Winner, Winner. Chicken Dinner. [open]

[SnapShot`]

Black Jack was still getting used to being on his own and didn't really like it that much. He enjoyed the attention that other dogs gave him far to much to just be a loner and wander about on his own. As he walked around, not seeing a single other stray as he walked he gradually changed his course. Paws moved gradually and he was in no hurry to get anywhere anytime soon. Instead, he really wished to just explore and see what he could find. His ears were relaxed, one erect but obviously at ease, and the other slightly bent over. His tail rested at his hocks and waved around casually behind him. The light, warm breeze caught his fur up and moved it around his body gently, giving it even more of a cascading effect as it moved over his muscular yet skinny body.

The day had been a warm one, clouds slowly moving in over the area as it dragged on. By now the sun was no longer visible from behind the constant flow of clouds all jam-packed together and soon enough, it was clear, a storm would be arriving. Probably not a big one, as the cloud were not far too dark, but just a short flash flood if anything. It was spring time and the insects were starting to buzz and flutter and crawl about. Flowers were beginning to bloom, ones of every color and all very sweet smelling. Most dogs enjoyed the spring time, it was when everything started to warm up and everywhere seemed to get prettier. Jack's favorite season was spring time, especially with his coat, as it was not too cold nor was it ever too hot or windy.

As he continued to walk, his tongue lolled softly from the side of his dark lips and his dark brown eyes wandered softly. The longer fur around his lips was wet by now from the small amounts of saliva constantly licked over them throughout the day and the fur that hung around his eyes would soon be getting shorter as it became warmer. Jack stopped as he rested his eyes on a new site, a boardwalk. It stretched out into the bay and he could already fell the salt on his skin that the wind blew into his face as he placed his first paw on the wooden planks that made the boardwalk. A few benches he could see where here and there and as Black Jack continued to walk along, he eventually came close to the edge of the boardwalk.

His tail lifted up over his back and he returned his tongue to his mouth, no longer caring for the salty taste that now remained in the air. While Jack knew being around the beach if a thunderstorm was to come along was a bad idea, he was not scared. He stood firmly and slowly continued his short walk to the final part of the dock. He stuck his head out under the boards that made up the rail that went all the way around the board walk and took a deep whiff of the air. Sneezing once, he chuckled and looked at how much of a drop it would be to the water. It looked like quite a drop and as he figured out how to get his head back, Jack settled on the idea that sometime today he would dive into the water, no matter what.

A grin appeared across his muzzle and he reared up onto his hind legs. Front paws rested up on the top board of the rail and his tail wagged slowly behind him, lowering down to somewhere between his hocks and his back. His head raised up fully and his neck stretched out as he closed his eyes. The breeze whipped up the fur surrounding his face once more and he continued to hold his smile. He took a deep breath once more and let out a deep sigh. 'Gosh I hope someone shows up before I decide to make my dive... or it thunders... I don't want to go home before I really get the chance to meet anyone' He continued to stand there and slowly let his mind wander, his thoughts passing over not only his past, but also perhaps what could happen in his future, from making new friends to finding another ranch to live on, to all the stunts he could someday pull in his lifetime to make himself famous. Jack hoped someone would show up soon, but for now he was in a tranquil mood and would wait patiently until it began raining.

[ 7|7|8 ]

[Snow]

Paws adjusted to the light enduring trot, Thorn picked his way around a park, in which humans ate their snacks. His hard golden eyes narrowed at the sight of something that could fill his stomach, his muscles tensing. Throughout his life, food had been a cause in fights and it was hard to come by. He intended to make the most of what he had. Head set high and ears erect, he gazed alertly around, seeing no other stray. Muscles rippled noticeably under his rather short coat which absorbed the heat because of it's colour as he made his way toward a lonely woman. His tail held high, he tried to make his features the kindest possible, while struggling hard to not show his hate of humans.

Being a large dog, he wondered if his lovable stray tactic was going to work, but he knew just what to do if it didn't. He came up to the woman and sat in front of her and looked up with the most innocent eyes he could. Unfortunately, he still looked like a very nasty dog with his scars and his posture. The woman hesitated, holding her juicy chicken leg tightly. He wined slightly, which seemed to decide her even though any dog around would have detected the irony that tainted it. He despised in the most absolute manner having to result to this behaviour to get food. The human threw a piece of chicken at him, and he gobbled it up at once. He was far from satisfied though, and his kind mask dissolved instantly. He eyed another human, a male this time, with the most appetizingly looking fast food meal.

He wasn't going to go down to that method again, so he charged the human, baring his teeth and growling. It was the growl that said it all. He was powerful, he was mean, and he wouldn't hesitate to attack. He could see it gave the human goosebumps. The man stood no chance and he left his meal on the table before running away. Seizing his chance, Thorn jumped onto the table and snatched up the meal in the bag, running from the scene. Other people had noticed what had happened, and he knew he should get out of there before they called the pound. In a remarkable demonstration of speed of his build, he ran off with his dinner. He decided to eat it by the sea, where he felt the best.

Prowling more than walking, his senses scanned the area for any other stray. His muscles where tense, his tail held high and immobile, golden eyes glaring at every living thing, any onlooker would see that he wouldn't let anyone get his food. The air was light and warm, even though the sun was hidden behind a sheet of gray clouds. The sweet smell of newly born flowers wafted to his nostrils, and he growled at the new nuisances that would be born into the world at spring. He bitterly looked at his situation. He was a stray, reduced to snatching food off humans and off the other wildlife, hunting when he could, no where to sleep, no territory, a nomad in his prime. He snapped his jaws together with irritation, badly wanting something to distract him.

