raging storms to come {open}

[{t}empest]

There she stood close by the roaring road of vehicles going by. For several minutes she stood waiting for a chance to cross the human bridge that she used to get to this side. On the other side of this bridge is the pine forest and passed there is her home; the city. This bridge is the only logical route through the raging rapids. Although she could go around by going to the Shadow Dip but it is a long difficult journey not worth even trying to attempt.

Instead Jetamio waited by the bridge, holding the rabbit she caught in the flowing plains in her maw. The vehicles didn't look ready to relent any time soon. Jetamio wondered if she should just eat her rabbit here instead. She never felt safe eating prey in unfamiliar areas so she always take them to her den and eat there.

Thunder roared loudly above her. Jetamio looked up to see the dark grey clouds flash from the lightning. Right when she raised her muzzle did a raindrop splatter on her cheek. More raindrops quickly followed; hitting the grass covered ground, the stone vehicle road and bridge, and plastering to her back and face.

Jetamio had known it was going to storm but she had hoped she would reach the pine forest by the time it started to rain. So much for that thought, Jetamio said silently in irritation her floppy long-haired ears twitching. With the rabbit in her maw she turned away from the road and climbed down the rocky and suddenly muddy slope towards the raging intense river. Some would think that she was going to attempt swimming across the river but she isn't stupid to even think of it. Instead she stopped at the bank of the river and climbed to underneath the bridge for shelter from the storm. The ground under the bridge was dry and few large rocks that gave her plenty of space.

Jetamio set her rabbit down and lied down. She had the rabbit by her forepaws and looked out at the ragging storm. The rain was coming down in a downpour now, hitting everything like bullets, sending splashes in the river and flattening the grass.

[tpontow]

Along the treacherous bank of a rushing river, a large white and tawny dog tread carefully, deliberately placing each paw where he thought safest. New to Oakwood and still unfamiliar with the territory, he had somehow managed to get lost in the outskirts and, after a good deal of wandering, found himself at the edge of a dangerously swift river. After a quick drink of water from one of the calmer areas of the river, the pitbull mix raised his nose to the wind and caught the scent of humans and their pungent vehicles some ways off. Having no other indication of his location or the direction of town, he set off toward the source of the scent at an easy pace.

Not long after beginning his trek, the dog heard the roar of thunder above him and, almost immediately after, felt the first of many icy drops of rain upon his back. Picking up his pace - and paying more attention to his footing on what was now becoming a muddy slope down to the deadly river - he continued on, and was soon rewarded by the sight of a large stone bridge. He had fully intended to climb up the embankment to the bridge and follow the road to town, but two things came to his attention at once. First, the bridge was supporting a constant flow of fast traffic that he did not particularly wish to mix with; and second, there was another canine huddled beneath the bridge.

Weighing his options for just a brief moment, he decided to wait out the traffic - and the storm - and join the other dog beneath the bridge for what would hopefully be good conversation and perhaps a new friendship. Setting his path for the impromptu sanctuary, he called out to the other dog, "Hello there!" As he stepped out of the rain and into the presence of the other, he introduced himself as amiably as he knew how, "Nasty weather, huh?" and with a smile, "My name's Junior."

[{t}empest]

Sheltering from the rain Jetamio realized the storm wasn't about to relent any time soon. "Might as well," she muttered and gorged in to her rabbit. The first prey she had caught when on her own was a hare. They were fast, especially in the open but speed wasn't a problem for her. She is a windhound; descendant of sighthounds which are the fastest sprint runners of all canine species. At first she thought she wouldn't like eating the meat but she wasn't peaky so she tried it and was surprised on how good it tasted. Ever since she began to try and hunt for food more than searching in dumpsters for human food leftovers.

Jetamio tore out a junk of meat when a sudden voice sounded. "Hello there! Nasty weather, huh?" she looked up and found a light brown pitbull mix brute dog coming towards her out of the rain. Immediately Jet got to her paws defensively and protecting her kill. "My name's Junior," the brute said friendly with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Junior," Jetamio said but not letting her guard down. She has lived on her own long enough to know that you can't trust anyone even if they seem friendly. But then, that doesn't mean she can't be rude either. "I'm Jetamio but most people call me Jet," she introduced herself. Her voice was calm and her face emotionless.

