Post by Pavane on Jul 18, 2012 11:37:16 GMT -5
featuring Jethro, Nyx, Rayna, Toby, and Wind
---Hilltop Vista---
The sky has scattered fluffy clouds. The hilltop has scattered dogs. Sleeping, mostly; the warmth of the day has meant many of them are dozing or else wandered off seeking cooler temperatures. Bone is notably absent - notable, because his absence followed a quiet conversation with Chua earlier today. The battered Toby is taking advantage of the quiet, padding ever so quietly up the hill and snuffling around in hopes of forgotten scraps of food.
The dogs have been here since, what...winter? And now it's teetering towards fall, though the last days of summer aren't going to go out without a bang. It's warm. Hot really, though the summer sun does not bother the short furred doberman. It's the winter months that will be a trial, but those are a ways off still. Nyx has been off doing...who knows what. Torturing small animals, likely, as there is a curious splatter of blood evident on her forepaws, and she's returning with a faint smirk...which is never a good sign. Eyes search for Bone, as it's always good to know where their, heh, fearless leader is. But he seems not to be here! But... oh, ho..what's this? A Toby? Inky eyes narrow at the sight of him, all traces of her former smirk vanishing. "Weasel, you're not dead yet?"
Wind has been doing his thing. What is his thing you might ask? Well he sort of wanders up the hill, and down the hill. He isn't really sure how he ended up here, but there are other dogs around so he stays. He hasn't really developed any friendships yet in this 'pack' but that doesn't mean that he won't. Though these dogs are going to be tough to be friends with. Of course he's a hard dog to befriend since he's...well crazy.
Rayna is, regretabbly, again without sleep and has taken more recently to pacing the boundries of this place they now call...well she has yet to call it 'home', but lacks a better word. Returning to the lazy base of lounging, lolling canines; picking her way carefully to spin her own self a small nest in the grass. She settles, despite what she can tell is leading up to an altercation between Nyx and Toby. She sighs, lifts her head to watch apathetically, noting in the back of her mind the perversness that his has become entertainment to her.
Jethro ears slowly perk forward and a slight sniffling snort esacpes him while his head lifts and a yawn escapes him while he looks to Toby. A chuckle escapes him, floppy lips parting to show off his fangs a moment. "Well looky who came crawling back in." He shifts up onto his haunches, stretching out his large form in the process. A few bones poping back into place.
Yerp. Things are no longer quiet. Toby's ears go back, in what - three seasons ago - would have been followed by a snarl, and now comes with a whine. He lowers his head, looking up at Nyx, glancing over to Jethro. Today is definitely no longer quiet. "No, not yet." There's maybe a streak of his old arrogance there. It's hard to forget yourself entirely. No wonder Toby-baiting is still such a source of entertainment. Another glance to Jethro, and his head ducks further, trying to hide the scowl he can't help.
"Pity. M'sure there's still a little meat left on those sorry bones of yours," remarks Nyx, tone bored though gaze acidic, watching Toby as if he were a bug yet to be stepped upon. "Do you need help getting there? I'll be happy to oblige." Her eyes draw to Jethro and linger. He is one of the two possible leaders. She's still not sure which one of the two will make it on top next to Bone, but covering all of her bases is what she's rather good at. Her docked tail wiggles lsowly from side to side in greeting, and a small smile is sent his way. Really, that's all he'll get. She's not a touchy feely type. And another one. Female. Her tail stops its show of motion as she contemplates Rayna with a calculating look.
Wind is not really interested in things like hierarchy or rules or order since he has absolutely conception of what those things mean. For him things are a great deal more simple, and confusing. Presently he crests the hill and looks around. Ohhh there are so many here tonight. He hasn't met any of them either. Or if he has he certainly doesn't remember doing it. He has difficulty hanging on to things like names and faces. On a good day he might recognize someone that he has known for awhile, but there are so few around here that he has, "Hi." he says to everyone with his tail wagging behind him.
Rayna sighs. The restlessness picking up around the hilltop. Not one to join in on the malicious humiliation of Toby, she is not one to defend him either - not by a long shot. A quiet disintrest is all she can allow, though she does slowly stand back up, long, elegant tail slowly sweeping the dust from the ground. The retriever draws her attention, and she turns to regard him, ears pinning back. Oh, yes, the crazy one. Right. Hm. She nods a greeting, eyes flicking to Jethro. Unlike Nyx, she does not bother covering her bases and merely awards him the same blank stare as the others. Their petty fights and arguments do not intrest her until someone is killed.
Jethro shifts on his paws and moves towards Toby, eyeing him with a deep rumbling growl escapes him. "I'm rather surprize the infection didn't take your pittful life." A snap of his jaws is hear though no where near Toby, just an air bite. "I saw that.." An it is followed up with him trying to headbutt Toby in the shoulder and shove him to the ground with his greater weight and larger frame. A ear flicks towards Nyx but his attention stays on Toby for now, someone needs to be put in his place!
...and there's a piece of meat, too. A half-eaten groundhog, only a few days old. The maggots haven't even hatched yet. Toby's noticed it, but it's just a little past Nyx. There's no way he can get it now. It looks so good, though. Better than he's had in... well. Since he lost his place, really. He wants it, oh he wants it, but... given a choice between that and his own sorry bones, he knows which one he'd rather have. He mumbles something about, "Be just fine, don't trouble yourself," and cringes from Jethro's jaws as he starts slinking backward. Maybe that other dog, the yellow one, will be a distraction. Toby can hope. Turns out, hope's another luxury Toby can't afford any more, because the shove to his weak shoulder sends him tumbling down with a yelp.
Nyx's gaze does not linger long on Rayna, as the other female shows little sign of being a problem for her. As long as she remains the quiet bystander, then they won't have a problem. And so her attention turns back to Toby, who being on the bottom of the totem pole, is always a good source of entertainment when there is no other source to take one's meanness out on. A slow grin curves her slender muzzle as Toby goes toppling under Jethro's show, a gleeful cackle soon following. "Sad, isn't it, to be knocked off your pedestal! And so literally, it's funny. Come on, give me satisfaction of tearing you throat? It'd be so noble. Your last act to help your loving pack!" Another giggle, and she traipses forward on dancing paws a few feet. She pauses though, eyes turning to the golden retriever. "Aren't you a bright fellow.."
