AN: So, I'm a stupid person starting another story that I probably would finish in the next year. Oh well. At least I still have an imagination, right?

Enjoy

Life: A PAW Patrol Story

Prologue

What is Life's biggest question? For a lot of humans, it is "What is the meaning of life?" But for dogs/pups, their questions could be "When are my humans coming back?" or "When are they going to take me on a walk?" or in a Police Officer K-9s head, "When can I get some action?" Most dogs in our world don't question life because, for them, life is short. The Wolf is a better example. All that goes through their mind is "Find a mate, have pups, have a loyal pack, and then die a fulfilled life." That can be compared to most of our dogs.

Some of us humans try and predict our path of life. We make plans, goals that go to midterm to long term, but in the end, it can all come crashing down on you. You were not prepared for your house to burn down. You didn't know that you're really good friend or sibling would die from a car accident. You didn't plan that you would have the past failures come back and haunt you. You wish you can change things, you hope things will go back to normal, but guess what. Life is not fair. Life will never be fair. In order for you to get out of the hole of despair, is to work hard and harder. You and you alone can work things out. You can put yourself back on track.

This story is not about humans though. All this means nothing to Wolves and a specific Police K-9's friends. But it does to the K-9 because… It happened to him.

It was a rainy day in Adventure Bay. The pups wanted to go to Jake's to keep Everest company, but the pouring rain and the wind made them grounded until further notice. Jake was not at his cabin, he was on a trip to France to visit some college friends and enjoy Pairs. Everest was alone at the cabin the only thing keeping her company is the crackle and pop of the wood on the fire in the fireplace. She was lost in her thoughts thinking, but some two pups kept coming up in her mind.

"Marshall and Chase, I don't know why Marshall but," She stopped, realizing that she was now talking to herself, "I've lost my mind, yet it has only been four hours since Jake left." Therefore, she hates being alone. She doesn't realize until she notices that she is talking to herself. To her doing that is a sign of stupidity but to another pup it means… Well, let's go to him.

We are at the Lookout right now and the pups are all inside playing Pup Pup Boogie. Skye was competing against Zuma and they were neck and neck Skye ahead by two points. When the competition ended, they both tied. That surprise them and myself. I have always watched them beat one another, not a tie. Anyway, some things that you think are impossible, always become possible after some time.

"Wow. That was a workout," Skye said catching her breath.

"You said it," Zuma said walking over to his water bowl.

"It sure was fun to watch," said Rocky, "You guys were kickin' tail."

Rubble and Marshall came in and switched the screen to Apollo the Super Pup.

"It is time for Apollo the Super Pup's marathon with two new episodes," Rubble said excitedly. I have always not liked that show personality. Once they turn that on, I immediately try and leave and see what else is going on in the town. But then, I noticed that one pup was missing. Chase. I left the others to watch the show and went looking for Chase.

His pup house was empty. He wasn't in the garage or on the top floor of the Lookout. Where could he be? Then something came to my mind.

We go to this cave were Chase likes to go every time something is wrong. Apparently, he has been having nightmares and flashbacks to fires to times of death and horror for the past three days. He has lost his mind. During a mission, he had one of the flashbacks which then lead to him getting injured. His injury is a large gash on his left front leg from falling off a cliff face and hitting some rocks not far below. Ryder is getting very concerned for the pup. Every day it seems to get worse for him. The nightmares have not let up and he never really gets any sleep anymore.

"Why? Why does it have to come back? I miss you, mom and dad. I miss you so much. I miss you two Atlas," Chase said in tears. Chase was a hard nut to crack. I don't think I ever could. Seeing him like this is a horrible site for me. Knowing that his parents died right in front of him in an arson fire and his handler Atlas was run over a drunk man in a truck.

Thunder clapped in the distance and it started to pour again. I'm surprised that the pups back at the Lookout don't realize that their friend is suffering to this. Maybe they do? They seem completely oblivious that he wasn't there.

Soon enough Chase heard Ryder's ATV. I guess Chase has been doing this for a while. Chase just laid there in the cave while Ryder walked up to the poor pup. I watched as Ryder sat next to the suffering shepherd, stroking his back in order to try and calm him down.

