Ashes | Paw Patrol

What We Whispered and What We Screamed

Everyone in the Lookout had gone to sleep and every light was out. Rocky silently slipped out the spare room and into the night air. He padded past the pup houses along the base of the tower as quietly as he could. A minute later, he reached the line of trees he planned to leave through at the edge of the yard. Well... this is it, the mix thought with one final glance back at the Lookout. Just as he was about to disappear into the trees, he remembered something he nearly forgot. Oh no... I left my photo in the room! I was in a hurry to leave but how could I almost leave the one valuable thing I own behind?

A quiet sigh of annoyance and Rocky was turning around, tracing his pawsteps along the same route back to the room. He entered to grab it and was just about to leave when a dreadfully familiar voice stopped him from behind.

"Wocky?..."

The gray pup's heart dropped, realizing the one pup he wanted to avoid most somehow woke up. He turned around hesitantly to face Zuma in the doorway. "W-why aren't you asleep, Zuma? I was just, um, taking a trip to use the bathroom."

The lab squinted questioningly. "I'm a light sleeper... You woke me up, dude." His eyes slowly traced over Rocky's nervous features before drifting down towards the object sitting beside his paws. Zuma didn't know what was inside, but he remembered it was extremely important to the mixed breed. "Why'd you bwing your box..."

Zuma's jaw suddenly dropped in shock. "Wait... Wocky, where were you weally going? Were you going to... leave?"

He didn't get a response, which only confirmed what he asked. Rocky stared back, his face void of any anger or sadness.

"No... no no you can't leave, Wocky. I thought you said this was your new home-"

"I've made my mind up, Zuma. You said it was my new home but I never completely agreed. It's for the best anyways," the mix whispered just loud enough for the lab to hear. The brown pup stepped further into the room, only a few feet away but blocking Rocky's way out.

"Dude...you said you thought this was gonna work out! Aren't you tiwed of always wunning? Please... stay." Before Rocky could respond, Zuma had closed the gap and was now only inches away, clouding his senses with the same scent he'd grown so familiar to.

"I can't keep repeating the same mistake. I have to, Zuma. It's better for everyone," Rocky whispered.

"Is that supposed to make me feel okay with this?" Zuma growled. "Is that your tewwible attempt to bwush me off and walk away like your time here never even happened?" Rocky winced and his stone cold face fell for only a split second, but Zuma still noticed.

"Wocky..." he said as he inched closer. "Deep down you know this is where you belong. This is your home! The rest of the pups are your family and I'm-" Zuma brought his paw up to stroke Rocky's cheek. "I'm whatever you need me to be..."

Rocky grabbed the brown paw brushing his face and yanked it away. "Stop trying to change my mind," he said through clenched teeth, trying to ignore the tingles still dancing across his cheek where he had been touched. He could feel his determination beginning to weaken as the lab broke through. "Zuma, I can't be here anymore. You don't need me anyway! Everyone I've grown close to is DEAD! I'm not taking that chance with you! It's happened too many times already and just yesterday it almost got someone else killed!"

Zuma's blood began to boil with rage. He wasn't sure if he wanted to scream at Rocky for the way he was thinking or if he wanted to break down in tears of desperation. The gray pup stepped to the side trying to get around him, but Zuma reached out and grabbed him roughly before pulling him in. Rocky tried to yell in protest, but was silenced by the pair of lips capturing his.