January 22, 2016

White Dog had Zsofia penned in her sleeping space in the closet and I had YoYoMa by the collar. "What the heck is WRONG with you two knuckleheads?" I shouted as White Dog growled Zso into a lying position on the mattress.

Yo had smears of blood on the top of his head and under his chin. His face and rough were slimed with saliva.

Just then Steve returned from his nightly walk with Bella, Benson and Pearl. "Can you come in here and give me a hand?" I called. He entered still in his coat and stopped at the doorway. "What the..." "Grab Zsofia and check her over."

YoYoMa did not seem to be bleeding from any cuts or bites except from at his lip. Zsofia was wet to her shoulders and blood painted the side of her face and her shoulder. Steve dragged her by her collar into the bathroom and put her in the tub to hold her while he washed the area and looked for wounds. She had a nick in her ear.

They came back into the office and Steve traded me...taking YoYoMa for wash up. He was fine except for the lip cut.

"What happened? Steve asked and I wasn't sure if he was asking me or the two pups in the hot seat. Siku muttered her disgust at their appalling behavior. "You know how Zso sometimes teases Yo by pushing him and talking smack; she gets him all riled up and jumps up or moves too quickly for him to track her which makes him crazy? She never knows when to stop. I think that is what started things. Next thing, White Dog and I heard them in the other room getting seriously mad at each other and then they both lost it. Neither would stand down or listen to me. Finally, I was ably to grab Yo."

"Looks like the Young One under estimated YoYoMa," Steve said. "Since no one is hurt I can say Good and hope it has taught her a lesson about her brattiness. But i am so mad! They could have serious injured each other." I looked at the two..."You COULD have."

White Dog quietly approached me. "Momma, I am not making excuses and you know I was there at your side to stop them but remember we are ALL slightly out of phase right now. Ferguson has left a hole in our family structure and we are not sure how to deal with that. Plus we are confused about why he had to leave and we, too, are grieving. Try to understand and not be too mad."

"I do understand," I told her, "and for those very reasons I am angry. Imagine if someone had been seriously hurt? If either Zso of Yo had done damage that opened the possibility of infection or needing surgery or they put out the other's eye or..."

YoYoMa spoke up. "I am sorry, momma. And I understand you are angry because you love Zso and I so much. We WERE knuckleheads. Forgive me?" I held his face in my hands and let the tears roll. Then I kissed them both.