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I would really like some feedback on this. Is it written clearly? Does it flow well? Would an English teacher approve? Would you read more? Are any of the cliches groan-inducing?


       Shiloh was pleased that three o'clock had come around. Sherry would now be off work and en route to the ratty apartment he and Grizztof shared. Her arrival would make the time waiting for his roommate - and the start of their journey - pass more quickly. It was a rare weekend that their schedules aligned and allowed for a group camping trip. Shiloh was always the most eager of the three to go on these excursions. Breathing in fresh, fragrant air, seeing sunlight filter through the forest canopy into a crystal clear stream, and looking up at the moon surrounded by a glorious speckling of stars were just a few of the things he lived for, and the city provided exactly none of them.
   A doorbell is not normally a startling noise, but Shiloh had become so wrapped in himself that it was like a thunderclap to him. "It's Sherry," he said to himself with a smile forming on his black lips between the two words. He jumped up from the sofa and whipped the door open.
   "Hey, you look ready to go," Sherry stated with a warm smile. She sensed a sadness in her slightly short, tan/black German Shepherd friend's brown eyes.
   "It's that easy to tell?" Shiloh scratched behind his ear with his left paw.
   Sherry replied, "You're always ready to get out of town." She was a striking white wolf. Her snow white fur, lithe frame, perky ears, beautiful soulful amber eyes, and height of nearly six feet made her the envy of almost every female she had met. She gave him a quick, friendly hug. "The wait is killing you, isn't it."
   "Always does. I hate this town. How you guys put up with it is beyond me."
   "You and Grizztof do have the worst of it here on the south side. It's not so bad on the east end."
   "'Not so bad' doesn't sound all that good."
   "Yeah, I've dreamt of moving out of here. It's just, well, it's easier to stay. I can't make the kind of tips waitressing out in the country that I make here. And moving away from this city would be waving the white flag on becoming an actress." Sherry gazed through the mini-blinds and out the window with a look of desperate sorrow.
   Shiloh never understood why in all the time Sherry had been chasing that dream that she had only managed to land a few roles in commercials. "You know, Sherry...."
   "What?"
   "Oh, never mind." Shiloh changed the subject. "Hey, I recorded Rob Woodard's special on the DVR. If we start it now, Grizz should be about home when it's over."
   "Yeah, that sounds great! Woodard's a comic genius."

   Shiloh awoke to the sound of Grizztof fumbling his keys at the door. He looked down and saw Sherry in peaceful slumber with her head on his chest. He gently tapped her shoulder, "Hey."
   A yawning, "What, Shy?" was Sherry's reply as she opened her eyes, sat up, and raised her arms to stretch. Focusing her vision on Shiloh, she started, "What ti-"
   Grizztof barged in, "Hey y'all! Lets get this show on the road!" He was an odd Alaskan Malamute. He had a sturdy build, dark brown eyes, and gray and white coloring. Most of the time, he was friendly and exuberant, but he would at times become flippant and combative, sad and withdrawn, or arrogant and annoying. This kept his friend count quite low. An exact count would be two. "Did you pack?"
   "It's in the kitchen on the floor, Grizzy." Anyone but Sherry would get punched in the shoulder for using that name, but she was like the mother he never had - if one's mother could be five years one's junior.
   Grizztof took a few steps to the kitchen and saw two backpacks. He spun around and gave Shiloh an authoritarian look. He raised his right paw and spread his digits, tapping each one with his left paw as he listed, "Tent, mats, food, full canteens?"
   "Calm down, Grizz. This isn't my first camping trip." Shiloh asserted with accompanying eye-rolling.
   Grizztof shifted from bossy to bouncy at the drop of a hat, "So, let's go! Sherry, keys!" Sherry tossed him her keys, and he caught them in his left paw, quickly grabbed the packs with his right paw, and bolted out the door.
   Sherry and Shiloh got up from the couch and followed him out. As Shiloh was just about to lock the deadbolt, Grizz blurted out, "Wait! Walking Stick!"
   Grizztof knew that walking sticks can be very handy, but he hiked with one more for sentimental reasons than practicality. In his youth, his father had used a walking stick religiously when they went hiking, and young Grizz loved using the one his dad had decorated for him by burning lines and diamond shapes into the top four inches of it. He lost his father at the age of ten, and using a walking stick helped him feel there was still a connection.

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   With the packs and stick stowed behind the rear seats, Sherry hopped into the driver's seat while Grizztof and Shiloh respectively took the front and rear passenger seats of her compact SUV. Sherry looked out the rear window to back up. When she started to drive away, Shiloh looked out the rear window and said to himself, "Good Riddance."

