The pup whimpered in fear. He never liked this stupid city. His gaze fell upon the dogs blocking his only route of escape. They were two bulldogs, absolutely massive. Each one was the size of a small child with scars from fights decorating their faces and chests. The bulldog on the left was black, with the only break in color being brown on his front left paw. On the right the bulldog was a mix of white and brown.

"What 'ave we got 'ere for us, Marley?" the black bulldog said. The second one answered in a similar manner of speaking.

"Looks like we got us some filthy mutt we got to clean, Henrick." The two smiled at the gray mixed breed. The pup was thin, always having to "pay" for protection from these two.

"Please, don't," begged the mixed breed, crying. "I'll get you double next time, just please don't!" His voice was barely above a whisper, his fear dampening it.

"This 'as 'appened too many," the bulldog named Marley said. "It's been a while since we cleaned your stinkin' hide." They stepped closer to the poor mixed breed. He tried to shrink away, the wall of the alley kept him from escaping. The dog named Henrick laughed.

"You can't get 'way from us 'ere!" Tears escaped from the mixed breed's different colored eyes, one brown and one blue.

"Please...don't…" he said quietly between sobs. He closed his eyes, waiting for the worst. He sensed a paw was on its way before he felt it. It slid across his muzzle, drawing blood from his nose. The stench of brass filled his sense of smell, and he felt the blood trickling down his throat. Another paw hit him and raked down his shoulder. He screamed in numb pain as hot blood travelled down his leg and splattered on the ground. A violent, sharp pain made itself clear as one of the bulldogs drove his paw into the mixed breed's ribs. Another pain, white hot, made itself clear in his ear, setting his nerves on fire. He felt something hit his face, and he cleared his eyes momentarily to see a piece of his own ear on the concrete.

Pain was spread across his body as the two bulldogs scratched and bit and hit him. Vaguely, the zzzing of a knife being drawn could be heard, but the mixed breed was floating in and out of consciousness. Feebly he tried to get up and was rewarded with a paw slamming his head to the ground. Dizzy, half-conscious and in pain, he couldn't do anything to help himself. Something shiny reflected dully in the afternoon sun.

"Mayb'e this'll teach you a less'n!" one of the bulldogs shouted. The mixed breed couldn't see who it was through the tears stinging his eyes. He barely felt his front right leg being yanked and pressed against the concrete. He numbly cried out in pain as he felt something bite into the joint between his forearm and pastern. It didn't stop though. It kept burning, kept biting as he felt waves of pain and nausea hit him. A grating sensation shot up his leg and reverberated throughout his body. He lost consciousness as he saw the two blurry bulldogs left, laughing with one another.

"Who are you two?" the dalmatian named Emma said. Her fur looked to be slightly damp, any trace of makeup gone. Ranger couldn't help but settle his gaze on the scars surrounding the pup's paws.

"Emma! Mind your manners!" Marsha said fiercely. She was rewarded with an eye roll, and Max decided it best to intervene.

"My name is Max, and this dog here," he gestured to the german shepherd on his lap, "is Ranger. We're-" He got cut off by Marsha's excited voice.

"They're restarting the PAW Patrol!" she said breathlessly. Emma looked between Max and her mother, confused.

"Okay?" she asked. Marsha scoffed. "What? The PAW Patrol was who knows how long ago. I don't see them helping now." Max noticed a light in her eyes. He grinned at her.

"Which is why I was looking for members. My grandpa told me that I could find a pup with the last name 'Blate'. I get the feeling you're pretty capable at firefighting." At this, Emma couldn't help but toot her own horn.

"I am more than capable. I'm top of my class!" she said proudly. She was pleased to find the pup smiled.

"That's cool!" Ranger said excitedly. Max debated whether or not to raise an eyebrow at his pup, but decided against it.

"Well, how would you feel about joining the PAW Patrol?" Max asked. Emma's expression changed to something Max had never seen before.

"Well, I don't know," Emma said nervously. "I've never been out of San Francisco before…" Her voice trailed off.

