InsaneJournal

Penny and Wings: Summer Fun
[OOC: Old PennyWings RP that has absolutely nothing to do with their current plotline. I believe this was Penny's first outing. :3
Matrix and Aztec played by and © Aryiah.]

The young whippet bitch, her well-brushed coat gleaming copper in the sun, galloped madly about the wide lawn. She jumped, snapping at nothing, twisting her slender frame as she landed.

"Ooh! Grass! Sun! Oh, well, this is just simply fabulous!"

Wings trotted after her. It had now been some days since Penny had arrived at the house, and she had firmly ensconced herself into their lives as if she had always been there. The bitch could be annoyingly trying at times, but Wings had to admit it was rather nice having another dog like himself about the place. Sighthounds always relished the company of other sighthounds, and Wings and Penny were no exceptions.

Today Beth had taken them to the park, Jewel was napping at home, and Cari was off on another of her explorations. It was a beautiful warm day, the park was one of the piebald whippet's favourite places and it seemed that it was not doing badly in Penny's favour. Her dark little eyes had seemed to double in size and he had thought her ears were about to come off her head, when she had first caught a glimpse of where they were headed. Then she was straining at her leash in her eagerness, and off like a rocket the minute she was loosed.

The red whippet skidded up to him, almost crashing into his shoulder, and Wings jumped away. She grinned cheekily.

"Made you flinch. Come on, come on, it's lovely!"

She snapped her jaws at his head and muzzle, singsong snarling in mock ferociousness. Wings snapped back, somewhat half-heartedly. These were puppy's games, and wasn't he a grown dog now? A minute passed before he threw his reserve to the winds and began snarling along with her, drawing his black lips back from his fangs as he returned her attacks. One or two humans close by looked oddly from Beth to what appeared to be a dogfight.

All of a sudden Penny leapt back with an excited bark, spun in a circle and dashed away, a red-brown streak of lightning. It really was too lovely a day not to run, and Wings tailed her in hot pursuit.

But Penny was a coursing dog; her every stride was a harmony of speed, grace and perhaps a hint of flight, and she outstripped him with cheerful ease. Wings had never really had a chance to race other whippets before, and Penny was proving to be very swift indeed.

Penny was having the time of her life. The Willoughby estate had been nice enough, but here was a whole new world to explore and chase and race in a new adventure. It had been brought home to the young dog that worlds existed beyond what she knew, and she was loving every minute. The Fleetheart dog isn't half bad company, either, she thought, turning her head back towards him. Though he could stand to be a bit faster perhaps. She slackened her pace to drop back beside Wings, nipped him playfully on the shoulder, and sped off again, the well-worked muscles rippling under her shiny coat.

She soon tired of simply racing Wings, however, and paused in her run, tongue lolling from her jaws in mingled exertion and laughter, to see if there was anyone about that she might race and play with too. Her keen eye fell upon two Salukis. Sighthounds! And they were simply sitting around on the grass not doing anything! Well, she'd have to do something about that.

By this time, Wings had caught up with her, and she yipped impatiently at him.

"You're too slow. Come on come on, I want to go talk to the Salukis there." She grabbed his collar in her teeth and yanked, before dancing away towards the two bigger dogs. Wings sighed, and strolled after her.

Penny approached the Salukis with tail and ears held high. One, a dog, was greyish and the other, a bitch, was yellowish, and Penny's nose told her that they were indeed littermates. A sweeping wag of her whip tail announced her presence.

"Hello!"

Aztec's ears perked up at the sight of the whippet. Another sighthound! Even better! She eyed the tinier dog. She felt herself adoring the red-coloration and the white paws. She was even more lured by this dog for the bitch didn't feel like the show dogs she had come to know.

She barked at her, tail wagging in return. "Hello, dear Whippet!" the Saluki called happily, trotting forward toward the smaller dog.

Matrix raised his head, hearing the arrival of something new and looked at who his sister had called out at. He curled his nose at her. Blah, what an ugly bitch, he thought to himself, layng his head back down with a look of disgust. He was irritable, tired, and hungry.

Aztec looked back at her brother then back at the younger dog. "Hold on," she growled in frustration. She paced back toward her brother and poked him with her nose.

"C'mon you bag of bones; we finally found someone to play with!" she barked indignantly. He just raised his head and looked at her with cold brown eyes.

"No, Aztec, you found someone to play with. I found someone not worth my time or effort to move just to meet them. No go off and leave me alone," he snarled warningly. Aztec stiffened. Never before had she seen her brother in such a state.