Wind is the opposite of bright. Though he isn't stupid to be sure, but he is not particularly with it. He blinks as he hears talk about tearing someone's throat out. That wouldn't be very nice at all. You can't just tear folks throughts out for no reason...or at all really. Unless you are hunting of course. If you are going hunting then thats all good, "It someone going hunting?" he asks. When Nyx makes her comment he smiles widely and nods, "Yep. I'm bright."
She will never understand the neccessity of such brutality for brutality's sake. But who is she to say? Unwilling to be snivelling on the ground with him, Rayna shakes the dust from her fur and decides to ease thevengeful pain of boredom and find her own small par in the action. She takes long, calculated steps towards the three and sighs before speaking in her usual drifty manner. "It may be best to leave him breathing for now. You never know when you'll need bait or a sheild." Despite her condescneding remark her own quip held the slightest semblence of defence, if anything to return the quiet to her already sleepless world. She knows her words must be chosen carefully, as she already toes the line of moral softness. Plus, this cheery bloke was already well on his way to take Toby's place. MInd your step, retriever.
Jethro lets his jaws lower to half press against Toby's neck with a deep rumbling growl escaping him in the process. He takes in a breath and there is a new scent that gets his attention and he turns his gaze towards the strange dog. "Looks like you get to live a little longer Toby." He says with a click of his teeth. His form turns and he moves over to where Wind is, head low, hackles raised with a deep snarl escaping him. "An...who are you...?" He starts to slowly circle Wind, eyeing the dog as he goes. A ear flicks to Rayna but he doesn't comment to what she says.
Funny haha... more like funny sad, at least if you're the one at the bottom of the totem pole. Toby drags in a heavy breath, and tries to get his paws under him to stagger to his feet again. When you're this far down, the fight isn't to climb up again - just to keep from getting pushed down further. The only place left to go is... dead and rotting. His ears press back at Nyx's taunts, but he manages to hold his tongue... if not his expression, which is rather like he's chewing on his own tail. Even Rayna's joining in the game of demeaning him. The fact that he actually needs that two-edged defense only makes it rankle all the worse. Here he is. Beta! He was beta, and now... he's vying for place with a brain-dead halfwit, his tail tucked between his legs. Maybe death would be preferable, but he's still too angry to accept defeat, even when it's become inevitable. At Jethro's threat, Toby lets out an involuntary whimper... hating himself for it at the same time... and, after a final longing glance at the half-rotten groundhog, turns to flee without it. At least he has his life. His pitiful, useless life.
"Teh.." Wind's reply earns a stare from Nyx who tries to make sense of his .. few words. "I retract my statement," she muses, a brow arching as she looks him over. Bright in color, yes. Bright in mind...yet to be seen, though it doesn't seem as if he's starting off on the right foot with impressing her intellectually. A cropped ear turns upon hearing Rayna finally speak, and the other female is regarded with vaguely narrowed eyes. "Mm. For now..." she relents, turning in time to see Toby flee. A small yet satisfied smile touches her mouth as she watches him, having no intentions to waste energy by giving chase. He'll be back. He's always back, and what other choice does he have? Her body is given a light shake while her attention also turns to Wind. Yes. Who are you!
Wind isn't particularly surprised about the attention that he is getting. He gets that wherever he goes cause of his distictive awesomeness! He just sort of turns in circles as he watches Jethro move around him. The question for the time being goes unanswered, "You move around alot. Do you ever get dizzy? I get dizzy sometimes and my head hurts." Oh yeah he has some really nasty headaches sometimes, but thankfully he is feeling pretty good at the present moment in time, "I like to have fun too. Do you like to have fun? We should all have fun." he states as he continues to just spin in place keeping Jethro in view so that he can talk to him. By now he has largely forgotten the question.
Rayna shakes her head sadly after Toby. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. And then been subsequenly trampled. She fears for her own dignity when she watches him crawl, she has already made herself unpopular - what keeps her unattacked and him beaten senseless? At this point, she does not care, only hopes that it holds. But this new creature - oh boy. This is not the place for him, he belongs strapped to a rainbow spewing bunnies out his rear...he'll be eaten alive in five minutes flat. This formula of disaster can only end in serious maiming - oh New Meat you are not in Kansas anymore.
Jethro eyes Wind a few moments while taking in a breath before laughing out and grins. "You like to have fun huh?" His large hea shakes a moment and he snaps out towards Wind's haunch, only catching the air though. "You have no idea the sort of fun we have here. Do someone want to help me show the new kid what sort of 'fun' it is?".
Nyx can only stare. Of all the dogs she's met. The ruthless, the cutthroat, the timid, and the fearful, none hold a candle to this golden boy. He fits in none of the neat little categories her mind has conjured up these past few months. The way he spins around and the words that accompany his actions? That's just plain weird. A new category will need to be made for this fellow...warranting he survives long enough to be classified. With Toby out of the picture, she turns, a sneered grin curving a single side of her muzzle. "Oh me. Choose me! I /love/ having fun," she quips, trotting towards Jethro. "Unforgettable, unimaginable fun! Trust me, goldie, after this, you'll never wish to leave."
Wind nods his head with a smile as he glances over toward Nyx. Ok thats cool. They like to have fun. Maybe this place isn't so bad after all. Maybe they just like to keep all the fun to themselves which is why they are so grumpy all the time, "Good. I like to have fun too." Well this day is turning out to be pretty great. Maybe he will now have three new friends. Not that he will have any idea who they are tomorrow, most of the time he barely remembers who he is. He'd love to remember his past, but thats mostly just a mystery to him. The present is whats most important after all. He wags his tail and smiles...fun is good.
Jethro chuckles and grins as he hears Nyx. "Come on then Nyx... I'll let you go first even." See, he can be NICE now can't he? His tail lashes and he shifts to the side to rest upon his haunches, muscles tesing across his form while his floppy lips are lifted to bare his teeth in a silent snarl. Oh don't worry he will so be jumping in as well...
Oh for - poor kid. Rayna rolls her shoulders forward, bowing to the ground to stretch her long spine. "If you'll forgive me, I'll sit this one out." This...frivolity is not her strong suit. With an apatheic yawn she settles onto her haunches, not fully in the mood to watch a hapless no brainer torn to bits. "I hate fun myself but you three just...go crazy. Knock 'em dead. Give 'em hell and...all that." Her own place on this balance of crazy vagrant danger is not comfortable, but at least she is not teetering off the edge.
