Patch and the Air Buddies

chapter 19

The next morning, Patch, Colette, and the Buddies all woke up.

Alpha woke up first and turned to the Buddies. "Your parents are waiting for you."

"Mom, Dad, here we come!" Buddha cheered.

"Lead the way, Alpha." Patch said.

Alpha took the lead. Colette and Patch walked side by side while the Buddies filed behind them.

'Don't worry, Mom and Dad, we're coming.' Rosebud thought to herself.

It took a little while, but Alpha led them to a fence with a chunk of the bottom cut out.

"Beyond this fence lies the vineyards where your parents are being held," Alpha told them. "Now it's up to you to rescue them."

"Why don't you stay with us forever so you're all not alone?" Rosebud asked.

"We wolves are needed in the forest as much as you are needed by people." Alpha replied.

"Do you ever get scared?" B-Dawg asked.

"Sometimes, but that's why we howl," Alpha told him. "To let one another know that even though we may feel alone, we never really are..." he then left them to fetch Buddy and Molly and he took his leave back to his home.

"Thank you very much, Alpha!" Colette called.

"Namaste." Buddha added.

"Thank you ever so much, Alpha!" Patch added in.

Alpha smiled to them and continued to return to the forest. The Buddies thanked the wolf and they made their way through the fence's entrance. They were now in a whole new garden and soaked up the fun that was called wine country.

"Okay, let's start looking for your parents." Colette said.

Atticus's car passed the farm that the Buddies, Patch, and Colette were at earlier.

"Who goes there?" Billy demanded. "Friend or--" he then noticed who was there. "Oh, excuse me, Cherry..." he chuckled sheepishly.

Cherry poked her head out from the car window. "Excuse me, Billy, have you seen five puppies with a Dalmatian and female cocker spaniel?" she asked the goat.

"Actually, yes, I ha-a-a-ave." Billy said.

"Really?" Cherry asked. "Well, where are they?"

"Those dogs passed through here yesterday, but have already gone ahead." Billy informed.

"Aw, we missed them?" Mo sounded disappointed.

"That tells us that we're going the right past." Atticus said.

"They went that wa-a-ay." Billy turned his head to one direction to the road they were driving toward.

"Thanks, oh, and umm... No need to tell John and Nancy I was here, right?" Cherry sounded nervous.

"Ah, you're fine," Billy chuckled. "They've gone to a farm convention anyway and Daisy Belle's watchin' us."

"Thank goodness..." Cherry sounded relieved. "Thanks, Billy!" she waved as Atticus went back to driving then.

"Anytime, Cherry, anytime." Billy nodded to her.

"We'll be there in no time." Atticus said.

"Cherry, you know this farm?" Mo asked.

"I kinda don't wanna talk about it..." Cherry sounded distant again. "But yeah... I'm kind of family here against my will."

"We'll talk about that later." Forte said.