Hutch

Hutch was famished by the time they'd reached the marsh, and he'd lead poor Sakura far from her home without the slightest clue that she hadn't been entirely lost in the first place - or in need of adopting, for that matter. He was still under the impression that she must either be abandoned, or an orphan, and thus it was his duty to look after her and make sure she survived. The only problem was... Hutch himself was having trouble keeping himself well fed and safe in this Valley.

"Man..." The long-legged bulldog exclaimed, "I think my stomach is growling loud enough to scare all the food away!" He walked along the edge of the swampy shore, where his white paws were soon stained brown by the thick muck they sunk into with ever step. Sakura and her smaller size would have an even harder time of it. "If we could just find some humans, sometimes they have food on them. My mom use to bring us food from them, when we were little. Or if we can find one of those flat trails their car-beasts run along, usually there's dead animals around there."

Sakura

Sakura followed him and soon realized that if she thought she had been lost before she was now really lost. She listened to him speak as she concentrated on not getting stuck in the muck. She was getting starving. What are humans?She never heard of them before. Her little ears twitched as she made one bound and found herself up to her neck in mud and she tried to get out. She whined as she pulled herself through it only gmaking it worse.

Hutch

"Huh?" Hutch was poised on a log, all his paws bunched as he readied himself to spring off of it and land on a drier piece of land. He swung his head back and quirked a look at the pup toiling along behind him, "Are you saying you've never seen a human before?" The dog shifted his feet to steady his balance on the mossy wood, "They're tall, with patches of long fur on their heads, and sometimes on their face. They have long legs, kind of like deer, but they only walk on their hind legs; kind of like birds." Hutch gave the question some more thought, "And they make the best kind of food you can imagine! They make a lot of strange, crazy things, but the food, oooh... you've gotta try it." The young bulldog might have gone on rambling at length, but then realized the puppy had gotten herself mired down in the thick mud.

Hutch leaped down from the log and hurried towards her. "Hold on, Sakura-" He circled around the youngster, and almost got stuck in the muck himself as a result. After struggling to pull his legs from the clingy muck, Hutch attempted to grab Sakura by the scruff, and pull her out...

Sakura

Sakura listened to his description of humans.I think my daddy said that we need to stay away from them so I don't think I'll go near themShe spoke. Of course her father was dead. She went limp the moment he grabbed her scruff. Still being young the endorphins were still quiet active in her.

Hutch

Hutch tugged at the pup, trying to free her while trying not to get stuck himself. He slipped a few times, but after a bit of toiling and clawing against the slick, clingy much, Hutch finally dragged Sakura free and hoisted her out of the mire. After high-stepping through the worst of it, he set her down on a slightly drier patch of ground, then shook his coat vigorously, flinging water and globs of mud every which way.

"Phew! You okay, Kura?" Hutch sat down next to her for a breather. His long tongue lolled from his mouth, "And forget what your dad said, humans are a great source of food. Hamburgers, fries, bread, sweets... all sorts of great things that you can't find out in the woods! I really don't know where they get it, but trust me, you'll love it."

Sakura

Sakura remained limp as he tugged at her and then with a splurched she was out. She shook herself out and began grooming herself.No I trust my daddy... My daddy died though , but I trust his wordsShe said. She had only known her father for probably four or five months of her life. Glider, she believed thats what her mother called her father or something along those lines.

Hutch & Others

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Hearing that her father had died confirmed Hutch's premature suspicion that Sakura was indeed an orphan. Little did he know that she had a mother and an entire pack, one who was gearing up to come rescue her as they spoke. "I'll tell you what, what if I get you some human food? I bet if you tried some of that, you'll change your mind." Hutch sat down beside the pup, splattering his backside in mud, while his tail thumped a few times against the soggy earth.

"...wait!" A hushed voice hissed from a short distance away. Hutch's ears perked and he whirled around, trying to locate the source of the words. They seemed to be coming from a dense stand of shrubs, but the bulldog couldn't see well enough through the thick foliage to make out any shapes with it. "...no, you can't eat them! ...because, that one reminds me of Kivo. And that one is kinda cute. ...huh? No I'm not being too loud... yeah, he's looking at me now."

Hutch tiled his head, baffled by the whispered voice. Whoever it was, they were talking to someone else, but that someone else was too quite for him to hear. The fur along his spine bristled up, "Hey, I hear you! Come out."

