Like a rabbit down a rabbit hole

[:Crow:]

She ran. Faster than most eyes could hope to follow as she narrowly passed corners with ease and grace, her claws clipping the floor with a sound that was like rain falling down upon a tin roof. Her breathing was steady, unlabored and controlled. This was her niche, her place of comfort and personal perfection. Yet, she was forced into this ground-less gallop, and she longed for her cause to be behind her and no more. This fear was seen in her wide, bulging optics, deep brown pools of her worry that flickered their gaze about in a anxious frenzy to find some sort of cover, to deceive those that hunted her down. She could hear their vicious snarls, their crazed bellows of laughter and their heavy pads beating like drums behind her. She rounded a corner, skidding and slipping around like a snake and squirmed into a jagged edged crevasse, squeezing her skinny form into the tight nook. Pushing herself as far as she could to the back of the wall, she ceased her breathing in a bid to hide her location as she watched in silence as the thick, powerful legs of the street dogs rambled past. The little female waited for as long as she thought was necessary, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She squirmed, trying to free herself, and then she heard the sharp inhaling and exhaling of air. One had stuck around, and had picked up her scent. She froze, fear capturing her in a stone like state. She stayed perfectly still, like a frightened rabbit caught in it's despair, trapped and cornered down it's burrow. The huge mussel of a bulky black labrador appeared, and blocked out all her light. Her heart was pumping so furiously, she feared that it would give out on her. Then a low, menacing growl vibrated the air as the canine discovered her presence and began furiously digging and scrapping both mussel and paws into the small hole. She backed up as far as she could, but the tiny greyhound, even with her slight figure, could not escape if the brute managed to widen the opening just a little more. Thoughts whirled in a vortex around her mind, sudden clarity consumed her vision. This was it, the moment right before her young and tragic death, and she could do absolutely nothing to prevent it.

[Oddity]

Boredom was eating away at Fisk's usual good humor, combined with the loneliness of his largely solitary lifestyle, and he found himself wandering the back alleys and street corners more and more as time wore on. His claws clicked over the granite edge of the sidewalk as he walked on it, perfectly balanced despite his large size, made to look even larger by his expanse of poofy samoyed fur. He concentrated on the ground and loped along steadily, content in not knowing where he might end up, now and then perking his ears and raising his eyes to the site or sound of another dog, often disapointed to see another scraggly pair of mongrels snarling over a decomposing rat. He had more grace then that, though he didn't see himself as an aristocrat, he preffered not to partake in the blood and mindless carnage of the disgusting Sha'Moore... though the neutrals were no better, at times, refusing to fight for the virtues they should know in their hearts were important. Vastly important. More important then his own life, in some cases: protect the weak and condemn the evil. His motto was easy to stick to, and it gave him direction and purpose. He hummed happily to himself as another car whizzed by his shoulder- and then- another dog rammed into his side, a lab who was followed by a whole pack of dogs all hell-bent on chasing some little animal... a rat, maybe?

Boredom urged him after them, so he entered the throng, but was soon far behind. He wasn't particularly fast, and whatever they were chasing was as fast as any animal he'd ever seen... no rat, by any means... a dog? The hair on his neck rose up, bristling and spiking. Oh, no. This couldn't be allowed. He cut though a fenced garden and another alley, pacing softly after the other dogs... just in time to see a little brown lightning bolt shoot into a crack in the wall. The other dogs thundered past him, but one caught on to the little dog's plan, digging at the entrance, drooling and growling. Disgusting.

Fisk's shoulder slammed squarely into the other dog's neck, throwing him off-balance, surprised and bewildered, recovering quickly with a vicious snarl. The lab made as if to snap at his throat, but he was already out of range, bristling and snarling horrible, his whole mind taken over by anger.
"Leave." He spat, his posture dominant, ears slicked back against his head, eyes narrowed. The other dog responded by making another attempt at sinking it's fangs into his throat.

He'd had enough. Throwing his body toward his opponent, he slammed into his side again, this time knocking the wind out of the strange dog, who yelped in surprise and skittered off a few steps. Fisk pursued him relentlessly until he'd given up his prey, leaving the alley in irritated disgust. The samoyed panted happily for a moment, feeling accomplished, then turned and padded softly up to the little dog's hiding place, bending down to take a look at his protectee.

A tiny, thin little dog, all huge eyes and smelling of fear, was looking back at him. He smiled and backed away, giving her room to come out, if she'd like to.
"All right, little one?" His voice was deep and comforting, with a slight rubbery, silly tone to it, though it was diminished by his concern for the little creature. He didn't know how far the lab had gotten, and it'd kill him to know he'd arrived to late.

