(A/N: I do not own Paw Patrol, enjoy!)
Home Again
Cinder looked out the window of the Air Patroller as they flew over the countryside. It looked so pretty and peaceful from up in the sky. Down low, she imagined people going about their lives without a care in the world; unlike her. Cinder sighed sadly, nothing seemed to make her happy right now. The best she seemed to be able to managed was a strong 'meh' with a rare smile.
Marshall sat next to his twin, looking out at the same view but all his attention was on his beloved but troubled sister. He sensed her moods just as clearly as she did, but with a bit more perspective. She had been through a lot in the last few weeks, from finally stopping the arsonist, but at the cost of her partner's life, to the scare with the weaponized rabies bullets, to the media frenzy and attack on her. It was a lot for a pup to bear. She was handling it surprisingly well, all things considered, from what Marshall could tell.
Marshall occasionally wondered what it would do to him if he lost someone close to him, like Chase. It was the closest thing Marshall could imagine to what Cinder was going through and he knew he would have been even more of a mess. But of course, Cinder couldn't see how well she was doing at hanging in there; she just saw how she wasn't 'better yet'.
Wounds take time to heal, Marshall reminded himself, and this is no different. It was one of the first things he learned long ago as an EMT; one of those enduring truths no one could escape.
That doesn't mean I can't hurry it along.
Marshall blinked in surprise, he hadn't actively been sending his thoughts to her, but that didn't matter.
You are acting as if I've never read your mind before. The thought had the faintest trace of Cinder's silvery laughter.
No, but you seemed so lost in your own thoughts that I didn't think you would notice what I was thinking Marshall thought back.
So you admit you were spying on my thoughts? Cinder softly challenged.
Perish the thought Marshall thought back, I was just considering your life from a different perspective.
Don't you have anything better you could be doing? Cinder wondered.
No, you are the most important thing in the world to me right now Marshall thought purposefully. And Everest would agree because you are the most important thing in her world right now.
What did I do to deserve this? Cinder mentally whined.
Ask for it Marshall reminded her with a laugh.
"You know, you two could just have a conversation like normal pups," Everest chimed in, surprising both Dalmatians.
"You two think you are so covert when you share thoughts" Everest softly laughed, "but you forget how easy you are to read."
"Fair enough" Marshall admitted abashedly.
"Sorry, Eve" Cinder softly apologized.
"I don't know what you are apologizing for" Everest said as she wrapped Cinder up in a hug and squeezed. "You are always so convinced you did something wrong when in fact you did nothing wrong and I'm just reminding you how important you are to me, and how loved."
"I can feel the love" Cinder softly replied as she laid her head on Everest's shoulder. If she had stuffing, it would have been squeezed out all over the Air Patroller, which is just how Cinder wanted it.
"We're home, pups," Ryder called as the Air Patroller settled down on the grass at the base of the Lookout.
"Thanks, RoboDog" everyone yipped as they exited the Air Patroller.
"Arf Arf!" came the happy robotic reply.
Cinder was letting Marshall carry her, she was tired and ready for bed but instead was taken inside to the kitchen.
"You have been such good pups, I had Mr. Porter make spaghetti for all of you" Ryder said with a smile.
"With the giant meatballs?" Marshall asked, already starting to drool.
"Would you have it any other way?" Mr. Porter asked with a smile as he walked in behind the pups, carrying the first oversized plate. Soon, almost everyone was sharing a plate. Rocky, Zuma and Rubble were around one, with a meatball bigger than the bulldog, while Chase and Skye shared another plate. Then Mr. Porter brought in the last plate.
"That is the biggest meatball I've ever seen" Cinder softly gasped in surprise.
"It is almost as big as me" Everest said, licking her lips in anticipation.
"No fair," Rubble whined.
"Hush, you got one bigger than you to share" Everest reminded him.
"Yeah, Everest has to share with both Cinder and I" Marshall teased the bulldog.
"I made no such agreement" Everest replied snarkily.
"Please?" Cinder softly pleaded, batting her eyes at the Husky.
"Fine" Everest replied, before turning to Marshall. "You know what you are getting so don't try anything."
"Scraps and kisses" Marshall replied with a grave nod.
"Good boy" Everest replied, patting his head, making everyone laugh as they dug into dinner.
Cinder hadn't been hungry but as she took a bite, her stomach took over and she attacked the food as ravenously as Everest.
