(Rose)

The snow started to fall from the darkening sky, covering the city with a fresh blanket. That same remark that Whisper had made towards Dodger and I still stung. Where did I go wrong? I wasn't even looking up at the sky; I was looking at my forepaws that were starting to become frosted with fresh snowflakes.

"Rose? Are you okay?" Rita said from behind me. I looked behind me and saw Rita standing a couple of feet from behind me. "I don't know, Rita." I answer, looking back at my paws. Rita takes a seat on my right side. "It's about Whisper, isn't it?" she asked me. "Yeah… it is. Did Dodger and I fail as parents? Was keeping her away from Beau the right thing to do? She had never been that angry with either of us… She knew that… were not her birth parents." I say, trying my hardest to keep the tears in. But my efforts were unsuccessful. Rita's fur caressed mine and she put her head on mine.

"It's alright, Rose. I'm sure she didn't mean what she said. She was only angry. You know how she is. She does tend to say things that aren't true. You and Dodger have raised her to be an enthusiastic yet smart young street dog. She's a smart girl who'd never turn her back on you, Dodger, or any of us. She loves you guys." Rita tells me, making my heart feel lifted. I take my head out from underneath hers and raise my ears. "Thanks Rita. I needed that." I say, wagging my tail, "You truly are my best friend."

"You know it, girl. And I won't ever let you forget it either." Rita chuckled, giving me a nudge. I laughed along with her. "Tell you what. Since you were successful in bringing up my spirits, why don't we all go to the Brooklyn Bridge to hang out? I figure we could use a nice time away from the house boat." I say, wagging my tail. Rita smiled at this and agreed.

The six of us head out of the houseboat while the sky was still light. Dodger had asked me what the occasion was while we headed out there. I told him it was because Rita had talked some sense into me. He was happy that I was feeling much better. Dodger had been feeling the same way as me because he loves Whisper as much as I do.

Before going to the Brooklyn Bridge, we stopped by Jenny's place to see if Ryan and Oliver would join us. Georgette on the other hand wouldn't want to be with us or around Tito since their first breakup. Kind of sad from where Tito is concerned cause that chihuahua fell head over heels for her when we first met her. He kept prodding on that we should bring her along but we had to keep telling him she didn't.

By the time we reached there, there weren't that many cars on this bridge surprisingly because it's usually crowded. Dodger and I sat on the bridge walls and looked upon the horizon. There was snow falling from the sky and it was much faster this time. Winter was definitely approaching.

While we were sightseeing, Ryan and Rita were spending time together while on the bridge. Tito, Francis, and Einstein were playing with Oliver. "Dodger?" I say. He looks over at me with his floppy ears raised. "Do you think Whisper will be okay? I know Rita said she'd eventually come back and I know that but…" I begin, only to get a nuzzle from him. "I'm worried too, Rose. But, as Rita told us, she will be back in due time. And if she isn't by tomorrow, we will go and find her." Dodger told me, giving me a lick on the head. I smiled at him warmly.

Oliver then comes to join us on the bridge after his playtime with Tito, Einstein, and Francis. "What's up kid?" Dodger greeted. "Thought I'd hang out with you guys. Where is Whisper? I thought she'd be with you guys?" Oliver asked. "She'll be back soon. She just ran off to blow off some steam." Dodger partly fibbed. "Oh… okay. Is there a reason she was mad?" the cat said. My ears lower for a moment. "Yeah there is. But I believe it's best that we keep it to ourselves for now." I say, not wanting to spill the beans on why she ran off to begin with.

"Oh okay." the cat said. We all remain in silence for the next few moments to just think. Then, a low growling sound made itself present, getting all of us to become alert. Dodger, Oliver, and I quickly turn around to see none other than Ednis with The Liberated Wolves behind her, all of their teeth bared. Dodger and I growl too and jump down from the wall of the bridge.

Dodger and I took charge with the gang beside us. I stood in a fighting position with my ears, tail, and hackles raised. "What do you want Ednis?" Dodger growled, his hackles raised as well. "To settle a final score. You have changed Beau into a weak, worthless, piece of trash. He won't do in being the top dog of this stupid city. I… should be the only one to rule this city and bring it up from its roots." Ednis chuckled sinisterly. That gets me to snarl loudly.

"You're pathetic Ednis. This city belongs to any dog! Especially the ones who grew up here!" I snarl. "Yeah, so why don't you go back where you came from?!" Dodger barked. Ednis laughed maniacally at our words. "I won't leave. Not until I finish all of you off. Including the three legged spotted one and your cat friend there!" she laughed. I glance down to see the hackles on Oliver were raised to a full point.

"Attack!" Ednis declared. And with that, both of our gangs began to fight. I was fighting Raven and managed to leave some strong bites on her body only for her to bite me back on my neck. The dogo argentino held me down with her strong paws. "Where's your pride now, Rose?" she chuckled. "Get off of her!" Oliver screeched, jumping on Raven's face and he sunk his cat claws into her skin, making her whine. I quickly get up to take on another member. I see Dodger getting attacked by the black jack russell and I quickly come to his aid. Rita and Ryan were fighting off Rebel, Einstein and Francis was fighting Odin, and Tito was taking on Marcus after I shoved him off Dodger.

I quickly sink my teeth into the dogs neck and throw him off Dodger. "Thanks Rose." he said, getting to his paws quickly. "Don't thank me yet. This fight isn't over." I point out, seeing Ednis charging at us again with her jaws wide open. I tried to attack but she managed to use her strength to push me over. I whimpered at the blunt force.

"Rose!" Rita cried, seeing this. I took notice that the fight was quickly seized by this sudden attack. I quickly stand back up despite the pain. "You two are mine." Ednis growled, slowly walking towards us with her teeth bared. Dodger and I were ready to fight and finish this once and for all.

