In a hole...

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July 27th 2010 1:05 pm
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Dubs and Zaidie followed the Prairie Dogs to a large hump along one side of the trail.

“We are trying to dig a large tunnel to keep some…items in.” said the Prairie Dog as he demonstrated where the hole should begin and gestured with his little paws to show how big the entrance should be. It looked just the size for Zaidie and Dubs to dig with no trouble at all, so they decided to take turns tunneling under the long low hummock that ran alongside and behind the Prairie Dog village. Dubs went first. The ground was dry and sandy and easy to move. Several Prairie Dogs stood ready to haul off the loosened ground. As Dubs got the tunnel started, a team of Prairie Dogs rolled up a large rock that they seemed to be measuring to fit in the tunnel opening.

Dubs stood back and let Zaidie have a turn.

“Wud yu Need hoe for?” asked Dubs.

A young Prairie Dog piped up “To keep important stuff in!” An older Prairie Dog immediately muffled the youngster and sent him to collect pebbles to build a ramp out of. It seemed they intended to roll the large rock up and block the tunnel entrance.

“Why yu diggin’ hoe ‘n cwose id up agin?” asked Dubs.

“We need…ahem…A secure area…for food and things…” replied the older Prairie Dog. He drew out a small stick with markings on it and started measuring the doorway of the tunnel. Zaidie was working rapidly and had already tunneled several feet into the sandy bank.

While he was working, Dubs sat on a flat stone and looked around. Some of the Prairie Dogs had wandered off, but a few were coming up to the excavation carrying heavy sacks full of something. Food, Dubs supposed. Food to hide in the tunnel. Must be awful dry and tasteless stuff if you could bury it underground and keep it safe. She began to think about a tasty bowl of chili. Savvy had promised Chili for lunch. Dubs could smell it cooking and hoped the tunnel would be done to the Prairie Dogs satisfaction soon. And before the storm broke, because the clouds were still building and the wind had picked up. She wanted to be seated in a dry wagon with a bowl of Chili when the storm hit. She whistled for Zaidie to see if she should take a turn. Prairie Dogs were still carrying loads of dirt out of the tunnel, but Zaidie had completely disappeared. She whistled again, but it was drowned out by a gust of wind. She noticed that some of the Prairie Dogs were sitting very close to her. And watching her, in a way that began to feel uncomfortable.

“Godda go see wud Dadda doin.” She said and got to her paws. Just then she saw Kirby and Demon coming over to the dig and felt a huge lift of relief.

“Dadda! Zaidie inna hoe an no cummin oud!” she told Demon, and took Kirby by the paw and tugged him towards the excavation.

“Look out. Big Dogs!” declared one of the Prairie Dogs, and a large number of them lined up to block the way. “Big dogs not allowed. The ground is very fragile here. Only little dogs – like this one, or her friend!”

“Well, we are looking for her friend.” Said Kirby. “Is he in that hole?”

“No, no. No one is in that hole. Not that hole!” replied the Prairie Dog.

“Yez, Zadee gowinna hoe ‘n no cum oud!” declared Dubs.

“We’ll see about this!” Demon stated, stepping forward, over the row of Prairie Dogs and to the hump of earth that Zaidie had been digging beneath. He knocked on it, then harder and yelled “Zaidie! Are you in there, Lad?”

But not a sound could be heard! It began to rain and Demon and Kirby were forced to run for cover.

As they ran for the wagon, Dubs squirmed hard and managed to wriggle out of Kirby’s grasp. She hit the ground running and headed straight for the hole that Zaidie had disappeared into. As the rain started falling harder, Kirby and Demon could hear her voice, fading away as she ran down the tunnel.

(continued!)