nice story

   Sherry pulled into the Quick Paw Gas Stop and pump three was empty. She stopped, popped her fuel door open, and said, "Your turn, Grizzy."
   "Yeah, yeah," Grizztof grabbed his credit card and exited the SUV to pump gas.
   "Shi, you coming?"
   "Uh-huh." Shiloh got out, met Sherry in front of the car, and they walked up to the store together. Shiloh took a half-step lead on Sherry to grab the door for her. He pulled it open and held it for Sherry and the couple behind them.
   The random strangers gave Shiloh a "Thanks."
   Shiloh caught up with Sherry at a jerky display, and she said, "I'll get Grizz some teriyaki. If you want, we can split a big bag of peppered."
   "Sounds good. I'll go grab him a Slurpee." Shiloh wandered off towards the Slurpee machine, eyeing a bag of chips here and some candy there, but opted to not waste any more money. It was blue raspberry for Grizz and green apple for himself. Sherry caught up to him and chose to get herself blue raspberry.
   "Ready?" she asked while popping the top onto her Slurpee.
   "As I'll ever be." They always kept the snacking light on trips. Hunger for adventure suppressed their physical hunger when they road-tripped.
   They walked up toward the cashier. There was a line, so Shiloh took the chance to further inquire about Sherry's desire to move out of town. "So, earlier, when you were talking about leaving town, had you put much thought into it? I have."
   Sherry was taken aback that Shiloh had thought her comments could be more than just a fleeting fantasy. "You have? Like what?"
   "I've got $1,300 saved for a down payment. That's not near enough, and my credit is weak, but it's the first step in a thousand-mile journey, and I'm walking. I want a house out in the country more than anything."
   "Shi, $1,300 is nothing. It'll take you years to get into a house." Sherry saw her words were daggers to Shiloh's heart and softened her approach. "Have you thought about getting a second job? Can anyone you know help you? Your parents, maybe?"
   Shiloh's eyes brightened a bit at the second question, "Yeah, I've thought about it." Could anyone he knows help him? Shiloh's mother desperately wanted him in a house and was always complaining that by renting he was throwing money away. She had told him last week that she trusted his judgment and would sign anything he needed to get financing. Considering that, Sherry and Grizztof could help him. Whether as roommates or co-owners, Shiloh could use their help. He told Sherry, "My mom will help me when I show her that I'm serious. I hope to be able to do that soon."
   Sherry asked, "Have you told Grizztof?"
   "I plan to, but please, let me tell him in my own time."
   "Sure, Shi."
   The cashier was finally ready for them. Sherry bought the snacks and they walked back to the SUV.
   "It's about time." Grizztof was panting a bit. "Your car gets hot fast without the AC." It was late September, and the hottest time of day. Grizztof figured it was about 80 degrees outside. He preferred the mid-sixties or lower.
   "Good to see you, too." Sherry replied with some playful sarcasm and she tossed a bag of jerky at his chest.
   "Blue Raspberry for the gas man," Shiloh joked as he gave Grizztof the Slurpee.   
   "Thanks, guys." Grizztof reported, "Five hours to Woodbind. Good thing there's a full moon tonight."
   Sherry started her car and drove out of the lot, into the street, and onto the highway.

I have to say, I'm rather enjoying reading this.

Thanks for the replies, Soulneko and Metalhead_Mockingbird. They help motivate me. I should have another chunk posted sometime tomorrow.

   The SUV passed by another mile marker, and Sherry sighed. Both her buds had fallen asleep and left her alone with the onus of driving north on such a lonely stretch of interstate. This bit of highway was flanked by nothing but rolling hills, yellow grass, and the occasional sign. Those were a far cry from the scenery of trees, buildings, and bodies of water that Sherry enjoyed viewing on their other trips.
     As the sun fell behind the mountains to the west, her eyelids began wanting to fall in front of her eyes. She needed company to wake herself up, so she reached a paw over and scritched Grizztof right behind his left ear.
   "We there?" Grizztof mumbled while leaving his eyes closed and shifting his body to a new sleeping position.
   "Sorry, Grizzy, but we're just about half way. I need some company so I don't fall asleep. Well, that or coffee."
   Grizztof yawned, "...and you're fresh out of coffee. Yeah, I get it. Alright. What do you want to talk about?" He still looked like he was sleeping, but he was attentive.
   "I think I'm ready for a change in my life."
   Sherry's words seemed a little heavy, so Grizztof stretched, sat up, and opened his eyes. "Wow. What's happening?"
   "Shi and I were talking before we left your apartment. It got me to thinking. My acting career hasn't gone anywhere, and I'm starting to think it never will. So, I need a new direction. I could go back to college maybe. I could find a better job. I just know I'm no longer happy doing what I'm doing."
   "Sorry." Grizztof thought for a moment. "I guess a good question is: If you could do one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?"
   Sherry laughed to herself and replied, "Eat ice cream!"
   Grizztof was put off a little by her joking about the subject, but realized it was probably a defense mechanism more than anything. It hurts to not have an answer for such a simple question. Grizztof knew this because he lived it. "Seriously now."
   "Let me think about that a bit."
   "OK. Can I go back to sleeping while you think?"
   "No. If you do, I'll smack you." Sherry joked with a grin.
   Grizztof was unconscious with his tongue falling out of his maw within seconds, but he had given Sherry such a hard question to answer that she didn't mind. Her initial problem was fixed: She wouldn't be able to sleep anytime soon. She had a new problem. What does she really want to do for the rest of her life? She pondered that into the darkness of night.

