Chapter 7. Planning Together

Up in the mission room of the Lookout, Chase and Marshall were sitting on beanbags with the light on since it was getting dark. "Let's start with the plan to find Ryder" Marshall said. "No, we're gonna start by thinking of theories of how Ryder just disappeared like that. That way, it will be easier for us to think out a plan" Chase explained."What's our first theory?" Marshall asked. "This is my first theory. The creature who had attacked Ryder has made him very ill. To the point that he has now lost his mind completely. Now Ryder has left the Lookout during the night when everyone was sleeping. He wondered away and somehow got really far away" Chase theorized. "If that was the case, we would've been able to find at least one hint. How could someone with a lost mind go so far without leaving behind any clues? That sound impossible to me" said Marshall. "You do have a point. What's your theory?" "My theory is; after Ryder lost his mind and wondered out of the Lookout, the creature who attacked him returned and then killed him and dragged him away." "Marshall! What kind of cruel theory is that?" Chase yelled.

"Chase, you have to understand that I'm making a theory based on the situation. Ryder is no where to be found! No where! Do you understand what the word 'nowhere' means? Ryder is literally nowhere!" Marshall raised his tone. "Why didn't we hear any cries for help?" Chase asked. "Ryder could've wondered far and then the creature decided to attack him again. Or the creature could've just killed him with a single blow."

•~•~•~•~•

"Tracker, it's your turn" Skye said, looking to the chihuahua. "I've never played this game before. Can Everest go first?" Tracker asked. "But I've never played it either" Everest said. "Well one of you gotta play or either I'll keep playing for the rest of the night" Skye giggled. "Fine, I'll go first even though I have to admit that I'm nervous" Everest said. "You might do worse than Marshall" Skye chuckled. "You think your all great just because your the best Pup Pup Boogie player?" Everest questioned. "I have the highest score and I'm the best at the game. I'm able to out-beat everyone!" Skye boasted, puffing out her chest slightly. "Keep boasting. Your gonna regret it when your title is taken by me because I will steal your title and become the best Pup Pup Boogie player in the entire world" Everest said.

"I don't think so" Skye sat down, her chest puffed out and her magenta eyes filled with pride. "I smell something that is making my stomach grumble" Rubble rubbed his belly with a paw of his. "Meatballs!" Rocky and Zuma barked. "Dinner is ready!" Katie announced from the kitchen. "Aroooooo!" the pups howled. Jake and Carlos sat at the dining table. The pups sat by their pup-bowls and Cali had her cat bowl. "Where's Chase and Marshall?" Katie asked as she was putting three meatballs in each pup's bowl. "I didn't even notice they were missing" Rubble said. "Oh great. Two others go mysteriously missing" Rocky sighed. Everybody laughs.

"I'm sure they're around" Katie said. "I'll check the mission room" Skye stood up and ran out of the kitchen, to the elevator. The elevator reached the mission room and the cockapoo walked out slowly. "Oh hey, Chase and Marshall. Dinner is ready" she said. "Can you just bring it up to us? We're busily planning out the plans to find Ryder and this mysterious creature" Chase explained."Okay!" Skye said, getting back in the elevator. She went inside the kitchen. "Chase and Marshall are planning out plans to find Ryder and the mysterious creature. They asked for me to bring their dinner to them" Skye said. Katie put three meatballs in each pup's bowl.

Skye then started pushing Chase's bowl and Zuma pushed Marshall's bowl to the elevator. Once the bowls were in the elevator, Skye went inside and Zuma walked away to the kitchen. Chase and Marshall were served their dinner and that allowed Skye to go enjoy hers.

•~•~•~•~•

"If we don't find Ryder anywhere, then I guess there's no choice but to go with your theory, Marshall. Because it makes the most sense" Chase sighed sadly and looked down at his bowl of meatballs."I know my theory is cruel and sad, but it makes sense" Marshall said. Chase didn't say anything. "So what's the plan for tomorrow?" asked Marshall, who took a bite into the meatball. "Tomorrow we're gonna search one more time around Adventure Bay. If we don't find any clue of Ryder, then I think it's time to surrender and say Ryder is....dead" said Chase, "but I feel like we're giving up too fast."

"Chase, what else do you want to do? Tomorrow is gonna be the second day of us searching the entire Adventure Bay. That means we searched the town two times in total and we still haven't found a single sign of Ryder. What else is there for us to do?" Marshall asked. Chase knew Marshall was right. It didn't matter how fast they were gonna give up the search. What mattered is how hard they tried. Tomorrow they were gonna search the entire Adventure Bay, from the town to all the wild places around it. That is gonna take them the entire day and maybe even some of the night. And if they don't find Ryder anywhere, then it would be time for them to surrender. There is nothing else for them to do.

