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 Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 7:49 pm
The season had been favorable to them and for the most part had avoided uncertain conflict with Lenwae's father and pack. Zodiac didn't doubt they were still following. But with each day alive he had gained more confidence that they might make it to Ohu. And with each new spurt of growth he couldn't help but feel better about himself. The gained speed and size he and Len would have aquired to this point would have given them benifit over there puppy bodys; expecially the added muscles from always being on the move.
"If we don't find Ohu we should consider making our own pack." He seamed to mutter out an idea that seamed to dance over him more then a few times aday. It was clear that with all this walking they weren't an ich closer to Ohu then when they had started.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:14 pm
"Or find a different one," Lenwae added her own idea to his musings. Truthfully, she was still wary on the idea of a pack. It was hard to trust after all they had been through. Part of her wished she had Zo's faith. They had stopped for a small rest by a stream and she had stepped into the shallow waters to cool off a bit. Maybe even catch a fish.
She looked over to him and smiled. She only smiled for him. They had run into some dogs in their travels, but she had been cold and wary. Zodiac was the only one that she could allow herself to relax around.
"I donno. The thought of a pack... It still puts me on edge, you know?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:25 pm
He nodded."Well I won't do anything you feel uncomforable about." He thought to himself about joining another pack other then Ohu. If they joined now, and the pack was bad then they would have two very angry groups of dogs on thier tails. He didn't much like that idea just like Len didn't like the idea of making a pack very much.
But as he joined her in the water he couldn't help but muse something to her, "Your father seams to have let up some as the seasons have changed. I don't at all feel as much pressure from him as we did when we started. Do you think prehaps he thinks we have died?"
He plopped his face into the water letting it ripple over his tired and hot muzzle.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:52 pm
"Maybe... I donno. I don't remember him being the let-go type. He was too crafty. Maybe just biding time..." Len sighed a bit with a shake of her head. It was a scary thought, being caught by her father. She looked back over to her friend and smirked a bit. If she was more of a rascal, he would have been in trouble putting his face in the water like that. All it would take would be a simple move of her paw and he'd be dunked in the water.
But she wasn't like that. Not with Zodiac.
"I know you wouldn't. But... I think you're right, that we should be in a pack. More to help keep us safe. Just... I don't wanna have to trust anyone else," she admitted. And then she splashed him lightly, trying to change the subject of sorts.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:02 pm
"I'm glad if thats the case- I enjoy having a few days to rest here and there." He said talking with mouthfuls of water here and there. "Running till your paws bleed is just no fun." Though he couldn't remeber the last time his feet actully ached like they did when he had been a puppy. From what he gathered on closer inspection, was that his pads had hardened into rocks and the surrounding area had just been so blistered from the constant movement that he assumed was the reason he couldn't feel anymore.
He then felt the splash on him from his friend. Yes he supposed she was right it was time for a change in topic. He wagged his tail and he plunged head-first into the deeper water paddling about like a fish. He then responded to her with his own series of watery splashes.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:20 pm
Lenwae laughed as she jumped back, trying to avoid the water. Her paws were just as bad as Zodiac's, though she didn't notice anymore. They didn't hurt her, so she didn't pay much attention to them. All that mattered was that she could walk and run when she needed to. They'd gotten better at hunting, which also made life so much easier for them. Better at traveling long distances, better at hunting, better at most things in general. They were older and more hardened by their life-style. All muscles.
"Hey! Zo, quitit!" she laughed before sticking her tongue out at him. "I'll come in there after you if you don't!"
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:30 pm
A rascally sort of grin spread over his maw at her words. With his tail moving so fast he could take off he went back to lightly splashing her. "You should come in. You have no idea how good the cool water feels on a warm body!" But he was more playful then actully thinking about his minor aches and pains. He'd never really gotten to act like a puppy with his harsh lifestyle, so something about splashing in the water just turned him backwards in time; if only for those few moments. He swore to himself that his own pups would know better then that. They wouldn't have to be adults until there paws were large enough to do such things. And they wouldn't have to live their lives in fear EVER. He hoped the pair would make it to Ohu so if ever the time came- wait what was he THINKING? Puppies? No she was a FRIEND...that love stuff was just icky.
