The Return by Dayna Lorentz

Author:Dayna Lorentz
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2012-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

Shep’s jaws unlocked and Callie dropped onto the grass. “Stop!” he howled.

As if in response, the Car squealed to a halt. One of its doors opened, and a shrieking human stumbled out. Shep tensed his muscles and scented the air: They were caught between advancing men in green and a screaming person hidden by a giant Car. The scent of spilled lifeblood reached his nose; he stopped sniffing.

“He’s a dog catcher!” Rufus yelped.

The human shuffled around the side of the Car, bearing Snoop’s limp body in his arms. The men in green ran past Shep and the other dogs to help the man lift Snoop into the Car.

“Are we waiting to see how long it takes them to come for the rest of us?” Zeus snarled.

Shep growled at the boxer, then stood tall, ears up and tail rigid. “Back in formation!” he barked. He would not let them take Callie!

The pack, still shocked and trembling, fell in behind his tail. Shep raced them down one of the small roads and alongside a large building.

“We have to stop!” barked Callie. She flicked her tail at Pumpkin. A newcomer to the horrors of the drowned city, the poor girldog was in terrible shape. She cowered low to the pavement, shivering, and twitched her ears.

“We were just barking together,” she mumbled. “He wasn’t even really in the street.”

The pack huddled around her. Shep knew he should woof something, but his mind went blank. It was his fault that Snoop had run into the road; he’d commanded the pack to rush out of the building without so much as scenting to smell if all was safe Outside. The screaming man hadn’t meant to hit Snoop; Shep smelled how sad and scared the man was. The miserable human had just driven by at exactly the wrong heartbeat. It was Shep’s failure as an alpha that put Snoop in front of the Car. This loss lay squarely across his withers.

“It’s my fault,” he woofed. “I shouldn’t have barked for you to run without scenting for danger.”

“Stop being such a fur-brain,” Zeus snapped. “We all know the street’s dangerous. The dog should’ve stopped at the Sidewalk.”

“His name was Snoop!” Shep snarled and lunged at Zeus.

Oscar jumped in front of the boxer. “He’s hurt!” the pup cried.

Shep threw his weight to the side to avoid Oscar. “Have you completely lost your tail?” Shep growled, panting.

Oscar stared down his snout at Shep. “Zeus might be mean, but he’s hurt. It’s not a fair fight.” Then he lowered his tail and ears. “We all know it wasn’t your fault that Snoop got hit by that Car. That’s all Zeus was trying to woof.”

Shep lowered his hackles. The pack seemed frozen in their fur. They smelled frightened and anxious — Shep had only made things worse. Even Zeus appeared unnerved by Shep’s attack. An alpha doesn’t attack his pack, he thought to himself between pants. Even those pack members he hates.

“You’re right, Oscar,” Shep woofed, calming himself. “I’m sorry, all of you.

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