#I want to give him walks and belly rubs and a million kissies | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

silverfootstepswrites · 6 years

Text

Equinox: Fall [4]

The leaves began to turn orange and gold as the temperature dropped. The most brash were the maples, who turned blood red overnight. They stood blazing between the pines who refused to change with the season.

As the ground disappeared under the falling leaves, the sounds of raking replaced the constant chatter of crickets. Smoke curled into the sky as people burned the piles. Others packed them in big paper bags for the garbage truck to take away. Part of Sakura wished that they would never rake up the leaves. She loved the snap of a crisp leaf under her shoe. The crunching noises stacking together when she stomped on a big pile.

Ino laughed at her when she stepped out of her way to get the crunchiest leaf. But ended up doing the same too.

As they walked past Kakashi’s house, they heard several different barks. And when they turned the corner, they saw Kakashi past the chain-link fence, rolling in the leaves with his bulldog. A pug pounced on top of the both of them, teeth latching on to Kakashi’s pant leg. They could see the other dogs running around in the yard. Sakura hadn’t believed him when he had told her that he had five dogs.

“See, the sheriff’s issue is kind of like me with shoes. I see. I must have,” Ino had explained.

If there was a stray dog anywhere in or near town, Kakashi was sure to take it in.

And Sakura was glad she knew this one night as she drove back to Old Pines from Empire City. It was so dark on the road that she had to use her high beams. One of her worst nightmares was accidentally hitting a deer.

At a particularly steep bend in the road, she spotted a shape. It was too stocky to be a fawn. And definitely not tall enough to be a buck. As she drove closer, she realized that it was a dog, lower half caked in mud. It shied to the side of the road as she approached, but didn’t run off. Sakura turned off her high beams, leaving on the regular lights. Parking the car, she hung out the driver’s side window.

“Hey, baby. You lost?” she asked. Like the dog could respond to her. It stood there, trembling.

“It’s pretty cold outside, huh? Are you hungry?” she inquired. Ducking back into her car, she glanced over at the passenger’s seat. She had leftovers from the taco bowl she had ordered for dinner. She wasn’t sure whether dogs could eat cilantro so she took a second to brush the herb off the chunks of steak she fished out. Sakura opened up the car door. She held out her hand, offering the steak. She could see the dog sniff. But after taking a few steps towards her, it ran off.

Sakura glanced at the clock on her dashboard. It was getting late. But she didn’t feel good just leaving a dog out here. A less observant driver could hit it. And even if that didn’t happen, knowing that a hungry dog roamed the streets didn’t sit well with her either.

She found Kakashi’s number and called him. He answered after several rings, voice thick with sleep.

“Is everything okay?” he asked right away.

“Hey, Sheriff. Sorry. I know it’s really late. But I could use your help,” she said.

She gave him a rough estimate of where she was. After she hung up, she sat staring at the pieces of sliced steak in her hand. She could see the dog pacing back and forth further up the road.

“Come eat, baby. I won’t hurt you,” she called. And while the dog looked at her again, it didn’t try to come any closer. The car chimed when she opened the door. She took slow, careful steps to cross the road. She laid the pieces of steak on the asphalt before getting back in her car. As she wiped her fingers on a paper napkin, she kept her eyes glued to the dog. It stared right back at her.

She began to wonder if the noise of the car’s engine was what was scaring it. And as she debated whether to kill the engine or not, the dog took a few tentative steps towards the steak. When she didn’t move, it took a few more steps. Sakura’s face broke into a grin as she watched the dog gobble down the few pieces of cold steak. The dog lingered where it had found the steak, licking its chops.

Sakura lifted her head when a shadow interrupted the shapes the headlights made on the road. She recognized Kakashi easily. Dark tail swirling with mist. He looped around the other side of the car, careful not to spook the dog, whose ears had already perked up. Kakashi’s silhouette shifts. When he opened up the passenger side door, it was in the shape of a man in grey pajama pants and a t-shirt. He had at least thought to wear his duty jacket over his attire so that he looked slightly less like a lost sleepwalker.

“Is that our friend?” he inquired in a low voice. He put a knee on the seat, ducking his head to get a look at the wary dog.

“He ate a little steak. That’s a good thing, right?” Sakura whispered.

“I’m guessing your charm doesn’t work on dogs,” Kakashi commented. She made a sour face at him. He chuckled.

“You did good. Lucky for us, my charm works on dogs pretty well,” he added. Before she could ask him what he meant, Kakashi picked up one of the bigger chunks of steak before he hopped out of the car. Sakura watched him pass in front of the headlights. The dog growled low in its throat when Kakashi approached. Kakashi lowered the steak down onto the asphalt before walking back to Sakura. They waited for what felt like a million years. Then the dog bent down to sniff at the steak. Gobbled that up too. And then it lifted its head, staring at Kakashi now.

Sakura leaned back to grab the takeout container. She passed it to Kakashi, who sat on the road, his back pressing against Sakura’s car. Kakashi stretched his legs out in front of him as he picked out another piece of steak. He made a kissy noise, holding out the food. The dog sniffed, but stayed in place.

“Come here, sweetheart. We won’t hurt you,” Sakura called.

Kakashi reached out to place the steak just past his foot. After a long while, the dog took cautious steps toward them, hesitating every few paces. It snatched up the food, watching them with huge eyes. It took another step. One more. Closer and closer until it sat between Kakashi’s legs, gobbling down what remained of the taco bowl. Sakura’s hands itched to pet it, but she restrained herself. Instead, she squeezed out of the driver’s seat, crouching down beside Kakashi.

“There’s a cut,” she observed.

“Where?” Kakashi asked.

She used her finger to trace her finger under Kakashi’s eye, right along his cheekbone.

“I can’t tell if it’s old or not,” she added, tilting her head this way and that.

The dog finished its meal. Licking its chops, it lifted its head to regard the both of them.

“Hey there. Do you feel better?” Sakura inquired with a smile. Kakashi reached out, slowly. And when he patted the dog’s neck, it stayed still. He rubbed through the fur, scratching between its ears.

“No collar. Pretty friendly for a street dog,” Kakashi remarked.

“Oh my god Kakashi. I want to hug him so bad. Look at those big, sad eyes,” she whispered. Kakashi chuckled. He gave the dog a few pats on the belly.

“Maybe a little later. After a bath. Because we’ve got a stinky boy or girl on our hands right now,” Kakashi declared, nose scrunching. Sakura hopped back into her car. She contorted and stretched until her fingers grasped the blanket she always kept in the back seat. As she unfolded it, the dog tilted its head to watch her. She crouched beside him, copying the same, slow movements that Kakashi had been using to drape it around the dog..

“Alright, buddy. Let’s get you cleaned up,” Kakashi declared. He lifted the dog in his arms. Sakura leaned across the console to open up the passenger side door for him. Kakashi rested his hand on the dog’s head as he ducked inside the car. He settled into the seat, the dog resting on his lap as he fumbled with the seatbelt.

“Where are we going?” asked Sakura, switching to the high beams. She cranked up the heater before she pulled back onto the road.

“I’ve got room for one more,” replied Kakashi.

“Poor baby. It was must’ve been scary out there alone. Well don’t worry about a thing. We’re going to take good care of you,” Sakura said. And to her surprise, the dog looked right at her. Like it could understand what she was saying.

The winding path led them into Old Pines. She turned off the main road, to the quiet street where Kakashi lived. It was impossible to miss, especially since the steeple of the abandoned church was the tallest thing in town. Ivy had grown up one side of the building, but it was still in great shape. Sakura suspected that Kakashi maintained it in his free time.

Sakura pulled into the driveway. She parked right beside his cruiser. A chorus of barks greeted them. The dog in Kakashi’s lap gave them a bewildered look. Kakashi laughed.

“They’re friendly. Don’t look so scared,” he assured the dog, giving a few more pats. He opened the door and lifted the dog into his arms again. Sakura killed the engine and hurried to close the door for Kakashi. He stepped down path to his home. The grass was perfectly-trimmed. The little lights lining the path lit up when they moved near them.

“Do you mind grabbing my keys? They’re in my pocket,” Kakashi said as they stepped onto the porch. Sakura reached inside his jacket. His keyring was heavy with all sort of keys of different shapes and sizes. With some direction from Kakashi, she managed to find the one for his house. Inserting it into the lock, she turned it and slid the knob to the right. As soon as the door opened, she was greeted by a wet, black nose.

“Bull, give us a little room, buddy,” Kakashi grunted as they stepped inside. The burly bulldog kept close, but took a few steps back. He sniffed, stubby little tail shaking furiously. A pug came scrambling down the hall, colliding with Bull in his hurry. Kakashi chuckled as he kicked off his boots.

“Alright, everyone. We’ve got a guest today. Be good,” Kakashi ordered as he walked into the kitchen. The pug ran after him, but Bull lingered in the foyer with Sakura. Bull eyed Sakura for a moment. She had the feeling that he was an older dog from the way he trundled. Bull looped around Sakura and nudged the back of her legs, as if urging her inside.

“Okay, okay. Give me a second,” she laughed as she stepped out of her shoes. She paused to scratch Bull’s chin, earning a lick on the cheek. She rubbed her face with her sleeve as she straightened. And then followed Bull into the house.

The first thing that struck Sakura about Kakashi’s place was how cozy it was. The walls were crowded with photos. The frames were all mismatched and some of the pictures looked way older. Like black-and-white photo, no-smiles old. Like most homes in Old Pines, there was a fireplace. Kakashi’s was made of brick and there were currently a few logs smoldering inside.

As she followed Bull deeper inside, she entered the kitchen. A kettle sat on the stove with the flame on high under it. Kakashi sat on the floor, the muddy dog sitting between his outstretched legs.

“Huh. You were right,” Kakashi said.

“About what?” Sakura inquired.

Kakashi gestured to the spot below the dog’s right eye. There was a gash there. Skin pink and shiny, like it had just healed over recently.

“It doesn’t look infected. I think it’ll be okay once the fur grows back in,” Kakashi guessed. He picked up the dog’s left paw. Then the right.

“Looks like you were running for a while, bud,” he then observed.

Sakura crouched down in front of the dog. Who regarded her with those big, doe eyes. She patted the top of its head.

“It’s a good thing you picked him up. It’s supposed to rain in the morning. He could’ve caught a cold,” Kakashi told her as he got to his feet. Wrapping a dish towel around the handle of the kettle, he poured the water out into a big washtub. The pug sniffed at it, only backing off when Kakashi flapped the towel.

“It’s water, Pakkun. Quit being so nosey,” he scolded. Sakura laughed as the pug ran over to her instead. She obliged a few pats. But the pug wandered off after discovering that she didn’t have any treats.

