Alpha froze. The sound grew in volume, almost unbearably sharp. It clawed into Lucky’s mind and chilled his blood. Pressed against him, he could feel Sweet’s heart pounding and hear Snap whimpering with fear. Even Bruno gave a yelp of confusion.

Lucky’s eyes rolled up to the sky. Squinting, he saw only the pale blue of sunup. Then another sound roared through the air. It was coming from the direction of the city, sounding like thunder—but longer, lower, and more menacing. Waves of anxious yaps ripped through the group of dogs.

“A storm!” barked Sweet, her heart racing as she pressed closer to Lucky.

More high-pitched shattering sent tremors through Lucky’s whiskers. It sounded as though the sky were about to fall right on top of them! A moment later the air howled so shrill and loud, it drowned out even the wildest barks.

Lucky was dizzy with terror, his stomach clenching and his flanks heaving. The sky was sick, whining desperately like a dog in pain. This was no ordinary storm.

The howling air had nothing to do with the Sky-Dogs.

CHAPTER TWO

Sweet released her grip on Lucky, stumbling back, and Snap and Bruno followed her lead. The shrill, high whining was still hanging in the air. Lucky shook his fur with a wave of relief, his neck and leg throbbing.

“It is a storm, isn’t it?” whimpered Sweet.

Lucky knew that it wasn’t. The sky overhead was still bright blue, despite the shattering and whining that sent quivers through his whiskers. No rain fell, and he did not pick up the scent of its approach.

“I think it has something to do with the Big Growl.” Lucky didn’t want to scare her, but he could not tell lies, either. That low roar had been like the sound the Trap House had made when it was falling down all around them—but much, much louder and far more terrifying.

The surrounding dogs shot him nervous looks. Another roar of not-thunder made several of them jump. Daisy yipped nervously while Lucky tried to focus, training his senses, sniffing the air. He could just catch a strange smell on the wind, a hint of acrid earth, a tang of foul liquid. It reminded him of the poisoned river with its shimmering green water. He stepped forward, his jaw slightly parted, craning his neck with his ears pricked up.

Bella arrived by his side. “Bad smells.”

“Yes,” Lucky agreed. The putrid scent stung his nose.

The other dogs could smell it now too. The younger ones started barking, spinning in circles. Lucky’s paws quivered with the intense urge to run, but to where? He wasn’t even sure where the noise and the foul scents were coming from.