She grabbed his scruff.

"Aztec! AZTEC, LET GO OF ME!" he wailed, struggling against his sister. The bitch shoved him towards the whippet.

"You, be nice, Matrix. I haven't been around any dog that plays like the dogs in this park and you want to ruin that for me. I want you to be a part of it. You're my brother," she whimpered, nosing his flank. He tensed then sighed in defeat.

Turning towards the whippet, he bowed his head. "My name's Matrix and this is my sister Aztec. And, who would you be?"

Penny wagged, smiling with her muzzle split wide open. These Salukis were nice! "I'm Penny. Willoughby's Coppercoin," she added somewhat proudly. "And this is Wings!"

The pied whippet had just trotted up to the bunch, and Penny frisked around him, snapping at his face but never once touching him, her teeth slicking together just shy of her companion.

Well, she was just full of it today, Wings thought, returning one or two of her snaps but remaining amiably aloof this time. He turned his muzzle to the larger hounds, putting his ears forward.

"Yes, my name is Wings. Fleetheart's Wings of Chance," he added, not to be outdone. "It's very nice to meet you two." His tail waved back and forth gently.

Penny leapt forward and stopped just shy of her new friends, crouched before them in a play-bow, forelegs splayed.

"What are we standing around for? Let's run!"

At the words "run", Aztec started squirming, dancing from paw-to-paw. Without warning, she barked excitedly and took off, feathers on her ankles dancing in the wind. She seemed to have lost care if the smaller dog was following after her, but she knew the bitch was.

She panted slightly, trying to run faster and faster, her lithe body stretched out through the air as she ran.

In the meantime, Matrix just stretched back out, laying on the ground.

"Running is for filthy, useless dogs. I am not useless, nor filthy, so therefore, I do not run. At least not with such beasts," he growled in arrogance. If Aztec had been present at that comment instead of gallivanting with the whippet bitch, she would have snapped at him for being so mean.

He rested his head back onto his paws, glaring at the world before him. Why had he given in to his sister's useless, consistent badgering? Now, here he was, in a dog park, full of mutts he did not care to be around. And where was his sister? Turning into one of those mutts.

"AZTEC!" he snarled loudly, tiny hairs bristling.

Aztec didn't seem to hear him and kept running freely, nipping at the whippet in the process playfully.

Wings eyed the grey and silver Saluki with curiosity. It seemed amazing to him how one so concerned with breeding and heritage could not recognise Penny for what she was - by any standards a thing of great beauty. Even he could admit to that. A twinge of annoyance stung him at this slight against his pack-mate, and he thought of growling at the other dog, but then decided it might be prudent to hold his peace. The Saluki was somewhat larger than he, after all.

But to dismiss running as for filthy useless beasts... Wings shook his head in some disbelief. Surely he had been taught that to run with such grace and elegance was the sight-hound's glory and privilege? Apparently not.

Wings settled himself onto the grass near Matrix, leaving some distance between them. He felt both appalled and intrigued but made sure to keep his posture neutral. His seal ears relaxed by the sides of his head as he watched the golden Saluki and Penny chase and nip at each other.

"Surely you know a flawlessly bred, soon-to-be-Champion show dog when you see one?" he murmured, half to himself. "Because that is what she is, you know."

The flawlessly bred, soon-to-be-Champion show dog was elated. Penny nipped back at the Saluki as Aztec's golden muzzle with its sharp white hunter's teeth snapped at her. Someone different to run with! This was going to be a fun day. Aztec soon passed her, as she knew she would, but Penny was on the Saluki's heels like a copper rocket, ears pinned flat against her skull, her slender little body almost flying with her efforts. The whippet bitch loved a challenge, and racing the Saluki was proving to be one.

Wings’s dark eyes followed the two sleek shapes as they flew around and around the grass, his ears rising despite himself. It really was a lovely day; perhaps he would join them, eventually...

Abruptly Penny, on impulse, peeled away from Aztec's flank and took a flying leap into the duckpond with a loud splash, sending yakking ducks every which way in a flurry of feathers and glinting droplets. Wings repressed a shudder as his companion, brisket-deep in pondwater, leapt and snapped at the tails of the fleeing birds, yipping in delight. Water, ugh. If the play was going to involve splashing about in there, he'd rather stay where he was.

Penny was laughing as only a dog can laugh, mouth spread wide, tongue lolling, sides heaving. Freezing water and rain she could live without, but on a fine hot day like this, who could resist a dip? "Come on, Aztec!" she yelled back in the direction of the shore. "It's smashing, it is!"

