Rocky remained silent as Everest continued to swerve through the forest, his eyes darting around. All that could be heard between them was the Husky's quick breathing, and the sounds of the snowcat's wheels crushing twigs and sticks along its path. He made sure that she was going in the right direction before turning to look at her.
"Everest...?"
"What?" She quickly responded, her eyes still glued ahead.
Rocky put a paw on her shoulder, "I think we lost them. You can slow down..."
"Mm!" She immediately shook her head in refusal.
The mixed breed's eyebrows came together, his face scrunching up. This kind of shutdown response was nowhere near something he'd usually expect from Everest. She was never the type to close herself off and react negatively to danger. Especially since danger was a part of their everyday lives when performing their duties as members of the PAW Patrol. Obviously, something was wrong.
But... What was he supposed to do about it?
Rocky had been taught many lessons and learned a lot of skills following his and Everest's departure from the PAW Patrol. Unfortunately, none of these skills helped him with being in tune with his own and others' emotions. It was something he could do, evident from his accidental confession during his talk with Marshall the night before Marshall was discharged from the team, but he wasn't very good at it. Not like his Dalmatian friend was.
But at that moment, speeding through the forest at dangerous speeds, he didn't exactly have Marshall to lean on. He would have to find a way to get to the root of Everest's problem on his own. Hopefully before they crashed into something. First thing's first, he needed to stop the snowcat.
The mixed breed pup slithered to Everest's right side, bracing himself. He slammed on the brakes, instantly able to slow the vehicle down. He knew that there was a failsafe in each vehicle owned in the PAW Patrol that would automatically force it to stop moving if both the gas and the brakes were pressed on for just a few seconds.
Upon the snowcat stopping, Everest turned to Rocky, "What are you—?" She was cut off by Rocky grabbing her and taking her out of the vehicle.
He dragged her to a tree, putting her up against the trunk, "Okay... I'm not good at this... But even I can notice that something's wrong..."
"So...?" The Husky asked expectantly.
Rocky huffed, "So, out with it, Husky. Spit it out. What's bothering you so much?"
Everest's right eye twitched, "Like I'd be open to that."
"Give me a break!" The mixed breed shouted, "I'm not good at this! I wish it was Marshall here instead, because I don't know how to address this... Something's wrong with you, and I don't... I don't want something to be wrong with you."
The Husky's unamused glare softened ever so slightly.
Rocky looked down at the grass, "...Ugh... What would Marshall do!?"
"He'd ask me why I get so scared..." She quietly tells him, "...Then he'd try to make me feel better about it..."
He sits next to her, "...That's not my thing. I want to know why you get so scared, but I'd want to solve the problem."
"I don't think you can fix my problems, Rocky..." Everest gives him a solemn smile, "They're too big..."
Rocky then made his best attempt at a Marshall-esque grin, "What ever happened to there being no job too big?"
The Husky blankly stared at her friend, who held that grin on his face. It was oddly comforting to see Rocky smile like the pup she adored usually would. When he smiled like Marshall, she didn't think of Marshall, she thought of the friend that was doing whatever he could to make her comfortable. Her cheeks slowly puffed up as a snicker slipped out of her mouth.
"Pffft~ You're so bad at that!" She burst into laughter.
"Hey! I'm trying my best, okay?" The mixed breed blushed, gritting his teeth angrily.
Everest's laughter slowed, "...And I'm glad that you care enough to try so hard."
"So... Why were you shaken up like that anyway?"
"I dunno... Ever since we came here to help the dogs, I've been remembering things from when I was younger more vividly than I ever had... Maybe it's because we're in the wild?"
"What about that time we calmed that huge bear?" He asks, "You froze up and were out of commission for almost the rest of the altercation..."
Everest fell silent. She had almost forgotten about that day. She almost forgot about that moment. She wanted to forget. She hoped she would forget. Not only was it one of her more regrettable moments, but she was embarrassed that Marshall had to swoop in and save her. But at this point, what was the use in refuting it anymore? She couldn't lie to herself anymore and
"...Just listen to me, okay?" Everest quietly told him, "I'll explain.