Salty scents and the crashing of the waves came to his senses way before he arrived. It reminded him of the happy times he passed with his mother and siblings, the only happy times in his life. He heard shortly before he arrived the little steps of another dog, and hesitated. He decided that he was big enough and strong enough to ward off any dog that wanted his food and he knew how to fight. That was where he wanted to eat and no one was going to stop him. The imposing canine rounded the corner and walked resolutely to the boardwalk. He eyed warily the other stray, some kind of shepherd. He sat down and started to eat his dinner, watching the shepherd look at the sea. He seemed to want to dive overboard, which he thought was stupid. He smirked and chuckled before finishing his meal.

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[SnapShot`]

Jack heard the new canine as it approached, the succulent smells of its dinner wafting through the air, nearly overpowering all other smells. His ears twitched and he turned his head softly to look over his shoulder, but instead of speaking or moving about, he quickly returned his gaze to where it had been resting originally. Black Jack wasn't sure if the dog was the sort of company he had wanted, but decided that he would allow it to eat and such before speaking to it. After all, most strays did have severe food aggression and this picardy shepherd did not want to fight. Nostrils flared with the greasy smell of the food and he sneezed once, shaking his head. 'The things people eat...' He thought as he looked back once more, wondering how far along into his meal this new creature was. It appeared to be a well muscled, strong dog. Jack had seen many dogs like his kind before - well not exactly the same, but close in breed, and he did not want to start something up while he was in such a peaceful mood.

Slowly backing up, he remained on his head legs as he took three steps away from the edge of the railing. His forelegs dropped gently to the ground and he looked down once more before turning fully to face the new canine. Dark eyes scanned over the body of the dog and Jack knew that he probably could not hold up in a fight against it, so he hoped that this canine would be a kind one. 'Pft... like that will happen.' He chuckled softly and shook his head. Taking one large stride toward Thorn, Jack wagged his tail once, twice, three times then allowed it to fall back to his hocks. Both ears stood alertly on his head and his wide eyes paid close attention to the body language of the mix. Jack did not want any trouble on this nice day, but instead hoped to perhaps make a friend... or acquaintance. Something at least.

He shook his entire body to remove the dirt that clung to the shaggy, rough coat that hung loosely from him. Jack then proceeded to stretch out his hind legs and raised his neck. Tongue lolled from his mouth and he held a sort of a grin as he looked upon the dog. "Er-hm! What's up?" He started off, holding his charming grin as he did so. While on a normal occasion he might have stolen the dog's food just to do so, he decided against it today. Instead he would try and make conversation and see who this male was. "I am Black Jack." He continued in a strong and confident voice. In no way did he show that he thought he was dominant over the mutt before him, nor did he show that he was submissive. Instead he stood in a neutral manner, slightly alert and slightly relaxed. Deciding against saying anything else at this point, Jack would listen carefully for what Thorn said in response.

He figured if worse came to worse he could surely find a way to get away from the new dog and he was not worried about it in any way, shape or form. Why would he be? Black Jack was not afraid of anything! Or so he appeared to be... "Oh! But you can call me Jack!" He remembered after a slight pause. His tail wagged once more before resting in place, the breeze carrying Jack's sent down wind and toward Thorn while Jack took in deep breathes to memorize Thorn's scent and to try and determine if he carried the disgusting smell of dog blood. That would be a sign that he was definitely an aggressive dog. While the scars might lead to that assumption, Jack did not want to decide on that. All street dogs could have scars and indeed, most of them did. He was not going to judge this dog, not one bit until he heard how it spoke to him and reacted in his presence.

[6|7|9]

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[Snow]

As he lay and ate his dinner, Thorn heard the other dog sneeze. He smirked but continued eating his greasy fast food. It tasted great, but he knew it had been meddled with by humans. The thought sent a surge of hate up his spine. He didn't like anything to do with his past, but he knew that he had been luckier than most. He hadn't stayed in there long enough to be a cold-blooded killer. He didn't exactly like killing, and only killed if he had to, but he did grow to love a good fight. For the first time, he realised he wanted to change. He bit down hardly on a chicken bone in frustration; he didn't know how to change. He held on to the fine hope, that there was more to life than just hardships. He had never had any friends, only had his family in the first part of his life, even then he felt a bit lonely.

He gobbled down his last piece of food bitterly, as two parts of himself battled inside him. One, disgusted by what he had become, urged him to forget his past and become nice again, be wise and live life and only battle when he had to. The other one defended what he had become, saying that he was a dog made for the tough life of the outside world and not some little squirt that doesn't how to care for himself. He closed his eyes, torn and confused, angry and hopeful, in a swirl of emotions that made him have a headache. All that because he was used to killing other dogs. Again, the two sides of himself fought even more. But which one to choose? He felt ignorant, like a little pup again, and gritted his teeth together. He opened his eyes again as he heard the tapping of paws on the sidewalk.

