Stray and Unwanted [acceptance]

[archer]

There's a long road to follow, but I'll be gone tomorrow

Long roads made journeys hard and tiresome, but sometimes, the world seems so tired, so bored with the lives within in and whether they live or die, it does not take notice. Life itself was a journey, but despite this, it always became bored and without need. Always, but that brings another question to mind. How long is always, and will the road ever end? Maybe one day when whatever gods exist show themselves, the answers can be found, but until then, there will forever be a path to choose, a road to follow, and travelers that find no happiness along the path. It is the sad truth, but nevertheless, it is the truth. Paths lead to places and those places are to be explored.

Without saying good bye I will leave. Am I going home?'

Softly, the patter of rain fell, even and rythemic. Its gray sheen made nothing but the earth and sky. It was opague, the barrier between sky and land. The sound of rain faaling just like footfalls. Footfalls, the sound of four feet going across the path. The clinking of nails on stone, the sound of a leather leash ripping free from a hand, the flashes of blood and then running.. running from the hands of man and into the streets. Horses neighed indecencies to the creature as it ran fearful for its life, the incoherant calls of the man that had brought her here behind her, making her tremble in fear.

There is somewhere for me out there. I just know.

The dog zoomed into a shed, empty and leaking, but safe. The australian shepherd female whimpered, her left back leg hurting with ever step she made. For several moments, she stood still, waiting and watching the enterance of the shed. As she stood afraid, she could smell dogs, countless dogs. Zhana was scared for her life, but if there were indeed other dogs here, she could be safe. First, she needed to find them. A silent sigh escaped her lips and the female dog slipped back out into the alley way. Now she took note of the dark and cold look to the alley. It seemed the world of a stray was to be damned forever.

Find me and I will love you

Slowly, Chezhanka moved, limping through the alley way, heading toward a corner, head down and her coat soaked in mud and water. She shivered, whimerping. The intial fear was replaced by panic. What was she to do now? Where would she live? There were too many questions for her. All she wanted was to find someone to take her in and protect her from the harm of the world. Never in her life previuosly had she thought she would be a stray, a lowly coward of man. It had happened so fast, so easily that she had never been able to see it happen. Zhana was not content to die out here this way, she would survive and prosper, or so she hoped.

Looking for you, I need you

The dog laid down, her head touching the cobblestone. The faint light of street lamp illuminated her, the soft fur on her back. This was the only light in the alley way, the rest dark and cold. The corner she is was in offered no warmth against the cold rain pelting her fur. She sighed and closed her eyes, hoping to find some peace.

[krystalwolf]

It was a cool night, the black and white border collie trotted in the night. She wasn't using her normal smile, her gray blue eye were lowered. Enya was trying to avoid the rain. Even though she herself wasn't wet, the surface of her fur kept her dry enough, she didn't like the feeling of water hitting her near the eyes.

Enya blinked, thinking she saw an unfamiliar figure in an allyway, she nearly missed it, if it weren't for the soft lamp that lit the roads for late travelers. Enya was cautious, she had been through enough dog fights in her life time.
"Hello?" Her soft voice was raised more than usual to be heard over the constant rain. The poor looking dog seemed lost somehow, it could just be a visitor, or a member of the pack that she happened to not have met before. The dog's scent was mostly washed down with the rain, but she could tell that she wasn't from the hallow. Enya glanced in both directions to see if Wes or Echo would suddenly appear from the shadows to do their job as alphas. Even after being here for a year, the collie still was rankless, and that fact was beginning to irritate her, she felt as though she wasn't giving back to the pack that allowed her to live here so many months ago. Maybe she could help this stranger out?

[archer]

There was the sound of feet and Chezhanka opened her eyes, but not to see the human she had been dreading to see, but rather, a dog that looked much like her. She shook her head to clear her vision. Finally, it registered with her that she was in no danger and relaxed. As she moved to sit up, the cut on her back leg from where something had cut her shot a sharp pain up her body.

"Hello?"

"Yes? Who are you? Have you seen a human with a leash around? If so, then run" Her voice was sharp, its usual ndertone of commanding not bothered to be hidden as she addressed a complete stranger.

