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"Come on, Taissa. We don't wanna be late for your first day!"

The small Staffordshire terrier shouldered her bright, pink bookbag and hurried to catch up to the older, brindle terrier. Why did her mom have to walk so fast? Stubby puppy legs weren't made for chasing down adult terriers!

As Taissa looked over her shoulder, she saw the other neighborhood pups just getting up: a diminutive Doberman feeding the hens, a plucky Rottweiler blinking sleep-laden eyes and fetching the milk, and a Mastiff lumbering towards the outhouse. Taissa wished that she could be going to their school, but her mother's stubborn determination had ensured that she wouldn't be going to the school around the corner this morning, or any other morning, for that matter.

"If you're early, you're on time, and if you're on time, you're-"

"-late." Yes Momma, I know," Taissa said, rolling her hazel eyes and brushing a floppy, gray ear out of her face.

"Good. I want you to make a good impression for these dogs. Okay, baby?" Dominique looked down at her daughter, who yawned and scratched behind an ear.

"Yes, Momma," Taissa repeated, hopping over a puddle, taking care to keep her dainty paws dry. As she followed her mother, she noticed how there was more grass and less concrete the farther they walked. She wanted to go over and give it a good sniff, maybe roll around in it, but she knew her mother would nip her for the offense.

"I just want you to know that today might be a little rough," Dominique said, placing a paw on her daughter's shoulder as they stopped in front of the schoolhouse, "but remember that you're here to make a difference, okay? I want you on your best behavior. Make your Momma proud."

"I will, Momma." Taissa buried her square muzzle into her mother's blouse, the smell of this morning's breakfast biscuits enveloping her. As she looked over her mother's shoulder, she saw the other dogs whisper behind their paws at her, their faces accusatory, but Taissa just took it as a sign that she should be getting to class.

She broke away from her mother, wagged her tail once, and walked into the building. As Dominique watched her daughter pad off, she shivered, the staring and whispers beginning to get to her. Looking down at her watch, she noticed that she had less than an hour to get to work. Shaking herself, she began walking in the direction of the office buildings, before she felt the sharp jab of a baton in her back.

"What you doin' on this side of town, girl?"

Dominique wheeled around to see a police shepherd, his pointed ears as rigid and unyielding on top of his head as his demeanor. He seemed young, about as old as her son Frederick, but like all his kind, he stuck his chest out and seemed to want to assert himself over the older terrier.

"I was on my way to work," Dominique replied, her ears pressed against her head and her eyes downcast.

"You got some ID?" he spat, the edges of his muzzle wrinkling in disgust.

"Yes sir, right here in my purse." Dominique fumbled with the clasp of her bag, but despite her shaking paws, she managed to grab the thin piece of laminated paper and held it out to the officer. He snatched it away from her and read it, his eyes narrowing as they glanced over each line.

"Well you best go on then," he said, shoving the piece of plastic back at her. "Don't let me catch you wandering around here with no business, you hear?"

"Yes, sir" Dominique mumbled, but the cop had already begun his stroll back down the street. Once he was out of earshot, she snorted in his direction and then hurried off towards the bus, not wanting to be late to work.

#

"Haha, stupid puppy!"

"Give it back, Robbie!"

"No way, curly hair! You're not even a real dog 'cause dogs have fur and you've got stupid, curly hair!"

Taissa lifted a floppy ear, listening to the goings on of the playground while keeping her muzzle buried between the pages of a book. With her free paw, she gnawed on a massive hambone, a prize she'd won off her older brother the night before in a game. Taissa wanted to share it with the other pups, but like most of her day, it was refused and derided.

"Small, weak poodle!"

This made Taissa look up, a soft growl on her lips. She hated when dogs teased her, so a flash of anger coursed through her when she saw a chubby Golden Retriever and a Dalmatian shoving a smaller, curly-furred poodle. Without a second thought, Taissa tossed her book to the side (something she'd whine about later) and charged at the two larger puppies. "Hey! Back off!"

The boys turned, the Dalmatian growling at her, while the retriever wrinkled his muzzle and snapped. "What are you doing? This is none of your business, terrier!"

"You're being a bully and my momma always told me to stand up to bullies, so that's what I'm doing!"

Taissa stood in front of the poodle and squared her paws, her smaller, agile body poised and ready. The retriever smirked and crossed his arms across his chest, his eyes narrowed.

"What would you know about bullying, you pibble? You and your kind aren't even worthy of being known as dogs. My father says that you're savages, almost wolves!"

From behind her, Taissa heard the poodle gasp and even the Dalmatian recoiled from his words.

"You're the dog that's pushing other pups around and being a fat bully. Seems like you're closer to being a wolf than I am!"

Two things happened at once: the retriever clenched his fists and swung, and the science teacher stepped into the middle to find out what happened. The blow of the retriever pup didn't do much by way of hurting the science teacher, but he wasn't pleased about being hit.

"Robert Duckfetch, did you just hit me?"

