Jaws of defeat

[Tucker]

Date: Jan. 14th Night time



Tucker was lucky to of managed to hitch so many rides back to Blackblood territory, even though it took a few days to do so. He was even more lucky to of found a kind passerby who tended to his wounded it. Stitching and bandaging the wound, for the moment until a more knowledgeable person could take a look at the wound. Tucker bends down to drink from the pool of water that lay in the oasis. He pulls upwards to glance at the star filled sky thinking over what Tramp had mouthed to him. It was odd for the street mutt to request that of him, he an almost complete stranger to the dog and a enemy to boot. Would he honor it, that depended of course if Lady and her brood were even in this war and the older shepard hoped that it wasn't the case. Tucker flops to the ground letting his front paws dip into the water to ease the pain in his pawpads. He would finish his trip to the palace in the morning.





Benjamin

[Benjamin]

Soot colored paws carefully picked their way through the cooled desert sands as they carried their owner toward the object in the distance. For a human, it would have been near impossible to see, but for Benjamin, he could just make out the far-off patch of green. Even if it happened to actually look brown to him. When he’d gotten the message that Tucker had wanted to meet him out here, the Labrador could only have guessed on what it was the shepherd had wanted, but he supposed that he was soon to find out either way.

As he neared the dense patch of shrubbery that was the Oasis, the first thing Ben noticed was that the sand seemed to grow softer and small sparsely placed greenery sprouted up from the ground. The second was the pool of water that collected at the center of the large circle of vegetation. The third was the form of the very shepherd he’d come out here to find collapsed next to said pool.

“Tucker!” Benjamin rushed forward, throwing up sand in his wake as he skidded to a stop next to the other canine. Dark brown hues darted over Tucker’s form before coming to rest on the somewhat messily placed bandage around the shepherd’s head. “Oh, you’re hurt! Are you okay? What happened to you?” Benjamin gasped, leaning slightly closer to try and get a better look at the bandaged wound. He had known that Tucker had disappeared for a few days, but he hadn’t expected him to return like this. As his dark gaze drifted over the other canine, he could also pick out other smaller wounds, and he could see that his fur was slightly matted in some places.

“Tucker, can you stand?” he asked the shepherd softly, almost as if he were afraid that Tucker would be hurt further if he spoke too loudly. “We need to get you back to the palace.”

[Tucker]

“Tucker!”

The older shepherd lifted his head at the call of his name and gives a soft whine to alert his location. “So the twilight barking chain does work” he chuckles, amused, tail giving a little wag at the sight of his companion.

“Oh, you’re hurt! Are you okay? What happened to you?”

“I’m fine, nothing too serious aside from my ripped ear. Could of been far worse thought” he dips his muzzle licking at his swollen paw pads from all the walking.

“I was hunting near Bauduen, thought I was in neutral territory a couple of Freedom Fighters showed up, no problem with them. Then the rouges showed up, met someone I knew from back home in my little New England town, things went south when more rouge soldiers showed up. I was going to leave when they attacked a kid, I couldn’t stand it so I got into a little scrape with one of them. Bastard, took my ear clean off luckily I managed to get outta a few minutes later, not sure what happened to the Freedom Fighter’s kid though.” He paused to look at the Labrador with a tired smile.


“Tucker, can you stand?”

“We need to get you back to the palace.”

“Yeah, I can. Was hoping to leave in the morning once I’m well rested” he glances up at the star filled sky. Tucker goes quiet for a moment before speaking again. “The dog I knew, he asked me to look after his family” he frowns puzzled “I hardly know him” he gives a weak laugh as if saying how stupid that sounds. “What should I do?”

[Benjamin]

As Tucker recounted his story, the younger canid slowly started to relax. The fur that had risen along his spine in his panic had smoothed out to lay flat once more. After another moment, Benjamin slowly lowered himself down to lie next to his friend, his ears slightly perked with interest at the events. Tucker was undoubtedly brave to have stood up against the Rogues for attacking the Freedom Fighters’ child, but if anyone learned of the fact that he had trespassed onto Rogue territory, there were likely to be consequences.

“I’m sorry that happened Tucker, but at least you made it out okay,” the labrador paused to glance at Tucker’s wounded ear. “And mostly whole.” Ben offered the shepherd a small smirk.

“We can wait. I just panicked a little after seeing you were injured, now that I know you’re okay, you take the time you need to rest.”

“The dog I knew, he asked me to look after his family,”  Tucker frowned, his brows furrowing slightly.“I hardly know him. What should I do?”

Benjamin slowly shook his head, unsure of how to answer. “We’re part of the Blackblood Legion Tucker, that dog’s family is likely to be part of the Rogues. It’s out of our paws. I’d say just let it be.” It wasn’t the best answer, Ben was sure, but he hoped it was good enough at least.

[Tucker]

“I’m sorry that happened Tucker, but at least you made it out okay,”
Tucker gives a nod and another smile

“And mostly whole.”

A paw lifts and gently shoved at Ben's side or attempted to "don't make me cut off your ear now" Tucker chuckles, lips pulling back in a playful growl.

“We can wait. I just panicked a little after seeing you were injured, now that I know you’re okay, you take the time you need to rest.”

"Thanks, that mean alot man" another weak wag of his tail was given and the older shepard lets his head rest on his fore-paws with another sigh. Brown eyes watch as Ben shakes his head and speaks once more.


“We’re part of the Blackblood Legion Tucker, that dog’s family is likely to be part of the Rogues. It’s out of our paws. I’d say just let it be.”

"He seemed so earnest about it though. You think it was a trap?" he muses a soft scowl on his face now "for all i know, his family could be POW's over there"

[Benjamin]

Benjamin’s mouth fell open in a playful pant as Tucker shoved him and joked about ripping off Ben’s ear. “You’d have to catch me first, old man.” Ben barked, shaking his head before pushing his nose into Tucker’s shoulder. Benjamin was glad to see that Tucker felt well enough to joke. It meant at least that his injuries weren’t nearly as severe as they had seemed at first. Though his ear was still a concern, Ben was sure that at least for now it would be fine until morning.

“...You think it was a trap?"

Tucker’s words brought Benjamin out of his thoughts and caused the dark-colored canine to turn his gaze to him. His ears pulled back slightly as he regarded his friend. He hated to see him like this, and not just because of his ragged appearance, but because of how unsure he was of the situation. In all honesty, Benjamin wasn’t much better.

“I… I honestly don’t know, Tucker.” Ben let out a small whine, lowering his head and pushing his nose into Tucker’s where the Shepherd had lowered his head to his paws. “I’m sure that dog’s family will be fine. For now, though, you just focus on getting better, and we can worry about it later, okay?” Ben seriously doubted it was the answer that Tucker was looking for, but it was the best the Labrador could give, giving the circumstances. He just hoped that Tucker wouldn’t dwell on it too much.

[Tucker]

Another nip was given in Ben’s direction at the dog’s playful words and Tucker gives a soft bark, tail thumping as he makes a half hearted lunge at his friend he settles back down a moment later however.

“I… I honestly don’t know, Tucker.” he nuzzles back chocolate colored orbs meeting those of the Labrador’s “You don’t? But you know everything!” He gasps in mock shock, joking of course.

“I’m sure that dog’s family will be fine. For now, though, you just focus on getting better, and we can worry about it later, okay?”

The older Shepherd falls silent again as he listens before giving a sigh. “I suppose so” another nuzzle was given to his companion. “Care to lay with me?” He offers, “it’s nice to sleep under the stars for once”