Some things about puppies never change...
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:12 pm
Unable to really tell him no, Lenwae ran out into the deeper water, a smile on her maw as she swam out to him. He was right, the cool water was a wonder on her travel-worn body. She paddled to him and licked his nose.
"I bet we scared off all the fish doing this, though," she said with a small laugh as she gave him a little splash and turned back towards water she could stand up in. She went over to a rock that was big enough to be above water and flopped down so that her front paws and head were on the rock, and everything else was still in the stream.
"This is even better though," she shot at her friend, her tone holding something of a blissful edge to it. She liked getting a chance to relax now and then. It was so stressful being tough and wary all the time.
And then her face fell a bit.
"Zo... Do you think we'll ever be safe?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:25 pm
"Nobody is ever truly safe." He muttered out hoping she couldn't hear him. He wanted her to be happy and for her to even think for a moment in danger would upset that idea of his. "But-" He voice cut out as he dove deep under the water then suddenly springing out onto Len's rock. "I want to be KING of the rock too!" He shook his wet fur and puffed out his chest almost trying to look stupid now.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:32 pm
Lenwae covered her face with her paws as he sent water flying and then glared up at him as he stood on the rock.
"Geez, Zo, you don't have to be so pushy," she replied, sticking her tongue out at him. "Besides, I'm not queen of the rock, I'm just using it to keep my head up above the water, silly!"
But she couldn't keep the angry-with-him facade up for very long. In less than two heartbeats, she was smiling up at him again, shaking her head at his playfulness. She didn't mind the water. if she had, she wouldn't have been lounging half in it.
"You know, you look like a frog with your chest all puffed out like that."
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:47 pm
"Well now your QUEEN of the rock...cuse I said so. And I'm the KING." He chuckled at the thought. "This is our rock!" He made a few defined barks then settled his rear into a sitting position quite pleased with himself. Then he cocked his head at her- a frog? Okie he could do frog...
"Ruuuufffbarkit!"
He then pull in his chest as far as he could then threw it out boldly repeating his frog call.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:01 pm
Lenwae looked at him as if he had lost part of his mind. But crazy or no, he was still her Zodiac. And she knew he was just being silly and playful.
"You make a terrible frog. I like m- normal Zodiac, more," she giggled out her response to his antics.
She shrugged a bit over the rock, not really caring for ownership over the piece of nature. She wasn't used to having something of her own, except for Zodiac when she was little. She had trouble thinking of him as not somehow belonging to her. He was her friend, hers. She wasn't sure how she would handle having to share him with others, but she knew she might have to, one day. Not something she wanted to think of, especially when they were being fun and happy right now.
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:13 pm
He continued on doing the same thing till he noticed the change in Len. He was very perceptive of her emotions. And as wet as he went and nuzzled at her neck...which was considerably dryer then his own. He wasn't going to pry and ask her any questions about WHAT was bothering her. That was for her to know, and he wasn't a busybody like that. Though if he had to guess it was probally about her father. Which rather got Zodiac thinking.
"We've daughtled here too much. We should probally catch something to eat and start moving again."
He looked down from the rock into the water. Len was right he did scare off the fish.
"Uh we should probally move downstream and see if the startled fish are there." He chuckled at her and pawed at her playfully.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:02 am
Len nodded and stood up, shaking some of the water from her coat as she left the stream.
"We could try fishing, or continue on a bit and see if we can't scare up somethin' else, like a rabbit or a bird or something?" she suggested, looking back at her friend as she stepped onto solid ground. She shook herself harder, then, getting most of the water from her fur. She was still damp, of course, but the sun was out. It would dry her up in no time. Thank goodness the weather was still warm.
Lenwae suddenly shuddered at the thought of winter. She didn't like the cold, and traveling in it? She liked that idea even less. She hadn't thought about it yet, but now that the thought was in her mind, she looked at her friend with a slightly worried expression.
"Zo... I just thought... What are we going to do when winter comes along again? We can't keep traveling if the weather gets bad..." Of course, they probably could, but she had heard so many stories as a pup of dogs getting caught in the harsh season and not making it back to the pack.
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