   "Wake up, sleepyheads, we're here." Sherry gave Grizztof a friendly smack on the shoulder. After all, she did owe him one for falling asleep. The smack worked, and she moved on, "Shi. Shi! Shiloh! Hey! You up?"
   A weak, belated, "Yeah," came from the back seat. Opening his eyes, Shiloh saw a dark wall of green just off the road's edge. His sleep had been deep, so his brain took a few seconds to get up to speed. realizing where he was, he perked up. "All right. We're there!" He lowered his window, unbuckled his seat belt, sat bolt upright, and stuck his head outside.
   Night and their increase in altitude had the air cold to the point of being chilly on Shiloh's wet black nose. He felt alive again and couldn't help his tail brushing the seat with its wagging. He heard water, but where? It sounded faint but close at the same time. Looking down, a creek flowed just a few feet from the roadside. The city stench was gone with only the car they were in to remind him of it. Instead, he smelled the freshness of pine, the earthy smell of the woods, and a faint mist in the air. If only he could bottle those scents to take home with him, he thought. It was dark outside, but there was just enough light to see. Turning his face toward the sky, he looked for the full moon. Brilliant pearly-grey bits of it sparkled back at him through the treetops. Stars dotted the sky. Regretfully, Sherry still had a bit to drive before they would arrive at the camp proper, so Shiloh couldn't charge out of the SUV yet.
   Moments later, after Shiloh had settled down some, they saw three larger pieces of wood forming an upside-down "U." From that, a sign reading, "Woodbind State Park," hung from some eyelet screws. The dark brown sign with white lettering also read, "Camping," with an arrow to the left and below that hung a separate sign just to say, "Welcome." The moon's ambience may have been enough to ensure the words were legible, but a ground light was dutifully shining to guarantee it. The sign's guidance took them to a donut-shaped parking area abutting a steep mountainside drop-off that rebounded to a higher peak. The viewable landscape was coated in Douglas Firs and Ponderosa Pines eerily lit by the moonlight.
   Sherry pulled into a spot facing the pass. Before she had the car off, Shiloh was out the door and exploring. "Maybe he's a little excited, Grizzy."
   They remaining two canines got out, stretched a bit and surveyed their surroundings. There were various signs, a set of bathrooms, and two trailheads that were off in the distance - one on either side of them. The information post was about fifty feet to the rear of Sherry's car.
   "Over here, Sherry." Grizztof started walking toward the post. Sherry followed suit. "Seven dollars for camping, three dollars for parking. Pay the collection box, Ma'am."
   Sherry flicked his right ear hard for using Ma'am at her, and put a ten dollar bill into the box.
   Rubbing his ear, Grizztof said, "Now we have to wait for Shiloh to get back. I suppose at the car. I'm going to see what all is in the packs."
   "Yeah, me too. I never bothered checking Shi's work back at your apartment."
   "He's pretty vigilant about packing right, so I'm not worried. I just want a mental inventory of the nommables." Grizztof ignored the tent backpack that had three round canteens with shoulder straps latched onto it. He was only interested in the food backpack. Grizz pulled out a bag of marshmallows, a couple bulk-size bags of plain jerky - one beef, one turkey, a plastic tub filled with blueberry muffins and granola bars, a second tub packed with bananas and oatmeal cookies, a small zip lock bag of saltwater taffy, and a package of individually wrapped string cheese. Grizztof liked the choices. At the bottom of the bag, he saw a lighter and a hunting knife. Surely, there was even more gear packed with the tent. "Not bad at all, huh, Sherry," he commented and got to repacking.
   Sherry agreed and changed the subject, "So, who told you about this place again?"
   "Tasha, from work. When it comes to the outdoors, she is one crazy Husky. She told me we'd like it - if we could hack it. I didn't get any details. She just said, "Trust me, the Beaver trail, it's awesome."
   Shiloh sauntered back into their view. "The Beaver trail follows a large stream up to a couple different lakes. It's nine and a half miles. Let's go on that one. Are you guys ready?"
   "No thanks to you, Turbo," Sherry jested.
   Sherry donned the food pack. Grizztof took the heavier tent backpack and his walking stick. Shiloh took the lead.
   As they approached Beaver trail, the sound of rushing water became more and more defined. The stream was indeed large. Gurgling, splashing water cutting through a bed of what looked like solid rock came into the trio's view. The incline was steep and the water's speed reflected it. "Definitely awesome, Tasha," Grizztof whispered to himself as they started up the trail in the faint light from above.

   Two hours had passed. In light conversation, Shiloh had mentioned that the stream they were following was Beaver Creek, Grizztof had some jokes fall flat, and Sherry gossiped about her two roommates. The trail was constantly snaking upwards while alternately leading them away and then back towards the rushing current. The soundtrack of semi-rhythmic thumping from Grizztof's walking stick and flowing water was getting old. Sherry and Grizztof had drooping tongues and tails. Even Shiloh's enthusiasm was dwindling. "We should be near Shimmer lake, and boy, am I ready for camp," he sighed.
   Sherry chimed in, "You don't have to say that again!"
   Grizztof would have had something to say, but he was too busy sucking air. He'd let himself go a bit over the last few years, and hiking on an upward grade for two hours - even at a fairly leisurely pace - had shown him that he needed to spend a lot less time on the couch. Looking to Shiloh, he saw the German Shepherd about to start up a long incline that would lead them far away from Beaver Creek. He told himself if the lake wasn't over the hill, he was sleeping on the trail.
   Moments later, Shiloh had crested the hill and reported, "It's Shimmer Lake! I see it!" Sherry and Grizztof's leader abandoned them by sprinting down the trail.
   "He left us, Grizzy. I think I see a pattern emerging," Sherry relayed as she approached the path's top. "It's a good thing we have the supplies. He may go wild on us." At the peak, Sherry paused for Grizztof as she took in the view.
   The lake laid still except for a coating of ripples pushed on by a gentle wind. The rippling produced a shimmering of the moon's reflection on the surface. A blanket of black-from-the-night trees crept up to within a few yards of the shore. Sherry was too far away to pick out the finer details with such little light for help. She was eager to get closer, but was kindly waiting for the lagging Mal.
   Grizztof caught up and took a gander at the lake. He didn't say anything for a bit. It wasn't that the landscape had left him speechless: The pause gave him a chance to breathe. He did manage a few words, "It's moments like these...I kick myself for not owning a digital...camera."
   "There's no shame in having to catch your breath after that hike," Sherry comforted. "So, why not use your cell for pics?"
   "Night pictures always come out grainy."
   Sherry offered, "I'll take a few and text them to you later. I get graininess at night, too, but it's minor." She whipped out her smartphone and took about five snapshots. "Let's go set up camp. Shi can find us later."

