"All right bud you excited for Stump Fest?" Stripe asked as he drove with Harry and Muffin in the back seat.
"STUMP FEST!" The small beagle boy shouted eagerly.
"STUMP FEST!" Muffin responded in kind.
Stripe smiled as he drove.
Bandit had called Rad and asked if he wanted to come help rip up some tree stumps. They had a couple of trees cut down in their back yard because Chili wanted a koi pond put in.
"Sorry mate im working overtime this weekend in the office." Rad said in the hallway adjusting his tie in his office clothes. But maybe Harry would like to come help with Stump Fest?" He encouraged Harry to come over.
"What's Stump Fest?" Harry asked his dad.
"Its where all us Heeler brothers get together whenever we've had trees cut down for whatever reason and we RIP up the stumps so they wont rot in the yard." Rad explained.
Harry laughed loudly as Radley pulled him up like a stump.
"We talk we crack jokes sip on drinks and we take turns hacking away at the stumps until their ready to come up."
"Can i help cut up the stump?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Bands you hear that?"
"I'm sure we can work something out." Harry heard Bandit say over the phone.
"Thanks for doing this Stripe." Frisky said as she buckled Harry in next to Muffin who was waving eagerly.
"No problem! New Heeler Boys gotta experience his first Stump Fest sometime!" Stripe said. "See ya Frisky!"
"You behave for your Uncles and Aunties okay?" Frisky said before kissing Harry's forehead as he wagged his tail. "Have a fun day."
She waved as Stripe drove off.
"All right I'm off." Rad said as he hung his messenger bag over his neck witb a strap. He kissed Frisky. "Have a good day love."
"Go bring home the bacon." Frisky encouraged.
"Especially with inflation these days." Rad agreed. He honked as he drove away.
"Now. Dishes are done. I cleaned the house yesterday. Harry makes his bed on his own,
"What do i do? Oh! I think a new racing game came to Game Pass last week! Lets go check it out." Frisky said to herself looking forward to a day of relaxation and gaming.
"Uncle Bandit do i get to help cut up the stump?" Harry asked.
Bandit smiled. Reached inside his tool box and pulled out, A HATCHET HARRY'S SIZE!!!
"Don't run with this. Or chase anyone. I see you doing that your not joining Stump Fest ever again." Bandit warned. "This is your only warning." He said seriously. "This is a weapon. Only use it on Stumps and Wood."
"I promise." Harry promised his Uncle.
"It stays here with me." Bandit added. Frisky would skin him alive and wear his pelt like a cloak if he sent his nephew home with a hatchet.
"Well Helloo." Chili said with a purr in her voice. "Hows our favorite little nephew doing today?" She picked Harry up from behind and gave him a hug making Harry laugh.
"He's here for-"
"STUMP FEST!" Harry said eagerly raising the hatchet over his head in both hands in front of Chili and Trixie.
"See that? Kid's a Heeler already." Stripe said in approval as he came in with a cooler full of drinks and Muffin who immediatly ran to her mum who gave her a hug.
"STUMP FEST!" Muffin shouted as they walked out into the backyard. Before falling flat on her face. Harry helped her up. "Thank you Harry."
"Woof woof!" Socks barked as she ran forward.
"Whats Stump Fest?" Bluey asked Bandit.
"We're gonna pull up that stump. Then we're gonna pull up that stump." Bandit pointed to the tree stumps leftover from when they cut down two trees last month.
"And the ladies get to watch us guys get all hot and sweaty. Right ladies?" Pat, Lucky's Dad said as he climbed over the fence.
"You got it Lucky's Dad!" Chili said with a suggestive whooo.
"Hello, whose this?" Pat asked noticing the new puppy. A Beagle boy tiny for his age. Lucky had said there was a new beagle in their class.
"Pat, this is Harry, he's our brother Rad's son." Stripe introduced Harry.
"This is Lucky's Dad from School they live next door." Bluey explained to Harry.
"Oh cool." Harry said. "Nice to meet you, Mr Luckys Dad."
