Where are you? [Pic|Kezz]

[Mika]

After following two of his pack mates out of his grandfather's territory not long ago, he had managed to lose them in the forest the next morning after stopping to rest when he thought the older dogs would. He awoke early the next morning expecting to catch up to them but, he found no trace of them. He only managed to follow their scents out of the forest before becoming distracted by butterflys, toads, and other things before wandering into the city and becoming even more lost. Take now finds himself here, even though he still has no idea where here was.

He could, kind of, be considered a country dog; Take had never seen buildings, cars, or anything tat humans once owned. He had never even been told about humans or any of the things he was seeing now. The puppy found his way into the industrial area of the city and was surrounded by crumbling buildings, and slowly darkening skies.

He was currently interested in a beetle slowly crawling on the ground. His nose would occasionally touch the bug and its' tiny wings would show. He nosed the bug once more and it finally flew away into a nearby warehouse. Take ran after it, stopping halfway in a part of the wall that had crumbled away to look around inside.

He slowly stepped inside as he looked around curiously. Parts of the ceiling, as well as the walls, had crumbled but, it could still provide decent shelter for whoever came here. There was still enough ceiling and wall left to keep some light and rain out.

He started to casually walk around, stepping on and sniffing at rubble before climbing up some stairs to look for more places to explore.

[♥Picasso]

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[atrb=background,http://i41.tinypic.com/30iyl1z.jpg,true] Denim and Natiri had been walking for a couple of hours so far. There was no purpose to their walk, no destination. They were just enjoying each other's company. Every so often their hips would bump from the proximity, before Denim would let out an awkward chuckle and move away from her a little. They were still a bit shaken up over their last meeting, where Alex and Neb had gatecrashed. He closed his eyes briefly. Denim didn't even want to think about what had happened that day. The look in Alex's eyes would always haunt him in his dreams. All that was in the past now. He had basically left the Iris Pride now, become a loner, and was with Natiri indefinitely. It was comforting, waking up to the the bright sun appearing over the horizon and no scent of Iris around. Denim didn't know why he hadn't left sooner. There wasn't a problem with hunting, even if Denim wasn't quite fully grown yet. He was fast and strong and could easily bring something down with the help of Iri. Eating for two was easier than eating for a whole Pride. Denim didn't have to think of sharing as much, and they consumed more as a pair. It was an easier life out here. They were still very much aware of the war that raged around them, but Denim's strength and size put off a lot of Tempest dogs. They had also received some shocked looks when dogs and cats alike saw Denim and Iri walking down the street together, laughing at each other's jokes like fools. It must be an amazing sight for the both of them, but Denim hoped that maybe it would spark a revelation in a lot of canines' and felines' minds. They could see that the two species could get along amicably without war. There had been a pleasant silence for several minutes as Denim and Iri proceeded to the Industrial Site. It was full of metal and huge buildings. Perhaps they could take shelter here tonight? He gazed at one large warehouse and then gazed down at Natiri with a small smile. He really did love just being with her and living in each other's pockets. Denim just wondered what would happen when Iri found a mate, someone she fell in love with. What would that do to their friendship? Denim didn't want to get in the way of anything, but surely inevitably she would find a handsome young dog that took her fancy? He sighed. They would have to deal with that when they reached that step of their friendship. As Denim looked at his best friend, he saw that she had no interest in anyone else just yet. Denim couldn't imagine he would ever have any interest for another feline. His heart was essentially taken by Natiri, whether she wanted it or not. Halting, Denim sniffed the air. There was someone here, recently. Denim looked around curiously. The scent wasn't familiar, and it had no alliance as far as he could tell. "Do you smell that?" He asked to Natiri as Denim began to advance on the warehouse. If they wanted to take shelter here, they didn't want it crawling with other canines or felines. Poking his head around an ajar door, Denim continued to look around cautiously. He had no idea whether this dog would be threatening or hostile, and didn't want to risk it. As Denim ascended up some stairs, he suddenly froze at the sight. A puppy. There was a lone puppy wandering the warehouse. He couldn't be any older than four months old, yet it didn't look as though there was a mother with him. Completely frozen in place, Denim just stared, dumbfounded.

