Chapter 11: The Reason for Love

Minutes turned to seconds as Marshall coughed into his mask, while spraying the hot wood in front of him. After using his cannon, he looked for a way out, but there was none. He pressed his pup tag with his paw.

"Ryder, the front of the house collapsed from the fire, and burnt wood. The fire is out, but the wood is too hot to touch. How can I get out?" Marshall said through his pup tag.

"We'll get you out, Marshall. Just stay where you are," Ryder replied into his pup pad. Ryder was nervous. The front collapsed part of the cabin blocked Marshall's path, but if he went to get out the back of the cabin, he would be heading into unstable fire. Marshall was trapped. Snowflake thought about the situation until she noticed the water forcefully spraying from the fire hose. It was risky, but it was the only thing she could think of.

"Ryder, I got an idea. If Marshall got out of the way, do you think the pressure from his water hose could push the fallen wood out of the way? Just enough for him to get through?" the husky asked. Ryder looked at the wood and the hose, understanding the husky.

"Good idea, Snowflake. We'll have to be careful though, so Marshall doesn't get hurt!" Ryder replied cautiously.

"I think I know a good safe spot," Snowflake commented before pushing her pup tag. Marshall heard his pup tag beep, and answered it.

"Marshall, this is Snowflake. We're going to use the water pressure from your hose to try to make an opening in the wood so you can get out of the cabin. But we don't know how strong the force will be on the wood. Turn to your left, and go into the kitchen in the corner, behind the table. The table should keep you safe while you hide. We don't want you getting hurt when we spray the wood with your hose," Snowflake explained through her pup tag.

"Okay, hold on ..." Marshall replied. From inside the house, Marshall went into the kitchen, and did exactly as Snowflake said. He was now in the corner of the kitchen, with the table blocking his view, crouched down on the floor.

"Ryder, Snowflake. I'm in the corner of the kitchen near the back. I should be safe from anything that gets blasted with the hose," Marshall said through his pup tag.

"Thank you Marshall. Just stay there until we let you know when to come out. Okay, water pressure increasing in one ... two ... three!" Ryder replied until he adjusted the stream of water coming out of the hose. Within seconds, the water shot out of the hose at full power, making it feel like Ryder and Snowflake were holding onto a hose that wanted to go in reverse from just the force of the water coming out.

The water hit the wood with enough force to send it flying into the hallway, spraying anything that came in the path of the water. As the spraying continued, the collapsed parts of the house were holding themselves up by the top corners, and had stopped moving. Once it was clear, Ryder adjusted the hose to a steady stream to keep putting the fire out. There was now a triangle opening for the dally to get out.

"Marshall, the front of the house is clear. Are you okay?" Snowflake asked through her pup tag.

"Yes. I'm okay. Coming out now," Marshall responded from inside the house as he quickly looked at his surroundings, before running towards the opening, and back outside. He was free!

"Marshall!" Snowflake exclaimed as she let go of the hose, and hugged her friend. Marshall embraced her, his tail wagging.

"It's good to be safe, but the fire isn't out yet. Keep spraying!" Marshall commented. The husky nodded as the team kept putting the fire out. Within an hour, the fire was completely put out.

"Thank you Ryder," the husband told the boy as the family pet the pup on their heads.

"You're welcome. Whenever you need a fire put out, just yelp for help! I'll have some more of my pups clean up the damage, and build you another cabin," Ryder replied. The ten year old then got on his ATV and drove off, with Marshall, Chase, and Snowflake following him in their own vehicles. On the way back, Ryder called the other pups so they could go help the family rebuild the cabin. Soon, Ryder and the pups were at The Lookout.

"Job well done, pups!" Ryder said to the three pups after they parked their vehicles. "Why don't you three go to Katie's place, and get baths; you pups smell like a barbecue!"

"Okay Ryder," Marshall, Snowflake, and Chase said before running off to Katie's Pet Parlor. Katie was more than happy to give them baths. After about an hour or so, their baths were done.

Adrenaline ran through their bodies even as they walked back to The Lookout. It hadn't just been a big rescue, it was an emotional one too. Nobody spoke as they could tell what the others must have been thinking, not wanting to do something that might make their walk uncomfortable or upsetting. Upon reaching The Lookout, they saw Zuma laying down on a bean bag.

"Ryder is upstairs. You all did a weally good job. I'm just happy your safe-" the chocolate lab said before he quickly ran up to his friends, and hugged them. Zuma cried as Marshall, Chase, and Snowflake embraced him.

"After Wyder told me, he comforted me! I just wanted to see you guys! I - I'm just glad you're all safe! Especially Marshall and Snowflake!" Zuma exclaimed as he cried.

"So are we," Marshall replied before they separated. Zuma went to go calm down as his friends went up the elevator. The pups existed the elevator, and went over to Ryder who was sitting in a bean bag himself.

"I'm guessing you three have been thinking about the rescue huh?" Ryder said as he looked at them sympathetically. Chase, Marshall, and Snowflake's ears went down, as they stared at Ryder with watery eyes.

"I can't tell the three of you how proud I am of your work today. But I know this rescue was hard and scary. It's okay to be scared," Ryder told them with concern.

"WHY WOULDN'T I BE SCARED?! I WAS LITERALLY CAUGHT BETWEEN A WALL OF WOOD AND A RAGING FIRE! THERE'S NO WAY MY WATER CANON COULD PUT THAT OUT! IF YOU AND SNOWFLAKE HADN'T SAVED ME, I COULD HAVE - I COULD HAVE -" Marshall yelled until his voice cracked. Putting fires out was his JOB. But almost becoming a victim of the thing he saved others from wasn't just ironic, it terrified him. Ryder opened his arms, and Marshall ran into them, sobbing as he hugged.

"I WAS JUST AS SCARED! WHEN MARSHALL GOT TRAPPED, I WANTED TO RUN IN AND GRAB HIM! BUT I COULDN'T! I WAS SCARED TO DEATH FOR HIS SAFETY! I WAS SCARED FOR WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF I HADN'T SUGGESTED MAKING THAT HOLE, AND HIDING IN THE KITCHEN! IF I HADN'T, I DON'T KNOW IF - IF -" Snowflake shouted until her voice cracked too.

She and Chase ran into Ryder's arms, hugging him. Ryder embraced the crying the husky, German Shepherd, and dally as they thought about just how scary and serious their rescue was. If it hadn't been for Snowflake's actions, Marshall might not have gotten out safely. Once the pups separated from the hug, they hugged each other while crying.

"I'm sorry Chase! I didn't mean to scare you!" Marshall exclaimed through tears.

"I'm just happy you're safe, buddy!" Chase said as the two friends hugged. They separated, and Chase threw himself into Snowflake, giving her a bear hug.

"Thank you Snowflake! Thank you!" Chase said, gratefully crying.

"You're welcome Chase," Snowflake replied as she hugged him. Once they separated, Chase smiled, then went down the elevator. The husky and dally turned to each other before hugged through tears.

"Marshall! I'm so happy your okay! You scared me!" Snowflake said gratefully.

"I'm just happy you're safe, Snowflake!" Marshall replied, sobbing.

As they hugged and cried, Snowflake felt her love grow towards Marshall. But now, she felt like she had a reason. A reason to love him. Unbeknownst to her, so did Marshall.