Episode - Pups Save a 'Herd

It was another gloriously warm, sunny late-spring day in Adventure Bay. I was walking through town by the beach when I saw a flock of seagulls take off in a panic. Captain Turbot was on the edge of the dock - clipboard and pen in hand and the seagulls seemed to chase him off the dock and into the water! It was then I saw Chase - I had heard him barking.
"Sorry Cap'n Turbot!" I heard the shepherd pup apologize to the Captain. "I was just trying to herd the seagulls for you."
"You got this gull to gather on my gourd! Oooh! Thirteen laughing gulls..."
I paced over to the dock, sensing that something was amiss. It was then I heard Chase cry... well more accurately it was a whimper, but it still had the same effect on me. There he was - laid down at the edge of the dock with his fore-paws on either side of his head, his ears drooping slightly.
"Awww, hey little buddy. What's wrong?" I asked, sitting at the edge of the dock with him and gently stroking his fur.
"Well... I'm entering the shepherding contest this afternoon - but I need to practice and so far, everything's gone all wrong!" cried Chase. "I tried herding Alex and Mr. Porter but they dropped the cakes they were carrying! Then I tried herding the seagulls for Cap'n Turbot, but it didn't work!"
I smiled sympathetically and offered the best advice I could.
"Seagulls aren't the best animals to try and herd... and I'm sure you tried your best to help Mr. Porter and Alex. Maybe you should try herding something easier... something more familiar."
"I'll go see what the Paw Patrol pups are up to!" Chase answered, "Maybe they can help me!"
"That's a good idea buddy..." I began, but Chase had already ran off towards the Lookout, leaving me behind with Cap'n Turbot, who was still in the water.
"Oh well..." I sighed, "Need a hand, Captain?"

-

After helping Captain Turbot out of the water and recommending he go and dry off... I had an idea.
"Chase needs to practice herding. What better practice than with actual sheep?" I thought to myself, jumping into my truck and heading over to Farmer Al's.
"Farmer Al has sheep. I'll ask if Chase can practice herding."
It didn't take long to get to Farmer Al's. I parked my truck beside a tree and began to run over to Farmer Al's... I stopped half-way to catch my breath - resting against the fence.
'Crack! Bang! Wallop!'
Oh no! The fence had given way... I'd rested against a weakened part of it. I went to explain to Farmer Al... but upon leaving the fence the sheep wandered out.
"Oh no!" I thought, "This is all my fault."
"What happened?" Farmer Al asked. "The fence! The sheep!"
"I'm sorry! I just leaned against it and it broke!"
"I'll have to call Ryder... the Paw Patrol will have to come and fix it and get the sheep back for me..."
"Sorry Farmer Al..." I apologised, as he picked up a plank from the broken fence and called Ryder.

