His jacket caught the wind as he walked, the teen breaking off into the thickets and brush of the woods beyond Sanctuary Hills, his home.

He didn't spare a look back over his shoulders to make sure that the leaves had fallen back into place, blocking off the path in kind. He knew they would, as they had a hundred times before, and pushing forward carefully along a small, beaten path, mindful of the irritable whine of his muscles from strain.

It helped to focus on the matted soil beneath his every step, worn from shoes and pressure over time. The old woods above and around the teen seemed to beckon him, wavering in carried wind as something drizzled quietly overhead. Looking up, Dash sighed quietly under his breath, increasing his pace.

It was beginning to rain.

'Raining, raining...' A voice whispered to him as it began to patter harder overhead, brisk, ceaseless sharp fingers prickling along his face even with his effort to cover what he could with the helm of his worn shirt. Of course, he knew it wouldn't do much, each droplet soaking through his clothing and through to his skin, making them stick to him like a glove.

He'd hoped that the weather would hold up, but he could hardly ever be that lucky, seeing as he wasn't allowed advance notice through the news or anything.

Watching television wasn't something of a luxury he could say he had at his disposal, so whether it rained, snowed, or hailed, he just had to deal with it as it came.

Whether he was dressed properly for it or not.

'What are you complaining for? Be grateful you have clothes, you ungrateful son of a -'

'Be grateful!'

'Shut it! Shut up!'

"I'm not...I'm not complaining...it's just.." Stopping himself, he didn't even bother to finish the thought. Responding to them was pointless, they never listened, but still, he felt inclined to think about what they'd said. Gritting his teeth, he tried to focus ahead, reminding himself that he was grateful, he wasn't...he wasn't trying to sound like he wasn't. After all; he wasn't obligated to watch television. It was a privilege, it was all a privilege; he just didn't earn it, that's all.

He didn't deserve to.

HE DIDN'T DESERVE ANYTHING -

He could deal with a little rain. Besides, it would help get the smell of smoke and dirt out of his clothes; it wasn't easy to keep them clean over the summer since his parents didn't think he'd have a reason to, so they were just stashed in a bag over the summer, collecting dust, dirt, just about everything.

And they had the smell to prove it.

In fact, this would probably be the first time that they'd seen water since the end of the school year...since the incident.

Still, he noticed that, despite his efforts to keep himself dry, he was beginning to feel slick, wet as the rain began to fall harder, faster, and very quickly, he knew he'd have to dry off during the day, his red jacket dripping and sodden.

He wondered how he would explain his soaked clothes, but he could figure that out later.

But there was a silver lining.

At the very least, the youth thought solemnly as he thumbed softly at the place where his father's hand had once been on both of his cheeks, flinching from his touch as the area remained inflamed and angry, the coolness of the rain helped a bit. Pulling his jacket up further, he still needed to get there, to school, if he wanted to get cleaned up, but there was somewhere he had to go first. Bearing further down, and a bit faster (it was probably around 5:50 now, though he had no way to tell without a phone or watch), despite the fact that his body whined in protest, the shadows of the woods began to break. He could see yearning, grey skies above, rushes of electric blue and brighter tones peaked behind the clouds, coloring the dark trees and waving bushes lighter hues. It almost looked...picturesque, that is, if it weren't a bit unsettling, knowing that this just meant he was cutting it a bit close here, but what could he do?

However, being here, traveling to school like this...Dash was used to making the trip back and forth through these same woods he pass through as a child. He could recall it; a younger him, a smaller him, through weeds and brambles, body tired, but willing, to get on as he made his way to and from town.

The memory was vivid in his mind.

Dash knew he probably should have kept to the road, to the broken asphalt and black top of the path leading straight into Amity, but he hadn't done so, bearing off on an unassuming day the way any child would. He wasn't even sure why he had; for all intents and purposes, it was stupid, reckless, even, though, his eleven-year-old brain didn't even consider it bad, necessarily. Maybe he was bored of looking down the same endless path, disillusioned by cold and dark roads he knew well enough to call and name each crack he'd pass on the asphalt.

Maybe he wanted to explore. To go somewhere new. To find comfort in the woods, wild and untamed. Maybe he wanted something different.

Or maybe...there wasn't a reason why.

Maybe he just wanted to.

That was enough, it seemed.

Each pass with his feet drew the path, and though at first he struggled to keep his footing, to make sure that he wasn't bearing too far and getting lost, over time, he knew, that things were getting easier. It wasn't long before he knew this place better than the back of his hand, and honestly, in the few years that he and his folks spent in Sanctuary, these felt like home.

More than his actual home ever did, not that he would ever say that to his parents.

Or to anyone, really.