As they reached the end, Everest and Marshall ended up with opposite ends of the same noodle. "You can let go now dear" Everest said without letting go.
"Oh no, not this time" Marshall replied as he hunkered down into a playful tug of war pose.
"The usual stakes?" Everest grinned as she too hunkered down.
"With a complication" Cinder softly said as she lifted her head, holding a noodle that was knotted around their own.
All three started tugging at the same time. Everyone stopped eating to watch as the play growls intensified. At the same moment, the noodle broke on Marshall's and Everest's ends, leaving Cinder holding the dangling remains.
"Whoa, that was epic" Zuma said in awe.
Marshall and Everest looked at each other. "What is your wish my lady?" Marshall asked first.
"I wish for Everest to take me to bed" Cinder softly said dramatically, "and for Skye to join us for a girl's night."
"Done" Skype yipped with a backflip.
"Right this way your majesty" Everest giggled as she scooped Cinder onto her back and walked out.
"You know what this means?' Marshall asked, looking to the other pups.
"Game night!" the boys all replied back with an excited bark.
In Everest's pup house, the girls all got ready for bed and curled up together. "So, what did you want to talk about without the boys around?" Everest asked.
"Who says I wanted to talk about anything?" Cinder softly replied. "Maybe I just wanted your company in general."
"Ok, then what do you want to talk about in our general company?" Skye asked with a laugh.
"Actually, whatever you want" Cinder softly replied. "I just want to be a normal girl pup having a normal girl's night for once."
"I think she means us" Skye whispered to Everest.
"How can she, she knows we aren't normal" Everest whispered back with a snicker.
"You know what I mean" Cinder softly replied, giving Everest a playful shove, a smile fighting its way onto her face.
The girls proceeded to have a nice evening together. As Cinder fell asleep, her head buried in Everest's fluffy coat, she let out a contented sigh, her first in weeks.
As the sun rose the next morning, Chase found Marshall waiting outside his pup house.
"Good morning" Chase said with a yawn.
"Don't do it" Marshall replied seriously.
"Don't do what?" Chase asked, confused.
"you know very well what you aren't doing this morning" Marshall said, giving him a look. "We'll take everyone for a run instead."
"Whose side are you on?" Chase asked, putting on his best betrayed look.
"Just go wake up Rubble" Marshall admonished with a smile, "I've got Rocky and Zuma."
"Sure, you take the easy ones" Chase replied with a shake of his head.
"Says the pup who just needs to bang a food bowl" Marshall laughed.
A few minutes later, the boys were all assembled. "Why are we awake?" Zuma asked sleepily.
"Because it is time for our morning workout" Marshall replied in a matter-of-fact voice.
"I think what Zuma means is why are we up and not the girls" Rocky clarified.
"I've been wondering that too" Chase replied with a smirk, "and I can't wait to hear the reason."
"Because" Marshall said with an innocent smile, "we are pups who love to run and play."
"I don't like the sounds of this" Rubble whimpered as they all looked at each other.
"Am I wrong?" Marshall asked when they didn't respond.
"No" Chase slowly responded.
"But we hate that you are right" Rocky replied.
"Ok, let's get this over with" Zuma said with a groan.
"That's the spirit!" Marshall said with a bounce and a smile. "So, we'll start with a game of tag. All of you are it and have to catch me!" Marshall took off like a rocket.
"Oh, pup treats!" Chase yelped as he took off after the Dalmatian.
"Chase! We need to be smarter, not faster!" Rocky yelped as he ran after the German Shepherd, with Zuma and Rubble in tow.
The sun started to shine into Everest's pup house. "What time is it?" Skye asked with a yawn.
"I don't know" Everest replied with a groan, turning her head to bury it under Cinder.
"Why do you ask?" Cinder softly inquired as she gently placed a paw on Everest's head.
"Because I feel like we have missed something" Skye said as she stood and stretched.
"Only you would feel that way" Everest said, her voice muffled by Cinder's fur.
"You slackers couldn't catch a ball if it was thrown at your face!"
"We missed morning exercise!" Skye yelped as she dashed out the door.
"Dognabit" Everest said as she gave up on trying to go back to sleep. She and Cinder dragged themselves out the door. The stopped when they saw what was waiting for them. "I don't know think we missed anything" Everest said with a smirk.
