PACK OF SECRETS

     chapter I

             Another boring day of being gawked at! Whoop. I thought as I crawled out of my wool-lined silk basket. The name's Leira, and I'm a "stunning" pure-bred doberman with a chocolate brown coat and hazel eyes. I live with the richest family in town..... which I cannot STAND! Always making you do certain things, be fed at the same time, ye' know, the same old thing. Being popular means everyone wants to be your friend for your looks. Blech. I try to hide from the world everyday. The local canines, known as the " Street Stunners " have found my backyard hiding spot. Today I'm trying to hide in Angie's, one of my mistress's, room. She's a rocker, and turns up the tunes alittle too loud. Not that I don't enjoy, what was it? I think she calls it "Heart, and Black Sabbath, Gun's & Roses". Yeah, good stuff, unless it makes my sensitive ears bleed.

       So, I can't go hide there. I make way to Angie's twin, Jean's bedroom. PREP! Trys to put bows on me! Not happenin'. Then there is Frankie. She kicks me out in like two seconds. She was busy chatting to someone on the "phone" as she calls it. Well, looks like I have to face the dang crowd again! Here it goes.

        I start to walk down the driveway. So far no one has noticed, good, I-"Hey girl! Sup wi' you Lei?" It was Pepper, the stone colored poodle from next door. The colar she was wearing looked new. It was pink with silver jewels. " Another new colar? Didn't you get a new one like,-" " Yesterday, but it was so well, like yesterday!" she giggled. Prep! She'd get along with Jean real well! That ***! I know it's wrong, I can't hold back, though. It's not like I don't hear it everyday. Pepper continued with the conversation, " I hear Bubble is in town..... wanna poke fun?" Bubble came here with his master to visit one of the dude's friends. Bubble is an old grey dachsund, who is made fun of alot. " Naw, I'm going to take a walk. I need some alone time. Kapishe?" I ask. " Oh, alone? Are you in with Bullet?" Bullet is another purebred dobie that lives across the street. He trys to use his moves on me, but dey ain't working. He's a bloody- can't say it. " NO! You know I'm not good with Bullet! Dur!" Pepper giggled annoyingly. Brat. Pepper trotted away like nothing ever happened. That's when I heard, " 'Ey babe. You busy 'night. I'm not. Where to Lei?"

      " Lay off you beast!" " Ah! That's the perfect name for the two 'o us. "Beauty and the Beast". I like it." I silently swear that I'll kill him if he goes too far again. " Bullet, I'm NOT interested, for the thousandth time!" " You're a good lil' comedian! I like my girls funny!" he joked. " Oh ha ha. I'm laughing sooo hard. Like, not!" " Fine then babe, but tonight..... think 'bout it." " Heh, yeeeah, I'll think 'bout it!" I say as I try to inpersonate him. " Rat bag." I murmur when he's out of hearing range. Suddenly I hear a scream from my house. It was Frankie! As much as I despise the girl, it's my job to protect them! I raced down the side walk and into the house, bolt up the stairs and jump into the room.

      Frankie's sittin' there, cryin' her eyes out like a baby. I walk over to her. " Get out canine! Can't you see I'm having an emotional breakdown. Stupid animal!" I walk away briskly thinking, Hey, your an animal too. Nutcase. I need a vacation, or that walk I was going to go on, until a certain someone barged in. Cough cough

        chapter II

                   I finally got to get out of that house! I had forgotten I had a vet's appointment to go to that day, so I had to wait until that following day. Bullet's gonna get all over me fo' not going to his place last night. I think nervously as I start my walk. Note, my dumb*** owners won't walk me. Hmff, call yourselves responsible! As I'm halfway down the street, I hear that familiar voice again. " Lei, why'd ye' not come, babe? Ye' know you wanted to!" There he is, prancing toward me in a "majestic" manner. Oh God, help me! I plunge for cover. Problem, there's nowhere to hide. I run. I truthfully felt like, OMG I've changed speices, I'm part cheetah! Yeah. IDK. I'll stop talking text now!

