Sweet Jesus hear my prayer. [Zhubin]

[Akela]

Sweet Jesus doesn't care. Sometimes Kiasma liked to close her eyes and pretend she was little. She would be sleeping; the smell of trash and left over pasta would be heavy in the air; but she did not cringe at the thought. It was a welcoming scent. Especially the pasta. She would open her eyes, her nose twitching eagerly and she would see their mother placing down a white container in the floor before her three pups. Her bother would be the first to pounce on the thing; her mother had called it lasagna. Kiasma didn’t really listen, of course; she was too busy trying to get a bite. As she rounded in the alley, the sudden conflicting scents were welcomed with something like a grin. It was almost like home, only much more quiet and lifeless. But it would do, she was too tired to be picky. After all, traveling had a way of leaving a dent on one’s physique. At least Kiasma felt like that. Though she had managed to get some rest since her arrival here, her body still seemed to ache from all the hours spent walking on endless, apparently infinite roads. And, more importantly now, she was starving. She needed food; and as long as it was easy to get to, she would not complain. Kiasma followed her nose, trying to spot something promising amidst the chaos of smells and sights that seemed to fill this old and forgotten alleyway. She managed to retrieve a half eaten serving of spaghetti, and she even found the leftover bones of some steak. With her stomach no longer craving desperately for something to eat, Kiasma allowed herself to lie down by the entrance of the lonely alleyway, to better see whoever went by, and slowly gnaw on the last bits of meat still clinging to that bone. Perhaps, she thought to herself, this is not a bad city after all. She couldn’t keep traveling forever, could she? This might just be the spot. It certainly seemed like it would be as good as any other.

[CARROT.]

the other day i drew myself a map Zhubin had struggled to jump the fence today. After his run in with Klaus, he was feeling quite sore, even if a few days had already passed. However he had been able to muster enough energy to decide that he was going out today. Master Albert was out doing whatever it was humans did five days out of seven, and it wasn't unusual for Zhubin to leave the backyard once in a while seeking some adventure in town. Of course, no matter how much he knew his human liked the idea of keeping him fenced in all day, that fence wasn't all that hard to jump over, especially for a tall, long-legged male like him. Besides, a dog could usually find better food out in the city than in the house, where besides the occasional scraps, his diet only consists of his dog food... Which he didn't mind all that much. He just wanted some variety every once in a while. And he knew just the place to find the best human food. However it seemed to already have been discovered by another canine. He spotted the female across the street, sitting at the entrance of the alleyway. But there was no need to be shy, and he strolled across the street via the cross-walk, with the few other people who crossed as well. "Good day, miss. I see you've found my favorite location for a snack." He greeted her with a friendly smile. "May I?" He asked, hoping that she wouldn't mind him joining her. He saw what she had been eating and gave her a polite smile. "You have quite a find there, miss. I hope I can find something good for myself." He then proceeded to approach the dumpster, nose twitching madly for any sign of recently dumped food. so i could figure out your head

background image by Ricymar Photography ; dog image by Nelanthas

[Akela]

Sweet Jesus doesn't care. With a tasty morsel on her paws, it was hard not to get carried away. No, Kiasma had to remind herself that, safe as she might feel on this lonely street, and as tempting as it was to devote her full attention to gnawing on this delicious bone, she still had to mind her surroundings. She always had to mind her surroundings. It had been something she’d learned from a very young age. That was why she was not surprised when a dog came walking down the street to where she was, guarding the entrance to the alley. Kiasma raised her head, diverting her attention from her bone to peer at the male with a mixture of curiosity and caution. He smelled odd, and his fur looked very shiny and soft. He walked with a casual sort of elegance, and most importantly, no hint of aggression. “’Hi.” She stated, a bit confused by his polite demeanor. She didn’t complain however, and with a nod indicated to him that she had absolutely no qualms if he wished to find his own meal. Of course, Kiasma knew her brother would have called her dumb for this. He would have insisted on scaring the dog away. After all, he seemed pretty well fed, and how did she know she wouldn’t want some more food once her stomach was empty again? Would she let him gobble up whatever was left of the food? The only sign of this hesitation was a casual flick of her ear as she dismissed the thought. He seemed nice after all. “There’s plenty of stuff, I think.” Truthfully, she had no idea how much good food there was left; she had eaten what she’d found and then she had stopped looking. But not saying anything would have been terribly awkward, and she didn’t want him to think she was some kind of weirdo, did she? “My name’s Kiasma.” Maybe of he knew that he wouldn’t have to call her “miss”.

