Post by Pavane on Sept 17, 2010 14:59:00 GMT -5
Characters:
Matteo - male dog (Australian Shepherd)
Itou - female dog (Catahoula Leopard Dog)
Setting:
Barnyard - Late Autumn (RL day 12)
-----------------------------------
Colts. What're you going to do? "Damned things need to get their things singed already, then maybe they'll stop roving off on the trail of feral snatch." But as it is, no such luck, Matty. The Shepherd roves down past the abandoned farmhouse, ears tall and pausing to shove his nose into the wind before stopping a second by the woodpile, leaning to one side to scratch an itch on his neck, the metal latch on his leathern collar jangling like a bell. Standing up and shaking off, "Alright, kiddoes," he barks. "Get your asses back here."
Itou's just passing by - or at least, she was until she hears a voice coming from the barnyard. Her floppy ears perk a bit. Well, then. Best go and see who the new neighbor is. She turns and pads in along the side of the barn, head carried erect and tail lifted, curious in posture. Just as she turns the corner to actually come into what she assumes is visual range, she gives a half-voiced bay of greeting. Ain't very polite to sneak up on those you aren't intending to eat.
"Seriously, guys," Matty trots on down the old barnyard trail, "I need you to come home with me right n--woah!" he comes up short, legs cringing to lower his body a little in a jerk equal parts startled and playful, curved tail rising, still, and then, slowly, beginning to wag. "Hey, sweet cheeks. You ain't seen a couple of stray colts wander past this way, have you?"
"Colts?" repeats Itou, and considers for a moment, then gives a shake of her head. "Naw, ain't seen any of those round here. Ain't a place they're likely to stay - not been humans here for some years. Least, that's what I hear." Her pose relaxes, her tail lowering to level and giving a few little twitches in response to Matty's wagging. "Them colts left your man's herd, they did? Hah. Young'ns be restless like that. Come fall, they want to stretch those young legs. Come winter, they regret it."
Matteo gives a sharp chuff of a laugh, "Heh! I know, right?" he asks back, rhetorically, "Kids. What're you gonna do?" He slowly begins to proceed again, walking down on the path toward Itou, "I just hope they're not regretting it already. My man's having a rough enough time of it as is without his colts running off. Who do you belong to?" he goes on to wonder. She seems to know the herding life, after all.
Itou chuckles. "You just hope they get their foolish outta them afore it tears 'em up. Ain't much else you can do." She stands her ground as Matteo approaches, amiable and unthreatened. "Me, I don't answer to nobody, these days. Had me a human down southerly, but he be dead now, and I ain't got no interest in those as took over from him."
"Oh, dude-- suck," Matty looks over her with a warm sympathy in his eyes that can only indicate a real bond of affection between himself and his own man. "I'm so sorry. What're you-- I mean. Where are you staying? Here?" he looks back to the ruined barn, then to the other dog.
Itou gives a slow shrug of her shoulders. Her own expression doesn't much change - seems like that ain't something she's too heartbroke about. "Me'n a couple others, we come out this way. We run into old man bear, though, and that don't end too well. They too young, too foolish to dodge right." And now she does show sorrow, for the loss of other dogs, her pack. "So I come here. Ain't too bad - got a roof, still, and there's a few others as hang about for company."
Itou gives a slow shrug of her shoulders. Her own expression doesn't much change - seems like that ain't something she's too heartbroke about. "Me'n a couple others, we come out this way. We run into old man bear, though, and that don't end too well. They too young, too foolish to dodge right." And now she does show sorrow, for the loss of other dogs, her pack. "So I come here. Ain't too bad - got a roof, still, and there's a few others as hang about for company."
"You live out here. Wild, dude. Do you, like... hunt? For food? And stuff?" Matty keeps going on, foreign a concept as it is to him, coming up alongside Itou at a respectful enough distance, lowering his head to give the underside of her tail a little 'getting to know you' sniff, unless she strenuously objects.
Itou chuckles, giving a small wag as she's sniffed and taking in a scent of her own to Matteo's rear. Friendly greetings and introductions, canine-style! "Sure do. Jus' small stuff, really. Ain't got a proper three for hunting the bigger ones, but rabbit and squirrel keeps the belly full. Been kinda odd havin' a fall without a roundup, though."
