Alrighty here's part two. Hello to everyone still reading! We're going to be seeing more of Annette's view in the story, of course, as well as Collette and Angel. Happy reading!

"Did you call the pound?"

"Yes. They haven't seen her."

"Oh...Jim..."

"Now, now. Don't fret, Darling. I'll have some notices posted around town. She won't be missing much longer. We'll find her."

Missing

The syllable struck Collette's heart like a long nail, driving into her already aching chest. She lowered her head in sadness, her face was burning. Shame caused the heat, not the blaze in the fireplace of the living other five dogs in the home, who were watching the conversation between their masters unfold, did the same. It had been four days since the family had seen their beloved sister, friend, and daughter, Annette.

Collette, who's long brown ears were uncharacteristically drooping, thought back to the last time she had seen her sister, one week ago today. She'd turned a blind eye to her identical sister's tears, her plea for forgiveness, and the hurt look on her face. Collette heard a tiny whine beside her, and felt Danielle shift closer.

"She's not comin' back, is she?" The deeper voiced sister mumbled. Collette quickly turned to look at her sibling. The cocker spaniel mix's eyes were on the verge of flooding over. Collette could harldy bear the sight. She had taken it upon herself at a very young age to protect Danielle. Perhaps she should have done the same with both of her sisters.

Collette tore her gaze away from Danielle, only to find her eyes passing over the rest of her family. She was nearly weighed down with guilt and grief at the sight.

Her mother and father were leaned into each other, seemingly unable to hold theirselves up alone. The beautiful Lady looked like a fallen queen in her sadness. She was crying quietly, face buried and hidden in Tramp's shoulder. Her long, luxuriously soft brown ears seemed to have lost their luster, she had spent many hours grieving over the loss of her daughter. She looked old.

And as Lady looked like a fallen queen, the Tramp looked as much as she did, a king who had been struck down at his highest point in life, his kingdom and everything he loved stripped from his grasp. His eyes were closed and his dark brow was furrowed tightly. He was trying not to cry himself. This would be the second time the parents would be searching endlessly for a child.

Not far from them sat Collette's brother, identical to their father. Scamp was for once not his hyper self, he was struggling to hold back his tears, and beside him, his girlfriend, the golden furred Angel, was watching him sadly. Angel hadn't been in the household for long, but she and Annette had become fast friends. Collette often found herself jealous that her sister would share her secrets with this dog, who was practically a stranger to anyone but Scamp.

Tramp spoke up after a while, responding to Danielle's question to Collette. His voice was raw and tired. Both of the spaniel sisters turned their heads to see their father.

"We'll find her, Danielle. They humans have ol' Trusty coming over. You know he'll track her down." The Tramp took a deep breath after he was finished speaking. He was aging faster than Collette had ever thought possible. The tall, grey dog had streaks of white through his muzzle and brow. His eyes were dull and watery. The canine's years were being sapped away in every day that his daughter was gone.

Collette had seen this before, when Scamp had run away from home. She had watched her father put on a brave face and throw himself into looking for his lost pup. He was unable to hide his weakened muscles, drifting, dull eyes, or sad, tightened voice from anyone though.

Lady sniffed and blinked her tears away. She looked up at her mate hopefully, with the other dogs, who's attention had been grabbed by Trusty's name. By now, the ancient Bloodhound's nose was legendary, as well as the doubts that anyone had ever had about him. He had stopped Tramp from being killed long ago, in tracking him down to be rescued. When Scamp disappeared, it was Trusty who had tracked him through town, hardly stopping to rest, for days until the young dog resurfaced. Everyone knew that Scamp was somewhere alive and healthy thanks to the Bloodhound.

If anyone could find Annette, it was this dog. Lady spoke this hope aloud.

"Trusty will find her." She rasped. "Trusty is a wonderful tracker."

"When is he coming?" Scamp asked his father.

"Is he bringing the humans?" Angel asked around Scamp.

"He is. Tonight." Tramp nodded. "They'll find her. Annette will be home before we know it." He sighed, and then excused himself from the living room where everyone was sitting. Lady followed him out, looking concerned.

Scamp nudged Angel and stood as well.

"I'll go wait outside for Trusty." He said. "Come with me." He probably didn't mean to sound so bossy. Scamp wasn't much of a thinker when it came to what popped out of his mouth. Angel understood though, that he was simply inviting her to tag along.

"Okay." She said in her sweet, practical voice. She and Scamp disappeared into the kitchen, heading quietly for the dog door. Only Jim Dear, Darling, Collete and Danielle remained.

The two humans were silent now, Jim was staring blankly at his cup of cooling coffee, as if he was deep in thought. Darling was rocking a sleeping Junior and humming gently to him. He had cried himself to sleep long ago. His 'Annie' was gone.

Danielle whined again. Collette pressed herself comfortingly against her sister and crooned, "It'll be okay, Danielle. We'll find her." She didn't know this for sure herself, but she had to quell her guilt somehow. She couldn't help but feel that she was the reason her sister was missing. Collette closed her eyes and hoped fervently that Annette's reason for leaving wasn't because of her.

"I miss her, Collette." Danielle said pitifully. "Where did she go? Where is our sister?" She turned her sorrowful brown eyes on Collete. "I want Annette."

Collette nuzzled Danielle's brown furred cheek softly. She had always known that Danielle wasn't as quick witted as the rest of her litter. She was slow to think, quick to trip over her paws, and as pups, she would get lost easily, even toddling away from their mother's side. As the pups grew, Collette had become a sort of guardian of Danielle, watching over her. Danielle was her best friend. She didn't like seeing her sister so incredibly sad. It made the guilt burn brighter.

"Why don't you go have a nap, Danielle?" She suggested gently. Danielle started to protest, but Collette cut her off. "Go have a nap, sister. We need to be fresh for tonight. You want to stay up and wait for Trusty, don't you?" Danielle closed her mouth, furrowed her brow, and nodded slowly. She wasn't one to dispute Collette.

Collette walked beside her sister to the spare room where their shared bed was. Even it left a dull ache in her heart. There was room in the bed for all three of the sisters. It had been brought home special for them, Jim Dear had ordered it when they were only pups.

As the two dogs walked across the checkered tile floor to their bed, Collette thought back to the day Jim had given it to them.

'Here, pooches!' The tall man made kissy noises behind his mustache. Collette was huddled with Annette, Scamp, and Danielle at their mother's tan colored paws. They all peered across the floor curiously at Jim.

'Go on.' She said softly. Danielle looked up at Lady, who nudged her forward.

'Jim Dear has a present for you.' She told them, while their father looked on proudly.

The pups were small. And that was a long walk. Scamp was the first to take a few brave steps forward. He turned around to give his sisters a proud look, as though saying, 'I'm braver than you girls!'

Annette, who didn't want to be one-upped by her brother, stumbled after him. She was always the independant one. Collette could see this, looking back.

'Come on!' Annette squeaked, repeating Lady. 'Jim Dear has a present for us.' And with that, she and Scamp ventured further out across the floor, to the doorway of the spare room, which the man held open with a smile.

Collette and Danielle looked at each other with wide eyes. Should they go? Danielle was the deciding factor. She took off in a goofy run, only to lose her footing and fall on her face. She looked like she was ready to cry.

Collette nudged her sister, determinded then not to let her go alone. She helped Danielle to her feet, and the two, with their proud parents still watching, followed their siblings into the spare room.

When the pups were all together in the room, expectantly and curiously craning their little necks to look at Jim Dear, the man bent down to their level, and scooped them all up in his very large, very strong hands. Or maybe they just seemed that way to the puppies.

'Whoa!' Danielle belted.

'Don't drop us, please!' Annette squeaked.

'We're going to die!' Collette called out.

'This is so cool!' Scamp laughed.

Danielle, Collette, and Annette were now clinging to the man's arms for dear life. Scamp was leaned over as far as he could, trying to see the world from this high vantage point. He was the first to spot the surprise.

'Hey look!' He said to his sisters. 'Boxes!'

Boxes?

'Not boxes.' Annette called. 'Beds, for us!'

Collette dared a peek, and grabbed hold of Danielle in the process, for fear that the clumsy pup would topple right out of Jim's arms.

Beds. Like grown up dogs.

Jim Dear took great, long strides, shoes clicking and clacking along the floor. He first deposited Scamp into one of the beds, a shallow wooden thing with his name painted in blue across the front. The grey puppy rolled over and growled at the man.

"That's right, wild dogs don't share with girls! He yipped.

Annette, Collette, and Danielle were dropped carefully into the next bed, right next to Scamp's. It was a comfortable brown basket that was far too big for them.

'Room to grow.' Jim Dear explained cheerfully as he ruffled Danielle's ears. She frantically licked his hand as many times as she could before he pulled it away.

The three pups popped up over the edge of the basket to see Scamp perched at the edge of his bed, front paws on the wooden frame. He was trying to howl.

'Yeowch!' Danielle yelped.

'I think there's prickles in his bed!' Annette whined.

'Scamp, hush it!' Collette demanded.

Scamp was grinning hugely.

'Nope, I got my own bed, and I can howl in it all I want, and you girls gotta stay out.' He screeched another howl. The girls covered their ears.

'Well that's okay, 'cause we got a bed too! And you can't come in ours. We're sticking together. Right?' Annette said to Scamp, and then addressed her sisters. There was a chorus of 'rights'

And they did.

As they reached the basket, and Collete drifted back to the present, she nudged her sister, who climbed in and settled down. She lay curled up, with her head on her paws. Collette wished her a good night and left her like that, hoping that she would rest through this sad time.

The cocker mix pushed her way out of the room by nudging the door aside. She squeezed through and trotted back to the living room, intending to wait for the night's events there.

She passed the tall stairway and stopped beside it, tilting her head. Sound floated down the stairs like sad music. Her parents were talking to each other at the stained glass window.

"I just think I should have looked into it further." The Tramp was saying. Collette couldn't see her father, but she imagined him as she had seen him last, head drooping, eyes lowered, looking utterly defeated.

She heard her mother answer him.

"Tramp...I don't think Annette would run away. Not even if she does love this dog."

"But we don't know him! We don't know if that stray has gotten her in trouble. That butcher, you told me that butcher accused Annette of stealing from his cans." Tramp protested before his mate could go on. "Kilian is a stray, he's built for the life of one. Annette is not. She could be in danger. I'm worried about her, Pidge." Collette had to strain to hear this last bit. The Tramp had lowered his breaking voice to a near whisper.

"We have hope on our side." Lady comforted. "And love. We'll bring her home." Tramp sighed, but Lady went on after a brief pause. "I miss her."

"I do too, Pidge." Tramp said quietly. "I hope, wherever she is, Kilian is watching over her." The talk ended there, and the only sound left was the two dogs shuffling closer to each other for support.

Collette's guilt burned slowly into a hot rage. She concluded at that moment that it was not her fault that her sister was gone. Why would it be? Annette was the one that lied. Annette was the one that was gone, leaving everyone in tears. And for what? The lie. The dog that Collette had told herself, after meeting, that she was destined to live happily ever after with, only to discover that her identical sister had claimed his love.

Collette gritted and gnashed her teeth. She was angry. Why had she felt such shame for making her sister leave? It wasn't her fault. She'd been guilty and sad for days, watching her loved ones suffer. Annette was gone, but Collette hadn't told her to go! The mixed breed concluded that Annette was better off with that mutt Kilian, wherever they were.

The change of heart had come across Collette so suddenly that it left her almost breathless. She was boiling hot under her fur, and her eyes were stinging with the tears of an oncoming temper tantrum instead of sadness.

Her anger was directed not only at Annette, but at the brown spotted terrier cross as well. Kilian had no interest in even speaking to her, all he wanted was her sister. That was made clear with the two sneaking off together at night, and now, running away. Yes. They must have run away together.

Good riddance.

Angel was sitting on the front porch with Scamp, waiting for Trusty. The two were close together, protecting each other absentmindedly from the cold, early night's air. Angel could hardly see Scamp in the semi darkness. Scamp kept putting one of his big grey paws on top of Angel's small golden ones, making a game out of her trying to top his.

They talked quietly as they played.

"Where do you think she could be?" Scamp asked, firmly placing his paw over Angel's. She wiggled hers away.

"Somewhere with Kilian. I don't think she wanted to go." Angel couldn't see the sweet little mixed breed running away. She had been gaining a strong independent streak, but she was still very much like her sisters in a lot of ways. She was too delicate to make the leap from pet to runaway stray.

Scamp stretched his paw out , attempting to catch Angel's. Even as he played with her, he looked dispondent and sad. He was worried about his sister.

"At least she's with a street dog. She's got somebody to protect her." He said finally. Angel couldn't bear to see her best friend sad like this. She made a weak attempt to kick him out of it with a joke.

"Like I did with you, Tenderfoot?" She teased, using the old nickname she had given him on the streets. He gave her a crooked smile and shoved her with a paw. It had worked. She'd at least gotten a smile out of him.

Angel tried harder. She shook off a nagging feeling that was directed at Annette, and thoughts of her, and backed away from Scamp. The lightfooted golden dog did a delicate little spin and landed on all fours with her fluffy tail in her mouth.

Scamp shook his head and snorted.

"I dunno how you do that." He said. Angel let go of her tail and gave Scamp a flirty smile. Was it working? Had she distracted him?

"Let me try." He said, bringing old memories flooding over Angel. She grinned. It had worked. Scamp crouched playfully and gave a little growl. Instead of grasping for his own tail though, he pounced on Angel's, making her yelp. It had startled her.

"Scamp!"

The scruffy grey dog growled again and gently shook his head, treating Angel's tail like a toy. She reared one of her hind legs back and planted it in Scamp's forehead.

"Hey!" He growled.

"Hey yourself! That's my tail, you big baby." Angel said. She pushed Scamp away with her paw. He released her tail and crouched, preparing to attack her. She couldn't make out the features of his face in the dark.

Angel backed up, ready to counter the attack. She heard Scamp growl and saw him take a step forward. Right...about...now.

She leaped for Scamp at the same moment he bowled into her. A brief scuffle ensued. She grabbed one of his big ears in her teeth and tugged on it. Scamp pushed her face away and laughed.

"What was that for?"

"Payback!" Angel grumbled through his ear. In the next moment, she was on her back,she'd lost hold of the ear, and the slightly bigger dog had her pinned. She was close enough to see the grin on Scamp's face now.

"Hey." Scamp said softly. He looked as though he was surprised to find himself standing over her. His ears were flopped into his face, but Angel could see his eyes. They were sad, but sparkling.

"Hey." Angel responded. Scamp leaned down to lick her muzzle. She shivered and closed her eyes. It felt nice.

"You were trying to distract me." He muttered a second later.

Angel, who was already blushing, felt herself grow a little hotter.

"I didn't do a very good job, did I?" She laughed dizzily. Her head was spinning and her heart was fluttering endlessly. She was the one being distracted at the moment.

Scamp didn't have time to respond. A thick Scottish accent was cutting sharply through the crisp air.

"Ach! You chil'ren, off with ye! Off o' her, Scamp, it's ah good thing ol' Jock arrived, eye?"

Scamp closed his eyes and groaned.

"Hello Uncle Jock." He drawled. Angel would have laughed if she wasn't embarrassed beyond reason.

"I said off o' her, m'boy, that means, off!" The old dog scolded sternly, kicking his legs and scooting towards the pair. Scamp backed off of Angel, allowing her to roll over and sit up. She ducked her head, not wanting to make eye contact with the old dog.

"Chil'ren today, eye! Scamp! Do 'yer parents know you two are...are...makin' flibbety flabbety on the front step, eye?" Jock spat.

Scamp's dark eyebrows flew high.

"Making what?" He choked.

"Ach, nevermind then, ya daft pup! Don' let me catch ye' lurkin' about in the dark with a good lady, no more." He finished his sentence with a loud snort.

Angel finally raised her head to look at the Scottish Terrier. His thick brow was set down over his eyes, giving him a mean appearance. He had a large mustache around his muzzle. One lip was curled slightly in his fuss. The shaggy black dog was wearing a green knit sweater.

Scamp let out a gusty sigh. There was no disputing Jock. He instead changed the subject.

"So...Uncle Jock." He began, somewhat sheepishly. "Did you bring Uncle Trusty with you?"

"Sure did, man! We're to set off after speakin' with yer' parents regarding that sister o' yours."

"Oh, helloooo!" A bellowing voice rang out. "Hello!" It was old Trusty. The skinny, lanky bloodhound came striding through the front gate at the side of an elderly gentlemen. It was Trusty's master, the retired sheriff. He had short, silver hair and a weathered face, nearly as brown as his dog's coat. He wore heavy black boots on his feet that clunked loudly when he walked.

"Hey Uncle Trusty!" Scamp called out.

"Hello!" Angel echoed shyly. She was relieved to have something to turn her attention to. Jock's loud, stern lecturing was enough to drive any dog up the wall.

Trusty and Sheriff reached the steps and made their way onto the porch, where the bloodhound swung his large head around to give the dogs a genuine, happy-to-see-them smile.

"Why hello, youngsters." He said slowly. He had a heavy southern accent that pleasantly stretched his every word. The front door then swung open to reveal Jim Dear, who shook Sheriff's hand and greeted him warmly.

"Good evening, Sheriff." He said.

"Good evening, I do say, it is a fine, cold winter's night isn't it?" Sheriff mused. His voice was deep and creaky. He had the same accent his dog had.

"Yes...it is. Would you like to come inside?" Jim offered.

"I'll take ya up on that offer, I say, but I won't be stayin' no longer than a few blinks of an eye." The man announced to Jim Dear.

Jim bent slightly to pet Trusty's head when everyone had filed into the warm living room , one by one.

"

"Hello, old boy." Jim Dear said, bending to pet Trusty's bony head. "Are you gonna help us find our little girl?"

Trusty swung his big, lanky body back and forth in a sort of old dog's tail wag. He gave a deep woof and shoved his enormous black nose into Jim's chest.

"Oh!" Jim Dear chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. Good boy. You are a good boy." He stood straight when Sheriff addressed him.

"Now, son, listen here. Ol' Trusty might be a creaky thing, but he's got a nose on him. You give him a scent to catch onto. He'll track it right out the door." The man said. Trusty beamed proudly.

"Just alike those two are." Jock raised his eyes to the heavens. "As alike as a pair of peas."

"Yes sir, I'll take good care of the old boy tonight, you can have my word. And thank you." Jim responded.

Darling had arrived now, without Junior. She must have put the toddler to bed, Angel thought.

"We do appreciate it. Thank you most kindly." The softspoken woman smiled.

Sheriff shook his head.

"No need to thank me. Good luck to all of ya! And good night." He said, tipping his hat.

His last words before leaving were to his dog.

"Go get 'em, make yer gran'pappy proud."

There were few people out that night, but those that passed the odd procession of man and dogs had to look twice. Scamp and Angel scurried and weaved along under Trusty's big feet as he stuffled deeply along the ground. Jim Dear strode behind the tracking dog as fast as he could. They had traveled from Snob Hill, as Angel called it, through the streets, stopping many times as Trusty caught hold of Annette's faint scent, and then lost it again. By this time, the group had reached the park, which was seemingly void of life. It was eerily quiet. Angel shivered at a blast of icy wind. She was grateful that she had a family to spend the cold winter nights with, in the warmth of the Victorian style house.

She remembered all too well how it felt to have no place to go in bad, or even dangerous weather.

Tramp limped quickly at Jim's heel. He had insisted on coming. Even Lady had tried to stop him, to no avail. If his daughter was found tonight, he was going to be there. Lady trotted beside her mate, watching over him. If he wobbled, she was there to support him. When he slowed, she slowed with him. The devotion in her eyes was striking, Angel mused.

"I got her scent, I got her scent, by jove, I got her scent!" Trusty exclaimed, and then threw back his head to give a bone chilling howl.

"Come on, then!" Tramp called out as everyone chased Trusty through the snowy park.

The snow reached Angel's belly in places. She plunged through it, growing colder and more exhausted by the minute. But Trusty was on Annette's trail. A spark of hope was flaring not only in Angel's chest, but in her family's eyes as well.

They crossed the entire stretch of park, past the thinly frozen lake, across dirt trails, and finally reached a dead end. It was an overhang, a cliff that overlooked the entire city, and the world beyond. Angel had been here before. She knew the world outside of her new home all too well.

Trusty was frantically nosing around in the snow. Jim Dear offered him the little red blanket of Annette's, which her scent clung to. Trusty declined to sniff it. He was concentrating hard on the frozen ground. The old Bloodhound was muttering, half to himself.

"Here she is...she's...she's with ah...two scents. One on top of the other. Annette and a young boy, her age maybe...

"Kilian?" Tramp took a step forward. His eyes were wide with worry, and a fatherly look that Angel, staring at him, couldn't decipher.

"Kilian was here with her?" He barked.

Lady, who had been gazing around the small cliffside area, snapped her head around to look at the Tramp, blinking quickly.

Tramp snorted angrily.

"The nerve of that boy! If he had half the things on his mind that-"

"Tramp." Lady said soothingly.

"I can't believe this." Tramp went on, pacing back and forth. He ran into Trusty, who gazed at him in confusion before digging his face back into the snow. "That boy had better not-"

"Tramp." Lady said again.

Jim Dear had wandered off a ways to search the surrounding area, leaving the dogs alone for the moment.

Angel and Scamp stood side by side in the snow, watching the Tramp stomp around. They glanced at each other, and Angel could see her own bewilderment in Scamp's face.

Tramp went on with his rampage.

"He'll lose the rest of that little tail if he's-"

"Tramp!" Everyone but Trusty froze in place when Lady yelled the name. No one, save the Tramp himself, had ever heard the cocker spaniel shout in anger.

Tramp's ears were pinned flat to his head. He was afraid of the angry Lady. She advanced upon him. The younger dogs hurried to evade being trampled.

"Now, see here!" She shouted. "You don't know a thing those two were doing. They might have been enjoying the view. We need to find our daughter, and you, Tramp, are of no help if you hurt yourself." Angel and Scamp were both watching open mouthed, as the spaniel scolded her mate. She was livid.

Tramp opened his mouth wide, but then closed it and lowered his head. His ears and tail drooped sadly.

"I'm sorry, Pigeon." He murmured. Lady pushed her head under Tramp's chin, speaking gently.

"Not everyone comes here for romance." She said.

"What?" Scamp nearly screeched. Angel, although as surprised as he at the comment, rolled her eyes.

Tramp gave his son a wink, and Angel thought momentarily that the younger dog was going to faint.

"More of 'em!" Trusty suddenly exclaimed, making everyone whip around. "Oh, golly!" He belted a howl. Jim Dear came trampling through the snow to reach the Bloodhound, along with the dogs.

"Smell here, oh, boy, smellin' right here. Two of 'em. Strays by the smell o' things, minglin' with the youngster's scent." He relayed what he was picking up, and then howled once more.

The excitement was almost electric. They had traced Annette and Kilian this far, and now, they had the scent of two more dogs that might possibly know where the lost dogs were. One way or the other, Annette was going to be found.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Scamp yiped. At his words, all of the dogs, who had been standing dumbstruck and happy, took off after Trusty.

Jim Dear, on his two clumsy human legs, struggled to keep up. The dogs were too eager to slow for the man though. Annette would be on the end of this trail.

The group left the park and headed down a long sidewalk, which had been shoveled of snow. Angel was relieved to run without having to fight through snowdrifts for the time being.

Trusty stopped so suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk that Angel and Scamp both ran into his legs. Tramp slowed to a stop behind the three, breathing heavily. His mouth was open wide in a hard pant. The aging dog was limping so badly now that Angel feared his front leg would collapse under him.

Lady was, of course, at his side the moment she caught him. Tramp took no notice of her.

"What's wrong, Trusty?" He breathed.

Trusty raised his big head and stared intently in the direction they had all been running only moments before. He then ducked again, sniffing deeply at a spot on the ground.

"Trusty?" Lady called. Trusty flicked one massive ear in response. His bony shoulders were hunched.

"Miss Lady, Ma'am, I am sorry." He said slowly. Angel was growing cold inside. The anticipation of finding Annette had turned up something that Trusty didn't even want to speak aloud.

"I am so very, very sorry." He repeated.

Lady was frozen in place. Fear had a tight hold on her, rendering her unable to move, even when the Tramp stepped forward to investigate.

The grey dog sniffed at the concrete, where Trusty's nose still hovered, twitching and glistening wetly.

He stumbled back, and for the first time that night, he lost his ability to stand. The Tramp crumpled to the ground like wet paper. He shuddered hard.

"Why?" He whimpered. "Why does there have to be blood?"

Part two, chapter one, down! As always, let me know what you guys thing. Goodness this chapter was fun to write. More will come soon. Something I find odd...I'm like, the only one writing LAT stories right now. I'm at the top of the list in the catagory. Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing! I love you guys, and I'm glad to see you're still here, it must mean I'm doing something right. c: