Too Much

Strike Two

It had been a few days since the incident with Skye and Ryder, and things had only gone downhill. The day after Ryder yelled at Skye, he forced Rocky to take a bath- in ice cold water. The day after that, he tripped Marshall as he walked into the elevator to answer one of Ryder's calls! And finally, just the next morning, Ryder put chocolate chips in Zuma's pup food; Zuma was still feeling sick at his stomach.

"Urp! Ungh... I hate chocolate. Why would Wyder do something like this?"

Marshall used his stethoscope to listen to Zuma's upset belly. "Chase still had no idea, all the info we can get is that he had that same dream. Now, you should feel better after you go... eh, two more times. I hear lots of gurgles in there. I recommend higher fiber intake."

"Aw, dude, I hate going that much. Urp! Excuse me."

Meanwhile, Everest was getting a drink for herself in the kitchen. She lapped up her water and Ryder walked in.

"What you doing, pup?" He asked.

"Hi, Ryder. Just getting some water, my throat was a little dry."

"That's not the only thing I see that's dry."

She looked at him in confusion. "Um, what else is dry?" After seeing the grin he gave her, Everest wishes she had never asked the question.

"You seem a bit dry... dry in the behind!" He swiftly yanked Everest to the top of the stove, then turned it on!

Everest's rear began to hurt and she started crying. "Ryder! Please, this hurts a lot! S-stop!"

Ryder just watched as he held her in place. Suddenly, Marshall walked in and saw the situation.

"What the heck!? Ryder! Release the Husky!"

"Make me." He retorted. Marshall jumped at his owner and not his arm. Ryder screamed, and let go of Everest. She gently pulled her backside from the hot burner and ran off, Marshall was about to join her when he was grabbed by the collar.

"So, you think it's ok to bite me, huh? I'll have to punish you."

"Ryder, don't you dare t- gluck!"
Marshall felt the air leaving his lungs as his collar tightened around his neck.

"Naughty pup. Now, let me continue or I'll just tighten this more."

"Y-yes, sir." The half-choked Dalmatian said.

Three hours later, the pups held an emergency secret meeting.

"Ok, pups, we have a serious situation on our paws." Chase said. "Ryder has gotten worse and still hasn't said what's worng."

"Um, Chase?" Skye asked. "Where are Marshall and Everest?"

Just then, both named pups walked in- or rather, limped in. Marshall was covered in scratches and cuts, while Everest limped from her burned bottom.

"Dudes! What happened to you?" Zuma asked.

"Ryder happened." They answered solmnly.

Everest spoke first. "He forced me to sit on the stove and turned it on! Marshall saved me, but I ran away and it looks like he got beat up."

Marshall nodded. "After you left, I tried to follow. Ryder grabbed my collar and said I was in trouble. Next thing I know, I'm being choked while he cut me with a knife; and not a dinner knife, either. It was a true knife, like one Chase would arrest someone for."

"How many cuts do you have, Marshall?" Chase asked, pulling a first aid kit out of his house.

"Eight." Marshall said.

"This is getting bad, Chase." Rocky said.

"What should we do?" Skye asked, getting worked up a little.

"For now, we need to avoid Ryder as much as possible." He said. "If for some reason you aren't able to avoid him, do whatever it takes to get away."

Skye leaned against Chase, proud for no being so willing to take command; but she was certain she saw a tear in his eye, and she knew exactly why it was. She felt the same way.