A/N: Well now that the rescue is over and everyone is back to their neighborhoods, I have to figure out what to write about now. Any ideas guys? Every else has relented on disciplining Knox and Mira except for Mia much to Knox and Mira's disappointment. Both pups are much more mature now and no matter what happens to them from this point on I think they'll deal with it because of their maturity. I want to write for all of you so enjoy the update and send in to me some ideas to continue this story.
Chapter 12
"Well that went well." Bolt said. "It sure did Bolt. Me and Mia have our kids back and it's because of all of you. My deepest thanks everyone." Hunter said. "I want to thank everyone as well. Me and Hunter would have never been able to get our kids back without all of you. Speaking of which, kids, what should you say to everyone?" Mia thanked as well and then asked her kids. Both at the same time. "Thanks everyone. We're very grateful that you took time out your day to come and help get us back." Knox and Mira said. "Your all very welcome. Everyone should look after one another. After all what are neighbors for?" Bolt said for the rescue group. "So what happens now?" Danielle asked to no one in particular.
No answer for a minute. "Uh guys that was your queue to say something." Danielle said confused. "Sorry but we have no idea what to do now?" Bolt said. "Well I guess this would be as good a time as any to get Knox and Mira's punishment out of the way." Mia said. "Mia we can talk about that when we get back to our home. Not while we're in front of all our friends. If you'll excuse us everyone." Hunter said. "Ya sure Hunter. Bye for now." Bolt said. Hunter and his family started walking back to their home but was stopped by Bolt again.
"One more thing Hunter. I was starting to think of having a party in a few hours to celebrate the successful rescue of your kids. You and your family are welcome to come since the party is basically for you and your kids." Bolt offered. "Thanks for the invitation Bolt but I'll have to run it over with Mia first. She might not let Knox and Mira come to it as part of the punishment." Hunter informed. "Of course, of course. Just when you run it by her remember to put emphasis on the fact that this party is revolved around your pups. We would all like all of you to be here." Bolt said. "Okay well no promises. I'll run it by her and see what I can do." Hunter said and started to catch up with his family. "Ok see ya soon Hunter. I hope." Bolt yelled after the running Hunter.
Bolt walked over to the rest of his guests. "So is everyone else heading home too?" Bolt asked. "Ya me and Copper are going to head back to my house. I'll introduce him to my owners and hopefully they'll let him stay with us." Danielle said. "That sounds like a plan. Best of luck." Bolt said. "Thanks but my owners are pretty nice. I know they'll let him stay." Danielle said confidently. "Well one more thing I wanted to say is that I'm having a party here in a few hours and all of you are invited. Even you Buddy." Bolt announced to everyone. "Well then me and Copper will be sure to be back here in a few hours then. Copper you ready to go?" Danielle asked. "Ya I'm ready. Let's go. See ya soon everyone." Copper said. "Bye then." Danielle said. "Bye." Bolt and everyone left said.
"So Buddy would you like me to help you find a home?" Bolt asked. "If you wouldn't mind could I just hang around here until the party starts and afterwards we can start talking about that?" Buddy asked. "Sure Buddy but your going to need a place to stay tonight so I thought that you would want to find your home before it gets late." Bolt said. "Well then how about you tell me how the neighborhood is situated with dogs and we could go from there." Buddy suggested. "Ok then. Well you have my house that includes me, my mate Sadie, and my kids Lightning, Cloud, and Katie. The next home has Danielle and now Copper. Then in the following home has our other family on the block, Hunter, his mate Mia, and their kids Knox and Mira. And finally at the end of the street is where Mia used to live before she got pregnant with Knox and Mira.
"So what your saying is that all the houses here have at least two dogs staying there except for the last house at the end of the block where Mia used to live?" Buddy asked to be certain. "Yes. What are you thinking?" Bolt asked. "I'm thinking that this setup couldn't be better. If I can get the ok from Mia then maybe I could start living with Mia's owners. That way I'll have a place to live and I'll be closer to Knox and Mira whenever they need me." Buddy said. "You sure care a lot about those two. Almost like a second father or an uncle to them." Bolt said. "Well I am a father and grand pop already so I would know how to be one for Knox and Mira." Buddy said. "You have kids, a mate, and grand pups?" Bolt asked. "I sure do." Buddy said.
"Then why aren't you with them?" Bolt asked. "Because unlike you my pups I had with Molly, my mate, are already full grown and have started families of their own. They don't need me anymore. They're great parents like me and Molly raised them to be." Buddy answered. "But what about your mate Molly? Don't you want to get back to her?" Bolt asked. "She...she's...gone?" Buddy said with some effort. "You don't mean she's..." Bolt started. "She became very sick about a year ago. Our owners took her to the vet but when they came back Molly wasn't with them. They told me that Molly was in great pain and the veterinarian said that the humane thing to do would be to put her down. So they did." Buddy said.