Matrix turned to him. "The only champion I see here is me," he growled lightly. His brown eyes glittered with vanity.

In the meantime, Aztec bounded toward Penny. She splashed in the water, barking excitedly. Her foot was caught on something and she fell muzzle first into the pool. She raised herself up quickly, shaking her head.

Wings snuffed, keeping his hackles flat with all the willpower in his slender body. The pied whippet didn't like throwing around his own achievements - only a major away from his own Champion title - but if he was forced to he would. "Perhaps if you took your eyes off yourself you'd see more," he said finally, his eyes still on the two frolicking hounds. Aztec was nearing the edge of the pond now, and it looked like she was eager to join Penny in the depths.

"I look forward to competing with you for Best Hound in my next show."

He didn't know whether the Saluki had heard this last remark or not, because the next second Matrix was running toward the pond.

Matrix tensed and jumped up to his paws. "AZTEC GET OUT OF THE WATER!" he snarled loudly. This time, without taking her apparent ignorance, he ran at her. She was close enough to the edge that he could bite at her without getting in the water himself.

He snapped at her collar and grabbed it in his muzzle. He jerked her back roughly. Aztec yelped loudly, splashing water and pawing at Penny to get back.

Penny had wagged and crouched in the water as she saw Aztec come over the grass to join her, but her posture changed from delighted to quizzical to apprehensive as Matrix snatched his sister out of the way and snarled in the whippet's face.

Matrix threw her backwards and growled at Penny. "I don't need my sister becoming a dirty mutt like you!"

Penny drew herself up. She had never been referred to as such before, but she wasn't going to take such nonsense from a grey tangle of fur and legs.

"Just who do you think you're talking to then?" she barked back, the hint of a snarl in her voice. "I'm a Willoughby whippet, I am, and if you've been in the Hound rings long enough you'd know of my family. They certainly get around."

The whippet bitch punctuated this remark with a derisive snort. "So I've got a pedigree about as long as your nose and your fancy tail put together. Hardly accurate to say I'm a mutt then, is it? And dirty? Hmph, take a look at your own self!"

She had just finished her spiel when Wings appeared on the scene. He had seen the snarl, heard the shout, and feeling that Penny would need some help defending herself had rushed to her rescue. Apparently she wasn't going to be needing it just yet, but he stood by tensely, ready to intercede.

Aztec drew back, appalled at her brother's cruelness. He had seen him be nasty and snappish but never so harsh and cold.

"Leave her alone, Matrix," she growled lowly, standing up on shaky legs.

Matrix drew back. Never before in his life had he felt so insulted and so angry. He drew his lips back, snarling at the bitch. "I don't care to know my competition. Want to know why? BECAUSE THERE IS NO COMPETITION!" he snarled, his voice heavy with anger.

Aztec was shaking; her brother's attitude clearly striking her off guard and making her unsure of what to do. This was her brother against someone she had just met. But right now, she felt like taking sides with the newcomer, not a dog who had felt it his birth right to be number one and bring down dogs who did not meet his such high standards.

"And I for one am NOT dirty! Why I was in a show just this weekend, the only reason my coat seems to lack charm is because of being around dirty little beasts like you," he growled, lowering his head to meet Penny eye-to-eye.

But his sister caught it. She caught the lie he was snaking through his teeth. They hadn't been to a show in at least a month, due to the accident.

"Why, Matrix? Why must you lie like that? Because you can't come to terms with the real truth?" She looked at Penny apologetically. "I am so sorry for my brother's rudeness and plain ignorance. You are beautiful and deserving of every title given to you. He lives in a fantasy world where he is the champion every time."

When Wings showed up, she turned to him apologetically as well. I did not mean for my brother to be like this. I'm sorry he turned on your friend in such an unjust manner.

Matrix looked at his sister, stunned. A coil of betrayal sprung from his heart and into his eyes.

He turned away, refusing to meet their eyes. Aztec looked at her brother.

"I'm sorry, Matrix. But it's the truth. There won't be anymore shows for you. It's over. Our owners are dead and we're nothing but strays. Get that through your head!" she yelped helplessly.

Matrix turned on her, growling a warning. "I will NEVER be a stray," he snorted indignantly. He paced forward a few feet then sat down away from the three Hounds, back to them, nose raised in the air with such a stuck-up, snotty air about him.

Aztec looked at the two whippets then collapsed, feeling drained.

"You guys have no idea how sorry I am for his actions."