He turned his head to see the other stray coming up to him. His ear twitched with slight annoyance. Could he untangle his personality disorder before dealing with anything else? But maybe this dog could help him, become his friend or something, help him out of this hellish atmosphere. He sighed when he felt another surge of pain in his head. He was confused and really wished he was alone. The dog before him looked like some type of shepherd, some breed he had never seen before. The fur hung from him just as dirty as Thorn's was. The dog shook it off before speaking. His tongue lolled out of his mouth as he addressed Thorn a grin. ''Er-hm! What's up?'' he asked. Thorn tried to push his depressive thoughts away and concentrate on the present. But he didn't know if he could be kind of if he would be better to be aggressive like he used to be. His arrogant personality made him angry at himself, thinking that he was supposed to be strong, confident. . .

He tried to conjure up something that wouldn't let through what he was feeling inside. Before he could say anything the dog had continued: ''I am Black Jack''. His tone was confident and strong, and the aggressive part of him thought he was cool headed to keep his tone like that. He was acting neutrally. No reason to feel threatened or aggressive, thought the other side of him.''Nothing much, admiring the view. I am Thorn.'' trying to sound confident and relaxed. He looked up with his golden gaze and then rested his eyes back on the ocean. ''You can call me Jack.'' the shepherd continued. Thorn dipped his head slightly, fighting the resurgence of his two sides that plunged him into confusion. He felt so weak, so ignorant, that the hate of himself made him forget to be prudent. He had almost shut himself off from the world when he remembered the other dog was there.

He almost felt grateful that Jack was there, that he prevented him from going down in himself. While he wanted to face himself and get better, he shied away from it out of fear that it would be too much. Almost grateful that the shepherd was there, but not quite. He wanted to deal with it and get it over, but he didn't know how. He sighed again before trying to extend the conversation. That was him, in between periods of aggressivity and confidence, came the periods of mental instability and personality disorder. ''Do you like the sea too?'' he asked, looking for something not too foolish to say.

Words: 781
Muse: Great!
Other: I love how his personality is developing. Usually, I really suck at role playing evil doggies. This one I think is great!

[SnapShot`]

Jack raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the other dog. It seemed sort of... confused, lost in thought. Perhaps it was debating, like he had been, on if Jack was a threat or not. As he watched, he determined that could not be it. Even with Jack's cool manner that showed he did not wish to threaten Thorn or start something up, the dog seemed to still be confused. Jack watched curiously but decided he did not really care enough to figure it out. It was just too much effort that he did not wish to exert at this particular point in time. His left ear flopped forward softly and he shut his mouth drawing in his tongue as he sat down on his rump. His tail curled up to his right hind legs and rested flat on the floor. He listened as the dog spoke once more, after having introduced himself. Thorn was its name and while it did not seem too aggressive, as Jack sat calmly, he was still a little bit alert. He never fell for tricks and was not going to start.

Jack nodded once then sat quietly. He looked back over his shoulder then around once, but no one was there beside the two. That was good, as Jack did not car for large groups, and that would help keep this peaceful. It always seemed like when there were more than two dogs, it was easier to antagonize things. He did not enjoy being in groups for that fact and the fact that it was harder to actually get to know another dog when in a large group. "Actually I do not have a particular liking for the sea, but I do not dislike it, neither. Today it had just seemed like an enjoyable place to go, somewhere where I had hoped to find another canine to talk to, I am new to the streets, you see? So I do not yet know anyone besides myself." He looked directly at Thorn as he spoke, believing deeply in eye contact while speaking.

"Plus there are many thrills to the sea. I mean, where else can I dive off something this tall and get away unharmed? Ha ha." He chuckled softly. He was a thrill seeker and he would never deny it. However, he was also one of the biggest compulsive liars he knew and while he had yet to tell a lie at all, it probably would not be long before they started to slip. Not that it would really matter to the other dog unless he was capable of figuring them out, which could be hard, no matter how abstract the lie. Jack stood back up and took a few side steps to turn and look back over the edge and down at the water. It was starting to turn a darker color as the sky darkened too, but it was not close to night time yet. The clouds just continuously covered the sun. "Eh, its going to rain soon..." Jack complained as he looked around. He hated ran with a passion.

"Would you ever jump off the dock?" He suddenly asked after looking away then snapping his head back to look down at Thorn. He sat back down on his haunches and looked toward the end of the dock. His tone had not seemed serious but it did not seem fully like a joke either. In all reality, Jack was dead serious in his question and while he did not plan on jumping off the dock soon, he did plan on doing it before he left to find shelter for the night. For now he just wanted to keep a conversation going and this was the perfect question to use to judge the dog and determine Thorn's true character.

[6|3|9]
OoC;; Well that's good he he. I'm still getting a feel for Jack so his points might be a little iffy sometimes. x3

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[Snow]

It didn't take much to notice that Jack was looking at him curiously, and Thorn wondered what his face showed. He rearranged his traits to show them as relaxed and moderatly cheerful, although his battle of conscience still went on inside his head. He usually was a good actor, and hoped he could fool Black Jack effectively. Maybe he was one of those dogs that were observant enough so that he could slip through his mask and see his real self. That scared Thorn and he maintained his composure, adding a slight smile to the mascarade. He pushed the plastic bag which held his dinner moments ago away, and turned back to the shepherd. Jack was sitting down on the ashphalt, and seemed a little alert. It was a wise choice, you never knew to what kind of dog you were talking.

