Today’s story is “Last Day” by Dirt Coyote, who, when he’s not causing all sorts of trouble on twitter, is writing a novel, a novella, a series, and short furry fiction. His story featured on The Voice of Dog, “I’m Just Your Stud” was nominated for Coyotl’s Best Short Story of 2021. Find him at DirtCoyote on Twitter for future updates.

Bradley has spent all summer camp with Pat, but is having trouble finding the courage to face him on their last day together.

Read by Kegirby, a full-time panther

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https://thevoice.dog/episode/last-day-by-dirt-coyote

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You’re listening to Pride Month on The Voice of Dog.

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This is Rob MacWolf, your fellow traveler,

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and Today’s story is

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“Last Day” by Dirt Coyote, who, when he’s not causing all sorts of trouble on twitter,

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is writing a novel,

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a novella, a series, and short furry fiction.

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His story featured on The Voice of Dog, “I’m Just Your Stud”

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was nominated for Coyotl’s Best Short Story of 2021.

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Find him at DirtCoyote on Twitter

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for future updates.

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Those of us for whom the moment of self discovery comes later

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often envy those who realized who and what they were with their youth still ahead of them.

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But it is well to remember that the young too might envy those who can discover themselves later,

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with the coolheadedness of age and experience.

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Youth, and young love, are tumultuous things,

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needful and worthy of help and support,

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all the more so when they must face a heteronormative world.

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Read by Kegirby,

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a full-time panther,

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“Last Day”

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by Dirt Coyote Bradley opened his eyes,

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gasping before pulling himself

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upright on his bed.

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Another nightmare,

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the same one he had last night still on his mind.

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He turned left and right,

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looking around himself

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as he took in the environment.

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It wasn't his room.

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For a second, he began to panic more,

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but the pieces of the puzzle gradually fell into place as he settled his thoughts.

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No, it wasn't his room.

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He hadn't seen that in almost three weeks.

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The little wolf cub was at summer camp

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and this was the last day.

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He wiped at his muzzle and forehead,

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and then with some dread,

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lifted the covers up underneath him.

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Thank God! The sticky wetness he was feeling all over his body was just the sweat on his fur.

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His sheets were still mostly dry.

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Bradley was not a bed wetter,

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but the fear of having an accident stuck with him

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every morning that he was away from home.

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Doubly so when the nightmares started coming.

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Remembering them brought him completely out of his sleep

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and got him out of bed.

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The sun had yet to rise,

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and all of the cubs around him

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were still fast asleep.

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Carefully, he got out of his pajamas

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and put on the khaki shorts and the branded t-shirt that all the campers wore.

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Silver Creek Camping Grounds dawned the front and back of his shirt

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with a logo of a stream running through hills into a lake.

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Also, there was a cartoonishly happy sun overhead.

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It looked kinda lame,

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but he and everyone else was forced to wear it.

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Today he didn't mind it so much, because it made it easier to blend in.

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Yesterday, he had made his mind up that he didn't want to be found.

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He didn't want his best friend, Pat, to find him at all.

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Quietly, the young wolf slipped out of the cabin,

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dawn’s crisp air bristling his fur.

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No one was out yet.

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His stomach gurgled, and he knew he wanted food first.

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He walked out to the cafeteria,

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grabbing hold of the handle and pulling.

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It didn't budge. "Bradley?"

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The wolf jumped up, spinning around quickly to see a portly cheetah in front of him.

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She had an apron on

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and a furnet over her head.

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Her brow was raised,

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but she didn't look upset.

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With a paw scratching the back of her ear, she asked,

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"What're you doing up?

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You should be sleeping.

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sleeping." His ears folded back and he

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dipped his muzzle sheepishly.

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"Sorry Miss Carter.

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I woke up from a nightmare and didn't want to go back to bed,"

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he said pitifully.

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Before he finished, he lifted his head up and asked,

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"Is food gonna be ready soon?"

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Miss Carter chuckled at that, shaking her head.

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"I just got up myself. Food won't be ready for another hour,"

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she said. Crumbling to the Bradley’s puppy eyes, the cheetah let out a sigh and rolled her eyes.

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"Out of the way. I'll fix you something since you're up anyways.

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anyways." Bradley took a step to the side, smiling as best he could.

