SKYE woke up feeling yet again – groggy. She has exactly no idea why she hadn't been having a straight record of having a good morning, but from what she had observed is that this started after Chase lost his memories. A long and loud groan had escaped her and had attracted her neighbour, which is Zuma "Woah, what's wwong with you again? I should know bettew, do I need to cut youw session showt again?" As the Chocolate Lab prepared himself to pull her mattress out again "Stop!! No! I'm fine! I just. . . Feel rea~lly tired lately" She admits as she slams back to her mattress – head first. "Is this whole Chase thing stwessing you out?" Zuma questions as he sat outside her kennel to listen to what she has to say, Skye had only nodded slightly – heads still buried within the fluffy mattress that hugs her comfortably. It was the only thing that keeps her from actually loosing her sanity.

          As she was about to stand up, in the background, Marshall was yelling for Chase's name as Rubble was tailing behind him yelling as well. But what sets them apart was Rubble's yelling Marshall related, in whereas Marshall isn't. "Why did you take my bowl?! You already had your breakfast!! What's the big deal?!" He yelled, then came Rocky who's now tailing behind Rubble "H-hey now. . . Let's just all calm down here—" The Mongrel tried to soothe his anger down since he could already sense the growing stress within Marshall, but due to luck not currently by his side, Rubble looked back at him with an expression that looked ready to snap at any moment "Calm down?! CALM DOWN?! H-HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN MY BREAKFAST KEEPS DISAPPEARING AND TO ONLY BE ENDED UP SEEN BY MARSHALL'S HOUSE, HUH?" Skye and Zuma popped out of the corner and watched everything "Uh-oh. . . Wocky's gonna snap soon" Zuma remarks upon seeing his facial expression. His mouth turned into a grim line, his eyes were shut in a way that it's trying to blockade his anger, his brows were slowly creasing together like an inevitable event of two trains on the same track in opposite directions whereas it goes inwards and that it would soon clash together. Figuratively or literally speaking – both won't end well if both of them wouldn't grab the brakes and hesitate if they must continue further and suffer the future consequences.

          "Rubble. We can always get a new batch" Rocky gritted his teeth, as the anger that's fuming inside him just brushed the insides of him – unable to escape due to his teeth covering its exit. Luckily, Ryder had stepped in once he heard the ruckus "Rubble, to your bowl. Now. I got it filled up already" He commands as he points to where it is placed. The English Bulldog knew it was useless to fight against Ryder's wishes because he knows he'll end up being shushed by him one way or another just to keep the peace and refrain any further damages. The boy then approached Rocky and threaded his fingers through his grey fur, the Mongrel soon had calmed down and gave in to his touch "What happened Rocky?" He began to ask once he was sure Rocky wouldn't snap at him (both speaking figuratively and not) "Rubble thinks Marshall ate it, and we're not sure if he did. But the thing is, who would? Skye's still asleep, Zuma's off to wake her up, I was busying myself with the old junk, Rubble clearly didn't make a sick joke, Marshall's doing his thing and Chase's nowhere to be found!!" Ryder tried to soothe him again by scratching his favorite spot.

          "Whewe do you think Chase went?" The Lab questions as he looks at the Cockapoo beside her "I'm not exactly sure, but I'm certain it's not a pleasant result" She then gestured him to follow her and help with Marshall who's still calling the German Shepherd's name. Once the duo had reached him, they detected no surfacing stress within him and had luckily faded away along with the cool morning breeze once Rubble had finally calmed down— well, sort of. "Hey Marshall. . ." Skye began to test the waters and alertly took note of how their spotted friend would react. Fortunately for them, the Dalmatian gave them a pleasant expression and greeted them naturally with a positive tone also. Skye took note of this and remembered Marshall's great in switching in between emotions and can act like nothing ever happened, she wondered too how he can do that easily, while her in the other paw did all her best and still failed miserably. "Have you seen Chase? We just can't find him lately." Marshall's eyes the drifted off to Zuma as he answers him with a neutral expression "Well, I too have the same question and I'm actually searching for him! It's just. . . Hard!" He then began to laugh at his own words "I just haven't seen him since last night and by morning when I went to check on him he's gone"

          Gone. . . Gone. . . One word that pulses in her mind, one word she can't shake off, one word that makes her uneasy, one word that she can't help but link to something unpleasant. Wherever that word ever links to is that she's sure that the word "gone" and "Chase" doesn't and won't conflate well. As panic surges through her body, her movement became a little stiff and her eyes were locked in one place, cold sweat began to appear as the haunting freeze of the white snow came to her. A color that she saw before she was completely engulfed by the void she knew she built for herself. But something within that is ringing in her head.

Words.

