Waggit Forever by Peter Howe Page B

better at coming up with an instant battle plan.
    Once they were on the other side of the fence, the dogs raced around the building. As they turned the far corner, they were faced with a sight that froze the blood in their veins. In front of them were five or six young men and one older one. He was holding Felicia from behind, with one hand over her face, trying to smother her screams, and the other hand pressing the blade of a knife to her throat.
    â€œStoners!” cried Waggit.
    â€œBe careful,” warned Magica. “They’ve got silver claws.”
    The dogs barked ferociously at the men and then crouched into attack position, ready to spring.
    â€œGet her money!” yelled the older man to the others. “I know she’s got some. It’s hidden on her somewhere.”
    But the younger men had seen the dogs and were backing off.
    â€œNever mind those mutts!” shouted Felicia’s attacker.“They ain’t gonna hurt you, but I will if you don’t get the money.”
    â€œBut I’m scared of dogs,” whimpered one of the tougher-looking Stoners.
    â€œOh, poor me, I’m scared of dogs,” mocked the older man in a whiny voice. “Well, be more scared of this.” He took the knife away from Felicia’s throat and pointed it at the frightened young man.
    â€œGo, Waggit,” said Lowdown who had been watching the action. “Go now!”
    Without another word Waggit leaped toward the man’s hand. Before Felicia’s attacker could return the knife to her throat, Waggit’s jaws trapped his wrist, and he bit down with all his might. The man howled in agony.
    â€œGet him off me,” he cried to his sidekicks, who were torn between their fear of the dogs and their even greater fear of the older man. They started kicking at the animals, trying to keep the dogs away as they inched toward their leader. It was at this point that Gordo threw his considerable weight against the back of the man’s knees, causing him to come crashing down, bringing Felicia with him. Waggit was still clamped to the man’s wrist, while Gordo, not thefastest mover at the best of times, was unable to get away from the two humans before they fell and was now squashed underneath both of them. The other dogs were snarling and snapping at the young men when Alona looked up and cried, “Tazar!”
    Sprinting around the building toward the tumult came the rest of the team, led by Tazar. The sight of reinforcements was too much for the young men, who ran for their lives in all directions. The older one released Felicia and tried to scramble to his feet, kicking Waggit in the stomach. This had the effect the man was hoping for. Waggit had to let go of his wrist, and the knife clattered to the ground. Without bothering to pick it up, the would-be mugger ran off, nursing his injured arm.
    Despite the retreat of their attackers, there was still chaos at the scene, with Felicia sitting on the ground, Waggit next to her trying to get his breath back, and the other dogs yelping in victory, ecstatic to be reunited with their teammates. Everyone was licking everyone else. Finally Tazar walked up to Felicia, who still hadn’t made it to her feet.
    â€œLady Felicia,” he said graciously, “it’s good to see you again, even under such troubling circumstances.”
    â€œIt’s always good to see you, Tazar,” Felicia replied breathlessly, “but never more so than now.”
    â€œWhere did you find Waggit and his group?” asked Tazar.
    â€œActually they found me,” she replied. “I was making a tour of every park in the city trying to find you. We met at the one that runs beside the river just a few hours ago, although I must say it seems longer.”
    â€œHow did you get separated from them?” he asked.
    â€œLooking for a way into the yard,” she answered. “As you can see, I don’t fit into any of the holes in