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[`K E Z Z I ♥♥]

N A T I R I
help i'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer
come take my pulse, the pace is on a runaway train

It seemed so surreal, living alongside Denim. The cool autumnal evenings spent talking, laughing, stargazing. The misty morning hunts when not a sound could be heard but the crunch of frost underfoot. Every moment was cherished and memorized, imprinted into her mind and heart forever. These were the happiest days of Natiri's life and for once, she wasn't stressed out about a thing. She knew her family were happy in Tempest and that Iris wouldn't miss her best friend, they had finally escaped the raging war that had destroyed so much in their lives. Now that they were free nobody could break them apart, nothing could take Iri away from the large feline who had befriended her. Who had stood by her no matter what she said or did, who didn't care how abnormal she was or that she was so physically different. They both understood that stuff like that didn't matter, she knew she experienced exactly the same emotions as Denim. Underneath their skin, their hearts beat identically.

The dog smiled to herself softly as her thick fur brushed accidentally against the lion's muscular hips, though it was gone quicker than it had come. It was odd being so physically and emotionally close to somebody twenty-four hours a day. Though Iri adored the company, she was still adjusting to this new strange way of life. She had predominantly been a solitary creature prior to this escapade. The carefree wandering she didn't mind, no it was more the fact that she and Denim had become incredibly close and it was growing increasingly difficult to keep her final protective wall from crumbling down. It had always been there for Natiri, even longer than the lion himself and it was this defense mechanism that the female used to stop herself from getting hurt. Maybe it was because one day Natiri knew they would have to part ways, whether they liked it or not. Denim would no doubt want to start a family of his own and who was she to constrain him? Iri would always want the best for her friend, her friend who she knew she was falling for.

They sighed at the exact same time, and Iri glanced sideways up at those big brown eyes. She couldn't help but feel that small girlish smile light up her features once more, though deep within the female yearned to know what was going on in that kind, intelligent brain of his. What he truly thought of her, whether he had any idea of how much he meant to her? Iri would probably never know and she strove to shove these foolish sentimental thoughts from her mind. She flicked her tail against his own gently as they padded silently up to the huge warehouse upon the Industrial Site, surrounded by tons of scrap metal and old cars. It was at this moment that her acutely sensitive sense of smell was bombarded by a close, unfamiliar scent. From what she could tell it was a youngster, hungry, and had only recently passed through. The black, tan and white bitch slowed and pricked her long ears. Natiri nodded slowly, "Yes, from inside." They prowled closer, entering carefully before advancing on the nearest set of stairs.

Immediately the pair froze as their eyes latched upon the little, scampering figure before them. A pup, a young one too. Weaned but still far too small to be running around without a parent or guardian! From the scents around, he was very much alone. Iri gasped a little, and her eyes widened; this was something she had not been expecting. "My goodness.. what on earth are you doing young man?" She glanced up at Denim with apprehensive chocolate eyes, unsure of what their next move should be.

[Mika]

It took some effort because of his size but, the puppy managed to make his way up the small metal staircase before pausing to look around.

About a foot away from him were several large boxes, one of which had a large hole either eaten or torn away in one corner. He could see something colorful sticking out of the corner, most likely a toy made for children. He quickly ran over to the toy and clamped his sharp little teeth around the toy and pulled as hard as he could. He managed to pull it out but, he was so focused on the toy that he didn't notice that he wasn't alone until he heard the sound of nails hitting metal.

