PA 3.5: End of a Tail

Chapter XXVI Part V

"Alright, you heard the lady!" Brownie said, bouncing energetically towards the rat terrier, "Hand it over!"

Coco scoffed, "Wh- Brownie?!"

"What?" the corgi cheered, "I'm getting us the wand."

Coco sighed, "I meant me."

"Oh c'mon, let me have this."

"I'm mad at her too!" Coco exclaimed, "Don't you think I'm upset she hurt you?"

"Coco p-please..." Olive muttered, "Brownie is your f-furiend," they beamed, "we should all be nice to one another, because then people will be happy! P-Please?"

Coco grimaced. "Y-Yeah, 'friend'... I guess you're right Olive." She turned back to Brownie. "Fine, just get the wand, and don't break anything with it."

With a sly grin, Brownie winked at Coco before crossing the room towards Dell.

"B-Wait! I'll just give it to you if you let me-" was as far as Dell could protest before the wires surrounding her constricted uncomfortably hard, and another set of iridescent bindings clasped themselves around the midsection of the dog, pinning her paws entirely to her sides. "Rrgh! No! Wait!"

As Brownie tugged on the bargaining chip, Dell became increasingly aware the shoddy craftsmanship might shine through if the handle cracked, or the glued-on bell twisted off. "Fine! Take it! I don't care anymore; I give up, alright?" She let go of the wand, letting Brownie stop her efforts and recoil at the sudden lack of firmness at which the wand was held.

With the wand dislodged from Dell's paws, Brownie gave it a once-over, holding it carefully, like it might bite her at any moment. "Wow, this thing is a lot less impressive up close." She looked up at Dell, grasping the wand more firmly by its handle, flicking off a small piece of splintered wood that had come off in the struggle, and was hanging on by a thread. "You know, you're a lot stronger than you look!"

"Oh gee thanks for the compliment," Dell sassed. "Are you gonna let me go now?"

Coco grumbled. "We don't owe you anything," she grimaced at the dog, raising her wand up. "You're lucky you're alive after what you've done- you're going in the kitchen and getting tied up while we handle Patches."

"Wait! I- Please just let me talk with Cujo first?" she begged. "I wouldn't have come down here, and I would've tried attacking with the wand if I actually wanted to hurt you guys, right?"

"W-Well maybe you can help us with Rover first?" Olive proposed.

Coco huffed loudly, drawing some attention to her as it seemed she would speak. It took a moment for her to formulate her words, but when she had, they were laden with grim conviction. "Olive..." she began, practically spitting while she brooded from behind her witching hat, "I don't want to be the one to say it, but-" they stuttered, quickly looking at Olive and then away, "Rover is dead; if not now, then he will be the moment he realizes Dell betrayed him-" the reaction was immediate, but the bombay spoke louder and shut their eyes to drown them out. "We should just get Patches, then we can ressurect them both before anything else happens!"

Olive winced away from the conversation, building up their confidence. Brownie couldn't look at the cat, and it seemed she was either ashamed of the bombay or soaking in the dark truth of the matter. Dell appeared largely indifferent, if not uncomfortable at the idea. Cujo was the only one to quickly object, "That's wrong! I trust Dell to be able to get Rover out okay," he clenched his paws, "I don't want what happened to Sparky to happen to him- and if we can get Sparky out too, then that'd be even better!"

Coco looked to the side. "I don't know..." the cat mumbled, regretting her choice of words.

Olive's wide, tired eyes looked off to the side in thought, then to at Cujo, examining the embarrassed dog. "I... I think it's a good idea if you both talk!" they nervously belted out, unable to focus on the volume of their voice. "If you talk you can be f-furiends again, and then you'll be happy because you can eat treats together, and go on walks, and play fetch!" Olive quickly glanced around the room, gauging the reaction. "And then m-maybe since you're friends with Patchie, you can help us talk to him too!"

Dell looked over to the mutt, ignoring the cat and dog in the room chatting with each other.

Likewise, Cujo turned his head, examining the dog's confused face before turning over to Dell with as much confidence he could muster. "Dell I've... uh..." he muttered over his words, his expression growing sagged and weary, "I've been wanting to talk to you recently too." He forced a smirk, sharing eye contact with the rat terrier. "Do you want to head into the kitchen, so we can settle this?"

Dell's mouth pursed and her brows raised with intrigue. She could only stare at him, amazed at the undeserved kindness he displayed.

Olive similarily seemed surprised, although they smiled. "Oh!" they exclaimed, "You guys are going to m-make up?"

Cujo gave an exaggerated shrug. "Sure. It's been a long time coming." He forced a smile at Dell, still clearly torn up about something, or perhaps still embarrassed. He nodded his head in the direction of the door. "You wanna..." he said towards the terrier, pausing, "heh, head to the kitchen?"

Dell continued to smile, her way being had. She opened her mouth to speak, looked down at the yellow bindings trapping her in place, then at Cujo again, her smile souring at how she was still under Coco's control.

Coco stopped her moping, looking at Dell with a disapproving glare, then to the sound of a stubby tail lightly whooshing in the air as they stared on hopeful and happy.

"Nobody's trying to gang up on you," Brownie whispered to her, "Are you okay?" The corgi punctuated her concern by taking a step closer and wrapping her paw around the cat's left arm.

A second passed where all the dogs turned to look at Coco one by one, starting with Dell's smug, angry glare, then Olive's hopeful one, following Brownie's concern and Cujo's questioning look. She closed her eyes, letting her wand sink down to her hips alongside her paws. She didn't sigh, and only wordlessly slashed the wand slightly downward, causing the barbs to disappear.

"Make it quick," Coco complained. "One minute, then I'm going upstairs with or without you."

Dell smiled, and then started walking towards Cujo, restraining her want to hug. Almost in reward, he placed a paw onto her backpack, patting it to usher her into the kitchen. Dell almost wanted to cry in celebration, but knew this was only the first step in getting him back, she was just so happy he gave her the chance.