[CARROT.]

the other day i drew myself a map The stray seemed friendly enough, which he was relieved of. It would have been a shame if someone had decided to lay claim to his favorite hangout on a weekday. The tall male leaped into the dumpster with a small wince of pain. After he got back home, he promised himself he would do no more jumping for the next few days. As he rummaged around the dumpster, he was now grateful that he had gotten a haircut. Not just because it was a warm summer day and his long coat would've been uncomfortable to walk around in, to say the least, but because now if he got dirty, it wouldn't cling to him like it would have before. His jaws clamped down on a small disposable container that smelled of fried food, and he pulled it out. He jumped down onto the ground - with another wince of pain - to join the other canine where she was eating. He ripped open the container to find some leftover french fries sitting in there. "What a treat! Master Albert would never let me come near this." He said delightedly. However it was a short meal, since he was able to take it all up into his mouth, chew on the food once or twice, and swallow it, all in about five seconds. Yet Zhubin had a look of satisfaction across his face. He looked to the female when she introduced herself as Kiasma. The Afghan Hound gave a little gasp. "Oh! My sincerest apologies, I am so rude. I should have introduced myself first!" He exclaimed with a genuine apologetic look toward the female. He cleared his throat before saying, "My name is Zhubin. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Kiasma." He looked down at his paws for a bit as the smaller canine ate. He looked at her quietly, trying to find out what type of dog she was, however he couldn't put his paw on it. She was clearly an odd mix, and one that was mixed very well, since he couldn't tell what she was mixed of. It made her look sort of strange, in a way, but he didn't dare give away the fact that he thought that. "So... what brings you here, Miss Kiasma?" He asked, trying to get a conversation started. It would've been very awkward and unsocial to just join someone for a meal and then not talk to them. so i could figure out your head

background image by Ricymar Photography ; dog image by Nelanthas

[Akela]

Sweet Jesus doesn't care. This dog was very strange to someone like Kiasma, who was used only to being with though and rude strays who wouldn’t know kindness or respect if it bit them in the butt. And yet this dog seemed genuinely nice and… happy. This dog, who had just managed to retrieve an awfully small amount of food, seemed awfully happy to eat a small bite of leftover French fries. Not only was he not upset, he was actually glad. Kiasma was amazed. He was quite bigger than she was, and even if he was of a slender complexion; how could he be satisfied with such a small amount of food? Wasn’t he hungry? When he referred to a so-called ‘Master Albert’ something clicked in her head. This strange dog was either a pet, or a slave. He seemed to clean and well fed to be someone’s slave, so the only logical conclusion was that he was not a stray, like herself. It would explain why his coat was so clean and glossy, and why he didn’t look raggedy or skinny, and why he might not be particularly hungry. A part of Kiasma envied him almost immediately. “Master Albert?” It wasn’t until after she had spoken that she realized that he might find her to be nosy for asking about things that were of no concern to her. But she was intrigued, her curiosity awoken. Her own mother had once been a housedog; though she had never told Kiasma much, other than it had been ‘just lovely’. She introduced herself, so that he might not have to call her ‘miss’ anymore. There was no need to apologize for that, but Kiasma didn’t protest. “Yeah.” But he seemed to be a fancy sort of dog. “You too.” She volunteered a shy smile. She noticed he had not dropped the ‘miss’ but merely added her name to it. “I… I was hungry.”