Kakashi gave the dog a warm bath, scrubbing the mud from its tangled fur. He removed a few burrs that had stuck to its back and tail. He covered the dog’s eyes as he poured water over its head, patting it all over with a clean towel.

“Aren’t you a good….” Kakashi paused, peeking under the dog’s belly, “Boy. The best boy.” Pakkun’s ears perked up. Stubby tail wiggling back and forth. He wandered up to Sakura, who patted his butt.

“You’re a good boy too, Pakkun,” she assured him.

“Do you mind holding him for a second?” Kakashi asked, as he walked off.

“Sure,” Sakura replied. She took his place, ruffling the towel over the pooch’s damp fur. She rubbed at his ears too, smiling when she saw his tail wag a little.

“You like that, huh?” she teased, rubbing his ears again. She laughed when the tail wagged even harder.

Kakashi returned with a hairdryer to finish drying the dog off. When Pakkun wandered over with curious eyes again, Kakashi directed the warm air at him a few times. Sakura burst into laughter when Pakkun tried chomping the warmth with his teeth. Stubby little legs stomping all over as he tried to bite the bad air.

By the time the stray was clean and dry, the other dogs had wandered off or gone to sleep. Bull lay on his back in the warm patch of floor in front of the refrigerator. Pakkun lay beside him, curled up into a little ball. But his eyes opened whenever Kakashi walked past.

“I’ll take him to the vet in the morning. But we gotta quarantine him for now. I don’t know if he’s up to date on any of his vaccinations,” Kakashi declared. And as he guided the dog into a cage in the corner of the kitchen, Sakura felt a little sad.

“Won’t he get lonely?” she wondered. Kakashi looked surprised as he closed the door on the cage. The dog took a moment to survey his surroundings. He turned around a few times before settling on the floor of the cage, on top of a faded blue blanket.

“Actually, he’s probably feeling pretty overwhelmed. This’ll give him some space to get used to being here. And he can get used to the other dogs without them going too crazy,” Kakashi told her. He spoke with the confidence of someone who knew a lot about dogs. Which was good. Because Sakura really didn’t know anything about dogs other than she wasn’t supposed to give them chocolate.

She hugged her knees to her chest, cheek resting on her knee as she took this in. Kakashi stood with his hands on his hips. He tilted his head as he looked her over.

“You look like you could use a drink,” he observed.

“Yes, please,” Sakura said without hesitation.

Kakashi offered her hand his hand. He pulled her to her feet with surprising strength.

“Uh. You’ve got a little…” Sakura uttered, gesturing to the front of his shirt. Kakashi looked down. The entire front of his black t-shirt was plastered with golden hairs. He looked over at the cage where the dog still lay, head resting on his paws. Blinking innocently at him. Kakashi sighed.

“There’s no point in wearing black when you own dogs,” he muttered. He put his hands on Sakura’s shoulders, spinning her around. Gave her a light push in the direction of the living room.

“Let me wash up. I’ll be right there,” he said.

Sakura found a light grey dog sitting on the brown leather sectional. As she sank down on the opposite end, the dog stood. He sniffed in her direction, his collar jingling. He hopped right over to her, tail swishing back and forth.

“Hey there. What’s your name?” Sakura asked. She reached for his collar to flip over the tag.

“Shiba? I don’t think you’re a shiba inu though…” Sakura mused as she rubbed his back. Shiba yawned in response, settling down beside her on the sofa. He snuggled up close to her, head resting on her leg.

“Okay. Since you’re cute I forgive your name that makes no sense,” she muttered, leaning her head back. After a while, she heard a door open down the hall. The whir of a bathroom fan droned on before the light went out. She glimpsed Pakkun trot out of the kitchen. There was the swish of fabric, wooden drawers sliding open and then shut. Kakashi strolled down the hall a couple minutes later. She heard several clicks as he turned on the stove.

Sakura didn’t realize that she had dozed off until she blinked. Suddenly Kakashi was hunched in front of the fireplace. He tossed a few logs into the fire box. Dusting off his hands, he turned to look at her.

“This might be the world’s comfiest couch,” she declared. He picked a mug off the coffee table and handed it to her. She could smell the cinnamon as she let the steam bathe her face. Curls of orange peel floated at the top of the drink.

“Mulled apple cider,” Kakashi told her as he sat next to her with his own mug.

Wow,” Sakura sighed after she took a sip.

“I could add a bit of rum if you’d like,” he offered. But Sakura shook her head.

It was quiet. Only the fireplace crackling. Bull snoring in the kitchen. It was a perfect autumn night. Just chilly enough that the fire felt warm and not hot. Sakura held the mug in both her hands. She rested it in her lap, careful not to jostle Shiba.

“So… it’s six dogs now…” Sakura remarked.

“Seven,” Kakashi corrected, pointing at himself.

“Oh. I always forget that,” she confessed. She folded her legs under herself. Shiba rolled onto his back, exposing his pink belly. Sakura rubbed her hand up and down it, watching his little leg twitch. When she looked back at Kakashi, he was smiling too.

“He’s a cutie,” Sakura commented.

“Mm. Ino found him digging through the trash can behind her shop. Scared her half to death,” Kakashi told her.

And then a thought occurred to Sakura. She finished her mug and set it to the side before she broached the topic. Unsure of how Kakashi would take it.

