It was early morning in San Francisco; everyone was just waking up to head to their jobs, yawning all the while. Many cups of coffee were passed from different providers, the people in a rush to get to their jobs. It was the fact that everything seemed so normal like the usual clockwork that nobody would be able to tell that tragedy had visited the city so many times over. The only ones aware of such happenings were the canines of the streets, which had to make livings of their own.
  And making his own living, a jet black German Shepherd opened his eye as the sun shone in through his window, shining on his face brightly. He blinked as he was momentarily blinded, shutting his eye and rolling over in bed. Chandler, which was the Shep’s name, wasn’t a morning dog, and he had no idea why he was up so early. He tried to cover his eyes with his paw to sleep some more, but a nagging sensation in his head wouldn’t leave him be, and he figured out why: work.
  Chandler sat up and stretched out, letting out a huge yawn into the bedroom that he shared with his brother. He blinked dozily as he hopped down, heading for the couch that his bro loved to sleep on. He shook his fellow Shepherd, nipping right on his zero mark on his forehead. “Hey, Zero. Come on buddy, time to get up.” He growled softly, shaking firmer.
  Zero grumbled in his sleep and rolled over so his back faced Chandler, tail flicking. “G’way…” The sleepy dog mumbled, trying to shift to a new comfortable position. “Five more minutes…”
  “We don’t have five minutes, Zero.” Chandler said, chuckling as he took his brother’s scruff into his muzzle and started to pull him off the couch, making the other Shepherd growl. “We gotta get to work, tables to clean, cups to fill, the usual stuff!”
  The sleepy canine felt himself dragged into open air and jerked back onto the couch. “Alright, alright you win. Just don’t pull me to the floor!” He said, slowly sitting up and yawning. “I forgot we had the early shift today…”
  “That’s obvious.” Chandler replied, chuckling softly. After making sure Zero was wide awake he started to head down to make breakfast for them both, which wasn’t much since it was just kibble and water. It tasted good in any case, and neither of them minded. Zero looked out of the window, seeing a few sun beams get past some buildings to light up the room, stretching on the couch before hopping down and following his brother.
  On his way out, he nearly bumped into Charlie, making both stop. “Oh I’m sorry, Charlie. I didn’t mean to get in your way.” Zero said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
  “It’s fine Zero, no harm done.” Charlie said, waving a paw nonchalantly. Zero couldn’t help but stare at him a bit, looking a bit nervous. The older mutt seemed a lot more tired lately, seeming worn out and sad. He kept working every day, and even when he smiled his eyes showed a look of complete exhaustion.
  “How are you feeling today?” Zero couldn’t help but ask, wanting to make sure his boss and friend was okay. “You look really tired.”
  “Yeah, I’m okay.” Charlie said distractedly. “Just have to go open up the Fleabite, let your shift start.” After nodding once to the Shepherd, he went downstairs, going to open up shop.
  Zero gave him some time to get ahead before he went down himself, heading right into the kitchen. Chandler had the food and water set out, sitting in a chair himself already. The marked Shepherd took a seat and ate a few bites and lapped some water out of his bowl, his brother watching him.
  When he finished, he decided to talk to him. “Charlie isn’t looking too good lately, bro.”
  “Yeah… He’s doing everything fine, he’s still eating, but he’s just really depressed.” Zero said, taking a quick look out the window, leaning in his chair to watch Charlie unlocking the place. “Went down here for a midnight snack last night, and Sasha was coaxing him to eat though. It’ll get unhealthy if he doesn’t snap out of it.”
  “I heard Itchy doing the same the other day when Sasha was out.” Chandler said, nodding in agreement. “Though when something that upsetting happens… Especially when your own kid did it…”
  “I wouldn’t want to eat either, but I know you’d snap me out of it as fast as you could.” Zero looked back at Chandler, shaking his head. “I wonder what he’ll need to get him out of it…”
  “Dunno.” Chandler finished off his meal, getting up. “But we can’t think about that now, you need to finish up so we can get to work.”
