Stella

Stella freezes as the burning packet falls at their feet. She will not leave Cloe even though the heat is hurting her skin. The boys throw another burning packet at Cloe and Stella. While Stella tries to stay strong, she feels a “wilder” part of herself panic. The boys launch more packets. Stella thinks the decision to stay with Cloe should be simple because she loves the girl so much and dogs never leave their handlers. Stella used to be a good dog and she would stay with Connie even when dangerous smells came. She also realizes, however, that her mistake cost Connie her life, and she does not believe she can ever make up for that.

The airport explosion happened on the day before Thanksgiving. Stella and Connie had been at work for a long time, and Stella was starving. Just as she started to smell explosives, a door opened, changing the room’s airflow. Stella got confused, and at that moment the explosion went off.

A packet explodes near Stella, hurting her. She vividly remembers that day at the airport and seeing Connie on the floor. Stella takes off into the forest. She falls on a rock in the creek, and the shock of it clears her head. She hears Connie telling her that she has to do what she thinks she cannot do. Connie tells her that yes, Stella made a mistake, but everybody makes mistakes. She tells Stella that she can do what she needs to do. Determined, Stella heads back toward the explosions.

Stella is confused because of the blowing air. Thunder crashes, and she sees lightning, but she forces herself to continue so she can ensure that Cloe’s chemicals are okay. Her leash gets stuck on a fallen tree, and she unsuccessfully tries to chew herself free. Finally she manages to get her collar off. She smells animals and vegetables, and she heads in their direction. She comes across some pigs and lets them free. She sees a house and feels hopeful that the people who live there can help her. There is a dog tied to a tree in the yard. Vern walks out of the house with a gun. When he sees the pigs loose, he threatens to shoot whoever let the pigs out. Stella is too afraid to move. A police officer arrives with Vern’s nephews, explaining that the boys threw firecrackers at a woman’s mailbox. Vern assures the officer that they will not do it again. Stella runs.

Stella is exhausted, but she keeps going. She knows that Cloe is smart and would have returned home, so that’s where she heads. As she approaches the house, she sees many people and some dogs outside, but Cloe is not there. Stella realizes that the dogs are working dogs like her, but they are tougher looking. Stella howls out her feelings, and Esperanza runs to her. Esperanza asks her where Cloe is. The working dogs want to go in two different directions, so the humans decide to follow both paths. Stella thinks Cloe is at the creek and wants to take Esperanza there, but Esperanza puts her in her crate. Stella is frustrated that humans will not listen to her.

Stella realizes that Esperanza did not tie a rope around the crate, so she can work the latch free. This time Nando does not try to stop Stella; instead he goes with her to try to help. Gus cheers them on. Stella realizes that the working dogs have actually led the handlers in the wrong direction. This is uncommon for tracking dogs, but the wind has made tracking difficult. Stella knows they will realize their mistake soon, but she is Cloe’s dog, and she wants to be the one to find her. Stella believes Cloe probably went further into the forest to find her. She can smell Cloe, but the smoke from the fire makes it hard to breathe. Stella worries that she will not be able to save Cloe.