What Happened? (Jay)

[Kiba]

Country walked down the street, panting as the sun beat down on his back. People walked by him, mainly ignoring him. Every so often a child will point and speak excitedly at him. The child's parents dragged them away saying that he was dirty and probably sick. His mottled fur was dirty and messy and his scars were slowly healing, making him look dangerous.

He turned down an alley and put his nose to the ground. He sniffed around the dumpsters and trashcans, looking for thrown away food. For scraps. These humans. they were so wasteful, throwing away the food they didn't eat. But that was fine with him. Those scraps fed him and other strays. Eventually, he knocked over a trashcan and out spilled the trash. He sniffed it closely.

That was until he heard scuffling around. He looked up and continued down the alley, wondering what was going on. He turned the corner into another alley way.

[jayRIOT !]

Human garbage smelled so awful in the heat. Sometimes it smelled bad regardless, but when the sun sat on the edible waste humans threw out with no regard, even Roz had a hard time stomaching the stench occasionally. Today was one of those days - the she-dog had to practically hold her breath and breathe through her mouth, panting in order to avoid taking the noxious fumes in through her sensitive nose. So many foul scents swirled around her pallet; the sticky sweet scent of rotting fruit; the putrid scent of old meat; the salty, sugary smell of so many unhealthy desserts; even some chemically scents from some things that Roz had learned just couldn't be eaten. The last time she had taken a chance on one of the nasty chemical-type items she had had a stomachache for almost three full days.

With a sigh, Roz knocked yet another food container over, scattering its contents out with the rest of the garbage she'd started picking through. She could smell something meaty in the can that wasn't quite putrid yet and still smelled rather appealing. Sniffing through the garbage quickly, Roz soon realized that it wasn't the smaller tin can that held the meaty treat, it was the larger metal container that held more trash and left-overs than three of the smaller ones combined. Normally Rozmae wouldn't have gone to such lengths, but a rather severe growl from her stomach pushed the timid mixed-breed forward, her nose quivering. Contemplating how best to get into the large container, Rozmae quickly saw that she could use the fallen containers as steps up to the larger one, and nudged them into position.

With a careful step, Roz stood atop her makeshift steps and realized that the distance from them to the metal box was greater than she had originally anticipated. She whined a bit, double thinking her choice before her hunger pangs egged her onward. Well, she thought, I already went through all this, I might as well get something out of it. With a leap that lead to the smaller container falling on its side once more, Roz felt her front legs and head clear the side, but quickly understood she hadn't pushed off hard enough; her back half wasn't going to make it. With a panicked yelp, the she-dog clung onto the side of the container, her front half in the garbage holder and her back half hanging pitifully out, her back claws struggling and straining to get a hold on anything that could boost her up into the metal food box. She couldn't believe it; she'd actually gotten stuck. Stuck! How humiliating. Good thing nobody was around to see...

[Kiba]

He blinked at the sight before him with amused eyes. He had never thought that he would see the day. But a dog was hanging half in and half out of the dumpster. He noted that the fallen trashcans must have gotten her up there. Clearly she had misjudged something.

A sigh left him as he realized he should probably help her. Otherwise she may be stuck there for quite a while. But how would he help her?

He moved over to her, placing his two front paws on the dumpster. "Having a good time, sunshine?" he asked sarcastically, knowing very well that she wouldn't be able to smell him or see him.

[jayRIOT !]

Frustrated, the Collie mix struggled around a little more before realizing that there was no way she was going to pull herself out of this blunder with any form of grace whatsoever.  Just as Roz started to contemplate falling backward to the ground, taking a few bumps and bruises, and trying again, the worst imaginable thing happened - someone spoke to her.

Shocked, Roz yelped in surprise and tried to whip her head around to see what who was talking to her.  This was so humiliating!  Some random stray was seriously witnessing her struggle here?  Great.  Things seriously just couldn't even get any worse now, could they?  So embarrassed she could practically feel her pelt turning pink, Roz slumped her ears forward in defeat, finally giving up the struggle and letting herself fall into the humiliation of the moment, she sighed and addressed the newcomer.

