A/N: Hey all...I know I said I wasn't going to continue this story, but I've decided to go ahead and finish it, due to the fact that I don't wanna leave you guys hanging, and how much work I poured into this storyline and Crescent as a character in general. So I'm going to finish it. This and the next four chapters are already finished, and I'll be releasing a chapter a week until new ones are ready to be written. The next one will probably be out next Saturday or Sunday. Sorry for the wait and to any of you guys who are still here, thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoy the story from here-on out 3

Disclaimer: I don't own PAW Patrol

The days following the meeting were stressful for everyone involved. After she had returned from her talk with Rocky, Crescent proposed the idea of training sessions, to help teach Rocky the basics of hunting and to help sharpen the skills of the others. These were scheduled before dawn and after sunset each day. As useful as they were, it was difficult for Hutch, Misty, and Everest to sneak away from their homes this often without being caught, and Crescent and Rocky were running out of excuses as to why they were so tired every morning and where they suddenly disappeared to after dinner each night. Their performance on missions was starting to slip too, and they both knew they couldn't keep the act up for much longer. They were sure the rest of the team was beginning to get suspicious, Chase in particular, if the way he eyed the two knowingly every mealtime was any indication.

Although the enormous task ahead was on everyone's minds, the training sessions themselves were, for the most part, easy-going and friendly, everyone getting to know each other a bit better. Hutch and Everest got on surprisingly well, sharing the same bold and adventurous nature, while Misty and Sasha caught up, getting on just as well as they had when they were puppies. Sasha even started teaching Misty some basic healing techniques, just in case any of them were injured and Sasha wasn't around. Crescent herself enjoyed having her siblings around again, and the three of them were beginning to regain their old bond of trust and companionship. But, as siblings do, Misty and Hutch were very quick to pick up on her and Rocky's close relationship and teased her about it endlessly, cracking a joke or comment here and there to make one or both of them blush and stutter a denial.

Crescent opened her eyes, greeted with the ever-growing familiarity of the inside of her puphouse. Standing up, she leaned forward in a long, slow stretch, stretching her forepaws out in front of her, claws glinting as they caught a beam of moonlight. She yawned, blinking a couple times before padding out into the clearing, ears perked and eyes wide for any signs of movement. Spotting none, she headed for her bowl, lapping up a few gulps of water to help her thirst. Licking the final drops from her muzzle, she turned away. Her thickly-padded paws made nearly no noise as she crept over to Rocky's puphouse, checking once more for any signs she'd been discovered before slipping stealthily inside.

The dog she was looking for was curled up on his fluffy mattress near the back of the house, a foreleg draped over his muzzle. He looked so peaceful in sleep, and Crescent smiled a little, feeling her heart flutter and her tail start to wag softly, an unintentional reaction. She hated having to wake him when she knew he'd been exhausted the past couple days and wasn't getting enough rest as it was. Part of her (scratch that, most of her) wanted nothing more but to curl up next to him and go back to sleep, to forget the responsibility that had been dumped on her shoulders and merely sleep her worries away at his side. But she knew it could not be so.

"Rocky," she whispered, nudging the mixed-breed's cheek gently with her nose, voice soft. "Ro-Ro, wake up."

With a soft groan, Rocky's eyes slowly fluttered open, and he blinked a couple times to clear his vision. Upon seeing Crescent, he smiled slightly, though his eyes were tired.

"That time already, huh?" he asked quietly, getting to his paws.

"Unfortunately," Crescent replied with a sigh, smiling sadly at her teammate. He returned it and stretched, first his front legs, then his hind legs. When finished, he gave his pelt a shake, a final effort to wake himself up a bit more. His light-brown gaze met Crescent's, and she was relieved to find no annoyance, only quiet determination. "Lead on," he said, dipping his head towards the entrance.

The two dogs slipped out into the night, heading across the lawn and down the hill, keeping up a decent pace so as not to be late. They travelled in silence, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. They had been lucky enough to not be caught and questioned this far, and Crescent was hoping their luck would hold out, though she wasn't willing to risk it.

They were beginning to cross the bridge to the main part of the town when Rocky spoke up. "Crescent?"

The black wolf-dog looked over at him, blue eyes bright with curiosity. "Yes?"

Rocky looked at his paws for a moment, and then out over the bay, his gaze fixed on the horizon. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully before he spoke, and Crescent remained silent, giving him as much time as he needed. When he finally replied, Crescent was shocked at the words.

"I think we should tell Ryder."

This made her stop dead in her tracks, the fur on her back and neck beginning to bristle as her breathing increased rapidly, her heart pounding with fear. She whipped her head to face Rocky, shock evident in her expression. "You want to what!?"

