Riley is so beautiful. She's connected to me now, the way a sleddog should. I don't keep her on a leash, yet she follows me no matter where I wander. I drift up through the thick groves of willow and she stays right near me. We take a seat on the tundra and she lays her front paws and floppy ears on my lap. She's so fast... so so fast. If I could have her as my own I would take her and run her every day. She'd be such a great sleddog. She's lean and graceful. She runs and jumps of puddles that are much too big for even my long awkward legs to get across. She's everything to me. That little inkling of happiness that makes it's way into my heart when I see her happy tail wagging at my appearance is a sort of glee that even the most riches couldn't compare. I couldn't imagine yet another walk in the woods without her playful footsteps beside me.
