“The Wishing Tree” by Renee Carter Hall

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You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.

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I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

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and today’s story is

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“The Wishing Tree”

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by Renee Carter Hall,

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a fantasy and science fiction author whose most recent book is Signal

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from Goal Publications,

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and you can find more of her stories free

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on Curious Fictions.com.

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“The Wishing Tree”

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by Renee Carter Hall

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He was the oldest raccoon in the backwoods,

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and he not only knew every trick,

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he'd invented half of them himself.

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He'd seen the leaves change so many times that he'd lost all count of how many years he'd lived,

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but though his gray-brown fur had gone silvery white in places,

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he was still as spry and limber a coon

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as any hound had ever chased.

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He had no name, not even one he called himself,

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but when anyone in the woods talked about him,

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everyone understood who they meant.

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He was curled up in a cozy hollow that day,

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dozing as afternoon settled into dusk,

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when he heard the hounds baying.

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He recognized their voices.

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One of the hounds was young and green.

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The other one--wasn't.

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And he hadn't lived so many years without learning to respect at least a few of his enemies.

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So he hauled himself out of the tree

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and set about his usual course,

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adding in bits as the opportunity arose:

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a few leaps from one branch to another,

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a quick splash in the stream,

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a doubling-back here

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and a figure eight there.

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And it was almost enough.

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But he hadn't been counting on that rotten branch to give way,

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sending him tumbling nose over tail in a most undignified manner,

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down to the ground

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just as the hounds found his trail.

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They were close. He could smell their hot breath-

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-what did that hunter feed them, anyway?-

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-and he had just enough time to bolt up the nearest tree,

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which happened to be a tall oak

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newly-dressed in its autumn bronze.

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An instant later, the hounds burst through the underbrush,

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raced to the base of the tree,

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and bawled. The raccoon closed his eyes briefly.

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Treed. By the blessed Lady Moon, he hadn't been treed since these dogs' sires were suckling pups.

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It was clear enough there'd be no doubling back this time.

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This was going to take some fast thinking and some faster talking.

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Fortunately, he was a master at both.

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He cleared his throat.

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"Good evening, gentlemen." The hounds

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looked at each other.

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The younger one, Buddy, was a bluetick barely more than a pup,

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all wiggle and wag,

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eager to get even a pat on the head for a job well done.

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The older hound, Red,

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was a battle-worn redbone.

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His coat was snarled with burrs

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and etched with ragged scars,

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and a spark of hellfire blazed in each eye.

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His teeth--the raccoon noted--were yellow,

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but they were still sharp.

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"Is he talking to us?"

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Buddy asked Red. Red snarled.

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"Of course he's talking to us-

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-who else is here?"

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He called up the tree's thick trunk.

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"And good evening to you too, mister.

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I hope you've enjoyed it,

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because I haven't seen food all day, and I'm figuring on getting the tender parts as soon as you hit the ground."

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Buddy yelped laughter.

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"That's a good one."

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"Well," the raccoon replied calmly,

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"if you can't see farther than your belly, I suppose that's your loss. Still,

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I'd have thought a...

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a sophisticated canine like yourself

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would know the legend if anyone did.

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did." The hounds exchanged another glance.

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"What legend?" Red asked.

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The raccoon feigned surprise.

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"Then you don't know about this tree?"

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Red looked the trunk up and down.

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"What about it?" "It's the Wishing Tree.

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I thought everyone in these woods knew about the Wishing Tree." "What's a wishing tree?" Buddy piped up. "Shut up, you," Red snapped. He looked back up

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at the raccoon.

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"What's a wishing tree?"

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"A magic tree that gets you whatever you want most," the raccoon explained. "Of course,

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you have to climb it

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and get an acorn from up here to wish on,

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and I don't think those nails of yours are up to it."

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Buddy was already scrabbling at the bark with his front paws, trying to grab hold.

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"Stop it," Red said with a growl.

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"Everyone knows dogs can't climb trees."

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"Yes, that's true," the raccoon said.

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"Of course... I could make your wishes for you.

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you." Buddy's tail wagged so hard it stirred up dead leaves in the underbrush.

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"Really?" "Don't see why not.

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There are plenty of acorns up here.

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I can reach two right--from--here.

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Now," the raccoon said,

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"after we make your wishes, you have to close your eyes, turn around seven times, and run home.

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And you can't open your eyes until you get there, or your wish won't come true.

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true." Buddy looked at Red.

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"But how're we gonna get home if we can't see?"