Jack peeked over his shoulder, and Thorn imitated him, wondering what he was looking at. There were no other dogs except themselves, and he was thankful for it. He liked to be able to concentrate on being cautious with one dog, but watching two dogs at the same time wasn't as easy and he didn't feel like doing anything that required much energy right now. "Actually I do not have a particular liking for the sea, but I do not dislike it, neither. Today it had just seemed like an enjoyable place to go, somewhere where I had hoped to find another canine to talk to, I am new to the streets, you see? So I do not yet know anyone besides myself." Thorn dipped his head with understanding. He remembered when he was a pup with his mom on the streets, how she had taught to trust no one. He himself was not a newcomer to stray life, and new how hard it could be at first.

"Plus there are many thrills to the sea. I mean, where else can I dive off something this tall and get away unharmed? Ha ha." Thorn chuckled a bit too, although he didn't feel like laughing at all. He looked at the shpherd as he got up and looked into the dark water. Thorn wasn't afraid of the water, he loved it, but he knew it could be a killer in rough surf. Sometimes, he went to the beach when he was young, and played in the shallow water, chasing his siblings and catching the small fish that dared to come that close. He had learned to swim well too, a skill that proved very useful. He noticed the light seemed to be fading, although it was only the afternoon. Dark clouds loomed ominously in the horizon, blocking the sun and the smell of rain wafted to his nostrils. He smirked slightly when Jack complained about the rain. He didn't mind it, it was refreshing.

"Would you ever jump off the dock?" Thorn looked directly into the shepherd's dark eyes and thought before answering. It was one of those questions that scrutinized your personality. 'I don't think so. I wouldn't risk injury just for falling and getting wet. If I want to, there is probably a little beach not to far from here, and I can get wet there. But here, nope. With that much of a drop, if you don't position yourself right and you get injured, your an easy target for other dogs and wildlife. It's not too easy to get food with the competition, so getting hurt is the last thing you or me would need.'' he said, making it sound that he wasn't afraid of jumping from it, but wouldn't risk the injury. ''Would you jump?''he asked, curious to know if the shepherd would jump anyway.

Words: 644
Muse: No too bad
Other: =3

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[SnapShot`]

As Black Jack watched Thorn, he realized that the dog was changing his expressions quite a bit. Now he held a smile and looked a bit more cheerful, the previous look now gone. While Jack was suspicious of this new face, he shrugged it off and decided it was nothing. The dog before him had either figured out what he was thinking about or he had just decided to keep Jack out of it with a change of expression. Either way, it was not something that Jack was all to especially worried about. It did not directly involve him and he did not wish to end up involved in any problems that were not his. He did not like that sort of thing, worrying that is, and tried to keep it off his shoulders, something he was particularly good at.

His ears perked with the words that Thorn spoke when he spoke and rested during the times when they were both quiet. As he heard Thorn's response about the water and the possibility of becoming harmed, Jack repressed a snort. He was never afraid of being harmed and not once did he ever let that possibility wander into his mind. He willingly acted naive and pushed out any thoughts that were negative and ended with him being harmed. Yet, he knew that Thorn was right. It was dangerous and he could end up hurt in the end, or even drug out to sea, especially if the waters got dangerous. Jack was not scared though, while he knew that Thorn was right and it probably was not worth risking it, it did not really change his mind.

By now he was too determined on actually diving off the edge and was not going to change his mind so easily. His tail wagged a few times and he smiled back at Thorn as Thorn asked him if he would ever jump off. "Well, my friend," He began trying to show that he was quite comfortable around the mix before him by this point, "Matter of fact, I would. You see, I am not too worried about being harmed. While it would strongly impede my ability to be a stray and find food if I were to become hurt... well I'm not sure. I just figure if you go to the very edge of the dock, the water should be deep enough by the point it would lessen your chances of being hurt in the end." He said, showing that he would still jump off the boardwalk, probably no matter what.

"But I commend your thinking abilities and how you analyzed the question in such little time. Shows me that you would do it if you didn't think there was a possibility of ending up harmed in the end. Of course, being harmed would probably be a lot worse for you than me, as it seems to me you are probably a bit more confrontational than I. Nothing personal, Ol' Sport," He paused and smiled his crooked, toothy smile. "I try and avoid all fights and confrontations, I'm just not too skilled in those sort of things." He semi-lied at this part, but because his shaggy coat covered all scars he had from being confrontational, not aggressive, but just confrontational, it was hard to tell. "Anyway, the point I was getting to was that I being hurt is not something I worry to much about in the end. Either way, I can at least get food from those foolish people who feel sorry for the 'poor, skinny, hurt puppy', if you know what I mean." He smiled once more. He did not care for humans to much, well besides shepherds, but he refused to ever show the slightest bit of like for them on the streets. It seemed foolish, no street mutt liked humans, or so he thought.

His tongue lolled once more from his mouth as he finished speaking. His paws shifted a little and he sighed softly. Maybe he spoke to much or maybe he didn't, but he enjoyed talking. "Besides, I wouldn't want to end up like my old brother. I like taking those chances and having that risk of becoming injured. He never worried and became a old house pet. That was when I left and came to the streets." Black Jack was lying by this point, but he figured it made a good story for why he was a stray. He nodded as if he was listening to him speak as well and believed his own story. "Unlike some, I chose to become a stray, but shh don't tell anyone, they don't like to hear that usually." He winked and chuckled softly, ears perked to listening to hear what Thorn would say in response and if he would believe or catch the lie.

