Georgette walked with her head high, her legs trotting with perfect form as she strolled through Central Park. The Poodle flashed her pearly teeth in a smile as she passed by a Doberman she recognized from one of her competitions. It grew wider as she saw him blush. The purebred shot him a coquettish wink and watched him swoon before he was yanked along by his human. Georgette tittered to herself as she strode on ahead. Another admirer to add to her collection and shower her with the adoration she loved. She'd have to get his name some time.
The Poodle hummed to herself as she sauntered along the little winding path, Winston trudging along behind her with a loose grip on her designer leash. It was, she decided, a beautiful day for a stroll. And judging by the number of humans and dogs who'd shown up at the park today, she wasn't alone in her verdict. The show dog watched as they clambered all over the cleanly cut turf, chasing one another or retrieving sticks or balls. Georgette rolled her eyes at the scene. The game of fetch had never appealed to her. If humans wanted the stick so badly they shouldn't have thrown it away in the first place.
"Alright, Georgette…Let's rest for a moment, shall we?" The Poodle looked over her shoulder as her caretaker slowed down and approached a comfortable looking bench on the side of the path. She complied and followed him, letting out a sigh. Though he was shirking his duty and neglecting her of the exercise she needed to maintain her perfect figure, Georgette supposed she could forgive him. Winston was only human after all; he was entitled to a bit of rest now and then. It was hard work looking after a purebred, especially since he had Jenny and Oliver to mind on top of that.
Georgette settled down with graceful poise beside the bench as Winston reclined and let out a sigh of relief. The Poodle busied herself with thinking of what she would do upon returning home. There was the usual coat touch up, a light manicure, perhaps a short bath to rinse the dirt from her paws. If there was any time left after that, she might indulge Jenny a bit and spend a few minutes with Oliver. The girl had been pushing the two to 'play' together. Georgette sniffed at the thought. She would do no such thing. But she supposed it wouldn't hurt to let the cat speak to her. He was a sweet kid, though she would never admit it.
"Georgette? Georgette, is that you, darling?"
The Poodle looked over to see a tall Afghan hound trotting towards her, her pale blonde coat sweeping beneath her. Beside her came a Cocker Spaniel with a shining golden coat. Georgette smiled and stood up as they approached.
"Giselle! Yvonne! How wonderful to see you," the Poodle let out a chuckle, "Is there another show in town no one told me about?" The Afghan gave a little grin.
"I'm afraid not, darling," she said through her teeth, "Though I must say you look ready for one."
"Oh, stop it," Georgette giggled, "You know this is how I always look."
"And a very nice look it is," added the Spaniel, "You should really teach us your grooming techniques."
"I'm afraid they're strictly Poodle only," replied Georgette as she caressed the neatly trimmed fur on her chest, "Besides, you two do a wonderful job with your own coats. Sometimes I'd love to have long, silky fur like that." She really didn't, but Georgette thought it would be good taste to humor them. "So, what have you two been up to lately?"
"Oh, nothing much," answered Yvonne, "The Mister and Missus are putting on another costume party next Friday and you know what that means."
"You'll be reprising your role as Lady Macbark?" Georgette guessed with a grin.
"Exactly," sighed Yvonne, "It's not that I mind the costume, I just really think I make a better Miranda."
"I'm sure you'll do well no matter who you go as," Georgette said as she turned to Giselle, "And what about you?"
"Well," said Giselle as she tossed her long fur over her shoulder, "My humans are buying a summer home in Connecticut. I believe it's a beach house, from what they've been talking about." Georgette smiled and nodded sympathetically.
"Ah, so you'll be spending more time with your housekeeper? What was his name again?"
"Jervis," said Giselle, "And that won't exactly be the case. I'll be staying with them." Georgette paused and looked genuinely surprised.
"Oh," murmured the Poodle, as she donned a plastered-on smile, "How wonderful."
"I can hardly wait," Giselle went on, "It will be so nice to get away from all the noise and congestion of the city." She gave Georgette a syrupy smirk, "And the best part is that the beach is private."
"I see," sang the Poodle as her eyes narrowed just a tiny bit, "It sounds delightful." Georgette's smile hid the increasingly bitter taste in her mouth and soul. She couldn't possibly be jealous. The Foxworths' had two beach homes, so clearly they were better than Giselle's humans. But what irked her was that they had never taken her to one. They'd taken Jenny on vacation before. Sometimes she even went with them on their little trips to other countries. The only time they took their Champion Show Dog anywhere was when it was for a competition.
"Georgette, is something wrong?"
The Poodle blinked and looked over to Yvonne, smiling warmly.
"Oh, nothing at all," she said, "I'm just a little tired. I have jetlag." Both Giselle and Yvonne raised their eyebrows.
"Jetlag?" echoed Giselle. Georgette nodded smugly and tipped her muzzle in the air.
"Of course," said she said, "I just returned from Italy last night. My humans had important business to take care of at an embassy. But it wrapped up quickly, so we spent the next few days touring the Canals of Venice." The Poodle couldn't help but smile at the way her friends' jaws dropped open. She could even see a little glimmer of envy in Giselle's eyes.
"Hey! Georgette! Heya Baby!"
Georgette froze in place, her eyes going wide, mouth open in a mortified gasp. She knew all too well just who that shrill voice belonged to. She slowly turned to see a little rat-like shape scurrying toward her from across the clearing. To her horror both Giselle and Yvonne had turned their heads at the source of the noise, and gazed at the peculiar little creature with bemusement. The Poodle would have given anything to be anywhere else at that moment.
She bared her teeth in a wide-eyed grimace as Tito rushed between Giselle and Yvonne, stopping right in front of her and giving her a grin. The little red tuft of hair on his head was askew, his coat was darkened with dirt, and his legs were grass stained.
"Hey baby, it's great to see ya again!" he cried as he jumped up and stole a kiss, leaving a noticeable nose-print on the side of Georgette's muzzle.
"Georgette…do you know this…fellow?" The Poodle looked up to see that the confusion on Giselle's face had turned into amusement. The Afghan shot her a sly little smirk.
"I certainly do not!" Georgette answered hotly, her face reddening under the sardonic leers of her fellow show dogs.
"'Course ya do, my little croissant," Tito laughed, "Don'tcha remember the good times we had? The kidnapping? The rescue? I saved your life and taught you to dance!"
"Wait a moment," said Yvonne as her eyes widened in thought, "You mean that all actually happened?" The Spaniel looked at the despairing Georgette, "I'd heard stories that you'd joined a pack of feral mongrels to save your human, but I'd assumed they were merely slander."
"They are!" barked the Poodle, "That's all they are!"
