Chapter 6: A Fallen Heart

In the Present

Katie had announced that Marshall was recovering nicely although his injures were still severe she allowed Ryder to take him home, Ryder gently took Marshall on his ATV with him and brought him back home, Marshall couldn't have been happier when he saw Everest waiting for them along with the rest of the pups. For the remainder of the morning Marshall laid on a comfy bed Ryder had made for him, outside in the shade of a tree with his mate next to him, under the watchful eye on his owner

"Its so lovely out here" Everest said trying to smile when she looked at her mate still covered in bandages

"I guess so" Marshall replied somewhat depressed

Everest kissed his cheeking and looked into his eyes "Hey, Marshall you're going to get better don't worry"

"I want to walk" Marshall sighed knowing he was still too weak "Can you help me?"

"Marshall you know you're not allowed to, yet" Everest was concerned Katie had told Ryder not to let Marshall try and walk for a few days "Besides isn't it better to just lay here with me?" she asked kissing his neck causing him to moan

Marshall bit down on his lip as Everest continued planting kisses on his neck "Ev-ev-everest..." he mumbled trying not to get the attention of Ryder, who was getting lunch ready

"Yes Marshall?" Everest saw Marshall blushing and giggled "Sorry Marshall, I'm just happy you're alright" she kissed his forehead then moved herself closer to him

Deep down inside he wanted to at least try and walk but with Everest here he couldn't "Hey can you ask Ryder when lunch is ready?" Marshall said hiding a smirk

"Sure" Everest activated her pup tag "Ryder? it's Everest, Marshall is hungry and wants to know when lunch'll be ready"

"Everest it'll be ready soon, I'll bring your's and his lunch out" Ryder replied

Marshall face palmed himself "I'm thirsty too"

"Oh, alright I'll go get you a drink, will you be ok by yourself?" Everest asked concerned

"I'll be fine" Marshall replied and kissed her cheek "I'll just lay here, and wait"

Everest smiled at him then kissed him on his lips "I'll be back" she said walking off

Marshall watched Everest walk into the Lookout, once he was sure he was alone he forced himself to his paws using the tree to help him standing steady.

Ryder, Everest and Chase walked out to see Marshall standing

"Marshall!" Everest yelled out, instantly dropping the bowl of water, she knew what happened the last time Marshall tried to walk

2 Days earlier

Marshall wasn't anxious to try and walk, he still felt weak after it had only been just over 2 days since he was brutally attacked. Ryder didn't like the idea of him walking either, but Katie said Marshall should try to walk laying down all the time wasn't good

"Come on Marshall, you can do this" Skye said trying to cheer him on

Katie placed Marshall on the floor of her clinic, holding him steady

Everest was on one side of him while Chase was on the other side

"You can do this buddy" Chase said ready to catch Marshall if he should fall "Just take small steps"

Marshall looked down at his paws which were still bandaged however they didn't hurt much, it was his broken hind leg and his wound on his side and belly which hurt the most

"Marshall, I'll be right here" Everest said forgetting about Marshall's deafness in his left ear "Marshall?"

"Pardon Everest?" Marshall turned and looked at her

Everest felt a tear fall from her eye "Oh right" she kissed his cheek

Chase smiled "Lets switch places Everest, you should be on his good ear side"

"Huh?" Marshall titled his head still being held by Katie

Everest nodded, as she and Chase switched places, Everest was now on his good ear side

Ryder knelt in front of Marshall "Everyone is here pup"

(Yeah here to watch me fail, I can't do it) Marshall thought to himself but put on a fake smile "Ok! I can do this"

"That's the spirit" Katie smiled patting his head while holding him with one hand "Ready?" she asked the Dalmatian who nodded, slowly Katie let go off Marshall

Both Chase and Everest were ready to catch him should he fall

Marshall was wobbly at first, but to his surprise he didn't fall over. He sighed then placed one paw out in front of him

"You good?" Ryder asked growing concerned

The Dalmatian nodded, as he now went to place his broken hind leg down but the minute he did

A ripping noise echo'd through everyone's ears, Marshall suddenly buckled over in pain

Chase and Everest quickly stopping him from falling over using their body weight

"It's ok Marshall" Everest said putting her nose under his neck

Chase put his head under Marshall belly but warm liquid the color of ruby ran across his nose "Marshall!" he yelled as it dripped on Katie's Clinic's floor

"Oh no!" Katie quickly responded and picked Marshall up placing him on a table, she quickly unwrapped the bandages around his belly and side "He's torn almost all of his stitches, Ryder I need your help"

Ryder nodded and quickly stood next to the girl "What do you need?"

