"Just hold your head still a bit" Alto asked, gently tilting Ryder's head to the side. Ryder obliged as he leaned his head to the side. Letting the medicine cat pad his paw against a ray of cuts and scratches on the side of his face. Ryder felt the small pain, Not knowing it that pain was from the rubbing alcohol or by merely touching the wound itself. Ryder looked to his side, seeing Zuma and Skye by his side. Both were in a stable sleep resting their heads on Ryder's lap. "I told them to wait outside, but no, dont list to the medicine guy" Alto muttered referring to the two canines that laid there.
"Its okay, They just wanted to be by my side" Ryder resolved. Alto shrugged and sighed as he stepped back to observe the Paw Patrol leader laying comfortably with the two dogs by his side. "Alright, Good news is that nothing looks serious and you'll be fine in a day or so, granted you'll still feel the pain though."
"And I suppose there's bad news too?" Ryder asked.
"That was partially the bad news, If I had enough good quality cloth, you would be out and about by the end of the day. However stuff like that is hard to get" Alto explained.
"Thats okay, You seem to know your stuff for a village doctor" Ryder commented, suddenly striking a nerve to the medical cat. "Im a fully licensed doctor actually, My license was revoked however by the county due to 'malpractice'." Alto said.
"What happened?" Ryder asked to the feline, interested in his story of how he came to be in such a place after learning his background in medicine.
"Interesting story, I was a doctor back in town. There was this dog that got jumped in an alley, I saw it. They beat him bloody like he was nothing more than dirt. Once the thugs saw me they ran off and I took the dog back to the hospital. The hospital didnt want to treat a dog, I knew that dog was going to die if I didnt do anything, all the staff refused to help me treat this dog so I did it myself. I must have treated that dog for hours, when he was okay he thanked me and ran off. Next day I got a message in the mail saying I'd been fired and my license had been revoked, I knew a lot of dogs were down by the river and they needed someone to look after anyone who got hurt or got sick, so I came here" Ryder felt sympathetic to the cat he'd heard his story from, it was a noble deed after hearing his story.
"Did you ever meet back up with that dog you saved?" Ryder asked, Alto kept his head down as if in sorrow, knowing the thought of what he was going to say stung him. "Sheriff's Department shot him a few days afterwards" He stated.
"I'm sorry" Ryder said in a soft voice.
"Thanks, I'll leave you to resting. I gotta fetch some stuff" Alto said in a similar tone, turning himself around to walk about the small hut, just as he did, passing Marshall coming in at the same time. The Dalmatian stepped aside, letting the medicine cat pass. Alto nodded toward the Black and White spotted canine, seeing a fresh pair of clothes in his mouth with tail wagging.
"I got some fresh clothes for you Ryder, from the Paw Patroller" Marshall said after laying down the clothes right beside Ryder. "Thank you Marshall" He gave praise as Marshall joined his friends in taking comfort by Ryder's side. Sudden their heads flipped up to the hut's entrance, seeing a head poke inside belonging to Lily.
"Hey Zuma, Skye, Get up, You need to hear this" Lily requested, seeing the cockapoo and chocolate Labrador's heads slowly lift from Ryder's lap. Seeing Marshall and Ryder also struggling to get up before Lily step in, her tone asserting for those two to remain seated. "Hey woah, I only said Skye and Zuma" She reminded.
"Why cant we come" Marshall asked, sounding disappointed and feeling left out. "Lily..." Skye spoke, letting the feline face her, knowing why she only wanted to talk to her and Zuma. "We can let them know, cant we?" She asked.
Lily grunted and groaned, thinking there was a small possibility she would say yes, if she wanted to say no, then she would have said it straight away. Lily closed her eyes and shook her head at the ground, debating with herself whether she should tell them.
"Fiiineee, Might as well tell Klaus and the others and get this over with" Lily said, suddenly at the sound of his name, all the others looked around and became aware of his absence.
"Where is Klaus anyway?" Skye asked, unsure where was the leader of the movement for the dogs.
Klaus walked down the sidewalk, stopping by a stop light as he looked across the road of the crosswalk to see a diner that was pretty hefty in size. Most diners were small and modest, this diner was bright and big like a decent sized house. 'Susanna's Deli and Dine' were the words that were written on the front in neon lights. Susanna definitely favoured flashy sights for her business that was for sure. Klaus looked both ways from his side of the street, seeing no cars apart from the vehicles that were parked on the side of the road. Seeing the indicator displayed the signal of no walking, Klaus saw there was no danger and walked across the crosswalk anyways. As soon as Klaus reached the other side of the road, he had heard the short blip of a police siren, as if to get his attention. The feline had turned his head to one of the cars that were parked on the side of the road, it had flashing red and blue lights inside the windshield and another hidden set above the bumper. An unmarked car with a deputy inside opened his door and motion for Klaus to step toward him.
