Nelson's eyes widened as Chase's announcement hung in the air. "Smoke?" he echoed, a hint of concern in his voice. "Is there a fire? Mia's really sensitive to fires."

Mia, cheeks still flushed from the previous conversation, bristled at Nelson's statement. "Am not!" she protested, her voice laced with mock offense.

Zuma, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension, let out a playful bark and wagged his tail excitedly. "Ooooh," he chimed in, his voice dripping with puppy-love innocence. "Does love make you sensitive to fires, Mia? Like, you can feel when your special someone is, like, super mad?"

Mia groaned, burying her face in her hand. This was exactly the kind of situation she wanted to avoid. How could she explain the complex web of emotions between her and Nelson to a pack of enthusiastic pups?

Skye, sensing Mia's frustration, nudged her gently with her paw. "Don't worry, Mia," she said reassuringly. "We get it. Love can be... confusing." She winked at Nelson, who mumbled something inaudible under his breath.

Just then, Marshall, ever the clumsy one, tripped over a rock and went sprawling headfirst into the dirt. He emerged, covered in dust and sporting a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that, guys! Lost my footing for a sec!"

Mia, unable to contain a giggle at Marshall's antics, decided to use the distraction to her advantage. "Alright, alright," she said, regaining her composure. "Let's focus on the smoke, shall we? Chase, can you tell if it's coming from a friendly campfire or something more... sinister?"

Chase, ever the professional, sniffed the air once more. "It's hard to tell," he admitted. "The wind is shifting, but the smoke smells... old. Like something's been burning for a while."

Mia pursed her lips, her brow furrowed in thought. "Old smoke," she muttered. "Could it be... a clue?"

" Master Wu?" Nelson suggested.

" Dunno. Only one way to find out if I'm right." Mia sprinted in front of the rest, and they broke into a slow run.

________________________________________________

Thirty minutes they started after the smoke, the journey was shrouded in a veil of playful teasing. Mia could practically feel the snickers and whispers rippling through the pack behind her. Skye, ever the confidante, decided to take advantage of the awkward situation.

"So, Mia," Skye chirped, flying close to Mia's ear, "any tips on dealing with... ninja rivals who secretly have a crush on you?" Her voice dripped with mischief.

Mia groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Skye! It's not like that!" she mumbled, but the blush creeping up her neck betrayed her.

Nelson, lagging a bit behind, couldn't help but overhear the exchange. A pang of... something... shot through him, a mixture of annoyance and a strange sense of possessiveness.

Meanwhile, Chase, who had been observing the interaction with a knowing smile, sidled up to Nelson. "Don't worry about it, boy," he said reassuringly, a low chuckle in his voice. "We all go through this. I had to learn the hard way with my honeymuffin, believe me."

Nelson shot Chase a questioning glance. "Honeymuffin?"

Chase chuckled again. "That's what I call Skye," he explained with a wink. "Been sweet on her since we were pups, always trying to impress her with my detective skills."

Mia, who had perked up at Chase's confession, turned to Skye with wide eyes. "Does Chase... like you?" she blurted out.

Skye landed gracefully on Mia's shoulder, her tail wagging excitedly. "Of course he does! We even have ideas for names for our future pups!"

Mia's jaw dropped. "Babies?!" she shrieked, her voice tinged with a mixture of shock and amusement.

The revelation caused a chain reaction of barks and excited chatter amongst the pups. Marshall tripped over himself again, this time colliding with Rubble in a flurry of happy yelps. Rocky, ever the pragmatist, piped up, "Wait a minute, how are we going to have a whole litter of pups on a mission to find Master Wu?"

Mia groaned. This wasn't gonna be a peaceful journey, that much was set in stone.

Just then, she heard Nelson humming the Weekend Whip, and she smiled. That song was their favorite. She started singing for no apart reason.

"It's time for training and we're getting started
It's on, you know
And we wanna see you whip and shout it
'We rock, you roll!'" 

Chase picked up. " They say, 'Go slow'

And everything just stands so still

We say, 'Go, go!"'

Zuma bolted, "You're gonna see us rip into it."

At that moment, Mia ran forward and copied the moves sang. 

