"Bark! Bark! Bark!"
The mont Golden finished eating, she suddenly bolted toward the shelter gate, her paws kicking up dust as she ran.
She stopped right in front of it, barking loudly and repeatedly, her tail wagging non-stop as her gaze remained fixed on the long, empty road stretching far into the distance.
It was as if she was expecting soone.
Waiting.
"Hey....what’s wrong, doggie?" Aria called out imdiately, worry spreading across her face as she hurried toward her.
"Where are you going?"
She slowed down as she reached Golden, her small hands hovering uncertainly in the air before gently touching the dog’s back.
Her gaze then dropped to the tag hanging from the dog’s neck.
"...Golden?"
Aria frowned slightly.
"I think I’d rather give you another na," she said softly, tilting her head as she looked at the dog. "If you’re going to stay with us... you’ll beco our dog."
Her voice grew a little hopeful.
"Don’t you want that?"
"Hmm..." Lila humd thoughtfully before suddenly lighting up. "What if we na her Sunny? Or Honey! Or Buttercup!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitent as she listed the nas one after another.
Ivy, who had been watching quietly from behind, smiled warmly.
"Those are beautiful nas, Lila," she said, clearly impressed. "But tell why those three?"
Lila puffed her chest slightly, clearly pleased to explain.
"Because she’s golden in color!" she replied enthusiastically. "I think her old owner nad her ’Golden’ because of that too... but I don’t think they put much thought into it."
Her expression darkened just a little, a hint of childish annoyance slipping through.
"They didn’t even take care of her properly."
Aria nodded in agreent before speaking up again, her voice filled with excitent.
"Then let’s call her Sunny!" she suggested. "She’s still so lively even after everything she’s been through. She’s bright... just like the sun."
She grinned.
"And she’s active too—like how the sun rises every morning to start a new day!"
Ivy’s smile widened.
"That’s a lovely aning, Aria," she said, clearly proud. "You girls are amazing."
She glanced between the two of them.
"So... Sunny it is?"
Then she turned to Lila.
"What do you think?"
Lila clapped her hands together happily.
"It’s perfect, Mommy!" she said. "But she can still have all three nas too—Sunny, Honey, Buttercup!"
That made both Ivy and Aria laugh softly.
Even Lila joined in, giggling at her own idea.
---
anwhile...
Golden remained at the gate.
She paced back and forth, occasionally jumping up against it, trying to push through the barrier.
But no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t get past.
The reinforced gate—and the invisible system shield surrounding the shelter—held firm.
"Bark! Bark!"
Her voice grew more desperate.
"Mommy..." Aria’s cheerful expression slowly faded as she watched the dog’s behavior.
"...Is she trying to leave?"
Her voice turned small, uncertain.
"Do you think... she doesn’t like us?"
Sadness crept into her eyes.
"We were going to take good care of her..."
Ivy let out a quiet sigh, her expression soft but understanding.
"Dogs don’t forget their owners easily," she explained gently, walking closer. "That’s one of the reasons they’re such loyal companions."
She folded her arms lightly.
"If soone treats them well—even just once—they rember it."
Her gaze shifted to Golden.
"I think... before she was abandoned, she must have been loved at so point."
Lila lowered her head, her shoulders drooping.
"So... she doesn’t like us?" she asked softly. "She still likes her old owner more..."
Ivy’s heart softened instantly.
She quickly stepped forward and knelt down in front of Lila, placing her hands gently on her shoulders.
"Oh, sweetie... that’s not it at all," she said softly.
"She does like you."
Lila looked up at her uncertainly.
"It’s just..." Ivy continued carefully, "it’s not easy to forget soone you once loved."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Tell ... if sothing happened to , would you forget easily?"
"No!!"
Aria and Lila shouted at the sa ti.
Aria imdiately ran forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Ivy.
"Nothing is ever going to happen to you, Mommy!" she said firmly, her voice trembling slightly.
Ivy chuckled softly, hugging her back.
"I know, I know," she said gently. "I was only giving an example."
She slowly stood up again, her expression turning thoughtful as she looked at Golden.
"...Let’s give her a choice."
Both girls looked up at her.
"For now... we’ll let her go," Ivy said calmly.
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