"I-uh well, she started it!" Robbie pointed to Taissa, who recoiled and wrinkled her muzzle in her own defense.

"I didn't do nothing!"

"I'm all for this integration and mingling of pups, but if this is how your kind acts, I think we may be mistaken!"

The science teacher reached for Taissa's scruff, but suddenly the poodle girl was there, her eyes wide as she came to Taissa's defense.

"She didn't do anything, Mr. Barker! It was Robbie who pushed me and started this. She saved me!"

The teacher looked from one pup to the other, but then he sighed and folded his arms. "Well Alice, I know that you would never involve yourself in a fight, and judging from the dirt on your dress, I'm inclined to believe you. Robbie and Arthur, you two will meet me after school for detention. We're training you both to be good dogs, not bullies."

Both boys groaned and kicked at the dust, but Alice brightened, giving Taissa a hug around her middle. The teacher, however, wasn't finished. He rounded on Taissa, his ears erect on his head and his tail straight behind him.

"Now, I know you're new here and I don't know what they allow at that school of yours across the tracks, but we don't tolerate that here. If you're going to be around well-bred dogs, you will act as such, you hear?"

Taissa whimpered a 'yes' and shrank in on herself. Satisfied that all parties had been thoroughly chastised, the teacher grabbed both boys by their scruffs and dragged them inside, leaving the terrier tilting her head, ears wilting. She hadn't started the fight, but why did it feel like she was chastised as well?

A snuffling sound made her turn and look down. It was the poodle, Alice, her jacket returned and a smile on her face.

"Nobody has ever stood up for me. Thanks for that. My name's Alice."

"I'm Taissa and uh yeah, no problem," she said, padding back towards her reading spot with Alice in tow. The poodle seemed unsure around her, but the moment Taissa pulled out her book, she brightened and started chatting incessantly.

"Is that a Stacy Bark book?"

Taissa looked at the front of the floppy-eared book and raised an eyebrow. "Um, yeah. My old school gave me this before summer break."

"That's nice of them, but that's one of the old ones. My momma and papa buy me one every time we go to the market 'cause I get good grades in school. I'm waiting for the new one to come out."

Taissa stared at the poodle, her muzzle agape. Books for simply getting good grades? Momma and Poppa were proud of her grades in school, but books were far too expensive for her family to splurge on every week. Who were these people that they could afford books every week?

"That's one of the old ones," Alice said, matter-of-factly, touching at the folded-over corners of the book.

"It's new to me," Taissa said, jerking the book away, feeling the fur along her spine rise.

"I'm sorry, I meant-uh, well, would you like to read some of the ones that I've finished? I've got loads of them!"

"Um-I-"

"I'm sure my mom won't mind!"

"No, I'm-"

BBBRING!!

Both pups perked their ears at the klaxon-like wailing of the bell. There were groans and scuffling as the other pups scurried towards the doors, their tails wagging behind them. Alice looked as if she wanted to say more, but the barks of the science teacher made her wince.

"See you after school?" she asked, bounding off before Taissa could respond. Shoving her book into her bag, the sanctity of her lunch broken, she trudged into the school. She received a quip from the teacher about being the last one inside of the classroom. Her ears burning, Taissa slid down into her seat, grateful to be seated at the back of the classroom so she didn't have to have more of her classmates' eyes boring into her. Why'd Momma have to put her in a school with such mean-spirited teachers and students, where everyone else looked different?

#

"It's gonna be rough and we might get tired, but we just have to press towards the mark. We're fighting against something that's greater than me, you, and even you, Sister."

The terrier had been pointing a blunted claw at the other dogs that had gathered in the small, homey church until it landed on Dominique. She'd been stewing on the day's events, especially with that rude poodle from work and her stereotyping, but when James elbowed her in the ribs, she huffed and looked up to see the entire congregation staring at her. Before she could stammer out a reply, the congregation murmured and nodded their heads, agreeing with his words.

Feeling the warmth flood her cheeks, Dominique buried her muzzle in the center of her bible and tried to remain unnoticed for the rest of the service.

"You shoulda been paying attention to him," James said, shoving his bible into his briefcase. "I know he's on the young side, but the man can move people with his words. I think this boycott of his will work."

"I know," Dominique huffed, shoving her arms into her woolen jacket, "and I shoulda been listening, but I had a lot on my mind today."

"Like what?"

"Just work and sending Taissa off to that school. I'm wondering if we did the right thing sending her and not JR or Marcus."

James eyed their two eldest children, a pair of rambunctious boys and then stared at his wife. "You mean the same JR or Marcus who aren't even five seconds away from me sending them to sleep outside? Boy, don't you put that in your muzzle!"

James stormed away to separate his sons and give the elder JR a thorough shaking of his scruff before returning to Dominique, who smiled despite herself.

"Sorry baby, but I swear that we can't leave them alone for a minute before they're chewing on everything. But what was I saying?"

"You were talking about my job and sending Taissa to that school."