Marshall was still running around the Lookout, with Chase trying to keep up but instead falling farther and farther behind. In front of the Lookout, Rubble, Rocky and Zuma all lay panting heavily.
"He's just too fast" Zuma said between pants.
"No, we just have to trap him" Rocky replied, "Chase, get him to run this way!"
Chase put on one last burst of speed, forcing Marshall to change direction towards the others before he dropped to the ground panting. "All…yours…Rocky!" he managed to bark.
"Get him!" the mixed breed barked. Zuma and Rubble joined him in making one effort to catch the Dalmatian. "We've got you now Marshall!" Rocky said as the boys formed a "V" to ensure the he could not escape.
Marshall tried to stop but tripped on his paws and immediately started to cartwheel. "Whoaoaoaoaoaoa!" he yelped.
"Anyone else suddenly feel like a bowling pin stawing at a bowling ball?" Zuma asked. A moment later, Marshall bowled into them, sending pups flying everywhere.
"We caught you" Rocky said defiantly before landing with a flop.
"Looks to me like he caught you" Skye giggled, finally getting the boys to notice that the girls were up.
"Looks that way to me too" Ryder said with a laugh as he walked outside to join them. "Breakfast is ready, pups."
"Now that is something worth running to catch" Rubble said as he staggered towards the door, finally making it into a run.
"Where was that energy when we were chasing Marshall?" Chase panted as he stood up and staggered towards the door.
"Maybe next time I'll attach a treat to my tail" Marshall laughed as he trotted up to Everest and Cinder, giving each a kiss before scooping the latter onto his back.
"I can walk, you know" Cinder softly reminded him as they walked inside.
"Let him carry you" Everest giggled, "he clearly didn't get enough exercise this morning."
"Next time, he can run a lap to the desert and back first" Rocky chimed in.
"Yeah, what is interesting out in the desert?" Cinder softly asked innocently.
"Nothing, it's just a bit away and might actually tire him out first" Rocky quickly clarified, trying to hide his paws.
"Maybe" Marshall admitted, "but then again, maybe not."
"Oh look, here we are in the kitchen for breakfast" Rocky quickly changed the subject as he dashed over to his bowl.
Was it something I said? Cinder thought to Marshall.
No, he is just hiding something from everyone, so don't tell anyone Marshall replied.
That seems awfully cryptic Cinder thought back.
It should Marshall though with a laugh it isn't anything bad, he just has a secret that he doesn't want anyone to know, but Everest and I know, but he doesn't know that we know because we haven't confronted him on it because we don't want him to get cold paws. He'll share when he is ready.
You are making my head hurt Cinder mentally whined.
I'm sorry. Marshall kissed his twin on the forehead.
Better.
As the pups and Ryder chomped down on breakfast, Ryder's pup pad rang. "Paw Patrol, what's your emergency?"
"I'm so sorry" the voice on the line said, "I thought I called your non-emergency line."
Ryder looked at his pup pad. "You did, I just forgot to check" he apologized, "what can we help you with?"
"My name is Dr. Basil, I'm a physical therapist looking for a missing patient of mine and I was told you could help me find her."
"We'll find her" Ryder said, taking notes on his pup pad. "Can you describe her and where she was last seen?"
"She was last seen at her apartment in Heartland" Dr. Basil said, "she is white with black spots, recovering from a gunshot wound to her left thigh."
Everyone turned to look at Cinder who just shook her head. "Skipper's sense of humor" she softly explained.
"Is her name Cinder?" Ryder asked as he shook his head in amusement.
"Why, yes, it is" Dr. Basil said, "do you know where she is?"
"Having breakfast right now" Ryder said as he turned his pup pad to show the Dalmatian in question.
"Oh, am I to infer that you were never missing and just taking your convalescent leave there with your brother?" Dr. Basil asked.
"That would be correct doc" Cinder softly apologized, "I'm sorry Skipper played a bit of a trick on you."
"Not a problem at all, my dear" Dr. Basil said, "though, do you feel ok standing? You really shouldn't be yet."
"She is also walking" Marshall chimed in, poking his head in from the side of the screen.
"Oh my, either you are recovering much faster than should be possible or you are pushing yourself too hard" Dr. Basil said worriedly.
"Maybe a little of both" Cinder softly said. "But, now that you have found me, doc, what can we do for you?"