[tpontow]

As he approached, the other dog stood and he saw that she had a rabbit carcass betwixt her paws. With a flat voice and stoic face, the female announced, "Nice to meet you Junior. I'm Jetamio but most people call me Jet." The pitbull gently shook his wet pelt dry and rested his haunches on the ground. "Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Jetamio," he smiled, "Do you mind if I stay and wait out this storm here?"

He could tell that the female was cautious, and he tried to make himself as complaisant as possible so as to allow her to let her guard down, if only just a little. Junior gently thumped his tail against the ground to convey his friendliness and diminish any ideas that she might have of aggression on his part.

The rain continued thundering down and gave no indication of stopping any time soon. Glancing at the rabbit still between the female's paws, he added with a chuckle, "And don't worry, I'm not rude enough to steal someone else's food." He doubted that his words would actually convince her, but hoped that she might at least make herself comfortable, if they were to sit through this storm together.

[{t}empest]

"Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Jetamio. Do you mind if I stay and wait out this storm here?" Junior asked as he sat down, smiling.

Jetamio pondered it for a moment when a loud clatter of thunder erupted in the sky followed with a flash of lightning. The silken windhound and borzoi mix shook her head to the brute but said nothing.

The brute glanced down at her rabbit and defensively Jet placed her paw between him and the rabbit. She narrowed her eyes and looked at the brute that seemed an inch taller than her. Junior chuckled. "And don't worry, I'm not rude enough to steal someone else's food," he told her.

"You better not be,," Jetamio warned evenly. She lowered herself and lied down with her body between the dog and her catch. It made her feel better knowing that she now stood between the stranger and the food she had worked so hard to catch. Above them vehicles kept roaring by almost as loud as the thunder. "It doesn't seem I will be getting back to the city tonight if the storm keeps up like this," Jetamio wondered for a moment whether she should scare the brute out of her shelter. It would make it easier for her to sleep. But as callous as she may seem she wasn't about to send anyone out in weather like this.

[tpontow]

A boom of thunder sounded in the dark sky and shattered the silence between the two canines before Jetamio responded. Despite his attempts at friendliness, Junior saw the female remain just as tense and defensive as she had been since his arrival. She had warned him against taking her food and placed herself in front of it as a sort of barrier, even. Upon her declaring that she could not return to the city until the following day, Junior felt a pang of regret at intruding upon her shelter and making her uncomfortable, and he did not wish to force her to be on edge all night.

“Well,” he said apologetically, “I’m very sorry for making you uncomfortable. If you would like, I can carry on my way and find a different shelter for the night.” He hoped that she would allow him to stay, because he had no desire to venture out into the stormy night, but he could not bear to just force his presence upon someone who did not want him there. “Should you allow me to stay,” he continued, “I would be very grateful, but I will understand if you wish me to leave.”

Junior waited motionless for the female’s response. If she wanted him gone, he would bid her a good evening, stand, and leave, but he was suddenly exhausted and hoped to stay so that he may lie down and rest. The female was clearly tough and independent, and the pitbull just did not know what to expect from her.

[{t}empest]

Jetamio eyed the roaring storm but also remained alert from the pitbull mix. Her floppy black long-haired ears pricked as the male spoke again. “Well, I’m very sorry for making you uncomfortable. If you would like, I can carry on my way and find a different shelter for the night.” Junior said softly. Her brown eyes turned on Junior and she realized how exhausted he was. “Should you allow me to stay, I would be very grateful, but I will understand if you wish me to leave.”

Jetamio closed her eyes and turned her head away. Conflicting thoughts swarmed in her mind like ants crawling all over food, but her emotional control kept her from physically expressing them. Her face appeared calm, steady, and cold. Yet in her mind she was arguing with herself. Of course, with the brute gone she would be able to relax better, but if she sent the brute out he would have to find shelter somewhere else. It would be a different story if they were on the other side of the bridge. The thick pine forest gives plenty of shelter and space.

But it wasn't the fact that he would have to find somewhere else to rest it is how long it would be. If he is in this kind of storm for too long he could get sick and with no human folks to help him he would surely die. Come on Jet, it's not like your giving him a death sentence or something. Besides you have decided not to grow attached to anyone, she told herself silently. Jetamio opened her eyes and turned back to the brute. "No need, you can stay. Just stay six feet away from me at all times, got it." Jet told him coldly. Against her other judgement she decided to let the brute stay. She will not send someone out especially in this storm.