•~•~•~•~•

Under the sky that was full of stars, Ryder, Sarah, Bruno, Butterscotch and Scurry were walking tiredly on the plains, except Scurry who was flying tiredly. "Don't you think we should rest?" Butterscotch asked. "I see a tree in the distance that looks pretty suitable to take shelter under for the night" Scurry spied a wide tree. "Lead the way" Sarah said. Ryder kept to the back of the group. He didn't feel so comfortable with these animals but he needed a home if he was gonna live in the wild for the rest of his life. And he needed to be far from his pups, and it seemed like this village was far enough from the pups. When they reached the tree, the animals started making a fire. Ryder felt like he hadn't eaten in weeks. He stomach grumbled, he hoped the others didn't hear his stomach. "Scurry, collect some branches" Sarah commanded.

"Butterscotch, pick some small pebbles" said Sarah. Bruno sat near Sarah as she was preparing the fire. "I'm gonna take a drink at the watering hole nearby" Ryder said. "Okay" Sarah said, "would you mind bringing some water in rocks for us?" "Sure" Ryder said and walked off. That's when Bruno spoke. "Sarah, I think that wolf-dog is a human in the form of a wolf-dog" Bruno said. "I think so too, Bruno" Sarah agreed. "Like in the tale of the VampireWolf, I think it bit him and then he turned into a wolf-dog." "Isn't that spooky?" Scurry asked, who just landed with some branches for the fire.

"I don't think it's too creepy because he acts a lot like an animal. I think he's pretty cute" Sarah said. "Anyways, let's start on this fire."

•~•~•~•~•

Down at the watering hole, Ryder was slumping over the water's edge. "Pups, I miss you guys. I haven't seen you guys in like two days and to think that I will never see you guys for the rest of my life makes me feel that I don't have a purpose in life anymore. And it is true, I don't have a purpose anymore. What am I gonna do out here in the wild? Run around and act like an animal for the rest of my life. I don't want to be an animal because I am a human in reality." Ryder wiped his tears away with a paw and then sniffled. His keen ears picked up the sound of a light paw-step on the grass behind. Ryder tilted his head to see Sarah walking toward him. He ignored her and looked back down at the water. The leopard sat besides him, a small distance away. Ryder tried to stop his tears that kept escaping his eyes but his heart was physically broken and in pain.

Sarah noticed him crying and inched closer. She was trying to find words. "Ryder, you don't have to hide the fact that you're a human in the body of a wolf-dog" she started in a calm tone. Ryder looked at the leopard with surprised blue eyes.

"How do you know that I'm a human?" he asked. "I heard you talking to yourself" she answered, hoping Ryder wouldn't get upset. Ryder went blank. That means she heard everything he was saying about his pups. "You heard everything I was saying?" Ryder asked. "Yes I did and there's nothing for you to be afraid of" Sarah said. "Ryder, if you feel comfortable, can you please tell me your story?" "Well, my story isn't much. I'm basically the rescuer and protecter of a small town known as Adventure Bay. I mean I was. I used to lead a team of six pups and they spoke like you guys do. I lived a perfect life, until one night I told my pups and some friends the tale of the VampireWolf. We believed the tale was fake. But after the VampireWolf attacked me and bit me, I now know that this fantasy creature is real. He has ruined my entire life. I lost my beloved pups, my job, my friends, and my home. I lost everything, I have no purpose in life anymore."

"Ryder, you were turned into a wolf-dog for a reason" Sarah started. Ryder looked at her with confusion. "For a reason? I don't see any reason. My life is just ruined and done" Ryder said. "It's not" Sarah said. "The village we are bringing you to is our home where many animals live together in the middle of a clearing in the forest. It's a beautiful home but now it's being haunted by the VampireWolf. Us animals always believed the tale was real."

"The VampireWolf hasn't kill anyone yet but in other villages, animals are being killed by this phantom beast. The humans may not be in danger but the animals are."

"What does that have to do with me?" Ryder asked. "I'm an animal now also, so what can I do?" "Just listen." "Days ago, I had a vision that an extraordinary wolf or now I should say wolf-dog, would save the animal world from this murderous beast. He would bring back peace, safety and harmony to our world. The wolf-dog in my vision was silver and white with bright blue eyes and that is you.""Ryder, you were turned into a wolf-dog so that you could save our world that is in danger of being extinct if the VampireWolf keeps killing us. We need your help and you are the one who was chosen to save us."

"But how am I gonna save you guys if I'm not a human? I still don't understand. I can't save and rescue without my pups. When I don't have my pups by my side, I don't feel like me and I can't be the real me. My pups are the ones who make me feel complete. They make me...me. Plus, I'm just one little wolf-dog. How am I suppose to defeat a phantom beast who I'm assuming has powers? I just want to turn back into a human and go back to my pups. I don't want to be out here. I don't like it." Sarah stood silent for a moment.

