Marshall bounded through Adventure Bay, his clumsiness endearing as ever. Today, the pups were on a mission to help Farmer Yumi fix a broken fence. Ryder, their enthusiastic leader, briefed them.
"Alright pups, Farmer Yumi needs help fixing her fence post. It looks like a strong wind knocked it over last night. Chase, you're on point. Marshall, be careful not to trip over anything!"
Marshall saluted sloppily. "No worries, Ryder! I'll be extra careful today!" he chirped, a hint of something unfamiliar in his voice, almost a melody.
The mission went smoothly, at least until Marshall, in true Marshall fashion, tripped over a stray root. With a yelp, he tumbled down a small incline, landing with a pained "Oof!"
Suddenly, a torrent of words erupted from him, a language none of the pups recognized.
"Kia kaha te Atua! Kei te whakatupuria ahau!"
The pups stared, bewildered. Chase, ever the stoic one, tilted his head. "Marshall? What was that?"
Marshall scrambled to his feet, his cheeks flushing red. "Wh-what? I, uh... I just said 'Ouch that smarts!' in, uh, puppy gibberish!" He stammered, a unconvincing laugh escaping his lips.
Everest, the husky with icy blue eyes, nudged him gently. "Marshall, that didn't sound like gibberish. It sounded kinda pretty, actually."
Skye, the cockapoo with a knack for flying, landed beside them. "Yeah, Marshall, what language was that?"
Panic flared in Marshall's eyes. He couldn't reveal his secret. He'd always felt different, the only pup adopted from overseas. He'd never spoken his native Maori tongue around them, fearing rejection. But the pain had overridden his inhibitions.
"I-it's nothing! Really! Just a weird yelp, that's all," he insisted, forcing a smile.
The pups exchanged doubtful glances. Marshall wasn't acting like himself. Back at the Lookout, the unease lingered. Marshall retreated to his pup house, his heart pounding.
He curled up on his mat, burying his face in his paws. Tears pricked his eyes. Had he blown his cover?
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence. It was Everest, her voice soft with concern. "Marshall? Can I come in?"
Hesitantly, Marshall peeked out. Everest stood there, her blue eyes filled with empathy. He sighed, letting her in.
"Everest, I..." He trailed off, not sure how to confess.
Everest sat beside him. "Marshall, whatever it is, you can tell me."
Taking a deep breath, Marshall blurted out, "The language I spoke earlier, it wasn't gibberish. It's Maori. I'm Maori."
Everest's eyes widened in surprise, then softened with understanding. "Oh, Marshall. Why didn't you tell us?"
Shame washed over him. "I was scared. I thought you wouldn't accept me if I was different."
Everest nudged him with her nose. "Different? Marshall, that's amazing! Why wouldn't we accept you? You're our friend, no matter what."
His heart felt lighter. Maybe he had worried for nothing. He looked at Everest, a flicker of hope igniting within him.
"Everest, there's something else..." he began, his voice barely a whisper.
