Lucky and pals meet the Snow Dogs

Chapter 9

Meanwhile~

The sled dog team was out running on the trail through the blizzard, as nothing was going to get in their way. 

"Way to go, snow dogs!" Kali and the twins cheered them on as they kept running. 

"I'm never felt so alive!" Rolly shouted. "Or so cold!"

"Now this is living!" Lucky said to his siblings and Storm. 

"You said it" Storm agreed as she was running besides Lucky. 

"That's it! Come on, guys! Come on, come on! Right, right, left, left, right! Come on!" Ted encouraged them. He even got off the sled and ran alongside them. 

But soon, the dogs had to stop because they were pretty much whipped out. 

"Okay, okay" Ted gave in, telling the team. "Two-minute break" 

The Harpercop siblings then noticed Scooper seemed a bit off from the others. 

"What'cha got there, Scooper?" they asked, coming out of the sled and saw that the black husky was digging for something. 

"Hey, Ted, I think Scooper's found something!" Kali called out to him. 

"Scooper, what have you got now?" Ted asked while coming over. "Sure, you can dig, but you can't pull?"

"I think he's found a clue" Brock said while they helped the husky dig. 

Ted had a look at what Scooper had found... a flask. But this wasn't just anyone's flask, it was Thunder Jack's! 

Ted looked around frantically, knowing Jack had to be close by. He and the Harpercop siblings quickly hopped back on the sled and continued searching. 

Meanwhile, back in town that night. Walter, Jane and Kali's friends were still trying get leads on Kali and the twins as to where they were, but there wasn't much luck for that. Amelia tried talking to the staff, begging they'd go out and search for her son and the others. But they said that it was too dangerous with the blizzard still going, there was simply no way for anyone to get through the pass. 

That news lady reporter from earlier became interested in what she heard about Ted and the gang's rescue effort and broadcasted it on the news.

"I sure hope the kids are okay" Jane was worried as she stayed close next to her husband. 

"Kali's a strong, independent young woman" Teeders assured her best friend's mother. "She'll keep the twins safe"

"Yeah, she can handle anything" David added. 

"Most of the time anyway" Cynthia mumbled under her breath. 

"They're right, don't worry dear" Walter told his wife, keeping her close. 

Elsewhere, Ted and his team were still braving on through the storm, mushing in the darkness as they searched for the lost Thunder Jack and his dogs. 

They soon came upon an old cave that Ted had known about after Jack rescued him and brought him there. 

"Whoa, whoa, brake it off!" Ted told the team, causing for the dogs to stop. 

Ted then got off the sled and began searching the cave. The Harpercop siblings came in, looking with him. 

"Jack?" Ted called out to his father. 

"Mr Thunder?" Kali and the twins called out. 

"Jack! Ted called again, even louder this time.

Suddenly, Demon appeared before them, growling fiercely.

"Easy, Demon, easy" Ted told the aggressive husky calmly. But Demon still remained vigilant.

"It's okay," Kali assured Demon gently. "We're here to help"

Demon started to back off as Ted came farther into the cave and soon found Jack on the ground, unconscious. The rest of the dogs on his team were all laying on top of him to keep him warm. 

"Jack" Ted gasped, coming over. 

"Is he hurt?" Ann asked, coming closer with her brother and sister. 

"Alright. Good job, boys. Okay, good dogs." Ted had the dogs move so he could take a look and see how bad Jack was injured. 

Ted soon aided to Jack's broken leg, while Kali and the twins brought the dogs in and built a fire. Everyone was thankful to be out of that blizzard and all gathered together around a cozy warm fire. They all waited anxiously for Jack to wake up. 

"I'm so glad to be out of that blizzard" Lucky said, laying next to Storm. 

"Me too" Storm said, as she nuzzled up against Lucky, making the teen dalmatian blush.  

Rolly groaned, getting impatient. "Ugh, when is the old doofus going to wake up?"

"Never rush the medicines work" Cadpig advised. 

Just then, everyone heard a groan of pain come from Jack and saw that he had just woken up.

"What are you doing here?" Jack looked surprised to see Ted. 

"Your leg's broke. I'm splinting it" Ted simply replied. 

"Yeah. Well, how'd you get here?" Jack asked, confused. 

"Same way you did" Brock said. 

Ted then handed Jack his flask. "Not bad for a greenhorn, huh?"

"Not bad at all" Jack smiled, taking his flask to drink some soup. 

"So, what kind of crazy stunt were you trying to pull out there?" Kali asked the old crusty mountain man. 

"Oh, I thought I could win if I rode off into that storm" Jack explained. "But if I'd bunked in like I should've I wouldn't have run into that tree, and..." 

"I guess I ought to thank you for coming after me" Jack told his son. "Because you didn't have to, you know"

"It's payback" Ted said. "Now we're even" 

Jack looked away for a moment, feeling ashamed before he looked back towards Ted. 

"No, we're not even" he said to his son. "You know, I've always believed that a man who don't tell it like it is a liar. And I hate liars" 

"Well, I lied to you, son" he admitted. 

The Harpercop siblings and all the dogs gathered around to listen as Jack told Ted the truth about him and Lucy, saying he was at the hospital the night Ted was born. But he and Lucy knew they were nowhere ready to be parents and decided to give Ted up for adoption. But Jack did say he loved Lucy, very much. 

"I bet Lucy would be proud of you" Jack told his son. "I know I am" 

Ted smiled back at his father, glad to know the truth now. 

Everyone soon went to sleep that night in the cave. 

Meanwhile, back in town~

Walter, Jane and Kali's friends were still waiting outside, along with Amelia in the cold. Barb came and told them that they'll sound off the siren when one of them comes in.

The families came inside for the night, hoping tomorrow would bring relief for everyone.