“I did some reading the other day. About church grims,” she confessed. Kakashi’s smile faded. But he didn’t look upset. He leaned back a little, putting his feet up on the coffee table.

“Oh?”

“Please tell me those books are wrong,” she uttered. Kakashi draped his arm over the back of the sofa as he closed his eyes. He drew in a long breath through his nose. And when his eyes opened, he was smiling. But there was something sad about it.

He just shook his head.

Because the books in the library had informed her about a lot of the magical residents of the town. There was so much she didn’t know. And she didn’t want to say something rude out of ignorance. The more she read, the more she learned about the darkness that sometimes lingered in their stories. In particular, the story of the church grim had shocked her. In fact, the lore was so horrific that she had referred several other texts before she understood that it wasn’t a fluke. It was the truth.

“They buried you alive?” Sakura whispered.

“In the foundation of the church. Right under the cornerstone,” Kakashi confirmed.

“That’s horrible.”

“They were scared. They needed someone to guard the churchyard. And it couldn’t be a person,” he said with a shrug.

Sakura said nothing. She looked down at Shiba, who blinked back at her.

“It wasn’t so bad at first. I roamed the church grounds at night. And I would go to sleep in the church rafters during the day. I kept the robbers away. And the humans were happy,” recalled Kakashi. He went on, gaze growing distant now.

“I noticed that the town started getting smaller. People were moving away. And then I was all by myself one day. I still tried to guard the church. But it started to fall apart. I knew that if only I had human hands, I could do something…” Kakashi drifted off.

Very carefully, Sakura touched his forearm. Kakashi’s gaze returned to her. And then he was smiling. The same old sheriff with those sleepy eyes.

“In other words, I’m an old stray dog. Just like him,” he concluded. He reached out to scratch under Shiba’s chin. Shiba’s tongue lolled out, making the both of them laugh. Sakura didn’t press him for anything else after that. She could see that it was like an old wound. Still a little tender under all the layers. She felt a pang of guilt as she wondered whether he had only divulged this much under the influence of her charm.

The conversation flowed a different way after that. They started to talk about the town. Its residents. How the harvest festival was coming up soon. As he spoke, Sakura found her eyelids growing heavy. She snickered.

“What?” Kakashi asked.

“I thought I was supposed to have the magic voice,” she commented.

“Why? Is my voice magically boring you?” Kakashi inquired.

Sakura yawned, shaking her head. “No…. it’s just… really nice. It’s kind of like…”

“Like?” Kakashi prompted.

“A hug,” she decided. She yawned again, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands.

“Sorry. I’m just so sleepy. You’re not boring. Promise,” she added.

Kakashi got off the sofa. She heard the mugs clinking together. His footsteps growing far away. After a while, the floorboards creaked again.

“Get some rest. I think Shiba could use the company,” Kakashi suggested.

“Just a quick power nap. I’ll be out of your hair in a bit,” Sakura sighed. A blanket settled over her.

“Sure,” she heard Kakashi chuckle. With a click, the lights went out. The fire crackled on as she drifted to sleep on the most comfortable couch in town.

When Sakura jolted awake, the sun was out. Birds cheeping by the window. Shiba was gone, but Bull had taken his place. Bull’s eyes opened when Sakura shifted. She twisted to look out the window.

“Where’s Daddy, Bull?” she inquired, turning to the bulldog.

Bull blinked a few times. He placed his paws on the windowsill, staring outside. He looked at Sakura. Then back out the window. So Sakura copied him, trying to follow his line of sight. And she realized that the cruiser was gone. It was just her little red car occupying the driveway.

“Oh,” she said.

Sakura got to her feet, trying to remember whether she had brought her purse into the house. As she wandered into the kitchen, she saw the cage was empty. Pakkun sat on the kitchen floor. He looked up at her with his big, wet eyes. Sakura paused to pet him before she noticed a note on the refrigerator. It was held up with a magnet in the shape of a fish.

Got an emergency call early. Help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge. I already fed the dogs. Don’t let them fool you.

Sakura eyed Pakkun sulking by his empty food bowl.

“You sly little thing,” she accused. He yipped in response.

Sakura locked the door to Kakashi’s house before she headed outside. The dogs followed her to the door, including two that she hadn’t seen the night before. She had never seen Bull make such a sad face before. They jumped up on the sofa, lining up at the window to watch her as she got into her car.

On the way home, Sakura paused at the stop sign right by Ino’s cafe. There was plenty of coffee in her cabinets. But that would require actually having to brew it. Which felt like an unnecessary journey to her. So she found an empty spot on the street to park. The bell on the door tinkled as she stepped inside.

“Hey, hun. I knew you’d be by. Give me two seconds,” Ino called from somewhere in the kitchen in the back.

Sakura waved at the other patrons. She knew most people in town by sight now. Especially her fellow caffeine addicts.

“Blueberry scone with lemon drizzle,” Ino announced, emerging with a waxed bag pinched between her fingers. She handed it to Sakura. There was already a cup of ice coffee waiting on the counter with her name written on the side.

“Although I don’t understand why you’d want a cold drink in this weather,” Ino added.

“Hey. I thought this was a judgement-free zone,” Sakura protested.

“No. All the judgement. My house. My rules,” Ino corrected as she punched the numbers into the register. Sakura handed over a few bills, dumping the change into the tip jar.