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Miss Carter unlocked the door,

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and both made their way inside.

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It felt weird to see the cafeteria so empty.

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Usually it would be loud,

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very loud, with a hundred noisy cubs all talking at once while

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the camp leaders tried to settle them down fruitlessly.

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He stepped inside,

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walking towards his usual spot in the back.

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Miss Carter went straight towards the kitchen,

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fast as any cheetah he’d ever seen, despite her size.

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As he took his seat,

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he couldn’t help but think about Pat.

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After all, it was the spot where they had first met.

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Bradley looked up, picturing that first day so clearly.

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He saw the scrawny glasses wearing coyote a couple tables ahead of him placing his tray down.

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His uniform was a size too big on him

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and he had to tuck in his shirt just to keep his shorts up.

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"Seat's taken," a fox said, scooching over to fill the bench.

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"I— I'm sorry," the coyote stuttered,

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pulling his tray back to a spot further down the table.

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The fox's fur ruffled and he moved a bit more down the bench.

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"That one's taken too,"

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he said, looking to rise from his seat.

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The boys and girls around the fox laughed,

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and the coyote took the hint.

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He picked up his tray

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and looked around in a circle.

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Before he could stand around too long,

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the fox barked out,

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"Go sit in the back with the other losers.

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If you stand around here any longer, I swear

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—" The coyote jumped out of his spot,

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walking quickly towards where the fox told him to go.

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Even when he got to the back, he wasn't able to take a seat.

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He just stood around bashfully,

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looking at the full table.

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No one seemed like they were ready to make room for him.

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Bradley folded his ears, not wanting to give up his spot,

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but he couldn’t just watch this cub stand around stupid anymore.

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"You can sit here,"

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the wolf muttered,

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pulling himself to the side so only half his rump was still on the bench.

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The coyote moved quickly between Bradley and a horse,

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who reluctantly made space as well.

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He sat his tray down and mumbled a quiet thanks.

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They sat in silence, and only about halfway through their meals did the other boy speak.

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"I like your watch,"

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the coyote said just above a whisper.

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Bradley looked confused for a second,

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then he looked down at his wrist and it clicked.

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"Oh! Right! It's from MechaSuit Fighter X.

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That's my favorite one of the five, Savior Suit,"

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he said, holding out his arm so that the coyote could see it better.

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The coyote nodded his head up and down quickly,

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glasses bouncing on his muzzle.

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"Uh huh! Cunning Suit is my favorite.

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My name’s Pat," he said,

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holding out a paw for him.

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And that's all it took.

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From that point on,

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they were inseparable chatterboxes.

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At least, they were.

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“Bradley?" Miss Carter called from the other side of the cafeteria.

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"Foods ready." The wolf trotted quickly, walking up to the sneeze guard. A breakfast burrito sat on a plate, still steaming hot.

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"Can I eat outside today?"

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he asked, looking towards the window.

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The sun was just rising. The cheetah

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was busy preparing food for the rest of the campers.

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"You're not supposed to, but if you promise you won't feed the wildlife, and throw away any trash,

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I'll allow it," she said,

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not turning as she poured liquid egg out onto a searing flattop.

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Bradley grabbed the burrito,

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tossing it back and forth between paws until it was cool enough to hold.

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Right then, other cubs started to walk in,

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and he knew he needed to leave now.

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"Thanks Miss Carter!" he called as he ducked out the back entrance.

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Bradley raced towards the lake, keeping behind the trees to avoid being spotted.

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Cautiously behind cover,

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he peeked towards the other campers getting out of their cabins, trying to see if the coyote was up yet.

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He didn't see him, but in his heart,

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he knew that Pat was up and probably already starting to worry.

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Regardless, he didn’t allow himself to be seen as he got to the side of the lake.

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With a thump, he plopped himself on the unearthed roots of a tree and crossed his legs.

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From his spot, he could see the shore where he and Pat had spent a lot of time together,

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especially after the race.

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Again, he was taken back to his memories.

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Pat fiddled with a buckle on the lifejacket as he whimpered,

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"I don't know how to swim.

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swim." Bradley gave Pat a reassuring rub on his shoulder, leading him towards the line for the race.

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"We're not swimming. We’re gonna be in a canoe.

