Free The Storm by Dayna Lorentz Page A

“Brilliant! Shep, you come with me, and Zeus, you go with Higgins and Frizzle.”
    Zeus didn’t even address Callie. He turned to Shep and began grumbling. “We’re taking orders from the yappers now?” He spat the words out like slobber.
    â€œThere’s bound to be other big dogs in this building,” Shep said, trying to soothe his friend. “They can help out with freeing the other dogs.”
    â€œI’ve lived here for three cycles,” Zeus growled. “There are maybe three or four other big dogs, and I know at least one of them has got one paw in the hole, if you know what I mean.” Zeus referred to any dog who was in less than top condition as having “one paw in the hole,” so Shep wasn’t sure whether he meant the dog was old or simply had gone a little overboard with the kibble.
    â€œIt’s one floor, buddy,” Shep said, panting gently. “Then we can all get some sleep.”
    â€œFine,” Zeus barked. “But I’m not going with those two mutts.” He trotted over to Callie’s side. “You’re so anxious to get started?” he grunted at her. “Let’s move.” Zeus continued down the hall and around the corner.
    Callie looked at Frizzle, eyebrows raised as if to say it was better than nothing, and raced after the big dog.
    â€œI’m going back to my den,” yapped Higgins. “Hang all these other ungrateful mutts.” With a quick flick of his grizzled snout, he was up and on his way down the hall to his den.
    â€œLooks like it’s just you and me.” Frizzle opened his jaws and panted in self-satisfied huffs, his wing-ears tipped to the sides in what Shep understood to be as close to content as they ever got. Frizzle swaggered down the hall in the direction opposite the way Callie had gone, then looked back over his tail at Shep. “You coming?”
    Shep growled to himself, Great Wolf, give me strength .

“Callie tells me you’re a fighter?” Frizzle sniffed lazily at a door, then loped down the stone floor of the hall to the next one.
    â€œWas,” Shep barked, checking the door Frizzle had just sniffed. “ Was a fighter.” He snorted, then took a deep breath, fully scenting the air. It was as he thought — that yapper’s pug nose was good for nothing. “There’s a dog in here.”
    â€œWhat?!” Frizzle scrambled back, nearly head-butting Shep. “Let me smell it again.” He stuck his nose practically under the door and began snorting and snuffling. “Oh, yeah. There is a faint smell of dog.” He straightened his forelegs and licked his nose. “Very faint. Any dog could’ve missed that scent.” He scratched his neck, shook his coat, then tipped his head at Shep. “Well?”
    â€œWell, what?” Shep woofed. Wasn’t Frizzle going to apologize, or something? He nearly left a dog behind because he was too lazy to take a proper scent!
    â€œYou going to open the door or wait and see if it opens itself?” Frizzle jutted out his wide jaw. Shep had the urge to swipe it right off his tiny smug snout.
    Shep grumbled to himself. No dog should have to put up with this , he thought. Being pushed around by yappers, breaking teeth on stupid knobs. He attacked the knob, biting and thrashing his head and scrabbling his paws against the door frame. Nothing.
    â€œThere must be a lock,” Frizzle said, yawning. “You should check with the dog inside.”
    I’ll check you, you little … Shep hopped down onto all fours, and barked loudly at the door. “Hey! Dog! You smell like a big dog, am I right?”
    He heard claws clicking on the floor. Taking a deep sniff, he could tell that it was a girldog, that she was a bit older than Shep, and was about the same size. A tough dog, but not a fighter. Thank the Great Wolf. Shep thought he might’ve chewed his own ears off if he’d