Behind The Mask

That Moment

     Chase couldn't feel the pain in his shoulder anymore, but he did feel pain in his ears from the yelling and nagging coming from Tundra after she forcefully wrapped his shoulder for him.

"What were you thinking!?" She yelled, but he felt like she could go higher. She knew that worrying the others wouldn't be such a good idea so she kept it down a little bit.

"Look, for the last time, It's not what you think!" Chase exclaimed.

"Oh? What is it then?"

At this point, Chase was getting fed up.

"It's nothing. It was just a reflex or something, it won't happen again." Chase promised but Tundra wasn't letting him off that easily.

"A reflex?"

This went on for about an hour and Tundra obviously wasn't letting him off the hook. It wasn't just the time, but the nagging part made it unbearable for Chase and he inwardly started praying for a way to run out but the husky in front of him was blocking the door. He obviously didn't want to tell her what he thought he saw, but what other excuse could he come up with? Chase looked at her face once again, she still had her angry expression, but this time, there was genuine concern and fear on her face. Chase slightly gasped at that sight. Her eyes were glossy as if she was about to shed tears. For a moment, the German Shepherd closed his eyes and knew that he couldn't lie to her face at all. She was one of the few who treated him kindly and respectfully. She even started to feel like a sister to him. Feeling defeated, Chase sighed.

"Tundra, I...I'm really sorry for scaring you like that." He spoke in a soft tone to which Tundra was a little surprised but started to feel a little comfortable, but she still held her guard up.

"Back in that hallway, I thought I saw...I thought I saw Brutus for a second and then...there were these voices and...I don't know, nothing I could do or think was doing anything so I..." Chase trailed off, avoiding some part of eye contact, feeling ashamed by not what he did to himself, but for what he had done to Tundra.

Tundra, who was listening to all this, slowly let her guard down and her expression was softer with sadness. Staring at Chase who began to shake.

"You didn't know what to do?" She finished and Chase slowly nodded while the shaking stopped.

The room was silent, both of them avoiding eye contact, but soon, Chase looked up to see Tundra still standing there, awkwardly looking around. He knew what she was thinking. But seeing her standing there, all hurt, it was something he couldn't just let it be. In response, the young pup stood up and slowly walked towards the husky, embracing her in a warm hug much to her surprise.

"I'm really sorry, Tundra. You have every right to be mad at me. I really owe you one for wrapping up my shoulder. I promise I won't ever do something like that, ever again."

Tundras eyes began to water due to him saying those sentences, but she was able to hold them back and return the hug. The two stood there for a couple seconds and then slowly separated. Both of them felt a little better. After Tundra wiped away some tears, she stared at Chases shoulder and then had a confused expression.

"Y'know, the wound was pretty bad, how are you able to walk like...like nothing happened?" She asked. Chase stared uncomfortable at his wound and looked back at Tundra with a slight grin.

"Well, I mean, I have been through worse so this is nothing to me." He said with an uncomfortable laugh.

Tundra smiled but her eyes squinted a little. She can still perfectly remember and visualize that part where Chase took off his hoodie, exposing all of his horrific scars on his body. She knew he wasn't lying at all. Just by his tone of voice, his face and the scars and the fact that he was walking perfectly fine.