:| A Dog and His Boy |: {skittlekat!}

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

[atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 500px; height: 300px; border-radius: 20px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0 0 0px,bTable][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 350px; padding: 10 0 10 10px; border-radius: 20px 0px 0px 20px;][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true] Humming to herself, Europa left the house to go to her new job, some small work with tending the cattle at the Blackcoat’s ranch. It had surprised her when she first stumbled on the place, but when they gladly hired her, her anxiety was gone for the rest of the day. The pay wasn’t the best and she didn’t have the satisfaction of working with the cattle she had grown up with for they are gone or weak and Father won’t let me see them anymore, but she was a Wie and she had grown up expecting to work in the ranching business with her brother. Those expectations changed when the industry changed and her studies were on oil, something no one in her family knew about. Instead of working with Daisy, she had to work in the refining factory once she finished school and work long days alongside other men and women who didn’t understand the mineral. When she had told her family about her new job, she could see their eyes glow and at the same time dim. Her father particularly had a difficult time keeping an uplifting face, but she understood as she knew that he was secretly wishing that he had found the position himself. Her mother was happy for Europa, though, as she knew that working with the cattle was what Europa loved to do. It had only been a week since she was hired, but she enjoyed every day even if she only had to milk the cows and tend to them. It reminded her of the days when she was little and Storm would take her hand so she could help with the work. She always had a fondness for the family’s cattle, giggling whenever Storm told her to milk them so they could sell the milk at the market. She had even tried to bring one cow into the house on a particularly rainy day. It was one of the few days Storm had shouted at her and she had been reduced to tears, but it was now a fond memory of her brother who couldn’t be there to work with her. “Hello, Mister and Misses Blackcoat!” Europa waved to the two figures who were examining one of the cows—Sally, was it? Or maybe it was Betsey. They looked up and waved back at her. She made it a point to walk as fast as she could to them—she didn’t want to waste any time—and asked them what her assignment was. After being told that she would just have to milk the cattle and make sure they were all fed, Europa gave them a quick nod and walked off, leaving Sarah—it had been neither Sally nor Betsey—with her bosses. The rest of the cows were grazing in the pasture and Europa smiled before rubbing her hands. Okay, you pesky ones. Let’s get to work. They ended up being hardly troublesome as usual and Europa was able to milk 6 of them within 2 hours. There were 18 total, but another worker had informed her that half of them had already been taken care of, which meant she only had to milk another 3 cows before taking them out to feed and then milking them when it was late afternoon. Hmm, I should tell one of the Blackcoats that Car—cow #5 is producing less milk than usual. Europa took some time to think of the reasons why that might have happened—but she had only been working there for a week. How was she supposed to know the exact reason why the cow’s production was lower than usual? As she kept thinking, she saw some of the dogs that the family also bred running across the field with a young boy quickly following them. Europa recognized him as the son of the Blackcoats, Nicolai was his name as one of the other workers had told her. She had often seen him running around, and she was told that he was the responsible one for some of the pranks pulled on the ranch. Was that what Storm was like when he was younger? No…he had to take care of me and Io. But would he have been up to the same antics if he had the time? A loud barking reminded her that she had been staring at the young boy and that a big dog was barking and staring at her. Aww, it’s so cute. Europa reached out a hand but had to retract it immediately as the dog leapt forward as if to bite the once outstretched hand. Right, these dogs are bred for Peacekeepers and Capitolites. Can’t mess with them. And yet Europa found herself smiling fondly at them. They were just too majestic and intelligent and cute for her to resist.

[atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 40px; padding: 0 0 0 0px][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true]

[Gone5eva]

N I C O

Hey! Listen!