"C'mon baby, don't be modest," said Tito as he jumped about, "You dove right in with us." He boxed his forelegs in the air, "We kicked gangster butt all night! We couldn't have done it without you!"
"We did not!" snarled Georgette, "It never happened! I've never seen you before in my life, and—"
"Hey guys, I found him!" Georgette's jaw dropped as she looked up and saw a Terrier mutt with a red handkerchief tied around his neck. The newcomer flashed a smile and strolled over to her. "Well, if it ain't Six Times National Champion," he chuckled, "Been a while. How's the kid?" His eyes lit up as they wandered over to Giselle and Yvonne. He smirked and took a step toward them. "And uh, who're your friends?"
Georgette was at a loss for words. Unfortunately, Giselle still had plenty.
"Oh, forgive us," the Afghan said with a smile that reeked of insincerity, "I am Giselle, and this is Yvonne."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," added Yvonne.
"Well hey, the pleasure's all mine," Dodger said with a flick of his ears, "I take it you're both show dogs like Champ over here?"
Georgette watched in horror as the Terrier flirted with the pair, even as the rest of his gang showed up.
"Hey Georgie, honey," called a Saluki mix as she drew near, "How's it been?" She was flanked by a towering Great Dane and a heavyset Bulldog.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Georgette," Francis said with a nod.
"Hi!" cried Einstein as he galloped over to Dodger and smiled at the two purebreds.
Georgette clenched her teeth together and felt her fur bristle on end. She looked at Winston, hoping he was rested up so that they could continue on and leave the mess behind. To her dismay the old man had dozed off, his face resting skyward as he softly snored. The Poodle felt sick to her stomach. This was the end of her, she was sure of it. From the mocking glances Giselle and Yvonne shot her she was certain they were going to tell everyone about her unfortunate acquaintances. She'd be disgraced, exiled, a social leper that was no better than the street mongrels she associated with. It was more than she could bear.
"So uh, baby, want me to come over tonight and show ya a little more dancin'?"
Georgette looked down at the Chihuahua. Her eyes began to glower, her lips lifting to reveal a venomous sneer of perfect white teeth.
"Uh…baby?"
"You little bug-eyed creep!" snarled the poodle, "You've ruined me!" Tito leaped back from her jaws, staring at her in bewilderment.
"What are ya talkin'-"
"Why couldn't you just stay away?" snapped the show dog, "I don't know what I was thinking when I thought I—" she paused and retched in repulsion, "Liked you! Showing up was bad enough, but you brought all of your little sub-canine, garbage eating, parasite-ridden street trash friends along with you and destroy a reputation I've worked years to maintain in a matter of seconds!" She sucked in huge angry breaths through her flaring nostrils, staring down at the shivering little dog with a gimlet-eyed glare.
"B-but baby-"
"Don't speak to me!" she spat, "Don't ever speak to me again!" She looked up to see all of Dodger's crew staring at her in shock. "That goes for all of you!" Georgette turned around and clamped her jaws on the designer leash attached to her collar, giving it a sharp yank. She had been intending to free herself from Winston's grip, which she did. But she hadn't intended the leash to whip back quite so fast, cracking her in the side of the head and sending her stumbling to her side. She fought back humiliated tears as she heard Giselle and Yvonne chortling behind her, rose to her paws, and ran off.
"Lousy mutts," grumbled Georgette as she stormed through the gates, leaving the park and entering the city, "Unwashed halfwits. Think they can just waltz up to me any old time they want? Ugh, the nerve of some dogs! If they can even be called that." The poodle glanced right and left, and the seething rage that had dominated her thoughts subsided a little. She'd been intent on going home and wallowing in self pity, but now that she came to the gates…she wasn't sure which way the Foxworth home was. The Poodle glanced up at the ironwork over her head. Was this even the right gate?
Georgette nervously chewed her lip and looked out over the sprawl of city before her. The constant barrage of traffic honked and rumbled angrily, leaving a constant cloud of foul-smelling fumes that irritated her nose. The Poodle sneered in disgust, certain that the smog would stain her fur if she remained there much longer. The show dog murmured to herself as she waited for an opening to appear in the river of painted metal and black rubber. She'd seen Dodger and his gang cross the streets a few times, and if those mutts could do it, then a champion purebred certainly could. At last, the opportunity came. Georgette drew a deep breath, regretted it, coughed, and then made a mad dash for the other side of the street.
Almost immediately a taxi's horn was shrieking into her ears. The Poodle let out a startled yelp and froze as her brain was assaulted by sounds and sights she'd never experienced before. More horns blared, brakes screeched, tires squealed, headlights blazed into her eyes and the pavement trembled beneath her. A car rushed past and almost took off the tip of her nose. Another nearly got her tail. Georgette stumbled blindly among the congestion she'd caused, panic coursing through every inch of her being. All the while the humans hurled insults from their vehicles.
"Worthless mutt!"
"Stupid dog!"
"Move it, you brainless cur!"
"Outta the way, bonebag!"
Georgette let out a terrified howl and awkwardly scrambled wherever she could find room. Her nose drowned in a storm of gaseous smoke exhaled by rusting mufflers, her ears lost in a swarm of angrily droning engines, and her eyes blanched by the shine of a million headlights. It seemed that no matter which way she turned she was always staring down the scowling grill of a car. The Poodle screamed and fled, zigzagging, turning sharp angles around station wagons and dashing beneath trailers until she crashed headlong into a brick wall.
Georgette lay curled up on the sidewalk in a daze, her eyes stretched wide open, her whole body shaking. She remained there for quite some time, too terrified to even think of moving. It was only when she felt the first raindrop splash against her temple a thought even went through her head.
"…It's raining…" she muttered. The show dog slowly blinked and looked upwards. The city's spires were set against a darkening sky that was growing cloudier by the minute. Georgette gulped as another raindrop landed on her nose, the icy droplet sending a shiver from her muzzle to her tail. She rose unsteadily to her paws and looked around. The street was filled with a steady stream of traffic still sorting itself out from her escapade. Her fur stood on end at the thought of traversing the roadway again. The Poodle turned her attention to her side of the street. Tall dark buildings stood uninvitingly to her right and before her stretched a trash-strewn sidewalk that stretched on forever. A frown stung her face as she found she didn't see anything familiar about it.
"Alright," she murmured under her breath, "No problem. I just need to keep looking until I do find something familiar." She put on an insincere smile and began strolling down the gritty sidewalk. She felt a few more drops of rain land on her shoulder and run down her foreleg. The show dog gulped, quickening her pace a little. Grim-faced humans passed her by without giving her a second glance. Several them were popping open their umbrellas as the rain began to fall harder. Others adjusted their hats and rolled up their jacket collars. Neither of these struck Georgette as a good thing.