"I am certainly not having a good time, nor is it particularly sunshiny from this vantage point," she mumbled.  Her chest was beginning to ache from being pressed on by the thick metal side of the container, and her back legs were beginning to tingle and grow cold from lack of circulation.  But of course, she'd gone so far forward that she was having a hard time getting good leverage on the inside of the dumpster to push herself backwards, and also finding it impossible to get a good foothold to push herself forward, into the giant trap of garbage and food.  The smell of meat was taunting her, dancing just outside her line of sight and then running off into the hot light of day where she couldn't chase.  Without realizing, Rozmae let out another pathetic whimper, wondering how these things always seemed to happen to her.

[Kiba]

He flicked his ears as he watched her jump in shock. Of course, her answer was expected. It as clear that she wasn't having a good time, which is why he had teasingly asked. His mouth formed into a smirk as she finally 'gave up' and laid there.

A thought crossed his mind. Maybe she would give him some food if he helped. Of course, maybe she wouldn't if she saw him. He looked rough and intimidating, especially to dogs smaller than him. Still, he couldn't just let her hang there and die or get caught by humans.

He looked around and spotted a few more trash cans on the other side of the dumpster. His paws turned and the click of his claws could be heard as he moved towards them. He leaped up on the, being careful to balance his front paws on one and hind paws on another. He knew that one of them couldn't hold his full weight, so he had to be careful.

Eventually, he got the balance to finally take a jump towards the dumpster. He braced himself and leaped. Thanks to his long legs, he made it clear over the wall and into the trash. The smell of food made his mouth water and his stomach clench in hunger. Even so, he head to help the she-dog first.

He looked up at her. "Hello, sunshine," he said before grabbing her scruff and dragging her the rest of the way into the dumpster.

((I hope dragging her into it was okay. If not, I'll change it immediately.))

[jayRIOT !]

As the newcomer began to walk away and Roz heard the sounds of him setting up a similar plan to what she had done, her heart sank; he was going to try to get in here, too! Would he steal the food from her? Was she in danger around this dog? He sounded large - how large was he, exactly? Panic flared up in the she-dog's chest and Roz found herself struggling once more to kick herself over the side of the dumpster one way or the other, all four limbs flailing to no avail.

Suddenly she heard a loud kickoff and a big furry body came soaring over her, landing in the big container just in front of her. Eyes wide, the Collie mix took in the stranger that had joined her in this hunt for sustenance. He was large, thick-furred, thick-muscled, and recently scarred up. Not knowing the proper response to such an appearance, Roz found herself letting out yet another small yipe and pulling her front half back toward the wall of the dumpster a fraction of an inch in response to his appearance. She wasn't the kind to judge another, especially based on looks, but she was terrified that she had just allowed herself to be put in a really bad situation with a really bad dog. In her experience, recent wounds and available food rarely boded well for Rozmae.

When the large dog grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, Roz gasped in shock and fear, thinking she had been right to be weary of this dog until suddenly she felt herself being dragged forward, and then her paws found the unsteady surface beneath her and she
realized she could stand. Shakily, Rozmae put all her weight on her four paws, ignoring the pain that rang throughout her rib cage from the sudden impact of the jump and also the pressure of sitting there with a bar across her midriff, struggling and squirming to free herself. She took stock of her body quickly, noting that aside from the soreness in her chest and ribs, nothing was broken or scratched or bruised; she would be right as rain by nightfall. Thank goodness.

Slowly, Roz raised her head to the male that had jumped in and pulled her into the dumpster, still not sure she could trust him any more than she could spit him. Now that they were both in here, what was he going to do? She knew he had to smell the food she'd smelled; was he going to fight her for it? Dominate her for it? Just steal it and leave her in here? It would be difficult for her to get out of here without hurting herself, but she knew she would be much more capable of that than she had been of getting in. But how sure was she that she could get out of this situation unscathed?

Deciding to take the high road and pray for the best while preparing for the worst, Roz offered a very small, very shy smile and tried to force her posture to relax a little; she was as tense as a daisy in a windstorm. "Thank you," she rasped softly. "I guess I...um, missed," she finished lamely.

word count; 544
tagged; Kiba
notes; Oh yes, dragging her is fine(:
speech; 1e8fb6

[Kiba]

He stared at the she-dog as she checked herself. His eyes were neither friendly nor aggressive. In fact, they were rather blank as he waited for her to say something. It didn't take too long before she looked back at him and did mutter a thank you, as well as an explanation for getting stuck. He shrugged at it.

"No need to explain yourself to me, Sunshine," he said before sniffing around. His stomach growled loudly as he quickly found some food. He ripped into the bag, easily opening it and digging his muzzle into its contents. He pulled out a large, half-eaten burger. It tasted fantastic in his mouth, but he didn't rip into it.