Wings relaxed considerably and wagged his tail, pleased that they had sorted things out. At least this Aztec was a rational sort of dog.

"That is perfectly fine, I don't think there's any harm done," he responded. And he meant it - Penny was a tough sort. "Thank you for your intervention."

Penny's tail wagged too - albeit somewhat stiffly - at her newfound friend. "I do appreciate the words, Aztec."

Her lips peeled back from her teeth once more, though, as she turned in the grey Saluki dog's direction. Her head was up, she was standing as tall as her height allowed and even though her white socks were slicked in mud her coat still shone. Wings sighed. Whether it was the lure or not, Penny was never one to let things go.

"I'll see you in the ring, then, Champion," she growled softly, deliberately. "We'll see who the best Hound is."

With that she turned, flipped her tail at him, frisked around Aztec once, and headed out after the ducks again. Matrix snarled at her, but the look in his sister's eyes caused him to back down. Anyway, he was in no shape to go about ruining his beautiful coat with blood and more unnecessary scratches.

Wings eyed the pond with distaste.

"I think I'll just go for a walk 'round the edge instead," he said finally, watching Penny splashing into deeper water. He eased himself to his feet. "Will you come, Aztec? Or would you rather join my packmate in the pond?"

Aztec looked at Wings. "A walk would be nice. I'd love to play but the mood for me has been abruptly killed."

With that she raised herself to her paws and began to slowly walk, nudging Wings with her muzzle gently. When she passed her brother, she didn't even throw him a look of reassurance or recognition. She just kept walking.

"About all of this. I don't know what got into him. Yeah, I've seen him bicker aimlessly with others but never get right into their face the way he just did. But I guess it has to be from our recent problems that he's became even more narcissistic. He needs self-reassurance that he still possesses the beauty he had in the show ring now that we are without a home."

She looked at the smaller dog and sighed in relief. It felt great to have someone to talk to again. Lately, her brother had refused to hear anything she said and had demanded to know what she thought of him, if she thought he still held that impeccable beauty that he believed now other dog could possibly possess or imagine.

Just for his sake and sanity alone, she had told him he was. But, now, as she looked back at him, she saw him for what he really was. A cowardly dog who hid behind trophies and ribbons and photos and a neurotic mind that fed him everything he wanted it to and filtered out the bad that would destroy his perfect world.

She knew he wouldn't have attacked Penny, that the Whippet could have taken him without much trouble.

Her eyes were clouded as she was lost in thought and she had stopped walking, looking around her but at nothing.

She looked back at Wings, the cloud of thought leaving her brown eyes.

As they walked, Wings shook his head slowly at the golden bitch's words.

"Why should he feel the need to depend on adulation to define himself? We are what we are, and that's all we can be."

He paused, then grinned slyly, almost to himself. "Besides, why do you think that we hounds come in a rainbow of colours, anyway? We were bred to hunt, and chase, and be swift. It is our pride. That is what the humans want to see in us, that we can do what we were meant to, that we can do more than just look beautiful."

Wings had always felt some kind of quiet pride in his ancestry, and he relished talking about it. His dam had told them every day as they were growing up about what it meant to be a sighthound, and he had never forgotten these words and the emotion that they inspired in him. The pied whippet cocked his head at the grey heap on the grass again and grunted. "I think you're more Hound than he is."

"I'd have to agree with you on that part. My brother was always meant to be a show dog. I've always wanted to run on desert sands and through oasises . I remember growing up he used to love to run like me but as the training become more and more extensive he lost sight of the joys he used to have. And now his only joy is the show ring, the lights, the...I guess victory from beating others. He was always told by others how gorgeous, how beautiful, how handsome he is and now that he's been cast out of that world, he needs himself to keep it going. To him, his beauty IS the only thing that defines who he is. Not his ability to run, his grace as a Hound. Part of me thinks he destroyed his natural instincts, another part of me thinks he denies these instincts to be ever present in his daily life. I've seen rabbits, squirrels, any animal run across his path and he recoils with disgust. I have to chase them but every time I tried to, he'd draw me back somehow, she babbled on, eyes dancing back toward her angry brother."

She sighed and shook her head to clear her mind.

Penny by this time had worked off her own frustrations and was splashing into the shallows towards them. She shook her sopping coat with cheerful vigour as Wings snuffed and stepped daintily out of the spray. The whippet bitch trained her large round eyes on her companions.

"Want to come for a swim? It's lovely!"