Such a gentleman Jethro is! Nyx elegantly lowes her head to him in a sort of graceful bow which probably would look less cynical without the teeth baring grin that accompanies it. "My pleasure," she replies as her head lifts to a normal level. As for Rayna, she lets her be, although her lack of anything in this matter does get silently noted by the doberman, but it isn't anything that she aims to question now. Let the fun begin. Her shortened tail begins of facade of wagging, while she herself, for a moment, looks like your everyday dog, ready for a playful romp. Her steps are light and mouth is opened in that trademark doggy grin as she frolicks towards him. Bounding to his left, then bounding to his right, then lunging forward to aim a snap towards his haunches. A playbite...with a bit more bite than play!
Wind is perfectly content to play. After all no one ever got hurt from playing beyond a few bruises and maybe a bit of a cut here and there. When he watches he approach he offers her a smile and play bows to her as well. She certainly seems personable and all that, at least until she decides to take a snap at him. He frowns and cocks his head after pulling away from the bite, thankfully she didn't get him...yet, "Hey that isn't very..." he probably was going to end that sentance by saying 'nice' however the word never escapes his mouth. Instead his whole demenor shifts and he stands up straight and fixes Nyx with something of a glare. Brain fart? Or something more? How in the world did he get here he thinks to himself. And where is here? All of those questions are important, but seemingly not as important as dealing with the dog in front of him, "Not very nice of you, but I suppose its no matter." With that he returns the lunge except his is aimed at her leg. He wants desperately to grab onto it. If he can sprai
He wants desperately to grab onto it. If he can sprain, dislocate or break he leg she will be of no threat to him and he can kill her at his leisure.
This riiculousness has gone - what? Rayna stands suddenly as Wind's demeanor changes...There is some violence hidden in his madness. This could get ugly, and despite her general disregard for Nyx the threat "one of her own" is still something that instinct has drilled a defence of into her mind, and despite herself her hackles raise.
Jethro shifts on his paws as he watches Nyx and Wind, an as soon as the fluffy male goes for his packmate the large dog is on his paws. It takes one bounding step for him to be there and his large jaws open to try and grab down against Wind's shoulder that is close to him, which could be possible with the other male's attention on Nyx at the moment. He makes no sound, of warning, no growl, not snarl, not even a hard breath escapes him. His eyes have taken on a slight wild look though, thick muscles across his form tensing and hackles raised. This friends is what he was born to do, take down something and he loves the feeling, the thrill of doing /just/ that...
Nyx has not it made it this far by underestimating those around her. If that were the case, she'd've been fodder last winter! Even this deranged dog has been taken into consideration. His thick furred self and large size, even with an idiot's brain, may make him less than simple to tackle. She didn't peg him as a fighter, and still doesn't as her teeth sink into fur in flesh. A quick bite that releases mere seconds after contact, jumping back. Any dog will retaliate from that, but...this three sixty? Even one as calculating as she didn't see /this/ coming. Her brows vaguely furrow at his words and.. woah, what? Ears fold back and teeth bare as he lunges for her, causing her to lunge backward to save her thin legs, though just barely. Then here comes Jethro into the sudden fray, and she moves, heading around to the same side from which he attacked.
Rats. He would have enjoyed that. What a shame. Still there are other matters to attend to, mainly the other dog that seems to have entered this fight. Perfect. If he can whoop this dog then the others will have to respect him. He must be somewhere up in the hierarchy of this group. Whatever this group might be. At any rate he doesn't have the time to deal with such questions right now. Right now is a time for action. He grimaces as Jethro attacks and bites his shoulder. He will have to make him pay for that. There is only one way to beat a dog that is bigger than yourself and thats use the momentum of their weight against them, unbalance them and go in for the kill. Not that he wants to kill anyone here. That would be a horrible way to introduce yourself. Now maiming...thats another story. So he does the only thing that he can do, he rolls with the energy of Jethro's strike much as a dog would when being asked to roll over, though he intends to land on his paws when done and be ready to battle.
Well, now she HAS to do something or bear the ridicule for it later on. With a snarl, Rayna lopes forward and leaps past Nyx, pulling up short as the goldie rolls - and she attempts to make her move while he's still low. Attack and hold down, attack and hold down. The borzoi takes one last long, leap into the fray before attemping to shoot past Jethro and sink her teeth into the neck of a dog that - ten seconds ago - she pitied beyond all belief.
Jethro does his best to bite down hard upon Wind's shoulder, and gives his head a great mighty shake before the other male is able to escape his grasp. His gaze follows after Wind, a deep snarl escaping him while he stands his ground, hackles raising. His gaze follows after Rayna and he can see this may be a problem in the making! He is quick to follow though instead of right after Rayna towards Wind he chooses a different path to come around the left side of the fuzzy male. Now he'll have two dogs to deal with going for him at the same time. His head snaps out once in a fake attack and then he dives in again this time going after Wind's haunch mostly for the hip area. If he can get hold of the other there could be a problem.
Make that three dogs to deal with. Nyx is having some trouble figuring out this dog's fight style, which makes anticipating what he may do next pretty impossible. Take that rolling maneuver, for instance. Who does that? But for all the erratic skill Wind may have, they have numbers. Even Rayna has proven herself useful and loyal and entered the fray. She focuses on her pouncing attack and joins a half step after. While Rayna aims, Nyx does not, jaws snapping metallically. Open close open close in rapid succession at whatever golden piece she can get at. She'll teach him not to try to make her lame! She will not be in the same horrid boat as Toby because of some maniac retriever!
Three against one is very much an unfair fight, and its a losing fight. Wind doesn't like to lose. Especially when he has no idea what the stakes here are who even who these other dogs really are. Whoever they are they can't be his friends and as far as he is concerned that makes them fair game. He takes a mental moment to appraise the sitaution. Jethro is the brute in this fight. He's big and knows what he's doing. Nyx is considerably more dainty though hardly a pushover. Rayna she's not exactly weak either, but her heart doesn't seem as in it as the others. Not that he's willing to bet his life on that supposition, but at least it something. All he has to do is create some kind of incident that can stop the fight and start the talking. Thankfully he is fast, they don't call him wind for nothing because thats about the only thing that is saving him at this point. He pulls his hip just out of Jethros reach, at least for the moment and at the same point time lowers his head to try to avoid Rayna. Nyx on the other hand is far more difficult to avoid and she manages to bite his shoulder in much the same spot that Jethro did. This has to end before it gets too much worse. So he does the only sensible thing he can do, he sues for a moment of peace, "Stop! You three could probably kill me, but I can guarantee that I'll get one of you good before I go. Care to risk it?"
