Chapter sixty-four: Thanksgiving Greetings

"Ryder?" Rocky called, when hopping out of the elevator and walking forward.

He looked around, but didn't see anything.

"Ryder?" He vocalized again.

"Right here, Rocky." The boy's voice said from behind him, making the pup leap forward in fright.

"Oh,.. sorry.." Ryder apologized. "What's up?"

"*sigh* Not much.." Rocky replied, sighing with relief. "Snowflake was just wondering if you were up, cause she's ready for breakfast."

"Oh, ok, let's go.." the boy decided, strolling for the elevator.

"Is anyone else awake yet?" he asked after a pause.

"Just me, Zuma, Snowflake and Ned, I think." Rocky replied. "But Zuma just went out to confirm." Then the doors closed, and they began their descent.

xxxx

"What? What did Brian and I do?" Ned asked innocently.

"You two snuck into the kitchen one morning to get a bite to eat before Thanksgiving day could start, and we had to clean up the food and stuff you guys made! Thank goodness your ghost trap caught you or you two would have gotten away with it!" Snowflake exclaimed knowingly.

"We got grounded for two weeks with no sweet treats and stuff! Besides, that cherry pie was good!" Ned retorted.

"Not. An. Excuse!" Snowflake snapped back, before focusing on the door again.

"Good morning, pups." Ryder's voice greeted, as soon as the doors parted and he and Rocky came out of it.

"Good morning, Ryder," Snowflake and Ned said at the same time, still in their hiding spot. The husky pups turned towards Ryder and Rocky to greet them before turning their attention back to the door.

"What are you guys doing?" Rocky wondered, clearly confused.

"Protecting the Thanksgiving feast from early intruders!" Snowflake said seriously. "You never know what hungry mouth will want a slice of pie, a gobble of turkey, or stuff themselves with stuffing before dinner!"

"It's an accidental tradition. Thanks to our brother, Brian and I," Ned clarified.

Rocky just blinked.

"Brian and I tried to eat the feast before breakfast once... before getting trapped in my old ghost trap. We got in big trouble. So now as a precaution.. my sister tries to protect the food from getting eaten before dinner is ready. Even in the morning," Ned explained.

"Oh, well we don't have all the food for the feast here.." Rocky explained. "But we were planning on bringing something for dinner.. We plan on making some pie later today."

"Oh. Okay, I'm sorry." Snowflake said before she and Ned came out of their hiding place.

"Oh that's ok.. has Zuma made it back yet?" Rocky wondered.

"No, not yet. I hope everything's okay," Snowflake replied.

"Well he's only been gone a few minutes.." Rocky assumed. "I'm sure he'll be back any minute."

xxxx

Zuma strode around the donut of a driveway, scanning each pup house as he walked by it. And every pup he passed seemed to stir a little and he figured they'd be up and at 'em soon. Except for one that still snoozed pretty heavily.. which came as no surprise. Zuma just sighed and smiled.

"We tired him out pretty good yesterday.." he thought aloud. "I think we can let him sleep in a little longer today.. He's earned it."

But what he didn't realize as he was walking away, since the German Shepherd's back was facing him, was the exhausted face that produced one single stream down his face, which trailed down his paw and soaked into his blanket.

xxxx

Everyone looked when the doors opened again and Zuma came in accompanied by a couple other sleepy heads, who yawned and stretched as they came stumbling in.

"Good morning, Skye. Good morning, Marshall," Snowflake greeted.

"Good morning, Zuma, Skye, and Marshall," Ned said.

"*yawn* good morning," the two sleepy pups replied, yawning once more.

"Sup, dude." Zuma greeted.

"Just hanging out. Oh and I stopped the surprise entrance thing. We explained to Rocky why we do it," Snowflake responded calmly.

"Um.. ok.. That's cool, dude." Zuma smiled, trying to sound as if he knew what they were talking about.

"So is this all who's awake?" Rocky asked.

"For right now, yeah." Zuma replied with a nod. "I think Rubble might be getting up veeerry slowly today.. Chase too.. But we'll just have to wait and see. I figured since yesterday was so busy, he deserved to sleep in."

"True. Wait, don't you remember our surprise, Zuma? You and Rocky received it," Snowflake wondered.

