"Yep, we'll help you little guys-" but before Cooler can continue, he hears a cry of, "Oh no! The dog ate my homework!" and whips around to see Moe chewing up a piece of paper lying on he ground, with an aghast Whopper standing nearby. Cooler gently scoops Moe up. "Whoa there, li'l fella, this is a doggie no-no!"
No sooner has he done this, however, than he hears, "Hey! My wrench!" and whips around to see Howler rushing out of his lab after Murphy, who's made off with his wrench. Cooler whistles, upon which Murphy stops and Cooler scoops him up too.
Violet, who's standing nearby, is about to help, when she hears, "Oh! Mah wrappin' paper!" and, "My ribbon!" upon which she hurries into the next room and sees Max scratching up the wrapping paper Nose Marie had been using to wrap presents, and Molly dragging the ribbon Brighteyes had been decorating the gifts with away with her. "Here, darlings," Violet says urgently, as she hurries over to them. "Mustn't scratch or chew other people's things." She gently scoops the little puppy and kitten up.
No sooner has she done this, however, than she hears, "Oh! My slippers!" upon which hurries back into the main room to see Colette running after Mimi, who's made off with her slippers(Which Colette had removed earlier). Violet then whistles, upon which Mimi stops and Violet scoops her up, too.
No sooner has she done this, however, than she and Cooler both hear, "Hey, the tinsel!" and "The wreath!" upon which they turn to see Beamer and Charlemange, another one of the Pound Purries, hurrying after Millard, who's chewing up the tinsel wrapped around the Christmas tree, and Maggie, who's chewing up a wreath lying on the floor nearby. Cooler and Violet then hurry over and scoop up the two pups.
At that moment, Whopper enters the room, still holding his ravaged homework paper. "Honestly, don't you guys have any manners? Haven't you ever been housebroken?"
"Well, I'm not sure," Millard replies. "But we have broken up everything in a lotta houses, if that counts."
Beamer and Charlemange approach their friends. "It looks like these kids will need to be trained before we can find homes for them." Beamer whispers.
"But how?" whispers a perplexed Charlemange.
Cooler rubs his chin. "Regrettably, I'm not too sure; perhaps our best plan of action for the mean time would be to find a way for them to keep out of trouble until we can figure it out."
"That's a very good idea, Cooler." Violet replies, as she gently sits Max and the pups back down on the ground. "In fact, I might know a way to do so." She turns to the pups and kitten and inquires, "Say, dears, would you care for a little nap?"
The pups and kitten look up at her in perplexity. "But we're not sleepy."
"Well, it's probably best not to get too tired on your first day here, just the same. Follow me, please."
Violet leads Max and the pups into the nursery, where several baby puppies and purries are sleeping. The puppies and kitten slowly climb into several small pet beds. "Sweet dreams, dears." Violet bids them as she leaves.
Unfortunately, Max and the puppies truly weren't tired, and couldn't get to sleep. Out of the corner of their eyes, they notice a loose board in the wall, and curiously pass through it(Moe stops to pick up a squeaky blue rubber ball as he leaves); they quietly steal away behind the pound and travel up the hill to the mansion of Holly's wicked aunt Katrina Stoneheart. Upon entering the mansion, the puppies and kittens all scramble off in different directions; Max enters the living room, and begins scratching everything he can get his paws on: drapes, tablecloths, sofas, chairs, and even a pair of boots sitting on the floor by a nearby table, and a scarf hanging on the back of a chair.
Suddenly, Max hears footsteps and immediately scurries behind a set of curtains. Katrina's two henchmen Flack and Tubbs, the former of whom is wearing a dark brown winter coat, a red scarf, and a pair of ragged, patched-up socks(1), in addition to his usual black pants, gasp in shock at what they see. "Would'ja look at dis?" Flack says irritably, picking up his wrecked boots. "Catgut scratched me boots!"
"Yeah," an irritated Tubbs replies, as he picks up his ravaged scarf. "He got my scarf, too."
At that moment, Katrina enters the room. "Where's dat tiger in cat's clothin' a yours, boss?" Flack inquires angrily. "He's been scratchin' up our stuff!" A puzzled look crosses Katrina's face. "Why, he's been out shopping with Brattina all morning."
Just then, the front door swings open, and Katrina's daughter Brattina, who's clad in a green winter coat with a fur trim, matching pants, and a pair of black boots with gold buckles, traipses inside, toting several shopping bags. Catgut follows her closely behind, carrying a squeaky carrot toy(Which Brattina had bought him as a special gift) in his mouth. "We're home, Mommie Dearest." she greets her mother. Catgut gives a small, muffed, "Meow."
"There's dat boot-scratchin' cat!" Flack seethes. "Ooh, do I have some woids fer him!"
"Yeah," scowls Tubbs. "I oughta' give him a piece a' my mind!"
Better be careful, Flack thinks. Ya's probly can't spare it!
Before either Katrina or Brattina can say anything, the two dognappers hurry up to the cat. "Now look here, ya crazy cat," Flack says seriously, holding his boots up for Catgut to see. "Whattaya gotta go scratchin' folks stuff up fer? Jus' look at dis!" Catgut stares up in perplexity.
"If y'gotta scratch sumthin," Tubbs elaborates. "Why not a scratchin' post, or da arm of a thrown away chair, or-" He stops abruptly as he and Flack become aware of a scratching sound behid them; they turn to see Max scratching up the curtains. The dognappers' faces turn as red as Beamer's sweater. "Ahh, heh heh, uhm...have a scratch?" Catgut growls angrily and chases the dognappers away. "YYYYEEEEOOOOWWW!" they holler.
"Serves you both right for picking on sweet little Catgut!" Brattina says indignantly.
(1)Though not noted in this story, Tubbs would have a pair of socks like these, too.