This fight is too much madness for her to handle - Rayna takes a step back to appraise her next attack and locates her target. If she can get enough momentum, she could jam him in the side, maybe crack a rib. The Borzoi snorts and begins to charge - but as he calls, she stops. She advances at a walk now, snarling for all she's worth. She certainly does not want to be the one in Toby's spot. "You seem to have your head together now, odd one." No more ponies and rainbow crap out of him. She doesn't count on him complying to his word of a halt - nor does she think the others will - so she, as a safety measure, leaps withou warning at the goldie - her aim is no to main or kill but to get a firm hold on his neck and hold him down for questioning.
Jethro does a few hopping steps backwards once Wind is able to pull away from him. A half snort escapes him while he paces one way and then another while taking in a breath. "Your joking right?" He questions with a thin tone while he takes a few heavy pawed steps forward. "Its not just us 'three'.. Your in the middle of a pack.." He states with a thin tone. Other dogs are watching now from there places, but won't move in unless he word is given. Jeth steps forward, head lowering and floppy lips pulled back to show fangs. "I don't take anything from you fuzzybritches." An with that he is lunging forward again, powerful jaws moving to try and grab hold of the other dog once more in the shoulder area.
Stop! It's a nice order, though not one that Nyx will comply to. Not when it's coming from Wind and not Jethro. She backs off for a moment of reprieve, muzzle bloody and eyes raging. She'll stop if Jethro does, for in Bone's absence, Jethro's word is law. Him or Chua. But ...see, Chua's not here. Her eyes glance over at the bulldog, waiting, listening, anticipating. With her eyes on him, she nearly misses Rayna's early lunge, and though she tenses she till holds back. It isn't until Jethro moves that she does too, attacking alongside him with ears pressed back and head tucked low. He goes for the shoulder, she aims for his foreleg in much the same way he did her.
Wind apparently doesn't have a great deal of time. He has tried to be reasonable, that has failed. When reason fails you go for the emotional strings, and then if that fails you fight until you are dead, and rest assured he will not go down easily and he would hope to take at least one of them with him. He watches Rayna when she speaks and then promptly makes her leap. This is a good thing he thinks to himself. She's the one with the least to lose. Jethro would have his reputation to lose it seems and Nyx..well she just looks to be out for blood. Rayna is easily dodged, Jethro however is not so easy and once again he feels the dog bite into his shoulder, "I never joke with dogs who can't fight me fair and square without calling in their girlfriends to save them..." He can tell that Jethro has something of an ego perhaps that will even things out a bit. Or not. Who knows? For her part Nyx is more or less able to get in a few shots as well.
Rayna spins, snarling as she is dodged and without missing a beat, bounces on the pads of her front paws and before her back paws have even touched the ground she is spinning around jaws spread wide and snapping at his neck once more. The neck is the goal in any fight, or so she's been taught. Or not...Faking a snap at the neck she twists her head to follow the trend of aiming for the legs. She jumps back for a moment and lowering her head charges hard at the retriever, her goal to headbutt him hard in the side.
Jethro doesn't have as much as an ego that Wind THINKS he does. The thing with Jeth is that he knows how important it is to have a pack around to help, his use to working with a pack to deal with a problem and thus he plans on using it now. It if was Toby or Chua that would be a very different matter. Once his teeth find a grasp of Wind's shoulder he twists his head hard, his large form working on shoving against the other male to try and push him down to the ground. If he gets that far he will go about trying to pin Wind down.
Girlfriend? Who's he calling girlfriend! Nyx surely wouldn't fit in that roll very well, unless someone's into the sadistic torturous type. How this guy is still up and going is beyond her. His blood does not taste tainted with sickness (luckily for her and the rest of them) but there is obviously something amiss. Teeth sink into his leg, missing about as many time as she's successful. With so many bodies and movement and noise, it's difficult to truly focus on the mark. "Relent, you idiot dog!"
Wind isn't sick, at least not physically. Perhaps mentally ill though. Ok so Jethro didn't bite. Thats a real shame and it certainly puts a damper on how the rest of this fight is going to go. The only thing that he really can do for the moment is relent. As opposed to dying that option seems perferable. There will come a time for revenge later. When they are alone or the moment is right he will have his shot again, but for the moment all he can do is sink to the ground as Jethro bites him. He will have to make him suffer some day, his punishment must definitely be more severe than those he metes out to the others. Though Nyx is certainly deserving as well. Rayna played a rather small part. Perhaps she could be forgiven. And with that all he can do is pass out from a mix of pain and blood loss.
Finally. Finally. Dog down. Rayna sighs, picks herself off the ground and with some semblence of tenderness she noses at he unconcious beast. "Despite the fact that he's the craziest thing I've ever seen..." She sighs. "He put up one helluva fight....You don't find that in every dog." Stating the obvious, sure, but its something that she felt needed to be said. Picking the remnants of her fighter's pride from the ground she shakes herself and turns with no further conversation and slides away into the surrounding woods finally ready to lay down and sleep.
Jethro continues to shake his head, rip and tear muscle and the like until Wind is indeed down, an not moving. He lets go of the other dog's shoulder and steps back with a thick throaty snarl escaping him. "And stay DOWN!" Is growled out, a bit of spittle and bloody drool running down from the thick floppy lips of his. Oh he will be watching Wind very closely that is for sure. An he will make sure Bone knows there is something not right with this dog. That he may be more trouble alive and better off dead actually. But...that is for Bone to decided now. He stalks away from Wind and has four members of the pack watch the dog through out the night an to make sure Wind doesn't try to go after anyone else.
It is about .. time! Nyx jumps back as Wind goes down, dark eyes remaining on him even as he lays still. Something is not right with that dog. Her labored breathing gradually slows, eyes now following Jethro as he takes care of business. A last throaty growl is given to the retriever before she backs off, kicking a pawful of dirt his way. "/That/ ... is gonna be trouble," is said to no one in particular. Eh. She got out of this unscathed. She'll call this a victory. Exhaling a breath, she moves off a ways then flops onto her stomach. Time for a nap! "Insane...ridiculous..." can be heard from her as she tucks her head down, eyes closing.