Ino reached out to grasp Sakura’s hand. Her eyes went wide.

“Why’re you in such a good mood?” she demanded.

“Because you’re here, Ino,” Sakura replied, fluttering her eyelashes. But Ino refused to be distracted. There was a glint in her eye that Sakura was coming to realize. When Ino smelled gossip, she was insatiable.

“Noooo. Something happened. Girl, you gotta dish,” Ino persisted.

Sakura laughed. And as she considered coming clean, the bell attached to the door chimed again. Ino gave her a stern look.

“No running away. You need to tell me,” Ino warned her. Sakura gave a helpless nod, sighing. She took a step to the side to make room for the new customer.

“Hey.”

Turning her head, Sakura automatically replied, “Morning.” She started a little when she saw blue flannel. A heavy tool belt. Her gaze drew up to Kiba’s face. She hadn’t seen him in almost a month. His stubble had grown out into the beginnings of a rather impressive beard.

“It’s been a while. How’ve you been, stranger?” she asked.

But she didn’t get the response she expected. It was just idle small talk. To be polite. But Kiba avoided her eyes. And his discomfort made her uncomfortable too. She wondered what she had done.

Ino came running out. Finger pointing like a weapon.

“Stop! Whatever you’re doing, stop, Kiba! I won’t have you screwing up Sakura’s morning. So if you’re being weird, cut it out!” Ino ordered.

“Relax, Ino. I’m not doing anything,” snorted Kiba. And as he reached into his pocket for his wallet, he angled his head slightly toward her. His eyes widened. Staring straight at Sakura, he took a deep breath through his nostrils.

“Why-?” And then Kiba cut himself off as he looked around at all the other people in the cafe. Shaking his head, he took his change from Ino.

“See? You’re being seriously weird! Cut it out! You’re making Sakura uncomfortable!” Ino continued to scold.

The door to the cafe opened a third time. And a tan-colored dog walked in, followed by Kakashi. Sakura’s face lit up.

“Hey there! Are you feeling better?” Sakura asked, kneeling. The dog ran up to her, tongue hanging out of his mouth. He peppered her face with kisses.

“Kakashi, did you get another dog?” Ino demanded, hanging over the edge of the counter to peek at the dog.

Sakura ruffled her hands through the dog’s fur before she got to her feet.

“Yeah. Found him wandering the road at night,” Kakashi replied. As Sakura turned, she spotted Kiba eyeing Kakashi in the same wary way he had looked at her. The look Kakashi gave in return wasn’t friendly either.

“Good thing you’re here, Kiba. Someone reported hearing shots in the woods last night. I could really use your ears and your nose out there. This is really starting to spook folks,” Kakashi told him.

“Was there blood?” Kiba asked.

Kakashi tapped his nose. “Yeah. Can’t tell from what though.”

“My guess is hunters. Bunch of humans wandering where they shouldn’t be,” sighed Kiba. He reached into his pocket to grab his phone.

“If we don’t have too much work today, I’ll go out there and check it out,” Kiba declared.

“Thanks,” replied Kakashi with a curt nod.

Humans sometimes stumbled into the woods near town, thinking it was part of the territory that their hunting permits allowed them to roam. But they were usually bumbling hobbyists who were easily redirected north where they were supposed to be. Normally a few strangers in the woods wasn’t a big deal. They would shoot at a few deer and be on their way.

The two things that made this dangerous were the following:

It was almost a full moon.

The pups needed to run.

While adult werewolves had no problem suppressing their transformation, the pups always phased during the full moon. Whether they wanted to or not. They normally ran through the woods under the supervision of older weres, learning how to track and how to control their still-growing bodies. Humans had a tendency to shoot whenever they saw wolves.

Overall a bad combination.

Kakashi explained all of this as Kiba made his phone call. All of a sudden, Kiba hung up, cutting his conversation short. He grabbed his coffee.

“I’m gonna get out there while the trail is fresh,” Kiba declared. His eyes rested on Sakura for a moment. Like he wanted to tell her something. But he hurried out of the cafe without saying anything. The door slamming shut as the engine of his pick-up rumbled to life.

#writing #equinox #equinox: fall #multisaku #kibasaku #kakasaku

119 notes · View notes

totally-sewer-apples-blog · 7 years

Text

Raphael, the Dog Lover (TMNT)