The others understood and picked the singing up. "Just jump up, kick back, whip around and spin

And then we jump back, do it again

Ninja-Go! Ninja-Go!
Come on, come on
We're gonna do it again."

Mia landed, Nelson copied what Mia did in the air. 

"We just jump up, kick back, whip around and spin
And then we jump back, do it again
Ninja-Go! Ninja-Go!
Come on, come on
And do the Weekend Whip."

The joyful singing was abruptly cut short by a sharp bark from Chase. "Fire!" he yelled, his voice laced with urgency.

The playful mood evaporated instantly, replaced by a tense alertness. Skye, who had been soaring ahead, dipped low and circled back, her keen eyes scanning the landscape.

"Where?!" Marshall yelped, his usual enthusiasm tinged with panic. He fumbled with his water pack, the clanging of metal echoing in the sudden silence. Mia, caught off guard, barely had time to register the danger before a jet of water shot out of Marshall's pack, drenching her face and hair.

Sputtering and blinking away the water, Mia swatted at Marshall, more annoyed than anything. "Marshall! What are you doing?!"

Marshall whimpered, his ears drooping. "Sorry, Mia! I thought..."

"There's no fire here, Marshall," Chase interrupted, his voice calm but firm. "The smoke must be coming from somewhere else."

Nelson, sensing the pup's remorse, scratched Marshall behind the ears.

Mia, wiping the water from her eyes, finally managed to see what Chase was looking at. A thin plume of smoke rose from behind a cluster of jagged rocks in the distance. It wasn't a raging inferno, but it was definitely more than just a campfire.

"There," she croaked, pointing towards the rocks. "That's where the smoke is coming from."

Nelson, who had been surprisingly quiet during the commotion, stepped forward, his voice low and serious. "Maybe it's a trap," he suggested. "We should be careful."

Mia nodded, a flicker of worry crossing her features. Overlord was known for his cunning schemes, and walking blindly into a potential trap wasn't exactly their brightest move.

"Chase," she said, turning to the police pup, "can you use your tracking skills to see if there's anyone around?"

Chase saluted smartly. "On it!" he barked, and with a determined glint in his eyes, he disappeared into a thicket of bushes, his nose glued to the ground.

The remaining pups huddled around Mia, their playful energy replaced by a quiet camaraderie. Skye, ever the strategist, offered a suggestion. "Maybe we can scout the area from above," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Mia's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea, Skye! Can you take a look around and see if there's anything suspicious?"

Skye wagged her tail eagerly. "Leave it to me!" With a powerful leap, she launched herself into the air, soaring towards the rocky outcrop, her sharp eyes scanning the terrain below.

As Skye disappeared into the distance, Mia turned to Nelson, a hesitant smile playing on her lips. "Thanks for sticking up for me back there," she admitted, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck.

Nelson shrugged, his cheeks flushing slightly. "No problem. Besides," he added with a playful smirk, "someone's gotta keep you in line, right?"

Mia couldn't help but grin. Maybe this whole ninja rivalry thing wasn't so bad after all. There was definitely a spark between them, a spark that went beyond their playful bickering.

Just then, Chase burst out of the bushes, barking excitedly. "I found something!" he announced, his tail wagging furiously.

Nelson's fingers twitched mid-scratch, his attention snagged by Chase's excited barks. He whipped his head around, expecting some sign of danger, but instead, Chase emerged from the undergrowth, a small white bundle cradled gently in his teeth.

"I found something!" Chase repeated, tail wagging a happy welcome.

Confused, Nelson dropped his scratching and watched as Chase trotted forward, placing the bundle at Mia's feet. With a yelp of surprise, Mia crouched down, brushing dirt off the creature. It was a rabbit, its fur matted and stained with blood.

"Oh no!" Mia exclaimed, worry etching her features. "It's hurt!"

Nelson's heart ached at the sight. A strange feeling of familiarity tugged at his memory. But what truly took Nelson aback was the name that tumbled from his lips before he could stop it.

"Snowflake?" he breathed, his voice laced with a mix of disbelief and concern.

The name sparked a memory, a forgotten childhood spent chasing a fluffy white rabbit around the backyard. The rabbit, its pink nose twitching nervously, struggled weakly, pushing its head against Nelson's leg.

