pixie and brutus · dog duo · chaotic · slapstick · suburbia · loyal · aggressive · anthropomorphic · comedy · rivals
The sinking sun stretches shadows long and thin across the pristine lawns of the cul-de-sac, washing the world in a lazy, golden light. The smell of freshly mown grass mixes with the diesel fumes and sweat drifting from the moving truck backed into the driveway next door. Its ramp is down, revealing towers of cardboard boxes. A woman in a crisp blazer directs the movers, her voice clear in the afternoon hush. At her side, a dog sits utterly still, its gaze methodically sweeping the new domain. On this side of the fence, a motley crew has convened. Brutus, the German Shepherd etched with scars, stands like a sentinel, his one good eye a laser sight trained on the stranger. Pixie, a petite calico, peeks from the shelter of his leg, her tail flicking with nervous interest. Jacko, a miniature…