When the whippet bitch crossed over toward them, Aztec's ears perked forward. At the invite of swimming, the Saluki wagged her tail. I'd love to! She pranced toward the water and was about to jump in when something barreled into her. She fell to the ground in a yelp, brown eyes wide open. She looked up to the fangs of her brother.

"Aztec, we're leaving," he snarled at the bitch, looking back and shooting a nasty glare to the two whippets.

Aztec stood back on shaky paws and yelped again when her brother grabbed her collar and jerked her forward, shoving her roughly with his nose to get her walking. She looked at Penny and Wings with a look of lost helplessness.

As appalling as Wings had found Matrix's own personal beliefs, the grey Saluki was nevertheless showing at least some shred of caninity here. He was evidently the dominant partner in their own pack, and thus the pied whippet had no right to interfere in their matters. He could only stand there and look on, aghast, as the reluctant Aztec was dragged away.

Penny, however, would not stand for such nonsense. It might not be her pack's affair, but Aztec clearly did not want to leave just yet, and Penny had no patience with dominants that threw their own weight about, baring tooth here and grabbing neck there as if they owned the world. She had soon set such dogs straight in the past if they had tried any funny business with her. That look that the golden Saluki now shot her decided the matter. She trotted in front of Matrix and spun around to face him, blocking his way. She put her ears defiantly forward and glared up into his face, drawing herself up to her full eighteen-inches-at-the-withers.

"What d'you think you're doing?" she rapped out, her round dark eyes staring straight into his, daring him to move. "That's my friend. If she wants to play here she jolly well can!"

Matrix snarled at the whippet bitch, lips shrinking back to reveal ivory fangs. "Move, dog, before I'm forced to make you myself," he snarled angrily, tail raising behind him. He shoved her roughly with his nose, snapping threateningly at her throat.

Aztec watched on helplessly. She suddenly felt weak and useless. Her instinct of fight or flight had always been geared more toward flight. Only every now and then could she muster that fighting desire but when she did it only lasted a whisp of a minute before dancing out of her system that she would return back into her normal state.

"Please, Matrix, just leave her alone," she wailed helplessly, pawing at the ground before her. She had just wanted to play, not have a fight break out.

She stared at both of them, deciding what to do. She didn't want to see Matrix fight, though she knew he couldn't. But at the same time she didn't want to leave Penny just yet.

Wings put his own ears back and charged towards the two dogs. It had not been any of his business before, but that now Penny was being threatened it was, and he would stand by her.

"No, Aztec we leave now. I don't need you around such miscreants," Matrix growled, eyes never leaving the smaller bitch before him. His fangs were still bared at her and his eyes twinkled with a near-feral glint. It had felt like years since he'd felt like this.

Penny danced around the blows. She could tell he didn't mean them; there was no intent in his strikes. Just a big bully after all, then, all growl and no bite. She'd be able to take him on without much trouble at all. Baring her own teeth with a snarl, she prepared to leap at his throat for the dominance strike that would settle the matter.

But Aztec saw through it. If Penny so much as touched him in any threatening way, he would recede back into his egotistical mind and beg for mercy.

"Matrix no. I won't stand for it anymore. Penny is my friend. I want to play, dammit! Is that so hard to ask for?! Ever since you were put into shows, I haven't truly played. The last time I ever remembered playing was when we were pups. And now that I have that chance again, you're trying to snatch it away, like you always do when I'm not acting like a perfect little bitch. Here's a newsflash, dog, I'm not a show dog, will never BE a show dog...I can't be a show dog! Just can't! Sorry to burst your bubble about me but I am one of those 'dirty', 'lowly' dogs you look down at. But the way I see it, you're one of those dogs and we're the ones who are higher up than you. We are true dogs, you aren't. You crave the show ring so much it is your drug and you will never be rid of your addiction. I crave running but I don't let it control me. I know my boundaries; it's time you learned yours," she growled loudly at her brother. She was quivering now, going to stand next to the whippet and turning her fangs on her own sibling. Never before had she felt such anger toward him; but of course never had she had such a dog like Penny that she could consider a friend she found worth standing up for.

Matrix backed up, the feral glint leaving his eyes and was replaced by disbelief. His own sister? Turning on him? It didn't make any sense. He kept backing up, watching as Aztec kept her fangs bared at him, standing beside the smaller Hound. He yelped as he tripped and fell into the pond. Only a few seconds later, his head resurfaced and he stood up quickly, jumping out of the water, shaking his coat.

He looked back at his sister.

