09-19-2010 at 3:35 AM

Frappe, out of the corner of her eye saw movement and soon enough, saw Dinah emerge from the wreckage. She was watching the two pups as they played around with each other. She sighed, glad that Dinah didn't reprimand her for letting the pups out of the cave. Inside, Frappe felt as if she didn't deserve to be a mother after all. After the whole Rolo drowning experience, she began to think about Dinah's point of view. She wondered what she would've done if another dog had drowned her own pup.<br /><br />In a way, she wanted to go over to Dinah and apologize, but she knew, for some reason, that she was forgiven. Frappe stood up and walked out of the cave, and checked to see if any of their belongings were still in there. After examining the floor a couple times, she walked out and went over to the border collie.<br /><br />"So Dinah, lovely weather we are having, right?"<br />

09-18-2010 at 8:41 PM

"I'm not sure how safe I'll be around that whelp, but okay," Sha agreed. "Maybe I'll learn something new and miraculous about squirrels."<br /><br />Meanwhile, Cobalt caught up to the half-grown squirrel dog and tackled her playfully to get her attention. "I know about the acorn," he told her confidentially, "because I've met the squirrel."<br /><br />Dinah wagged her tail slightly, heartened by Kendra's encouragement. Then she took off at top speed into what was left of the forest, relying on her memory to take her safely back through the rubble. She came within sight of the cave quickly but then stopped before reaching the entrance, because Hecubus and Rolo were playing outside the cave entrance with Frappe sitting nearby, watching them like a hawk. The sight of the two puppies play-fighting was heart-warming, and Dinah sat down to watch them, temporarily forgetting the need to get home with this reminder that the world hadn't totally ended after all.

09-18-2010 at 9:34 AM

Kineta's eyes shown with excitement. "There is a golden squirrel?!?! Really?? How did you know Cobalt!!?" She quickly turned and barked with joy as she started to run off towards the area where home should be. "Golden acorn! Golden acorn!!! Golden, golden, golden acorn here I come! You better watch out golden squirrel I'm coming for your acorn!" <br><br> Kendra laughed then sighed and looked at Dinah. "You go get them I'll make sure squirrel brain doesn't go far. We'll probably end up playing some acron game in the trees there." She flung her head in the direction of some trees at the edge of the wood. "We'll wait for you guys there. See you soon and take care of your self.. and..." She looked at Sha. "If you want to come with us and rest while we play and wait you're more than welcome to." She pressed her nose quickly against the side of Dinah's face and whispered, "Everything will be okay." Kendra then ran off after Kineta. "Oh, yes, off we go to find the great golden acorn!"

09-18-2010 at 1:20 AM

Cobalt's tail wagged and he looked fondly at the young German shepherd. "Well Kineta, you have to find a golden squirrel before you can get a golden acorn."<br/><br/>Sha cocked his head to one side. "Why do you want a golden acorn?"<br/><br/>Dinah sighed and her tail drooped. She was worried about her son, and she could smell Dusk's worry as well. She wondered if he had family at home too. "I guess I'd better go get Frappe and the pups so we can go."

09-16-2010 at 11:10 AM

Dusk, happy that Sha was free, agreed with the others that it was time to head home. He missed his pups.. and Sapphire.. terribly now even if he didn't really show it. He held back the concern and worry that attempted to bombard his brain and take over his thoughts. "Alright, where to first? I can walk with you till everyone is home safe, we can visit SK last unless it's on the way." Dusk sniffed the air and eyed the treeline. "I'll bet we can also find a golden acorn somewhere along the way, Kineta" Dusk said with a wink.

09-16-2010 at 10:30 AM

Kineta ran around to get in Dinah's face. "I don't want to go home! I want to find the golden acron!" She started to bounce up and down excitedly while spinning in circles. <br><br> Kendra sighed and whispered in Dinah's ear, "I hope I fair warned you that she's troube with a capital T." She turned towards Kineta. "We should probably head towards home, all of us and... maybe we'll find a golden acron along the way." <br><br> Kineta started to bark excitedly. Kendra actually thought there was a golden acorn too! Or.. well.. it seemed like she did!

