I felt something nudge me. I knew it was another dog's muzzle. I growled lightly as a small warning. They did it again and I opened my eyes and noticed immediately there were bandages over my eyes. I could still see through them perfectly fine because they weren't completely thick enough to block my vision. My ears perked at the strange lack of color. Everything is... grey...?

I was about to jump up when I recognized a calm, yet deep, voice. "Don't move, you might open up the stitches in your sides."

I turned my head to see Tryton. Fang stood in the background with Butch. My head hurts...

"Tryton... what happened?" I looked at his chest that used to be brown.

"Why is everything grey?" I started to panic, all of the horrible thoughts flooded into my head.

"When Mason shot you, he shot you right in between your eyes. Daniel and Lucas were talking about how it was a miracle you survived the bullet, but-"

"You are now colorblind..." Fang mumbled as he joined his brother.

I growled in annoyance. I shifted my weight and tried to pull my self up, only to be pushed back down by all three of them.

"Stop acting like you care, I am fine, just let me up!" I snarled.

"You're right, I don't care, but we were told to not let you up by our masters." Butch growled back and shoved me back down.

"Good to know I am loved." I laid my head on my paws.

My whole body aches, but I can't show my pain or more will come. I don't like this life, I will admit, but I can't keep my friends anymore. Not after I got them hurt. After I got him hurt. I never liked being social...

This life is a little bit better, I am sure I can manage...

"How are you feeling?"

I looked up at Lucas as he knelt down beside me, "You try getting shot in the face. See how you like it." I growled in response.

"I was just trying to be nice, okay? No need to bite my face off. We need to move you back to your room. The Vet says you can walk, your stitches should be good for now."

"What about Mason?" I lifted myself up a little bit to where I was sitting up.

"He will still be working with us, he just won't be allowed to be in a similar area with you alone since you both clearly can't seem to get along."

"Yeah, like it was all my fault." I mumbled.

"Well, you did attack him on your first day here..."

"Sorry, I was kinda taken away from my friends. And he kinda got in my face. Why doesn't he just forget what happened in the past?" I snarled and pulled myself to my paws.

"He was here first, so he can stay and you can go."

"I would rather stay..."

"Really? Wow, we really did change you... You aren't anyone's dog yet so-"

"And I don't want to be someone's pet!" I snapped.

"Then we will all have to take you on trips with us. Including Mason." I let out an annoyed snort.

"But, you have mine and Daniel's trust so you are a full canine. You basically help us catch dogs for money."

"Yay." I stood up and looked at the door, "Can we go now?"

He shrugged and opened the door. I went through and a puppy came bounding up to me with a bandage around his face.

His eyes were covered, but I could tell how happy he was. His tail was swaying back and forth and he looked up as if he was seeing a new species. His aura was bright blue.

My ears perked as I realized I could still see the color of scentlines and auras.

"Hi!" The pup's small voice sent memories flooding into my head and I smiled.

"I can't see you, but I can sure smell you! You smell like a clearing full of lilacs-" He paused and sniffed the air again.

"And you smell like my mommy..." He lowered his head, and, before I could react, he pressed head into my chest and whispered, "I miss my mommy and daddy, even if they left me to get attacked by bugs that chewed a hole in my face."

I, not only instinctively but willingly, licked the scruff of his neck to sooth the kid. I whispered back between strokes, "I miss my parents too."

"My name is Kaleb! What's yours?" I smiled as he had pulled away and sat infront of me, his tail wagging again.

"Rei. My name is Rei."

"Rei is a pretty weird name..." He paused and then continued, "I like it! Will you come back tomorrow to visit me?" I tilted my head and a ear flopped over just as I smiled and replied, "Sure, I don't see why not?"

"Yay!" He licked my chest and bounded off to the person that called his name.

"Looks like someone has a new friend. What did you talk about?" Lucas smirked and I mumbled playfully, "I thought you had gift and could understand dogs."

"Only certain dogs. I could only hear that pup barking, but I heard your side of the conversation. What was the 'I don't see why not' about?"

"He asked me if I could come over and visit tomorrow. He sure is a bright one. What happened to his face?" I barked in curiosity as I followed Lucas to the van.

"You have to come down here everyday to get checked on."

"Why can't I stay?"

"Because we might need you."

"Please?"

"You seriously care about that ugly little bug brain?" My muzzle curled into a snarl before Lucas closed the door of the van. I waited for him to get into the driver's seat.

"He isn't ugly, and don't call him a bug brain!"

"But it is technically true. Kaleb's parents left him because he was born as the runt. He managed by himself for a little while before he got a minor wound on his face. Without treatment for months, the wound got infected and became infested with maggots. Those maggots ate his entire face down to his skull. Including both of his eyes. He was found three days ago."

"Poor guy. I don't care how he looks. I am staying."

"Says who?" Lucas lifted an eyebrow.

"If you want me to stay and work with you guys, I will stay here with Kaleb."

"Fine." He opened the door and let me out. We went into the building again and Kaleb ran up to me.

"You're back! It's been so long!" His bright spirit made me smile.

"It has been three minutes." I chuckled and licked his muzzle.

"Oh, well, umm.... I have no sense of time when I have this thing on my face."

"That's okay. I have a wound on my face too, just like you."

"Really? Where?" I smiled and bent down. I pressed my head against his chest and backed away.

"Carefully lift your paw and place it in front of you. You will feel the bandages over my eyes. Try not to touch exactly in between them though."

"Okay." I watched as he carefully lifted his paw and placed it on the bridge of my muzzle. He pulled away and I sat up.

"What happened?"

"I was shot in the face. I went colorblind."

"I'm sorry." He whimpered and his tail stopped wagging.

"Don't be. I survived and I can still see." He didn't respond. His head was tilted to the ground.

"Guess what?" I laid my muzzle on his head and sent my breath into his fur to calm him down.

"Hmm?"

"I am staying here for a while. With you."

"YAY! I GOT A NEW FRIEND!" His tail suddenly started hitting both of his sides and went side to side at what seemed like tremendous speeds.

"A new best friend." I smiled and lifted my muzzle. He immediately started to lick my face.

I yawned and laid down where I was, Kaleb immediately crawled to my side and pressed against my ribs tightly. I listened as his breathing pattern slowly transformed into the rhythm of restless sleep. I laid my head on my paws and looked at Kaleb.

"Such a sweet pup." I whispered and licked his nose.

I drifted off to sleep.