"Jeez, this road is slippery!" Liz exclaimed, as her car tires slid on the snowy surface.
"That's because a lot of normal cars don't go up this path!" Everest explained, sticking her head out of the window of the passenger side of the car.
The Husky felt the cold air waft over her head. It felt a little strange without her hat, but the cold air around calmed her. She was finally home once more for the first time in what seemed like years.
After successfully attaching a tracker to Hood's cloak the previous night, the original plan was to immediately follow behind the doppelganger Dalmatian. But after seeing the damage the three had taken during their fight against Hood, she decided that they could wait a bit before they went after Hood in case he tried to fight them again.
Upon telling this to the pups, Everest begged and pleaded to take her to Jake's Mountain so she could see her owner again. Apparently, Jake was one of the few residents of Adventure Bay who was on Marshall's side as well. She was glad to know that Marshall was still welcome in some places around Adventure Bay. Even if they were freezing cold.
Marshall and Rocky were in the backseats, sharing multiple blankets they had brought along to preserve warmth. Liz didn't exactly have winter gear prepped for three pups, so turning the heat on in the car and providing them with blankets was the best thing she could do.
Rocky shivered, "Everest, roll the window back up! You're letting out all of the warmth!"
"Oh relax, Rocky!" She turned to look at the mixed breed, "This isn't the first time you've been up here."
"It's the first time without some winter gear!" The ex-eco pup retorted.
"Sorry, Everest, I'm with Rocky on this one..." Marshall shivered, "He and I aren't really pups who can deal with the cold as well as you can."
The Husky sighed, rolling the window back up, "Sorry."
"...Of course you listen to him..." Rocky muttered under his breath.
Everest turned her entire body around to glare at the gray pup, "What was that?"
"Not again..." Both Marshall and Liz groaned as the two pups began to bicker once again.
It seemed to be a very common occurrence between the two to start arguing about the littlest of things. Marshall knew both of them individually before everything with Hood began, but Rocky and Everest weren't exactly the closest back then. They were still friends, but they had their different interests. Different close friends to spend time with.
Liz only sighed, turning on the radio to try and drown out their bickering.
.
.
.
Inside his cabin high up on the mountain, Jake was working on a schedule for the day. It seemed like it would be a busy day at the resort. The weather was growing colder, and the off season was coming to an end. That meant that the day where snow started to pile up once more, which landed on that particular day, would be one of the busiest.
The teen leaned back in his chair. He couldn't remember the last time when he was scared of people coming to the resort. Usually, he'd be reassured by the presence of his pet Husky, Everest, but without her, he would have to run things on his own. He wondered how she was doing. He hadn't heard from her since she called him at the PAW Patrol's lookout.
.
.
.
Weeks Prior
The mountain pup looked at her owner, desperation in her eyes, "I don't know what to do, Jake!" She exclaimed, "Ryder won't go looking for him because he left on his own, and I still have duties to fulfill as a member of the PAW Patrol. I can't just go looking for Marshall for however long it takes to find him, what if there's an emergency at the resort?"
"You said Ryder is giving Marshall a month, right?" He asked, Everest nodding in response, "The way I see it, there are still more members of the team beside you and Rocky. If you want to go looking for him, I say go look for him."
"But... I can't just prioritize Marshall over Adventure Bay and the resort!"
"To me, it feels like you already know where your priorities lie, y'know?" Her owner spoke in his usual calm voice that soothed his pet, "There's nothing wrong with wanting to make sure your friends are okay."
"But—"
"Everest, listen to me."
The Husky pup sat on her haunches, hearing the calm, yet firm order from her owner.
"I know that you're worried about all of us, girl. But at least you know that we're here. You know that we're totally fine here..." The teen explained, "But Marshall, you don't know where he is. You don't know if he's okay. If I'm being honest, I'd want you to go look for him. I care about that pup too."
Everest's ears fell, "But Jake... I don't want to leave you all alone."
Jake smiled, "I'm never alone. I have Adventure Bay. But you know who doesn't?"
"Marshall?"
"Exactly. Now stop wasting time talking to me, and go get him."
Everest nodded in agreement, walking over to the button to hang up the call, "Jake?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you..." The Husky looked up at the screen with a smile.
Jake smiled back at her, "Love you too."
.
.
.
Present Day
He convinced his pup to go looking for her dear friend. He was hesitant to convince her into it at first, as he was worried for Everest, but after realizing that she spent most of her life in the wild fending for herself, he knew that she'd be okay scouring Adventure Bay for a few days.
