It was a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon and the Darling household were outside enjoying the summer sun, the humans had set out a picnic in the back garden and the dogs were all doing their own thing, the three girls were all gossiping, Scamp and Angel were both playing around in the green grass, Lady had just brought out a toy for Junior and went to relax next to Tramp who was lying next to Jim Dear's legs.
Lady sighed as she relaxed herself next to Tramp. She slowly started to close her eyelids when she heard a strange noise.
The first time she chose to ignore it, but then she heard it again, "Tramp." She whispered, "Tramp." She said a little louder, he opened one eye as if to signal he'd heard her, "Tramp, what was that?" she asked.
"What was what Pidge?" he asked with a grunt, both his eyes were open now and his head had perked up.
"That noise," the noise came again, "there it is again! Oh, tell me you hear it too." She asked, she was beginning to believe she had just heard the noise and that in actual fact there was no noise whatsoever, but if Tramp had heard it too then she would know for sure she wasnt hearing things.
"Yeah, I hear it Pidge, but I dont think it's anything we should worry about, so just relax and ignore it." Tramp said, his voice was calm and still a little tired. He'd become more relaxed since after Scamp had returned and brought Angel home with him and made him happier.
Lady laid her head back down next to Tramps, but then the noise came again, but much louder and much more alarming, so instantly Lady's head perked up, "I can't just ignore this Tramp! What if someone has been hurt or somethings happened to somebody, you can lay there and ignore it, but i can't." She said standing up on all fours and trotting off towards where the noise was coming from.
With a sigh of defeat and annoyance Tramp too stood up and followed Lady, there were times like these when Lady's curosity and caring nature got the better of her and she got herself in danger, and as much as Tramp loved her for it, it was mostly him who had to get her out of these 'dangers'. So he had no option but to follow her, just in case.
They both reached the front gate where Lady found the noise was getting louder as they approached the gate, and outside of the gate to the left of the house was a big truck, its back doors had been left wide open and leading into the back was a slope wide enough to fit the width of the truck. Lady was sure that the noise was coming from inside the truck and se wanted to see what it was, she wanted to see if it was anything of intrest to her.
She started to walk closer to the truck, until Tramp put his leg in front of her, "Woah, Pidge! No further! We've seen where the noise was coming from now lets go." He said in a rush.
"Your not scared are you?" Lady asked raising an eyebrow.
"'Course not! I just don't think it's our business to get involved in." Tramp replied defiantly.
"Well if your not scared then you won't mind me finding out what the noise is coming from, will you?" Lady asked, she wasnt giving up.
"Alright! But you stay behind me, I'm not letting you go off on your own and I dont like the look of tis truck." Tramp said carfully, he too wasnt giving up and judging by the way Lady followed him when he began to walk towards the truck, it was obvious it had worked, but it had also worked in Lady's favor too.
"Sometimes your curiostiy really annoys me Pidge." He told her looking behind him to see her properly, she smiled at him, the smile which always melted Tramps heart, it still did but this was a different situation.
Reaching the top of the slope Tramp stopped, stiff.
He recognised the dog that was lying breatlessly on the ground in front of himself and Lady, he instantly turned to stop Lady from witnessing what was in the truck but he was too late, she'd walked past him and was now standing beside him mouth open wide.
Four pups were snuggling around the ill dog, all probably the same or older age as Scamp and the girls, but all terrified.
"Trixie." Tramp said finally, his old lover, the dog he'd met years before finding Lady.
Lady looked up at Tramp to see his expression, he was shocked, upset, and something that broke Lady's heart, he was heartbroken. He'd never before told Lady about his feelings towards, or the events that had happened with Trixie, Fifi, Lulu or Rosita Chiquita.
Tramp looked down at Lady who was now looking at the ground and he started to lead Lady out of the truck, "Come on Pidge." He said, his voice soft and trembling.
When they both started to walk out of the truck they were startled by the sudden noise which was made again, but this time the noise was clearer, "Help?" Trixie whimpered.
Tramp turned round and leaped towards Trixie effortlessly, "What do you mean Trix? Help? How?" he asked concern filling is voice and eyes, Lady sat there watching as her lover slowly slipped away, he had been reunited with his old lover, what was there to say he wouldnt leave Lady?
"Pups." She said with a quiet croaky voice and suddenly her breathing stopped, her final request, her final words, she asked Tramp to look after her pups, and Tramp couldnt disobey an old lover, and a dead old lover.
But what about Scamp and the girls? And Lady? They knew nothing about Trixie or how Tramp knew her and now they were having to live with Trixie's pups, this wasnt going to end well, not that it started well.