Wool Sheets [Open]

[kailolu]

(Kynn)
"Don't take life too seriously. You'll never escape it alive anyway."

The King Shepherd was tired. Tired, cranky, and—eerrrggglllrrhhh—hungry. The canine trudged through watered down grass, the frigid air caused the water to be cold which in turn, made his paw pads ache. Passing a tree, he scraped his claws on the base to help rid him of the thick mud between his toes before continuing in his way. The day was bright, the sun threatening to blind him, yet he stuck close to the trees which provided heatless shade. Kynn raised his large head and let his thickly furred ears lean forward with eager excitement. Ah, he was right. Out in the distance he had heard what sounded like claws scrambling against wood. Turns out, the wood instead of being a tree, was an old abandoned log cabin. That would provide adequate shelter for the time being. Besides, the large dog had been on his feet for the past week, looking for civilization. He had yet to see what Hexasol had to offer, as he was still traveling from his home. This was the first house type structure he had seen in weeks, and he was dying for a soft blanket to lie on. Kynn paced himself as he moved toward the cabin, his dark brown eyes scanning the ground for foot prints while his keen ears listened for followers. The only sound that could be heard was his hearth thumping heavily in his chest, and the sweet pitchy singing of the birds in the trees. Kynn let out a hefty sigh, his breath visible in front of him. The Shepherd watched it for a moment before it evaporated into the chilly air. The canine snorted and continued on his way, glancing behind him every now and again.

It wouldn’t be the first time he was followed. Late in October he stumbled across a kitten and it had followed him for a few days. He had given into its innocence and sheltered it for a few nights. Kynn’s skin prickled around his neck where he remembered the kitten’s tiny claws kneading his fur. He had woken and left to find it something to eat but by the time he had returned, it was gone. Most likely eaten by a bird or another canine. It did not weight down Kynn’s conscience. Since the disease his humans, it was a Dog Eat Dog World now. He shouldn’t be risking his neck for others in a time like this. By the time the Shepherd recounted his spiel with the tiny cat, he had reached the cabin. As he was about to nose the door open, a rustling from within caught his attention. Instinctively, his hackles rose and the fur on his shoulders went rigid. A growl, deep and low in his broad chest, gargled through his lips as he thrust the cracked door open, ready to face whoever was inside with integrity. It turned out to be a lone raccoon who jumbled out a broken window at the sight of the large dog. Snorting with a sense of satisfaction, Kynn wandered inside, sniffing and observing the small cabin. The wood was dark, lining the walls and roof. There were no stairs, no separate rooms. The small home fitted a small bed in the corner with scratchy looking blue cloths, with just enough space so that the cast-iron stove wouldn’t catch the sheets on fire. There was a stack of woods near the stove, and Kynn tilted his head at the sound of tiny paws scampering through it.

Kynn stared at a box near the wood stack and moved toward it, sniffing eagerly with his big moist nose. There were cans within, and he recognized a few from his old home. One of them was something well known to the canine. When he got a sore tooth in his mouth, his owner used to douse his food in it to make it soft, easing the pain of chewing. Kynn carefully grabbed the can, lifted it from the box, and set it on the floor. How was he going to open it? With some determination and ingenuity, that’s how! The dog trotted outside and grabbed the biggest rock he could fit in his jaws. He had nudged the can into place and then hopped up onto the stove where he attempted to drop the rock and break the can open. It took a few tries, but he managed to crack it open enough for it to spill on the ground and across his nose. Kynn eagerly licked up the familiar liquid and savored the bits of beef and soft vegetables he found. Soon there was none left, but his belly was still howling with hunger. The heavy dog moved toward the bed, shifting his jaw as the floor creaked under his weight. He leapt on the mattress, spun around a few times and then clawed at the blankets. He made a makeshift pillow and collapsed against it with a heavy groan.

