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Post by Amon on Mar 26, 2009 23:05:32 GMT -5
It was the middle of the day. The sun blazed in the center of the sky and caused the ground to grow hot. Thankfully, the path was shaded by the high green trees. The forgein ridgeback loved the heat, but was much less enthusiastic about his companion.
Mathis walked in a dead silence. Umeko was gazing at the flowers as they passed them all by. Her gold chain glinted in the sunlight. Her blue eyes glanced at the eye patch Mathis had over his head. She bite back the urge to ask him about it, her curiosity often got the better of her. And Umeko knew how much Mathis hated small talk. She sighed, I don't even know why I hang around him so much. Its like talking to a board with this guy.
Mathis' ears twitched. I hate it when she does that! Wah wah wah! Its to pathetic... I'm sick and tired of her hanging around me so much... I just want to be left ALONE! The slim black hound suddenly sat on the ground. Umeko continued to walk a few more strides before turning around to ask, "What's wrong?"
"I'm going this way," he muttered before running off in a tangent direction. "Hey, wait!" she called out. It was too late, Mathis was already lost in the greenery of the land.
"Great... now what am I supposed to do?' she sat down, defeated...
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Post by thesausage on Apr 3, 2009 18:36:38 GMT -5
Taiyo jumped into the bush after the hare, hoping that a couple of things would happen at the same time: that he would not get poked by bush twigs (because it would either be distracting and/or hurt), and that he would catch his prey on the way down. His first hope was shattered as a particularly whip-like small branch smacked his right in the muzzle, and it stung! He yelped more in shock than pain, which led to a successful second hope. As he opened his mouth, said yelp was muffled by a particular body of living fuzz. It took him only a second to realize what he caught.
"Nice! Score one for me and negative one for this bunny!" the Irish Wolfhound whooped at his triumph. With a big grin he chomped down, leaving a resounding crackle of small bone hanging in the air as the sweet meat and coppery tang hit his tongue and slid down his throat as he at the hare whole. He took a deep breath of air into his lungs and sighed in content, oblivious to the fact that there was another dog in the area.
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Post by Amon on Apr 4, 2009 20:50:26 GMT -5
A muffled yelp followed by the deep voice of another dog. And by the sounds of it, it was big and very nearby. Umeko should have been scared, she should have been listening to that little voice in her head, but the dog had a horrible habit of getting into trouble. Maybe that's why Mathis left?... Naw, that guy loves me!
Mathis was enjoying the breeze of freedom. He turned the left side of his face to the moving air, the patched part of his eye didn't have much sensitivity anymore. A faroff noise made his ears twitch in the direction of the noise. "Hmph, not my problem.." he went back to relaxing in the pleasantly warm sun.
Umeko followed with her head low to the ground, something that Mathis would constantly remind her. Should I be going so low? What if I surprise em? Won't that cause them to attack me? Oh! A large shaggy coated dog was noisily chomping away at his meal. His fur was white and he was a full head and neck taller than the akita in the bushes. "Hello sir!"
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Post by thesausage on Apr 4, 2009 22:08:01 GMT -5
"Hello sir!"
Taiyo almost jumped out of his fur as a female voice piped up behind him. What the-?! I was too absorbed in eating to notice someone else was around? He thought to himself as he took a paw and quickly wiped some of the remaining blood off of his muzzle, trying to quickly regain his composure. He took a calming breath and turned around to face the dog that had boldly snuck up on him.
"Shit, you almost made me a hairless." Taiyo joked as he ran his eyes over the young Akita Inu in front of him. Her striking blue and purple coloration made him blink a couple times to make sure that he wasn't going nuts. When he was pleased that he was not, in fact, going nuts Taiyo casually licked his chops. There's some color you don't see everyday. Tai grinned, letting loose a small barrage of chuckles, "Hello there yourself. To whom do I owe the pleasure of nearly soiling myself in front of?" He inquired happily as he started on making his way out of the bush they were presently in.
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Post by Amon on Apr 5, 2009 11:10:17 GMT -5
Umeko jumped as the larger dog made a ruckus, she squeezed herself back into the bushes. His brown eyes stared at her. At first it made her very uncomfortable, his unstopping peering gaze. And then she saw the brilliant color of his orbs. Kinda... Warm... Umeko then knew that she was in no sort of danger around this great big dog. She daintily walked out of the brush and wagged her tail to his deep chuckle.
The Akita's eyes grew wide when she spied the amount of blood around his muzzle. She averted yellow eyes, purple ears pricked down. "Aha... erm... My name is Um... U-Umeko, sir..."
