InsaneJournal

Regan: you're everyone else's girl
[OOC: RP with my Regan, Mitia's Taj and Kas's Cobra. Warning for violence and vague sexual reference.]

It wasn't normal for the red bitch to stray so far away from her own turf. Ever since she had appeared at the river and insinuated herself so very smoothly into the pack -- claiming its leader for her mate, no less! -- she had not wanted to leave. The life was good there, and it had made Regan realise that she had after all missed the comforts of a home. After all there was a roof over her head now, and a dry comfortable place to sleep. With Cobra and her working together to find food, she had filled out a fair bit, and her coat was looking thicker and more shiny.

However, Regan was Regan, and the stirring in her blood with the coming of spring was urging her to go roaming again. Here she was, having broken her scent by making her own way down the White Foam River itself, just so that Cobra would have a harder time finding her if he should try to. She sighed, softly, shaking the water out of her coat. It wasn't that Cobra was an incapable dog -- far from it, he was the most capable and desirable mate that she could ever have hoped for, really. Yet... the bitch shook herself again, decidedly. Sometimes one just needed some variety, that was all. Surely a dog like Cobra would be able to understand that.

Living in a human dwelling for so long had made her more bold about coming near their territory, and there might be dogs there, too. Her tail rising at the thought, she made straight for the first wire fence that she saw. This place didn't smell or look like any human's turf. There was no house, just a pile of random bric-a-brac that she dismissed as uninteresting. What did catch her eye, though, was a brown and white patched dog wandering around the perimeter.

Regan didn't think that he had noticed she was there, but he did seem very keen on finding something. Perhaps she should help him. Her brown eyes gleamed bright. This was the prospect of a chase, just as it had been with Solo -- and with Cobra -- what seemed like so long ago. The feeling stirred her blood.

Raising her tail as high as it would go so that it waved like a red and gold banner behind her, Regan sauntered forward, towards this new would-be conquest.

It was almost spring time and the scent of females early in heat was enough to drive any un-neutered male wild. Taj was one such male and for the first time in his four years of life, the urge to procreate was unbearable. The patience of his owner, Mark, was running short with his "impolite" behavior as of late, especially with his female guests. Therefore, Taj now spent most of his time tied up in the backyard. It was an unusually cruel punishment, only because the alluring odors were that much stronger outdoors.

He often strained against his black nylon collar, testing the strength of his confines and the now weak rope that tethered him in place. It was a daily routine which he deliberately practiced, anticipating the day he would break free to seek out some pleasure. Mark paid little heed to Taj during this season which would eventually allow for a clean escape.

With a rich floral breeze taunting the Catahoula, he lunged forward and was finally successful in his endeavors. A gratifying snap broke the tension and the feeble plastic clasp holding the collar about his strong neck shattered into multiple pieces. Taj did not wait to assess the situation, his legs instinctively sent him rocketing forward in response to the sudden noise.

The tri-colored male was intoxicated with the various marks left by the females of the neighborhood however to keep from being captured, Taj aimed for the outskirts. His legs did not stop pumping back and forth until he reached the junkyard which marked the edge of the domesticated lands. It also bordered the river that now beckoned him to quench his thirst.

Yet before he could act, an overwhelming scent filled his quivering nostrils thus drawing his attention to the source. Certainly she had to be near by for Taj to have received such a strong calling and he eagerly sought her out.

The thrill of the chase brought glorious images into Taj's mind that urged him to search more diligently. It was becoming difficult to trace the original scent he had picked up and before long a more powerful one replaced it. Certainly this particular aroma was even better than the first which sent Taj's tail into a slow pleased wag.

Giving a snuff to clear his nose of the older trail, a small clout of dirt spread into the air. The debris made his icy blue eyes water which in turn blurred his vision momentarily. Focusing solely on his olfactory senses, Taj almost collided with the source of his obsession.

With a controlled sneeze he once more cleared his nasal passage which allowed his eyes to regain their function. Now, standing before him was perhaps the most stunning bitch he had laid eyes on. A lean, long-haired, red mixed breed presented herself in quite an alluring manner. Perhaps she wasn't even trying to do so however Taj's hormones were on the loose! Giving the bitch a sly smile, he raised his head and straightened his posture from its previous staggered state. Sadly he was quite aloof most of the time yet in some ways it just added to his charm and seemed to compliment his good looks.