          Words? What words were pricking her to annoyance due to the fact that she can't remember it? Think Skye. Think.

"He'll never trust you."

          "Skye!!" Someone calls her as this snaps her out of her train of thought. She panned her head to where she was being called and found Zuma and Marshall by a bush, they both seem happy, excited, confused and concerned at the same time. So without hesitating any longer, she sprinted to them and looked into the bush with them and to her surprise, it was Chase who surprisingly was asleep on the grass? "Chase, wake up" The Dalmatian whispers – soft enough to not surprise Chase once he does wake up. The German Shepherd's hazel eyes slowly fluttered open and slowly adjusted itself to the current brightness of the surrounding and found himself being surrounded by three pups. Not sure what made him surprised, but he yelled "GAH!!" And pushed himself back which actually was useless as a tree blocks him to stop him from going anywhere but there.

          "Good morning. . . Chase" Skye greeted slowly, as her smile grew at the same pace. The German Shepherd looked at her and didn't move a muscle and got her really concerned that he might be starting to get uncomfortable with her, so she hid behind Zuma that got him questioning to why in the world she did that. Once she stopped squirming in a comfortable position behind Zuma, Chase shook his head and had finally stood up "Uh. . . Yeah, morning. . . " He trails off as he passively walks through them. Marshall and Zuma began to converse with each other as their topic contains to why their friend seemed really off. Try as they might to look in to the bigger picture, Skye on the other hand (or paw) is very focused to the smaller picture and had heard his almost silent mutters.

"Don't trust her, she says. . . "

          Her? Who's her? Something about this word is quite familiar to her yet different at the same time. As if like you see two berries with different colors — the same yet different.

"He'll never trust you."

"Don't trust her, she says. . . "

          Skye sharply inhaled oxygen at the sudden realization and felt dumbfounded for not guessing it earlier. She watched Chase walking in the distance, at that moment she wished him for his safety because at that point, her instincts were yelling that she can't act nonchalantly anymore and mingle with always thinking for something positive. What event must happen is always inevitable. The Cockapoo looked back up to him as her eyes lingered on Chase, the urge of hugging him to comfort always came into her mind when she sees and felt that he was troubled. Wishing she could take away his pain in one snap and have it as hers instead of him enduring the heavy situations he's been carrying on his shoulders. The only thing she could do as of the moment is to look at the poor soul — tormented with the overwhelming factors that upsets him and that having his temporary amnesia is adding to that. Her heart aches at the sight of him as her body itches more the longer she can't have him in her arms. Something in her core yells she's just a moiety waiting for the right time to be pieced back with her other half. Even if every second causes a sting sent to her heart, she'll willingly wait until Chase is ready to face her. Until then. . . All she could have as of the moment, was his foudroyant auburn eyes, she caught it attempting to look at her when she caught him turning his head back  to only look away from her that immediately when he himself had caught her staring at him too.

          It may not be much of it, and no one's sure what's the meaning behind that quick look, but Skye let herself to gawk at his eyes and cherish it. . .

. . . Because that's all she
could do right now.

«———❁✿❁———»

          Chase glimpsed to the back and had found Skye staring at him, he immediately turned his head to where he was going. He hoped Skye didn't see right through him and right away know what he's up to, especially at the nearing night. He knows himself that he's been failing to do what he was supposed to do, and that was hide evidence of what should stay at night shouldn't and mustn't leak by day. "It's hard to do so when she's around" He mutters to himself as he proceeds to walk to his pup house to get a proper shut-eye. But it won't be easy for him as he knew two silhouettes will come and play with his mind, and what he can assure is that one of them is someone that he cant trust. Time grows old as choosing who to trust gets harder as well; and the longer this situation drags on, the more he is slowly being indecisive. His head spins round and round as things flurry him down – close to where sanity isn't recognized, maybe neither light isn't as well.

«———❁✿❁———»

          "Hello?" Chase calls as he walked under the chilly night. It was a moonless night, and the only source of guide that's out tonight are the stars that never seem to leave. The German Shepherd stopped for a moment and looked above to see those same stars were scintillating high above than anyone else. Smiling to himself, he remembered one name that would send him smiling in no time — "Solar". It was the only thing that made sense lately – having a sister, someone who fostered him well and did its best to give him a better life even doing the littlest things in hope to create a small chain of reactions that would soon impact him greatly in such a way that it's a positive effect. He remembered that she'll never be gone and she'll be watching him no matter what the circumstances are and that she'll be high in the skies among with her friends that'll shine throughout the night for him. It was a shame Solar's not here anymore since so far he felt he could trust her with all his heart, but then he remembered he didn't remember her sister all by his own. He had help. Someone who tried to conquer her fears and help him remember things with all she could. Even though he knew she wanted to be miles away from him, somehow. . . She's still there and did her best to re-tell his past life in full detail, he'd be lying if he didn't enjoy hearing his tales from her and just peacefully sit there under the shade of the trees even if nothing she said made sense. But something about it just makes him feel connected, and he's not sure what.