"What? Oh yeah, yeah. Well, it's all for a good cause, 'Nique. We chose Taissa to be the one to go 'cause of her good grades and being smart as a whip. If anyone can get through to them, it'll be baby girl. 'Scuse me, baby, I gotta get them."

Dominique lifted an eyebrow and sighed while watching her mate corner their two boys once more and threaten to make them sleep outside for the evening before she turned back to gather her hymnal and her purse. While she packed up, she felt a presence near her and, thinking it was James, began rattling off her feelings.

"I know you said Taissa would be the one to get through to them, but I just don't know. I mean, she's just one girl and they don't want her there anyways. Are we setting her up to be picked on by them, James? Are we doing the right thing?"

"Change ain't easy, Sister, but it's gotta come sometime."

Dominique jumped and turned, making the young reverend laugh and toss his floppy ears.

"I-uh-I'm sorry, Reverend. I thought you were my husband, James. My apologies."

"I get that a lot. You sound a lot like my wife when she's telling me about our pups." He laughed. His voice was mild and soothing, like a cup of tea with a dollop of sweet molasses, just as smooth and easy to take. His dark, chocolate fur seemed to add a regal air to him, despite his young age, but the look in his eyes sent a jolt through Dominique. This terrier seemed like one to not be deterred from his mission once he set his mind on it.

"Thank you, Reverend. I just-I just want to be doing the right thing and I don't want my baby girl to get hurt because of a few angry people."

The Reverend nodded, brushing a paw against the thickened fur of his muzzle. "Yeah, we all feel that way. I understand that we're asking a lot of ourselves and our children, and sometimes we wonder if the cost is worth it."

When Dominique nodded, he continued. "But during times like these, we have to ask ourselves: do we want our pups to be safe or to be respected as full citizens? What's a good, safe life if it's a life spent groveling, begging for scraps from dogs whose only difference from us is the texture of their fur? They bleed just like we do."

The Reverend laughed, the light growing in his eyes before he grew somber again. "We have to ask ourselves, 'is that the life we want our pups to live'?"

Dominique looked away, feeling abashed from having this question asked of her. All her life, she had watched her parents, her grandparents, and other family members bow and scrape in the houses of the nearby poodles and retrievers and for what? To be kicked whenever they felt like it? To have to cower before them, lest they be deemed too uppity and summon the Night Catchers, who left only ashes and despair in their wake?

"I hear you, Reverend, but who am I to change this? Why my baby Taissa too?"

"We are all called to a higher purpose, and fight it as we might, we cannot deny it. It's hard now, my sister, and it may seem like an uphill battle, but I know we're doing the right thing. I know that if I can give my pups, and your pups, and all of our pups the ability to stand, not just before the poodles and the retrievers, but to be counted as an equal among them, then I know that all of our labor will not be in vain."

Dominique wanted to speak with the Reverend more, but his attendants and confidants came forward, citing urgent matters for him to attend to as they ushered him off. Dominique was left standing there, mulling over his words until a soft whine spilled into her ears.

"Momma, are you okay?"

Dominique blinked and then looked down, jerked out of her thoughts by her daughter. Shaking herself, she took Taissa's paw and squeezed it, nodding.

"Yes baby, Momma's okay."

#

"Momma!"

Taissa stood in the middle of the sidewalk, her bookbag slung haphazardly over her shoulder with her arms crossed over her little chest. A tiny fang peeked from underneath her jaws as she stared down her mother. Dominique crossed her arms across her chest too and tapped her paw, her ears pressed against her head.

"I'm not telling you again, pup. We've gotta run before it rains."

"But I wanna ride the bus!"

"I said 'no,' Taissa! We're not riding the bus anymore."

"Whyyy?" Taissa dragged the last syllable out, the tone grating on Dominique's already brittle nerves.

"Because we have to prove a point. No one is riding the bus until they start treating us better. Now come on 'fore it starts raining!"

Dominique grabbed her daughter by the paw, but the pup resisted. Growling, she snapped at the stubborn girl's shoulder, forcing her to move with a whine. Why today, of all days, Taissa decided to show her stubborn side, Dominique would never know, but if they were late in getting home, she would be late cooking James' dinner and Lord help her if she had to hear that dog whine about a late dinner.

Just as she was getting her daughter to move, she felt a drop land on her muzzle. As she looked up, a massive thunderclap sounded, making Taissa yelp and clutch Dominique around her waist. Dominique opened her muzzle to chide her daughter, and the sky opened, catching the pair in a characteristic thunderstorm.

Grabbing each other's paws, they ran, Dominique praying that she wouldn't slip in her pumps and Taissa squealing behind her, until they came to rest under the roots of a massive oak tree. As she stood there, she noticed her pup shivering while she tried to lick the water off her fur.

"See what happens when you want to be a stubborn cur? And I don't have my umbrella, so we'll have to wait under this tree until this passes," Dominique chided, stripping off her sweater and wrapping it around Taissa's thin shoulders. Heaving a sigh, she stared up, hoping that they could go into the nearby store, until she saw the sign.