This is the pitbull thing that was requested a while ago and I figured I’d write it while I’m in the swing of writing requests. ^.^ Plus this so cute and I love doggies... My only issue is because I love doggies, I know there are several breeds of dog that are called 'pit bull'. It's a type of dog, not a breed. Personally I'm going to write the dog as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Why? My own dog is a staffie, and a recuse for that matter. Serious note before we get onto the fic, pit bulls are often victimised by the media but the dogs are sweethearts and anyone who knows anything about the breed is well aware of this. Owners are to blame. I say this as someone who owns a dog who was quite nasty when I got her. Now she is very sweet. Her old owner used to beat her. I think that speaks miles about it. Because of this abuse of the breeds known as pitbulls, most of them end up in shelters. About half a million pit bulls are euthanised in shelters every year, about 40% of all dogs euthanised. (Not that kill shelters aren't a problem in and of themselves) Please, please, please, if you're thinking of getting a dog, consider a pit. It's a bit of a long story and this foreword is getting too long as it is, but my pitbull saved myself and my sister from being murdered. And it's not we might have been hurt, we would have died. I'll never forget that. And I'm not trying to say another dog breed wouldn't do that, all dogs would but that's my point. Pits are not these evil creatures the media makes them out to be. They're dogs. - Raphael sighed, as he ventured the rooftops. Alone. Unusual for this time of night. He should be heading home, with his brothers but tonight had been different. He'd had a small... Exchange with Mikey forcing Leo and Donnie to step in- But dammit Mikey had started it with that dumb prank! So now, he was taking the long way home. Descending from the city buildings, he made his way into the alleyway, only to hear... Whimpering? It was a strange noise but in a city like this it was one he could recognise as a dog. There were so many pet pooches around, he'd grown used to their noises. While he could have just went home and forgot about the whole thing, he was up for anything in order to avoid going home to confront his family. So follow it he did, tracking the noise to the back of some garbage cans. Lying there, nursing a clearly broken paw and a skeletal body, was the thinnest dog Raphael had ever seen. She whimpered and whined, licking at the blood seeping from the wound. Raphael grunted a little, the sight unnerving him. Poor dog, how had she gotten into such a state? He wondered. " Yer not lookin' yer best, are ye, girl? " He asked, making a few soft kissy noises to get her attention. In response the dog's head snapped up, her ears pinned back, a low growl escaping a throat. Raph slowly raises his hands. " S'alright, I'm not gonna hurt ya, " He assured, trying to work out how to calm the canine. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small wrapper. It was just a cereal bar, mostly oatmeal and honey. He usually carried one or two on him, for working out if he got hungry so he didn't need to stop. Unwrapping it, he held it out carefully to her. The dog seemed to give a small sniff, examining the extended morsel before giving a few uncertain licks. Having come to the decision it was not dangerous and tasted good, she wolfed it down, her tail wagging heavily; beating against the ground. " There's a good girl. Were you hungry? " He asked, very slowly moving a hand towards her to sniff, clenched in a fist. At the sight, the dog howled, whimpering and trying to back off. Quickly Raph stopped and she calmed. He paused for a moment, frowning before he tried it again, his hand held loosely now. She seemed more calm with this, her wet nose rubbing his scales. Raph clenched his teeth a little. " It was a person that did this to you, wasn't it girl? " He asked, as she continued to explore his hand with her tongue. He wasn't really sure why he was talking to the dog, she couldn't talk back, it just felt more natural than silence. After staying there for maybe ten, fifteen minutes, slowly building up some trust with her; Raph very carefully moved to slip his strong arms beneath her, scooping her up, paying no mind to the blood that coated his arm now. The dog seemed somewhat happy to have the pressure taken off of her leg, it seemed. Slightly less so about the smell of the sewer. Upon arriving, Mikey was the first to greet him, as usual. Looking up from the comic he was reading, he took a moment to register before gasping in shock. " Dude, that's a dog, " He said, leaning over the couch, childishly. Raph grunted. " Yes, Mikey, she's a dog, " Raph agreed, making his way to Donnie's lab. " What's wrong with her leg? And how'd you know she's a she? " Mikey asked. " Someone hurt her... And you can tell on pitbulls, " He responded. " Pitbull? " Donnie looked up from his work as Raph walked in, the messy bundle of chocolate and white fur in his arms still. Studying the creature as he rose out of his chair, he corrected, " Actually I think she's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. While Pitbull is technically correct, that's a type of dog, not a breed. " " Whatever you say Kennel Club, can you help her? " Raph asked nervously. " I don't know, I'm no vet... I'll call April and Casey, if they're free I'll ask one of them to take her to a vet. I'll try and make her comfortable until then, " Donnie agreed, clearing a space on the table for her while searching for his phone. " Al'ight, but don't mess around, " Raph agreed, patting soft ears as he placed her down. - It was a week later when Raph got a call. From April. Placing his weights to the side, he grabbed his phone and answered. " Hey? " He asked, wondering what she wanted. " Hey, Raph, it's about that dog you found. The vet's prescribed her a medical plan and they've operated on her leg but they've had to amputate it, " At the mention of this, Raph winced at the memory of the mangled leg. He wasn't surprised, it'd been a mess. " She's really underweight but the vet says she should make a full recovery and she should still be able to walk once she figures out how to balance, " April finished. " That's great, I'm glad she's doing good, " Raphael told her, as he picked up a bottle of energy drink, downing half the bottle. " Yeah but now they want to know what to do with her. The state could take her but... The nearest shelter is a high kill one. So the vet asked if I wanted to take her... But I really don't have the time for a dog. " " You're asking me if I want her? " Raph asked. " Yeah, I am... I guess if you don't we could try and find someone el- " " No, " He cut her off. " I'll take her, " He agreed without a moment of hesitation. Master Splinter was going to kill him. But it was the right thing to do. - Once she got home, she was like a new dog. Raph could hardly believe this dog April had brought with her was the same pitbull he'd found last week. " Thatta girl, " He praised, rubbing her belly as she ambled over to him, still trying to perfect the balance of running on only three legs. " Are you going to name her? " Leo asked, watching vaguely amused from the couch. " Name her? " " Well, duh, she needs a name, " Mikey quipped in response. " I vote for Turtledog. Like Batdog, but a turtle. " Raphael rolled his eyes, considering for a moment. " I don't know, I'm no good at names, " He admitted. " What about Tenshi? " Leo offered idly. While Raph's Japanese might not have been as great as his brothers, he could translate that well enough, Angel. " Mm, I guess it's better than Turtledog, " Raph agreed, chuckling as he pet her ears. " Oh and Raph, the vet mentioned something else, " April said. " Really what? " " Just to mention she's recently had pups. Maybe she was part of a puppy farm and they decided they didn't want her anymore? " April offered, trying to explain it somehow. Raphael nodded, looking back to Tenshi as she snuggled up to him. A sigh escaped him, " Where are your babies girl? I hope they're doing better than you were. " - The next day, Raph was walking Tenshi. It was a little hard, given he had to avoid being seen and let her pee and all, but he managed it. Somehow. He didn't have a leash but he didn't seem to need one, as she happily plodded along. At some point however, she seemed to be leading him, rather than him her. " Tenshi, Tenshi c'mere, where ye going girl? " He called after her, carefully following as she crossed the street. This was near where he'd found her, only maybe a block or so away. He continued to follow her, all the way to a seemingly abandoned warehouse, continuing to call after her but stubbornly she seemed to be ignoring him. Once inside, he followed her further, round the back of some dusty crates that hadn't been touched in what could have been years. There he found something most unusual. Tucked into a makeshift bed of the sheets that used to cover crates were four skinny puppies, guarded by a Dalmatian; his face battle scarred and worn. Tenshi greeted the other dog happily, nuzzling and licking faced as Raph followed curiously. Upon getting closer the Dalmatian snarled, baring his fangs however Tenshi happily trotted up to him and pressed some slobbery kissed to his leg and the spotty dog accompanying her seemed to understand. " Tenshi, these are your babies, " Raph said happily, a very proud smile on his face, his heart melting. He was glad his brothers weren't around to see him consumed by his soft side. Carefully holding out a hand to pet the Dalmatian who was now equally as curious about him, he smiled. " Is this yer mate? Has he been looking after yer pups? He's a good boy, " He praised, ruffling his ears. " C'mon, " He said, gathering up the pups in the sheet with no protest from either parent. " Let's go home, all of us. " - A year later, Raph lounged by the TV. To one side of him Tenshi was snuggled up to him. Her stomach was once more swollen with pups, she'd give birth soon. By his feet lay her loyal protector and 'Raph's good boy', Butch the Dalmatian. Only two of their first litter still remained in the Lair. Turtledog, who was of course Mikey's bundle of fun and Hana (Flower in Japanese) who had become something of a therapy dog for Master Splinter. Beowulf and Godzilla were never far behind their master, Casey. " You want some beef jerky? " Raph offered the dogs and at the mention of 'beef jerky' Turtledog had somehow appeared from the woodwork for her fair share of the food. Hana didn't seem so bothered, resting still by Splinter's feet. Looking around him, Raph was very happy he had decided to keep Tenshi. She had only brought their family happiness. She was an angel, just with four legs and a tail rather than wings.