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Red rolled his eyes. "Use your nose, stupid. Are you a hunting dog or not?" The raccoon heard rustling,

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and the shifting breeze carried the oily scent

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of human. "Better make those wishes quick.

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How about the little one first?"

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"Well..." Buddy lowered his head in a canine blush.

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"It's sorta..." "Out with it,"

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Red snapped, "or we won't have time for mine!

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The master's coming!"

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"Well, there's a... a lady down the road.

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She's..." "Pretty?" the raccoon prompted.

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"Oh, yes. But we're always tied up, so...

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so..." Red rolled his eyes again.

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"You wouldn't know a bitch's backside from a woodchuck hole."

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"Say no more," the raccoon said,

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clutching the acorn and closing his eyes.

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"Okay. Now what about you?"

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"Steak," Red said dreamily,

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licking his lips.

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"Had it once when I was a pup.

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Back when the master was different.

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different." He sighed. "Long time ago."

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"All you think about is food," Buddy said. "Yeah, well, someday you'll learn what's really important in life. And it's not a little show dog with more scent than sense." The raccoon held

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the second acorn,

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closed his eyes, and opened them again.

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"Done!" he said, and as soon as the hounds' eyes closed,

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he hauled himself down the tree and as far away as he could get

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while still being in the woods.

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A minute later, the hunter arrived-

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-and nearly got barreled down by his two hounds,

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their eyes still shut tight,

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galloping full-speed

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all the way home. #

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Red stretched and settled,

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trying to find a position that would accommodate his swollen belly.

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It had been a good night.

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He chuckled to himself, remembering.

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It had started just after sundown, when they'd woken up from a long nap.

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Buddy had started up his lovesick howling again-

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-he called it singing-

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-and then broke off in surprise when he found he didn't have a rope around his neck anymore.

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It lay in the dirt like a dead snake.

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Wasn't chewed through,

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and wasn't cut. And when Red turned his head to look closer,

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he realized his was gone too.

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But before he'd been able to investigate, the master had come out,

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yelling for Buddy to shut up if he knew what was good for him.

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Buddy was young, but he had enough sense to take his chance,

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and when the master saw his prize bluetick coonhound take off down the hill and down the road,

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he went chasing after.

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And he left the cabin door

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open. Red had enough sense to take his chance, too.

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That open door was all the invitation he needed,

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and inside, his nose led him right to the dinner

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his master had left behind:

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a gorgeous raw steak,

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deep pink and marbled,

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waiting to be slapped into the cast-iron skillet.

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He grabbed it, turned to run,

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and then paused. He remembered this cabin.

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He remembered curling up by that woodstove in the corner,

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feeling the fire's warmth

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washing over him like his mother's tongue,

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back from when he was too little to know anything except touch.

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He remembered getting tidbits of master's dinner,

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remembered pats on the head

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and scratches behind the ears.

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He glanced back at the kitchen table.

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One of the bottles was there, too, right next to the skillet.

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His hackles went up,

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and he growled around the dripping meat.

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The bottles had started everything.

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Once they showed up,

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the bad times started

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and never stopped.

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Not being able to wake the master.

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Being shut inside all day, all night,

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and then hit when he did what he had to do on the floor.

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Pain that made him want to bite,

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and worse pain if he did.

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Once, his master's own rifle aimed at him.

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And then the halfhearted doghouse,

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and the rope tied tight.

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But there was no rope around his neck now.

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He held the steak firmly in his teeth-

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-those lovely salt-sweet juices pooling on his tongue-

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-and decided. On his way out,

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he paused at the master's chair.

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Once it had smelled good,

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as the master did, but now it smelled only of the bottles.

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As the master did.

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His bladder was conveniently full.

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He lifted his leg to the worn upholstery and,

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when finished, trotted off into the night.

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Nothing in his life

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had ever tasted so good as a fine steak

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eaten in the shelter of a hollow log,

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and nothing had ever felt so good as falling asleep afterward

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with the night woods singing around him. # Nudge. "Hey.

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"Hey." Nudge. "Hey." Red woke,

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looking bleary-eyed at the log overhead

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and the woods beyond.

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Buddy was standing next to him.

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What were they... Then he felt the faint breeze against the ring on his neck

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where the rope had chafed the fur away,

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and he remembered.

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He yawned until he squeaked,

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then looked at Buddy.

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"How'd you get here?"

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"Tracked you. I'm a hunting dog, aren't I?"

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"I guess so." Red stretched.