He looked over at a clock on the wall. He only had half an hour until the resort opened up. The best thing he could do was prepare for the impending busy day.
Grabbing his hat and putting it on, Jake walked over to the front door, "Let's do this."
The teen opened the door, the crisp air from outside whooshing into the interior of the cabin. He was about to take a step outside, but nearly tripped over something standing just in front of the doorway.
"Woah!" He exclaimed, taking a few steps back as he looked down at whatever he almost tripped over.
Standing there was a familiar Husky, who grinned widely at the sight of her owner. It almost felt like she was dreaming. Things had grown to be extremely strange to her, but at least one thing in her life didn't change. Her owner was still there for her, and was waiting for her to come home. She wanted nothing more but to come home, but Marshall needed her and Rocky's help. She couldn't abandon him in his time of need and leave him all alone. She wouldn't wish that on anyone.
None of that mattered anymore, though. She was finally back home. Not only that, but she and the others were one step closer in proving Marshall's innocence and bringing him back to the PAW Patrol. She couldn't wait for that to happen.
Jake meanwhile, was shocked to see the now hatless Husky standing in his doorway. She was okay. She was really okay. He never doubted for a second, but he couldn't say that he didn't worry for her from time to time. She would be okay on her own, but she was still his pup. He missed her.
The brunette fell to his knees, smiling just as widely as the pup in front of him. He spread his arms, a light chuckle slipping from his lips, "Everest!"
"Jake!" The former mountain pup ran at her owner, jumping into his arms. Once she did, she nestled her face into his chest, "...I'm home..."
He sat down, hugging her tightly while he stroked the fur on her head, "Welcome home, girl."
Everest sighed, finally letting herself relax in her owner's grasp. She closed her eyes tight, allowing her nose to inhale the scent she had grown to associate with him.
"I didn't know you were coming back today!" Jake exclaimed, looking down at the pup in his arms.
Everest giggled, "Well, I couldn't exactly call and let you know..." She gestured to the pup tag that she didn't have.
The brunette pet her head, "How did you even get here? Did you hike?"
"No, I got a ride!" The Husky smiled, "I didn't exactly come here alone."
Peeking into the doorway was a redheaded woman, as well as two other pups that he recognized. Jake stood up, still holding Everest in his arms as he looked at the three standing in the doorway.
"Marshall?" The teen's eyes widened, "You guys found him?"
Liz remained in the doorway while she watched Marshall and Rocky walk in, "Not exactly, I did."
"Who are you?" Jake raised an eyebrow.
"Elizabeth. But I go by Liz," She introduced herself, "I'm Katie's aunt."
"I'm Jake, awesome to meet you. You can come in, you know?" He quickly realized she was still standing outside, "The weather's gonna get pretty gnarly soon."
"Thanks..." The redhead walked in before shaking Jake's hand.
"So does that mean you and Katie have been hiding Marshall from the rest of Adventure Bay?" The teen theorized, earning a nod from the woman.
"Speaking of, where is Katie anyway?" Rocky inquired.
Liz looked down at the mixed breed pup, "I called her and told her that she could meet up with us here. I couldn't just swing by that PAW Patrol lookout place with the pups in my backseat. Too risky."
"Guess she'll have to walk the trail," Everest, who was still in her owner's arms, sighed, "Hopefully she doesn't get too cold."
"Thanks for worrying for me..." A familiar voice tiredly panted from outside the open doorway, "But I'm fine..."
Everyone in the room turned to look at the doorway, where a familiar blonde was leaned up against the right side of the doorway. She was wearing her winter gear, topped off with pink earmuffs covering her ears.
"Katie!" Rocky and Everest exclaimed in delight. Marshall, meanwhile, smiled silently at the sight of the young vet.
"You know, you could've just waited for me to get back home and we could have driven up there together..."
Liz smiled awkwardly, "Yeah... I didn't want to have to answer for how the house looked."
"How did the house look?" Katie stopped in her tracks, her gaze sharpening as she looked at her aunt.
Rocky was surprised to hear this, "Wait, you didn't—?"
"Not now, Rocky..." Marshall stopped him from speaking by covering the ex-eco pup's mouth.
