CH.1

The morning rays of sun streamed through the narrow cracks of the wooden walls. Everything in the room came into focus as the eastern star rose high in the teal sky. A pair of golden eyes blinked at the sudden change of humidity. A gray tail thumped once on the small alarm clock setting it off waking the occupant of the bed. A young girl's eyelids fluttered open revealing liquid-brown eyes. She yawned and stretched her stiff limbs. The dog yelped a quiet sound at the tan girl making her look over.

"Good morning Adenaline." The girl said patting the dog on its head. The dog barked making the girl smile, "Yes, you've been a good girl, now go wake the others."

Adenaline wagged her tail and crept out of the room making the door quietly close behind her. The girl sighed and began to get ready for the day.


The main bridge began to sway as dozens of pairs of feet made their way across to the looming breakfast tree. Now the breakfast tree was made of a series of seating levels starting, up top, with two levels for dogs and cats, ninety-eight levels for the people, and the main kitchen on the bottom. The main kitchen door opened and the inhabitants of Walski-Tri entered to warm smells of rising dough, warm berries, and crispy jalupe. They made their way past the busy cooks up the row of ropes to claim spots on each level. All in all there were 500 people.

On the top level, the girl entered into the mini-kitchen, set aside for workers, and greeted her waiting friends.

"Morning, Hope."

"Morning, Jakie."

"Morning, Savi."

"Same to you sis."

"You guys ready for today?"

"Defiantly!" The girls chorused.

"Shh, not so loud."

Over on the opposite wall, a bell dinged and a door opened to let in fifty brightly- colored dogs and maturing pups. Jakie could easily identify Adenaline's silver coat and her extra-fluffy fur. Turning to the tanned girls, who were stretching, she asked,

"Ready?"

"Ready!" They answered.

A bell dinged again and mini trapdoors opened, in the floor, so bowls filled with jalupe could come through to the drooling dogs. Jakie, Hope, and Savi quickly pulled on gloves and hard boots before going out into, what everyone else liked to call it, the Jalupe Fiasco. Each girl had their own row of fifteen dogs that were chewing away at their food. When each dog was finished it had to be ushered out down the slide, engraved in the wall, to its waiting companion down below. The two would then continue on down the slide. The only problem was that multiple dogs tended to be finished at the same time, but had to be ushered down the slide individually so the system wouldn't gat jammed up. If they didn't succeed then a lot of people would end up being bitten. There were daily dog fights during this time, but the girls were getting better.

The complications ran through Jakie's mind as she watched for the first dog to be done. An anxious, heart thumping, minute later two dogs were finished and she took off as did Hope and Savi. Over the next hour their clothes acquired a steady stream of fur, dirt, and scratches. Even with having five years of experience their limbs became weak and shaky. By the time the last dog went down the slide Jakie had to lean against the wall for support. Hope and Savi crawled behind the counter and lay on the floor, panting.

Adenaline nudged Jakie towards the kitchen where she collapsed in a chair as Cook Joyce sauntered into the room.

"My my, I don't know how you girls do it, but I'd be scared stiff with all those dogs." Cook placed three steaming platefuls of julpe in front of the nearly blacking out girls.

Savi grumbled, "We're the only ones that'll do the job."

Cook put her hands on her hips, "Now now, Miss. Savi Coleany, I'll hear none of that now. I'm sure there are plenty of people who would do the job."

Jakie spoke up, "Of course there are, Cook Joyce, please sit and pray with us."

"Oh not this time, dear, I have stuff to do." Joyce looked distinctly uncomfortable and backed out of the room. Jakie looked at the other girls downcast. Hope gave her an encouraging smile,

"It'll be all right, Jakie, God will call her in some form or another."

Jakie looked at the blonde girl, "I hope so, sis, I sure hope so."

The girls took hands, closed their eyes and prayed, "Dear Lord, thank You for this wonderful day you have given us. Bless us with this food and give us strength for what you have planned. In Jesus's name, we pray, Amen."


Twenty minutes passed before the breakfast bell rang. Hope collected their plates and glasses and tossed them in the sink. Jakie stretched her sore limbs, turned out the light, and followed her friends outdoors. The mid-morning sun shone brilliantly on the wet grass a hundred feet below. The air was cool, and a strong wind blew from the east.

"Let's go over to Doc's abode." Savi suggested yelling above the wind.

"Good idea!" Jakie replied. She whistled for Adenaline who came bounding out of the kitchen and stood by Jakie's side making her fur lie flat in the wind. Each girl grabbed a vine hanging nearby. The vines were connected at the very highest branches hundreds of feet above. Testing the strength of each vine, Hope confidently climbed the slats and waited for the girls to climb on. Once they were on, Adenaline grabbed the end of the vine and ran forward propelling the vine towards a lone abode. Once the girls sped off in the air Adenaline leapt from each tree's branches keeping up with great speed and agility.


