“Hey there, it’s your girl, Athena. I’ve been playing pet detective again, sniffing out a caper at Maltese Meadow. Ginger had lost her fav squeaky toy, but never fear, your star-eyed sleuth at work! All’s well that ends well. Toy found – hidden near Retriever River of all places. Just another day in Pawsburg. Tales to share when I see you next, till then, Woofs and Wags, Athena.”

Listen to the story here

Everything was quiet in Pawsburg. All the good dogs were home, snuggled in their blankets, dreaming of Frisbees and belly rubs, while the naughty ones had snuck into Chow Hound Café for a quick meal. Still, in the shimmering moonlight, one could see Athena, the star-eyed Pitbull, standing tall on Western Husky Hill.

I was lamenting my imprudent indulgence in Doggy Donuts and watching Athena from a distance. To be frank with you, and I should be as we’ve known each other for quite a while now, Athena did stick out. Not just her glimmering coat, mind. But, the way she held herself was something, I’ll tell you. Head held high, eyes watching, always watching.

Suddenly, her tail twitched and I saw her turn towards the meadow. I’d spent enough days with Athena to know she had just picked up a case – and let me be clear, she was not an ordinary dog. She had a gift, an uncanny ability to sniff out the truth, or the missing chew bone.

“There’s trouble at Maltese Meadow,” Athena barked, darting past me in that graceful yet powerful lope only she could pull off. I gulped down the rest of my donut and rushed after her, my own tail doing a pretty decent impression of a windmill.

At Maltese Meadow, we found Ginger, her eyes wide and her ears flattened to her skull. Ginger was Athena’s best mate, always ready for a midday snooze, unless of course there was a stick to be fetched. Today, however, she looked like she’d glimpse the dreaded vacuum cleaner. Ginger had lost her favourite squeaky toy, a calamity, if ever there was one.

Athena sniffed around the grass, deep in thought. Remembering our last case, where we outsmarted that cunning cat Luna to retrieve the hidden stash of dog treats, I watched her in awe.

Just as I was ready to give up and suggest we go to Pup-Peroni for a break, Athena’s ears perked and she let out a triumphant bark. The toy was buried in a hole near the Retriever River.

As Athena dug out the toy, Ginger’s tail wagged again and her spirits lifted. She was back to her mischievous self, playfully nipping at Athena’s ears in gratitude. Yet another day was saved in Pawsburg, with Athena, our pet detective, at the helm.

As we watched the sunrise at Retriever River, I couldn’t help but feel proud. Sure, Pawsburg could get messy with the odd missing toy or an upturned food bowl but, with Athena around, I always had a wild tale to share over salmon dinner. Well, at least we weren’t dealing with the Scandal of the Chewed Sneakers again.

The End.

Share This Story: