Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey 1993 Aired on ABC (October 1994) Part 4

Later that day, Shadow stood by the river stream that led to a waterfall; he looked around to see if there was another place to cross, but he didn't have a choice. Even Sassy wouldn't like this. "Well, we don't have any choice but to go straight across," Shadow walked back to join the group. A few meters back, Chance looked upset at what just happened as Sassy kept nagging.

"Chance, where will you grow up," Sassy asked, "that bear could have hurt you. Do you realize how painful that would've been for the bear?"

"Oh, go hawk up a hairball," said Chance.

"Oh, yes, that hurt! Really hurt," Sassy snapped.

"Sassy, Chance, I'm sorry, but we're gonna have to cross here," said Shadow.

Sassy looked afraid. "But there isn't a bridge here."

"C'mon," Shadow walked to the shore of the river, where it was calm.

"I don't see any stepping stones," Sassy shouted out.

"It's gentle here, Sassy. You can swim across."

"I don't have to swim! I have a note!"

"It's fun to swim. C'mon, you'll like it," Shadow jumped into the water and began to swim.

"Except for the water park," Sassy mumbled.

Shadow continued swimming around the calm water. "C'mon, you two."

"Don't be such a sissy, Sassy," Chance teased.

"You know how to swim," Shadow asked.

"I happen to be a champion dog paddler. Bonsai," Chance jumped into the water, "oh, that's cold. Really cold."

"It's easy, Sassy," said Shadow.

"I prefer the dry look," said Sassy, walking off. Shadow and Chance swam towards the other side of the river.

Shadow barked as he came out of the water to the other side.

Sassy meowed, just standing there.

Chance followed Shadow as he came out of the water. "I think I shrank in there!"

Sassy yowled, very upset.

"Please don't make that noise, Sassy," said Shadow, "I'll come back and swim behind you."

"Oh, don't bother. I'll find my own road across," Sassy walked off to look for a dry place to cross.

"The water just gets worse further down," said Shadow, "where is she? Sassy!" Shadow and Chance followed Sassy from the other side.

Sassy ignored him. "I can't believe at what they want me to do. Just where they have the pleasure of my own company!"

"He just doesn't wanna get," Shadow said to Chance, "she can swim, she can."

"She won't," said Sassy as she continued walking, "she won't, she won't, she won't." Sassy spotted a path, leading to the other side and it was dry. "Ah, this is more like it. I'm so clever I amaze myself," she began to walk on the dry log.

Shadow and Chance found her, jumping on the stones, where the water got a little worse.

"Will you look at that," said Shadow.

"Cats rule and dogs drool, cats rule and dogs drool," Sassy made fun of Chance, jumping on the stones.

"Jumping rocks, typical of cats," Chance rolled his eyes.

"Good girl, Sassy," Shadow cheered.

"Oh, never better, never better," Sassy continued on as she walked on another log.

"Well, good work," Shadow grinned.

Suddenly, without warning, the log broke, where Sassy was. Sassy fell into the water, not swimming well. "I just had this coat cleaned!"

"Sassy," Shadow saw that Sassy was in danger as the river was taking her, fast.

"Help, Shadow," Sassy shouted out.

"Sassy's in the river, Chance," Shadow ran off, following Sassy to save her.

Sassy meowed, while Shadow and Chance ran after her.

"Hang on, Sassy," Chance shouted out. Sassy was yet having damage as the river was getting worse; she tried to keep herself in the surface.

"Sassy, we're coming, keep your head above water," Shadow shouted out, as Sassy kept trying.

"Oh, Shadow," Sassy cried, all afraid. Shadow ran to the large log and jumped in the water; he began to swim after her, but he needed to save her swift because the water was leading up to the waterfall.

"Shadow, please," Sassy begged.

"Sassy, swim, swim hard," Shadow shouted out, swimming after her.

"Please help," Sassy tried her best, but the water was going faster.

"Sassy, Sassy!"

"ShadoooooOOOOW," Sassy shrieked as she fell through the waterfall and to her death.

Shadow gasped in horror as he looked over. "Oh, dear..."

Chance dashed to the ledge of the water and jumped in, while Shadow swam towards him. "Did you find her? Where is she," Chance asked.

"I couldn't reach her, but we have to keep trying," said Shadow, "hurry, perhaps she made it to the other side."

He and Chance made it to the side of the waterfall, hoping to find Sassy, but there was no sign of her.

"I don't see her....do you, Shadow," Chance asked.

"No, it swallowed her up," Shadow replied, very mournful.

It was a disgraceful evening since Sassy's death. Shadow stood at the ledge of the river, blaming himself about Sassy. With her gone, Hope would be very brokenhearted.

"I shouldn't have made her come," Shadow said, very upset.

"It's not your fault. She wanted to come," said Chance.

"But it's my responsibility. I had a responsibility to Sassy, to love her and protect her, the same as I had to you and Peter. And the same as you have to Jamie," said Shadow.

"But we didn't ask for this job," said Chance.

"We didn't have to; it's built in. Has been ever since the dawn of time," Shadow explained, "if a few wild dogs took it upon themselves to watch over man. To bark, if he's in danger, to run and play with him if he's happy, to nuzzle him if he's lonely. That's why they call us man's best friend."

Chance just stared in amazement as Shadow just stared off into the heavens.

("Looking at him, that night, he seems so wise and ancient. The first dog that ever walked the Earth. And I just hoped that one day, I can be like him.")

The next morning at the waterfall, Shadow stood there, going to say a farewell to Sassy as Chance waited for him, feeling upset that their friend was gone.

"I'll miss you, Sassy," Shadow said as tears flowed down to his face; he joined up with Chance and continued onto their journey, without Sassy.