Dogs do help you bond. (Drayton)

[Darik]

31th Summer 511 AV Darik hated animals. This made Killroy’s Kennel, an odd place of employment for the young atheist. It wasn’t hypocrisy, he just wanted money. It didn’t matter if he didn’t like his job, most people didn’t. There’s a reason it’s called work, not play. He demonstrated his work prowess when he was told by his boss, Killroy, to walk the dogs. He didn’t complain, Killroy was too thickheaded to listen to complaints. Or worse, he could’ve made Hannah go with him. Yikes, Hannah was scary. For some reason she seemed to dislike Darik with an intense hatred. He put off the job till the end of the day and then realized he needed to get it done today, not tommorow. Some things are better off not procrastinating on. He walked into the stable looking for those pesky dogs. It had been recently been cleaned, probably by that stablehand called, Bill. Or was it Blake? It didn’t matter, that specific person was paid much less than him. Money was the only thing that mattered in the world, everything else was unimportant. That’s why he was better than the Bill person because he was making much more money than him. He found the dogs in the stables and there was quite a few of them. Way too many, for him to walk them all. Then he remembered Killroy’s exact words “You’re so adorable!” Wait, not that sentence, the other sentence. “Darik go walk the dogs” Now Darik magically forgot the “the”, making it so he only had to walk two or more dogs. Because he was an underachiever, he chose to do the bare minimum. There was so many to choose but in the end he had picked two luck canines. The first one was the expectation to Darik’s dislike rule. It was gorgeous, but Darik would’ve never admitted it. If he had to own an animal in the world, it would be the dog he saw. Its fur was jet black, making the dog perfect for late night robberies. Its eyes were red giving it a menacing appearance. Perfect for intimidating cowardly individuals. Darik almost missed this beauty while inspecting the dog’s cages. He walked by it once thinking it was an empty cage. He walked back because he thought he saw a twitch of motion. He stuck his head close to the cage’s bars and was delighted to see a dog in there. It was sitting there completely still, blending into the shadows. On an instinct, Darik grabbed a leash from a hook. He opened the cage’s door and walked back waiting for the dog to pad out. It peaked its head out of the cage. Its eyes gazed at Darik like he was trying to gaze into Darik’s soul. It must have been satisfied with Darik because it walked out of the cage revealing its whole body. Darik put the rope to its collar and tried to tie it around the metal loop. It was a lot harder than he thought, his hands were dexterous, but tying a knot is different from stealing gold. After ten minutes of fumbling he finally got the leash and collar connected. He found the second dog shortly after the first. This one didn’t blend in with the shadows at all, actually nothing about it was sneaky. It pushed itself against the cage trying to get Darik’s attention. It was a mutt, its colors didn’t coincide at all. Black, white, brown, all intertwined making it a pretty unique dog. Maybe he felt sorry for the mutt because of its uniqueness or maybe he just wanted to get out of the stable as soon as possible. Either way he ended up choosing that dog. This dog was much friendlier than the other one, when he let it out of the cage it rushed up to him, licking his leg. “Hay, stop it.” The dog didn’t listen and kept giving him love. He got another leash and got the dog situated. While the black dog didn’t pull, the mutt did. It lead him out of the stable and into Sunberth. The day could actually be considered pleasant, it wasn’t blistering hot outside. Darik just wished he wasn’t wasting his time walking doing work. OocThe black dog is a Bozderon Shadow Dog, while the other one is a mix of Jivatalus Ghost Dog and Helevaos Shepard

[Drayton]

Great white sails caught in a squall the sleeves of Eleanor’s shirt billowed and flapped as she ran. Her feet made only soft thuds against the packed earth of the road she sprinted on but the young woman’s breath came in sharp gasps. Each burst of air lifted away the moisture in her throat, causing her lungs to cry out in dry rasps. It felt like her blood had been replaced with a scalding liquid that ran through the veins in her thighs, arms and sides, burning as it flowed. Sharp and tight a pain was reaching up her ribs, stretching painfully with a lack of oxygen.

