The Edge of the Muddy River
The puppy’s small paws slipped against the wet clay, leaving dark streaks in the red mud as he struggled to hold his grip. Below him, three dark snouts broke the surface of the brown water, their jagged ridges glinting in the afternoon light.
At the top of the steep embankment, an older golden retriever stood still, her ears pulled back tight against her head. She looked down at the slipping pup, her tail tucked low, before she turned and sprinted away from the river’s edge.
Her paws kicked up bits of dry soil and grass as she raced through the fields, startling a flock of wild birds into the sky. She did not stop running until she reached a bend in the river where a man sat on a small folding chair, holding a fishing rod.
Finding Help in the Fields
The dog stopped beside the man, barking sharply and nudging his arm with her wet nose. The fisherman looked down at her muddy coat, setting his fishing rod on the grass as she took a few steps back and barked again.
He stood up and picked up his bucket of fresh fish, following the golden retriever as she trotted quickly back toward the steep embankment. The dog led the way along the dirt path, looking back repeatedly to make sure the man was still behind her.
When they reached the cliff, the man peered over the edge and saw the puppy clinging to the vertical mud face. The dark shapes in the water were circling closer, their long tails sweeping through the muddy current.
A Clever Distraction
The fisherman quickly secured a thick hemp rope to the trunk of a nearby tree and tossed the line down the slope. He grabbed his bucket of fresh fish and descended the muddy incline, digging the heels of his boots deep into the clay.
With his free hand, he tilted the plastic bucket and dumped the fish directly into the river a few yards away from the puppy. The silver fish splashed into the water, immediately drawing the attention of the reptiles.
As the jaws snapped shut around the fish, the man swung himself lower along the rope and reached out his arm. He scooped his hand under the puppy’s chest, lifting the wet, shivering animal safely away from the water.
Safe on the Grass
He climbed back up the steep slope, using his boots to find traction in the mud until he reached the safety of the grassy flatland. He set the puppy down on the dry ground beside the older dog, who immediately stepped forward.
The two dogs pressed their noses together, the puppy jumping up to lick the older dog’s muzzle while wagging his tail. The fisherman stood beside them, wiping the wet mud from his hands onto his trousers before sitting down.
He sat on the grass as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the quiet river. The two dogs sat close to his boots, watching the birds fly across the evening sky.
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