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You won’t even have to touch the water," he explained to him for the hundredth time.

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Pat nodded, but he looked out past the shore as if he wasn't sure.

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Getting close, Bradley grabbed hold of one of the straps on the coyote's lifejacket and tightened it for him before

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saying, "I promise, I won't let you fall into the lake.

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lake." That seemed to do the trick,

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Pat’s muzzle softening for a second.

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Just then though,

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the fox came up next to them with his chest puffed out.

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"They paired us with you losers?

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I thought we'd have a real challenge,"

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he sneered. Bradley glared at the fox,

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but the bigger boy's size kept any words stuck in his throat.

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Instead, he just pulled Pat away towards the shored canoes.

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"Don't listen to him.

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C'mon, let's get ready,"

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Bradley said, only getting a small nod in response.

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A big moose stood between the two canoes.

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His shorts rode up way past his knees,

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much further than anyone wanted to see.

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That seemed to be the standard for all the camp leaders.

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Both sets of teams put on their helmets as he spoke,

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"Alright campers. Rules are simple.

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You're going to take the canoes out past the buoy and then come back to the shore.

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First team out of their canoes wins.

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wins." Bradley put himself at the front of the canoe so the coyote wouldn't have to get too deep in the water.

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Pat got on the opposite side,

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taking a gulp as he looked at the small waves

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crawling up to the shore.

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Both boys looked over to the fox, who had

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grabbed a large bear to be on his team.

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They had no hope of winning.

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The moose did one last check over all of them,

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adjusting the fox's helmet so it was on properly,

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and then took a step away.

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"At the whistle, you'll get your canoes into the water, jump inside, and paddle.

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Ready?" He asked, but immediately blew the whistle after.

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Bradley grabbed hold of the handle on the side.

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They hoisted it together and the wolf ran towards the water.

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Pat, however, stuttered his steps as soon as the water touched his paws.

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The other boys were already getting inside their boat.

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Bradley turned back to the coyote,

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noticing him frozen in fear.

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"C'mon! We can do this,”

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he encouraged him,

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grabbing his attention.

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The coyote turned his head up,

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nervously chewing on his lip.

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“I believe in you,"

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Bradley said, flicking his ears towards the lake.

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Pat looked down to the water crawling up his ankles,

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turned his head towards the other boys,

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seeing their lead over them, and then back to Bradley

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to give a stern nod.

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Together, they marched into the waves until it was almost up to the wolf's waist.

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Then they pulled themselves into the canoe,

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Pat kicking up water everywhere as he scrambled to get inside.

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When they were situated,

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each boy took their paddles and began to row.

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The canoe went sailing,

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way faster than Bradley could have imagined.

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Wind gusted through his fur on his face, sending his whiskers into a gentle flicker.

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Turning his body to face Pat,

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he smiled wide at his friend behind him.

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He couldn't imagine a better feeling than this.

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The fox and bear were bigger,

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but their weight wasn't doing them favors

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nor their coordination.

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Bradley just felt this connection to Pat,

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and their paddling was perfectly synchronized.

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When one paddle went up,

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the other scooped down and pushed them forward.

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Despite the hiccup,

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they were side-by-side with the other canoe

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within a minute. "You're cheating!" the fox shouted, but the waves and

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the kick of the paddles drowned him out.

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Mostly. Bradley could still hear the other boy cursing up a storm,

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words his parents would've twisted his ear off if they ever caught him uttering.

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Bradley could see the buoy

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bobbing up and down right ahead of them.

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They were neck and neck with the other canoe

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right up until the point where they passed the threshold.

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Then, they were suddenly ahead.

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Both boys lurched right,

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taking a tight smooth circle around the buoy,

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while the fox and bear made an awkward turn,

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unable to catch up.

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As they rounded back towards the shore,

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Bradley and Pat were now firmly ahead of the other team.

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THWACK! Pat cried out

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and the canoe shook.

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Bradley turned back to see the fox was trying to swing at them

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with his paddle. They were too far ahead for him to reach,

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but the thought of the canoe capsizing with Pat in it gave him a flurry of strength.

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The wolf put all of his might into his paddling,

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and there was no doubt

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that the coyote was doing the same.

