Survival of the fittest (Kat, Alakai)
Posted: 31-03-2012 00:23
It was already late afternoon... and the sun was setting behind some buildings, throwing orange light over the dusty ground.
It was small city, in a poor country. Humans and animals alike lived here in all sorts of classes, from poor and starving to rich and wealthy.
The large uptown houses had beautiful gardens with large fences, posh gates and where often guarded by arrogant, large dogs who had never wanted for anything. The humans there sometimes also owned small lapdogs to cuddle with, and they where often fat, spoiled and yappy.
The working class had dogs for all sorts of work, or just for company. They had the nice houses, with fair gardens, but no beautiful lawns or gorgeous fencework. Human and animal alike had fair lives in this class; they weren't rich, but they had a roof over their heads, food on their tables... a very nice life indeed, especially for those who once had worse.
And then there where the poor. The disabled, the old, the weak, or the unlucky. They lived in the bad part of town... in small and often old houses, some leaky and bad. The réal poor ones didn't even háve a decent roof over their heads.
And in this class, too, dogs could be found. Dogs who had to fend for themselves, and for their food... even íf they had a human.
But many who roamed these parts had no human, no family to call their own. Many where strays; some born on the streets, some kicked out of their homes, wether these homes had been in the richer or poorer class.
And this was a hard life. Surviving each day... hoping you'd find enough to eat and a place to sleep. Hoping you'd be able to protect yourself and always struggling to see another day.
Alana was one of those. One of the poor... Born on the streets.
She had never known the love of a human. Her mother had been born on the streets, too, and so had her dad. She knew little of the lives of pets... and how comfy it could be. She was a stray... born as one, and likely to die as one.
And it showed. She was a product of evolution, her bodysize and colors all adjusted to survival. Her fur was short, with enough underwool to keep her warm during winters. No froofroo, no exagerations. Just a dog... pure as a dingo, meant to LIVE.
However... even those dogs, who had been born with the necessities for life on the streets, didn't always trive. And Alana sure didn't.
She had lost her parents at an early age... and had never learned to decently take care of herself.
And that, that was what had driven her so close to a pack, today.
Behind some trashcans, the young stray female watched a group of dogs.
She had seen them around before. Led by a beautiful, white dog... a Saluki. She had no idea wether it was a male or a female, she couldn't say from a distance. But... the elegance, the long, beautiful white coat, striked her as feminine.
And then there where the other packmembers... two grey dogs, looking like the polar breeds... husky, malamute... maybe mixbreeds or even mutts, like her, but bigger... And a brown female who looked like a Spitz.
But the biggest member of this group was a large, darkgrey male that had a silver shine over his fur, and pale greyblue eyes. It seemed he had Mastino blood or something, and he looked pretty powerful.
And today... he had something between his frontpaws that had her interest.
The large male calmly gnawed on the scraps of what, apparantly, once hád been a bunny. Maybe a domestic rabbit, who had escaped from his owners... or a bewildered one. Many of those hopped around in this city at dawn.
Whatever it was... it had Alana drooling.
But what to do? No matter how hungry she was... she knew no stray would share a meal. Live was hard out here... and it was every dog for itself. Unless... you belonged to a pack. A pack meant family... friends. But also responsibility, and quarrels...
Alana had stayed far from all that, wanting to take care of herself, not wanting to belong to anything or anyone. But now...
... now, she was slowly starving. She hadn't eaten for over a week, and her ribs where showing through her fur. She couldn't go on alone... and it seemed she would have no choice but to find herself company.
However, even now, she still didn't like the thought. And thus... she could only think of one thing;
HOW to get that food from that mastiff dog?
She slowly crept a little closer. She made no sound, and the male just continued chewing. Confident she had not been noticed, she crouched closer, step, by step...
But suddenly, the mastiff raised his large head, and looked straight at the cans where she was hiding.
- ''What do you think you're doing, lady?''
She gasped; he had spotted her! But how? She had been so careful...
Oh NO... Damn it!! Now, all her chances where RUINED!!!
