Thanks to MarshallV2018 for helping me out with the next few chapters.
I bolt upright in bed. I look down. She's still there.
I take deep breaths to calm my heart down a bit. I don't want to go back to bed, what if I have another nightmare? I close my eyes.
I woke with a start. "AHH!" I scream. "HELP!"
"YIP!" Kitty leaps up off of her perch, fur on end. She lands on all four paws and looks at me with wide concerned eyes. "Ryder, that's the fifth time you've woken me up! What's with you and nightmares lately?"
"I-I don't know." I'm shaking. Kitty hops on my bed and licks my face.
"Maybe you're just not comfortable enough." She pulls the blanket back up and climbs under, resting her head on my chest.
I sigh. I can't go to bed anyway. It's almost time for my morning walk. I reach for my Puppad and search for something that'll get rid of my nightmares. I found nothing.
In about thirty minutes, I gently move the fox off of me and get dressed. Then I walk out, grab a drink, and head towards my walking trai.
My walking trail is located behind the Lookout Tower and stretches around the forest for about five or six miles. I try to walk this trail at least a few times a week. As I start walking along the trail, I notice Kaya hunting. I stop and watch.
Kaya was low to the ground, belly almost touching the grass. She crept slowly forward until she got into a pouncing position. She leapt up and slammed her paws onto the ground.
"Good catch!" I shout, starting to feel better.
"Ahh, oh. Hi Ryder!" She yips. She grabs her mouse, diges a hole, drops it in, then picks up four mice and heads in the direction of her house.
I keep walking. I wonder how Rascal's doing… Then I see movement in a thorn bush. I freeze. Then, slowly, I walk backwards. Then I hear a growl. I turn and run.
"Ryder! Slow down!" Kitty shouts from in front of me. Then, noticing why I'm running, she flattens herself to the ground.
Before I can pick her up, she darts away towards whatevers chasing me.
"Wait!" I panic. What if it eats her? "Stop!"
Then, to my amazement, she stops, sits, and starts to sing. "I'm aliiiiiiiiiiiive! I can feel you all around me, thickening the air I'm breathing, holding on to what I'm feeling, savoring this heart that's healing!"
I stare in surprise as her Pup Tag lights up.
"Take my paw and give it to you, now you want me all I am, You said you would never leave me I believe you I believe!"
I can't believe it, SHE'S FLYING!
"I can feel you all around me, thickening the air I'm breathing, holding on to what I'm feeling, savoring this heart that's healed!" That creature disappeared.
"Whoa! That was, AWESOME!" I cheer.
She turns around. "Yeah, I guess. Keep yourself out of trouble in the future." She leads the way back to the Lookout Tower.
When we get back to the Lookout, Chase stalks up to Kitty. "You think you can boss Ryder around like that?" He snarled.
Kitty's pelt bristles. "I practically just saved his life. Besides, you boss him around all the time!"
"Oh yeah? Well then, why is he back?" Chase counters.
I jump in. "Do you want me to leave and never come back?" I snap.
Chase gives me a guilty look. "N-n-no…"
"Well then, there you have it!" I walk into the living room and turn my TV on. Almost instantly, my Puppad rang.
"Hello. Ryder here!" I said.
"Ryder, somethings not right…" Mayor Goodway turned her phone around.
"What the-" The chickaletta statue looked like it had grown a beard. "That's really weird…"
"And that's not all!" She moved her phone to several more items that were disfigured.
"I'll uh, see what I can do…" I didn't even bother to say my familiar catchphrase. "Pups, meet me at the Lookout…"
I ran to the Lookout and took my place. The pups came in, but the first one to sit down was Kitty.
Chase sneezes.
"PAW Patrol ready for action Ryder sir!" Kitty says.
Chase glares at her and bares his teeth into a snarl.
"Okay pups, this might be the strangest mission yet." I let all those weird images upload to the screen.
"Whoa…" Zuma says.
