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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2013 14:55:27 GMT
"Speech"
The heat of the morning sun warmed the thick layer of the akita's white and brindle fur and at first the warm blanket was pleasant, almost comforting. However being quite a large dog with a body adapted for cold, crisp air, it soon became uncomfortable. Summer was never one of Hal's most favourable of seasons. He never coped well with the heat and it often made him more snappy and more easily agitated than usual. He's never been known for being a particularly pleasant dog even in his good moods.
The large male shifted in the patch of grass he had claimed as his bed last night and slowly opened his eyes. The brightness of the light stung and strained his deep almond eyes but after a series of quick blinks, his eyes had adjusted. Hal lifted his large head and twitched his ears. The first sounds he heard were just his slow breathing but after a few moments he could hear the faint sound of the wind brushing past the grass.
Hal remained in this position for a few minutes before letting out a deep sigh and forcing himself to his feet. He was always an early riser, the heat of the sun strong enough to disturb him from his slumber. He stretched out his legs and yawned, his tongue rolled from his jaws for a second and he licked his dry lips. As soon as he felt comfortable, Hal sniffed the morning air. The strong scent of grass and dew filled his nose. He looked up at the sky for a moment and closed his eyes. "Morning mom." He muttered softly after a brief pause. He had made it part of his routine to whisper a few words his deceased mother. Hal was keen routine. He would deny it being a problem but most would consider it mild OCD.
The akita looked down at the place he had slept the night before and lay down on his back. He rolled on his back for a few moments to flatten the grass and cover it in his scent, claiming it as his own. Once he was sure he had done enough, Hal got back to his paws and nodded his head contently. A low, demanding growl from his stomach told him he needed to eat. He glanced around and sniffed the air again. Nothing signifying a meal caught his attention so he decided to go for a wander. He took off in the direction towards a bizarre metallic structure with steps and a slide. No doubt it was some strange human creation designed to entertain them and their pups. He had never actually met a human but his mother spoke of them several times.
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Post by Picasso on Mar 11, 2013 18:53:29 GMT
It was sunny. Sun! London loved the summer, although he hadn't experienced much else from life so far. He couldn't remember the winter in which he'd been born in. Thank God. Apparently it had been too cold. He shivered at the thought of it. The puppy soon discarded the thought as he lumbered through the park. He'd been out for a walk with one of the Tempest elders when he'd wandered away and stumbled across this park. It was so grassy and colourful! His tail wagged excitedly as he chased butterflies through the grass, bum wiggling in the air before he pounced. He liked all flying animals, especially birds. One day he'd catch a bird and make it his pet. London wished he'd been born with wings so he could fly up in the sky and see the whole city from above.
As London continued his walk, he came across some odd looking contraptions that appeared to be seats attached with chains. Jumping up at it, the seat began to creak and move, and London lost his balance. The chocolate puppy tumbled to the ground with a thump. Groaning, London narrowed his eyes at the stupid swings. They weren't cool. He looked around to make sure no one had noticed him, before continued with his walk through the park. The elder would be worried about him. They had been entrusted to care for him for the day. London was a very hyperactive puppy, and a lot of attention needed to be put on him so that he wouldn't run away or accidentally jump off a cliff. That was the whole reason the elder had been elected to take him out for a walk. London had a lot of excess energy and a good, healthy walk would hopefully let it all out.
He wasn't particularly fond of the Tempest Pack. He loved his siblings and a lot of the other from the Pack, but he often found training extremely strict. He was told he'd one day have to take his place in battle and kill, but the thought scared the small puppy. Perhaps it was something he'd have to grow into. However, when he saw River act all adult-like, London couldn't understand it. At least his other two siblings were pretty normal. If you thought constantly counting was normal... London shook the thought away. They were all quirky. Yes. That was the right word.
Oh, a bird!
London began to chase the pigeon that was desperately trying to flap away. It managed to gain flight just before London caught up to it. Sighing in frustration, the puppy chased the pigeon, however he wasn't looking where he was going. His eyes were pinned to the sky. So that's why he didn't see the metal contraption until he'd faceplanted it. "Ow! Oh God, ow, ow, ow!" London collapsed to his belly, placing his front two paws on his sore nose and rolling around in agony. He didn't notice the Akita a few metres away, who'd probably witnessed the whole, embarrassing fiasco.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2013 20:36:40 GMT
"Speech"
The large male approached the strange human contraption and sniffed the air as he got closer. He could smell the rust and it made his lips curl. Not pleasant at all. He shook his head, trying to hold back a sneeze and turned back from the construction. After walking a few paces, once he was content that the rusty odour had passed, he glanced back at the metal structure. He raised his head and sniffed again. Nope. Nothing to eat there.