Groaning, she stepped from behind the cans into plain sight, a few meters away from him. Her ears where turned back in respect and her tail hung, but raised halfway every now and then as she hesitated, slowly stepping a little closer from time to time as she spoke.
- ''You... saw me?''
- ''Let's say I noticed you.'' The mastiff turned his attention back to his food, ignoring the female who was steadily coming his way, but held one of his strangely cut ears turned her way. ''What do you want?''
- ''I... eh... I need.. I wanted...'' She gulped, but she was still drooling.
The mastiff looked up.
- ''You look like you haven't eaten in a long time.''
- ''I haven't, indeed...''
To her surprise, he suddenly raised to his paws, and tossed the scraps her way.
- ''Here, have it. I had my fill, anyway.''
Not caring at all that the mastiff had slobbered over it, Alana catched the meat straight from the air and wolfed it down in seconds. The mastiff tilted his head slightly.
- ''You haven't been to lucky, huh?'' He sat down. ''Seems you could use some help...''
Alana licked her lips. It felt wonderful to have had at least a small bite... but she knew it wasn't enough. She turned her ears back, hesitant and slightly embarrassed, having to ask for help. Her pride was hurt, feeling like a grovelling, begging puppy.
- ''Yes... you're right, I suppose...'' She hesitated again and took a step backwards.
- ''A young girl like you should join a pack. That would increase your chances of filling up a little.'' He said, with a nod towards her body. ''Have you never considered joining one?''
Alana kept her distance, but her ears now slowly perked.
- ''I... no. I don't... like being in a group, I guess. But...'' She paused, but the mastiff patiently waited for her to go on, so she continued. ''It seems... I have to.''
- ''Yes.. it does seem that way.''
A small pause fell between the two canines; the large male throwing a big shadow on the ground, the much smaller female a smaller, longer shadow.
- ''Well...'' The mastiff finally turned his head to his right. ''IF you're interested in joining OURS... you might want to go and talk to G.''
Alana followed his gaze with perked ears; the white Saluki stood not too far from them. He seemed not to have noticed them yet.
- ''G?''
- ''He's our alpha.''
- ''He... He's a he?''
- ''Yes...'' The male snickered. ''You wouldn't say, huh. Yes, he is.''
- ''Oh...'' Alana paused.
Should she? She wasn't sure. If she joined... and didn't like it... she could always leave, right? Maybe this ''G'' wouldn't even accept her...
She was unsure.
She turned her head back to the mastiff, and tilted her head slightly.
- ''Who are you, by the way?''
The male smiled. ''I'm Jax. G and Charlette run the pack... and then there's Frankfurt, Lydia and myself.'' His smile disappeared. ''You... ehm.. might want to stay away from Lydia at first, though. I'm not so sure she'll appriciate another female joining us...''
Alana hesitated again. But then, her belly rumbled loudly... and with a sigh, she realized she had no other choice.
- ''So... I should talk to G...?''
- ''If you want in... yes.'' Jax turned his head G's way again. ''Honestly, I think our pack could use another member. Safety and strength in numbers and all... And you'll learn to hunt properly here. I think you can be a good addition if you try.''
Alana turned her ears back, hurt that he had seen her weakness so easily. But she then gazed at G.
She had to.
- ''Well... alright...'' She slowly got up, and took a deep, deep breath, trying to build up courage. ''Here I go... then...''
- ''Good luck.''
As Alana trotted in G's direction, Jax got up and watched her.
He had no doubt the young female would be fine.
Alana felt more and more nervous as she came closer, suddenly spotting more dogs she hadn't been able to see from where she had been standing with Jax. Her ears and tail lowered quickly, a short wag in the tip of her tail to try and show she meant no harm.The brown female and the grey dogs... they where there...
She knew that she was in the heart of a pack now... a dangerous position for any outsider. She had to show all proper canine ettiquete and show submission, if she didn't want to be attacked... and thus she did, licking her nose fast a few times, her body quite low to the ground as she passed the dogs, hesitantly.
She forced herself to go on, going straight towards G who had his back turned to her, stopping about a meter from him... and with ears and tail low, ready to lower her entire body to the ground and submit if neccessary, she cleared her throat.