She needed to come out with it. The past she had kept to herself for so long.
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Years Prior
"Mommy! Daddy!"
Paws sinking into the endless white of an endless snowy tundra, a small pup quickly ran toward the mouth of a large cave. Due to the pup's unmatured height, the small canine was hardly visible through the sea of snow stretching out into the horizon.
Inside that large cave was a decent gathering of canines. Many were either resting, eating, or roughly playing with one another. Upon first glance, it was easy to make the assumption that the canines filling the mouth of the cave were composed entirely of arctic wolves, and that would be correct. For the most part, at least. Among the pack of arctic wolves were two mature Huskies, who, upon hearing the call in the not so far distance, breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"I was worried she had gotten too far..." One of the Huskies, donning a noticeably feminine voice, spoke.
The little canine who had called out to the two Huskies finally broke from the high layers of snow, tumbling into the cave.
"You can't keep going out that far so late in the day..." The other Husky, one with a deeper voice, walked over, "...It's dangerous, Everest."
Her body covered in fluffy white snow, the little canine, a female Husky by the name of Everest, looked around the mouth of the cave, her eyes wandering and tracing over each and every wolf that occupied the area.
The feminine Husky helped Everest to her paws, worried for her pup, "What were you shouting so much for, anyway? Are you in trouble?"
"I can't find Chili!" The little Husky whimpered, "I looked everywhere, but she's gone!"
Both matured Huskies exchanged amused looks, noticing a small arctic wolf sifting through the parts of snow Everest had already run through. Due to being taller than Everest was, they were able to see the small wolf from above, and were able to see who exactly was stalking behind her.
"Have you tried checking behind you?" The masculine Husky raised an eyebrow, holding back a grin.
Everest suddenly turned around, but the wolf stalking her was fast, curling up into a ball in order to blend in with the snow the wolf was in. The little Husky blinked a few times, gazing over the endless white landscape laid out before them. To Everest's untrained eyes, nothing was different. The snow was just as pristine and still as it always had been.
"I don't see anything..." She uttered, turning back around to look at the two older Huskies.
Almost immediately after she turned around, the small wolf uncurled, peeking out to see if the coast was clear. Seeing Everest's back facing her, she couldn't help but to stifle a laugh, a paw covering her muzzle. Everest began walking away from the wolf, something that elicited the wolf to stand up and pounce on the little Husky.
"Bear attack!" The wolf barked, pinning the Husky down to the cave floor.
Everest yelped, looking up at the wolf, "Chili? How'd you—?"
The wolf cub, Chili, looked proud of herself as she barked once more, "Always remember, Everest! Bears can disguise themselves in the snow just like us wolves can, so always be on the lookout for moving piles of snow!"
"I really wish you'd stop teaching her those things..." The larger feminine Husky sighed faintly.
Years ago, Everest lived with both her mother and her father, as well as a pack of wolves in the North Pole. According to her mother, though, Everest wasn't a wolf like most of them, nor were her parents. Before she was born, her parents were two of many sledding dogs for human expeditions into the land of the North Pole. Eventually, harsh snowfall ended up separating the group of canines and freezing their owner. From there, her parents were found by wolves, and were taken in by them.
This story was proven true by the teal knitted hat her mother seemed to always be wearing over her ears. She told Everest that it was one of the last things she received from her owner, who she was very close with in her youth.
After Everest was born, though, their positions as members of the pack were cemented, as the little Husky spent her first few months getting to know the new wolf pups, and being raised alongside them as though she was one of their own. By the time she was four years old, she had learned most of the basics surrounding hunting fish and prey. In all aspects, she was a wolf. But having been born a Husky, she had always struggled to keep up with the other wolf cubs, including her best friend, Chili, who was around the same age as she was.
It was quite odd being the only "wolf cub" that could actually speak English, a trait passed down to her from her parents, an inherit trait that most dogs have come to have. But just as she learned how to understand the barks of wolves and interpret it into English, she learned how to bark like wolves could.