"Can you hold this injury closed so I can stitch it?" Katie asked as the Dalmatian began to worry "Marshall I won't lie this is going to hurt, I don't have time to give you pain relief"

Everest jumped up next to him "You'll be alright, I'm right here" she planted a kiss on his forehead

"Ready Ryder?" Katie questioned wiping the blood from around Marshall's wound

Ryder nodded using his hands he pulled the skin together causing Marshall to flinch

"Marshall you need to stay still" Chase said into Marshall deaf ear, naturally Marshall didn't hear him

Everest held Marshall down, carefully without hurting him "Stay still ok? but looked at me"

"Oh, alright" Marshall nodded looking his mate in her eyes

"Ok! Ready everyone?" Katie asked picking up a needle and thread

Ryder nodded holding Marshall's wound closed, Marshall nodded still looking at Everest

"Here we go" Katie said pressing the needle through Marshall's skin, instantly he flinched

"Hey!" Everest licked his forehead "Keep looking at me"

Katie pulled the thread through, then pushed the needle into his skin again

Tears filled Marshall's eyes he looked up at Katie

"No! Don't look at Katie, look at me" Everest said turning his head "Marshall just keep looking into my eyes don't look away, or think of what Katie's doing, think about me, and our pup or pups when they're born"

"H-h-how many d-d-do you think we'll h-h-have?" Marshall asked tears escaping his eyes

Katie pulled the thread through again then the needle, Marshall flinched and looked at Katie

"Hey.. Marshall i don't know, but however many we have I know they'll love you" Everest once again turned his head so he was looking t her "What names do you like?"

"I-I-I Don't know" Marshall replied as tears fell down his cheeks "Ever-est i-i-it hurts"

Everest felt herself began to tear up, but she forced out a small smile "I know it hurts, but keep thinking about me and our pups, it'll take your mind off of the pain"

"I-I-I-I-I can't" Marshall flinched feeling the needle pierce his flesh, the next thing he felt was Everest's soft, warm lips pressed up against his, he closed his eyes and kissed back

Time itself seemed to stand still for Marshall, as he continued to kiss his mate passionately... then...

"All done" Katie said wiping sweat from her forehead, placing the needle and thread down then wrapping Marshall's wound "You did good Marshall"

"Marshall?" Chase looked at him, he was still kissing Everest both pups were wrapped up in the moment

Ryder coughed and chuckled "Ehm it's finished"

Everest separated from the kiss blushing "Oh"

"Didn't notice" Marshall said blushing more then Everest "But wow! Everest you were right, I didn't even feel it" he said with a grin causing the whole room to laugh

"Well now Ryder, I suggest not to let Marshall try to walk until his wound is healed more, otherwise we could end up with him splitting his wound again" Katie frowned

Ryder nodded placing his hand on her shoulder "It's alright Katie, we will all make sure he doesn't try"

Katie smiled then kissed his cheek, Ryder's cheeks turned bright red

"Someone's got a crush" Chase teased Ryder

Ryder eyeballed Chase "Can it! Chase!"

"It's true!" Chase teased again causing Ryder to roll his eyes

Marshall laid on the table, now he was scared to walk

Back in the Present

Marshall heard Everest scream out to him, but he ignored her

"I can do this" He said to himself, putting one of his front paws out, followed by his back leg "This doesn't hurt so bad" he giggled to himself, taking another step, but when he put pressure on his broken back hind leg, the pain shot through his body like a bullet "OUCH! Spoke to soon!" he yelped and was sent tumbling to the ground

"Marshall!" Ryder followed by Chase and Everest ran over to the Dalmatian laying on the ground

Everest arrived at Marshall's side "Why! Why?! Marshall! You knew this would happen!" she cried "Why would you even try to stand? let alone walk!"

"Because!" Marshall lifted his "I.. Thought I could do it" tears fell down his cheeks

"Marshall you could have injured yourself more" Ryder knelt next to him

Tears flooded from Marshall's cheeks dribbling on the ground "I'm useless, I can't do anything! I'll never walk again! I might as well just quit the team" he ripped off his pup tag and threw it on the ground

To be continued