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"Did you find her?"

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"Oh, yes." Buddy rolled onto his back

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and sighed blissfully.

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"It was wonderful."

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"Hmph." "So what do we do now?"

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Buddy asked. "I'm not going back."

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"We could find a new master.

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master." Red laid his head on his paws.

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"Done with masters."

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"Come on. A little one.

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The little ones are fun.

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I had one when I was a pup." "You're

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still a pup,"

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Red grumbled, but his ears came up a little,

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considering it. "And how are we supposed to find one?"

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Buddy thought a moment,

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scratched an itch behind his left ear,

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chased his tail, then sat down and thought some more.

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"We could wish for one!"

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he declared finally.

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"Wish for..." Red trailed off.

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After all, the taste of steak still lingered in his mouth,

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and Buddy reeked of that show dog down the road.

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"Well... Couldn't hurt, I guess." #

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The raccoon watched the two hounds approach from his perch on the oak tree.

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They weren't baying,

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and his curiosity won out enough that he came out and let them see him.

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"On the hunt again, boys?"

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"Nope," Buddy said, tail wagging.

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"We want to make another wish.

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wish." The raccoon blinked.

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Well, now you've started something...

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"Another wish?"

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"Just one," Buddy continued. "For both of us.

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us." The raccoon shrugged and plucked an acorn.

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"All right. What is it?"

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"We want a new master.

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A little one." "And no bottles, ever,"

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Red added. "Okay, why not.

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not." The raccoon closed his

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eyes. "There you go.

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Enjoy." "And..." Red started.

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The raccoon peered down at him.

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"You said one wish.

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wish." The old hound looked embarrassed.

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"And one for you. Whatever you want.

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You know, to thank you,

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for the other ones.

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ones." What were they putting in dog food these days?

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"Why not," he repeated.

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He grabbed another acorn and closed his eyes-

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-and no hunters anymore, ever.

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The hounds turned around seven times and ran.

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The raccoon chuckled,

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turned around seven times just to see what it felt like,

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got dizzy, and nearly fell off the branch.

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His front paws still ached a little from untying those ropes,

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but if it made for two less hounds in the woods,

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it was worth it. And then,

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just because he was curious and had nothing better to do,

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he followed the hounds.

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Their trail was easy to follow,

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what with all the trampled underbrush and broken branches,

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and it led down to the road.

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He stopped in a tree at the edge of the woods-

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-and winced when he heard the screech of brakes.

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The hounds, their eyes still closed, had run right into the path of a navy-blue minivan.

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Buddy, he saw, had been knocked off his feet,

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but he still looked to be breathing well enough.

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Red stood over him

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and growled when the driver got out.

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"Dad!" A boy leapt out of the back.

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"Stay back," the man warned.

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"They might bite if they're hurt." He edged

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closer. Red sized him up.

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He smelled good, as the old master had long ago.

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A bit of woodsmoke,

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clean human skin with a little sweat,

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and the scent of others mingled with his.

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The scent of family.

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And no bottles, either,

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not a hint. It was good.

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Red looked up, searching the man's eyes,

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and wagged his tail once,

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then twice. "Hey, buddy,"

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the man said softly.

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"Easy now, that's a good boy.

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Just want a look at your friend here...

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here..." The old hound backed up and sat.

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Buddy whined as the man came close,

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then relaxed. From the tree,

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the raccoon watched

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as the man took out a cell phone and made a call.

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The boy brought a blanket from the car,

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and they carried the little hound carefully inside.

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Red hesitated just an instant,

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then jumped in, and the minivan drove away.

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Well, that's two less hounds for sure,

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the raccoon thought.

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Still... it was a little odd.

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He'd made that Wishing Tree up in the time it took a leaf to fall...

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but what were the chances...?

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He turned to head back into the woods-

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-and stopped. There was something new on this tree.

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He looked down at the trunk.

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A yellow sign, bright and fresh, was nailed there.

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He couldn't read it,

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but he knew what it meant,

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and there was one on nearly every tree that bordered the road,

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as far as he could see:

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POSTED. NO HUNTING.

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No hunters anymore.

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Well. The raccoon hurried back to the oak,

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clambered up, and clutched an acorn tightly in both paws.

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"Crawdads without pinchers," he whispered,

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and closed his eyes.

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This was “The Wishing Tree”

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by Renee Carter Hall,

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read for you by Khaki,

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your faithful fireside companion.

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Thank you for listening

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to The Voice of Dog