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In a desperate attempt,

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the fox lunged his paddle out to hit Pat.

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Thankfully, it fell short

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and now the other team was shy one paddle.

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Getting back to the shore was quick,

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and both boys jumped out of their seats into the water.

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They pulled their canoe into the sand and then immediately embraced one another.

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"We did it! I have no clue how it happened, but we did it!"

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Bradley shouted, bouncing up and down on his heels.

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Pat was equally ecstatic,

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though he was also trembling like mad.

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"I was so scared but that was so fun.

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I can't get my paws to stop shaking."

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"You two must've cheated!"

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the fox said, coming out of the water

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with a finger waving at them.

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Before either boy could respond,

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the moose grabbed the fox by the scruff and pulled him back.

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"I saw what you did out there," he snorted,

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hot breath being felt by everyone.

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"It just came out my paw, I swear.

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They were the ones that cheated,"

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he cried out, but was yanked away quickly

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and they watched as he was trotted towards the guidance office.

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Bradley remembered turning back towards Pat,

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unable to wipe the smile from his muzzle.

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He was almost too distracted in his memories that he almost didn't see the coyote in the same spot they were when they won the race.

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He was standing at the shore,

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looking around with his tail between his paws.

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The wolf was frozen,

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heart still in his chest.

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To Pat’s misfortune though,

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he turned the wrong direction

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and by the time he did look to where Bradley had been sitting,

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he was already behind a tree.

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A second later, he darted off,

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shielded by the woods.

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He sprinted as fast as he could

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while not making too much noise.

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The coyote wasn't following behind him,

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but he ran anyways.

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It hurt too much to stick around and see his distraught friend.

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Not until he met a clearing did he slow down.

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Though he could hear the sounds of campers in the distance, he was completely alone.

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He wandered to where the fire pits were situated.

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Tired from running,

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Bradley found a seat on top of a log to catch his breath.

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It was only then that he recognized this was the spot where they admitted their feelings to each other.

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"You think Ashley likes you?"

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Pat asked in a hushed tone.

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The fire crackled in its dying light.

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All the other campers had gone to bed,

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though Bradley imagined most were all still awake huddled under their sheets.

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The stories the camp leaders shared were pretty spooky,

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though, so-so to the wolf.

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He wanted to hear something really terrifying

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and so his camp leader,

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a husky with a ball cap, stayed up with them to tell one last story.

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However, he never actually finished his story.

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No, the dog got about halfway through before he said he was gonna shut his eyes for a second.

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That'd been thirty minutes prior

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and he was now slumped to the side snoring gently. Bradley didn't mind cause he’d rather stay up and chat with Pat anyways.

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The wolf put a paw to the back of his head,

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slightly abashed.

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"Maybe," he said, trying to hold back his smile and failing miserably.

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"She's always trying to get me alone.

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alone." Pat's eyes were wide behind his glasses, fascinated about the prospect.

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"Wow. Ashley’s really cool.

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I saw her do archery and it was insane," he said, twisting his tail in his paws.

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Bradley shrugged. She was cool, that's for sure, but he didn't feel that way for her.

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"How about you?" he asked, though, he figured he knew the answer.

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Pat chuckled nervously and ducked his head.

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"I don't think any girls like me." The coyote bit his lip nervously, but Bradley just gave him a nudge on the shoulder.

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"Someone’s gotta like you.

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Don’t you like anyone?"

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Pat flinched slightly at the touch,

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and Bradley raised an eyebrow as he watched him scooch an inch away.

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He knew the other boy was shy, but he hadn't suspected him to get this tense over a silly conversation.

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The coyote didn't say anything,

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still keeping his head down.

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"Well?" Bradley pressed him for an answer.

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Pat let go of his tail, wrapping both paws around his face as he muttered out,

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"I don't know if I can tell you.

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you." Bradley's muzzle twisted and he let out a little bratty huff.

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He crossed his arms and pouted,

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"Of course you can tell me.

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We tell each other everything.

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everything." That made the coyote squirm a bit,

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and Bradley felt a little embarrassed at the way he was acting.

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He uncrossed his arms and closed the gap between them.

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His arm went over Pat's shoulder and he squeezed him close.

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"I'm sorry. You don't have to say if you don't want to." The coyote looked up again, turning his muzzle to face Bradley.