As far as anyone knew, everything was fine, and to him, that didn't seem like it was a bad thing. It was better if no one knew anything, that's what his parents always said, and in all honesty, the boy considered darkly, was there even anything wrong? As far as he knew, their family was...normal. Things in their home worked the way they did because that was how things always were.

That's how things were supposed to be.

It just happened that out here...he felt safe.

Over and over again, back and forth, the path was drawn, his second home found.

And soon, these woods became his.

Just Dash's.

Not that it was hard for them to.

The outskirts of Amity where they lived were, thankfully, relatively empty (most people from town didn't have a reason to waltz around out here, and even less wanted to be seen around Sanctuary Hills), the youth thought as he looked about the path, spotting a familiar, winding tree, a marker of his progress.

He'd known these woods too well, and looking at it, he knew just as well that this meant he was just half the way to town, a good sign, though he still needed to hurry.

'Half-way there. I should still make it before it's too late. Hope the back entrance is still unlocked...' The teen thought to himself nervously, taking a left at the winding tree and further along. It shouldn't be much further, he thought, pulling his bag closer to him as he broke out into a speed walk, though his body protested as the sudden burst of speed. That wasn't something that he wasn't used to; in his mind, it was a mere inconvenience...he could ignore it well enough. As always, his lower back complained, though that wasn't something he couldn't push through, the teen rounding a small bend when he felt his spirits lift a bit at the sight something just a brisk walk away. Out there, jostled a bit by the growing winds, was a small tent, worn and beaten, but somehow still intact; it was covered generously by twigs, vines, and branches, ones that, as the teen inspected them, noticed had been blown off a bit in the roiling storm above. Lying beneath an earnest tree, it's large trunk acting as a support as a strut, akin to a large, thick string, wound around it, the tent blew slightly, but not enough to worry him.

At least...it shouldn't have.

Dash did his best to keep it out of sight, but he couldn't control it in the moments that he wasn't there.

But he knew one thing.

He was sure he'd covered it well last time, though he figured the wind probably had something to do with it, many of the covering having been knocked off in the few days that he'd been gone.

Walking over to it, he inspected it quietly, noting the silence that rested within, though...

"She's usually up by now..." He whispered with a touch of worry as he finished looking over the tent, minding the old, but still functional, zipper that tapered gently in the waning breeze. Grabbing it, Dash tried to ease his thoughts, but he couldn't help but be just a little concerned.

The voices, their small, but vocal, inquiries didn't help, each with their own theories, thoughts, concerns. Each played loudly in the forefront of his mind as he pulled the zipper down.

'She's too quiet...'

'Did she leave? Maybe she got away, got AWAY!'

'She wouldn't go. Nowhere for her to go...'

'Taken...'

'Someone took her...'

'Too quiet...too quiet...'

"No, no...she's asleep...stop saying that! She's - "Each voice, exclaiming their panic, their worry, weighed on him. He couldn't think straight with all of them at once, but before he could really think about any of it, he'd opened the tent's entrance, peering desperately inside, his heart pounding in his chest. His eyes scanned the darker, inner folds, shadows obscuring his view, though still, his frantic, blue eyes searched every corner. He looked around, spotting just a little hole in the back, and his heart dropped. Pieces of tent waved solemnly from the hole, and it sent his mind racing.

'That wasn't there before...no...no did she get away? Why didn't I come sooner?! Where is she?!' His thoughts screamed, shuffling carefully in, unable to grasp the idea of it.

He opened his mouth, lips quivering as he called her name, desperation heavy in his voice.

"R-Roxie?" Dash called out softly, eyes still running along every corner of the tent, only to be returned with silence.

A breath passed.

Then another.

By the third, he felt himself growing sick. What if an animal had gotten to her? What if she ran away?! WHAT IF -

Dash felt his heart stop at the sound of a small grumble, something like a disgruntled yawn as, further into the small tent, a bundle of blankets shifted slightly. Staring at them, Dash watched as a little head poked out, meeting wide, dark eyes as a pup reared from the old fabric, and all at once, the teen felt himself breathe again, overcome with relief as he scooted in a bit more.

At the sight of him, Roxie yapped excitedly, rushing to untangle herself from the blankets, scrambling from them with clumsy strides as she rushed to meet the youth. Dash wasted no time throwing his old, drawstring bag aside, the contents within clanging softly against the dirt beneath the tent once he took her into his arms, as if greeting an old friend. Though the panic hadn't completely subsided, he felt himself grow just a bit warmer with relief knowing that she was okay.

'Just hiding...'

'That wasn't good. She shouldn't hide...'

'Hiding from you...she hates you...doesn't want to see you...'

No, none of those things were true. She had to have been asleep, Roxie wasn't hiding from him. He...hadn't done anything wrong.

No, he was certain of it.