"LOOK AT ME! I'M NOTHING! I'M FILTHY! RUINED! A DISGRACE!" he shrieked and with that he promptly collapsed, panting for breath.

Aztec blinked and looked at Penny. "I think Matrix has finally lost it."

Penny just snorted in none-too-tactful amusement, but Wings simply strode over to the prone larger hound and stood over him, regarding him silently.

"Dirt will wash off," he said finally. "The dog you are inside is something that nobody can take away."

Aztec snorted at Wings comment, more out of amusement than anything. A snake of cold resentment was wrapping itself around her heart as she stared at the pitiful excuse of a Hound.

She poked Penny in the flank, nipping ever so delicately at the skin there. "C'mon, let's go continue where we left off," she barked happily, ignoring her brother's grief. He got like this and she had learned to just shrug it off. He'd get over it in a bit.

She bent down, rump in the air, front legs flat on the ground. She barked at the whippet, brown eyes glittering already with the desire to play.

Matrix glared up coldly, fangs bared once more.

"I am not a dog. I am a god among beasts like you. You and no one else could match up to my standards and my beauty," he growled vainly, eyes sparking with the inflation he had given himself.

He turned on the whippet, growling at him. "You are nothing but an ugly brute. You and that bitch. You are no champions. You are pity parties for the judges for they feel so damn sorry for your ugliness and knowing that there is no way for you to change. I earned my way to the top. You? I hardly doubt you even did. You don't deserve any title but that of a filthy, lowdown mutt!"

Penny had frisked off, barking, to Aztec's side, and she had heard nothing of this exchange. Wings glanced briefly at her, and it seemed obvious that she thought the grey dog finally beaten. She was leaping and twirling without a care in the world. The pied whippet wondered how anyone could think his companion ugly, particularly when she was like this.

He looked once more at Matrix, and though he made no move to contradict his statement or to attack him, his posture stayed steady and his gaze never left the other hound's. Wings had recently acquired his Champion title - and Penny herself was not far behind - but he decided not to mention this.

"We shall see, then," he murmured. "At the Mushroom Grove Show. You'll have a chance to prove yourself there, surely?"

Without waiting for a reply he turned away and cantered towards the two cavorting slender shapes. This time he would join in the fun.

Matrix muttered something under his breath and curled up, doing his best to ignore the three.

Aztec halted to a stop, panting and looked over at Wings. "WINGS, YOU HAVE COME TO JOIN US," she yapped excitedly, bounding over to the dog.

She ran circles around the dog, tail wagging furiously. She stopped behind him and barked before continuing her antics again.

Wings returned Aztec's playful barks and fake-snapped lightly at her face. Penny planted her forelegs on top of his withers, chewing his ear and snarling in mock-ferocity, and he whirled around, attacking her, both of them chewing and clawing at each other's faces and necks.

It was all just in fun, though, although the bared teeth and pinned-back ears might have said otherwise to anyone who had never owned two whippets. Finally the match was decided by Wings bowling Penny over and pinning her to the ground by the neck. She growled in his face, mouthing off at him, but made no real struggle to get up.

"Ahhh, geroff me, you spotty bugger. I'll get you next time, you wait!"

Satisfied, Wings stepped back, snuffing one of her ears gently before he turned to Aztec again.

"Earlier, Wings, you had mentioned a show. What was that all about?"

She cocked her head, brown eyes filled with questions that pawed at answers yet untold.

Matrix perked at the word show but slowly he sank back into the grass. He snorted, his breath causing the immediate grass blades to shift.

On the other hand, his sister sat down and acted like a puppy being told a story.

"Oh, the Mushroom Grove Town Dog Show," Wings responded. "It's something that's starting up, I believe. I've heard lots of dogs talking about it and I'd quite like to compete. Have to see what the human thinks, though."

"A dog show here, eh? I know who'd love that," she replied, rolling her brown eyes over to Matrix before bringing them back to Wings. "I'm used to being on the sidelines of a dog show, not much of being in one. I don't have the right training and besides, I'd choose the sideline to the ring any day." She laughed lightly, winking at the whippet.

"You know, I wouldn't mind cheering you two on. I'd love to see you guys both win! You guys deserve it more than anything!" she barked happily, tail wagging again, nuzzling up against Wings and then Penny.

She looked back at her brother and sighed. "I just wish he would have the same optimistic mood. That he doesn't need to win to still be number one." She looked back at them again. "Well no matter what, I'll be rooting for your guys' victory!"