But before we could settle it, the forms of Whisper and Beau suddenly jumped into the fight with their teeth bared. We were surprised to see them and backed up a little bit. The two stand in between Ednis, Dodger and I. Whisper stared at us and her eyebrows narrowed a bit. "Whisper?" Dodger and I say. "Beau!" Ednis snarls, "Out of the way." "Whisper, stand down." I said to her, but she didn't listen.

"Mom, Dad. Stop this." she said in a stern but direct voice. Those two words made my heart silently leap. "You're weaker than I previously thought. Move aside at once!" Ednis growled, wanting to get her paws on us. "No. You're not going to hurt Dodger, Rose, and Whisper. If you do, you'll have to answer to me." Beau snarled, lowering his head. Ednis was appalled by this gesture.

"This is none of your concern, Whisper." Dodger said. "Look, I am sorry for what I said back there. I didn't mean any of it. You two are my parents. And you always will be. There's no need to fight over this nonsense of dominance." Whisper tells us, her voice is softer. She took a step towards Dodger and I with her pointed ears lowered. "But they…" I start. "They're just like us, mother. They're no different from you or I. This city shouldn't be fought against." Whisper declared, looking at The Liberated Wolves.

Dodger and I look over at them. They had a look on their face that showed they were convinced of what Whisper was saying. It didn't take any of us to realize that she was correct. Dodger and I smiled at her warmly. The siberian husky then came over to us and gave us a familial nuzzle. "I love you guys." she said softly. "We love you too… sweetheart." I say, licking my daughter on her head. Dodger nuzzled her too and gave her a few licks to her face.

This made my heart soar. She had forgiven us wholly and I couldn't be more happy. "Odin! Now!" Ednis snarled. "No. Ednis." Odin said, his voice was more firm. Odin looks over at Whisper for a moment. "Whisper is right." the boerboel mastiff said as he looked at Ednis. He then trots over to our side and faces the cane corso. "This is the end. Enough." he tells her, much to the shock of her peers.

"Fine. Go. You will die along with those mutts anyway." Ednis said. Then, the other members of Ednis's gang make their way over to us. "What?! No! You all can't leave! Stay and fight with me!" she begged. But her crew full on left her at that moment in time. What Whisper said got to them and they did change. "It's time to let this go, Ednis. Let's put the past behind us." I say. Ednis shakes her head in anger. "NO! I won't stop! I won't stop until you are all dead!" Ednis growls loudly. Suddenly, she makes a clear leap towards us.

Whisper then takes a leap at her mid-flight, causing them to fall off the bridge. We all panicked at this. "WHISPER!" I shout, quickly taking the lead. We all rush down the bridge and beside the bay in trying to catch up with her. I ran at top speed to see where she was at. She was trying to swim towards the shore but the current was so strong, she was almost pulled under.

Dodger and Beau run beside me. "Whisper! Reach the shore! We'll be able to pull you up!" Dodger shouted over the roaring water. Ednis then pops out of the water and drags her under in an attempt to drown her. "Ednis, stop!" I yelled but she couldn't hear me. Whisper kicks the cane corso off and swims desperately to shore.

(Whisper)

The water was doing everything in its power to keep me in however, the adrenaline I was feeling helped me keep going. I swam to the shore and pulled myself out with my teeth. The water dripped from my fur and I shook it off. "I'll get you, you little brat!" Ednis shouted from behind me, trying her best to stay afloat.

I quickly turned around to see her desperately hanging on to the embankment. "Ednis! Pull yourself out!" I say, extending my siberian husky paw out towards her. She only growled and snapped at me. "Don't you dare touch me!" she growled at me, still trying to hang on. "C'mon! I will help you!" I say, not giving up. "No! Never!" she growled. I backed up a little with my pointed ears lowered. She did try to pull herself out but she ended up losing her grip on the embankment. She was quickly pulled under by the raging water. She did pop back out again.

I knew then that she had drowned.

(Rose)

"Whisper!" I cry, going to my daughter. "Mom! Dad!" Whisper cried, seeing us coming. The three of us nuzzled and whined happily. I couldn't be more grateful that she was alive. "Thank goodness you're alive…" I say, licking her feverishly. "I'm fine, mother. Don't worry." she assured. "That was really brave of you, Whisper! Way to go!" Ryan and Tito cheered. "It was nothing." she said modestly.

Beau comes forward to Whisper. "Whisper." he said, putting his head over hers. "I didn't want her to hurt my family." she whispered to him. "It's okay. You had to do what you could to protect them." he replied softly to her. It made me smile to see them together. He truly did love her.

"Excuse me, Dodger and Rose?" Odin says. We look at the boerboel mastiff. "Would you forgive us? We are all sorry for all the trouble we have caused. It was Ednis's doing. She had brainwashed us to be her bodyguards. Deep down, none of us wanted to be apart of that. We would like to ask you for forgiveness." Odin said, lowering his head in respect.

Dodger and I smile at him warmly. "Of course, you have our forgiveness Odin." I say with a nod. "Thank you." Odin said. His tone showed that he had definitely changed for the better. "Whisper. Can you come over here for a moment?" I say, getting her attention fully. She does come over to us. "Look, you're all grown up now. It's evident that you and Beau deserve one another. You don't have to stay with us if you don't want to." I tell her, giving her the much deserved freedom.

"That seems like a good idea. Besides, we're in need of a new leader. Whisper, if you want to take the roll, we will gladly follow in your and Beau's pawsteps." Raven declared, giving Whisper a grin. Whisper was unsure at first and looked towards us. "It's your choice, my dear." I tell her. Whisper glanced at her belly for a second before going to Beau. "Of course. Besides, I have another reason for taking the position." Whisper tells all of us, "Everyone. I'm pregnant."