NO VICIOUS DOGS

Dominique choked off a growl and felt her paw clench around her purse. Damn them, she thought, her eyes glistening when she looked upon that sign. As a pup, she'd never questioned the signs that barred her and dogs of her breed from entering certain establishments. It had always been that way for the Rotties, the Bulldogs, and her kind, the Terriers.

Why were they judged based on their appearance and breeding, despite their intelligence and personalities? Why were she and dogs like her, judged and mistreated based on stereotypes that weren't true?

HONK! HONK!

Dominique lifted her muzzle to see a small car in front of her, with the annoying poodle woman, Betty from work, and her daughter inside. Her daughter had her head out of the window, barking enthusiastically at them.

"Mom! Mom, that's her! That's the girl that helped me with Robbie and got my jacket back!"

"Taissa..."

Her daughter tucked her tail between her legs when her mother looked down at her, but the poodle interrupted them.

"Wow, small world! Dominique, right?"

Dominique nodded, wrapping an arm around Taissa's shoulders and moving in front of her. These were poodles, and this Betty had already insulted her a couple of days ago, but still, they had at least stopped to speak once they spotted her and Taissa huddled underneath the tree.

"Yes'm. This is my daughter, Taissa. I'm guessing our girls have already met."

"I'm glad they did. That Duckfetch pup has been a right tick in our ears, but thanks for standing up for her. By the way, what are you doing in the rain? You want a ride?"

"Please Momma, can we?" Taissa's furiously wagging tail threatened to knock the puppy off her feet.

Dominique stiffened, her tail straight behind her. She'd never ridden in a car with a poodle before, and she still felt mistrustful of the poodle because of her actions at work, but Taissa's whining got the better of her.

"Alright, alright," she sighed, watching her daughter bounce up and down before darting into the newly opened car door. Grabbing her things, Dominique hopped into the passenger seat and was surprised to see how nice the car was. Besides riding on the area bus, Dominique didn't get to ride in vehicles much.

Betty seemed to take note of this and grinned as she put the car into gear and began speeding towards the area where Dominique lived. The quiet settled between them while Taissa and Alice chatted in the background about the newest Stacy Bark book, but as the rain splashed down on the windows, the silence began to weigh the adults down. Moment by moment, it grew, like water being held back by a dam, until Dominique sneezed, bursting it.

"Ah, so any reason why you two aren't taking the bus? It's thunderstormin' and I could never just see myself walking into the rain like that with my pup."

Betty turned to look at Dominique, who had been staring out the window, but turned one of her ears in acknowledgement.

"Perfectly good buses out there and I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money because I wouldn't let anyone tell me how to spend mine, but catching a bus would have been much better than-"

"Sometimes, it's better to walk in the pure, sweet rain, than to be treated like scum on an old, rickety bus."

Betty recoiled as if she'd been hit. "I'll have you know that the buses are always in pristine condition, though some dogs just don't know how to appreciate the nicer things. My husband says that it's like they don't know how to act-"

"Why wouldn't they know how to appreciate the nicer things? And what 'nicer things'? The buses that they send across the tracks have holes big enough to fall through and our own park has more concrete than grass," Dominique shot back, now turning to look at Betty.

"But who put those holes there?" Betty said, her eyes darting to the pit bull that was seated next to her. "I'm not trying to be mean, but some of you dogs can be very aggressive and ill-trained. I know it's your breeding and you don't know any better but-"

"Stop the car! Taissa, get your things." Dominique pawed at the door, preparing to dart out as soon as the car stopped.

"Hey now! What are you doing? I'm not saying that you're like that, just some dogs-"

"Just some dogs that look like me!" Dominique snapped. "It's the same thing with all of you poodles, retrievers, and collies. You don't even know us, but you'd rather keep your paws on our bellies just to make yourself seem better. Y'all bleed the same blood as the rest of us dogs 'cross the tracks, but still act like you're better than us."

Dominique opened the door and hopped out, grabbing Taissa by her paw. Before storming away, she looked Betty in the eyes and growled.

"Before this boycott, dogs like you would have never seen dogs like me if it didn't directly benefit you. Funny how you see us now 'cause it directly affects your pockets."

#

Taissa and Alice sat back-to-back, both of their muzzles buried within their books. They had avoided each other for the next couple of days after their respective mothers had their argument, but like two best friends, they found their way back to each other, laughing and giggling, despite the disapproving stares of their teachers.

"Did you read the part where she found the rat hiding in the wall?"

"I did! I would have been so afraid to have it just burst out on me!"

"Me too! I would have run."

"I wouldn't run. I would face it."

"How are you always this brave?" Alice asked, her eyes wide underneath her mop of curly hair. Taissa looked at her, one ear flopped backwards as she tilted her head to the side.

"Huh? Brave? I'm not brave."

"Yes, you are. I mean, you stood up to Robbie and his stupid friends, but you also always know all the answers in class, even though teacher calls you a 'know-it-all'."

