The Inevitable

[✮ErInJaN✮]

Falcon's black lips parted and his tongue hung through his teeth. The birds had been hiding, and Falcon found joy in sneaking up and spooking them. They flew up, beating their wings and chirping their warning calls to each other. He watched them fly up. He had kept traveling forward, not stopping very much since leaving the lonley wood. This was crop-land, a lively place, even with a snow cover. Falcon trotted through the mowed corn stalks. He knew that soon, a machine would plow it all under, and not long after, green corn plants would cover the now empty acres. He had come across crop fields before, as his birth pack had denned relatively near a farm. It had, in fact, been their demise. In his experience though, the danger came when you were near the domestic animals.

He was reading the ground, the tracks and smells. Deer prints. A coyote. mice. A song of his mother's played in his head as he walked. Unable to keep it in, he softly sung it.


"The path brings worry and despair, The way will cause you pain,
Dear, watch the skies and have a care, For luck may lead you vain
The wind, a warning she will send..."

He couldn't recall the last line. He remembered telling his mother she was paranoid.

"Rhymes with 'send'..." He mumbled.

His random thoughts suddenly vanished, with a sound.

A bark.

[Kairis]

Fang trotted somewhat stiffly next to his master, the farmer as they did their daily rounds checking on the crops. Mr. Bergastun didn't like to use his quad or other machanical machines for this because he would stop and admire the wonderful plants he grew. Of course, Fang did not understand why he did this, only that they have been doing it for the past seven years of the Red merle Australian Shepherds life. A short and high pitched whistle brought Fang out of his daydream and he stopped in heel position next to the master. Checking back over the dogs shoulder he noticed his young daughter behind him and pursed his eyebrows together. Thinking to himself that she needed sharper focus. Haiku was his daughters name and she was part Siberian Husky and part Australian Shepherd.

Fang was lucky his master was usually kind. Most other farmers would have shot the female husky after Fang had fed her, took care of her, fell in love with her, and mated with her and she had had puppies, and they would have drowned the pups too. The dogs got lucky and the master raised the pups and then sold the mother and two out of the three of them. He was Furious with Fang for pulling an act like that, the only litter he sired and it happened to be half husky dogs. Either way, Master saw potential in the one female pup and kept her hoping that she would learn from her father and had aquired his natural herding abilitys and smarts.

Suddenly the red dog froze and scanned the field with his yellow and blue eyes. something was wrong and he could smell it. Running forwards Fang soon stopped and spotted a wolf in the distance, crossing across his farm. Fang started barking to warn the farmer who was carrying a gun, and to warn Maggie the sheepdog in the far field that there was an intruder. Fang sprinted forwards towards the wolf barking as he went. His white paws were a blur as he had to keep leaping up into the air to see above the crops. Soon he stopped though and pointed like a hound would do in the direction the wolf went so the farmer could take care of him. Fang had nearly been shot twice when he had got in the way of the wolf so he made sure to keep his distance and hoped his daughter would too.

[☾LUNA!☽]

