from her head, and then bumped into Skip. “Apologies,” she said at once, then stopped.

Ariella gasped out loud, jaw dropping.

A firefly flickered down toward her face and landed on her nose, glowing brightly. Ariella sneezed.

The firefly, startled by the sudden jerk of her snout, fluttered off and landed on the ground, flickering again.

Ariella’s eyes widened. She immediately flung both front paws on top of the firefly, leaning her head down and keeping the back part of her body in the air. She sniffed at her front paws, where the firefly was trapped. Its light still shone through somehow.

Skip chuckled, a rare sound coming from him.

“What are they?” Ariella squealed, staggering backward, away from her trapped firefly, bumping into him again.

Skip stepped to the right, sliding in next to her. “They’re fireflies—lightning bugs, whatever you wanna call them. They’re harmless, they just glow.”

Ariella smiled brightly. “Let us follow them!” she cried.

“Follow them? But why would—”

Ariella shoved him from behind, making him stumble forward, and shot past him, following a large band of fireflies, giggling with her French accent. Skip staggered to keep his balance then rolled his eyes and went after her in a full trot.

“Venez, Skip—come, you are slowing up!” Ariella laughed from up ahead.

Skip gritted his teeth and sped up, passing her easily. “Who’s slow now?” he called over his shoulder, grinning mischievously.

Ariella was suddenly in front of him, winking. “Still you!”

Skip skidded to a halt and panted, grinning. Then he stopped. “Ariella—wait, watch out!”

Ariella didn’t appear to hear him…and tripped over a fallen log, flying through the air and plunging into the pond. The two pups had apparently run in circles and ended up back at the star-reflected lake.

Skip bolted to the red-wood bridge and stuck his head between the railings. “Ariella? Ariella!”

No reply.

Bubbles suddenly rose to the surface. That was all the proof Skip needed. Moonlight reflecting on his light-yellow Lab fur, turning it silver-white, he crouched and leapt into the water.

The pond was pitch-black at first, not to mention freezing cold. Skip felt his paw snag on something. He opened his eyes underwater, ignoring the pain that came instantly after doing so. He caught a flash of silk-sky-blue in the moonlight hitting the pond’s below-surface waters. Ariella’s bow!

He dove further, pulling his hind paw free of the bow, and located Ariella’s scruff-fur. He grabbed onto it with his thorn-sized teeth and pulled, dragging her upward.

Skip didn’t even take a breath when the broke through the water to the surface, just doggie-paddled to the shore. He pulled Ariella’s body a safe distance from the gentle, lapping little waves on the shore of the pond. The night was quiet and clear, as if nothing drastic had just happened.

Skip looked down at Ariella. “Hey—hey, you okay? Wake up, wake up!” He made an animalistic noise, frustrated. “Oh, c’mon, you can’t do this now! Get up!” He was more worried than angry, but the fact that nothing was happening was a little bit antagonizing to him.

Ariella coughed up water and groaned. Then she quickly regained her strength, rolling over onto her belly and opening her eyes, spluttering. She blinked and stood up on trembling paws, shaking her fur off until it was dry, and her bow also bone-dry and perking up.

“What happened?” she asked in her French speech.

“You sorta took a dive.” Skip shook himself off. “C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

He took her out of the Park, letting her lean her side against his shoulder for support as they walked the cobblestone streets of the town.

“I am fine,” Ariella answered, coughing again. “You saved me, no?”
 

“I-I guess. I mean, I helped.” Skip looked the other way, uncomfortable.
 

She came close to him and nuzzled him. “Merci, mon cher ami!”

Skip closed his eyes briefly and opened them once more. “Remind me what that means?”

“My dear friend.” Ariella smiled. “My dear friend Skip.”

Skip grinned. “You’re okay for a House Pet,” he murmured.

“Oui—and perhaps, after tonight, I will no longer be a ‘House Pet’,” Ariella answered, giggling.

Skip smiled.