"Yah, I -bet- it has," Matty answers back. He's lived his whole life with heart's blood pounding to the herding cycle, after all. Lifting his head again, he gives his shaggy tail a wag. "Why not come up north with me? My man needs every collar. You won't go hungry, and won't have to spend all day running after rabbits," he points out.
Itou chuckles, and gives a toss of her head that makes her ears flop. "Now, I ain't come all this way just to slink up to the first human that shakes a bit of bacon. I been worked harder for men than I ever got to hunt for myself... They take their food first. Got them some tasty treats, but treats ain't the same as a solid dinner. I think I'm better off out here, where my pups ain't gonna be lined."
"My man would never leave me wanting. He has his work, I mine. We work together," Matty stiks up for his man with a fierce loyalty of spirit. "There's none of this slinking going on. Anyhow. I'd better get on these colts. We can't afford to be down 'em."
Itou remains unconvinced, but she shrugs. "Well, you got a liking for him, I ain't gonna keep you from him," she replies. "Ain't gonna go that way myself, though." She nods about the colts, and considers for a moment. "I were you, I'd check down by the stream. Any creature'll want a drink, sooner or later, and a young'n gets thirsty faster'n most, way they spend energy."
Speak of the devil, and he shall come. Or they, in this case. "Aawwww man," one cocky young colt calls out from where they'd gotten tired of getting chased, "Matty Matty gettin' hisself some tail," the other one calls out, prancing outward, glorying in his youthful form, tossing his head in amusement. "Oh f**k you guys," Matty lifts his head to bark, even if his tone is upbeat and cheerful, glad to have found his charges, running on after them and giving a bark at one of their flanks, rolling to a stop and swerving directions. "Move it, losers. Your mom's going out of her mind. See you later, dude!" he calls to the other dog as he herds the errant youths on homeward.
Itou laughs, sitting down on her haunches and watching as the colts are found - and driven back towards home. "You enjoy yourself! When you got time, if you get the wandering feet, you come by again. Now you know the way, you don't need no colts for your excuse," she calls to the departing dog with a friendly smile. Maybe she doesn't believe in spending time with humans anymore, but she's not going to hold that against a fellow!
Matteo - male dog (Australian Shepherd)
Itou - female dog (Catahoula Leopard Dog)
Setting:
Barnyard - Late Autumn (RL day 12)
-----------------------------------
Colts. What're you going to do? "Damned things need to get their things singed already, then maybe they'll stop roving off on the trail of feral snatch." But as it is, no such luck, Matty. The Shepherd roves down past the abandoned farmhouse, ears tall and pausing to shove his nose into the wind before stopping a second by the woodpile, leaning to one side to scratch an itch on his neck, the metal latch on his leathern collar jangling like a bell. Standing up and shaking off, "Alright, kiddoes," he barks. "Get your asses back here."
Itou's just passing by - or at least, she was until she hears a voice coming from the barnyard. Her floppy ears perk a bit. Well, then. Best go and see who the new neighbor is. She turns and pads in along the side of the barn, head carried erect and tail lifted, curious in posture. Just as she turns the corner to actually come into what she assumes is visual range, she gives a half-voiced bay of greeting. Ain't very polite to sneak up on those you aren't intending to eat.
"Seriously, guys," Matty trots on down the old barnyard trail, "I need you to come home with me right n--woah!" he comes up short, legs cringing to lower his body a little in a jerk equal parts startled and playful, curved tail rising, still, and then, slowly, beginning to wag. "Hey, sweet cheeks. You ain't seen a couple of stray colts wander past this way, have you?"
"Colts?" repeats Itou, and considers for a moment, then gives a shake of her head. "Naw, ain't seen any of those round here. Ain't a place they're likely to stay - not been humans here for some years. Least, that's what I hear." Her pose relaxes, her tail lowering to level and giving a few little twitches in response to Matty's wagging. "Them colts left your man's herd, they did? Hah. Young'ns be restless like that. Come fall, they want to stretch those young legs. Come winter, they regret it."
Matteo gives a sharp chuff of a laugh, "Heh! I know, right?" he asks back, rhetorically, "Kids. What're you gonna do?" He slowly begins to proceed again, walking down on the path toward Itou, "I just hope they're not regretting it already. My man's having a rough enough time of it as is without his colts running off. Who do you belong to?" he goes on to wonder. She seems to know the herding life, after all.
