Adventure Bay, present day

One month after the pups' disappearance

Ryder sat on his bed in the Lookout, staring at the cracked picture he held in his hands. It was a picture of him and the other pups. He was standing in the middle of a crowd of twenty pups, of all different sizes and breeds. To his left were Chase, Rubble, Rocky, Skye, Zuma, Marshal, Everest, Tracker, and the Might Twins, Tuck and Ella. To his right were Sweetie, Strider, Ranger, Bark, Gracie, Matthew, and Pip. Near his feet were Twinkle and Andrew. This picture had been taken just days after the Clash of Powers, when the Golden Pups had embraced the power of Pit and Ranger had embraced his identity as the Pupdroid prototype.

A tear slipped unbidden down Ryder's cheek. For days, he had woken up hoping that what he had discovered at the Connect and Protect HQ had just been a nightmare, and he would find his pups up and hungry for breakfast. But he always found that his hopes were in vain. Liberty, Arrby, Al, Coral, and the Cat Pack were doing a good job at protecting Adventure Bay, but it just wasn't the same. The other pups had been more than just Ryder's friends—more than just his pets. They were his family.

He thought back to the fateful day when his world had first crashed all around him—the day he first thought of creating the Paw Patrol. It had been when he was only five years old. He had been living with his parents in Adventure City, not too far from Adventure Bay, and had already discovered that he loved to build things. His parents were proud of his technological and mechanical skills, and they encouraged him to keep it up. He was working on a new gadget in his room one day when it happened. Somehow, a fire had started in the attic, and as the fire spread downstairs, his parents had been quick to try and get him out.

"Hold on, Ryder! We're coming!" his father cried out.

"Mommy, Daddy, what's happening?!" he yelled in panic, choking and coughing from the smoke.

"Just stay where you are, sweetie!" It was his mom calling out to him. Ryder stayed put, but he was more scared than he had ever been in his entire life. Then without warning, a beam from the attic collapsed. Sparks rained down into the hallway, and young Ryder was trapped.

"Mom! Dad!" he cried out again, choking on the smoke some more. His vision blurred as the smoke started to get to him. Just when he thought he was going to pass out, a brown shape leaped through the window to his room.

"Don't worry, kid!" said a voice. "I'll get you out of here." Ryder vaguely felt a pup's teeth clamp onto the back of his hoodie, and he felt himself being dragged to the window before he lost consciousness.

When he came to, a deep voice was saying, "Kid! Hey, kid! Can you hear me?" Ryder opened his eyes and saw a firefighter bending over him, looking to see if he was all right. But Ryder just wanted his parents.

"Mom. Dad. Where are they?" he asked weakly.

"I'm so sorry, son." the firefighter said. "I'm afraid…they didn't make it out in time. If it hadn't been for that stray German shepherd pup, you wouldn't have gotten out alive."

Tears sprang to Ryder's eyes as he realized what the firefighter was saying. His parents were gone—killed by the fire. But he wanted to know more about the pup. "Where…where's the pup?" he asked.

"Getting treated for injuries. He's suffering from a few burns and smoke inhalation. But the vet thinks he'll pull through."

Ryder closed his eyes in sorrow. His home, his family—they were gone, taken by the fire. Yet this pup—this stray pup who didn't even know him—had saved his life. "Can I…can I see him?"

"Not until you get some rest. You've been through a lot today."

As he drifted off to sleep, Ryder could feel firemen pick him up and carry him over to a stretcher, ready to take him to the hospital. He awoke a few hours later to the sound of a monitor beeping at him. He was in a white bed, covered in bandages. His first thought was of the pup. "The pup! Can I see the pup?" he asked.

"Well," the nurse answered. "We don't normally allow dogs in here, but seeing as this pup is a hero, we've decided to make an exception." Ryder didn't understand all the big words, but he understood enough to know that the nurses and doctors were allowing the pup to come and see him. Sure enough, a few seconds later, the German shepherd pup came bounding in. He too was swathed in bandages, but they didn't stop him from jumping onto Ryder's bed and licking his face. "Hey, pup. How are you doing?"

"The better question is, how are you doing?" the pup answered back. Clearly his injuries had not dampened his enthusiasm.

"I'm…I'm okay." Ryder replied. "It... it's just—"

"I know." the pup replied. "I would have gotten them too if I could, but…" His voice trailed off, and Ryder realized what he was not saying—he hadn't gotten to Ryder's parents in time.

"What…What's your name?" he asked.

"My name is…Chase."

As Ryder thought back to that horrible day, he realized anew what each of the pups meant to him. Chase, Skye, Rubble, Rocky, Zuma, Marshal, Everest, Tracker, Rex, Sweetie, Tuck, Ella, Strider, Ranger, the Golden Pups, the Might Twins, Twinkle, Andrew, Liberty, Arrby, Coral, Al—they all were so special to him, each in their own unique way. He even held the Cat Pack close to his heart, though they were not technically pups. He held the picture close to his chest and cried. Why couldn't he have saved the Ninja Pups? Why couldn't he have done something to keep them from dying, just like his parents did? If only he had been there when the PTD had exploded! He could have stopped it from ever happening! At least, he thought he could have.

Lost in his thoughts, he was startled when a voice suddenly called out to him.

Ryder! Ryder! Ninjago needs you!

He looked up abruptly but saw no one. Then the voice came again, even more urgent this time.

Ninjago needs you! Lloyd is in danger!

Lloyd? The leader of the Ninja? In danger? Ryder couldn't believe his ears!

The voice spoke again, saying, The pups need you, Ryder.

The pups? Could it be?

"What…what should I do?" he asked, feeling rather ridiculous as he did. But at the same time, he felt a stirring of hope in his heart. If maybe the pups had not died in the explosion, but had simply been sent to Ninjago, then…he might see them again after all.

Go to the Cave.

That was it? Go to the Cave? What would he find at the Cave? He had not visited the Cave, codename for the Connect and Protect HQ, in weeks. But the voice simply said one last time, Go to the Cave.

That was it, then. He had to go to the Cave. But he couldn't just leave without telling the others. Quickly, he called an emergency meeting and explained to them what had happened and what he was planning to do.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I need you to protect Adventure Bay while I'm looking for the pups. Can you do that for me, please?"

"Liberty, reporting for duty!" Liberty cheered.

Arrby and Coral followed suit with, "On land and sea, you can count on me!"

Next was Al. "Call on me for a 10-33!"

Then it was the Cat Pack's turn. "This cat's gotta run!"

"I'm roaring to go!"

"Let's pounce!"

"This cat's gotta climb!"

"All right then! Paw Patrol is on a roll!" Ryder yelled out with an enthusiasm he had not had in a long time. He was going to see his family again. He was going to get the other pups back!