RP#2

name: Madison

gender: F

like: animals, nature and writing

dislikes: liars and people who pretend to understand

I ran down my driveway as fast as I could tears falling down my cheeks,
"Madison!" my father called chasing after me
"Iv'e told you before, I cant do this!" I yelled at him as I pushed myself to move faster
I turned onto the street ignoring the rain that was pouring down soaking me.
I had kept it together as long as I could, they didn't know how much I had experienced.
I tore onto the street my father still calling my name,
'I'm sorry" I called " I'm sorry you don't understand, I'm sorry you couldn't see I was pretending"
I stole a glance back,
My father had stopped chasing me, " I'm sorry" he mouthed
I kept running "sorry's"meant nothing anymore.

I gasped as I woke up,
"it was just a dream" I soothed myself
I was laying on a pile of leaves I had collected in the woods not to far off a popular hiking trail.
I had run away 3 days ago, I was broken inside and sick of pretending
I had kept my feeling inside long enough,
I gathered myself up and brushed the dirt off my ripped jeans.
I ran my hands through my tangled brown hair and decided to find some food.
I wandered towards a stream I had discovered careful to stay hidden.
some blackberries were growing near the bank of the stream I grabbed some and plopped them in my mouth, the sweet taste tingling my taste buds.
I sighed, I didn't know if life was better like this or not.
I started back up to my small little camp after grabbing a few more berries and having a drink when suddenly something in the bush caught my attention,
I tensed ready to leap away any moment....

There seemed to be some kind of large animal hidden within the bushes.
A soft growl issues forth - a dog of some kind, or maybe a wolf.
The bush rustled, and a german shepherd emerged, limping on its front left paw.
It had a brown leather collar around its neck, a couple tags dangling from it.
It's ribs shown clearly through the snarls and brambles in its fur.
One of its ears appeared to have been mangled and healed badly at some point long ago.
As it saw the girl, a soft whine pulled from its throat.
It's chocolate brown eyes fixed on hers -
It was ready to bolt, or come closer, depending on what she did next...

I spotted what had moved in the bushes,
It seemed to be a dog.
As it growled at me I tried to asses it's personality while keeping in mind that it could attack at any second.
The knotted, tangled fur of the dog hid a collar and it's neck, and I curiously wondered if someone was looking for this dog.
slowly turning my head to make sure no one was there I decided to trust this dog.
I saw a scared canine underneath it's cold stare and sharp growls.

I looked away from it and knelt down offering a berry to the skinny German shepherd.
I had no word to say to it, I hoped my eyes could show that I wasn't going to harm this lost dog.
I had had a dog once, A sweet husky who's warm blue eyes cheered me up whenever I looked at them.
I had thought winter would be there for me always but even she betrayed me.
She had died A few years ago and left me to deal with my life my myself.

The dog's tail wagged tentatively even as it stiffened at the girl's approach.
Its lips lifted, revealing sharp teeth as it lowered its head, ears flattening back. This was one confused dog.
As Madison looked away and knelt down, the dog recognized her vulnerability. No stick raised to hit, just...food?
Another whine rose in the dog's throat and it backed away, then came forward again, circling, unsure.
Then, with a tentative and obviously painful step forward, it sniffed at the offering.
Sneef sneef. Omnomnom. More?
It licked its chops and sat down before the girl, wagging tail making an arc in the dirt.
It was easy to see the many scars this dog bore, some very old, others freshly healed.
Aside from the front paw it still favored, and being skinny as hell, it appeared to be otherwise healthy.
The nametag on its collar read "CK #4." She had a name...sort of.

I watched the dog curiously,
I wasn't scared of it.
I tried to avoid direct eye contact as I continued watch the German Shepard.
It seemed unsure and confused like it never had me a human who wasn't someone out to hurt it.

I smiled as I felt the wet tongue of the dog across my hand.
It had eaten the berry I offered.
I smiled and slowly reached to grab another berry careful not to scare the skinny pup away.
"hey I bet there is some rabbits around here!" I heard a joy-filled voice call.
I snapped to attention, " I, I have to go" I said to the dog,
I put a few berries on the ground and got up to leave when I glimpsed at a worn collar around the neck of the canine,
"CK #4" I read
" nice to meet you" and with that I leaped off into the bush and headed back to my little area.

Seeker heard the sound of another human in the woods, not far off, and upwind since she didn't smell anything yet.
But there were more berries to be had! Omnomnom.
She heard the nice human go, the one with the squishy treats.
She decided to follow her only source of food, albeit slowly on her bad front paw.
She limped into the bush, nose to the ground, following Melissa's scent.
Or trying, anyway. She moved as fast as she could, limping along.
If the nice human crossed a river, she'd lose the trail completely.

I pushed my way through the bushes just vaguely aware of rustling behind me.
I kept moving forward and decided to circle back and try to lose whoever was following me.
I weaved in between some tree's, but the rustling could still be heard behind me.
Swiftly I changed courses and headed towards the stream, as soon as I reached the flowing water I froze.
two boys looking around 10yo were staring at me pointing.
"hey isn't that Madison the girl who wen't missing?" one whispered to his friend.

