“Let’s pick up the pace. We’ll be there in no time, if we do,” Pitbull Sammy shouted out to the others, exhilarated by the wind beating against his agile, forceful body.
“Sure thing! Omar wants us there and back as soon as possible. He’ll be pacing back and forth and won’t be comfortable until we’re all back home again,” added Brady, causing the four to pick up speed, running side by side, striding with a swiftness challenging canine capabilities. “We haven’t done this in a while,” enjoying the cool air inflating his nostrils and lungs. “The only thing better than this… is eating!”
“Agreed,” offered the Ridgeback, Koffee, running slightly ahead, with Tee, their long legs covering the same ground, with fewer strides than the shorter two, and, also enjoying the cool air energizing their bodies and spirits. “You all know we’ll be hearing from that gritty little fighting pig, Leo, before we can get the rest of the potbellies on their way. Bet on that. He’s a real scrapper. Won’t take much, watch him get them so riled that they’ll wanna race us back to K-9 Town, as soon as we tell them what’s going on.”
“Only way we’ll be able to keep up with those short-legged critters, when he finishes with them, is when they stop to do battle with anything they come across,” bellowed fun-loving Tee, displaying a mischievous gaze, while slowing down with head lowered, and back hunched feigning ferocity, signaling she was about to do something unexpected. “Like I’m coming across you!” recklessly wheeling over, nipping Koffee’s tail, then tripping over herself, laughing. That got them started! Circling, dog against dog. Not so injured Koffee, chased Tee… Sammy and Brady blocked her path… Brady tumbled as Tee intentionally bumped him… Sammy giggled at the opportunity, let out a victorious, Oooooowhoo!!… butt bit Brady and ran to Koffee for protection, just to be propelled back into Brady for his punishment… Brady, so weak from the hysterics, he didn’t move fast enough, to deliver his non-thought-out payback to the sneaky, butt biting, howler. Instead, he stretched out, on the ground, tummy flinching, tongue dangling. Cautious, but momentarily drained from the merriment also, the others chanced lying beside him for a short spell, to replenish their energy too.
After the four lively envoys pulled themselves together, they sprinted as fast as their hyperactive bodies allowed, to make up for lost time. With keen minds and powerful bodies again in sync, they were prepared for the task ahead.
“Something’s wrong!” Potbelly Pig Sookie shrieked, eyes widening and stomach bouncing, as she scurried towards the advancing dogs.
Her mate, Mookie, scampered along behind her as fast as his hefty little legs could move. “What could it be? I make out Rottweiler Brady, Pitbull Sammy, and the Ridgebacks, Koffee and Tee.
They’re moving mighty fast… Hey, wait for me!” He let out a snort, sucked in a lung full of air, and attempted to pour on the speed.
When the dust laden canines reached Pigtown, they were greeted by an anxious assembly of oinking on-lookers. “What’s going on? Everybody okay? You need us? We’ll be right behind you!” came energetic, high pitched squeals from every direction.
“We’re here to take you back to K-9 Town,” Brady shouted, his deep wail thundering over the heartwarming commotion their brave, but extremely vulnerable, friends were making. “It’s that dirty scoundrel timber wolf, Shocka Din, and his no-good, brutal followers. The ones Bennie Ba fought almost to the death,” he added, yielding to an unintentional, intimidating hunched back, and formidable tone, that revealed the extent of his hatred.
“I need to calm down. But the thought of Bennie taking on those killers alone always makes me crazy. This ain’t the time for it, though. Anyway, looks like we’re all gonna get a chance to put our two cents in. Patience… “He’s on his way here! Omar wants you all to come stay with us for a bit.”
With eyes narrowing, head up and corkscrew tail sticking straight out, quivering, Leo pushed his way through oodles of supersized pot bellies, then jerking his head from side to side, eyeing every pig at the gathering, he chimed in, as they listened intently. “You heard our friends! They need our help at K-9 Town! What should we do? Stay here to protect our homes, in case those cruel, wandering timber wolves come this way? Or, band with our friends, and beat the tar out of those murdering no-good misfits?!”
Suppressing amusement and surprise at Leo’s interpretation of Brady’s message, the dogs glanced at each other. Communicating wordlessly, as they often did, they agreed that getting their little buddies back to K-9 Town, where they would be safe, was the only thing that mattered. Truth be told, they admired Leo’s bravery, and as cheerily mentioned earlier, he was riling the others… They listened further.
“Let’s go! We’ll teach those timber wolves a lesson they’ll never forget!” came the eager, piercing shrieks, wild body bumps, and stamping hooves, answering Leo’s “Call to War.” Unanimous agreement. They would head for K-9 Town to do away with any threats concerning their good friends.
In record time, with their plump, wobbling piglets scampering playfully ahead, the Potbelly Pigs departed their homes, on a journey, that would be told by generations to come…