From so far away, it was difficult for an outsider to tell a difference in the dogs the boy raced with, but he knew. He knew every single one of them by heart. Celeste had rounded ears, Connor had a darker coat, and his favorite- Henry, had the strangest color eyes. Almost like... A stormy grey. Nico felt as though Henry had the ability to see into one's soul and judge what lay within. But that was the problem when the family sold the dogs. That particular shepard had to be almost four, far too old for integration into a new family, so here he remained, a guard dog from cattle rustlers. The Blackcoat family used to joke when the shepherd was a pup, about how he stood stoically instead of playing, and especially about how he nipped at anyone who got too close.

Except for Nico.

He supposed that's why he liked the dog so much- fearlessly loyal, but only to him. The second-in-command of the pack. The two had an understanding with each other on a primal level, one the family could not grasp. The high pitched barks echoed in the distance, and Nico stopped his race to count his pack. Eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty one... Where was Dante?

He glanced left and right, whistling a high-pitched squeak, the first two short, the third longer and higher. Forty-four pairs of black-tipped ears perked sky-high, muzzles swinging around to peer at the male who called them all to attention. The dog before Europa wiggled its slightly curly tail, and sprinted toward the gathered pack, while the male's hands rose to cover his copper shaded eyes, staring out over the overgrown golden-yellow fields to watch her.

Once Cassiopea reached him, he ordered a stern "SIT." His hand extended into a fist just above his belly button. Twenty-two tails hit the ground, most of the dogs panting from the heat. "Good." he called over their heads, leaving the center of his pack, calling for Henry.

Never before had he seen a face he did not recognize from the district. But this girl... He had no name for. Squinting even, he could not place her name. But her face... That face, filled with determination, of overworking... It seemed too familiar to forget. Ahh... 57 and 59. He recalled her finally, from the reapings. A dusty hand rose to brush his ebony bangs from his sweat-and-mud caked face. With the luck of her family, he was truly surprised she was not called to 'Fulfil the duty of the district.'

He was in no danger of being selected- he knew that. He doubted three little slips of paper versus the thousands in that giant sphere vase made any difference. His mind wandered as he slowed his sprint to a gentle trot, his black-pawed dog loping eagerly beside him. Did she get to keep the paper with her family's name on it? If he were reaped, he'd think his parents would destroy all evidence of him even existing- not to dishonor his memory, but to ignore the pain, and to forget.

"Hey!" he called out, barely panting, seizing Henry by the thick, black collar around his neck while the dog sniffed the air. "Whatcha doin' here?"

OhOhSee

Oh gawd, sorry it took me so long. College effed up on my stuff and it took forever to fix, and I've been stressing because of it.

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

[atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 500px; height: 300px; border-radius: 20px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0 0 0px,bTable][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 350px; padding: 10 0 10 10px; border-radius: 20px 0px 0px 20px;][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true] The dog ran away from her upon hearing a sound that Europa’s ears couldn’t quite pick up. Was her hearing really getting that bad? She was only nineteen but after so many days in that loud factory, she was bound to have some of the adverse effects. Her eyes followed the dog until the Blackcoat boy was in her view again, only this time he was looking in her direction too. Was he going to talk to her? How formal do I need to be with him? He is just a child, but he is also the son of my bosses; it would be rather impolite to act so casual around him, she thought to herself prematurely as he had not even approached her. But he was approaching and that sent her in frenzy as she tried to figure out what she should do. Technically, she was supposed to be tending to the cattle since they had been milked, but wasn’t it rude to run away? So Europa was frozen on the spot as the boy, shouted at her, all the while holding back the dog that was running with him. I really hope this one doesn’t bite… but she wasn’t going to tempt fate so she kept her hand to herself. The way the boy had asked what her purpose of being there was made Europa raise her eyebrows. So casual, she mused to herself. How was Europa supposed to answer the question? A part of her had assumed that he would know that she worked here, but she had been working there for only a week and why would his parents bring it up. “Ehm, I work here,” she responded quietly, secretly hoping that he wasn’t going to tell his parents that she had been distracted from her work. He didn’t look like he was trying to get her in trouble, though, just earnestly asking why she was on the land his family owned. It would have been easier, simpler, if she had just turned away and went back to the cattle, but the dog that was held by his collar was just so irresistible that Europa kept staring. She had never seen anything like it, not even among the cattle, and while the dogs could never replace her love for cattle, they were definitely inching their way to her heart. “Do you…do you think I could pet him?” After what had happened with the other dog—she could at least tell this dog was different from the other one—she wanted to make sure that this dog also wouldn’t lunge at any outstretched hand. “And you’re Nicolai, right?”

[atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 40px; padding: 0 0 0 0px][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true]

Phew, I'll also have to apologize for my lateness. I just completed a final, though, so posting on my side should pick up from now on. =)

[Gone5eva]

N I C O

The casual coarseness seemed to radiate from the boy, the wild child throwing his chaotic grin at the female. "I am Nicolai, but I prefer Nico." His hand collided with her, and gently, he squeezed. He noted the thick calluses upon her flesh, and glanced nervously down at his own hand as he withdrew it, curiosity flooding his form.

"You can try. He's a bit of a nipper." What an understatement. A stern hand rested upon the pup's muzzle, the other taking Europa's paw in his, offering her fingers to the dog's nose. The beast sniffed eagerly, pink tongue managing past the boy's tightly clenched fist, running the slimy tip along her nails, stormy eyes wide, ears perked. As far as the boy could tell, Henry didn't even attempt to escape. Very carefully, he moved Europa's hand to gently rest atop the Shepard's head, grinning down at the dog. "Good boy." he praised, the dog's tail wiggling enough behind him to raise a small cloud of dust into the air.

Honestly, he was impressed. A genuine smile graced his countenance, a chuckle escaping him. "Wow. I'm surprised." Finally, the dog began squiggling, throwing his head this way and that in an attempt to dislodge the hands, in a 'Hey, stop that' sort of fashion. "He's picky." the male explained, turning the pup loose, the dog continuing to stare at the strange, new female before him.




Ohohsee;;
Okay, so, school schedule has been figured out, and I'll be here more than ever. Checking in and replying at least once a day. Huzzah. Lil rusty, sorry about the short post. I tried, really hard. x3

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

[atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 500px; height: 300px; border-radius: 20px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0 0 0px,bTable][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 350px; padding: 10 0 10 10px; border-radius: 20px 0px 0px 20px;][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true] Nico. She mulled over the name in her head, mentally adjusting to the sound of it. He was a different personality, one she was not quite acquainted to as he took her hand in his and gave her a handshake. She was only too aware of the rough texture of her hands, the hands that she could not restore back to its youthful state after years of working in the factory and with the animals. Europa watched him as she saw him look down at his hand and remove it from the shake. Europa laughed nervously as he made a comment on how the dog was “a bit of a nipper”. While she had been kicked at many times by disgruntled cattle, she had not yet been bitten by a dog and wasn’t sure how much a “nip” would hurt. She almost jumped back when she realized that Nico was helping her out by taking her hand and moving it towards the dog’s nose. Her body tensed up as she felt the dog sniff at her hand, wondering when it decided her hand would be a good snack to munch on. Then the tongue appeared as it felt its way around her hand, and Europa had to suppress the urge to laugh as the sensation felt funny at her fingertips. Still, the dog did not bite. Her hand was then resting on top of the dog’s head, and a big smile crept up on her face as her hand felt the warm and soft fur. The dog didn’t seem to make any motion of wanting to chew on her hand, and her attention was brought to the tail that was moving back and forth behind it. Oh how cute! It was her first experience with a dog and her heart melted as she looked at the dog that was looking right back at her. Only the sound of a young boy’s laugh brought her out of her trance. She looked up from the dog to see Nico’s youthful face breaking into a smile. The dog moved as soon as Nico spoke and Europa drew her hand back, surprised and in awe of everything that had just happened. “He’s picky? I never would have known; he’s so patient.” She looked again at the dog, hoping for the day that she could play with him. Europa was aware that the dog would one day have to keep a Peacekeeper or a Capitolite company, but in her mind, she wanted to believe that she could spend time to get to know the dog until she finally understood him like she understood cattle. “I think I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Europa,” she said as she looked back at Nico. She gestured with her head at the dog next to the boy. “What’s his name?”

