Tchaikovsky and the Snow Buddies

Chapter 5

The next morning, the seven pups woke up like usual as if it was just another regular day. But the Buddies seemed a bit sad.  

"I sure hope our kids are okay" Budderball frowned. 

"It'll be okay, guys" Tchaik assured his friends. 

Tchaik then turned to see Wonder crying, so he came over to comfort her. 

"I miss Kimi" Wonder whimpered while she huddled next to Tchaikovsky, crying into his shoulder. 

"I know" the st bernard pup did his best to soothe the pup he deeply had feelings for. 

"We'll be home soon" Buddha told the others, but then frowned. "I hope..."

Just then, the gang heard noises coming from outside. They all quickly hid away before peeking out to see Adam come in with Shasta. 

"What is it, boy?" Adam asked Shasta.

Shasta then went over and took the tarp off, revealing the dog sled while the others watched from behind the trunks and other stuff in the shack without being seen. 

"You know Dad won't let us sled" Adam told his puppy. "Besides, we don't even have a team"

Shasta then barked to the gang, signaling for them to come out. One-by-one the Buddies and Tchaikovsky came out to meet Adam. 

Adam was quite surprised by this. But was happy once he saw how the pups were positioned in front of the sled. "My wish"

"I've been studying for this" Adam said, growing excited. "We'll need some equipment"

The pups all looked at the boy, as if telling him they were ready to help. 

"We can do this!" Adam smiled.

The pups then all dog piled Adam as they were now offically a team. 

Adam got right to work, checking the attachment to the harness around Shasta's body.  

"It's way too big" he said, considering Shasta was just a puppy. 

Adam measured each pup, then started sewing some new harnesses for them. They fitted the dogs into them and soon, they were ready. 

"Perfect" Adam said, putting the last harness on Shasta.  

~~~~~~~~~~

"And hike!" Adam called out to the pups. 

Adam had taken the pups out to have them test their sledding skills, strapping small log pieces behind them like miniature sleds for them to pull. 

"Way to go, guys!" the boy cheered them on, watching their training improve. 

The pups continued training with some help from Adam as they got better practicing each day. Rosebud even got a little pink winter hat to match with her bow. 

Soon one day, Adam brought out his dad's sled, thinking now was a good time to test the pups by having them pull it.

"Now we can try out dad's sled, guys" Adam told the pups as he brought out the sled. 

But soon, the task proved to be too much for the eight puppies. 

"This sled's too heavy" Adam realized. 

Later that same day, Adam and the team began building their own sled which would be just right for the pups to be able to pull in the race. 

The next day they tried it out, and the pups were actually pretty good at pulling it. 

"Whoo-hoo! Yeah!" Adam cheered for the pups as they were mushing like a real team. "Come on, hike! Hike!"

"And eight puppies become one" Talon had been watching the gang from the top of the hill. "My work here is almost done"

The gang continued having fun mushing while the bully dogs of Jean-George's sled team just happened to be out and saw them race by, surprised at how fast they were going. 

Tchaikovsky laughed, being very happy while he mushed with his friends and most importantly Wonder. He'd never expected he'd do anything like this in his life. 

Later that day, the gang came home after finishing up with their practice. Adam tried to convince his father he wanted to join in the dog sled race with his own puppy team, but Adam's father refused to allow it because of a terrible accident he had with his sled team during the race he was in. 

But Adam was still determined to race. 

The next day, the whole gang came into town. Adam and Shasta headed inside the sheriff's station to register for the dog sled race while the others waited for them outside. 

Demon just happened to be there too and spotted the gang. 

"Hey, Tchaikovsky!" he called as he came over to the pups. 

"Oh, hey Demon" Tchaik smiled up to the adult husky. 

Demon was very happy and proud at hearing about the pups' progress and training to become sled dogs as they'd been getting better. Knowing they'd be ready to join the race. 

Unfortunately, one of Jean-George's lead dogs, Francois was in town too and saw that the gang was alone. 

The husky with a French accent approached the pups, saying how something terrible happened to Shasta's parents during the race while they were crossing the frozen lake. Francois continued, telling the pups that the whole family was cursed to try and scare them, which obviously didn't work for some of them. Demon stood up for the pups, warning Francois to leave them alone or else he'd bite his face off. 

Francois laughed at the group mockingly before he left.

"Ooh!" Demon glared at Francois as he left, growling. "The next time I see that jerk, I swear I'm gonna!..."

Demon was about to say, but was shushed by the others as they saw Shasta and Adam come back outside from the sheriff's station and over to the gang. 

"Well, we're all signed up, more or less" Adam told them. 

But the pups all looked to the boy, a bit nervous after what Francois had just told them. 

"Come on!" Adam soon told them. 

And with that, the gang headed back to Adam's house to get prepared for tomorrow while Demon headed back home himself. But the pups didn't seem too excited about tomorrow's race.