#brayden1616 #TMNT #Tmnt 2003 #Tmnt 2007 #tmnt 2012 #tmnt 2014 #tmnt 2016 #tmnt raphael

149 notes · View notes

tragicbooks · 7 years

Text

Pets are becoming social media managers to inspire pet lovers to adopt.

They're doing their part to find homes for shelter pets across America.

Three years ago, I decided to adopt a cat from a shelter, and it changed my life completely.

I had debated doing it for years before actually walking the two-and-a-half blocks over to my local shelter, and now I wish I hadn't waited so long.

I stepped into the crowded pet viewing room and almost immediately locked eyes with not one, but two tiny tiger kittens, one gray and one orange, sitting quietly in the same cage.

I couldn't believe how steadily they held my gaze, and when I asked to pick them up, one climbed up my arm and perched on my shoulder, while the other snuggled under my chin.

That was it.

I went into the shelter with the intention of taking home one cat — and left with two.

Oh lord, what have I done? Photo via Ally Hirschlag.

Today, because I was open to it, I am the proud parent of two gorgeous cat siblings named Bill and Vespa, who fill every day with joy and laughter.

Hug or chokehold? Tough call.

Bill and Vespa found their family, but there are millions of other pets who are still waiting at shelters and rescue groups for theirs.

And at the same time, there are an average of 29 million prospective pet parents looking to acquire a cat or dog each year. If fewer than 10% of them choose to adopt a pet, all the dogs and cats currently in shelters and rescue groups will find homes.

"We only need to find homes for fewer than 2 million pets each year — that's just a small fraction of the total number of pets who will be acquired in that same year," Mary Ippoliti-Smith, spokesperson for the pet rescue group Maddie's Fund®, a family foundation created to revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals, writes in an email. "We're almost there, and every adoption gets us closer."

So how can we help reduce this number even further? Shelter pets themselves might be the answer.

What if shelter pets could use social media to showcase their friends to pet-seekers and help these amazing dogs and cats get adopted?

"Tell me more." Photo by Rex Sorgatz/Flickr.

That's the brilliant idea behind the Social Paws initiative — a brainchild of The Ad Council, The Humane Society of the United States, Maddie's Fund, and J. Walter Thompson New York.

These three organizations established The Shelter Pet Project in 2009 to make shelters and rescue groups the first choice and preferred method for those looking to acquire a pet. With the Social Paws initiative, dogs and cats from shelters and rescue groups act as social media managers, creating cute, funny posts for The Shelter Pet Project’s social media channels. With these posts, dogs and cats are demonstrating how amazing shelter pets are and encouraging people to adopt.