Hemophobia, the fear of the sight of blood. Mathis always said how much of a pain it is to hunt around a dog that's afraid of blood. He considered it was down right pathetic, in fact. The fur on the back of her neck began to tremble. Umeko stared at the floor and bit her lip as the anxiety began build in her chest...
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Post by thesausage on Apr 5, 2009 14:48:19 GMT -5
Taiyo spied the Inu's noticeable trembling, his smile becoming a bit more nervous than jovial. Oh man... what did I do? Is it my size? No... she was staring at my face when she got scared. Am I smiling too much? He chuckled nervously, not really too certain of what the problem was, but hoping that what his guess was correct as he dropped his smile. "Nice to meet you Umeko. Umeko... U...Me...Ko. I must say it has a nice ring to it." Taiyo complemented, plopping himself down onto his rump, staring up into the trees.
His relaxation came to a screeching halt as his mind picked up on the one crucial thing he had forgotten to present to this female: his name! His eyes quickly diverted themselves from the branches and met with Umeko's once more. "My bad! I forget to give you my name, didn't I? Silly me... My name is Taiyo." The Irish Wolfhound stated, bowing his head just slightly in respect to the present female. After all, I did almost forget to give her my name... That would be downright disrespectful!
Taiyo's long, pink tongue rolled out and past over his lips until he could no longer taste the blood of his tasty little snack. It seems a bit strange for someone so gentle to be wandering around alone... Unless she's just shy and is actually a good fighter? Or maybe she's sneaky. Like a ninja! He thought as a small, goofy smile returned to his lips. "Excuse me, Umeko? If you don't mind me asking... what are you doing out here by yourself?" Tai asked as he lifted one of his hind legs up to scratch himself behind the ear.
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Post by Amon on Apr 6, 2009 10:59:56 GMT -5
"My bad! I forget to give you my name, didn't I? Silly me... My name is Taiyo." Umeko tried to calm herself down. The memories of a crimson tide pool and then all those people chasing her around. It was everywhere; the metallic stench, the acrid tension. A colorful and bright liquid brought back so many horrid memories that were all better left forgotten. Her forelegs wobbled as she tried to run away in vain. Her yellow eyes risked a swift glance. A wave of relief washed over her as she saw that there was not one speck of blood left on the large Irish wolfhound. She exhaled a tight breath and her shoulders loosened. "Taiyo..." she said in a gentle tone, "Thanks... I mean..." her eyes went wide as she looked at him. There were practically comical sweat drops pouring from her head. Oh no! I don't want him to know I was afraid of blood... Argh! What do I say!!"Excuse me, Umeko? If you don't mind me asking... what are you doing out here by yourself?" "Me?" she asked with a paw to her chest, "I..." Her gaze drifted off as Taiyo gave himself a good scratch with his paw, "Me and a friend of mine were out trying to find our home, but..." ears went down in sadness, "He left me..." Thats so unfair of him. Leaving me like that, and after all we've been through, too! I guess I'm really not his friend, after all am I? Her eyes momentarily shot open and a melancholy weighed her pretty features down. "Now that I think about it, I guess the only reason why he hangs around me so much is because I have the Gift. That's how we met eachother..."
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Post by thesausage on Apr 6, 2009 15:37:01 GMT -5
"Me and a friend of mine were out trying to find our home, but... He left me..." Taiyo paused mid-scratch, his curiosity piqued. It was surprising that Umeko would refer to someone who left her as a friend. However, it wasn't the words so much as the emotion driving them that really grabbed his attention. "Now that I think about it, I guess the only reason why he hangs around me so much is because I have the Gift. That's how we met each other..." A gift...? Might she mean an ability of some sort? What sort would use someone so openly? The large Irish Wolfhound thought to himself, a slight anger building inside of him. He had to physically shake his head to get his minds on something else. Oh yeah... like she'd tell someone she just met about something so assumingly personal. His curiosity, like usual, got the better of im the more he thought about it and decided to ask. "If you don't mind me asking, what sort of gift?" At this point he had put his hind leg back down to focus more intently. And a home? Could Umeko be a house pet? "And what's this about a home? Some territory of a sort?" Tai inquired, a curious look spreading across his face. He didn't really want to insult her if she wasn't a pet. Could she be a General or a higher-up in a pack? To him Umeko seemed a bit too shy. I suppose you can never quite tell though...