He stopped chewing on the toy and looked to see a female walking up the steps and towards him. He sat there and wagged his tail a little until he noticed a large paw in front of him. His gaze followed the large paw up a long leg and widened when he saw the face of the paws' owner. He had seen a cat before, domestic cats, and occasionally a lynx, serval, or some other small wild feline but, this was his first time seeing a full grown lion. He remembered his mother telling him something about cats that were much more massive than dogs but, Take passed them off as stories that were told to make pups behave.

"My goodness.. what on earth are you doing young man?"

He was barely paying any attention to the female when she spoke, he was still staring, equally dumbfounded, at the overly large cat in front of him. "Uh." He started as he slowly turned his attention to the female with still widened eyes. "I tried to follow two of my friends. They didn't know I was following them" He stood up and looked at the large feline again. "Seriously, what the heck are you? You're not really a cat are you?" He asked, still stupefied at the sight of the lion.

[♥Picasso]

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[atrb=background,http://i41.tinypic.com/30iyl1z.jpg,true] It seemed Natiri was stunned to silence as well as they came across the small, orange puppy. It was Iri who spoke first, addressing the puppy directly. The puppy, however, was fixated on Denim. A small smile appeared on Denim's face as he saw his eyes widen in shock at the huge size of Denim. It was a beautiful sight; seeing a puppy first encounter his first big cat. Although Denim's mane wasn't fully grown yet, his body was nearly at the same size as an adult male lion. He exchanged a grin with Natiri at the puppy's utter shock at coming across the lion. Denim hadn't come across any puppies since Iri, and it was strange to think that he and Iri had once been this size. He almost couldn't remember just how small they had been. It felt like he'd been large forever. Denim wondered whether all puppies were as cute as this one. It took a few moments for the puppy to register that Natiri had spoken, which further bemused Denim. When he finally spoke up, Denim looked down at him worriedly, "Where is your mother? Or father perhaps?" He asked softly. What was the puppy doing with just his friends? Surely his mother would keep him from running away at such a young age? Denim recalled probably being just as old as this puppy when he had first ran away from the Iris Pride and had met Iri. It had been freeing, refreshing, and it had opened his eyes to the truth of the world. Perhaps the puppy had sneaked away while his mother slept. She could be getting sick with worry by now. They had to take him back to wherever he came from before his mother began to seriously panic. The puppy spoke again, questioning whether Denim was a real cat. Denim barked out a laugh and grinned down at the small pup, "I am a lion, one of the largest cats in the city." He proclaimed proudly, enjoying the amazement on the puppy's features, "What's your name, kid? I'm Denim." He wondered what breed this pup was. He'd never seen anything quite like it before. Not that breeds mattered anymore. Breeds had been something the humans had invented to label different dogs and cats. Nowadays, there were more mutts and mongrels than purebreds around. There was a chance this puppy wasn't at all pure. He glanced over at Natiri again, wondering what she thought of the young puppy. He wasn't really sure whether she had a maternal instinct. Denim could imagine she would be a good mother, when she eventually became one. Stepping closer to Natiri, his fur brushed against hers gently. It was then that Denim realised this puppy wasn't afraid of him in the slightest, which shocked him. There was a war on, and this puppy wasn't scared of a lion tearing him to pieces. Denim remembered the feeling of being invincible at such a young age, but he couldn't believe this pup wasn't afraid. Perhaps his mother had taught him that felines weren't as evil as many made them out to be. Perhaps he had friends that were cats. Questions buzzed around Denim's mind, but he didn't voice them just yet. He didn't want to bombard the lost puppy with too many questions.

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[`K E Z Z I ♥♥]

N A T I R I
you got me feeling emotions, deeper than i've ever dreamed of
higher than the heavens above

The little pup seemed just as surprised to see the two young adults as they were to see him. Natiri wondered what on earth his mother was thinking, just letting such a young little thing run around on his own; completely vulnerable to attack from absolutely anything. There were several hungry scavengers, be it cat or dog, that would love nothing more than to snap a tiny baby like him up as an easy meal. Suddenly it brought back her own familiar memories, wandering off almost as soon as she could walk. Out of the birthing room, then the asylum, then Tempest territory entirely as the weeks went by. Iri has always been a curious little creature, craving knowledge and seeking to learn. She had longed to understand the world she had been born into, and with her parents refusing to speak of anything but the wretched pack and it's values, Natiri had took matters into her own paws. Had she not have been so inquisitive, then the black and tan female wouldn't be standing where she was now: next to Denim.

