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Post by Kezz on Apr 28, 2013 21:21:55 GMT
Oh how she ran. With each propelling leap she took Ismere flew faster, the wind whistling in her floppy ears and the sound of her claws tapping rapidly against the slick tarmac. The air was still dank with all the rain that had fallen the night before and clouds covered the September sky but the weather was the least of Issy's worries. The eight month old dog could hear his paws pounding only a few strides back, along with the heavy breath on her tail. She had made a terrible mistake and now she was going to die. A pair of loners, a bobcat and a cougar, had been trespassing on Tempest turf when she and Harper had been practicing their hunting skills. Well she had watched her twin sister prowl through the undergrowth whilst she stood and whined anxiously. The young girl hated being separated from her mother and leaving the Asylum corridors made her nervous: the world outside was a frightening place for somebody so weak as she. It required her to make split second decisions on the spot but most of all it meant Ismere had to be brave and independent. How could she when everything she said and thought was pathetic and insignificant? The idea of living alone and looking after herself was simply absurd.
In any case, she was now running for her life with the cougar giving chase. His partner-in-crime had gone after her sister in a vicious attempt to show Tempest what they thought of their border markers and their dominance. Two dead pups would show Brooke they meant business, right? Ismere did not know and she didn't care, all she knew was that her chest was tightening in rasping pain and there was a dizziness growing in her head. The youngster's legs ached from the high speed but adrenalin forced her on; death was grappling at her heels. Thoughts of her mother burned in Issy's mind ... what would Zara do without the one daughter who remained glued to her side no matter her mood, the one child who would never (could never) leave her. Ismere was almost fully grown but mentally she relied completely on both her parents, without them the female was a lost cause. Suddenly she spied an alleyway to her right which she desperately slid into, before charging forward once more. With any luck her hunter would struggle to swerve as easily as the pup, though Ismere didn't hold her breath. A whimper sounded from her breathless jaws in terror; should she try and hide or continue running? The latter was becoming increasingly difficult due to her unused muscles and small frame.
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Post by Picasso on Apr 28, 2013 22:09:56 GMT
He really shouldn't be here. London sniffed at an old, empty dumpster. There were no remnants of food within these bins. It had long since rotten away or been eaten by rats. Wrinkling his nose, London looked around the large, tall alley. He was sandwiched between two large blocks of flats. London had long since learnt to keep in the shadows if he wanted to survive. The death of his best friend, Isabel, was still fresh in his mind. His body still held scars the lioness had inflicted on him. It had been about a month ago now, but the day was still fresh in London's mind. He still woke, trembling with fear, and mournfully wishing Isabel was there to comfort him. However, London thought bitterly, there was no one. He had his family and fellow Pack members, but no one had liked him like Issy had done. She had truly wanted to be his friend and spend time with him.
Huffing, London refrained from whining. He had desperately tried not to appear weak in front of his influential parents. Brooke and Bane were skilled fighters who were never weak like he was. Keeping a stiff upper lip, London had casually passed off the death of his best friend. His heart ached. He had desperately wanted to weep into his mother's fur and tell her how scared he was, but London was afraid of the consequences. Instead, he tried to be more like his sister, and keep strong and fearless. Inside, London's stomach coiled and knotted, but on the outside he tried to remain emotionless. It nearly killed him.
Which is why London was sniffing around Straight Bit. As much as it terrified London to leave the Tempest territory, he was desperate to get space and relax. He wanted to be himself, which appeared to be impossible in his own home. Whilst London was petrified of huge felines coming to rip him to pieces, he was... relaxed in a sense. It was tranquil in the empty streets of Hexasol. Animals rarely roamed in the broad daylight. London enjoyed the peace as he explored the alleyway. The only sound to be heard were the cheerful chirrups of the bird on the rooftop. Sighing contently, London headed towards the exit of the alleyway, wondering where to explore next.
Peeking his head out from behind the wall, London was surprised to see a canine sprinting down the street. Startled, he examined her features. She looked vaguely familiar, but London couldn't place a name to her face. Instead, what he saw was pure and utter terror. What was she running from? London's stomach dropped. He really didn't want to know the answer to that. As far as he could see, whatever was chasing her was far enough behind to not see her in their line of vision yet. Body tense, London waited for the older canine to pass straight by her, before he reached out to grab her with his teeth. London hoped to forcefully drag her into the alleyway so they could hide from the mysterious chaser.
