Special Bonus: Zak's Story

  It was a Friday night, the Fleabite's adult only time. There were a lot of dogs there, drinking themselves stupid. Guys would attempt to hit on girls, some would get smacked, others would be thrown out. Joey was the barkeep tonight, making sure all dogs paid right then and there. The only dog he wouldn't do that to was Charlie B. Barkin.
  He had known Charlie and had worked in a rat race facility before, seeing Charlie coming and going. And since Charlie was a regular at the Fleabite also, he would give him some leeway, being his old boss and all. But not much, he still made sure he paid a bit. Tonight was no exception. The mutt came in as usual, ducking a thrown bottle.
  He took a seat in his usual spot in front of the bar.
  "Hey Joe, how bout you give me the usual?"
  "The names Joey, Charlie. And I want to see some bones first." Charlie rolled his eyes and put some bones on the counter.
  "Here you go ya pushy Doberman. Now one usual, chop chop." Joey rolled his eyes  and held a glass under a tube, pulling  tab. Beer started to flow, and when it was at the top the Doberman eased the switch back to a neutral position. He set the glass in front of Charlie. Charlie grabbed the glass and took a big drink. That's when the newcomer came in. All activity stopped as they all looked at the door.
  Charlie wondered what happened to all the noise and turned also. Walking in was a tan Doberman with black face markings, like a German Shepherd. Everyone stared at him as he walked, some muttering about his strange fur color and pattern. He ignored all of them and took a seat by Charlie, his face stone cold. To Joey, he seemed familiar for some reason...
  "Hey barkeep, you mind giving me a drink?"
  "Depends, can ya pay for it?" Was Joey's cool and usual reply. The tan Doberman pulled out some bones and set them on the counter.
  "This enough?"
  "More than enough. Just take five bones from that and you'll be fine." Joey said, taking the right amount while the other took the difference. "So, you must be new around here huh?"
  "Yeah... Been around different places." The tan dog replied, watching Joey fill his drink. "Name's Zak, for anyone who cares." Joey gave the drink to the dog, who took one gulp. The name sounded familiar to him...
  "I have a feeling you may leave after tonight, so why not give us a story while you're here? You remind me of somebody I knew..." Joey said, raising an eyebrow at the dog. "All tourists have one story or another that they tell with friends. You seem lonely, so why not."
  Zak thought about this a moment. Then he gave a nod at the other Doberman. Then he looked at Charlie, who was staring.
  "Can I help you?"
  "Nah, I'm just interested is all... Might as well introduce myself. My name is Charlie. Charlie B. Barkin at your service." The mutt offered his paw, which Zak stared at uncertainly awhile but eventually took.
  "And I'm Joey." Joey followed Charlie's example and Zak seemed to take his paw a bit quicker. The mix had a look on his face, like the name meant something.
  "Alright... I guess a small story won't kill me... Well it's not short but..."
  "We're willing to listen." Charlie said, genuinely curious. Joey nodded in agreement.
  "... Alright... It all started when I was a pup..." The tan dog began...

  It was a dark night in an alley in New York. A female German Shepherd was lying there with her friends and her newly born puppies. Almost every one looked more German Shepherd like their mother... Besides one. This one pup looked more Doberman than Shepherd, but was tan and had the face markings. The mother's friends started muttering among themselves.
  "That one doesn't look anything like his mother, more like his father."
  "You mean that runaway Doberman? Man didn't even stick around."
  "Well what more would you expect? He's one of those dogs who aren't satisfied with one female and never sticks around."
  "Those poor pups... They won't even know their father."
  "Should they even want to? They are probably better off."
  "We should probably leave her alone, let her and the puppys get some rest." All the dogs nodded in agreement and left. The mother snuggled her head against her pups, pulling them closer. She didn't care what the others said, she loved all her pups the same. She just hoped that society wouldn't be to harsh to the odd one...

