Chapter twenty-two: Touch And Go
Chase shifted, his paw ending up under his shoulder where it could claw at it once again.
"Like a scratch? A slight touch that feels relaxing?" Snowflake responded curiously.
Scratch,.. itch.. Nooo! the German Shepherd began to stir.. shifting from side to side a little.
"Like a hug?" she added, after thinking for a moment.
No.. please, no! Chase's mind cried. His grunts and mumbling starting to become softly vocal.
"Or a massage? Rubbing, soothing, and refreshing as your body feels relieved of all stress and pain," Ned suggested.
Yes PLEASE!
"Nah, I always enjoy a good scratch." Chester commented.
"Ihn!" Chase grunted, his cheek tightening to his shoulder to rub in deeply.
No, not again!
"What why?" Marshall wondered.
"Yeah, you kinda sound like Chase there, dude." Zuma added. "He loves a good brush off."
"Noo!" Chase cried, finally jumping up.
"Ahn! Get this thing off me! No more!" The pup cried, reaching up to scratch at the tape on his shoulder.
"No wait, Chase, that's normal, leave it be!" Marshall cried hopping toward the distressed pup. "You don't need to-.."
But just as he tried to stop him, the German Shepherd's paw finally caught a grip on the tape and he instinctively pulled, ripping the tape off in the process.
"Ah!" Chase yelped. But as soon as his paw touched the ground, with the tape still stuck to it, he then tried to reach a back paw up to scratch at his shoulder; when Marshall came up behind him.
"Stop it, Chase, you'll make it worse!" The Dalmatian told him, covering the point of interest on his friend's shoulder so he couldn't scratch it again.
"No! Get off, Marshall!" Chase cried, as he eased onto his back where Marshall had decided to kinda weigh on top of him a little. "I need to stop the itch!"
"Not without reopening old wounds." Marshall told him sternly. "Let me help, we can handle this safely. Without causing more collateral damage."
"You should listen to Marshall," Snowflake suggested before seeing her brother run up to the pair with a big blue sheet.
"Ned! What are you-" the husky pup cried out before Ned threw the blue sheet on top of Chase's head, shoulders, chest and front paws.
"Got him! Marshall, you help heal him while I wrestle this frustrating ghost! Yeeeeee-Haaaaaa!" Ned said as he practically got on Chase so he couldn't escape the blue sheet, while trying to flip the German Shepherd upright. Hopefully Marshall could repair the torn bandages while Ned distracted and tried to get in control of the struggling pup.
"Wait! That's not gonna work?!" Marshall cried, then looked over his shoulder. "Ryder!"
"Why not? He's distracted. Just tape the bandages," Ned retorted.
"Because there's a better way to handle this." Marshall answered lightly, as Ryder wandered over. The boy came and sat cross-legged on the floor next to the two pups. And once they'd uncovered Chase, Ryder's free hand took Chase by the upper foreleg and pulled him toward him. So that he could take the pup onto his lap and set him on his left side a little; all while protecting his left arm, which was still in the sling.
And with Chase laying on his side with the injured shoulder exposed, he could use his right hand to firmly rub the pup's shoulder in a back-and-forth motion. And as a result, the squirming pup was finally able to lay still. And he even closed his eyes as if to soak in the sensation.
"Yes. That is a better way to solve this. Anyway, Marshall you were going to bandage Chase again?" Ned said calmly.
"Well,.. I'm not sure.." The Dalmatian replied, peering around a little to view the injured site.
"Uh.. forget it guys.." Chase monotoned, as he turned himself over on Ryder's lap so he could set his head on the right side and drape his forepaws over the edge of the boy's bent leg. "I wanna sleep." He grunted and tightened his cheek to his shoulder to rub again.
"Don't worry, Chase." Ryder said, shifting him slightly to begin the rubbing motion again. "I've got this."
"I don't think we'll need to tape it up again.." Marshall decided. "At least not right this second. He could use a break from the tension of the athletic tape we've been using to support his shoulder."
"Good idea. So what now?" Ned asked curiously.
"Well, Marshall did have a bonding idea for us. We could do that," Snowflake suggested.
At this Marshall developed a bit of a devious grin, one which screamed he was up to no good, even though what his mind planned was anything but.
Snowflake looked over at the Dally pup only to see a devious grin. The husky pup took a few steps back.
"Marshall... are you okay little buddy?... Ryder?" Snowflake asked nervously.
"Yeah. He has that 'time to put my plan into action. Mwahahahahaha!' kind of look. Even I'm getting nervous," Ned added.
Marshall gave them a cheesy smile, then dropped it and took off for the door.
"Uhh.. what just happened?" Chester asked, staring quizzically after him.
