"So you're sure about this?"

Collette looked up to answer Angel's query. "Yup." She nodded. "She needs advice, whether she thinks so, or not."

Angel looked back at her. "Well, you can't force her to do something that she doesn't want."

"I know." She sighed. "But Angel, I'm worried about her." Her voice took on a softer tone as she continued. "She's been acting weird, daydreaming all the time and pretending that nothing is wrong- pretending like there's nothing at all that she wants to get off of her chest."

Angel shook her head, changing the subject. "I still can't believe that she's really right outside, in the doghouse of all places." She eyed Collette curiously. "Weren't you ever worried about her getting caught? I mean I don't know if you've noticed, but Scamp is starting to really act like his father, patrolling the house, determined to protect his family from any danger."

"Stormé isn't a danger." Collette responded bluntly.

"I'm just saying that if anyone ever caught her, things might get a little hostile."

"And that's why we never really left the doghouse together. Too risky." Collette stood up, getting impatient of waiting. "The first time I met her, I almost told my dad, but chose not to when I thought that she could possibly hurt him." She turned around, starting to walk off and hearing Angel start to follow. "But when I saw how peaceful she looked, I realized that it was him who could hurt her." She paused momentarily in the kitchen. "That's why I've mostly kept her a secret- that and her own shyness."

"Mmm." Angel nodded slowly in understanding. "Yet you chose to tell me about her? And you're letting me meet her?"

Collette gave her a serious look. "I trust you Angel. And you know better than anyone what Stormé has gone through."

"Wow."

"What?"

"No." Angel mused. "It's just that, no offense, but usually something like that would sound a little prissy coming from you."

Collette smirked. "I guess somethings really do change." She gestured her head towards the dog door. "Now c'mon let's get going."

As they made the quick trek towards the doghouse, Collette mentally prepared herself for the situation that was about to unfold. She figured that Stormé would immediately be panicked by the sight of another dog. Luckily Angel was calm-headed, so dealing with Stormés' stubbornness and getting the two chatting should be a fairly easy task. She knew that this was not something Stormé would be happy about, but would come to welcome once she actually got to know Angel. They both knew what it was like to live on the streets, both had run away from a home once. She figured that at the very least, Stormé would be able to speak her mind on whatever had been bothering her as of late. It certainly had nothing to do with food, water or cleanliness- she ensured that all that was as good as it could possibly be.

When they reached the doghouse, she spoke again with Angel. "You just wait out here a moment, while I get her, okay?"

Angel gave an affirmative nod as Collette walked into the dark doghouse.

"I hope you'll know that this is for the best Stormé. I hope you'll know why..."

Shock widened Collette's eyes.

For the first time in the past week Stormé was not curled up in the far right corner of the doghouse waiting for her. "Maybe she just needed...no! She would never leave! Not without telling me, or...or..." She trailed off as panic took over.

The second that she stepped out of the doghouse, the events that followed came out as nothing more than a blur.

Stormé remembered leaving. She remembered taking one last look at the inside of the doghouse and then one long, last look at the massive Victorian house, which she had never set foot in, but knew Collette probably lied asleep in right at that very moment. It had still been dark, that didn't deter her. She easily found the hole in the fence, that had yet to be fixed, and slipped out. As she walked through the town, only slightly wary of the dogcatcher lurking around, her mind was as usual clouded with thoughts. "Collette will probably be upset, but she'll get over me eventually, right?" Truthfully, while Collette made her want to stay, made her want to work something out, her safety was far more important to Stormé. She'd rather have Collette be upset than in danger.

Soon enough in the chilly night, she found her way into the same alley where those three bumbling buffoons caught her before. Luckily all three of them were there then. The twins were sleeping on a dirty old piece of cardboard, using each other for warmth, more than the cardboard. Their 'boss' was fast asleep on an old, dusty rug that sat in between two trashcans.

Approaching slowly, she bid her options. "Turning around is still a thing, I could...no! I can't go back to Collette and I won't get very far just running. Mentally, she sighed. "Might as well just face Farace now, whatever happens, happens."

Unsure of how else to get their attention, she barked loudly. The three all shot up collectively at the same time and chaos unfolded quickly. Trashcans fell, bottles flew, their hollering destroyed the silence that was present a few moments ago.

"Intruder! Trespassers!" Their leader shrieked, as he ran around in a dizzying motion. "We're under attack!"

The twins sat up on alert, holding onto each other, out of fear. They howled in unison up to the moon.

The whole time Stormé stood there, waiting for their attention.

Ultimately, the noise died down and so did the trio's alert.

"Hey!" Stormé looked over to see their leader, walking over to her. "What do you think you're doing trespassing in our-" He gasped suddenly. "It's you! Get her boys!"

Her eyes widened as the twins leaped at her without hesitation and pined her down in an unorderly way. The two of them on top of her.

"Well, well, well. Looks like we finally got you. You won't be going anywhere this time."

She tried saying something, but could only mumble with the two dogs covering part of her muzzle.

"You're our ticket to la vie de luxe, food wise at least."

She mumbled on further, getting his attention.

"What was that?"

She mumbled more rapidly now.

"Leo! Move your leg I wanna' hear what praises she has in store for us."

He promptly moved his leg out of the way, releasing her muzzle. "I said get off of me you two idiots! Do you really think I'd be dumb enough to walk into this place, just to run off again! I'm making this easy for all of you, so how about you do me a favor and just take me to Farace already!" She stopped panting in a frenzy.

All three looked taken aback for a second. "Alright boys, best get off of her now."

The twins cleared off of her and she sat up, an annoyed look still present on her face.

"So you want us to-"

"Yes!" She hissed at him before he could finish.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could his eyes widened.

"You again." Stormé froze up when she heard the voice of the dogcatcher. "So this is where you've been hiding,back here with your friends."

"Run!"

The four of them took off in a skitterish run.