  Weeks passed, and all the pups were soon walking around, barking, and playing. The Doberman-looking pup was runtier than the rest, but played just as well as the others. He was playing hide-and-seek with his brothers and sisters, stubby tail wagging furiously. He was it this time, little paws covering his eyes.
  "... Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty! Ready or not, here I come!" The pup uncovered his eyes, grinning with his tongue lolloping out. He started to look around the alley, peaking in garbage cans, under carboard boxes, and even behind his watching mother. The young mix ran out of the alley... And was confronted by three large dogs.
  They were thugs, bad dogs. They were all Greyhounds, wearing vests, red, black, and dark blue from left to right. The middle dog, the leader of them, got right in Zak's face, grinning meanly.
  "Well well, look what we have here boys. A cute little puppy all alone." He looked back at his partners and winked. "Think he would a good snack before we go to the bar boys?" His two goons laughed.
  "Oh yes, I like a little squirt like him would make the perfect apetizer." The thug in red said. The pup tried to back off, but the dark blue vested dog and got behind him.
  "Where are you going pup?" He asked, looking like he was going to shove the small dog... But he suddenly yelped in pain and quickly went back to the other two. Behind Zak was his mother, growling.
  "Leave my pup alone Daniel, he didn't do a thing to you."
  "Oh-ho! This mutt yours is it? Well he got in our way while we were on our way to the bar, so that's good enough reason t-"
  "Listen to me you egomaniac. He was just playing with my other pups and happened to walk in your way. So just leave." The German Shepherd growled.
  "So Selma, what dog did you hang around with to have an ugly pup l-" He didn't get to finish his sentence as she slapped his muzzle.
  "You hush your mouth about him." Selma growled. The big dog rubbed his jaw and looked at her, eyes blazing. He raised his paw to hit her as he spoke.
  "You are going to pay dearly for that Selm. I think it's time I put you back in your- Yeowch!" He yelped as Zak went and bit his rear paw. Hard.
  "Ouch! What are you two doing get this brat off me!" As the other two went to grab the pup Selma hit them between their jaws and knocked their heads together. When Daniel would try to reach down to get the pup, Zak would move away from the Greyhounds searching paw and bite deeper. Zak could taste and feel blood going around his teeth as the Greyhound howled in pain.
  When he was close to grabbing Zak, Selma grabbed his vest and punched his face.
  "You can let him go Zachary." She said cooly, the tan pup letting go and scurrying over to his mother. "Now get lost you piece of filth." She growled at the injured Greyhound, who promptly started to limp away, whimpering every time his injured paw stepped down. Zak, being the pup he is wanting to feel brave, growled Daniel away.
  "Come on little guy, let's go back." His mother said, going back into the alley, the pup following behind. He was thinking about something...
  "Hey mom... Am I really an ugly pup?" He asked when they laid down in their alley-way home.
  "Of course not. Your just special because of your father."
  "Who was my father?" The pup asked curiously. Selma was silent awhile and then sighed.
  "Well... Because you are the special pup of the litter I think you should know." She nuzzled her pup, who wagged his stubby tail furiously. "You see, a few months ago I was in a bar working. Your father is a fighting dog, a Doberman, and had won the championship that night, so he was drinking with his friends.
  "His name is William Joseph Slumdog, everyone just called him Will. I was the waitress for his table and he seemed to take an interest in me. He had his eyes on me all night. However, that could have been because he was drunk out of his mind." She couldn't help herself chuckling.
  "I was about to leave when my shift was over when he called me over. After I took a seat he told his friends to buzz off, his voice a bit slurred, and they left. We then started talking about lots of things. So many I can't remember what in particular. I can tell you though, he slurred so much I couldn't help giggling at him."
  Zak grinned. His dad sounded silly.
  "Anyway, his friends were long gone, so we spent a night together. Though when I woke up in the morning, he was gone, with a note left behind. I was a bit upset at first, but my friends comforted me." She sighed. "I wish I knew where he was now..."
  Selma nuzzled her pup