The dogs hadn’t been out the last time he’d visited. Oh, he’d caught their scents, but he hadn’t considered them dangerous. Unlike a true fox, he had no reason to; he’d never spent any time near farms or places where dogs would catch his scent on his world, and on Caido the dogs of the settlement had other scents to sniff. So he’d trotted boldly in as he’d done last time, only this time with a little one in tow.
He’d barely set her down when the first snarl went up, prelude to the angry barking to come as two of the farm’s most stalwart defenders moved smoothly into action. If he had been alone he might have danced circles around them, giving into the mischief he usually kept so tightly reined. But he wasn’t alone, Isuma was with him, small and nearly helpless and easy prey to the snapping jaws of the big guard dogs. There was no time for games, no instinct but a fiercely protective panic as he spun on his hind paws, catching her up in slender jaws as she Reep!ed her distress at all the noise and fear and anger in the air.
He leapt into motion as Vaya reached the fence, running away from her even as Rory appeared and shouted at the larger canine. She stopped; Jigano didn’t, though he did change his course. Instead of running away he curved his sprint to head in the direction the hunter had come from, hoping to find a door open to safety, or at least shelter. If he could just get up higher than the dogs could reach—
There was an open door, not to the house but to a workshop, it seemed, as he slowed and trotted inside, Isuma still making little noises of distress in his mouth as she caught his mood. The barking had grown quieter behind them, at least, with no indication of pursuit. A door slammed, and the loudest dog’s voice grew muffled, while the other grew silent shortly after. Jigano hopped up into the chair Rory had left, still warm from his friend’s body heat, and set his little companion down gently. She burrowed against him, seeking reassurance, and he let out a heavy sigh as he lowered himself gingerly to curl around her, eyes and ears pointed towards the door and on high alert for the sounds of anything approaching.
His tracks were easy to follow, and Rory would have no trouble tracing them. When Jigano heard friendly footsteps approach he would lower his head, ears flattening when the hunter came in the door, an expression of guilt on his sharp canine face and deep in blue eyes. He offered an apologetic whine, tail thumping once, lightly, against the seat of the chair.
He’d barely set her down when the first snarl went up, prelude to the angry barking to come as two of the farm’s most stalwart defenders moved smoothly into action. If he had been alone he might have danced circles around them, giving into the mischief he usually kept so tightly reined. But he wasn’t alone, Isuma was with him, small and nearly helpless and easy prey to the snapping jaws of the big guard dogs. There was no time for games, no instinct but a fiercely protective panic as he spun on his hind paws, catching her up in slender jaws as she Reep!ed her distress at all the noise and fear and anger in the air.
He leapt into motion as Vaya reached the fence, running away from her even as Rory appeared and shouted at the larger canine. She stopped; Jigano didn’t, though he did change his course. Instead of running away he curved his sprint to head in the direction the hunter had come from, hoping to find a door open to safety, or at least shelter. If he could just get up higher than the dogs could reach—
There was an open door, not to the house but to a workshop, it seemed, as he slowed and trotted inside, Isuma still making little noises of distress in his mouth as she caught his mood. The barking had grown quieter behind them, at least, with no indication of pursuit. A door slammed, and the loudest dog’s voice grew muffled, while the other grew silent shortly after. Jigano hopped up into the chair Rory had left, still warm from his friend’s body heat, and set his little companion down gently. She burrowed against him, seeking reassurance, and he let out a heavy sigh as he lowered himself gingerly to curl around her, eyes and ears pointed towards the door and on high alert for the sounds of anything approaching.
His tracks were easy to follow, and Rory would have no trouble tracing them. When Jigano heard friendly footsteps approach he would lower his head, ears flattening when the hunter came in the door, an expression of guilt on his sharp canine face and deep in blue eyes. He offered an apologetic whine, tail thumping once, lightly, against the seat of the chair.