"You should do it, dear," Marsha said confidently. "You remember reading about them in your history books? The PAW Patrol is the reason you're working to be a firefighter." Emma turned a confused eye to her mother.

"How? I thought pups were just able to do it all the time."

Marsha couldn't help but give an amused look at her daughter. "Well, not quite. The PAW Patrol was the first all-pup rescue team, which is what lead the rest of the country to catch on. It's the reason why now you see all-dog fireteams, police units, construction workers, that sort of stuff." Emma gave a look of such confusion that Max barely contained his laughter. His face didn't show any sign of his amusement though. Which was quite a feat in itself.

The blue-eyed pup looked at Max and Ranger. "So you guys want me to join a team that is all-pups, and helps people where?" Max pushed Ranger off his lap. Ranger, for his part, looked up at his owner scornfully. The boy wisely ignored the look.

"Adventure Bay. The home of the original PAW Patrol. I know it's far away from here, but I didn't come here looking for any pup to fill in spots." He took out the Pup Pad. He tapped it once, and turned it for Emma to read. Glancing at her parents, she read it aloud.

"'Your first recruit isn't a brute. Through ash and smoke, you can rely on this bloke. Just look to the sky, where there is smoke on-the-fly. Look to the golden gate, and look for the last name of Blate.'" She looked to Max. "It says here to look for a 'bloke'. And I don't know if you noticed, but I'm not a 'bloke'." She added the last statement with a little heat in her voice.

"I know," Max said, nodding, "but my grandpa made those instructions a few years ago. He was just guessing, and now I realize you're probably the pup he was talking about. Even if you aren't a bloke as it were." The small pup regarded him carefully.

"I'm not yet qualified as a firefighter." Max merely shrugged off her comment.

"I wasn't too worried about it. You have the training, and Nasha says you're fairly competent." The boy winked so only Emma would see it. She couldn't help but allow a little bit of a smile to ease its way onto her face.

"If you wait another two days I think it is, I'll probably be qualified. I had my final today, and so now I have to wait a few days until I get results."

"But won't you be depriving the fire team here of a pup?"

Emma shook her head. "Only the top two get put on the team immediately, although most of the other students are qualified firefighters. If I leave they'll just take the next in line as a firedog."

"That's an interesting way of running it," Max observed. This time Harold answered.

"Aye, but it works. Saves 'em paperwork and time. Most of the folks at the station don't like to spend too much time doing paperwork. Gives 'em headaches," the rough voice answered. Max nodded. It made sense.

"So," the boy said after a few moments of silence, "would you like to join the PAW Patrol?" Emma looked at him, then turned a concerned look to her parents.

"I don't know...I don't think that-"

"Honey, we both think you should do it," Marsha said lovingly. Harold raised an eyebrow as he looked lopsided at his wife, but nodded his head after a moment.

"You'd still be able to visit them for holidays, permitting there aren't any emergencies." Emma looked between her parents and Max, conflicting emotions working in her mind.

"What about my friends? What will I do without them?" This time Max shrugged.

"I don't know of a way to bring your friends with you. But you can call them whenever you like. I don't have any qualms about that." Emma still looked unconvinced. Then Harold spoke up.

"Emma, I know you might not want to leave. But I think you're destined for greater things than trying to help here." He laughed at his own joke. "I think your old dad here can handle the city. Plus, Bruquette wanted to be on the team. Remember her scores?" That was the final straw to push Emma to a decision. She might not have been totally willing to go with the stranger she met an hour ago, but concern for her friend pushed her to decide.

"I'll join the PAW Patrol," she said with a little bit of a sigh. Harold gave a content smile at his daughter. She might enjoy showing off and bragging, but always put friends and family first. Max smiled and knelt down to pet Emma on the head.

"Thank you," he said. "For helping me resume where my grandfather left off, and for probably more than I know. Emma smiled weakly.

"I've always wanted to see more of the country," she lied. Although the lie wasn't fully complete.