A sudden thunderclap drew an impressive jump from the purebred. The storm began the moment her paws touched down on the pavement, opening up in a torrential cloudburst that descended on the city like an invading horde. Georgette felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her as it hit, yelping in misery as she was soaked from head to toe.
"Winston!" she sputtered by reflex, "Winston! Help!"
A whole new level of horror suddenly struck the Poodle. Winston wasn't coming. Winston didn't even know where she was. She'd known this at the time she'd stormed off, but she'd intended to be back home by now. But things hadn't quite gone as she'd hoped, and she was neither at home, or in the park, where Winston would be looking for her. That is, if he was even searching for her out in this weather. A chill ran up her spine, and it wasn't caused by the rain.
Georgette crouched back against the granite blocks of a department store, a whimper building up in the back of her throat. She looked up again at the humans as they strode past her, their hurried steps splashing cold water on her paws. Her eyes shimmered pleadingly as the rain pelted her brow. The show dog whimpered softly as another crack of thunder shook the city and echoed through the alleyways. Yet not a single human would acknowledge her. Why were they ignoring her? She'd won more awards than any dog she knew. She'd been on magazine covers. Her humans were one of the richest families in New York. Surely there had to be someone who recognized her among all these people.
"Excuse me," the Poodle called out to no one in particular, "Excuse me! I am Georgette, resident of the Foxworth House and Six Time National Champion. You may have seen me in TIME magazine, where I was named Top Dog of the Year. I really need to get home, and would appreciate it if someone could-"
"Shaddup!"
Georgette yelped as a great black boot collided with her ribs, sending her sprawling out onto the concrete. She gulped as its owner thudded past and nearly stepped on her muzzle. The purebred slowly sat up again, tenderly rubbing her paw where she'd been struck as she glared after the lumbering brute who'd dared to assault her. Clearly he couldn't recognize champion material when he saw it. Didn't he see how perfectly she was groomed? Her grace and poise? Her glittering collar? Her designer leash?
The Poodle absent-mindedly grasped at her collar as she thought, giving it a quick dusting to dry it off. As she brushed the gold-plated piece she happened to notice something that made her heart stop for a moment. Her eyes went wide, her mouth opened in a distraught wail as her ears drooped limply. Something was terribly wrong with her designer leash.
It wasn't there.
Georgette moaned piteously. Her humans had spent good money on the leash. Of course they would forgive her for losing it and undoubtedly replace it, but the fact that she was now without a leash that befitted her perfection was an utter travesty. The purebred looked out in the street with gloomy eyes. She must have lost it in her mad dash through traffic. She sobbed again, wishing she were home, wishing that she had her leash, and wishing that her reputation wasn't so totally destroyed.
"Rough day?"
Georgette looked up, hopeful a human had spotted her. She saw nothing but the uninterested faces of pedestrians looking to get out of the rain.
"Down here."
Now that she heard it again, Georgette wasn't so sure the voice was human. It was a deep, guttural sound; a rich drawl with a raspy edge. The Poodle looked down as instructed. All she saw was a rusty grate off the edge of the sidewalk. Two rushing streams of rainwater lay on either side of it, disappearing into the darkness below in a chorus of splashes and gurgles. Her lips pursed in disgust. Clearly it was a drain to some cesspool beneath the road. One that was probably filled with all sorts of disgusting garbage and the diseased vermin that fed on it.
"You're not a rat, are you?" she muttered, "I don't associate with rats."
"Far from it," the voice chuckled, "Probably further from it than you are."
"What's that supposed to mean?" the Poodle growled indignantly, daring to take a step closer to the grate. She squinted at the shadows to see if she could spot the voice's owner. Georgette's sneer lessened some as she saw two large, widely set eyes stared up at her. They seemed to glow a pale red in the shade of the drain.
"Don't mean anythin'," the voice replied, "'Cept my heritage don't skirt into the rodent family." Georgette could hear a grin in the creature's words, and wasn't sure if she liked it.
"Who are you?"
"Someone who understands your situation," answered the voice, "A lost pet. Or in my case, unwanted. Wasn't easy gettin' over the shock, but I managed well enough. I'm sure ya will too, eventually. Seen plenty of other lost dogs make it out here."
"Excuse me," Georgette sniffed, "But I am neither lost nor unwanted. I am simply waiting to be found and returned home." She scowled as the voice chuckled again.
"Darlin'" it drawled, "Now, I don't claim to know all humans, but from what I lived and seen, you'll be waitin' a long time. You ever wonder why they put up rewards for lost pets? 'Cause most folks won't do anythin' otherwise."
"Oh, I assure you money is no issue," Georgette retorted with a smile, "My humans are some of the most affluent in the city. I'm sure they'll offer a very generous reward for me."
"For your sake I'm hopin' so," said the voice, "So, ya plan on stayin' wet all night?"
"If you're offering me shelter I'm afraid I'll have to decline," said the Poodle, her voice heavy with disdain as she imagined just what kind of filth lay beneath the streets.
"Fair enough," replied the voice, "But just so you don't die before they find you, I'd recommend ya find some place safe to stay. Rain ain't all ya need to worry about when darkness falls."
Georgette lifted her gaze from the grate and looked around. There were a great many alleyways on this street that could have been hiding things that only came out at night. Nasty, hungry, vicious things that she had no desire to encounter in the dark.
"Ahem…You wouldn't happen to know of anywhere else I might be able to stay?"
"Well," the voice mused, "If old Smokey's place is still standin' there's a chance ya got a place for the night."
"Smokey?" the show dog murmured.
"Old cat that used to run the block. Had a gang that patrolled the alleys, used to scare the hell out of the dogs. He lived in a warehouse at the end of the block 'til it caught fire and got burnt out. Wiped out most of the gang, dogs picked off the rest, so it should be empty now if it's still there."
"I see," Georgette grumbled, "Are you sure that my only chance to survive the night is in a charred deathtrap on the brink of collapse that may or may not even exist anymore?"
"Seems that way," gurgled the voice as its owner splashed in the waters below, "Can't think of anywhere else nearby, 'less you wanna hide out in a cardboard box." Georgette uttered a piqued sigh and drummed her manicured nails on the wet sidewalk. The last time she'd entered a warehouse she'd almost been killed by a psychotic mobster and his rabid guard dogs, and had broken a nail in the process. The one recommended by the sewer-dweller didn't sound any safer. Even if it was empty, a half-burnt derelict probably wasn't structurally sound. There could be dangers everywhere; rusty nails, broken glass, splinters, mold, not to mention it was likely to be just as dirty as the streets.