I bet he’s given up, she thought, choking on a laugh as she ran, It must be hard to run with a huge gut like his flopping around with each step. But Eleanor didn’t stop, and cast a quick glance over her shoulder. Instead of seeing signs of pursuit her bangs flapped into her eyes and clung to the beads of sweat that had gathered on her grimy face.

“AH!” The meager amount of air in her lungs leaped out with surprise when, turning back, she saw a boy and two dogs had appeared in front of her. Slamming her leg down hard Eleanor made an attempt at bounding to the side. Though the shock ran up her joints and cast her away from the bouncing canines she failed to catch herself. A small cloud of dust traveled in her wake as the girl skidded over the gravelly road.

Friction had stripped the skin off her chin. Thin lines of blood cut their way through the sweat soaked skin of her neck, disappearing beneath her collar. “Damnit! Control your petching beasts, idiot!” Her voice was high and scratchy, with desperate gasps slipping in between the swears. Head snapping back and forth as she searched her surroundings the girl scrapped herself off of the ground and scrambled down a narrow alleyway filled with barrels.

Kicking the nearest receptacle violently Eleanor looked satisfied by the hollow noise that it produced, pried off the lid and hopped in. As the top closed over her, pinching her bony fingers the girl blinked in the dark. A heavy, sticky smell of rot flowed into her lungs as she gasped frantically. It was difficult to listen for the noise of pursuit over her own heavy breathing.

[Darik]

The girl running from an unknown foe wasn’t odd. It was Sunberth after all, the land of thieves. The anomaly was that she blamed Darik. She obviously didn’t know him, Darik was incapable of no wrong. Seriously, he was like a saint in Sunberth. He did people favors when he relieved them of their possessions. They say greed corrupts after all. Darik just removing the greed factor from other people. Also the girl ran into a trash can! Yes, a trash can! That’s one of the worst things you can hide in. One person can seal off all avenues of escape. She obviously wasn’t skilled in the art of thieving. Also trash cans aren’t exactly the cleanest place to hide. Lost in thought about proper thieving techniques Darik didn’t snap out of his trance till a voice called out to him. “Hay kid, have you seen a girl weaning makeshift clothes around here?’ He turned around and processed all the information he saw. He must’ve been the girls’ chaser, he was drenched in sweat. He was big, but Darik couldn’t tell if it was fat or muscle. Fat people usually don’t last long in Sunberth so he must be quite muscular. He also looked like he meant business. Well Darik wanted a part of that ripe picking. “What’s it to ya?” Darik went with the old fashioned play hard to get maneuver. Sadly he forgot to heed its warning, only use it if you have the upper hand. Surprisingly fast for a man of his size, he covered the distance between them and leaned his chest over Darik. When the man got all up in darik’s face one of the leash’s become taunt. The black dog was stealthy circling the man legs. Within seconds he was all the way around the man’s legs and looked questionably at Darik. With a command Darik guessed the dog would attack. Or I was just showing how it was superior to Dairk. You never know with dogs. So, what was the other dog doing? Sniffing the man’s trousers. Darik was walking both with both ends of the intelligence scale. I bet you can figure out which one is smarter than the other. The man’s sweat ridden clothes didn’t really affect Darik. He probably smelled a similar stench anyway. One thing Darik isn’t is a hypocrite. “She went straight.” Wait did he just lie for the girl? Ohh ya, there’s a reason. He could scam her. Much easier to mess with a teenage girl than a fully mature man. “Why should I believe you? You look like the same age as her, you two could be in coohoots!” This guy deserves a cape that says “Captain obvious.” Darik just gave a shrug indicating that there was no reason. Seriously, why would you trust a random pedestrian in Sunberth. Its just not street smarts. ”Very well. If you see her again yell Jeff really loud and me or one of my friends will come running.” The man then tried to depart from Darik. I say tried because he had no perception of his surroundings. The poor dog sniffing him didn’t realize the man’s legs were moving. This caused him to step on him letting a loud yip. The sudden sound threw him off balance causing him to stumble backwards. The black hound acted upon this opportunity. He turned a sharp left causing the rope to get in the way of the man’s other foot. Because of the dogs combined efforts the man felt what its like to be face down on the ground. “Stupid dogs, stupid kids, stupid girl.” The man muttered as he lifted himself up. Soon his ragged breaths were just faint echoes in the distance. So what about the dog that got stepped on? It was perfectly fine. It had moved its inspection to a garbage can. The same garbage can the girl was hiding in. ”Hay you he’s gone. Now, rise up very slowly, and no sudden movements. I have no qualm killing you, I am a trained professional.” He waited for the girl to reveal herself. If she didn’t Darik would just have to make her leave.

oocDrayton, if this doesn’t follow what you were thinking of the man just tell me.