"When you are done with breakfast, can you and Ryder call me back?" Dr. Basil requested, "I want to go over your recovery plan and some things he needs to do to help your recovery and to watch out for."
"You sure you don't need Marshall" Ryder asked, "he is our paramedic."
"He can be there, but I need you there Ryder" Dr. Basil said uncomfortably.
"Are you worried he can't care for her?" Ryder asked suspiciously.
"No, it's just, there are things only you can do Ryder" Dr. Basil tap danced.
"Spit it out doc, what's the problem with Marshall caring for me?" Cinder softly directed.
"He doesn't have hands and fingers, he has paws" Dr. Basil blurted out. "And some of the things I need done require finger level dexterity."
"You could have just said that the first-time doc" Marshall said with a smile, "my paws may be highly skilled but they definitely aren't the same as having fingers."
"I'm so glad you understand" Dr. Basil said, obviously relieved. "Talk to you soon."
"Some people" Everest said after Dr. Basil hung up.
"He was trying to be sensitive to me" Marshall replied with an amused shake of his head, "not that he needed to, but he was still professional about it."
"I wonder what he needs though" Rocky asked, "it has never been a problem before."
"Just because I'm a paramedic doesn't mean I can do everything" Marshall replied reminded him, "there are lots of medical things I can't do because I have paws and not fingers."
The rest of breakfast passed quickly. When they were done, Marshall, Cinder and Ryder when upstairs to call Dr. Basil back.
Dr. Basil walked Ryder through the things he needed to watch out for and to check regularly as Cinder recovered. There definitely where some things Marshall would not be able to do so it was very educational for all of them. At the end, they discussed Cinder's recovery timeline.
"Now, you are already ahead of where I expected you to be" Dr. Basil said, "which is good but I'm obligated to tell you not to push yourself too hard. We don't want you to injure yourself trying to get back at things faster than your body can handle."
"You have my word that I won't rush myself doc" Cinder said.
"Ok, well, I'll follow up with you in a week to see how you are doing" Dr. Basil said. "Goodbye."
"I have a feeling you are going to surpass all expectations" Ryder said with a smirk.
"Why is that?" Cinder softly asked.
"Because all my patients recover faster than expected" Marshall snickered.
At that moment, the mission display started ringing. Ryder pressed the button to answer, "Paw Patrol…Rocky? What's wrong?"
"Ryder, I'm at the junkyard" Rocky replied. "I came down to look for anything worth salvaging and to test something, but there was some unmarked HAZMAT which started a fire and now I'm trapped. I need help getting out."
"Don't worry, we are coming" Ryder said as he hung up and hit the call button.
"Paw Patrol, to the Lookout!"
"Ryder needs us!" Marshall yelped as he scooped Cinder onto his back and ran to the stairs.
"I really need to install a separate slide so they can just go straight to the gear room from here" Ryder said to himself as he ran to get geared up.
The rest of the pups were already on the elevator. "Where are Rocky and Marshall?" Chase asked, looking around.
"Wait for us!"
"Oh no" Zuma winced as Marshall tried to make the turn from the stairs to the elevator, which he did, but then crashed into everyone else because he couldn't stop.
"No need to wax the floor, it's slick enough already" Marshall joked. Everyone laughed as the doors closed and the elevator rose.
The pups all jumped out to their spots. "Paw Patrol ready for action Ryder sir, fire pup style" Chase sounded off, "but Rocky isn't here…"
"That's because we have to rescue Rocky" Ryder said as he began the briefing. "He is at the junkyard trapped by a fire." All the pups gasped. "The fire includes unknown hazardous chemicals, so we'll have to be careful. Marshall, I need you to go in and get Rocky out. Cinder, you'll be in charge of the rest of the pups in fighting the fire."
"I'm ready for a ruff-ruff rescue!" Marshall sounded off.
"Time to walk on the fire side" Cinder softly sounded off.
"We're on it!" the rest of the pups sounded off.
"Paw Patrol is on a roll!" Ryder declared as he ran to his fire pole to a chorus of howls.
Marshall and Cinder ran to the slide, with Marshall slipping and flipping while Cinder gracefully slid down behind him. Marshall landed and pressed the buttons for his ultimate fire truck as Cinder landed beside him.
"You have to coolest truck" Cinder softly said as the pup house dropped below the Lookout and mechanical arms began assembling the truck.