   It didn't take too long to find a small clearing fifty yards or so from the beach to camp in. The earth was flat, cool, and packed down a bit. Tree needles and other compost speckled the ground. Ash and a few bits of litter told them there had been others before them. Sherry and Grizztof dropped the dead weight of their packs and got to planning.
   Sherry put her hands to her hips. "So, where to start?"
   "The weather's fine, so we don't need the tent. We'll need a fire for those marshmallows." Grizztof liked the novelty of eating marshmallows one golden-brown layer at a time almost as much as the yumminess of said layers.
   "Ok, so lets get some firewood. I'll get the tinder and kindling. You get the logs. It's easier for me that way," Sherry said with a smirk.
   "Sure, any other requests from her royal majestic highness?"
   "Yeah, shut up," Sherry placed a paw on his muzzle, gave it a playful push, and then led the way.
   The two meandered about in the direction of the beach. Sherry would grab sticks and small twigs, and then enthusiastically point out anything heavy, dry, and wooden to Grizztof. Before long, they figured they had enough fuel and headed back to the clearing and unloaded.
   "Queen Sherry says go to the beach and fetch me some rocks. I shall enjoy having a campfire ring."
   "As you wish," Grizztof held his arms to his side and bowed deeply, then did as he was instructed.
   Sherry cast aside her pompousness and kneeled down. She dug an impression in the dirt with her paws and then brushed away anything flammable on the ground within about a yard of it. She then tossed the matts around where the fire would be and took a moment to think if there was any other task she had left undone.
   "Only the finest rocks in the land for my queen." Grizztof returned and was happy  to see the results of Sherry's work. He made a stone circle around the dip in the earth and then found the lighter at the bottom of the food backpack. He handed it to the best fire builder within miles.
   Sherry was a pro at fires and soon had a good one going. The two decided to give Shiloh more time to show up and share in the marshmallow roasting, so Sherry had a couple cookies and a banana while Grizztof ate half the granola bars. Afterwards, they laid on their mats, head to head beside the fire, looking up at the stars. A minute of silence passed.
   Sherry broke the quiet, "I think I've got it. I think I know what I want to do with the rest of my life. I want to teach. Young pups - kindergarten or first grade. It means me going to school, but I don't mind. I want to be a helping hand in kids' lives. Every time I think about it, I feel all warm and furry." Just saying it made her smile. "How about you, Grizzy? What would you do?"
   "I wanna be the President!" He tried to brush off the question.
   "Really? I call horsefeathers on that."
   Grizztof didn't have the real answer. He wanted the subject dropped now. With a bit of malice, he said, "If you ever become a teacher, then maybe I'll tell you."
   "Touchy, eh?" Sherry ruffled the fur on his head in a playful way.
   A whirlwhind of embarrassment, anger, and general uncomfortableness overcame the Malamute. He jumped up and stormed off. Shiloh arrived just in time to watch the tail end of Grizztof leaving.
   Shiloh was confused. "What was that about?"

   Grizztof was furious, but the anger pointed inward. Why, after all these years, did he have to be so touchy? After losing his father, Grizztof's childhood had been a minefield of being verbally abused and bullied by just about everyone in his life, including his mother. That stopped 13 years ago when he moved to his own studio apartment for a fresh start, but the scars were still there. He'd known Sherry and Shiloh since they were little pups and trusted them with his life, and he yearned for the day he would be comfortable opening up to them. Alas, the defenses of his youth were hard to deconstruct.
   From time to time as he walked along the shore, he would grab a rock and chuck it into the water. He happened across a nice patch of dirt not covered by trees and curled up on it. The earth was hard, but, for now, he needed the solace of solitude more than physical comfort. After a good cry, he rolled onto his back.
   He hadn't looked up at the sky much lately. It was beautiful. He tried to pick out the man in the moon. He could see the constellation Orion. The only other two he knew were the big and little dippers. Orion always made him think of his father, for it was his father who taught him to first look for the belt and the rest would be easy to see. Josef was a loving dad who knew much about the natural world, and he shared it with Grizztof at most every opportunity. They would hike, camp, stargaze, and visit museums and zoos among other things. Grizztof had a lot of fond memories of his dad, but they ended 21 years ago. The Mal had spent a lot of time wondering if he could have turned out normal if Josef had lived longer.
   Grizztof rolled onto his belly, rested his head on crossed arms, and drifted to sleep thinking of better days.

   Back at camp, Shiloh had some oatmeal cookies and a banana as Sherry filled him in on why their buddy had left. Although it was around 1:30 in the morning, neither was quite ready for bed, so they went about roasting marshmallows.
   As Sherry took a bite of her first puffy treat, Shiloh figured now would be a good time to make a proposal. "Look, Sherry, I want out of the city so bad. Mom said she'd take out the loan for me. I've been looking at some properties by Wolf's Paw. There is some great stuff on the market out there. I can transfer my job there, but I need more income - or roommates."
   "Here's the thing, Shi: I'm going to go back to college to become a teacher, so while it sounds appealing, I'm not sure I could help."
   "Sounds great, Sherry, but where did that idea come from?"
   "During the drive, Grizztof got me thinking about what I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. I got to thinking about it. I think children are delightful, and the feeling of helping them as they grow up, well..." Sherry didn't really care to finish the sentence. She was happily thinking of little pups calling her Ms.
   Shiloh bit into his marshmallow while searching for a counterargument. He managed to eat the whole snack before he managed to formulate his reply. "You know what? If Grizztof joins in, I won't need as much help as you think. We could work it out where your share would be less than whatever you're paying now. I'd also bet the college by Wolf's Paw is a fair bit less expensive than the ones around the city. This could still be a deal for you."
   "That's a lot to process, Shi. Give me time to think about the concept, ask Grizzy about it, figure out some specifics, and then ask me again. Sorry that's all I can say about it right now." Changing the subject, Sherry asked, "Hey, would you put some more wood in the fire? I'm ready for bed. Good night."
   Shiloh stood, took a couple steps, grabbed the last three large pieces of pine, and returned to the fire. He paused briefly, eyes lost in the flame, before feeding the blaze its last meal. Although relieved to have floated the question, the German Shepherd was worried by Sherry's vague reply. Expecting a, "Maybe," reaction did not make experiencing it any less unsettling. His dream depended on Sherry and Grizztof. As he laid down, he gazed upon the stars. He whispered a wish on one of them, "Let this happen, please."