Sakura

Sakura listened to him. She knew her mother would try and find her and she wasn't sure if she should of followed Hutch. No... I want deerShe said. Thats when the whispering started and she moved to be under hutch in fear. She crouched down. Her eyes also on the bush. There was no den around here and she wasn't sure if Hutch could really protect her from two as it sounded like there was a second animal there.

Hutch & Others

Hutch stood rigidly on his long, mud-covered legs. His lanky tail stuck out stiffly behind him, no longer wagging merrily. From his throat, a low, rolling rumble emanated... only to be choked back into a pitched bark of alarm when the shrubs rustled and a very large cat emerged from them. Hutch's tail immediately went between his legs, and he hunkered down so much that he nearly laid down on Sakura before remembering that she was seeking shelter beneath them. All that bravado had been for show. "Stay back, or I'll bite!"

The ruddy feline, a hybrid the appeared more lion than anything, sauntered closer without a stitch of worry. "Awww, now I wouldn't say that. After all, I bet I can bite harder." The feline raised his whiskered lips in a grin, and also to show off his impressive set of teeth that easily outclassed those of Hutch's. "Now what's this, a dog and a... a wolf pup?" Sideskill began to circle around the pair. Hutch shifted his body, turning to keep the big cat in his view. "Kind of an odd pair."

Sakura

Sakura hunkered down as the big cat appeared. She'd heard of them but had never met one and this one was terrifying! Her ears were back and tail was tucked under as she hunkered down under the boxer. Her eyes searching for a bolt hole of any kinda at this point.MY mother will kill you, go away!She yelped out. She was backing up now intent on bolting.

Hutch & Others

Hutch growled, for what it was worth, but every aspect of body language showed his fear and lack of courage. This cat was huge! "My name's Hutch, and her's is Sakura. I don't wanna have to bite you...!" Any attempt at sounding tough was foiled by the wide set of his eyes, and the utter lack of bared teeth to back up his threat. All the bulldog could manage was to shift his paws and turn to face Sideskill as the cat slowly circled the pair. It was only as an after thought that Hutch picked up on what Sakura had said, which more or less implied that her mother was still alive.

"Your mother? I don't see any she wolf around around here." Sideskill questioned with a smirk. He took a step closer while circling the pair, and grinned all the more when Hutch flinched back. "Awww, what's the matter? Not afraid of a little kitty like me, are you?"

From the shrubs, a second feline emerged. This one was a little larger, with more of a golden hue. He also had a bit more of a mane than his brother, with a longer face and slightly malformed skull with sharp angles; one downside to their colorful, mixed lineage of different cat breeds. It made his already frightening expression that much more sinister when he paced forward. "Stop toying with them already. Kill the big one and subdue the pup, or do I have to do it?"

Sakura

Sakura was regretting following Hutch now. Her tail flicked as she stood up as a second feline came up. She will beSHe gave a little snarl. At the second males words she grew even more fearful. What did they want with her? She was beginning to back out from under Hutch and away from the two cats.

Hutch & Others

Any hope of reasoning with this big cat was dashed when the second one appeared. With horror, Hutch realized he was their prey, and poor little Sakura was probably going to be the appetizer. The bulldog briefly considered running, but Skill was so close to him that he doubted he'd get more than a few bounds before the feline caught him. And the pup... there was no way she could outrun either of the cats. Hutch shrank back further, trembling like a leaf in the wind, "You don't want to eat us! How about... a deer? I can catch you a deer!"

Sideskill tilted his head, as if to give Hutch's suggestion some serious thought. "I don't know... brother, what do you think? I'm rather tired of deer, and dog sounds so much better."

The larger cat wasn't in the mood to play with their dinner however, or entertaining his sibling's humor. Sundown flashed a fang at his brother and returned an annoyed rumble, "Enough playing around. Take the whelp, I'll handle the big one." His slow stalk quickly transformed into a shoulder-pumping spring, driving him towards Hutch. Skill rolled his eyes at Down, but obligingly followed orders and pounced for Sakura, attempting to pin the pup to the ground beneath his massive paws...

Sakura

Sakura watched everything fear eminating off of her body as she tood there and kept backing away from the group. Then one of the cats was going for hutch and as she turned to run a paw came down on her and she yelped and tried to dig her way out to no degree. She whined her ears flat back.