"Get in here!" He hissed, in case his plan failed and he couldn't grab her in time. |
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Post by Kezz on Apr 29, 2013 20:48:21 GMT
Just as Ismere thought she was going to collapse, a mouth grabbed the scruff of her neck and yanked her into a second alley. She squeaked in horror at being manhandled by an unknown stranger and whirled round to face the soft voice that had spoken to her. The golden pup instantly recognized the warm eyes and friendly expression as Brooke and Bane's son: London! Relief poured over her as she smiled meekly at the chocolate youth and she tucked her body in close to his side. Ismere could barely believe her luck but still she shook from the exertion and fear, whilst the thunderous sound of her chaser's paws began to fade into the distance ... he hasn't smelled us! For a couple of minutes the youngster huddled close to the ground and pressed her gold flank against her new-found friend, closing her eyes with hope in her throat. Finally Ismere dared to lift her head and scent the air, though her whole body still quivered from shock. Never before had the shy girl been put through such a traumatic experience; what would her parents say if they knew where she was now?
Suddenly the retriever mix remembered that she was hunkered close to somebody she'd never even held a conversation with. Issy blinked and shifted sideways in an awkward, shy motion whilst eyeing her rescuer in an awed fashion. Without London she would have been eaten alive when the cougar spied her shivering in the open path, and so, in simple terms, she owed him her life. Ismere parted her jaws before licking her lips and closing them once more; as usual the eight month old had not the foggiest idea what to say and especially to somebody who'd just saved her from death itself. Tail tucked between her slim legs, Issy lowered her muzzle submissively - this was the Mistress' son she was looking at! Would he be annoyed by her as so many others were in Tempest. They despised her fearful, weak disposition and Ismere had heard them gossip about her behind closed doors. But she did not particularly mind: they were her extended family and she loved every single one of them. The pup needed the pack to survive, she needed the protection and the guidance.
"Thank you." It was about all she could muster, besides a gentle smile that caused the pretty lines of her face to soften warmly. Sadly her body betrayed her by trembling like the nervous wreck she was and Issy sighed in shame. He probably thought she was a freak, a loser, a baby but honestly it didn't matter much anymore because that was everyone's opinion of the lonely girl. She was used to it by now.
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Post by Picasso on Apr 30, 2013 19:04:44 GMT
London had successfully pulled the other puppy into the dark alleyway. She looked shocked. One moment she had been running for her life, the next she was being manhandled by another puppy. It was a fairly humorous situation... except for the savage felines that were yearning their blood. London quickly retreated into the depths of the alley, just in case they could trace their scent. The other, larger puppy looked terrified. She was definitely a Tempest dog, but London didn't understand why he'd never seen her around. London was quite the explorer, and he never missed the chance to befriend another puppy. However, this particular girl was unfamiliar. Cocking his head, London gazed at the female. Did she never leave the confines of the asylum? London couldn't believe anyone would purposefully do that to themselves when there were the amazing things out in the world.
As London listened to the puppy's heavy, deep pants for breaths, he noticed her whole body trembling. Narrowing his eyes, London lowered himself to his haunches and studied her for a long time. He presumed it was shock. London had been in a similar situation a few weeks ago, and it had been frightening. He had witnessed his best friend be torn to pieces before him. Of course he was going to be in shock. As soon as London had managed to escape, he'd dragged himself back to Tempest territory in a state of utter shock and terror. He could barely spit out a sentence without breaking down. His memories were rather vague that day. He couldn't remember how, but he'd managed to find his way into the asylum and curl up with his parents. Only then did he feel truly safe.
This was a different kind of fear. As London stared at the puppy, she didn't appear to be calming down. She uttered a meek 'thank you', but even that appeared to be a struggle to form the words. Frowning, London approached her, paying no heed to personal space. Parting his lips, he brushed his gentle, pink tongue across her cheek in a sign of comfort. "Are you okay?" He asked, genuinely slightly concerned over her well being. Without waiting for a reply, London continued, "I'm London, son of Brooke and Bane. I haven't seen you around the Tempest. Where've you been? I love playing with out puppies. My siblings aren't always that much fun." London quickly shut his mouth. Perhaps this wasn't the best technique to calm the puppy down.
London moved away from her and peered out the alleyway entrance. No felines could be seen. Breathing a sigh of relief, he turned around to make his way back to the puppy. They both could've been killed. London made a mental note to stop straying. If he kept doing this, he would end up dead. And London really didn't want to be dead. He liked living.
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Post by Kezz on Apr 30, 2013 20:59:46 GMT
There was a very concerned look in London's eye that she had seen before in the gaze of many; they worried about her fragile state of body and mind, they weren't quite sure how to act around her insecure neediness and it only seemed to make her self-loathing worse. Ismere felt awkward because of her behaviour but how could she stop? How was it possible to feel normal when every day was an endless struggle? She felt like a total freak under his kind gaze, with her shaking legs and lowered, fearful stare. It reminded her of the time when her sister Natasha had mocked her in battle practice, and how embarrassed she had felt. Pathetic then and pathetic now. There were times when she considered death taking herself from this strange, frightening world but even in the ascent of Tooth Cliff she shrank back from the abyss in cowardice. Even in death she was afraid.
