I lost a friend.

His grasp remained as firm as he could make it, jaws locked around his prey.  It was a game except where it wasn't.  The boy was learning, developing, creating his future with each tug as he began to develop his jaw strength and create a familiarity to doing things like this. Of course Constantine realized none of this.  All he knew was that he was going to get that stick back, and soon!

Dante loosed it and the boy woofed triumph wetly around the stick in his mouth.  He tugged harder until he retrieved the prize, tail waving enthusiastically behind him.  "Rahh!"  he said eagerly, though it was certainly muffled around the prize.  No way he was letting it get grabbed as easily again.

He tried to dash away, though it was awkward and not so dashing when he was holding onto a stick.  Instead, it was more of a sort-of walk with the stick dragging on the ground situation.