oceans of tears and gales of laughter

[OOC: more whippetyplotty things going down at the old mushroom grove. :O
Hollywood (at least in this form) and Memo written by and © to BlueFlyer, Penny and Wings written by and © Shelley "Swift Whippet" L.]

The day was the warmest yet. Penny's jaws were parted, her tongue lolling, not her usual open mouthed canine grin but an uncomfortable grimace that showed only too clearly how much discomfort she felt. Over the past months she had begun to suspect what had happened to her, and now that she knew it to be so, she was terrified. Surely she was too young for this. Her body felt huge and uncomfortably bloated, and it had been swelling more and more by the day. She felt helpless, like a ripe fruit or an overfed rat.

Not that Wings hadn't helped. He had taken pains to be kind and gentle to her, and lately he had been hunting for her as well now that she wasn't as fast as she was. She had appreciated it very much, though it annoyed her a great deal that she couldn't run as fast and as far as she had before. The other dogs, too, had been sympathetic in their own ways, though Penny could have sworn she detected some degree of coldness from Hollywood. But she was too worried to care about that right now.

Now, here she was, lying in the shelter of their den, in her own corner that she had lately been preparing, scratching around in the now-soft earth to make a small hollow for herself. That alone was telling her that her time was near. The pups were moving inside her; she could feel them as they shifted, and was it just her imagination or had their movements become more and more vigorous over the past few days? Penny didn't know anymore. She curled herself around her bloated belly, feeling uncertain and rather scared.

( and i will shine on, for everyone )

[Memo and Hollywood played by and © Blueflyer.]

She had started acting strange about a week ago.

All that time she had been somewhat more playful with him than she had been in a long time, and he had responded in kind. But all he had to do was tread one hair wrong and she'd start growsing at him to go away, and he would promptly -- albeit bewilderedly -- obey. Sometimes she'd even chase him a few steps, her teeth flashing -- just the other day she had caught him on the neck, and it still smarted, since he could never quite get at it properly with his tongue. Honestly, he had no words to explain this new development in her behaviour.

What was even more strange was how he wanted to be around her all the time now, for all her fickleness.

He had had even less luck explaining that, beyond the idea that something in her was calling to something in him. But she would never have any of it, so really how true could that be? And yet, the compulsion remained. Not only that, but she had been demanding more and more space with each passing day. First the corner, then half the space, and today he had just been forcibly ejected from the sheltered hollow behind a rocky bluff that had been their home for some time already.

He had retired to this place where the air was sweet and it was relatively warm, and had just lain in the grass to ponder. Failing to come up with any kind of explanation for this, he let his thoughts drift as he used to do. The winter had just been one long drawn-out neither-day-nor-night of running and hunting and eating and sheltering, and he had no time at all to simply think. Having that time, now, was somewhat refreshing.

Wings? Was that his name, was that who he was? It seemed so strange and foreign to him now, in this place where nobody seemed to need names at all. He knew his companions' voices, he knew their scents, he could tell who they each were at a distance just by their silhouettes and the way that they moved, friend or stranger. He knew the way that they hunted together, knew their techniques and their strengths and their weaknesses, knew how they could all work together to get what everybody wanted in this time and place: food. He knew that they each knew him the same way. And that was enough.

Penny. Hollywood. Memo. It all seemed like part of a distant world, like something he had been once, but was no longer. That world, whatever it may have been, was gone. She, his fiery red She, was the only thread of his old life that had not frayed and disappeared behind him. Now there was only cold and hunger baying at them from all sides, and all they could do was to keep on running as fast as they could go.

The seal and white whippet raised his sleek head from his paws to gaze about him. Yes. Now, this was all there was, and moments like this were all that he had of his own.

( the most she will do is throw shadows at you but she's always a woman to me )

[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!"

( don't it make you wanna get some sun? )

[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.

( come not between the dragon and his wrath )

[RP between Brynn's Ricochet and my Sirocco.]