Wait, there was something else that caused his nose to twitch. If he wasn't mistaken, it was another canine. With most other dogs Hal came across, they carried an almost dirty scent, signifying their life on the streets. This dog was different. They smelt clean. There were only two types of animals that smelt like that; ones that bathed regularly in whatever water they could find, or puppies. "Oh god no."
Hal's deep brown eyes scanned the surrounding area as he lowered his large and muscular frame. He could hear him now. The fast paced foot steps and small clumsy body of an approaching canine confirmed the akita's assumption. Hal had come across a Labrador before so he could already identify the breed. Well sort of. This pup was mixed but with what he was unsure.
Hal's eyes remained on this small dog as he bound after whatever it was he was chasing. The pup continued to get nearer until he stopped dead in his tracks. The sound of ringing metal hit his ears and he knew the puppy's efforts had been short-lived. He had collided with the contraption head first and the three year old male couldn't hold back his chuckle. He almost howled with laughter. Usually Hal had no time for pups but he had a certain fondness for the hilarious stunts they could pull. No doubt most other dogs would have rushed over to see if the poor pup was alright. Not Hal. The way he saw it, he didn't know the dog, so he wasn't his problem. And it was more than likely that he had a relative or a friend with him. You don't see lone pups out here, and if you do, they don't last.
"Dumb pup." He muttered quietly. The american akita finally controlled his laughter and sighed deeply. He shook his head and turned around. He had got all of the entertainment he could get out of this dog and it was his time to leave before he composed himself and became aware of the older dog's presence. Perhaps the little Labrador's cries of pain would have drowned out his laughter and he could slip away unnoticed. He slowly headed back, placing his steps carefully, cautious not to make a sound. Despite his size, Hal was generally quite a quiet dog when it came to travelling. At least that was definitely the case when he was slow.
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Post by Picasso on Mar 12, 2013 16:41:59 GMT
It took several moments for London to recover from the collision. He shakily got onto his paws, trying to shake the ringing sound from his ears. His nose was still sore as he blinked around, trying to get his bearings. The bird he'd been chasing had flown away. London huffed in frustration, before gazing over to the opposite side of the metal contraption. There, London spotted a large dog. Oh no, he saw everything! London cursed inwardly. He flushed in embarrassment as London began to idly paw at the ground. The Akita looked mildly amused at London's misfortune, and London didn't like that. His nose was extremely sore, and this Akita had the audacity to laugh at him! London really didn't appreciate that. Huffing quietly, he plucked up the courage to march over to the older canine.
"Hey, you! Mister. You wouldn't like it if you ran into a pole." London barked, fur prickling a little. This probably wasn't the best approach. The Akita was far larger than him, and he probably shouldn't have gone over to him. He'd had strict training, and he'd told, under no circumstances was he permitted to approaching strangers. The Akita was large and powerful and he didn't look too happy that he was in the presence of a puppy. He could probably kill London with one bite. His parents wouldn't be very happy at that. The chocolate puppy began to back away, fear clear in his eyes. What if he did attack? London had plenty of energy to run, but could he run fast enough? Gulping thickly, he swivelled his eyes around, looking for escape routes.
"Uhh, I mean. You're entitled to your own opinion and all that. I just don't like being laughed at. I just like birds." As if on cue, a crow squawked in its tree. London immediately spun around to look at it, wagging his tail. One day he'd be strong enough to climb trees and catch a bird. Maybe if he got enough height, he'd be able to jump from the tree and begin to fly? No, don't be stupid, London. You don't have wings or feathers. London sighed. Technicalities. He'd been told you could achieve anything if you set your heart on it. He could fly. He could.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2013 20:07:20 GMT
"Speech"
Hal was still quietly chuckling to himself when he heard the faint sound of unbalanced paws come up behind him. He closed his eyes and stopped dead in his tracks, an obvious grimace appearing on his face. The pup's bark was so high pitched and, well, puppy-like that the akita was already irritated.
He took a deep breath and turned around to face the tiny Labrador. After seeing him up close, Hal had the opportunity to really observe him. It was only now that he realised just how small he was in comparison. He towered over the little brown dog and held his head even higher than before in an attempt to intimidate him. He really didn't have the time or the patience to deal with a pup right now.