[CARROT.]

the other day i drew myself a map Zhubin gave the smaller canine an amused look when she echoed his master's name back in a curious tone. "Yes, Master Albert. He is a human who shares his home with me." He explained. "He's quite friendly and is a very good host. I quite like living with him." It was evident to him that Kiasma didn't know much about humans, and that struck him as somewhat funny. Even strays who spent a lot of time in town knew a bit about humans, but maybe she was from a place where there weren't many humans originally. And when she answered his question, he simply laughed. "Yes, well, I suppose that is an acceptable answer. I apologize for being so vague, but I meant what brings you to Almira?" He didn't know why, but he just had a hunch that she was not from this town. He could've been completely wrong, though it was hard to tell since she hadn't really said much to contribute to their little conversation. "I mean, if you aren't from around here, of course." He added, just in case she was indeed a local. It also made him wonder if she lived with someone else, or if she was all alone. "If you don't mind my asking, is anyone with you?" The world was too dangerous for a timid female like her, even in a little town like Almira. Klaus had made sure of that, and he was worried that she might have a run in with a dog just like him if she wasn't careful. "It's not safe to travel alone, Miss Kiasma? Do you know where you're headed next, or do you need a place to stay?" It didn't cross his mind that he might've come off as creepy until after he said it, so he added quickly, "N-not as in... um, where I live. Master Albert would have me murdered if I brought someone home with me. I mean, maybe I could help you find a place? I do not mean to make you feel uncomfortable, and I fully understand if you refuse my offer..." He blushed a bit, feeling flustered at his lack of ability to express what he truly meant. so i could figure out your head

background image by Ricymar Photography ; dog image by Nelanthas

[Akela]

Sweet Jesus doesn't care. She had been right after all, it seemed. This strange male, Zhubin, lived with a human. That explained his very pretty coat and probably the reason he was so nice. Kiasma came from a city were strays did not have the luxury of kindness. A cherished house pet, however, knew not of hunger or despair. She smiled; she had nothing other to say, other than she was, at this point, certainly jealous of him. He seemed like the kind of dog a human could love. Kiasma was not so lucky. “Oh.” She looked down sheepishly. Of course he hadn’t meant to be so specific; the reason was pretty obvious. And yet he had revealed a very important piece of information: they were in Almira. She had never heard of such a place, but it was nice to know where she was; she wasn’t lost in the middle of nothing. “I just… sort of ended up here…” She knew that reply would not suffice, and so she cleared her throat to try one more time. “I left my home some time ago, and I… well. I got lost.” She hated to admit that she was just another wandering stray, with no home and no family. “And the next thing I know, I’m here… in Almira.” It was a pretty name, she decided. It rolled off her tongue nicely. His next questions were odd. No because she realized they might stir out of bad intentions, but merely because she found it hard to believe anyone could be genuinely concerned about the well being of someone they’d just met. Kiasma shook her head timidly. She found his rapid mumbling rather amusing, and broke a genuine grin. “I wouldn’t mind.” She replied smiling. He was nice, and surely he knew the city much better than she did. After all, she would need a safe and cozy place to sleep in, especially if she planned on staying for a while in this Almira city.

[CARROT.]

the other day i drew myself a map So his suspicions were correct, and she was not from Almira originally. He also assumed that she was alone, since she hadn't mentioned coming with anybody. He gave her a smile and said, "Well, you're in a good city now. The people here don't mind strays all that much, and if they do, all you have to do is run. I've never seen a human chase after a stray, so I think you'll be safe here." For whatever reasons she had left her old home, he would never know unless she willingly told him that. He wouldn't ask, knowing it wasn't his any of his business to know. However, he wanted to be reassuring, making sure that she knew that she wasn't lost, and that she didn't have to be. Now that she was in Almira, he wanted to make her know that she was safe from any threats. He waited for her to finish her meal before getting up onto his paws. "Let me show you around, first. I imagine that you'll be needing to know where the good places to eat and sleep are, and ultimately choose your living space for yourself." He said warmly. "It would be better if you stayed in the city, because if you ever get into trouble, there will probably be someone, whether a human or a canine, who will be willing to help you." Zubin advised. He couldn't imagine a timid dog like Kiasma running into a wild, mountain forest dog like Klaus, who was aggressive for no reason whatsoever. No, it was better that she stayed somewhere where there would always be eyes and ears alert. "I'm not saying that you can't explore, but I advise that you be back in the city before nightfall." He now motioned for her to follow along with him, so that he could give her a tour of the town. so i could figure out your head

background image by Ricymar Photography ; dog image by Nelanthas

[Akela]