Klaus disappointed he was caught, he had accepted the consequence of his action and walked toward the deputy, the cat immediately having his ticket book in his paw. "You should have known better kid, Jaywalking can get cats like you killed" The deputy stated with a glare.
"B-But there was no cars coming from either way" Klaus defended with a stammer and a soft tone as if he took the light hearted 'kid' comment to heart as if he was a kitten arguing with his parents. The deputy wasnt interested in an excuse however, raising a single paw to Klaus urging him to stop.
"Name" The deputy asked, clicking the back of his pen to begin writing up the ticket for Jaywalking. "Klaus" He had said, The deputy's fur had bristled slightly as he had heard his name, Klaus didn't notice but the cat had a pinch of fear in his eyes, as if he knew he was made a mistake. The deputy threw his pen back in his car suddenly and in a shock, torn up the half written ticket in numerous pieces and tossed the remaining paper inside his car. "Never mind, You're free to go" The deputy concluded, getting back in his car and driving off from the side of the road.
Klaus was ignorant to what had just happened, it had happened to him every time he had been confronted by one of his brother's officers. Klaus sighed before walking off the sidewalk and right up to the Diner. He entered, a small bell rang out as the door pushed inward. Klaus looked around and saw it packed with cats waiting for their meals or cats already enjoying their own.
Even with the packed diner and mass of cats, It didn't take him long to spot his brother. Reno, the County's Sheriff, sitting not too far from the door enjoying a coffee and a small donut. Klaus walked over to his brother's booth where he was, Reno saw his incoming brother and welcomed him, a totally different tone to how he was confronted last night in the park where Reno had let him go and told him to meet here to discuss something.
"Hows it going Klaus, Staying out of trouble?" His brother asked in a bit of a cocky by big brother like tone. Klaus shrugged before taking a seat at the booth, barely letting his eyes meet his brother's.
"Klaus, I can keep protecting you, you know that right?" Reno stated, getting more serious.
"I know, but you don't have to" Klaus replied.
"Dont say things you don't mean, because if I didn't care about you. You'd be arrest and hauled off to the Concrete Kennel before you knew it. In fact, A quarter of this diner is filled with my deputies, I can just give the signal and it would be over for you. But I don't want to" Reno stated, letting his brother knew he was in complete control.
Klaus wasnt stupid, he knew Reno didn't walk anywhere without a tail of his deputies watching over him for his sake. "Well then, I guess I would be the second cat you've put in the Kennel then, Its hard to forget what you did to that one deputy that hurt me" Klaus reminded.
"What was his name again...Something with a T...Tusker or something?" The Sheriff had trouble remembering his own former deputy's name, until he was reminded by his own brother. "Tuska, and hes a prime example of what you're doing is wrong and backwards"
"Klaus, You just cant see why I'm doing this, Why I accepted being Sheriff and why I do the things I do to keep this county pure. The dogs have a different way of life compared to us cats, integration into our society would be the first step to our downfall, what would be next, Cats and Dogs getting married and having half breed litters?"
"You're being dramatic Reno and blowing this out of proportion, Is it too much to ask for dogs to be treated the same way as we do our fellow cats?" Klaus almost shouted, beginning to get more and more frustrated as he argued with his brother. "You're thinking in the moment Klaus, think of the future. Sooner you know it dogs would be running a muck, crime would soar and dont get me started on public urination" Klaus rolled his eyed in exhaustion just as a waitress cat had come to their table.
"Well , Who's this you brought with you?" She asked, motioning toward Klaus with the flick of her tail in a friendly manner. "He's my Brother, We'll both the County Crisper please" Reno said.
"Aye Aye Sheriff" She said with a wink as she turned tail and walked back down the row of booths to the kitchen. "I didnt say I wanted anything" Klaus said in agitation, thinking it was needed for his brother to order for him as if he were a little kitten incapable of speech.
"I can tell you're hungry for a decent meal Klaus, I can see your ribs poking out for goodness sake. I know you're not eating well down by that slum of a village down by the river" Reno replied, Klaus tried to deny it, but he knew his brother was correct. Klaus didnt quite get to eat well at all most days, he ate the bare minimum when it came to getting by.
"But I don't have any money to pay"
"Susanna gives me coupons for this place as well as a discount for all my deputies, so I might as well use them" Reno stated, getting scoff from his brother at the hearing of her name. "Susanna, Katt County's Southern Sweetheart" Klaus said in a mocking tone.
"You like her or something?" Reno pushed on.
"I'd rather kiss a mule, Shes heartless and only cares for her profit. How can you not see its all an act, the way she talks, the way she smiles, Have you seen the way she treats the farmers?" Klaus ranted about Susanna, thinking more of her than just a female feline who had nothing but love in her heart.
