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Sir Gideon was the bravest knight in the land. He had defeated the Great Dragon of the East, outsmarted the Wicked Sorcerer of the West, and even negotiated a truce with the grumpy River Trolls. There was only one thing that terrified him: puppies. He was currently on a quest to escort the Royal Pup, a tiny ball of fluff named Buster, to the neighboring kingdom.

Buster was a small, adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with big, sad eyes. He was also a menace. He chewed on Sir Gideon's shiny armor, pounced on his polished boots, and had a nasty habit of licking Sir Gideon's face whenever the knight wasn't paying attention. Sir Gideon, a man who had faced fire-breathing monsters without flinching, was a shivering, nervous wreck.

He tried to keep his distance from Buster, but the pup was relentless. Every time Sir Gideon stopped to rest, Buster would sneak up on him, his tail wagging furiously. Once, while Sir Gideon was trying to eat a biscuit, Buster ran off with it, leading the knight on a frantic chase through a field of buttercups. Sir Gideon, in his heavy armor, looked like a panicked turtle running after a fluffy dandelion.

Sir Gideon's squire, a young man named Leo, couldn't understand his master's fear. "But Sir Gideon, he's just a little pup!" Leo said one afternoon as Buster licked Sir Gideon's cheek with gusto.

"He's a ball of unstoppable fluff!" Sir Gideon whimpered, trying to wipe the slobber from his face. "You don't understand, Leo. They’re too… cute! I can't fight something so adorable! It goes against all my training!"

One evening, a storm rolled in. Sir Gideon and Leo took shelter in a small cave. The wind howled and the rain poured down. Buster, whimpering at the sound of the thunder, crawled into Sir Gideon's lap and curled up, trembling. Sir Gideon, for the first time, forgot to be scared. He stroked the pup's soft fur and whispered comforting words. Buster looked up at him, his big, wet eyes full of trust.

When the storm passed, Sir Gideon realized something. He wasn't afraid of puppies; he was afraid of not being brave enough for them. He had been so focused on fighting monsters, he'd forgotten how to be gentle. He scooped Buster up and carried him the rest of the way, even letting the little pup chew on the hilt of his sword. From then on, Sir Gideon was known not just as the bravest knight, but also as the kindest, always with a small, fluffy dog by his side.