Alice heard Taissa sigh and looked at her friend who, for the first time that semester, looked worried. "Did I say something wrong?"

For a few tense moments, Taissa didn't respond. She sat there, her tail no longer wagging in the dirt as she looked towards the schoolyard.

"No, it's not that, it's just- well, I'm tired of the teachers and everyone else treating me differently because I'm from across the tracks. I-I sometimes hate being a terrier. Everything I've read or seen, besides Stacy of course, showed dogs like me as monsters, and poodles, collies, and everyone else havin' all sorts of fun. I'm-I'm not a monster. I'm just a puppy, and I want to have fun too."

Alice whined and reached out with a shaky but determined paw and put it on Taissa's shoulder. "Why-why would you want to not be a terrier? You're not like me, but-but you're not a monster either, you're my friend! Anyone who says differently will have to face me!" Alice folded her arms across her chest and snorted, causing Taissa to wag her tail in glee. Alice was weird and not one of the friends she knew from growing up across the tracks, but she was a friend, despite her odd looks.

"I've gotta say, I never knew that a poodle or anyone that wasn't from across the tracks could be so cool. Momma always said it was hard to trust ya'll because you sniff and bite tails at the same time."

Alice tilted her head and looked at her friend, clearly puzzled. Taissa laughed, clutching her book to her chest at her friend's bewilderment.

"She says it means that it's hard to trust ya'll because ya'll turn your backs on folks 'soon as it suits you."

"I would never do that. Mama says that only bad dogs bite everyone like that."

"You're right. I don't want dogs to treat me differently because they don't know me, and now that I think about it, I shouldn't treat you any differently either. Let's treat each other the same, Alice. I'll be your best friend if you'll be mine."

Taissa had extended her paw for a firm handshake, but Alice jumped into her friend's outstretched paws and they tumbled to the ground, laughing and giggling in the pale winter sunlight.

#

The shove in the center of her back caught Taissa completely off-guard. Her paws splayed on the tile while her books and papers scattered in front of her. As she tried to figure out what had happened to her, she heard snickering, interlaced with low growling. Turning around, she saw the retriever, Robbie, from earlier, with Arthur and another young dog behind him. His face was twisted in a cruel smile, despite the wagging tail behind him.

"Looks like you got in my way, terrier_._"

In a flash, Taissa was on her paws, ears pressed against her skull and teeth bared. "What'd you do that for, Robbie?"

"Because you're a stupid terrier and 'cause I could," he sneered, gathering more chuckles from his friends. "Why don't you go back across the tracks and be with your own kind? We don't want you here, stinking up the place, thinking you're better than anybody."

Taissa clenched and unclenched her paws into fists, feeling the anger surge inside of her. "You don't tell me what to do."

"Yeah, I can," Robbie said, nibbling at a patch on his shoulder. "My father owns the factory where your daddy works, and I could get him fired if I wanted to, so you'd better watch yourself."

"You're not the boss of me or my daddy!" Taissa barked at him, her voice shrill with emotion. There was a crowd gathering around them now, but Taissa didn't mind them, her focus was on the retriever and his taunting words.

"With your daddy working for mine, it means I am." He laughed, pushing her again. The anger welled up in Taissa once more, so she stuck one of her paws out, just as Robbie tried to walk past her. His resulting collapse brought a grin to her face. As Robbie shrugged off his friends, his pale flesh coloring underneath his golden fur, his face twisted into a snarl.

"How dare you disrespect me, you-you filthy pibble!"

There was an audible gasp from the crowd as he rushed towards her, pushing past his two, opened-muzzle friends to shove Taissa again, hard. She yelped and did the first thing that came to her mind: bite. She sank her teeth into Robbie's shoulder and held on, despite the nips and bites that attacked her little body. Just when she thought her strength would give out, she felt Robbie being pulled off her and pushed back. It was the science teacher again, his eyes blazing.

"Fighting? In this school?"

"She-she started it!" Robbie whimpered, holding up his arm that, for all his whining, only had a few hairs missing.

"Nu uh!" Taissa cried, before a growl silenced her.

"But Mr. Barker, he-he called her a p-"

The teacher rounded on Alice, eyes blazing, before returning to the pair. "Robert, go to your mother's classroom and let her know what you've done. As for you, Little Miss Biter, we'll be having a chat with your mother. This is the second time I've had to deal with you in as many weeks, and I'm sick of it. I knew this entire experiment was wrong."

He grabbed Taissa by her shoulder and dragged her along, leaving a slew of bewildered dogs standing in a crowd behind them.

#

It had been a couple days since the car ride and work had been irritating to say the least, but Dominique managed to stay away from the poodle and other dogs. Despite their whispers and stiffened postures when she passed by, they tended to give her a wide berth. That was for the better, as dealing with their bigotry and ignorance daily kept the fur along her spine raised, and that didn't include the treatment they'd been receiving at the park and bus protests. How James managed to tolerate it six days a week was a mystery to her. Brrring!