On the other paw...she'd heard stories of what night on the streets was like. There'd be deranged robbers and murderers skulking around every corner with switchblades in hand; waiting to sink their claws in anything that walked in their path. And if you somehow escaped them, packs of feral dogs that had descended into savagery would come after you with jaws ready to rend flesh and shatter bone. The purebred turned several shades paler as she thought about these things; a queasy bout of fear churning in her stomach. She looked down at the red eyes and murmured quietly.
"Which way to the warehouse?"
The rain showed no sign of letting up as Georgette miserably made her way down the sidewalk. She wasn't sure how long it'd been since she'd turned tail and fled the park, but the sky was getting darker and darker behind the clouds. The show dog felt the sickly little glob of fear in her stomach ooze insidiously. She was running out of time. Sooner or later the night would be here, and along with it the dangers she was increasingly afraid of. She sighed gloomily and shook the water from the neatly trimmed fur on her head. Regret began to pick at the back of her mind and knocked loose a sliver of her ego. If she hadn't run off, she wouldn't be stranded on the streets in the middle of the thunderstorm with only a burnt ruin to look forward to.
The Poodles' eyes widened a bit as a realization made another blow to her pride. Dodger and his gang weren't out there suffering with her. They were probably safe and sound back at Fagin's barge. Georgette stumbled a little over the soaked poms on her forelegs. Even refuge aboard a stinking, drafty, unheated barge appealed to her now. And what made it worse was that they could find it all on their own, without almost dying in traffic and without help from mysterious sewer creatures. Why was everything so difficult for her?
The show dog growled and kicked at a puddle. Her ego suddenly struck back at the double assault with a vengeance. It wasn't her fault she ran away. If they hadn't shown up to embarrass her, this would never have happened. She'd have finished her walk and gone to her safe, comfortable home. But there was no way they could have known. They were street mutts. They didn't know how hard it was to stay at the top; to be perfect every day, to have rivals trying to topple you left and right for the pettiest of reasons. It was a hard and miserable life. She deserved to be pampered and adored for her efforts.
With indignant fury fueling her thoughts, Georgette marched on a little faster, determined to reach the warehouse and get out of the wretched rain. And once morning came she'd be back on the search for someone who recognized her so she'd be returned to the Foxworths. She wasn't quite so sure how she was going to deal with her reputation being destroyed, but she was sure there was something that could be done about it. If anything she had to at least get back at Giselle and Yvonne. They didn't know it, but they'd made a mistake crossing her. She was an unrivaled gossip and a master of rumor mongering, and a brilliant actress as well. The Poodle smiled wickedly. Those two would pay dearly for what they'd done.
A horrible bellow suddenly yanked Georgette out of her scheming. Her ears whipped about her face as she whirled around to see a beastly shape barreling out of the alleyway behind her. A snarling mouth of black gum and broken yellow teeth barked at her from a face covered in scars and mangy brown fur. The dog's single bloodshot eye blazed with primal ire as it zeroed in on the Poodle. Georgette stood rooted to the sidewalk, eyes wide with shock as the beast raised its hackles, its body rigid and low to the ground as it stared at her with its crazed eye. It gave a low growl and flashed its ruinous teeth from its torn and ragged jowls.
"H…Hello," the Poodle muttered stiffly, her eyes never once blinking as they remained locked on the dog, "Can I help you?" The dog growled again, exhaling rotten steam into the chilled air as it licked its chops with a pasty red tongue. Georgette's heart began to race, ticking away the seconds as fear knotted her stomach in a French braid.
"You ain't from here," the dog hacked in a voice coarse with cruelty and exhaust fumes, "Too pretty…" Georgette blinked in surprise. This dog might have been smarter then he looked.
"N-no, I'm afraid I'm not," she gulped, "I'm just passing through." The dog's single eye narrowed, killing Georgette's blossoming smile before it could come to fruition.
"Outsiders ain't allowed on my turf!" he snarled. The Poodle found her legs again and took an unsteady step back.
"I said I'm just passing through!" she cried. The dog snorted and snapped his jaws, the smack of teeth and bone and gum sending a jolt through the show dog's core.
"No excuse," he rumbled, "Ya got two choices, girlie. We tear ya apart and eat your fluffy, prissy guts, or…" He suddenly gave her a smile, which Georgette thought was arguably more hideous than his snarl, "Ya join us."
The Poodle stood absolutely still, the only movement coming from her mouth as it dropped open in disbelief.
"…Join you?"
"Yeah, for dinner!" the dog howled up at the stormy sky with mangled laughter. He looked back at the now trembling show dog and snorted, "I don't let sissy house pets in my gang, they ain't nothin' but freeloaders." He grinned at her through the rain, "'Sides, who'd take me seriously if I had a knock-kneed toothpick like you run with the pack? You're more fluff than dog!" Drool began to seep out of his jowls as he loped toward the Poodle on sandpaper-skinned paws. "Only good thing 'bout you human-lovers is how tender ya are."
Georgette was already rocketing down the sidewalk before she knew she was screaming. Her paws hit the concrete in a barrage of wet smacks, splashing the pant legs of humans as her slender form scrambled past them. Her eyes doubled in size as she glanced back to see the brute was now shadowed by two more hollering mongrels, each one as monstrous as he was. The Poodle bawled in terror as lightning flashed overhead. Her heart thundered against her ribs, pumping blood that felt frozen in her veins. Her face was drawn in a wild-eyed grimace, teeth clenched so tightly she thought they would shatter at any moment. The feral horde's barking was growing closer.
Another streak of lightning suddenly arced across the sky. For the briefest moment Georgette could see an enormous brick building just a little further down the block, the windows shattered, with great discolored blotches snaking over the bricks where fire had seared and weakened them. The Poodle felt a glimmer of hope somewhere in her horrorstruck body. She forced her tired legs to pump even faster even as she searched the warehouse for an entryway, whining in apprehension as she scanned the sagging walls for a door, a low window, a-
Her eyes lit up as they locked on a small hole just below a window; its crumbling edges stained with soot. Georgette's grimace became a smile as she darted beneath the window sill and dove through the aperture, her vision melting into darkness the second she dove into the building. She panted as she slid to a stop over what felt like dirt and coarse concrete. Her lungs were burning, her legs felt as limp as noodles, and she was certain her coat was an utter disaster. But so long as she wasn't torn to bits by rabid street dogs, she could learn to be fine with it.
In the very next moment Georgette pressed herself flat against the wall, rigid as a statue, eyes locked on the hole that acted as her doorway. Her heart continued to pound like mad as she heard leathery paws scraping the sidewalk. The entryway suddenly darkened as the three dogs crowded around it, their scarred noses sucking in the musty air. The show dog held her breath as she saw the hunger in their jaundiced eyes, coupled with terrifying determination. But their ferocious snarls suddenly began to fade, lips closing over their life-ending teeth. Georgette thought she saw something creep over their faces; something that could almost be taken for fear. But it was gone in a fleeting moment, and shortly afterward the dogs vanished into the rain-drenched streets.