Sweet Jesus doesn't care. She had stopped believing in a lot of things at a very early age. The streets were a hard place for dreams and fairytales, and the back of a lonely alley was where they went to die. Kiasma did not consider herself a pessimist; but she had seen reality with her very own eyes and she knew that wishing and hoping were the path to starving. Kiasma knew nothing would ever be easy; that life was hard and that there was nothing one could do but bear it. And that was why, when Zhubin assured her that this city was a good one she didn’t say anything. She nodded her head silently, a hint of a smile playing around her lips. Because she knew she would never be safe. And yet it was nice to hear him sound so convinced, to imagine what it would be like to truly believe that. Kiasma stood up, gently shaking her pelt, as she got ready for a walk around town. She was rather excited about exploring this new city, where she could apparently be staying for a while. She listened to Zhubin very attentively, not wanting to dismiss his advice and make him upset. “Have you lived here very long?” He seemed to know what he was talking about, and Kiasma wondered if a lot of dogs here were as nice as he was. Zhubin certainly seemed to think so, and Kiasma smiled. “Where shall we go first?” Kiasma was excited about this. It was weird, but she actually felt comfortable. Her tummy felt full and that made her confident. Besides, this Zhubin was awfully nice. For once, things seemed to be actually going well for her. Right now, she did not regret leaving her old home. Even if this city was not perfect or as nice as Zhubin made it out to be, so far, it was good enough for Kiasma.

[CARROT.]

the other day i drew myself a map He was very excited when Kiasma had agreed to take his little tour of the town. If there was anything better than the feeling of making a friend and helping her out at the same time, well, he didn't know what it was. "Yes, I do believe I've lived here for most of my life. Since I was a pup I've been living in the same house with the same human, Master Albert. I find it's quite nice living in Almira, and there's really no better alternative to a nice, small town where most of the community is very friendly with each other." Zhubin said. He knew Kiasma had only asked if he had stayed here for long, but it was a habit of his to go on and on in an answer to a question. It seemed that the female, too, was excited for the tour, for she asked where they were headed to first. He chuckled. "Well first, I must tell you that you should remember this place well." He said, nodding back toward the alley that they had come from. "The garbage frequently holds thrown out food, so it's a wonderful source of nourishment to have when you can't find anything anywhere else." They walked down the street. Zhubin preferred to walk side-by-side with Kiasma rather than him leading and her following. He just felt more comfortable when walking with a friend that way. "Let's head into town square, first. It's where most of the activity goes on during the day. There are shops, some just for human needs, some for food. However whether the master of the shop wants to share his food with you is up to him. All you have to do is be very polite when you ask and just hope he doesn't mind strays." He said as they headed into the center of the town. There were more cars rumbling by, more bikes, more humans, more buildings, and in general just more hustle and noise than their previous location. "You also need to be careful of the cars, especially here. I've never seen a dog get hit, and I'd rather like to keep it that way." He said. "And you must look out for the dog catcher. It's a human that likes to take strays off the street and take them to the pound, where they'll keep them there until a human decides to come and take one home." He warned her. "And while I don't think it's all that bad living with humans, some strays prefer living without them. If that's the case with you, I suggest you stay alert." After they had walked around the square, looking into the different buildings and wandering amongst the humans, the two started to head away from all of the daily commotion of the community. "So how are you liking it here so far, Miss Kiasma?" so i could figure out your head

background image by Ricymar Photography ; dog image by Nelanthas

[Akela]

