Dan bravely and courageously fought a mountain lion. The courage and strong will of Old Dan, the brains of Little Ann, and the protection of god have saved my dogs many times when they could have died. I thought to myself and whispered a prayer, "Please God, Please don't take Old Dan from me. You have saved me and my dogs so many times. Save us again, Dan and Ann have never hurt anyone, and I am sorry if I have wronged someone to deserve something like this, but please, don't punish me like this. Not old Dan." a few tears had fallen despite myself, I hear a slight whimper and look over and see Old Dan raise his head slightly, I reach over and pet him. Mama and Papa had gone to bed. I would not sleep tonight, I suddenly realize something important and go to the door and call Little Ann inside. Something within me had told me that this was the right thing to do, that this would give Old Dan the will and courage to pull through. Little Ann lay next to Old Dan, a smile appears on my face and I think to myself, ' never one without the other, the three of us, always together.' I am a firm believer that God had bounded us together, I had worked and saved for two long years to get them, I had trained them to be the best. I look over at the fire place where two cups set, a gold and silver one. We had won both at the hound championship competition, although it is a big event in my life. It won't change a thing about me or how I see my dogs, they would have been champions in my eyes weather we won or lose.
I must have been tired and fallen asleep at some point, because next thing I know, I hear a rooster crowing, waking me up, I quickly look over and see my dogs laying on the floor together, I reach over to touch Old Dan gently to check on him. He opens his grey eyes and raises his head. He licks my hand and I look into his eyes. The fire in them is starting to come back. My brave hound was going to live. I let out a whoop of joy at this revelation and get down on my knees and begin to thank god in everyway I can think of, I muse to myself, unaware that I had woken up my mama who is now behind me, "Just like that one coon hunt when Little Ann had nearly died in the freezing cold water of the Illinois River." I hear my mama's voice quiet, the sound of fiery in it, "What? Billy Coleman, explain to me what you mean by that right now." I spin around quickly and begin to tell what had happened and that that was the real reason I had gotten sick, not getting my feet wet as I had told her. Mama had scolded me for lying to her and putting myself in danger like that, as ashamed of myself that I was for lying, I had found some words, "I am sorry for lying, but I am not sorry that I risked my life to save Little Ann or Old Dan, I will never be sorry for that. I am sorry that it makes you worry more, but that doesn't make me sorry for what I have done or what I will continue to do. Dogs protect Men and we do the same for them. It has been that way since the beginning of time." He goes back to examining Old Dan and is satisfied that he is going to live and is going to let the biggest wound that he had heal for a month or so before starting hunting again. The next few days are touch and go, Mama is still hurt about what I said to her and angry about me having lied to her over a year ago. I guess I will just give her time and space to calm down. Old Dan is getting restless and wants to go hunting, I am still worried that it is too soon, I scolded him a little, but my heart wasn't in it. We go down to the store to see Grandpa a lot and I use the old coon skin to try to keep Old Dan happy and moving, but without pushing himself to the point where he is doing more harm than good to himself. Little Ann seems to understands the important of Old Dan taking it easy and it seems like she can get Old Dan to calm down at times. I went to bed that night, my resolve to take both of my hounds hunting tomorrow night, I am sure that Old Dan is healed enough to go back out there now. Mama may protest and try to find a reason I shouldn't, but my hounds need to hunt again, being a woman, she doesn't understand what it is like for them to stay here and be cooped up here. It's breaking their hearts and it is breaking my heart for them.