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"I want to, it's just dumb,"

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he said, eyes starting to

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water. Oof, he really had the coyote messed up.

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Not wanting his friend to feel so down,

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he gave him a light shake and smiled back at him.

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"Nothing you do is dumb. You're like, the smartest kid here.

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here." Pat let out a small laugh.

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"It's a little weird.

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You promise you won't get mad at me?"

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he asked, trying to hold back his tears.

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Bradley's muzzle cocked to the side.

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"Why would I be mad? It's not Miss Carter is it?

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Cause I heard some of the boys like—" "—It's you." Bradley's muzzle cracked in a smile, his head tilting to the side.

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"What? Me? What about me?"

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Pat didn't say anything,

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just turning his head downward.

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The wolf's ears danced over his head in confusion.

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Slowly though, they began to settle as the words began to make sense to him.

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Bradley quickly let go of the coyote,

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getting a couple inches from the other boy.

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"Me? You like me?" he asked, his voice a little louder than he meant to.

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Pat was flustered, his breathing shallow.

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The coyote got to his feet,

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his shoes cracking some leaves underneath.

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Before he could get a step away though,

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Bradley darted an arm

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out and grabbed hold of Pat’s wrist. SNORT

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Both boys froze, turning their heads to the camp counselor.

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The husky had stirred,

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eyes fluttering for a second.

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Bradley didn't move a muscle and

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neither did Pat.

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They just stared wide-eyed at him,

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before he slumped back in position

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and continued snoring.

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A sigh of relief was shared between them.

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Bradley was the first to speak,

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just above a whisper.

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"Don't go." The coyote looked down at the paw holding his,

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and Bradley let go, a little afraid of the touch.

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Pat pulled his paw back shyly,

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and though he didn't sit down immediately,

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he did find a seat.

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It was a foot from the wolf.

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"I'm sorry," Pat said, adjusting his glasses. Bradley didn't feel like he was owed an apology, especially from his best friend being honest.

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He thought of his words carefully before saying,

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"No, I'm sorry. I was just—

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I didn't think you could do that.

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that." He felt dumb saying it, but it was the truth.

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He'd never heard of a boy

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liking another boy before.

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The rules were boys liked girls

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and girls liked boys,

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and it never occurred to him

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that they could like each other.

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And truthfully, now that he was thinking about it,

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there was no one else that he wanted to spend time with

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like he did with Pat.

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Bradley scooched a little closer to the coyote.

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"What do you like about me?"

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Pat's ears and brow went up, and even though he tried to suppress it,

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his tail started a small wag.

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"I think it's cool you like MechaSuit Fighter X,"

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he said bashfully,

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and that made the wolf's muzzle hot.

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Bradley inched a bit more towards him.

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"Is that all?" Now the coyote's tail was wagging quick,

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a soft beat as it thumped against the log.

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"No?" Pat said, unsure of himself.

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His smile was so large that his glasses went crooked on his snout and he had to readjust them.

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"I think you're nice and you're fun.

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fun." Bradley gulped, and rested his paw next to Pat.

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"I think you're nice and fun too.

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too." Pat looked down at the paw, back up at the wolf,

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and ever so slowly brought his own down to rest on top.

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The butterflies swirled like a storm inside Bradley's stomach.

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His fur stood on every inch of his body,

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and even the amazing feelings of the canoe race paled in comparison.

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Just before he could do anything more though,

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the camp counselor shifted suddenly.

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THUMP Both boys were on opposite sides of the log in a second,

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staring across the pit to the absent husky.

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Neither realized what had fully happened until the man came up withleaves and dirt all

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over his fur and clothes.

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He scrambled for a second to get to his feet before slowly turning to the two campers.

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"Did I fall asleep?"

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he asked, flipping his head left and right. Bradley and Pat kept their maw's closed, though both fought hard to keep their coy smiles to themselves.

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They giggled silently, still riding the high of the touch.

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The husky put a paw to the back of his head,

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and a finger to his muzzle.

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"Why don't we just keep this to ourselves and I'll get you two ice cream tomorrow.

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tomorrow." The ice cream was delicious,

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especially when Bradley shared it holding hands with his first boyfriend.

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"Are you here? Bradley?"