"I'm afraid to ask." Rocky remarked nervously, gulping.
"At least we're not the ones he's got a plan for." Rubble said, then every eye turned to Snowflake.
"True. I better find out," Snowflake replied before following Marshall.
"Good luck," Ned called after her.
Chase jumped, as if startled, making everyone stop to look at him and Ryder instinctively rubbed the pup's shoulder to appease him.
"What're you pups worried about?" Ryder asked, as he continued to soothe Chase. "I'm sure Marshall's plan isn't anything to be worried about."
"Didn't you see that sneaky smile? I mean Marshall's a good pup, but we rarely see him be sneaky. Not to mention having play time with my sister! Who knows what he'll do to her! Tickle torture? Ghosts?! Water balloons? Hug attack? Anything is possible!" Ned retorted.
"Um.. have you met Marshall?" Skye wondered, and none of them could tell if she was joking, serious, or being sarcastic. "He's not exactly,.. that type. Relax, I'm sure he's got a plan that isn't too harmful."
xxxx
As soon as Snowflake exited the Lookout, silence met her.
"Marshall? Where are you? It's so quiet," Snowflake called out, as she looked around.
A soul peered out from behind a vehicle, emerging from behind to avoid detection.
Then suddenly Snowflake's eyes only saw darkness.
"Huh? Ahhhh! Marshall?! Anybody?! Help! I can't see! Help!" Snowflake exclaimed as her vision was now completely dark. She started to freak out, not knowing what Marshall did.
"Relax.." Marshall said, then came up to the blindfolded pup to sit her down where she stood. "Just hold still and hang on for ooonnnee sec.."
Running off for a minute, he pushed a large something over to her. Dragging a box over, he helped her up onto it, bustling about the large object he was able to unhook the velcro straps and pull the cover off it.. but all Snowflake experienced were the sounds.
Suddenly she was dumped over and the sleeping mask she'd been blinded with finally came off. And she stared up at Marshall, who smiled down on her from the soft cushion she'd landed on. Looking down to her right a soft smiling face met her with emotionless dark eyes, and it was then that she realized she was in an old kiddie pool filled with stuffed animals!
"Stuffed animals? For us to play with?" Snowflake asked happily.
"Uh huh.. cannonball!" Marshall called, leaping into the pool with her.
"He-ha!" The Dalmatian chuckled. "Worth the surprise?"
"Yes. So we just play with these stuffed animals?" Snowflake asked curiously.
The husky pup grabbed a teddy bear and stuffed dog with her paws, before hugging them in her forelegs.
"Whatever we wanna do." Marshall smiled.
"I've even been guilty of falling asleep in one of these.." he whispered a bit secretively with a paw to his mouth, then snickered.
"Awwwww. Well I've only fallen asleep in a group of stuffed animals once. So how do you want to play with our cuddle buddies?" Snowflake replied, as she kept hugging the stuffed dog and bear in her forelegs.
"Uhhm.. well? We.. couuuld.." He searched around at the assorted animals within the small blue pool. "Hmm.."
"Hmmm. Roll around in them? Cuddle them? Play pretend with them?" Snowflake suggested, her tail wagging with excitement.
"Hmm.. maybe.." Marshall thought. "I mean we're kinda doing one of em right now.."
"Yeah. Oh! I have an idea! Be right back!" Snowflake said before jumping out of the pool of stuffed animals. She ran back into The Lookout to grab a big blue sheet before running back outside.
What is she up to now? The Dalmatian wondered, while waiting for her to return. And when she came barreling back with the blue sheet he couldn't help but think..
Not again!.. unless..
"Um.. ok..so.. what's the plan here?.." Marshall asked. "Stuffed animal circus?"
"Kind of," Snowflake said, before she jumped into the pile of stuffed animals! Hugging the teddy bear and dog plush, she threw the blue sheet over herself and rolled as she cuddled the plushies. Soon she was cocooned in the blue sheet with her plush buddies.
"HahahahahahHahahahaha! This is fun!" Snowflake exclaimed in a muffled voice.
"But now you're stuck?" Marshall pointed out, with a smile, his brow furrowed for a humorously curious expression.
"Yes. Now I'm a blue ghost with my cuddle buddies! Boooooooooo! So sooooooofffft!" Snowflake exclaimed gleefully as she tried to wave her paws and hug the stuffed animals at the same time.
"Want to join the ghostly cuddles?" the blue sheet-covered pup offered.
"Hmm.. actually.. I think I got my own idea. I'll be right back." Then Marshall leapt out of the pool of plushies and disappeared into the Lookout.
xxxx
Walking inside the sliding doors, he looked one way then the other; finding what he was looking for.
