Slim Pickings

[Bandersnatch]

The heavy, hollow sound of wood and tin on cobblestones echoed throughout the streets. It was dawn, and the sunlight barely reached over the rooftops, casting about long, dark shadows all around. The humans whose duties did not require an earlier waking hour were only just starting to stir, unhappy about the prospect of shuffling out of bed. Many creatures, however, had been out scraping in a living from the offcasts of human meals throughout the night and now, like the shadows, were retreating from the sun.


Though he had not been out all night as many of these critters had, a thin, scruffy mutt survived in much the same manner. A disheartened frown had crept onto his face as he dug about in the contents of the toppled barrel. Nothing but inedible scraps of broken bits and bobs and vegetable matter. He paused for a moment on an old piece of crumpled brown paper that had once held some cut of meat, hungrilly inhaling in the faded scent of flesh and smoke.

It had been many months since Teak's initiation into the band of dogs known as the pack of Hallow. Once a well attened-to pet, with a little help he had now learnt the basic skills of scavanging and, when the situation allowed it, stealing and had managed since to keep food in his belly. As a result, he had gained back a considerable ammount of lost weight, though he was still rather on the slim side. Since a recent moult, his coat was neater and cleaner but still scruffy - his genes were partly to blame for that, after all.

Passing on from the butcher's paper, Teak's attention moved to it's companion, a matching and equally roughly-made barrel. With a heave and some kicking of the back legs, he had hooked his elbows over the edge and quickly manuvered his forepaws to shove about the large ammounts of unwanted trash.
A minute or so had past before anything that seemed remotley of use appeared. But then, a bone! Eagerly he snatched it up and dropped back to the ground, but was quickly overcome by disappointment. Though a sizeable enough bone, not a scrap of meat remained. By taste and smell it seemed that it had been used to make stock or flavour broth, and there was much doubt as to if it even held a worthwhile ammount of marrow. The slate-blue and brown mutt unclenced his teeth, letting the bone clatter loudly on the cobblestones. Giving an agitated sigh, he shook the bits of half-rotted cabage and carrot peel from his coat.
"Waste of time." He growled to bitterly himself. Maybe he'd pass by the village butcher - there might be something worth nicking off with there.

[krystalwolf]

Barrels toppled, people moved out of the way. A border collie with gray blue eyes dashed away from the Anders' place. Hoping that the chubby man had given up, Enya glanced behind herself. The bald man was still behind her, but she was getting away.

You'd think that after living in the Hallow for a year was enough to learn where was safe and where wasn't. Enya just wasn't thinking. She was following a little boy around, trying to get adopted. But the thing was. She had sort of became the children's dog. No one would take her in, but the younger kids enjoyed petting her soft ears. Sometimes they'd give her food before the parents would hurriedly continue.

Enya's paws slipped on the cobblestone road as she turned sharply into an ally way. Panting she watched Mr. Anders rush past her, not even noticing her quick get-away. Her legs were shaking, other dogs had told her stories about that man, she did not want to be one of the foolish dogs to be caught by him.
Blinking she saw another mutt in town. She was sure she'd seen him before, but hadn't ever had time to introduce herself.
Shaking her head she glanced around the corner to check for the Anders. Then cautiously began to walk over. Had he seen what had just happened? Would he find that entertaining? She stopped as a rather fast horse hurried right in front of her, forcing her to take a few steps back. It was too early for this much hustle and bustle... hopefully these people weren't planning anything that had to do with fire.

[Bandersnatch]

The sudden crashing of barrels and unamused yells had startled Teak, who leapt to attention. He’d been busted? His fur bristled as he whipped his head about fearfully. Why did humans get so angry when he dug around in these barrels, really? Not as if they wanted anything in there for themselves. Where the hell was all that yelling coming from, anyway? The dirty dog slunk forward, though only a little, watching the sunnier entrance of the alleyway with a perked ear. That was where the sound was coming from, but no little old lady had come about with a broom to chase him off yet. Curiosity was getting the better of him, perhaps, but at least he might be able to see what it was exactly that was going on.

