Vigilante PAW

Chapter Twelve: Digging For Dally

The recycling pup's rested face contorted into a smirk, "Good. You're not backing out of this."

"I don't back out of anything!"

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Let's just get to the top of the lookout before Ryder and the other pups start to wake up."

"Sounds like a plan."

After Everest gently folded Marshall's note and put it under her collar, the two made their way to the lookout. It was very rare that they would be up before the sun was. It was even more rare to be up before Chase was. He always seemed to be up first no matter what.

The Husky shook the thought of Chase out of her mind. She wasn't exactly too fond of the Shepherd after how aggressive he was towards Marshall, and later how aggressive he was toward her. She could understand that Chase believed that Marshall was guilty, but the way he talked to her was uncalled for.

Once the two made it to the elevator, they sighed with relief. They didn't need to encounter Ryder or one of the pups and have to lie their way out of whatever question they would have for the two.

The elevator began to rise slowly, approaching the top floor. They knew that Ryder sometimes woke up before Chase instead of at the same time as him, so they really had to pick up their pace.

"Hope you got a good night's sleep. 'Cause I'm not stopping until we find Marshall."

"Someone's eager..." Rocky remarked, looking at the Husky with a raised eyebrow.

Everest nodded, "Why wouldn't I be? Marshall's my friend! I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to him."

The mixed breed's face stiffened for a moment. In the time following Marshall leaving, he had completely forgotten about the former fire pup's crush on Everest. Based on the way Everest was acting and reacting to different statements, he could tell that she cared for Marshall, but there really wasn't any indicator of a crush in his eyes. Maybe there was a chance that she didn't feel anything aside from friendship for him.

Rocky raised an eyebrow at his own thoughts, "A chance? No, we're looking at a very real possibility that she only sees him platonically!"

The doors to the elevator slid open, snapping the mixed breed out of his daze. He walked alongside Everest as they made a beeline for Ryder's room. Just like they had planned, Ryder's room was silent. He was still asleep.

Everest quickly took Marshall's note back out from beneath her collar, placing it down in front of Ryder's door. She then let out an exhale. It was time for the finishing touch. Both pups moved closer to the other, reaching over to the pup beside them.

As the sun began to rise, Rocky and Everest walked out of the lookout and picked up their speed as they went down the grass beside the driveway. Rocky thought about how much lighter his head felt while Everest was thinking about how they could ask around.

"So, where do you think we should start looking for Marshall?"

Rocky looked over at her, "We'll start from the coast, then move further inland over time. That way, we'll cover the most ground."

"Got it!" Her tail wagged excitedly.

With one last glance back at the lookout, Rocky nodded to himself. He turned away from the lookout and faced the sunrise laid out in front of the two pups.

"We're coming for you, Marshall!"

Sand sifting between their digits, the two pups walked across the shore of Adventure Beach. Yes, it was too early for anyone to come to the beach to swim, but it was still early enough to catch the back end of the sunrise, which the citizens of Adventure Bay loved watching.