(Nome Alaska)
Rose woke up to the sound of shouting and barking dogs, feeling groggy from the tranquilizer gun. Confused, she tried to sit up, wondering what was happening around her.
"Hey! Look who's finally awake!" an unfamiliar voice sobered her up, causing her to open her eyes and perk up her mismatched ears. She quickly realized she was in a place she didn't recognize, far from the familiar pound in New York City. The surroundings were decrepit and the smell was unbearable.
Confused, Rose questioned her surroundings as she stood up. A husky mix beside her calmly informed her, "You're in the dog fights," in a soothing southern accent. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be around 9 years old.
Rose was taken aback, exclaiming, "What?!" as she tried to comprehend her surroundings. The old dog explained, "The dog fights in Nome, little lady." Rose questioned, "Nome? As in Nome Alaska?" The old dog confirmed, "Yep. I don't know what those humans gave ya, but it was strong enough to keep ya asleep for three days."
Rose's body immediately became rigid. "Three days? Nome, Alaska? What am I doing here?" she inquired. "Why do you think? Those humans viewed you as a fighter. Figure it out, genius," remarked another dog, a boxer, clearly annoyed.
"Fighter dog? But, I'm not from here," Rose said, "I've gotta get out of here!" She jumped on the gate and tried pushing it open with her front paws, but it wasn't budging because of it being locked. "Good luck with that. The only way out of here is if those humans unlock these gates," the boxer said, laying down.
Rose glanced at him and noticed the numerous scars on his body. It seemed like he had been in this place for quite a while. "You should start getting comfortable here because you won't be leaving anytime soon," the boxer stated, resting his head on his forelegs.
Rose couldn't comprehend why this was happening to her. She was meant to be in New York, not in Nome Alaska. She lay down, feeling her heart shatter. How was she going to escape from this place?
The puppies and the gang must be missing her right now, and that thought was tearing her apart. Would she ever get to see them again? She was unsure about it.
Rose spent another day stuck in the same place, unable to escape. All she could think about were her gang and her puppies. She wondered how they were managing without her and if they had any idea of her whereabouts.
All of a sudden, the sound of her cage door opening jolted her awake. She immediately perked up and locked eyes with the person who had opened it. It turned out to be one of the dog fighting humans, holding a catching pole. "Alright, mutt, you've got your first opponent," he said.
Rose began to snarl at him, clearly showing her disapproval. It was evident that they intended to exploit her for dog fighting. She glanced at the elderly husky, who offered her a compassionate look. "Be careful out there, young lady," he murmured, aware that she might not survive the upcoming battle.
The man slipped the snare around Rose's neck, causing her to feel it constrict. The shepherd mix sensed her heart pounding in her chest. Despite her experience as a street dog giving her confidence in winning the fight, she also understood the risk of losing her life in the process.
He led her out of her cell and brought her to the fighting arena, where a crowd of humans were cheering loudly. Her restraints were removed, and she was finally free from the catching pole. It was all so much to take in, leaving her feeling completely overwhelmed.
She didn't need to wait very long before her opponent emerged, and she was stunned to see that it was a tan Doberman pit bull mix with short, upright ears and a stubby tail. The scars on his face indicated that he was a seasoned fighter.
"Ready to meet your end, mutt? You have no idea what's coming for you," he teased, circling her with his teeth bared. She understood his game and began circling him in return. "Actually, I do," she replied, keeping her gaze fixed on him.
"Oh, really? I might take it easy on you," he teased, finding it amusing that he was up against a female dog. Rose had been in plenty of fights before, so this one would be a piece of cake for her. "Is that so? I was thinking the exact same thing about you," she fired back.
He grumbled, "We'll see if you're quick enough for this," as he rushed towards her, teeth bared. She deftly dodged his advance, then leaped off his head, sending him crashing into the wall. The onlookers were astonished by Rose's agility.
She swiftly spun around and noticed the second dog shaking his head after colliding with the arena wall. "I'll rip you apart!" The other dog snarled, rushing towards her once more, unaware of her true fighting skills.
The two dogs clashed once more, battling fiercely. Rose circled around and sank her teeth into the side of his neck, letting out a loud growl. She maintained her grip on his neck, refusing to release. Eventually, she maneuvered him onto his side, putting him in a submissive position.
The pitbull mix seemed really frightened. He knew he didn't stand a chance at winning. The humans were counting on Rose to finish him off after she emerged victorious in their fight. It felt strange to her, as she had never taken the life of one of her own kind before.