Panting slightly, Taj perked his ears forward, clearly showing his interest as to who this female was. Approaching her somewhat cautiously he sniffed about her, taking in the overwhelming signals that she exuded. It took all his self control to stand back and merely introduce himself.

"Hey, I'm Taj. Nice to meet you." His voice seemed to hold back some untold secrets or rather intentions. Of course he was not ashamed of such a fact because any male dog would have the same looks of longing as he did. The fact that he took the time to say anything at all showed some form of maturity as well as clear restraint. This was obviously not his first rendezvous during a breeding season.

Regan stepped back smartly as the dog came a bit too close to her -- he just brushed her as she moved. One edge of her lip curled up just a touch. As much as she enjoyed male attention, she didn't have any patience with overly keen creatures whose only ploy was to get to her rear end as soon as possible. There had been several excited individuals in her path who had only earned a sharp bark and a bloodied face for all their enthusiasm. She readied herself, just in case this one should prove to be one like all the others, to teach him a lesson if she had to.

This dog seemed to know his place after all, though, and responded by approaching her more slowly. Regan supposed she could chalk up his earlier clumsiness simply to the blindness that males seemed to suffer at this time, and mollified, she took the opportunity to snuff at him in return and observe him at closer quarters. Regan had never been overly concerned with breeding and breeds; she looked at each dog for whatever he or she was. Rather handsome, this one, really. She enjoyed the way the dark and light shades played across his coat, and how starkly the white on him showed up against the patchwork of caramel and black. She smiled quietly, her tail beginning to wag in renewed interest. He would do.

Not to mention he was obviously interested in her, which meant that her job was more than half done already. And she could tell from his eyes that he was taking some effort to restrain himself, which just earned him even more points in her favour. Regan liked to be courted just as much as she enjoyed the chase on her own end.

"Taj, is it?" She turned slowly around to face him and lifted her muzzle to snuff at his, her tail wagging gently behind her in anticipation of triumph. "I'm Regan. And this is a pleasure."

Taj was completely oblivious to the female's curling lip, which seemed to occur when he was still trying to regain his composure. Little did he know of how close he had come to ruining his prospective plans for the day. This bitch, Regan, was not a dog to be taken lightly and it was now that he recognized the certain air of superiority that she held. Superiority was not quite the word he would have used normally but his mind was too preoccupied with the current situation to think any more of petty adjectives to describe her.

Regan introduced herself and added a similar greeting to the one he had used. It was a flirtatious action that sounded full of ulterior motives which Taj hoped he would be a part of. Gladly he allowed the stunning red to greet him with her own nose, busy at work assessing his own scent. She gave a final snuff to his muzzle which nearly drove him mad! Taj refused to give in just yet however, and he made a silent decision to continue their 'game.'

"So what brings you to the junkyard?" he casually threw a sideways glance about their surroundings before once more giving Regan his full attention. Right now she deserved it especially if Taj desired her in the ways that he did. For although it would appear to be a harmless inquiry to others, a deeper meaning seemed to lie behind his words. Such a meaning would appear to present a secret conversation between the two dogs, where each word really represented something else altogether.

Inside, Taj was undergoing an internal battle with exactly what to say or do next. His mind was reeling as to how to respond to the reply Regan had yet to give. On the surface the Catahoula remained calm and casual, trying to return an air of superiority.

You, Regan thought privately in response to the other's question. But of course it would never do to let him know that. He seemed calm, but the hunger in his eyes betrayed him, and she must make use of that. She must always be in control of both herself as well as him, try to play out the scene her own way, so that she was the seducer and not the seduced. It had always been that way, and that was how she intended to keep it.

She put her head on one side, letting a thoughtful cast creep into her gaze, as if considering the question, though really she was considering the answer. "Well," she said finally, slowly, as she began moving past him, putting into use what was becoming a trick of hers -- casually letting her tail brush and linger just a hair too long beneath the dog's nose and part of his shoulder. It was little touches like this, teasing and tantalising, that she had learned were the key. To gaining and keeping the upper hand. She had her scent, and that she knew was the trump card.