- ''Eh... p... pardon, sir...''
This was it.
It was small city, in a poor country. Humans and animals alike lived here in all sorts of classes, from poor and starving to rich and wealthy.
The large uptown houses had beautiful gardens with large fences, posh gates and where often guarded by arrogant, large dogs who had never wanted for anything. The humans there sometimes also owned small lapdogs to cuddle with, and they where often fat, spoiled and yappy.
The working class had dogs for all sorts of work, or just for company. They had the nice houses, with fair gardens, but no beautiful lawns or gorgeous fencework. Human and animal alike had fair lives in this class; they weren't rich, but they had a roof over their heads, food on their tables... a very nice life indeed, especially for those who once had worse.
And then there where the poor. The disabled, the old, the weak, or the unlucky. They lived in the bad part of town... in small and often old houses, some leaky and bad. The réal poor ones didn't even háve a decent roof over their heads.
And in this class, too, dogs could be found. Dogs who had to fend for themselves, and for their food... even íf they had a human.
But many who roamed these parts had no human, no family to call their own. Many where strays; some born on the streets, some kicked out of their homes, wether these homes had been in the richer or poorer class.
And this was a hard life. Surviving each day... hoping you'd find enough to eat and a place to sleep. Hoping you'd be able to protect yourself and always struggling to see another day.
Alana was one of those. One of the poor... Born on the streets.
She had never known the love of a human. Her mother had been born on the streets, too, and so had her dad. She knew little of the lives of pets... and how comfy it could be. She was a stray... born as one, and likely to die as one.
And it showed. She was a product of evolution, her bodysize and colors all adjusted to survival. Her fur was short, with enough underwool to keep her warm during winters. No froofroo, no exagerations. Just a dog... pure as a dingo, meant to LIVE.
However... even those dogs, who had been born with the necessities for life on the streets, didn't always trive. And Alana sure didn't.
She had lost her parents at an early age... and had never learned to decently take care of herself.
And that, that was what had driven her so close to a pack, today.
Behind some trashcans, the young stray female watched a group of dogs.
She had seen them around before. Led by a beautiful, white dog... a Saluki. She had no idea wether it was a male or a female, she couldn't say from a distance. But... the elegance, the long, beautiful white coat, striked her as feminine.
And then there where the other packmembers... two grey dogs, looking like the polar breeds... husky, malamute... maybe mixbreeds or even mutts, like her, but bigger... And a brown female who looked like a Spitz.
But the biggest member of this group was a large, darkgrey male that had a silver shine over his fur, and pale greyblue eyes. It seemed he had Mastino blood or something, and he looked pretty powerful.
And today... he had something between his frontpaws that had her interest.
The large male calmly gnawed on the scraps of what, apparantly, once hád been a bunny. Maybe a domestic rabbit, who had escaped from his owners... or a bewildered one. Many of those hopped around in this city at dawn.
Whatever it was... it had Alana drooling.
But what to do? No matter how hungry she was... she knew no stray would share a meal. Live was hard out here... and it was every dog for itself. Unless... you belonged to a pack. A pack meant family... friends. But also responsibility, and quarrels...
Alana had stayed far from all that, wanting to take care of herself, not wanting to belong to anything or anyone. But now...
... now, she was slowly starving. She hadn't eaten for over a week, and her ribs where showing through her fur. She couldn't go on alone... and it seemed she would have no choice but to find herself company.
However, even now, she still didn't like the thought. And thus... she could only think of one thing;
HOW to get that food from that mastiff dog?
She slowly crept a little closer. She made no sound, and the male just continued chewing. Confident she had not been noticed, she crouched closer, step, by step...
But suddenly, the mastiff raised his large head, and looked straight at the cans where she was hiding.
- ''What do you think you're doing, lady?''
She gasped; he had spotted her! But how? She had been so careful...
Oh NO... Damn it!! Now, all her chances where RUINED!!!
Groaning, she stepped from behind the cans into plain sight, a few meters away from him. Her ears where turned back in respect and her tail hung, but raised halfway every now and then as she hesitated, slowly stepping a little closer from time to time as she spoke.