[tpontow]

Junior watched the female intently. She had looked away, and seemed to be thinking, weighing her options. He expected her to turn and tell him to leave, but it did not happen. Thunder boomed overhead, the rain continued to pour, and the silken dog finally looked back at him and coldly informed him that he could stay.

With a sigh and a smile of relief, the pitbull sank to the ground and took a moment to enjoy being off his paws, dry, and sheltered. “Thank you very much for your hospitality, miss. I can tell that it may not have been your preferred choice, and I appreciate it all the more because of that,” he said softly after a brief time.

It was true – he could easily see that Jetamio did not want him there by any means. But still, she was allowing him to stay, so she clearly wasn’t harsh or cold-hearted. That realization having been made, Junior observed the female a bit closer, taking care not to be too blatant. He supposed that she was more private and jaded than cruel, and he was curious as to whether or not she would warm up to him over the course of the night, or at least dislike him slightly less. Gently placing his massive head upon his paws, he pondered the possibility of trying to have an actual, casual conversation with the female. For now, he would wait and see what she did.

[{t}empest]

A smile crept on Junior's face and sank to the ground. “Thank you very much for your hospitality, miss. I can tell that it may not have been your preferred choice, and I appreciate it all the more because of that,” he said to her gratefully. Jetamio fought back a smile but instead blinked at the brute.

After a few moments of silence with only the storm and vehicles racing by over the bridge Jetamio finally turned to her rabbit. She grabbed its foreleg and dragged it up onto her paws. She began to eat the rabbit, not even caring about the brute anymore. If he tried anything she would be ready to fight back. She licked her chops after swallowing another mouthful of meat. Jet glanced back at Junior. "You aren't a typical street dog are you?" she asked curiously. Most strays would have tried to take her food or even kick her out of the shelter. Not very many dogs who live in the street life remain friendly. The only ones you would find like that are pretty much dogs who live in packs.

[tpontow]

“You aren’t a typical street dog, are you?” the female had asked. This question made Junior chuckle a bit, and prompted some consideration; he hadn’t thought about it much lately, but he supposed that he was well and truly a street dog, since he hadn’t had lived with people since his youth.

“Well,” he finally began, yawning, “That depends on your definition. I’m not in a pack, I haven’t had a human since I was a pup, and I can’t think of anything that makes me particularly extraordinary; I would say that I am a pretty typical street dog. Of course, that might just be me.” The rain was still pouring down, cars were still speeding by overhead, and Junior had to speak uncomfortably loudly to be heard over the din and the designated six-foot distance between the two. He considered moving a bit closer to Jetamio simply for ease of conversation, but decided that it was not worth any potential trouble that it might cause – after all, the female didn’t really want him there in the first place, and may very well kick him out, should he break her rule.

“And what about yourself, if you don’t mind me asking?” he asked as casually as he could. He did not want to overstep any boundaries or put Jetamio on edge, but he was always curious about others, and she was no exception. He gazed at the female, considering the strange juxtaposition of her soft and silken appearance and her rough personality, exemplified by the ferocity with which she tore into her rabbit.


^{ooc: sorry for taking so long with this one! crazy school load.}

[{t}empest]

Jetamio slowed on her meal and listened as Junior replied. “Well. That depends on your definition. I’m not in a pack, I haven’t had a human since I was a pup, and I can’t think of anything that makes me particularly extraordinary; I would say that I am a pretty typical street dog. Of course, that might just be me."

"Hah," Jetamio huffed a small grin etched on her face. "Street dogs aren't usually so friendly especially to strangers. They usually stick to their own like families or packs." She turned back to eating. It is true what she said, she has come across numerous canines that snarled at her whenever she got ten feet from them. Lone dogs are the worst kind of street dog, they have no one and so they suspect anyone and truly only care about themselves... like her. Well mostly, she acts like she doesn't care about anyone but that isn't so.

“And what about yourself, if you don’t mind me asking?” Junior asked casually.

I do mind actually, Jetamio thought, almost saying it out loud. She had no intention of telling him anything about her life. Especially the life she had before and how she lost it when the most important person had gone. Then again she didn't want to be rude, so she thought of what to say. "I'm a lone dog, been that way for a while and unlike you I don't trust anyone. Trust out here is what can get you killed or get hurt. That is why I am thinking of turning to joining a pack.