"Can you please tell me what is going on Chase? I can't help if you don't tell me," Ryder said in a comforting voice.

Chase said nothing he didn't want to speak. He just laid there. Ryder then touched Chase's wound making him whimper in pain a little. The nightmares have nearly destroyed his self-confidence and plus it was a deep cut, almost to the bone.

"Come on Chase, let's go back to the Lookout. It will be safer and warmer there," Ryder said as he picked up the shepherd.

Chase then howled and Ryder set him back down immediately. Ryder looked to him was about to ask him what was wrong. He then saw that there was a crimson red liquid on his arm. Chase limped away and collapsed about three feet away from Ryder.

Ryder looked back at where he picked Chase up from. The same red liquid was in a small pool with a sharp piece of flint next to it with the liquid dripping off it. Ryder and I widened our eyes like dinner plates. I guess both he and I knew what Chase was trying to do to himself.

"Chase! Why!? Why did you stab yourself?" Ryder asked running over to the pup who was on his side.

"I want my suffering to stop!" Chase now crying hard, "Watching your parents die in a fire right in front of you, over and over again*gasp*! While your past handler was killed by a *gasp* drunk man in front of you, over and over again! It hasn't stopped, *gasp* these nightmares and flashbacks are scaring me!"

Ryder could only start to cry for his pup. All until now he didn't know why Chase was acting so upset. Now having him come clean was overwhelming for me and Ryder. He just tried to commit suicide in front of him.

"Ryder I'm sorry *gasp* please help me," Chase begged.

Ryder picked up his sobbing pup as gently as possible and put him on his ATV. He drove back to the Lookout.

When he arrived, he rushed inside. The rain was turning into hail. The pups saw the doors open reviling Ryder carrying a bloody, crying, Chase. They immediately went to go ask questions on what happened. Ryder just ignored them and went up the elevator to his room.

Once he got there, he set Chase on a chair and grabbed some bandages. He quickly came back over and patched Chase up. The cut wasn't servire, but it was large. Ryder then put Chase one his bed and stroke his favorite spot with no response from Chase, just a stop from the crying and a deep breath.

Just a bit earlier the pups called Everest to see if she would like to come over to their place since Jake was gone and when the rain clears up. She said she would love to. For her, it would be a good time to talk with Skye about the boys. With that in mind, Everest started to pack her things for the night at the lookout. She will leave when it stops or lightens up with the rain/hail.

Now the pups weren't even thinking about anything. Seeing their second in command and big brother figure get taken upstairs, bleeding and crying. They were thinking about what could have happened to him and why Chase was in that state. Ryder then came down the elevator and as soon as the doors opened, he was bombarded with questions from the pups. I got annoyed.

"What happened to Chase?" asked Marshall.

"Is he going to be ok?" Skye asked.

And on, and on, and on. The pups asked the same questions. Ryder just went over to a beanbag chair and sat in it. He raised his hand to quiet the pups. I thought he was about to slap them.

He then said, "Pups, what happened to Chase, he wants to keep secret right now. He is having some issues right now and he doesn't want you to get sucked up into it."

"Why though. We're his friends, and friends help friends," Rocky said.

Ryder then started to explain why they didn't need to know at this moment. Earning complaints from the pups. I get that they want to help but in life sometimes, help from others so early on especially all at once could overwhelm the person or pup in this case. It could push them over the edge. Ryder made the right call in not letting them know everything. Not yet at least.

From what I said before, Chase is the K-9 that lost everything at first, but he rose up out of the hole and became part of the PAW Patrol. He is past the first stage. Now he has to forgive himself. This won't stop until he does that. But knowing him… Will he ever?

Life is like a game of Chess. If you make all the right moves, you win, right? But like Chess, you are bound to lose things along the way whether it be a couple of pawns, your knight, or bishop. Each one of those pieces represents something in your life. For Chase, he has lost his queen (parents), his bishop (Atlas), and recently both of his knights (dignity). For him, he thinks the game is over. He doesn't realize that if he plays his remaining pawns and other pieces right. He can earn back what he lost and win the Game of Life.