I know, I know. It's been a while, first covid depression. Then a new job with little to no time, but here's a new chapter, don't know when the next time I'll post, sorry for the long wait, but here you go.

"Ready, set, GO!" the instructor said. Everyone was watching as Dylan and everyone ran the cores, and as that was happing, the dalmatian family still didn't know what they were feeling, "did you see that look in Dylan's eyes?" "What is this feeling?" "How can I stop feeling it." everyone just chattered among themself. The only one not doing this was a black dalmatian slightly away, just looking out with a sad look.

"There you go again, chasing after what you want." Danta said. "I know you will be leaving us, I just thought it would be with the rest of us, not on your own." he said.

"Go Ronny, go Ronny, you got this." said a female golden retriever right next to him. She then looked at Danta, "oh I'm sorry, was this your spot?" she said, she then got a good look at him, then giggled and muttered 'spot' under her giggles.

"Hehe." Danta laughed not meaning it in the slightest. "Never heard that one before." he said quietly to himself, "no, it's fine. Just got here."

"Great, then you don't mind if I sit here with you? Just want to watch my brother doing his best." she said then sat down.

"Not at all, I'm doing the same thing." he said.

"Names Francesca, but my friends call me Franny." Francesca said.

"Dante." he said.

"Like Dante Alighieri, Dante's Inferno?" she asked.

"You know about Inferno?"

"There is no greater sorrow than to recall our times of joy in wretchedness." she quoted.

"Hum." he nodded seeing that she knew what she was talking about.

"I went throw a goth faith after finding out something about my owner." she said, getting a faraway look. "It was crushing." not long after she went back to normal. "But that chapter in my life is over, my owner is better and it's just like it was before. Now I'm here cheering on my brother for the next chapter in his life."

"But if he leaves, won't you miss him or something?"

"Maybe, but I know he will be living half of his dream." she said, then got a smirk on her face, "and he will be living his full dream if Rebecca goes with him." she was almost laughing.

"Which ones Rebecca?"

"The greyhound."

"Aww." he said finding her on the side with the rest of the females. He then turned back to the course, "I don't see another Golden on the field. Where's your brother?"

"Hum? OH. Nononono, my brothers not a golden. We have the same mother, but he is my half-brother, he's the Boxer. The one right behind, who I think, is your brother." she said.

"You would be right." he said.

And then they just sat there watching the events.

With Dylan

"Just a bit more." he said jumping the mud pit and landing on the finish line. "Yes." he said coming in first right as Ronaldo sliding into second half a second after Dylan. The only difference between them was that Ronaldo was out of breath. "You know you shouldn't be trying so hard."

"So, you could look better, with a big gap." he said out of breath.

"I thought you noticed?"

"Noticed, what?"

Dylan pointed to the stands, "there are a few spectators with not only no dogs but have clipboards. Just enough for two dogs each." he said, "I'm guessing they're scoring us on more than just how fast you are, but on other factors."

"Then why are you telling me?" he said, getting his breath back. "You could have kept it to yourself and had an advantage over me."

"I want there to be no doubt who's the better dog is, if I get the spot. I want it to be because I did everything right." he said getting up, "you and Tobby are the only ones that I actually think are just as good, if not better than me. But then again, we know what happened to Tobby."

"Not going to lie, I thought the same thing. But if we're being honest, it's just your vs me." he said.

"everyone's here because they're just as good, maybe even better because they have been holding back to get our guard down. The long game is always an option." Dylan got up and walked to the other trainers after they separated to get to the next task.

Back to the stands

"But why was he looking like that?" one of the pups asked Doug and Delilah.

"it's because...he's ready." Doug said.

"Ready? Ready for what?" asked another.

"Ready to leave." Delilah said, "there comes a time when a dog is ready to leave the house to go out on his own."

"What do you mean?"

"It means." said Summer, "he's ready to start a life of his own. Without his family."

"He leaving?" a lot of the pups said.

"Not right away." Dawkins said. "He just ready. If this goes as Dylan's plains." he said watching Dylan climbing a wall with something in his mouth. "He will leave."

"If the girl doesn't want to like him." Dorothy said, "Oops." She then covered her muzzle.

"WHAT!" everyone yelled.

"What are you saying sweety?" Delilah asked.

"Well...Dylan was telling everyone yesterday that he does want to go into space, but there's this girl he likes, and wants to tell her his feelings. He wants to tell her if he gets in, so if she says no, then he can go." she said. "He said it was ok to give up one dream if he could live out another." She looked over to see Dylan and others sitting in a chair and it was moving in circles slowly, but it picked up speed. And then you see the girls running the felled. A few of the pups turned to each other, some muttered to each other, some nodded, and some looked confused.

"So, Dylan is willing to not go into space, something he's been dreaming of for years if this one dog says she wants him to stay?" Doug asked.

"He just wants what you and mum have." she said seeing Dylan and the boys just sitting while some were walking and falling over themself and others.

"What does Dolly want?" someone asked. Everyone looked at her, she had been just staring out watching everyone with the same look after it started.

Dolly felt something was wrong and turned to see that her family was staring at her, "what?"

"Dylan knows what he wants to do, do you know what you want?" someone asked again.

"Hum can't say for sure, a police dog was interesting, working with dad as a fire dog was great, but um..." she said remembering waiting for the alarm to go off. "Was thinking about trying med dog, but I think someone might want it more than me, and they don't need too many dogs around." she said then looking back to the feal, but side eyes Dorthey. "I want to do something that I'd be happy to do day after day, but I just don't know." she said.

"Whatever you choose to do sweetheart, we won't stop you." Delilah said.

"Thanks Mom." she said.

"I'm curious as to who Dylan is interested in." Dawkins said more to himself than anyone, and Da Vince sitting next to him just flinched slightly, while others around him just muttered a little.

Back over with Dylan.

"Ok everyone." the instructor said, "you're going to have a 30 rest, then after we're running throw everything again without brakes." he said. "This should let the girls finish up and then have their go after you're done." He then walked away.

"I hate to say it but looks like you were right." Ronaldo said looking around.

"I was hoping I was wrong." Dylan said seeing several of the other dogs that were doing ok the whole time were not even tired. It was a pinscher, a beagle, and a pointer.

"So, it really isn't just us."

"At least now will see just what they are hiding. So... let the best dog win." Dylan said.

"Oh, don't worry, I will. I have to." he said the last part to himself.

And with that that another chapter is over and done with, I just had no plans now what I was doing after Dante and just got stuck, maybe the next chapter will be after everything is done with and everyone will be heading home. Again, sorry for the long wait, I am happy there are people waiting to keep reading.

Word of the day

Kith

Noun

Kith is an old-fashioned term that refers to familiar friends, neighbors, or relatives. It is often used in the phrase "kith and kin," which means "friends and relatives."

That's it for me, until next time (hopefully not too long next time). Red Omega out, Peace.