Sirocco lifted his nose to drink in the warm breeze, and his eyes closed as he sighed with considerable satisfaction. It was another beautiful summer's day, and he was here in the pasture again with his flock, and Ricochet.

Normally he took this opportunity for a well-deserved nap. The big dog had become practically nocturnal, spending his nights patrolling the borders of the flock's pen, making sure that there were no intruders. There had been no hide nor hair of any for a long time now, but one could never be too careful. He was always on the watch, and even when he slept he always had one ear open. He was lying on the grass now, quite restful.

But these days he was kept on his toes by the spring lambs, growing larger and more rambunctious by the day. It took the concerted efforts of the group of farmhands and the two dogs to keep them all together. Sirocco huffed softly to himself as he surveyed the woolly throng as they milled and grazed. Belle, the lead ewe, was on guard as always, and the lambs were darting here and there, playing and pawing and bleating merrily at each other. The farmhands were sitting beneath a tree, in the shade.

And Ricochet...

Sirocco turned his head around, trying to catch sight of the collie.

( i shall not be in want )

[RP with Mitia's Peaches and Gazzi's three characters. Dusty's parts written by myself.]

"There you are, boy. How do you like it?"

Golddust stood on the grass of the park, now dry from autumn, peering curiously at his new surroundings. His ears were perked straight up, his eyes were wide and his nostrils flared as he took in the new smells, sights and sounds. Slowly, his tail began to wag, and then to pick up speed. This place was interesting -- in a good way, too. They had moved to this new place only a few days ago, and thus far he had enjoyed it. Their previous home had smelled strange and not particularly pleasant, and though he hadn't really been unhappy in their smaller rooms he had to admit that having lots more space, and plenty more rooms in which to go exploring, was rather nice. Now Johnny had taken him on a walk through the new place, and they had come here. He had never seen or smelt anywhere quite like it.

Johnny had knelt down beside his dog, and was scratching him behind the ears, noting with pleasure how interested and excited the whippet looked. He unclipped the leash from the dog's martingale collar and gave him a gentle push, encouraging him to go explore.

First taking a minute to nuzzle happily at his master's hand, Golddust began to trot about, stopping here and there to sniff at the base of a tree or a patch of grass that held some remnant of scent that could be of interest to him. He paused to cock his leg against one bush. Dogs evidently came here often, and he could hear some mirthful barking now. His tail wagged faster. He knew what could come of overexerting himself -- he had found out rather painfully the hard way -- but he did so enjoy a good run as much as any other dog of his breed, never mind that he carried twice an ordinary whippet's weight on his slim frame.

Even more excited at the prospect of making a new friend, the bully whippet made his way towards the sounds of dogs playing, his tail now waving high above his back.

( zippedy-doo-dah, zippedy-ay, my oh my, what a wonderful day )

[MG RP. Memo and Hollywood's parts written by Blueflyer.]

He had been here before; perhaps that had been the reason why his feet had led him here unerringly through the night. He had not known entirely where he was going, but he only knew that they had to leave that horrible place with its horrible beast. Anywhere would be better. They needed a sheltered place where they might rest, and curl up together for warmth, and where he might find such a place he did not know, but he had set off walking to where his legs might carry him, and he had found for them both a shallow, scooped-out hollow between the roots of a tall tree just big enough for both of them to huddle together inside. Things always seemed different in the dark, though the pale face of the moon seemed to him more sinister than it had before due to what had transpired in the night. It was almost as if the damn thing were laughing at their misfortune.

And yet, as the morning rose upon the field of tall grasses with their light dusting of frost, he felt that strange familiarity settle over him as he regarded it, and all of a sudden he realised why his own instincts had taken him here. He remembered the sighting, the spring of the soft earth beneath his paws. The chase, the bones crunching in his jaws and the taste of blood. He remembered his instructor in the hunt, the tall, wise, kind, red and white courser of the noble profile and the fine upstanding ears, swift of foot and of jaw, and more wily than any rabbit. Penny would have liked him.