Yes. This was indeed the life. Simple, fun, and filled with excitement at every corner. The endless snowy terrain beyond the cave she called home was more than enough space for her and the other wolf cubs to play, and thanks to hunting with the pack, she never had to worry about getting enough food.
Speaking of food, though...
"When are we gonna go hunt for the day?" Everest asked.
Chili thought for a moment before answering, "Midday."
"Wait... Isn't it already midday!?" Everest asked frantically.
Both the Husky and wolf pup whipped their heads over to the entrance of the cave, where they both could see various wolves leaving the cave and running off into the snow. The girls gasp, Chili running to join the wolves and Everest running to her parents in order to let them know that she was leaving.
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Everest grinned as she felt the breeze push against her fur. Like always, she had gotten permission from her parents to go out hunting with those of the pack who wanted to hunt. Her parents, being raised as domesticated Huskies, weren't as talented in hunting, so they were trusted to tend to the young and elderly while those able went out to hunt for food. She walked alongside Chili and her parents as the large pack made its way to a half frozen over river.
They would need to cross over the river, on the parts that were frozen, in order to reach an area they knew prey were living. While the more matured canines skillfully padded across the frozen portions of the river the wolf pups, including Everest, had more trouble crossing, but didn't seem to be discouraged by it. Instead they began to have fun, sliding around on the ice as the matured wolves crossed.
Everest laughed as she slid on her belly, managing to get a decent amount of distance from where she started, eliciting a few excited howls from the other wolf pups. Struggling to get back up the Husky's laughter slowed as she looked back on the winter wonderland that was their hunting grounds. An endless thick white blanket of snow filled her sight. Though, one patch of snow in particular caught her attention.
Some of the snow was moving slowly, up and down, as though the patch of snow was filling with air. She wondered if the breeze could be moving it. Or maybe—
Derailing her train of thought was Chili, who barked out at her, "Evvvvveeeerrrresssstttt!"
"Huh?" The little Husky turned herself around, still steadying herself on the ice above the river.
She, as well as most of the wolves, had already crossed the ice while she had been spaced out. She was one of the few that hadn't completely crossed yet, and it didn't seem as though the wolves who had already crossed were waiting up for the stragglers to cross.
"Come on, catch up!" Chili barked once more before following the wolves who had gone ahead.
Everest scrambled to finish crossing, her paws gliding against the low friction surface of the ice below.
Upon catching up with the others, Everest realized that the hunt was already in full swing. She could see smaller animals, primarily arctic hares, scrambling around and away from the area as the wolves followed closely behind. She even saw Chili, who was waiting in the snow while using her fur to blend in before pouncing on a hare of her own.
"Save some for me!" She frantically joined in, trying her best to get something for herself and maybe some for her parents.
As the hunting proceeded, Everest managed to get herself one of the many arctic hares that had scattered around the area, putting her kill in the pile of deceased prey. Despite being as young as she was, Everest didn't even flinch at the sight of the pure white snow slowly being enveloped by the scarlet reds of the blood that trickled into it. For her, it was just a part of day-to-day life. It just let her know that she was in for a good meal later. Once she finished, she felt a presence behind her.
"Bear attack!" Chili suddenly jumped onto her, pushing the Husky down into the fluffy white snow in front of her.
"Oof–!" Having not expected the ambush, Everest's face was suddenly stuffed into the white surface below.
The wolf pup jumped off of her, barking, "Never let your guard down, okay, Everest? You never know what could be waiting around the corner!"
Everest slowly stood back up, looking around. The chaos that filled the air as the hunt began was longer there. Many of the older wolves were grabbing the carcasses of the many hares caught during the frantic moments of the hunt. While many had gotten away, there was more than enough food to go around for both them and those of the pack still back at the cave.
"We're finished hunting?" The Husky pup asked with confusion, earning a nod from her best friend, "How many did you get?"
"Just three. The grown-ups were a lot faster than me!"
"Well, it's better than one..." Everest sighed, her ears slowly falling.