"Roxie, thank god. I thought you were...were gone..." He whispered, welcoming the gentle licks she offered as solace for the scare she'd given him, the affection more than what he was used to, but he didn't find them unpleasant. She seemed to bark as if agreeing with him, pushing softly into his hands as if beckoning him to pet her, her soft, smooth coat pleasant to the touch, his calloused palms pleased at the sensation, though quietly, he inspected her. She seemed happy enough; would she be licking him if she hated him? If she was afraid of him?

'Just pretending...she's faking it!'

'She's acting like she like you. It's not real...'

'You don't know what she wants.'

'What is she doing?'

'She likes you.'

'Hates you!'

Groaning, Dash wasn't sure what to think. He knew she didn't hate him; why were they saying that?! None of it made sense!

Sure, he'd never had a pet before, but he was doing his best. He...he couldn't have done anything to make her hate him, at least, he didn't think he had? Ever since that night, since finding her, he'd tried everything he could to make her happy, not that he knew anything about that sort of thing.

After all, it had only been a month since then.

- (A month prior) -

"And get the fuck out! I don't give a fuck where you go, you ungrateful piece of shit! I decide when you get to come back in, fuckin' whore!" Allen screamed from the door, shoving Dash out in the same breath as the teen scrambled to gather the clothes that had been tossed out with him onto the cold stones of the park grounds. Spitting at the teen, the older man wasted no time slamming the door shut behind him, leaving the youth to redress as quickly as he could, bearing in the mind the curious, if detached, eyes of their neighbors as they paid witness to his shame.

Not that that was really out of the ordinary.

In fact, it was normal enough that he didn't really feel compelled to look back at them, knowing that they were just fine being onlookers, but less so as active intervention in the typicality of his home life. This was pretty much par for the course, them staring idly on as he picked himself up from the ground, clad in just a t-shirt and torn shorts, each speckled red from places he couldn't name. It wasn't a matter of whether they heard what went on in his home; they surely did. Wiping his nose, a fresh trail of blood dripping from his nostrils that now stained his arm, grazing old scars with red, though a quiet rain above, just like now, actually, began to soak him through, washing it away.

He was in trouble again.

Mom and Dad were always so indecisive when they...were in the mood. Sometimes the drugs made them...a bit prickly, though he knew what they yearned for, and as far as he knew, he wasn't trying to be resistant.

It was better to just it happen, after all.

Dad made his needs known, more often than Dash was able to accommodate.

His body could only take so much, but saying no wasn't an option.

It never was.

Standing up, the teen winced as his inner thighs and backside whined indignantly at the strain, though he didn't need to guess what it was from.

The thought of it, the memory of it, made him feel strangely numb, all things considered.

Part of him never really knew why Dad sometimes stopped in the middle of it; for all intents and purposes, he supposed he should have been happy about it...but just as much, if Dad wasn't pleased, or Mom wasn't either, he could look forward to spending at least the next night outside.

And that was if he'd gotten off easy.

He tried to do it right, tried to make them feel...good. That's what kids were supposed to do when their parents were stressed out, that's what he knew.

That's all he knew.

Maybe...he'd done something wrong to make him stop, Dash figured quickly once he felt his father's fist collide with his face.

There was a reason, he just...didn't know yet, that's all.

Regardless, there wasn't really a reason to stand here, his neighbors gawking at him as he stood there, unwilling to help...not that he expected them to. He understood well enough for long enough that help...wasn't coming. That he didn't deserve for this to stop, but then, the teen wondered quietly to himself as he shuffled from his front steps and along the path towards the woods, why would they? Was any of this actually wrong? Was he in need of help? Mom and Dad made it very clear that what happened...what they were doing...was just...normal.

This was all...normal.

So why would he ask for help? You were supposed to feel...like this...whatever this feeling was.

This...emptiness.

It was supposed to hurt when your parents loved you. That's what love was, wasn't it?

Dash sure thought so.

Besides, the teen wondered quietly as he crossed the threshold into the woods, what would they do? Adults...never did anything, they never...never wanted to.

He'd learn that well enough early on.

They only watched. Getting involved wasn't what they did.

'They'll judge you...they'll know how filthy you are...' A voice recalled.

They would judge him.

'They look down on you. Didn't you know? They know how much of a whore you are...' Another reminded him, snaking around in the confines of his mind.

They made him feel small.

'They'll know...they'll stare...tell everyone about how you let them touch you...' A third voice whispered, making him feel sick.

He didn't deserve their help. He asked for this.

'You like it, don't you? Like when they do that? You slut...' A voice, feeling like nails behind his ears, spat.

He wasn't worth helping. He was filthy. Too dirty to be helped.

'That's right...they all know what you do. They know that you ask for it. You want it. You always want it.' They yelled, they screamed. Dash thought maybe it was true.

He deserved what happened to him.