The copper-coloured bitch stirred beside him, and he nosed softly at her dark-tinged ear. His companion opened her narrow jaws wide in a delicate yawn before shaking her head blearily. "Whass 'appenin'?"

"Come now. We must go and get food."

Penny's eyes were still very large and dark, and she trembled slightly for whatever reason she could not quite remember, but she stood up beside him and together they shook out their sore muscles, preparing to trot off into the grass in search of an unlucky rabbit.

( it's yet to be determined, but the air is thick and my hope is feeling worn )

Sirocco's eyelids cracked open, and one of his ears flicked backwards. He had not been here long at all but already it was starting to feel comfortable. The sheep had warmed to him, and his new human clan had thus far treated him kindly. Truth be told they had not been able to believe their luck at having first one, and then another flock-dog appear practically on their doorstep one after the other, and both trained, to cap it all. Just that day Sirocco had proven a great help to the human shepherds - he had noticed that special care was being taken of a pair of ewes that smelled due to lamb any time now, and taken care to stick by them likewise. He could sense with the innate sensitivity of his kind that the humans had seen his actions and were pleased with him. The big dog felt more happy and at ease than he had in a long time as he dozed off - with one ear open.

Now he had heard something, and all of his senses were slowly awakening as he realised it was not just his imagination. Sniffing the two ewes over quickly to make sure that they were fine, Sirocco got to his feet and trotted to the very edge of the pen, making his mark there as a warning sign to any intruders. Growling softly, deep in his throat, he began to move quietly towards what he had heard.

As he got closer, he recognised the form of Ricochet in the darkness, speaking to a strange dog, a dog as dark as the night itself. Sirocco felt the fur along his back prickle with some apprehension, but he could tell from Ricochet's posture and carriage that this was somebody that she knew and obviously trusted. Sirocco caught a whiff of the dark stranger's scent, and recognised it. When he had first arrived on the farm, there had been lingering traces of that scent. Could this be the 'other dog' that Ricochet had mentioned earlier, the one that had been there and then left? At any rate, Sirocco didn't think he meant any harm, but he had best be on guard just in case. Casting a swift glance behind him just to double-check that his precious flock was untouched, Sirocco quickened his pace just slightly as he approached the pair, reserve and caution in every line of his body.

( while she looks so sad and lonely there i absolutely love her when she smiles )

[OOC: Second chapter in the Loosestrife/Juniper backstory. Juniper's parts played by Opalskye, and Loosestrife's by myself.
Juniper, hyksis, Ryvarda and all related elements © Opalskye.]

Loosestrife awoke as the sun rose higher, casting its golden light over all the world, and a few intrusive rays shafted into his face. He blinked, yawning, and noticed the dead fish lying beside him. His ears came forward and he nosed the cold slippery thing, knowing who had brought it for him, and a strange warmth and gratefulness suffused him at the thought of the grey dal who had become the mother he had never truly had. She didn't seem to be around at the present moment, but she had obviously thought to get him some breakfast. Pulling the fish apart with his strong foreclaws, he began to eat.

The young buck had grown and filled out since their first meeting, as Juniper had made sure he was kept well-fed. Deprived of good nutrition in his early life, he was now greedily lapping up the nourishment and attention he had been starved of. His antlers had continued to grow steadily and were now of a size comparable to most other bucks his age, and he was now much healthier and stronger. It showed in his attitude, too, and he now moved with much more grace and confidence than the stammering, stumbling awkward adolescent he had once been. Loosestrife laughed to himself, sometimes, thinking of that time. How long ago it all was and how good life seemed now! He had found both mother and father in this dal Juniper, fierceness and gentleness rolled into one.

Finishing up all of the fish except the head and tail, which he shoved under some stones to keep for later, Loosestrife got to his feet and stretched his long body out as far as it would stretch. Juniper had taught him how to fish, and although he wasn't as good at it as she was he had developed a taste for the creatures -- particularly the koit, which she knew was his favourite. The diet of fish-meat had kept his body strong and supple, and set his tan coat with its bold dark stripes to gleaming in the morning sunlight. Shaking himself, Loosestrife made his way out of the den to see if he could find Juniper.