Hutch & Others

Any lingering shred of bravery or confidence was dashed by the sight of over 400 pounds of solid muscle, long fangs, and deadly claws came barreling his way. "Run Kura, run!" He yelped to the pup, while wheeling around and making a flying leap in the opposite direction of his charging adversary. He knew there was no outrunning Sundown at this close proximity, and further doubted that the pup could hope to keep up with him, so he went for the only other option that might afford him some protection. The water.

Sundown had gained on Hutch in a few short bounds, and was little more than a paw-swipe from tripping up the leggy bulldog when Hutch plunged into the murky waters of the marsh. Sundown hesitated, took a few steps forward, then drew back. His tail lashed from one side to the other and his oblong face twisted into a look of agitation, but he held back. The big cat could still catch the dog easily, but the dark waters were known for the infestation of alligators, and what Sun feared most was not knowing where these reptilian dangerous lurked beneath the surface. "You'll last five minutes in there, before you're gator lunch." Sundown hissed in bitter warning, now pacing the edge of the water.

Skill, meanwhile, kept his paw firmly over the squirming pup. Powerful claws were extended, with little care for how much they might dig into her skin; all he cared was that she did not get away from him. "Stop your fidgeting, pup. You're going no where."

Sakura

Sakura knew there was no going out and soon her fidgiting stopped but her whining did not.what do you want with me!She said. Her tail flicking slightly.

Hutch & Others

A few feet into the marsh, and Hutch was in water too deep for even his long legs to touch the bottom. He was sure the vicious cat was a mere pounce away from eviscerating him, and didn't stop or look back until he heard Sundown's voice hissing from the bank. Hutch clambered up onto a semi-submerged log and looked back, shuffling his white paws against the algae covered bark. What relief he felt at seeing Sundown give up the pursuit was dashed when he realized Sideskill had caught Sakura. In the panic and haste to escape, he'd not even thought about the poor pup, or thought to look back and make sure she was keeping up! "Hey, you leave her alone!" The dog bayed.

"Say, brother... " Skill ignored the pup beneath his paw, and barely flicked an ear in Hutch's direction. His ruddy, speckled face tilted towards his sibling, "...Can we keep this one?"

Sundown flattened his ears back against his peculiarly formed skull and shot his counterpart a look that went beyond annoyed. "No."

Not to be dissuaded by the flat rejection, Sideskill grinned leeringly down at the helpless youngster, "You wanna see a cave? I bet you've never seen one as large as the one we live in." The wickedness in his expression painted his otherwise inviting words in a sinister light.

Sakura

Sakura whined as she lay there under the large cats paws which if he wasn't careful he squish her. No I want my mommyShe whined.

Hutch & Others

The big cat wasn't perturbed by Sakura's lack of enthusiasm to his offer any more than he was by his brother's flat out refusal to take interest in a potential captive. Skill had his own agendas, "Sorry pup, your mom's not coming along. Not unless she wants to be lunch." As if that would make her any more cooperative or entice her to take interest in his proposal, Skill leaned down and attempted to pup Sakura up by the scruff.

"Hey! HEY!" Hutch barked frantically. A paw slipped on the slick log and he nearly toppled face first back into the cold water, but a frenzied bit of footwork kept him balanced. "You leave her alone!"

Sundown flattened his ears back further. The dog's barking was getting on his nerves, and at the same time making him anxious. Though not afraid of Hutch in the least, he was wary of the dog attracting unwanted attention. "You seriously taking that whelp back to the cave, Skill?" The tawny feline groaned and briefly closed his eyes once it became clear to him that his sibling was intent on taking Sakura alive. "If it makes too much noise, I'm eating it."

Sakura

Sakura whined and then attempted to scamper out but only to find herself going limp thanks to the emzymes in her scruff. She watched Hutch HEr little front paws curled into her body while her hind ones hung.

Hutch & Others

For a cat that could haul a deer carcass across the ground, hoisting Sakura up from the muddy earth was a breeze. With his mouth full of fur and skin though, he couldn't easily respond to his brother's threat, so Skill settled for rolling his mahogany eyes at Down before sauntering back into the dense foliage that they had come from. Sundown looked out across at Hutch one last time, annoyance still written clearly across his face, before dipping his heavy head down and padding after his sibling.

Watching helplessly, Hutch continued to bark from his perch on the slippery log. "Kura! Kura!" All he could do was watch as their stripped tails disappeared into the undergrowth, and wonder if he'd led the pup to her death.