"You're right, I wouldn't like it if I ran in to a pole." The three year old's words were calm but with no sign of compassion or empathy what so ever. "But unlike you, I don't run in to poles. I have much better things to do than chase after birds and play silly little games." He's eyes met the bright eyes of the Labrador and he just held the stare - another intimidation tactic. He could already sense the canine's nervousness and he felt a smile itch at the corner of his lips.
The large dog's ears twitched as the Labrador continued to speak and he just rolled his eyes. The pup had already been distracted by yet another bird. "I hate to be the one to tell ya this, kid. But you're gonna get laughed at and you're just gonna have to get over it." Hal had learned early in his childhood that life was hard and in his opinion if every pup learned that then the world would be a much better place. You wouldn't find stupid pups running around scaring prey just because 'it's fun'. Prey is valuable here and every day it's getting harder and harder to come by.
With almost perfect timing, his stomach growled. Hal broke off his glare and glanced down, ready to turn around. He lowered his head so that it was almost level with the pup. "Now if you don't mind, I have food to find." And with that, the Akita walked passed the dog, his side almost brushing against the fur of the Labrador.
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Post by Picasso on Mar 13, 2013 21:42:21 GMT
London glowered at the stranger at his blatant rudeness. Not that London was surprised. He was well aware that puppies were often seen as annoying. He sighed and looked the Akita up and down. What better things did he have to do? London narrowed his eyes. It appeared the Akita hadn't been doing much but lolling around on the grass, watching the world go by. How was that better than what London had been doing? He had often seen adults do nothing for hours on end, and he couldn't figure out why they found it so interesting. What was more fun than chasing birds and playing games? He'd been told countless times that he would learn that when he got older. If he got more boring as he got older, London hoped he never grew up. He didn't want to be boring. His mind wandered to his sister, River, who already acted like an adult. She was dull. She never wanted to play like the other siblings. London reckoned she'd make a good leader one day, if she was allowed to be one. London had no interest in taking up the leadership role one day. The Tempest Pack was his home, but he wasn't capable of leading a bunch of dogs to battle.
"And what were you doing?" London questioned suspiciously, "'Cause it didn't look like you were doing much at all." He grinned wildly, before getting distracted by a hawk that was perched up above on the metal contraption. It looked very interested in London, however, and the small puppy backed away a little. He'd been told that some birds would snatch him right up if they had a good chance. He didn't want to become bird meat. The hawk squawked, before flapping its wings and flying off into the sky. Breathing out a breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding, he turned his attention back to the stranger. "I'm London. Not that you'd be interested in my name. You just want to go back to your... sitting." The Akita then said it had food to find. London looked around the park and his stomach growled. Food? He was hungry too. London wagged his tail and spun around to follow his new-found friend.
"Maybe I could help," London growled, getting into a pouncing pose, wiggling his bum in the air. He then jumped, aiming himself at the Akita, hoping to catch him. He barked excitedly, before laughing. He could tell this dog wasn't interested in others, especially puppies, but London didn't mind. It was better than bumping into a bloodthirsty dog that would rip him to shreds. London felt a shiver descend down his spine in fear. He wouldn't be able to defend himself if that happened. He began to run with his little legs to catch up with the Akita. He'd lost his guardian and he didn't want to be left alone again.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2013 19:30:41 GMT
"Speech"
The large canine had only managed to walk a few paces before he heard the little dog's high-pitched bark. Hal rolled his eyes but refused to turn around, he just kept on walking but at a slightly slower speed so that he was sure the Labrador would hear his words. He sniffed the air carefully but still the only thing he could sense was plants and the scent of his new follower.
"What I was doing is no concern of yours, little dog." The Akita's tone sounded calm but you could tell he was quite rapidly getting irritated by this puppy. He decided to ignore his question, it was no business of his. Why should he care what he was doing anyways? It's not like they would ever be speaking to one another again after this experience. "Just because it didn't 'look like I was doing much at all', it doesn't I wasn't doing anything. " Hal still felt the need to defend himself against this little canine, false of habit you could say. Hal was always known for being quite a defensive dog.
Hal continued to walk but he could hear his little 'friend' coming up behind him. A gentle sigh escaped his lips as as he shook his head and looked at the ground. "Well London, I'm Hal. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you but I think we both know that would be a lie." The subtle insult just rolled off his tongue. There was no point in fooling London. He glanced over his shoulder to see if he was still being followed at this point and much to his dismay, the little Labrador was walking happily behind him. Then he heard the phrase he last wanted to hear. He spun around and lowered his head directly in front of London.
