Chapter 24: Something Much More.
If there was ever a time in Zuma's mind that he wished he could reverse, this was that time.
Pressing his paws against Chase's neck, he growled watching the life slip out of the Shepherd's eyes. "Chase, you'we no bettew then Wocky! You say Wocky is a muwdewew, a twaitow! But look at what you did to him!" He spat forcing Chase's head to the left. "You almost killed him! And for what? Because he made one comment about Marshall, one little wemawk! He asked fow Marshall's fowgiveness! Dude how is that so bad!?" Zuma yells overcome by rage, his paw pushing harder against Chase's neck.
"Z-Zuma.. Y-you don't g-get it." Chase coughed trying so hard to take in air, "Rocky almost tried to kill h-him... Again... I-I-I couldn't l-let that happen..."
"Please Zuma listen to Chase, let him go." Skye pleaded, tears falling down her eyes.
Zuma shook his head, staring in Chase's eyes. "It doesn't mattew, I thought you got ovew it dude, Wocky has pwoblem's but didn't desewve-"
"Are you kidding me right now Zuma!? Look at what he just did to Marshall!" Everest yells holding the crying dalmatian in her paws, "LOOK AT HIS SIDE WOUND! Rocky made this worse!" She points to Marshall side, blood soaks through his bandages, the bandages them self are torn claw marks clearly visible.
Tears, tears finally began to fall from Zuma's eyes. He had never felt this way before. "Aftew evewything that happened to us, you still want to fight? Why... Why can't you both just get ovew evewything... Chase you'we no bettew then Wocky is." But then it hit him, he released his grip from Chase. Closing his eyes shut he stepped away, then began walking out of the infirmary.
"Where are you going?" Rubble questions finally being able to speak.
Zuma eyeballed him, staring Rubble directly into his eyes. "Dude now you want to speak!? You just sat thewe! And watched.."
"I-I.." Rubble gulped feeling tears sting his own eyes.
"I'm going to find Wocky, and bwing him back."
"But Natalie-"
"I don't twust Natalie." Is all Zuma said, before he left.
Minutes later Ryder accompanied by John came running in, alerted of the yells.
"What happened here?" Ryder's eyes go wide seeing Chase coughing and gasping for air, then Marshall crying in his mates paws. "Everest? Where's Zuma and Rocky?"
She lifts her head and looks into the young leaders eyes, "He just snapped..."
"Who?"
"Zuma..." She replies putting her paws over Marshall's injury, "I've never seen Zuma so mad before."
"Neither have we," both Skye and Rubble say in sync.
Ryder kneels next to Chase and begins to rub his back, as John goes to Marshall.
"Skye what happened? Start from the beginning." Ryder says and Skye nods gulping she wipes tears from her own eyes.
...FLASH BACK...
The Rangers had finally found Brad and Kate, both were in a critical condition. Anna had spent the last 4 hours in surgery, trying to save their lives. meanwhile, there was no word from Pedz, and John was beginning to worry, so he, Silvera, Michael and Ryder left the pups with Natalie to go look for Pedz.
Chase was fast asleep along with Rubble, while Everest was feeding her pups.
Rocky looks over at Marshall who's resting on a bed next to his. "M-Marshall?" He speaks quietly.
"Yeah?" Marshall replies turning his head to face the Mix-Breed, "What is it?"
"C-can I talk to you?" Rocky questions curiously, to his surprise Marshall nods.
Zuma and Skye both lift their heads sitting on a few feet away from Marshall's bed.
"U-um... I.. W-well I..." Rocky closes his eyes and reopens them looking at the dalmatian. "I just wanted to say, I'm so sorry for hurting you... I-I know something's wrong with me, and I want to get my anger problem fixed... But I need your forgiven to be able to forgiven myself.."
"No." Marshall stats harshly. "I can't Rocky... I mean I want too, but I'm scared.."
"I won't hurt you again-"
"You always say that, then in the end you hurt me." Marshall turns his head. "I'm sorry but you've had to many-"
"The last time was an accident! I didn't mean to-"
Marshall snaps his head back at Rocky, "See there you go again, losing you're cool. It's like you do it on purpose."
"What!? no-"
"Forget it," Marshall rolls over with his back face Rocky.
But Rocky was determinant, maybe a bit too much, to get Marshall's forgiveness. Without thinking he jumps over to Marshall's bed.
Marshall jumps in surprised by Rocky's sudden movements, he stares at the Mix breed who raises his paw in the air, Marshall shuts his eyes tight. But little did he know he was merely inches away from the bed.
It all happened so fast, Marshall's back paws slipped off the bed, in an attempt to stop his fall Rocky had grabbed hold of Marshall bandaged side causing Marshall to yelp in pain, fear filling the dalmatian's eyes. But the bandage tore resulting in Marshall falling on the ground with a hard thud.
Chase is first to see Rocky standing on the edge of the bed with pieces of Marshall's bandages in his paws, rage turns his eyes red and within seconds he's on top of Rocky causing both he and the Mix Breed to tumble on the floor. "HOW COULD YOU!?" He roars shoving Rocky's face into the hard floor, "I thought you changed!"
"Chase!" Skye yells standing to her paws
"YOU DID IT AGAIN!" Chase continues slamming Rocky's face into the floor.
Rocky yelps and groans by each impact, blood soon drips from his mouth, closing his eyes he attempts to rid the pain, but Chase just keeps ramming his head against the floor.
"Someone stop him!" Skye screams out, worried for both pups. "Everest do something!"
But what could Everest do? She was still recovering from giving birth, not to mention her pups were feeding off her.
Then something happened, no-one could have ever seen coming.
