Lucky touched Mickey’s muzzle with his nose. “We’ll bring them with us,” he agreed.

He turned back to the pups. “The Earth-Dog is one of the Spirit Dogs,” he told them. “We can tell you about the Earth-Dog along the way.”

“We have to stay here,” the larger male growled.

“I don’t want to leave Mother,” added the female. “I don’t want to give her to any dog!”

Lucky’s chest tightened. He settled down in front of the pups. “I’m sorry. I know how hard this must be for you. I was so sad when I had to say good-bye to my Mother-Dog. But only Earth-Dog can look after her now.”

The pups gazed at him, wide-eyed.

“Will we be able to see our Mother-Dog again if she’s with the Earth-Dog?” asked the smallest male, who had hardly said a word until then. His short tail gave a hopeful wag and Lucky swallowed, grief crashing over him. How could he describe death to a pup? How could he explain things he barely understood himself?

“In a way,” Mickey piped up. “You just need to close your eyes and remember. You won’t see her . . . but you’ll be able to feel her. She’ll be all around you. In the earth beneath your paws, in the air you breathe. With the clouds in the sky and the sun and the rain.”

Lucky’s tail wagged at the memory of his own Mother-Dog, and the safety and warmth of the Pup-Pack.

“Can you show us how?” asked the female.

“Of course,” said Mickey.

A lone crow cackled in the forest and the black-and-white dog flinched. “It’s getting late,” he murmured.

Lucky looked up to see a deeper blue beyond the wall of trees outside the Dog-Garden. The fur along his back prickled as he wondered, would the grown Fierce Dogs be back before no-sun? Would they be back at all? He turned to the pups. “We have a journey to go on, but for now, we need to get to work. Later Mickey will help you to remember your Mother-Dog. I promise.”

The pups seemed to accept this. Lucky and Mickey led them to the wooden steps that took them from the porch to the ground. Mickey leaned forward to scoop up the largest male by the scruff but the pup squirmed free, shaking his tail and flanks proudly. He half jumped, half flopped down each step. His brother and sister followed, all three gathering in an excited cluster at the bottom.

The pups watched as Lucky found an earthy, shaded spot by the side of the big house where the grass was patchy. He started to dig as quickly as he could, pitching up dry soil. Mickey joined him.

After a few minutes of watching the digging in silence, the female pup drew closer. “What are you doing?” she asked.