Chapter fifty-one: Plan Of Attack!
By the time they arrived back at the Lookout though they were all dragging their paws to get to the top.
"I don't.. know about you guys.. but.. I think.. we'll sleep goooood tonight.." Chester panted.
"Yeah.. only I'm.. not looking forward to waking up after that," Chase breathed.
"Don't worry.." Marshall heaved as they neared the Lookout doors. "We know a few someone's who can fix that."
A breeze sent a chill down Chase's spine and he shuddered.
"Brr.. it's colder than before. Let's get inside before we freeze!" He said.
"Actually.. the cold hasn't really changed much.." Rayla corrected. "You've just been working out."
"Ok, point taken.." Chase sighed.
Another wind blew and they all shivered and ran inside.
As soon as the doors closed behind them they all shook the chill out of their bodies and sighed with relief of the warmer temperature from the great indoors.
"Have fun, everypup?" Frank asked, as Billy and Maggie started to walk over to them.
"Yes. Lots of fun. Though Chase and Chess started to get tired once we all had a turn on the sleigh. Brian and I offered to push them while the brothers took a ride in the sleigh, but we decided the harness fitting would be tricky. So we all just headed back here," Snowflake explained.
"Solid idea, pups," Frank smiled.
"Probably better too, since you guys need to pace yourselves. Don't want any more injuries after all," Ryder agreed, coming forward toward the group of pups.
Chase and Chester shook briskly once the harnesses were let down off of them. And when they stepped out of them, Maggie and Billy took them away.
"So do we just relax inside The Lookout?" Ned asked curiously.
"Yes!" The shepherd brothers gasped, flopping to the ground where they stood.
"Woah, hold up, at least lay someplace comfy," Maggie insisted, beckoning them over to the pillows.
"Ugh, ok," they groaned, dragging themselves up and slumped over to her.
The husky pups also walked further into The Lookout to relax.
"At least we had fun," Snowflake said to the brothers, smiling as she passed by them.
Both shepherds paused for a united moment of thought.
"True.." they said, meeting each other's validated glance.
"Seriously, are you guys like twins?" Tiny deadpanned, taking a seat near the pillows. "You guys have jinxed yourselves like.. every time you've said something."
This returned the brothers' glances to one another with more of a predisposed grin.
"We could be," they replied, answering in unison, shifting to be almost back to back at the shoulder.
"You opened yourself up for that one." Rayla smirked, seeing the sunken distaste fall over the chihuahua's overall expression.
"Are you being serious, or is it just accidental coincidence?" Snowflake asked. "Actually, if Chase was born after Chester... minutes? days? Would you be twins? What amount of time do you need to be born compared to your sibling to be considered a twin?"
"We're not actually even from the same litter, so I guess no, not an 'accidental coincidence'." Chester mentioned. "Chase is like a whole year younger than me. The Prescotts gave our mom a break between my litter and Chase's and then we got Chase out of that deal.. so.. no, not literal twins, but.. we are both from the same dad so we're full blood if that says anything."
"I think it only really explains part of it," Rayla deadpanned, sending a knowing smile down among her PUP Pals.
"Yes, that makes, Chess," Snowflake responded casually.
"Ahhh..Genetics.." Skyler sighed happily, raising up between the two shepherds, then drew them both in and gave them both a pleasured look. "Who knew right?"
"Yeah.. who knew.." Chase sighed in distaste of her tight grip, and was relieved when she suddenly dropped them and wandered away.
"Did either of you ever actually meet your dad?" Rayla happened to wonder out loud.
"No,.. he belonged to someone else and they sometimes traveled, but they did live very close to where we were.." Chester replied. "'Only reason I know this is 'cause the Prescotts told me."
"And we never really got the chance 'cause we were either in training or they didn't allow us to be around when they were working on certain projects in the breeding barn," Chase added. "So one of them would stay behind to keep us busy in the meantime.. Usually Maggie." Maggie nodded proudly, when they looked her way, and the fondness held between them could be felt by everyone in the room.
"So what else did we miss?" Chase asked.
"We got to do some holiday shopping while you guys were gone," Melody answered Chase.
"Awww! Without us?!" Chester complained. "UGH! Now I gotta go do it all by myself."
"You didn't miss much." Tiny replied dryly. "We just wandered around town looking at stuff just to get ideas of what's around."
"Exactly, you still have time to go out with all of us.. We're actually gonna go do that again today or so," Skyler said. "Maybe we can all scatter to the four winds, divide and conquer and get the job done all at once."
"Uuuhmmm what now?" Chester asked, humming the first part so he could share a confused glance with Chase, before asking the subsequent question.
"I think she means we all split up into groups, and go see what we can find in town," Brian explained. "Right Skyler?"