Ahh, this was nice. Cold, but nice. Kynn’s eyes wandered around the cabin, glancing at a picture of the human who had obviously lived here before. There was a man in the photo, holding the hand of a young looking girl, probably his daughter. A twinge of sympathy impacted the dog and made his moderately empty belly feel heavy with grief as he revisited the memories of his owner. She had treated him with kindness and love. But she was long gone, and with it her treatment and memories. Kynn licked at his sore paws, scraping his tongue against his teeth and spiting the mud on the floor. He wished he had done this before he ate so the last taste in his mouth was a good one. The feeling of his warm breath on his exposed paw pads was a welcoming feeling, and he quickly tucked them under his belly to retain the warmth. Tucking his chin to his chest, Kynn relished in his long fur, thankful that he had it to protect him from the cold. Kynn's brown eyes wandered toward the broken window and he grimaced. It was snowing, and rather hard at that. He was lucky to have found this cabin when he did. Finding food will be challenging, and finding shelter that hasn’t already been claimed will be even harder. He’d cross that bridge when he came to it. Kynn stretched, yawned, and then tucked his exposed nose into the warm fur on his belly, letting his mind wander. Half an hour had passed since the King Shepherd had laid his head to rest, and already several inches of snow covered the ground in a cold blanket. He would stay here for the day and redeem his strength to continue tomorrow.[1,124 words]

[/justify]

[`K E Z Z I ♥♥]

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[atrb=background,http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/Kitten_Lovour/1mid.png] "Speech" "Thoughts" The freezing December air chilled the akita mix mercilessly, despite her layered pelt. She attempted to terminate the shuddering motions that wracked her body, as the huntress stalked through the forest. Hunger gnawed ferociously at her stomach and threatened to release a rambunctious growl into the air, thankfully however all remained silent. Paws laid softly upon the freezing white powder whilst steadily moving forward towards her victim, a rabbit. They were fast and flighty creatures, yet Zara knew that the snow muffled the sounds of her pads against the leaves; thus giving her an advantage. She was truly starving, after being cooped up in that den on the mountains for god knows how long. Well, at least they'd been down for a good two or three weeks now yet the shepherd cross didn't feel as though she'd fully recuperated. Zara suffered from constant hunger, it plagued her like a fly all day and night long. Yet when she actually came to eating, she became uninterested in her meal. The female was infuriated by it all, and it was this that caused her to stop sharp. Overwhelmed by the sudden sense of shock, the gray and white canine gasped, therefore alerting her prey of the danger and causing it to bound away out of sight. She could not believe she had forgotten! Zara, you see, was in somewhat of a predicament. It had left her mind, until she had started thinking of her symptoms once more. The reduced appetite, the lethargy, the vomiting, the reduction of fur around her nipples but the most obvious sign of all was the slight swelling around her lower abdomen. The three year old had known for a couple of days now, but had worked hard to ignore it all, to pretend that nothing was wrong and up till now that had indeed worked. The problem was that this was not going to go away, she knew that now, why? Well, because Zara was five weeks pregnant. The tall lady shook her head in despair, feeling a strong sense of uncertainty run through her entire body and racing down her long spine. Of course she had not mentioned anything to her merle mate, who she had in fact been subconsciously avoiding. She supposed it was because she was terrified he would notice the differences in her, and it would only get harder to hide it from him as the weeks went by. Zara felt as though she wanted to cry, to let all the fear and worry free from her uptight chest. It was a hideous sensation. Not knowing whether the one you loved, truly wanted you back, especially know you were burdened with kids! The female flattened her pointed ears against her slender head at the thought of him leaving her because of it! Then again, who would she go home to now? Her parents would think the absolute worst of her, arriving out of the middle of nowhere and knocked up by some roving casanova. The akita cross' breathing quickened in panic, though she made an effort to calm herself. Though she was not particularly over the moon about the puppies that were growing within, she was no murderer and wished no harm upon her children. Their children. As she began to stalk tiredly on through the snow-laden forest, Zara considered the idea of being a mother, a parent. As a pup it had all seemed so far away. Not to mention having had two excellent Tempest warriors as a mother and father, she had a lot to live up to. Nikita would most likely scold her daughter if she knew the situation she had gotten herself into, yet Hueso was the more level-headed of the two and would probably back her. She hoped anyway! Feeling overcome by fatigue, it was a great relief to see a small wooden structure appearing through the alabaster scenery. Pricking her ears and glancing around, Zara strolled wearily towards it and padding up to the door, though she ensured to stop and push the frame with her muzzle before merely waltzing in. It creaked open, and her hackles instantly raised as her jet black eyes locked onto the sight of a large male shepherd curled up on the mattress. The long-legged female allowed a low, hostile snarl to build in her larynx as she peeled back dark lips threateningly. If he decided to get nasty, Zara knew deep down she would have to retreat whether she liked it or not, for the safety of her unborn puppies and yet this was not in her nature or mentality. The girl had been brought up her entire life to fight for what she wanted and never back down, so this idea of giving in at the slightest growl was utterly, undeniably foreign. In fact, it merely enraged her further. Every strand of fur stood out on end, as the hormonal bitch glared venomously at the male, a quivering snarling ball of anger. ---------------------------------------------------- ooc ; poor poor kynn! XD words ; 833