The Poodle let out an exhausted gasp, sliding down onto the floor as the tension went out of her muscles. She dragged herself further inside and looked out over the warehouse with a tired smile. She was certain she was going to be appalled by everything it had to offer, but she could only take so much anguish at a time. She reached out with a paw and tried to find a patch of concrete that wasn't totally filthy and sat down. Somewhere she could hear rain pouring in from a leak, or maybe several leaks in the roof.
Shapes slowly began to appear as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. The floor was littered with piles of ash and jagged, flaking metal. Here and there were pieces of crates that survived as charred planks half-buried beneath the ashes. Warped and deflated bottles were strewn in clusters, the now opaque glass crisscrossed with spider-web fractures. A pungent smell hung over everything, and it wormed its way into Georgette's nose and drew a disgusted sneer from the purebred's face. It wasn't just a single scent, more like a variety that melded into an overbearing odor. The smoky smell of burnt pine was obvious, mixed with tart fried wires, powdery charred mortar, and sour smoldered tarp. Time had fermented all of these, and thrown in new scents of mold and must.
Georgette sat and scowled in the dark. The problem of the utter hideousness of the warehouse could be solved by closing her eyes. But the nauseating odor would remain. Even worse, it could get in her coat, and she'd be stuck with it until she could get another bath. The show dog let out a grumble and tried to sweep a clean little circle for her to lie down upon. It was likely she was already covered in filth just from walking the streets, but she'd rather not get any dirtier.
"Well, well, well, what have we here?"
Georgette jumped with a start at the sound of a voice as smooth as fire, her ears wildly flopping about her face as she looked for its source. Her heart skipped a beat as she found it. A tall, bony shadow stood in the entryway. Its pale green eyes twinkled maliciously as it flashed a crescent of jagged teeth. Crooked, twisted whiskers twitched in amusement as the shadow loped toward her, its wiry muscles flexing beneath ashy gray fur. A long, snaking tail swayed in time to the clack of its hooked claws on the concrete. The monstrous cat strode up to her and ran its paw through the fur on its head. Georgette swallowed a lump in her throat and began to back away.
"I, ah, am terribly sorry," she murmured sheepishly, "I was told there'd be no one here." The cat laughed and circled the Poodle, his grin stretched from ear to ragged ear.
"Can see how most people think that," the cat chortled, "This place ain't as lively as it used to be. But we're still here." Georgette felt the uneasiness returned to her stomach as the gangly feline spun lightly on its paws, kicking up ash and grime in a playful manner.
"Did you say, 'We'?" she said, forcing a polite smile that didn't match the nervousness in her eyes.
"Sure did," said the cat as he rocked his shoulders from side to side, "A cat like me doesn't need this whole place to himself." He raised a fore-paw and examined his claws, "That's not to say you ain't welcome. It's been a long time since we had any guests." Georgette's false smile widened as fear iced its way down her spine.
"That's quite alright," she replied anxiously, "Thanks for the invitation, but I only stopped for a short break. I'll be going now." The Poodle tried to take a few cautious steps around the cat. He simply continued to grin at her, green eyes flashing like emeralds in his head each time her gaze met his.
A crash echoed throughout the warehouse, like someone toppling a trash heap the size of a small mountain. Georgette froze where she stood as a vast round shape came bounding out of the dark, booming each time it bounced against the ground. She stared in disbelief as a huge base drum rolled right over the entryway, dust flying off of its rusted lugs as it settled into place. The Poodle took a step back, jaw dropping as she turned to the cat. He greeted her with a wicked smile, swaying in time with his tail as it flicked impishly from side to side. He looked out over the warehouse at things Georgette couldn't see and howled out into the dark, his voice ringing as clear as a bell.
"Hi de hi de ho!"
The heavy air was suddenly alive with sound. Georgette heard rustling that seemed to come from everywhere. The whole building seemed to shake and rattle on its foundation. Cobwebs and nails fell from the ceiling; bricks fell from loose mortar and tumbled out onto the ground. A shriek barreled out of Georgette's mouth as she saw a skeletal claw burst out of the layers of ashes that coated the floor. It was followed by the bones of a fore-leg, then a cracked shoulder blade, and then a battered skull. It uttered a rasping wail as it tore itself free, its vertebrae crackling as it looked right at the show dog with eyes it didn't have.
More followed. Dozens of charred, blackened feline skeletons of every shape and size pulled themselves from the ashes; heaved from beneath piles of garbage, clambered from cracks in the walls and floors. Their joints creaked and clattered as they rose to their claws and stumbled toward the mortified Poodle. Their jawbones stretched open, the browned teeth scraping against one another as soot and ash tumbled from their empty eye sockets. All of them called out in a ghastly chorus of dust-dry voices.
"Hi de hi de ho!"
Georgette slowly moved backwards, her legs shaking fiercely every time they lifted a paw from the ground. The Poodle's chest rose and fell like a bellows as it sucked in huge gulps of the sour air. Her gaping eyes swiveled in her head as they tried to take in the sight of the fleshless horde. The rattling and clacking of ancient bones filled her ears, growing louder as they inched closer. Grimy fangs were gnashed, soot-stained claws flexed apprehensively; seared tails were lashed like whips. Georgette bawled as she was cornered, her back flattening against an icy brick wall. The gray cat appeared, strolling nonchalantly between the shambling skeletons. He looked almost twice as big as before, the air dancing and wavering around his fur as though he were searing hot. His corpse-gray coat looked almost white against the blackened bricks as he grinned at the squirming Poodle.
"What do ya say we entertain our guest?" he said, his green eyes simmering like two pools of poison. Georgette's claws dug into the concrete as the macabre mob erupted into a chorus of manic cheers. She whimpered as they scrambled like spiders around the warehouse, dragging junk from the corners and yanking refuse from the ash piles. The Poodle howled as a ghastly racket poured into her ears. A pair of femurs drew a wavering rhythm from a set of derelict drums. Burnt and dented trumpets wailed raunchily along with other battered brass; twisted trombones blared while sagging saxophones screeched. Withered clarinets shrieked and hollered as someone raked their claws across the wilted strings of a charred bass. Some maniac pounded a sleazy melody from the cracked keys of an off-tune piano.