"I've been wandering on my own, and I just happened to end up in this place. Poor little lost me."

Flipping back around again with a quick movement, she'd come back to brush his side with her own, more quickly now, and stand by his shoulder, lifting her nose to touch his again.

"Perhaps it is just as well, though, hm?"

Tensing at Regan's delicate and provocative touches, Taj kept his composure while stifling back a whine of protest. She clearly wanted to control the situation which the catahoula did not mind at all. In fact it would probably be less work for him in the long run. Yet who knew, perhaps the tables would turn and in the end he may be the one to control the situation. It essentially did not really matter to Taj who held the reigns because they clearly were both after the same thing. It was now quite obvious that Regan was barking up the same tree.

Something about it all was more exhilarating than usual whether it was this particular bitch or the fact that the females in heat this season just seemed to dominate his senses. Whichever the cause, the task before him seemed to be one that needed to be earned more so than usual.

Giving her a sly look from the corner of his eye he moved in to nose at her closest ear. The long flowing, silky fur looked quite inviting and he gently furrowed his nose into it snuffing gently to take in her now familiar scent. "Yes, poor you. Good thing Taj is here to take good care of you. Who knows what awful things would have happened to you otherwise."

Standing still, virtually glowing with triumph, Regan reveled in the other's responsiveness. Clearly he was all too willing to go along with her. And she let him snuffle at her, staying quietly motionless, basking in the attention, and in knowing exactly how desirable she was to this handsome young dog. This wandering vagabond that she had so serendipitously found and won for her own.

Really, she'd never tire of this moment, the moment of the chase.

She was beginning to get bored by simple talk. Time to make her next move in the game, time to take command once again. Laughing suddenly and joyously, she turned her long muzzle to Taj's and flicked her tongue once, teasingly, across his muzzle. Then she was off, her red and gold coat glowing and flying as she pranced lightly across the space, leaping atop an old couch to strike a pose and throw him a glance over her shoulder. Then she stooped, splaying her forepaws, her tail wagging slowly and provocatively, an invitation to chase her.

If he took off after her, she'd run, leading him a merry dance through this maze of twisted metal and wood and goodness only knew what humans used them for. Eventually -- eventually, she'd let him catch up. And then, well, that would be left up to him.

A single definitive bay vibrated through his vocals to portray the start of the hunt. Catahoula Leopard Dogs had a history of chasing, cornering, and then keeping larger predators at bay. Of course this such instance was quite different although it tended to call upon Taj's instincts just the same.

For a moment, he simply watched Regan run, enjoying the view and giving her a head start which she probably did not need. It was clear there was some sort of sighthound in her blood which meant his endurance, not speed would ensure a victory.

Less gracefully than she, Taj took off after her using the old couch as a spring board. He followed her through the maze of garbage which the humans collected here for some reason. Such wonders were far from his mind so that the blurs of junk remained just that, blurs. The only object in his line of sight was the bitch, Regan who he continued to pursue.

Her red lines seemed to go on forever and although he managed to stay several strides behind her, Taj was never able to fully catch up to her. It was frustrating in the fact that it clearly portrayed the struggle he was up against that afternoon. The breeding season always came with games. Most females, although eager to breed, enjoyed a good show before the event.

For now he concentrated on the task, trying not to think of any more than his moving form following behind hers. Before long she would stop then perhaps the time would come.

The wind combing through her silky fur, the sun on her back, and a rather handsome dog not far behind, following after her. Desiring her. The sound of his deep voice as he began his own pursuit made her shiver with delight. Regan's jaws were wide in a half-pant, half-laugh of pure exhilaration. This was excitement, this was satisfaction, this was living. The thrill of chasing and of being chased rippled through her hound's chest, and for a moment she quickened her pace, stretching out into swift effortless bounds, darting through the obstacle course of discarded paraphernalia with joyous ease.

She could only run for so long, though, before she succumbed to letting the moment arrive -- the moment that both of them really wanted. All the rest had just been a prelude, a tantalising, a spinning it out to make the moment all the more sweet. Skidding to a stop and whirling around to face him, she darted to one side and then swished her tail once before sweeping it alongside her body and standing, expectantly, waiting.