"Nelson?" the rabbit squeaked, its voice barely a whisper.

Nelson's jaw dropped. It couldn't be... could it? But the rabbit's big, brown eyes held a glimmer of recognition that solidified his suspicion.

"Snowflake?" he breathed, disbelief lacing his voice. He reached down hesitantly, picking up the injured rabbit. The familiar weight in his arms sent a wave of warmth through him.

Snowflake nuzzled closer, a contented sigh escaping her tiny nostrils. "Those... those big, mean wolves chased me," she whimpered, her voice weak. "Tried to... wake you up, but didn't want to disturb... your sleep."

Nelson's heart ached. Snowflake, his childhood pet, somehow hurt and lost all this time. Guilt gnawed at him. He should have noticed her disappearance, should have searched for her.

"Snowflake," he murmured, gently booping her nose. "Don't worry, I'm here now. We'll get you fixed up."

Mia, watching the tender reunion unfold with wide eyes, finally found her voice. "Bandages?" she offered, holding out a first-aid kit.

Nelson looked up, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips. "Yeah, bandages," he confirmed, glancing down at Snowflake with newfound determination. "She's... she's my pet."

The revelation hung in the air for a moment. Mia's eyes widened in surprise, then softened with understanding. She knelt down, offering Nelson a comforting smile.

"Well then," she said gently, "it looks like we have one more reason to find Master Wu quickly. He'll know how to help your Snowflake."

He nodded, and cradled Snowflake in his arms.  His gaze fell upon a small, rolled-up piece of parchment strapped to her leg. It was secured with a red ribbon, a stark contrast to the rabbit's white fur.

Nelson's breath hitched. The paper emanated a faint, familiar scent – the same one that always lingered around Master Wu after a long day of brewing mystical teas. His heart pounded in his chest as he carefully unfurled the note.

A series of cryptic symbols adorned the parchment, arranged in a pattern that sent a shiver down Nelson's spine. It was code, undoubtedly written in Master Wu's own hand.

"Snowflake," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "Where did you get this?"

Snowflake, nestled comfortably in his arms, nuzzled her tiny head against his chest. "An old man who smelled like... like wisdom and tea gave it to me," she replied in her high-pitched voice. "He said it was important, and that I had to find you."

Nelson groaned, burying his face in his hand with a resounding slap. Of course, Wu would send a message hidden on a rabbit! Master Wu, ever the cryptic one, had entrusted a vital message to a wounded rabbit! Here they were, on a wild goose chase following smoke signals, when the real clue had been under their noses – or rather, in Nelson's arms – the entire time.

Mia, who had been watching the exchange with growing curiosity, finally spoke up. "What is it, Nelson? What's on the note?"

Nelson, his face still buried in his hand, mumbled a response. "It's... it's a message from Wu. In code."

Mia's eyes widened in surprise. "A message? On Snowflake? But how..."

Nelson cut her off with a frustrated sigh. "Apparently, old Master Wu has a thing for sending cryptic messages on unsuspecting animals." He shook his head, a mixture of exasperation and amusement coloring his voice.

"Well, at least we have a lead now, right?" Mia said, trying to sound optimistic.

Nelson slowly lifted his head, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes. "Maybe," he admitted. "But first, we need to decipher this code. And with Wu's penchant for riddles, that might be a whole other adventure in itself."

Just then, a mischievous glint sparked in his eyes. He glanced at the pups, their faces filled with concern and confusion. "Actually," he announced, a sly smile playing on his lips, "this might be the perfect opportunity to test out your teamwork skills."

The pups perked up at the challenge, their tails wagging excitedly. Even Marshall, who had been whimpering over Snowflake's injury, seemed to forget his worries for a moment.

"Teamwork, huh?" Chase echoed, his voice eager. "What do you have in mind, Nelson?"

Nelson straightened his shoulders, a newfound determination replacing his earlier frustration. He held up the note, the coded message a challenge laid bare. "We're going to crack Master Wu's code," he declared. "And Snowflake," he added, gently stroking the rabbit's head, "might just hold the key to finding him."