[:Crow:]

Within inches of one thick-clawed paw, she watched in terror as her attacker closed the gap between her and his weapons. Then, as if everything was being rewound at some unnatural rate, his presence vanished, and was instead replaced by the brilliant light that streamed warmly into her hiding place. Meaty thumps, snapping of jaws, gnashing of incisors and the rumble of growls suddenly filled the air, and her auditory senses lifted their thin, velvet covers to better allow the entrance of the voice that accompanied the racket of battle. Deep and low was the voice belonging to what could only be a large male, much larger than herself. Yet this hardly caused surprise in the little female, for most, if not all she had ever met had stood taller than her. Usually, such a voice would only cause her anxiety to swell, but in the light of his heroism it caused the blooming of much welcomed hope and relief within her chest. She was contemplating poking her cranium out, just to see if the other dog had been frightened away, but she decided better of it when she considered that it might be purely territorial and not for her sake at all, besides, her curiosity was sated when she heard the thrumming of fast moving pads moving away and she concluded that the black labrador had retreated to rejoin with his other beastly companions. Trying to remain still was impossible, for she found herself shaking uncontrollably as a side effect of the shock that racked her nerves, but she could, however, manage to be perfectly quiet. Her plan of avoiding notice was flawed though, for as the male that had successfully run off the opposing canine, had craned his neck down to take a look at her. It seemed it was for her sake as he spoke again, in his deep, yet soothing voice, asking if she was alright. Astounded that any would take the slightest of interest in her, especially considering how big he was and how little she, the small female found herself speechless for a span. So in an effort not to create an impression of ingratitude or impoliteness, she nodded slowly, her flesh and muscles still plagued by tremors. Carefully, she found her paws and slunk out of her hiding place after prying free her tangled limbs. Staring up with wide eyes at her savior, she also managed to recover her voice. "T-Thank you so very much.. I feared for.. for my life for a moment.." Feathery and light was her tone, soft and whispery, as if she were afraid to speak too loudly. It was a pretty voice, but very quiet and timid. It dawned on her that he put his health and life at risk for her and her tucked, submissive extremities lifted with concern as she considered the possibility that he may have sustained some injury. "You're not hurt are you?!" Her voice was coloured with worry as her soft hazel gaze flittered over his form.

[Oddity]

His tail wagged happily as she nodded and moved carefully, timidly out of her hiding place, as if she thought he might hurt her. An italian greyhound, by the looks of it, though perhaps on the smallish side of the breed... her large, dark eyes seemed to take up her whole body, and he was immediatly smitten with the little dog, cocking his head happily with a goofy grin as her eyes saught his. Worth it. So worth it. Such a harmless little soul should always have a protector, and he gloried in the role of the hero- it was his natural state of mind, driving force in his aimless life. Protector of the small, without a sob story to his name, but still, his life meant something.

Her voice was as soft as mothdust in his perked, triangular white ears, and he leaned closer to make out her stammered words, smiley gently as she thanked him.
"No thanks necessary, miss. I do what I can." Cue modest smile. He rose to his feet, and it tickled him that she was less then half his size- a cute little slip of a thing, really. He wondered why she was out on her own in such a dangerous part of town.

Her concerned dragged him back to the present, her worried face so utterly endearing that he had the urge to take her home and keep her safe with him, where he could be sure those disgusting creatures wouldn't harrass her anymore. But he belonged home in Divertido, and this dog's every move screamed Athiliot.
Oh well.

"I'm okay. But you- you're in a rough part of town, for such a delicate lady- you need an escort home?" He offered, his stance protective and confident. Sure, he couldn't really protect her from all the maniacs in this city... but hopefully, they wouldn't be around to challenge him. The city was lazy on such a hot day, and that rang true for the baddies as well. He shook out his fluffy white coat, letting the barest hint of a breeze touch his skin through layers of fuzz. It was much more conveniant in the night's steeply dropping tempature then in midday heat, but he was grateful for the protection from debris caught in the sometimes tempermental wind and the oncoming attacks of other dogs. They nearly always misjudged how thick his fur was, hitting inches away from his flesh- it gave him a signifigant advantage over short-haired breeds. Something to make up for his lack of brute strength.

"Oh!-" He remembered himself.
"-I'm Fisk, by the way. Of Divertido. You?"