After explaining the current situation to Jake, Everest joined her owner in opening the resort and starting the shift. Katie and Liz were discussing things relating to Marshall's situation and the current condition of their home. Marshall and Rocky, meanwhile, sat in front of the fireplace, snuggled up in a blanket each. Since neither of them came up with any winter gear, they were essentially rendered useless unless they were in the cabin.
The Dalmatian was staring at the fire crackling in the fireplace. He was finally warm enough to feel comfortable in his own fur, but the temperature wasn't the thing keeping him frozen in place. For some reason, being in Jake's cabin once again felt odd. Especially with pups and humans that still loved and respected him.
It was odd to think that after nearly two weeks of being a primary suspect of the theft of the stolen bones, they were closer to proving his innocence than they ever had been before.
Rocky, noticing how silent Marshall had been since entering the cabin, turned to him with concern, "Hey, Marshall?"
"Yeah?" The Dalmatian turned his head to the left, looking at his friend.
"How are you feeling?" The inventive pup inquired, "I know all of this stuff has been pretty crazy. And you're in the center of it all."
"I... I don't know," Marshall admitted to both Rocky and himself, "I think I've gotten so used to being sad and quiet, that now that things are going right, I don't know how to feel."
"What do you mean?"
The Dally turned back to the ever blazing fire in front of them, "What if I start being really happy again, and then something else happens?"
Rocky's eyebrows raised. Marshall? Scared to be happy? If he hadn't been through what they had gone through the past two weeks, just the simple thought of it would be preposterous. But he had been. Everything that had happened to them from the moment Marshall saved him from that storm wasn't some weird fever dream. It all happened.
"Marshall, you don't have to be scared to be yourself again..." Rocky looked at the Dally with a faint smile, "If I'm being honest with you, little moments of levity between us give me hope that one day, we'll all be back together..."
"Right, all back together..." The former fire pup parroted with a sigh, "...Do you ever think about the others? Rubble, Skye, Zuma... And Chase?"
Rocky nodded faintly, "Of course I think about them... All the time, even."
"Do you ever think about... Him?" Marshall specified, trying not to say it out loud.
The mixed breed knew exactly what his spotted friend was getting at, "Sometimes, when we're not dealing with proving your innocence or making gear to keep ourselves safe, it's hard not to get him out of my head."
The Dalmatian's eyes narrowed, "We need to get that evidence fast. I want to see you and him together again. Back before all of this, you guys were inseparable."
"After taking today to regroup, the next step is to track Hood down and get some pictures or any kind of evidence. Then, we're gonna head back to the lookout and show the others."
"Yeah, then it'll be over, right?" Marshall took his eyes off of the fire once more to look at Rocky.
The mixed breed nodded in agreement, "It should be..." He then smiled, "But for now, try to keep your chin up. I'm pretty sure Everest likes it more when you're being yourself."
The Dalmatian's cheeks burned under his fur, the temperature in his face heating up more in just an instant, "R-Rocky!"
.
.
.
As time went on, both Marshall and Rocky decided that it was time for a well deserved nap. Marshall cuddled up against Liz while Rocky slept beside Cali on Katie's lap. After everything that happened. After all of the stress and strife that the pups found themselves going through in the past two weeks, a nap with the humans was only expected.
Katie, being the only one in the cabin awake, glanced over at her aunt, who was laid on her back on a couch near the fireplace. The woman was fast asleep, a light snore slipping from her mouth and filling the otherwise silent room. Sleeping on her chest was Marshall, who was mumbling faintly as he slept.
The young blonde giggled at the adorable sight. She noticed how close she had Marshall had gotten over the course of the Dalmatian staying with them. He was the first of the pups to stay within their house, and the extra time Liz spent with Marshall seemed to bond them closer together, even if he didn't speak much at the time.
Their unlikely bond was adorable.
She then turned her attention to the mixed breed sleeping on her lap beside Cali. She never admitted it, but she always had a soft spot for Rocky. Despite the fact that a third of the time she interacted with him had something to do with water, she still adored the ex-eco pup. He reminded her a lot of Ryder. Inventive, studious, and adorable.
She gently ran her fingers through the fur on Rocky's head. She hated to play favorites, but when it came to the members of the PAW Patrol, she couldn't help but to adore the gray puppy. Katie allowed herself to sit back in her seat.
She hummed faintly. Maybe she would take the opportunity to take a nap too—-
"This is bad!" A sudden scream filled the interior of the cabin, which was followed by chilly air blowing on Katie, Rocky, and Cali.
Her eyes shot open and looked over to where the shout had come from.