         I don't know how far I ran, miles? I ended up on the outskirts of town. I look up and see the clouds are heavy with rain. I looked for shelter, when I noticed an abandoned house. It seemed to be 100 years old, I'm guessing. Better than the rain. I think pessimisticly. (I wonder if that's even a word.) I peer into the cracked window of the first floor. What I see stuns me. I see tons of dogs, all breeds, sizes, and ages, gathered around in the room, on couches and chairs, tables and whatevers. PS, that's what I call unknown stuff. In the middle of the room I saw a old wrinkly Blood Hound, with a green bandana around his drooping neck skin. I realized all the dogs had a bandana. Another thing, they all seemed anorexic, or at least mal-nurished, to put it lightly.

         I stare at the dogs in awe, then the Blood Hound spoke. Kind of. It was hard to hear his old voice. " My pack, winter is approaching. We'll-cough- need more food than ever." he wheezed. " As you all know I'm coming of age, and none of you are very experienced. When the time comes, look for a true leader. But, back to the situation. Are pack has grown greatly since the last cold season, and I fear this may be the last." I see two border collies, one female, white with a black patch over her brown eyes, the other eye a soft blue, and a dark brown male with brown eyes cringe. As I look closer I notice that the female must be expecting puppies. Poor pups. I think.  The wrinkly alpha-dude continued with a husky voice. " Food will be hard to find, now that the wood has been demolished. We shall fead only the weak, pups, or those expecting." he said as he looked at the border collies. " But Bone, how can we do this? Can we not go to humans?" said a boston terrier. " Humans do not respect strays, we are treated as vermin." A young dalmation cocked her head questioningly. " They'll kill us." said the hound brutaly. " We must remain secret."

          I have to help them! Those poor dogs..... I had to talk to one of those dogs! I noticed a black lab with a yellow-orange bandana step outside. When he started sniffing the ground, I froze. He looked up. " I'm known for mi good since of smeel." he looked in my direction. He sounded spanish...... there used to be an old spanish women in town, but she had died. Maybe this is her dog, an unwanted stray that could be put down? " Come out, but stay quiet." I silently snuck out of the bushes I had hidden in. When he saw me he stared. " Is there a problem?" I asked. I knew he thought I was beautiful, being shiny and un-anorexic like. " Wow... oh, uh what chi want cheeka?" " I saw your pack having the meeting, and, I feel like I have to help. I saw the collies, and the skinny ones, and-" " Oi, sorry amiga but it not v'ry possible. Bone is reluctant to un-strays. Trust issues." he said as he saw my indigo blue colar. " Maybe no one besides us can know about me being a pet. I'll slip this off, and roll in some dirt." Yes, no colar, WHOOP WHOOP! " Sure think cheeka!" I do that, and I notice that the lab had gone back inside. He soon came back out, followed by the collies. " Try convincing them before Bone," he looked at the pregnant female, " this is Belle, his adopted daughter. " I looked gloomily at the weak couple. The male stepped foward. " I'm Budd, her mate. Can you actually help us, I mean, we aren't in the best condition of our lives."

           chapter III

                     "I'll try to make things better, at the least." I say. That's true. " Oh thank you, we really need all the help we can get!" said Budd. " Unfortunatly I can see that. And by the way, my name's Lei." " Lovely name." complimented Belle. I smiled in acknowledgement. " Oh, mi name is Migo." " Shouldn't that be Amigo?" The dogs laughed. " Si, but mi old mistress forgot to put di A. It is unigue. Si?" " Si!" I laugh. Belle got a more serious look on her face. " I'll go talk to Bone. About your offer of help." " Okay. I'll be here." The dogs went back inside, but Migo turned around. " Mi stay with you, company? You like?" " Yes, sound like Yoda you do!" He gave me a questioning glance. " Long story, you see-" Then Migo sat up, back errect, head dipped. Bone stood before me. " You're the savior, then. We could use much help. But, I must warn you liars aren't welcome here at all." " Y-yes sir." " I'm glad you understand. For humans will kill us if the find this pack. So, what do you intend to do?" Dang it, hadn't thought about that! " Okay, so look, I'm a stray from in town, and I've been dodging humans all my life. I understand your hatred." I lied, yet Bone seemed convinced. " There's a building were they store dog foods, toys,..... you name it! I can go in and steal it from them." " Thank you Lei." said Belle gratefully. I can't  beleive I'm doing this!

        The next day, Budd gave me a bandana. It was indigo, just like my color was. Bone sent me off to get the food, and I prayed that no one would see me. When I was about half-way to the pet store, I saw Pepper on the opposite side of the