A/N: Through all the hardships. Through all the backlash. Through all the fighting. I'm proud to say that I am a full on MarshallxEverest supporter. I didn't come to this conclusion immediately as I posted this story. Sure it doesn't technically have an MxE pairing in it yet, it doesn't mean there won't be one. If you know me, I don't really like to rush things in a story. I like to express each event and action with a lot of detail. Granted, the last chapter had quite a few useless details, and there isn't any shame in saying that. I take responsibility for that.

Another thing, I started to recognize some irregularities in the amount of views the story is getting. I don't know if that's lack of interest, skipping chapters, reading only the updates, or something else. It's not a big issue, but I just thought I'd acknowledge it. Make sure if you're going to read the story, be sure to start from the beginning, so you don't get confused.

Now this hasn't been an issue up until recently. But to the select few that can't seem to get the message, I'll be as crystal clear as I can. WHEN I UPDATE A CHAPTER, DON'T PM ME FIVE MINUTES LATER SAYING YOU WANT TO READ THE NEXT CHAPTER. I DON'T IMMEDIATLEY GET INTO WRITING THE NEXT CHAPTER. I GENERALLY WAIT A FEW HOURS AND A CHAPTER WILL USUALLY TAKE ABOUT FIVE HOURS TO WRITE. SO FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND JESUS HIMSELF, PLEASE BE PATIENT.

Well now that I finished giving you this glorious intro, which I'm guessing you guys ignored anyway, I'm gong to shut up and start writing. Thanks for the support. I love you all. You've taken this story places, I couldn't imagine. Thank you all and let's do this.

!Welcome to Chapter 11 of Hearts of Ice and Fire!


Marshall and Everest had made it back to their rigs. Despite having to stop and let Everest rest a few times, it took them about an hour to get there. Marshall had redressed her leg as soon as they got back. The bleeding had slowed down substantially, but Marshall was worried about infection. He didn't want to let her into the loop at the excessive tissue damage and how it was going to be tough for her for a few days.

Everest laid down by her rig. Her tongue drooped out as she started panting. "Oh, my leg is throbbing. Is that normal?"

Marshall sighed with relief. "It's your body working to fight against infection. So yeah, it's normal."

Everest grunted. "Uhhh…every few throbs it sends a sting of pain. I hate this," she complained.

"Shouldn't have gotten stuck in a hunter's trap," Marshall snickered.

"I wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't ran," she retorted, lifting her head up and glaring at him.

"Nobody asked you to come out here," replied Marshall calmly.

"I was the only one who would. Every one else was too emotional or too angry to even think about you," Everest said. "I want to help you, Marshall."

"What do you mean, help me?" asked Marshall. "Look at me, Everest. What's their to help?"

"Your conscious," answered Everest. "It's blurred and filled with sadness and hate and regret."

Marshall shook his head. "After seeing the results of the x-ray, I don't think my conscious will ever be clear. My brother will never walk again. He won't play again. Life for him just got ten times harder because of my actions."

Everest didn't try and argue with him. "Can I ask why you ran in the first place?"

Marshall dipped his head. "I thought you were delivering more bad news. I was scared that they found something else wrong with him." He let out a little whine. "I can't hear anymore bad news today."

Everest did her best to sit up, gingerly keeping her weight off her injured leg. "Katie did say that he should be awake within the next day. She also said that he'll get to go home a day after that. Chase might be broken in the legs, but he's going to be home. It's way better than a hospital bed."

"What difference does it make? His legs are still lifeless and broken."

"Ryder also brought up talking to Chase's parents," Everest whispered. If this doesn't get him on his feet, I don't think anything will. "And Katie suggested letting in the loop. Ryder agreed."

"Chase's parents! Why didn't you say that in the first place?" He hopped in his rig. "They know I wouldn't try and do something like this to him. I might have a chance to get away with my actions."

"Wait! You're going to use Chase's parents as leverage for your own personal gains?" Good on you, pup.

"More or less," shrugged Marshall.

"Well, in that case, count me in," said Everest.

Marshall looked at her skeptically. "You're joking? Why would you try and support me? I'm like the Hillary Clinton of bad influences."