   Something small was shaking. Sherry eased her way into consciousness and realized her phone's alarm was set to vibrate. She grabbed the device and made it stop. Looking around in the dawn's light, she saw Grizztof had returned during the night and flopped on his mat. Both he and Shiloh were sleeping peacefully around the dead campfire.
   Sherry got up, stretched a bit and headed off to Shimmer Lake. She loved watching sunrises and sunsets over bodies of water. After her short walk to the shore, she found a nice flat boulder overhanging the lake, sat down on it, and managed to splash her toes into the water, with a bit of a stretch. The chill was invigorating. She looked to the brightening eastern sky and knew the sun was due any minute.
    Her keen ears detected some rustling and footsteps back at camp. As she listened, the sounds crept closer. No doubt it was Grizztof trying to sneak up on her. She expected his goal was to scare her. For a second, she fancied tossing him in the lake - but no, she didn't want to fluster him again. She settled on not reacting at all to whatever shenanigan the dog had planned.
   Grizztof hugged the wolf tightly from behind and yelled, "Glomp monster!" When Sherry didn't even twitch, the Malamute was disappointed.
   "I could hear you all the way back at camp." Sherry turned her head to Grizztof, smiled, looked up into his eyes and said, "It's good to see you're happy."
   "You know how I get. Sorry."
   "It's ok." Sherry heard noise at camp. "Shiloh's up, too, but it sounds like he's doing cleanup."
   "You can hear him? Wow."
   Shiloh wasn't going to bother meeting the other two. Someone had to pick up camp. He repacked the mats, then set three blueberry muffins on a rock for their breakfast. The German Shepherd needed to dowse the campfire site. A little creative sorting freed up a food tub which would carry enough water. He took it to the lake, filled it, and dumped the water on the ashes upon his return. Sitting down and munching on a muffin, he was pretty pleased with himself for not being a slacker.
   Sherry and Grizztof didn't make a noise. A thin band of brilliance peeked over the mountain and bounced off the lake. Where darkness had muddled details and tinted everything black, growing light began defining reflections in the water and adding color to the world. Trees and their mirrored images became individual shapes and varying shades of green. Sunlight infused brown into the earth, grey into the rocks, and ever so slowly, blue into the sky.
   "This never gets old," Sherry related in a wispy voice.
   "It's magnificent," Grizztof agreed, "but me eyes can't take any more. I'm heading back."
   "The best part's over, anyway, so I'll go, too."
   The two returned to camp. Shiloh was ready for them with a muffin in each hand. "Eat," he ordered. "I got everything ready by myself."
   "Thanks, Shi," Sherry said, if only to sate Shiloh's need for recognition.
   Quickly, Sherry and Grizztof were done with their breakfast and the three were on their way. Stillmoon Lake was only about four miles away.

   The trio left Shimmer Lake behind and found the new stretch of trail to be easily navigable. With the sun just up, there was a chill upon the air. A breeze whispered through the woods. The path lacked any serious incline, and everything was looking good.
   Shiloh was again in the front, but the three were close enough to trip over each other. "Hey guys, if the trail stays this easy, we'll be there in no time. I'm loving this cold air, too. It's so invigorating."
   "Invigorating enough that you'll carry my pack for me?" Sherry proposed.
   "Yeah, sure." Shiloh didn't want to look bad, and besides, the food pack was pretty light. He grabbed the backpack from Sherry and put it on.
   "Thanks. Now I'll take the lead." Sherry jogged ahead about 100 feet and waved for them to hurry up. She was eager to see their destination and figured she'd try setting a brisk pace.
   "I'm not in that much of a hurry," Grizztof mentioned to Shiloh.
   "Good. I've been meaning to ask you something. You know how I want out of the city, right?" Shiloh paused for a reaction.
   Grizztof's, "Yep," carried a "What do I care?" subtext.
   "Well, what if the three of us got a house out by Wolf's Paw?"
   The Malamute shrugged and said, "I'd have to find a job, but why not?" While his statement came off as nonchalant, beneath the surface, fear of being left behind had pushed him to agree to such a big life decision so quickly. He'd go insane by himself.
   "Why not?" was music to Shiloh's ears. "That's great." The German Shepherd ran ahead to report the news to Sherry.
   "Wha-," Grizztof stopped mid-word as Shiloh, who was halfway caught up to Sherry, wasn't going to hear him. Shaking his head, he thought how excitability reigned supreme in that dog's personality.
   He was going to pry for details before being abandoned. Oh well. Aside from the ambiguity of the proposal, Grizztof liked the idea. He was no fan of the city, and wished Shiloh had mentioned it to him sooner - like five years sooner.

   Shiloh jogged up to Sherry to break the news, but she got the first word, "You're pretty spry." She entertained the idea of asking him if he'd seen something shiny, but the joke seemed a bit mean.
   "He's all for it." Shiloh gasped.
   "For what? Hitting up the Chinese Buffet on the way home?" She really didn't know what in the world he was talking about.
   "Moving out of the city!"
   "Really, he said yes that quickly?"
   "Yes."
   "Well, there are still plenty of blanks left to fill in, but if he's up for it, I'm three-quarters there." Sherry's reserved approach juxtaposed with Shiloh's fervent eagerness was like comparing night and day. "Remember, I need specifics: which house, when you want to move, what my share is, etc. It sounds nice and I want to do it, but I have to be sure it works for me."
   "Ok, ok. I'll keep working on it." In his dejection, Shiloh looked down, kicked a twig, and noticed a quarter on the trail. "Why would someone even have quarter with them to lose on a trail, Sherry? Must be good luck." His minor fortune cheered him up a smidgen.
   Sherry stopped short, focused her ears, and put a paw up to Shiloh's muzzle to shush him. She could hear a waterfall off in the distance. "There's a waterfall up ahead. I love a good waterfall. I'm going to run for it." A white fluff of fur flew up the trail.
   "Dog, she's fast!" Shiloh felt tired just watching her whoosh away.
   Sure enough, about a quarter-mile up the path Sherry found herself a waterfall. It was far from spectacular but still beautiful. A healthy swath of water poured over the top and was bifurcated by a rock formation jutting out about a foot down the fall's single tier. The water plummeted for another ten feet and fell into a clear, calm reservoir with a floor of mossy round rocks. Fifteen feet of pond led to a dip where water spilled into Beaver Stream. Sherry took a seat on the damp ground and lost herself in white noise made by white water. She longed for a day to come when everything the three had been thinking about would come to fruition.