"I know, Rocky." I slide my finger across my Puppad screen and his symbol appears on the big screen. "Do you think you can use some of your tools to fix them?"
"Green means go!"
"Kitty, You're my go to pup. Are you ready?" I ask.
"Rahf rahf! I'm ready for a revved up rescue!" She slid her claws out. They call her Kitty because she has retractable claws. She looks like she has something on her mind.
"Alright, PAW Patrol is on a roll!" I slide down the rescue pole and prep my ATV. Then I get my helmet and go. But as I start driving my ATV, memories of my nightmares come crashing back. I slam on the brakes. "I can't do it!" I say to Rocky and Kitty, who are waiting for me. I jump off my ATV.
"I can't do it!" I screamed as I ran inside.
I hear paw-steps behind me but I don't look back. I lock myself in my room and throw myself onto my bed. There, I cried every last tear I had.
Eventually I open the door and walk out. "Ryder? What was that about? I sent Rocky to go ahead with the mission." Kitty says. "Have you been crying?"
I sat down as she padded up to me, a concerned look on her face.
"I couldn't do it…" I sob.
"Why not? You've done it millions of times!" Kitty climbs into my lap. "Is this something about a certain nightmare where you woke up screaming bloody murder last night?" She looks me in the eyes.
Marshall, Rubble, Zuma, SKye, and Chase walk over.
"What did you do?" Chase growls at Kitty.
"Nothing. Why don't you put your dislike aside and start helping him feel better like I am?" She growls back.
"What happened?" Marshall, Zuma, Skye and Rubble ask at the same time.
"I-I…" Kitty licks my face. "I had a nightmare, okay?"
"I knew it!" Kitty said.
Rocky comes in looking exhausted. "What did this nightmare have to do with 'not being able to' drive your ATV?"
"I-I crashed! Just leave me alone!" I say. But I didn't get up because Kitty was still sitting on top of me.
"In your dream?" Marshall asked.
"Obviously!" Chase growls.
"You guys!" Kitty snaps. "If you're going to argue go somewhere else! Can't you see he's shaky and upset? You boys are so immature!"
Marshall comes close and starts sniffing me. My heart is still racing from those memories. "Ryder, you need sleep." He comments.
"NO!" I shout. "I WILL NOT SLEEP!"
"Stop it! You're freaking him out!" Kitty growls. She curls up and comes even closer.
"Would you sleep out here with the lights on?" She asked, looking at me with a look of innocence.
"I-I-I…" I can't get the words out of my mouth.
She licks my arm. "You're alright. Those nightmares won't hurt you."
Chase comes forward.
"Get back! The poor guy is shaking!" Kitty growls at him.
"Fine." Chase turns. "I'm going to talk to someone important. Like Katie."
Kitty manages to coax me into bed. "You'll feel a lot better after you get some sleep."
By the time I get comfortable, there's a knock on my door.
Katie comes in. "Ryder! I heard you've been having nightmares!" She streaks into the room and starts messing with my hair.
"Knock it off!" I push her hand off of me. Kitty growls.
"Ryder, you know having pups around is going to make your nightmares worse, right?" She pushes Kitty of and she lands with a grunt.
"Do you mind?" She hops back on.
Katie then grabs Kitty by the scruff of her neck and shoves her out the door and closes it behind her. "Hey! Service dog, trying to work here!" She yowls and starts scratching at the door.
"Hey-" I try to talk but Katie puter her finger across my mouth.
"Shh, rest now. I'll watch over you." She says.
"Wait, I need-" She puts her hand over my mouth again.
"Shh. You need sleep." She gave me a stern look.
"No! You don't-" This time, she put her hole hand over my mouth, ticking me off. I push her hand away and sit up. "STOP! You're not listening to me! I need Kitty, she's my service dog for a reason! She's literally the only way I know when I'm about to have a seizure!"
"RYDER, I DON'T CARE. YOU NEED REST! NOW GO TO SLEEP!" Katie pushes me back down. "No one is getting between us."