Chapter 19: Burning Desperation

*Meanwhile, back with Snowflake and the others...*

The group drove towards the burning forest, but stopped shortly before reaching the hiking trail.

"Woah! Zuma, Rocky, Rubble, get the fire out!" Ryder instructed as he turned to the pupd.

"Arf! Laddew up!" Zuma said before jumping onto the ladder. Chase put cones around the area, then grabbed the fire hose.

"Hose is ready Zuma!" Chased called out to his friend.

"Arf! Hose on! Arf! Watew cannon!" Zuma commanded. Water shot out of both the top ladder hose and the hose Chase was holding.

"Let's put out these flames!" Rocky said before he and Rubble drove their rigs over to some dirt and started putting it on the flames.

"Rocky? You have that big bag for my helicopter?" Skye asked kindly.

"Yes. In the back, over to the left!" Rocky replied. The mix breed parked his truck to let Skye get the bag. It was big and pink, but light in weight.

"Thanks!" Skye said before going to attach the bag to the hook of her helicopter. Rocky kept putting dirt on the fire.

"Ryder, I'm heading to the bay!" Skye told the boy as she started her helicopter.

"Good. Get as much water as you can. Then drop it onto the fire!" Ryder told her. Skye nodded before taking off.

Skye flew over the bay, and dropped low enough to get about half the bag filled with water. She then flew towards the burning trees.

"Okay. Release!" Skye commanded. The bag dropped, and water came pouring out onto the fire. It took a good while for the fire to get put out, but it did.

"Okay. Gotta keep going!" Skye said after some of the fire was put out. She saw Ryder and the others moving more into the burning forest, little by little. Skye flew back to the bay to get more water in the bag. Once that was done, she poured the water out of the bag onto the fire like before.

"Skye to Ryder, it looks like almost half the fire is out. I'm going to keep putting water on it. Keep going," Skye said through her pup tag.

"Good. We're moving into the forest more as the fire gets put out. Hopefully we'll find Marshall," Ryder replied through his pup pad. The team on the ground kept moving further and further into the burning forest, putting the fire out as much as possible.

"I hope we find Marshall soon. There's no way he could get out of a fire this big! He could have jumped into the bay, but I doubt it," Snowflake comented with concern. Ryder kneeled down, and pet the husky pup sympathetically.

"We'll find him, Snowflake. It's just going to - " Ryder said until he got interrupted.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! the sound of burning, falling branches and trees made every look where they were heading. The fire was still unstable. They had to be careful now what they did. Suddenly, once the cracking stopped, they heard a scream;

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" came the painful, horrifying scream of Marshall. Everyone gasped.

"Marshall!" Snowflake exclaimed with concern. Her teammate and best buddy was still in the fire! No response.

"Pups! Keep moving! Skye, keep pouring water, but be careful. We don't know where Marshall is yet," Ryder instructed.

"I will, Ryder. Stand by," Skye replied through her pup tag. She flew back and got more from the bay. This time though, she poured the water carefully onto the fire, not knowing where Marshall could be.

"We should be about half done, Wyder!" Zuma commented as the pups moved forward with their rigs.

"Good Zuma. Though we need to find Marshall, and get him out!" Ryder reminded the pup. Suddenly, a small CRACK was heard, and a voice that made everyone's hair stand on end.

"AAAAHHH! RYDER! HELP!" came Marshall's scream. The scream was right in front of them, but also over to the right.

"Marshall!" Snowflake called out, concerned, but still able to hold her emotions.

"Skye, pour water right in front of us, but carefully," Ryder said through his pup pad. Within seconds, a steady stream of water poured slowly from the bag Skye carried below her helicopter. The team watched as the water poured down like mix rain and a small river. Once the fire was put out, Skye contacted Ryder.

"Ryder, the fire is out. You should be good to go!" Skye reported.

"Perfect. Everyone, keep putting the rest of the fire out. Snowflake, let's go!" Ryder told the pups.

Snowflake and Ryder carefully ran forward to where the screams came from. Soon, they got to their destination, and stopped in shock.

Marshall lay flat on the ground on his belly, his fur burned, gray, and even pale where the fire must have got to his skin. His eyes were closed, and he looked miserable.

"Marshall..." was all Ryder could say as he tried to keep his eyes from watering. The boy and Snowflake stood in horrified shick at their friend's condition. Ryder pressed his pup pad and spoke into it.

"Pups, we found Marshall. Zuma, get Marshall's pup pack and get here immediately! The rest of you, keep putging the fire out. I'm riding with Zuma and Marshall. We need to get him to an emergency vet. Zuma, once we get Marshall to the vet, you and Snowflake can stay with me. Chase, you're in charge once we leave. Get this fire put out, then everyone meet us at the vet!"

"Yes Ryder!" the pups replied through their pup tags. After ending the call, Ryder carefully looked at the injured pup.

"We need to get him on the truck. Snowflake, drive your vehicle here as a backup," Ryder told the husky. Snowflake ran off just as Zuma arrived. The ladder, hose, and water had been put back in their normal positions on the vehicle. Zuma jumped out of the firetruck wearing Marshall's pup pack.

"I'm hewe. What do you want - Oh. My. Gosh!" Zuma said until he saw his badly burnt friend. The chocolate lab then focused and turned to Ryder.

"Spray water on him. Gently. We need to cool him down. Once Snowflake gets here, we'll drive to the emergency vet. But you have to keep spraying water on him," Ryder told the lab. Zuma immediately went over to the burnt dally.

"Arf! Gentle watew spway," Zuma commanded. The pup pack sprayed water onto Marshall as if he was in a rain storm. Sirens were heard as Snowflake arrived in her van.

"Good job Snowflake. Zuma, keep spraying, but I want you to get out of the pup pack. I'll hold it, and spray Marshall. Snowflake find a blanket and help Zuma put Marshall onto it. Then lift him into the back of your rig. Zuma will guide us to the emergency vet while you drive behind him, and then I'll drive behind you as I spray Marshall," Ryder told them.

"Sounds good" Zuma replied just as Snowflake got out a big, blue blanket out of her rig. She and Zuma then carefully rolled Marshall onto the blanket, lift the blanket up - with Marshall on the blanket -, and put both the blanket and pup into the back of Snowflake's vehicle.

"Good job pups. Now let's get Marshall to the vet!" Ryder said seriously. The two pups nodded before jumping into their vehicles. Zuma drove off with Snowflake behind him, then Ryder.

As they drove though, Ryder found it a little hard to spray Marshall with the pup pack's water cannon, and drive at the same time. Luckily though, within minutes, they arrived at the emergency vet. Snowflake and Zuma carried Marshall on the blanket, while Ryder ran inside to get help. Soon, two vets came and took Marshall.

"Please help him. Will he be okay?" Ryder said to one of the vets.

"You got him here. That's what matters. We'll take care of him," the vet replied.

Marshall was then taken to the back room, leaving Ryder, Zuma, and Snowflake stsnding in the waiting room.

"Please be okay Marshall," Snowflake pleaded, hoping the dally's injuries could be healed.