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Pat called as he walked into the campsite.

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The wolf heart raced as he crouched behind a trash bin,

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keeping his tail wrapped to his body.

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He didn't dare make a move, knowing leaves were underneath his feet.

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Just listened and waited until he heard Pat kick up a flurry of leaves and storm off.

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Why couldn't the coyote just play soccer with the other cubs?

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Why couldn't Pat just spend time with a camp counselor to learn to swim?

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There were a million things that he could be doing right now instead of looking for him

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With tears in his eyes, Bradley got out of hiding and started a jog.

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There were a few places that he thought of to go:

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the archery range, the crafting rooms,

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the waterslide by the lake, the soccer field, the foosball tables,

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or even the cabins themselves,

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but all of them were riddled with memories of Pat. Even if he could avoid the coyote all day,

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he couldn’t keep him out of his mind.

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Bradley went to the only place he knew he could get some privacy to think.

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Just behind the showers

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was a small patch of trees.

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The chemicals wafting from stalls

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were enough to hide his scent,

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but he knew it would be pointless.

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This was the spot they shared their first kiss,

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and Pat would think to look for him there as well.

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And sure enough, even when he hid behind a bush,

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the coyote was stomping his way over.

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"Bradley, please!" Pat cried out, like he knew he was hiding just behind the leaves. His legs wouldn't move, even as he heard the other boy fall to his knees.

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He could hear the coyote's sniffling,

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and he had never felt more ashamed at himself.

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Why was he doing this to him?

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After weeks of never leaving Pat's side,

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he chose the last day to act

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like such a coward.

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Bradley was about ready to crawl out of the bushes until he heard more footsteps approaching.

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"Wow, look at the loser crying!"

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he heard the fox say in his signature sneer.

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"Why you crying? Can't find your boyfriend?"

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There was a shuffling,

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the coyote trying to get up off the ground,

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immediately followed by the sound of someone falling down.

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Bradley poked his head around the bush to see the fox standing over Pat on his back.

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The other boy was so much bigger than the coyote,

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standing over him while his friends watched.

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"I heard he left early cause he couldn't stand to be around you anymore,"

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the fox said, looking ready to push him back down if he tried to get up.

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For a split second,

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Bradley could make out the look of complete betrayal on Pat’s muzzle.

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Something snapped inside the wolf,

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and he went wild out of the bushes.

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He ran straight past the coyote,

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and when one fist went up,

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one fox came down.

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"OOF!" The fox wrapped a paw around his stomach,

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falling onto one knee.

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He stayed there a second,

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wobbling back and forth, before ultimately ending on his side in the dirt.

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Riding the energy,

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the wolf stepped over the fox,

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glaring down at him.

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"I want you to leave us alone.

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You've been nothing but a total jerk

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to me and Pat." To emphasize his point,

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he waved a paw behind himself to the other boy.

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Except, there was no coyote behind him.

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Bradley did a double-take,

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the empty spot jarring to see.

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At first he worried his guilt ridden mind imagined it all.

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Looking up though,

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he caught the white tip of Pat's tail disappearing

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around the corner of the showers.

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He spun back around at the fox underneath him and shouted,

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voice cracking, "Just

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leave us alone!"

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Even though it didn't feel very intimidating,

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the fox nodded his head up and down,

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teeth still grit.

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Bradley couldn't help but feel a little pity for him.

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None of his friends had moved to his side.

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They just stepped away,

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not willing to put themselves in danger for him.

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That was what he had with Pat.

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And he had spent the whole day ruining it.

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In a dash, he booked it in the coyote's direction.

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"Pat! Wait!" he called out, unable to find him.

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Well, wasn't that some shi

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—stuff? Bradley had been avoiding him all day and

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now their roles were reversed.

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He hopped on his heels, spinning around in a circle.

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There was no sight of him.

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Bradley calmed down

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and breathed in. Pat had been able to trace him all day,

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and he knew it was because he was following his heart.

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He looked into himself,

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thought about what he was doing all day,

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and walked towards his cabin.

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And like he expected, the coyote was there,

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alone, underneath the covers of his bed

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quietly crying to himself.

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He was trying to keep it down, but Bradley could see the covers going up and down in his sobs. The wolf's lips were pursed together tightly as he walked across the room

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and seated himself on top of his bed.

