“wa-ait” I croaked out pitifully,almost crying, Charles turned to me surprised, and I rushed forward and nuzzled his leg. He bent his head and nuzzled me back gently “I’ll miss you too, Chancey” he said softly, I let him leave this time, but I wish he’d stay, I’d miss him. I turned to the Dalmatians and looked to them expectantly. “C’mon, we’ll introduce you to the other pups” Pongo said and gently nudged me toward the door. We stepped out and I saw lots, and lots of spots, there were Dalmatian puppies all over the place, there had to be at least a hundred of them. I looked up to Pongo with an expression that said “What do I do now?”, but before he could answer, a puppy ran up, his spots, oddly enough were in the shape of a horseshoe, I took an immediate step back. “Chancey, this is Lucky one of the ninety-nine puppies here” Perdi informed me, my eyes buldged, that was a lot of puppies, and I was only off by one, ha! I was good. I flashed lucky a shy smile when he said “Hi” he gave me a strange look, but smiled “cat got your tongue?” he asked teasingly, I shook my head and pointed to my bandaged throat. “Oh, you can’t talk ‘cos you’re hurt, then I’ll speak for ya! C’mon, I’ll show ya around!” I wasn’t sure at first, but he seemed ok, so I followed.

He showed the windmill, the huge trough were we all would eat, the barn, Where some bad dog called Mooch hung out and finally the Bark Brigade track area. I gave him a puzzled look at this. “It’s like school, I guess this would be more like the P.E. part of it, it’s pretty cool if you’re in to athletics.” I nodded at this, I loved running, it was fun, but also vital given my past experiences. “You’ll probably go to class with us tomorrow” he continued and I wagged my tail lightly, this would definitely be one of the strangest things I’d ever done, I was sure. “You two!” I jumped at the harsh voice and pressed closer to Lucky.  “What are you cadets doin’ out here, tryin’ to wreck the course huh?” A very small, very stinky dog showed up with another Dalmatian pup with three legs at his side, he had very few spots and a green sweatband on his head. “Up to no good again Lucky?” he asked with a sneer, I glanced at Lucky; he did have to speak for the both of us. “No” he remarked confidently “I was just showing Chancey around, she just got here today.”

“Ah, yes” the small, smelly dog remarked “I was told about you” I canted my head to the side, had I done something wrong? “You keep this in mind cadet, you break my rules, you’ll be punished” he paused studying me with big buggy eyes. “You ever been punished before, cadet?” My gaze shifted to my paws and I nodded “What for?” Being different, not being good enough, I wanted to say it, but obviously I couldn’t so I just shrugged helplessly. “Well you must’ve done something wrong, did you wet the floor?” I shook my head no. “Not follow orders?” I shook my head no. “Did you bite someone?” I started to shake my head again, but then I remembered that strangely dressed man, I had bitten his hand. I nodded my head yes. “Why?” I shrugged “You don’t know why you bit them?” I nodded my head yes. “Then tell me why!” I flinched away from him, cowering slightly. “Chancey’s neck is injured, she can’t speak for at least a few more days” Lucky explained when he caught my pleading look. “She looks fine to me, I bet it’s just an excuse” he sneered, he was right, but he was still a jerk, so I flashed a smile and shrugged again. “Ah, so you are healed” I shrugged again “Maybe, maybe not, what’s it matter?” I asked voice perfectly normal. “Lucky’s jaw dropped “I thought you were hurt” I smiled at him “I was, but I’ve been talking for two days.  Just tested you Lucky, don’t worry, you passed.” He laughed humorously “you sure had me fooled, You were quiet all day, I haven’t heard a bark out of you” he praised. “Cadet Lucky, I need to have a word with you, she might not know about curfew, but you do. Aptin Tripod, escort Cadet Chancey back to the barn.” I shot Lucky an “I’m sorry” look and followed Tripod.