Sweet Jesus doesn't care. Kiasma was very attentive of Zhubin, her head tilted as she analyzed his words. “Do you know many strays?” Kiasma couldn’t help but wonder if Zhubin’s friendly community also included trays like herself, or if he just meant other housedogs and their nice humans. Could it be possible that this city was so plentiful that even lowly strays could lead comfortable lives, and be kind and nice to one another? Or did Zhubin speak of his experiences as a pampered pet? Kiasma looked around the dumpster nodding her head. She hardly needed him to tell her that this place was a gold mine. There seemed to be plenty of food left unguarded here, and that, she knew, was simply invaluable. And it didn’t seem to be crowded with other starving strays, which was promising. Kiasma noticed Zhubin taking care to not go much faster than her, which would have been easy for him, being so tall and having such long legs. And yet Kiasma tried to hurry. She wasn’t long or tall or as graceful as he was, but she could be quick; at least she tried not to slow them down. It would not do to run off, after all. Their first stop was a Town Square something. There seemed to be quite a lot of people walking around, going about on their business. Kiasma stopped for a moment, eyes wide. There were too many humans for her; she didn’t feel at all comfortable around them and it showed on her face. She followed Zhubin, however, hoping he knew what he was getting into. He even suggested asking for food, which only puzzled Kiasma. That trick had stopped working ages ago. “People only like pretty dogs.” She murmured softly. Even her sister, the prettiest stray Kiasma had seen, had her ups and downs with humans. Zhubin continued giving her advice, all of which Kiasma took with attention and the occasional nod of her head to indicate she was, indeed listening to him. “What happens to dogs that go to the pound but aren’t adopted?” Kiasma followed Zhubin, slowly getting away from all the people and the activity of Town Square, hoping not every stop would be as densely populated with humans as this one.

[CARROT.]

the other day i drew myself a map Zhubin chuckled at Kiasma's question, replying simply, "I have run into many strays here before. You'd be surprised, there are quite a lot running around. Much more than house dogs, I believe." As they had started to leave the town square, Zhubin perked his brow at Kiasma's disheartened comment about how humans only liked the pretty dogs. "Well then I can imagine you would hardly find any trouble in that case." He commented back, hoping to bring her spirits up a little. It wouldn't have been a very pleasant tour if his little tourist wasn't in a good mood. But then she asked another question, one that really begged for a disappointing answer. "Umm, well, they stay there for a while... I've heard of dogs going in there and never being seen again... Or if they do escape, I've heard stories of them being... different. Ehem, if you'll excuse me, but different in the way that... Well... they're altered." He hated saying it in front of the lady, but he had to warn her about the pound. He didn't want her to see it as a place to ever want to get into under any circumstances. "You'd rather not want to go there ever, trust me. It will be much better for you to be out and about rather than be in a building until someone picks you up. Which, like I said before, won't be a problem for you." The male gave her a wink and a smile. "Now, there's a place in town that's even more crowded, and it's called 'China Town'. It's a place with really wonderful food, but at a time like this, it'll be very busy, so we won't stop by. But if you ever feel like you need a change in taste, you should try it out." He didn't really want to bring Kiasma there because he had seen how uncomfortable she was with all of the commotion going on in town square, and he knew that China Town was much, much worse. The twosome kept walking until they passed by a building that was surrounded by a run-down fence. "I do believe that this is the pound." He said. "It looks quite shabby, so I wouldn't say it'd be hard to get out of, but again, just try not to get in it in the first place." He just couldn't stress enough how much the pound wasn't a place for strays that just wanted to be free. The house life wasn't bad, but a lifestyle was hard to change as well. They walked by the pound quickly and without hesitation. so i could figure out your head

background image by Ricymar Photography ; dog image by Nelanthas

[Akela]