( nothing you say today is gonna bring me down )

[OOC: Cobra's parts written by Kas, Regan's by myself. Regan's still a skank.]

It was early evening, and the air was chilly. The sky was just beginning to turn from pink to blue as the last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon. Regan snuffed and pawed at the earth idly as she lay in the fields, her slender red and gold shape flattening out the tall grass.

She had left Solo early one morning. She held nothing against the big shaggy dog; all her memories of her time with him were pleasant ones. But her interest in him had waned as Regan's interest was wont to do, and not being one for long goodbyes she had slipped away from him quietly, and crossed the river so as to break her scent. It had now been a day or two since then, and she had made her way to this place, this fine large field that she had taken notice of earlier on her travels. There was little sign of either human or dog, and much food. She had caught and eaten a couple of rabbits earlier on that day, and now she lay on her sated belly gazing impassively out into the distance at the growing dusk, and wondering what she would do next.

Something new and interesting, she hoped.

( so precious, suspicious, and charming, and vicious )

[OOC: Sanura and Barron's parts written by Whisper, Cari's by myself.]

She had taken to staying longer and longer periods away from home - sometimes through the whole of the night - though she still hadn't learned how to properly catch wild prey for herself. She had managed to snare the odd mouse on her prowlings, but her pounces were so rushed and sloppy that it was by sheer luck that she ever managed to catch anything. She wasn't a bad fisher at all, though, having taken Orca's single lesson to heart. But it didn't matter, and she hunted more for the fun of it that anything else. Home was for her where her real food was provided, and where her real family was.

Just that afternoon Cari had made her way to the Mushroom Groves and curled up in a tree, purring gleefully as she gazed out upon the enchanted sunlit glade below her. The young queen was by now more than a year old, but she had not left her playful behaviours behind in the slightest. It was just so much fun to dance through the twilight or leap through a clump of grass or - most fun of all - splash into a pool of water. With her kittenish proportions lengthening into sleekness, Cari was thought a beautiful statuette of a cat... until she sprang into action.

Eventually, though, admiring the scenery, she had dozed off on her branch, and now she woke with a start to find that night had crept up upon her. Casting her gaze once more around the groves, she caught sight of a pair of glowing eyes below her. Another cat!

With a delighted mew of greeting, Cari sprang off her branch and landed with an exuberant rustle in the underbrush, all too eager to meet this stranger.

( and the world spins for you and your positivity )

[OOC: Regan has a fling, the skank. :P as yet unfinished. Solo's parts played by Ruuki on MG.]

The rain was beginning to pick up as Regan approached the stretch of wood that led to the sea. Normally she would not have strayed so close to human habitation, but in this weather, at night, there would be no humans about, and it would be possible that she might find and steal some tidbit that they had so carelessly dropped. They were always dropping perfectly good food and then leaving it for anyone to pick up. The bitch smiled in satisfaction at the thought. Humans. What foolish creatures they were!

There was nobody here, all right, and the setter-hound set about to sniffing here and there with her keen nose, seeking any interesting thing that she could possibly unearth, rain or no rain. Her ears rose slightly as she came upon the fresh scent of another dog - a male, too, at that. Very interesting.

As she put her head up again, she caught sight of a shaggy figure through the rain, sitting on the docks. Well, why not? There were no humans here anyway, and Regan was feeling particularly... friendly. Her fringed tail swaying alluringly, she made her way towards him.

( did you come here to dance what's in your glass do you feel better? )

[OOC: Everyone who hates Loosestrife after reading about him - or RPing with him - needs to read this one. I need to illustrate this and then make it into a new icon for him. He is the way he is for a reason.
Juniper's parts written by OpalSkye; Loosestrife's by myself. Juniper, the Hyksi and Fearaki species, Ryvarda, and all related elements are the intellectual and creative property of OpalSkye.]