[Drayton]

OOCIt's one hundred percent okie-dokie with me! (Sorry, I get weird late at night.)


Eleanor could hear Jeff practically shouting at the dog walker. Even in the dark, cramped space the girl had no trouble finding her dagger and sliding it from the sheath in her belt. Her fingers fell comfortably into the grooved hilt as she twisted the blade in the gloomy stench of her hide-hole. The words and noises of the street slipped through the cracks of the barrel and, as her breathing quieted, she listened.

She went straight.

Rise up slowly... No sudden movements... No qualm killing you...

Who in the Ukalas does this guy think he is? And what's a qualm anyway, smart guy? Sounds like a petching bird if I didn't know better. She huffed in angry and, instantly regretting the deep breath, gagged in disgust. Might as well climb out, the sooner I'm out of this muck the better, even if it means dealing with Mister Mutt. So she popped the top off of her barrel, listening to it clatter against the side and fall into the dust of the road with a soft thud. Something around her toes squelched as she raised herself up, squinting at the sudden brightness of Syna's light, trying to get a good view of the boy and his dogs.

Dagger in one hand, the other pair of gloved knuckles curled about the rim of the barrel she glared at him. "What do you want dog walker? You gonna let me out of this barrel or what?"

Skinny, my age, not too tall. I don't see any weapons. What was he going on about while I was in there? I could slam the runt into a wall easy. But Eleanor stayed where she was, uncertain about the dogs and, despite Darik's apperance not willing to take an unnecessary risk. If he really is no threat I'll find out and it will be done with. If he is, try not to tick him off and stab fast before running.

[Darik]

”Hay, you came out of the trashcan!” Darik let a slight smile play on his lips as he said that. His puns always brought him such joy. Maybe he was more like Killroy then he thought. The dogs didn’t have that uplifting effect, even though they came from Killroy. The mutt was so excited about the world it had the need to even sniff a trashcan. Well that’s a class A weirdo for you. Because Darik was sociably acceptable, he tried to install some manners into that mangy mutt. “Hay, stop it!” He gave a quick pull on the leash trying to simulate the no. As you have guessed, it didn’t work. It cam back but it didn’t even give a second glance at Dairk. It just went right back sniffing the trashcan. Time for a different approach. ”No!” He shouted at the dog. That didn’t work either. Darik doesn’t have a talent with dogs. You know what does though? Black things. The silent dog stood were it was and glared at the other one. When it was in its concentration, the other dog started to whimper. It took a few steps back realigning itself with the commanding dog. When they were parallel it twisted its head looking at Darik. It almost looked like it was grinning, but dogs can’t grin. Whatever its face was doing it enraged Darik. How could the dog command others? That’s man job, not beast! He realized that this little show of incompetence would be seen as weakness by the girl. He covered his face with his arm as he gave a slight cough. When he removed his arm he had regained his lost composure. “Sorry about that, me and animals don’t mix.” It was now back to business. “By the way, feel free to get out of the trash can. Its so…” Darik searched for a word that would continue his fake persona. Why was he acting? Because it gave him a sense of superiority over others. Also Darik liked mixing things up, too much of the same thing could get stale.”unbefitting of a young lass like you. He stepped back a few steps to give the girl more room to leave. Once she was out of the trashcan he decided to clear up some of her questions. ”You’re obviously smart and you know no one in Sunberth does nothing for free. Alas I am the same.” He held up his hand stopping any protests the girl may have. He had dealt with people like this before, in fact he was just like her. ”No, I don’t want any of your money, your possessions, or even worse your pride. I just want some manual labor. Nothing too hard, just some help. I got in a ahh, bad position from a debt and the debt owner is making me walk his dogs. I was recently injured in my right arm, so the dog puts extra stress on it. So all I am asking you is to walk the mutt that pulls.” He gestured to the mess that people could call a dog. “Or I could find that friend of yours, Jeff, and tell him were you are heading. He had thrown the ball back into the girl’s court. He had given her a choice, a very obvious choice, but a choice nevertheless. People generally followed through with their words if they chose them.

