Patch's Adventures in Puppy School

chapter 11: One Big Happy Family

Atticus and Patch began to make their way to the shelter, but of course, Patch began to make a few stops to stall them so then Lucky, Cookie, Squirt, Niblet, and Strudel could make it back to the shelter before they did. The human men were talking, as usual, blissfully unaware of the dogs and their methods of working their ways in the Pound. The Pound Puppies went back to their shelter cages and tried to look casual. Atticus and Patch finally made it to the shelter.

"We're finally here," Atticus said. He then noticed their house right next door. "No way, our house is right next door, weird, I wonder why we've never noticed it before." he said, scratching his head, confused of how they never noticed the shelter.

Patch shared a shrug with him. He then went to see Lucky one last time. "Thank you so much for all your help."

"Ah, it's no trouble at all, kid," Lucky smiled to him. "I'm really gonna miss ya... Don't forget to keep in touch, okay?"

"Yeah!" Patch high-fived his paw with a laugh.

Lucky chuckled and gently pet Patch on the head. "You're a good kid... You better get yourself home and I'll see ya again soon."

Patch was sad to leave Lucky and the other Pound Puppies, but it had to be this way, at least now they knew that they could see each other again real soon, he then said goodbye to everybody else before going to join Atticus back home.

"Looks like you made a bond with those dogs." Atticus said to the Dalmatian.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I did." Patch said.

"Especially with that older dog, what's his name?" Atticus asked.

"Lucky." Patch said.

"Just like your brother's name." Atticus said.

"Yeah." Patch said.

Atticus could see that patch and lucky were like father and son and decided that he should adopt Lucky, so then, Patch wouldn't be so sad and wouldn't be alone at times.

"Oh, I want that one!" a girl with orange hair with double ponytails in a green shirt with a pink flower on it with blue jeans and pink shoes. She had wanted to adopt Lucky as her dog. "Please, can I have him?"

Atticus frowned, he wanted to adopt Lucky, but this little girl seemed to want him more.

"Oh, I don't know, sweetie, I mean a dog is a big responsibility." The girl's mother told her.

The orange-haired girl was about to object and say she would be responsible, but then saw of how sad Lucky was and then looked at who he was looking at and seeing Patch who was also sad and somehow knew what to do.

"Mom, I changed my mind, I don't think I'm ready for a dog just yet." The orange-haired girl said.

"Maybe when you're older." the girl's father suggested.

"Yeah, besides, I think someone else deserves to have him." The girl said.

Atticus looked behind him and looked and saw her wink at him, telling him she meant him. They were all going to be one big happy family now. Patrick and Emily were a little worried about having Atticus be responsible for two dogs now while Darla just had her one kitten. Hopefully they would all handle this well enough. Lucky looked to his friends one last time before officially moving into the family.

"Being involved with all these dogs reminds me of Sultan..." Forte said as he watched the dog spread. "I always wanted a dog when I was a boy, but never got one..."

"Maybe it's for the best..." Cherry said to him before ominously walking away.

Flo came to pick up her orphaned puppies and she noticed something familiar. "L-Lucky, is that you?"

"Hey, Flo, how are you doing?" Lucky asked.

Flo smiled small to him and gently nuzzled with him.

"Miss Flo, you know this dog?" the orphaned puppies asked.

"Yes, it's a long story, little ones." Flo smiled down to them.

"Yay, a story!" The orphaned puppies cheered.

Patch looked down to his medallion and then looked at Lucky and found a way to let them both continue to see the rest of the Pound Puppies as well as Lucky continuing to be their leader. Lucky settled down with Patch, finally having a home, never really having had one, even as a puppy. Patch was glad to have a father figure in his life now since Pongo was a bunch of miles away.