her last friend

 My dog has one friend, a long-legged cur who puts up with the Catahoula.  His people are very good friends of mine, and he and I have always had a very good relationship.  He is my dog's only friend - they first met shortly after I got her and they got into a scuffle, but since then there's been no more blood drawn.  We visited a few weeks ago and he was so happy to see us and they ran around and played very well together for an hour (and then my dog was DONE and we had to leave), and his person told me that they are very seriously planning to leave for thousands of miles away.  They had stayed here to care for her parents, but they've now both passed, and so they will return to the west coast where he is from.  

Most of my close friends I made here are no longer here - moved on or passed away.  With these friends leaving, the circle is even smaller.  Too small.  

And now today, they tell me that their dog has been diagnosed with cancer and they will not do treatments.  It's probably untreatable, I'm guessing a metastasized cancer.  He's had external tumors the past few years and some health issues.  

He'll rally when we show up because he never likes my dog to see him weak, but this may be the last time they'll be together.  I may not see him again, my sweet chill butterscotch boy. We've been friends since his first night with them, because I couldn't wait to meet him (and their previous dog and I were very good friends).

It's all just an end of an era and I'm sad.  I don't want him to be in pain, and he's not now.  But he's not long for the world.  And his people are not long for this town, and we will so miss them. 

And with that, my dog has no more dog friends.  Her others have moved away or run away and disappeared.  And she never had a lot of friends to start with, what with being a jackass and all.  

 Tomorrow one of those close friends I made here who has since moved away will come to visit, convincing me to leave this town.  

There's not much more convincing to be done.