The sun peeked through the gaps in the barn walls, painting stripes of light across the sleeping pups. Lucky woke up first, stretching and yawning. He felt… good. Surprisingly good. His stomach was still comfortably round, a testament to the previous day’s feasting. He glanced at Rolly, still snoring softly, his belly a furry mound beside him.
"Hey, Rolly," Lucky nudged him gently. "Wake up! It's a new day."
Rolly groaned and rolled over, opening one eye. "Five more minutes…"
"Nope! Time for…" Lucky hesitated. What was it time for? He hadn't planned beyond the immediate aftermath of his defeat. "Time for... exercise!"
Rolly's other eye snapped open. "Exercise? What kind of exercise?"
"Burping exercise!" Lucky declared, a mischievous glint in his eye. "We need to perfect our technique."
Rolly chuckled, a rumble in his chest. "Burping exercise? I like the sound of that. But I'm already the champion."
"True, but even champions need to train," Lucky insisted, jumping to his feet. "Come on! Fresh air will do us good."
They trotted out of the barn and into the cool morning air. The other pups were just starting to stir. Ignoring their sleepy murmurs, Lucky led Rolly to the open field behind the barn.
"Alright, first drill," Lucky announced. "Deep breaths. Fill your lungs… and your bellies. Imagine you're swallowing air along with the kibble."
Rolly followed Lucky's instructions, puffing out his cheeks and taking exaggerated breaths. After a few minutes of this, Lucky gave the signal. "Okay, unleash!"
"BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRP!" Rolly bellowed, his burp echoing across the field.
"Not bad," Lucky critiqued. "But it lacked… resonance. Try again! This time, focus on the power coming from your toes."
Rolly looked at him skeptically, but complied. "BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRP!" This one was louder, but still not quite right.
Lucky's turn. He took a deep breath, filled his belly with air, and focused his energy. "BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRP!" He managed to add a subtle vibrato at the end. He looked at Rolly triumphantly.
"Okay, I'll admit… that was pretty good," Rolly said grudgingly. "But I can do better. This time, I'll focus on the power coming from my tail!"
The "burping exercise" continued for the next hour, with Lucky and Rolly taking turns belching, critiquing, and attempting to outdo each other. They tried different techniques, focusing on different body parts, manipulating their airflow, and even attempting synchronized burps (which resulted in a lot of giggling and failed attempts).
By the time breakfast was announced, both pups were exhausted, their bellies aching from all the forced air. As they walked towards the Kibble Tower, Lucky felt a strange sense of accomplishment. He might have lost the eating contest, but he was determined to become the best burper he could be. And maybe, just maybe, he could even beat Rolly at his own game.
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