"Well, sure I guess that'd be the simple way to explain it," the border collie replied, wagging her tail lightly. "I'll bet you once we get at it, we can get it all done in a day if we really try."
"Ok but can we take a day to recover first? I'm bushed," Chase sighed, intentionally falling to the floor in the smoothest and most natural way he could.
"Bushed? When did you start saying that?" Chester wondered, cocking an eyebrow at him quizzically. "But.. I kind of agree."
"Tired from traveling or helping with the pups?" Snowflake asked curiously.
"That and pulling the sleigh a lot today and yesterday.." Chester replied.
"And strength building, which doesn't happen overnight." Chase added, earning an understanding nod from Chester.
"Oh wow! You guys were busy!" Snowflake said, impressed.
"Yeah.." the two shepherds replied with a big sigh.
"I think we can allow that." Rayla nodded, decidedly. "Get some rest, soldiers.. Then, first thing tomorrow.. We'll deploy to get our shopping done and hope we can all complete our mission before day's end. Agreed?"
"Agreed," the rest of them replied.
XXXX
"Alright, everyone ready?" Rayla asked, as the team gathered that next morning.
"As we'll ever be," Chase replied with other nods and responses of "yes" coming back.
"Ready! But how do we split up for the shopping? It would be kinda awkward if you're shopping with the pup you're getting a gift for, and vice versa," Ned pointed out.
"Yeah, we wouldn't want to accidentally ruin the surprises," Brian agreed thoughtfully.
"Well I compiled a list of the four stores we all talked about visiting.." Rayla ventured. "And since all of us have something to do at either one or two of these locations, I figure we split according to what stores we're going to. And if we have to circle back to any for some reason we can once we meet back up again. That would put Melody and me on one squad, Skye and Boomer on another, Marshall, Kylie, Tiny, and Snowflake on another, and Rubble, Zuma, CiCi, Ned, and Brian on the last one leaving.."
She looked up from her laid-out battle plan finding Rocky instantly.
"I'm not going out, 'cause Ryder's helping me with mine," the mixed breed announced, answering the lingering question.
"Me too, I just realized.. So.. I'm sticking around here too," Skyler said.
"So's mine," Chester piled on, looking at her with a rather stoic expression. "We'll need to all be careful not to cross paths while we work. To keep the secret, which is the point of a 'Secret Santa.'"
"I haven't really decided upon anything yet," Chase sighed. "Haven't really had time to nor have I been really -inspired- yet."
"All I can say, is I hope someone's able to get me something specific that's on my list," Chester commented, somewhat hinting at something by the look in his eyes. "You never know when you might need an extra layer of protection."
"Haha, we get the hint Chess," Brian joked.
"Do you really? None of you saw my list.." Chester reasoned confidently. "Well, other than the pup who drew my name anyway."
"I've got one guess right off the top of my head," Chase implied, giving him a sidelong grin.
"Don't you dare!" Chester cried, somewhat faking his alarm a little bit. "You'll ruin it."
"I think you're safe, if that's all you're worried about," Chase rolled his eyes humorously.
"True. So, are we going shopping now?" Brian wondered.
"Yes, everyone split into your designating units," Rayla announced.
"But Chase.. What are you gonna do?" Skye asked. "All the stores we mentioned we know we need to go to, but you haven't had a chance to check them out yet."
Chase's expression broadened, then turned pensively to Chester before lightening and returning to her and those among them, minding himself not to focus on one in particular too long to draw suspicion.
"Actually.. I think Ryder may be able to help me with something.." he said finally. "So I guess I'll join the home base unit, Captain."
"Copy that with a big 10-4, Sargeant." Rayla saluted. "We'll be rolling out now and will check back in on the double when we get done. As for each unit we'll rendezvous at this location by end of day today. Everyone copy?"
"Copy!" Many voices responded.
"Then let's go, go, go!" Rayla barked, and the four groups of pups set off in a blaze of glory getting into their vehicles and speeding off on their latest mission.
xxxx
"Ok pups, while everyone else is busy let's get to work on your projects," Ryder suggested.
"Mine might have to be last cause it requires us to go somewhere to find it," Skyler ventured, ending her statement with a painfully obvious wink wink.
"We can go over mine whenever, since we've kinda already been working on it," Rocky shrugged.
"I actually have one last adjustment to make and it should be ready for its final test." Ryder said, taking something out and snapping it on the mixed breed's collar. "Why don't you get a head start and I'll join you when I can."
"Sounds good to me! Green means go!" Watching the recycling pup run off made Ryder chuckle then his focus turned back to the remaining three pups.
"I think my idea is pretty easy," Chase spoke up, dropping his gaze straight to the floor in thought for only a moment. "But.. I guess I'll let you be the judge of that when you hear it."