---Hilltop Vista---
The sky has scattered fluffy clouds. The hilltop has scattered dogs. Sleeping, mostly; the warmth of the day has meant many of them are dozing or else wandered off seeking cooler temperatures. Bone is notably absent - notable, because his absence followed a quiet conversation with Chua earlier today. The battered Toby is taking advantage of the quiet, padding ever so quietly up the hill and snuffling around in hopes of forgotten scraps of food.
The dogs have been here since, what...winter? And now it's teetering towards fall, though the last days of summer aren't going to go out without a bang. It's warm. Hot really, though the summer sun does not bother the short furred doberman. It's the winter months that will be a trial, but those are a ways off still. Nyx has been off doing...who knows what. Torturing small animals, likely, as there is a curious splatter of blood evident on her forepaws, and she's returning with a faint smirk...which is never a good sign. Eyes search for Bone, as it's always good to know where their, heh, fearless leader is. But he seems not to be here! But... oh, ho..what's this? A Toby? Inky eyes narrow at the sight of him, all traces of her former smirk vanishing. "Weasel, you're not dead yet?"
Wind has been doing his thing. What is his thing you might ask? Well he sort of wanders up the hill, and down the hill. He isn't really sure how he ended up here, but there are other dogs around so he stays. He hasn't really developed any friendships yet in this 'pack' but that doesn't mean that he won't. Though these dogs are going to be tough to be friends with. Of course he's a hard dog to befriend since he's...well crazy.
Rayna is, regretabbly, again without sleep and has taken more recently to pacing the boundries of this place they now call...well she has yet to call it 'home', but lacks a better word. Returning to the lazy base of lounging, lolling canines; picking her way carefully to spin her own self a small nest in the grass. She settles, despite what she can tell is leading up to an altercation between Nyx and Toby. She sighs, lifts her head to watch apathetically, noting in the back of her mind the perversness that his has become entertainment to her.
Jethro ears slowly perk forward and a slight sniffling snort esacpes him while his head lifts and a yawn escapes him while he looks to Toby. A chuckle escapes him, floppy lips parting to show off his fangs a moment. "Well looky who came crawling back in." He shifts up onto his haunches, stretching out his large form in the process. A few bones poping back into place.
Yerp. Things are no longer quiet. Toby's ears go back, in what - three seasons ago - would have been followed by a snarl, and now comes with a whine. He lowers his head, looking up at Nyx, glancing over to Jethro. Today is definitely no longer quiet. "No, not yet." There's maybe a streak of his old arrogance there. It's hard to forget yourself entirely. No wonder Toby-baiting is still such a source of entertainment. Another glance to Jethro, and his head ducks further, trying to hide the scowl he can't help.
"Pity. M'sure there's still a little meat left on those sorry bones of yours," remarks Nyx, tone bored though gaze acidic, watching Toby as if he were a bug yet to be stepped upon. "Do you need help getting there? I'll be happy to oblige." Her eyes draw to Jethro and linger. He is one of the two possible leaders. She's still not sure which one of the two will make it on top next to Bone, but covering all of her bases is what she's rather good at. Her docked tail wiggles lsowly from side to side in greeting, and a small smile is sent his way. Really, that's all he'll get. She's not a touchy feely type. And another one. Female. Her tail stops its show of motion as she contemplates Rayna with a calculating look.
Wind is not really interested in things like hierarchy or rules or order since he has absolutely conception of what those things mean. For him things are a great deal more simple, and confusing. Presently he crests the hill and looks around. Ohhh there are so many here tonight. He hasn't met any of them either. Or if he has he certainly doesn't remember doing it. He has difficulty hanging on to things like names and faces. On a good day he might recognize someone that he has known for awhile, but there are so few around here that he has, "Hi." he says to everyone with his tail wagging behind him.
Rayna sighs. The restlessness picking up around the hilltop. Not one to join in on the malicious humiliation of Toby, she is not one to defend him either - not by a long shot. A quiet disintrest is all she can allow, though she does slowly stand back up, long, elegant tail slowly sweeping the dust from the ground. The retriever draws her attention, and she turns to regard him, ears pinning back. Oh, yes, the crazy one. Right. Hm. She nods a greeting, eyes flicking to Jethro. Unlike Nyx, she does not bother covering her bases and merely awards him the same blank stare as the others. Their petty fights and arguments do not intrest her until someone is killed.
Jethro shifts on his paws and moves towards Toby, eyeing him with a deep rumbling growl escapes him. "I'm rather surprize the infection didn't take your pittful life." A snap of his jaws is hear though no where near Toby, just an air bite. "I saw that.." An it is followed up with him trying to headbutt Toby in the shoulder and shove him to the ground with his greater weight and larger frame. A ear flicks towards Nyx but his attention stays on Toby for now, someone needs to be put in his place!
...and there's a piece of meat, too. A half-eaten groundhog, only a few days old. The maggots haven't even hatched yet. Toby's noticed it, but it's just a little past Nyx. There's no way he can get it now. It looks so good, though. Better than he's had in... well. Since he lost his place, really. He wants it, oh he wants it, but... given a choice between that and his own sorry bones, he knows which one he'd rather have. He mumbles something about, "Be just fine, don't trouble yourself," and cringes from Jethro's jaws as he starts slinking backward. Maybe that other dog, the yellow one, will be a distraction. Toby can hope. Turns out, hope's another luxury Toby can't afford any more, because the shove to his weak shoulder sends him tumbling down with a yelp.
Nyx's gaze does not linger long on Rayna, as the other female shows little sign of being a problem for her. As long as she remains the quiet bystander, then they won't have a problem. And so her attention turns back to Toby, who being on the bottom of the totem pole, is always a good source of entertainment when there is no other source to take one's meanness out on. A slow grin curves her slender muzzle as Toby goes toppling under Jethro's show, a gleeful cackle soon following. "Sad, isn't it, to be knocked off your pedestal! And so literally, it's funny. Come on, give me satisfaction of tearing you throat? It'd be so noble. Your last act to help your loving pack!" Another giggle, and she traipses forward on dancing paws a few feet. She pauses though, eyes turning to the golden retriever. "Aren't you a bright fellow.."