Footfalls on cobblestones, he heard, and panting… and then a black and white form hurtled round the corner right nearby him, causing the same stunned reaction as before all over again. It took him a moment to register that the form was rather all too small to be some human come to chase him off from rummagings that had already proved unsuccessful and was, in fact, another dog. He met her quick gaze, though was just as quickly distracted. The source of the shouting had become clear as a rather pudgey, bald man jogged past. The merle mutt followed him with golden eyes, until he had past from few. He’d seen the man once before, when a cat had snidely warned him against theft from a certain pub he’d been loitering about in front of. Something about soup of the day. Ho hum.

The other dog cautiously peeked around the corner back to the street she had just hurtled off, but Teak wasn’t too worried about the man coming back. Lost interest after awhile usually, didn’t they? Regardless, it was time to move on to somewhere that might of actually had food. Would it be too soon to try for another raid on the butcher? Teak took another step as he flipped over place to visit in his mind, leaping momentarily away from a fleeing horse, not noting if there was a human on it’s back or not. He looked up, finally noticing that the collie was now looking at him.
“…Uhh, what?” Did she want something? Teak squirmed uncomfortably. It was rare that he talked to others and it felt… odd… when he used his high yet gruff voice.

[krystalwolf]

“…Uhh, what?” She blinked, a little bit dazed from the previous event, she decided to come closer so they could talk without having problems hearing each other.

"Sorry about that." her slight accent was smooth, but after a year in the Hallow, her once thick accent was slowly becoming unnoticeable. "I didn't mean to. . ." She would have said stare, but that would make the assumption that she liked him in the way that mates do, which would have made the situation more awkward than it needs to be.
"Have I seen you around here before?" she decided to get to the point.
Must've been some gathering. . . she thought to herself. Or maybe he just lives here and I haven't been able to meet him yet.
Sadly Enya had not the chance to meet very many dogs yet. A year and not one real friend, well Echo was sort of her friend, but they haven't seen each other in a long time.
She was just normally rather quiet and held back... suppose that's where manners lead you. The border collie almost smiled at the thought of the fact that this wasn't a very proper meeting. Well improper or not, this was a meeting. She wasn't worried about being proper, just simple manners show respect. Which she rarely did not give.

[Bandersnatch]

Teak's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as the other dog approched closer still. This was certianly different to the usual mutual indifference of dogs passing in Hallow's streets that he had become used to.
"Sorry about that."
About what now? He remained in silent puzzlement, still watching her. Other dogs and what they expected you to say or do, it was all so... well, weird. And beyond him. He'd never, he thought to himself, be able to guess what another canine intended. Bizarre.

"Have I seen you around here before?"
"Maybe." He gave an akward shrug. There was such an abundance of animals here that many seemed to not really notice the others, and surely none would ever know each individual. "I've been here... awhile." Well, maybe that was a bit of an understatement. He had lived in Hallow his whole life, though only in it's streets for little under a year. Maybe she'd seen him in passing, it wasn't implausible.

As Teak contemplated all this, it was his turn to stare. She wasn't unpleasent to look at. Her fur looked so nice and soft, and remarkably clean compared to his own. It reminded him of the setter Kait he had met many months ago now. He'd enjoyed being with her, but after they'd found her brother, she just... vanished.
He wasn't used to company now, and had never been used to the company of other dogs. He couldn't say he disliked it, though. Maybe this other dog could stay around awhile? Maybe if he got her talking she'd stay.
"Um... Why were you running from that... soup guy?"

[krystalwolf]

He seemed rather puzzled that she should apologize, she almost said another apology for confusing him but she managed to hold her tongue.

"Maybe." He shrugged his shoulders, so he didn't recognize her either. So they probably haven't met before.
There was a silent moment, he look at her, as if remembering something. Enya wasn't sure if the conversation was over or not.
"Um... Why were you running from that... soup guy?"
She smiled, glancing behind herself as if making sure that he wasn't about to sneak up on her.
"Oh don't you know about Anders?" she asked. "He hates dogs and I accidentally got in his way."
Her hind leg was bothering her, as it does every once in a while, she might've hurt it when she slipped on that turn. That leg was easier to hurt after that one owner and his old mutt. So Enya sat down, Sighing about her leg.

