animal wars

Rook~

"Aliri, listen." Rook hurried to get in front of Aliri, lowering his head. "Being out there alone, especially at times like this, isn't safe. Even if it is two of us, that's still not enough! We need a group, even if you and I are decent fighters against the thumbs. I apologize a million times over for what Grace did, but come on, it was just her being naive." He sighed softly, turning his head skyward. Birds flew overhead, singing their own song.

The creek was running swiftly, and Aliri was silent for a moment, the only sound audible being their breathing. Thinking swiftly, Rook ran beneath Aliri, lifting her off the ground and onto his warm, broad back. "Wh-what are you d-doing?!" Aliri screethed, her front claws digging into Rook's shoulders. He grinned back at her.

"Letting you sleep," he began to walk towards the clearing the ground was in, "I'm big enough to carry you, and I'm not gonna let either of us go off without the group, so if the only way to get you back is letting you get a nice, warm nap, then so be it." He grinned back at her, wagging his tail. "Besides, if you're sleeping alone, you still won't be very warm, will you?" He snorted a small laugh, and walked into the clearing without listening to Aliri's protests.

ALIRI

The mutt was insane. Completely, totally insane. And what's worse, he obviously didn't care too much for my protesting. I took a few deep breaths and forced my body to relax. The muscles in my shoulders slowly unbunched and I rested my head at the base of his neck. At least I was warm...

I let my eyes close and by the time we got back to the others I was half asleep. I was sure we were getting a few skeptic looks, but I was too tired to care. Heh, Rook wasn't so bad after all. If he kept lugging me around like this I'd be thrilled. Of course I would never admit that...

Rook~

Rook padded rather lazily behind the group, careful not to wake Aliri. Jake was carrying the female thumb, and the male was look quite agitated. Grace was walking between Aika and Arya, her head low with slight annoyance that her closest friend was carrying a cat. A cat! Rook smirked at her pup-like behavior and rolled his eyes. He leaped smoothly over a fallen log, then padded through a shallow river, closely following the others.

After a little while of walking, Rook felt Aliri's gentle purrs against his back. Ah, so even big cats know how to purr! He chortled softly, Jake shooting him a humorous look. The male thumb began to fall back, looking around the forest swiftly. Seeing his planning, Rook nipped at the back of his leg, the male hissing a profanity before catching up to the female. "Stupid thumb," Rook growled, the sun beating down on the group as they walked through the thin bits of the forest.

Laika

I trailed behind, laughing softly to myself as Rook, hardly encumbered by the sleeping Aliri, nipped at the male Thumb.

I didn't like his body language--he was slinking, anxious. I moved closer behind him, letting my breath catch the backs of his calves so he would know I was there. I was perfectly capable of crippling him and stranding him here. We were moving swiftly, but less so, now that it seemed half of my companions had mysteriously become back animals. I was surprised that Rook would carry Aliri, so, and I wondered what compelled him to help a cat. I suppose in times like these we should stick together, but still....

BAILEY

This was strange, i must have been lighter then i thought. Well he was taller then me on his hind legs. I looked up to hunter smiling. Although i wasn't really impressed with him... he tried to sneak off and leave me behind. He needed to learn to trust these animals. This was their planet and they were connected to it, they had families and dreams like we did. I looked up at the large cave, i let out an audible gasp, Jake snickered.
"Welcome to my home." I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his neck, i didn't realise how tired i had gotten.

JAKE

The thumb girl leaned forward, spreading her weight and making it easier to walk, of course she does that at the end of our trip. I looked up at the boy.
"Help her off, i don't want her to have any pressure on that ankle. He slid her off and set her down. He sat beside her. "Good thumbs, stay here, make yourselves comfortable. This is the safest place for miles." Bailey yawned, poor thing. It still baffled me. Why would she save me!? When i had taken her prisoner. I laid down beside her. She looked a bit shocked.
"Sleep close to me, my fur will keep you warm. We did this all the time when i was a pup, before your kind came." She yawned and laid down.
"Where is your family." I lifted my head.
"I don't know, when the thumbs came we all went into hiding." She hugged my neck.
"I'm so sorry." I put my head back down and sighed.
"It's ok. Why did you come to our planet?" I turned my head towards her. She had already fallen asleep. I smiled looking up at the others. Was that rook with aliri on his back?

Laika

I wasn't sure how much I liked Jake's sudden closeness to the Thumb girl. But she seemed alright. It was the male I was concerned about.

One thing I didn't like was that Jake had led us right to his caves. I hadn't been here, of course, but if it really was the safest place for miles, it disconcerted me that Jake would show it to the Thumbs with so little hesitation. Anyway. I padded over to where Jake and the female Thumb had nestled down. She was already well asleep, I guess. I didn't want to set my head down, and so I tucked my paws beneath me to watch as the others approached. Aliri was still sleeping too, I think. Rook's tongue was lolling and I laughed. It must be hot under all that fur!

ALIRI

My eyes fluttered open involentarly. The worst part about being feline is the fact that we were naturally very light sleepers. I was still on Rook's back and I was purring. Seriously Aliri? Purring? I scolded myself. I hadn't noticed when that had happened, but oh well.

I shifted my gaze without moving my head. We were at a cave, a big one at that. Jake and the Thumbs were already nestled inside along with Laika. "Where are we?" I murmered, yawning. I refused to move, this was much too comfortable. I silently begged Rook not to shake me off his back. I involentarly started purring again. I could only imagine how much the other felines despised me right now.