[:Crow:]

She smiled timidly, and her tail unfurled slightly from it'd hiding place and gave a gentle wag, her large pools focussed on her rescuer. She stepped to the side awkwardly, trying to evade some boulders than he would most likely call small rocks, or minor debris. Once she regained her stance, she dipped her head in thanks yet again, and also in signal of her pleasure at the meeting. Her soft voice rose up again, like a faint mist. "Ah.. Well my home is Athiliot, some distance from Divertido, I would not wish to trouble you.. Perhaps we could walk together until our paths spilt?" She looked up at him hopefully. She wouldn't mind getting to know him a bit better, seeing as his kindness had been given so generously and freely on his part, it was the least she could do. Her features smoothed as she recalled her manners and quickly replied with her name. "My apologies, Shilow is my name." Her tremors had withdrew to a mere shake every so often, and she padded a little closer, decreasing the gap between them just a little more, so it was not difficult for him to hear her. The small female knew how quiet she was, but it was her nature, and she would rather this than raise her voice. Loud noises, even if the source was her own throat, unnerved her. She lifted a paw, signaling that she intended on beginning their walk. She had had enough excitement for the day, and since the rim of the sun would soon be kissing the jagged line of the city horizon soon, she thought it best to start now rather than later. Fisk would have not trouble defending himself should shadows stalk them in the night, she on the other paw, would be forced to flee, and with her current condition, she knew better than to risk reaching her limits. Speed was her gift, but it was not without it's limits. For now, she needed to recover. "I really don't understand why they wanted to waste all that energy chasing me, I'm not much of a meal am I?" A trill like laugh came from her petite frame, a pretty sound, but her expression faltered as she contemplated the crunching of jaws upon her twig-like bones.

OOC: Ok finished! Sorry it took so long.. >.>'

[lilybolt]

Scruff was walking along the city street, sniffing the air lightly. His eyes and ears were fully alert, as he had heard quite a racket in this direction not much earlier. However, much as Scruff would have liked to avoid a possible confrontation, he was new to this part of town, and only knew this path to tread for food. Farther ahead, he knew he would find a giant dumpster full of scraps to fill his very empty stomach. Further exploration of this place could wait until the next day. For now, this stray would need an easy meal. As he continued down the street, Scruff smelled the scent of dog strongly around a corner ahead of him. He paused, sniffing the air steadily. One smelled of male dog, while the other smelled of female with a hint of fear, though that was quickly fading. The dog took a deep breath, his gray/blue messy fur rising with the inhale. He had two choices. One, he could walk in a new direction until he happened upon another sort of garbage source. Or two, he could venture ahead, and risk meeting the source of the chaos he had previously listened to. His belly growled angrily at him. Forward it was then! Scruff bravely rounded the corner, only to relax immediately. There was no fight scene, or angry dogs. There was a very small female dog, walking next to a very large, but calm looking male. Scruff dipped his head in a greeting, and to show them he meant no harm. He was shy around strangers mostly. After all, he never knew how much he could trust them. However relieved he was that these dogs weren't attacking him straight away, he was just as suspicious that they might try still in the future. He had always been the type to need to get to know a dog before he could feel completely at ease. "Hello. I was just on my way to get something to eat." Scruff said, his stomach gurgling noisily in agreement. "There is a large dumpster not far ahead. Perhaps you both are hungry as well?" Scruff was not normally this open to strange dogs so soon, however, the sight of the skinny, frail looking female made him think she needed a good meal. "The food is plentiful, if you would like an easy meal..." Scruff added. His blue eye and brown eye both blinked kindly.

[Oddity]

He nodded happily, stepping up to meet her tentative stride with a goofy grin. She was so cute! Look at her beautiful eyes, and her teeny little paws! He hoped that they wouldn't be strangers in the future, just because they came from different packs. Her sweet little voice tickled his ears, and he cocked his head in return, giving her his undivided attention.
"Sure! Yeah! It'll be my pleasure." He grinned. And then,
"-Shilow. Pretty name." He complemented, all smiles, one ear cocked and the other flopped. What a complete doofus.

He noticed that her shivers were subsiding happily, wondering if this happened to her a lot. But that, perhaps, would not be a question she wanted to be asked. After all, it must have been traumatizing, even if he had managed to save her. His brow furrowed, but he was relieved of his troubled thoughts as she spoke again, her demeanor light-hearted. She'd be okay, then, he thought to himself. No use getting all sentimental.

