Marmaduke

Marmaduke was sprawled across the warm grass behind the old farmhouse, his giant paws twitching as he dreamed about chasing squirrels. The summer sun painted everything gold, and not a single cloud sat in the bright blue sky. That was when he heard the soft crunch of footsteps. Out from the tall wildflowers came a beautiful black German Shepherd named Nyx. She was three years old, sleek as midnight, with intelligent amber eyes that glimmered in the sunlight. Her coat shone like polished obsidian. The two dogs spent the afternoon wandering through the countryside together. They raced across open fields where butterflies scattered ahead of them like confetti. Marmaduke tried to leap over a little creek in one jump and landed with a giant splash instead. As the day went on, they climbed a grassy hill overlooking the valley. The breeze carried the scent of pine trees and fresh flowers. Below them, the world looked peaceful and endless. The sun slowly began to set, turning the sky orange and pink. Fireflies blinked awake in the tall grass around them.