[requiem,]

This is my second entry, Cassie.

[requiem,]

Cassie's owner was a little girl who was 10 years old. Cassie and the girl had a close bond, and loved each other very much. The girl's parents had bought her Cassie when she had been diagnosed with a cure-less disease. The parents hoped Cassie would protect their daughter, as well as make her happy. Cassie followed the girl everywhere, like a canine guardian angel. The girl, who's name was Lilly, was home-schooled, so Cassie was always by her side. But one night, Cassie got woken up by a strange smell. The source was close, but Cassie didn't know where. So she sniffed about in Lilly's room, until she found the source of the strange smell. It was coming from Lilly.

Cassie didn't bark. Never. So when Lilly's parents woke to Cassie barking at them, they knew something was wrong. They followed the dog into Lilly's room and gasped when they saw their daughter shaking uncontrollably in her bed. They quickly called an ambulance and grabbed a leash for Cassie. There was no way they were leaving their daughter's best friend behind. After a short ride in the ambulance, Lilly was brought in the emergency section and disappeared behind a door, now unconscious on the stretcher. Cassie tried to follow her, but the parents pulled her back towards them. Seeing the mother crying and the father rubbing his eyes; on the edge of tears, Cassie knew that the parents needed her help. So Cassie gently licked them soothingly. The mother bend down to hug Cassie and whispered into her ear: "I think that was the last time we saw our little girl, Cassie."

A while later, a man dressed all in white came towards to Lilly's parents. Cassie let out a warning growl as he approached, but Lilly's father gave her a little pat on the head, saying it was okay. The mother looked up at the man hopefully, but he quietly shook his head. The mother burst into tears and the father soothed her by rubbing her back and saying soft words, even though it was clear he was crying as well. After many hours of crying, the man in white kindly drove Lilly's parents, as well as Cassie, back home. When they arrived, the parents changed the topic to what they were going to do with Cassie. The parents talked for a while before coming to the decision of giving Cassie to a shelter. It broke their heart to let her go, but they knew Cassie deserved a better home. So they looked at several shelters before finding Silver Spring Kennels, where they decided was the best place for Cassie. Cassie is now looking for a new home, and hopes she'll find another little girl who'll love her just like Lilly did.