"Surprise!" Ned exclaimed before throwing the big, blue sheet on top of Zuma, Skye and Marshall. Rocky managed to knock Zuma clear, but couldn't reach Skye and Marshall before having to duck away himself.

"Ohh.. that.. thank goodness. Great work, Rocky," the chocolate lab smiled.

"Um, you're welcome?" Rocky replied unsurely.

"Now.. how about that breakfast." Ryder said, beginning to wander off.

"When are we having Thanksgiving dinner?" Marshall asked, when falling in step with the boy.

"Later this evening for dinner time." Ryder replied. "Plenty of time to work up an appetite before then."

"I don't think that'll be too difficult for some of us," said a voice behind them. And when they looked, Chester stood in the doorway.

"Good morning Chester," Ned and Snowflake said, seeing the German Shepard pup. Snowflake went under the blue sheet too.

"Sup.." Chester monotoned, then noticed the sheet covering. "Um, are we playing ghost hunt again?"

"No. Thanksgiving precautions that my sister does. Thanks to me and my brother trying to eat part of the feast before breakfast once," Ned explained. He, too, went under the blue sheet.

"And you weren't in on it too? Ha! I don't believe it!" Chester scoffed. "So is my little bro awake yet?"

"Nah.. he'd earned a 'sleep in' morning.." Rocky replied. "Besides, it's Thanksgiving."

"Yeah,.. and I think Chase is 'thankful' for sleep!" Marshall joked, making everyone laugh.

"*yawn* me too!" Rubble's voice agreed and he slowly strode into the Lookout with his sleeping mask pulled up to his forehead.

"Morning, Rubble!" Snowflake exclaimed before throwing the blue sheet on top of Rubble and Chester too.

"Good. Now you need to just catch Chase, Snow. Also, I was asleep when Snowflake trapped Zuma and Rocky," Ned answered.

"What?" Rubble wondered in pure confusion.

"Nope! Not starting this again.. Forget it!" Chester announced immediately forcing his way out and hurrying to stand behind Ryder for security. "Sheets may work for you guys, but not me."

"We're not exactly into it either." Skye mentioned earnestly. "Sorry, Snowflake."

"It's okay. I just used it as a precaution anyway," Snowflake replied kindly.

"At least it's nice and soft," Ned commented.

"Yeah,.. soft and.." Marshall pulled off the sheet and the hair on his head puffed up. "Staticky."

"Nothing a little shake can't fix?" Rocky suggested hopefully.

"Nope.. but a little spray might." Marshall smiled.

"Aw, I figured you were gonna say that." The mixed breed sighed. "Oh well,.. *sigh* just.. don't angle it my way, ok?"

"Or better yet.. take it outside." Marshall finished for him.

"That'd be a pretty chilly wake-up call." Chester mentioned. "Look.."

Then they all peered out the glass windows and realized now how much snow and ice had stayed after the dusting they'd received just days ago.

"Look! The Bay looks like it's frozen over!" Zuma noted.

"Not quite.. but darn close." Chester declined. "I managed to get the 4-1-1 from Capt'n Turbot on my way here.. And he said even though there's a thin layer of ice forming on the Bay.. it may still cause problems for anyone wanting to be on the lake."

"Wait, if it's snowy, where will we have Thanksgiving? Eating dinner won't be as fun if we're out in the cold," Snowflake said as her face emerged from the blue sheet.

"Hehe, snowy. You're a weather forecast sis," Ned joked before Snowflake rolled her eyes.

"Wait, 'staticky'? I want to see!" Snowflake exclaimed before diving back under the blue sheet and grabbing Marshall in a ghostly hug, before pulling him back under the sheet.

"Don't worry, Snowflake." Ryder said, "Town Hall has a Banquet Hall we'll be using tonight. We'll be safe and warm from the cold."

"And even if we weren't, Mr. Porter would have plenty of his best warm dishes to keep us nice and cozy. Including his famous, anything goes hot cocoa!" Marshall remarked dreamily.

"At least for us he'd do Almond bark, since we can't have chocolate." Skye shrugged, now that she was finally free from the sheet.

"And then we could add whatever flavor we wanted.." Rocky continued. "Blueberry, Strawberry,.."

"Cookie!" Rubble interjected. Then licked his lips with an 'mm'.