'You don't need help. Everything is as it should be...' Voices, overlapping, reminded him, and he smiled weakly, feeling...lost. Utterly...lost.

What could they possibly do?

'Nothing...they can't do anything...' They were distorted, filling his head with laughter.

Where could he possibly go?

'Nowhere...nowhere...' They were screaming.

There was nothing anyone could do.

'Who can help? No one helps...helping...' They were crying.

He didn't want them to know.

'Mom and Dad said to. Don't tell...don't tell...tell what? It's okay...' They were laughing again, but it sounded wrong. His head felt full, as if it were ready to burst any second.

Know what? Was it a secret? It wasn't bad, it was okay. He was okay, he was...fine.

'Never tell.' One said finally, clearer than any that came before them

That was right.

Everything was fine.

The woods were getting darker, creeping hoots and calls he didn't know from creatures he couldn't see echoed solemnly through the trees, bouncing back and forth between his ears, enough that he felt his skin crawl, but it wasn't enough to deter him, the teen minding them numbly, but unabated. He knew that there was nowhere to go but forward, silent, every onward as all that was behind him was the last place he needed to be. He knew that the woods weren't exactly shelter, but at least here, he could be away from their eyes.

Their judgement.

Any thing was better than just being their source of daily entertainment, the laughing stock of the development, at least, as far as he could tell he was. It was hard sometimes, knowing what was real, and what was...in his head. Looking around in the dark, the shadows were growing taller, stranger, wavering and twisting strangely, in ways that made him feel something akin to fear, not that he had any way to rectify it. What could he do? He didn't have anywhere to go, not yet, anyway...

But then again, he knew how this worked.

That sometimes...his mind played tricks on him.

That much was becoming painfully, horribly...clear.

Closing his eyes, he could feel himself drifting from one extreme to the next, between the howling rain and the blistering winds that beat past him mercilessly, he knew what his eyes would do, the reckless, daunting shadows, blackened and red, bleeding, cold, dancing just out of the corner of his eyes, mouths dripping blood, just a clear as day. They whispered, they taunted, clawing their way into his skull without mercy as the teen stumbled forward, no destination in mind.

He could feel them around him, touching him, yanking him, he didn't want to listen to them. They weren't real, they were just in his head, they -

Then he heard it.

Snapping up, Dash had gone in further that he usually had, further than he'd meant to.

In the wind, in the storm, the teen couldn't get his bearings right, couldn't orient himself as his blistered, cut feet trembled in the cold.

But it was unmistakable.

He'd heard something.

The sound had been small, nearly drowned out by the rain, his own mind, the voices, all things that served to snuff out a weak cry that called out in the storm. Blinking in the direction he thought it had come from, Dash wasn't sure if he'd heard it...or if it was just his own winding, twisting thoughts...playing its nasty tricks just as it always had.

'Heard something...out there...small...'

'Ignore it! You didn't hear anything...'

'Animal? Monster? Don't know, don't know...'

Confused, he tried to strain for it again, to listen for it, any trace that it might be out there, whatever it was, though in the midst of this, he felt his eyes dart about, catching wind of the strange apparitions that played at the edges of his vision. Was that sound...like them? Visions that he'd manifested? But it felt real enough, but what was real? He couldn't tell which was which, what as what...he just wanted to hear it again, just to be sure, just to know if it was real -

Then it was there again.

A desperate sound, something in...need.

"W-what? What is that?" The teen whispered, scanning the dark forest around him for anything that might have made the sound.

But he could see nothing.

'Be quiet...'

'Animal...sounds like something...'

'Is it looking for you?'

'Not safe...run...run...'

The voices advised him, but he tried to shut them out. Something in his gut, even in his confusion, his fear...told him not to leave. That...something was here, something needed...help.

Something was...scared.

He thought to call out, but he didn't want to draw attention to himself. He was alone, it was dark, he couldn't defend himself.

He couldn't afford to be stupid about this.

But how would he manage to find it, then? He wasn't sure, but he figured trying to walk in the direction of the sound, from where he thought it had come, could be a start.

'It sounds like it came from this direction...just have to...focus...' He thought, led by an intuition, a feeling, he couldn't quite describe. Dash knew this was stupid, that he could possibly get hurt, or mauled, or...anything really. Walking pretty much blind into the woods, with nothing to defend himself, and worse, towards a s sound that he couldn't name...it didn't have the makings of a happy ending for him, he knew. But somewhere in the teen just...didn't care.

Dash wasn't sure why, but...something told him to just follow his gut, to keep walking.

He understood how dumb it sounded, but...he didn't stop.

That's when he heard it again.

Something like a whimper, something from a tiny, lost voice in the storm. It sounded so small, almost easy to miss amongst the pelting rain and wind, and that's what drew him forward, ever forward, despite the protests of the voices in the back of his mind.