Wind is the opposite of bright. Though he isn't stupid to be sure, but he is not particularly with it. He blinks as he hears talk about tearing someone's throat out. That wouldn't be very nice at all. You can't just tear folks throughts out for no reason...or at all really. Unless you are hunting of course. If you are going hunting then thats all good, "It someone going hunting?" he asks. When Nyx makes her comment he smiles widely and nods, "Yep. I'm bright."
She will never understand the neccessity of such brutality for brutality's sake. But who is she to say? Unwilling to be snivelling on the ground with him, Rayna shakes the dust from her fur and decides to ease thevengeful pain of boredom and find her own small par in the action. She takes long, calculated steps towards the three and sighs before speaking in her usual drifty manner. "It may be best to leave him breathing for now. You never know when you'll need bait or a sheild." Despite her condescneding remark her own quip held the slightest semblence of defence, if anything to return the quiet to her already sleepless world. She knows her words must be chosen carefully, as she already toes the line of moral softness. Plus, this cheery bloke was already well on his way to take Toby's place. MInd your step, retriever.
Jethro lets his jaws lower to half press against Toby's neck with a deep rumbling growl escaping him in the process. He takes in a breath and there is a new scent that gets his attention and he turns his gaze towards the strange dog. "Looks like you get to live a little longer Toby." He says with a click of his teeth. His form turns and he moves over to where Wind is, head low, hackles raised with a deep snarl escaping him. "An...who are you...?" He starts to slowly circle Wind, eyeing the dog as he goes. A ear flicks to Rayna but he doesn't comment to what she says.
Funny haha... more like funny sad, at least if you're the one at the bottom of the totem pole. Toby drags in a heavy breath, and tries to get his paws under him to stagger to his feet again. When you're this far down, the fight isn't to climb up again - just to keep from getting pushed down further. The only place left to go is... dead and rotting. His ears press back at Nyx's taunts, but he manages to hold his tongue... if not his expression, which is rather like he's chewing on his own tail. Even Rayna's joining in the game of demeaning him. The fact that he actually needs that two-edged defense only makes it rankle all the worse. Here he is. Beta! He was beta, and now... he's vying for place with a brain-dead halfwit, his tail tucked between his legs. Maybe death would be preferable, but he's still too angry to accept defeat, even when it's become inevitable. At Jethro's threat, Toby lets out an involuntary whimper... hating himself for it at the same time... and, after a final longing glance at the half-rotten groundhog, turns to flee without it. At least he has his life. His pitiful, useless life.
"Teh.." Wind's reply earns a stare from Nyx who tries to make sense of his .. few words. "I retract my statement," she muses, a brow arching as she looks him over. Bright in color, yes. Bright in mind...yet to be seen, though it doesn't seem as if he's starting off on the right foot with impressing her intellectually. A cropped ear turns upon hearing Rayna finally speak, and the other female is regarded with vaguely narrowed eyes. "Mm. For now..." she relents, turning in time to see Toby flee. A small yet satisfied smile touches her mouth as she watches him, having no intentions to waste energy by giving chase. He'll be back. He's always back, and what other choice does he have? Her body is given a light shake while her attention also turns to Wind. Yes. Who are you!
Wind isn't particularly surprised about the attention that he is getting. He gets that wherever he goes cause of his distictive awesomeness! He just sort of turns in circles as he watches Jethro move around him. The question for the time being goes unanswered, "You move around alot. Do you ever get dizzy? I get dizzy sometimes and my head hurts." Oh yeah he has some really nasty headaches sometimes, but thankfully he is feeling pretty good at the present moment in time, "I like to have fun too. Do you like to have fun? We should all have fun." he states as he continues to just spin in place keeping Jethro in view so that he can talk to him. By now he has largely forgotten the question.
Rayna shakes her head sadly after Toby. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. And then been subsequenly trampled. She fears for her own dignity when she watches him crawl, she has already made herself unpopular - what keeps her unattacked and him beaten senseless? At this point, she does not care, only hopes that it holds. But this new creature - oh boy. This is not the place for him, he belongs strapped to a rainbow spewing bunnies out his rear...he'll be eaten alive in five minutes flat. This formula of disaster can only end in serious maiming - oh New Meat you are not in Kansas anymore.
Jethro eyes Wind a few moments while taking in a breath before laughing out and grins. "You like to have fun huh?" His large hea shakes a moment and he snaps out towards Wind's haunch, only catching the air though. "You have no idea the sort of fun we have here. Do someone want to help me show the new kid what sort of 'fun' it is?".
Nyx can only stare. Of all the dogs she's met. The ruthless, the cutthroat, the timid, and the fearful, none hold a candle to this golden boy. He fits in none of the neat little categories her mind has conjured up these past few months. The way he spins around and the words that accompany his actions? That's just plain weird. A new category will need to be made for this fellow...warranting he survives long enough to be classified. With Toby out of the picture, she turns, a sneered grin curving a single side of her muzzle. "Oh me. Choose me! I /love/ having fun," she quips, trotting towards Jethro. "Unforgettable, unimaginable fun! Trust me, goldie, after this, you'll never wish to leave."
Wind nods his head with a smile as he glances over toward Nyx. Ok thats cool. They like to have fun. Maybe this place isn't so bad after all. Maybe they just like to keep all the fun to themselves which is why they are so grumpy all the time, "Good. I like to have fun too." Well this day is turning out to be pretty great. Maybe he will now have three new friends. Not that he will have any idea who they are tomorrow, most of the time he barely remembers who he is. He'd love to remember his past, but thats mostly just a mystery to him. The present is whats most important after all. He wags his tail and smiles...fun is good.
Jethro chuckles and grins as he hears Nyx. "Come on then Nyx... I'll let you go first even." See, he can be NICE now can't he? His tail lashes and he shifts to the side to rest upon his haunches, muscles tesing across his form while his floppy lips are lifted to bare his teeth in a silent snarl. Oh don't worry he will so be jumping in as well...
Oh for - poor kid. Rayna rolls her shoulders forward, bowing to the ground to stretch her long spine. "If you'll forgive me, I'll sit this one out." This...frivolity is not her strong suit. With an apatheic yawn she settles onto her haunches, not fully in the mood to watch a hapless no brainer torn to bits. "I hate fun myself but you three just...go crazy. Knock 'em dead. Give 'em hell and...all that." Her own place on this balance of crazy vagrant danger is not comfortable, but at least she is not teetering off the edge.