"If you defeat the VampireWolf and kill him, I promise we will together find a way to turn you back into a human again" Sarah explained. "How are you gonna do that? In the tale, it says that once your a wolf or wolf-dog, you can't ever return back to your human form" Ryder said.

"There has to be a way" Sarah said. "There is no way. Anyways, why was I chosen to kill the VampireWolf? Why me? My life was perfect until now! Why can't I just kill the VampireWolf without having to be a wolf-dog? I have the best equipment and gadgets that I built that can defeat anything" Ryder explained in a tone above normal. "Ryder, calm down" Sarah said. "I don't know why you were chosen. Everything in life happens for a reason. You were chosen to kill the VampireWolf and save the animal world for a reason. Maybe because your a rescuer and hero, that's why you were chosen." "But I don't get why I have to be a wolf-dog?" Ryder asked. "You have many questions that I don't have the answers for. But maybe during this journey to kill the VampireWolf and save our world, you will find the answers to many questions that you have. You may even find a source that will be able to turn you into a human again" Sarah explained.

Ryder just stood quiet. He didn't know what to say. "Ryder, we need your help. Even though the VampireWolf hasn't started killing animals from our village, he will start soon once he kills off the rest of the animals from the other villages. This beast is bloodthirsty and is always searching for blood to drink. We are in danger and we need you. You were chosen to kill the VampireWolf and I know that because of my vision. You were chosen because you are a savior and a hero of this world. I may not know much about you, but I know the main thing about you and that is that you're a rescuer."

"The fact that you were chosen to kill the VampireWolf tells me that you are an extraordinary hero and the savior of this world. We need you Ryder."

Ryder stood staring at the water's surface. He didn't know what to say. But he soon found words. "I'm gonna think about this tonight" he said, "I will have an answer by tomorrow morning." "Thank you, Ryder" Sarah rubbed her head under Ryder's neck in an appreciative way. "Let's go join the others now. They must've caught dinner now." Dinner? Oh no, it must be raw meat! Ryder thought in disgust. Ryder and Sarah walked from the watering hole to the fire that had been made. "What were you guys doing?" Bruno growled. "I was speaking with Ryder, getting to know him more" Sarah said. "What did you learn about him?" Scurry asked. "Let's start eating. I don't know if Ryder is comfortable with me saying everything about him" Sarah said. "What's for dinner?" Ryder asked. "I'm having fish because I'm a crane" Scurry said, holding up a fish with a feet of his."I'm having some flowers and grass" Butterscotch said.

"I caught three rabbits for me, Sarah, and you" Bruno explained. "You guys eat raw meat?" Ryder questioned. "Duh" Bruno put on an obvious look. "I don't know if I want to eat that" Ryder said, looking at the dead rabbits with a disgusted look. "No problem, just starve to death. I'll eat your rabbit. More food for me" Bruno said."What kind of wolf-dog doesn't eat raw meat?" Scurry asked. "Well, uh" Ryder wasn't sure what to say so Sarah spoke for him. "As you all have assumed, Ryder is a human in the form of a wolf-dog" Sarah explained. "What the.....Scurry just dropped to the ground in a faint. Butterscotch froze with a flower in his paw. Bruno looked at Ryder with a cold and suspicious glare. Ryder just stood sitting, keeping his gaze low.

"I know it's surprising but that's the truth. Now everybody, return to senses and start eating" Sarah said in a stern tone. "I won't eat until you get rid of this human-animal! Your vision was fake! He's not the one who's gonna kill the VampireWolf! How in the world are you able to have this thing around? He's a creep! If you don't get rid of him, I will do it myself and when I do something, I do it the hard and forcing way!" Bruno yelled.

"Bruno! Seal your mouth shut!" Sarah yelled. Ryder shuddered and backed off a little. Scurry was still laying on the ground in a faint. Butterscotch had gotten back his senses. "I will not shut it until you get rid of him! I do not like him and I find him suspicious!" Bruno growled. "We are not getting rid of him! He's the only one who can stop the VampireWolf! Our isolated world away from people is in danger of this murderous beast! He will soon start killing our animals when he's run out of animals from the other villages! Ryder is the one who was chosen to kill the VampireWolf! I saw it in my vision!"

"Who cares about your fake vision? That was just a dream you had!"

"No it wasn't! The VampireWolf has been haunting us for generations! It's only now that he's starting to emerge more and become more dangerous! If we don't get rid of him, he will soon become a deadly monster that will wipe out all the animals!" Sarah shouted. Ryder knew a fight was about to explode right now. He backed off and tried not to get himself in it.

Word count: 2,954Date of publication: February 5, 2022