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Pat knew who it was.

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"Why were you hiding from me?"

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he asked underneath the sheets.

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Bradley knew why,

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but he didn’t want to say it.

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Only stroked a paw over Pat’s shoulder

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underneath the blanket.

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The coyote recoiled,

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not wanting the attention.

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"I'm sorry," Bradley said,

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even when he knew it wasn't enough.

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Pat didn't respond other than to inch

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away. It wasn't really far, but it was enough for Bradley to know he messed up big time.

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The wolf sighed, not wanting to admit it,

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but knowing he had to be brave and say what he needed to say.

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"I'm really sorry I ruined our last day together,"

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Bradley started, beginning to choke up.

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"These past weeks

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have been the best, and I got scared.

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I kept having nightmares that we had to say goodbye. I just thought if I didn't see you,

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it would've been easier.

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easier." Pat came out of cover, only to look at Bradley with a bewildered look.

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His eyes were red,

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and his glasses were all over the place.

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Bradley wanted to fix them, but he didn't want to touch the coyote.

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It didn't help when he said,

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"That's dumb." Bradley's ears folded back,

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but he figured he earned that.

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"Yeah, it’s kinda dumb,"

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he agreed. There was an awkward pause,

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Bradley not sure what to do at this point.

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The sun was still up and other campers were outside, laughing and having fun. He gnawed his lip for a second, then said,

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“I’m sorry for being a jerk.

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We still have the rest of the day together though.

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Can’t we just get out of bed and we’ll do whatever you want?”

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Pat nodded his head up and down at first, but before Bradley could even get up,

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he shook his head.

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“Wait,” he whispered,

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muzzle ducked in embarrassment.

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"I guess, I wanted to spend all day with you because I’m scared to say goodbye too,"

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Pat said, before looking up at the wolf.

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"I don’t want to be scared anymore either.

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either." Bradley, eyes watery and ears folded back, reluctantly nodded his head.

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It was the dread of the needle’s prick before

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a shot, the nautious turn of the guts when jumping from somewhere high, and the brace of impact just before a car crash rolled all into one feeling. After the day that he had given the coyote,

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it was the least he owed him.

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He reached out, grabbing Pat’s paws and pulled him out from under the sheets.

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Licking his lips,

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he thought over his words carefully before saying, “You’re the smartest boy I know. You’re braver than you think.

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You mean everything to me.”

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A tear shed over his cheek,

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dangling at the end of his fur.

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Pat nodded, but looked down foolishly.

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His thumbs twiddled inside of Bradley’s palms,

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claws tracing little circles into his pads.

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Bradley made no move to rush him.

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Just enjoyed the soothing touch as the coyote collected himself.

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Being honest, if Pat asked him to just sit in his bed with him like this until their parents arrived,

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that would be fine too.

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“Ever since the first day we met,

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I knew I liked you,”

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Pat started, finally finding the courage to follow through.

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“You talked to me, and you made me feel welcome.

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When I said I liked you,

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I was so scared you’d be mad.

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I feel lucky that you liked me back,

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and I don’t think I’ll like anyone else like I do you.”

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Clasping onto Bradley’s paws tight,

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he got a little closer to the wolf before saying,

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“I’m going to miss you.”

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Bradley nodded, a couple tear beads flicking off his whiskers.

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“I’m going to miss you too,”

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he said, and they embraced each other tight.

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They stayed that way,

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comforting one another.

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When there was nothing left to give,

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they managed to pull themselves apart.

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Pat gave a small laugh,

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seeing some of their fur had stuck together.

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Bradley nodded his head up and down, confirming,

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“No more goodbyes?”

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Pat, wiping away the last of his tears, agreed,

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“No more goodbyes.”

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Though there wasn't a lot of time left,

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both boys made the most out of it.

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They hung out by the lake,

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played a little soccer with the other campers,

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and Pat got a bullseye at the archery range.

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They even got to listen to one more scary story,

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and they never forgot their last day together.

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This was “Last Day” by Dirt Coyote,

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read for you by Kergiby, a full time Panther.

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You can find more stories on the web at thevoice.dog, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

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Happy Pride, and Thank you for listening

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to The Voice of Dog.