[8|1|4]

[Snow]

Holding on to his falsly cheerful mask upon his features, Thorn shifted his muscular body into a sitting position, the hard concrete on his ribs not being that comfortable. The little light that passed through the storm clouds made his troubled golden eyes glisten like gems. He eventually pushed his paws underneath himself and stood up, walking the few steps it took to join Jack near the water. His golden gaze dropped to the water, which was beginning to be as stormy as the skies were. It was quite a drop, and he knew he would never take the risk to jump of the edge. He noticed he was only a few inches shorter than the shepherd and stockier. He dug through his memories to see if he had ever seen or heard of the breed this dog was. He suddenly remembered one day at the beach where his mother had pointed another dog and had asked him what kind he thought it was. He hadn't known but his mother had said it was a picardy shepherd. He watched Black Jack, and thought they looked almost identical.

He was starting to feel quite comfortable with the shepherd now. He noticed when Jack repressed a snort when he said about being harmed. Obviously, they didn't have the same opinion. Thorn thought that he must be one of those dare-devils fearless enough to do anything and don't really care about the consequences. There were always dogs like that, and he never really understood that principal. He tended to think to insure his protection first and then see if he would be okay if he did whatever thing. Looked like those dogs didn't work along those lines and were willing to attempt anything that was dangerous. He didn't see it as an act of bravery, jumping off the dock, but an act of well. . . foolishness. He wasn't about to judge Jack though, and kept his thoughts for himself.

As Jack started to talk though, Thorn came to the conclusion. Yep, Jack was one of those adrenaline junkies fearless enough to do anything. An amused smile played with his lips as he heard it and his tail wagged once, marking his amusement. He nodded when Jack talked about the deepness of the water. It might help not getting hurt by hitting the bottom, but that didn't change the resistance the water was going to throw at him. Water was softer than land but it still packed a punch when you didn't enter it correctly. He remembered seeing a child fall into the local pool as he passed from the diving board and the impact with the water had knocked him out. Mind you, the board was a few meters from the water. Then there was the waves, they could drag any dog out at sea. Nope, he wasn't gonna risk it. If Jack wanted to do it, fine, but he wouldn't.

Thorn dipped his head when the picardy shepherd complimented his analysis of the situation and wagged his tail a few times. He was starting to relax, his ears were pointing backwards, althought they didn't flop over like Black jack's did. He stretched his front legs to unknot his muscles. He chuckled slightly at Jack's next words about being confrontational. It's true he did look for it sometimes, and the scars on his body did lead to think that. But it wasn't his fault if his past had introduced him to the fighting ring, and he wondered who he would have become if he hadn't been sold. Maybe less aggressive, less arrogant, more naive and lots lots more. He sighed slightly at that point. He listened carefully when Jack commented about the humans. Yes, they were another solution, but wasn't it a disgrace to go down to those methods? He had used it just before getting his lunch, and it didn't yield much. He preferred to go aggressive, because people almost always dropped all and ran. He smirked at the thought. Humans, they were everywhere. You couldn't go anywhere that wasn't too isolated without finding them. They were a nuisance.

Thorn tongue went lolling just outside his mouth. He caught Jack's slight sigh, and wondered what he was thinking. If there was anything that he was curious about, was what others were thinking. He wasn't very good at working it out, but he did try sometimes. When Jack spoke next, something in his voice didn't sound right. As the body acted casually, the voice held a slight tone so insignificant Thorn almost thought he'd dreamed it. He understood he had been lied to by a master, a dog that knew what he was doing and that so nearly tricked him into believing him. A smirk spread across his lips. '' You might convince the more naive with those clever words Jack, but you won't convince me. '' he said looking up with a half-mocking, half-respectful look in his eyes.

Words: 859
Muse: Great!
Other: -

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[SnapShot`]

Jack watched patiently as the mix stood up, not too fast but not really slow either. He nodded once as the dog moved to his side and grinned softly. He was one of those dogs that nearly always had a smile on his muzzle no matter what, and all of his smiles differed. There was his happy smile, his joker one, the charming one, his false smile, his mocking smile, his relaxed smile, his I just feel like smiling smile, his playful smile, and many, many more. Now he used his somewhat happy somewhat casual smile as he sat with this dog he had just recently met.

Black Jack had noticed that Thorn had relaxed around him and wagged his tail once in response to that reaction. He no longer worried that he would be attacked or had to worry about Thorn. He allowed himself to fully relax, not that his muscles really even showed under all his fur when they were tense. He noticed that him and this dog before him did not share opinions, but figured that made things better. He did not like being around those who agreed with him on everything, life just was not interesting that way. He would much rather argue then agree and be done with a subject.

Jack had noticed the amused look on Thorn's face as he had spoke and figured that he had been found out as his daredevil self. He loved the rush his stunts gave him and Thorn was once again right. Black Jack was an adrenaline junkie. He loved the feeling and half the time would do nearly anything for it. Even getting himself into a fight with a frightening enough dog could supply the feeling of a rush. It was like his own drug, adrenaline. It got him high and made him feel good inside. He loved it!