Sorry, didn't notice the forum.

The german shepherd forced herself to move faster as she followed the winding trail in and out of the trees.
It became like a game to her, Hide and Seek - and she was great at that.
She heard water in the distance and put on a burst of speed, only to suddenly stumble out of the underbrush on Melissa's Madison's heels.
A yip of joy came from Seeker as she found her nice human, the game was over.
But something was happening. Two other little humans, and her human didn't like this situation.
Didn't matter why to CK #4. She understood what she had to do.
Her hackles rose and her lips pulled back from her teeth in a menacing growl.
She stalked slowly forward, putting herself between her human and the boys who were now faced with a living nightmare.
Everything about the dog told them to Run. Run Now.
She lunged at them and barked ferociously, not on a leash this time.

I jumped slightly as Seeker emerged from behind me,
"of course" I thought who else would it had been.
I appreciated the loyalty I was receiving from this dog I had just met.
I watched as CK#4 realized I was feeling uncomfortable,
The boys started running not caring about anything else but getting away from the snarling dog.
I smiled I know it was mean but I couldn't help it.
after the brat's had left I sighed.
"Thanks seeker" I reached into my ripped pocket and grabbed some more berries.
"here" I offered extending my hand

Seeker huffed in the boy's general direction as they turned tail and ran.
Her hackles smoothed and she gave a tentative wag of her tail at the sound of the nice human's voice.
"Yip! Mrowl." Her jaw dropped open in a doggy grin as she turned and hobbled to Madison to nom the offered berries.
Omnomnom. More?

I laughed as I looked at seeker.
I had a feeling we would be great buddy's
Digging back in my pocket I had no more berries
"oops we'll need to go back to get more" I told seeker
I reached my hand about to pet her but stopped what if she didn't like being pet...
I looked into her eyes trusting her and started to pet her gently.

CK #4 had never had someone pet her before. Hit her, sure. Choke chain, yeah.
Forced to fight other dogs at the end of a taser baton, yup. But petted? No.
Her lips pulled back to reveal sharp fangs, but she didn't move. She decided to trust the nice human, giver of food stuffs.
Being petted wasn't bad, though it did make her nervous. Her tail wagged low in an anxious swish.
What did the human want from her? On impulse Seeker drew back and licked the petting hand, then danced gingerly away.

I almost pulled my hand away as CK#4 pulled her lips back revealing her cream-ish colored teeth.
but I was rewarded as as seeker's wet tongue brush against my hand.
I could tell CK#4 was nervous and a bit taken back by my actions.
but still I couldn't help but let a small frown cross my face as she started walking away.
That's when I noticed her limp, how long had she had it for?
why didn't I notice it until now?
suddenly a pang of guilt washed over me, she had run all that way chasing after me...
"i'm sorry" I whispered under my breath

I had felt sad in the past,
but then I had felt sad so much that it became normal and I became immune to it.
but I felt sad (or what I remembered as sad) for Seeker, what was happening?
I didn't like the feeling sad I shook my head trying to escape it...

Seeker wasn't going anywhere, just putting a little bit of distance between herself and the hand that could suddenly grab her collar.
She noticed Madison's distress though, and sat down only to inch forward toward her again.
Crawling on her belly, she reached one of the human's feet and put her muzzle on it with a tired sigh.
Her injured paw curled up beside her, and it was easy to see something was stuck in it. Something sharp.

I pushed trough the sadness focusing on seeker,
there was visibly something stuck n her paw,
I leaned down trying my best not to shift my foot,
I smiled at CK#4 and reached for her paw
"what's going on here?" I asked her scanning her slightly infected paw for what twas bugging it

Seeker was a little hesitant at first as the girl leaned down to see her paw.
She flinched, but stayed still, somehow understanding that Maidson was trying to help.
A little whine pulled from her throat but she let the nice human see her paw.
It looked like a staple from a staple gun had lodged in to her footpad.
Maybe CK #4 had traveled through a construction site?

I spotted the staple glinting in the little bit of sun that managed to shine through the trees,
"what's that?" I asked seeker as if I was waiting for her to respond
I looked at CK#4, " you will need to trust me, this might hurt put only for a second"
I said,
I glanced back to her paw finding the staple then returned my gaze to her eyes as I slowly tugged the staple loose from her paw

Seeker looked at Madison as the nice human looked at her.
She cocked her head to one side in a questioning expression and returned the gaze.
The staple slid out easily enough, merely a flesh wound - the german shepherd didn't even flinch.
She did suddenly dip her head and begin gnawing at her paw though, then took a few tentative steps.
All better? All better!
Seeker practically danced around Madison, tail wagging happily as she gave a few excited yip barks.

I smiled as the staple slid out of seekers rough paw,
I tossed it into the rasberry bush trying my best to make sure no one woulf find it and get hurt.
did seeker want to play? I didn't know but still I picked up a lone pinecone and toosed it,
"fetch!" I said exitedly