The enormous cat began to dance in the middle of the floor, swaying from side to side as he took exaggerated steps with his willowy limbs. He slid back and forth on the dusty floor while his tail lashed in time to the music, legs crossing one another as he leaped and spun about. He grinned devilishly at the terrified Georgette, his neck craning forward so that his face was a mere inch from her nose. The Poodle shrank back against the wall as she felt his searing breath blow through her primped and perfect coat, reeking of smoke and stale cigars. She went pale as she looked into his eyes. The pupils swirled like blobs of ink until they resembled a pair of skulls—dog skulls.
Georgette felt her heart drop into her stomach as the cat continued his dance, his body twisting and turning at unnatural angles, spine contorting and stretching fluidly as his legs grew longer and shorter with every step. His razor-toothed maw opened wide as his voice swirled out on ashy breath into the warehouse, as potent as gunpowder.
"Folks, now here's the story of Georgette the Moocher,
She was a high-class purebred poocher,
She was the Foxworth's pride and joy,
But Georgette's little heart was fickle and coy!"
The monstrous cat swiveled around on its paws and hollered out to the skeletal band. Every verse he wailed was echoed by their faltering screeches.
"Hi de hi de hi!" (Hi de hi de hi!)
"Ho de ho de ho!" (Ho de ho de ho!)
"He DEE he DEE!" (He DEE he DEE!)
"Hi de hi de ho!" (Hi de hi de ho!)
The brass howled as the smoldering feline whirled back to Georgette.
"She strut around just to make a livin',
Her beauty won her cups and ribbons,
She was the talk all over town,
She knew just how to throw her weight around!"
"Knew just how to throw her weight around!" screeched two skeletons as they appeared on either side of Georgette. The Poodle shrieked and threw herself from the wall, scrambling and slipping over the ashy floor as she darted past the giant cat. She yelped sharply as something caught hold of her tail, tripping over her spindly legs and landing with a painful thud. Her claws grabbed madly at the ground as she was dragged backwards. She gritted her teeth as she looked over her shoulder to see the cat's viperous tail wrapped around her own, yanking her fiercely as he sang with his minions.
"Hi de hi de hi de hi!" (Hi de hi de hi de hi!)
"Ho de ho de ho de ho!" (Ho de ho de ho de ho!)
Five of the ghouls knelt down in front of Georgette as she squirmed helplessly. Five more trotted over with a collection of rusted axes and hatchets, raising them over the kneeler's necks. The cat's eyes went ablaze with wicked mirth as he fired out the next verse.
"Oh de oh de dee dat de DEY!" (Oh de oh de dee dat de DEY!)
The Poodle squealed in disgust and horror as the executioners brought down their weapons with a thunderous smack, sending the skulls tumbling over the show dog to land at the giant cat's paws. The feline threw his head back and howled.
"Hi de hi de ho!"
"Hi de hi de ho!" echoed the skulls.
Georgette screamed as she was pulled clear from the floor, flying backwards into a pile of half-burnt rags. Her eyes watered from dust and terror as she tried to get to her paws, clearing just in time to see the cat striding toward her.
"She lived a life of class and riches,
Got all her wants and whims and wishes,
She had a bowl made of gold and steel,
A platinum bone and a royal seal!"
The rags around Georgette suddenly sprang to life. Enormous rats squeaked in terror as they burst out of the mildewed cloth, scampering off into the dark corners of the warehouse uttering horrified squeaks. The cat twirled and pranced around the Poodle as she flailed and tore herself free of the rotting cloth, gibbering as she tore across the warehouse only to be confronted by a wall of slack-jawed skeletons reaching for her. She fell on her haunches as she slid to a stop, just barely avoiding their claws. She whirled around to see the cat grinning sardonically as he shrieked with the chorus in tow.
"Oh skip dat dip dad diddy doo!" (Oh skip dat dip dad diddy doo!)
"Skibby dip de dedopdodoh!" (Skibby dip de dedopdodoh!)
"Oh dat dat dat daddy o!" (Oh dat dat dat daddy o!)
"Hi de hi de ho!" (Hi de hi de ho!)
Georgette moaned in despair as she dashed forward, the sound of skeletal paws clacking on the floor only inches behind her. The demonic cat smirked as she neared him, his corkscrewed whiskers twitching as his tail shot out in her path and wrapped around her paw. She howled and thrashed, yanking and twisting in a futile attempt to free herself.
"Suitors would beg for her paw in marriage,
Each one she met she'd always disparage,
She had their hearts, and they had her pity,
She was the cruelest dog in all New York City!"
The cat began to pull her closer, his grin widening to an impossible degree. Georgette whimpered and wailed as she was dragged toward the ghostly feline, trembling as she heard the clattering bones of the skeletons encircling her, closing in and clacking their jaws in ragged laughter. The cat jeered another chorus as he seemed to tower higher and higher over the show dog.
"Oh ho de ho de ho!" (Oh ho de ho de ho!)
"Hiiii de hi de hi!" (Hiiii de hi de hi!)
"WHOOOAAAAAAA~!" The beast suddenly lunged forward and howled in the Poodle's face, his eyes rolling wildly in their sockets as Georgette felt dozens of claws clamp onto her coat. The purebred uttered a bloodcurdling scream.
"AAAAAAAAAUUGHHH!"
The cat simply gave her a sinister wink and crooned softly.
"Hi de hi de ho~"
"Hi de hi de ho!" replied the horde as lifted Georgette from the ground, hauling her on her back like she was a coffin. The Poodle kicked and squirmed, fighting with everything she had left, but it was no use. She hollered and pleaded, but her cries fell on deaf ears. The ghouls began a solemn march toward the middle of the room as the song came to a close, the giant cat finishing in a final yowl.
"Poor girl,
Poor girl,
Poor~ girl~!"
Georgette paused in her mad attempts to free herself from the skeletons as she saw where they were heading. There was a long, deep, crooked crack in the pavement. It was wide enough for a human to pass through, and a large human at that. A terrible realization shook through the Poodle as the undead felines approached it, piercing her to her very core. She redoubled her efforts to free herself, swinging her paws at skulls and howling at the top of her lungs. The skeletons stumbled as she thrashed her body from side to side, but their needle-sharp claws remained locked tight in her fur. The gash seemed to yawn wider before her tearful eyes; a deep, black pit that stretched into a jagged mouth.
There was a sudden thrum from across the warehouse. The skeletons paused, their vertebrae creaking as their skulls faced the base drum that covered the entryway. It shook and rattled again before flying forward; tipping onto the concrete with a hollow thump that stirred up a cloud of dust. Georgette stared as it settled; giving her a glimpse of five shapes rushing in through the hole and clustering together. The corners of her mouth dared to twitch into something of a smile as she recognized them. Einstein stood protectively over his friends, his gentleness turned into fierceness. The broad-shouldered Francis, normally civil and eloquent, bared his teeth in a savage snarl. Rita's eyes gleamed dangerously as she crouched low to the ground, ready to leap at any given moment. Dodger stood beside her, muzzle drawn into a toothy sneer. And standing between Rita and Dodger was Tito, his jaws clamped tight around the end of a pink leash.