He laughed, a low, steady laugh, like the heavy beat of drums, regarding her with growing admiration.
"I'll have to agree with you there. You wouldn't be more then a mouthful to a big guy like me- not that I plan on eating you!" He interrupted himself hurriedly, hoping she didn't take that to heart. Him and his wagging tongue- he bit down on the inside of his cheek. Shut up before you say something stupid. "-those kind of dogs are disgusting. Not good enough for me to spit on, though I do enjoy tearing them up when I get the chance." He added, half joking. But really, he did. They had no place in this city, their only purpose was senseless destruction- Sha'Moore were a pack of bloody-minded idiots, and Fildrin were nearly as bad as them, half the time. Crazies.

His thought process was interrupted by a strange scent on the wind, a tickling odor that made him want to sneeze. Another dog, a male, appearing suddenly before him as he were a ghost. The hair on the back rose immediately, and the dog's first sentence did little to dampen his immediate suspicion. He stepped in front of Shilow, adopting an alpha posture, the beginnings of a quiet growl forming in his throat.
Wait, wait, back up. He said dumpster. Not a cannibal.
Calmed, though still not smiling, he looked down at Shilow, his expression quizzical, meaning to leave the choice up to her. He was a little hungry himself, but if she didn't feel like following this strange dog, whoever he was, Fisk would stay with her.

[lilybolt]

Scruff Saw the suspicion in the strange male dog. "I really don't mean you harm..." his voice trailed off awkwardly. This was the problem he always came to with meeting new dogs. He was shy, nervous even. Why would he have been so dumb as to think these strangers might trust him? He saw the large male look to the small female, as if inviting her to decide. Scruff gave the tiny dog a shy smile, friendly, though half guarded. "My name is Scruff, by the way." the dog added, looking back and forth between the two dogs. "Do you have names?" he added, trying to make his smile seem less nervous. He feared they might suspect him of ill intentions. His coat prickled uncomfortably. Why do I always talk so much? Scruff couldn't help but inwardly give himself a good kick. He wished sometimes that he came off as more serious, or strong, or even just authoritative. Most dogs he met, especially around big areas like these...Well they all seemed to hold a commanding power. It was as if Scruff was born a wanderer, while all other dogs were gifted with the ability to command respect in their domain...Scruff had never really felt the need for a specific domain. After all, he liked to roam about and see new cities. But in times like these, he did wish he looked more like a mature, or wise dog. Not just some dumb rouge who either meant trouble or couldn't figure out how to live, and needed help. Scruff almost sighed out loud, but caught the breath in his throat, realizing that he was reading far to much into this. His nervous, distrusting habit again. After all, they hadn't harmed him, and they looked as though they were giving him a chance...He cleared his mind of all nervous emotions, and decided to give both strangers a fair chance himself, as they were currently doing for him. Truthfully, they had been nicer to him just now than most dogs he had come across recently...

[:Crow:]

Before she could answer, the little canine was given a start and yelped at the arrival of the newcomer and hurriedly positioned herself between Fisk's fore legs, underneath his dominant frame, in hopes she would not be noticed or singled out. Yet, the male that had arrived seemed of little danger when he finally spoke, although her large companion had reacted in a way that would usually deter most dogs from taking a single step forward. Observing the conversation that was really vocally carried completely by the stranger and as she took note of his stance, she decided that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to make another friend. It had turned out well in making friends with Fisk, so why not add another to her list? Though for nerves sake, she didn't leave her hiding position, but allowed her soft voice to venture out instead. "I am Shilow, Scruff, forgive our reaction. We just encountered some unpleasant canines." She left a pause so Fisk could introduce himself also. The tiny creature made a clear effort to be a little less withdrawn and a little more bold by smiling and giving a gentle swish of her tail, though her ears were pulled back still in her remaining social discomfort. "I for one would care to join you." Glancing up at Fisk she gave a gentle whimper as to express her hunger, and then took a very slow, very careful step forward, showing her intent. "I reside with Athiliot, do you have a place of family?" She felt so much more confident when standing so very close to Fisk, as if he were an embodiment of strength, that fed her every move and every word, enforcing it with a sureness that she so rarely possessed through her own measures. It was rather satisfying, not to mention the warmth she felt with his kind personality, thus, in her mind, she made the choice that despite their differing packs, she would seek his company whenever she could.

[lilybolt]

Scruff was pleased to see that his mix of nerves, and long-winded nature, had not deterred the small female from wanting to join him at the dumpster. The male dog wagged his tail freely, in an expression of happiness and growing comfort. He had a good feeling about both of the dogs in front of him, which was something Scruff normally did not have with any dog. At least not so soon anyway. The Australian Cattle Dog dipped his head, in a way of thanking Shilow for her acceptance of his offer. "It is good to meet you Shilow. I heard the commotion that I am guessing was the..erm..encounter as you so wisely put it. " he said. His blue eye and brown eye were alight with the prospect of a newfound friend. He then looked to the larger male, in the hopes of making a second companion in this city. He had not been in this city more than a day. His knowledge of the area was slim, and knowing some locals might help him to avoid any issues with nasty rouges or packs. Scruff had been chased, bitten, scratched...you name it, he had experienced it. All of these conflicts had not only made Scruff nervous around strangers, but also aware of how important it was to know a little about your surroundings, before you charge into the center of them. Some dogs got extremely offended when you entered their land uninvited. Even if it was a mistake.

