Because they'd been away they were caught without much in the way of canned goods, batteries, or fresh water. In less than a week they'd cleaned out everything edible, and would have died from lack of water except they found a fresh mountain spring bubbling up from behind their property. That is, Rocky found it. Jackie echoed his thoughts. He was like that.
Dogs are like that.
They may be the only animals to have real altruism in their genes. Jackie was crying again. Nothing wants to die. Rocky liked to run and play ball and eat those stinky red things. She hung her head cradled in her hands, covering her face.