The sky was growing blue with night as the young Hyksi buck stumbled blindly away from his herd, his long gangly legs carrying him quickly but awkwardly down the heathered slope.

He was fair-sized but rather scrawny from adolescence, tan and cream with a patterning of bold dark stripes down his back; the stubs of antlers upon his head were the reason why he was hurrying away. His High Buck, his sire, had seen the horns coming, and had driven him off without much ceremony. His half-brother, a full Spring older than he and with a fine head of antlers of his own, had helped with obvious relish.

Not that he was leaving very much behind. His dam was long dead and quite unremembered; he had never known her. The other dals of the herd had duly taken over the tasks of nursing him and watching him, but all were busy with their own kyfaws and had not much time for actual mothering. The other kyfaws, in their turn, had lost no time in exerting their dominance over him, kicking him, nipping at him and butting him with their hard little heads. He had spent most of his time wandering uncertainly about by himself, sometimes tailing the small cluster of kyfaws as they leapt and played and went about their games. The fact that he was the smallest, even among the baby dals, did not help matters.

The herd, apparently by common consensus, had called him Loosestrife. Like the ubiquitous plants, he was everywhere, it seemed - no matter where one happened to be standing the little striped kyfaw would wander into one's field of vision, and he was always underfoot. Nobody really wanted him around, either. The dals might allow him to nurse before gently but firmly pushing him away to make room for their own youngster, unless the kyfaw itself did the job for her. The Trium, used to inquisitive kyfaws tailing them at times, were somewhat more tolerant of his presence, and the young kyfaw's large eyes dwelt often on their magnificent branching claw-like antlers, their thick manes of fur and their sheer size. Most of all, he watched the High Buck, the eldest and largest of the three, who commandeered the herd capably but forcefully. Every time the herd was made to move, the kyfaw Loosestrife would watch transfixed as the huge buck trotted purposefully among the dals, administering nips here and antler-jabs there to a passing rump or flank to keep them moving. Come Clashtide, the bucks rose to defend their herd against marauders, and the sight of them rearing, fangs bared, to lock antlers with a passing rogue, was something that burned its way into his impressionable young memory.

What he wanted most was to be like them. Strong, and unafraid. Invincible.

( the rain'll be gone in the morning, but i'll still be here )

[OOC: Lure coursing RP thread I have going with Penny and Payna's Marzipan because I really liked it. edited slightly for the sake of narrative. Marz's parts written by her, Pen's by myself.]

Penny was antsy. The tension and excitement of the dogs around her was positively palpable, and she was all too infected with it. Her small ears, flat and laid back when she was in the show ring, stood up as high as she would go, and her round dark eyes darted about. Her nose twitched, but she was questing with her eyes first and foremost, and her fellows with her, from the largest and shaggiest Wolfhound to the daintiest Italian - united in their desire to be off in the pursuit of game. All of them knew what they were in for, and none of them could wait.

The copper-coloured whippet's lean frame tensed and trembled as she saw a trio of Salukis being led out to the field in their coloured blankets, and she made another attempt to clear the wire fence of her prison. Beth's arms caught her in mid-air and set her firmly back onto the ground.

"Now, you behave yourself, young lady. It'll be your turn soon enough."

Soon enough was never soon enough. Penny heard her mistress's voice but hardly listened, her slender head up and pressed against the wire, her keen eyes never leaving the dogs and their handlers. In a short while would come the cry of tally-ho and the off, and she yowled in anticipatory frustration.

Why wasn't she out there to run with them? It wasn't fair.

( two hundred degrees, that's why they call me mr. fahrenheit )

[old RP stuff uploaded because I'm shamefully stalling on the Muffy front. x.x;; edited slightly for the sake of narrative. Ricochet's parts written by Brynn.]

Sirocco pointed his blunt white muzzle in the air and breathed deeply. That scent on the breeze... yes, he knew it. It made his chest fill up and ache pleasantly - washing away all the restlessness and anxiety that his wanderings brought on. It smelt of home. Slightly different, yes... but there was the sheep-smell, the flock-smell. The smell of hay. All smells that he knew, very well.