Here's how it works:

youtube

Thanks to social media-savvy pets like the ones above, adopted pets everywhere have a voice. Sometimes all it takes is a look to know they're meant to be yours.

When you choose to adopt a pet, you're not only making their life infinitely better, you're making your life better too.

Just look at these happy customers:

Rescue animals often do well together, unless of course you neglect Lucy the Princess cat.

Standard morning since #maxtheamazing came home. #Lucytheprincesscat is never happy when she's not the center of attention. #lovethatmax #lucyiscutetoo #rescuedog #rescuecat #rescuedogsofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #catsofinstagram

A post shared by Max the Mutt (@muttcalledmax) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:16am PDT

Nighttimes are always better with a fluffy cuddle buddy.

Happy #flashbackfriday everyone! We were tagged by @dashandvinnie for the #selfiewithmyhooman challenge and our pawrents think we're cuter than them (I mean DUH, just look at us! 😹) so we don't have a ton of selfies with them but this is my favorite picture of my momma and I right after they adopted me! Look at my belly floof!! I allowed snuggles and kissies for 0.7 seconds before I jumped away to play with dad. #toocuteformyowngood #cutestillgetsmeoutoftrouble #exceptwithsisfur😹😹 . #fbf #tabby #tabbycat #tabbycatsrule #tabbysofinstagram #tabbycatsofinstagram #catsofminneapolis #catsoninstagram #catsofinstagram #catstagram #rescue #rescuecat #rescuesofinstagram #rescueismyfavoritebreed #tabbykitten

A post shared by Gunnar 💙 & Benelli ❤️ (@originalsasshole) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:31am PDT

Adorable or adorably guilty?

Source @toretto.the.staffy Click the link on our Bio 🖙 @Staffordshire.Bull.Terrier 🖘 to get your 🐶🐾 #pawesome 🐾🐶 👕 & Hoodies now! We provide international shipping! 🗺📦 Looking for a shoutout? tag #StaffordshireBullTerrier_feature on your pic! 📸 Like and tag your Staffordshire Bull Terrier loving friends below! Make sure you hit follow for daily pics! #pitbulllove #pitbullnation #pitbullsofinstagram #staffordshirebullterrier #staffy #bullymix #pitmix#doglove #doglover #doglovers #dogsofig #pets #puppy #puppies #cute #animal

A post shared by Staffordshire.Bull.Terrier (@staffordshire.bull.terrier) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:57am PDT

A cat makes the best yoga companion.

Have to get it in before his little is here. D26, UY Vitality. #camelvariation #camelpose #namaste #yogaeverydamnday #yogastreak #yogi #veteran #yoga #streak #streakwithjocelyn #tattooedveteran #tattooedmom #momlife #catsofinstagram #rescuecat #nike #motivation #inspiration #yogacat

A post shared by Jocelyn Williams (@yogivet8) on Jun 23, 2017 at 7:52am PDT

This is what best friends look like.

#flashbackfriday my Lil homie and me #friends #dogs #dogsofinstagram #rescuedog #rescuedogsofinstagram #photooftheday #pet

A post shared by Buddy Dog (@buddydogsandiego) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:44am PDT

Who says your baby has to be human?

#dogbaby #rescuedog

A post shared by Bowmaning (@keldabowman) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:42am PDT

Super Cat!

Sweet kitten. He's no guard dog, he couldn't keep the home invaders away, but he's always up for snuggles and belly rubs. #nofilter #catsofinstagram #kitten #rescuecat #sweetcat #orange #tabby #workathome

A post shared by Dana (@danaspaperflowers) on Jun 23, 2017 at 7:31am PDT

Take your dog to work day.

Giving Cutler a break from shelter life for #takeyourdogtoworkday 🐶 #dogs #dogsofinstagram #rescuedog #senior #adoptabledogs

A post shared by Rebecca Williams (@rebeccajwilliams90) on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:28am PDT

This pet owns his human as much as his human owns him.

Louie hangin' out 😻😻 #Louie #furbaby #rescuecat #rhondastreasures #ragdollx

A post shared by Jessica Stanford (@honey_139) on Jun 23, 2017 at 2:33am PDT

And it's not just about the happiness that endless snuggles can bring. Adopting a pet can have many other significant benefits too.

"Sharing our lives with pets has been shown to reduce allergies, lower blood pressure, help people get more exercise, feel more connected, and even contributes to shorter recovery times from surgery and illness," Ippoliti-Smith explains. "Add that to the joy of giving a second chance to a pet who needs one, and it's probably the best decision any of us will ever make."

The pets also get the opportunity to become the best version of themselves. Their personalities blossom when they're with a human family who loves them. You can see that clearly in all the personal adoption stories on The Shelter Pet Project's website.

If you've been thinking about adopting a furry friend, don't get cold feet.

Take it from a fellow shelter pet owner — the leap of faith will be worth it.

My husband, Mark, and our cat children. Photo by Ally Hirschlag.

For anyone who wants to start looking, you can search your local shelters using this helpful tool from The Shelter Pet Project. And if you have questions or concerns, you can always reach out to the organization from which you're interested in adopting.

Together we can easily empty out the shelters and rescue groups across the country. All it takes is a few simple steps to meet your new best friend.

*This article was written by Upworthy contributor Ally Hirschlag.

0 notes

socialviralnews · 7 years