224AN: I promised I would do it following the New Year and we are. The sequel I've been getting people begging for: Zuma's Courage. I had to plan this one out a lot. There were a lot of directions I was thinking of doing, but I'm now satisfied with what I got. This is going to still be a dark story and I do recommend that if you're not interested in that stuff, that you take caution reading this one or skip it.
There is one thing I would like to comment on though. Nobody (except those who I allow) can use Damian Stone for their stories. Unless you have permission from me, you are now allowed to use him. I am proud of this OC I created thank you.
The lyrics are based on off Voodoo Doll by VIXX. And don't worry, this is the only chapter the lyrics will appear.
Disclaimer: I do not own Paw Patrol or Voodoo Doll by VIXX.
"How blessed are some people, whose lives have no fears, no dreads; to whom sleep is a blessing that comes nightly, and brings nothing but sweet dreams"-Bram Stoker
Born from a tragic heart that is aching.
Lies a darker strength born from the bloody making.
Can you devoid your fear? Can you get rid of your tears?
Innocent blood in pain, just like the act of Cain.
Know that, your time, is coming up.
To face, your fate, hiding in the dark.
It's time to unleash your rage, rip free the chains and the cage.
Take everything from him, just like he took from you.
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, the time has finally come.
Torn between life and death, you have suffered enough, dear pup.
Only one's death shall it end today, from your claw or from his blade.
Unleash your courage now, and face your enemy.
It's either life or death, so choose your destiny.
There is no more turning back, do it for love or payback.
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, the time has finally come.
To become a monster, you must be become prepared.
To lose away the feelings of those you once cared.
Sacrifice your love, sacrifice your joy.
Shed away the past, the former you must pass.
Shutting your heart, you've become a beast.
Your pain, and tears, are now released.
But, what have you lost forever?
The bonds you treasured most are now severed.
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, the time has finally come.
Torn between life and death, you have suffered enough dear pup.
Only one's death shall it end today, from your claw or from his blade.
Unleash your courage now, and face your enemy.
It's either life or death, so choose your destiny.
There is no more turning back, do it for love or payback.
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, the time has finally come.
Should I love? Should I hate? I do not know.
Should I love? Should I hate? I do not know.
Yeah, open the gates of burning hell,
time to ring the judgement bell,
blood and tears are all that remain,
nightmares of doom and acts of pain.
All that remains of my soul, is a empty shallow hole,
nothing can save me, just let me be.
Let my courage set me free.
No longer do you smile, no longer you give laughter.
All that you once had, you run from ever faster.
Even though, deep down, you still cry for the ones you love.
In the end, there will come a time, when you must decide.
Will you let your last chance of happiness die?
The choice is yours in the end, will you choose love or revenge?
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, the time has finally come.
Should I love? Should I hate? I do not know.
Should I love? Should I hate? I do not know.
The time has finally come.
Rocky always liked the warm summer days. The feeling to the sun's rays hitting his belly made him feel like a flower, growing with energy and bursting with happiness. The feeling of the soft grass against his back only furthered increased the smile decorated on his muzzle. His perfect sunlight was however ruined by a shadow that came across his face. Opening his eyes in annoyance, he soon smiled upon seeing something better.
"Heya, Wocky, enjoying your summer nap?" asked Zuma, smirking down at the mixed breed.
Yawning, he got up and smiled at the younger lab. "I was until a certain lab got in the way with his big head."
"Hey. I'm not that big headed," said Zuma, puffing out his cheeks in such an adorable way that it made Rocky chuckle. "I was going to ask if you wanted to play, but if you're busy…"
"Not at all," said Rocky, wagging his tail before he tapped Zuma's head. "In fact, your it!"
"Hey! No fair!" shouted Zuma, but he laughed alongside his best friend as they ran across the field.
Rocky sprinted as best as he could, but Zuma had always been the more athletic of the two. Not to mention his size made it easier for him to move faster. It didn't take long for the Lab to jump up and tackle Rocky as they rolled across the field, laughing and struggling to see who would come up on top. Of course, that small size had a weakness as Rocky was stronger and managed to pin Zuma on the ground. "Gotcha! So what are ya gonna do now?!" asked Rocky as he stuck out his tongue.
"This," answered Zuma before he gently pressed his lips against Rocky's nose.
The mixed breed blushed like a rose as he saw the cunning smirk and fire burning behind Zuma's eyes. He should have been questioning why Zuma had kissed him like that, but his body reacted first by slowly lowering his lips and placing them in Zuma's embrace.
The two moaned as they melted into each other's arms, their lips locked against one another. Zuma tasted so sweet and cool, like peppermint mixed with sugar. Rocky continued to press down as he focused on breathing through the nose to make the kiss last longer. He could also smell Zuma's aroma that slowly began to turn him on.