[Drayton]

Stupid mutt thinks this shyke smells good! Eleanor thought as the dog sniffed around the bulging belly of her barrel. Just before Darik yanked on the beasts leash she got a good kick in, rattling the boards in front of the slimy black nose. Once the canine was standing subdued by the boy she crawled out slowly, swinging her thin legs up out of the muck and over the barrel edge. They made a loud sucking noise as she pulled them from the garbage.

Wiping her nose on the greying, stained sleeve of her dagger wielding arm Eleanor eyed him cautiously. Looking over his wiry build she didn't notice anything special, except a slouch that said the boy didn't want to be here and an embarrassed expression he was quick to wipe from his face. What the petch does he mean with all these shyke filled compliments. Flea bitten dog walker he is, he's up to no good. The girl almost laughed when she heard his request.

"Walk that cur for ya? Fine, I'm not buying any of that load of bull you made up about your elbow, but if it keeps that sweaty bastard away from me I'll give you a hand," she said with a grin splitting her angular face. The girl smacked the heels of her boots against the sagging wall of a nearby building, knocking of bits of grim from her soles before approaching, hand outstretched for the leash. "Fine, give him to me. I'm warning you though, pull any funny stuff and not only will I steal your dog, I'll slit your throat before Jeff can find me. She tossed a nasty glance in his direction, and allowed her dagger to flash with Syna's brilliance before sheathing it.

Knealing to the dog, her back toward the empty alley and not Darik, she extended a gently curled fist. The creature's tail smacked viciously from side to side as it rubbed it's snuffling nose against her gloved knuckles. "Yeah, I'm sure there's lots of smells for you there..." she said softly, her tone less callous than it had been with the boy, though loving it was not. "So, Dogwalker, what can I call the man who lied for me? The name's Drayton."

[Darik]

Drayton was just a bundle full of joy. And she didn’t even believe anything he said! "I only speak the truth.” He said calmly bending back his elbow so the girl could see. On his elbow was a scar from a few days ago. A dagger had grazed it from a man intent on hanging Darik. Of course he was going to explain with just a little bit of spice mixed in. "Believe me now? I got this in one of the battles I participated in. I think it may have been a year or two ago, I can’t really remember. I have been in so many they start to blur after awhile." Dammit, Darik said a few years ago not a day ago. Hopefully the girl wasn’t smart enough to realize the contradiction. He kept talking as if what he said was the truth. If he showed anxiety it was likelier to pick up his deception. "After a while an arrow, or was it a crossbow bolt, they both look the same to me, was shot behind me. Due to my quick reflexes I dodged to the side but it still stuck in right there.” He tentatively touched his scar. It was still relatively fresh in terms of wounds. He didn’t want it to start bleeding or get infected somehow. It was closed, but odd things happen all the time. ”I am lucky I can even move my arm at all!” Ha, the classic sob story. She would be so guilt ridden she would have to help him. He gave the rope leash to the girl. It looked like the dog was made for the girl! Both outcastes, one with mixed blood the other with mixed clothes. At least Darik kept his consistency with one material, sackcloth. The girl must also have a spot stuff for mutts because she seemed to be nicer to the dog then Darik. Well, most people aren’t nice to Darik so it was a given. “Name?" He need a fake one, he wasn’t going to give her his real one. "Call me Sparrow." …Come on Darik, if you’re going to make up a name make it kick ass. Like Lightning. Not something lame like Sparrow. “It’s not my real one, but in this city you can never be too cautious.” "Now, this should be really easy. All we have to do is head through a circular route through town. First let’s go to the bay, it should be a lot less crowded this time in the day. Then pass by the gated community, those losers stuck inside the fortress. Finally head by the castle commons so we reach back here. Got it? I am going to be looking behind me, so if you disappear it won’t be pretty for you. Kapesh?" He accepted the girl’s answer so he started to walk the dog. Ahh it was so much better just having one and that didn’t pull. His arm could rest now. Of course there was a chance the girl would betray him, but she seemed like a survivalist like him. Taking care of a dog is a lot better than getting gutted.