Finally, Zhana was one her feet, well, standing on three of the four. Her left one held ever so slightly above the ground. Overhead, there was a clap of thunder and then a lightening bolt, along with more rain. Looking back at the shed, she motioned for the other female to follow her. It might help them to get out of the rain. "I am Chezhanka, or Zhana by the way" She spoke as she turned her over her left shoulder to speak. As she did, rain fell in torrents against the earth, causing her to raise her voice to be heard over the storm.

She limped forward, slipping in through the door, which creaked upon her enterance. Now that there was some light in the shed, she saw it had a few things in it, a saddle, a whip, among other objexts for horses. It was also rather large, enough room for six or so dogs to lay down comfortably. It was also dusty, a sign it had very little use.

[krystalwolf]

She uttered a small gasp when seeing the cut on her front paw.

"Yes? Who are you? Have you seen a human with a leash around? If so, then run" Enya glanced in both directions, looking for some mean looking human to appear out of no where. But no such creature came. She laid her gray-blue eyes back on the dog. She got herself to her feet, except for that one leg. What had this dog been through? Thunder crashed above and Enya couldn't help but give a small wince. Storms didn't frighten her much, but she didn't expect thunder at that moment. Enya nearly missed the female motion her to follow her into an old shed. She quickly began to follow her, wondering why she was laying in the rain when shelter was so close.
"I am Chezhanka, or Zhana by the way" She added, turning her head and raising her voice, making certain that Enya had heard. Enya waited until they were both in the shed before introducing herself.
"Enya." she replied, shaking a little by instinct. A little embarrassed at that lack of self control she hoped that she hadn't just sprayed Zhana. ". . .sorry."
It didn't take long for Enya to sit down, she looked at Zhana, so very much concerned about her leg.
"It's very nice to meet you." she added, "And if you don't mind me asking. . . what happened to you?"
She knew that it was none of her business and braced herself for that reaction. But the question was going to come out sooner or later. It looked painful. She only wished that an alpha was here, either of them would know what to do.

[archer]

More rain fell upon the earth, torrent after blinding torrent. It was an endless cycle, ,many times run before. As brown eyes surveyed the few dogs running for cover in the distance, the dog growled ever so slightly under her breath, letting them know she was not some9ne they wished to trifle with. Her limping would be temporairy as long as the cut on her leg existed, it would be painful to walk on, but thanks to her high pain tolerance after having been repeatedly icked on bit while herding cattle, she had become against to the agony of the life as a herder, but now, this world was not only so foreign it made her want to run away and hide somewhere far, far away, but made her feel tiny, afraid, and without a purpose. She had been nothing more than a herder's daughter and it was she knew. Until this moment she had always thought she would be in the hands of some warm hearted person who would help her, but reality had settled in on her like a ton of bricks. The weight was almost deadly.

"Enya"

Ah, so this female was Enya. As the meaning came to mind, the dog smiled, both eyes shimmering with rebel spirit, the natural look of the herding dog. "Little Fire" She spoke the meaning of her word, Celtic in orgin. Her own had been russian, Chezhanka, taken from Chez. Her mother had made it so that her name would ntoi be easy to forget in its odd tongue, thus allowing her to change her name to something simplier for those not born into the world of the lineage. She was a part of a large and mostly infamous band of breeds, the Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, and the German Shepherd. They all look alike, and she was to be distinctive among the group, she wanted to stick out and make her mark. This very same trait is what had come of her name, Zhana for short. It sounded strong, and she liked that.

As the other dog shook off the water, she followed her actions, being sprayed with a water that was soon once more dispersed over walls. As the dog warmed up a bit, she saw the concern in the other's eyes. It was not too deep and would not take so long to heal. She had been in worse than this. "It is only a flesh wound. I have survived worse than a simple scratch. It just hurts is all" Her voice sounded Russian, making her already strange appearence seemed exotic, unusual. Then, it registered that Enya had apologized. She nodded her head, saying it was all right.

"It's very nice to meet you.""And if you don't mind me asking. . . what happened to you?"