"I don't bother myself with that non sense, tell you what, when you find something on her, tell me so I can write up a warrant. Until then, cool yourself little bro"
"We were born practically 20 seconds apart" Klaus recalled.
"I was born first, so I'm practically older than you" Reno said for his reply, taking a sip from his coffee with a smile. "But, there's something else I want to talk about too. Griffin, you know him, the Mayor of the County. He wants me to arrest you, Klaus I've been trying to buy you time for too long, and I would keep doing it, but the Mayor just isnt falling for it anymore"
"So do it then, Get it over with, The Dogs wont stop even if I'm behind bars" Klaus retorted.
"Klaus we already went through this. I don't want to arrest you, I love you as a brother and I wouldnt be able to sleep at night knowing I arrested my own brother and hes probably going to suffer in the Kennel up in the Mountains. So Klaus, please, Im talking to you not as the Sheriff, not as cat in your way of your 'Civil Rights' plan, I'm talking to you as my brother." Klaus could see the desperation in his brother's eyes, it was genuine for sure, which gave it all the more reason for Klaus to keep listen and maybe heed his brother's warnings and cautions.
"I can arrange somethings behind the scenes to get you out of the county, you can start a new life away from all of this. I can tell the mayor you tried to flee through the grand lake and got eaten by gators, or I can tell him you died in a fire that I could arrange" Reno tried to rationalize with his brother, but Klaus just wouldn't have it.
"I'm not leaving Reno, I'll die with these dogs even if my death will mean nothing. Atleast I can look myself in the mirror knowing I'm fighting for freedom instead of a paycheck. I know you have a job to do Reno, but I have a responsibility" Klaus protested, trying not to elevate his voice and cause a scene.
Reno sighed, taking a nibble from his donut as he looked defeated above all else. "I suppose we're both stubborn and too far deep in our own beliefs. However, I wont backpedal on what I said earlier about arrest you. I'll still try my best to avoid arresting you, there's nothing you can do to make me stop loving you" Reno replied, knowing he had failed to get his brother to listen to his own reasoning, all the while being contempt that he tried his best and would have to find another way.
"I know, and I love you too" Klaus replied with a smile, they were at each others throats just a few moments ago, but still coming back together as brothers born from the same mother and living under the roof as kittens. "I suppose we can still catch up over some food" Reno said, looking over to see the waitress coming back with two plates filled to brim with a mouth watering meal crammed with crispy meats.
The two brothers enjoyed their meals, Reno would smirk every so often as he saw his brother devouring the plate of food, knowing he was hungry and dying to have a decent meal. However their time would be cut suddenly short as a cat had approached the two, mainly by Reno's side and leaned over to whispered something into his ear. Klaus knew it must have been one of his brother's deputies in disguise to blend in, the cat continued to whisper words that Klaus couldnt make out. Suddenly, Reno's eyes filed with shock, surprise, and fear. They were as wide as moons and Klaus felt like he could have heard his brother stop breathing for a moment in shock from the news he had just heard.
At once, Reno had grabbed his campaign hat that rested on the table and flopped it onto his head, rushing to dust himself off of crumbs and making she he had everything he had came with. "Reno, whats wrong?" Klaus asked, worried that he might have gotten horrible news of maybe someone's death.
Reno couldnt even answer as all the cats in the diner lifted their heads toward the nearest television that played in the diner, the broadcast was the local news, and what it had shown was the Concrete Kennel, the County's Mountain of a Prison had been destroyed, letting all the dog prisoners escape. Cats were horrified as video from a helicopter displayed scenes from the Miner converted prison in flames with multiple fire engines on scene to contain the fire.
"I'll see you some other day Klaus, I need to head down to the Mayor's Office while I can because I know hes going to call me over after this" Reno said, reaching into his wallet and plopping a decent sum of cash onto the table for the food. "I wont mention out little talk to the Mayor either" The Sheriff stated as he finally left, without a command given, numerous other cats followed. Getting up from their booths to guard the Sheriff, no doubt these were his deputies out of uniform.
Klaus sighed knowing he had mixed feelings about all the dogs that were now escapees, not quite pinning down if he could find a positive or a negative to this new event. He knew only time would tell and he would have to look into it himself.
Chase found himself laying on the shore of the large lake where he had landed in after jumping from the mountain high ridge, he felt his fur stick to him as he stared up at the darkening sky where he saw the orange glare of the sun's light slowly start to dim. He turned his head slightly to look back up at the mountain, seeing a large blaze of fire still coming from the top as well as the clouds of smoke that pillowed into the atmosphere. "Chase...Chase" The german shepherd heard a voice calling him silently as well as nudging his head with a small paw. Chase groaned, feeling his whole body ache with a soar pain before getting to his paws in a steady manner.