"The last thing I said to her before our owners took her to the vet was that everything would be alright and that I loved her. If I had known that would be the last time I would ever see her I would have...I would have..." Buddy could not continue. Bolt tried to comfort him as best he could. "Hey it's ok Buddy. You said that you told her that you loved her before she left. That's the best thing you can tell someone. Molly knew that you loved her till the very end and that would have given her some happiness through the pain she was in. You gave her some peace. That's the best anyone could have done for her. You have no reason to feel guilt or regrets." Bolt told Buddy. "I just need a minute." Buddy said. "Take all the time you need and if Mia comes to the party later today I'll help you talk to her about the moving into her old house if you want?" Bolt asked. "Thanks Bolt I'm starting to feel better now." Buddy said. "No problem friend. Would you like to meet my family while we wait for the party?" Bolt asked. "Ok that sounds good." Buddy said and with that Bolt, Buddy, Mittens, and Rhino went into the house.
(At Hunter and Mia's house)
The family had only returned a few minutes ago and Hunter told Knox and Mira to wait in the family room where all the dog beds were and wait for them there. They complied and padded into the family room. "So Mia we've come to this point finally. The moment of truth. What do we do?" Hunter asked to begin the discussion. "Well before I say so I want to know where you stand with this." Mia said to Hunter. "I'm beginning to think that I'm the soft parent between us because I don't want to punish them Mia. What they did was wrong but they have learned from it. They have shown that they have learned from it. Knox and Mira were wild, unpredictable, and hard to control before and look at them now. They are been nothing but respectful, obedient, and complacent since we got them back." Hunter said.
"Ok point taken. Now let me counter that. Even before all of this they ran off on their own without telling us, worried us half to death, and forced us to go running after them. They made us look like bad parents to all our friends when Knox and Mira found them unsupervised. And after we got them back to the house and corrected them, ten minutes later they're gone again. We had just got done telling them that running off without supervision is wrong and not to do it again. So what do they do? They were running off again without supervision. When words fail action speaks. Words have failed Hunter so we have to take action." Mia countered.
"That is a good point Mia but try and look at it this way. Did Knox and Mira apologize after the first time they ran off?" Hunter asked. "No they didn't." Mia answered. "And what about the second time while they were still in the pound?" Hunter asked. "They apologized almost right away and it was sincere." Mia answered. "Yes the first time they didn't learn anything from and we should have been more firm then. Now though they have learned a great deal about respect and responsibility. Should we not praise them for this? If we punish them then they could become even more confused over what is right and not. You know I'm right about this." Hunter said.
"I understand all that Hunter but if we don't correct them firmly now over the bad stuff then they might think that everything they did was ok to do. True they have learned from this but pups have small attention spans and they could forget all this in a few days if we don't give them something hard to forget. Something that every time that they start to think of doing something bad they'll remember this day and stop dead in their tracts. I'm sorry that doing this to our pups will be painful for you Hunter but it must be done. I'm not stepping down from this." Mia said.
"Can't we at least come up with a compromise? If Knox and Mira absolutely need to be punished then let's not hurt them." Hunter asked. "What are you thinking?" Mia asked. "We could ground them to the house for a week starting tomorrow." Hunter suggested. "Grounding them for a week is to you meeting in the middle for a compromise? No. That will not work." Mia said. "Fine then. How about grounding for two weeks with no television?" Hunter asked next. "I'll take that offer as long as we also do this..." Mia started and whispered the rest to Hunter. "I don't know if I can do that Mia." Hunter said. "Hey this is a compromise and that is a whole lot less than I was just a few minutes ago thinking of doing. Take it or we go with my plan." Mia said.
Hunter realized this was the best he could do for his pups and relented. "Ok I'll do it Mia but after it's done we move on from this. And the grounding doesn't start until tomorrow." Hunter told Mia. "We are agreed then. Well no point in putting it off is their?" Mia asked. "I guess not. Better to get it over with I guess." Hunter said and the two walked into the family room where Knox and Mira were waiting in their beds talking but stopped when they saw their parents. "Your mother and I have talked and both of you will be grounded to inside the house for two weeks without television. Do both of you understand?" Hunter asked. "Yes we understand dad. Me and Mira were talking like you and mom were and we both want to say again how sorry we are for running off and putting everyone through all they went through today." Knox and Mira said. "Well I'm glad that..." Hunter started. "Sorry but we weren't done yet. We also want to apologize for running off the first time today. And if we possibly made our family look bad over it. That wasn't our intention at all." Knox and Mira finished. "That's good of both of you to say but that isn't going to stop me and your father from doing what we both now think is needed to do. Hunter?" Mia said touched by the words but had an obligation to complete. "Ok. Knox would you please come here. You'll be first." Hunter said. Knox was scared because he had no idea what was going to happen to him but listened to his father and stepped up to him. "Mira once I'm done with your brother your next young lady." Hunter told her. She gulped and was scared for herself and her brother who was now scooped up by her father.
A/N: I can't write anymore. I got farther than I thought I could and now I'm done. The long awaited punishment of Knox and Mira is happening right now. Hoped everyone enjoyed. Next time Bolt will be having a party with all the dogs in the neighborhood. What will happen? What will happen after the party? You guys could give me some ideas and help me with those questions. If anyone like the part where I wrote "When words fail, action speaks" It is a part of a quote I recently put on my profile page. You can read the rest there. As always I hope my trusted reviewers continue to review and others as well. Can't ever have too many reviews now can we? See ya next week with chapter 13.