That still didn't distract the female from the fact that this little guy was in a pretty poor position right now. Iri was unsure as of what to do, she'd never been good around kids.. most mothers shunned her from their pups in case they caught her unloyalty. Though it was never spoke aloud, for fear that Nemesis or Clegane would beat their asses into next year, it had been a well known fact that Natiri was less than enthusiastic about being a part of the pack. All the same, Iri herself had never declared her dislike for Tempest to anybody and it reminded her constantly of her cowardice. Shaking away these unwanted thoughts, Natiri narrowed her eyes down at the little Akita. The breeding she knew without even a second glance, there were several of the big strong Japanese-bred dogs in Tempest.

The puppy stared up, in Iri's opinion, rather rudely at her companion. It was likely that Denim was the very first big cat the boy had ever seen, especially as he was so young. All the same, there was no need for gawping. The Husky and Beauceron cross raised an eyebrow at the pup's brash words, and she couldn't help but frown in distaste. It took a moment for Iri to check herself, remembering he was only a kid. He probably didn't have the first idea of how to act around such creatures as a lion, plus it seemed he had no hatred or resentment towards Denim! It was brilliant that his mind hadn't already been tainted by what his parents might have to say. She ran his speech over her mind once more, recalling the fact that he had been following some friends. Well, they were nowhere to be seen now and why had he been following them and not his mother or father?

Almost as if Denim had been reading her mind, he sounded out what she had just been thinking. Following this question the lion explained his breeding, before stating his name. Iri glanced over at her friend once more, her eyes tracing every bone in his gorgeous skull. How had she ended up with someone so .. perfect, inside and out? Denim defined the word flawless. He had everything: he was kind, patient, empathetic, beautiful and most of all compassionate. Natiri felt so outdone by him, she struggled with the conflicting desire to pull him close or push him away. Gah. Once again she had allowed herself to get distracted! She faced the youngster, "I'm Natiri, but you can call me Iri." She was awkward, Denim's words seemed to flow naturally from his mouth with ease. He knew that questions to ask, how to approach the pup but Iri hadn't the first idea. Should she ask whether he needed anything, or perhaps tell him to scamper off home.

She sighed, "Well, are.. are you erm- hungry?"

[Mika]

He looked at the large cat curiously. A lion huh. "So, that means it must exist too? A monster cat that kills dogs for fun?" He said, mostly mumbling to himself, but it was still loud enough to be heard.
"Where is your mother? Or father perhaps?"

"From what grandpa said," He lowered his gaze and closed his eyes as he tried to remember what his grandfather said when he took the puppy away from his mother. Hie stood there thinking for a few moments before speaking again with his eyes still closed, lost in thought. "This pup is a male, he has a better chance of surviving without a mother than the females. If he's anything like his father he could have started training a month ago." He recited almost exactly what he remembered his grandfather saying when the pup was taken away to train for a war he wanted nothing to do with.

He opened his eyes and looked back at the two young adults. "I think my grandpa said that a long time ago. He said I didn't need to depend on my mom anymore. My dad was killed by some wolves my pack was fighting with." He looked down at the ground sadly at the thought of his distraught mother trying to argue with her tyrant of a leader. "I didn't really like it back at home."

He looked at them once again when they introduced themselves. A small smile spread across his lips. He wasn't able to find his old friends, but maybe he would be able to stay with these two. They seemed kind enough so far.

