In a small northern town on the edge of a great wood, lived a happy, little dog named Bella with her loving family, the Davis's.

She was a very small dog for her age, but she acted like a dog three times her size. Bella barked, chased, and growled at every odd sound or animal she saw. Her family shrugged Bella’s behavior off by saying, “dogs will be dogs” and “that’s what dogs do”. They praised her for being the best guard dog.

One cold winter day, Bella was playing outside in the small field surrounding her house when it started snowing. Oh, how fun it was to play in the freshly fallen snow! She pounced and pranced as the fat flakes fell around her.

But the fun ended quickly. The wind howled angrily and the once gentle snow felt harsh against Bella’s face. Snowflakes fell harder and faster. Soon, Bell couldn’t see much farther than her own nose.

It had become too cold for Bella, even with her thick fur coat. She decided to head back home, only to realize she didn’t know where home was! Bell looked around in fright. She was lost.

Luckily for Bella, the edge of the great woods was nearby. She could hide there while she figured out where her home was. The small dog pushed against the howling wind and ran into the forest’s cover. 

As she hid in the brush, Bella heard a SNAP! She turned around, her hair standing on end and a growl rising in her throat.

But then, Bella saw what had made the noise. Two deer, a young buck and a doe, stared at her in fright. Bella coiled like a spring ready to chase them like she usually did, but then she had an idea. “Excuse me, deer. Can you please help me find my way home?” Bella asked, using her biggest and saddest puppy dog eyes.

The young doe shook her head. “No way! Don’t you recognize us? You chased us away from our home! Why would we help you?”

“Yeah!” the young buck added while nodding his antlered head.

“But...that’s what dogs are supposed to do, right?” Bella defended, unsure about what she had always been told.

The deer shook their heads. “Dogs aren’t supposed to chase things. Even if you only did it for fun, we could’ve gotten hurt,” the buck explained. “Now excuse us. We’re leaving.” The two deer turned and raced off into the forest, leaving Bella alone again.

Just as the deer left, Bella saw a small creature race across the path. Completely forgetting what the deer had told her, Bella chased after the little animal.

 “Hey! Wait for me! I need to ask you a question!” she called.

“Go away!” a tiny voice returned. “Stop chasing me!” 

“Please, I just need some help!” the small dog yelled, quickening her run. She was gaining on the small animal. The critter turned and ran for a large oak tree. This was Bella’s chance to corner it! But then, the small animal leaped towards the tree and scampered upwards, hopping from branch to branch. Bella stopped before she ran into the tree. Bella finally realized what the creature was. A squirrel! “Can you please help me?” Bella asked one last time.

The squirrel stopped scampering up the tree. “Are you seriously asking for my help?” the squirrel asked with a laugh. “After all you’ve done to me?”

Bella turned her head. “What I’ve done? I just need your help to point me in the direction of my home.”

The small creature laughed again. Bella was starting to get annoyed. “You honestly don’t remember? You barked at me and my friends so we ended up dropping our food for the winter! Now, I must go to sleep. Don’t bother me!” the squirrel finished as it dove into a hollow in the tree. Bella was alone again. 

Bella realized that while chasing the squirrel, she had lost her way. She sighed and wandered the great woods as the sun started to set, and the sky turn dark. The storm still raged and Bell still didn’t know her way home. She was running out of time.

Then, out of nowhere, a howl came from Bella’s right. Her hair started to stand up, but, learning her lesson from the other animals, she didn’t bark at the noise right away. Out of the darkening woods, a coyote emerged. Bella was scared, but she didn’t let it show. The coyote watched her calmly. Bella started to growl. 

Finally, the coyote said in a bored and annoyed voice, “Oh, it’s you.” Bella stopped growling and turned her head.

“I don’t recognize you…” she admitted.

“I didn’t expect you to,” the coyote answered. “After all, we’ve never met face to face.” “Then how have you met me?” Bella was starting to get confused.

“You growled at my howl once. Don’t you know that’s very offensive to coyotes?”

“No, but that’s what dogs do. Growl at stuff,” Bella defended.

The coyote just shook his head. “They’ll never learn,” he sighed.

“Can you help me? I can’t find my way home and I need to get there before my family worries,” Bella asked.

The coyote turned and walked back to where he came from. “I can not help those who growl at my howl.” Bella was alone.