#earthrunes

He is a nervous nellie of a pup to be sure

"Did someone nab YOUR socks?"

"Yes.. the monster.. the stealer of soles"

"Both of 'ems, or just one? And did you get to wear 'em first?"

"I got to wear em. I thought i could maybe track them with the nose? I had particularly stinky feet today" He assures then in a lower voice "wasn't easy to get those. they've been trying to bath me for a day and a half"

He taps his nose! "I can track ANYTHING. If you don't mind me snufflin your toeses."

"Sure.. " he says "You want to sniff when I got two or four?"

"You stick to two - but not tu-tus - so you have barks while I have bites. Now, no peeping." And if Enri covers his eyes obligingly, he soon feels sniffle-snuffs on his TOES!

Enri covers his face INCLUDING his eyes!

then giggles as his feet get snuffed

Big whiffs! To Buddy, the feet don't even smell stinky! They're just smells! Smells are different, but all INTERESTING. And... he's on the trail.

And soon, a poodle is following

Canine patrol! Canine Patrol! Retrurning stolen socks and everbody's SOUL.. 🎼

Canine patrol! Canine Patrol! They'll find your stuff for just a filled bowl!

as the near dreaming provides their theme music (Which the adolts don't seem to hear) the two make their way, the smell of Enri feet still in Connor's nose, they also her things

"Have you seen my socks?"

"I don't wear them"

Snapishness.. what was good is now being used to make all surly. This is a furmergency!

A soft whine, he doesn't LIKE those snappish voices. Snuffling onward!

And onward and then.. he hears

"Socks. Socks.. nummy socks." the voice swings from gutteral.. to squeeky

it's in the luandry room.. in the secret place BEHIND the washing machine

one of hte maids looks down not seeing the secret place, but seeing the pups "Now's not the time. Shoo"

The goal is close, but as always, older people don't get it

Connor exchanges a look with Enri! Someone needs to be a Dogstraction!

Enri looks scared. he's not the hero here? But.. maybe even heroes need sidekicks. He just hopes he doesn't get kicked in the side. The little begins to scootch his butt where the mop was ..ITCHY BUTT ITCHY BUTT!

"Enri! Noo!" and the boggan chases after to try to stop him

Dogstraction achieved

Connor is tempted to chase the boggan! This looks FUN! But... no... he has to do the needful! Enri is counting on him! Cold feet everywhere need his help! He cannot warm them all with his tail alone!

Is the room empty?

Yup. Now that the Boggan maid is gone.. it is empty...and he can.. investigate the secret hole behind the washing machine

But can CONNOR Save the day?

Connor picks up a mop... it's not BugSmasher, but it will have to do! And he peers behind the Washing Monst- Machine! "Stand forth, and do battle!" He calls out, his tone a little unsure. "Or come out, and we will parsley."

"Party? Talk about it."

"the socks are mine boy... " Up and down "With the socks warmth was tended, by taking socks warmth is ended. hahah heh heh mwhaha and OTHER Diabolical laughs as well"

"Socks are sometimes a pain, when they get holes and go "oh, DARN." But these socks were special!" He looks down at his own socks, and sets his little jaw. "They were for PRESENTS and not the presents where you go "Oh, it's socks." But where you go, "OH! SOCKS!" You can't take that!"

"You foolish foolish pup... how will you stop me? Only kids can see me.. and yet you're so small" the green and hairy thing giggles. oh he's kin to the grinch

He straightens up and declares, "I am not small, I am filled with Might. You face Sire Dogmar Hambonesnatch the Just, Pawtroller of Rivervale, Ember of the Hearth and of the night of Get'r'Done! I am filled with Valor! I am filled with snacks!" And he Whirls the mop... just barely avoiding whopping himself with the wet end. "And Wielder of Floorswisher, my Mighty Weapon! Do you dare fight me?!"

"And if I do? If I do dare fight you?" It scrambles out ofi t's hold with the socks

"Then I will give a sock!" And he swings the mop to give the Sock Muncher Grinch... the... the GRUNCHER! He gives it a mighty whallop!

"Now you'll be all soggy!"

"OW!" THe creature flumps flat as he is mushed .. being rather boness..and the water.. "No no.. now I feel like a WET sock, no one likes wet socks! No on told me I'd be facing a boy with courage! A little boy with courage is...well, it's just not sporting. How am I supposed to bully you?"

"I could make you.... a BARGAIN."

He shakes the mop. "Or I could mopbop you again!"

"This doesn't have something to do with a time loop does it?" It tries to ring itself out

"Nope. But... sometimes socks might want to go on adventures. And is it really a laundry day if they don't get to go, " He puts a hand on his hip and exclaims, "Where did that other sock go?"

"What if you can have those socks that get lost and missed? The ones that have been worn a lot and have all the good memories of the places they've walked? And holes near worn through the toeses?"

"Those are the GOOD socks. The ones with HISTORY. Not these silly new ones still bright and fuzzy."

"Well..." A thought "I see.. so I may have the old socks.. the bland socks... "

"They're not bland! They're filled with flavor of everwhere they've been!"

"And if I don't?"