"I'm Take, it's a pleasure to meet you both." He said and bowed his head. He didn't really bother to remember his training, because he didn't enjoy it, and he wanted nothing to do with his old packs' war. He did learn how to behave around others though, but that didn't mean he wouldn't occasionally act like a typical puppy.

"Well, are.. are you erm- hungry?"

The female, Natiri, asked, albeit rather awkwardly. The puppy's growling stomach answered for him. "I haven't really eaten for a while." He said without a hint of shame.

(I thought it would be kind of interesting. Dogs and cats that leave the city would tell others about the war and Florence.)

[♥Picasso]

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[atrb=background,http://i41.tinypic.com/30iyl1z.jpg,true] As Denim watched Natiri's reaction to the puppy, he saw the awkwardness overcome her. Denim didn't believe every female had the maternal instinct, however they were both still so young, basically cubs themselves, so he could understand why Iri's reaction. It made him smile, however, and Denim tried to cover the smile before Iri spotted him. He longed to see what was whirring around in her brain right now. She seemed a little shocked at the puppy's audacity as he stared up at Denim in wonder. Denim was used to being stared at, especially by younger ones, so he saw no need to scold him on being rude. If Denim was that size, then he was sure he'd be shocked, and incredibly frightened, at the sight of a lion towering over him. He remembered when he was a cub seeing large, vicious dogs for the first time. He had been petrified! Admittedly, Denim still was a little scared of the more ruthless dogs and cats. As Take mumbled something about a feline killing dogs for fun, Denim flinched. He wondered who he might be talking about, but he supposed he already knew. Florence was infamous for her murders and the stories had even been spread to this little puppy, who probably knew nothing of the war in the city. Denim wished he could deny it, say that cats and dogs didn't kill each other, that they all lived in peace, but he couldn't. Instead he just looked down gravely at the puppy and let out a small sigh. He just hoped that the puppy wouldn't be tainted by war like many were. As Denim breathed Take's scent in again, Denim noticed there wasn't a hint of city on his smell. A country puppy? Had he never ventured into the heart of Hexasol? Denim almost wanted to stop him from ever entering the plagued city. As Take recalled what his grandfather said, Denim's face screwed into confusion. His grandfather had started training a little puppy to... fight? It was cruel to take a puppy away from his mother, however as Denim thought about it, he had been trained as a cub. Mentors had taught him various things such as fighting, hunting and leading, just in case he had ever become leader of the Iris. He, nor his siblings, had any choice in the matter. Denim shivered at the thought. He was incredibly glad that he had met Natiri. What would have happened if he hadn't? Would he have turned out like Alex or Neb? Perhaps he would have started to hate dogs just like them. Hated them with a burning passion. He would perhaps stand by their side in battles, slaughtering innocent canines with a slice of his claws. Iri asked whether he was hungry, and Take replied with an affirmative. His eyes widened when Denim realised that perhaps they had to keep Take with them. He didn't know where his family or friends were, nor did he even like the pack he was part of, and he was still just a young puppy with no one to look after him. He wouldn't last a week in this kind of environment. They had to look after him. Surprised at this sudden turn of events, he looked shocked at Iri. Were they going to become step-parents? Denim didn't have the first clue on how to look after a puppy. He glanced back at Take, taking him in. He was small. Perhaps it wasn't going to be too difficult, and maybe they could find a lovely mother who had puppies of her own, and give Take to her. Unlikely. Winter was approaching and anymore puppies a mother had would make it less likely for every pup to survive. "Well we'd better find you something to eat," Denim concluded, before turning to Iri and whispering urgently, "Did we just become parents?!"