"So.. what are we gonna do with him now?" Rocky wondered.
"I say let Chase sleep. In the meantime, we can play a quiet game," Ned suggested.
"Oh don't worry pups.. sleeping won't be an issue for him." Ryder said, adjusting himself carefully but likely for two reasons. Chase hardly moved, but merely stirred for only a moment.
Ned smiled.
"You ok, Ryder?" Marshall asked, catching on to the boy's ginger motion.
"Um,.. yeah.. uh..I'll be ok." Ryder shrugged.
"I'm not so sure." The Dalmatian thought, drawing near. Ryder sat with a tenderness that seemed like he was protecting something, and he could absolutely understand why.
"We should get him off you so you can relax too." Marshall suggested. "I'm sure sitting like that for a while is painful."
"Yeah, you need to stretch. Also, I know a comfy way to get Chase off," Ned offered.
"Like how?" Rocky wondered.
"The sheet lifting method. We put a sheet under him, then use the sheet to lift him gently off Ryder to somewhere comfy," Ned answered.
"Oh man, why didn't I think of that!" Marshall cursed, slapping a paw to his forehead.
"Would it even work?" Rubble wondered.
"It might." Rocky thought.
"Only one way to find out.." Chester reasoned, stepping up to them. "Come on, guys." The older German Shepherd took off across the room and came wandering back with a soft, fluffy blanket.
"We can use this." He said, through the material.
"Okay. Unfold it and let's give it a try," Ned replied.
"Wait!" Marshall exclaimed before looking intensely at Ned.
"Is this a trick so you can turn Chase or us into sheet ghosts again?" the dally asked suspiciously.
"No. I want to help him," Ned replied with a serious expression.
Marshall stared at him for a moment longer..
"Ok.. let's do this then." He said, taking his place among the other pups.
Unfolding the big blanket, the pups held the edges so that it created a bit of a hammock. Ryder slid his free hand under Chase to shift his shoulders so he could wrap the pup with his whole arm. Momentarily lifting him up enough for the pups to ease the blanket under him, so he could set him down on his side once again.
The pup still didn't stir, but as soon as he was laid down again his paw came up to scratch, but Ryder's hand beat him too in with a firm rub of his fingertips.
"I think I might wanna keep him within reach." Ryder said, shifting his position to something more comfortable; now that he had the ability to. "Just so I can keep his shoulder suppressed so he can sleep like he wants to."
"Ok Ryder." Marshall nodded. "Sounds like a good idea." And as Ryder's hand pulled away from the sleeping pup, Marshall saw the exposed mark and cringed.
"So where are we taking him then?" Skye wondered.
"Well-.." Ryder grunted as he gingerly stood up again. "Maybe over here.. by the beanbags. I think we'll both be more comfortable there."
'Easy does it now, guys." Marshall advised. "We may not have woken him earlier, but we could if we aren't as smooth and steady as we can."
"We got it.. now come on." Chester muffed through the blanket in his mouth.
Carefully making their way across the floor, they reached the pillows and finally set Chase down on top of one.. then Marshall and Zuma took the excess end of the blanket and pulled it up over Chase's back and nestled it around his shoulders.
Chase sighed and circled his paws in such a way as to hug a couple folds of the blanket close to his face, keeping him asleep with a blissful peace. Ryder dropped a beanbag right next to him and sat down, laying back so his body was reclined.
"Thanks pups." Ryder said. "I think we'll be ok here now."
"What'do wanna do now?" Skye asked.
Ned looked around and saw the blue sheets from earlier,.. and got an idea.
"Do we have any rope?" Ned asked curiously.
"Um.. I might have some somewhere.." Rocky ventured.
"What're you up to Marshall?" The mixed breed continued, turning to the fire pup. "Need something?"
"Uh actually yeah.. I was wondering if you had something to make a tent with.." Marshall answered. "Like.. a..a small big top.. kinda like Raymundo's.. we got the sheet, now we need the frame.."
"Oh I've got just the thing!" Rocky smiled racing off toward the elevator, then heading down once his friends had followed suit.
xxxx
PVC piping clattered to the ground with the loose parts that scattered off them.
"This'll be perfect!" Marshall smiled, as Rocky began making a pile on the concrete in front of the Lookout.
"Wait till we're finished." The recycling pup smiled, pulling down his goggles then setting to work.
Hey guys! We're back! And I gotta say this chapter was definitely interesting,.. kind like my day today,.. with snowstorms and early outs and new school tank fish in it!(long story! ;D)
Anyway,.. Here we are! Another chapter to add to this ever-growing story! now only about a week left of this posting every day and then we'll see what happens! ;) Enjoy! Thx!