[Bandersnatch]

"Oh don't you know about Anders? He hates dogs and I accidentally got in his way.”
“Anders[/color]?” Teak repeated distastefully. Hates dogs? Chasing her simply because he hated dogs? “That sounds stupid. [/color]” He scoffed. Running around for no other reason besides? He shook his head about. How pointless. “Humans are weird. [/color]” The mutt’s tail twitched as he thought about what else to say.
“Some cat told me not to steal from him once. She said something about ‘dog soup’. I’m not sure exactly what that means. [/color]” He gave another helpless shrug, feeling rather uncomfortable. Is this how dogs spoke to each other? He had only ever had a few extended conversations before. His throat itched, unused to so much talk.

The collie plonking herself down and sighing through him off for a moment. He stared for a moment, curious about why, but not thinking to ask. His mind had returned to where it had been previously. “I’m hungry. What do you think?[/color]” He said bluntly, leaving rather an open (and awkwardly produced) question. What he intended to ask was whether she cared to come with him to find something to eat. He perked an ear to her, waiting for her reply. Manners as simple as giving his name hadn’t even crossed his mind.

[krystalwolf]

“Anders?” Enya nodded, surprised that Anders' reputation hadn't spread to every animal around. “That sounds stupid. ” She winced, hoping he wouldn't feel like he could out smart Anders and try. The las thing she wanted was another stray to disappear.
“Humans are weird. ”

Enya smiled when he said that, she had met humans with two completely different personalities, as if they were from two different planets all together. She murmured an agreement.

“Some cat told me not to steal from him once. She said something about ‘dog soup’. I’m not sure exactly what that means. ” So he heard the tale about Anders, but didn't understand it. Maybe that cat was only hinting at what he does. She's met quite a few cats like that.

He gave her a curious look at her as she sighed about her leg.

“I’m hungry. What do you think?”
Enya stood up, and smiled, was he inviting her to eat with him? She hadn't ever been invited before, well. . . back on the ranch with her siblings, but not by anyone outside the family.
"Hmm, maybe we should drop by the Butcher's." she replied, remembering that she was hungry too. She didn't like stealing, but she had to sometimes, she lived the past year doing everything different that how she was brought up to be. "Or we could go to the fish market, I think they have some fresh fish from the port."

[Bandersnatch]

"...Or we could go to the fish market, I think they have some fresh fish from the port."
Teak thought it over for a moment, cocking his head so the his fluffy, oversized ears flopped onto his face. Just to exaggerate, unconciously as it was, the look even further, he squinted a golden eye.
He'd probably worn out his welcome at the butcher. Unless he was very careful, which it was unlikely he would be, the butcher would see & recognise him from the mutt's previous forays. Stealth wasn't one of Teak's more practiced talents.
The fish markets? It was bustling, lots of movement of people to and from, picking out the best trout or whatever had been truged out of the sea that morning, so no doubt they'd be hard to spot. Plus it was always so open, crates of fish arranged everywhere. He'd previously turned up his nose, being not quite certian on how one was to eat a fish, but if this female thought it comparable to the butcher as a source of food, why not? The trash barrels had proved rather disappointing this morning.

"Fish markets sound OK.[/color]" he muttered, raising a hind leg as he stood for a good scratch behind the ear.

[krystalwolf]

"Fish markets sound OK."

"Good." Enya smiled, glad that they had an easy decision. She walked in the direction of the fish markets, they had some time for idle chat as they walked over, the markets were pretty much on the other side of the Village.

"My name is Enya. . . by the way." Enya turned looked at him, realizing that they hadn't introduced each other. She was curious to know his name. The pain in her leg had gone away, but Enya didn't really notice, she had forgotten it even hurt. She Glanced back at him with her gray blue eyes.

[Shortness!! *is shot* I'm going out of town, so it'll be until Tuesday before I can reply again *Waves goodbye*]

[Bandersnatch]

Teak returned his paw to the ground and stood back up to his full height.
"Good."
He eyed Enya off for a moment, waiting for her movement to portary the direction in which they were heading. He had visited the fish markets once and only once, and navigating back to them by a single memory of blankly wandering the streets wasn't exactly efficent.
He felt rather inclined to return her expression as she smiled. It had been awhile since he'd had such a reason, and it seemed he was out of practice - his own expression seemed a sort of grimacing half-smile rather than an expression of contentedness. As she moved foward he followed a step behind, letting the collie lead the way.