Marsha and Harold were gracious enough to have let Max and Ranger stay with them for the two days they were waiting for Emma's score. They had a guest room, decorated in many of the same grays and browns as the main rooms of the house. The bed was soft and warm, and Max at one point during the night had to take off the blankets because of his dog's hot body. Max couldn't help but giggle slightly at Ranger's sleeping position. It never failed to amuse the boy. The german shepherd would curl up into a tight ball, somehow managing to tuck his head in between his legs and wrapping his tail around his neck. It gave him the appearance of being headless.

The second night was much like the first, with the exception of Max's snoring. Ranger was kept awake, no matter how long he tried to fall asleep. By morning he looked utterly exhausted, while his owner was refreshed. The german shepherd ended up falling asleep at nearly three in the morning, and his owner decided to let him sleep.

Max for his part, spent the two days educating Emma about the PAW Patrol, as well as Marsha. He did find it a little odd that Marsha had been so inviting of him and Ranger when they had never even seen each other before, but he knew better than to complain.

It was the day Emma was expecting to receive her exam scores. Everyone in the house noticed her buzzing with excitement while pretending to not care. It was rather amusing to Max. He was sitting on the couch in the living area, reading some of the information that had been on his grandfather's computer. The names had interested him, particularly when Marsha had said her grandfather's name was Marshall. It matched the name under the "Members" file of the PAW Patrol.

Opening the file named "Marshall", Max started reading.

Marshall Flower VanderSteal is the fire rescue pup of the PAW Patrol. His eagerness to help those in trouble make him one of the most valued members of the team, even if he doesn't know it. Bringing a light and humor filled attitude to the PAW Patrol helps those around him to relax and not focus too much on their duties. Surprisingly, he was never technically qualified as a firefighter or fire dog, but when I met him he showed such knowledge in fire and techniques to fight them that I took him on as a member. And that was after I adopted him as a stray.

He suffers from amnesia, which only I and Chase know about. Not being able to remember his parents, he just always assumed that they had abandoned him because they didn't want him. I had researched what I could about his last name, and came across something quite frightening. He had a whole family, but sadly, they all died. His parents, being firefighters, died in a fire. How his brother and sister died remains elusive at this time, and I get the feeling that someone is trying to hide something. I never told him, mostly for his own protection. I don't know if I made the right choice or not.

He was born and raised in South Detroit, Michigan. That much he can remember. He doesn't have any real living relatives, with only a sketchy uncle living in and out of prison. I never shared that with either, for fear of what he would do if he found out. I have lived with him for a long time. I have learned that even though he appears to always be cheerful, he hides something painful. He said so to me after he tried to run away.

I still remember his words, even though he told them to me what feels like ages ago. He said to me, "Ryder, I'm scared. I feel like I keep trying to fit in where I don't belong, my clumsiness helping nothing. When I heard the others talking, and I thought they were talking about me, I felt like I had been shattered. When Chase said 'That pup can't do anything right,' I felt like I had been slapped. I didn't know they were talking about a TV show, I thought they were talking about me. When I heard Chase's voice I just collapsed like a house of cards."

Throughout our entire friendship after that day, I realized just how insecure he was. I always saw him casting worried glances to the others. The only one he felt secure with was Everest. She wasn't around when Marshall ran away, and the others never filled her in. When they told me in private that they had become mates I knew that Marshall had found the one security in his life. I had the joy of watching both of them grow up and raise pups of their own, and Marshall is one of the best father figures one could ask for. Recently though, he came to me again. It wasn't unlike the time he came to me after he ran away. This time though brought something a bit more concerning. One of his pups died when they were two years old, and it was suicide that killed her. He came to talk to me, and he was shaken up badly. He told me that at one point in time suicide was one thing that he very well considered and almost did. It was frightening for me because he seemed to launch into a depression.

Everest tried talking to him, Chase tried talking to him. Everyone tried to talk to him. He just shut down and shut everyone out. The only people whom he would allow talk to him were me and his pup Ace. I can't see into the future, but I know I should be worried. He has always felt insecure now that I look back on it. Most likely from his amnesia. Even his daughter who's still around, Winter. He barely talks to her. He told me that he doesn't know what to do. That he feels so disconnected with her after his other daughter killed herself. I have seen a little improvement, but not as much as I'd hoped to see.

