The Runaway Adventures ll: Snowbound in Park Avenue

Chapter 48 - Vengeful Temptations

Filled with heartfelt determination, Lady intimately felt what was at stake in this rescue drive. Along with Jim Dear and Darling and Jock and Trusty, the housedog community was one of the few things that had been part of Lady's life since puppyhood. These were the dogs who Lady had always greeted on her neighborhood walks, who always were willing to lend a paw to help a neighbor, and who shared her innate understanding of the dog-human relationship which formed the backbone of her community. This was more than just a prison escape to Lady. This was a chance to rescue her world from danger's clutches, and hopefully to safeguard it for the future.

She smiled as she appreciated the warmth of everyone around her. From Jock who was once again steadily by her side, to Scamp, Danielle and their lovers, to Lucky, Rolly and Cadpig, to the group of puppies in their wake, she felt fully supported as they hurried toward their destination.

It wasn't long before they arrived in the room. Pausing to let their eyes adjust and not catch the wild dogs' attention, they saw rows upon rows of cages, nearly all of which contained a housedog, hooked up with a ball and chain around a paw. Strikingly, none of them even seemed to notice the newcomers as they slowly moved inside. Rather, they seemed completely oblivious to anything around them, consumed with their own misery as they lay down, often howling or groaning despairingly.

Jock then beckoned the others to one of the largest cells, who followed nervously. As they peered inside, they saw a huddled form against the walls, with long ears each covered by a front paw.

"Is that Uncle Trusty?" Scamp asked concernedly.

Before Jock could answer, they heard a mournful moan. "I never thought it would end like this," came a distinctive Southern drawl. "The trail is all over for me now."

"Psst ... Trusty," Jock muttered, but Trusty didn't respond.

"He can't hear you," Lady pointed out and Jock nodded, seeing how his ears were covered.

"Ack," Jock said frustratedly, but then Lady noticed the cell's lock. There was something familiar about it, though she couldn't quite place it ... Then it occurred to her. She had seen these locks before on the dogcatcher's wagon!

"I think I know how they open," Lady told the others, and stationing herself beneath it, she jumped up and knocked the peg-like lock out of its loop, causing it to fall onto the ground and the door to swing open.

Everyone gasped happily as Jock rushed into talk to Trusty. "Psst ... Trusty!" he barked into Trusty's ear.

Trusty finally stirred, lifting his head up and opening his eyes. "Jock? What's going on? Are we free?"

"Aye," Jock said, whispering. "It's a jailbreak!"

As Lady and Trusty's nieces and nephews all went to greet him and explain things and the other puppies watched, Rolly nudged Lucky. "Hey Lucky, I smell Mooch."

Lucky sniffed and he too could make out Mooch's slightly oily smell. "Follow me," he said to Rolly and Cadpig, who nodded and followed him toward the smell.

They stopped at a corner and saw Mooch standing inside the entryway of an open prison cell, and peering inside, they saw Two-Tone, Rebecca, Whizzer and Dipstick with him, who fortunately were not yet tied to a ball and chain, and instead were looking for an opening to escape.

"Heh! It won't do you any good," Mooch said. "None of you will be getting out until you two traitors join me again, or till you renounce your love for Lucky and say you're my girl!"

Whizzer and Dipstick just cowered nervously. Rebecca ordered, "Stop with the threats, ye uncouth lad! Be off!"

"Yeah, Rebecca's right!" Two-Tone added. "You had your chance with me and you ditched me. Not like Lucky. Lucky would never ditch me because he actually loves me!"