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[atrb=background,http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz64/BLoobloo72/HaikuMiddle.png] A low growl rumbled deep in the young dog's throat, her hackles raised. She lowered herself into a stalking position, edging closer and closer... "Haiku! Get away from there!" A sharp wistle pierced her ears and, with a small, disappointed whine, the dog pulled herself away. It was just a dumb rabbit anyway. She had higher priorities. Prancing back to her owner, head held high, the pup's tail wagged happily, causing her haunches to wriggle with excitement. She was always happy, a very optimistic pooch. She knew she was lucky to be alive, and because of that she always strove to please her owner in thanks. She was a mutt, but a darn beautiful one. Indeed, she was an Australian Shepherd trapped in a Husky's body. She obtained all the natural herding abilities and behavior of the shepherd and the bold, strong structure of a husky. Her amrkings, however... they were very hard to name. They were sort of merle, sort of bristle, and neither red nor blue. It was nearly impossible to name. Her cheerful eyes were an ice blue color, but in the bright, warm sun, they seemed to take on an almost sea-green hue. Her tongue lolling on an angle from her mouth, she lifted her head from sniffing the ground to see her father sending her a disapproving glance, as she had began to drift behind. With a leaping bound, she headed into a steady trot that slowed as she neared her father's rear. Giving him a playful nudge, she bent her upper body down close to the ground, spreading her legs apart. She was grinning, her tongue hanging out of the side on her mouth, hooked on her tooth, her pleading eyes wide. Just then, however, her father turned his gaze from her, his ears erect, posture stiff and alert. Haiku swiveled her ears forward, rising from her bow. Her pink tongue receded into her mouth, wet nose sniffling. she knew her father could sense something, and an unfamiliar scent wafted into her nostrils. It smelled like canine but... not another dog, and not a coyote. Along with curiousity came an instinctive fear and also a stranger feeling of protectivness over her owner. She was jerked out of her concentration as her father darted forwards, stopping a ways away and began barking. Haiku could hear the strength in his voice and a smile parted her dark lips, a feeling of pride and gratefulness soothing her stiffened emotions. She swiveled her head behind her at an awkward angle, closing her jaws just enough that her teeth were still somewhat visible, eyeing her owner and wagging her tail gently in a pleading way. Despite his seriousness in the situation, the man smiled some and nodded his head. Ears straining forwards, Haiku bolted forwards, stumbling some as she struggled to gain instant momentum. She accompanied her father's voice with her own barks, excitment and adrenaline rushing through her veins. Never before had she encountered what she was hoping would be a wolf, and now all the advice and training her father was sure top provide her with for when the day came would pay off! Hurling herself into the air, Haiku expected to sail cleaning over a crop, but she hadn't launched from a far enough distance and the plant clawed at her belly, causing her to wiggle as an instant reaction. This sent her tumbling, and left her in a slight daze when she caught her footing. Disgruntled, she growled, but soon remembered what she was doing and started heading forwards again. But she then realized her father wasn't in front of her anymore. Instead, before her was a very large animal, larger than herself and her father. It somewhat resembled her in that it's pointed ears were erect, well-set eyes led to a long snout, and it's over-all pobdy structure was similar to the husky side of her, with the exception of his tail, which hanged rather than curled. Curious but wary, Haiku jerked back a bit, jaws opening and closing with uncertainty. Her ears pressed back, and she sent a nervous glance behind her, seeking her father. But at the same time... determination overwhelmed the dog. This animal was an enemy, a threat to her farm! She turned back to the wolf, ears again erect. She stood boldly, proud and tail, tail curled but high. With as much force and might as she could muster, She barked.

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[✮ErInJaN✮]

"Falcon you MORON!!" The words escaped him before he'd even thought to say them.

Two dogs and a human were there, from out of no where it seemed. Why had he not noticed them? One dog barked while running towards him but stopped. Another burst into a run from behind him. How many dogs did this farmer have?! Falcon's golden eyes darted around desperately looking for the best escape route. The fence continued to run along the edge of the woods, and he could see no openings large enough for a wolf to escape through. His only option was to run. He turned his attention to the dogs. If they left him alone he'd have a chance. The second dog was barreling towards him. Just when he thought she might attack, the mutt pulled up and stopped a few
yards away.

Falcon had met dogs before. He had befriended one or two. He knew they could communicate, just as wolves did. If it came to a fight, the wolf knew he would win; but he knew very well that dogs and humans, humans and dogs...shared some bizarre loyalty. Something ancient and unknown to wolves. The last thing he wanted to do was anger the human by mangling his dogs. Humans had a tendency to avenge any and all acts they considered wrong. He would make a try, to appeal to the dog. If he could distract them long enough to get away...

The barking stopped for the moment. The seconds became long.

"Stay back dog-og." He made his voice loud and it echoed through the silence of the field.

"I have no quarrel with you-ou."

The attempt to communicate seemed to puzzle the dogs. They didnt move.

Falcon saw a chance, a low spot in the fence nearly 50 yards away. His only chance. He took it.

He bolted.