The chase, it was finally over! Now before him, Regan’s body language revealed that she was ready for him. The long feathers that composed her tail were now held tightly against her side. Her body was still yet she panted slightly, partly from their run and partly from the anticipation of it all. There was no mistaking the bitch’s expectations just as there was no mistaking her scent. The very aroma that had led Taj on today’s outing, that led him to this very junkyard where he came to encounter her. Excitement was building on behalf of both parties yet perhaps it most noticeable with Taj even as he slowly approached Regan.

There was no need to rush anything, for clearly he had been successful in catching her fancy just as she had caught his. This calm ‘stalking of his prey’ was another clear indication that this was not his first breeding season relation. Finally it was time to act upon his most basic instincts: breeding.

Taj first padded up alongside of Regan to give her long muzzle a satisfied lick as well as once more nuzzle her silky ears. Now, now the handsome Catahoula made his move, after showing his appreciation for her cooperation. It was common knowledge that not every bitch was up for a romp!

Pure satisfaction seemed to overwhelm the atmosphere as two canines who never before met came together for a common purpose. Nothing could destroy such a moment. Absolutely nothing!

Regan simply and quietly stood there all the while, enjoying her own moment of glory. He hadn't seemed to realise -- or mind -- that she had been in charge of conducting the entire affair from its start to its end. She had found the dog, she had teased him and enchanted him and run him down under the guise of being pursued, and she had captured him, all on her own. It was when dogs were in this state that they were most malleable, she thought, when what they wanted most was something that she had control over. Regan let herself exult in her own feeling of power.

When it was finally over and done with she turned to trot up beside Taj, to brush against him once more, to reassure herself that he was still under her spell.

---

So far Cobra’s day had been more than traumatic. He’d returned from his morning rounds to find his mate, his one and only, missing from their ‘den’. Fearing the worst the alpha dog had searched the old human cabin, looking for any scent or sign that something had attacked… humans or otherwise. But finding nothing made his heart beat a little faster. Not knowing or understanding what had become of the only female worthy of his intimate company, especially during this time of year, was more grating on his nerves than if he’d smelled something he’d faced before.

Following her scent out from the cabin and to the edge of the river, the normally water avoiding Doberman mix charged straight across, sloshing through the cold water like his life depended on it, and in some part, it did. But alas, emerging on the other side, her scent was lost to him. With near panic in his strides, the male fled first upstream, searching for any sign that she’d come that way. Finding nothing, he then went down stream.

This was taking far longer than he’d wanted. The longer it took the longer she was in danger and if anything happened to her… because he’d been to slow… Cobra would never forgive himself. But at last he found her trail and followed it, still running as fast as he could get his body to go. He was in good health and excellent body condition so he was fast. As his search went on, the thought that her scent was still alone didn’t cross his mind. The reasons she might have wandered off didn’t filter in past the worry and fear.

So, as he found the end of her trail in the junkyard, the scene before him struck him like a hammer. Still partly wet from the river and panting like his heart might explode, he stood just out of sight watching them as they uncoupled. She… she’d let him… she had to have, there was no making her do anything she didn’t want. Which mean she’d wanted that strange stud to… A fierce hatred began to boil in his chest, toward her... toward the male… There were other emotions too, but they would have to wait… Wait until this cad was gone from his sight.

Not even letting out a warning growl or bark, Cobra would come flying from behind a broken down car. There was no mistaking the sheer rage in his eyes, curled lips, flattened ears and bristled fur. He wanted to taste the dog’s blood… Even if only a little.

It all happened so fast that Taj barely had any time to react, let alone enjoy Regan’s company after the deed. One moment she was pressed up against his side and the next a huge male was barreling at him, teeth bared!

Apparently the Catahoula had unknowingly bit off more than he could chew with this particular bitch. The longing that pulled at him, the need to breed had certainly come with a price, greater than Mark scolding him this time.

There was no time to try and deduce why this Doberman mix was aiming for his throat although he had a strong suspicion it had to do with Regan. Even if this dog had not witnessed the event, the musk was thick in the air, any canine could recognize it.

Quite confused as well as extremely inexperienced at fighting, Taj allowed his tail to naturally curl up between his legs until it clung tightly to his belly. Ears pulled back he still managed to show his teeth in a pathetic attempt to portray his own anger at being disrupted. A spark of fury clouded his once clear blue eyes as he let out a familiar bay to try to stop the male in his tracks. If this didn’t work Taj braced himself for the impact and the battle that would surely ensue.