Instead, he turned and dropped it at the border collie's paws. "Here. Ya must have come in here for the food," he said before turning and sniffing around for something else to eat.

[jayRIOT !]

Staring at the larger dog as he turned and started his own search for food, Roz felt herself start to actually relax; he hadn't hurt her.  Maybe he just wanted to share whatever was edible with her.  She heard his stomach growl and knew his pain - he was just hungry, that's all.  But would he stop her if she started to pick through the garbage as well?  Would he make her wait until he'd had his fill and just leave her to take the scraps?  Unsure of what to do and not willing to try him, Roz stood there awkwardly waiting, her tail tucked between her legs and her heart pounding, ready for just about anything.

When he turned and dropped a burger at her feet, Roz salivated and stared at it, knowing it was probably going to be the best tasting bite to eat she'd had in a long time.  She looked up at him suspiciously, not trusting anything he said or did.  He helped her, and was willing to share with her, and kept calling her sunshine for some stupid reason, and yet wanted nothing from her?  Why had he helped her?  He could have just stolen the food from the dumpster and left her there half in and half out while he snagged his own food and ran.  She didn't trust him, but so far he seemed sincere.  Maybe he was just helping look out for a stranger in need.  What you looked like didn't necessarily have to hint at what kind of heart you had.  Fresh wounds on your face, however, could make a few suggestions that might be somewhat accurate...

Still keeping a weary eye on the larger male, Roz lowered her head and took a bite of the burger, practically swooning at the taste.  It was one of the best things she'd tasted since her owners left her, and before she knew it Roz had swallowed almost the entire thing.  Choking down the last bite with gusto, the Collie mix started looking around for something else to munch on, still keeping a half an eye on the other dog as she picked her way through the trash and sniffed out other morsels to nibble on.  He was making her extremely anxious, but so far hadn't given her much reason to label him a hostile, so she was going to treat him accordingly until given a reason not to.  Not that she had to buddy up to him, of course.  Roz wasn't quick to trust, and just because he'd helped her out didn't mean he was deserving of trust.  No; he was simply a nice dog that had happened to come along and help her out.  Yep.  That's all.  No reason to let her guard down.

Keeping that in mind, she edged over to the farthest side of the dumpster, trying to keep distance between the two.  She nosed through some more garbage, finding some rice-covered somethings with a tangy sauce that made her tongue dance, and was looking around for more, forgetting to keep watch on the male near her.


word count; 516
tagged; Kiba

notes; <3
speech;&nbsp;1e8fb6

[Kiba]

He eventually found something else to eat. It was some old fries that he quickly devoured. He hadn't eaten much since he's been in the city. He was used to hunting, not scavenging. He had to admit that hunting was a lot harder, but fresh prey tasted a lot better than this garbage.

He moved around some more, sniffing around. He found some fish and began to eat that, listening as the bones crunched easily between his teeth. The sound made him happy. He didn't feel as if he was eating human food any more. Plus, they added flavor.

It was quiet between the two. Clearly, neither of them liked to speak. What would be the point if they had nothing to talk about anyways? They knew nothing about each other. Not even names. And he wasn't about to introduce himself without needing to.

He glanced at her, noticing that she wasn't paying attention to him. He walked over, unsure if she could hear his paw steps or not. "Huntin' fills ya up more than scavengin'," he commented

[jayRIOT !]

Rozmae heard a rustling sound from the male's side of the dumpster and tensed once more, unsure of what to expect.  Maybe he had decided he wanted her to wait until he got his fill; It wasn't exactly fair, but he was bigger and less timid than she, and it didn't take a genius to know that meant he could force her to wait if he wanted.  Tail still tucked tightly between her legs and maw still planted firmly downward, Roz continued to snoop through the garbage and attempt to find some food as he approached.  She tried not to show how nervous his close proximity made her.  That was never a good thing to let on to; if they knew you were nervous, it meant they could get to you easily.  She was tense and tight as a bowstring, but tried her hardest not to display it as she munched at some old cheesy crackers in a plastic wrapper.

He spoke, and her heart clenched for a moment before realizing that he wasn't going to intrude any farther on her space.  She should have known he preferred hunting over scavenging; he sort of seemed the type, though he'd been kind enough up to this point that Roz didn't peg him for a monster of a dog.  Not that she had completely ruled it out yet, of course.  She wondered if hunting was where he got the injuries on his face and such, though she would never voice her question aloud.