Ismere started dramatically at the damp touch of the liver-brown puppy's tongue on her cheek and tripped over her own paws in surprise. So lost in her sorrowful thoughts she hadn't noticed London approaching! But now as she sat there, gazing up at the sweet male, a warmth spread in her stomach and into her ribcage. He meant no harm, he seemed to be expressing genuine interest in her welfare and then there was the tingling that resided firmly where he had licked her fur. Issy nodded quickly but listened intently as the Mistress' son continued on to introduce himself and then to ask about her. The older pup could almost hear her mother's confident words in her ears again, "stand up tall, darling, and tell the world who you are." If only. Still, desperate to be liked by the kindly dog, Ismere stood again and cleared her meek throat. "I'm Ismere, daughter of Zara and Koen," it was likely that he had heard of her dam seeing as Zara had been born into the pack all those years ago. As for where she had been, Issy wasn't entirely sure how to answer that question.
"I - I'm ..." She paused again and looked down at her paws; if dogs could blush then the golden retriever mix would have coloured crimson. What was she supposed to say? That she lurked in the asylum shadows alongside her increasingly reclusive mother, watching the shadows dance and dapple on the oak floorboards? There were many ways to entertain oneself when it truly came down to it, as Issy had found and yet she longed to fit in with the other puppies that bounded and frolicked in the great outdoors. Still her devotion to Zara was fierce, and what with her dam's depression sinking to new-found depths, Issy had discovered that the existence of a hermit virtually suited her down to a tee. "I'm inside a lot - b - but I have seen you around, London and your p-parent's." Issy cursed internally; what a frigging stupid thing to say, every dog in the pack would see Brooke and Bane around! Nevertheless, her tail drifted eagerly from side to side in hope that he would be impressed by her observations and that she knew who he was. Of course it could always go the other way: that the handsome young fellow would deem her a creep.
Her affectionate eyes tracked the shepherd mix's movement as he checked the coast was clear. Already Issy had decided she liked London and would do anything to earn his attention, his friendship, and most of all - his protection.
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Post by Picasso on May 1, 2013 16:45:45 GMT
London noted her surprise at the suddenly lick on her cheek, and London boisterously grinned at her. It had startled her enough to actually focus on him and stop panicking for a moment. A good technique, London decided. Her eyes warmed as she gazed at him, and London wagged his tail kindly. The fear was fading from her body as she slowly stopped trembling. London reckoned they should get out of here soon. Cats didn't like giving up, and they'd probably be back to search for them. It wouldn't be long before they would be able to track their scents. Whilst cats' sense of smell was nowhere near as good as a dog's, they would eventually be able to find and catch them. He warily looked at the exit of the alleyway. They were both too afraid to go back out there, but the alley was a dead end. They had no option but to face the music, and hope to god the cats didn't find them.
A soft voice make London avert his gaze and look at the puppy. Her name rang no bell, but London had heard of her mother, Zara. He had never met nor spoken to her formally, but London was intrigued. Ismere. His heart clenched painfully. It bore a close resemblance to London's best friend, Isabel. Issy. Swallowing the lump in his throat, London looked away, pained. She was nothing like Issy, but it didn't stop him from missing her. Perhaps this was a sign, telling London to be friends with her. Or perhaps it was telling London to stay well away from Ismere, otherwise he would get her killed as well. Backing away a few steps, London tried to mask the array of feelings that were washing over his face, but the hurt was too great. Ismere couldn't help it. It was a common saying in The Tempest Pack: everyone knows a brother, sister, mother, father or friend that has died by a cat's hand. And this was no different. You had to keep your head held high and carry on with your life.
Ismere begun to stutter, before silencing. Frowning, London wondered just how shy she was. London couldn't imagine a life where he struggled to form simple sentences. When Ismere finally explained that she stayed inside a lot, London was far from surprised. However, he did feel pity. "Staying inside is no fun. Besides, what're you doing out here?" He said in a light voice. He wondered what Ismere had seen of him. Of course, Brooke and Bane were always around and about. They made an effort to speak with their members, to show them they cared. London admired his parents for that. Leading a Pack was a large burden, but also a rewarding one. London knew he would never be able to follow in his parents' footsteps, but he would love to make them proud one day.
"We should try and find a way back without the cats finding us. C'mon, it'll be fun." London whispered, before walking towards the exit of the alley. His heart pounded in his chest. He didn't want to get Ismere killed, but knew they couldn't stay here for much longer. Looking over his shoulder as Issy, no, Ismere, London winked, before disappearing around the corner. He was on the main street, but London quickly sidestepped down a parallel alleyway, waiting for Ismere to catch up.