(just to clarify, the -og and -ou are echos. maybe they were unessecary but i think its neat, :)

[Kairis]

NO! He thought desperately as he watched his daughter race ahead of him to confront the wolf. At that moment it was not just his home he was defending but it may also be Haikus life. Even though te Aussie was taught from puppyhood to avoid encounters at all costs, he followed the curly tail through the crops and show up just in time to catch the words of the massive wolf that was intruding on his land. He was quite a bit bigger than himself, and Haiku. If there was to be a fight there would defintely be fatal injurys, but never then less Fang opened his jaws ans snarled menacingly at the wolf. The wolf may be bigger, but Fang had a better reason to be angry. Carefully he stepped forwards somewhat shielding his daughter in case the wolf attacked even though he said he wouldn't; but wolves from what Fang knew where slimy liars.

Then he bolted, the red Merle Aussie tensed up and watched the wolf scan the fence line with panic and the male chased him through the crops weaving in and out as if he was herding the cows. Getting closer he tried to nip at the wolves heels until he heard the violent sharp sound of the gun. Fang froze and turned to stop Haiku before she ended up accidentaly getting shot because at a distance she may resemble a wolf.

"damn" the farmer murmered as his first bullet went too high and missed the wolf. He grumbled and swore under his breath at the fact that those pests kept hanging around his farm. Maggie has been attacked countless times and he was not going to risk losing his two best dogs. Putting the scope of his long range rifle back up to hos face; he loaded o e more shell and pulled the trigger aiming pretty close to the center of the wolf. He was 99% sure his shot conected and if the wold didn't die, he would surely be seriously harmed.

Fang barked. From here he could smell blood and see that the wolf was clearly hit. A smile spread onto his muzzle as he knew his job was done. "nice shot, eh Haiku?" he chuckled and turned around the stump for a tail sticking straight up dominantly as he kicked dirt in the wolves direction and trotted swiftly back to the farmer when he called. Fangs predatory instincts now content for the next little while knowing one less wolf would be hanging around HIS land.

[✮ErInJaN✮]

Things seemed to go in slow motion for Falcon. His attempt at appealing to the dogs' better nature, had failed. He stretched his legs to their limit, trying to get them to cover as much ground as possible. Get to the low spot, he thought, leap over. He heard one of the dogs behind him, snarling. Falcon ignored him. Get to the low spot, leap over. Falcon's heart palpatated as he heard a whirring sound over his back.

A gun. The farmer had a gun.

Falcon had heard many death stories. The worst having to do with guns. Flying pieces of metal shot at lightning speeds through animals, sometimes lodging in them, sometimes going through to the other side. Always killing them.

The wolf became strangely focused, as if ancient survival instincts kicked in. 30 yards. 20 yards. 10. Adrenyline pumped through him as he neared the low place in the fence. I can make it, He told himself, I'll get away.

He gathered his legs under him and sailed over, the barbed wire raking through his belly on the way. He landed clumsily on his feet, but still in one piece. His whole body seemed to pump as he ran and ran through the trees and brambles, never slowing down. Run, Run. His lungs expanded and contracted, heaving air through his passages. The adrenyline kept him going and going. Falcon could think of nothing but RUN.

His paws suddenly hit water and he was abruptly thrown into a creek when he tripped over several large dark rocks. He lay there for only a moment, then tan and black wolf rose out of the water carefully, blinking his black rimmed eyes. He gave himself a quiet shake. He then thrust his muzzle into the running water and lapped up great gulps. He finished his drink and looked around. He heard no barking. no gunshots. He was in the woods again, surely farther than anyone would chase.

"I...made it," He gasped. "I'm...alive."

He bent down to take another drink, but something stopped him. The water. It was...red.

Falcon curiously looked up stream. There was nothing out of the ordinary there.

The strong adrenyline and its superpowers were wearing off. He cringed as pain suddenly throbbed through his hind knee and underbelly. He raised his right foreleg from out of the water to look at himself.

Blood dripped from two wounds on his right side, dying the water.

"I've been...shot." He inhaled a choking breath.

He now recalled the last verse of his mother's song...

"Heed, my love, or you shall end."

[✮ErInJaN✮]

Hmm, uh, End of thread i guess...