Sweet Jesus doesn't care. “And they’re all as friendly as you are?” There was something sweet, almost childish, about the way her voice came out all surprised and incredulous, chocolate eyes looking up at him in disbelief. A part of her was screaming in her mind, warning her not to be so trusting, to not take his word for everything. But she wanted to believe him. For once she truly believed she had found a good place to call home. Maybe here she wouldn’t be such an oddball. Maybe here she would be lucky and find a family to replace the one she’d lost. Kiasma shook her head when he seemed to suggest she was pretty, turning her gaze to the floor. He had to be joking, of course. Kiasma knew she was far from being pretty, and would have usually bothered to correct him, as he seemed to have the wrong idea. But for once she said nothing, fighting the shy hint of a smile that played in the corner of her lips. Of course, whatever smile she might have had went away as soon as his face got grim and the subject of the pound came up. To Kiasma it seemed like a good idea for a stray who just wanted a home. Let the pound get you and find a new family. Of course, she knew things were ever that easy. They were actually far removed from her ideal vision, and his description sounded truly horrifying. She did not mean what he meant by… altered, but it did not sound good at all. He smiled, and she returned the gesture, but her face still reflected the troubled thoughts that were going on inside her head. She could hardly imagine what it could be like inside such a place… Chinatown was a very funny name, and she nodded as he explained to her about the food and the commotion. She was rather glad they were not going there; people made Kiasma get all fidgety and she truly didn’t want to get kicked by anyone. The promise of food was always a big temptation, but perhaps she could visit this China town once the sun was down and people were bound to have gone home to rest. And yet she could not stop thinking about that pound place; making up the most terrible scenarios she could come up with and wondering whether any of those were true. And as luck would have it, her imagination would not need to strain so much, for there it was. It was a shabby old building, and if it was ugly that was hardly what caught her eye. It was the smell that got her. It reeked of dogs and despair. Kiasma stopped, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of the pound. She could hear barking and the occasional wailing. She could almost see the insides; dark dusty cages full of starving canines waiting for someone… anyone… to come and get them out. But by the look of that building… surely no human would wander in. And if no people went there… that meant no dogs got adopted. It just seemed to Kiasma like a horrible place for strays to go to die if they didn’t manage to escape. The thought made her shudder as she hurried along to catch up with Zhubin. Eager to get away from that horrible place, she picked up her pace to a brisk trot. “What’s our next stop?” She looked at him, offering a shaky smile. She really wanted to leave this pound lace behind her.

[CARROT.]

the other day i drew myself a map Zhubin gave the curious sounding female an almost sad smile. She sounded hopeful, but he would only hurt her more in lying to her and he knew that. So he said in a gentle voice, "Well, to be honest, no. Most are, but you have to be careful, still. Never approach a stranger assuming they'll be friendly, and always be ready to run. Most of the times they'll be kind and nice, like I am, but you can never be too careful." He hoped his advice didn't deter her from wanting to keep roaming the streets. Almira was a wonderful place, after all, and it would be a shame to stay in one place all the time out of fear. However, he couldn't help but be afraid for Kiasma. "If you're not sure of yourself, Miss Kiasma, you can always find a friend to travel with. Walking around in groups has always been safer than walking around alone." As they walked past the pound, despite, Zhubin's brisk pace, his little tourist seemed to want to stop and look at it for a bit. He called to her gently, saying, "This way, Miss Kiasma. Let's not lurk here too long." It would be a shame if the both of them were seen and caught so easily. Even more so for Kiasma. Zhubin had a collar, he would just be returned home. As she caught up to him and they walked away from the shabby building, his company asked him where they were headed next. The Afghan Hound's mood was lifted quite a bit to know that his companion was still eager to discover new places within the town. "Well, around the edge of town there is a junkyard. It's where humans discard their unwanted items." He said as they approached a fenced off area that smelled of all kinds of things jumbled in one heaping pile of mess. "As you can see, there are old cars there that would provide excellent shelter when there is rain or snow, or anything that would require proper shelter." He explained. "Humans rarely visit here, and I don't believe the ones that do mind canines all that much. I'm not sure about the canines that do make frequent visits here. Again, you must be careful and must be alert." This was, from what he had heard, a common stray hangout place, so while it might possibly be safe for Kiasma if she were able to befriend them, it could also shelter canines that possibly weren't the friendliest. "Even further out is the rural areas and the farmlands. Not many humans inhabit the places there, but I can imagine they're the same as the people in town. If they find a stray on their territory, they won't like it very much. It's a nice place for a stroll, though." Zhubin himself had never been out there, but he couldn't imagine it to be a bad place to visit. The livestock seemed like an interesting sight, and making acquaintances to farm dogs didn't seem all that bad either. The Afghan Hound looked out down the road to that rural area for a moment before turning back toward town. "It is time we headed back, Miss Kiasma. Do you have any questions?" He hoped that whatever questions she had, he would be able to answer. He had lived his whole life in this town, after all, so he had confidence that he could answer anything that she might throw at him. so i could figure out your head

background image by Ricymar Photography ; dog image by Nelanthas