When The Past Becomes The Future

Life And Love

Hours passed, as the pups adjusted to their new reality. Nature itself seemed to protest such injustice, and the sky began to darken. Thunder boomed, and lightning streaked across the sky. The wind picked up, blowing the pup's fur this way and that way. The air pressure dropped, a sure sign of coming rain.

The moment Michael had left the facility, he began to dim. It was gradual, but he was slowly disappearing. All the pups looked to him. Besides, he was the only living part of Rocky left.

"Michael, what's happening?" Zuma asked him in fear.

"Oh, Zuma. I'm sorry." Michael pressed his nose against Zuma's. "I can't stay here any longer. I've been away from a power source too long..." The wind whipping fiercely, chilling the pups.

"What?! You're leaving? What are we going to do without you?" Skye asked.

"I'm...I'm sorry." Rocky's double respond, looking at her with tearful eyes.

"You are all we have left of him," Ryder said.

"I wish I could stay. I do. But, Rocky's spirit is calling me. I can't disobey." He was now a thin silhouette and the pups strained to see him.

"Calling you... Does that mean he isn't dead?" Marshall said, sudden hope in his heart.

"I don't know," he responded. He thought for a bit. "There may be a way to save him, though. Rocky's body may be lifeless, but his spirit remains. I can feel him... There might yet be hope, but time will run out...is running out... Keep him safe." Michael said, giving them a spark of hope before disappearing like mist.

"Did you hear that?" Zuma said. "He can still save Wocky!" His momentary sorrow disappeared like mist before the sun, and hope roared as a flame in his heart.

"But what can we do?" Taja asked.

"We were told to keep him safe. Now we wait," Zuma responded confidently.

"Zuma, I don't want to crush your hope, but if Rocky can't be saved..." Ryder trailed off.

"He will come back to us. To me..." Zuma whispered to himself.

"Just...don't get your hopes too high. The higher they are, the farther they have to fall." Chase said. Zuma stubbornly refused to listen to their counsel.

"I said, he will be fine! It's like you want him dead!" he snapped. No one else dared to challenge him. A few drops of rain began to fall from the sky. The clouds swirled together, and in the center, the clouds began to boil.

"Something feels...familiar..." Zuma mumbled.

"At any rate, we need to find shelter." Marcus barked sensibly. Ryder looked at Chase.

"Could you look around for somewhere to stay?"

"Say no more!" Chase said, taking off in a flash of light. A few minutes later, he came back, panting and out of breath.

"About a mile from here, there is a large stone cave. We can stay there for the night!" The wind speed had increased, and it looked like Skye and Taja were going to be blown right off the mountainside.

"Ok, Chase. Lead the way." Marcus said, taking charge.

"Hey, where is Zuma?" Skye asked. They looked behind them, and saw Zuma wiggle up under their dead freind, and situate his paws around his neck. He ran (as well as he could) and caught up with them.

"Here, let me help you," Marcus said.

"No," Zuma said, a little too quickly and a little too sharply. "I mean, I got it." Zuma hastily amended. Marcus looked at him for a moment, before dipping his head and turning away.
"I've got you Wocky, I won't let anything else happen to you," Zuma murmured.