   "Nice!" Shiloh pulled Sherry out of her daze. "Did you take some pictures?"
   "No, not yet." Sherry stood up. "It's a neat waterfall. I really like how clear the pond water is. It makes me want to just lap it up."
   Were it not for ripples, the water would have been invisible. Shiloh knelt, leaned forward and braced himself from falling in with his left paw. Submerging his right paw, he pushed some rocks around and disturbed the bottom. Mud and sediment swirled around his arm, and the water was quickly an opaque brown. "I think it's so neat how water with that much dirt in it will get so clear when you leave it alone long enough."
   Sherry playfully mocked, "Yay, gravity. Go figure," then agreed, "Nah, I'm kidding. It is cool how some things just sort themselves out."
   Unable to tell if Sherry meant anything by the second bit, Shiloh sighed, "Yeah."
   Grizztof walked up to the scene. "Wow. It's been a while since I've seen a waterfall."
   "Hey, Grizztof! Sherry likes the idea! She's just-"
   Sherry cut the German Shepherd off, "Grizzy, I want to do it. I'm just not going to jump in until I've tested the waters. Shi's gotta find a place that's both cheap and worth leaving the city for, and I've got to see what my own options are."
   Grizztof acted accepting. "Well, I hope it works out for you so you can join us - if Shiloh and I do move." The Mal was uneasy about the potential geographical breakup. Wolf's Paw was only 35 miles away from the city, but he knew how the inconvenience of such a small distance can erode relationships.
   Sherry interjected, "You know, guys, this whole deal is taking away from the fun of this trip. How about we just drop it and focus on the sights, smells, and sounds out here? We can fuss about it later."
   Grizztof, wanting to get it off his mind, chimed in, "Sure."
   "All right, Sherry." Shiloh tried to avoid moping, "Well, shall we go then? We can be there in about forty-five minutes if we don't dilly-dally."
   "I just gotta take some pictures first," Sherry remembered. She took her phone out and walked around the waterfall, snapping pictures here and there from different angles. When it seemed she was done, she ordered her friends to pose in front of the fall for pictures, and they alternated cameradogs until each pair was in a picture. Sherry was pleased and smiled, "Now we can go."

   After the waterfall, the next few miles of trail were completely mundane. Sherry kept a brisk pace and that stifled conversation. These factors left each of the three looking to their inner-monologue for relief from boredom. Sherry thought about how she'd have to do homework for the first time in about eight years. Shiloh imagined what kind of property he could find. Grizztof lived in memories of hiking with his dad.
   Cresting a small hill, Sherry saw the lake and gave the news, "Guys, we're there." She paused to give the stragglers time to catch up. Stillmoon Lake didn't inspire more than a yawn for her. It was placid, but small. Every aspect seemed inferior to the last lake they were at.
   "Huh, I expected better," Shiloh disapproved.
   "Yeah, I'm glad this was a short hike."
   Grizztof arrived and surveyed the area. "Talk about your fixer-upper," he said. Given Tasha's approval of the trail, he was expecting more. He figured maybe things will look better up close. "Hey, maybe it gets better."
   "Hopefully it gets way better," Sherry corrected.
   "Well, we're not going to find out by standing here. Let's go," Shiloh prodded and then headed down towards the lake. The other two followed.
   They found a place to rest their bones near the shore. Like their previous campsite, this was an obvious choice that had clearly been used before. The fire ring filled with ashes and charcoal was a dead giveaway.
   Sherry yawned again, stretched her arms up in a "Y" shape, and arched her back. "You know guys, We didn't get much sleep last night. I'm going to take a nap."
   "I'm in, how about you, Grizztof?"
   The Mal had caught the sleepy bug from Sherry and yawned, "Yep."
   Three mats were tossed down and three canines followed them to the ground.

   Shiloh opened his eyes. Looking around, he saw Sherry sleeping on her stomach and Grizztof on his back, slack-jawed, with his tongue hanging out. Looking at the sky, it seemed to him that it was about noon. Gathering himself, he got up on his hind paws and wandered off.
   Zigzagging up the shore, the German Shepherd was just looking for something to kill some time with. He was about ready to settle for skipping rocks when he spotted a steep, pock-marked rock-face with a ledge about thirty feet up it. He figured he could climb it.
   Pacing back and forth, he considered the best approach. He found a line he liked that would get him to the left edge of the ledge and then told himself, "You got this." He grabbed his first holds and began dragging himself up.
   Back at camp, Sherry awoke to snoring noises. She reached up and slapped Grizztof on his belly in the same manner she would have hit her snooze button at home. Just like at home, the noise stopped, unlike at home, though, the noise was replaced by a whining Malamute.
   "Wha-what was that for?" Grizztof whimpered.
   "Snoring," Sherry grumbled. With her head still resting on the mat and eyes still closed, she muttered, "Shiloh gone?"
   "Yep."
   "Figures."
   "You wanna go find him?"
   Sherry thought about going back to dreamland for a moment, but then pushed herself up onto her knees with her front paws and told Grizztof, "Yeah, let's go find him. He probably found something neat - like a cave - to show us. Also, he may not come back on his own."
   The two left camp a bit of a mess. Sherry smelled Shiloh to the north, so she led the way. "He went this way, not too long ago. I bet he's close. In a minute, we'll start calling for him."
   "Ok. Hey, Sherry?"
   "What?" She asked him while keeping focused on the task at hand.
   Grizztof suddenly remembered Sherry didn't want to talk about what he intended to ask her, and he clumsily substituted, "Which lake do you like better?"
   Sherry sensed the awkwardness, but forgave it and played along, "Judging a book by it's cover, the first one, but this one is small enough that we can do a walk-around. I'd like to explore it. You said your friend from work liked this place. There's gotta be something to it." After a big breath, Sherry yelled, "Shi-loh!"
   "Shi-loh!" Grizztof copied.
   Sherry turned her ears and shushed Grizztof. She whispered, "I think I hear him." After another pause she added, "He's a ways up on the right. Sound like he's up a tree."