"Hey Gatos!" bellowed the Chihuahua as he narrowed his eyes, "Get away from my woman!"
"Alonzo!" cried Georgette as she began struggling with renewed energy. Her ghoulish captors suddenly lurched to life again, rattling as they charged at the newcomers in a frenzy of teeth and claws. The Poodle found herself being dragged away by the ones that carried her, watching in horror as the horde crashed against Dodger's pack like a wave breaking over a rock. Bones flew everywhere as the dogs erupted into battle, their barking rising over the cats' yowls and snarls. Georgette squirmed and shook herself as the racket grew louder, the mere chance that she might be rescued giving her strength she'd thought she'd already spent.
Einstein kicked in great big arcs, sending two down at a time. Francis chomped on skulls and legs and tore them from their owners, spitting them out with what looked like revulsion. Rita dashed and dipped with a dancer's grace, her silky fur trailing behind her as she snapped her jaws and plucked her opponents to bits. Dodger clamped his teeth around ribs and legs, shaking the creatures wildly back and forth. The Poodle looked around for Tito. She heard the Chihuahua yipping wildly, catching glimpses of him amid the horde cracking her leash like a whip; skulls flying from crooked necks with every ireful lash.
Georgette watched with a growing sense of shame and guilt as the dogs fought against the charred felines. After how she'd treated them; after all the horrible things she'd said right to their faces, they'd shown up ready to fight for her. Even Tito, who she'd been the cruelest to, was taking on creatures almost twice his size to save her. The Poodle couldn't honestly say she'd do the same were she in their position, and knowing that tore her up more than anything she'd been through in the past few hours.
"Hey baby, I'm comin'!"
Four skeletons in front of Georgette suddenly had their legs knocked out from beneath by a pink leash, clattering the floor in a mess of tibias and toe bones. A grinning Chihuahua nimbly pounced from skull to skull toward the Poodle.
"Alonzo!" she cried, her heart leaping in her chest as she yanked once more at the claws that held her, "Alonzo, I'm so sorry!"
"It's alright!" replied Tito as he ducked beneath a charging ghoul's legs and tripped it.
"No, it's not!" sobbed the Poodle as she felt one of her forelegs free. With a viciousness that surprised even her, she turned and punched one of her captor's skulls across the room, "I've behaved terribly." She felt another creature grab for her free limb and instead wrenched the offender's foreleg from its socket, using it to swat and club at the skeletons.
""It'll be fine," answered Tito, the leash clenched tightly in his smile as he caught hold of an attacker's tail with the other end and yanked the creature into two, "It's all gonna be fine!"
"Ya think so?"
Both dogs felt a shudder run through their spines as they heard an oily voice pour out of a mouth lined with too many teeth. Georgette cringed as she looked over to see the monstrous cat weaving its way through the chaos of the warehouse. Smoke and cinders trailed from his body as his fur stood on end like tongues of flame; spitting sparks with every breath and leaving paw prints burnt into the floor behind him. The fierce confidence in Tito's eyes wavered as the cat bore down at him with his crooked smile. Georgette shrieked as four searing claws soared through the darkness and lashed out at Tito. The Chihuahua gritted his teeth as he ducked, gulping as he saw some of the red fur on his head fall to the floor. In a moment he was darting backwards, missing another swipe of the terrible hooked claws.
"Alonzo!" choked Georgette as her captors broke out into raspy cheering and hooting. The Poodle grimaced as Tito growled and circled the feline, suddenly cracking the leash at the creature's paws. The cat snorted and nimbly stepped to the side, catching it between the floor and his forepaw. He oozed laughter as he watched Tito throw himself backwards again and again to try and free it. The Chihuahua snarled and snorted with the courage of a dog five times his size before he dropped the leash and leapt at the cat, his small jaws latching onto the feline's elbow. His opponent yowled in annoyance as the dog thrashed from side to side, tearing wildly at something that wasn't quite fur or flesh.
Ice touched Georgette's heart as she saw the cat strike Tito with a sweeping kick from his hind leg, knocking the Chihuahua to the floor. In a split second a smoldering paw was slammed down on the canine's chest. Tito let out a wheezing gasp, coughing and spitting ash from his gums. He froze, eyes going wide as he saw the cat's other foreleg rise high up into the air, claws extended and ready to tear.
"NO!"
Before she knew what was happening, Georgette was racing forwards. The skeletons that still clung to her were clattering to bits as she bolted toward the cat, her teary eyes glowing with determination. She saw his hideous face turn toward her, mouth opening in a shower of sparks and cinders as it let out a hiss. The undeterred Poodle screamed as she rammed into his shoulder. Dust and ash flew everywhere as if she'd struck one of her powder puffs, but still she did not stop. It was only when the cat's weight suddenly vanished she came to a halt, looking down just in time to see a pair of blazing green eyes vanishing below into the cavernous pit. For a moment the Poodle simply stared down at the darkness, shocked at what she had done.
Georgette howled as she felt the ground suddenly give way beneath her, a chunk of concrete groaning as it fell away from her paws and tumbled downwards, landing somewhere at the bottom with a brittle crunch. She felt weightless for a brief second just before she began to follow suite, but something suddenly dug into her tail. The purebred yelped, her long legs scrambling for a moment before she was pulled upward. Concrete slide beneath her body as she was dragged away from the edge of the pit, and coarse and filthy as it was, she was glad it was there. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes softening at what she saw.
Tito had clamped his jaws around her tail. Dodger, likewise, had grabbed Tito's tail, and the chain continued onwards with Francis, Rita, and Einstein. Once she was pulled to safety they all let go, slouching tiredly as they looked out over the thousands of bones that littered the warehouse floor. Each one lay still now, no more alive than anything else that lay abandoned in the dust. A fatigue had set in over everyone, and for a moment they all quietly panted in the silence of the dead darkness while gazing at one another.
"…Alonzo," Georgette breathed at last as she stared down at the exhausted Chihuahua, "You saved me." She looked up at the rest of the pack and spoke with a meek quiver in her voice, "You all saved me." Her soft, guilty features were met with a wide grin from Tito.
"'Course we did," he said, "You're family, baby." He placed his diminutive paw on Georgette's own, "Nothin' will ever change that." Georgette's misty eyes glanced down at the ground. She vainly fought against the emotions that suddenly took hold of her, wanting to retain some form of dignity. She began to shiver, her sniffling growing louder and more drawn out as her eyes became wellsprings.
