Waking the Dragon: Astro's Adventures

By Susan Day

It all started when Indy was attacked by a one-hundred foot dragon as she was traveling in the back of the van. Little did she know but the beast slipped something very precious into the back of the van. Returning to base no one believed that a dragon had attacked her. After all, they don’t exist do they? Then something that moved at lightning speed and had very sharp claws begins to terrorize headquarters.

Baby dragons are not easy to look after. They are quick, intelligent, impatient and have a bigger appetite than Alfie! The dogs certainly have their work cut out just trying to keep it out of trouble. Things are further complicated when Speed Bump Charlie decides he wants the ransom money for the dragon and kidnaps him.

Waking the Dragon is a popular festival in the Lunar New Year calendar. Laugh at their antics as our heroes experience this popular event.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susan Day
• Release date: Jul 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310668517

Susan Day

Susan is an author, canine behaviourist, and a storyteller. She lives with her family and dogs, in particular, Rocky the Border collie and Stella, the blind dog. She spends her time blogging, writing and illustrating; training and counselling dogs and being bossed around by the family cat, Speed Bump Charlie and his sidekick, Furball (see Dogs in Space). Susan travelled around the world twice before she was seven years old. It seemed only fitting that the wonderful events she experienced and the places she visited on these journeys be recorded for history. Thus, her story telling skills began. Firstly, to Rupert Bear, her lifelong companion, and then to a host of imaginary friends and finally to her pet dog once the family finally set down roots in Australia. Susan is passionate about children's literature and wants to inspire children to be better people and encourage them to follow their dreams. She runs workshops for children teaching them how to form the wonders of their imaginations into stories. Susan lives in a small country town where there are more kangaroos than people. She shares her country property with four dogs, three cats, three rescue guinea pigs and a very large fish and her patient husband. More about her adventures are reflected in Clarence the Snake from Dunolly.

Book preview

Waking the Dragon - Astro’s Adventures

by

Susan Day

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Susan Day on Smashwords

Waking the Dragon - Astro’s Adventures

by

Copyright © 2015 by Susan Day

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

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Waking the Dragon - Astro’s Adventures

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all the dogs of the world that don’t have a warm bed to curl up in, toys to play with or a cat to chase. Proceeds from the sale of this book will go to rescue shelters to help you all.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

THE ASTRO’S ADVENTURES SERIES

OTHER TITLES

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER 1

After an exhausting rescue Commander Rocky and his team were back at headquarters resting.

They belonged to a secret organisation known simply as The Organisation. The main goal of The Organisation was to save other dogs from neglect. Its office was cleverly hidden behind a Doggie Day-Care Centre, manned (or should it be ‘dogged’?) by a team of secret agents. Their work went undetected by dog owners, animal shelters and human beings in general.

It was the dogs’ job to rescue other dogs left without food or water; ones locked in cars and even ones abandoned at animal shelters. It didn’t matter how dangerous the mission or how long it took, these intrepid canines never gave up.

Commander Rocky was head of The Organisation. He was a black Border collie and had a reputation for being very tough, strong and patient… very, very patient.

His team were loyal and dedicated. Never once did any one of them not want to rescue a dog. Never did they walk away from another dog in need. They worked hard and were brave, well, most of the time.

Sitting in his office, Commander Rocky was typing his report about their last mission. After landing, and then ripping through the roof of a circus tent, the dogs found themselves dog-napped by a team of evil clowns.

During their adventure, they managed to avoid being shot out of a cannon, being pushed hundreds of feet off a diving board and even being eaten by a lion. In fact, in the end they rescued the lion and the other circus animals who were being mistreated by the clowns.

Commander Rocky continued with his work, Once we discovered the clowns were ghosts…

You’re kidding? Ghosts! All of them?! Hans, his assistant, was standing nearby. He was a small brown dachshund whose greatest skills were filing, compiling the database and being a father to twelve puppies. He fainted a lot too, but no one was sure if that counted as a skill because it wasn’t particularly helpful.

Yeah, they were really strange, Rocky continued.

Dead ghosts? Hans exclaimed.

They’re the only kind, Rocky sighed. He continued to type, talking out loud as he did.

Then I ordered Indy to go into the Big Top tent on her own, he muttered under his breath.

Really? Hans asked then he thought out loud, Where is Indy?

She should be back soon, Commander Rocky checked the clock on the wall. She’s making sure the lion gets back to his family.

The one from the circus? Hans shook his head. He was imagining sitting down with his twelve puppies re-telling this story to them.

‘They are going to love it!’ he smiled to himself.

He wasn’t so bad. He was hungry, that’s all. But you know what? He soon realised that we had the better of him, Commander Rocky looked up at Hans.

But weren’t you all tied up with a never-ending line of coloured scarves? Hans asked.

Yes, but after a bit of persuasion and a short confrontation with Indy he was happy to release us. Then he only wanted to eat Digger, Commander Rocky smiled and went back to typing.

Only Digger? Why?

Because he was the smallest, Commander Rocky said. And like I said, he was very hungry.

Poor Digger! Hans exclaimed. He put out his front paws and held on to the edge of the desk. He was smaller than Digger and knew that if he had been there the lion might have dined on a little sausage dog.

He let out a long sigh and shook his head. His long ears flapped and Commander Rocky glared at him. He was tired and wanted to get his report written so he could relax in the playground with the other dogs.

Just then Dotty snuck into the room. She was head of the Communication Room. It was her job to monitor all messages received from frightened and neglected dogs. Messages also came in from other dogs who were working as operatives out in the field.

She didn’t want to disturb the Commander but it was urgent.

She cleared her throat. Umm, Commander Rocky. I’m sorry to interrupt you but we’ve just had the strangest message, she whispered.

What is it? he asked.

I think you should hear it for yourself, she looked down at the floor.

Rocky hit ‘control + s’ on his keyboard to save his work and stood up. Hans shrugged his shoulders and stared at the young Dalmatian.

Whatever could it be? Rocky frowned, and he and Hans followed Dotty to the Communications Room.

Standing in front of a computer, Dotty began to explain. Well, it seems that Buster and Indy dropped the lion off and were heading back when, well, listen for yourself. It came through five minutes ago. This is a recording of Indy’s message but I’m afraid it’s not very clear.

Stella came into the room. I sensed there was something wrong, she said.

Stella was a small Cocker spaniel who was blind. She looked like a young puppy but she was reported to be hundreds of years old. Even though she couldn’t see, she could communicate through her thoughts and often knew about things before they happened.

We’re not sure yet, Hans whispered to her. We’re about to hear the message.

Dotty tapped ‘play’ on the screen.

Digger, Alfie and Astro came into the room as the video message started.

Digger, as mentioned earlier, was a small dog. He was a terrier and, true to his breed, he was a legendary tunnel builder. He wore a green beret and despite his often dirty work he kept his white coat remarkably clean.

Alfie was a large Doberman who had some unique qualities. He was incredibly strong, frequently using his head to break down walls. He was always hungry and well, there’s no nice way of saying it, but he was dumb… really, really dumb.

Astro was the newest recruit. He was a large grey, hairy dog who loved being a secret spy but who was very spoilt and a bit of a sook. He came to work for The Organisation after he began a rescue mission to save all the dogs at the Check Out – that’s the most awful animal shelter in the world. A place where poor dogs go and then they ‘check out’ – never to be seen again. The rescue was known as The Great Escape and it is still a popular story shared between dogs at off-leash parks and in the queue at the fire hydrant.

What’s going on? Astro asked.

"The boys in the lunch room said