   Shiloh's voice came from above. "Hey, up here!"
   "I see you." Sherry acknowledged.
   "Come on up, the weather's fine and the view ain't bad either. It's pretty easy if you come up this way." Shiloh pointed to his path.
   Sherry took a quick look at Shiloh's suggestion and climbed on up. When Grizztof saw the ease with which Sherry navigated the climb, he figured even he could probably make it and went for it. Shiloh offered him a paw up at the top and he needed it.
   "Hey guys, I found something neat." Shiloh gestured to a two foot wide peace symbol made out of pebbles with "M and D forever" on it.
   "Maybe M and D didn't get the memo that it's supposed to be a heart." Grizztof chuckled to himself.
   "Come on, Grizztof." Sherry said with an eye-roll. "It's romantic. I'd like to think a couple was up here under the stars, thinking of only each other and their future. They could have been here a day ago, a month ago, or maybe they even have kids by now."
   "Well, when you put it that way..." the Mal failed to finish his sentence.
   Shiloh interjected, "Guys, my parents could have made this. Matt and Doreen."
   "Yeah, 'cause no other couple has the initials M and D." Grizztof was extra snarky.
   Shiloh raised his voice, "No need to be a jerk!"
   Sherry sensed the tension and saw Shiloh's lips had started to curl in anger. She stepped between the two with an authoritative, "Guys, calm down. Now," and moved on with, "Shi, what makes you think your parents did this?"
   "When I told them where we were going, they told me how they had been here before one summer and basically lived up here for a week. So, when I saw this, I was pretty sure they had made it. Also, they were huge hippies." Shiloh smiled at the last part.
   "So Grizzy, maybe you were a little quick to dismiss there, right?"
   Grizztof turned away and quietly grumbled, "Maybe."
   Sherry put her paw on his shoulder and prodded, "I didn't catch that."
   "Maybe!" Grizztof yelled, then sulked.
   "I'm going to get some pictures of it." Sherry took her snapshots. "Grizzy and I were going to go around the whole lake today. Do you want to?"
   "Sounds good. Let's get to it." Shiloh scurried down the rock and hollered from below, "Come on. We don't have all day."
   Sherry cautiously started her downward path. Grizztof followed tentatively. Just as Sherry reached the bottom, Grizztof tumbled down from above, bowling Sherry over. Luckily, she had fallen right into Shiloh's arms.
   "My hero," she said thankfully, batting her eyes.
   In a silly voice, Shiloh asked, "Who's a clumsy puppy?"
   Grizztof got up, dusted himself off, ducked his head, lowered his ears, drooped his tail, and raised his paw. "...Me?"
   Sherry ruffled his head fur and smiled at him to make sure he felt alright, but then, if Grizztof had been in a bad mood, Shiloh's joke likely would have led to the German Shepherd being tackled.

   The three had been circumnavigating the lake for about fifteen minutes when Grizztof told Sherry, "Wake me up when this gets interesting," and then leaned his head on her shoulder while making snoring noises.
   "How can this not be interesting? You're in a new place with your best friends." Sherry brushed him off her shoulder.
   "I'm hoping for buried treasure and pirate caves, so it's hard to appreciate the mundane stuff. I want to see a jackalope or something."
   "You won't see it with your eyes closed. That's for sure."
   "I trust you'll wake me fast enough if something comes up." He tried to fake-sleepwalk again, but Sherry dodged it and Grizztof nearly fell over, stopping himself with one forepaw to the ground. "Well, I think that woke me up a bit," he said with a playful grin.
   "If it helps, I can kick you in the butt whenever you start looking tired. I'm willing to make that sacrifice."
   "You're so sweet Sherry." Grizztof jested.
   Shiloh interrupted, pointing his arm past the banterers, "Hey guys, look up this stream here. That might be a cave."
   A narrow, neck-high ravine held racing water that was a few inches deep and a couple feet wide at most. Off in the distance, it did look as though the water was coming out of something. Grizztof agreed with the German Shepherd's assessment, "Yeah, that could be a cave. Good catch, Shiloh." He saw the water covered the floor of their path and lamented, "Looks like we're gonna have some wet paws." As they headed up the small gorge, splashing along and slipping on submerged mossy rocks, anticipation stifled any further complaints.
   "Yup, cave." Naturally, Shiloh arrived first. He stopped at the entrance, which was a foot taller than he was. As he peered inside the four foot wide opening he reported, "It gets dark pretty quickly. I can't see how far back it goes," then he asked Sherry, "Can I use your cell phone for a flashlight?"
   "You would probably drop it in the water. Let me take the lead with it." Sherry was no fan of tight places, but she soldiered on.

I'm sorry I haven't posted anything new in a while. I just want to inform any readers not to expect any updates before Thanksgiving weekend. I promise I'll be writing again by then, hopefully sooner.

I figured I'd promise on the forum because I do not take breaking promises lightly.

   Sherry progressed into the cave slowly, testing each step in the darkness and cold, ankle-deep water. Shiloh and Grizztof were immediately behind her. The light from the entrance soon faded dramatically and her phone light took over. The sounds of splashes from each step echoed off the walls which Sherry felt were closing in on her. Soon, the passage turned dramatically left and opened up a bit. Daylight revealed itself as she rounded the corner. The thought of getting out in the open again was relieving. That notion relaxed her a bit and she subsequently lost her balance with her next step. She flailed as she began to fall. Shiloh reflexively grabbed and caught her left arm as her phone fell from her right paw and dropped into the water.
   Noting the irony but keeping it to himself, Shiloh asked Grizztof for his phone to help find Sherry's, which had gone dark. Grizztof silently obliged. Sherry was busy feeling embarrassed, so Shiloh knelt down where he thought her phone went in and started rooting around. It just took a few seconds for him to fid it. He handed it to Sherry, instructed her to take the battery out, and consoled her by telling her the phone should be fine once it dried out.
   "You guys done up there? My paws are cold." Grizztof whiningly urged them on. "Sherry, go ahead and use my phone. I don't care if you drop it. It's worthless."
   "Alright, there's light around the bend here. it may be an exit." Sherry reported.
   The Mal replied, "Good. It's dark, wet, and cold in here. Gimme some sunshine already."
   Collecting herself, Sherry focused on what was up ahead. It looked as though the light was coming from just around another corner thirty feet away. With renewed caution, the three made their way forward. They came upon a hole a couple feet wide and about four feet long in the cave's ceiling. Water poured in one side and splashed at them as it hit the cave floor.
   "Well, this is it. Up and out or we go back," Sherry proposed.
   Grizztof offered his opinion, "Up is quicker. I vote up."
   "Sure, why not," the Shepherd went along with it.
   The hole was about eight feet up with no climbable surfaces around. Its rim was rock that had been eroded by the waterfall. The white wolf showed some physical prowess, leaping up and dragging herself out without any help. Grizztof in turn offered his forepaws placed on his left knee as a step for Shiloh who used it and stretched his arms upward to meet Sherry's reaching downward. With a wolf tug and a Malamute push, Shiloh was half out of the hole and dragged himself the rest of the way. He turned around and reached down for Grizztof with Sherry. An easy jump connected everyone's arms and the two pulled the third into the daylight.