Dominique flicked an ear towards the front door before she got up to investigate. She didn't have to travel far before her youngest pup nearly knocked her over, barreling toward her room where she slammed the door. Bewildered, Dominique stormed back after her, ready to read her daughter the riot act, until she heard whimpering coming through the door.

"Taissa?" Dominique said, scratching gently against the door before turning the knob and walking into the room. Taissa's room was as immaculate as ever, a clear deviation from her two older brothers. Dominique found her curled up in a corner, her paws grasping at her floppy ears.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"GO AWAY!"

Dominique jumped, not expecting this from her usually bright and bubbly daughter. Frowning, she opened her muzzle to reprimand Taissa, but when she caught a glimpse of those red-rimmed hazel eyes with tears streaming from them, she dropped to her knees, her ears touching her head as her tone softened.

"Taissa, talk to me, sweetie. Who hurt you?"

Dominique didn't receive a verbal response, but a slip of paper eased from the clenched paws of her daughter and landed at her paws. Dominique grabbed the sheet of paper and as her eyes scanned the slip, she felt a snarl building in her throat.

Dear Parent,

Your puppy was involved in a fight today at school. As a reminder, violence of any kind will not be tolerated and as such, your puppy has been suspended for the following days: 2. After such time, we expect to see you for a Parent/Teacher conference to discuss your puppy's future at our school.

Regards.

"Fighting? Taissa, now I know your father and I raised you better than this, but fighting?" Dominique said, swallowing the spittle that was collecting at the back of her throat.

"It wasn't my fault, Momma. Robbie Duckfetch started it!" Taissa curled in deeper on herself, the tears freely flowing. Dominique choked off a growl at the mention of that name. Among the old families that lived in town, the Duckfetches were the ones she and her family wanted the least to do with. From owning the kibble packing plant to being the Assistant Mayor, the Duckfetches had that town within their jaws for the past two hundred years, with no intention of disrupting the status quo.

"Come here, baby." Dominique wrapped her paws around her daughter and clasped the little head to her chest, scratching between the ears. "You shouldn't be fighting in school, but no one should put their paws on you, regardless of whether they're upper-crusty mutts or regular dogs like you and me."

"Th-that's not even the worst of it, Momma." Taissa whined, nuzzling into her mother's soft fur, the scent of fresh soap, cooking dinner, and vanilla enveloping her as Dominique ran her soft tongue over her daughter's face.

"Oh? What else happened?"

"He-he called me a p-pibble."

The word hitting her ears had the effect of someone slapping her. The slur, a misnomer for all Staffordshire and American Terriers with defined muscles and a tenacious countenance, was used to classify them as vicious and controlled every aspect of their lives. Though they were long removed from the stockyards and open plains, they were often denigrated for their ancestors' courageous fighting spirit.

"He what?"

"He called me a p-"

"You don't need to repeat it. I heard you the first time," Dominique said, her words short as she felt anger course through her. "So, was he suspended too?"

"No," came the angry reply, "they just sent him to his mom's classroom."

"Is that right?"

Taissa looked up to her mother, who pulled her close, the anger vibrating off her short coat. "Momma, why wasn't he punished and I was? Why do they hate us?"

"Because they're afraid of change, of new things happening to them, of losing their lot in life because new ones are made."

"But I'm scared going to this school and I-I miss my friends," Taissa whimpered, burrowing deeper into her mother's arms.

"I know, pup. I'm scared too."

Dominique's face was hard, the single tear rolling down the corner of her blazed muzzle her only movement. Taissa reached out with a shaky paw to wipe it away, to which her mother gently grabbed the paw and rubbed it against her head.

"You're scared?"

Dominique nodded, her heart heavy as she prepared to watch the last vestiges of her daughter's innocence fade from her. "I'm scared for you, for how they'll treat me, and how they'll treat you 'cause I'm protesting. I worry that this boycott will be for nothing, and I might lose my job."

"I didn't know you got scared, Momma," Taissa said, cuddling closer to her mother, her eyes drying.

"I do, like all parents, but I want you to have a better life than I had, without being shunned for being who you are, like I was. I resist their ugly, hateful ways because someone must show them how to be better."

When Taissa didn't reply, Dominique looked down into her daughter's eyes and it almost broke her heart to see the change, a certain hardness of character that had grown there. It pained the older dog to see that change come upon her daughter, and for a moment, she felt helpless until an idea came into her head.

"I'm not happy about your suspension, and as I've said before, I don't condone fighting because they'll look for any reason to make you into an animal and I refuse to let you give it to them. But I'm not going to let a bully get the best of you. I refuse to fight bullies for a seat on a bus or life within the park, while you have to fight them in school."

Taissa looked at her mother, the determination gleaming in her eyes, and hugged her harder. She felt a little sickness in her stomach for what might be coming, but she was glad that her momma wouldn't let her be treated unfairly by adults who were afraid of a puppy.

