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 Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 1:56 pm
So, where would one take such things? The park, of course!
The last time Locksmith had been to the dog park had been with the Master and the older Madame. This was almost like going back to his roots, except instead of a master holding his leash, it was the young Madame. He didn't pull like he would've in excitement with Evan. He was an adult, now, and he would behave like a good dog for Leslie. She was too disgruntled a lot of the time to begin with.
Today would be relaxing for the both of them.
After arriving to the park, Leslie and Locksmith picked out a spot to sit down. Locksmith sat off to the side with the basket while Leslie laid out their blanket, and they both sat down to watch the other owners with their dogs. Locksmith sat with his ears alert, looking back and forth, while Leslie simply gazed out blankly. No doubt thinking of the class she would have to go to the next night. They could easily pass off as statues, neither of them moved except to follow a pair with their eyes, and then back to watching where they had been before.
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:13 pm
Slowly, one raven paw stepped onto the cobblestone path, and amber eyes glanced quickly once again.
"Simba..." She said with a hiss, fur falling across her eyes as she moved as discreetly as possible.
She noted each owner as they passed, ears falling under each displeased look, until finally she ran away from the path and towards the bushes that littered the park. Nose lowered, she hunted around in each bush, orange markings catching the light as the heat attacked her darker pelt.
Finally, she neared the edge of the bushes with a nose full of many scents she was not looking for, and as she looked up her eyes caught the two figures that seemed like statues.
Narrowing her eyes, she glanced at them once and let out a huff, before turning away to hunt for her mouse once more.
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:21 pm
Locksmith's ears swivelled towards a sound that had come from the bushes. He turned towards it with a frown, red eyes narrowing, and then looked at Leslie. The girl was now laying flat on her back, face half-covered with one arm. Locksmith nodded to himself, and rose slowly, shaking off his fur. The heat assaulted his darker pelt but he didn't seem to feel it. He'd grown used to the obscene heat in the warmer months.
Leash trailing behind him, Locksmith wandered away from Leslie, who hadn't even stirred. While watching the people, she'd grown tired and inevitably fallen asleep. Locksmith glanced back, then looked around. He'd be able to find her after he investigated whatever that sound was, he was sure of it. Turning back towards the bushes, he stalked forward, and sniffed. There was a dog here, he could smell her, but he couldn't see her. And so, he did what any other dog might've done.
"Hello?" His voice was a deep rumble, fitting for the size of him. He crouched down low, to look beneath the bushes, looking back and forth curiously. His nose wrinkled in distaste when nothing came into sight, and he straightened up, frowning. He could've swore he heard someone...
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:40 pm
Her ears perked and eyes narrowed even more as she caught sight of him moving close. Stepping back, she slowly moved to another hiding spot. When the deep rumble cut into the silence, she thought another long moment before rolling her eyes.
"Hello..." Her softer voice called out, though it held a rough edge that came with the months of living on the street. She was no lady, so as she stepped out it showed. Instead of keeping a meek exterior, her chest was out and her eyes looking him up and down. Gaze stopping on the leash that trailed behind, a small laugh escaped her maw.
"So I see the humans own you...how easy it must be..." Usually those of the humans looked down upon the dogs, but Alani decided that was not right, for it was them being controlled, and those of the streets were the strongest out there.
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:46 pm
"She seems to think so."
The answer came unbidden, but he couldn't take it back. For all Leslie's intelligence, it was Locksmith who kept her on the right road. He frowned to himself anyway, seeming annoyed that he had reacted without thinking. He returned his gaze to the smaller stray, and moved around her, leash trailing behind him. "You're a stray." It wasn't a question, merely an observation.
However 'controlled' Locksmith was by his owner, he walked with confidence. "You shouldn't be here." He frowned at her, giving the impression of concern. Really, it was his paternal instinct. She was no doubt younger then him, if not by much, and a stray on top of that. It must've been scary out there alone. He was pleased at having a place to go home to at night, but where did this female go?
"What are you doing here?" This was asked in genuine curiosity. Why would a stray want to wander where owned dogs were left to their own devices?
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:54 pm
At his observation of her status, she let her eyes roll and a snort come out of her maw, something she saved just for those of the other class. She usually wasn't this bratty, but just seeing owned pets made her a bit cynical, if not angry. She wasn't jealous, in her mind, but simply irritated from how they always seemed to treat those of her world.
"Shouldn't be here...I have every right to be here, if not more. This is my city, not yours. If you want to decide who may go and who may stay, go back to your home..." Her brow twitched a bit, as she glanced away with another huff, and looked about with narrowed eyes.