The wagging and continued relaxation of Thorn had proved to Jack that this dog did not seem his a threat, and he sort of liked that. Not that he felt he ever looked like a threat to begin with, in fact, he had always felt like someone the threats would wanna go after. Not that he ever really was. Normally he just went along unnoticed unless he chose to make his presence known. He loved to show off when he could but if he could not and did not feel like getting into a fight during that time, he could often enough sulk away without being unnoticed or would be left undisturbed. Its not like he never even really had anything anyone else would want. Sure he was a kleptomaniac, but normally he did not steal anything others really felt the need to have.

Jack watched Thorn with curiosity as he spoke, having figured out the lie that had just been told. Black Jack grinned his toothy grin, his smile stretching from ear to ear. He had been found out and as the dog looked at him with a sort of respect, Jack did the same thing. Most dogs were naive enough to just find them believable and go along with them and usually the ones who did figure them out never really said anything. He was not really used to being called out on it, but he always liked those few occasions when it happened.

"Ha ha, you are too smart, my friend." He chuckled softly. He shook himself out and nodded. "Alright so you caught me, I didn't anticipate you would, but you did. So I lied, my brother was not too careful and that's not why I came to the streets." He paused and lessened his smile. "Nope, instead I was stolen as a puppy and after a long story, well I ended up here, as a street dog. Not my favorite thing, matter of fact, to tell you the truth, I would rather be back home where I was born, with my pops and our Shepherd and sheep. They were the best, but I don't think I could fit in any longer. Ya know? Too long away from home." He nodded and dropped his smile completely as he looked away.

He then turned his dark eyes to rest back on Thorn and smiled once more. "But hey, its a new adventure, at least. I dunno if I could have just sat around and been a sheep dog for the rest of my life. Maybe once I'm older and have no more exciting adventures on the streets." He started to ramble and stopped himself. "Enough of that. Let's hear it, are you a street dog by choice?" He asked in a calm manner. "You don't have to tell me if you do not want to, I'm just a curious creature." He chuckled softly.

[8|0|6]

[Snow]

To be honest, Thorn was beginning to feel quite comfortable with the picardy shepherd, and he began to think that this might after all end in a friendship. The thought was pleasant; he hadn't had friends in a long time. He usually was a little too aggressive for most dogs, most of the time because he never had personality disorder periods when he was with them. He felt like meeting this dog had somehow made him change slightly, and he realised he could be friendly without necessarily being attacked or lured into a trap. He'd just have to be careful and he could live life with friends. The period of mental instability was starting to recede and he felt calmer. His usual aggressiveness didn't come along, and he felt calmer. His powerful muscles started to relax, and his ears drooped down on the back of his neck.

He noticed how Jack seemed to be relaxing too, and he knew they could get to know each other a little more. His tongue lolled on the side of his mouth and he pawed a rock absent-mindly. A smile came lingering over his features in response to Black Jack's grin. The shepherd did seem like a very cheerful dog, and it was pretty contagious. Thorn didn't usually smile a lot, but today it just seemed like it was the day to smile. It felt good, to socialize with another dog after the length of time where he didn't meet anyone. It gave him hope, that maybe the world could be a hospitable place. He'd always thought the world wasn't kind to anyone, and you just had to get through it and then you were free. Now he could see a way of making life more tolerable, and with the thought he noticed he was in a really good mood.

Personally, he thought it was great when he had to argue with another dog. It was very interesting to hear what others had to say and figure out a way of countering their arguments and bring in a new point. It seemed like Jack was one of those dogs who were very stubborn and that will always hang on to their opinion, making it difficult to change. He noted sometimes he was slightly like that, absolutely refusing to change his mind. He knew that change was sometimes good though, and it was sometimes for his own good he changed his mind. He remembered his mother as being the most stubborn dog in the family, and wouldn't change her mind for anything. It made him slightly sad to think about her and chased the thought away.

At his words, Jack's smile extended from ear to ear. He smiled too, knowing he had busted him. He was old enough to have seen enough dogs lying to know when strays insinuated a false element into their words. He knew that Jack was a great liar; he had barely noticed the lie, if it wasn't for the slight edge in his voice. A slightly more naive dog probably would have believed his words, but not Thorn. His smile widened at Jack's chuckle. He listened attentively to Jack words and nodded with sympathy. He had an idea what it was like, having been bought from an old farmer then used in the dog fighting ring. It wasn't exactly the same thing, but he felt like he had been stolen his life when the man bought him. Sadness loomed in his golden eyes before being swept away. At least now Jack was looking away, his smile vanishing for the first time, and probably hadn't noticed.

He listened carefully to what Jack had to say afterward. It was another way of looking at it, but not his way. Nope, he thought of the streets as more of an environment more inhospitable, but a living all the same. He didn't think it was more exciting, more stressful maybe. His smile lessened slightly as Jack asked if he was on the streets by choice or not. '' It wasn't my choice no, I was born into it. My mother was a stray, my dad too, and now I am. Passed through an old farmer's house for a while, until I was sold. Then it's a long story.'' he said, avoiding the part where he fought in a dog fighting ring. His smile had now disappeared, but he quickly put it back on, although he knew it must look pretty fixed and unconvincing.

Words: 769
Muse: All right.
Other: I have the impression I got the time lapse wrong. Anyway. . .

