Stella

Stella sleeps through the night for the first time. She understands that Connie is not coming back, but she still misses her. She goes on a car ride with Esperanza and Cloe. Esperanza compliments her daughter on how well she is doing with Stella. Stella thinks that it is strange how humans use so many words when it is much easier to gather information through scent. Esperanza tells Cloe that they have to test Stella in many different types of situations before they can know how well she is doing. Cloe, however, is confident that Stella will do well today. Cloe plans to read Charlotte’s Web to Stella.

They arrive at a hardware store and meet a man named Vern. He tells Cloe and Esperanza that hounds cannot be trained and will always break people’s hearts because they follow their noses and forget about their people. He tells Esperanza that his nephews are coming and they will be shooting squirrels and other animals, so she should keep her dogs off his property.

Stella realizes that Cloe’s chemical smell has gotten stronger. Stella tries to alert Esperanza to this, but she cannot get the message across. A woman mentions a forest fire warning while Stella continues to try to alert people to Cloe’s smell. Stella knows something bad will happen if Esperanza does not intervene. Esperanza notices that Stella is acting oddly, but she does not know what her strange behavior means. Stella hopes that she can help Cloe by being near her, but Cloe crumbles. Stella worries Cloe will get the “outside-of-human smell” (65).

Cloe jerks and twitches during her seizure. Stella stays very close to her in case she can help. A woman asks Esperanza if she should call an ambulance, but Esperanza says that an ambulance is only necessary if the seizure lasts over five minutes. Cloe stops shaking, and Stella does her best to remain still. The chemical smell fades, but Stella is worried because Cloe is still not back to normal. Stella’s leash is loose, but she would never leave Cloe when she is in trouble. Stella feels bad because she smelled Cloe’s smell but could not help her. She wishes she could be brave like she used to be with Connie.

When they get home, Esperanza leaves Stella in the car, and Stella trusts that she will come right back out because she is a good dog person, and she does. She takes Stella to her crate so Cloe can rest. Stella is desperate to check on Cloe. Stella realizes that the crate’s lock moves, and she gets an idea.

Nando gives Stella a warning look, but Stella runs out of the feed room. When she gets to the front door of the house, she sees that Esperanza has been crying. Stella starts to howl and cannot stop, even though she wants to be a good dog. Cloe comes to the door, and Stella runs to her. She thinks that maybe Cloe can be her new person, since she can’t be with Connie. Esperanza agrees to let Stella sleep in the house for the night. Cloe asks Esperanza if Stella could be her house dog if she can pass the Canine Good Citizen Test. Esperanza says that passing the test won’t prove whether Stella will be okay. Stella sleeps in Cloe’s bed. She wants to spend the rest of her life being a good dog for Cloe.

Stella has to go back to her crate the next night. She thinks of how much easier things would be if she could understand words or if humans could understand smells. Then she could warn Esperanza and Cloe when Cloe’s chemical smell starts to change. Now that she has Cloe to care for, Stella is less scared for her own well-being. Cloe comes out with food and books, and Stella thinks that it is going to be a good day. When Esperanza asks Cloe if she took her medication, Cloe tells her that she did and reminds her that the doctor said it is okay for her to be alone for a little while. Esperanza still smells sad to Stella.

Cloe and Stella go to Cloe’s favorite spot, a stream. There Stella smells many different forest animals as well as human boys and some explosives. Stella lifts her ears, lowers her jaw, and whines like Connie taught her to do when she smells explosives, but Cloe does not understand this alert. She does realize, however, that Stella did the same thing at the hardware store before Cloe’s seizure. Stella realizes that for Cloe, new commands like “touch” and “watch” are important. Cloe starts reading Charlotte’s Web to Stella, and Stella starts to get sleepy. Stella hears something in the distance, but Cloe is unaware of the sound. The boys and the gunpowder are heading toward them. Stella also picks up the scent of squirrel’s blood on the boys. Vern’s nephews come around and pretend they are going to shoot Cloe with their gun. Stella growls to warn them away from Cloe. Cloe and Stella leave the forest.