NINE

FEATHERY FAKERS

Brigit

The treat she’d been fed at the mall had been delicious. But Brigit couldn’t understand why there were so many artificial birds along the sidewalk. When she’d first spotted the big swans, she thought she’d be in for a fun and noisy chase, like when she ran after the ducks and geese at the pond in the park. But then she realized these birds weren’t moving. She confirmed with a sniff that the birds were nothing more than Styrofoam, glue, and old feathers long since plucked from other fowl. Boring!

At least she’d had some fun trailing that girl. Her quarry had made it extra tough by zigging and zagging through the parking lot like a rabid squirrel, then turning back the way she’d come, leaving a second scent trail on top of her first. Of course even with the tricky tactics, the teen had been no match for Brigit and her nifty nose.

Dogs 1, humans 0.