Rocky met her gaze evenly, his expression and posture calm but determined. "I think we should tell Ryder. He's bound to notice we're gone, and I don't think we want our faces plastered all over the news as the PAW Patrol's sudden missing members." He looked down, shuffling his forepaws nervously, afraid how she would react to this next part. "Plus, Ryder's my person. Our person. We owe him so much. If it weren't for him I'd still be on the streets, hungry and alone and afraid." He looked back up at Crescent, his gaze once again focused. "I know you don't feel any sense of loyalty to him yet, but I do. I love and respect him, as both our leader and my person, and I think he deserves to know this much at the very least," having said what he needed to say, he straightened up confidently, waiting for Crescent's response.

Crescent held his gaze, her tail lashing back and forth, not with anger, but with nerves. She had to admit, some of what Rocky said was logical, such as not wanting to end up on the news or being searched for by the police, but her nerves won out over her logic this time.

"Rocky...no. No," she shook her head rapidly, fur still fluffed up. "We can't. There's so much that could go wrong. What if he refuses to let us go? What if he gets angry at us for going being his back like this, so angry that he kicks us off the team!? I know I can survive on my own again but it would break my heart to leave you guys and I don't want you to end up without a home again-" she was cut off by her won hyperventilating, eyes wild with terror as she crouched low to the ground, forepaws covering her head.

Rocky was taken aback by her outburst and wasn't sure what to do at first before he forced his paws to move. "Crescent! Crescent, hey, hey. Breath. Breeeaaatthhheee." He drew out the last word, crouching down to Crescent's level to press his pelt against hers. She slowly began to calm down, the majority of her anxiety depleting, leaving her a panting mess on the ground, even more exhausted than before. Rocky moved in front of her, reaching out to place his forepaws on her cheeks. She didn't pull away.

"Hey...look at me," Rocky said, voice gentle. Crescent slowly opened her eyes, locking her blue gaze with the mixed-breed's brown. Rocky's heart ached as he saw the helplessness and fear lurking in the cerulean depths, and he longed to give her a hug.

"It's alright. I'm here. It's just us. You're safe," he didn't know if he was saying the right things, all he wanted was to calm the wolf-dog. Luckily it seemed to be working, because she let out a long sigh, blinking slowly. Rocky removed his paws from her fluffy face.

"I'm safe," she repeated, then smiled slightly at her companion, giving him a nuzzle. "Thanks."

Rocky returned the gesture, meeting her gaze once more. "Don't worry about it." He trailed a forepaw in circles in the dust coating the bridge thoughtfully before facing Crescent again with a newfound strength. "I know you're afraid," he blurted. "And I know a lot could get screwed up, but I think this is the best thing to do. I know Ryder, and he'd be more upset if we just up and left without telling him than if we went anyway against his wishes." His brown eyes were widened, bright with the need to convince her. Crescent felt her resistance being slowly chipped away the longer she looked.

She didn't want to. She really, really didn't want to.

But how could she say no to the dog who had given up so much for her already?

Nodding in defeat, Crescent took a deep breath and replied, "Okay. We'll tell Ryder."

The gray mixed-breed's expression brightened, his tail starting to wag slightly. "Really? You mean it?"

Crescent couldn't help but feel better just by seeing him happier, and she smiled, nodding again. "Yeah Ro-Ro. I mean it."

Rocky let out a happy little bark, jumping in the air once before pressing his face into Crescent's fur. "Thanks Crescent! I feel a whole lot better about this whole thing now."

Crescent giggled slightly at seeing him acting like a puppy, batting him affectionately with her tail tip. "Well, I guess that's all that really matters."

Rocky grinned. "So, what'dya say we wake ourselves up a little with a nice, friendly race?" His eyes glinted with mischief.

Crescent pretended to think about it, giving an over-exaggerated thoughtful hum. "Weeeeelllll, you know I'm never one to pass up a challenge, buuuutttt I don't want to hurt your feelings by totally kicking your tail," she smirked cockily.

Rocky's eyes widened as he processed her words, baring his teeth in a mock-snarl. "Oh, that's how you wanna play it, huh? Well, well wolf-dog, I'm gonna make you eat those words."

"I'd like to see you try," Crescent stuck out her tongue, seeing Rocky crouching to the ground, tail lashing.

"Ready?" he asked, the mischievous look never leaving his face. Crescent copied his pose, stretching her muscles.

"As I'll ever be. On three."

"Three!" both dogs shouted in unison, the loud noise disturbing some birds nearby and startling them into flight, their loud calls accompanying the thud of paws against the asphalt as Crescent and Rocky raced off at the same time. Loud barks and howls of excitement and laughter erupted from them as they sped towards their meeting place, all caution thrown to the wind in favor of their game.

A/N: Sorry if it wasn't very exciting, I was gonna put the training session in this chapter but decided to split it into two, as it wouldv'e been too long. Important plot stuff starts again next chapter, and it should be out next weekend.

Sianii out.

Peace~