Cobra appeared so suddenly that Regan could only stand there at first, blinking in surprise. She had expected that this would have been a simple enough tryst -- curl up with a handsome dog for an hour maybe, and then return home to her mate and think nothing more of him. She had not thought that Cobra would have happened upon them like this, and certainly not that he would fly at her little distraction.

He hadn't even growled a word of warning, and that could only mean that he meant business.

She soon got over her shock, though she didn't move to intervene. Instead, taking a sitting position, she watched the pair with impassive eyes. It was really quite exciting, the idea of her mate seeking her out and fighting for her. Her tail twitched with renewed interest. How strong and powerful her mate was! She knew once again that she had chosen well.

Like those wildly vicious fights one might find in the rings of underground human drug lords, Cobra was intent on sinking his teeth into the brut. Granted, he wasn’t going to bite and hold on, no that would be too nice. Instead, if he managed to get his jaw on the offending purebred, he was going to bit rapidly in succession, doing the most damage in the shortest amount of time.

And so, the doberman mix would slam into the Catahoula, chest braced like a battering ram. Getting the other dog off his balance was the first step, using his body weight and momentum to knock him down. If that succeeded he would go for the head, neck and ears with his gnashing jaws.

He’d changed his mind about killing this fellow, instead he wanted to wound him. Scar that pretty little face of his… Rip up his ear… maybe take out one of those blue eyes. Maybe both.

Regan stepped aside and took a seat in order to better observe the events that would be taking place on her behalf. Taj might have been enraged by the fact that she seemed to anticipate this particular event but right now he was a bit preoccupied with the charging male. The mystery dobe mix did not stop his oncoming attack even after Taj gave out a loud bay. Instead, the dog’s large form collided with his own broad white chest knocking the air out of his lungs and his feet out from under him.

Once on his back, Taj was completely exposed and became a victim of this male’s rage, fury, and hatred. Before he could react, two dangerous rows of teeth were working on his face. The unrelenting biting sent pain shooting through his body in sharp jolts. However Taj could not even begin to register the agony of one bite before another ferocious bite occurred.

Never before had the Catahoula fought so that his meager attempt to defend himself consisted of several bites to his attacker’s closest foreleg and shoulder. He tried his best to inflict some reciprocating pain but before he could manage anything substantial there was a blinding pressure and then release.

A disturbing yelp erupted from Taj’s throat as the world was suddenly viewed in shades of blood and black. The warmth of his own blood washed over his once handsome face from a socket that once held a striking blue orb. The suffering he now endured made him realize that this bitch, no bitch, was worth it. What chance did he have against such a fighter when he had never used his teeth against another? Any will to fight that may have previously boiled in his veins seemed to drain with the gore of his wound.

Going limp, allowing the discomfort, the staggering volume of anguish to overwhelm his entire body, Taj gave up. There was nothing he could do, especially in his worsened state. The dog could do what he wished now, Taj surrendered silently.

Regan stiffened in shock as her mate tore viciously into the other's face. Fighting for her was one thing, but this was completely something else. Regan had seen and observed fights, but they had always been minor disputes and spats, had never resulted in anything near this. She had expected Cobra to win, of course, but not that any serious amount of blood would be shed, not that any significant amount of damage would be done. She felt anger stirring within her. Couldn't he see that this had been a one-time affair, that she would have gone home and that this dog would never again have crossed her mind? That there was no need for such histrionics? How he was overreacting like this was really too much. She would have to go and speak to him at any rate.

As she approached, she gazed in horrified fascination at Taj's ruined face, hardly believing that only a few minutes ago this dog himself had been young and handsome strong. Now he was made weak, a craven thing, and Regan felt herself repelled by the bloody hole that had once been a bright blue eye. All right, so it was rather flattering that Cobra would go to such lengths for her. But it wasn't any such excuse.

"Cobra," she barked sternly. "Is all of this really necessary?"

