The Runaway Adventures

Chapter 30:Angel's Deceit

The puppies and parents gasped, and then Buster revealed himself from behind the trees. He smiled devilishly at the puppies as he walked toward them.

"Buster," Tramp told him, growling. "Get away from us."

Buster smirked. "You don't scare me, Tramp. You lost your touch when you turned your back on everything and settled down with Miss Powderpuff."

"Why are you here?" Lady asked worriedly. "Can't you just leave us alone?"

"Oh no, Miss Powderpuff," Buster explained with a smirk. "I want revenge. I don't like going to the pound. And not only was I sent to the pound, but I was sent by those traitorous kids! Those brats got me caught in the dogcatcher's net!"

"Wow," Puffball told them, amazed. "You got him caught!"

Then Buster turned and saw Puffball. "Do my eyes deceive me? Or is it everyone's favorite little puffball!" he laughed. "You look no tougher than before, puffy, I bet you can't even perform any moves yet! And I bet you still want to find that sniveling little family that would never take you in because you are such a wimp!"

Puffball bristled with humiliation. He was going to have to live through Buster's bullying yet another time.

"Just leave him alone!" Danielle shouted to Buster. "He's my boyfriend!" Puffball smiled, and he was amazed just how brave Danielle was in front of Buster. Her support made him feel a little braver too.

"Oh, so you're going the Angel route," Buster drawled to Puffball devilishly, eyeing Danielle standing next to him. "Marrying a housedog, huh? Not surprised, as you're not cut out to live on the streets, puffy," Then he turned to Danielle and told her, "And why would anyone want you? You're just a prissy little housedog who looks as dumb as dirt."

Puffball glared at Buster. He was furious with Buster for bullying his only friend, and he felt a lot braver now as he exclaimed, "Say what you like about me but don't hurt Dani!"

"You shouldn't have bullied Puffball all these months!" Danielle shouted.

"And I'm not going to let you hurt either of us anymore!" Puffball shouted, growling at Buster.

"Like I'd be scared of you weaklings," Buster smirked. "But you're lucky. I don't have time to waste with you now, puffy, I'll take care of you and your girl later. Anyways...those rotten brats are just like you, Tramp! They turned their backs on me and quit my gang, and so did you!"

"Hey, Buster, I didn't ever join your gang," Tramp told him exasperatedly. "Stop lying about it."

"Who are you to talk?" Buster snapped. "You lie to everyone all the time. Everyone knows that."

"No he doesn't," Lady told Buster firmly. "I know him better than anyone else. He's my husband. And I trust him completely."

"Buster, you knew I didn't want to be chained down to a gang," Tramp told him firmly. He was suddenly a lot more confident than when he was trying to talk to the puppies. "I had a life to live. I wanted to be free and to make my own choices."

"Well you made yours," Buster glared at Tramp. "You abandoned me."

"Hey, hey...Buster... I saved your life, and helped you learn to live on the streets. I thought you'd learn to become another helpful streetdog like me. But I saw you bully another dog in the dogcatcher's net. You laughed at him, taunted, and humiliated him, just because he wanted love himself. And that's when I saw what you had become. You've come a long way since when you were in his place. And you wonder why I wouldn't want to join with you."

Scamp and Angel listened intently to Tramp. "He didn't tell us this," Angel whispered.

"So that's why he didn't join," Scamp added.