- ''You... saw me?''
- ''Let's say I noticed you.'' The mastiff turned his attention back to his food, ignoring the female who was steadily coming his way, but held one of his strangely cut ears turned her way. ''What do you want?''
- ''I... eh... I need.. I wanted...'' She gulped, but she was still drooling.
The mastiff looked up.
- ''You look like you haven't eaten in a long time.''
- ''I haven't, indeed...''
To her surprise, he suddenly raised to his paws, and tossed the scraps her way.
- ''Here, have it. I had my fill, anyway.''
Not caring at all that the mastiff had slobbered over it, Alana catched the meat straight from the air and wolfed it down in seconds. The mastiff tilted his head slightly.
- ''You haven't been to lucky, huh?'' He sat down. ''Seems you could use some help...''
Alana licked her lips. It felt wonderful to have had at least a small bite... but she knew it wasn't enough. She turned her ears back, hesitant and slightly embarrassed, having to ask for help. Her pride was hurt, feeling like a grovelling, begging puppy.
- ''Yes... you're right, I suppose...'' She hesitated again and took a step backwards.
- ''A young girl like you should join a pack. That would increase your chances of filling up a little.'' He said, with a nod towards her body. ''Have you never considered joining one?''
Alana kept her distance, but her ears now slowly perked.
- ''I... no. I don't... like being in a group, I guess. But...'' She paused, but the mastiff patiently waited for her to go on, so she continued. ''It seems... I have to.''
- ''Yes.. it does seem that way.''
A small pause fell between the two canines; the large male throwing a big shadow on the ground, the much smaller female a smaller, longer shadow.
- ''Well...'' The mastiff finally turned his head to his right. ''IF you're interested in joining OURS... you might want to go and talk to G.''
Alana followed his gaze with perked ears; the white Saluki stood not too far from them. He seemed not to have noticed them yet.
- ''G?''
- ''He's our alpha.''
- ''He... He's a he?''
- ''Yes...'' The male snickered. ''You wouldn't say, huh. Yes, he is.''
- ''Oh...'' Alana paused.
Should she? She wasn't sure. If she joined... and didn't like it... she could always leave, right? Maybe this ''G'' wouldn't even accept her...
She was unsure.
She turned her head back to the mastiff, and tilted her head slightly.
- ''Who are you, by the way?''
The male smiled. ''I'm Jax. G and Charlette run the pack... and then there's Frankfurt, Lydia and myself.'' His smile disappeared. ''You... ehm.. might want to stay away from Lydia at first, though. I'm not so sure she'll appriciate another female joining us...''
Alana hesitated again. But then, her belly rumbled loudly... and with a sigh, she realized she had no other choice.
- ''So... I should talk to G...?''
- ''If you want in... yes.'' Jax turned his head G's way again. ''Honestly, I think our pack could use another member. Safety and strength in numbers and all... And you'll learn to hunt properly here. I think you can be a good addition if you try.''
Alana turned her ears back, hurt that he had seen her weakness so easily. But she then gazed at G.
She had to.
- ''Well... alright...'' She slowly got up, and took a deep, deep breath, trying to build up courage. ''Here I go... then...''
- ''Good luck.''
As Alana trotted in G's direction, Jax got up and watched her.
He had no doubt the young female would be fine.
Alana felt more and more nervous as she came closer, suddenly spotting more dogs she hadn't been able to see from where she had been standing with Jax. Her ears and tail lowered quickly, a short wag in the tip of her tail to try and show she meant no harm.The brown female and the grey dogs... they where there...
She knew that she was in the heart of a pack now... a dangerous position for any outsider. She had to show all proper canine ettiquete and show submission, if she didn't want to be attacked... and thus she did, licking her nose fast a few times, her body quite low to the ground as she passed the dogs, hesitantly.
She forced herself to go on, going straight towards G who had his back turned to her, stopping about a meter from him... and with ears and tail low, ready to lower her entire body to the ground and submit if neccessary, she cleared her throat.
- ''Eh... p... pardon, sir...''
This was it.