Such a gentleman Jethro is! Nyx elegantly lowes her head to him in a sort of graceful bow which probably would look less cynical without the teeth baring grin that accompanies it. "My pleasure," she replies as her head lifts to a normal level. As for Rayna, she lets her be, although her lack of anything in this matter does get silently noted by the doberman, but it isn't anything that she aims to question now. Let the fun begin. Her shortened tail begins of facade of wagging, while she herself, for a moment, looks like your everyday dog, ready for a playful romp. Her steps are light and mouth is opened in that trademark doggy grin as she frolicks towards him. Bounding to his left, then bounding to his right, then lunging forward to aim a snap towards his haunches. A playbite...with a bit more bite than play!
Wind is perfectly content to play. After all no one ever got hurt from playing beyond a few bruises and maybe a bit of a cut here and there. When he watches he approach he offers her a smile and play bows to her as well. She certainly seems personable and all that, at least until she decides to take a snap at him. He frowns and cocks his head after pulling away from the bite, thankfully she didn't get him...yet, "Hey that isn't very..." he probably was going to end that sentance by saying 'nice' however the word never escapes his mouth. Instead his whole demenor shifts and he stands up straight and fixes Nyx with something of a glare. Brain fart? Or something more? How in the world did he get here he thinks to himself. And where is here? All of those questions are important, but seemingly not as important as dealing with the dog in front of him, "Not very nice of you, but I suppose its no matter." With that he returns the lunge except his is aimed at her leg. He wants desperately to grab onto it. If he can sprai
He wants desperately to grab onto it. If he can sprain, dislocate or break he leg she will be of no threat to him and he can kill her at his leisure.
This riiculousness has gone - what? Rayna stands suddenly as Wind's demeanor changes...There is some violence hidden in his madness. This could get ugly, and despite her general disregard for Nyx the threat "one of her own" is still something that instinct has drilled a defence of into her mind, and despite herself her hackles raise.
Jethro shifts on his paws as he watches Nyx and Wind, an as soon as the fluffy male goes for his packmate the large dog is on his paws. It takes one bounding step for him to be there and his large jaws open to try and grab down against Wind's shoulder that is close to him, which could be possible with the other male's attention on Nyx at the moment. He makes no sound, of warning, no growl, not snarl, not even a hard breath escapes him. His eyes have taken on a slight wild look though, thick muscles across his form tensing and hackles raised. This friends is what he was born to do, take down something and he loves the feeling, the thrill of doing /just/ that...
Nyx has not it made it this far by underestimating those around her. If that were the case, she'd've been fodder last winter! Even this deranged dog has been taken into consideration. His thick furred self and large size, even with an idiot's brain, may make him less than simple to tackle. She didn't peg him as a fighter, and still doesn't as her teeth sink into fur in flesh. A quick bite that releases mere seconds after contact, jumping back. Any dog will retaliate from that, but...this three sixty? Even one as calculating as she didn't see /this/ coming. Her brows vaguely furrow at his words and.. woah, what? Ears fold back and teeth bare as he lunges for her, causing her to lunge backward to save her thin legs, though just barely. Then here comes Jethro into the sudden fray, and she moves, heading around to the same side from which he attacked.
Rats. He would have enjoyed that. What a shame. Still there are other matters to attend to, mainly the other dog that seems to have entered this fight. Perfect. If he can whoop this dog then the others will have to respect him. He must be somewhere up in the hierarchy of this group. Whatever this group might be. At any rate he doesn't have the time to deal with such questions right now. Right now is a time for action. He grimaces as Jethro attacks and bites his shoulder. He will have to make him pay for that. There is only one way to beat a dog that is bigger than yourself and thats use the momentum of their weight against them, unbalance them and go in for the kill. Not that he wants to kill anyone here. That would be a horrible way to introduce yourself. Now maiming...thats another story. So he does the only thing that he can do, he rolls with the energy of Jethro's strike much as a dog would when being asked to roll over, though he intends to land on his paws when done and be ready to battle.
Well, now she HAS to do something or bear the ridicule for it later on. With a snarl, Rayna lopes forward and leaps past Nyx, pulling up short as the goldie rolls - and she attempts to make her move while he's still low. Attack and hold down, attack and hold down. The borzoi takes one last long, leap into the fray before attemping to shoot past Jethro and sink her teeth into the neck of a dog that - ten seconds ago - she pitied beyond all belief.
Jethro does his best to bite down hard upon Wind's shoulder, and gives his head a great mighty shake before the other male is able to escape his grasp. His gaze follows after Wind, a deep snarl escaping him while he stands his ground, hackles raising. His gaze follows after Rayna and he can see this may be a problem in the making! He is quick to follow though instead of right after Rayna towards Wind he chooses a different path to come around the left side of the fuzzy male. Now he'll have two dogs to deal with going for him at the same time. His head snaps out once in a fake attack and then he dives in again this time going after Wind's haunch mostly for the hip area. If he can get hold of the other there could be a problem.
Make that three dogs to deal with. Nyx is having some trouble figuring out this dog's fight style, which makes anticipating what he may do next pretty impossible. Take that rolling maneuver, for instance. Who does that? But for all the erratic skill Wind may have, they have numbers. Even Rayna has proven herself useful and loyal and entered the fray. She focuses on her pouncing attack and joins a half step after. While Rayna aims, Nyx does not, jaws snapping metallically. Open close open close in rapid succession at whatever golden piece she can get at. She'll teach him not to try to make her lame! She will not be in the same horrid boat as Toby because of some maniac retriever!
Three against one is very much an unfair fight, and its a losing fight. Wind doesn't like to lose. Especially when he has no idea what the stakes here are who even who these other dogs really are. Whoever they are they can't be his friends and as far as he is concerned that makes them fair game. He takes a mental moment to appraise the sitaution. Jethro is the brute in this fight. He's big and knows what he's doing. Nyx is considerably more dainty though hardly a pushover. Rayna she's not exactly weak either, but her heart doesn't seem as in it as the others. Not that he's willing to bet his life on that supposition, but at least it something. All he has to do is create some kind of incident that can stop the fight and start the talking. Thankfully he is fast, they don't call him wind for nothing because thats about the only thing that is saving him at this point. He pulls his hip just out of Jethros reach, at least for the moment and at the same point time lowers his head to try to avoid Rayna. Nyx on the other hand is far more difficult to avoid and she manages to bite his shoulder in much the same spot that Jethro did. This has to end before it gets too much worse. So he does the only sensible thing he can do, he sues for a moment of peace, "Stop! You three could probably kill me, but I can guarantee that I'll get one of you good before I go. Care to risk it?"