Debating if to go on, she looked back up towards him and let out a sigh, "I'm exploring, it's what we do..." Trailing, she took a few steps away from him and his owner, before suddenly getting a smirk, "...I don't expect you to understand the thrill...to have nothing holding you back...not even a dreadful collar..."
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:13 pm
He rolled his eyes at her, and opened his mouth to speak, but cut himself off in favor of watching her. He rolled his eyes again, snorting at her, and stepped forward. "What I meant is, there are dog catchers, you know." He smirked a little at her, bemused. "And then you'd be taken in and adopted away to a human family. And wouldn't that be dreadful, three meals a day and a warm place in the cold months." He scoffed.
"The younger Madame needs me." He glanced back towards Leslie, tail drooping a little. "After Master left..." While Locksmith knew very well what happened to Evan and his older Madame, he didn't like talking about it. Making it sound like they left was barely better, but in this case, he'd prefer it. "The younger Madame needs someone to take care of her." He snorted, and looked at Alani. "I doubt you'd understand." He rolled his eyes at her again, and turned.
"You'd be best to leave soon, or you might just get thrown into the shelter." Locksmith said over his shoulder, starting to walk back to Leslie. A stray with an attitude problem wasn't something he wanted to deal with on his relaxing day.
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:20 pm
She let out a bark of a laugh at his comments, before scoffing again, "They would have to catch me first. If they were as good as you expected, than there wouldn't be any of us...now would there..."
She trailed off again as she noticed him walking off, and looked both ways before following a bit tentatively.
"You know, it isn't in our nature to be owned...and who needs someone to take care of you, when you can take care of yourself just fine...can't you?" She asked softly, with a low chuckle and a raised brow. Maybe he would take the bait.
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:30 pm
"You say that now, I wonder what you would say if you did get caught." He snorted at her, glancing back over his shoulder and arching an eyebrow. He'd seen her following, but that didn't halt him on his way back to Leslie and the blanket.
At least, until she said that.
"It isn't I who needs to be taken care of, it's her." He stopped, and jerked his head to Leslie, who was now rolled over on her side, sound asleep. "She is barely more then a pup." He turned to face her, scowling. "You strays can be completely self-absorbed and selfish. I could never be a stray for that reason alone." He bared his teeth at her a little, and sat down, tail twitching behind him in irritation.
Strays, they thought they knew what 'the life' was. He doubted they'd know what a good thing was if it bit them right on the nose. Locksmith glared a little at her, and then rolled his eyes.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:33 am
Her eyes widened a bit before a glare flashed in their bright depths. When he suddenly stopped, she paused in her following and perked her ears, listening to each and every word with suspicion. Slowly she pieced everything together, his thought of his owner as a pup, as someone he needed to look out for, and the thought alone baffled her.
When he pulled out the stray comment, a growl left her maw and her hair stood on end. Suddenly, it wasn't just a curious game anymore.
"How dare you speak of us like that, as if you even knew what it was like , what we have to deal with each day. At least we know about your side, seeing as a good portion of strays came from homes, but choose to live on the streets. Why else would they do that, if they didn't see the advantage of being free"
Her teeth were bared as her amber eyes kept their glare, and finally she just let out a huff and turned her back, "You simply prove how pathetic pets really are, you make all dogs look bad."
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:54 pm
Locksmith rolled her eyes at the growl, and simply watched her. He gave off the impression of a regal canine, head held high as he appraised the stray. His lips curled back at the insult, but that was all. No growl from this dog, little girl. He rose from his seated position, and walked to her, lowering his head so they were looking eye to eye.
"If anyone here is pathetic, it is not me. Freedom does not take presidence over responsibility, and I have a responsibility to take care of my Human now that my Master cannot." He glowered at her, and then straightened up, staring down at her. Down his nose at her, a common stray. Surely, he was not any better then her by lineage, but he refused to sink to her level and throw more insults then he already had. The previous jibe was enough to get his point across.
"Every dog is born with an inbred desire to be free, but that does not mean it is in their best interest, Stray. You have your place and I certainly have mine, and no amount of arguing or snapping will change our minds." He tilted his head, and decided that a change of conversation was much needed. "You were looking for something, weren't you?"
He moved past her, and looked over his shoulder at her. "I would apologize for my behavior by helping you find whatever you've lost, if you like." He even gave Alani a small, hopeful smile. Locksmith was many things, but petty was not among them, especially not to a lady.
Even if she was a stray...
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