"No offence, kid. But you're just a pup. You'd be more of a hindrance than a help." He tried to sound as polite as he genuinely could. "There's not a lot you could do to help me. I'm much better on my own." He added, raising his head slightly. He locked eyes with London for a second. "Now if I was you, I'd run along back to where ever it was you came from."
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Post by Picasso on Mar 16, 2013 15:18:28 GMT
London didn't appreciate the way the Akita was talking to him, but he was all too used to being talked down. The puppy huffed, but continued to follow the canine through the park. He knew it was safer to stick with the Akita than to be alone. London was well aware of the dangers around. He shouldn't have wandered off from his guardian, but he had been so bored. Now London was lost, and the only one to protect him was this... Hal. Who didn't even like him. London rolled his eyes. He didn't mind being disliked, but Hal was being so blatant about it. "Y'know, you were a puppy once," London piped up, glaring at the Akita, "And you were probably just as annoying as me." He grinned, feeling proud of himself, before trotting after his new-found 'friend'.
He completely ignored the fact that Hal had told him to leave. London wasn't going anywhere, and he did enjoy getting on Hal's nerves. Wagging his tail, London strayed a few metres away from the canine to sniff trees and bark at a squirrel that was scuttling across a branch. He laughed at the squirrel got the shock of its life, before scampering into its nest. Grinning, he turned back to catch up with Hal. The park was quiet, all but the other, smaller animals rustling around in the bushes. Birds squawked in the air, rabbits nibbled the grass and squirrels jumped from tree to tree. London hadn't anticipated that they were not alone in the park. There was something more deadly watching them.
A yowl made London freeze from fear. He had rarely seen cats before, but the noise sounded unnatural. The thick grass began to rustle and quiver, and London stopped still, watching it curiously. He almost went over to investigate, before deciding against it. He suddenly saw three long, thin tails pop up over the grass, wavering slowly. Taking a step back, London watched as three felines suddenly appeared before them. Two were fairly small and slender, smaller than Hal at least. The third feline was larger, something like a lynx. Swallowing thickly, London desperately looked at Hal. All three of the felines were larger than small, little London, and he had no idea what to do. Hal didn't even like him, meaning Hal would probably run, forgetting all about the annoying little puppy.
Wrinkling his nose, London wondered whether these cats were part of the dreaded Iris Pride. He'd heard terrible stories about the Iris Pride. Trembling with fear, he watched as the felines advanced on them, hissing.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2013 14:33:00 GMT
"Speech"
The three year old turned around and began to walk away from the little brown puppy. He stepped lightly so that he could hear if London had taken his advice and ran off back to where ever he had come from, or if he had continued to follow him. He lowered his head and sighed, making sure London could hear the agitation in his throat. He glanced over his shoulder and just stared at the Labrador. He looked in front of him again and raised his head as he heard London speak. No matter how many times he heard his voice, he was just as annoying and high-pitched as the last time. Hal wouldn't be warming to this little dog any time soon.
Hal was calm up until the point London mentioned him being a pup once. There was no way he would be discussing that delicate subject with a puppy, let alone someone he just met. He spun around quickly and lowered his head. His deep brown eyes locked with the Labrador's."Okay let's get something straight. If you're gonna follow me, you go by my rules. Rule number one, don't ever, and I mean ever, bring up my childhood." His tone was slightly harsher than he had anticipated and he couldn't help but feel some sort of regret. He raised his head and sighed softly. "But yeah you're right, I probably was annoying. All pups are. But there's no way I was as annoying as you." He added in a warmer tone, trying to give the little pup an apologetic expression. This expression was unusual for Hal however, so he just tried his best to flash a quick smile and a gentle nod of his head before turning around again and continuing on his journey.
A loud, high-pitched yowl caused the large Akita to stop in his tracks. Felines. He raised his head as high as it could go to make himself appear even larger than he already was. His eyes darted from side to side until three slender bodies emerged from the long grass from in front of him. He glanced down at London and he could see the fear in his eyes. He considered running, but would he pick up the tiny Labrador? They hadn't exactly had the best of starts. Although Hal had an almost instinctual disliking for puppies, there was just no way he could leave little London to fend for himself against these three, all of whom were bigger than the chocolate Labrador. He couldn't deal with his death on his conscience. No, running wasn't an option. Not even if he picked up the puppy by the scruff of his neck. Hal was not one to run from a fight. In his eyes, unless you were a pup, injured or elderly, then running was a sign of cowardice. And he was neither of those things.