With all that emotion and adrenaline rampaging around his system, Cobra barely felt the other dog’s counter attack. But hearing his own flesh being ripped by teeth, fueled his anger and forced him to take that horrible thought and make it a reality. And with one last snap, the poor dog’s eye was gone, that sickening wet popping sound satisfying the dobie mix’s lust for revenge. Rising as the enemy went limp, the alpha down would step back from his prey, the pain in his left shoulder and foreleg starting to seep through the rage as it began to fade.

But with the aggression diminishing from his system the reality of the situation began to sink into his mind. There was no doubt that this male was defeated, but in the end, he had been lured into this mess by the very bitch that Cobra was fighting for. She had been the one to betray him… Then, from what seemed like far away he heard her voice. She was scolding him? Turning to face Regan, the malice in his eyes and posture slowly evaporated leaving only a great confusion and sadness as blood dripped down his leg to moisten the dry dirt beneath his toes.

The dog that had been a force to be reckoned with only a moment ago was starting to fall apart before her eyes. Cobra wasn’t being taken down by the bleeding wounds... instead he was being taken down by an emotional pain in his chest. The sinking between his ribs, pulled him onto his wrists, barrel chest sinking to the ground as he stared at her. He looked like a deer with an arrow protruding from his side, his front legs splayed with his paws curled under and tail between his legs. His beloved Regan… had betrayed him… What was he going to do?

After an eternity of abuse, Taj suddenly felt nothing, either the attack had indeed ended or his body had gone too numb to feel anymore. Regardless, he was thankful.

His head seemed to be spinning uncontrollably and his vision was blurred. It was unclear to him if it was because of the pain, the blood, or a combination of both. However, the hollow that once held his eye slowly began to cease its bleeding, his body working hard to coagulate the spilled blood as well as close the open wounds. None of what Taj's body was capable of would heal his pride though.

Slowly he raised his head from the now moist dirt, taking a moment to get his bearings. It took several painful blinks to cease the double vision and cleanse his remaining eye from the gore of its former partner. Taj then allowed his nose to pinpoint the location of his aggressor as well as Regan.

The scene before him was not one that he had expected so for a moment he feared the blow had left him hallucinating. The doberman mix lay literally crumpled on the ground before Regan, mouth still dripping with his very own blood. She stood before him with an apparent look of disgust or disdain, he wasn't sure which. Deep down he wondered if this bitch was actually standing up for him, defending him, even if it would mean another blow to his ego.

Unable to find the strength to rise to his paws, Taj continued to lie there simply watching the other two, head still reeling. Maybe he would be able to glean some knowledge as to how this male fit into this affair. Taj was after all, still completely unaware of how he had managed to get himself in this situation. It had ended up costing him an eye which he would not have willingly sacrificed for a single spring romp.

Ah, he was wilting before her, the Alpha of the White Foam Pack. The dog that just a few moments before no other would have dared cross if they had chanced to see him in action. Regan could have smirked, as she realised now the true extent of the hold she had over Cobra, but at this point she was too annoyed to think about that too hard. She started right in on berating the large mutt, not missing a beat.

"What did you think you were doing, you great cretin? Roaring in here uninvited, don't think that just because I'm your mate you can just do as you please wherever I'm concerned! I associate with whoever I please, thank you, I can look after my own hide, and I certainly don't need you to do it for me! Just look at what you've done."

Regan paused, to gaze again upon the cringing Taj, and once more she felt a pang of regret. Not for the dog himself, and certainly not for her own actions, but that such a proud strong beautiful animal should be reduced to this cowering, mutilated wreck of a thing. His good eye, that beautiful light blue, striking in its intensity, seemed to her to mock the bloody hole that had once been another of the same. Certainly she would never have gone after him in this state, she thought, with some disgust. She turned her accusing, unblinking stare back upon Cobra.

"You might as well have torn out the other, too, eaten off the other side of his face! He is destroyed, forever, and all because you could not leave me to look after my own business!"

Her frustration and anger at the ruined tryst had been building and building all the time, and her final remark came out in a shrill half-snarl-half-bark, her teeth bared. Trembling with the force of her emotion, Regan stood her ground and waited to see what the great fool had to say for himself.

