Hey, just wanted to give you the tail-wagging scoop: I, Reba the Fearless, became Pawsburgh’s ambassador in a cosmic game of fetch with real-live aliens! Turns out, they crossed galaxies for our legendary skills. Who knew interstellar guests would get hooked on our tail-wagging traditions? Stay pawsome! 🐾🚀 -Reba the Rover Ambassador

Listen to the story here

“In the fetch-light glow of the Pawsburgh moon,” I begin, for my tale tonight is not one of mere balls and bones but the night the stars barked back. There I was, Reba, with the spirit of a knight and the heart of a pup, trotting jovially towards Collie’s Cuisine for what I expected to be a feast of chicken splendor. But lo, what met my snout but not the rich aromas of the Earth, but something… alien.

It had all started as a whisper of wayward scents on the breeze, a wisp of something altogether not of Pawsburgh. Bruno was the first to sense it—ears perked up, tail stiff as a board. “Reba,” he barked, “do you smell that?” Even Miss Whiskers, feline in residence and an exemplary judge of normalcy, felt a chill run down her furry spine.

As we approached Mastiff Meadows, the air crackled with uncertainty. The ground beneath us—a patchwork of traditions and canine laws—now held a foreign echo, a footfall of the unknown. The sky, an inky tapestry above, shimmered as if giggling behind its stellar hand, toying with puny Earth pursuits like leash laws and fire hydrants.

“What in the name of Bark Buffet is going on?” I whispered, more to the universe than my companions. The stars twinkled mockingly in response.

Then, in a ballet of lights, they descended. Not one, not two, but a litter of foreign, unnatural constructs, landing with the silence of a cat on a midnight prowl. Bloodhound Bluffs, the usually serene lookout, now played host to extraterrestrial guests, their crafts gleaming like the polished bones in Fetch! Toys and Treats.

Pawsburgh buzzed. Dogs of every breed emerged from the quirky shops and bistros, gazing up in amazement and fright. An invasion? Here? Where the only battles fought were over the last morsel at Pup’s Paella?

At that moment, with the courage that only comes from a mixture of Pitbull and Labrador grains within me, I stepped forward. Or maybe it was forward-ish. “Friends,” I barked, channeling the greats of Pawsburgh past, “we mustn’t scare the pups with our alarm. Let’s sniff out these guests before the fur flies.”

With tails high and noses twitching, we approached the Estuary. The alien ships, sleek like the fastest greyhounds, hummed a tune unfamiliar to our doggy ears. A hatch opened, and from within emerged—well, would you believe, creatures resembling our favorite squeaky toys but with the posture of Boston Terriers.

“Dearly beloved earth-dogs,” one spoke with an accent that I dare say wasn’t local, “we come in peace, lured by the legends of Woof and Whisker Wellness Center’s unforgettable massages.”

I wagged, pondering whether intergalactic travel was covered in Earth’s diplomatic protocol. Bruno barked, Miss Whiskers hissed, and I thought, well, isn’t this a howling good twist? Mutual perplexity reigned, for neither side knew quite what to do. Canines and aliens, stand-offs usually saved for tales by the fire or the silver screen—now played out in the very heart of Pawsburgh.

“What do you want?” asked Bruno, ever the protective sort.

The alien leader, who’d introduced itself as Zog, which was rather catchy in a catchy sort of way, replied, “We wish to exchange—knowledge for play. We’ve traversed galaxies following the cosmic scent of joy found in your sacred game of fetch.”

And so it was, the night the sky bark descended upon Pawsburgh, we taught the extraterrestrial beings the elegant art of fetch amidst the vast playground of Mastiff Meadows. Neither chicken treats nor sour lemons played a part in what would be known as the Great Intergalactic Fetch Tournament of Pawsburgh.

As the stars heralded dawn’s light and our friends from above took leave, I knew this tale was to be savored like a well-chewed rope toy. For this was the adventure of Reba, and perhaps even more thrilling, it was the night Pawsburgh played with the universe.

The End.