"I…I'm so sorry for what I said to you all!" sobbed the Poodle as she wiped at her eyes, makeup smudging and staining her paws, "I truly am! I don't deserve friends like you…" She felt another paw place itself on her shoulder and looked over at the warm, weary face of Rita.
"Aw honey, that's not true," the Saluki mix said softly, "You just got a little angry." The long-haired dog smiled, "I've called these knuckleheads worse when they get on my bad side. Just ask Dodger." Georgette turned her teary gaze to Dodger. The Terrier mutt shrugged, a familiar cocky grin returning to his muzzle.
"She ain't lyin', Champ," he laughed, "For such a pretty lady she sure does have an ugly mouth." Rita sighed and rolled her eyes.
"See what I mean?"
Georgette sniffed, eyes surrounded by mascara melted by sorrow. "So…none of you are mad at me?" she murmured.
"I'm not," Einstein shook his head, his loose jowls drawn into a placid smile.
"It would be accurate to say we'd prefer you didn't speak to us like that," Francis added as he dusted cobwebs from his shoulder, "But like Einstein, I harbor no ill feelings toward you." Georgette felt the icy sting of shame gradually lessen and looked down at the Chihuahua still holding her paw. He smiled up at her, lifting her forepaw and giving it a kiss.
"No need to ask me, baby," he said with a wink, "You know I can't stay mad at you." Georgette smiled, shedding a fresh tear as she suddenly took him up in her forelegs and hugged him tight against her chest.
"Marvelous," the Poodle said before giving Tito's cheek a smooch, "I never want to make you mad at me again." Tito grinned, dazed and giddy from the kiss. Rita and Francis watched the exchange warm smiles. Dodger held his mouth shut and choked on laughter, earning him a reproachful glanre from Rita. Einstein, however, was not watching any of them. His attention was fixed on the thick cloud of smoke rising out of the crevice.
"Hey guys…"
Everyone glanced to the Great Dane, and then followed his rigid gaze to the swirling, billowing mass of smoke that whispered its way up in a twisted column towards the ceiling. They winced as two bursts of blinding green exploded like ancient camera bulbs from within the pillar, raging out of control like twin oil fires. The smoke took shape around them, building wispy ears and a wavering face, an unsteady head that left bits of itself behind as it turned to focus on the floor with its lighthouse eyes. An immense mouth stretched opened and howled like a roaring blaze.
"HI DE HI DE HO!"
At once the floor became clouded with ash as bones began to roll over its charcoal dunes, bouncing back to their siblings. Skulls chattered noisily on their sides as spines slithered and centipede-crawled with odd-numbered ribs. Half-made limbs stood up and hopped back into sockets while claws and toes popped together like magnets.
"I recommend we vacate the premises immediately," suggested Francis. The words were hardly out of his mouth before he and the other canines were scrambling to the hole in the wall, Tito still clinging to Georgette's neck as she raced over scuttling ribcages and tooth-gnashing skulls. Rita yelped as unfinished clawed limbs sprang up and made grabs for her silken fur. One by one the dogs flew through the aperture, the lifeless, dusty air pumping out of their lungs and being replaced with the freezing moisture of thunderstorm dampness.
Six soggy shapes dragged themselves through the sidewalks of a waterlogged street, heads bowed and panting with exhaustion. Though every few seconds they glanced behind them for rattling, dismembered skeletons crawling after them through murky puddles, it seemed nothing had pursued them out of the warehouse. The more they distanced themselves from that infernal tomb of the vengeful dead, the more the terror left their bodies, taking their energy along with it.
"There was something…" Georgette paused and shook rain droplets from her lashes, "Something I wanted to ask you all back there." Dodger looked over his shoulder at the Poodle.
"What was it, Champ?"
"How on earth did you manage to find me?" Dodger flashed a grin and chuckled sagely.
"Well that was a very interesin' story, actually," said the Terrier Mix as he strutted along with high spirits, "We owe a lot to the big guy here. He's got a good nose on him, and we woulda got ya sooner if the storm hadn't washed out your trail." Georgette looked to Einstein, who smiled with sheepish humility,
"Your perfume smells like roses," the Great Dane murmured. Georgette blinked, slowly beginning to smile.
"It does," she said, "Or, well, it did earlier today."
"Yeah, so as luck would have it," continued Dodger, "When we lost your scent, Tito saw your leash lyin' in the road."
"I figured he did," Georgette said, looking over at the Chihuahua who proudly marched beside her, "I've been meaning to thank you for finding it."
"It was nothin', honey," Tito grinned as he splashed through a puddle, "There's no car on the road that can run me down."
"So anyways," cut in Dodger, "We got to the other side of the road, and who do we meet but Al. So we ask him if he seen ya, and he says he sent ya down to that haunted dump we found ya in." Georgette paused, raising a brow.
"Al? You mean that…thing in the drain?"
"Yeah, Al," Dodger confirmed casually, "Poor guy got flushed down there years ago. So we followed his directions to the warehouse, but got in a bit of trouble with a dog gang on the way there." Georgette felt a chill in her bones as a memory of ragged teeth and scarred jowls flashed before her eyes.
"That one-eyed creep and his thugs almost killed me!" she gulped, "How did you get past him?"
"That would be my doing," said Francis, his broad mouth spreading into a smile, "I used my theatrical expertise to convince the brutes we members of a much larger, fiercer gang, that would be moving into the area, and with some encouragement from Rita and Einstein, they fled the block."
"And after that, we found the warehouse, busted in, beat up some skeletons, and rescued you," Dodger finished, "And, might I add, got you home."
Georgette blinked in surprise as she saw a familiar wrought iron fence, recognition firing in her brain and turning to delight. The Poodle donned a joyful smile as she looked beyond the mist-speckled ironwork to the enormous house that it encircled. She could hardly keep herself from bolting to the door and barking until Winston answered. But instead she quietly turned around, smiling at every one of the dogs who she now appreciated more than ever.
"I want to thank all of you again," she said, "For everything you've done for me." She smiled sheepishly, "And, if you have the time, maybe you could stop by tomorrow? Oliver would like to see you all, and I'm sure you could tell the story better than I can."
"Hey, Absotively posilutely," Dodger grinned, "We all miss the little guy too." Georgette nodded before glancing down at Tito.
"Alonzo," she said, "Do you think you could give me some more dancing lessons?" The Chihuahua's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Sure thing," he yipped, his tail wagging wildly, "Maybe we could start with a Meringue?" Georgette beamed warmly as she regarded him.
"That sounds perfect." She leaned down and planted a kiss on his muzzle.