Before she began to speak, never had he been in such indecision. Three different sinarios where tugging at his mind. Should he attack, punishing her before chasing her off like he would for any who’d crossed him? Or… or should he reclaim what should have been his to begin with and take her back to the den and hope no one would find out that the one dog he trusted above all others had betrayed him? But there was still a third opinion and it was quickly gaining ground against the others. His heart. That tiny bit of tenderness, the bit that loved her more deeply than the need to breath or eat, was dieing. And it was taking those bits of happiness with it. Should he follow it to the grave and head back to the den alone, tail between his legs? This idea seemed completely against everything he was, everything he wanted to be.

As she spoke, his mind returned from what ever dark pit it had been in. She was serious? His eyes began to grow a little wider as she spoke about it being her business… How could it be her business? His previous ideas were dissolving as that thought grew along with a renewed sense of anger. With a curled lip, he’d respond to her snarl with one of his own as he got to his feet. “You should be greatful that I am granting you the same gift that I gave him… I’m not going to kill you!”

Fur bristling he’d step closer, tail held high and teeth bared. If she wanted a fight, she’d get one. But he wasn’t going to let her get away with just that…. No. He had to reclaim some of the dignity she was attempting to take away from him. Including that heat that should have been his. “A heat is only your own business if you where anything less than my mate.” Gnashing his teeth, the Doberman mix would hope forward, hitting her shoulder with his chest, getting a bit of his blood on her silky ear. “I can only hope that the majority of these pups will be mine… otherwise you will wish you had gotten ride of them yourself.”

Though he did not say it directly, there was no mistaking what he meant to do, even if she didn’t want him to.


That was it, he was her mate and that was why he had targeted Taj with such a brutal attack. However, it appeared as if Regan meant a little bit more to this male than just a perpetual partner during heat. As she chastised the male for destroying his own handsome face, Taj could not help but feel as if some vengeance was being served. Perhaps the worst form too, not by his teeth but the male’s very own ‘love.’ Regan did not seem to feel quite the same about her mate thus making her words all the more bitter.

The male’s heartbreak seemed to quickly dissipate however as Regan’s words sank in and reignited his fury. Taj could not believe his ears as the very dog who felt so betrayed by his mate threatened to harm her physically. Hate now consumed Taj, yet he knew how powerless he was against this male. What else did he really have to lose now and how could he not stand up for Regan when she was doing so for him?

A deep rumble sounded from his throat, warning his previous attacker not to do anything too brash. Taj doubted that his threat would be taken seriously but it was worth a try. He would not sit by idly and watch a female, this female, Regan get injured like he had. The mention of pups did not bother him however. Never before had a bitch borne pups that were his, even with his several differing partners over the years. He did not know it personally but he just was not a very fertile dog.

With much difficulty, Taj managed to raise himself onto his paws, head low to keep himself steady with his new singular vision. “Leave her alone. Just… just finish taking your anger out on me. You should never touch a female aggressively.” He could barely believe his own words or actions in defense of Regan. She was just as much at fault for his injury as her ‘mate’ was. Still, they had come together physically making Taj feel all the more need to stand up for her.

As cowed as he had seemed just a few moments before, she had not thought that he would react with such force. Towards her! He had never once bared his teeth to her, never shown any kind of anger or displeasure towards her in all the long months they had been together. His fury quite stunned her, and for a few moments she could only stand there and look at him with mingled shock and disbelief.

Regan was just gathering herself up to respond, in kind, when he started forward and sprang upon her, keeping her under firm and iron control. She was helpless and she knew it, and she was furious because of it. She screamed and twisted around, snapping at his face. Such indignity, such shame! He would pay for it. As if from far away she heard Taj's voice begging for her release, and she wanted to snarl at him to shut up, that she could look after herself, that she didn't need him. Cobra was her mate, and she would make him listen to her.

But gradually her snaps became gentler, her bite more inhibited, like that of a playing youngster. She couldn't deny the sobbing, wonderful relief that was flooding through her body, now that her rage had worn itself out. He wanted her again. This had been her new season, hers and his, and she had tried to entice him always but always in vain. Recently, busying himself with organising his newly reforming pack, he had had no time for her. No time for her, his mate, she who should be the centre of his attention always. That was why she had left, frustrated and alone. That was why.

Her eyes soft now, the tip of her tail wagging slightly from where it was crushed against her side, she turned her muzzle to him and mouthed at the side of his face.