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[`K E Z Z I ♥♥]

N A T I R I
i'm tired of feeling like i'm going crazy
i'm tired of running till i see stars in my eyes

Natiri winced a little as the puppy spoke of felines murdering dogs, and her gaze shifted momentarily to Denim. Her heart sank a little when she realised that no matter how far you were from the battle, the war would stretch it's long and cruel fingers out to find you. Clearly this chap had been told horrifying stories of cats already though it didn't seem like he'd taken them to heart. The female noticed her friend's flinch and her insides clenched with sadness, knowing it must be hard for him. All he had ever wanted was peace, not to be judged because of his background and appearance but it appeared as though even that was too difficult these days. She sat down, whilst pressing her smaller body comforting against Denim's muscular shoulder. Iri curled her soft, fluffy tail around her paws before frowning as the small canine before them started to mumble something.

From what she could pick up, it sounded as though he'd been separated from his mother from an early age. To be brought up as strong, independent and masculine no doubt! It saddened Natiri because it reminded her mildly of her own upbringing, her parents always pushing her siblings to be the best pack members they could be, to hate all felines and to put Tempest before their own lives. Not that she hated her parents, in fact she was incredibly fond of them but knowing they had murdered and possibly tortured cats that lived alongside her best friend had changed her view on them, completely. Granted, she'd always had them there to support her but she'd never felt true love from them. They were both courageous, hard-headed animals and to show weakness would just not do. Not that Natiri minded too much, because it seemed their she too liked to keep her emotions hidden and a distance between those she was close too.

So apparently this puppy, named Take, had left home? Though he was barely old enough to be without either one of his parents? Iri frowned once more because one question had begun to plant itself in her mind. What on earth where Denim and herself going to do with him? They certainly couldn't just abandon him in a world where danger could be lurking around every corner. He wouldn't last five minutes, especially since he didn't seem to have the faintest idea about the war. Iri was in fact slightly surprised that Take had managed to get this far in the first place. At least he'd shown some manners in his polite bow, and the black and tan female nodded in reply. Her ears flicked forward once more as the pup's stomach growled, and he admitted his hunger. Iri partly wished he had been fed, full, meaning they wouldn't have to hunt for him. At the same time, the girl knew that if she just left him know she would never forgive herself.

She nodded in agreement at Denim's words, raising her muzzle to the crisp autumnal air for any early signs of prey. It was then she heard the lion's urgent, uncertain whisper in her large pricked ear. For a moment the husky mix froze, her eyes widening as she stared straight ahead. Hold on, that couldn't be possible! Surely, they'd be able to find his parents.. or someone that would look after him! Not Iri, she was too young, too inexperienced to be a mother. He wasn't even related to them, they didn't even know who he was or where he came from. What would her parents say, or her siblings? Would she be able to cope with the responsibility- woah, slow down Natiri. The bitch took a deep, calming breath before facing Denim. "I bloody well hope not, wow. What are we going to do?" Iri swallowed anxiously.

[Mika]

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[atrb=background,http://i50.tinypic.com/15ydes6.jpg] "Speech." For a few moments he sat there and stared up at the dog and lion. He tilted his head slightly when they started to mumble something that the puppy couldn't hear to each other. They also looked somewhat worried, was something wrong? While they were talking, a small, quick moving figure ran past him as soon as he stood up. The small, dark figure jumped off of the edge of the platform they were on and Take followed it to the edge. It was trying to hide behind a box, but the pup could see a mouse cleaning its face while trying to conceal itself in the shadow of the box. As quickly as he could, the pup made his way down the small iron staircase, but ended up stumbling toward the bottom. He rose to his feet and shook himself before chasing the mouse through the hole he had first entered to come into the building. It was now the evening part of the day. The sun was still making its slow decent from the sky, and the area was gradually becoming darker. Take chased his 'playmate' only halfway across toward another large building before the rodent was snatched up by a fairly large owl. "Hey." He yelped in surprise when the mouse was snatched up and followed the owl to some crates where the bird roosted and started to eat its small meal. Take struggled to climb the crates and reach the owl. The whole time, the owl ate and payed no mind to the puppy until it reached the top of the crates. When Take reached the top the owl spread it wings and released a loud screech, which startled the puppy and cause him to yelp in surprise and stumble backwards and fall into a large bucket of dirty water. While spitting out water from his muzzle, Take slowly climbed out of the bucket and shook the water from his fur. He glared up at were the owl was. "What's his problem?"