"You are just saying that because it is a big red fire truck with a ladder" Marshall teased. The truck was lifted to ground level and Marshall gunned it into position. Perfectly on cue, the rest of the pups slid down and landed in their seats. Marshall howled as he activated the sirens and honked the horn, pressing his paw down hard on the pedal and raced to the junkyard with Ryder following.
"You didn't tell them that two pups need rescuing" a grey pup with a white tuft of fur on top of her head said to Rocky.
"That's because you don't need rescuing, I have a plan to get you out" Rocky replied as he shoved the other pup into position at one end of a long plank of wood.
"Congratulations, you've invented the see-saw" she said with a roll of her eyes.
"Or pup-a-pult in this case" Rocky said as he jumped up on his truck and then back down on the other end of the plank. The other pup was launched up over the fire and landed perfectly on the other side.
"Now, go, before Chase finds you and blames you for something that isn't your fault" Rocky hissed.
"Isn't it my fault though? I'm mean my inventions are known for exploding" the pup said sadly "and we worked on it together…"
"This wasn't your fault" Rocky said in exasperation, "neither of us knew about the HAZMAT, it could have happened to either of us; and I wired the flight controls so that makes it my fault. Now hurry, I hear Marshall's siren approaching which means we are out of time."
The pups looked at each other through the flames. "Don't worry about me, Marshall will have me out as soon as he gets here" Rocky assured the other pup.
"Find me later then, you still owe me something" the other grey pup said.
"I promise I will" Rocky said, "now go!"
The other pup ran out of the junkyard to a cluster of bushes where her ride was hidden. Just after she jumped into the bushes, she saw Marshall's big fire truck thunder by with all the pups on board.
Once the coast was clear, the pup revved her engine and took off. She knew Rocky would be fine, but she still hadn't wanted to leave him. "But we aren't ready for everyone to know about us just yet" she reminded herself. Her plan was almost ready, and when it was, no one would question the changes.
Marshall skidded to a stop at the entrance to the junkyard. "Get in there and get Rocky out" Cinder softly directed as Marshall jumped down.
"Ruff, mask!" Marshall barked in response, causing the breathing mask build into his pack to extend and cover his face. Marshall then charged into the fire to rescue his brother.
"Chase, Everest, get a hose on the left side" Cinder softly ordered. "Rubble and Ryder, get a hose on the right side. Zuma, take the rescue cart to the far side and engage the fire. Skye, take the mini copter up and begin water drops."
Everyone acknowledged and got to work fighting the fire. "Arf, cab up" Cinder softly barked. The cab immediately rose up above the fire. Cinder turned on the water cannon and began directing it towards Marshall's and Rocky's path out.
Inside the fire, it was surprisingly clear around Rocky and his truck. "You sure know how to start a party" Marshall joked as he ran up to Rocky.
"Let's just get out of here" Rocky said as he jumped into the cab of his truck.
Marshall jumped up on top of the recycling truck. "Arf, water cannon!" Marshall barked. His water cannon popped out and he targeted the fire in front of the recycling truck.
As Marshall knocked the fire down, Rocky moved his truck forward. Before long, they had made it out. "We are clear, Cinder" Marshall reported over his tag.
"I see you" Cinder softly replied. "Does Rocky know what type of HAZMAT we are dealing with?"
"I'm not sure" Rocky replied, "but it is a highly flammable liquid."
"All pups switch to fog patterns" Cinder softly directed. Soon, the fire was engulfed in a fine mist of water, occasionally punctuated by Skye's water drops. The temperature dropped rapidly and soon the flames were extinguished.
"Marshall, check for hot spots" Cinder softly directed as she brought the cab back down. "Rocky, do you have any absorbent pads in your truck?"
"Maybe, let me look" Rocky said as he opened the back of his truck and started digging.
"Chase, see if you nose can find the HAZMAT" Cinder softly ordered.
"Chase is on the case" Chase replied as he began sniffing around. Almost immediately, he found something. "No HAZMAT yet, but Gasket was definitely here. Is it possible she started the fire?"
"No!" Rocky barked from his truck, poking his head out. "It was one of my inventions that didn't work and crashed into the HAZMAT."
"You had an invention that didn't work?" Zuma said questioningly.
"Yeah, lots of my stuff doesn't work the first time" Rocky replied, "you guys just don't usually see it because I test stuff here or in the workshop. You only see the finished product after I've worked out the bugs."
