Firestone Hot Springs I will go anywhere, provided it be forward

All at once he is not alone. It is a surprise that makes Nils jump backwards - or as close to a jump as he can manage, as he shores up against the snow behind himself. His fur is too long to puff out or spike but he has the addled look of a cat being caught unawares; his tail is up and the tip wagging with curious little twitches.

The other thing isn't just anything, but another dog! A small one - or a young one, he can never tell those facts apart - but he isn't alone, and is overjoyed by the discovery. He stops his barking and braying after that, staring at the stranger and letting his tail wag in great sweeps.

Nils was looking for someone. You're not the someone, but you are someone! Hello! He wanted to rush in close and get a good sniff, but for once in his life he remembered how large he was, and the last thing Nils wanted to do was trample the dog.