"As I am Enya." She beamed a smile toward the dog. "I was born the daughter of a simple working dog, and the farm I was on had little. My brothers. sisters and I were sold to help the humans and I was brought here. Now take it that the very man who had seemed so kind and loving was deceitful. He hit me several times, and earlier, I struck back." She paused, taking a breath before continuing her tale. "The leash snapped as I bit into his hand and I ran, away from him. He yelled and chased me to this shed and hid from him. I am now a stray. What about you? Do you have a human?" Those ever challenging brown eyes rose from the floor to stare at her with curious expression, head cocked to one side.

[krystalwolf]

"Little Fire" Enya tilted her head with slight confusion. But the expression didn't last long as she saw that Zhana had accepted her apology for shaking. "It is only a flesh wound. I have survived worse than a simple scratch. It just hurts is all"

So Zhana saw her concern. Enya believed her, but she was still a little worried that it might get infected.
She spoke, continuing the conversation with the usual expressed emotion of being pleased to meet someone, following with a question.

"As I am Enya." Zhana said smiling, "I was born the daughter of a simple working dog, and the farm I was on had little. My brothers. sisters and I were sold to help the humans and I was brought here. Now take it that the very man who had seemed so kind and loving was deceitful. He hit me several times, and earlier, I struck back."
Enya winced, remembering the darker part of her past. She practically knew how Zhana felt. It seemed a little confusing for Enya at first, when her last owner turned out to be so cruel. She used to believe all humans were kindly. . . well now she knows better.

Zhana continued, "The leash snapped as I bit into his hand and I ran, away from him. He yelled and chased me to this shed and hid from him. I am now a stray. What about you? Do you have a human?"

So Zhana was all alone now. Luckily there was no dark man in sight at the moment. Then Enya realized that Zhana had asked her for her basic story. Glad it didn't take her very long to summarize it in her head, she sighed and tried to begin. She wasn't going to tell Zhana everything, she was still a stranger to her.
"Well. . ." Enya began, "I don't have an owner. . . not for a year now."

She paused, considering telling her how she shared a similar experience. She decided to be brief.

"My last owner was a greedy man who thought he could make money off of herding sheep. I was a sheep herder, and he was quite abusive. For the longest time I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. And he had another dog, who hated me for no reason. . . so I kind of know how you feel." Enya explained. "It flooded and I ran away, ended up here and was accepted by the alpha Echo."

Thunder rumbled and the rain began to pour even harder, memories of the flood flashed in her head. She lowered her eyes. Enya hadn't really thought of it in a long time.

[tyr]

((Mind if I pop in? I figure the herding dog thing is just too good to pass up.))

The rain ran down the little village rooftops, plinking their way down onto the cobblestone streets and finding their way into gutters. The streets where nearly empty now. Wiser creatures had found shelter, one way or another. Somewhere small enough to fit into absurd places. Candles flickered in windows as people went about their business, not letting the rain get in the way of house work. It was a cold place to stumble upon. Odder still was the large dog that came into the village. His thick white coat damp, but not retaining the rain, leaving his skin dry.

Feagon stepped cautiously into the town, ever wary of humans. None where out, the comfort this gave him was unbidden. He had never expected to feel that way about humans. His life had been so pleasurable and mediocre that it was hard for him to understand the feelings he was coping with now. As he took slow tired steps forward, his head dodging down side alley’s for a simple place to hide. Anywhere would be fine. Just so he could get out of the cold and wet. His white coat was cream when wet and his huge body was still clearly huge even when his fluffy hair was damp. Feagon moved slow, like a bear, his paws pounding the cobblestone, creating small splashes in their wake. His shoulder slouched and head low.

Not even the thunder could sway his clouded mind, paying no heed to the weather other then it’s direct effects on him. Muscles bulged as he heard a man shouting up ahead. He turned down a side alley to hide from the human and his angry voice. Feagon pounded down the alley, stopping at the entrance of a shed he would have entered, if it had not already been occupied by two females. He turned his back on them, to check for the human voice. It was louder, coming this way. Feagon’s large body had most certainly created splashes and scampering noises while he had dodged the main road. His mind was calm and cool as he watched the entrance of the alley. His body, slightly to the side of the doorway, allowing the females an escape, and a visual of what he was seeing.