The other dog said, "You have to take me out! If you don't, they'll take you out!" He knew that the only way to end the battle was to eliminate his opponent. He had defeated many dogs in the past as a fighter. Rose didn't want to resort to killing, it just wasn't in her nature.
Her eyes told the whole story. "I'm really sorry," she whispered before she pounced and sank her teeth into his neck, ending his life. She couldn't understand why the spectators were cheering for her after she had taken another life. She was okay with fighting, but killing was a different story. It made her feel... like a bad dog.
Dodger and the gang would be so disappointed if they found out she did this. She really didn't want them to think she was a killer to their kind. It made her feel really queasy. She really hated killing... like, a lot. She didn't want her pups to see their mother that way.
Rose found herself back in her cell, the door clicking shut behind her. Not only had she been separated from her blue bandana upon arrival, but the loss of her most cherished possession from Fagin left her heartbroken. It was a piece of her past she knew she would never see again.
"You came out on top in the fight, huh?" The boxer asked, "Did that dog plead for mercy? I'm sure he did." "Why do you want to know? I didn't want to kill him," Rose snapped, lying down and turning away from the boxer with her ears drooping.
The boxer barked at her, "You didn't want to kill him? Killing is a part of the dog fights! You can't be so soft!" Rose was starting to lose her patience with the dog, and her growls showed it. "I'm not soft. I'm just not used to it," she fired back.
The dog was clueless about her past life in New York. Unaware that she was a street dog from birth, fighting for survival was all she knew. "You can't fool me. You're definitely a street dog. It's impressive you've made it this far," the boxer chuckled.
She whipped her head in his direction. Did he really think she was incapable? Did he view her as a helpless she-dog who couldn't take care of herself? Even without the gang, she was perfectly capable of looking after herself.
Don't you dare underestimate me!" She snarled, staring him down. She noticed that arrogant expression on his chubby face, a grin on his cheeks. "Let me tell you something, if this fence wasn't between us, I'd have you running scared. You have no idea who I am to think I'm weak. Spend a day in New York City and you'll see how tough it is to survive as a street dog," she growled, showing her teeth.
The boxer didn't like it and growled at her. "Just leave her alone, okay? It's not her fault she's stuck in this awful place," the husky mix said in a drawling voice.
The boxer scoffed, "What do you even know, old man? You're as good as gone," he muttered, walking away in defeat. Rose moved away from the cage wall and lay down, resting her head on her forelegs. She shot a thankful look at the husky mix.
She shut her eyes, wishing for some rest. It was necessary. 'Dodger... Rita... Tito... Francis... Einstein... Oliver... Ryan... Fagin... Remember me... And don't let my pups forget me either,' she pondered sadly, longing to be reunited with her family.
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(A month later)
At this time, Rose was now one of the top fighters around here. She didn't enjoy having to defeat all those dogs, but she also didn't want to lose her own life. After all, she had a family waiting for her at home.
She bore some scars from the battles. A mark on the right side of her snout that extended to her lower jaw. Another scar near her right ear, and one on her left hip. Even her left ear was notched during one of her fights.
She was aware that there would be another altercation today and she would probably be involved. As a result, she didn't feel like the same dog she had been when she was captured. She recalled defending her puppies from the dog catchers. She hoped they were all safe, and not a day went by without her thinking about them and the pack.
Rose was abruptly woken up by the noise of more yelling, a sound she had become used to in the past month. However, this time, it was distinct. She believed she could make out the all-too familiar sound of police sirens outside, a sound she was accustomed to hearing constantly in New York.
"Wait, what's happening?" she questioned, standing up on all fours. The shepherd mix strolled towards the door of her enclosure and began to take in the situation. The people in charge of the facility were frantically trying to evacuate all the dogs, shouting and panicking.
The police officers were seen sprinting through the building, apprehending all individuals involved in the illegal dog fighting operation. Some were observed rescuing the dogs from their cages. Rose witnessed the most aggressive dogs being restrained with a catching pole and muzzled. The premises were being cleared out.
The people here got caught in the act. She was finally leaving this place. A police officer approached her with a pole, but she stepped back when she saw it. "Take it easy, girl, we're just trying to get you guys out of here," the man said, to show that he wasn't going to hurt her.
Rose hesitantly made her way towards him, and he opted for a leash instead of the catching pole, realizing her apprehension. Once the leash was fastened around her neck, the officer escorted her out. She stole a final glance at the cage she had been trapped in for the past month before refocusing her gaze ahead. Finally, she was liberated from that awful place.
Sorry for not updating. Been busy with my personal life. This chapter may seem rushed but I didn't know where I was going with it. Enjoy it nonetheless.