Ch.4: Puppy Tears

"Uncle Donald, we're home!" called Huey as soon as he and his brothers entered.

"Hmm, he must still be at work," said Dewey, once they didn't get an answer back.

"Well" said Louie " I'm going to put my stuff in our room."

"Fine" said Huey, as his brother left " you do that, and me and Dew here will go hang out with Alley. Alley! Hello! Here girl!"

"Hey Hue" said Dewey "I've been thinking on way back. Maybe Louie and Slab have a point. We have been awful rough on Uncle D."

"Yeah so?" said Huey " We're rough on him all the time. He always forgives us in the end. And Slab deserves a little payback for saying we don't care."

"I agree he needs to be taught a lesson but…" Dewey suddenly cut off when something caught his ear " Do hear something groaning?"

Curious to what it could be, the two ducks carefully followed the faint sound until they reached the living room den. Once they stepped inside, gasps left their beaks at the horror they found.

"Alley!" they screamed, running towards the dog at once.

Louie was just coming back downstairs when he heard his brothers screams. Worried that something bad had happened, Louie immediately rushed into the living room to see what was wrong.

Tears nearly fell out of the green duck's eyes when he beheld the horrible sight.

His two brothers sat kneeling, circled around what seemed to be an unconscious Alley, broken and bleeding, lying down on the floor.

"Oh no," said Louie, joining his brothers down there to mourn.

How could this have happened during the short time they've been gone? Who would be so cruel as to attack a cute puppy like this?

For a few moments, sadness gripped the air like a crushing hand, and then was interrupted when Donald finally came through the door.

"Boys I'm home!" Donald called out "I'll make dinner in a bi…Whah! What happened here?"

"Uncle Donald" said Huey, looking up sadly " Help her, please."

"Boys what happened?" Donald asked softly.

"Please" said Dewey, looking up as well, tears staining his eyes edge "Please help her."

"I'll call the vet," said Donald, leaving immediately to get the phone.

Minutes later, the vet arrived, and the whole duck family traveled down to the animal hospital to see if there was any hope that Alley would survive.

Donald was somewhat shocked to not hear his nephews speak once while they waited outside of the medical room. The damage done to their puppy had all hit them hard.

Even though Donald still held a small dislike for dog, seeing his nephews sad faces was more than he could bear. Whoever had the audacity to attack Alley, Donald swore he make them pay.

"Mr. Duck?" called the vet, motioning for Donald to step inside.

Getting up from out of his chair, Donald stepped into the medical room, forcing himself to look away from the table where Alley lay, as the doctor gave him a medical report.

"She's severely injured, but alive" said the vet " It will take several days for her to heal. I suggest keeping the puppy here for further observation and treatment. Poor things looks as if she had been mauled by a cat. Are you sure you don't know about anything that might have caused this?"

"No," said Donald seriously. He still didn't have any idea how the attacker could have got inside.

He always locked up the house when he left, and he and the boys always had their own keys so they could get back inside. And why attack the dog? What enemy did Alley have that hated her so much?

The mystery was confusing and Donald had no idea where he could start for any leads.

"I need the intelligence of One to figure out this disaster."

Just then, a beep sounded out from one of Donald's non-existent pockets, and he drew out a small communicator from his feathers before placing it on his ear. The voice of the computer friend he had just been thinking about shouted out loud and clear.

"Avenger, emergency! Return to Ducklair Tower at once!"

"Wha..One?!" said Donald shocked and confused.

What possibly could have happened now? It seemed like one crisis after another was being thrown into Donald's life; the waterfall, the dog, and now this. The poor duck didn't know he was even going to survive.

But it was clear from the call that One needed him right now. The Duck Avenger needed to come out of retirement, he needed to lend a helping hand.

The only problem was his nephews. He couldn't just leave them here alone suffering through a crisis like this. They would hate him for the rest of his life if he abandoned them now.

Not like they didn't hate him he supposed, the memory of the waterfall still clear in his head.

For a moment, Donald warred with the decision whether to stay or go in his mind. One needed him, but so did the boys. Someone had to care about the puppy. Someone had to save the world.

Finally, with great regret, Donald finally made up his mind, and asked the vet if he could make a phone call to Daisy.

"Sorry boys," Donald mumbled in his mind.

He had to go help One. His friend needed him, and expected him to show.

Even if this adventure tore Donald's relationship with his family further apart, Donald was willing to pay the price.