"What? What's going on!?" Rocky shot up, his head darting around. In response to the mixed breed getting up, Cali yowled and dashed off.
Everest and Jake ran into the cabin, leaning their snowboards up against the wall near the door. Jake went to go grab a few items as Everest hurriedly walked over to Rocky and Katie.
Liz's eyes slowly opened, hearing the commotion rising around them.
"Guys, one of Jake's younger snowboarders slipped off of a cliff and is stuck on a ledge!" Everest exclaimed.
"What!? How does that even happen?" Rocky's eyes bulged as he hopped off of Katie's lap.
The Husky sighed, "The snowboarder got a little confident and tried to go around by herself, but her snowboard caught a hill, and she went down faster than Jake could reach her."
"So what are you gonna do about it?"
Jake came out of his room, turning on his phone, "I'll have to call the PAW—"
"No!" Rocky, Liz, and Everest shouted, which woke Marshall up.
"Woah, getting some harsh vibes there..." The teen was taken aback.
Everest's ears lowered a bit, "Sorry, Jake. But if you call the PAW Patrol, and they see me, Rocky, or dog forbid Marshall, they're gonna know we're all here."
"So what should we do?" Jake crossed his arms.
Liz sat up, putting a still groggy Marshall down on the couch, "Well, don't we have three rescue pups here? I say we deal with this ourselves."
"How?" Rocky interjected, "Sure, Everest's snowcat is outside, but Marshall and I have no winter wear. We'll freeze out there."
"Oh, I might have extra, dudes!" Jake exclaimed, running to a nearby closet, "Sweet... Got 'em!"
Liz raised an eyebrow, "...How can the owner of a ski resort sound like a surfer so much? Isn't that like, the opposite of his usual climate?" She looked at her niece.
"Just... Don't mind it much..." Katie giggled.
Jake threw some dog mittens and two hats to Marshall and Rocky, "Here, take these."
As the two pups put their new winter gear on, Liz stood up and walked in front of the three pups, "Okay, so we've got a kid in need of saving. We need to act fast!"
Katie looked at her aunt with confusion.
"Everest, what's in your snowcat?" The redhead asked.
The Husky thought for a moment, "It has a claw grabber, a medical sled, and it has a plower to plow snow."
"Good!" Liz nodded, "Everest, we'll need that medical sled in order to pull that kid from the cliff."
"I'll fight tooth and hail!" The Husky exclaimed.
The woman put a finger to her chin, while Jake and Katie watched with shock, "Rocky. We'll need to modify the sled in some way so it can be sat on. We don't want a child hanging off of it."
"Never refuse to reuse!" Rocky grinned.
"Marshall. You're an EMT, right?" She asked, earning a nod from the Dalmatian, "Then check for injuries once the child is lifted up."
The Dalmatian nodded, "I won't let you down."
"Jake, I'll need you to help however you can. I don't know your skillset, but I know you work well with Everest."
"Um... I'm on it?"
"Alright!" Liz grinned, punching her left palm with her right fist, "Everyone knows what to do. Let's get it done!"
Katie watched as the pups howled and ran outside, followed by a chuckling Jake. The young blonde's eyes bulged with shock. She walked over to her aunt, baffled by how well organized Liz had managed to get the rescue mission started. She also noticed how eerily similar it was to how Ryder would organize rescues.
"You sound a lot like Ryder, auntie!"
"Who?" The woman looked at her, confusion abundant on her face, "All I know is that they seem to be really receptive when I order them around like that."
Katie sighed, "Guess we're on a roll."
.
.
.
Everest's snowcat, followed by Liz's car raced through the frigid area, the latter skidding and sliding occasionally. The two vehicles eventually made it to a cliff. One that Jake seemed to recognize.
"Here!" Jake shouted, hanging off the back of Everest's snowcat, "She fell off here, Everest!"
Everest, who was squeezed in the middle of Rocky and Marshall, nodded and hit the brakes. She quickly looked at Rocky, "I'm gonna deploy the medical sled. Do what you need to do."
Rocky nodded, jumping out with Marshall. While the mixed breed ran over to the back of Everest's vehicle, Marshall made his way to the cliff alongside Jake. The two peered over the cliff, seeing a child sitting on a ledge a far way down, trying to scoot as far away from the fall below as possible.
"Ashley!" Jake called down to the child, "You hangin' in there, bud?"
The child, a little girl with black hair, looked up at them, "Help!"