   Nodding, the marked Shep slurped up the last of his food from the bowl before following his brother out to start working. Zero pulled on a red vest, a pad and pen in the pocket, ready to start taking orders while Chandler put on a similar vest that lacked pockets, heading back to the kitchen area. Zero brushed some dirt off a nearby table, ready for the breakfast rush from the local canines.
  He could see Joey restocking the beers and drinks, and when he saw Zero looking he gave a small wave before turning back to his work. The Shepherd knew that he had bounced back well, though he could still tell he was unhappy in general. He stepped outside the alley where the bar was to look at the light sky, silently hoping for things to get better for all of them.
  His attention was gained by a few dogs that had walked up for breakfast, and he put on his best winning smile. “Welcome to the Fleabite, is there anywhere you prefer to be seated?” It was a common thing of his, he was supposed to sit them wherever they would fit but Zero always gave them the courtesy of choosing wherever they could. If they preferred to sit away from the early playing band, he’d sit them in the back, and if they preferred the music he’d sit them by the stage.
  He worked fast, taking several orders as he passed tables and posting them up, remembering which table had ordered what. Chandler had to ask him for directions to which table had a certain food, since he had started working only recently and wasn’t used to the hustle and bustle. While they got their business handled, the band set up on stage with Swift, the Singing Dog adjusting the mic and testing it to make sure it got his voice how he liked it.
  Instructing the band to play something soft for the morning community, Swift started a soft melody with his footpaw tapping the wooden floor to keep the beat of his voice. It was a soft song that told a story about a young boy who was lost until his sister found him. Zero enjoyed it, pausing in his duties since he had handled all the tables, watching the stage from the door while he waited for another customer.
  It didn’t take long until his side was tapped at, firmly but with a sense of control. He turned, seeing a huge dog whose breed he couldn’t tell, looking up at him since he was a bit taller. He seemed to be a mutt of some kind, since he couldn’t place any defining features to him. His fur was a light brown, with a black muzzle and ears, along with his tail tip and toe tips on his paws. A dark brown patch round out from shoulder to shoulder, and a sock design from his black toes to half up all his legs. His eyes were a light amber color, watching Zero. Some scars stood out on him, small but a light pink on his right shoulder and foreleg, his left paw, and halfway on his muzzle on the right side.
  “Oh, I’m sorry I kept you waiting sir, I was-.” He watched the mutt shake his head, holding up a paw. “… You weren’t waiting long?”
  He received a nod.
  Not much of a talker. Zero thought, starting to lead him to an open table, right by their large table that had food on it for Chandler to pick up and take to the tables. The mutt stared at the table, lightly sniffing and thinking. When he was seated, he growled out a word gruffly. “Water.”
  The Shepherd nodded, turning to go fetch a glass. It would be his easiest order all day, so it didn’t bother him that it was all he wanted. It was also less work for Chandler to do, watching his brother dart back to the loaded table and to a mated pair of dogs on the other side of the place.
  The large canine watched him leave, his eyes darting around to different servers. He was on a mission, removing a holder with a small menu on it to the floor to snatch the table cloth. He worked fast, most of the hounds inside distracted by the band, heading right for the food-filled table. He scooted a lot of the food onto the table cloth, knowing it’d be a mess when he closed it up but didn’t care because he had to work quickly.
  A waitress noticed him, a chocolate Lab, heading over to him to ask him what he was doing. The large hound noticed her approaching and figured it was time to go. With a last scoop to take what was left, he bit down on the ends of the cloth hard to keep it closed and dashed right past her. She let out a yelp of surprise, calling him out loudly.
  The band quit playing, Swift hopping down to try and land on him, but the mutt moved with practiced quickness and skirted him. Zero came out with the water, seeing the large hound he had just seated running out holding a cloth. Chandler got his attention, pointing after the dog. “Hey,