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[SnapShot`]

Black Jack was pleased with himself. He had taken a dog that normally would have probably attacked him and turned him into a... well, friend. He was excited to see that this dog no longer felt really any threat toward him and nodded in response to that notification. 'Its a good thing you don't really like to fight and it appears you caught him on an off day. Otherwise you might have a few more scars on that lanky body of yours.' He thought to himself. By the time he had finished, Jack had noticed that Thorn appeared much happier. He bore his own grin for a while before it slowly disappeared, Jack obviously having hit a sore spot by bringing up the past.

Jack was now even more curious about the other dog's past, but he did not feel like digging in and asking what all had happened. Instead he would listen to what Thorn said and accept it as enough for him to be satisfied. As he listened to Thorn he could feel that the dog wished for a different life, that he did not want things to happen as they did, but really, what stray wanted what happened to them? Some accepted it better than others, but no one really wanted it.

"Ah, I am sorry. I can imagine that might have been hard... having not only left your mother but having been sold after finding a place as good as a farm." He paused as he thought back to his farm and imagined what sort of farm Thorn might have ended up like. 'He must have still been young then, to be sold. And I have a feeling he is leaving out something big, but I do not want to ask. There must be a reason why any dog would be a little more hostile than others. Something must have happened with that owner...' He began to think off into his mind, still listening to the last of Thorn's words as he did so.

He looked back at Thorn and now saw a fake smile. His eyes did not have the same glint to them as before and Jack nearly kicked himself for bringing it up in the first place. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought that up. My bad. We could pretend it happened different? What if we said you had really been bought by a clown and after many bad birthday parties, you finally escaped, more bitter than before due to all the silly charades from those times?" He laughed trying to lighten the mood. His tail wagged softly, but he raised his back leg up into the air a tad.

"We could even say something happened like that to me? Maybe we were really abducted by aliens! Then forgot everything and ended up on the streets as a result!" He chuckled once more. "Wouldn't that be an adventure?" He sighed softly as he looked up toward the sky before bringing his dark eyes back down to the Thorn. Jack was always up for an adventure and his wandering mind was now filled with alien stories he could tell other, more naive canines. However, Black Jack did not bother saying them aloud or thinking about them too much as he remained in his spot on the boardwalk. He was just a dreamer really, happy to come up with any story that was different than what really happened or a large exaggeration of the true story.

His tongue lolled softly and he watched patiently, his eyes still bright as he wondered if Thorn would shake his head and walk away. While Jack normally might not say such bizarre things, he felt comfortable enough and like he was a downer on Thorn's mood that he should say something childish and silly. 'At least try to lighten up the mood, cheer him up again.' He nodded to himself, deciding that was the best idea. He did not wish to upset his new friend by bringing up horrid things of the past, after all. Jack just wished to keep company for as long as he could today.

[6|7|2]
OoC;; Not much muse right now :3 I was kinda in a silly mood though so Jack apparently is too for a few moments. xD

[Snow]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,274,true][atrb=background,http://wimg.co.uk/gkG.png] [scrolly:h(325),w(194),sy] Confidence was now apparent in his posture now, as Thorn was relaxing in Jack's company. He was an easy dog to get on with, a little cheeky and a liar, but great company all the same. He was one of those dogs who just winged it in their relationships with other dogs. Jack did seem happy too, and he thought at how scary he must look. His heavily muscled build and long scars hinted his past in the dog fighting ring, but he knew that he could get on with life without fighting all the time. The amber eyes trailed over the surf and the road, watching the ordinary life go by. Jack's smile disapeared, and Thorn knew that bringing up the past with most stray's wasn't a good idea. That included himself obviously. Most canines weren't on the street by choice, and often a sad story accompagnied them. It was a bit like their own DNA, their history, their life. Everyone's was different, some were more horrible than others and that was the way of life. Some accept it and other's don't. Some change because of it and other's don't. Thorn nodded at Jack's words, remembering the uncertainty and anxiety he felt after being separated and how he missed the farm. He wondered where his family had ended up to, and hoped they were having a good life. His siblings had been very different, along with the traits they held from each breed they were. Jasmin had been the more shepherd mix, retaining more from their mother. His brother, Jason, had been more of the rottweiler, taller, longer than he was. He, on the other hand, had been the stocky, muscled dog of the family, inheriting more of the pitbull lineage. He looked back at Jack and noticed he seemed to awkward of having brought that up. Sure, wasn't exactly the topic he was the most comfortable talking about but he wasn't angry against Black Jack. "That would have been silly" he said, chuckling slightly at the shepherd's silliness. The stray's sense of humour wasn't his type, but he could still find the funny part in it. His smile was back, sincere this time. At Jack's next speculation, he rolled his eyes and shook his head, still chuckling. Some dogs had a lot of imagination, and Jack was one of them. Before, he might have found it annoying, but now, he simply thought it lightened the mood. It was nice to be able to appreciate jokes again, and have a friend for once. Another day, he might have picked up a fight with him, and missed the opportunity to change his life, for the better. Jack didn't realise how profoundly he had helped Thorn, and he intended to keep that secret. He wasn't going to embarass himself like that. Jack seemed to be lost in his thoughts, and looked pretty dreamy. It seemed like the more Thorn learned about the shepherd, the more he liked him. He wondered idly what Jack thought of him, and liked the way his appearance hadn't stopped the stray talking to him. He was still only five years old and he had a life to live without always considering everyone as an enemy. Words: 561 Muse: Lacking Thorn muse xD Other: - Status: Finished [/scrolly]

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[SnapShot`]

Jack looked at Thorn as he had scanned the area, everything normal and moving in its place. Sometimes life just lost him and left him behind, not sure what to do. It all seemed to move to quickly for Jack's slow and steady tempo and he wasn't sure he liked it all the time. He did not try to stop it though, since there was no way for him to do that, and instead accepted how life was. He knew by now that he could not change what was in store for him and no longer tried to do that.