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Post by Kezz on May 5, 2013 11:10:32 GMT
The older dog was simply awed by London's carefree, confident attitude. Ismere still felt shaken up and exhausted from all the running and the terror she had experienced, there was no way she could even pretend to act brave right now. Her golden fur was splashed with the early autumn puddles, ruffled and scruffy, which of course only made her feel more self-conscious. Antigone would have laughed at her, Bear would have rolled his eyes and her father would have sighed deeply after gazing at Issy: she was no Tempest soldier that was for sure. Zara had previously expressed her concern for her shyest offspring. Harper and Natasha were both bold and lively pups with a fire in their hearts which had no doubt been passed through the family and so Ismere's disposition had always been a surprise to everyone. An ugly surprise at that... What would she do with herself when her sisters joined the Bloody Paw? Hunt? Well she'd tried and failed at that. Spy? She'd be too terrified to take one step out of pack turf after this particular incident. So what else was there to do?
She slumped against the dank alley wall as a wave of fatigue washed over her once more. The sound of the chocolate puppy's voice reached her drooping ears however, and caused Ismere to look up. "I didn't mean to ... but the cats they ... they chased me and my sister and ... I got lost." The female lowered her gaze in mild embarrassment, could she sound any more helpless than that? She wondered what kind of a life London would lead once he grew up. Having the Warden and the Mistress as parents must be a great privilege, she could only imagine the responsibility it would impose though. The expectations of the leader's son must be high, and Issy realised that actually she did not envy him. Although her own grandfather had been the pack's General, Ismere knew that nobody expected her to become their light in the darkness. She did not aspire to anything great or wonderful.
The younger male spoke again, but his voice was more hushed this time. His proposal wasn't exactly Issy's idea of fun but nevertheless they had to get back somehow. She nodded her honeyed face before rising up to stand, following London's chocolate rump out of the alley. She wished her mother was here to tell them what to do, or her father. They were brave; they would've devised a clever strategy. Oh well. As soon as he whipped round the corner her pulse began to race again, causing her slim legs to speed up rapidly. From the scents in the air it seemed that her pursuer had left the vicinity but felines were sly creatures with evil minds. Ismere didn't doubt their wicked intelligence for one second. After pausing by the alley London was waiting in she began to shake; this was absolutely terrifying. The blond girl craned her neck in every possible direction to keep the coast clear before hurrying along the pavement, her body hunkered close to the ground. She was desperate to get out of here and would do anything to be snuggled into her mother's fur. There was only one way to do that in Issy' s mind: run as fast as she possibly could.
"Run." Without a second though her fear overtook her sanity and the golden canine burst into a full throttle sprint. She could only hope that London was behind.
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Post by Picasso on May 11, 2013 11:07:02 GMT
London's ears perked at the mention of Ismere's sister. He hadn't seen anyone else running, and his stomach filled with dread. He really hoped her sister was okay, otherwise things were going to turn nasty. Gulping, he looked up and down the street, and let out a breath of relief when he saw no broken body that looked anything vaguely like Ismere. She could still be alive. Taking in a deep, shuddering breath, London slipped down an alleyway, heart pounding. The Tempest territory was still a while from here, making it even more difficult to get back. They could be hours. He glanced over at Ismere, who still looked fairly terrified. He was scared too, but he tried not to show it. Puffing out his chest, London stood with confidence that he didn't even have. His legs wobbled a little, but he just had to hope Ismere couldn't see past his facade. Just as London was checking the coast was clear to move into the next alleyway, he heard Ismere's breathless voice: "Run." What?! London was too slow to grab Ismere by her tail, and he watched in desperation as she sprinted down the street, not looking back. Was she insane?!
He didn't dare shout after her, in case a feline heard. Swallowing his fears, London chased after her, angry at her choice. What did she think she was going to accomplish? Running would only draw unwanted attention to them. He looked around wildly, hoping there were no cats hiding in the shadows, waiting to pounce on them. He could see Ismere ahead, but she was gaining distance between them. She was older, larger and, most importantly, faster. She easily covered more distance than London did in one stride. London's lungs were soon burning, and he had to stop, gasping for breath. They'd made it to the end of Straight Bit, but they still had miles to go before they would reach Tempest territory. They were out in the open, and London's neck prickled. He felt as though someone was watching him. Spinning on his heel, London narrowed his eyes and looked behind him. Nothing. He didn't like this feeling.
"Ismere! Wait!" He called, hearing his voice echo. She probably expected to run all the way home. How did she have so much stamina? London was still wheezing. He began to walk into the shadows, hoping no one had seen him, yet he still had a strange feeling that there were several pairs of eyes watching him. Swallowing in fear, London sat down to get his breath back. He couldn't admit he was scared, but his whole body trembled with fear. How were they going to get home in one piece? They were dangerously close to the Iris territory here. He could almost smell the cats from the rooftops. Oh god, I'm going to die. He thought hysterically as he pressed himself closer to a wall behind him.
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