"Tolstoy, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have raised my voice. " Quiz stroked Tolstoys ear. " It was wrong of me. It's just this heat. Man, that's got to be it! We've been walking for three days straight without a sign of it. It's getting to me." "To me too, " Tolstoy looked up at Quiz. " Yeah. I know." Quiz repeated himself. " We're both in pretty bad shape, huh? " Quiz tried to break a smile. " Don't....no...don't " Tolstoy warned him. " Don't even try to smile. You'll hurt yourself." " Can't a guy even try to smile......what's wrong with this world?"

"Get the fuck off of me!" Quiz snapped. He heaved Tolstoy's hairy torso off of him and onto the dry red sand. "Sorry, " Tolstoy murked as he landed with a heavy thud. "It's what I do." Tolstoy leapt to onto his hind legs and brushed the red clay from his fur."I'm an AFFECTIONATE one." he continued, " There's nothing I can do about it. It must be programmed in me somewhere." " Alright, alright enough. " Quiz snapped again. "That's your problem. Just don't be affectionate with me!" Quiz knew he spoke too quickly. He regretted what he had said almost as he was saying it, but he couldn't choke back the words once they were out there. Tolstoy shot him a quick look and then stared down into the sand.

READ THIS FIRST: Chapter one "PALS"