[kailolu]

(Kynn)
"Don't take life too seriously. You'll never escape it alive anyway."

Kynn’s weary body was just nodding off to sleep when a distinct smell arose in the air. The canine lifted his head from his mound of blankets and turned his wet nose upward to inflate his lungs with the scent. That was an oddly familiar scent and it reminded him of the ladies he wooed a few years back. Perhaps there was a damsel in distress out in the bitter cold, awaiting a strong muscular type such as him to go sweep them off their paws and cause them to swoon as they gaze into his deep auburn eyes. Pfft, too bad Kynn wasn’t much of the prince charming type. His heavy head dropped back onto the pillows. He wasn’t worried about it. He was bigger than other canines he had come across, and he was definitely stronger than them. He could handle a female any day. And by the looks of the weather, she’d be heading his way eventually. The snow was pounding the earth with force now that the winds had picked up. There was a sliver of doubt in Kynn’s mind that he would be trapped in here with the door closed. Maybe the snow would pile up and he wouldn’t be able to open the door and escape? The only window was broken and shards of glass promised infection and a bloody mess. Thinking about being encased in this rickety cabin made Kynn stare at the door with concern. Maybe he should go put something to keep it open so that he may leave this place in tomorrow. The shepherd made a minimum effort to raise his body off the mattress only to fall against it with a pleasantly low growl. No, that’s okay. He can do that later.

Legs aching, he stretched them out and stared at the picture again, noting that the smell of the female was growing stronger. What would it be like if humans hadn’t died? Would everything be the same? What if there were some still out there, hiding in secret as animals took their rightful place as the dominant species of the planet. A glimmer of hope flashed in Kynn’s eyes but disappeared just as fast as it had come. It didn’t matter if there were some two legged beings out there, his girl would never come back. She was dead, he was with her when it happened. There was no going back to who he used to be, the life he had. Everything was different, and he was part of the world’s new history. A groaning sound brought the male to look at the door. Ah, so she has arrived. The sound of her moving up the stairs made him roll up onto his side, ears perked, eyes alert. And then there she was, pushing the door open. Kynn was surprised. She wasn’t what he had expected to see. Mainly because she was just…gorgeous. Whatever she was had to be a shepherd influence and it made him oddly attracted to her. The way her long slender legs stood rigid, and those eyes staring at him like she was absorbing his soul. And then she snarled at him. That was to be expected, he wouldn’t have wanted to see someone in his soon-to-be-shelter either. The canine tilted his head a bit at her and examined her body.

There was something odd about it, as well as her smell. It was something he recognized but he couldn’t put his paw on it. Tossing the thought aside, he yawned and flicked his tail. “Calm down. You look far too tired to fight.” He said, his voice heavy and deep in the tense air. He stood and stretched his back before jumping down from the bed to stay eyelevel with her. Perhaps it would make him less intimidating. Kynn’s eyes wandered nonchalantly from the growling female to the broken window. The snowfall was thick, and a few flakes drifted through the cracked glass and landed on the wooden floor where they melted almost instantly. The canine took a good breath of air into his lungs as his gaze returned to the female. That smell. It was…too familiar. He had smelt it before and she reeked of it. A sudden gust of wind blew in from the open door and Kynn had to turn his head to avoid snow getting in his eyes. Oh that wouldn’t do. “I’m not…”

[/b] He started, moving toward her along the bed. He kept his body stance calm and relaxed, offering her no reason to attack him. Kynn carefully moved closer, never losing her stare before he slipped behind her and pushed the door shut with his nose. “Going to hurt you.” He finished, leaning against the door. It was then he noticed the slight swelling of her belly. From the bed he couldn’t see past her puffed out fur, but from here he could easily tell she was coming along with pups. That’s it! That’s the smell he knew! He sired many pups and had been with a few females during their gestation. He knew he remembered that scent.

