Blackfeather Woods Never be like you

O’Mally has returned to the teekon. For what? Well, that’s a secret…for now anyway, but his ambitions are big and his mind has been cleared. He plans on continuing what he and the skull-faced woman, @Vanity, started. 

His quest for dogs and mutts alike goes on. He searches high and low for them. To show them what it truly means to be dog and not wolf. The benefits of their human tainted heritage are endless. They’re advanced — better than wolves. Smarter too. He wants to educate those who’re part dog and allow them to thrive, while also completing his own mission. 

With these devious thoughts in mind, O’Mally journeys through the Teekon once more. His fur shines beautifully beneath the high sun. His pelt is spotted erratically with both the heated sun and the cool shade due to the trees above. He has a tantalizing smile on his handsome face (because of his great aspirations, of course). His pace is easy going, unrushed, and his nostrils flare as he takes in the scents of the wild. 

He wonders how long it will be before he finds his first dog and if he can convince them to follow.

He had started this journey with a prayer. The gods always protected those who were devout. 

Protégeme porque te pertenezco. Andrés whispered to himself. It was his mantra, uttered before any mission. 

Now it was his job to assist O´Mally in spreading the word of their gods. They were to look for dogs and half-bloods and indoctrinate them into their religion. The guard dog had never been to this place before but he trusted that his companion knew what he was doing. 

He had hung back a little to pray and now he trotted along through the trees behind the other man. When he reached him, he brushed his shoulder against the incandescent shoulder of his friend. Do you know where we will start? he asked. He did better when he had a plan to focus on.

dog

dog dog dog dog dog

heshe scampered up onto herhis legs and out the half-nap that had been taken only to feel the comfort of good dreams and ease the terrible awful bad loneliness that made hisher days stretch onward years long.

long legs carried the dog trough underbrush and to thin winding roadthing heshe made sure to avoid as shehe neither knew how to hunt within woods nor wanted to be hunter by bearwolfcougarlynxtiger things that did.

voices.

dog dog dog dog dog

a raise by where the two are passing. the greyhound climbs upon, and from there observes, to make sure, to confirm.

and whines.

(it is a lonely, wanting sob-sound.)

O’Mally hadn’t gone far, not wanting to leave his partner behind. It’s sooner rather than later he joins him. He hears his deep, accented voice from beside him and the presence of the large dog.

His white blue eyes shift over and he a smile tilts his lips upwards at the sight of his friend. When the larger of the two brushes his shoulder against O’Mally’s own pale one he bumps him back smoothly. Humming to his question, he looks back out into the vast landscape before them. 

“No, but the way will be shown to us soon.” He hums cryptically.

Only then he hears a high pitched whining. His ears swivel, as does his head, as he looks around. Brows furrowing slightly until he finds who makes the noise. His brows raise softly at the animal his eyes land on. 

Oh. How beautiful. That is most definitely a dog. 

“Andrés.” He calls to his friend. “That is a sign, no?” He chuckles and begins heading in their direction with a friendly chuff. 

He lowers his head some to appear non threatening and brings that disgustingly handsome smile back to his face.

“You are like us?” He says to them — this stranger. His eyes roam over their form appreciatively — as if enraptured that they got lucky enough to find another like them so early on in their travels.

You are right, of course, he said with a nod. Their gods would not let them wonder for too long where they were meant to be. 

Andrés heard the whining, too, and he looked up to see the canine—a most beautiful one at that. A perfect example of the humans' creation. Dios Mío, he murmured as he gazed up at the dog. The disciple knew they could cure the loneliness he could hear in the sound the creature had uttered. 

The guard dog smiled at his companion's words. Sí he answered, moving forward as well. 

He stopped at O'Mally's side. We will not harm you, beautiful one, he offered, his voice soft despite the deep rumble of his voice and the heavy accent that painted his words.

heshe was at first terrified as the (dog?dog.dog?dog.) came closer closer but forced herhis breathing to calm.

look. look at face too chiseled for wolfbeast fur too unevenly full for wolfbeast the pink of body and of nose look look.

shehe swallowed thick and when the dog(?) came near, heshe was trembling.

"ye-ye-ye-yes." came the answer to the prick-eared one but there was still doubt that this was accurate. 

pink tongue darted out to lick twitching whiskers. eyes went to the other. this was dog. undoubtedly. and why would dog travel with wolf? because that was not wolf that was dog dog dog.

for the first time in (weeks?months?) herhis tail wagged with sincere joy hisher heart beating for reasons unrelated to fear or thrill of hunting.

heshe still remained docile in appearance but the tension was far lessened as the thought

dogs dogs dogs dogs

filled herhis brain. 

flews twitched upwards, only slightly.

"you. you." head bent again, now shy. "strayorhousepet?" came the breathy whisper.

O’Mally could sense the nervousness twitching at the brindle furred dog, in return he smiles warmly. His handsome face tilts to one side when they stutter out an answer. O’Mally takes a quick glance to Andre, a touch of teeth showing in his excitement. Even when Andres mentions the fact that they would not harm one of their own, O’Mally seconds on that,

“Yes, no need to be afraid lithe one.” He hums to them.

At that, he sees their tail wag and he rumbles out a soft chuckle. He even lifts his head higher in soft surprise when they’re quickly asking them a question.

Stray? Or house pet?

O’Mally’s face falls some when his owner’s beautiful face resurfaces in his mind. She was beautiful. She loved him. She took him everywhere and did everything with him.

There is a spark of sadness in his eyes when he smiles and speaks once more. “Both.” 

He moves on quickly. “We are trying to find others like us.” He says with determination. “Will you help? Travel with us,” he suggests strongly, confidently. “we will protect you from the wolves that circle this land. And perhaps one day, we may find more like us — dogs, like us.”

He has the confidence and assurance of a man who has done this many times. An undoubtedly handsome face accompanied by a trustworthy smile.

The creature was terrified, and Andrés grew irritated at once. Who knew what kind of harm this angel had endured at the hands of the beasts that owned this place. He cursed them in his head.

O'Mally extended an offer for the brindle dog to travel with them, one the guardian would have also offered if his companion had not beaten him to it. They thought much the same, which was why they got along so well. 

We will keep you safe now, lovely, no need to worry, he offered softly as he took a step forward. He wanted to embrace them, cover them with his scent, and ensure them that their days of fear were over. 

But he would not rush things; his body language was inviting, but he kept some space between them to give the other dog the choice. 

This gave him hope that they would find more like them.

both.

how? brain whirred and clicked with effort to understand. the answer wormed itself out eventually. runaway lost abandoned. herhis face softened with empathy, and heshe nodded as the dogdogdog continued speaking.

the offer stiffened himher. unsure again, eyes darting as if looking for exit escape leave. almost ran instead of being chained again. muscles coiled like vipers.

but, the voicespeakerface was so pleasant.

(was it possible the greyhound was desired??)

drop-ears spoke again. lovely. hisher tail wagged, uncontrolled. an awkward expression of pushed-back flews was borne of the attempt to stiffen a smile. (not something the greyhound was ever good at).

protect keep safe lovely lovely lovely

the half-expression remained as drop-ears stepped forward, and herhis body conveyed "no no no not touch not just yet no", but there was nothing mean rude bad about it, only a plea for safety of own flesh.

the hunteress shifted in place, head low tongue darting out to wet the muzzle. eyes went from one to the other.

heshe inhaled.

"okay."

"butonlyif."

if if

"icanleave."

eyes went from one to other one to other.

"anytime."

no chains and fences no commands again.