Hey Mom, you’ll never believe the night I’ve had! Snuck out to Pawsburg again, where I sat with Chief Whisper and Duchess Lola at Garnet Greyhound Grove debating cat diplomacy and leash laws. Just as things got interesting, Khloe Belle alerted me to an otter rebellion at Emerald Eskimo Estuary! As the top negotiator, I brokered peace with Otto the Otter, trading squeaky toys for a promise of fish. All in a night’s work! Now heading back with my Woody Woodpecker toy. Love you!

—Bubba

It was a balmy evening in Pawsburg, and the air was thick with the scent of adventure. As the moon climbed higher into the night sky, I, King Lu, sneaked out from under Mom’s watchful, albeit sleepy, gaze. The portals to Pawsburg opened, and with a wag of my tail, I was off.

The night began where it always did: at Garnet Greyhound Grove, the bustling hub where matters of state and charisma clashed in a furious but friendly debate. I took my usual spot, next to Chief Whisper, an elegant Greyhound, and Duchess Lola, a pensive Poodle with a penchant for poetry.

“Ah, King Lu, punctual as ever,” Whisper greeted me, his amber eyes glowing with mischief. “Tonight’s agenda: the feline-foreign affairs and the new amendments to our leash laws.”

Typical. Here I was, ready to solve the world’s problems—or at least Pawsburg’s—only to be caught up once again in discussions on cats and leashes. As if any self-respecting dog would endorse a leash that wasn’t encrusted with ruby bones.

Duchess Lola sighed, “If we must discuss, let’s be swift. There’s a new shipment at The Howling Husky Hardware Store that demands my immediate sniff.” Typical Lola.

The council meeting proceeded with the usual flurry of barking, growling, and the occasional attempt at pawtical correctness. But it wasn’t until Khloe Belle burst in through the doors, her heart-shaped nose twitching in excitement, that the evening’s mood finally shifted.

“King Lu! You’re needed at Emerald Eskimo Estuary. Urgently! There’s word of an otter rebellion,” she yipped, practically tripping over her tiny but muscular legs. The thought of an otter rebellion sent shivers down my spine; white snout twitching in anticipation, I knew this was trouble.

“You absolutely must attend,” urged Chief Whisper. “You are, after all, our premier negotiator.”

Without further ado, Khloe and I dashed through the cobblestone paths of Pawsburg, past the warmth of Setter’s Steakhouse—where the aroma of sizzling steaks was almost enough to tempt me off course—until we reached the estuary.

We found the otter delegation perched upon their rocks, chattering in a cacophony that rivaled a fish market. Their leader, Otto the Otter, flapped his paws dramatically. There was no time to lose.

“King Lu,” Otto started, “we were promised a fair trade agreement! Yet the supply of squeaky toys and fish has been alarmingly low!”

Ah, fish. My arch-nemesis in food form. Still, a crisis is a crisis.

“Otto,” I barked, holding my ground, “I’m here to mediate and make amends. This is Pawsburg, a town of integrity and joy! Surely the colorful charm of a trusted Woody Woodpecker toy can calm your qualms?”

Khloe Belle added, “Not to mention, the next shipment of fish—however vile—is on its way. Time is of the essence, so let us not waste it in disarray.”

The otters conferred amongst themselves, their eyes glittering with hope. Otto finally nodded, “Very well, but be swift. When the scented winds blow and the toys do no show, unrest will surely grow.”

We worked out the details of the treaty, signed in the golden moonlight with a bark and a pawshake, and the night air was once again calm.

On our way back, Khloe and I treated ourselves to a stop at Labrador Lunch for a saucy reward. Chicken tenders for her, a beef burger for me—sans fish, naturally.

As we trotted back to the portals, Khloe yawned, “You make a great diplomat, King Lu.”

“It’s nothing,” I said modestly. “Just another day in the life.”

And with that, we returned to our world, my beloved Woody Woodpecker tucked safely under my paw. For tonight, both realms rested easy, soothed by the harmonious cacophony of nocturnal life in Pawsburg.

The End.