“Ma fille!” cried a woman’s French voice, all too familiar. “I have found you once more!”

Skip flinched. “Of course, I could be wrong.”

Ariella barked sharply at her owner, growling and scooting behind Skip. “Non!” she snarled. “I will not go with you!”

But the human pastry-shop-owner couldn’t understand a word. “Come, Ariella,” she snapped, scooping her puppy up. “You will no longer be led astray by that filthy animal.” She glowered down at Skip, and then carried Ariella off.

“Non!” Ariella was yapping, struggling in her owner’s arms the whole way, trying to look over her shoulder to see Skip. “Non, non!”

Skip’s ears wilted. He turned and stalked off.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“You look down, shorty,” Fang nudged Skip the next morning. “Still sore from that little thing back at Tony’s?”

“Shut up,” Skip mumbled, laying down and resting his head on his paws.

“Are you okay?” Afghanna was gentler.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Skip snarled. “I am fine, got it?”

“Can’t you tell us?” Rose murmured
They were in Fang’s alley.

“It’s no big deal,” Skip snapped. “I told you already.”

“Did he?” Fang glanced at Afghanna.
“Weren’t you listening?” Afghanna hissed. “Ariella got taken away last night.”

“Ah, right, right.” Fang scratched at an ear. “If yer so blue about it, Skipper, ain’t you gonna visit the gal?”

“Yeah, right!” Skip stood up and turned, glaring at Fang. “If her owner catches me, I’m dead!”

“Then you’ll need backup,” Fang grinned. “Who’s up for some pastries?”
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“She should come out any minute now,” Skip informed the gang as they crouched, pressed against the brick wall of the pastry shop underneath the window.

Suddenly, muffled barking erupted from above them, somewhere inside.

Skip darted out from under the window and turned around to look inside it.

Ariella caught sight of him, her paws pressed against the window. She pawed at the glass, practically digging at it.

“Ariella!” Skip shouted. “Can you hear me?”
 

A pause, then Ariella nodded. “Oui, certainement, I can hear you!”

"Come out, then,” Skip answered.

The gang came up beside him.

Ariella hung her head. “I cannot. My human has locked me in.”

“Isn’t there a back way?” he asked desperately.

“Oui,” Ariella replied, and then looked away from the window. “But I cannot—will not—use it.”

Skip felt a pang of foreboding. “Why?” he murmured.

“I do not belong on the Streets. It is not for me.” Ariella sighed.

That was when Skip noticed she was wearing her collar again.

“Is it…because…of the thing in the pond last night? You turned out fine!” Skip protested.

“Oui, yes, I did,” Ariella nodded vigorously. “But my owner needs me here. I belong with her. I am her only family. I cannot be with you.”

“But—” Skip broke off. Didn’t this just figure? Why should he have something like this in his life? He lowered his eyebrows. “Fine. Forget it.”

“I will not,” Ariella answered. “Not forget mon cher ami, my dear friend Skip.”
 

He stopped.

Skip turned to look over his shoulder at her, smiling once, then sighed and began walking away. “Let’s go home,” he said to the gang.

And they did.

(THANK YOU FOR READING THESE FIRST THREE SHORT STORIES AS A PREVIEW OF WHAT’S COMING! THERE WILL, IN FACT, BE TWELVE MORE COMING IN ADVENTURES IN FANG’S GANG: PART 1! WHEN THAT IS PUBLISHED, PLEASE GO TO BLUEWOLF2222’S FANFIC PAGE (WHEN IT’S READY) TO SEE THE REST OF THE STORIES! I HOPE YOU LIKED THESE!

P.S., Please tell me in your comment which short story was your favorite and why you liked it—and what you liked best ABOUT it. Detailed as you can, please, I’d love to know exactly what you think! And if you want, tell me what you want to see more of or WHO you want to see more of in Part 2! THANKS! This was a lot of work! I EXPECT TO SEE FANART!

Just kidding, I honestly don’t expect much for this short fanfic. 

~Doverstar)