The air was cooling rapidly, and Scruff felt a soft breeze ruffle his messy coat. He pawed the ground lightly for a moment, while he did his best to ignore his howling stomach. His insides seemed to be scratching him, telling him to get a move on, or they might just eat him! Scruff had been traveling several days to get to this city, and having only passed through small towns and a forest, he had not had a good meal in all of those several days. Each time he attempted to tuck in to a garbage can or trash heap, a human or stranger came sniffing around. Scruff was quite looking forward to a good long dumpster dive. He had spotted the dumpster on his way in, but there were humans around it at the time. Normally he would have tried to greet them, but these were loud humans, who were putting little sticks that were on fire at the end to their mouths. The sight had made him uncomfortable, so he had went on his way, vowing to return later and fill his vacant belly.

[Oddity]

He scrutinized the smaller male carefully. Nervous, submissive yet friendly posture, a slightly panicked edge to his voice as he attempted to reassured them that he wasn't hostile. No, he didn't think this shy, awkward animal was much of a threat- on the contray, he seemed desperate not to anger either of the strangers. Lonely, perhaps? Whatever his intentions, he seemed nervous, as if he wanted very badly to be accepted by Fisk and his little companion. If it means that much to him, why not?
And Shilow obviously wanted to go. He didn't want to leave her alone with a stranger. Though, really, he'd been a stranger to her not an hour ago... funny, that. Must be protective instinct... the same instinct that dictated that he was loathe to attack a female dog, even if she sliced him up a little. It wasn't natural to fight back. It was nature's oldest test; and he was a bit of a throwback, in some ways.

She seemed to accept Scruff as a friend, which immediatly gained the other dog points. Once he relaxed, Fisk could tell he was probably just a lonely street dog without a pack, off on his own and wanting company, his strange, two-toned eyes happy, tail wagging. Sure, he could be friends with this dog, if he was as inoffensive as he seemed. Food was a bonus.

He moved forward, following Shilow, his fluffy white tail swishing bach and forth tentatively. Brown eyes wore a gentle expression.
"H'llo Scruff, I'm Fisk. Excuse the rude welcome- as Shilow said, this is a rough neighborhood. Can't be too careful," he explained. His deep voice was friendly, though still a little reserved. The hair on the back of his neck had smoothed, and he relaxed his posture.
Combat mode, switch to off. Good boy. He padded up to the stranger, sniffing him curiously with his big black nose. Earth. Fur. Typical dog smell. Slight hint of nervousness. No blood. Check. Sneeze.

He gave Scruff a smile, his oddly purple tongue lolling happily from his mouth, cat ears pricked.
"Lead the way. I'm starving."

[lilybolt]

When Fisk introduced himself, Scruff knew he had just made his first friends in ages...The male raggedy looking blue/gray dog smiled a broad grin, his pink tongue panting happily. "Good to meetcha too!" he replied. His eyes were now gleaming, and he felt very relaxed around these two dogs. "Follow me. It isn't far." Scruff walked around the two dogs, pausing slightly to return Fisk's sniffs and friendly motions. He sniffed Shilow briefly, but not very long, because Fisk seemed defensive of her, and he didn't want to make a bad impression right after a good one. Scruff, his tail still wagging, began leading the way down the long city road. He had his head held high, his nose taking in all the different bits of information that it could. There was a dead cat down that alley, there were people in that parked metal monster...The dumpster came to his attention, and he veered off the sidewalk, turning right towards it. It was down the fourth alley they came to. Scruff smiled and inhaled the luscious smells of many different foods, left to rot. Humans are so dumb. Scruff thought as he looked at a half open bag of garbage, positioned next to the dump. They waste their meals by leaving them unguarded like this! He looked back to his new friends and gave a bark that indicated the coast was clear, so dig in! Scruff pulled out of the opened bag a half eaten turkey sandwhich, his stomach growling loudly. He gulped it down quickly, and then looked to the others, not wanting to be rude. He stepped aside a little to make room for them all to partake in the feast together. Now that his stomach was containing something substantial, the evening felt perfect.