Hey Dad,

Bit of a ruff day. Someone swiped my duck. Spent all day tracking it with my crew; Chirpy, Fizzy, and Toodles. Trail led us from Chow Hound to Fetch! Toys. You’ll never believe it, my duck was shamelessly displayed in the window. Committed a brave rescue, reclaimed my territory from a disruptive Dalmatian too. All’s well that ends well, huh?

Wagfully,

Marley

Now, one would go as far as to say that life in Spencerville is a bag of mixed bones – sometimes crunchy, sometimes infuriatingly soggy. Marley, ah, the venerable fluff muffin of a Labrador retriever, was in the throes of one such soggy bone day. You see, he woke up with that feeling. The feeling that something was awry. Right in the marrow of his intuition, if a Labrador can indeed be given such a credit of philosophical ability.

His beloved, squeak-free plushie duck had gone missing. ‘Nay, nicked,’ Marley put a paw to his chin and pondered. His usual spot by Upper Black Bulldog Bay was also suspiciously occupied by an unknowing, but very uppity, Dalmatian. The nerve. He, who has never forgotten the comfort of his cherished pullout doggy bed, now had to contend himself with lounging at Beagle Beach. It just wasn’t cricket.

First things first. Respectfully shooing away the beachy Dalmatian (taking care to excuse himself with a soft yet firm bark), he reclaimed his territory. Then with a distressingly serious look in his eyes – a look that could turn kibble into canned – he sniffed the air around his stolen Plushie’s last known location. As he walked through the Fawn Cream Maltese Meadow, I pulled myself together with utmost dogged determination and resolute purpose, and let out a whine sharp enough to break a cat’s resolve.

My trusty posse chimed in from every direction. Chirpy the sparrow fluttered above, Fizzy the squirrel took to the trees, and Toodles the cat gave a dismissive flick of her tail. And Marley, he moved swiftly through the town, almost levitating in his intensity – every smell, every sight, every sound amplified as he zealously sought justice.

The day took them through Chow Hound Café, The Wagging Tail Bookstore, and even Pupperoni Pizza. A strange look from the Cheesy-dog baker named Mr. Cheddar or an off-wound “Meow” from Toodles were enough to fuel his vindictive resolve.

By the time night fell, he arrived at Fetch! Toys and Treats. His plushie was there, displayed heartlessly in the window next to a delicately painted portrait of himself – evidence of the crime, clear as day.

His tail thudded ominously on the ground; his golden eyes watched the front door, twinkling with the promise of righteous vengeance. Life in Spencerville may be splendidly tame, but on this day, no ne’er-do-well toy-snatcher was safe from the dashing defender of stuffed ducks, the inimitable vigilante of velveteen justice: Marley. And so my wagging tale of vengeance resumes tomorrow, stay tuned for what’s to come in the venture of fetching the toy back!

The End.