[♥Picasso]

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[atrb=background,http://i41.tinypic.com/30iyl1z.jpg,true] Denim scoured his surroundings and concluded that it was unlikely there was going to be much substantial prey in the industrial area. The best thing they would catch here is a rat. Although Take was small, a rat probably wouldn't quench his hunger. Denim knew the country wasn't far from here where they could catch a rabbit or two for the puppy. Denim had just eaten so he didn't need to hunt for himself just yet. As the lion gazed down at the bright little puppy, he saw that he was probably a little thinner than he should be. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence in the city. He had seen fatal fights commence between families and rivals for food. It had never been a pretty sight and made him shudder from the thought. How did food resort canines and felines to savages? If they just explored the countryside, they would see that prey was plentiful. Deer, rats, mice, rabbits, hare, ducks. There were all kinds of prey for everyone. It had always baffled Denim as to why families insisted on bringing their puppies and kittens in the city. 'Safety' they claimed. Denim scoffed at the thought. It was safer in the country than in that warzone. Returning his gaze to Natiri, he saw that she wasn't at all ready to take on this puppy. Understandable. Neither of them had matured fully yet. Denim could not even sire his own cubs yet, so how on earth was he supposed to look after a puppy that wasn't at all related to him? In addition, he was not even a canine. He had no blood relation to Take in the slightest. Yes, he had known Iri since they had been cubs, but cubhood seemed like a long way away from this situation. How different were puppies to kittens? It was possible that Natiri had been an easy exception. Was Take going to be a tricky puppy? It was clear that both Denim and Natiri were worried. Yes, Take wasn't going to be a puppy forever, but he'd dependent until around a year old, perhaps even longer depending on his personality. Could they both really take a year out of their life to look after a puppy? Could they even keep him safe? Denim gulped. The thought of Alex finding out he was looking after a puppy made a shiver down his spine. One day Take might get up in the dead of the night and wander off whilst Iri and Denim slept. Alex, maybe another feline, would come across him and slaughter him in cold blood. Denim had heard it countless times before. It was a dangerous world out there and cubs just didn't get that. Denim had been exactly like that when he'd been younger. He was still astounded with himself for remotely even thinking of exploring away from the Iris Pride at such a young age. He didn't understand how a dog hadn't sniffed him out and killed him in an instant. Perhaps Take would have the same luck that both he and Iri held. They weren't killed when they met together in neutral territory. They would have to teach Take the ways of the war. Warn him that this war was not a game, and to stay well away from it. Denim jolted out of his thoughts at a sudden screech, yelp and a splash. Turning to look at where Take had been standing a few moments before, he realised that already the puppy had wandered off. Fear seized his heart, before Denim took off towards the noise. It was there that Denim found a rather drenched, miffed looking puppy clamber out of a dirty bucket. Letting out a small chuckle, Denim looked at the owl who was contently feasting on its prey. "There's a valuable lesson there," Denim said, suddenly feeling very old indeed, "Don't steal food off one that is bigger and stronger than you. You'll end up getting wet. Or worse." Denim added hesitantly, before glancing back at Iri. Yep, he was going to be hard work, but as long as Iri was by his side, they will get through it together.