“You’re pregnant.”[/color] He said suddenly, aiming his eyes toward the bed. “I promise you this, if you bite me, you’ll spend tonight in the snow and risk the life of your pups.”[/color] That was not meant to be a threat, more so a statement as he moved closer to her. He may be a careless brute that doesn’t risk his life for others, but before him was a tired looking female who was burdened with unborn puppies. His conscious would weigh heavy if he didn’t help her for tonight, if only it were letting her use his bed. He knew that if he were in her position, he would want as much help as he could get. Especially since her scent was the only one in the air, he couldn’t smell her mate on her. And what was there was faint. Kynn cautiously tapped her hip softly with his nose. “Go. Take the bed, preggers. You need it more than I do.”[1,013 words.] [/blockquote][/justify]

[`K E Z Z I ♥♥]

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[atrb=background,http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx34/Kitten_Lovour/1mid.png] "Speech" "Thoughts" A few weeks ago, her first reaction would have been to launch a cold aggressive string of abuse at the larger male. Though he was heavier, she was the same size and made of tough materials. Nikita and Hueso had brought her and Estelle up, ready to rip and tear others apart in battles, Tempest had made her strong in the face of her enemies. She owed that to them at least. Zara was defiant and she certainly didn't care whether he had gotten her first, which was a little rude per say but the fact of the matter was she didn't really care. Now however everything had changed, the grey and white female knew she wasn't just looking out for herself anymore. The little bodies in her womb were now more important than her pride, even Zara knew that! Yet how could she turn around and face the freezing night that was beginning to fall. The days were short now, and dark fell quickly which meant that many animals were caught out. The shepherd mix did not want to be one of those unfortunate souls, especially as she was carrying an extra load. So what choice did she make? The dog or the forest? At the moment, both seemed as risky as the other! This large canine could be completely insane, and yet the thought of settling down into the snow to sleep was horrific. Zara swallowed for a moment, though she remained in her hostile position. Where actually is Koen? The question shot through her mind suddenly. The last time she had seen him was this morning, when Zara had insisted upon parting to hunt their separate ways. The handsome merle mutt had not seemed to fussed about getting a bit of head space, as much as she adored her mate, it was nice to just be on her own for a while. It was completely natural. The only problem was that they hadn't agreed to meet anywhere, and now it looked as though they would be spending the night apart. A shiver of uncertainty pulsated through her body, what if he decided to make a run for it now? No, don't be an absolutely idiot Zara! He wouldn't do that to you, h-he loves you, right? Plus as far as she knew, Koen didn't have a clue about his pups that were developing rapidly within her. She swallowed thickly when she considered the fact that he may have already sussed it out! What would she do if the Golden Retriever mix left her, surviving this harsh winter with several puppies in tow would be a struggle with both parents, let alone being a single mother! Though a rising sense of panic threatened to overwhelm the stressed lady, she focused on the situation at hand. Zara knew she should not get as distracted in future. He wasn't a pure German Shepherd, her father had been one, so she recognized the different attributes immediately. He must be some kind or rarer breed? The large canine tilted his head at the feisty pregnant bitch, who snapped her jaws at him as a warning. “Calm down. You look far too tired to fight.” His deep, soothing tones filled with taught air and caused Zara to narrow her eyes. It appeared he was not going to leap up and chuck her out, yet he wasn't exactly welcoming her in with open arms. Then again, it wasn't as though anybody would let such a violent looking dog into their midst. Apart from her slightly swollen abdomen, she was a remarkably lithe specimen with a long slender muzzle and two dark eyes that colour of the darkest night. Her mother had told Zara of how her black eyes were like those of seals, wide and beautiful. Still, "Don't tell me what to do, what do you know of me?" His laziness aggravated her, though her battle-ready muscles had relaxed now. She stood more calmly, her tail however was still raised and her hackles bristling. Zara's expression however had flickered from vicious to brutally cold, and guarded. When he spoke slowly, before starting to slink along the bed towards her, several thoughts raced through her mind. One in particular and probably the most prominent, was the notion that he was going to take her prisoner and maybe use her in the way that many males used females. Her body tensed once more, ready to flee or bat him away. Zara grumbled threateningly, though was surprised when he merely zipped behind her and shut the door. The closing sound made her jump and her eyes bulged with uncertainty, for the first time. He had just trapped her in this small little hut, and had blocked the door way. The gray and white girl whipped around and snarled glacially, hiding her concern that he was a sex-crazed killer. His next words, quite simply, enraged her beyond the point where she could filter her speech. "Okay, you really know how to make a girl feel safe and sound don't you?! Fucking moron. You're blocking my exit, trapping me in here with you, and now you're saying that I cannot defend myself-OH and hey, who do you think you are calling me names? So what if I'm pregnant, no shit sherlock. Just shut up and let me out," She stepped closer, snapping at him clearly stressed, "NOW." Zara had to admit of course, that it was quite bizarre to hear somebody say she was pregnant out loud..

