By: Zoe Hu

I heard a branch snap behind me and I whirled around.

I scanned my surroundings for the source of the noise, but all I was able to see was brick walls, some crates and shadows. I couldn’t smell anything either.

“No need to freak out,” Blue grinned. “It’s only Crescent.”

A long legged golden and white dog elegantly slid out of seemingly nowhere.

By the way she looked, I almost thought that she was a house dog.

She sat down with her eyes never leaving me. “Well, well. What do we have here?” She glanced at Blue then her eyes went straight back at me. Her long tail swished on the stone floor.

“That’s Lavender. My sister. And don’t even ask why she’s here,” Blue cut in.

Crescent turned her head to look at Blue. Slowly she got up and sharply told Blue, “do I have to remind you that I have no tolerance for having a stranger in our pack? She will only be a weight dragging us back.”

“Listen to her story before you decide!” Blue growled.

Crescent’s eyes seemed to see right through me. Her claws made an eerie scratching noise on the cement ground. I could tell that she was in charge here.

“Who is she?” I whispered to Blue.

“I’ll tell you in a second,” she muttered.

Looking down at my paws, I quickly said, “I’m Lavender. I’m here because my owners accidentally left me in a cave, and I’m trying to get back to them.”

Crescent flicked her tail and sat down again with a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Ugh. No! It’s one of your awful ideas again isn’t it, Crescent?” Blue grumbled.

“It is an idea, but it’s a good one.”

Crescent walked towards me and gave me a sly look.

“Here’s the deal house dog. If I help you get back home, then you have to get me and Blue food supply for as long as we need, and if I want, a nice place to stay. That’s not in one of those nasty houses the humans live in.”

Blue groaned. “Fineee! I’ll come with you if you go!”

I considered it for a second. It seemed like a good deal. But how would I be able to supply them food? But my owners come first.

“Deal,” I said, lifting my head up to meet Crescent’s gaze.

“Well, it’s settled then. We leave at dawn.” She then disappeared into the shadows of the alley as quickly as she had come.