Chapter One

Devonshire, England- Circa 1961

The sun had long set on the English countryside. Far from the hustle and bustle of London, and even some distance from the nearest country village, the area was certainly sleepy, literally and figuratively. The endless fields and scattered trees had become covered in darkness. The few cars and trucks present on the roads had disappeared, reducing the area's minimal activity to practically nothing. In the midst of this serene night, one area took a little longer to calm down than the others. From a distance, it was a simple and rustic farm, with a two-story house and a medium-sized barn, no different than those surrounding it. Both seemed somewhat run down, even with a fresh coat of paint, but nonetheless the property still had a cozy and inviting atmosphere to it.

However, a sign posted at the front gate revealed the farm's true nature. A rickety slab of wood on a pole that begged to be replaced with something sturdier, the sign had a newer board nailed over its long faded original text. The slightly refurbished sign now read:

The

Dalmatian

Plantation

The lights in the farmhouse had gone out a short time earlier, and so the home was as quiet as can be. The barn was another story. For you see, this barn was the sleeping quarters for a litter of 99 Dalmatian puppies, and so was more chaotic as one could possibly imagine. Within the wooden structure, there was a maelstrom of white fur and black spots, with a cacophony of yips and high-pitched barks emanating from all directions. Tugged ears, wagging tails, squeaking toys; all of this amounted to just about the cutest scene of anarchy in canine history.

Suddenly, a pair of adult Dalmatians, one male, one female, entered the barn from the outside. The male was taller and had a broader snout, with a bright red collar around his neck. By contrast, the female was more slender and wispy, while wearing a color of bright blue. Upon entry, both pairs of sensitive brown eyes widened with surprise, subtly but clearly overwhelmed by the sight in front of them. Each turned their heads towards the other, seeking the solace and reassurance of a loved one.

After a moment of silence, both took deep breaths and closed their eyes. Upon doing so, all stress and apprehension in their faces melted away, replaced by a calm confidence. Both reopened their eyes, turning to face the rambunctious puppies. The male was the first to speak, his voice carrying a confident but kindly paternal tone.

"Alright everyone, it's time for bed!"

A chorus of "aw's" and "Dad, we're not sleepy," echoed from the puppies. The male Dalmatian rolled his eyes in a bemused way, responding, "If you aren't tired right now you will be soon enough, so off to bed." The female then chimed in, "Do as your father says," with an equally assertive motherly tone. Again, "aw's" could be heard from the younger dogs, but less this time, as the puppies slowly but surely began lying down in the hay to sleep.

After at least 20 minutes of parental supervision, the last of the pups were out like lights. The female had relocated up to a hayloft, while the male stayed below for a few minutes more. "Where was I? Oh yes, 96…97…98…and 99," he muttered to himself. Satisfied with his task, he climbed up the ladder to join his mate. By the time he reached the hayloft, he had begun yawning himself and slight bags were forming under his eyes.

The female had herself had lain down on a flannel blanket laid on top of a pile of hay, her legs sprawled out while allowing herself a lovely view of the night sky through the barn's large front window. Hearing the creaks of the floorboards, she turned her head and smiled wryly as her mate approached.

"Oh, there you are Pongo. I was starting to think you'd never come to bed," she said chuckling slightly.

Through a sizable yawn, Pongo responded as lay down next to her. "I know, Perdita, but you can't be too careful with this many puppies, now can you?"

"No, you can't. We should know that better than anyone, shouldn't we?" A twinge of sadness could be seen in Perdita's face as she said this, as if recalling a fairly recent and all-too-painful experience. Pongo could sense his mate's pain instantly, gently placing his chin on top of her head and nuzzling her.

"I know it still hurts, darling, but that's all behind us now. Our family is whole again and bigger than ever, and nothing will change that, not even a devil woman." Beneath Pongo's soft and sensitive tone, there was a noticeable hint of protective pride and fierce loyalty, as deep down he shared Perdita's memories of a heartbreaking theft.

Perdita managed a smile through the slight mist in her eyes, immediately comforted by her mate's kind words. "I know, Pongo. I guess I just need more time to fully accept that. Good thing is, raising 99 puppies will probably help."

Pongo chuckled at Perdita's remark. "If nothing else, we'll never feel lonely again." Looking out at the stars, Pongo let out a sigh. "If you'd told me just a year ago that I would have any puppies, much less 99, I would've thought you were crazy. Time has a way of changing things, doesn't it?"

Perdita sighed in a similar fashion. "It certainly does. Speaking of time, I can't help but wonder…what will the future hold for us?" "What do you mean, dear?" Pongo responded softly, his eyes shifting towards his mate. "I mean for the family as a whole. We have so many little ones, but they're won't be little forever. One day, they'll have children of their own, and then they'll have children of their own, and eventually THEY'LL have children of their own too." Perdita sighed again, "I know we won't be there for it, but what a sight it would be."

Pongo's eyes widened slightly at the thought, "An entire Dalmatian dynasty, what a thought! What will they be like? What kind of world would they live in?" Both dogs rested their heads on the quilt, closing their eyes in mix of sleepiness and thoughtfulness. Perdita yawned as she spoke, "I wish we could see beyond our years." Pongo yawned in return, "You know, I wish we could too."

Pongo gave Perdita a quick lick on the nose, his eyes still closed. "Good night, Perdy." Perdita reciprocated the kiss, her eyes also closed. "Good night, Pongo." With that, both Dalmatian parents fell into a deep sleep. Just as they began their well-deserved rest, they failed to notice a small streak of light race across the sky and then vanish.