The next day was ridicule for me; I was the target for all the bullies. As soon as I walked out of the barn Mooch, an ugly mutt dog, and two Dalmatian pups were on me like stink on doggie doo. “Well if isn’t the spotless Dalmatian” Mooch sneered. “Yeah, you’re weird!” the pup with a blue collar said lamely. I rolled my eyes and started to walk by them, but Mooch was quick to step back in my way. “What’s the hurry Blankley, goin’ spot huntin’?” he sneered, my eyes started to water, I knew I wouldn’t fit in. “No, now leave me alone”

“Oh, touchy, touchy” he sneered circling me tightly. As soon as there was an opening I bolted, fast. I sprinted almost blindly through the farm yard, not paying attention to anyone or anything that was there until I ran right into someone, we both fell to the ground, and grumbled as we picked ourselves up off of the ground. I had run into Tripod, just fabulous. “Why don’t you watch where you’re going?” he growled as he wiped the dust off of himself. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” I trailed off nervously; he wouldn’t hit me would he? I cowered from him and backed up from him, he canted his head to the side. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked with slight impatience. “I…I’m not…” I trailed off unsure how to finish. “You act like I’ll hit you or something…” I glanced cautiously at him “…You won’t…?” I was trembling by this point. “No…why would I?”

“I did something wrong…”

“You don’t deserve to be hit for it”

I straightened a little at this. “I…don’t?”

“No, now come on, we’ll be late for Bark Brigade”

He walked by my side as we joined the large crowd of puppies, Lt. Pug, as I had come to know him, was sitting atop a hill glaring at all of us. “Cadet Two-Tone!”

“Here!”

“Cadet Whizzer!”

“h-Here!”

“Cadet, Chancey!”

“Here!”

“Cadet Lucky!”

No response. Everyone looked around murmuring quietly. “Heh, figures” Tripod muttered as the Lt. shouted again. “Does he usually not show up?” I asked quietly “not if he has a better offer.”

“Oh.”

“Captain Tripod!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Get to the starting line; let’s see what our newest Cadet knows about agility.”

It was a direct challenge and one I wasn’t afraid to meet. I lined up side by side with Tripod, he looked confident, I wasn’t I’d never done this sort of thing before, but you could bet your boots off I was going to try. “No spots, she probably doesn’t have any talent either, this won’t be too exciting!” Mooch sneered from the side line, earning laughs all around until Cadpig shut him up, I wonder what she said. “Go!” Lt. Pug shouted and I was off like a bullet, not looking, or caring, where Tripod might be, I hurdled a pond and some kind X shaped fence thing before he even got close. I pulled in front and climbed up a ladder, leaned against a bunch of hay stacks. I leaped off and hit the ground running, Tripod barely a step behind. A tire swing was just ahead of us, over a river? I didn’t know what to do with that. Tripod pulled ahead and used it to swing to the high bank on the other side. He won, I lost, go figure. “Captain Tripod, the winner!” Lt. Pug praised “and cadet Spotless the loser!” Mooch chirped as I finally pulled myself up onto the bank. I turned my head away shamefully, avoiding as many eyes as I could. Tears pricked my eyes as everyone laughed, why can’t you just be normal Chancey? I scolded myself as tears started to fall everyone gasped at this, I couldn’t take it anymore, I turned and bolted away as fast as I could. Why did I even try? I ran all the way back to the barn, jumped up on top of a pile of hay stacks in the corner and cried, cried for all I was worth. Cadet Spotless, Blankley, no spots no talent, goin’ spot huntin’?  Oh, and the laughter, the laughter just made it worse, how could they be so cruel? I heard laughter, I think it was Lucky and his friends, but I was facing away from the door, so I couldn’t tell. They must’ve seen me because their laughter was abruptly cut off. “Chancey, are you ok?” It was Lucky; I didn’t want to see him right now. “No” I whimpered “go away” I felt the stacks move a little and soon Lucky was standing right there next to me. “What kind of friend would I be if I did that?” I looked up at him with watery eyes “You want to be my friend?” I asked disbelievingly. He wagged his tail “Yeah, of course, you’re really sweet and funny.” I pulled myself up into a sit “yeah, but I’m not normal.”

“So what?” a new voice piped up and I looked down to the female pup, and the male pup, and a…chicken?