“No! Don’t listen to him!” Beans barked. “He’s trying to blame me because he’s a failure. He can’t figure out who mauled the cat, and all his ‘I’m a tough, smart independent’ talk is an act. He’s nothing. He’s useless. He’d rather accuse the wrong dog than admit he’s a loser.”

A sharp stab of pain in my chest told me Beans might be right, but I was too angry to admit that. My muscles tensed and my lips pulled back from my teeth. “You wanna fight me, Beans, is that what you want?”

Beans pulled back his own lips, snarling and flicking spittle. “If that’s what it takes.”

–from “Saving Scrumpy”

bulldog ready to fight