Chili seemed to notice the solemn tone of her voice, "What's wrong?"
"Everyone's so much faster..." The Husky admits, "I'm good at hunting, but you guys are awesome at hunting! What if I can't keep up when we grow up...?"
The wolf pup frowned at this, "Everest, you're a Husky, and yet you can do all the things the rest of the pack can do! My parents say it's a little harder to get for Huskies, but I know you can get there and be able to survive just fine!"
"You think so? You think I can survive?"
"You end up here and you're able to do so much, without even being a wolf? You were born to survive, Everest!"
"You two, grab some kill and come!" The two then heard a sudden bark from one of the matured wolves.
Both the Husky pup and the wolf pup did what they were told, picking up two hares each and running over to join the rest of the wolves.
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.
.
The icy tundra around was quiet as the pack of wolves began to make their way across the river once more. The blood from the many deceased hares dripped on the snow, a trail of red left in their wake as they approached the semi-frozen river. That was, until they stopped just before stepping on the ice.
"The ice is thin..." The wolf ahead of the rest woofed, pawing at the thin layer.
Despite them being in the North Pole, many of the wolves have noticed that the temperature rises throughout the day. Not enough to melt the ice, but enough to make it weaker than it would be after a long, chilly night.
"Cross one by—!" The wolf turned around to address the rest of the pack, but stopped upon seeing something behind the pack.
"Nobody. Move..." The wolf spoke with a low growl, "...Not until I give you the signal."
Chili's nose twitched, catching a certain scent. The moment she was able to discern what it was, the wolf pup let out a shaky whimper, alerting Everest, whose nose was overwhelmed by the scent of the hare carcass in her mouth.
"Chili?" She turned her head to look at her best friend, "What's the matter?"
"We're in trouble..."
Before Everest could question what that meant, a loud howl filled the air. What the howl meant was something she didn't have to question. One of the earliest things she learned before she was allowed to leave the cave to go on hunts was the type of howls they would implement. The one filling her ears was one she knew of, but never heard before. It was one that signaled danger. Urgently. Upon hearing this howl, the wolves around the best friends scattered, most making a dash for the other side of the river.
The Husky turned her head to try and see what the wolf had warned them about. Not so far away was that moving patch of snow again. The one she had seen earlier when they initially crossed the frozen over river. But this mound of snow seemed to be moving closer and closer to them, a deafening roar coming from it.
Everest yelped, looking up at the wolf, "Chili? How'd you—?"
The wolf cub, Chili, looked proud of herself as she barked once more, "Always remember, Everest! Bears can disguise themselves in the snow just like us wolves can, so always be on the lookout for moving piles of snow!"
"I really wish you'd stop teaching her those things..." The larger feminine Husky sighed faintly.
Moving snow...
Just like Chili had told her...
Wouldn't that mean...?
Oh.
Oh.
"Everest, come on!" The little Husky suddenly felt a pushing at her backside. It was Chili, who was doing her best to push the frozen pup forward and toward the river. Once Everest snapped out of it, they both made an effort to get to the river and run over the frozen parts.
Because Everest had frozen up, they were in the group of stragglers that made it to the semi frozen river last, and it was clear that the ice couldn't hold any more weight. Swimming across was also out of the question, as the water below would be too cold to swim in. That is, if Everest could even swim at all.
The straggling wolves quickly made a left turn, running along the side of the river in order to reach a portion of the river that was still frozen over. Being smaller than the rest, Everest, Chili, and a few other pups that had come along on the hunting expedition lagged behind as they struggled to hold the deceased prey in their mouths.
The bear was closing in fast, the roars of the white demon getting closer by the second.
As the Husky ran, she had forgotten that she was still holding a dead hare in her mouth. Because of this, she opened her mouth for just a moment, allowing the deceased prey to fall down right in front of her paws, causing her to trip and fall into the snow.
She quickly looked up and back at the approaching predator. A polar bear. Compared to it, Everest was but a pebble in the large animal's path. Everest remained close to the ground, trying her best to do what she had been taught by Chili, to conceal herself in the whites of the snow around her.