#

"I really don't understand why we're here. I'm a very busy woman and have better things to attend to," a Golden Retriever female said, her tail rigid behind her and jewel-laced collar gleaming with every movement.

Taissa sat on the chair beside her mother, fidgeting with the buckle on her dress. Beside her, Dominique sat stock still, her keen eyes trained on the muzzle of the corgi seated in front of her. His glasses had inched their way down his long muzzle, which he currently rubbed his paws along as the retriever's snobbish voice snapped at them.

"My son Robert would never be seen fighting and degrading himself like a vicious dog from across the tracks. To think that you, Principal Trotter, would accuse him of this!"

"Mrs. Duckfetch, please," the corgi sighed, now rubbing his temples, "if you would please sit so we can allow the children to discuss what's happened."

Mrs. Duckfetch huffed, the air blowing out roughly through her clenched muzzle, while muttering about 'uppity mongrels' and crossing her arms in front of her. The corgi turned a sympathetic eye towards Taissa and Dominique, waving for Taissa to speak.

"I-I was just tryin' to go to class when R-Robbie pushed me from behind-"

"Nu uh, that's not true!" Robbie interrupted, his brown eyes flashing. "She just charged up to me, growling and snapping for no reason. You can ask Arthur and Tommy Lee and they can tell you exactly what happened."

"I think my daughter was trying to tell her side of the story first, son-"

"Excuse you, but Principal Trotter wanted the children to explain, not you. I'm not sure of how you dogs handle issues on the other side of the tracks, but we civilized dogs let others finish speaking before rudely interrupting them," Mrs. Duckfetch snapped, her soft, wavy coat whipping around her as she pressed her ears back. "Honestly Kevin, I don't know how you deal with the likes of them."

"I-I don't, that's-that is to say that I want to hear the entire story, irrespective of where any one dog comes from and I'd prefer no more over-talking from either side," Principal Trotter said, his eyes darting between parents. "Now, continue on, Taissa."

Taissa splayed her ears, hunkering down in her seat underneath the withering gaze of Dorthea Duckfetch, but with a gentle nudge from her mother, she found her words again.

"Robbie shoved me, making me drop my books, and then he called me a really nasty name," Taissa said, her ears lifted atop her head. "And he shoved me again, which is when I tripped him. I-I didn't mean it but-"

"But you still put your paws on my son, you filthy-"

"There's no need for name calling, ma'am," Dominique said, her words coming out evenly, though her body was still and alert.

Dorthea narrowed her eyes at the older terrier and when she spoke, her words were clipped, as if she were holding something back. "Still, sticks and stones never hurt anyone and if she has such a rabid temper, perhaps this social experiment of those loose-collar dogs in Congress was a failure after all."

"No, but it wasn't just a name that your son called my daughter. My daughter has a tougher hide than that and speaking of social experiments and manners, what kind of mother of refined breeding would allow her son to just bully on a younger dog like he has?"

The retriever's ears shot up, and she was on her feet, growling once more. "To think that you, a common dog from across the tracks and of disreputable breeding, would accuse my son of such abhorrent manners is nothing short of an affront to me and my family! I'll have you know-"

"Dorthea, please! Calm yourself!" Principal Trotter said, standing to his paws and barking. "I would expect better of you!"

"Oh please, Kevin! You've always been soft on these types of dogs, and it's downright dishonorable for a dog of your pedigree to take the barking of an ill-bred terrier over the words of a Duckfetch! Besides, it's her word against his and my Robbie would never do anything like this unprovoked."

Principal Trotter looked imploringly at Dominique and Taissa. It was true, it was Taissa's words against his and they had nothing to refute his claims.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hunter, but it is just her word against Robbie's, and we don't have any proof of his doing this before, while we've had a report from Mr. Barker that said that your child did provoke Robbie previously. I'd hate to say this, but it might be better if Taissa went back to her old school, where she would be accustomed to learning with dogs of her own kind and temperament."

Taissa's whines filled the room while Dominique's muzzle lifted, revealing a single canine in defiance of what he said.

"Principal Trotter, with all due respect, I think this is a tad unfair, and I'm not just saying this from a parent's view, but as an adult. You're making it seem as if my daughter is singling this one pup out to fight right in front of his two friends and only this pup. It sounds as if you're falling for the same prejudiced notions that have me and dogs like me protesting in the streets and boycotting the buses and parks. You haven't even given her a chance to defend herself, yet you're ready to expel her?"

"I-well-"

"That's where I knew you from!" Dorthea pointed at Dominique, her lips curling. "You're a part of those rowdy hooligans who've put so many hard-working dogs out of work with your ways. Why can't you dogs accept that we're separated for a reason? You and your kind can't help but be savages, starting from puppyhood!"

This time, Dominique was on her paws, her snort making the retriever take a few steps back and the corgi shrink down in his seat. For a moment, Dominique felt like tearing the place apart, but then she paused, choked the growl off and shaking her coat. Taissa was better than this, she was better than this, and she wouldn't allow this bigotry to bring out the worst in her, especially when that was exactly what this retriever was looking for to discredit them both.

