All throughout the town people were all smiles as they set up for the upcoming holiday, The 4th of July! Everyone was excited.
Scamps mind however was somewhere different.
As Jim Dear and Darling had their dogs leashed and walked down the street with Junior in a stroller, Scamp would get tangled between Jim Dears legs, he would leap at every bug he saw, or trio over his own paws and crash into his sisters. Tramp, his father would have to get onto him very often. Scamp didn't mind the first few warnings and he did try to listen to his father who he adored so much.
When they got home, Darling and Jim Dear put Junior on the floor to play. "These dogs need a bath now!" Darling said happily. Scamps sisters who clearly took after their mother with less noticeable traits raced towards her giggling "I want to go first!"
"No me!"
"Don't push you're going to mess up my fur!" They all argued and tripped over each other. Lady followed her children to where Darling was waiting. She noticed that obviously Scamp was nowhere to be seen. She signaled to Tramp with a look in her eye that he immediately understood. He nodded and went to the living room to look for him. He saw him staring out the window with a look of want. Tramp titled his head understandingly and jumped up to sit beside his son by the window. "Good walk wasn't it?" He nudged at his sons ear.
"Oh.. yeah. It was. I just wish it was a little longer." Scamp admitted.
"That would be nice." Said Tramp. "Come on, it will be your turn for a bath soon."
"Do I have to? Because then I can't go outside or do anything without being told what to do to stay clean. It's annoying." He scrunched up his face and avoided eye contact with Tramp. Tramp smiled. "It's not that bad, come on!" He shifted his paws to try and signal to follow him to the kitchen (i think). Before Tramp could tell him to come along, Scamp spoke up, "Do you ever want to go out there? I mean you seem to like it in here just fine. Maybe you don't understand."
"All the time, but your mother wants you to get to that bath soon."
"I guess you wouldn't understand how I want to be out there. Not cooped up in here all my life. I'm sure you wouldn't understand that having been a house pet all your life."
"Well when have I ever said that?" Tramp said, putting a paw to Scamps side playfully. "I used to have it all. All the freedom I wanted. Or i thought I did." Before Tramp would say anything to not encourage his son, Scamp started bouncing with questions. "You DID? Then come on let's go! That bath can wait!" Scamp jumped down and began to wrestle a pillow. "See! I'm built for the streets! With you by my side we will be unstoppable!" He ran to the dog door with Tramp following behind. "You're not going anywhere kiddo." Tramp grabbed Scamp in his mouth by the scruff on the back of his neck and dropped him in the kitchen next to two of his sisters who had already taken a bath and Lady. Scamp immediately tried to run away. Tramp however stood in front of him. "Nope!"
"But those things you said! Come on! Don't you want it to be like in the old days? Now with me! It will be awesome! Just the two of us teaching the other street dogs who's boss!" He jumped in the air then ran in a little circle. He looked to his father who looked to Lady. Lady's eyes were wide and she went to Tramp. "What did you say to him?"
"Nothing! I mean I didn't tell him exactly everything! I just kept it subtle."
"Well not subtle enough." They whispered quite loudly until it was just full talking.
"Okay Scamp," Said Lady, "Whatever your father told you just drop it alright? He didn't mean too much by it."
"I want to be free and not stuck in here all the time." Said Scamp disappointed.
"Well still. We're your family and you're so young. We can't just let you run around out there. It's dangerous. Especially not by yourself."
"Well dad would be with me."
"I don't know about that." Said Lady, throwing a look at Tramp who awkwardly shrugged. "We love you Scamp. Me, your father, your sisters-"
"Eh." They all said in union.
"Your sisters do love you even if they won't admit it."
"Jim Dear, Darling, and especially Junior would be so worried about you." Said Tramp
"But if dad is all he says he is then I should be fine." Scamp said, heading towards the dog door.
"I didn't even say that much hey!" Said Tramp. He touched noses with Lady as Scamp walked off. "I'll talk to him. I know what it's like and maybe I can help him." Lady nodded then turned to her daughters.
Tramp found Scamp sitting on the porch. He sat next to him. "It's a dangerous world." He said. "We just don't want anything to happen to you."
"But you said you used to have all the freedom. I want that. I want to see the world for once. And not just the same walk every day seeing the same things."
"It's not all good and being free Scamp."
"Then if you're apparently not what you say that how would you know?"
"I haven't been "cooped up all my life" as you describe. I'm lucky to be here and have a home. Not scrounging up trash and running from the dog catcher." He looked to the sky as if viewing an old memory. "It's not all freedom." He said looking back down at Scamp. "Then help me. Teach me, protect me." Said Scamp.
"It's not like that." Tramp stood up and judged Scamp to get inside. Scamp pulled away. "No! Stop it!"
"Scamp, stop it and get inside now." Scamp growled a puppy growl and ran around, splashing in mud, knocking stuff over. "I'm not like you then!" He ran inside leaving mud everywhere. Tramp ran after him but Scamp had already knocked over a couple vases of flowers, mudded pillows, and turned up carpet.
A voice rang around the room. As Tramp tried to grab his son, he looked up to see Jim Dear with his hands angrily on his hips. "Now what is all this?" He grabbed Scamp by the scruff and placed him in the bath water.
Not an hour later, Scamp was chained to the doghouse outside. Great. Exactly what he wanted. To be outside. But of course it wasn't enough.