[Drayton]

A disbelieving scoff flew from Eleanor's throat as she looked at his wound, listening to the tale he spun so generously for her benefit. "Alright, so you hurt your elbow. You must believe I'm some sort of idiot to be sucked in by that story though. 'Recently' does not mean a year or so ago in battle, and I'd have to be blinder than an eyeless beggar to miss that that's a fresh injury... You keep lying if it suits you, it won't get you anywhere." Surprisingly Eleanor's voice was only slightly accusing, in fact it sounded more tiredly amused than anything else. She shrugged at her fellow urchin and took the leash.

As she curled her fingers around the coarse, stringy rope the dog began to hop about like an excited drunk. "Sparrow, eh? Never liked birds much..." she said softly, almost to herself, tacking an eye roll on for Sparrow's benefit. She followed him, inwardly groaning as he listed the walking path. The dog skipped next to her, pleased as pudding to be there.

"You've got quite a work out lined up for these mutts, who I might add, you don't even seem to like. But I'm helping you now, so let's ease of the threats and get along like the friendly little thugs we are. Or I could keep swearing at you the whole petching way. Your pick Mr. Sparrow, want to be a little less distrustful? I promise, I can live up to expectations marvelously if you do." Eleanor grinned at him, her bony cheeks rising up with her smile. Her free hand tucked one of her multitude of pockets she strode next to Darik, keeping up easily.

OOCSorry for taking so long, and a personally apologize for Dray's rudeness. Weird post, I know, sorry.

[Darik]

oocI am soooooooo sorry for this late post dray! D: 3 days is a lot different than one month!

Women, girls especially, always analyzed everything a man said. The beggar girl, Drayton, was no different. She picked through his story with a careful eye looking for chinks everywhere. And she found one that was blaringly obvious. Well, it was unlikely she would have believed him for long. Darik was that way, he went with storytelling p to the point of absurdity. “Very well, I am a liar, you caught me in the act.” Darik laced as much sarcasm in those words as he could. Why? Maybe to outwit her, maybe to impress her. You never know with Darik. “So if I am liar, that means I will have you walk the dogs then turn you in. That doesn’t sound very good does it? No, it doesn’t. So you see, it serves you more than me if I am trustworthy, which I am.” He was trying to show her that he wasn’t a totally terrible person. He would keep his end of the deal, if she kept hers. As they walked towards the seaside market Darik gave a little flirtiest wink towards the girl. He always enjoyed messing with people like her. “I like your swearing, I think it adds character. Maybe I can even learn some new words.” He needed her to be loose tongued so he could judge her emotions better. He didn’t want her to run off with something he had to take care of. Walking the black dog was such a relief. It slightly pulled on Darik but nothing arm wrenching. It was leading, but Darik personally didn’t care at the moment. It gave him more time to formulate his thoughts. He needed them, being a thief barely gave him any time for reflection. Sadly, he didn’t get to think for long because he reached the seaside market . It wasn’t crowed, it was packed. Ohh great, walking dogs through this would be terrible. Well not his, it would be easy. But Drayton…poor girl. Ohh well, a girl like her can slice through the crowd like butter. He could go around, but he was a man of his word. They would go through the seaside market. The dog started to weave through the crowd with immense skill. He didn’t look behind him to see if the girl was following because he was too intent on not getting stabbed. If she did disappear though, he would just track her with the dog. It seemed to be great at everything, so why not tracking? You know it could almost be comical when you see the dog headbutt past people’s head and feet. Once he was completely clear from the crowd, Darik took a peek back to check on the girl.

oocAlso, sorry about the sucky post! D: