Chapter 6:

Her claws scraped the sides of the icy tunnel and it froze her paw pads. Sandy felt a cold breeze from behind. She could still hear Dr. Blowhole's cackling echoing in the tube. It was slightly unnerving. She had never expected to be surrounded by lobsters, shoved in a cage, and pushed down an icy pipe by a psycho dolphin. It wasn't exactly the most normal thing ever.

But here she was, just hanging by the tips of her claws hoping she wouldn't fall. If she did, she would face freezing temperatures in a concrete room with slim chances of escape. She could feel the icy feeling nipping at her nose now. Sandy was becoming weak because of how cold it was. Her thick coat helped, but the basement was at least below six degrees.

There wasn't much time. She had to make a choice. To fall and freeze to death or fight her way up, maybe live, and be chased around by a psychopath. Sandy decided to take her chances with the psycho.

Sandy began to slip, which gave her an extra rush of adrenaline that made her mind up for her. Her claws dug into the ice as far as they could go and she pushed up. The force of her push was so powerful she flew through the top of the tube and out the door flap.

She went feet first, smacking Blowhole in the face with her paws. He flinched as the kick hit him square in the jaw. He glared at her with a new boiling fury.

"You?! How did you escape?!" Dr. Blowhole asked.

"Duh, I'm a lynx. What do you think?" Sandy said.

"I think you need to go to the pound!" Blowhole lunged for Sandy, but her smaller stature allowed her to move out of the way.

He pursued Sandy on his little segway, but she was faster. She ran up and along the rocky damp wall and jumped to the center of the room. He began to follow her but she still dodged him. But Sandy started to run out of breath, and she slowed.

"Heh, heh, heh… I've got you now." Dr. Blowhole said, noticing that Sandy was tiring. He sped up.

Sandy kept trying to move faster but she couldn't. She needed help.

Sandy moved as fast as her tired body could to the penguin's prison cell. She unsheathed a claw and picked the lock to the cage. The penguins opened the door and jumped out into different fighting poses.

"This ends now, Blowhole!" Skipper said.

"Hey, I didn't get a P.H.D. at the University of Diabolical World Domination to be called Mr. Blowhole!" Dr. Blowhole shot back angrily.

"Talking is boring, let's go, blubber butt!" Sandy yelled.

"Ouch," Rico commented.

Skipper leaped first, ready for a battle. He pushed Dr. Blowhole off of his segway, punching his face with every chance he got. They tussled while Sandy, Kowalski, Private, and Rico fought off the lobsters who tried to interfere. Sandy swung her massive snow-shoe paws with tremendous power, leaving her foes falling like dominoes. They were still conscious, but were afraid to get hit again.

Sandy looked to the huge battle between Skipper and Dr. Blowhole. They were evenly matched. Sandy's whiskers quivered with excitement at watching the two brawling it out, accidentally tumbling into lobsters. They didn't seem to notice, though, sucked up in their own battle.

Sandy watched, content with this fun show, until the tumbling twosome were coming her way! She dived for safety to her left, but was hit. She watched as Dr. Blowhole took this opportunity ti grab Skipper by his flippers and throws him across the room. Skipper hit the hard rock wall and fell to the stone floor. Sandy rushed to his side and checked on him. He was all right, but he was hurt. She turned her head in pain and her eyes closed tightly. A low growl trembled from her throat as anger flooded from her heart and through her body. Her blood ran cold.

When Sandy opened her eyes, they glow green and amber. She slowly turned her head to the guy who had once been laughing in triumph. But all was still now, realizing how mad she was. She stared deeply into his eyes, but all she could see was evil. Sandy felt her claws unsheathe without warning, and she leaped into mid-air. She felt her paws land on him first, pushing him down. He hit the ground hard, getting the wind knocked out of him. Sandy had attacked with full power and was now huffing and puffing, staring into the pathetic dolphin's eyes that were ablaze with fear.

She eyed him with a cold heart, feeling anger from her paws to the fluffy tips of her ears. Sandy felt slight pit huffing and puffing, staring into the pathetic dolphin's eyes that were ablaze with fear.

She eyed him with a cold heart, feeling anger from her paws to the fluffy tips of her ears. Sandy felt slight pity, but then again, she was hurt. Sandy stopped growling and sheathed her claws, but got in Blowhole's face, eye to eye and hissed. "I'm not going to kill you, but I leave you with a warning. Don't you dare let me catch you hurting my friends again!"

She hopped off of him and started to walk away. Then she heard a rumbling noise coming from above. Sandy turned and looked up. A deep voice echoed through the cave.

"Self-Destruct in 15 seconds. 15, 14, 13, 12…" It started counting down. Sandy watched as an escape hatch opened and Blowhole flew through.

"See you later, Pen-gyu- ins!" The devious dolphin said.

Sandy felt panic run through her. She looked to Skipper, who was still unconscious on the floor. Pieces of debris and rock fell down like hail. They had to make it out somehow. Sandy suddenly took charge and yelled at the penguin lieutenant.

"Kowalski, options!" She always wanted to say that.

"I suggest the tactical retreat and escape through that huge hole in the ceiling." Kowalski pointed to the escape hatch that Dr. Blowhole had forgotten to close.

"Duh," Sandy said to herself, "I should've thought of that!"

They jumped up the rubble, Rico carrying Skipper. Although it made it harder for him, Rico didn't care. He carried and anchor in his stomach for Pete's sake! They only had five seconds left as they finally got to the top. Then they belly-slid like crazy down the side of the rock formation, with Sandy on Kowalski's back.

Back at the zoo, Skipper was laid in the bottom bunk at penguin HQ. When he finally woke up, he looked around vigorously and spotted his team doing what they normally do. Sandy was there too playing cards with Rico, Private and Kowalski. She slammed down the deck of cards and took the pile of fish that was in the center of the table.

"Sorry, boys, looks like I win!" Sandy said triumphantly.

"Aww…" the three commandos said simultaneously.

"We'll get you next time!" Private said happily.

Rico looked over to the bunks and saw Skipper sitting up in his bunk. He pointed, waved his flipper and called to the others. They finally turned around and realized that Skipper was awake.

"Well, if it isn't sleeping beauty!" Sandy joked.

Skipper sat and rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the floor. He felt a pang of guilt about the way he had treated Sandy before.

"I uh, want to thank you for…saving my team. And me." He sputtered.

"No problem," Sandy said proudly.

"In fact," Skipper stood up and puffed out his chest, "I'd like to give you a metal for your honorable actions today. In fact, you are now an honorary soldier!"

Rico coughed up a golden Olympic metal he had found who knows where and swallowed. It was slimy and sort of gross, but Sandy was too proud to care. She puffed out her chest and saluted.

"Thank you, sir!" She giggled.

They all watched T.V. together, ate popcorn, and played cards together. But soon it was time for Sandy to leave for her next zoo. It was afternoon, same as time as when they had met. The sky was orange, and the sun was low in the sky. Sandy was in the crate she had come in, and chatted with the penguins and Marlene.

"I'll miss you guys." She said at the verge of tears.

"Oh, don't worry, Sandy. You'll probably end up back here. Besides, you can always visit." Marlene said. She was about to cry too.

"Right. And besides, wherever you end up, we can always find you and stop for a game of cards or something." Skipper said.

"Find me?" Sandy pondered. "Um well, if you ever need a back-up soldier you can count on me!" Sandy said, shaking the 'find me' remark away.

They laughed until the truck's engine started and pulled away.

The five zoosters waved good-bye as the truck disappeared from view. Sandy waved good-bye too, and then closed the lid on her crate.

Whew! The last chapter is finished! I had fun, and I hope you enjoy reading it! You're a wonderful audience and I thank you for your support!

-Kittypig ;D