Who Am I - The Search Continues - Chapter 3

Zuma ran for the bushes he had been hiding in before. As he approached he ducked under the bushes and laid down to eat his prize. He was so hungry and this thing made his mouth water. In his limited memory, this was the best thing he could imagine.

Skye watched as Zuma moved under the bushes.

"Zuma ran into that line of bushes" Skye called as she began to circle awaiting Ryders next order.

"Great, thanks Skye" said Ryder, he continued "Ok pups, let's allow him some time to eat and then we see if we can get close enough to try and make contact."

After about 5 minutes ryder called again.

"Ok let's see if we can slowly move up" Ryder said into the radio "Chase be ready if we need you. Rocky and I will go around to the other side in case he tries to run. Nobody try to grab him, he might be scared and we don't want him to hurt himself. We want to try talking first."

"You got it" everyone replied.

Rocky looked at Ryder with tears in his eyes "I just hope this works, I'm really scared that if we spook him, we may never find him."

Zuma had finished the burger and was licking his lips savoring every moment, it really was good food. He thought to himself 'I got to remember that and find more, no if only I can remember where I am and who I am"

Just then Zuma heard a noise the direction he had entered the bushes from. He crouched low to the ground and let out a low warning growl. He took a deep breath, he could remember that smell, he could see the outline of another male dog. The dog was white with black spots and was looking around. The other dogs' fear smell made Zuma wonder if he was aggressive or not. Zuma wasn't going to take chances though and back further under some low branches.

Marshall whispered into his pup tag "I can't see him but I smell him. He smells scared. I'm going to hold for now, I don't want to frighten him anymore."

"Got it Marshall, hold there" said Ryder "Everyone else back out of the bushes. Chase move up and be ready, you are still last resort"

"I'm ready" said Chase "But I still don't want to have to shoot him"

"Marshall, you and Chase hold your positions" said Ryder "The brush is too low for me, I'm going to have Rocky try to come in from this side and talk to Zuma. Hopefully Zuma will remember Rocky or at least his scent."

"I'm scared for him Ryder" whimpered Rocky.

"I know, I am too" said Ryder "But I figure out of everyone, Zuma might remember you first."

Rocky nodded and crouched low to crawl under the brush.

Zuma saw the white dog stop and look around nervously, then the strangest thing happened the other dog began talking into something around his neck. Not just barking or whining but actually talking. 'I wonder if I can talk' thought Zuma 'I wonder if this is someone I know.'

Then Zuma heard a soft noise behind him. Another dog by the smell, but he hesitated. 'Something smells familiar' thought Zuma.

"Do you see him Rocky?" said the white dog.

Zuma decided to move as they were going to surround him if he waited. He had crawled under some really low bushes and something snagged the thing around his neck. He pulled with all his might and it snapped off of him. He saw light near him and bolted. When he reached the clear He saw a person standing there and froze.

"Zuma!" the person said "It's all right, no one wants to hurt you."

Zuma started to turn to run that way but he could still smell the other dogs. This person smelled like them. 'He must be trying to catch me too' thought Zuma 'He's with them.'

Zuma turned and ran as hard as he could. He heard the boy yelling something.

"He's running back toward the beach" yelled Ryder "Chase do you have a clear shot?"

Chase watched as Zuma came running around the bushes and brought up the tranquilizer gun. He put the sights on the racing canine and took a deep breath. He let the breath go and froze as Zuma ran further away.

"I'm sorry Ryder" whimpered Chase "I just can't do it." Chase fell to the ground whimpering.

Ryder was running around the bushes and made it to Chase. Ryder stopped and picked the pup up in his arms.

"It's ok Chase" said Ryder "We'll find another way. We can track his collar. We'll catch him somehow."

"Skye try to keep up with him," said Ryder "But hang back so the rotors don't scare him anymore than he already is."

"Got it Ryder" said Skye as she turned to follow the fleeing pup.

"We can't track his collar Ryder" said Rocky carrying Zuma's collar from the brush "He must have caught it on a branch and pulled it off. What are we going to do?"

The other pups walked up each of them obviously upset.

Ryder sat down with Chase in his arms and called the pups to him.

"It will be alright pups" said Ryder in a calm voice "We'll figure something out. We'll get the whole town out looking for him if necessary."

"How long do we have until it's permanent" whimpered Rubble.

"It doesn't quite work like that Rubble" explained Ryder "HIs memory may come back all of a sudden, a little at a time, or worst case, not at all. We can't lose faith, we'll find him and take care of him."

'At least I hope we can' thought Ryder. He looked down at Chase who was openly crying now.

"I'm sorry" cried Chase "I'm so sorry, I just couldn't, I just couldn't… I, I, I let him get away"

"Chase," said Marshall "I don't blame you. I know I couldn't have done it. I don't think anyone blames anyone. We will find him and he will get better"

"You should all blame me" whimpered Rocky dropping his head "I'm the one that told Captain Turbot to drop the anchor that hit Zuma. I'm the one that caused all of this. I hurt my best friend, and now he's run away again." Rocky collapsed to the ground. Marshall ran to his fallen friend.

"Rocky it's going to be ok" said Marshall looking to Ryder "You didn't let Zuma get hurt on purpose. We are going to find him. One way or another, we'll get Zuma back"

Ryder looked at his team falling apart and took a deep breath holding back tears of his own.

"I just know we'll find him," said Ryder "Skye is still following him. We at least know which direction he is going."