There was the smell of another dog, too, much like Pepper and Sandy, the dogs who had shown him around the farm, and how to be around the flock. The memory of his blood-father already distant and fading, the collie duo remained the only dogs that Sirocco would have conceded dominance to if he ever saw them again. Not for the first time, he wondered how they all were doing.

He was trotting now, following the scent, panting slightly in his eagerness. He knew from experience that he'd probably just get warned off the property like just another wolf or coyote... or stray dog, for that matter. Just as, perhaps, once upon a time, he would have warned off any suspicious figure lurking around his flock. But perhaps, this time, he could show that he meant no harm, that all he wished for was a flock to protect and to keep. Only then would he feel truly complete.

At any rate, he felt himself as always irresistably drawn to the familiarity of that smell. The big white dog moved swiftly onwards, towards the farmhouse and the flock.

( it's a new day, it's a new plan, and i've been waiting for you... here i am )

[Long-time-ago Mushroom Grove RP between Kas and myself. I heart the NellxCom romance. what can I say. :3 Commodore's parts are written by her; Nell's by myself. :)]

Nellie lay stretched out on her felt blanket, her eyelids flickering as she drifted in and out of fitful sleep. Times like these were the worst. The children weren't here, the Master wasn't here, and Mistress was busy about the house - she always firmly but kindly pushed Nellie out of the way despite the Pomeranian's friendly overtures, and when she was done, the whole place would smell of sharp, odd fragrances that pricked Nellie's nose uncomfortably. It was times like these that Nellie retired to her dog bed to lie and think. Mostly she thought about having dinner, or how she wished there was grass that she could run about on, or how much she loved her family and couldn't wait for them to all be reunited again. But nowadays she found her thoughts drifting of their own accord towards her dear friend, Commodore.

It was true they had only met twice, but each time had felt like something momentous and terribly important. She thought she had caught sight of him once, a flash of white, as they had been driving along the streets in their car, but by the time she reached the window, eagerly scanning the pavement for him, the dog that might have been him was long gone. Nellie already felt very close and comfortable with the spaniel cross, and her mind dwelt upon his soft, expressive eyes, his welcome scent, his deep, kindly bark and the gentle jaws that had pulled her out of the hole in the ice that last time they had met. Her own jaws parted in a smile, and she wondered absently when she would see him again, if ever. She hoped it would be soon.

There was a click followed by a loud whirr from the next room, and Nellie's sensitive ears flattened against her head apprehensively. That dratted machine again! At first she had thought it was some kind of monster that was attacking Mistress, and she had attempted to frighten it away but she was shooed off and unceremoniously imprisoned in the kitchen. Since then Nellie had learnt that the machine was welcome in the home, though she could never figure out why, and whenever it appeared she simply avoided it by leaving through her own little door into the backyard. This she now did, and lying in the sunlight on the tiled path that weaved its way through the flowerbeds, she again began to think of Commodore. Absently she looked through the iron bars of the fence that bordered the little garden, almost as if she hoped to see him come ambling past, smiling at her.

( it's a nice day if you wake up in disneyland )

[I heart the NellxCom romance. what can I say. :3 Commodore's parts written by Kas; Geraldo's parts written by Whisper.]

Nellie leapt out of the car the minute the door was opened. She turned, wagging her tail, waiting for her family to come out, then followed them, gambolling over the ground. Spring had not yet come, but that was never a barrier to the family's trips to the park, and Nellie was ever enthusiastic.

There was a light layer of snow on the ground, and the air was very chilly, but Nellie's thick spitz-coat kept her well-insulated against the elements. She yapped and play-bowed and rolled in the stuff as the children laughed and dashed in circles around her. She ended it by tackling the eldest, who caught her, lost her balance and sat down in the snow. The other two crowded around them, petting Nellie with their mittened hands, brushing the dusting of icing-sugar-white off her back.