Itou chuckles. "You just hope they get their foolish outta them afore it tears 'em up. Ain't much else you can do." She stands her ground as Matteo approaches, amiable and unthreatened. "Me, I don't answer to nobody, these days. Had me a human down southerly, but he be dead now, and I ain't got no interest in those as took over from him."
"Oh, dude-- suck," Matty looks over her with a warm sympathy in his eyes that can only indicate a real bond of affection between himself and his own man. "I'm so sorry. What're you-- I mean. Where are you staying? Here?" he looks back to the ruined barn, then to the other dog.
Itou gives a slow shrug of her shoulders. Her own expression doesn't much change - seems like that ain't something she's too heartbroke about. "Me'n a couple others, we come out this way. We run into old man bear, though, and that don't end too well. They too young, too foolish to dodge right." And now she does show sorrow, for the loss of other dogs, her pack. "So I come here. Ain't too bad - got a roof, still, and there's a few others as hang about for company."
Itou gives a slow shrug of her shoulders. Her own expression doesn't much change - seems like that ain't something she's too heartbroke about. "Me'n a couple others, we come out this way. We run into old man bear, though, and that don't end too well. They too young, too foolish to dodge right." And now she does show sorrow, for the loss of other dogs, her pack. "So I come here. Ain't too bad - got a roof, still, and there's a few others as hang about for company."
"You live out here. Wild, dude. Do you, like... hunt? For food? And stuff?" Matty keeps going on, foreign a concept as it is to him, coming up alongside Itou at a respectful enough distance, lowering his head to give the underside of her tail a little 'getting to know you' sniff, unless she strenuously objects.
Itou chuckles, giving a small wag as she's sniffed and taking in a scent of her own to Matteo's rear. Friendly greetings and introductions, canine-style! "Sure do. Jus' small stuff, really. Ain't got a proper three for hunting the bigger ones, but rabbit and squirrel keeps the belly full. Been kinda odd havin' a fall without a roundup, though."
"Yah, I -bet- it has," Matty answers back. He's lived his whole life with heart's blood pounding to the herding cycle, after all. Lifting his head again, he gives his shaggy tail a wag. "Why not come up north with me? My man needs every collar. You won't go hungry, and won't have to spend all day running after rabbits," he points out.
Itou chuckles, and gives a toss of her head that makes her ears flop. "Now, I ain't come all this way just to slink up to the first human that shakes a bit of bacon. I been worked harder for men than I ever got to hunt for myself... They take their food first. Got them some tasty treats, but treats ain't the same as a solid dinner. I think I'm better off out here, where my pups ain't gonna be lined."
"My man would never leave me wanting. He has his work, I mine. We work together," Matty stiks up for his man with a fierce loyalty of spirit. "There's none of this slinking going on. Anyhow. I'd better get on these colts. We can't afford to be down 'em."
Itou remains unconvinced, but she shrugs. "Well, you got a liking for him, I ain't gonna keep you from him," she replies. "Ain't gonna go that way myself, though." She nods about the colts, and considers for a moment. "I were you, I'd check down by the stream. Any creature'll want a drink, sooner or later, and a young'n gets thirsty faster'n most, way they spend energy."
Speak of the devil, and he shall come. Or they, in this case. "Aawwww man," one cocky young colt calls out from where they'd gotten tired of getting chased, "Matty Matty gettin' hisself some tail," the other one calls out, prancing outward, glorying in his youthful form, tossing his head in amusement. "Oh f**k you guys," Matty lifts his head to bark, even if his tone is upbeat and cheerful, glad to have found his charges, running on after them and giving a bark at one of their flanks, rolling to a stop and swerving directions. "Move it, losers. Your mom's going out of her mind. See you later, dude!" he calls to the other dog as he herds the errant youths on homeward.
Itou laughs, sitting down on her haunches and watching as the colts are found - and driven back towards home. "You enjoy yourself! When you got time, if you get the wandering feet, you come by again. Now you know the way, you don't need no colts for your excuse," she calls to the departing dog with a friendly smile. Maybe she doesn't believe in spending time with humans anymore, but she's not going to hold that against a fellow!