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Post by Amon on Apr 6, 2009 16:58:53 GMT -5
Umeko was startled to see how much she was talking to a dog that she knew almost nothing about. "I-I'm sorry... I didn't realize how much I was talking out loud to you... I don't mean to drag down the mood with all.. this.." "If you don't mind me asking, what sort of gift?" The female Akita looked away for a second to scan her surroundings. "Promise not to tell?" Her yellow eyes looked up into the brown orbs of the taller dog. She smiled and said, "Well I've told you this much. Besides you seem very trustworthy.""I was born with this... weird ability to see things before it happens. Its not always straightforward, and is usually obscure... Her golden chain glinted in the bright sun as she rose to shake some of the dirt from her haunches. Umeko sighed and continued, "Thats how I met Mathis... I had a vision of traveling with a black dog to a beautiful paradise. Not to long afterward, I saw Mathis in a human's backyard chained up. I told him of what I saw and we ran away together out of the city."
"... He is kind of a loner. I know how much he likes his solitude and.. Well , I don't know, sometimes it really seems like all he wants to do with me is to get to that paradise..." Umeko looked at Taiyo and apologized, "I'm sorry this must be a bit too much for you; I really don't mean to get you mixed up in all my troubles." The purple and blue dog took a few moments of silence.
"And what's this about a home? Some territory of a sort?"
Umeko cocked her head to one said and spoke with a smile in her voice, "Yeah, somehow I was figuring that paradise was our furture place to live. That's what we both were looking for, a place to call our own. To live in peace and security, that all anyone wants, I guess.." A paw went up to touch the golden chain around my neck and jingled it briefly. "I used to be a pet, I took care of older humans in their homes. They called me a 'companion animal' I was supposed to bring comfort to all those in need and sooth them to the best of my abilities."
Umeko looked at the wolfhound before her, "And yourself? How did you come about wandering the forest?"
The clouds moved above in a pace blind to those impatient and the leaves rustled...
Mathis tucked himself low to the ground. Not ten paces away was a mother boar and all her piglets. They were grazing and some were in a small mud wallow. The black hunting hound kept his brilliant green eyes on one young boar in particular. He stopped breathing as his pupils contracted, primal instincts taking hold of the normally collected dogs mind. With a sudden explosion of movement, Mathis held the writhing small boar in his jaws. It squealed and kicked its final moments of life before the ridgeback clamped down with all his might and shook his head to sever any life left.
With his black pelt now stained red from his jaw trailing down his neck, he smiled. It was the thrill of the hunt that made Mathis his heart beat to the metronome of a primordial drive. And there was something about the feeling of a helpless critter in his maw, the pressure of his mouth around his victim, the sound of teeth on bones, and the final rush of blood spilling everywhere. Nothing was more satisfactory, except for the meal to be had, that is.
Mathis licked his chops, looking off in the distance and wondered faintly where his companion was, Perhaps I should go after her... See how she's faring without me? His ear twitched as he turned his attention back to his food. "Humph, maybe later..."
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Post by thesausage on Apr 6, 2009 18:21:06 GMT -5
The Irish Wolfhound's eyes grew in surprise as Umeko's gift was explained; he didn't have any reason to doubt the Akita Inu about her strange ability. Tai got a weird feeling about the answer if he were to ask, a feeling that if he were to ask it would lead to some sort of explanation about his death. Don't wanna know... he shivered. ""And yourself? How did you come about wandering the forest?" [/center] Taiyo cleared his throat, "Well, it's not too complicated, I suppose... I used to be a pet as well. I lived with a neglectful family who didn't really care about each other... or me. I didn't think it was very healthy for me to be around such negativity, so I thought I could get myself some place to live and some food to eat if I split. So I did." Tai chuckled, "I've been living around for a couple of years. It hasn't been too bad, I guess. As much as possible I try not to wander into another dogs territory, but sometimes it just happens, and I have to fight. I don't really like to... Heh, I kind of rambled, I'm sorry." Taiyo almost broke out into a comical bout of sweat drops as he caught on to how much he said, but he felt like he could trust Umeko. The large Wolfhound stood up off of his haunches, kicking his legs a bit to drop the dirt that clung to his fur. "So why would your friend want to just drop you off on the side of the road like this? You said he was a loner, but still..." I don't mind your company. "Won't they get... uh... ya know, suspicious if they see an unknown dog shooting the breeze next to their companion? I don't really want to cause any trouble. Which way did your friend go?"
