laid a paw on Star's side, then ran it up and down her body like someone running a metal detector over a beach. “She's warm now,” she replied. “Angel and I can handle it from here, and we'll call you if she starts to get cold again. Now scram.”

The boys looked at one another, and Caspar nodded. “She's right,” he agreed. “We'll let Mom and Dad fix this. Let's go.” And he left, followed by Zar, then Mel. Arrow stayed with Star, who still lay inert in the warmth of the flames, and with Angel, who sat in silence, brooding over her misdeeds.

At last, Arrow placed a paw on Angel's back. “I'm sorry, sis,” she whispered.

“You?” asked Angel, looking up. “Why would you be sorry? I'm the one who did this.”

“Yeah, but I messed up too. I turned a blind eye when you sneaked off that one time because you were with my brother. And I didn't mention it when I saw him snooping around. Maybe I didn't steal like you did, or kidnap like him, but I'm guilty too.” She looked at Star. “I even knew about his knack for mimicking voices, but I didn't warn anyone. I thought maybe he had changed since the time he was in Groven's bunch of strays, but I should have known better. Especially since I was used just like you were, back before you and the others were even born. So I'm sorry too. And when Mom and Dad get back, I'm going to tell them that. And whatever they decide to do to you, they'll have to do it to me too.”

Angel shook her head. “No, you can't do that. It's my responsibility. I caused the whole thing.”

Arrow shrugged. “Maybe you did, but I let it happen. We got into this mess together, so we're going to get out of it together. That's what families do.”

Angel smiled briefly, then hung her head. “Thanks,” she whispered.

Not long after, Toby and Luna arrived. They gave no details except that Max and his gang had been taken with hardly any fight and wouldn't be bothering anyone for a good, long time. Angel was to be confined for the remainder of the night, and in the morning when Toby returned, her fate would be decided. With that, Toby went home. The pups bedded down, with Angel under close guard by Luna.

As Luna lay awake, watching her daughter squirm around searching for sleep beside her, she took a deep breath. It wasn't easy to punish any of her children, and although she didn't want to play favorites, it helped little that Angel looked just as she had at that age. Maybe, she thought, I should have been a better mother. Maybe then none of this would have happened. It was with this unpleasant thought going through her mind that she at last drifted to sleep.

Angel, on the other hand, hardly slept at all that night. Every time she chanced a look at her mother until she at last fell asleep, the pup saw disappointment and thought it was in her. It must be, after all she had done. She had no idea at that moment how much they looked alike – inside, and out.

The following day, Toby arrived still bothered over the previous night's events and fully ready to ground Angel till the day she died. He was partially disappointed to learn that Luna had already taken the other pups to her parents' home to avoid bringing further embarrassment to their little ex-con. He had been hoping to use the situation as a lesson to all the pups about the consequences of crime. He was further displeased to learn this while sitting out on the porch. The minute he had arrived, Luna had stopped him at the pet flap and wouldn't let him enter until they'd had a chance to talk.

“I still can't believe she would do this,” he grumbled. “Why would she betray us like this?”

“She made a mistake, honey,” she said softly. “Everyone does. You made a few when you were her age.”

“Yes, but I never got mixed up with felons.”

“Pete's committed a felony or two, and you let him go,” she protested.

“Yes, because he proved he'd had a change of heart.”

“And she hasn't?” Luna was incredulous. “Toby, she did the right thing in the end. If it weren't for her, those criminals would still be loose and Star would probably be dead.” She paused for a second as if to take a breath, then gestured for him to follow her and went up to the front window. Toby raised his paws to the sill and looked in, following her gaze. It didn't take him long to see what she was directing him to.

In front of the fireplace lay Star, her sides rising and falling with her breath as they watched. Beside her, keeping watch like two cherubs, were the placid figures of Arrow and Angel.

“They've been like that ever since last night,” she told him. “Every second they were awake, they've been watching her. I couldn't even get them to eat breakfast.”

Toby frowned. “Angel I can understand,” he murmured softly, thinking of the guilt she must feel. “But what about Arrow? Didn't you take her to your parents' with the others?”

Luna looked at him. “The dog who kidnapped Star was Arrow's brother,” she explained. Before he could express his shock at this, she added, “She knew what he was capable of, but he convinced her he was trustworthy.”

'Convinced her she was trustworthy.' the words struck a note in Toby's mind, and he shook his head in dismay. Not at his daughters' carelessness, but at his own. Because in a sense, he was to blame for this. If he had known what was going on in the lives of his family, not just the boys, but the girls as well, he might have somehow prevented this. They were guilty, that much was inescapable. But he needed to get himself in line too. He'd never be able to deliver the sentence they needed as an angry judge. They needed a father.

“I'm going to go talk to them,” he said, in a low, rough voice.

She tried to head him off. “Wait,” she pleaded, thinking he might still be angry at them.

He looked her in the eye. “I have to do this, Luna,” he told her. “There's no question of that. The question is, will you trust me? You of all dogs?”

She considered, but found that in truth there was nothing to consider. Toby could be impetuous at times, but he always did his best to be a good mate and a good father. She had said her piece, and now she owed it to both of them to let him do what he had to, and trust his judgment. She stepped aside.

Inside, the three girls dwelt in silence, one in slumber, the other two in vigil. Angel didn't look up when Toby walked in, but Arrow did. “Hi Dad,” she whispered.

Toby nodded. “Hello, girls.”

Angel stiffened her neck, refusing to look as Toby drew near to them both. All she wanted was for it to be over.

“How is she?” he asked.

Arrow answered. “She's warm now, but she's still sleeping a lot.”

Toby nodded. “She needs a good rest after a night like that.”

'Come on,' Angel thought. 'Get it over with.'

Arrow bravely looked up at her father. “Did Mom tell you about... about the dog who kidnapped her?”

He nodded. “Yes. Yes she did.”

Angel refused to twitch so much as an eyelash, but she knew what was coming. 'He knows Arrow didn't blow the whistle on Sam, which means now we're both going to get the riot act and probably be grounded if we get off easy.'

“And I'm sure you realize I can't let this go unpunished.”

'Here it comes...'

“But, I am proud of you. Both of you.”

That took Angel by surprise, and ever so slowly she looked up at her father, her daddy. “What do you mean?” she asked. “How can you be proud of us after we blew it so bad?”

Toby took a deep breath. “Well,” he said, “I can't deny that both of you did some bad things. Angel, you lied to your mother and me, you stole from the butcher, and you helped with burglary. And Arrow, you knew that Sammy could be dangerous, but you agreed not to tell us about him. If either or both of you had done the right thing, Star wouldn't have almost died, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.”

Each girl lowered her gaze, weighed down by her own guilt like a swimmer tied to an anvil.

“But you did the right thing in the end,” he added. “And to be honest, I haven't been entirely right this whole time either. I left too much up to your mother, and I should have been paying more attention to you.”

Now both were staring at him, confused. “So, what does that mean?” asked Star.

He frowned. “Well, unfortunately it doesn't mean I can let you off the hook completely. You do need to be punished. So since Star is stuck in here until she recovers, you both will be too.”

Then his face lightened, and he actually smiled a little. “On the other hand, I've been pretty careless myself, so at least part of the time I'm going to have to ground myself too.”

“Huh?” Now they were really lost.

He actually laughed. “I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm going to have a talk with your mother. And from now on, I'm going to spend more time with each of you.”

“To keep us out of trouble?” asked Angel skeptically.

“No, not exactly,” he replied. “It's more like I'll be just... well, getting to know you. Connecting with you, I