She grinned again but in her eyes there was sadness. Oh for a long while now she had wished and dreamed of the companionship she saw between Penny and Wings; how she wished her brother and her could have that. But all he thought about was himself, rarely stopping to see if she was happy at all.

She licked her lips and nuzzled them again. "Thanks."

Wings smiled, his tail waving, and Penny grinned, even showing some tooth.

"Well, we can't both win. Only one of us'll get to Best in Group, if that. But we'll just see!" She pounced on him again, but this time Wings just shook her off. He didn't always feel like indulging her rambunctiousness, and when he got really fed up he always let her know about it, so she no longer tried - though she made a great show of not caring either way.

Realising swimming on a hot day was the one thing she enjoyed that her packmate did not, Penny flounced back into the pond again, deliberately splashing some water his way. Wings stepped away from the pool with a growl of annoyance, and Penny laughed aloud, her good mood restored completely.

"Now then, Aztec, will you join me?"

The Saluki laughed heartily. "Well yeah I know that!" she piped up cheerfully. "But either way, I'll still be the sideline encourager."

She looked over at the whippet and growled in mock anger, tail wagging. The hot sun beat down on her back and she too shared Penny's thoughts at the great idea of a swim. She barked triumphantly and splashed into the pond, hearing a growl from her brother.

This time, though, she ignored it. Matrix knew he was beaten, she was sure of that. It was three dogs against him; one even being his own sister.

He looked over at her, watching her splash into the pond, flinging water at the whippet bitch.

He sighed and stood up, shaking his coat. Maybe this playing thing wasn't such a bad idea. Aztec had made a point; when they were both pups they used to play constantly. Until show training took over his life.

With a loud bark, he sprinted at the pool and dove headfirst into it, surfacing seconds later, his nose and eyes just above the water as he crouched in the coolness. Oh how that felt so good compared to sitting in the heat of the sun.

He looked at the two females from half-lidded eyes. The look he got in return from Aztec was of utter confusion and disbelief.

He only grinned under the water and sat the way he was.

Finally, finally Aztec was in the water! Ignoring Wings's look of distaste, Penny splashed her way into deeper water, barking for her new friend to follow. The ducks gave her a wide berth, congregating around the other side of the pond and yakking to each other.

Penny had just gone out of her depth and started with true swimming when there was a distant bark followed by another splash behind her. Turning herself around, she saw him - Matrix! - in the water, lying just below the surface, the top of his skull protruding like a crocodile's. The whippet spluttered with laughter, unable to help herself.

"Oh, y' do look a sight," she howled as she paddled back to shallow water again and danced up to him and his sister.

"Least you're having fun now, though. Aren't you?"

Wings lay down on the bank and peered interestedly at the group of dogs in the pond. This was starting to get interesting.

Matrix mumbled something incomprehensible to her, bubbles rising and popping to the surface.

Aztec laughed with the Hound. It had been years since she'd seen him so content.

He growled lightly at Penny and moved away from her, lifting his head above the water, ears hanging, heavy with water.

"Mine," he growled possessively of the area he sat in. Aztec only laughed louder.

"I've seen you possessive of the show ring...not of a pile of mud and water," she giggled, standing next to Penny in the shallows.

"Murf, this water and mud is keeping me cool," he growled, sticking his tongue out. Aztec yipped happily, looking at Penny then back to her brother. FINALLY! He seemed to be going back to his old self, before the training and shows and the Hell she felt she had been in.

"This is the Matrix I wanted you to meet," she yapped at Penny. "The Matrix I knew when growing up."

Matrix splashed in the water, flinging up mud and showing dirty paws. Things so uncharacteristic of his usual nature. Aztec was a bit baffled but she couldn't hide the happiness in her eyes.

The grey Hound saw the ducks and his water-heavy ears moved forward slowly.

"First to the ducks...well...who cares...FIRST TO THE DUCKS!" he barked loudly, lunging himself toward the water fowl.

Aztec barked just as loudly and, brushing her tail across Penny's chest to urge her on, she followed after her brother.

Penny was never one to be outdone, and she splashed urgently after the two Salukis, barking fit to burst.

She really was a loud one, Wings thought, from his vantage point on the grass, watching them all. The Salukis were longer in the leg and naturally had the advantage; Penny was now out of her depth. But the whippet was showing no sign of flagging and paddled gamely beside her tall companions with all speed.

Penny had had to stop yelling now that she was swimming, or else water would swish into her open mouth. They were heading like three arrows right for the flock, which scattered in panic once again. Some of them burst onto the grass, intent on staying out of the water until the dogs were done, but the more featherbrained ones simply circled around, back to the other side of the pond.