Everest stood up, keeping caution of her leg. "Because I think seeing Chase as injured as he is was enough of a punishment for you. You almost lost him three times and if we lost him, we'd have lost you as well."

Marshall nodded slowly. "I see. Well I'm glad to be getting support from someone rather than no one."

"That's the spirit," Everest smirked. She looked at her rig. "Now can you help me into my rig? I can't exactly jump."

Marshall ducked his head in embarrassment. "I completely forgot about your injury. I'm sorry," he said.

Everest growled in disappointment. "How could you forget?" she said as he hopped out of his rig. "I was calling for help, was complaining the whole way back, and just to ask because why not, what's your favorite color?"

"Isn't it obvious, it's re-," he said, as Everest took a cheap shot at his gut. "Red," he groaned as he hit the ground.

Everest giggled evilly and leaned down to his level. "Consider us even," she smiled.

"Clever girl," Marshall groaned, getting up slowly.

"Jurassic Park, 1993. Great movie," Everest said, helping Marshall up. "And by the way, I can get in my rig without your help."

Marshall put a paw on his gut as he looked at her. "What do you mean you can get into your rig without….help?"

Everest propelled off the ground using her one good hind leg, getting up into her rig with ease. She looked back at him. "Need help getting into your rig?" she mocked.

"Not cool," moaned Marshall. "Totally not cool."

"Oh, stop your whining and get in your rig," Everest ordered, as she started hers up.

Marshall did just that and hopped in his rig awkwardly, landing on his side. "I'm okay," he chuckled. "Let's go," he said, putting himself up right.

Everest smiled. That's the Marshall I used to know. "Race you back to Katie's?"

"You're so on," agreed Marshall, getting into a competitive driving position.

Everest readied herself too. "On your mark….get set….go!" she said, as they set off back to Adventure Bay.


Marshall had been in the lead for most of the race. The dally may have been upset, but he drove like a professional. But that was beginning to become an issue for him when Everest started gaining. The female Husky had straggled most of the race. Her leg throbbed and occasionally cramped up in pain, causing her to fall further behind.

The final straight was just ahead of them. Marshall could see Katie's shop directly ahead of him, but there was a problem. Everest was directly behind him and was closing the gap exceptionally fast.

"You're not gonna win his, Marshall," Everest shouted, as she pulled up along side Marshall.

"Not on my watch," Marshall howled, but a thought came to his mind and he slowed down.

Everest was still in competitive mode and didn't notice him slow down. She hit the accelerator and finished the race, pulling up to Katie's shop. She noticed only Ryder's ATV parked up front. "Must have sent them back to the lookout," she guessed.

Marshall pulled up alongside her. His facial expression everything but good.

Everest noticed his upset state. "What's wrong, Marshall?"

"I just thought about Chase. What if he remembers the accident? Then what am I supposed to do?" he said sadly, a tear forming in his eye.

Everest placed a reassuring paw on his shoulder. "I don't like using the incident as facts, but you did hit his head hard on the concrete. He might not remember anything." She winced when she planted her injured leg on the ground.

Marshall immediately jumped to her aid. "We need to get you inside," he said.

Everest nodded as she began to limp into Katie's shop.

Marshall had rushed inside to get Katie and returned with her. "She's hurt real bad."

Katie kneeled down and examined Everest's leg. "Let's get her checked out," she concluded, as she picked the Husky up.

Everest hissed in pain as her leg bumped against Katie's arm. "It hurts," she groaned.

"I know pup," Katie said softly.

Ryder was sitting by Chase's bed as Katie and Marshall barged through the door, with Everest in Katie's arm. He quickly stood up. "What happened?" he asked, seeing Everest's leg wrapped in gauze.

Katie shook her head, as she laid the Husky down gently on the nearby gurney. "I don't know. Marshall just found me and told me she was hurt."

Ryder nodded and walked over to Everest. "You feeling okay?"

Everest did her best to nod. "Like another day in the office," she replied.

Ryder petted her head. "Still got a sense of humor," Ryder chuckled. He turned to Marshall, a more serious look in his eye. "What happened?"

Marshall gulped. "She got stuck in a hunter's trap while trying to….umm."

