Chapter 3: Nightmares

As time went by, the PAW Patrol were doing good for themselves. They had gained two new members named Everest and Tracker. Many new vehicles had been built, including the PAW Patroller, Air Patroller and Sea Patroller to tackle further and more specialist rescues. There was also the Mission PAW mode, but only the PAW Patrol and the Barkingburg royal family knew about it.

"Which area could the pups tackle next?" Ryder thought.

One bright morning, the pups were getting up ready for another day.

"Morning Skye" said Zuma.

"Morning" Skye replied.

"Good morning Rubble" said Marshall.

"Morning, what time is it?" asked Rubble.

Looking at the old clock stashed in his pup house, Rocky replied "It's 8am."

The other pups were surprised.

"We should have been up an hour ago, Chase always wakes us up at that time" stated Zuma.

"Where is he anyway?" wondered Marshall.

Curious, the pups all walked over to Chase's pup house. There they found the German Shepherd was still snoozing. The other pups were worried, for this was completely out of character for their friend.

"Chase, time to wake up" said Rocky.

"C'mon buddy, wakey wakey" said Rubble.

But Chase still wouldn't wake up. Walking over to him, Skye gave him a gentle nuzzle. This made his eyes start to flicker open. He was greeted to Marshall staring him in the face.

"Morning sleeping beauty" shouted Marshall.

"Ahhh!" screamed Chase. "Marshall you scared me."

"Opps, sorry" replied Marshall. "We were just worried when you didn't wake us up this morning."

"Yeah, it's already 8am" stated Zuma.

"Sorry pups" yawned Chase. "I didn't sleep well last night."

"Really, why?" asked a concerned Skye.

"It doesn't matter" replied Chase quickly, wanting to change the subject. "Let's get ready for breakfast."

After that, the pups forgot about the incident thinking it was a one off. Little did they know it wasn't. As the next few days went by, the other pups began to notice a repeating pattern. They were up late, and Chase was always the last one. His lack of sleep was affecting him big time, to the point where he couldn't even keep his eyes open during a game of soccer. His friends were now very worried.

"Chase, you have to tell Ryder what's been going on" said Rocky.

"Tell him what?" Chase asked sleepily.

"About your lack of sleep" cried Skye. "It's affecting you badly."

"I'm just a little tired Skye, its normal" protested Chase.

"It's normal to not sleep well for one night, but for a whole week, that's not normal." Zuma mentioned.

"I'm telling this as an EMT and as your friend Chase, you're in no fit state to be on PAW Patrol duty right now" said Marshall boldly.

"You guys, there's nothing wrong with me, I promise" Chase pleaded.

The other pups wanted to believe their friend, but they weren't sure. Then Marshall had an idea.

"Why don't me and Katie give you a full health check-up at the pet parlour just to be safe" he suggested to Chase.

Thinking it would stop the nagging, Chase agreed. Once they arrived at Katie's Pet Parlour, Chase hoped up onto the examination table so the check-up could begin. After filling her in on what had been going on, Marshall and Katie spared no detail and gave Chase every test they knew. Finally it was over and they had the results.

"Well, what's wrong with him?" asked a concerned Skye.

"Nothing" Katie stated. "Other than a lack of sleep, he's perfectly fine and healthy."

"See, I told you" Chase sighed as he hoped off the table.

"Ok" thought Rocky. "But you still haven't told us why you haven't been able to sleep."

"Yeah" thought Rubble. "There must be a reason Chase, what is it?"

Feeling uncomfortable and being put on the spot by his friends, Chase made a quick exit back to the Lookout. He was the fastest out of the six of them, but his tiredness was slowing him down. However, he was just fast enough to get back to his pup house and lock the door before any of the other pups could catch him.

"I think he's embarrassed" said Marshall. "Maybe he needs time alone."

"Ok Chase" shouted Skye threw the door. "We'll be here when you feel ready to talk."

Chase felt bad about shutting his friends out, but he didn't to talk about what he had been going through the past week. Sitting alone in his dark pup house eventually made him succumb to his tiredness and fall into a deep sleep.

DREAM STATE

"WELL WELL WELL, HOW TOUCHING"

"WHY ARE YOU BACK?"

"MY DAUGHTER WILL BE QUEEN"

"TAKE OUR SON, AND RUN AWAY"

"GIVE ME THAT COLLAR"

"THE PRINCESS IS DYING"

"THE MAGIC IS FADING"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

END DREAM STATE

"Chase wake up!" cried the pups together.

"Barkingburg, princess, sick, collar, magic, elements, fading, gone" Chase screamed in his sleep.

"Chase, it's Ryder, you need to wake up!" cried Ryder, shaking his beloved German Shepherd.

"Ahhh!" screamed Chase as he finally came out of his sleep, breathing heavily.

"Ok Chase, what's going on?" Ryder asked sternly.

"We've never heard you talk like that before" said Skye. "Or seen you look so scared."

Knowing he had to tell them now, Chase led Ryder and the others inside the Lookout. They all sat down in the hangout area, and Chase began.

"For the past few days now, I've been having these really scary nightmares." he said bravely. "That's why I've been so tired."

"What are they about?" asked Zuma.

"I don't know all the details" Chase replied sadly. "I keep seeing this shadowy dog figure, along with these two other dogs and a pup. One is telling the other to run away with the pup."

"Then what?" asked Rocky.

"Then I see a girl lying in a bed who I think is the Princess of Barkingburg, and a I hear this voice that sounds like the Earl saying she's dying!" whimpered Chase, beginning to tear up.

"Oh no!" cried Rubble.

"Anything else?" asked Ryder.

"Nothing I can make sense of" replied Chase. "Just stuff like a collar, elements and magic. When I try to look further, my head, it just fills with this dark shadow, like it's coming to get me."

Now Ryder and the pups were very worried for Chase, who was in tears. At the same time, they were curious about what this could all mean. Picking him up, Ryder gave Chase a big hug.

"Don't worry Chase" he said. "We're gonna help you get through this."

"Of course" said the other pups, joining the hug.

"Thanks guys" Chase said, now smiling. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"It's ok" replied Ryder. "But what do you think these dreams mean?"

"I'm not sure" thought Chase. "I think, Barkingburg is calling me."

Authors Note: Hi guys, hope you are enjoying this story so far. After this will come my crossover with Thomas and Friends story, followed by a series of short stories using the PAW Patrol pups and characters in classic fairytales, eg. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc.

PS. I might do a separate story series of how each of the pups joined the PAW Patrol since a lot of you have asked.