"Ow."

"That's a fair reaction"

Chase sat up.

"Shit"

"That's pretty appropriate too" grinned Marshall

Chase just groaned and lay back. He could feel two very sore spots on his back and his forearms and knees were scratched. Marshall was sitting at a table in the corner of the room, with a mound of History homework on front of him.

"Did I get shot?"

"Yep," Marshall replied "2 in the back, but luckily for you, sergeant, your vest stopped them from embedding themselves and the Wolfpack guys got shields over you. Kinda surprising how the military got there before SWAT, let alone Wolfpack."

Chase nodded, feeling slightly shaken as he contemplated his close call. Then he frowned,

"Sergeant?"

"Sergeant Chase Shepard, promoted as a result of live saving action in a high pressure situation." said Marshall with a massive grin.

Chase sat up, despite his back protesting vehemently, "Marsh, mate I'm still in school, that's bullshit!"

"Yeah, well Hunter's a captain. Anyways I think it's only in effect once you graduate."

Chase laid back in shock. Somehow a desk job in the holidays had turned into a serious promotion and being shot. Not the best trade.

"Did I miss anything important at school?"

"That's one of your first concerns?" Marshall ssnorted "Nerd. Nah you didn't miss anything except homework" He scowled at the papers on front of him.

"When am I getting out of here?" Chase asked, sitting up. Marshall frowned

"They'll want to check you up now that's you're awake but it shouldn't be long. For now get some shut-eye" Chase nodded assent and leant back, sighing.

Rocky closed the door of his locker and grabbed his bag. Chucking it over one shoulder he met Zuma at the parking lot and jumped into the passenger seat of Zuma's little car.

"Wanna go surfing?"

Rocky laughed "Beach yes, surfing, swimming? Not so much. Anyway, aren't you supposed to be at rugby training? Hunter told me you guys had the first tournament game of the season this weekend."

"Called in sick" Zuma grinned, "plus I can't get much better."

"Uh huh. Well me, Rubble, Everest, and Skye got nothing to do on the weekend so we'll be watching"

"I'll go to the next session"

"Alright listen up!" yelled the coach "the other games were trial games, this one we bring out all. This is also the top team in the school, so subs are based on skill and enthusiasm, we can't just give everyone equal play. You wanna be on the starting team show me how good you are here. Also where is Zuma?!"

Hunter winced "Absent, sick"

The coach ground his teeth "Sick sick? Or 'sick'"

"'Sick' I guess..." Hunter winced again.

"Fine" growled the coach "Hunter is captain and open side flanker, Chase will try Number 8 when he gets back from a legitimate absence, and (give me a good paw patrol name for here, I'll edit it in) play wing in Zuma's absence. Now split into teams and run this through".

(I will write out the match in the next chapter, blow-by-blow so any rugby fans stick around.)