"Likewise." Pat said. Shaking Harry's hand.
"So first we're gonna take care of this stump right here." Bandit said as he put down the tools.
"And I get to help." Harry told Bluey with a grin holding up his hatchet, "Raaaaah STUMPFEST!!!!" Harry shouted eagerly. The tiny Beagle taking the small hatchet, raising it and slamming it down with all his might against the mighty stump making the girls squeal and run away laughing,
"Wow nice job." Bandit said as he saw how deep Harry got the hatchet. Yeah this tree had to go. He thought if Harry as a tiny pup could put a hatchet this size in this deep.
Harry was growing quickly thanks to his proper diet now and nutritional supplements thanks to Frisky and Radley taking him to a doctor who specialised ib pups who had stunted growth due to malnutrition. He was starting to grow. He wasnt caught up with his classmates yet but he'd get there eventually. "RAAAAAHHH!" Harry yanked the hatchet back out and repeated the swing again and again and again.
"Wooooo! Nice swinging kiddo!" Chili shouted encouragingly.
"Super manly!" Trixie called down.
Harry smiled as he wagged his tail.
Harry swung the Hatchet as Uncle Bandit showed him while the grown ups chatted.
"Thats it. Push harder." Bandit encouraged as Harry helped the grow ups push the stump. It finally tipped up!
"YEAH!" Bandit held the stump high.
"STUMP FEST!!!" Harry shouted with a roar. Posing with the men.
"Time for a lunch break then we tackle Stump Number Two." Bandit said to Harry. "How does grilled cheese sound?"
"Ooo." Harry had heard about his Uncle Bandits famous grilled cheese skills. He developed them in University and basically lived off Grilled Cheese and top ramen while getting his archaeology doctorate. He followed the older dog inside intending to learn all his cheesey secrets.
After lunch was a storm of chaos. The girls refused to give up to the stump. They where playing Nail Salon while the boys where working on stump number 1. They had refused to let the grownups remove the stump despite Bandit warning Bluey they where gonna do it right after lunch settled.
"This is also a chance for Harry to bond with Your dad and Uncle Stripe." Chili told Bluey. "Guys need bonding time just like us girls do."
"Like when we go to the nail salon?" Bluey asked. "And the coffee shop?"
"Exactly." Chili said. "Look."
Bandit heaved the stump down then picked Harry up on his shoulder as they all triumphed together.
"oh i get it Guys play too!" Bluey said as she saw Harry laughing at Stripe who had tried to show Pat a punch but he dodged out of the way, ending uo with Stripe on the ground. ("Sorry mate its me instincts." Pat apologized.) "Stump Fest is just one of their games like how we play Nail Salon at home!"
"There ya go." Chili said with a side hug.
It was then there decided by the wives that the boys would get make overs in exchange for the stumps removal.
"Do i have to get the girly make up on me?" Harry looked up with pleading eyes to Chili and Trixie.
The two looked at each other. "All right girls Harry is protected from make up and nail polish." Trixie said.
"But, he has to help." Chili insisted.
"Hooray!" Harry cheered eagerly. He went to Muffin who was having trouble with Uncle Stripe.
"Nice Even strokes." Muffin told Harry showing him on one of Stripes toes.
"Hold still Uncle Stripe!" Harry scolded Stripe with a small light punch to his side making Stripe grunt. He held Stripes hand as he painted black and white Zebra Striped finger nails while Muffin did his toes.
"Looking good Bandit." Stripe teased Bandit who was in full make up.
"Nice Look Stripe." Rad teased as Harry giggled when he dropped Harry off at Radley and Frisky's that evening.
"Laugh it up just wait till you have girls." Stripe said to Rad. "Bandit and I both had two girls. Its coming for you." He narrowed his eyes at Rad.
To Be Continued...
Ending Credits: Harry hacking away at the first stump slowly breathing heavier as he exherts himself. Bandit comes along and takes up the task of hacking away giving his nephew a break. Pat and Stripe come in to help push the stump over and victory is held high.