          "Psst. . . Over here!" Someone whispers as the bush rustled, the German Shepherd snapped out of his thoughts and had looked down to where he was being called. Hesitation took over him before he proceeded to walk over to where he's supposed to be at this moment "I thought you wouldn't show up Sweetie" Chase remarks as he positions himself in a comfortable pose and spot. At that very moment, fatigue was creeping into his mind. Last night was no better than loosing his own memories, he and Sweetie had a fight about something related to his past and sadly he lost against her and had took an oath to never mention this specific name. At this moment, you readers probably know who Sweetie is forbidding Chase to mention in their conversations.

          Once Sweetie was contented with the peaceful surroundings, she took her eyes off the area behind the little bush – the only thing that separates them from the other world "Okay so, where have we left off?" She questions as she finally sat down parallel to him ". . . Well, you said that it was Friday that I got to guard the crown again and told me it was the best day of your life before we concluded our conversation" Chase recounts but every time he thinks harder is a ghostly feeling of a blade being pushed down deeper into his brain. "Ah! Yes!" Her eyes scintillate right after she picked up where they left off "You and I had tea! We were conversing happily with each other when you suddenly. . . " She hesitated for a bit and placed her paw on her cheeks as she felt herself blushing "W-what happened next?" The German Shepherd stammers, not quite certain if he's ready to hear it.

          Sweetie's slightly duller shade of pink slowly panned up to Chase with a bashful smile ". . . It was at that moment you asked me out" She finally says. This earned her a really surprised "WHAT?!" From Chase himself, he was left with no words that he'd done that. Upon hearing it, nothing still made sense, he was waiting for a sign but nothing came. His head didn't sting so that must be true right? But why didn't anything flash before him? Why didn't he remember something? Not even a single second of memory, nothing. Chase was frozen by the questions that stung him to keep him immobilized in one spot took him to another world and soon had no conscious of what was happening outside his little thought. In the midst of being at that state, the female pup soon crept her paws onto his shoulders as she looked at him with adoration, this is where he had only snapped out of his little world and flinched a muscle. Her face was close. Too close. That he himself can feel cold sweat spawning around his forehead that soon threaded itself through his whole body making him shiver. "Why won't you kiss me Chase? Weren't you the one who made me yours?" Chase bit back his lips in hesitation. Could he trust her? Well that was a stupid question, if he didn't trust her, he wouldn't let her put in things into his head. But what is holding him back? As she inched closer and closer, the temperature turned colder and colder.

"BECAUSE YOU WERE
NEVER HIS TO START!"

          They both looked up and found an undeniable furious Cockapoo. As she drew closer, Sweetie lets go off the speechless Chase to face Skye for herself. "What are you doing here?" Sweetie monotously questions, her face clearly not happy with her presence around. The Cockapoo seemed unfazed with her threatening expression, she simply smiled at her innocently "Here's a better question! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be back in Barkingburg? Being the good pooch a Princess could have?" Anger was nowhere to be detected in her tone of voice, and that irritates Sweetie greatly that it made her grit her teeth in pure anger "Haven't you had enough of tormenting us with your wicked ideas?" Upon Sweetie hearing this, the so called 'good pooch' cackled evilly "Of course not!" She enthusiastically replies, as her evil grin kept growing and more scarier.

          Skye gulped, already feeling fear creeping into her system, she tried to cover it up to refrain Sweetie from feeding from it to gain even more confidence "W-what are you gonna do? Run away again like you always do? And wait for your plan to fail on you again?" Her voice rattled as not only the cold night brushed her, but the thought of Sweetie's future diabolical plans. The Cockapoo herself knows she always runs away, its what she does when she fails; but something tells Skye that this wouldn't be the case this time. Time grew and made her wittier over time, and every minute— heck even seconds they waste is another step for everyone to fall into her corrupted paws. No one is sure what her intentions are or what her activities are lately, except what they can all do as of the moment is gear themselves with bravery and alertness, owing to the fact that you must expect the unexpected. "Oh you innocent. . . PATHETIC Cockapoo. . . " Sweetie circled around her as she shook her head in disappointment, "I thought you're smarter than that. . . Oops! I guess I'm a step ahead of you—" She then violently grasped her collar and dragged her very close to her. Skye suffocated at the feeling of her pulling her close, her grasp so firm as if her plan was to kill her right there and there, or what if it is?

"—And that small brain of yours
can't catch up to mine"