[atrb=style, background-color: 312C27; border: 021924 solid 0px; width: 40px; padding: 0 0 0 0px][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true]

[Gone5eva]

N I C O

A twinge of guilt hit his stomach- he hadn't even bothered to ask her name. (Even though he knew it, but still,the polite thing would be to ask.) "He's Henry. The oldest dog here- almost four. Maybe you should get to know him a little better. He's the only one not on the market, or being trained." he explained, hand lowering to gingerly ruffle the beast's ears. "I don't want him to attack you for being so close to the cattle after all." His lips tilted upwards as he reached down to lift Henry up by his front paws, giving the dog a better view of Europa. "She's friendly, see? Smells like Daisy and Bertha and Carlotta!"

The soft, black flesh of Henry's nose twitched as his neck craned towards her left wrist, eyes alight and curious, wondering if perhaps, she had a treat or something for him. "Maybe if you work here long enough, he'll walk you home." he said happily, noting the girl's affection-laced smile. "He walks me to school all the time."

Gentle hands lowered the dog's paws to the ground, his own fingers lightly scratching the Shepard's fur. "How late are you working tonight?" he inquired, a though sliding through his mind. "Henry's first litter is due sometime in the next couple of days, and it'd be nice to have a second pair of eyes on his mate." She wasn't outside, of course. Nico's parents were afraid of the female sliding into labor a little too soon. She'd worked with cattle before, Nico was sure she could sense the signs of birth beginning in an animal. "Maybe you saw her- she's in the house, right when you walk in, on the left corner of the living room."



Ohohsee;;
I had an interview with Disney. Been stressed about that. Here is a delicious post to make up for it.

[ᕙʕ•ᴥ•ʔᕗ]

Her heart lept when she heard Nico say that Henry wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. That meant that she could spend some time to know the dog and she wouldn’t have to worry about getting too attached. Europa responded with a big smile and a nod, excited that she would be able to see Henry around. Nico lifted up the big dog and started talking to him, listing off the cows that Europa worked with on the ranch. Europa wanted to keep petting the dog, but she also knew that she had to give him some time; if she made any sudden movements, there was the chance that he would attack her as she was still new to him. His nose was stretched towards her hand as if he was expecting something. Europa widened her eyes, wondering what he was expecting and hoping it wasn’t Storm’s bracelet around her wrist. No matter how cute the dog was, she was never going to let that go. He didn’t seem to be going for the bracelet, though, and Europa relaxed as Nico mentioned something about walking her home. Europa laughed a little in response. Her home really wasn’t that far off, and it was only a part time job—but hopefully it would become full time—so she didn’t have to worry about the sun setting before she headed home. Still, there was nothing she would have liked better than to have Henry by her side. “I would like that,” she replied, her smile growing bigger. “Oh, I should be leaving before the sun is too low…,” she responded hesitantly. She knew her parents would worry if she wasn’t back in time and she still had some chores left over, but she wanted to so badly be there for the incoming litter and the mother. She had seen calves birthed, but never dogs and it was an experience that she didn’t want to refuse. When else would I get this wonderful opportunity? And he was nice enough to invite me into the house no less. “But I would love to help out! Would your parents be okay with me in the house? I’ve never been inside before; I’ve only been here a week and since the cattle are outside, there was no need to be in there.” Even if she did receive an invite with Nico, she knew it was better to get permission from his parents, her employers. She didn’t want to lose the job because she didn’t know her place; she didn’t want to lose the job at all.