Street-Bred

Chapter Four - Twin Terrors

    It must have been amusing to see a small tawny dog leading a pack of larger dogs and a cute, fluffy puppy. Fawn didn't keep track of how long she and the pack ran, but she estimated that they ran for a short, seven minutes. The pack turned a corner and... there it was! A red fire hydrant, leaking a clear, glittering liquid. Water! Fawn bolted to the water as if she had wandered the desert for a few months. Her pink tongue passed through her lips and contacted the water. She lapped like there was no tomorrow, realizing how thirsty she really was. The other dogs congregated around her and waited patiently until she finished.

     Fawn lifted her head and licked her lips, feeling a new energy wash over her. Mei padded to the hydrant and drank as well, though she didn't seem as frenzied as Fawn was. The tan loner turned to Paisley, "Thanks a bunch," Fawn nodded, and Paisley returned the nod. The loner was about to thank Ace as well, but with Mei suddenly hiding under his legs and whining, Fawn knew that could wait. The Pharaoh Hound whirled around to see two, large canines stalking over.

     Fawn's green eyes widened as she saw their muscles ripple under a silvery pelt. It was mesmerizing to watch, but Fawn was more fixated on how terrifying they looked. Both of the dogs had these big, bold heads that had a solid muzzle. A dangerous smirk was painted on that muzzle. They both walked in sync, like soldiers marching to battle, which Fawn prayed they weren't actually doing. The only visible difference there appeared to be is one was female with piercing blue eyes, unlike her clone which was a male with brown eyes. Finally, the two were about three feet away before they halted (in unison, of course). The other dogs behind Fawn stared on, equally silent and still. Finally, the male spoke with a deep voice, "Which one of you is Fawn?" his talking revealed one more difference between the look-alikes. He had a missing bottom, left canine. Well, however he lost it, somebody definitely went home bloody that day. Or they didn't go home at all. Fawn thought, shuddering. She heard the male's question, "I'm Fawn, can I help you?" Fawn was proud for not stumbling on her words, but her tail was lowering quickly and her legs trembled. The female stepped forward, "Yeah, you're coming with us," she said in an assertive tone.

"Eh heh, no thanks," the loner gulped, backing up.

"That wasn't a suggestion!" The male snapped, sending Fawn and the pack to stumble backwards. Mei yelped and shook beneath Ace's legs. Fawn took a deep breath, "Why should I?" although very courageous, the loner's words quivered.

"It's what Cash wants. And Cash wants a mate, and that's you!" the brown-eyes dog barked. Immediately, Fawn froze, any limb that was shaking before has ceased. Her lip curled back slightly, revealing white teeth. Cash. I should've known... the thought hissed like a snake in her mind. She was no longer afraid of these dogs, just angry. Very, very angry, "Get out of here," Fawn snarled, hackles rising.
The female seemed shocked of Fawn's audacity, but her eyes were filling with hatred, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Leave!" Fawn barked, most of her teeth bared. The two silver dogs snarled and stalked right up to Fawn, eyes narrowed. Yet the loner showed no fear, "You can't do anything to me! If you put a scratch on me, Cash would use your pelts as rugs and your claws as toothpicks!" Fawn practically laughed in their faces.
"I guess we have no choice than to call... backup," the female sneered, and then let out a deep bark from the bottom of her chest. Three more dogs came sprinting around the corner and stopped behind the two silver dogs. A black German Shepherd, a Rottweiler Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix, and a Finnish Spitz appeared. They were all males, very aggressive male dogs, "Now, if you come with us, you're safe. But if you don't, then we'll have no choice but to take over your territory and kill your little friends," the female snapped.

"You tell her, Dusty!" the Finnish Spitz yapped in probably the most irritating voice to ever exist. He almost sounded like a little, bleating lamb. Yet there was nothing wooly and adorable about him. The female, who must've been Dusty circled around Fawn and separated the loner from the pack, "So what's it gonna be? You walk with us, or your buddies die. It's your choice," Dusty sneered. Fawn saw Mei, whimpering and tearing up. Poor kid... Fawn looked at Dusty, "Alright, lead the way. But pull any tricks-"

"Oh no, we wouldn't pull a trick on you. We don't kill dogs just for the fun of it," The male said, "Now, let's go. Cash is waiting on our return," the large dog lead the way, with the black German Shepherd and Dusty were on either side of her, and the annoying Spitz was behind Fawn.

     For twenty minutes they walked, very quietly. After they crossed a street, evening approached, and the orange sunlight made Fawn's fur a brilliant color. Great, now Cash is gonna be even more clingy. The Pharaoh Hound thought. Finally, the five dogs made it to an alley, much cleaner than the first one Fawn observed. She could smell that Cash's pack was strong and healthy, there were no scents of disease anywhere. However, that didn't make Fawn any more attracted to her enemy. They walked down the alley until Fawn could see an old, blue recliner that someone must have thrown out a year or so ago. She could see dogs lurking behind garbage bins and other objects, only glowing eyes visible. Fawn turned her attention back to the recliner, to see a male dog relaxing in it. Cash.