Changing Paths-A Paw Patrol Story

Chapter Twelve

Dom woke up the following morning after hearing Chase's voice telling him that it was morning. Dom stretched and looked up at Chase, who was looking at him from outside of the puphouse. He was wearing his uniform and hat, even though the sun was barely coming up.

"Good morning," Chase said. 

"Morning, Chase," Dom said. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Chase replied. "And you?'

"Relieved, actually," Dom said.

Chase tilted his head. "How come?"

Dom walked out of the puphouse. "You were right, and you helped me realize it."

"So, you know what the feeling was?"

"Yeah," Dom said. He looked around to make sure that no one was within hearing range. "I guess I do have a feeling for Sweetie."

Chase smiled. "Glad you came to that conclusion."

"And I have you to thank for that," Dom said.

"Come on, Dom," Chase said. "I was helping a fellow teammate, that's all. Now, go on. Ryder served breakfast already."

"And you?"

"I still have one more to wake up." Chase looked to his right at the gray and pink puphouse.

"Skye?" Dom asked. Chase nodded. "You gonna tell her?"

Chase laughed nervously. "Eh, not yet. Not the time yet."

Dom smiled. "Okay, if you say so." Dom and Chase walked in different directions.

Dom walked into the Lookout and turned to the right. All of the others were eating their food. When they noticed him, they turned to him and smiled. They must have forgotten about the argument, which was more than Dom could say about himself.

"Good morning, Dom," Ryder said.

"Morning, Ryder," Dom said. He walked over to his dog bowl and started eating his food. As he ate, Dom noticed Chase and Skye enter the Lookout. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation but stopped once they got to the others.

"Sure," Chase said, finishing the conversation. He turned to the others and smiled.

"Good morning, pups," Ryder said.

"Good morning, Ryder," Chase and Skye said, with Chase adding a "sir" to the end. Chase and Skye began eating their food, which happened to be next to each other.

"So, what are the plans for today?" Marshall asked.

"Well, let's see," Ryder said, pulling out his pup pad. "Chase?"

"I'm going on a patrol," he said.

"Can I tag along?" Rubble asked, standing up. "I haven't gone in a while."

"Um, Skye already asked to come," Chase said. "But you can come with me tomorrow, okay?"

Rubble sat down and lowered his head. "Okay," he said.

"Well, I got a job for you and Rocky, Rubble," Ryder said, looking at his pup pad. "Farmer Al needs some help collecting his vegetables. His tractor didn't want to start."

"Again?" Rocky asked. "That's the third time this month."

Ryder shrugged. "He said he ordered a new one, but for now, that's all he has." Ryder looked through his pup pad. "Uh, Marshall, want to help Mayor Goodway water her tulips?"

"Mhmm," Marshall said with a mouthful of food. He kept on eating, and the others laughed.

"Okay, then," Ryder said. "Zuma, want to help Mr. Porter with a new delivery of groceries?"

"Sure," Zuma said. "Who knows? He might give me one of those delicious treats he makes." Zuma licked his lips, and the others laughed at the joke.

"Alright," Ryder said, putting away his pup pad. "I have to finish some things, so we'll meet up back here if there is a mission."

All of the pups nodded. Chase and Skye were the first to leave, followed by Rubble and Rocky. Zuma and Marshall took a little longer to finish their breakfast, but they eventually left as well. Ryder got up from his chair, and Dom walked up to him.

"Hey, Ryder," Dom said.

"Hey, Dom," Ryder said. "You need something?"

"Uh, I was just wondering if there's anything for me to do."

"Um, let me check." Ryder pulled out his pup pad. "No, I don't see anything at the moment. I'll tell you if something comes up later, okay?"

"Oh, okay," Dom said. He was a bit sad that he had nothing to do, but he didn't show it. Ryder scratched behind Dom's ear and walked out. After Ryder turned the corner, Dom looked around the Lookout.

"Okay," he told himself. "What can I do?"

Dom walked into the elevator and rode it up to the top floor. He walked out and onto the balcony. Dom watched as the other pups drove away from the Lookout. He wished he had a vehicle.

Suddenly an alarm went off on the monitor. Dom ran over to see a pink crown on the screen. He tapped the green button to answer, and the Princess of Barkingburg appeared.

"Hey, Princess," Dom said.

"Hello, Dom," the Princess said. Her face was close to the screen, so Dom guessed she was calling from a phone. "Is Ryder around?"

"He's working in the garage," Dom replied. "Want me to call him?"

"No, that's okay," the Princess said. "But can you tell him to call me back as soon as possible, please?"

"I will," Dom said.

"Thank you, Dom," the Princess. "Well, I must get going." The Princess turned her head and looked down. "Yeah, it's Dom," she said. She looked back at the screen. "Dom, someone here wants to talk to you." The Princess faced the camera down, and Sweetie appeared on the monitor.

"Hey, Dom," Sweetie said.

"H . . . Hey, Sweetie," Dom stuttered. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Sweetie said, smiling. "And you?"

"Good as well."

"That's good."

"So, um, did you have something to say?"

Sweetie smirked at Dom. "What? I can't just say hi without needing something?"

"Oh, no. I mean, that's not what I. . ."

Sweetie laughed. "I'm kidding, Dom. But yeah. I did have something to say to you."