"Why did you not want me before?" she asked, her voice hardly a breath.

Cobra was just as aggressive at first, keeping his lips curled and not being shy with his nails. But as her own anger lessened, he focused more on what they were doing than the circumstances they were in. Nibbling at the back of her neck, he was surprised by the question she then asked. He’d never thought about it like that. He’d never not wanted her, but… he’d been so busy. No wonder she left. How had it looked to her when he was spending his time with the new members of their pack instead of her during their first breeding season together.

“I… never stopped wanting you Regan. It just never felt like the perfect time. You are the only female worth spending time with in the season and I didn’t just want to waste the time, getting it over with as soon as possible. I wanted to take our time. If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right is it not?” Leaning closer he’d lick her cheek. “You are my mate… and I want you all to myself.”

For one who loves being in control she certainly took off quickly for another dog's affections instead of taking command of her male . But knowing why she’d done what she’d done certainly put water on his flames. He had been so dismayed and angry, when in fact, it was his fault that she’d found what she was after with someone else. Never again. “I am sorry, babe… I should have seen what I was doing to you. You are my queen and you should be treated as such.”

Injured, ignored and now subject to witness the male with Regan, Taj decided it was best to leave it all behind. The fact that the red bitch used him meant little because that was canine nature, especially during the peak of heat season. Taj himself had used females in the past for the same reason! What bothered him was the fact that she so willingly became a victim to her mate after he so violently threatened her. It was none of his business though; his missing eye was a valid reminder of that.

Taj slowly walked away, thinking to himself how much better he looked behind Regan than this dog did. The fleeting thought did little to comfort him because in the end, that male had won. The Catahoula did not consider the bitch a prize but rather his missing eye. It would make a nice blue trophy. Besides this bitch was entirely too manipulative, just look at all the trouble she caused this afternoon. Instead, he focused rather on whether or not to return home to Mark for some scolding or to keep wandering the streets, at least for the day.

Regan hardly noticed her one-time distraction slipping away. All of her attention was focused solely on her mate now, and her voice lifted itself in high soft whines of relief as she returned his nuzzles. He was here, he had come to find her, he was sorry, and he wanted her again. The feeling that these thoughts awoke within her were almost too much for her to bear.

She had not thought that this would mean so much. It was rather a staggering revelation, and she shivered with the weight of it. When had this happened? It even frightened her a little, and she decided that she would not think about it too much. It was unnerving, and she did not like being in places that were unfamiliar. For now, she would just revel in the moment, in his attention.

At last, finally, she eased herself forward and sank to the ground, licking her nose and hoping that she wasn't showing how confused and scared she felt. This, meant to be a simple, trivial thing and nothing more, had turned out to be quite an eye-opener, and she was not sure whether or not she was liking the changes.

Nonetheless, her mate was with her now, and she eased herself up and snuffed at him again. This time there was no fire in her gaze and in the touch, just a simple gesture of affection, seeking the reassurance of his presence.

"May we go home, now?"

Although the act might have been opening her eyes and mind to things between them and within herself, for Cobra it was a reaffirmation of what he’d already felt and known. Though he’d been frightening and aggressive just moments before, now he was tender and loving. Being ginger was not normally in his list of skills, but when it came to her and this act there was no other course of action, she was his mate.

When all was done and she lay down, he would look over her, hoping he’d not hurt her in anyway. To make sure he’d move closer, nuzzling her neck and taking in her scent to rememorizing it. She really did smell good and it wasn’t just because of the heat either. It was just her.

As she stood back up, the Doberman mix would give her enough room to do so before closing that gap once more. Leaning his barreled frame against hers, he’d give a slight nod. “Yes… lets go home.” And the term home felt more relevant now than it had been in the past. So he’d start heading back to their own territory, sticking to her side like glue. He had every urge to be protective of her and not just because she was still in heat… but because if all went well, Regan would soon be carrying his pups…

As that thought crossed his mind, Cobra would walk a little taller. Amazingly, he was now looking forward to watching her grow in width… knowing that it was his doing. Granted there was Taj too, but… that didn’t count in his mind. This was his mate and his pups. If any ended up being from that welp, he hoped they didn’t physically resemble him because that pup was not going to be favored.