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[`K E Z Z I ♥♥]

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[atrb=background,http://i47.tinypic.com/2i6fevc.png] Natiri gazed down at the small reddish puppy, her chocolate brown eyes watching him silently whilst she processed all that had happened today. She knew that both she and Denim were about to take on the biggest challenge and responsibility of their lives, if they did adopt Take that was. They were barely adults themselves, in fact Denim couldn't even make babies of his own for a while yet! Though Iri knew she was biologically ready to reproduce, mentally and emotionally she would take another year or so to be fully prepared. Not that she intended to breed in any way shape or form! The idea of living with anybody other than her friend, or being with anybody but him but her insides recoil uncomfortably. Ew, that is never ever going to happen. She knew her parents would be somewhat disappointed in the fact she would never provide them with grandchildren, but honestly Iri was beyond caring about their needs and wants anymore. It was her life and she would live exactly how she wanted to! Suddenly a thought struck her like a lightning bolt in a storm. One day, Denim was naturally going to want to start a family of his own. It was bound to happen and in doing so Iri understood she would be sidelined, she would be the sweet old friend from his childhood that he would always care for. The handsome cat would find a beautiful lioness to grant his every wish and fulfill his final fantasy, leaving the dog out in the cold. Her heart performed several complicated somersaults, leaving the canine feeling nauseous and slightly dizzy. She knew that if that day ever came, it would be her undoing! But maybe there was a way around such a travesty ever occurring? All Natiri had to do was give Denim what he would one day want: children. Take was a gift in disguise, he would deliver the black and tan girl from her worst nightmare and bring both of them closer together. This was what they needed, that way he would never wander from her side? She frantically grappled with her thoughts, and though she knew it was a desperate idea, it had the potential to work. Possibly. Her smile was quickly wiped from her face when she realised, at the same time as Denim, that their little friend had scampered off. She gasped, and turned to follow the big cat out into the fresh air. They bolted towards the sound that had clattered into the atmosphere, though much to their relief they found Take unharmed. Dirty, but safe all the same. Iri sighed with relief, instinctively running her muzzle over him lightly, just in case there were any hidden nicks. As though remembering herself, the tri colored female froze and stepped back, giving the little one his space. She had surprised herself with her subconscious motherliness, and could not help but frown. Iri nodded sternly down at the scrap of fur whilst Denim spoke to him. She could not help but smile a little, glancing upwards at her friend in amusement. He sounded so mature, so old, so.. wise. She flicked his flank with her tail warmly, catching her breath on his perfection. Iri turned back to Take, "Denim is right, you need to be more careful if you want to last five minutes around here. Unfortunately, not everything is a game little one." Her claws scraped against the hard asphalt as she shifted slightly, hoping she hadn't been to harsh on him. The female took a deep breath, "Well then young man, how about we find you something to eat and then perhaps a place to rest? The Industrial Site is no place for youngsters like yourself." She sniffed the air, before glancing up at Denim with a soft encouraging smile. Iri turned to lead the way out, nosing the pup along a little before starting to pad away. They could do this, together they would do this.

[Mika]

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[atrb=background,http://i50.tinypic.com/15ydes6.jpg] "Speech." He shook more water from his coat then sent another glare at the owl. The puppy looked at the lion approaching him then looked down at the ground sadly. Take was used to being constantly scolded by his grandfather for different reasons. The pup was mostly yelled at for not doing his training right, and he was always compared to his father whom the puppy had never met. He looked up at the lion in confusion when he received a chuckle and some wise words. Denim was much kinder than his grandfather; if Jiro was here, he would most likely scold Take for being stupid and weak and he would have told the puppy to go after the owl again, which he didn't want to do again. He didn't think much of Iri running her muzzle over his fur, he actually missed that feeling. Because he was taken from his mother at a young age, Take could barley remember being comforted by his mother. He didn't shrink away from Natiri when she checked for hidden injuries but, he did look confused when she suddenly backed away. Maybe she didn't like him? That thought was quickly forgotten when Natiri spoke. "Denim is right, you need to be more careful if you want to last five minutes around here. Unfortunately, not everything is a game little one." He tilted his head slight at this. "What do you mean? It isn't that dangerous here, is it?" He asked as he stood and looked around. He looked up at Natiri and Denim again. "Where exactly is 'here' anyway? I've never seen things like this before." He asked, gesturing to the crumbling buildings that surrounded them.