"You okay, anything broken?"
"If I did break something, you would see it" Chase eased with smile as he cracked his neck from left to right.
"Well good to see the jump didn't break your sense of humor" Tuska joked as they both heard grunting and the shaking of leaves, they turned their heads to see Dash hooking the muzzle still strapped to his face to the thick branch of a tree and pulling hard. The ridgeback grunted with anger as each pull and yank he increase his strength, trying to break himself of the muzzle.
"COME ON YOU STILL LITTLE-….BREAK OFF ALREADY" He shouted in frustration, each yank strained around his neck and caused him great pain but he didn't care.
"Oh no you don't, You're not getting off that easy" Chase raced over and grabbed the Rhodesian ridgeback by his tail, pulling him backwards. Letting branch slip away from him and fall back.
"Chase wait" Tuska urged as he stepped closer toward the two. "Don't make me regret this" he whispered into Dash's ear as he unsheathed one of his talons and picked around in the key hole of the muzzle, finally it clicked and the muzzle fell off.
"You saved my life earlier, so I owe you something at least. You can go or stay, it doesn't matter" The feline said, Dash growled for moment before running off in the trees.
"Typical…" Tuska commented as he watched the ridgeback go. Chase wasn't really shocked to see the ridgeback run as soon as he got what he wanted, it was clear Dash wasn't exactly a team player anyways, but there was a pang in his stomach knowing that this wasn't the last time they were going to see him.
"Wheres Rocky and Rubble?" Chase finally realized his absent friends. As he did ask about their whereabouts, there they came. Bounding through the trees, frantic and hyper breathing.
"Dash, he got his muzzle off and he-" Rocky tried to explain, not knowing that he was let go and free to leave.
"It's okay Rocky, Tuska unlocked his muzzle and let him go freely." Chase explained calmly, letting the mixed breed and bulldog calm down just as he had.
"Oh, Okay, I suppose there was no point in dragging him along with us in the end. So what now?" Rocky asked, seeing Tuska motion his tail toward a river that flowed into the lake and expanded further away. "We follow that river down" Tuska stated, already taking his steps over to the river, Rocky stopping immediately knowing something didn't match up. "Wait, but Brax told us to cross the river, not to follow it"
"I know, but trust me, I know where I'm going" Tuska reassured the mixed breed, Rocky looked unsure. Of course he could trust the cat, but he felt conflicted still. "Im sorry Tuska, you can go follow the river. If Brax told us to cross it, that's what we're going to do" Rocky replied. He looked back to his friends, seeing they were on board with his decision to cross the river instead of following it.
"Well okay then, I'm sure that dog knew what he was talking about too. Maybe you'll find something there interesting. I suppose this is where our paths end" Tuska stated, knowing this is where they were about to go their separate ways. "I suppose so, You've been a great help Tuska, we wont forget you"
"I wont forget you guys either, including Brax. Till we meet again" Tuska concluded heading in down the path of the river bank to where he knew he was going. Chase looked across the river and motioned for his friends to follow, they were up to their stomach's in river water when they walked across, Rocky bearing the brunt of it for obvious reasons. "This is definitely enough water for me for one day" Rocky commented, finally getting across the river.
"I'm hungry" Rubble complained as they continued to walk through the forest after crossing the river. "You're always hungry Rubble" Chase said as they continued to walk, trying to spot anything that might bring their attention, anything that Brax wanted them to reach.
"I think we should rest though, my paws are aching and its getting hot even with all this shade" Rocky pointed out, knowing that their fur was half damp with lake water and their own sweat. "No, we have to keep-" Chase was suddenly cut off as a silent puff was heard, and Chase drooped to the ground. His hind quarters stuck up the air and the German shepherd was in a steady trance of sleep.
"So...does this mean we can rest after all?" Rubble asked before he met the same fate, again another silent puff sound echoed and Rubble felt droopy too. Only this time, it was no sudden act of nature. Rocky was right next to Rubble, and he had seen a red dart jamming into the bulldog's side just before passing out.
Rocky backed away, Chase and Rubble had been tranquilized and were out cold. Soon Rocky met the same fate, the silent puff came and he felt the sting of the tranquilizer in his rear end. The mixed breed tried to fight it as he continued to walk in a drooping way, but it was too much to resist. The ground looked so comfortable and his body gave in and fell to the ground. Falling on his side with his tongue sticking out, he had heard the ruffle of leaves coming toward them.
"We gottem, Load them up Dixon" A female voice said, the female cat leaned over her head to look at Rocky straight down. Her head blocked the sun as she looked down at the mixed breed, making her outline black and hard to make out. Rocky felt his eyelids fall heavy as he was whisked into a deep sleep just like his friends.