There was a crash when the girls rang the bell on Doc's tower. "I'm coming!" Came a yell from inside the building. The door opened to reveal a gray haired woman with golden eyes flecked with green. One side of her face was singed.

"Good morning girls."

"Good morning Doc, do you mind if we join you this morning?"

"Well of course, my dears come in!" Doc stepped aside so the girls could squeeze through the narrow door. A large wooden table was on its side as Doc closed the door. The room they were in was small with a high beamed ceiling. A flap next to the door shook and rose upwards as Adenaline came in. She leapt up and landed on a suspended dog mat. She then shook her thick coat spraying water everywhere and making the group complain. Adenaline gave them a toothy grin and settled down for a nap. The trio carefully stepped around the damp dog and followed the chattering Doc through a wide passage.

"I don't usually have observers with me often so you girls can help me with my most recent project," She glanced at Hope who was casting the various jars on the shelves a wary glance. Jakie put an arm around her shoulders and held her close.

"Sorry for the jars, my brother wanted me to take them with, and I haven't renovated them yet."

"Renovate?" Jakie asked quizzically. Doc looked at her wildly, "Oh sorry, my city speech hasn't totally disappeared. I meant I haven't improved the jars yet."

"Oh."

Jakie's mind whirled with questions. Improving jars?

Doc halted in front of a tall door covered in a ton of glitter. Doc pulled on a pair of gloves and tugged the door open. A shower of glitter fell to the floor as Doc ushered the girls inside.

"Whoa." Savi whispered.


The door to Doc's abode opened and the girls stepped out onto the platform. Dozens of little kids' voices echoed in the forest as they swung on vines heading to the school trees.

"Oh, what wonderful timing we have." Savi commented sarcastically.

"We'll just have to climb the trees then." Jakie said grimacing.

Savi peered over the edge of the platform and looked down. Hope fingered her hair anxiously while Adenaline paced around, growling.

"Seems all right."

"Let's go then, Hope it might be better if you were in the middle."

Hope nodded anxiously. She wasn't comfortable with the bottom of the forest.

The trio descended down the fifty foot ladder attached to the wooden platform while Adenaline crawled down beside them, claws tugging at the thick bark. The clamor of dogs made them pause close to the forest floor. Butterflies flapping their iridescent wings clouded their vision in the distance. Adenaline detached herself from the tree and fell to the ground in front of the ladder. Jakie decended the last few feet and carefully placed her feet along the hollows in Adenaline's side. She listened for paw steps and hearing none called, "Come on down its safe."

Savi quietly consoled Hope as they climbed on behind Jakie. Adenaline swiveled her head, hackles raised. "Foro girl." Jakie murmured and Adenaline shot off into the darkness.

It took five minutes to reach the pack of uncivilized dogs. Adenaline paused at the top of the ravine while the pups turned towards them. A grim silence fell over the mass and one of the dogs growled.

"Guys…" Hope whispered trembling.

"Hang on!" Jakie yelled and they shot forward, Adenaline trying to avoid all the ferocious snaps and tearing teeth by jumping from tree side to tree side, her claws sliding on the bark. One pup managed to get a hold of Hope's shoe and Savi kicked it in the face where it fell away whimpering.

The trees started to thin when a large pup bowled into Adenaline knocking her over and sending Jakie, Savi, and Hope sprawling across the ground. The pup was near maturity and had short, thick brown fur with dazzling blue eyes. Its snout was lifted in a snarl that sent shivers down the girls' backsides.

"Where's a guard when you need one?" Hope whispered frantically as Jakie stood up and tried to review her previous training. Adenaline rolled to her feet and placed herself in front of the trio, hackles raised threateningly.

The girls knew they were in a dangerous situation. The pups that roamed the forest floor were extremely wild and very rarely were any chosen to be a companion to someone in Walski-Tri. The only way they were kept from climbing the trees up to the forest city was the guards. The guards were a band of people from the cities who kept the pups in their territory. There was rarely a time when someone from Walski-Tri was attacked. Yet, the stories were horrifying enough that people wouldn't come to the floor unless accompanied by an experienced dog and companion or a guard. It was only Jakie and Adenaline's second time on the floor. She was terrified, but reached for her safety weapon.

"God, send us a miracle!" Savi exclaimed.

The dog stepped closer and Adenaline growled loudly with her fur standing on end. Ferns rustled, a shout, and an arrow whizzed past the pup's ears. It crouched and bounded off.

Thank you Lord! Jakie thought.

"Run girls!" came a stern shout.

Dozens of paws thrummed the ground.

They ran.