What fun it was, being out here in the winter's chill! Nellie's breath misted into the air as she lay, enjoying their fussing. She remembered the last time they had come, back when the weather was still fairly warm and the grass fairly green. That had been when she had met Commodore...

She still remembered Commodore. She had not seen him since that last time, since they had played together in the park. Considering how many dogs she had made the acquaintance of and played with in this park, it was strange how Commodore and the memory of that meeting remained blazed into the back of her mind, like... master and mistress, or her children. Or cookies, or snug warm evenings in front of the warm-heaty place. Commodore had been somehow profoundly different. She wondered wistfully if she'd ever see the big dog again.

( all you gotta do is hold him and kiss him and love him and show him that you care )

[I heart the NellxCom romance. what can I say. :3 Commodore's parts written by Kas.]

Nellie snuffled in the grass, pawing gingerly at the earth. Satisfied that no other dog had yet visited her spot, she scuffed at the area with her hindpaws before strolling on. The pale winter sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon, casting a golden light over everything with its slanting rays. There was a slight chill picking up now, but Nellie shook herself, fluffing out her thick coat. She wouldn't get cold.

She cast a quick glance behind her to check that her family was still there. The kids had tired themselves out and were sitting in the grass, laughing between gasps and taking swigs of water from the flask their mother had brought. They made a pretty picture, Nellie thought, her heart warming at the sight and scent of her special people.

Suddenly her ears perked slightly as a brown-and-white dog rounded one of the shrubs and came into view. A large spaniel-cross of some kind, she could tell. He seemed the pleasant sort, and Nellie was in a particularly good mood, so she trotted towards him, wagging her fluffy tail.

"Good afternoon, sir! Isn't it a lovely day?"

( i wanna go and bounce the moon just like a toy balloon )

[OOC: more Hyksi RP goodness (I need to get to my other characters soon =_=;;). Dandelion and Meadowsweet belong to Whiskerwing, and their parts written by her; Alder is mine and his parts written by me. Hyksis, Ryvarda and all related elements are the intellectual property of Opalskye. Please visit Ryvarda on dA for more info on the Hyksis and the Fearaki.]

The sun was already peeking cheerfully through the leaves above him when Alder woke. Stiffly and slowly, the young buck eased himself to his feet, stretching out his long sinuous body, and shook the film of dew off his coat. Almost mechanically he began to shuffle over to where he knew there was a small stream and stopped by the bank, dipping his muzzle into it. The coolness of the liquid gave him new energy, putting paid to the last of his morning drowsiness, and he threw his head up, spattering droplets over his back, before plunging his whole face into the water.

They felt good, moments like these. They were small and rather far between, but when one happened he could almost remember to feel alive again.

And yet it was always moments like these that brought on fresh pangs, as the forgotten emotion reminded him why he had not felt properly lighthearted in so long. The loss of his dam was still a gaping wound, and he didn't feel as if he'd ever be able to forget it; it was like a phantom limb, the way it felt, something that should have been there but wasn't. Almost a year now, it had been. The leaves were already starting to gild, which would mean his third Spring had come around, and when winter fell - that would be the dread anniversary. He still missed her terribly.

Slowly he strolled along the bank, his head lowered, gazing at his front claws moving duly along the ground. A walk wouldn't hurt. Perhaps he might even catch some fish for himself, if he felt like it...

A sudden loud splash, immediately following this thought, made him raise his head, searching for the source of it. That definitely wasn't a fish leaping, it was something much bigger - suppose some larger fish had managed to trap itself in this relatively shallow stream? It would make a change from all the minnows that normally constituted his fish diet.

To his surprise, he saw that it was another Hyksi. He had not seen any Hyksis save his mother ever since they had left the herd, and the sight was enough to stir him into feeling some sort of curiosity. She was a dal, he could tell, since she had no antlers; she was a rather unusual colour, too - all pale with dark spots. He'd never seen the like of that coat before; he could hardly remember what the dals in the herd had looked like, and any other strangers that his mother and he had hence encountered had been too far away to have any sort of significance to him.