"Sounds like a plan," Ryder nodded.
"You go ahead.." Chester sighed in his usual laid back tone. "I know mine is easy."
"Ok, then I guess we can talk about that now," Ryder supposed, turning back to Chase from his brother.
"I'll go away so you can discuss it." Chess decided, strolling off smoothly. Then Chase noticed the smiling face poised on him with the gently wagging tail that tipped out from around his friend's forward facing body on either side.
"Um.. Skyler?" Chase hinted, cocking his glance toward Ryder.
"Oh right! Going away!" Singing the last part, she ran boldly for the snow and leapt a cannonball into the tunnels.
But just as he was turning to Ryder to focus on his task, a piquing interest pulled at him and cocked his head with a slight slump and rolled his eyes downwards.
"All the way," he sighed, turning around to find Chester peeking out the door of the Lookout and Skyler peeking from the tunnel entrance. But when he said that they both very slowly slid away from view. But still sensing the suspicions he still had, the German Shepherd nodded at Ryder to come down to his level, and when he took a knee the pup put one paw on it to elevate himself to the boy's ear and whisper his thoughts into it.
XXXX
The sun was nearly set by the time the group made the trek back up the hill. And when they reached the top, they somehow felt more exhausted than they had before, even though not much had changed. And also because of the fact that they had driven rather than walked up the driveway.
"Well that was a great day! But I'm tired from all the walking," Melody said, carrying a bag in her mouth.
"At least we got all we set out to do done, right?" Rayla supposed and many nods and expressions of "yes" came back.
"Right!" the four huskies replied happily.
Eyes started to wander when silence welcomed them.
"Where is everybody?" Skye wondered.
"They can't have gone far," Kylie figured. "They were supposed to be busy working on stuff."
"Yeah, we were all supposed to meet at the same spot together!" Snowflake commented.
"I wonder where they got to?" Rayla wondered, venturing forward a few paces.
"Ryder? Chase? Rocky? Where are you?" Ned called out.
Silence came back.
"They better not jump out and scare us.." CiCi grumped. "They'll never see the end of it."
"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Chester's voice created a start and when they found him standing nearby with one foreleg tucked over the other, CiCi ran over and pushed him over roughly.
"I wasn't kidding.. tread lightly," she threatened mildly.
"We're back from shopping. We know the gifts are a surprise! We're not sneaking in on you! Honest!" Snowflake exclaimed, hoping for a response.
"If they scare us, I will use the parachute to protect us!" Ned commented.
"And how would that stop us from being scared?" Tiny wondered rather bluntly, peering around the group at them. "In any case, not seeing them coming may just be more of an opportunity for them to try."
"But seeing as how the only one we've found is the most likely to attempt a scare, I think we can assume we're safe," Rayla decided, gesturing to Chester.
"Hey!" Chester complained.
"Actually that's just about right."
"Ah!" Chester jumped the moment Chase poked his head around the door frame, but for everyone else they saw it coming, much to their amusement.
"Hi Chase. Ummm, where's everyone else?" Brian wondered.
"Just hanging out in here," Chase replied casually. "Don't mind Chess, he's just the bodyguard."
"Hey!" Chester snapped. "I'll show you 'bodyguard' in a minute, huah!" Leading the group around the corner into the building, Chester bumped Chase back with his chest, who ran away laughing, and he happily pursued.
"Well, sounds like someone's in a better mood." Rayla smiled, among her friends. "He must be feeling pretty good to be joking around again."
"Maybe that 'avalanche adventure' wasn't such a bad thing after all," Tiny hinted, grinning out the corner of his eye at her.
"I didn't say that," Rayla clarified, her smile mostly fading. "The two could be completely unrelated."
"I don't know.." Marshall wondered, distractedly watching the two shepherds tussle mildly among the pillows. "He's seemed different ever since then.. and not in a bad way for once."
Rayla's tongue etched between her lips with a hint of regret battling its way through her expressive eyes.
"Nope not gonna say it, totally unrelated," she finally said.
"And yet you still agree." Kylie mentioned earning her sudden gaze, but the dominant look she gave her friend made the golden lab look away sheepishly.
"Oh she agrees," Brian said with a teasing voice.
"Well, maybe getting any extra banter out of themselves was good for the brothers," Melody added.
"Hmph.. maybe." Rayla huffed, indignantly.
Hey guys! We're ramping back up again! And hopefully to the point of finishing this thing! We're getting close to completing this story and guys I was NOT expecting this one to go so long! But things don't always go the way we think and this story's no exception.
For that matter I never thought that starting with Spooky Pups would turn into this long lived four part series we have going.. Hope you guys are still enjoying this crazy journey and will perhaps stick around to see it to the end.. Thanks for reading and we'll see you next time! Thx!