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Post by Amon on Apr 8, 2009 12:08:07 GMT -5
Umeko listened to the stranger's story, her eyes and ears focused and intent. When he had finished, she nodded her head. "I'm glad you left, no dog should have to suffer." She stepped back another step as Tayio showed his full hieght. Oh my... He's tall!
His question took her rather off guard. "Well i don't know exactly why. Mathis is such.. an enigma at times. Sometimes he's like a blank wall and other times he's so distant. I don't really know much about him. I know that he hates small talk... alot..." The multi colored Akita smiled sheepishly, I don't know if that's such a good idea... But." her yellow eyes smiled in the high sun, "Why not! Let's go Taiyo!..." She paused mid stride. "Umm, I think its this way..."
Mathis' vibrant green eyes narrowed as he watched the stranger. The sun was in the middle of the sky now and it caused the trees and greenery to have darker shadows, perfect camo for the dark hound. ...I don't like him... Everythings too... Simple for him... 'Just left' all his humans like that, not much of a male are you? His black claws silently scratched into the dry dirt. He's... up to something, I just know it. And Umeko... He paused, Umeko can take care of herself, he thought in disgust. The ex-military dog turned as daft and as quietly as he could to the opposite direction of Umeko and Taiyo...
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Post by thesausage on Apr 8, 2009 16:30:21 GMT -5
The large purebred followed after Umeko, a body-shaking yawn escaping his mouth in place of a reply to the Akita. "I'm sorry," another, larger yawn interrupted his sentence, "I haven't gotten any sleep in the past two days." Taiyo nervously chuckled. I hope that I don't start seeing things again... or hurting anyone...
His brown eyes shot a quick, hesitant look at Umeko. It had happened before: his sleeping disorder had an undesired effect on who he used to call his humans. It was something that he couldn't afford to dwell on; dwelling on the past only led to pain every time he did so. "So Umeko, do you have an idea of what this paradise looks like? Where it is?" Taiyo took a calming breath I hope it won't happen again... His nose picked up on a strange scent, but he couldn't quite pinpoint it in his tired state mixed in with the smells of foliage, Umeko, and other sorts.
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Post by Amon on Apr 10, 2009 11:28:18 GMT -5
Umeko treaded as carefully as she could through the underbrush. She poised her paws the way Mathis would often correct her about. Around one stick, not on the dry leaves- although the wet ones are okay. The long disended sound of his yawn sounded. Her yellow eyes peeked back at her taller companion, "Two days?! My goodness, how can you stand?..." The Akita frowned in worryment. I really want to find Mathis, but not at the expense of this gentledog. "Paradise... It means home..." her eyes softened as she imagined herself in a better place, "It means rolling green hills, and pretty flowers of all different colors that blossom in the spring and fill the air with a sweet smell. Its so safe, you can relax anywhere you want. You don't need to worry about bloodshed or anything bad like that. Food is never scarce, no one goes hungry..." A light came to her light golden eyes.
Something urged her to look behind herself, "Taiyo?..." She called looking up at her walking companion.
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Post by thesausage on Apr 10, 2009 12:47:09 GMT -5
Taiyo?... The Irish Wolfhound in question looked up as his name was called. His muddled mind couldn't think up anything in response to the Akita Inu, and he just smiled. I... I don't know if I should tell her... She would hate me... And what is that smell? All of these thoughts sluggishly rolled through his mind as he sniffed the air again, picking up on the faint scent that kept teasing him. I swear that smells like another dog... I'll see how she reacts to what I say."I didn't really leave them so much as they left me." He said, a flash of sadness coming and going in his eyes within a second. Wanting to issue a response to Umeko's description of paradise to not seem rude however, Taiyo added a follow-up. "The paradise sounds just as lovely as as its namesake suggests."
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Post by Amon on Apr 10, 2009 16:20:18 GMT -5
The white furred Irish wolfhound didn't seem to be doing so well. The purple and blue Akita turned herself to face him, "You... Don't look so well.." Umeko ruled that her new freinds safety was more important than finding that stubborn Mathis at this point. She began to grab nearby leaves to create a small (very small) makeshift bed for Taiyo. "I didn't really leave them so much as they left me." Ume looked back to see a flash of sorrow cross his face. "Whats wrong?" It was a simple question that she was not expecting an answer from. Not with such a distraught look on his face. "Please.. Lay down and rest..." She smiled, ...at least he's not all gone. "Yes it is... And I want you to come with us.." I know that big brute Mathis isn't going to like me inviting strangers along with us, but... I like Taiyo, he's very kind. And besides, he looks like he could use a paradies to sleep in...
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