This name file, this particular one, is what lead to the idea. I figured I'd write about my pups and what they're going through to just help those dealing with them or their offspring. Some traits are hereditary, and so I thought it would be a good idea to place them here now that the PAW Patrol is done.

Max stared at the contents of the file. It was hard to think that a member of the PAW Patrol could have struggled like that and still deal with helping others. He stared at the screen blankly when Marsha decided to walk in. Having gotten to know the boy over the past few days, she noticed that he was usually cheerful and always thinking, so she knew something was up.

"Max, dear, what's wrong?" she said, motherly care in her voice. Max looked Marsha in the eye.

"I was reading a file that my grandfather, Ryder, had written. It was concerning your grandpa." This struck Marsha's curiosity.

"Oh? And what might it be about to put you in such a down mood?" Max sat a moment before answering.

"It was about who my grandpa learned about that was hiding in Marshall. I didn't know him, and I didn't know much about him, but it's odd. My grandfather was writing about how insecure he felt, and how he struggled with depression and all these other things that apparently wasn't well known." Marsha smiled sadly.

"My father told me all about it. As much as I shouldn't say it, Emma struggles with it as well. We never talk about it, but I've noticed it. My father had something similar. That was why I'm pushing her to join you. I know it'll be good for her to do what she loves with people who know how to help in the right ways."

"Thank you for that information," Max said eventually. "I'll do my best to help her." Marsha smiled, knowing that Max would keep that promise.

"I know you wi-" she started, but a loud scream interrupted them. It came from upstairs, and Marsha ran up. Max was right behind her. Knowing the house inside and out, Marsha reached her daughter's bedroom in almost no time at all. Max was a ways behind her, even though it was a small house.

"What is it, Emma? Are you okay?" Marsha asked rapidly. She calmed down, seeing that she wasn't bleeding or convulsing on the floor.

Emma looked up, a pink blush spreading across her face. "Y- yeah. Just excited!" She leapt off the bed and hugged her mother, who was still trying to process everything.

"What are you excited for?" she asked. Emma nearly burst from excitement.

"I got a perfect score! Almost no one gets perfect scores!"

"Did my little girl just say she got a perfect score?" Harold's voice boomed from downstairs. Emma raced to the stairs and seemingly hovered down them, moving at breakneck speeds. She barely paid heed to her mother's warning as she rocketed into the kitchen and to her father.

"I sure did!" Emma shouted, shoving her face into her father's fur. Ranger came cautiously into the kitchen, worried about the level of noise. He didn't really like loud noises. "I did it!" Emma cried again, launching herself to Ranger. Without paying attention to his surprised and fearful expression, she hit him with such force that he toppled over backwards. She squeezed him so tightly he was certain one of his ribs would crack.

"I did it!" she yelled again, using Ranger to spring away. The german shepherd grunted as the wind was driven from his lungs. She started jumping up and down, turning in circles as she did so. Ranger looked to the side of the kitchen to see Max and Marsha standing there, an amused expression on both their faces. He trotted over to them, keeping head and ears down. He just wished should would stop shouting, but couldn't help but feel happy for her. Apparently her class had been difficult. She finally stopped to catch a breath, and looked at Max.

She posed a question that startled most of them, considering what she had been celebrating.

"When do we leave?"

A/N: So there you have it, Chapter 4! I hope you enjoyed, it was kind of fun kinda depressing to write this chapter. Today I managed to get a whole ton of time to work on this chapter, and I went from probably 400 to 3,400 words just from today. Also, I was looking through some of the comments and I noticed one from Entity of Spite. Now, I could answer most of your questions now, but I won't. Not because I don't like you, but because I think my story should allow questions to be answered, not me as the author. Don't know when I'll be able to get the next chapter up, but hopefully I can do it sooner than later. Until then, this is TheMattdude signing off!