"Don't worry! We're here, and we're going to save you!" The teen shouted down at her before turning to Rocky, "How are those mods coming?"
"It should be a pretty easy thing to do..." The mixed breed observed the medical sled, "I'll turn it into a platform with the rope attached on both sides of the sled. Like the swings at the pup park! But without my tools, it'll be hard..."
"I think I have some tools on me, no worries!" Jake began to walk over, leaving Marshall to look at the little girl.
"D-Don't leave!" She begged, looking up at the pup, "Please don't leave!"
Marshall shook his head, "Don't worry. I'll stay right here!" He called back down to her, "I'm not going anywhere!"
"I can't see..." Ashley admitted, a small whimper coming out of her mouth, "...I'm so scared..."
"You can't see...?" The Dalmatian asked quietly, confused, "Ashley, was it? Uh... Did you wear glasses?"
"M-Mhm..." She nodded, looking at the furry white blob above her.
"Where are your parents?" Marshall asked.
"Mommy's at home, she doesn't like the cold..." Ashley explained, "Daddy went to the ski place when my lessons with Mister Jake started..."
Marshall suddenly turned to call out to Liz and Katie, "Guys, Ashley's dad is at the ski area, can you get him?"
The aunt and niece, standing outside of their car, nodded confidently and went to get back in the car. In an instant, the car skidded off into the snowy terrain. The Dalmatian sighed with relief, peeking back over the cliff.
"My friends are going to get your dad!" He told her, "Everything's gonna be okay!"
He then heard the terrified whimpers of the little girl. She wasn't very convinced, and Marshall knew it. The Dalmatian had been a rescue pup for years. He knew what did and didn't work when calming down those in need. Simply telling those in need that they would be okay rarely worked. But there was something that did work.
Jokes.
When it came to rescues, there was a tried and true method in reassuring those he rescued. For Marshall's rescues, laughter really was the best medicine. And the effect worked a lot better with children. After all, he was a pup. He resonated with kids more than he did with adults. Their sense of humor was more similar.
But how could he joke?
He hadn't remembered saying anything funny since he was suspended from the PAW Patrol. Hell, even his clumsy tendencies had decreased because his movement was more limited than it had been when he was on the PAW Patrol. He wasn't like that anymore. How could he be the same as he was after everything that happened?
As his mind raced with various questions, a familiar voice sliced through them all.
"You always make us smile. You always make us laugh. You always cheer us up when we're sad..."
Everest's words ran though his mind, slithering down his spine with a chill. He remembered the day he was reunited with Rocky and Everest, and hearing her say that while they were all crying in each other's arms was one of the best affirmations he had that he was doing a good job being a beacon of light for those who had none.
His lips turned upward into a smile. She was doing her best. Rocky was doing his best. Jake was doing his best. Liz and Katie were doing what they could to help, so he should too. And if the best way he could do that was to allow himself to be happy again, then he'd do it. No matter what.
"You know, I'll help you find your glasses after this!" Marshall shouted down at her, "Don't worry, I'll get in touch with some contacts."
The little girl's whimpers ceased, a small giggle coming out of her mouth.
For the first time in what seemed like ages, Marshall's smile turned into a toothy grin.
While Rocky and Jake worked on revamping the medical sled, Marshall joked around with the little girl, creating a makeshift comedy show out of what seemed to be a disaster. Everest, who had heard the Dalmatian's goofy jokes and laughter for the first time in weeks, was nearly brought to tears at the sight, stopping what she was doing to watch the show.
Rocky and Jake looked at the other, nodding confidently. It was finished. It was finally done. The medical sled was now a medical platform that could be lifted up with the help of Everest's snowcat. It would work.
"Everest, we're ready!" Rocky shouted over at her.
The Husky's ears perked up as she took her eyes off of the Dalmatian, "Okay, I'll get in position!" She hopped into her vehicle, moving it to the edge of the cliff while Jake guided her.
Marshall moved out of the way so Everest could pull up, reassuring Ashley that she was going to get back up soon.
The medical platform draped over the edge of the cliff, slowly lowering down the closer the back of Everest's snowcat inched toward the edge. The pups and Jake watched on with baited breath, hoping that the rescue would be successful. As Everest continued to lower the platform toward the little girl, who stood up to try and reach it, the sound of skidding tires approached.
"My daughter!" A man with glasses and black hair jumped out of the car, "What's going on!? Is she okay?"
"We're doing our best, sir!" Everest shouted back at him, "We're going to get her up now!"