   "If it wasn't so dark, wet, and cold, that would've been an awesome cave," Grizztof joked as he picked himself up.
   "Yeah, we didn't really come prepared for spelunking. Maybe next time I'll pack some headlamps. I can't do much about the cold or wet parts, though." Shiloh noted.
   The short cave hadn't taken them far off corse, and they were soon back by the shore. The sun was still high in he sky and gave some warmth through the chilly mountain air.
   Sherry was once again in the lead and, after a little hiking, was ready to put her two cents in on the cave, "You know, guys, that cave wasn't massive, but it was probably the coolest cave I've seen in years. I mean, when's the last time either of you climbed out of a hole in the ground like that?"
   "Well, there was that one time I was buried alive and had to dig myself out. Oh, wait....that wasn't me," Grizztof jested. He was picking up what she had laid down. If he forgave the uncomfortable aspects of the cave, it was actually pretty amazing. "Hey, what's that?"
   Up ahead, they saw two logs roped together and placed as a ramp leading to the top of a boulder the size and shape of a school bus. Grizztof somehow beat Shiloh to it and took a few steps. It seemed sturdy, so he bounced on it a couple of times. Figuring the wood would hold, he hurried to the top of the massive rock. With the lake a stone's throw away, he suddenly had the urge to try throwing a rock into the water.
   The other two had not yet started up, and Grizztof shared an idea that had just come to him, "Hey, guys, how about a game of Horsefeathers?"
   The game the three had made up many years ago actually had little to do with it's namesake. It was not about nonsense. It was really a mix of the "copy me" aspect of Horse and the "truth" aspect of Truth-or-Dare. They named it so because Sherry's aunt Gracie called horsefeathers on the them all the time when they were kids, and they found the word curious and funny.
   Sherry looked at Shiloh, who gave a nod. "We're game, Grizzy!"
   With that, the Malamute made his way back down the dead trees and said, "Well, let's get some rocks, then!"

   The rules were simple: Name your target. Someone could volunteer to copy the shot. If there were zero or two volunteers, you got to pick the thrower. If you made it and he missed, you got to ask him a question. If he made it, he could ask you a question. The winner of each round would start the next one. If both missed, the odd canine out started the next round. The game went on until all but one had been too embarrassed to answer a question.
   Atop the bus-boulder, the three had amassed a pile of throwing rocks. Shiloh picked up the first and surveyed his surroundings. Having found a target, he announced, "That triangular rock over there." He hurled his stone and it quickly nicked the edge of his goal.
   Grizztof raised his paw. "Easy shot, I got this." He grabbed a rock, took a few seconds to feel its weight, and tossed it. It sailed a good five feet past the target and tumbled into a tree trunk. "Heh. Whoops!"
   Shiloh was accustomed to losing this game, and really wasn't ready with a question. He settled on asking, "What's the dumbest thing you've eaten?"
   "Hah, when I was a little pup, I was at a wedding. The couple's car had been decorated with balloons and what I thought was whipped cream. I grabbed some of it to eat, and when I got it in my mouth, I spat it out immediately. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get that chemical taste outta my mouth. I don't know what it was, but it surely wasn't whipped cream."
   Everyone had a good chuckle at that. It was Shiloh's turn again. With rock in hand, he pointed and said, "Into the lake, between that crooked tree and the dead one." His throw was aimed well, but came down five feet short of the water and rolled in. Roll-ins didn't count.
   Sherry felt up to the challenge, grabbed a rock and made the throw that Shiloh had failed at. "Who was your first crush?"
   "Ms. Nimitz, my fourth grade teacher. She was so smart and pretty. She's the only teacher I ever brought an apple or got a Christmas gift for."
   "Well, that answer was kinda boring." Sherry picked something hard for her next throw. "That small tree, its trunk, under the lowest branch." She let one fly and it made a knock as it hit its target.
   Neither of the others wanted anything to do with that throw, but Sherry wanted to get a better answer out of Shiloh and challenged him. The German Shepherd's throw went wild and sailed into some trees.
.    "Who was your first crush that was less than five years older than you?"
   Shiloh hesitated a bit. "Jodie Miller. She sat next to me in fif-"
   "Nose picker Jodie?" Grizztof interrupted with a laugh.
   Shiloh's fur bristled. "She didn't pick her nose. She just scratched it a lot because it itched."
   Sherry saw where things were going, and quickly broke it up by announcing, "Over the top of that tree." She had to put a lot into her throw, and it cleared the tree's top by a few inches. The throw was meant to be nigh-impossible for the other two. She was a little irked at Grizztof for picking on Shiloh, and she was going to get him back with a question that might make the Malamute quit the game already. If he didn't quit, she knew the answer in case he needed a little help remembering the truth.

Wow, I really like this. It's been a long time since you've written anything more though. Is there more to be read? Pleeease? lol