Collette shook her paw in disgust when she stepped in a muddy puddle. The humid smell of the rail yard bugged her nose, which was used to fresh, clean air. She traversed through the place carefully, unsure of where to go. There didn't seem to be anyone around, no workers and no dogs. She carefully crossed a railway and almost jumped when a drop of water landed on top of her head. She looked around, quickly taking in her surroundings, the railway seemed to stretch on forever. To her right was a stuffy-looking barrel filled with old rags. She looked ahead to where a lone train car sat, seemingly to ride somewhere soon enough.

"Can you believe that guy!" This time she really did jump, at hearing the voice. "We get him this girl and this is how he repays us? He better not be thinking twice about that food 'cause I'm starving!"

A pair of unison voices seemed to answer him. "Well it's not like he can just disappear, or anything boss. If he tries to pull anything we'll stop him."

"Thanks boys." He conceded. "Farace better know what's good for him."

"Farace..." The name quickly crossed her mind. Barely thinking she snuck closer to the voices, in an attempt to get more of the conversation.

She listened as their supposed leader spoke again. "It's just that we've been starving out here for so long." He groaned quietly. "Then this nut comes along talking about all the food you could ever want, it's a bit of a dream come true." Collette came even closer to rounding the corner where the voices came from. "And all we had to do was find this girl for him..." She was only a few steps from the corner now. "...what was her name again?"

"Suzy?" The voice in unison suggested.

"No, it's on the tip of my tongue...Story?"

"Stormy?"

"Stormé." Collette spoke up, before she could stop herself.

"That's the one! I was- hey! Who said that?"

She froze as they slowly came from around the corner.

"Well, well, well." He stared her down menacingly, causing her to shake with fear. "Looks like we got an intruder here boys, and do you know what we do to intruders?"

"Punishment." They spoke together, as usual. "Big time."

"Yeah, under normal circumstances." He spoke without taking his eyes off of her. "But this ain't even our alley, so who cares? Let's just take her to Farace."

She followed them without saying a word, there was no protest in the way she walked. "Please be here Stormé"


"What do you mean 'no'?"

Stormé looked at Farace dead in the eyes. She prayed that she was making the right choice. Judging by the shocked look on his face, Farace certainly didn't seem to think so, not at all. "But then again." She reminded herself. "This isn't Faraces' decision, it's mine."

"No means no Farace."

He pursed his lips together momentarily. "Stormé. I already said I'm not mad at you, there's no reason for you to be out here, by yourself." He almost found himself stuttering, but composed himself accordingly. "Remember that whole 'chase happiness' thing, what about that, huh?"

"It's pursue happiness." She answered him quickly. "And listen I haven't exactly been on my own out here."

One of his eyebrows raised up. "You haven't? What do you mean?"

"Well I was cold, hungry and lonely when I first got here, but lately things have been pretty good." She paused shortly. "I found...someone."

"Someone?"

"Yeah, she-"

"Hey boss!" She suppressed an annoyed groan. "We found this intruder outside, wasn't really sure what to do with her so-"

"How many times do I have to tell you to just keep yourselves busy-"

"Collette?" Stormés' voice broke through the squabble, before it could even really begin. "What are you doing here? H-how did you even get here?"

"I could ask you the same question." Voice directed at her, eyes focused on Farace. "You disappeared this morning, I was so worried!"

Before Stormé could reply, Farace cut in. "Hold on for just one minute!" He turned to the trio waiting expectantly behind Collette. "You three leave."

"But boss-"

"Leave!"

This time all three of them were muttering angrily, as they turned to leave.

"Now, who is she?" He gestured his head towards Collette.

Stormé cleared her throat. "This is that 'someone' I told you about, her name is Collette."

"Well, pleased to meet you Collette." Farace seemed strangely patient. "And how exactly did the two of you meet?"

This time Collette spoke up. "She was running from a dogcatcher and your goons." The emphasis that she placed on the word startled Farace somewhat, but he remained quiet as she went on. "She hid in the doghouse in my owners' yard and long story short, we got really close." Her eyes narrowed down at him. "So close that she told me a lot, about her past especially. She told me all about you Farace."

"Is that so?" He seemed to challenge.

"Collette." Stormé tiredly tried to stop the Cocker Spaniel.

"Yeah, she told me all about how you manipulated her with everything that came out of your mouth." Her face was filled with disgust. "She told me how much of a liar you are, telling her that it was 'for the better' that her own mother get put down."

"You don't know anything about that!" He spat out angrily.

"Oh, but I do!" She retorted, anger present in her voice as well. "You're just so obsessed with her! Can't leave her to live her own life."

"Collette." Stormé tried once more.

Farace looked ready for a fight. "I do the things that I do to protect her! If you knew half of the reasons I was here we wouldn't be having this argument! I-I..." His voice became hoarse and he looked about ready to break down. "I love my sister."

"Really?" She nodded her head frustratingly. "You call sending every dog in the city after her 'love'?"

He in response shook his head in frustration. "That was necessary to find her! I would have been hopeless otherwise." He cleared his throat, in an attempt to regain his voice. "And besides, I didn't hire every dog in the city, I just needed Stormé to think I did. The three idiots are the only ones I got."

Collette scoffed. "You weren't ever really going to give them that free food were you."

He scoffed in return and said simply. "Fools will be fools."

"Really now boss?" Laughter abruptly brought an end to the argument at hand. "You see that's real interesting and hey, maybe we are fools, but we sure don't like being treated like fools." He laughed deeply one more time. "Kill 'em boys."