Disclaimer: I do not own Thunderbirds never have never will.

A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted.

WARNING! THERE IS A DEATH IN THIS CHAPTER! THIS MAY DISTRESS ANY DOG LOVERS SO PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Chapter Three: First Test

It was an open and shut rescue. Sergeant had found the safest path and Balto had sniffed out the survivors. But Cosmo and Southpaw had missed out on the action. Their skills were different altogether. But it was near the end of the rescue that Southpaw heard a cry for help. He knew it was a child and the wolf took off. John knew that hunters were out there and they wouldn't think twice about shooting a wolf. Even if it wore a yellow coat that read INTERNATIONAL RESCUE on it in bold lettering. You could read it from a mile away.

"No Southpaw! No!" But the dog kept running, "Come back! Heel!" but the wolf kept going it didn't hear John calling it. John heard the shot. Heard Southpaw yelp and then collapse to the ground.

"NO!" He took off running, knowing that Luna was running behind him. She knew when they needed company and comfort. What John found was a dog that wasn't dead quite yet but was dying. John knelt down and pulled the dog into his lap. At least Southpaw would know he was there.

"You're my best friend, Southpaw. Always." John fought against his tears, even as Southpaw whined, "I know it hurts. But it'll be ok." He whispered. He looked up through his tears when he heard the snow crunching under boots. Virgil had arrived, Alan in tow and Balto standing just behind them. The wolf stepped up next to John and both, Balto and Luna, laid down in the snow. Luna rested her paw on John's leg and Balto's head rested next to his thigh. It seemed like domestic dogs they knew when you were sad and needed the comfort. John watched as Scott appeared dragged the hunter by the arm.

"You see what you've just done? This dog works for us. And you have just shot it!" Scott was ready to tear this guy apart.

"I didn't know!" He protested, "I thought it was just another wolf."

"Can't you read?" Gordon snapped as he too joined the group He pointed to the coat Southpaw wore. The man paled even more than the lack of blood flow to his arm was causing. He had seen the coat, he had seen the lettering on it. How could he possibly think it was 'just another wolf'? Now as John knelt in the snow cradling Southpaw, the wolf slowly passed away in John's arms. All the Tracy's agreed that no dog deserved to go like that. Southpaw had deserved to die when he reached a grand old age. Not by the bullet of a hunter.

"So here's a good spot. He can see the stars of a night." Alan said to John as they stood on top of the cliff where Alan had fallen just months before. John nodded. He agreed, they had brought Southpaw back to the Island to bury him there. Because the island was home and he needed to be at home. Alan and Gordon held shovels and at Scott's nod they began to dig. The hole was only about 4 foot deep but it was deep enough for Southpaw. John laid him in the hole in his make-shift coffin that Virgil had made from scraps of wood he'd found. They had a little memorial for him and each said something they loved about him. The lovable, playful, loyal to a fault puppy that they had all lost. Not just John. But he stayed out the longest after the others left.

Virgil remained at the bottom in the cliff watching John. He hated that his brothers got hurt in such ways. Ways that he couldn't fix, not with all his medical knowledge. He couldn't fix this. He wished he could help his brothers. He jumped when something jogged past him. He recognised it as Luna. He smiled softly and turned back to the house. He knew that at least John would have company. Luna seemed to be very in tune with everyone's feelings. Even if they didn't realise it, she knew.

"Look after him Luna. He needs comfort now more than ever." Virgil whispered as he cast a glance back and saw Luna sit down at John's feet.

Virgil looked over Sergeant and chewed his bottom lip slightly. He was no vet but hopefully he could help by using what he knew of human medicine. He carefully probed the injury the wolf had on his hindquarters. Noting the soft growl he was given when it hurt.

"I'm sorry, boy. But I have to look at it, ok? Do you want me to get Scott in here too?" For the first time since they got the wolves, Sergeant gave a small whine at the mention of his master. All the dogs had a connection to their masters and Scott and Sergeant didn't spend a lot of time apart as it was. If you saw Scott it was a sure bet that Sergeant wasn't far behind. Virgil tapped the comm on the wall.

"What's up Virge?" Alan's voice came through the comm.

"Can you fetch Scott for me? Sergeant won't let me work on him if Scott's not here." Virgil said looking at the dog who looked pitifully back at him, it looked like Sergeant was ready to cry. When Scott came in the dog instantly brightened and relaxed enough to let Virgil finally stitch up the gash on his leg. With a sigh he gave Sergeant some pain medication (suitable for Dogs of course) and then let Scott carry him out. It always worried Virgil when he hurt someone, he never wanted to. His job as medic (and now part-time vet) was to sooth the hurts. Stop the tears. Make people/animals better. He just hoped that no more of the dogs had to be buried. He didn't want to have to go through that with Balto or Luna, Sergeant or Cosmo. It would hurt them too much.

John had gone back up to Five as soon as he got the chance. He couldn't stay on earth anymore – he blamed it on gravity but Virgil knew it was because of the other four dogs. They reminded him too much of Southpaw. It would have been hard anyway. Dogs don't work too well in space. But then it had worked for the Russians, eons ago in 1957 – well almost. They launched a mongrel – she was believed to be part-husky, or part-Samoyed and part-terrier – into the Earth's orbit. Unfortunately she died within 5-7 hours of being launched into orbit from overheating. But no one knew that til 2002. Until then people believed she'd died when he oxygen ran out on the sixth day or as the Soviet government initially claimed she'd been euthanized prior to oxygen depletion. Virgil hated thinking about Laika. She would have been famous if she'd lived. The first dog in space. And the last. (*)

It took John about a week to get over Southpaw and finally stop tearing up when he spoke to them on the vid-phone and saw one of the dogs in background. But soon it was like he'd never even had Southpaw. But Virgil knows he'd taken Southpaw's favourite toy and a photo of the dog up with him. It was kind of hard not to miss that when everything floated in zero gravity. Southpaw would never be forgotten.

*My information came from Wikipedia and Motherboard. It's a heartbreaking tale. She died not knowing where she was, why she was weightless and if she'd ever get home. If you ever want to read her story. She is the 'poster child' for animals in space. And that is the main reason why Virgil knew Southpaw would never survive.