But she had neglected one major detail.
She wasn't like everybody else around her. She was a Husky. One that had a faint lavender fur. She wasn't like Chili, who could curl up and appear as just another pile of snow. She, as well as the bloody hare carcass a few inches from her, was clearly visible in the clear white snow.
She watched as the large white carnivore lunged at her. The moment it lunged, time began to slow. Every inch of the horrifying predator's face was ingrained into her memory. The stained, sharp teeth longer than her own head, the pitch-black eyes that only studied its potential prey. Was this how the hare felt when she caught it?
She shut her eyes tight, awaiting a pain that she had never known before. But it never came.
"Open your eyes, Everest..." A familiar voice quivered as it slipped into her ears, "Everything's okay..."
Everest slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the smiling face of her mother. While her mother was smiling, this smile seemed more forced, the bigger Husky's teeth clenching more than Everest had ever seen. So much so that she expected them to shatter at any moment.
"...Mommy...?"
"Are you okay?" The hat-wearing Husky asked quietly, her voice growing faint.
Everest's eyes slowly shifted over to what was behind her mother. Staring right into her eyes was that same polar bear, whose teeth were currently sinking into her mother's body. She could see blood trickling down her mother's side, staining the teeth of the bear with a dark red. The little Husky's eyes filled with tears upon seeing what had happened. Just like the hares she hunted with the pack, she was caught.
A successful bear attack.
"Mommy!"
"I'm... So... Glad..." Bowing her head for a moment, the hat Everest had never seen her mother without slowly slipped off of her head and covered Everest's face.
She then was suddenly picked up by someone with a familiar scent, "Daddy!"
"It's going to be okay, Everest!" He frantically reassured her, "Everything will be okay!"
Everest used her teeth to grab her mother's hat with her teeth, "Daddy! Mommy's hurt! We have to go get her!"
"Don't worry, I am..." He stops at the edge of the river, grabbing her by the back of her neck.
The little Husky looked down at the icy cold water beneath them, "What are you—-?"
Before she could finish, she was thrown onto a small chunk of ice that was being carried along with the river. She struggled to remain on the ice, nearly slipping into the water, but she managed to get a good hold. She looked back over at her father, who made sure she had made it onto the ice safely before he went back in the direction of her mother and the bear.
"Mommy! Daddy!"
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Present Day
"I stayed on that small chunk of ice for a long while before I hit some land again... I was so hungry..." Everest continued, "...Once I made it there, I saw some humans who were walking somewhere. I saw they had food with them, so I followed them. What I didn't know at the time was that I had boarded a boat. Before I knew it, I made it back to a place that had snow."
Rocky, who had been quiet as Everest recounted her past, finally spoke up, "You made it back to the North Pole?"
"No... The boat landed in the South Pole..." Everest's ears fell, "I didn't know any better. I saw snow, and went to find my pack. By the time I realized I wasn't home, it was too late..."
"Everest... I had no idea..."
"How could you have?" She looks down at the grass beneath their paws, "...I might as well have been bear food, but... Chili said I was born to survive... So I did."
Before either of them could say anything else, Everest suddenly felt a drop of water land on her head.
"Huh...? Is it raining?" She looked up.
On a tree branch above them were Marshall and Hood, who had used the safety of being high up in order to make it back to Rocky and Everest while avoiding the bears. The former, hearing the back half of Everest's tale, was crying rivers of tears above their heads.
Both Dalmatians managed to get down from the tree, with Marshall running over to Everest.
"I'm glad you made it..." He suddenly hugged the Husky, "...I don't know what we'd do if you weren't around, Evie..."
Everest, surprised by this, hugged back a smile developing on her face, "...Thanks, Marshmallow..."
"Wait, Marshmallow?"
"Er... Whoops..."
Leaning up against a tree's trunk, Hood watched Marshall, Rocky, and Everest from where he was, "Born to survive... Guess I have more in common with Domestics than I thought."