Instead, she barked lightly with her mouth still pulling the crackers from their package, "I'm not much for hunting.  Better at this."  She left it at that, refusing to elaborate on her statement or go any farther into detail.  Truthfully, Roz didn't really have the heart for hunting.  She'd done it before and could do it again if it were necessary, but she preferred not to.  It made her sad, knowing that she was taking the life of another creature when hers could so easily be snatched from her at any moment.  She didn't like violence, and the squeals and squees for mercy from most pray was enough to make her contemplate going hungry rather than put the creature in any more distress.  Most found it a strange quality in her, and she had to admit she agreed.  But scavenging was a much better option for her.  She just didn't really have a violent bone in her body, and plus, she really was more skilled at digging through trash - although her performance today wouldn't attribute to that claim.

Swallowing the dry, cheesy squares in a quick motion, Roz realized her nose was leading her onward toward another morsel to eat, but it would bring her right up to the male dog.  Far from wanting to get closer to the male, Roz instead stayed where she was and finally raised her eyes to look him in the face, knowing it would be rude not to at least try to communicate normally with him since her attention was no longer being pulled elsewhere.  It didn't mean she'd relaxed, though.  She still didn't trust him to continue staying on his side of the boundaries she'd clearly been setting with her body language, if not by her tone of voice and words.  She was still ready for just about anything, keeping her muscles loose to spring away from him at any moment if she needed to.


word count; 573
tagged; Kiba
notes; <3
speech; 1e8fb6

[Kiba]

"Sunshine, ya can relax. If I wanted to hurt ya, I would've by now. I ain't got no reason to harm ya. So get ya tail out from between them legs and look for food. I ain't got time to be harmin' anyone, anyhow," he said, getting tired of her body language. He turned and moved back to his side of the dumpster.

He leaned down and sniffed around some more. He found some chips and began to stick his snout in the bag, crunching down on them. Occasionally, he would take his snout out to breath before shoving it back in to lick the bag some more, getting as many crumbs as he could.

[jayRIOT !]

Although she didn't like confrontation, the way the other dog's words came at Roz struck her as rude, and she let them get under her fur a little.  Feeling herself bristle, the she-mutt couldn't stop herself from looking up at him and blurting out, "Well excuse me for being cautious.  How many fights have you seen strays in when one has food and one's still hungry?  And let me tell you, it's not very often the smaller one sees the longer end of the stick."  Biting her tongue and fearing to move after her retort, Roz lowered her eyes once again, then returned her maw to the garbage and started timidly picking through the human leftovers.

She noticed his chip bag and spotted one near his front paw, hiding under a collapsed box that was likely obstructing his view of it; Roz had a better angle.  To apologize for her sharp reply without actually apologizing, Roz took a couple steps toward the larger male and nudged the box over a bit, exposing a corner of the chip bag.  She could see that there wasn't much left in it, but there was enough for a couple mouthfuls.  "Here, this one was hiding from you," she huffed gently.  Roz turned tail and stalked back to her half of the dumpster, wondering about this other stray all the while.  In truth he did seem kind enough, if a little gruff.  But living on the streets would certainly do that to a dog.

The scent of something sweet caught her attention, and Roz dug her way into a large black bag and pulled out what seemed like a roll of dough covered in some of the most delicious, sweet syrup she'd ever tasted.  Scarfing it down in a few quick bites, Roz's thick tail wagged a little as she pushed aside the bag's other contents looking for more.  She found only crumbs, but luckily there was a few bites of a sandwich and even a discarded juice box in the bag with enough flavor left when she tore it open that Roz's tongue tingled in pleasure.  A solid biscuit with a nasty jam smothered on the top drove her from the bag though, leaving a foul taste in her mouth as she started sniffing around once more.  She had to admit, she was a little glad the other dog had showed up, as awkward as she felt with him around.  If not for his help, Roz may not have been able to get in here at all and get some food.  So really, in a way, she guessed he sort of deserved a little less suspicion cast on him.  He was right - he could have hurt her at any point, or even just left her stuck on the edge of the dumpster and ate without her, or pushed her backward and back onto the ground, keeping the spoils for himself.  But he hadn't.  She cast a quick glance his way, wondering at this stranger.

word count; 500
tagged; Kiba

notes; it's not the best, sorry :/
speech; 1e8fb6