09-15-2010 at 5:33 AM

Sheena finally snapped out of her daze. "I shall follow where ever you choose to go."

09-15-2010 at 4:10 AM

Dinah shook herself. "Nothing, Kendra. Sha and Cobalt were the only ones." She turned to look at the other border collie. "Your kennel is close to mine, right? If I wanted to go home... we could travel together?"<br /><br />Sha leaned against Cobalt's leg and studied the unfamiliar dogs, ignoring the screaming pain in his ribs. "I don't know about your friend, Dinah, but the chocolate kennel is just over the hill from ours, Silverwulf Kennels is right down the road and Acester's is less than a mile through the woods."<br /><br />Cobalt turned to the group. "Well, what do you say then? Should we get started?"

09-14-2010 at 4:32 AM

Frappe almost laughed at Hecubus's puppiness. she remembered when she used to be like that. She and her brother used to always romp around in the open field together, before they were adopted outto two seperate homes. Frappe smiled at Hecubus and nodded her head. <br /><br />"You can go, I'll keep a close eye on you." She then nudged Rolo up onto her feet with her nose. "You go with him, okay? I prefer if he didn't go out on his lonesome."<br /><br />Frappe watched as the two pups walked out of the cave, almost apprehensive to leave the shelter and the aussie.

09-14-2010 at 2:17 AM

Slowly, Hecubus realized his dreaming was getting really loud. And it was getting brighter. Suddenly he realized he was the only puppy still asleep. He bounded to his feet, almost landing on Frappe & Rolo who were sitting quietly side by side. He looked at Frappe shyly, and full doggy grinning asked her, "Hey? Wheres the humans, I'm starving!" He was. He didn't think he had ever been this hungry. And he had to tinkle. It was only a matter of time since when the tennis ball had blown into the lake he had attempted to "Drink" it back to him. "Is it safe to go potty?"

09-12-2010 at 10:37 AM

Kendra suddenly heard Dinah's howl and quickly began to run in the direction she had heard it come from. <br><br> Kineta continued to play for a moment before she realized Kendra was running off she quickly chased after Kendra not wanting to miss any excitement. <br><br> Once Kendra reached Dinah she could see what had happened. Who was this new hurt dog though that had clearly been trapped under the A-frame? Kendra stepped closer to the new dog and took a deep smell and closer look. The dog looked pretty beat up... "You okay? I'm Kendra, Dinah's friend. Let me know if you..." She then noticed Dinah seeming worried over something else. "Need anything....", she finished her sentence as she walked to stand by Dinah. She could smell the new dog wasn't going to really ask for help, she was still worried, but more worried about Dinah. She gentally touched her nose to the side of Dinah's face, "what's wrong? Do you have other kennel mates out there or are you upset over Frappe?" <br><br> Kineta reached where Kendra was and looked around she noticed there had been some excitement but... Oh! Kendra's tail! She began to playfully swip at Kendra's tail with her paw totally forgetting all else.

09-12-2010 at 9:34 AM

Cobalt hesitated, waiting for Frappe to join them-- surely she would come with them to help her friend? But she wasn't budging, so Cobalt hurried after his brother. They found the distressed border collie quickly and Cobalt was horrified to find his other kennel-mate had gotten himself trapped. "Sha, you moron!" he growled as he started to help dig the mud from around the small dog's body.<br /><br />"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Sha responded.<br /><br />The larger dogs ignored the wry statement and continued to claw at the dirt beneath the plank that was pinning the papillion. Desperation gave them strength and they soon had enough space cleared that Sha could squeeze out of the pile of debris. He was a mess: his white fur was muddy and matted, the black fur on his ears was tangled with sticks and leaves, he had a hitch in his breath that suggested broken ribs, and he was favoring his left hind leg.<br /><br />"I'll live," he announced after a moment of them staring at him. Dinah didn't look like she believed him, but Cobalt snorted and let it pass. If the stubborn little mutt wanted no sympathy, then he'd give none.<br /><br />"Looking for something?" Sha asked Dinah, who still looked worried but was no longer fussing over Sha.<br /><br />"Why didn't Frappe answer? Normally she comes running if there's trouble." Her anxious yellow eyes turned to Cobalt. "She's upset with me, isn't she? I overreacted yesterday and now she's angry."<br /><br />Cobalt shifted uncomfortably, not used to not having an answer. "Let's gather everyone up and see what we're going to do," he said.