But here now was this dal, across from the stream from him, her slender neck bent over the clear rushing water as she peered intently into its depths. It was the nearest Alder had ever been to any of his kind for a long time, and he just stood silently on the bank, watching her.

Utterly absorbed in her task, Meadowsweet remained ignorant of his presence. She let out a frustrated sigh, her dark nostrils fluttering, a cascade of fresh ripples skittering across the surface of the stream like startled birds. With a conscious effort, she forced her dark-tipped ears forward, aimed at the water around her submerged forelegs. As the stream resumed it's trickling, bubbling path, she remained painfully still. She stared at the water's surface, dark-rimmed eyes searching for any flicker of motion beneath. But for the impatient twitches of her tail, she might have been a statue.

The sound of the forest resumed around them - the curious young buck and the oblivious adolescent dal - birds twittering from the bushes and treetops, a few squirrels arguing stridently for territory or food. A dragonfly hovered in and landed on the dark tip of Meadowsweet's snowy ear, and she fought to keep her ear from flicking to dislodge it. The base of her ear shuddered slightly as the insect's tickling feet sought new purchase, but she managed to still it.

A shadow moved beneath the surface, and she darted forward, her slim head completely submerged as she attacked. With a great heave, she pulled her head back, a gleaming trout grasped between her jaws. Her neck bowed and strained at the size of the fish, and she attempted an awkward hop backward to the shore. Mid-motion, her eye landed on the still form of Alder and she froze. Alder, quickly realising that she was meeting his gaze, started back.

The fish took the offered opportunity and struggled, flapping his slimy, webbed tail repeatedly into Meadowsweet's eye.

Startled, she jerked backward and her twisted hind leg gave way. Her backside landed solidly on the muddy stream bottom, and her jaws loosened just enough for the fish to fight free. One final rude tail-slap and he slipped into the water, disappearing almost instantly, leaving the young dal splay-legged and without a breakfast, alone with a strange young buck.

( and maybe you're gonna be the one who saves me )

[RP with WhiskerWing on the previous incarnation of Mushroom Grove, a domestic dog/cat RP that I highly encourage people to check out. We never really finished it before the site moved, but I loved it enough to save it :) Features her character Mocha and my Nellie. I promise I'm going to start writing new material for character entries, goodness knows I want to! ]

"Come along, Nellie, crate. Crate, girl."

Obligingly, the apricot-coloured Pomeranian hopped into the hard plastic carrier, her fluffy tail wagging as she gazed up at her owner. The woman smiled.

"There's a good girl. We're going to have fun at the party today, aren't we?"

Nellie understood not much of this, but Mistress was using the friendly voice, and she'd been called a good girl, so it must be a good sign. She lay down, placing her head on her paws as the metal gate of the carrier was firmly shut, and she felt the whole thing moving towards the noisemaker that would take them to she knew not where. Yawning, she rolled over onto her side, curled into a fluffy ball and went to sleep. She was used to this. Maybe they were going to work, or perhaps the park for a good scamper. It didn't matter much, either way.

Unbeknownst to the small Pom bitch, she and her mistress were on their way to the Oak Acres Dog Fanciers' Garden Party. The Oak Acres Dog Fanciers were a small gathering of the Oak Acres residents that enjoyed throwing small parties and such, to give the dogs and dogowners of the community a chance to gather and make smalltalk. Such parties were always advertised around the residency, and her mistress had thought it a good opportunity for Nellie to finally meet with the dogs of the area. They had done quite enough 'settling in' to their new home over the past month or so. It was about time, she had decided, that both of them went out to socialise a little and get to know the neighbours.

When Nellie finally awoke, it was to a strange place, one she had never been to before. She was let out of her crate and landed lightly on a patch of grass, looking around her and sniffing. This was certainly interesting - and there were other dogs here, too! Mistress was walking across the neatly-kept lawn, and Nellie trotted after her, intrigued. What kind of a place was this?

( first-class and fancy-free, she's high society )