'No! Dangerous, DANGEROUS!' One of them screamed at him, an indignant voice, but he ignored it.

'Stop! Don't! DON'T!' Another cried, as if afraid, as if trying to deter him.

But he didn't stop.

He walked...and he tripped...and he stumbled...then he saw something.

Something...red.

'Huh?...What...what is that?' He asked himself quietly in his mind, squinting against the rain. At his point, his feet felt stiff, bloodied, against the soil, worn down from the hard stones, the twigs, the rain, soaking his feet through. They hurt, throbbed, but he managed to cross the short distance to what looked like a tent...out in the woods?

That wasn't here before.

Though...he had to admit. It had been a little while since he'd walked out here. Dash wasn't often allowed to leave, except for when he was running errands for Mom and Dad, getting them their stuff, things like that. But this was...new. It was worn, that he could tell, even in the impossible dark of the forest at night, the teen stepping carefully towards it despite the voices pleading, commanding, screaming...at him to stop.

'Not safe! NOT SAFE!' They yelled, voices fighting for the forefront of his mind, demanding that he stop, but he didn't listen.

He couldn't listen.

Not when he heard that tiny, weak voice again, crying out in despair. He was sure of it, that it was here...hidden inside. And despite his better judgement, despite the screaming, the demands...he reached out, gripping the zipper.

Over the noise.

Over the rain.

Over the wind.

Over the thunder.

Dash felt himself act, hardly thinking as he forced the zipper down, and opening it, he felt his breath pause, anticipation heavy in his chest.

And he looked inside.

But, when he finally did...all he could see was...emptiness.

And immediately afterward, confusion set in.

"W-what? There's...nothing here?" The teen asked, peering a bit deeper in, deep, cerulean eyes glinted with uncertainty as he came into the tent. As far as he could tell, the tent was vacant of life, and again, silent and still. Part of him, in the back of his mind, thought that maybe...maybe he had been imagining it. Was it all just him after all? Was he...had he made it up?

But...it all sounded real enough...though...could he really be sure?

But he shook his head, as if disagreeing with himself.

'No! I know what I heard, I...I thought I...' He thought, though...he wasn't sure he felt confident in that way. He...couldn't have been making it up. He couldn't have just been...imagining all of it after all. Why else would there be nothing here?

Nothing but some blankets, toys, and a small bowl?

Whatever was here, he thought, seemed to be long gone.

Was any of it even real?

What...what was wrong with him?

Feeling utterly exhausted, Dash slumped down, pausing just in the front of the tent before he felt chest grow heavy, the weight of his own thoughts, his own fear...everything...bear down on him at once. If he couldn't even trust his own mind then...then what was he doing? What was he even DOING?!

This was ridiculous...HE WAS RIDICULOUS. STUPID. SO FUCKING STUPID.

"What am I doing...I...I don't even know...what...What's wrong with me? Why can't I do anything right? Why...why am I such a fuck up?' He whispered softly, almost inaudibly, a broken sound choked out by the storm. It it was any solace, the teen thought in the rueful silence, at least he'd have somewhere to stay the night, out of the storm, that is, he thought, wiping his eyes, though the thought didn't ease the terrible uncertainty that ate at him.

Something was...wrong.

Wrong with...him.

A goose chase into the woods only to turn up empty because he thought he heard...well he didn't even know what he heard! It might not have even a sound at all, just a figment of his imagination that he didn't have a hold of.

An imagination that wouldn't rest.

"Whatever...it doesn't matter anyway...I should just forget about it..." He said to himself, leaning forward to zip the tent back up, if only to keep the window and rain from pelting him. Grabbing the metal zipper and doing just that, Dash felt the cold of the outside world lessen, if only a bit, though having so little clothes on, the air still bit at him.

Not to mention that he was still wet.

Looking around him, he caught wind of the blankets again, and, deeming them suitable, decided to pull one onto him, taking the first one, a thick, grey blanket in-hand. Expecting it to come easily, the teen was surprised when he felt something weighing down, and even more than that?

Something whimper underneath.

Dropping it, feeling nervous himself, he inspected the blanket, but didn't find anything.

At least, not until he pulled them again.

And a small head popped out.

The first thing Dash could make out on their tiny face were huge, shining eyes, curtained with fear as they stared warily back at his own, and just as quickly, the teen realized that the sound hadn't been just anything.

It had been a puppy.

And they met eyes for the first time.

- (Present Day) -

He could recall spending the night with her then, bracing against the storm in this same broken tent and wrapped as well as they could be in the blankets, waiting for day to break again. Her fear didn't last, and neither did his in the presence of the other. Even having just met, they found...comfort in the other's presence, however uncertain they both were.

Looking at her now, he saw what he'd seen then.

A creature left behind.

A creature that needed someone else.

A creature just...like...him.