09-12-2010 at 8:35 AM

Frappe noticed the worry that was in Dusk's face and stood up along with Cobalt. But then, Rolo rolled over and growled in her sleep. Frappe debated about whether or not she should leave Rolo behind, especially being that she knew that Dinah wasn't too thrilled with her and her antics at the lake.<br /><br />"I guess, maybe I should go and see what it wrong..." Frappe muttered to herself. But then realized that with Cobalt and Dusk going over, Frappe's help wasn't needed. She walked over to Rolo and sat down next to her. "I'll stay here with her. Especially since we don't know to many of the dogs here, y'know?" Frappe finished the sentence with one of her doggy winks and watched the two other aussies leave the cave.

09-12-2010 at 4:07 AM

Dusk's ears pricked up when he heard Dinah's howl. He quickly turned to the others, not sure if they had heard Dinah's faint cry from the distance. He walked to Cobalt, who was sitting near Frappe, and nudged him. "Dinah needs us".

09-12-2010 at 1:21 AM

Dinah carefully slipped between leaning trees and hopped over logs, following a scent that had caught her attention. Whenever the smell of blood became too strong, Dinah would stop and listen for the sounds of life. She heard none. Finally, however, she reached the edge of the forest and surveyed the wrecked landscape where only yesterday dozens of dogs and humans were sitting, standing or milling about in utter ignorance of what was about to happen to them. A whimper escaped from Dinah's throat at the thought.<br /><br />An answering whimper cut through the oppressive silence. Dinah jumped, then wagged her tail as she recognized the whimper. "SHA!" She rushed over to a pile of broken branches and what looked like the remains of an A-frame, where she could now see a flash of muddy white fur.<br /><br />"Dinah. Good to see you made it," wheezed the papillion, who was trapped beneath a sizeable plank of wood. "I didn't do so well. I tried to hide under a tree and it fell over on me. Stupid, yeah?"<br /><br />"Pretty darn," Dinah agreed. "And I can't get you out on my own." She stepped back, flung back her head and howled.

09-11-2010 at 5:13 PM

Dusk continued to wrestle with his brother, rolling about like they did when they were pups. Then a sudden thought crossed his mind, "What about the others?". He knew most of his kennel was safe at home, but he was worried about Sapphire and their pups. He stopped mid-wrestle, and let Cobalt's scruff slip out of his mouth. He gazed out of the opening to the cave, knowing many of the others were having the same thoughts he was. Something inside him wasn't convinced they had experienced the worst the storm had to offer quite yet. Oftentimes, the aftermath of an event can be much worse than the event itself..

09-11-2010 at 9:36 AM

Dinah disentangled from the dog pile and stared at Frappe, confused by her snappishness. Dinah, however, cast a worried look out the door and headed outside.<br /><br />The landscape was shattered. Bits of trees lay everywhere, mixed with trash and detritus from the ruined agility grounds. Dinah picked her way over a pile of brush and headed for what used to be the forest's edge. As she picked her way through the debris, a sharp, metallic scent hit her nose: blood.<br /><br />It wasn't coming from just one direction, either. Dinah's tail tucked between her legs and her ears drooped as she realized just how lucky she and the others had been.

09-11-2010 at 8:53 AM

Frappe woke up to a start, her side suddenly throbbing. She opened her eyes again to see Cobalt near her. She stood up and pushed the other aussie out of the way and made her way out of the pile. "<br /><br />Thank you very much for the awakening. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way home before my master begins to panic. Rolo, you should come as well." Frappe turned to find that the border was playing around with the other dogs who were in a pile. She sighed and sat down before muttering to herself, "If I knew where home was anyways..."

09-11-2010 at 8:18 AM

..

09-11-2010 at 8:07 AM

"Hey!" Cobalt growled. "Shake your dirt all over me, why don't you?" Tail wagging furiously, he tackled his brother and they went rolling across the cave floor, knocking Sheena over and running into Frappe. Dinah yipped excitedly and jumped onto the pile too.