"Cookies? Aren't those a separate desert?" Ned remarked.

"Thanks Ryder. At least we'll be warm.. Wait, a Banquet Hall? Aren't those rooms huge? I thought he owned a Cafe?" Snowflake replied until getting confused.

"Mr. Porter doesn't own the Banquet Hall, it's a room in Town Hall.." Ryder corrected her. "He does own the restaurant, but he, a lot of times, provides quite a bit of the food for town events.. paid for by the mayor of course."

"Oh, okay. I didn't know there was a Banquet Hall in Town Hall. Wait, is it in the building? How many hallways are there in Town Hall? A Banquet Hall in Town Hall that you get to by walking down a hall after entering Town Hall?.. Sounds like a maze of halls to me. I'm confused," Snowflake responded before feeling like her brain was now in a twisted mess where the theme was nothing but Halls.

"Maybe we'll try explaining it to her later.." Chester murmured to Marshall.

"Don't worry, Snowflake.. you'll understand when we get there." Ryder told her. "It's not as confusing as it sounds."

"Good. At least we're warm," Snowflake said, still slightly confused.

"Yes, as sheet ghosts. This is fun!" Ned exclaimed as he wandered around playfully under the big blue sheet.

"For you maybe." Chester replied.

"Yeah. So now what do we do?" Snowflake asked, still hugging Marshall.

"Well first, we get some breakfast, cause I'm starving.." Rubble began. "And then we can play till a light lunch and then play till tonight.. right, Ryder?"

"Sounds like a plan." Ryder smiled, shrugging. "And we can still fit in making the food we're gonna bring with us, before we head down to hang out before dinner."

"Sounds good to me." Chester decided.

"Sounds good," Snowflake said before her stomach growled.

"Then let's eat," Ned said before lifting the blue sheet so the pups could get out.

xxxx

Vehicle tires slowed to a stop and Ryder's helmet came off smoothly. The pups hopped down, or climbed down in Chase's case, and marveled at the decorations set up around the outside of Town Hall.

"So many fake leaves.. or maybe they're real.." Snowflake said as she saw the string of leaves and other fall decorations outside.

"Um.. I think it might be both.." Chase mentioned, pointing to the real leaves plastered to the windows, with frost amongst the garlands of fake ones hung across the top edges of the windows.

"Okay," Snowflake said as she kept looking at the decorations.

"I thought Ryder said the feast was inside Town Hall?" Ned commented.

"It is.." Ryder confirmed. "Come on." Then leading the way they entered through the front door and followed the arrows to a big room where a crowd had gathered. Celebration erupted once the PAW Patrol's presence was noticed.

"Ohh! Welcome, PAW Patrol!" Mayor Goodway greeted. "Happy Thanksgiving!"

"Happy Thanksgiving, Mayor Goodway," Snowflake replied happily.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Ned greeted.

"PAW Patrol!" A voice called, then looking slightly to their right a certain mountain Husky bounded up to them joined by a slow moving tall man.

"Everest! Jake! Happy Thanksgiving!" Snowflake exclaimed, wagging her tail and beaming with excitement. She hugged Everest before offering a paw to shake Jake's hand.

"Hey, how's it going there, Snowflake? Staying cool out there?" Jake greeted, kneeling down to shake her paw.

"It's going good. Yes, it has been getting colder outside. So, we decorated the inside of The Lookout while it was snowing during the storm," Snowflake replied as she shook Jake's hand.

"Hey, smart idea." Jake smiled, pointing a finger to his head. "Great way to stay busy when the weather's narly outside."

"Hi Everest. It's me, Ned. Snowflake's brother," Ned greeted.

"Hello!" Everest replied brightly.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Ned said.

"How have you and Jake been? Last time I saw you two, we were hiking with Chase," Snowflake responded thoughtfully.

"We've been great!" Everest beamed proudly.

"And we had a lot of fun with that.. How'd the rest of your hang out time go?" Jake asked.

"It went good. Though we had to get back to The Lookout because of the storm," Snowflake answered.

"Weren't you already at the Lookout by then?" Everest wondered curiously.

"No. We slept over at Katie's pet parlor after we got washed up. With Ryder's permission," Snowflake clarified.

"Oh cool! Was it fun?" Everest asked brightly. But glancing over, Snowflake caught an awkward look from Chase, before he strode forward away from them.