In just this month alone...he'd felt safe with her. Calm in her presence as she played and romped with the few toys that he'd managed to find here and there outside of the tent after the storm. Despite the fact that he wished that he could give her more, provide her with more...he was doing his best, and despite knowing nothing about how to care for her, he was just...figuring it out as he went along.

Because what else could he do?

'Why don't you try harder?' A voice spat, clearly disgusted with him. Dash had to admit that it was probably right. But he still didn't know what what to do about this.

Though, looking around her tent, spotting the few things he'd managed to find that were left behind (a few toys, a nearly empty water bowl, and the scratchy, thin blankets), there wasn't much he'd been able to pull off on his own. He knew, between the two of them, he was barely able to provide for himself, much less a puppy. In fact, in the few trips to the library that he'd managed to sneak in during his rare trips to town when his parents would send him to pick up groceries and the like, he'd done every kind of research he could about dogs, and just what they needed.

He'd managed to read up on dogs with her sort of appearance, and though he wasn't an expert, he did manage to work out, with her accents of brown, white, and black, she was a beagle. Of course, this was just a guess, the best that he could come up with, but he wasn't sure what else she could have been. Looking at her again, Dash was also aware that he couldn't well know for sure how old she was, but based on the materials that he'd managed to search up, she couldn't have been more than, what, two months? Sure, she was all alone, and he'd managed to get her what he could, but...it wasn't as if he didn't notice it.

The way her coat was thin in places.

The way her ribs pressed against her fur.

'All your fault...'

'It's your fault she's hungry...'

'Hungry, hungry!'

'She's gonna die out here because you didn't feed her.'

'Can't you see that she hates you?!'

'She thinks you're a failure! A failure - '

'Shut-up! SHUT-UP!' He screamed in his own head, determined not to make it worse. If she did hate him, if she did think he was a failure, scaring her wasn't the move that he wanted to make, but they were getting on his nerves, feeding on each and every insecurity that he had.

Why couldn't they just...just leave him alone?

Had he done something to make them keep saying that?

Why were they saying this? Was it because...he ate some of the breakfast?

That was selfish, he knew it was selfish. He should have save it for her, just her.

He felt himself gritting his teeth, frustrated with his actions.

If he could, he would have given her all of the breakfast that he managed to sneak out of the house (which he hoped wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass later if his parents found out that he hadn't thrown them away like he was supposed to), but he had to eat, too.

Or...did he? He could have gone without the meal, she needed it more than him, after all.

Now he was just being greedy.

He could go without it, he knew he could.

In fact, before that point, he hadn't had a bite to eat for a few days prior, and even longer since his last full meal.

In fact, Dash pondered to himself, a bit numbly, how long had it been since he'd had an actual meal?

He thought on it for a moment.

He didn't know.

He guessed he should have considered himself lucky to have scored anything at all. It wasn't as if he was entitled to having food in the first place. Like everything else, it was privilege to get to eat; he would do well not to forget that.

But he had, hadn't he? He forgot himself and indulged where he shouldn't have.

How could he have been so stupid?

'Stupid, STUPID!' A voice screamed at him, chiding him in a way that felt familiar, in a way that his mother probably would have.

He agreed with it it. What he had done was very stupid...because he was stupid.

But he was trying his best.

That's all that he could do.

He turned away from her for a moment, grabbing for his drawstring bag and pulling out the plastic one that held the scraps he'd grabbed that morning. At the sight of bag, and likely from the smell within it, Roxie jumped excitedly, nipping impatiently at the bag, though Dash pushed her back a bit, chuckling at her fervor.

'She's being bad! Punish her - '

'Good dogs don't eat before they should; she's hungry.'

'Bad dog, bad dog - '

This he wouldn't tolerate.

'No, she's just a puppy. Stop saying that, it's not true!' He bit back at the voices, choosing, instead, to try to ignore them. They could say whatever they wanted about him, but they didn't get to talk about Roxie. She wasn't a bad dog. She was good, he repeated himself as he tried to focus his attention on her.

But it was hard sometimes with...the background noise.

But he tried anyway.

"Hold on, hold on; let me untie the bag. I know...you're hungry..." He said softly, untying the bag and, without a moment wasted, gently poured it on the ground of the tent, and in a blink, she descended upon it, his own stomach grumbling at the sight of food, but he ignored it.

He'd had his share, after all.

Instead, Dash watched incredulously as she gulped every bit of the eggs and pieces of bacon, eating so quickly that she struggled to get it all down. Concerned, he pulled her back a bit, patting her softly, though she tried to rush back to the remains of her meager meal. Despite this, he pet her, calming her down just a bit as he spoke.