Zuma charged into Chase sending him flying off Rocky, moments later Zuma had Chase in a head lock. "You just don't know when to stop do you!?" he growls holding his paws against Chase's wind pipe.
When Skye looked to were Rocky once was, he was gone.
Natalie had just entered the infirmary when Rocky raced passed her, with watery eyes, bloody face he bolted. She chased him.
...Flash back ends...
Skye wiped tears, but the more she removed the more fell. "Ryder, I saw it, Rocky didn't try to kill Marshall, it was-"
"An accident?" Chase lowered his head, "It's my fault, and Zuma was right, I'm no better then Rocky..."
"It did look like he hurt him on purpose." Rubble speaks up and approaches Ryder.
Ryder lets out a long sigh, "Well now we have another problem, my sister is missing and now two of my pups have ran away."
"We'll help you-" Chase is cut off when Ryder holds his hand up.
"No, you've done enough Chase. Stay here with Marshall and Everest, Rubble and Skye you pups come with me." Before Chase could comment Ryder left.
Silvera walks beside Ryder, "Mate let us help you look for them,"
Ryder shakes his head, "You've done enough."
"Don't be bloody bonkers Ryder." Silvera grabs hold of his hand. "Listen, mate you helped us out so many times before Ryder we owe it to you, and besides this is my Park, I am head Ranger so." Letting go of his hand she pulls out her communicator. "Michael and Mark we're going to need our new equipment."
"Roger that." Mark's voice replies
Ryder raises a brow, "What new equipment?'
"You'll see, now come on." Silvera says, leading them around the debris from Brad's Weather station.
Once outside Ranger HQ, Ryder, Skye and Rubble watched as a dark shadow appears above them.
"Say hello to our new Rescue helicopter." Silvera says pointing up.
A white large helicopter hovers above, it has two sets of rotters each have red marks that look like a cross as they turn.
"It's state of the art technology, was designed by Pedz." Silvera explains waving her hand above her head. "Specially built for search and rescue missions."
A platform is lowered from the helicopter and soon lands beside Ryder, Silvera along with Michael and Mark climb on it.
Silvera looks at Ryder who smiles pulling out his pup-pad. "I have my own," He pressing on the Air Patroller symbol. "Robo Dog, bring the Air Patroller to Ranger Headquarters." he says then hangs up.
Soon the Air Patroller has landed in HQ driveway, just as Ryder, Skye and Rubble are walking to it Chase and Marshall appear behind them.
Ryder lifts a brow, "What are you two doing here? And Marshall you should be-"
"I'm tired of resting Ryder, that's all I ever do. The first time we came to the Park I was always resting, I want to help look for Rocky." Marshall firmly says next to Chase, "We both want to help look."
"I don't care Marshall, you're still injurie-" Ryder is yet again cut off.
This time by Chase who shakes his head, "We're not asking for your permission Ryder sir, Marshall and I are going to look for Rocky and Zuma whether you agree or not."
Marshall swallows hard, afraid of Ryder's reaction.
Ryder turns around and approaches both pups who keep eye contact with him, kneeling in front of them he briefly closes his eyes then sighs. "Look pups-"
"I told you Ryder Sir we're still-"
"You can look in the forest around HQ, but don't go too far." Ryder lets out another sigh, he didn't want them to go but Chase being Chase once his mind is set on something nothing will stop him, Ryder knew this.
"I don't care Ryder we're looking for Rocky, with or without-" Chase stops himself, lifting his head up he looks into his owners eyes. "Wait... You mean we can look?"
Ryder chuckles patting Chase on his head, "Yes Chase, but you have to keep an eye on Marshall I don't want his side wound to open up, make sure you keep in touch with me at all times."
Chase grins and jumps into Ryder's arms who catches him. "Thank you Ryder Sir! We won't let you done!"
"Good pup." Ryder lowers Chase to the ground, "And Chase, I think it's about time to apologize to Rocky."
"You're right Ryder." Chase looks back at Marshall, "You don't have to forgive him buddy, or be scared of him. You know I'll always protect you no matter what."
Marshall smiles with a nod, "I know Chase, Ryder?"
Ryder looks down at the Dalmatian. "Yes Marshall?"
"I-I... C-can.. you maybe help me to get over what Rocky did to me?" He asks with a touch of hurt in his voice.
"Of course I can pup, but be careful ok? I don't want to go through what happened before at the Park, I can't lose any of you." Ryder says then kisses both pups on the head, they nod.
Elsewhere, deep within the forest. Rocky sits by a small river, its water runs peacefully by him.
"Rocky?" Natalie appears from the bushes behind him. "What are you doing out here by yourself?"
Rocky didn't turn his head to look at the Poodle, instead he stared at the water.
Natalie walked up to him then sat next to him. "Are you alright?"
"Do I look alright to you?" Using a paw he removed tears from his cheeks, only for more to fall. "I feel useless, they hate me."
"That is not true Rocky," Natalie touched the side of his face.
This caused Rocky to look at her, "How do you know that? Chase will try to use anything against me, if I look at Marshall wrongly he'll use it, if I breathe the same air he'll use it, they hate me!"
"Rocky-" Natalie suddenly groans and brings her paws up to her the sides of her face. "Ohh no..."
"Natalie? What is it? Are you ok?" Rocky questioned now concerned.
"We must go!" She replies getting to her paws. "Rocky, listen to me-"
Before she had a chance to continue, the ground started to shake violently causing the trees to sway and water to move faster.
"Earthquake!" Rocky shouted lowering himself to the ground.
But Natalie forced him to stand up as the ground continued to shake. "Rocky that is not it..." She pointed her paw towards the river.
Rocky's eyes went wide upon seeing a wall of water heading straight for them.
"Flash flood!"
To be continued.