-

Not too much later, Ryder, Chase and Rocky arrived. Rocky set to work repairing the fence while Chase rounded up the sheep that had wandered out of the field. As Chase was rounding them up, I watched from the tree where I'd parked my truck. Chase really was a natural when it came to sheep herding, he'd already rounded up most of them.
"Go Chase!" I thought, smiling as I saw him in action. "You got this buddy."
However when it came to rounding up the last sheep - named Marley - things didn't go quite so well for Chase. Marley gave Chase the slip at the hay-bale, Chase ran around the hay-bale looking for him.
"W...where'd he go?" Chase said to himself... before Marley bleated at him from on top of the hay-bale. "Whoa!"
Next, Marley led Chase into the chicken barn. "Oh no..." I thought, running over as fast as I could.
'Crash, Bang, Clatter!'
Chase emerged on the other side of the barn, with feathers in his mouth and several hens running in panic from the noise and commotion, then a stray egg shattered on Chase's muzzle.
Ryder and Rocky came over to Chase, I stayed behind the barn door, watching and listening.
"How's it going Chase? Having some trouble with Marley?" asked Ryder.
"Kind of..." Chase answered, shaking the egg from his muzzle.
"Oh he's a feisty one alright... I'm the only one who can herd him, and it's tough at that. I'll get him, Chase."
"If I can't herd Marley, how am I ever going to win the competition?" sighed Chase, looking even more dejected than I had ever seen him look before.
"Chase!" I called out to him, as Farmer Al loaded Marley onto the trailer with the rest of the sheep.
"Oh... hi." Chase said, coming over to me and sitting at my feet, still looking upset.
"Awww, come on buddy, why the sad little face?"
"I can't herd Marley... what's the point of even going to the competition?"
"Chase... buddy, you did really well! Don't let one sheep get you down. Come on, give me a smile." I said.
Chase sighed and looked up at me, with a little whimper.
"Awww, come on little buddy. You'll make me cry too."
Chase chuckled a little at this, but still looked sadly up at me with his brown eyes. I sat down beside him and rubbed his back comfortingly, in the hope it might encourage him.
"Come on, try for the competition. You'll get an idea, I'm sure of it! Even if you don't win, your friends will still be here for you - and so will I."
"Thanks." Chase answered, giving me a little smile before going back to Ryder as Farmer Al finished loading the trailer. I didn't think my attempts to reassure Chase had been much help, he still looked unsure of himself and a little dejected as he sat next to Ryder. I sighed and turned to leave, but then I heard Ryder call out... "I know someone who has a really fast police truck!"
"Huh?" Chase answered.
"You can get us there fast, Chase!"
"You got it Ryder!"
I smiled and watched as they hooked the trailer up to Chase's truck and drove away.
"The Chase I know and love is back." I thought happily, as I went back to my truck and drove off to the shepherding trials, following Chase and Ryder.

-

At the competition, Chase was rounding up the sheep. Four of them to be precise, I pointed the camera for the live coverage of the event, knowing the other Paw Patrol pups would be watching with great interest. My camera was the closest to Chase, I zoomed in as he finished herding the four sheep into the pen as the TV crew switched cameras. Chase just had Marley to herd into the pen now, he gulped as he looked at the belligerent black sheep, who bleated at him menacingly.
"Come on little buddy, don't give up now..." I thought as the TV crew switched cameras. I prepared to change position to view the hay-bale instead.
"You can do it, Chase!" Ryder called out.
Waiting until Chase started off herding the last sheep, I quickly assumed a viewpoint with the hay-bale in the centre of the shot. Just as I turned the camera on, Chase was chasing Marley around the hay-bale, and cleverly assumed a position on top of it.
"Great idea, Chase!" I thought as I watched Marley run himself dizzy, before Chase confidently herded Marley into the pen with the other four sheep.
"Chase wins!" came the announcement, along with cheers from Ryder, Mayor Goodway and Farmer Al.
I turned the camera on just in time to see the competition organizer head over to Chase with his medal, and place it around his neck. Chase smiled happily and closed his eyes proudly. I smiled too as I watched him relish his recent success.
"You did it, little buddy!" I commented,
"Thanks for all your help." Chase replied, wagging his tail proudly.
"Anything for my favourite Paw Patrol pup." I answered, with a huge smile on my face as Chase jumped into my arms and proceeded to lick my face.
"Chase!" Ryder called, running over to us - slightly disapproving of Chase's overconfidence.
"Sorry Ryder..." Chase grinned sheepishly as I set him down on his paws again.
"It's okay, I really don't mind." I answered, tickling Chase behind his ear. "Go on, your friends will be waiting."
"Come with us!" Chase called out to me, wagging his tail even more.
"Okay! I'll follow you back to the Lookout."

-

Back at the Lookout, Chase was relishing the moment his medal had been awarded to him - I could tell. He then opened his eyes as the other pups were gathered around.
"Rawrf! Rawrf! Rawrf!" Chase barked playfully.
"Baaaaa!" The pups all replied, imitating the sheep.
I watched them playing 'herding' with Ryder, who couldn't help but chuckle as well. Then Marshall had a go at herding... with predictable results as he tripped and landed in the hollow log with his hind paws sticking out of the top.
"Awww!" I chuckled as Ryder ran over to the pups.
All the pups laughed.
"You're all such goooood pups" Ryder commented.
The pups chuckled again, as did I.

The End