When Ashely tried to reach up to grab the platform, a harsh wind blew by. The little girl was thrown off balance, wobbling and tumbling to the ground. The group watching gasped as Ashley fell off of the ledge, reaching a hand up to grab the ledge she had just fallen off of. She screamed, fearful of what could happen to her if she were to let go.
"Help! Please!" She cried, tears falling from her eyes and into the seemingly endless white abyss below.
In that instant, Marshall sharply inhaled the cold air around him, his nose stinging for just an instant. His legs suddenly sprang, allowing his paws to leave the ground. He had jumped. He jumped off of the cliff. His teeth grit together as he began to fall.
Marshall wasn't sure how he ended up in the air, but all he knew was that there was no reversing what he had just done. He heard the screams of his friends behind him, which were quickly drowned out by the wind blowing in his ears. As he fell down toward the struggling little girl, he closed his eyes.
For just an instant, he could see Rocky reaching out to him with a desperate paw, his mouth agape.
He focused on the little girl he was trying to save, landing on the ledge. He almost immediately grabbed the sleeve of the little girl's jacket. Ashley, who's eyes were closed tight, slowly opened them. Since Marshall was no longer far away from her, she was able to see who he was. She almost immediately recognized who the pup was.
"You're... You're..."
"Hi. I'm Marshall. And I'm here to help!" The Dalmatian grinned as he used his teeth to pull her up and back onto the ledge.
Everest pulled the medical platform up and onto solid ground once more. The group saw Ashley, sitting on the platform with Marshall in her lap, hugging the Dalmatian cheerfully. Upon seeing her father, the little girl let him go and ran over to hug him.
"Thank you so much, PAW Patrol!" The man thanked them, hugging the little girl tightly, "You saved my little girl..."
Rocky smiled, "We're not the PAW Patrol..."
"...Just pups willing to make a difference!" Marshall finished.
The man then squinted at the Dalmatian, "Wait a minute, aren't you—"
"Thank you mister Marshall!" Ashley thanked him, a big smile on her face, "You all too!"
Seeing his daughter walk back over to Marshall, picking him up and hugging him tightly, the man shut his mouth. That was Marshall, the presumed thief of Adventure Bay. If he wasn't on the PAW Patrol anymore, then why would he still be trying to save anybody? What was the point of still being a rescue pup for the town that hated him? Even he had a slight problem seeing his daughter hug the puppy.
But for some reason, all of that didn't seem to matter. Marshall saved his daughter's life. Maybe the Dalmatian wasn't so bad after all.
Ashley soon returned to her father, grabbing his hand. Jake profusely apologized to the two, but the father didn't seem to mind, and Ashley acknowledged the fact that she wasn't ready to snowboard on her own just yet. The little girl then smiled brightly and waved them goodbye. Marshall, Rocky, Everest, Jake, Katie, and Liz all waved back, individual smiles littered on their faces.
Once they were out of sight, Marshall's paw clenched and pumped up into the air, "We did it! We saved someone! We actually saved someone!"
As the Dalmatian excitedly spoke to nobody in particular, his friends turned to the former fire pup. They hadn't seen him this excited since the days he was a part of the PAW Patrol. Marshall's mouth was running a million miles a minute, just like it had before everything happened. Rocky grinned at the sight, noticing how his friend was beginning to return to his old self. Everest and Katie were overjoyed, loving how happy he seemed.
"Guys, that was so—!" Marshall turned to look at his friends, but stopped when he noticed them all staring at him, "...Uhh I mean... It was.. Um..." Embarrassed that he let loose, the Dally's emotions quickly shifted to a bout of shame.
Before Marshall could even begin to feel bad, Everest dashed over, wrapping her forelegs around her friend, "Marshall!" The Husky's sudden hug knocked the former fire pup down, his back landing on the snow beneath them.
Rocky was next to walk over, "Told you."
Marshall, remembering what his friend had said hours prior, blushed, "Stop it!"
As a giggling Everest moved off of him, the mixed breed offered out a paw to him, "Here. I got you buddy."
The Dalmatian grabbed his paw, allowing Rocky to help him to his feet. A grin was plastered on Marshall's face, a sense of relief washing over him like warm water in a bath. He felt like he was right where he should've been at a time when all hope seemed to be lost.
Rocky chuckled, "Welcome back, Marshall."
"Good to be back, Rocky!" Marshall laughed along with him.