This fight is too much madness for her to handle - Rayna takes a step back to appraise her next attack and locates her target. If she can get enough momentum, she could jam him in the side, maybe crack a rib. The Borzoi snorts and begins to charge - but as he calls, she stops. She advances at a walk now, snarling for all she's worth. She certainly does not want to be the one in Toby's spot. "You seem to have your head together now, odd one." No more ponies and rainbow crap out of him. She doesn't count on him complying to his word of a halt - nor does she think the others will - so she, as a safety measure, leaps withou warning at the goldie - her aim is no to main or kill but to get a firm hold on his neck and hold him down for questioning.
Jethro does a few hopping steps backwards once Wind is able to pull away from him. A half snort escapes him while he paces one way and then another while taking in a breath. "Your joking right?" He questions with a thin tone while he takes a few heavy pawed steps forward. "Its not just us 'three'.. Your in the middle of a pack.." He states with a thin tone. Other dogs are watching now from there places, but won't move in unless he word is given. Jeth steps forward, head lowering and floppy lips pulled back to show fangs. "I don't take anything from you fuzzybritches." An with that he is lunging forward again, powerful jaws moving to try and grab hold of the other dog once more in the shoulder area.
Stop! It's a nice order, though not one that Nyx will comply to. Not when it's coming from Wind and not Jethro. She backs off for a moment of reprieve, muzzle bloody and eyes raging. She'll stop if Jethro does, for in Bone's absence, Jethro's word is law. Him or Chua. But ...see, Chua's not here. Her eyes glance over at the bulldog, waiting, listening, anticipating. With her eyes on him, she nearly misses Rayna's early lunge, and though she tenses she till holds back. It isn't until Jethro moves that she does too, attacking alongside him with ears pressed back and head tucked low. He goes for the shoulder, she aims for his foreleg in much the same way he did her.
Wind apparently doesn't have a great deal of time. He has tried to be reasonable, that has failed. When reason fails you go for the emotional strings, and then if that fails you fight until you are dead, and rest assured he will not go down easily and he would hope to take at least one of them with him. He watches Rayna when she speaks and then promptly makes her leap. This is a good thing he thinks to himself. She's the one with the least to lose. Jethro would have his reputation to lose it seems and Nyx..well she just looks to be out for blood. Rayna is easily dodged, Jethro however is not so easy and once again he feels the dog bite into his shoulder, "I never joke with dogs who can't fight me fair and square without calling in their girlfriends to save them..." He can tell that Jethro has something of an ego perhaps that will even things out a bit. Or not. Who knows? For her part Nyx is more or less able to get in a few shots as well.
Rayna spins, snarling as she is dodged and without missing a beat, bounces on the pads of her front paws and before her back paws have even touched the ground she is spinning around jaws spread wide and snapping at his neck once more. The neck is the goal in any fight, or so she's been taught. Or not...Faking a snap at the neck she twists her head to follow the trend of aiming for the legs. She jumps back for a moment and lowering her head charges hard at the retriever, her goal to headbutt him hard in the side.
Jethro doesn't have as much as an ego that Wind THINKS he does. The thing with Jeth is that he knows how important it is to have a pack around to help, his use to working with a pack to deal with a problem and thus he plans on using it now. It if was Toby or Chua that would be a very different matter. Once his teeth find a grasp of Wind's shoulder he twists his head hard, his large form working on shoving against the other male to try and push him down to the ground. If he gets that far he will go about trying to pin Wind down.
Girlfriend? Who's he calling girlfriend! Nyx surely wouldn't fit in that roll very well, unless someone's into the sadistic torturous type. How this guy is still up and going is beyond her. His blood does not taste tainted with sickness (luckily for her and the rest of them) but there is obviously something amiss. Teeth sink into his leg, missing about as many time as she's successful. With so many bodies and movement and noise, it's difficult to truly focus on the mark. "Relent, you idiot dog!"
Wind isn't sick, at least not physically. Perhaps mentally ill though. Ok so Jethro didn't bite. Thats a real shame and it certainly puts a damper on how the rest of this fight is going to go. The only thing that he really can do for the moment is relent. As opposed to dying that option seems perferable. There will come a time for revenge later. When they are alone or the moment is right he will have his shot again, but for the moment all he can do is sink to the ground as Jethro bites him. He will have to make him suffer some day, his punishment must definitely be more severe than those he metes out to the others. Though Nyx is certainly deserving as well. Rayna played a rather small part. Perhaps she could be forgiven. And with that all he can do is pass out from a mix of pain and blood loss.
Finally. Finally. Dog down. Rayna sighs, picks herself off the ground and with some semblence of tenderness she noses at he unconcious beast. "Despite the fact that he's the craziest thing I've ever seen..." She sighs. "He put up one helluva fight....You don't find that in every dog." Stating the obvious, sure, but its something that she felt needed to be said. Picking the remnants of her fighter's pride from the ground she shakes herself and turns with no further conversation and slides away into the surrounding woods finally ready to lay down and sleep.
Jethro continues to shake his head, rip and tear muscle and the like until Wind is indeed down, an not moving. He lets go of the other dog's shoulder and steps back with a thick throaty snarl escaping him. "And stay DOWN!" Is growled out, a bit of spittle and bloody drool running down from the thick floppy lips of his. Oh he will be watching Wind very closely that is for sure. An he will make sure Bone knows there is something not right with this dog. That he may be more trouble alive and better off dead actually. But...that is for Bone to decided now. He stalks away from Wind and has four members of the pack watch the dog through out the night an to make sure Wind doesn't try to go after anyone else.
It is about .. time! Nyx jumps back as Wind goes down, dark eyes remaining on him even as he lays still. Something is not right with that dog. Her labored breathing gradually slows, eyes now following Jethro as he takes care of business. A last throaty growl is given to the retriever before she backs off, kicking a pawful of dirt his way. "/That/ ... is gonna be trouble," is said to no one in particular. Eh. She got out of this unscathed. She'll call this a victory. Exhaling a breath, she moves off a ways then flops onto her stomach. Time for a nap! "Insane...ridiculous..." can be heard from her as she tucks her head down, eyes closing.