Rook~

Rook grinned up at Aliri crookedly, lapping his tongue back into his mouth. She was purring again, and awake. He wasn't going to force her off of his back. He figured she'd get off when she wanted to. The other felines were glaring, as their coat wasn't as thick as all the canines' and none of the dogs were as willing to let a cat on their back as Rook was. Rook stretched his back legs lazily, looking around the group. "Where are we?" Aliri murmured, Rook hearing her yawn.

"Jake's caves." Rook smiled softly, yawning himself. "We've been walking for a few hours, and covered quite a lot of land, so we're safe from the thumbs for now." He smiled.

"Ahh, finally!" Grace collapsed overdramatically, her long fur brushing against the rough ground. She shot a glare at Aliri. "Haven't you gotten enough rest, cat?" Grace growled, then walked lazily into the cave. "Typical of a cat, lazing around while everyone else gets to work." This drew a growl of protest from most of the felines already in the cave.

Laika

I shut my jaws over a laugh, turning it into a yip. That was Grace--back to her lovable, dramatic self so close to her brush with death. I rose to sit nearer to her. I wasn't about to hole up all by myself in a dark cave.

ALIRI

I glared at Grace, beginning to wonder just how ungreatful canines can get. Well, Rook wasn't so bad, but he was just an exception to all of my rules at the moment. "Perhaps what you don't realize is that we do a heck of a lotta work when we are awake. Don't be so ungreatful," I hissed. "We rest when we can get rest, it's a survival technique."

I would remain where I was for longer than I had first planned. Just to tick Grace off a tad more. I smirked when I came to a slight realization. "You jealous or something mutt?" I probably would have been better off not saying anything, but I couldn't resist. Unless of course Rook and Grace were siblings...but I really didn't pay attention to the details.

Jake's head shot up and he gave me a warning glance. I ignored it and kept smirking.

JAKE

I snarled at everyone.
"No fighting in my cave. If your that mad take it outside!" I scowled. I turned back to the thumb girl. So adorable when they are sleeping, I looked up at the boy. He had better not try to run, I was skilled with stealth, and could track him all over my territory. If he left my territory he would be someone else's problem, but here in my lupin territory... i didn't care what you were, i would protect you. I didn't even allow a lot of hunting in my territory. Anywhere withen a mile of my cave was pretty peaceful, once a place that raised pups. Bailey groaned and rolled over. I smiled down at her, then looked up at the guy.
"Don't say much do you?"

Grace~

"You jealous or something mutt?" It was those simple words that sent Grace flying from her spot in the cave, to crouching before Rook and Aliri, snarling angrily as she padded in a circle. Her lips were rose in anger, snarls emitting viciously from her throat. It was like nothing she'd ever done before.

"Jealous?! Of a disgusting, whiskered, purring, good-for-nothing cat?! Hardly!" She barked a snarl, still glaring at Aliri. "Why would I have any reason to be jealous of you? All I know, is that you're a cat, Rook's a wolf. You must have an idea in your sick twisted mind that you and Rook wou-"

"Grace!" Rook suddenly barked, snarling just as loud as Grace had been. The she-dog was quickly silenced by Rook's bark. His eyes were filled with so many unreadable emotions, that it almost made Grace's head ache. "You would find it in your best intrest, to keep your jaws closed." He snarled, hair on end. "We, as dogs, are easily out numbered by these cats, and not only that, but insulting anyone-" his eyes shot to Aliri, the only one noticing being Grace, "-won't be tolerated, even from you."

Hunter~

Hunter glared at the dog. "Me? No, I don't. Especially not to an animal who almost cost my friend her foot." He frowned deeply, frown lines appearing on her forehead as he gazed worriedly down at Bailey when she stirred in her sleep and let out a small cry of pain. Hunter reached down, adjusting her ankle gently so it was elevated under the rest of his torn apart t-shirt.

"Is she your mate?" Hunter nearly choked as he stared at the dog, Jake, with wide eyes.

"M-mate? I'm afraid you're mistaken. She's just a friend of mine. I've known her since we were little kids." He covered, sniffing once before gazing at the dog nervously.

JAKE

Only friends? Really?
"Boy, it's ok if she is. But I'm afraid I'm sticking by her side until i save her in return." He frowned again. I chuckled laying my head down. Thumbs were so weird. I gazed up at him, he looked like he wanted to say something but he stayed quiet. "You can speak if you want thumb." I shifted which woke bailey up. She hissed, a more thumbly sound, and grabbed her ankle. I looked up.
"I'm sorry are you ok?"

BAILEY

"Ya. I'm fine, it's still tender." I looked down at him, he wasn't buying it.
"Bailey, your ankle was almost cut off, it's a little more then tender." I smiled at him, trying to keep up the mood.
"What happened to your happy go lucky mood." He yawned, i giggled and looked up at hunter, he looked as tired as i was. Jake looked up at everyone.
"Everyone get some sleep and stop fighting. As long as your in my cave you will not fight. Take it outside if it means that much to you." I agreed, he said puppies and families have been raised her. I looked over at hunter.
"Get some sleep silly." I laid back down.

ALIRI

I was grinning wildly now. Jake was scolding us about fighting, but my mind was still trying to wrap around this whole Grace/Rook thing. She was jealous, just not admitting it. Or maybe she wasn't jealous and just protective. The difference between the two was small though, so it didn't matter too much.

But Rook had defended me, which was something nobody did. Cats or not. I gave into the skeptic glances I was getting from the others and jumped off of Rook's back. I was smart enough to keep him between Grace and me, she was quite a bit larger after all. I sat down and looked up at Rook. "Thanks," I whispered, trying to sound as sweet as I possibly could.