The large male glared at the three cats, one of them appeared to be some sort of lynx or bobcat, he wasn't quite sure. He didn't particularly care to remember cat breeds. He could hear them hissing and he responded by snarling his lips ever so slightly and baring his teeth. He manoeuvred his body so that he was directly in front of London in an attempt to shield him. "Stay behind me." He whispered to him through clenched jaws. If he had to, Hal would fight for both his life, and little London's.
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Post by Picasso on Mar 22, 2013 14:12:11 GMT
""
London was in big trouble. He stared at the advancing felines. Saliva oozed from their mouths as they pinned their eyes on the defenceless puppy. Swallowing thickly, London took another step back. What if he died today? Brooke and Bane would never know what happened to their little London. Or they'd come across his mangled, mutilated body. He knew of his mother's past litter. He didn't want her to grieve another puppy. Whining quietly, the puppy looked up at Hal with large, wide eyes. Hal was his best bet for getting out of here alive, whether Hal liked it or not. Honestly, London expected Hal to run for his life as soon as he saw the three felines. Why would he care about an annoying little puppy like him? Surprisingly, Hal had stayed, and London felt an intense feeling of gratitude. Hal was going to protect him. He wanted to say thank you, but they weren't out of the deep end just yet.
Doing as he was told, London got behind the Akita, peering between his legs to see what was going on. The felines didn't appear to be talking to each other. Instead, they communicated through gestures and head-movements. Eyes impossibly wide, London wondered how they could even do that. They looked bloodthirsty, and nothing was going to stop them get what they wanted. Will he have to kill them? London thought. Perhaps he could just scare them so they ran away. The thought of three deaths made London's stomach roll uneasily. He hated killing, even if he'd never done it before.
There was a moment's silence, before the largest cat launched itself at Hal, claws unsheathed and teeth glinting. London yelped and bolted out of fear. He had hoped to get to the nearest bush, but one of the smaller cats managed to get past Hal in the confusion and catch him before he could run away. London was suddenly pinned by a feline and he was terrified. The look in its eye was... horrific. Kicking with his small, little legs did nothing. The feline laughed at London's pathetic attempt to escape. Whimpering, London desperately looked around for something to stop them from eating him.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2013 23:42:09 GMT
"Speech"
The large Akita held his ground as the felines continued to advance on him and the little Labrador. He kept his body tensed and his head high in an attempt to portray his dominance. It was unlikely this behaviour would have the same effect on cats as it would on other dogs but to Hal, it was certainly worth a try. He could hear London's high pitched whining from behind him and in any other circumstance he would have snapped and told him to stop being such a baby. He knew what it was like to have a larger animal advance on him so he understand the puppy's fear.
Hal watched with narrowed brown eyes as the three felines gestured to each other, the only sounds coming out of their mouths were hisses and quiet growls. He took a deep breath as he saw the largest of the three, the lynx or bobcat or whatever it was, rush towards him. He lowered his head and barked loudly but there was no stopping it. The cat launched itself at Hal and had dug its claws right into his shoulder. Hal growled loudly as he tried to fight the sharp stinging pain.
The large male was too busy trying to fling the large feline from his back to notice that London had fled. A furry grey tail brushed past Hal's eyes and he took this opportunity. He caught the tail in his jaws and bit down hard, causing the cat to yowl directly into his ear. He winced before pulling down hard, detaching himself from the angry feline. The lynx was on the ground now but he knew he wasn't out of this mess just yet.
Despite his urge to tear this cat apart, it was at that moment that Hal had became aware of London's disappearance. He heard high pitched whimpers coming from a few feet away and he felt his growling get louder and more aggressive. He changed his tactics and bit down hard on one of the cat's back legs as it rolled around in pain in an attempt to temporarily immobilize it. Within seconds he was off of the big cat and was bounding towards London's attacker.
He barked loudly and bared his sharp canines as he ran. As he got closer he could hear the chocolate Lab's whimpering even more and right now his only instinct was to get this piece of filth away from the puppy. Hal might not have a fondness for young dogs but not even he could ignore the cries of a puppy in distress. The sound of the cat's laughter just made him even angrier. He closed his eyes and threw himself towards the smaller cat, hoping to throw it from London.
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