Jasper sat on the edge of the lake. He looked out, entranced by the rippling of the water. It was sunset and the lake, like the sky was filled with tones of pinks and peaches. It was beautiful. The air smelt of leaves and bark and grass and mud, it was fresh and pure. Everything about this moment should’ve been perfect and yet it wasn’t, because Jasper knew he was alone. He wasn’t used to being on his own, in fact he always had someone with him. He tried to quell the sense of rising panic within him. He had tried and failed to get back to the person that he loved. It had been two days now and he had seen many things. He had climbed hills and looked over valleys. He had chased animals for food. He had tried to trace her floral, musky scent but all he could smell was urine and fear, and that was just him. He decided then the best thing he could do now was to stay still and perhaps she would find him. If he sat on the edge of this lake then surely one day she would find him there. They would be reunited and everything would be perfect again. So that’s what he did, He sat down and he waited. The sky turned dark and the air got still. Then, eventually it got light, and as the golden yellow sun appeared the lake turned blue and turquoise and green. He sat as the Sun rose in the sky and turned white, and then started falling again. His stomach rumbled and his heart ached. He sat and waited as the lake and the sky turned back to the pinks and the peaches of the night before and the dark returned again. He watched the sun rise and fall another 2 times. He was weak with hunger and fatigue but he wasn’t about to lose hope. ‘Just wait’ he thought to himself ‘She loves you. She will come back to you’. He tried to fight sleep but early one morning he couldn’t help himself anymore and his eyes began to close. He drifted off and dreamed of his life before. Of the comfort and routine and finding joy in the simple things. He began to hear his name. In the back of his mind someone was shouting his name. Perhaps it was his subconscious trying to remind him who he was as he succumbed to hunger and weakness. The shouting got louder and louder until he realised the shouting was in fact not in his head, but coming from the other side of the lake. His eyes darted open and he began running in the direction of the noise. He recognised that voice. It was her! It was her voice!! He realised the quickest way to get to her was to swim across the lake, so he ran straight in panting with the cold. He swam as fast as he could towards her summoning the last bit of strength he could muster. As he approached the bank he saw her. She turned and saw him. She gasped “Jasper, Oh my God! Jasper!” Her eyes filled with tears and she was smiling from ear to ear. Jasper dragged his wet, soggy body out of the water, shook himself and ran to her. She ran to him and embraced him fully, getting completely soaked and filthy by his wet fur and muddy paws, but she didn’t care. “Oh, thank God” she said “Oh thank God you’re okay! I’ve been so worried!” “Please never do that again. Please, always listen to me. I told you what would happen if you disobeyed me!” Jasper leaned into her and thought to himself ‘I will never disobey you again.’