"Still, sounds more like something that one of Gasket's inventions would do" Rubble said.
"Yeah, well, this time it was one of mine that blew up," Rocky barked back in agitation. "You find that HAZMAT yet? I have the pads."
"Not yet" Chase replied.
"Found it" Marshall called from the far side. "Looks like someone dumped a case of hand sanitizer."
Rocky brought the pads over and placed them to absorb the remaining liquid. "Sorry about your invention" Marshall said, nodding to the crunched wreckage, "what was it supposed to do?"
"It was the drone I was working on" Rocky replied, "but I think I cross-wired something in the controls which caused it to crash."
"I'm sure you and your inventing partner will figure it out" Marshall said with a smile as he continued checking for hot spots.
"Who said I had a partner helping me?" Rocky asked. But Marshall was already hosing down a hot spot and didn't hear him.
"Who is Gasket?" Cinder softly asked Skye.
"She is a member of the Ruff-Ruff Pack" Skye quietly replied. "They are a gang of biker pups who like to cause 'wheel' trouble. Gasket is their inventor. But most of the time her inventions don't work as intended."
"Was she the pup we didn't see in the desert when we did that ostrich chick rescue?" Cinder softly asked.
"Correct" Skye replied.
Cinder pondered that as she supervised the rest of the clean-up. Soon they were done. "Great job pups, let's go home" Cinder softly called. All the pups piled into the Ultimate Fire truck.
"Ryder, Cinder, I'm going to go dispose of this HAZWASTE before I head back" Rocky said from his own truck.
"Ok Rocky," Ryder said, signaling Marshall to head out. Rocky watched them go before starting his own truck and heading to the Hazardous Materials Disposal Center.
When he got there, he backed his truck up into position to unload. He was almost done when he felt paws wrapping around his flanks. "I thought I was supposed to find you" he quietly teased.
"Yeah, well, I got impatient" the other grey pup said. "I'm allowed to make sure you made it out of the fire fine."
"I told you I would be" Rocky replied as he turned to look at the other pup. He could see the genuine concern in her dark green eyes so he lifted her muzzle to his own and kissed her.
"You'll have to do a lot better than that if you expect me to believe that you are fine" the grey pup said longingly. Rocky smiled, wrapped his paws around her middle lovingly and proceeded to do just that.
At the Lookout, everyone except Marshall and Cinder hopped off of the Ultimate Fire Truck. Marshall guided the truck into position and it dropped back below the lookout. The rig was disassembled and Marshall's pup house was lifted back up into its normal position when the process was complete.
Cinder sighed as she and Marshall jumped down. She hadn't really wanted to run the scene, but Ryder had asked her to so she did it. And it didn't tax her at all physically. But mentally, she wasn't sure if she was ready to be responding to calls.
Thanks for running everything sis Marshall thought to her.
Eavesdropper Cinder accused.
You say that like I couldn't figure out what you are thinking anyway Marshall thought with a snicker. Plus, you did make it easier, so I would be thanking you even if you had begged me to run the scene.
I'm not ready to have that kind of responsibility again Cinder mentally protested.
Yes, you are Marshall disagreed. This is literally the perfect way to stay sharp.
I hate you when you are right Cinder mentally growled at him.
I love you too Marshall said, sticking his tongue out at her.
Cinder pounced on her twin and started wrestling with him. She knew she had the advantage because she was hurt so he would take it easy on her. But taking it easy was not the same as letting her win. After tussling for a bit, Cinder finally was able to declare victory.
"Pinned ya," she softly said with a smile.
"Doesn't mean I'm not right" Marshall teased.
"Ahem"
Marshall and Cinder turned to look at the voice. Next to them sat a black Labrador retriever with pointed ears and a plain black collar. "Marshall, Cinder? Sorry to interrupt, but can we talk?" he asked hesitantly.
A/N: Onward into the next story arc we go. Anyone know a Black Lab who seems to just appear?
A/N: Replying to some reviews on A Cause For Every Fire here because I couldn't reply direct to you:
Guest: Thanks for the review, I am going to assume you meant "applaud" instead of "appalled" though :)
Chasem: Thanks for the feedback and confidence in my writing. I am honored that you place me up there with HavocHound. Yes, there will be at least one more story in the future (this one in fact, lol), updates to follow on what that timeline will look like.