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Journal Entry #14
Date: June 16th, 20XX
Location: En Route to Smiling Critter Valley
It’s been a long time since I last saw Smiling Critter Valley. Too long, really.
Melanie and I have been planning this trip for months, but now that we’re finally on the road, I can’t shake this strange feeling in my chest. It’s not doubt. No, I’m certain about what we’re doing. It’s something else… something heavier. Maybe it’s because this isn’t just for a visit. This is about more than just seeing old friends.
Dogday has always been my little shadow, my bright, bounding ball of energy. When I left, he was still so young, so full of excitement, still figuring himself out. I wonder if he’s changed, if the valley still feels as big to him as it did when we were pups. I wonder if he still sees me as the same older brother he once looked up to.
And then there’s Catnap. I don’t know him well, but from the letters Dogday’s sent me, he’s clearly someone important. There’s something in the way Dogday writes about him, in the way his words linger just a little longer when mentioning Catnap’s name. I know that feeling. I recognize it. The question is—does Dogday?
Then, of course, there’s the real reason we’re coming back. The papers are signed. It’s official. And soon, Dogday and Catnap’s lives are going to change forever. I don’t know how they’ll react, but I do know one thing: this is the right thing to do.
I just hope they see it that way, too.
Melanie tells me I worry too much, and maybe she’s right. But I can’t help it. I’ve always tried to be strong for Dogday, to be someone he could rely on. And now, I need to be that again, not just for him, but for Catnap, too.
The valley is just over the next hill. Soon, this won’t just be thoughts in a journal. It’ll be real.
Whatever happens next, I just hope that when this trip is over, Dogday and Catnap will finally know what it means to have a home.
- Sammi