"My name is Enya. . . by the way."
Teak nodded, his golden eyes meeting her grey-blue ones. As if they hadn't been revealed enough before, his lack of social skills came to surface again. Any dog knew it was the only polite to return their own name when being introduced - but he was the exception to that rule. Being rude was not his intention. It was all down to his lack of experience in social situations. He'd give his name, certianly - when he was asked it.


[Sorry I didn't reply earlier, wasn't expecting you to be able to get online - Welcome back, hope you had a good time!]

[krystalwolf]

Teak nodded, but he didn't give his name, Enya didn't press. She just guessed he didn't think of it, or didn't want to give out his name. More likely the later. A many strange dogs she'd met in her day who were a bit hesitant to give out their name. Well, with hard times like now, a war just outside the safe border lines of Hallow a hidden name might save a life. But what would she call him? She decided she'd ask him anyway, see how he reacted.
"So what's your name?" she asked, turning a corner, trying not to get in the people's way. An older man and what she guessed was his grandson paused to look at the two dogs. Enya almost instinctively sat down and wagged her tail, she only stopped and smiled back at her comrade. A downside to her soft fur was that everyone thought she was owned, so people were less likely to take pity on her and give her free food, which was just as well, Enya was uncomfortable with gifts.

[that's ok! I didn't know if I was going to be able to get on either. I had a great time, thank you!(Even though all my cats are all huffy about us being gone)]

[Bandersnatch]

“Uh… ” He paused for a moment, as though he’d forgotten what is was. He hadn’t of course, the pause was more a result of trying to remember the last time it had been said out loud. “…Teak.” It felt weird to say his name just like that – in his 3 years of living he’d said it less times than he could count on his forepaws.

The now much stronger morning sunlight blasted the mutt in the eyes as he rounded the corner after Enya. It took him a moment of squinting to realize the presence of the two humans – one short, one tall. He paid little more attention to them, hanging back past his companion uncertainly. His master was one thing, but ever since his final departure, other humans had not been so kind. Now on a regular basis they instead chased him from their front steps or stores, threatening and cursing. He glanced to the side, feeling rather uncomfortable.
After a moment he peered back. He almost forgot about human affection – how he missed it. Catching the female’s eyes for a moment, he quickly diverted his attention to his feet, with the hint of a sulky look.
“How much further?” He seemed to mutter to them, though intended for the other’s ears.


[Gah... sorry, been preoccupied the past few days]

[krystalwolf]

“Teak. ” He seemed to take a while, as if surprised that she would ask. She continued past the two humans, walking in a steady pace. “How much further?”

"Not much farther." She replied. Enya could already begin to smell the fresh fish. She licked her lips and began to move slightly faster. Slowly it became more busy as more people came out of their homes to do the morning chores. A man carrying a couple bottles of milk into his home from a general store tripped over his own feet and the bottles crashed onto the cobblestone road, startling Enya. She hurried past him, watching her paws for broken glass. The smell of fish was getting stronger, just a little bit farther. They should be able to see if it weren't for the tall people in their way.

[Bandersnatch]

"Not much farther."
Teak almost sighed in relief as Enya turned away from the people. As much as he missed his owner, he couldn't bare being around the big creatures anymore. Too many run-ins with large boots.

As they continued to walk, he couldn't help but notice the strong, unique, salty smell that hung in the air. He'd had fish once or twice before, sure, but rarely had he smelt raw fish.
As the smell grew thicker, so too did the crowd. The morning really was shaping up to be busy. It was uncomfortable with this many people around, pushing and bumping, not watching where they were going. He was starting to lag behind the black and white female and -

"YIIIPE!"
The scraggly mutt whipped his forepaw to his chest. The culprit, a large, balding man had jumped, looking around hastily, but quickly saw that it was nothing but a lowly street dog he had caused such damage to.

Teak hurried himself up, limping (rather exaggeratedly) back up to Enya, passing the shards of glass carelessly. It was pure luck that his feet missed every piece and weren't injured any more. He subconsciously had decided that if he stayed near to her, people would be less inclined to trample the larger mass again.

The Shepard cross glanced around as they walked, scowl on his face. He couldn't remember a time he'd seen so many humans. But now it seemed like they were slowing... well, at least that way his paws would stay safe. It was only a short distance now that little huts held sprawling trays of fish.
"This is it... isn't it?" He wasn't completely sure, but it was vaguely familiar...

(Urg so busy X( Sorry Again.)