He whimpered when Zuma ended the kiss, but Rocky sill kept his eyes closed as he kissed the water pup's neck softly and gently. "Wocky… do you love me?"
"Yes," he whispered, nuzzling his cheeks and smiling. "I love you, Zuma."
"… when why didn't you save me?"
Rocky's eyes widened as he slowly lifted his head and gasped in horror.
His Zuma. His best friend. His love… was bleeding from a giant cut across his throat. With tears in his darkening eyes, Zuma lifted his bloody paw and caressed the stunned Rocky. "Why… did… you let me… die..." The eyes finally closed as the paw went limp and collapsed into the dirt with no resistance.
"No… no nonononono NO!" shouted Rocky as he shook Zuma's body. "Zuma! Speak to me! Zuma! ZUMA!"
"Zuma!" shouted Rocky as he got up and cursed upon hitting his head against his pup house. He rubbed his noggin before realizing that he had a nightmare, and it was still dark outside. Grumbling, he got out of his pup house and made for the grass backyard behind the Lookout.
The others were still sleeping, all in their pup houses. Even Marshall, who came back not too long ago from his mental coma, was sleeping peacefully. Rocky could only envy him, especially after the treatment he had gotten from Damian Stone that fateful day. The dally occasionally smile and joked, but often he was staring out in the open, training with Chase, or talking with Ryder.
Still… I'm glad he's home, thought Rocky as he continued his walk. It felt better to have one of the pup's home… but it was still incomplete. Zuma…
Six months. Six months of searching and he hadn't found a single trace of the pup who was his friend, brother, and secret desire. He still refused to think Zuma was dead. He knew deep in his heart the pup was still alive. Unless a body was brought to him, Rocky would forever believe this until the day he died.
Looking over Adventure Bay in the dark of the night, Rocky thought about the happier times before Damian Stone came and ruined it all. He heard rumors when he ventured near Costal City that he was active again with his criminal ways and it took all the willpower in the world for Rocky not to go there, find him, and end him in the worst way possible. I'd love nothing more than to rip out his throat and piss on his grave.
He wasn't the only one. Chase. Marshall. Skye. Ryder, and even Rubble all desired to see the monster that ruined their family dead. The one who took away and broke one of their own.
Rocky looked up at the stars and saw a shooting one. He never really put his faith in wishes or prayers. Not since Ryan died with not a single plea from whatever power that was up there saving him. But just this once, he was willing to believe again. Anything if it meant Zuma was safe.
Please… I don't know who is listening… just let him be okay… let me see him again… thought Rocky.
"Praying for Zuma?" asked a voice which made Rocky slowly turn around to see Marshall with a small smile. "Mind if I pray with you?"
"Go ahead, I'm done," whispered Rocky as Marshall sat beside him and lowered his head in silence. For a few minutes, Rocky continued to watch the night sky before Marshall brought his head up.
"He'll come back," whispered Marshall.
"Huh?" asked Rocky, turning his head.
"Zuma. He'll come back," said Marshall with a small smile towards the mixed breed. "I don't think he's dead either, Rocky. I think he's just… lost… and torn…"
"… you know how he's feeling, don't you?" asked Rocky.
"… I too wanted to die," admitted Marshall. "I was too scared to do it myself so I asked Chase to do it for me… he pretty much set me straight with some harsh wording…" He closed his eyes. "That woman… and her baby… I still sometimes see them… covered in blood and bullet holes… it should have been me… I was ready to die…"
"Did you want to?" asked Rocky.
"I didn't want too, but I thought I wasn't coming out of it alive so I made my peace," whispered Marshall, lowering his head. "I just didn't know what to feel when I found myself alive and the other two dead. I thought it was wrong. That me being alive was wrong. I didn't want to accept the fact that I was helpless to save two innocent people…"
He turned to Rocky and nodded. "And that's how Zuma feels. How he feels about us being hurt."
"… how can he get better if there is nobody there to help him?" choked Rocky, whimpering in shame. "I tried, but I failed him. I just wanted to protect him."
Marshall placed his paw on his friend's shoulder and nuzzled him. "You didn't fail him, Rocky. You did all you could. Zuma… he needs to find himself. Something that none of us can help him with. When he's ready to come back, he will come back."
"… how long will that take?"
"As much as it needs to…"
Lizabeth never cried as hard as she did until this very night. Her parents warned her about trusting strangers, especially boys her age, but she ignored them. Stuff like that only happened to other people you hear on the news, it would never happen to her. Yet her she was, recovering from the drug the boys slipped into her drink at the party, and had her tied up, gagged, and in her panties and bra as they debated who was going to take their first chance at her.
With her vision clearing up, she tried to look around to get a feeling of where she was. She recognized it as the nature reserve she volunteered to help at a few times when she was a girl scout. It was so freaky to see at night, not helped by the fact that the only light was a lamp lantern the boys had brought with them.
She struggled against her bonds, but they were tight to the point where her skin was coming off. Her struggle alerted her captors as the blond haired one smirked and walked over to her, his cold eyes staring into her teary ones. "I think the bitch is awake."
"So, are we going to do this or not?" asked the darker skinned one who had short black hair.
"We could always make her do all three of us," suggested the red haired one with a lick of his lips. "Women do have three holes after all."
Lizabeth nearly choked on her rising bile as she struggled even harder. The blond haired one grabbed her by the throat and started choking her. "Nah, this one looks like she'll bite your dick off. Safer to keep her gagged while two do her and one finishes her off." He pulled out a bowie knife and waved it in her face before grinning. "Now if you're a good little girl, and don't struggle, we'll let you go, okay?"
That was a lie and she knew it. These guys had no intention of letting her life after they were done with her, but fear forced her to nod.
"Rock, paper, scissors to see who gets her last?" suggested the darker skinned one as they got together and started playing the game.
Lizabeth closed her eyes and started doing something she never had done in a long time: pray. God, if you really exist you'll help me! I'll start going to church again! I'll never have sex until I'm married! I'll even accept my step-mother as my real mom! Just please help me!
"Dammnit! Why do I never go with rock," grumbled the darker skinned one as he leaned against one of the trees.
The other two went to get Lizabeth and forced her up. One of them made for her panties as she closed her eyes, hoping her horrible fate will just be quick. That was until she heard one of them scream and the other two jumped back, allowing her to fall back to the ground. Opening her eyes, she looked around and saw the third one, who lost the game, was missing.
"Shit! Did you see that, dude?!" asked the red haired one, looking around in a panic.
"I did, it was as fast as lighting! What was it!" shouted the blond, taking out his knife again. "Maybe a wolf?"
"Or maybe… oh crap what if it's… that thing?"
Lizabeth looked around, wondering what had happened and where the third possible rapist went. Her answer came with a decapitated head landing right next to her, its eyes widened and mouth open in gruesome horror. Despite having a gag on, she screamed and backed away to the point where her back leaned against the tree, kicking the dirt.
"Oh, shit! It is him! He's real! Run!" shouted the red haired one who tried to make a break for it, but that's when it struck.
Like a blur, her tackled the rapist in the chest, sending him to the ground. A single growl and scream was all there was before whatever tackled it sunk its teeth into his neck and ripped it out. Lizabeth stared, frozen solid, as her would be rapist tried to hold off the bleeding of his torn neck, flailing around like a fish out of water. A few seconds and he stopped moving entirely as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
She stared at the now dead body before looking up at the creature that had killed him. It was small, about the size of a puppy, cloaked in what seemed to be brown rags stitched together. She couldn't see much of his body or face, but there was one thing she could see. A single yellow eye that made her spine tingle by the cold hatred beaming out of it. All directed at the last of the rapists.
The blond one, holding his knife out with his shaking hand, cut in the air and shouted, "S-s-stay back! Just stay back!"
The cloaked being didn't answer. He just charged forward with such speed that Lizabeth realized that it walked on four legs. It reached for the hand and clutched it with its jaws, making the blond criminal screaming. Spinning his body, he flipped the human over and crunched harder on the hand, breaking its bones.
It then went for a certain vital spot between the legs and bite even harder. The male human screaming even higher. The creature backed away, letting the wounded rapists hold his bleeding pelvis with his only good hand left. It then turned to her, making her wonder if it was going to hurt her too.
To her surprise, it went for her binding and began to chew threw them until her hands were free. She quickly ripped of the gag and gasped for breath before staring at the creature below.
"Run down that way," it whispered as it pointed right. Lizabeth was shocked that it sounded so young. "They left their van with the keys inside. Go home."
It turned around and made its way to the wounded rapist, trying to crawl his way to safety. Lizabeth gulped and asked, "W-what are you going to do to him?"
The creature stopped, keeping its back to her before answering. "Send him to hell."
That was all Lizabeth needed to hear before she rushed in the direction the creature told her to. Just as she left she heard the most awful screams that sounded like hell had indeed come to play with its prey. She didn't care if her savior was an angel or demon, she was just glad to get away.
It didn't take too long to find the van and, just as he said, the keys were inside. Reminding herself to follow everything she promised God just minutes ago, she turned the van on and made her way towards the nearby road.
Twenty minutes, thought Zuma as he licked the water of a nearby creek to wipe the blood from his mouth and teeth. Lasted longer than the others. He spat out a piece of skin and muscle he had between his teeth. He still hated the taste of flesh and blood, but had grown used to it over the years. Fresh rabbits, deer, and chipmunks were okay, but he wouldn't deny he missed the taste of dog food or cooked human food like burgers and hotdogs.
Taking the hood off his self-made cloak, he looked down at the face of a changed pup in six months. His fur had gotten a lot wilder, an almost savage look. He was a lot thinner, but leaner too with most of his baby fat now gone. But what had changed most was the eyes. No longer was there any joy or happiness in them… only a cold feeling of rage.
But most importantly, there was no fear inside of his eyes anymore. Blood didn't scare him. Knives didn't scare him. Death didn't scare him.
He was the cowardly pup no longer.
"I take it your latest hunt has been a success?" asked a familiar voice that made Zuma turn around and bowed before the great white wolf what stood before him.
"It has, Master Owiel," whispered Zuma before looking up at the one who had turned Zuma into what he is now.
It was hard to say what Oriel was to the pup. He wasn't a father, Greg would have that position forever in Zuma's heart, nor was he a brother, because Rocky was and always would be his brother. Even though he must hate him now for abandoning him. Teacher was the closest thing, yet Oriel didn't coddle or baby Zuma. He pushed him into limits and trials that were close to death, but made him stronger each time.
"You've grown stronger," said Oriel as he circled around Zuma. "No longer do I see a scared pup who wishes to die to end his pain. Rather a warrior with a talent for killing."
He then stopped. "But you are still living in fear."
Zuma's eyes widened in disbelief. "W-what? How?! I no longer fear blood! I have killed both creature and man! I am bwave now!"
"You are brave, but you still lack true courage," whispered Oriel as he pressed his paw against Zuma's chest. "There is something you fear deep inside of you as well as something you hate with utter most contempt… or rather someone."
Zuma growled as he whispered a name. A single name that made every blood vessel in his body burn with fiery rage. "Damian Stone."
"Yes, the man who killed your first family. Wounded your second one," whispered Oriel as he walked behind Zuma, staring into the moon. "A man you dream of killing every night if I am right to assume?"
"I have every wight to do so," whispered Zuma, closing his eyes. Even if he could no longer hear them, he could still see the dead bodies of his father, mother, and sister. Everyone dying from the blows he inflicted that killed Zuma's innocence forever. He thought about how his friends and Ryder had suffered, including Marshall who would never be the same again. "He took evewything from me. I want to take evewything from him."
"So, it is revenge you seek?" asked Oriel, snorting. "Revenge is nothing but a one-way trip to the grave. Even if you succeed, you won't find the peace you seek that way."
"There is no other way," whispered Zuma. "I can't go home to Adventure Bay. Not after evewything that's happened. I don't care anymore about my life or finding happiness, but I care about stopping Stone and making him pay for what he's done to me and everyone else."
Oriel was silent for a longtime.
Zuma closed his eyes and waited for him to scold him like always. Instead, he heard him say something very different. "Very well. If this is the path you wish to take, then so be it." He turned around and stared at Zuma straight in the eyes. "But know this. The path you take will hurt not just you, but others as well. If you truly take the path of vengeance, you will become a monster. Can you live with that?"
A monster, huh? Thought Zuma as he closed his eyes. If being a monster is what it takes to take down a monster. So be it. I accept that fate.
"However," whispered Oriel as he turned away. "When you finally realize the true fear that you have inside of you… seek me out… your final lesson will then begin."
And with that said, Oriel dashed into the forest. In an instant, Zuma knew that he wouldn't see him again. Not unless Oriel wanted to. Alone in the dark, Zuma closed his eyes as the words of his master rang in his ear.
He knew a part of him desired to go home. To make himself happy, but he couldn't do it and there was only one way to finally end it. He slowly reached for his pup tag, the one thing he had left of his old life. He closed his eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to drip down. He could still see the Lookout in all its glory, shining like a beacon of hope for Adventure Bay. Ryder, his second owner, his caretaker who had given him a second life, playing games on his pup pad as he waited for an emergency call. Chase, the leader he trusted with his life, playing tag with his best friend and brother figure Marshall, whose laugh could make anyone sad turn happy in an instant. Skye, flying in the air with such a grace that even the birds would be envious. Rubble, eating away at his lunch like it was his last meal, before burping so loud the trees shook. And Rocky…
Wocky… thought Zuma as a tear this time did come down.
His best friend. His older brother. His protector. His rock.
He could still feel his warm embrace they night they became friends. For one split moment, he wanted that hug more than anything.
He ripped the tag off and threw it into the creek, watching it flow down the stream until he could see nothing of it no more.
Nothing would hold him back anymore.
Nothing awaited him anymore.
Nothing would weaken him anymore.
With his heart sealed, he turned away and disappeared into the night.