"It was, and wasn't. It's kinda hard to explain," Snowflake said honestly.

"Oh,.. I guess it didn't go so well then." Everest figured, saddened.

"It was good but.. there was a misunderstanding. But, we've figure out how to work around it. Also, as hard as it was, you were right," Snowflake explained.

"I was?" the mountain pup echoed, cocking her head.

"Yes. About giving him space. It worked," Snowflake insisted, slightly smiling.

"It did?" the pup queried.

"Yes. It did," Snowflake confirmed.

"Still keeping busy, I see." Aaron commented, meeting up with them as they proceeded further into the room.

"Yes. Hi Aaron. Happy Thanksgiving," Snowflake said before shaking his hand with her paw.

"Nice to meet you, Aaron. I'm Ned," the male husky said, introducing himself.

"Hey," the boy waved. "So I'm not seeing doubles then.. -uh.. other than the slight color difference."

"Yeah. We all look similar, but our fur colors are a bit different," Ned agreed.

"I can see that.." Aaron said.

"Me too." another voice said, but when they looked a friendly golden lab was standing there. And while even though the dog seemed to recognize those among them,.. they only saw her as a complete stranger.

"Hi, nice to meet you. Are you a friend of the PAW Patrol's? I haven't seen you around Adventure Bay," Snowflake greeted.

"You could say that," the lab shrugged. "I haven't been around here for too long."

"Same, but I have only visited a couple times," Ned retorted.

"I moved her a few years ago when Chase's police friends finally rescued us from the CorDan mansion," the new pup replied.

"After I was reunited with my original person." she added glancing up at Aaron thankfully, then sending Chase a knowing smirk and an arch of her brow.

Chase just bashfully looked away, trying to restrain a smile.

"Wait, Aaron's your owner? Then that means.." Snowflake said, as she thought back to the story of what happened to Chase.

"You must be Chase's crush from the CorDan mansion!" Ned exclaimed. Snowflake just looked at her brother in confusion.

"Ned!" Chase gasped.

"No. I was going to say she must be one of the Pup Pal pups. Rayla, I think?" Snowflake suggested.

"That's me." Rayla replied. "I thought you'd catch on once you heard that part, Snowflake."

"You're welcome, Rayla. I met Skyler and Kylie already when I went to go play with Alex," Snowflake replied, remembering the other two playful pups. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

"Well a couple little birds.. Or I guess pups let me in on it when we caught wind of a certain situation that we won't discuss right now." And in mentioning the "situation" she craned her neck over to look at Chase again, who again turned away but in awkward avoidance. "That's kinda why they had to dash off on you last week."

"I thought they ran off because they got called to an emergency?" Snowflake asked. "But I agree. Anyway, I'm the pup they met,"

"I'm Ned, Snowflake's brother," the male husky said, introducing himself.

"Likewise," Rayla told Snowflake. "And not exactly.. See.. The rest of the PUP Pals are more of honorary members and I'm not.. I was made official about six to eight months after the mansion raid. And the Pals are fine with that arrangement.. Though they do throw a paw in here and there that is quite welcomed by Ryder and the team."

"Nice. I'm not a team member, just friends with the PAW Patrol," Ned replied.

"I'm a team member and friend of the pups. I joined a few years ago," Snowflake mentioned.

"Huh,.. I thought I heard something about another tracker.. Nice." Rayla nodded impressively.

"Yes. I'm the tracking pup- wait. 'Another tracker'? What do you mean?" Snowflake responded, but quickly got confused. "Ryder never mentioned another tracking pup to me."

"And thank you," She added. And all Rayla had to do was glance right over to the younger German Shepherd among them.

"Why do you always just look over at me?" Chase wondered, slightly defensive this time.

"If the gear fits.." Rayla shrugged.

"But not that snugly." Chase returned dryly.

"We'll talk about that later.." Rayla decided, giving him an objective look. "For now.. tonight is all about Thanksgiving!"

"Oh boy! Food!" Rubble gasped, racing forward.

"Only you would go right to the grub, my friend." Rayla smirked, strolling after him with the other pups by her side.

Another chapter to ramp us up to the next climax! Then on to the Christmas addition to this wild ride! Stay tuned for next time! Thx!