"It's okay, Rox. It's not gonna disappear, don't eat so fast, girl. Here..." Picking up just a bit of the egg, he laid out his palm and she took it heartily, gobbling it down just as soon as he'd managed to get it in hand. Even with his concern with her choking, it wasn't as if he'd had room to talk. He likely looked just like that this morning, gulping down about half of the meal in less then a minute himself. But...it was hard to control himself when opportunities like that just...didn't come that often.

He knew hunger.

He was always hungry.

Just like Roxie.

Not that he wanted it to be that way, not for her at least.

He could deal with himself, he could ignore the way his stomach always grumbled and felt tight, the pain of emptiness.

Dash was used to it.

Used to the deprivation.

Used to never feeling full.

He was fine.

But Roxie...Roxie shouldn't have to deal with this. She, unlike him, hadn't done anything to deserve any of this.

She wasn't selfish like he was.

She wasn't...filthy...like he was.

She was pure, good...everything that he wasn't.

So why should she have to be hungry? Why did she have to be alone in a tent, all because he couldn't take care of her well? She deserved to eat until she was so full she fell asleep, until she didn't want to eat anymore...not scraps and pieces that he can't even get to her on a regular basis.

She deserved more.

She deserved...better.

'What could you possibly do?'

'She doesn't need you.'

'You're not helping.'

'Bad owner...'

'Why do you even try...'

'I...I'm trying, okay? I...I just...' Dash started, but didn't finish the thought.

He didn't exactly disagree.

But he had to try anyway.

Just as she'd finished, the pup's wet eyes glistened, begging for more that he didn't have, licking and pawing at the ground as if wondering where it had gone so fast, a sight Dash didn't want to see.

Smiling sadly, he stroked her head, though his chest felt tight with anger at himself.

This was his fault, after all.

"Sorry, girl. I...I don't have anything else right now. Don't worry, I'll be back today, so just hang tight. Besides, looks like you need a refill on your water, so maybe I can get a cup or two on my way out from the fountains, or...I don't know, but I'll figure it out. I've got it." Dash reassured her, and she grumbled softly, clambering slowly into his lap and nestling there quietly as they settled into a comfortable silence. Looking down at her, despite the awful sense of guilt that ate at him, he knew...he loved her.

Loved her more than anything else in the world.

She'd closed her eyes, and Dash craned his neck around, looking out to the woods beyond as the moments passed on. He knew it was coming time for him to leave, knowing that he still had to shower and get dressed in his actual clothes, not these beat up ones.

He had to look his best for the first day of 10th grade, after all. Though he knew this, there was still a sense of longing for him, rooted deep inside at the thought of leaving so soon, and worse, leaving her alone like this...still hungry.

Probably still cold, too.

If anything, he thought solemnly as the turned back to the inside of the tent, sighing as he pulled her from his lap, and lifted her to look at her.

There had to be a way to do...better, if just for her. He couldn't just sit around, hoping and praying for something to change. He damn sure couldn't just sit around and feel sorry for himself, either.

There had to be something that he could do.

Roxie seemed to sense his turmoil, leaning forward, tail wagging, as she licked at his nose, grumbling with worry at his quieted voice, but he still smiled, appreciating her attempt to feel better, despite everything. Dash knew he had to figure something out, and suddenly, as he put her down, picking up the plastic bag and placing it back inside of his drawstring one, he began to think of something.

He knew it was probably a long shot, but...what if he asked Mom and Dad if he could get a job? He'd seen some places over the summer hiring, and perhaps, the teen thought with a smile, he could work at the animal shelter or something. Of course...he'd have to keep his friends and stuff out of the dark about that and everything; he didn't need them finding out he was a softie or pansy or something.

That wasn't really the image he was trying to project.

'They know, you know...'

'They see right through you.'

'There's nothing you can hide...'

No, they couldn't have...but how could they? He wasn't a pansy, he never...he was tough! He was Dash Baxter, no one knew about him. As far as they were concerned, everything was perfect, that he was perfect.

Because he was, he...had to be.

Everything was fine.

He had to focus on what he needed to.

If he could get a paycheck, he might be able to support Roxie better...and if he gave his parents a cut of it, maybe he wouldn't have to do that anymore.

Maybe...maybe if he found a way to pay his dues, to support himself...then perhaps they wouldn't...hate him so much.

He just had to find a way to convince them.

Though...that might be a challenge on its own, but he'd figure it out.

He always did.

He had to.

She deserved more than him just sitting around feeling sorry for himself. He didn't get to do that when she counted on him.

"Just hang tight, Rox. I'll find a way to make this work. Heck, maybe if I get enough money, I can build you a little doghouse, somewhere you can sleep that isn't so..." Looking around the tent, and again, spotting the holes and tears that riddled the small shelter, he winced, "...worn out. Or maybe...maybe a clubhouse, a shelter. For just you and me? How's that sound?" Dash asked, a small smile again gracing his features, and Roxie yipped happily at the idea, matching his excitement with a certain glistening of her eyes.

