Everest groaned as she groggily opened her eyes to be quickly blinded by the morning sun. She looked to her side to see an empty space.

"I guess Chase got up early," Everest mumbled, followed with a sigh. She got up and exited her pup house. It was lightly snowing outside. She turned to see a brown lump in the ground.

"Chase?" Everest said. She walked up to Chase to see his body surrounded by blood. His body was covered and cuts. She quickly turned him over to meet his face covered with deep cuts and black eyes.

"You can't save them all…" Chase said.

[Reality]

Everest screamed awake, drawing the attention of a sleepy Chase next to her. She breathed heavily as she looked at Chase. She gave a sigh of relief to see he was still with her.

"Bad dream?" Chase asked. Everest nodded and leaned on his shoulder. Everest finally pulled away from Chase and stood up.

"Let's see if the others are awake," Everest said.

"Hey...want to um...come down by the Lookout later?" Chase asked. Everest turned around to see a nervous Chase looking at his paws.

"Would love to," Everest said. A small smile spreading on her face.

The morning for all the pups wasn't a bad morning. Chase and Everest were being constantly asked of what really happened the day before.

"I just got lost," Everest said.

"Come on...you can tell us the truth," Rocky begged, making his puppy dog face at Chase.

"Nothing really happened...I just found her trying to find her way back to the Cabin," Chase said, "And that's all that happened out there."

Chase looked at all the pups disappointed faces. Chase sighed and left the room. Everest looked down and laid down by the fireplace. The rest of the pups went outside to play while Marshall went talk to Chase.

Skye watched Marshall leave before walking up to Everest. She took a seat next to Everest.

"If you want to tell me what really happened out there...you can," Skye broke the silence. Everest just sighed and glanced over at Skye.

"He saved me," Everest said," He saved me from myself."

"What do you mean?" Skye asked. Everest looked up at her and slowly began to cry. She lifted paw and extended her claws.

"He saved me from my pain," Everest said. She slowly retracted her claws. She looked up at Skye.

"Do you love him?" Skye asked.

"Now Skye...do you love him?" Everest questioned. Skye looked at her with a puzzled look.

"I have my eyes on another pup," Skye said with a blush appearing on her face.

"Is that so?" Everest said with a smirk.

"Yeah...he's funny and very kind," Skye said.

"Rocky?" Everest said. Skye looked at her and laughed.

"I said 'very kind' and funny," Skye said.

"I'm kidding...I know it's Marshall," Everest said. Skye just giggled a bit before laying on Everest.

"Hey...I'm sure he'll come around," Everest said.

Meanwhile Marshall was looking for Chase outside. The dalmatian finally spotted Chase playing tag with the other pups. Marshall ran to Chase but tripped over his legs and crashed right into him.

"Hehe...sorry," Marshall said with a sly grin.

"It's fine Marshall," Chase said.

"Hey uh...can we talk?" Marshall asked Chase. Chase nodded and followed Marshall to the Cabin's door. Marshall took a seat by the door, followed by Chase.

"You want to know huh?" Chase asked while still watching the other pups play.

"Yeah…" Marshall said.

"Everest is depressed...she lost her family before we found her...and she tried to kill herself yesterday," Chase said. He looked over to see Marshall's mouth slightly ajar.

"She's being haunted by her dreams of her dead family...about how she couldn't save them," Chase explained.

"That must really suck," Marshall said. He remembered his life as a stray before Ryder and Chase found him on the verge of death.

"Then...then I...well…" Chase trailed off.

"You can trust me," Marshall said. Chase blushed at the thought of kissing Everest last night. Marshall just laughed a bit at Chase's embarrassment.

"Let me guess...you love her," Marshall said smirking.

"Yeah...and well...erm...I sorta kissed her last night as well...and she liked it," Chase said while looking down. Marshall just laughed and gave his friend a quick hug.

"It's okay Chase...if it's fine with you I'll tell you who I like," Marshall said but quickly regretted it. Chase smirked and stared hard at Marshall as he squirmed in place.

"So...who?" Chase asked with a raised brow.

"Well erm...um...hehe...yeah…" Marshall nervously said as he tried to back away from Chase. Chase quickly pounced on Marshall who gulped. Chase smirked as he moved both paws and began to squeeze the dalmatians sides.

"No...hehehe...please stop," Marshall laughed.

"Come on Marshall...just tell me and I'll stop," Chase said.

"I'll tell...hehe...just no more," Marshall begged. Chase stopped torturing him and let him up.

"Alright so who?" Chase asked. Marshall blushed hard and tried not to make eye contact with Chase.

"I like S-Skye," Marshall spat out. Chase just stared at Marshall. He walked up to Marshall and put one paw on his shoulder.

"You should tell her...I'm sure she feels the same way," Chase said. Marshall nervously nodded and hugged Chase.

"Brothers?" Marshall asked.

"Damn straight," Chase said. Marshall laughed lightly and went inside the Cabin. Chase just sat there thinking about Everest. "Are these feelings even true...do I really love her?" Chase went inside to find Jake and Ryder.

Meanwhile Marshall went up to Everest and Skye who were chatting by the fire. Marshall slowly walked up to them.

"Hey Marshall," Everest greeted.

"Hey…" Marshall said," Hey um Skye"

"Yeah Marshall," Skye asked. Marshall just stared at her confused eyes.

"W-would you…" Marshall began. Skye nodded for him to continue.

"Would y-you like to be my mate?" Marshall asked before looking at the ground. Skye got up and hugged Marshall. The hug felt good to him and he soon returned it.

"I love to be," Skye said. They both embraced each other, feeling only the others presence.

Everest gave the new couple a warm smile before standing up.

"I'll give you two some alone time," Everest said with a smirk. She walked down the hall of the Cabin towards Jake's room. She opened the door to find Ryder and Jake talking, as well as Chase laying by Ryder's feet. Chase's head perked up and looked at Everest. She smiled and gave a quick wave before going by Jake.

"Hey Everest," Jake said. Jake reached down and began to scratch behind Everest's ear.

"Oh that feels great," Everest said," And um Jake?"

"Yeah?" Jake responded.

"Can I sleepover at the lookout?" Everest asked, hoping the answer would be yes.

"I don't know...can she Ryder?" Jake asked.

"Yeah...of course she can," Ryder said. He smiled at Everest who wagged her tail happily.

"Thankyou," Everest said. She looked down at Chase who had a light smile on his face. She walked up to Chase and gave him a quick lick on his cheek. His face turned cherry red as Jake and Ryder laughed at his reaction.

Thanks for reading and for the feedback on my previous chapters. I really appreciate idea's as well as ways to make future writings better.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you guys in the next one!

~Skyfire119