the same time.

            And all that effort just to protect some muzzled-up, lost cocker spaniel girl.

            Before Angela could do anything, the mastiff quickly caught up to the pups.  He jumped in front of them with his massive body, blocking their chances of escape.

            “What do want with us?”  Scamp asked.

            “It’s not you we want, it’s her.”

            The mastiff easily pushed Scamp to the side, knocking him out on the tiled street.  He grabbed Angel by the scruff of the neck and ran off.  With Angel in their clutches, the husky and the mutt leap away from a wounded Angela and followed the mastiff.

            “Scamp!”  Angel called, but her voice was lost as the dogs ran into the park, over the hill.

            Angela stumbled to her feet.  Her bow was ruined, lying on the ground in a tattered heap.  She shook herself, trying to clear her head.  She looked at the little wounded pup.

            “Scamp!”  She ran to the pup and nudged him gently in the side.  “Come on, pup, get up.”

            Scamp took a few seconds before he opened his eyes. 

            “Angel…,” Scamp quickly jumped to his feet, remembering what became of his friend.  “They took Angel!”

            “Easy, kid.  I’ll get her back.  You should go home.”

            “No way!  I’m not leaving without Angel.”

            Angela smiled at the young pup. 

            “All right, come with me,” Angel said, walking back into town.

            “Wait, shouldn’t we go after her?  The park is that way,” Scamp said, confused.

            “We might be able to get help, and I think I know where to look.  But we must hurry!”

            Scamp followed Angela through the streets, running as fast as his short legs could carry him.  He knew where they were heading, he had walked through these streets multiple times.  They were going back to the junkyard.

            The mastiff and the others walked deep into the park.  Angel looked around, trying to make sense of where she was.  It was a hard task to do with how much thrashing the mastiff was doing, he was anything but light on his feet.

            The dogs came across a collection of more dogs, just as scruffy and dirty as themselves.  As they walked through the pack, some of the dogs barked and growled at Angel, as if she had done something.  She recognized some of the others from the new junkyard pack; she was glad to, so far, not see the dark brown dog Scamp and Angel had met a few days ago.

            The mastiff dropped Angel on the ground, at the large paws of some dog.  She looked up and her mouth was agape, as if she had seen a ghost.

            “Buster.”

            “I almost can’t believe it’s you,” Buster said, in his thick city accent.  “Angel, baby, how ya’ been.”

            “Buster, what’s going on?”  Angel yipped, standing up.

            “It isn’t obvious?  I’m makin’ you an offer.”

            “Any offer you have to give, I don’t want,” she said and started to walk away, but the trio that kidnapped her growled and stepped in front of her.

            “Well, you’re gonna listen, anyway,” he said.  “Oh, where’s Scampy?  I almost miss Little Tramp.”

            “We left him back on the street, boss,” the mutt of the trio explained.

            “Hm, fair enough,” he shrugged off.

            “We came across some other dogs, an older female.  She put up quite a fight for some house pet in a pink bow,” the husky said.

            Buster laughed.

            “Angela, I’ll bet.  She’s always trying to do good nowadays.  Sell out.”

            “Where is she?”  Angel asked the trio.  “What did you do to her?”

            “Knocked out, with the other one,” the husky said proudly.

4: The Rescue

            Angela and Scamp came across the junkyard’s entrance pipe.  They ran through it.  Unlike before, Scamp noticed the place was pretty empty, save for the brown dog he had come across before.  He was walking slowly towards the junkyard pipe.

            “Angela, wait,” Scamp said, walking over to the old dog.  “Sir?”

            The brown dog slowly turned his head and looked down.

            “Ah, the little soap-smelling pup,” the brown borzoi-mutt said, “how are you?”

            “Where is everyone?”

            The dog’s face turned grim.

            “Off, causing trouble, no doubt.  You better get out of here, they’ll be trouble tonight.”

            “Is Star here?”  Angela asked.

            The brown dog pointed his long muzzle up to the car.

            “Thanks, come on, Scamp,” Angela said.

            Scamp nodded his thanks to the brown dog before he left. 

            Angela came across the garbage pile the car sat on top of.  Scamp was surprised to see how easily she jumped from object to object, how she bounced on loose ironing boards and mattresses in a breeze.

            “You were a street dog, once,” Scamp realized, catching up.

            “Once,” she repeated.

            She stood a few feet away from the car and barked at it.

            “Star!”  She called.  “Star!”

            The golden dog lifted his head and turned.  A wide, almost crazy smile came across his face and he laughed.

            “Star, something’s happened,” Angela explained.

            “I thought I told you never to come here,” Star said, all signs of happiness gone.

            “Star, something amazing’s happened.  Our daughter has returned to us!”

            “I knew it,” Scamp whispered. 

            Angela went on, “She’s been kidnapped, taken to the park.  Please, you must help us rescue her.”

            “My pups are dead, you let them take you from them; remember?”

            “Don’t you dare blame me for that!  I did