"Trying to what, Marshall?"

"Trying to catch me," Marshall answered.

"Why would she have to catch you?" Katie asked confusingly.

"Because I thought for a few moments that she was bringing more bad news about Chase. If I knew that wasn't the case, I wouldn't have. I just got scared, I guess," Marshall answered honestly.

"I see," Ryder responded. "And when Everest got stuck in the trap, you helped her right?"

"Of course, Ryder," Marshall mumbled. "Never leave a pup behind."

Ryder nodded with approval. "That's my pup."

"Oh my goodness," exclaimed Katie.

"What's up, Katie?"

"It's Everest's leg. It's cut all the way down to the tendon," she said, pulling away the last bit of blood soaked gauze.

Marshall sighed. "Yeah, I found that out when I was wrapping it up."

"Is it fixable?" Ryder said.

Katie nodded with reassurance. "As long as there isn't any infection, which I am not seeing here, so yeah, she'll be fine."

They all sighed with relief. "Well that's good. How long before she is back up on her feet again?" the brown haired boy asked.

"Probably a few days. By the time Chase is ready to go home, she'll be ready too," answered Katie.

"She has to stay here?!" Marshall said, raising his voice.

Everyone went silent and stared at the dally, even Everest did. She was looking over her shoulder and had a little smile on her face.

Marshall blushed and cleared his throat. "H-how's Chase?"

"He's perfectly fine," Katie answered quietly. "He occasionally let's a few yips or his front paws will shake. The pups been dreaming a lot recently."

"That's good," Marshall breathed.

"But," Ryder chipped in. "With his head injury, he probably won't remember the incident."

Marshall and Everest both stared at each other knowingly. "That's what I was afraid of," Marshall said. "We could have worked to find out who did this."

"I know, Marshall," Ryder said. "But right now, I'm more worried about getting Chase home than finding the pup who did this."

Marshall nodded. "I understand." He looked at Katie. "Do you need any help here?"

The blonde girl looked around, seeing nothing that needed to be done. "Nope, you're good. I'll keep in touch with Ryder about Chase's condition and let him know if anything new arises, okay?"

Marshall nodded his head and looked at Everest. "You feeling better, Everest?"

Everest huffed. "I'll be fine. The worst of it's over," she said, lying her head down.

Katie looked at Ryder and Marshall. "I'm going to be doing a little procedure on her leg, so I will ask you both to leave if that's okay."

"That's fair. Marshall and I have a two German Shepherd parents to call," Ryder replied.

Katie nodded. "Best of luck to you. Word of advice. Give it to them slowly," she suggested.

"Duly noted." Marshall and Ryder both nodded. "In that case, we'll leave you to it and get out of your hair. Keep us posted on both pups," Ryder said, as he led Marshall out. The sound of their rigs starting a few moments later and disappearing.

"Okay, Everest. I have to put you to sleep to do my job, okay?"

Everest gulped in fear. Katie noticed, and planted a paw on Everest's side.

"You don't have to be scared. I won't let anything happen to you."

Everest seemed to calm down. "Okay…I'm ready," she sniffed.

Katie grabbed a syringe filled with a clear liquid or serum. "You should only feel pinch," Katie said, as she injected the liquid into Everest's shoulder.

Only a pinch she said! Don't have to be scared she said! Everest felt Katie pull the needle out and set it down.

"You doing okay, Everest?"

Everest did her best to nod, but the serum was making her feel drowsy. As the seconds ticked by, the drowsiness was overwhelming. Everest laid her head down and let the serum take her into a deep sleep. And with one last deep breath, she was out cold.


Sorry about the long wait. I've been fighting a nasty cold and I've been too sick to even type anything up. I appreciate the patience. All your reviews from the last chapter are duly noted and I'll keep the suggestions in mind. Constructive Criticism is always welcome. Telling me where I need to improve is a good sign. I always like to see where I can improve. By the way, expect more chapters with characters that I rarely use like Rubble, Zuma, Skye, and Rocky.

Thanks for sticking with me! YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWESOME!

Remember to favorite/follow and I'll see you in the next one

AtlasWolfActual out