Zuma on his Own #JusticeForZuma

Chapter 2

Ryder froze. "Left behind? Zuma, what makes you say that?"

Zuma hesitated before responding, "I just feel like I'm not as important as the others sometimes."

Ryder scratched his head. "But you are just as important as the rest of us, Zuma. You're our water rescue pup. If you're not there, who else do we turn to?"

"But that's just the thing, Ryder. There hasn't been a mission where my skills were needed in a while. I feel like I'm being forgotten."

Ryder's expression softened. "I promise, Zuma, you are not forgotten. You will have your moment."

"You keep saying that, but words don't mean anything anymore. I need to see action, not just empty promises," Zuma replied before turning away. 

Meanwhile, inside, Apollo just saved a group of kittens from a giant spider. "Go, Apollo!" Rubble cheered.

"Join us next time for more exciting rescues and adventures on Apollo the Super Pup!" The TV announcer said.

Just then, the pups heard an engine revving outside.

"Who could that be?" Chase wondered aloud.

The doors slid open to reveal a familiar face. It was Liberty. She was wearing a big smile.

"Hey, pups!" she called out as she entered the room.

"Liberty!" Rubble cried. "You just missed the best show on earth!"

"What show might that be?" she smirked slightly.

"Apollo the Super Pup!" Rubble began to describe the basic details of the show.

"Rubble, don't bore her to death. Give us the chance to talk to her too," Skye teased.

"Excuse me? Since when is Apollo boring?"

Ryder walked inside. "Hey, Liberty, it's good to see you again."

"Uh, Liberty, did you see Zuma on your way in?" Rocky asked.

Liberty shook her head, "No, I didn't. Why?"

Ryder looked confused. "I was just talking to him. I wonder where he went."

Chase shrugged. "Maybe he went to the beach."

"Without telling us? That seems unlikely," Marshall said skeptically.

The pups became silent for a minute. They remembered what Chase had said.

"You guys are making a big deal out of nothing. Zuma can take care of himself."

But what if something happened to him?

"Do you guys remember when Marshall left us?" Rubble argued. "Zuma was like the only one who noticed his absence."

"Not true, Rubble, I noticed his absence too," Skye interjected. "But I agree, it is strange that Zuma didn't say anything before leaving."

Ryder sighed. "I hope he's okay. Let's go check the beach."

Liberty could sense the tension among the group.

"I can't believe Zuma missed the entire show. He never misses a single episode," she heard Rocky tell Marshall. "I hope he's not in any trouble."

Marshall shook his head. "Maybe he decided to take a break."