Aztec splashed after the land-ground fowl and nipped at them too short, watching them flap into the air and quack loudly. She laughed, chasing her tail before diving back into the water, trying to bowl the Whippet over with her wave.

Matrix paddled back to the shallows and then plopped down so his head was on the bank. He closed his eyes lazily, suddenly feeling a wave of tiredness. One ear flicked back to hear his sister jump into the water.

One eye opened and he looked at Wings. About my earlier attitude. I'm sorry. But Aztec is right. I doubt we'll be at the show. We don't have much of a choice. Without an owner, who is going to get us ready...well me since Aztec refuses to show? Ah, it doesn't matter. One of you would win without question.

Underneath the water, his tail swished lazily as he closed both eyes again, feeling close to sleep.

Wings cocked an ear at the sleek grey head resting on the bank before him, the fine fur plastered to his skull.

"Well..." he began, thinking of something he could say , but he got no further than that before Penny returned, ears inquisitively perked, eyes wide.

"Why, it's really quite simple," she declared, sitting herself down beside Matrix. "You'll just have to get another human, won't you?"

With that she gave herself an exuberant shake and charged back towards Aztec in the deeper water. Wings snuffed.

"I know it's not that easy, but surely it's worth a try? There's plenty of dog people that live here, there has to be one that will recognise the quality in you."

Aztec was listening and a spark of sadness coursed through her at the thought of her human owners. They may have wanted her to be a show dog and weren't happy when she wasn't, but they still cared about her. A lot. And she knew it. When Matrix had refused to the proposal of sleeping in their master's bed, Aztec jumped at it. Many times had she curled up, snuggled between the two, head rested on one pillow. They had been everything she had known since being a pup and had been given a special place in her dog heart. The thought of getting a new owner who would want her to have that same bond tore a cut deep inside her and a bitter lump formed in her throat.

"We could and you're right. We have the show beauty but it's more if we want to go to the show," she replied bitterly, eyes turning steely. All the two Hounds were doing was trying to help her and her brother and she was being bitter about it. They gave suggestions and her mind suddenly shunned the very thoughts.

Matrix turned his head and looked at his sister, confused. He had wanted to go to that show, to feel proud once again and graceful as he once had. And she was trying to shove that dream away, trying to deem them as eternal strays.

"Aztec, we need owners. We're not fit to be stray dogs; that type of life isn't how we were raised. And I want...no NEED to be in this show, sister. We need humans to do that. Please don't do this to me," he nearly whimpered, looking nervously between Wings, Penny, and Aztec.

Aztec climbed out of the water, shaking her fur. "Matrix you might not have cared about our human masters, but I did. All you've ever cared about is yourself. Not me. Not them. And not even these two dogs who are trying to help us. I know they want to help us, want us to find homes so we can see each other in the show ring. And I want to accept their help but there will never be the same type of bond I had with our masters. Not with another human."

As soon as she said it, something hit Aztec mentally. And Matrix saw it, climbing out of the water and standing next to Wings.

"Aztec, you don't need to try and make that same special bond. You can make a new one. You'll always have loved our masters but you can love another one and have your own special bond with them," he told her gently. It didn't even seem to faze him when she snapped at his habits of his caring of others.

He turned his brown eyes toward Wings. "Wings, do you think you can help us find a human master? You seem to know this area better than us and we could use some help." He was coming off as docile as possible, hoping that the Hound would help him and his sister out. Matrix knew they needed the help bad.

Wings sat, his dark eyes thoughtful, as he considered. Were there any humans about he knew of that would be willing to take on the two Salukis? Beth didn't know too many of the neighbours. He knew, of course, from sniffing around the surrounding area, which families had dogs and which didn't, but at the same time it wasn't certain whether or not any of them would be willing to take on two dogs - and two rather large ones at that.

He was running a list of the people he knew of through his head when Penny's voice broke into his thoughts.

"That's simply enough answered too."

The copper-coloured whippet, her whip of a tail waving and carried high, regarded both Salukis with conviction.

"You're going to have to come home with us, aren't you? Join our pack." Her face broke into a merry smile.

Wings turned to her, startled. "They... what?"

"Oh come on, Wingsie. Our Beth took home that pup and that kitten what needed homes, didn't she? You told me yourself. Surely she wouldn't say no to a pair of fine specimens of the breed such as these, now would she?"

[was never really resolved. but I love it anyway. <3]