She stood, motioning for her pup to follow her out the door. Pausing, she turned and look back at them, the smug look on Dorthea's muzzle making her want to growl again, but she swallowed it because when they decided to be craven and low, she, her pup, and dogs like her, would go high. Fighting them in their own doghouses would bring her down to their level, where she would surely lose.

"You can call us savages all you like, but we're not the ones making pups out to be vicious or judging a dog's breed against their character. C'mon Taissa."

Dominique snatched open the door to see Alice and Betty, standing there in front of them. The younger poodle yelped and hopped back, her little ears pressed against her head. Betty whined at her daughter and nosed her forward, along with taking a step forward herself.

"I hope we're not too late, but I think my daughter has something to say. Go on, Alice. Tell them what you told me."

The pup clutched at her mother's dress and looked around, her eyes wide and twitchy. When they landed on the worried face of her friend, she swallowed hard but stepped away from her mother's skirts.

"Taissa didn't start the fight. Robbie did. He took my bag and without Taissa's help, I wouldn't have gotten it back. He also pushed her first in the hall while we were walking and laughed at her."

Dorthea took a step back, her face contorted with fury, as she stammered out a retort. "B-Betty Waterhound! To think that you would force your daughter to lie against an upstanding pup like Robbie, in defense of these dogs? The nerve!"

"What nerve, Dorthea?" Betty asked calmly, her curly, white fur shaking lightly. "The nerve to stand up to your son's bullying and even yours? I'm tired of being afraid of your family's influence and strong-arming of the local dogs to stay on top. It may not be much, standing up for this sweet girl and others like her, but it's a start!"

Dorthea's muzzle opened and closed rapidly, before she snorted and grabbed her son by the shoulder, yanking him out the door with her.

"My husband will hear of this, Betty! I won't stand for this, and neither will he!"

The door slammed in their wake, causing Principal Trotter and the pups to shudder. When he recovered, he peered from around his desk and came to stand next to Betty and Dominique.

"I'm sorry for all of this as well, ladies. The Duckfetchs are a powerful bunch and I-well, I shouldn't have cowered to Dorthea. But Taissa," he said, peering over his rimmed glasses at the terrier pup, "I'm sorry for this. I hate to admit it, but I too let some of my preconceived notions get the better of me. Will you accept my apology?"

He held out a paw, which Taissa shyly took, nodding as she shook it. Above the trio, Betty smiled at Dominique and lowered her voice.

"I wanted to apologize for the way that I spoke to you when I offered you the ride home. I was speaking from a place of ignorance, and I ought not have said the things I said."

Dominique tilted her head. She'd never had a poodle apologize to her before.

"Are you sure you want to do that? Won't it offend the other 'ladies' seein' you apologize to me?"

"I couldn't care less what they thought," Betty said. "The other day while my husband was driving me home, I saw some of you all protesting and asking for better treatment. At first, I thought everybody got the same treatment, if they put in the hard work and kept their paws clean, but after talking to you and seeing pups out there, fighting to just be regular pups, well, that got me to thinkin'."

Dominique was frozen, stunned that she would ever hear something like this come from the muzzle of a show dog. "I-I, yeah, we are fighting for what we believe in. We're tired of being treated like second-class dogs."

"After thinking it over," Betty began, "I figured that I should do something-"

"But you have no dogs in this fight. It's not-"

"Yes," Betty replied firmly, "it is necessary. I've been given a better lot in life than some others, and to see dogs fighting to just be able to work like I work and be respected as a regular dog, without being judged for things they'd never do it moved me. So, I've decided to help you in your boycott. It ain't much, and I don't 'spect my husband to like it, but I can't keep sitting around ignoring suffering and injustice. I want to do my part to make it right."

Betty considered Dominique's eyes and those amber pools softened and a slow smile dawned on Dominique's face, as pure and as bright as the first rays of sunshine after a long winter.

"Well, I expect now's as good a time as any, but glad you came on 'round to it."

"Ahem," Principal Trotter coughed, looking up at the pair. "I'm glad that I could help facilitate a meeting of the minds, but I do believe these two young girls need to get back to class. Ladies?"

Dominique and Betty shared a chuckle and waved the pups out of the office. The two poodles padded out of the office, their tails wagging, leaving Dominique and Taissa to follow. Dominique had taken two steps when she felt a gentle tug on her skirt.

"Yes, baby?"

"Thank you for standing up for me today," Taissa said, her tail wagging behind her. "I didn't know that you could be so brave."

Dominique kneeled and hugged her pup tightly, the corners of her eyes glistening. "No, thank you for being so brave. You showed your momma how to stand up for herself and what she believed in, which is more than I could ask for in a daughter."

Taissa didn't respond, just lifted her tail a little higher and hugged her mother before scurrying off to catch up with Alice, ready to discuss the next Stacy Bark book.