Thorn laughed as Black Jack had spoken of the crazy idea and Jack hoped that it had worked. He knew he was a silly dog sometimes, but if he did not allow his imagination to wander and change the way things really happened in his life, he might not be able to survive and comprehend it as well. He knew that certain stories, such as aliens, were a bit of a stretch, but they kept life more easy going and not so serious, and he liked that. It made things easier on him and strays like him.

Jack figured that he was a lucky dog today and that if he had caught Thorn in a different mood, things may have played out differently. He was thankful that he did not end up harmed by Thorn because he knew that he would have never backed down if the dog had challenged him and all the obvious battle wounds on Thorn's body showed he had much more experience than Black Jack did. His eyes brightened as they were glad that he did not have to worry about that anymore, or so he hoped. From what he could tell, him and Thorn were friends, no threat between them any longer.

His tail waved softly and he looked up at the dark clouds rain falling softly from them as some thunder started up. His ears twitched and he sniffed in the nice scent that was always around when there was rain. His rough coat let water run down it and he sighed. Water really was not his favorite but it felt good since the days were getting hotter and hotter. The warm breeze blew at him and he shook, knowing it was no use since all the water that left his coat would be back in a matter of seconds.

"I really don't like rain." He said to himself but loud enough for Thorn to hear. His dark eyes dropped down to Thorn and then back to the water below. It had grown quite dark since they had arrived and looked a bit more dangerous, but it had also raised, meaning that if he were to jump in he did not have to worry at all about hitting a shallow spot and breaking all the bones in his body. He chuckled as he could not believe that jumping off the dock was still the prominent thought in his head.

He felt excited to do it, but knew that he still probably wouldn't for a while... especially if there was lightening. He feared being electrocuted more than the dive, even though his chances of being struck were low. "Have you ever worried about being struck by lightening?" He asked softly and looked back toward the sky. Jack did not like the loud booming sound of thunder, but did his best to ignore it. He looked at his paws then back up to Thorn. His mind was wandering around things, but he was not focused on anything in particular at this point. By now he was just going over everything around him. All his surroundings, his new friends, and the weather.

[6|3|0]

[Snow]

The wafting scent of rain tickled his nostrils, and Thorn looked up at the menacing sky. The clouds rolled in a harmony of concrete hues, going from light filled tones to dark shadows. The air had become electrified and heavy, a thunderstorm clearly about to unleash it's wrath. The tempest was the least of the stray's worries. Shelter was a primary issue, but it could still wait. He didn't eactly mind the rain, and he needed to wash his pelt of the dirt and mud that clung to it. He sighed briskly, his amber orbs returning to Jack's twinkling dark pupils. He listened to the thunder that started echoing in the distance.

The light had come back in the muscular mix's eyes, the humour lightening the mood dramatically. Jack was a pretty silly dog, but his far fetched stories changed their thoughts to more comic, happy ones. The past was not a great thing to talk about, but all newcomers needed to understand that usually, they don't bring that up. He remembered when he got out of the dog fighting ring, the happiest day in his life. Most dogs would avoid him if he said he was in the dog fighting ring he thought. He shook those thoughts away and concentrated on the present, not wanting to dwell on the past.

Thorn wondered what would have happened if he had been aggressive with Black Jack. He would have probably hurt him, considering he had much more scars than the picardy shepherd seemed to have, and would have missed a grear occasion to socialise. All this time, he thought he could suffice to himself, have no friends, no one to trust. He thought he could have gone on with life, but it was now he realised how wrong he had been. In his subconscious, he craved for company, for friends. Now, he had one, and it felt good to finally meet that demand. A serene calm invaded him and he smiled.

The thunder rolled closer, and the soft splattering of rain could now be heard. The water trickled down his short fur, soaking it thoroughly. Unlike other dogs, his coat wasn't as thick, and let water in easily. It wasn't a disadvantage in the summer, but it could pose certain problems in colder climates. At least for now, the icy water cleansed his pelt of the dirt and refreshed him. He shook his pelt slightly when it started to get too saturated, but knew it was no use. Jack shook his pelt too, the longer, rougher fur probably more waterproof than his. He didn't really mind staying out in the rain, but wondered if Jack liked it.

Well, he didn't as Thorn soon learned. Thorn nodded with understanding. "I don't exactly mind the rain, but sometimes it's annoying too." he said, his deep voice covering the sound of the rain. "We can go find shelter if you want" he proposed. He looked around, seeing the patios and the balconies of nearby buildings. Humans were ingenious, but also very stupid and cruel. They were a mistake. They polluted the air with their petrol-consuming cars, they took over nature, they considered the sea like a dustbin, and lots of other negative consequences. His eyes narrowed at the thought.

At Jack's next question, he thought before answering. When he was a pup, he was scared of the noise of thunder, until his mother had repeated enough times that it was not dangerous. He wasn't the lightning that had scared him as much. Of course the risk was low, but it was there. "No, not really." he answered.

Words: 624
Muse: 8/10
Other: ---
Status: complete

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