eine kleine nachthase

There's nothing that'll distract Baxter more than spying a big ol bunny, smack dab in the middle of his pooping grounds. Normally our little boy is fantastic about doing his business, braving the rain, heat, cold, and even snow to quickly and dutifully tend to his duties before bedtime. But not when good fortune such as this smiles down upon our little wolf. Baxter hasn't seen a rabbit for days, much less one as big as this guy.

Big Ol Bunny froze like a statue when we ventured out under the chilly night sky. Holding one paw up in the air while standing on his hind legs, B.O.B would have been practically invisible to me had the backyard flood lights not been on, yet to Baxter the scent alone was enough to make him put on hold the very reason why we went out back. There would be no potty break til Baxter took care of this intruder.

Certain also that I would never hear the end of it from the little kielbasa if I didn't let him go for a run, I put Baxter down on the ground and released him to hunt. Baxter made a beeline for the bunny, who waited to the very last minute to start their chase. High pitched yips pierced the silence of the night as tiny wolf and big ol bunny ran for three tight loops around the backyard til finally, the rabbit squeezed through a wide gap in the fence, leaving Baxter not far behind.

Only after Baxter was certain that B.O.B had left his yard did tiny chumley do his business, begrudgingly giving up nature's duty to answer nature's call. But perhaps out of concern that he might once again be caught with his proverbial pants down, he chose to do only number one, which he tried to perform as menacingly as he could for a dog that doesn't raise his leg. A squat with tail held high and chest pushed out with ears perked, as if to warn anyone who might see this tiny wolf that he was indeed fierce protector of this sixth of an acre of the world.

But any trace of heroic vision would have been erased for those who saw what next he did after we came inside. Just like the kid wrapped tight in his winter wear who got too excited after sitting on Santa's lap, Baxter upchucked the meal he had eaten only hours ago. Mother Nature's way of telling him not to be to get too cocky, I'd gather. Baxter looked at me with a mixture of wonder then disappointment as I cleaned up and threw away his mess, and the sinusoidal line on the oscilloscope that is our life settled back to steady state for the night.

This morning I found Baxter staring out the back door, hopeful that he'll find that bunny again. Eternally optimistic, yet ever prepared to go to war, my little boy waits for night to fall, and he can once again play with his little night bunny.