He had to agree.

That didn't sound like a bad idea at all, actually.

Having a quiet place, for just the two of them...it sounded like a dream, something too good to be true.

But if he tried hard enough...maybe it didn't have to be.

However, he wouldn't have much time to think about any of that now. Looking back out again, the sun was crawling ever higher into the sky, and Dash knew he'd still have to get into the back entrance to the gym if he wanted to get to the showers before the school day officially started, so he didn't have anymore time to waste.

He had to go.

"Alright, girl. I need to get going, but don't worry, I'm gonna be back, okay?" He started, picking the pup up and giving her a gentle kiss. She returned it in full, giving his face a generous number of kisses that he welcomed in kind. It felt warm, having someone love him...even if he didn't really deserve for her to.

It almost made all it...the pain, the misery, the shame...melt away, leaving simple bliss behind.

Almost.

It was tainted, knowing that he couldn't stay, and in the back of his mind, in the deepest recesses of his subconscious, he'd considered just...staying here. He knew he couldn't; how would he feed them if he did? Get water? Would Mom and Dad find him?

He didn't know the answer to those questions, and for some of them...he didn't want to find out.

However, even though he had to leave, it helped knowing that she'd still be here...waiting for him.

It made it feel okay. That they were going to be okay.

And that was enough.

Pulling the blankets to him, he began to readjust them as the pup waddled over to the toys, selecting one that looked a bit like a lamb, though, between its distorted features and ragged appearance, it was becoming a bit harder to tell now. However, that didn't stop Roxie from taking it into her small mouth, pulling it along with her to the now bundled blankets that Dash had been fixing in the meantime. Wanting her to be comfortable as she waited for him to come back, he made sure she was settled down in them before moving to the back of the tent, checking the hole that he'd made himself.

He understood, as soon as he'd found her, that she would need a way to the bathroom (even more convenient that she was already trained by that time, though it makes him wonder even more why she was left alone in the first place), so making a little tear that she could get in and out of when he wasn't here kept her from making a mess in the tent, though he did still feel nervous. He'd already gotten a scare after he thought that she'd left or that something or someone had gotten to her, so whilst he wasn't enthusiastic about leaving the hole there, he hated the idea that she'd be forced to shit and piss in the same place she slept.

He'd just have to hope that she didn't stray too far when she went to the bathroom.

He really, really hoped she wouldn't.

Satisfied, he leaned down, giving her just one last kiss before pulling away again, the pup giving him a saddened look in return, one that made him feel even more guilty than he already did.

"I'll be back after school, okay, Roxie? Just sit tight." Dash whispered one last time before finally, grabbing his bag and throwing it over his shoulder, he left the tent, looking at her just once more until the teen took the zipper in hand and pulled it to a close. Sitting there for a moment longer, Dash came to his feet, turning his attention, instead, to the bushes, leaves, and branches that had been brushed away in the wind and by time. Grabbing many of them, he started adjusting them again, covering the top carefully so that they didn't collapse the roof of the tent, but at the same time, concealed it well enough that, if someone weren't looking for it, they probably wouldn't see it.

At least...he hoped someone wouldn't.

'But what if someone does?'

'They'll take her away.'

'Take away...'

'She'll be killed. KILLED - '

"No, no one will find her! I know...I know what I'm doing so just...just stop it!" The teen exclaimed quietly under his breath as to not scare the pup, but it wasn't as if he didn't have his doubts.

Despite knowing that much of the time, these woods remained empty, there was no such thing as being too safe.

So each time he left, he would cover it again, making sure that no one could see it. He wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing that something had come to eat her, or someone found the tent and took her...or worse, though he didn't want to think about any of that.

The thought of Roxie being hurt made him sick to his stomach, so he wouldn't even consider it.

He just had to make sure that she was secure, and then everything would be fine.

Easy.

Satisfied, he gave it one last look over, checking to make sure that everything was where it was supposed to be, and, with a nod to himself, he started on his way. The path ahead wasn't too long, not if he made haste, and that was just what he would have to do. He couldn't assume that there weren't teachers in the building, but at the very least, Dash thought as the tent disappeared out of sight further behind him, the gym was usually clear, at least, if he got there early enough. And he hoped so, looking down at himself, and noting the dirt and grime that was on his clothes, ignoring the rain that was making them damp.

That was small in the grand scheme of things, he knew.

Bustling down the forest path, Dash took a breath, pushing a bit harder to beat the light of the sun, burning into his face as the heads of buildings and the quiet, earnest morning activity of Amity trembled into view, the tree line breaking up at last.

He was finally on the outskirts, so it wouldn't be too much longer before he reached Casper High, and with that, not much longer before a new year began.