#found chapter 2

Got a shorter chapter, 900+ words, Enjoy!

Sparky, Dawn and Dogday have a chat.

In a light sleep, Spark rolled over. The soft glow of dusk filling the room. Spark had gotten used to the lights of the PlayCare facility. Dogday had told her they were artificial lights.

Artificial lights? She couldn't quite remember what Papa had explained about them. She made a mental note to ask him when she woke up from her nap.

Letting out a soft yawn as she heard Dawn talking to someone in an excited tone who she assumed was their parents. Spark was greeted by the familiar, calming scent of lavender and the sweet scent of vanilla.

"Where's Sparky?" The deep voice of a man hummed the question to Dawn. Sparky recognized the voice as Catnap, her dad. 

"Did you bring food?" Dawn asked, hope in the moon-pups tone. Completely ignoring Catnaps question. There was a plop as something was put down. 

Dawn let out a happy squeal and seemingly started eating something.

The sweet vanilla scent got stronger as Dogday walked up to her, making sure she was okay before returning to Dawn and Catnap. "Should I just wake up?" Sparky thought. Curling up in a tight ball with her tail wrapped around her body, hunger rumbled in her stomach. That decided it for her.

Yawning as she sat up, glancing to the side was Dawn, her dad and papa eating. Hoping down from the bed Sparky stretched.

"Sleep well?" The purple feline hummed while purring. Dawn just waved then continued eating. Too busy eating the food to speak. Spark nodded to Catnap before sitting next to Dogday. 

As Spark began to eat, she perked up, remembering Dawn looking for the pendant. After she finished that bite, she turned to Dawn. "Have you asked about the pendant thing?"

Dawn perked up as well and turned to Dogday. "Remember that heart pendant you found?"

Dogday stopped eating, his relaxed expression shifting to.. actually, Sparky didn't recognize this one. His ears where droopier, his eyes unfocused and his tail still. Her ears fell and her spine shivered. It made her uneasy. Thats for sure.

Sparky gave Catnap an anxious glance, noticing the sharp slits of his pupils as he observed Dogday. His expression calm. As always. Sparky could never discern what he was feelings. Especially when it came to something serious. Sparky couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing.

Dogday looked away from Dawn, grabbing his sun pendant in his claws, almost hugging it. Soon after, A long purple tail wrapped around the orange canine. Pulling him into a snuggle as the feline continued to eat. "One of the other critters medallions." Catnap hummed as Dogday leaned into the large feline, continuing to eat.

"..Is it okay to ask why Papa couldn't answer?" Sparky questioned Catnap; her voice quiet. Scared to upset Dogday again. She hated seeing her papa upset like that.

".. I think we need to have a talk." Dogday finally spoke up. Hesitantly, but he did. 

Sparky gave Dawn a glance. The moon pup had tears in his eyes, looking at Dogday. Sparky could guess that they were upset about making Dogday sad. Sparky gave Dawn a sympathetic before turning her attention back to Dogday. The orange canine stood, walking towards the entrance of the Home Sweet Home. Catnap looked after him. Spark caught a sympathetic look in his eye for a second.

Sparky and Dawn followed him. Sparky comforting Dawn on the way. As they walked, a thought sprang into her head. 'Oh right! The weird creature that attacked Dawn. I forgot to ask Dad about it.. Oh well. It can wait." Sparky hugged Dawn with her tail as she found a high-ish place to sit. Dogday leaned against the center of the Playcare. A group of statues, one that looks like Dogday, one Catnap, all huddled in the center piece of Playcare. Dawn stood in front of Spark.

"So. Uh-.." Dogday took his time to think out every word. He didn't want this to be rushed.

Dawn and Sparky both glanced at each other before looking back at Dogday. It wasn't like their papa to not know what to say. Dogday took a breath and began. "Before... The Hour of Joy happened. Catnap and I lived with other critters. We were called the Smiling Critters. We looked after the kids who used to live here and protect them. Catnap was a protecter. He warned us when we needed to get the kids to bed or to get them out of the room. I was the leader, in charge of getting the children to safety." Dogday looked back at Home Sweet Home.

"There was 8 of us. When the Hour of Joy happened, we all got separated." Dogday seemed to wince at the memory but didn't stop explaining.

"..We don't exactly know if they are alive or not. The heart pendant you asked me about belonged to one of them. Bobby. Or- Bobby Bearhug." Dogday pointed at the bear statue above them. "I don't know when it happened. But eventually, she lost her pendant."

"And I found it- well you two know about that." Dogday let out a weak laugh. Dawn looked worried and excited at the same time; their tail was wagging softly behind them. 

"What if we find them? I explore a lot; you could come with me next time." Dawn smiled innocently at Dogday as the orange canine looked away. "Maybe." Dogday mumbled.

Sparky didn't know how to feel, staring at the ground. her tail mostly curled around her body twitched. What had even started that horrific event that caused her parents to lose the other critters? What creature would ever do that? Sparky didn't want to ever meet that thing. Thoughts burned her mind as she remembered that creature that had attacked Dawn, and what it said.

If she could find another one of those. Creatures. She could follow the trail of blood to whatever "he" was. 

"Papa?" Spark spoke, focused on the ground. Her tail twitching tirelessly. The whirl of thoughts still swirling viciously in her mind.

A soft 'hm?' came from the orange canine, his gaze turning to the cream feline. 

"I think I know how to find them; I know where to start." 

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Dawn is not my character, They belong to @jellori