[kailolu]

(Kynn)
"Don't take life too seriously. You'll never escape it alive anyway."

Kynn noted how she tense she had become when he moved past her to shut the door, shielding the inside from the wind. His words to her seemed to do the opposite affect and he stood silently as she went off on him. The male pointed his nose at the ground, flattened his ears, and glared at her from under his furrowed brows. When she called him names, a low rumbling growl gargled through his lips and he swelled with air, rising to his full height. The long hackles on his back and around his neck stuck up as she continued to speak, and when she finally stopped talking, he let out a bark far more vicious than he meant to. He took a threatening step toward her, his body heating with meaningless irritation. “If you really want me to shove you out the door, you can go ahead and take your chance in the snow, or you can shut up and thank someone when they offer you some friendly hospitality.” He growled between clenched teeth. Kynn’s lips lowered, sheathing his fangs, and he made himself step back away from her. “In your particular situation, princess, you should be welcoming my help, not driving it away with your awful mouth.” He snapped, forcing the fur on his back to settle. He wasn’t in the mood for confrontation, especially with some random pregnant dog with a potty mouth.

What was it about pregnant canines that made them so hostile? Did she think he was going to somehow cut her open and eat her undeveloped young? What did he look like, a sadistic dog version of Hannibal Lector?! Kynn scoffed audibly and glanced at the door. It was old and rickety, and wouldn’t take much strength to bust it open. But in truth, he really didn’t want to. It was cold out there; the door was a big opening that let the cold in. The reality was, Kynn got cold. Yes as hard as it is to believe, underneath his thick long fur is a shivering complaining pup, and when he’s exposed to the chilling air, he wails and whelps day and night. He didn’t want to uncover that complaining side of him to anyone, and so he shut the door. He still didn’t understand why she thought he had trapped her. He clearly stated that he wasn’t going to hurt her. Kynn’s word was his bond, but he supposed to those who did not know him couldn’t be sure of his actions.

He walked past her, his eyes no longer warm and welcoming. Rather they were cold and scolding and he hoped she felt bad. He coughed loudly and spun around when he was next to the bed again. “Go ahead and gamble the life of your children. Let yourself out if you so choose.” His tone was guarded and low pitched, as he half expected a response filled with swearing. Kynn pinched the corner of one of the pillows between his teeth and pulled it off the bed, dragging it to the corner. He almost felt the desire to want to stop her from leaving, feeling as though it would be his fault her pups would die in the cold. It wasn’t unheard of; certain temperatures can seriously damage the lives of the unborn. The mother of several of his pups had been out in the heat too long and it not only killed one of his pups, but deformed and injured the others. He didn’t want to think about what the cold would do. Standing next to his pillow protectively, he switched his gaze from the bed to the aggressive female. His actions should register with her stubborn mind as his offer still standing. He opened the bed to her, obviously showing he was not cold and cruel enough to abandon her in the snow. Kynn refused to make himself comfortable though, he would not put himself in a bad situation should she feel the desire to attack him.[670 words.]

[/justify]