{i hope you dance}slate

[sonny]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/i6bdki.jpg] [scrolly:h(420),w(233),sy] IT wasn't often that Sonny actually got a Saturday off, mostly because everyone at the humane society rotated weekends off. She didn't mind working them usually, a day off was a day off no matter what day of the week it was. Today though, she couldn't have been more happy to be out hiking on a breeze autumn Saturday. It really was nice. All week it had been rainy and foggy, some of the most depressing weather Sonny had seen in a while. Today though, the sky full of clouds had split open to reveal golden sunshine and the clearest bluest skies she'd ever seen. That was why, when she'd woken up early out of habit, Sonny had packed a backpack with granola bars and bottled water, tossed some food in Cajun's tank, and headed out. She'd headed straight out of town for some of the hiking trails she had discovered in her first few months of living in Beckett's Creek. SURPRISINGLY, for such a nice day the nature park was relatively deserted. It didn't bother Sonny much. She'd left her car parked near the trailhead where a few others were left and headed out. The whole being a human hiker thing however, hadn't lasted long. As soon as she was certain nobody would see her, she'd shifted. INSTEAD of pale skin and curly red hair, Sonny was now a four-legged Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Her fur was medium length and silky with a few fine white markings. Her eyes had maintained their brown color but were now framed by soft triangular ears flopped to frame her face. Her nose had elongated with her jaw to form an intelligent muzzle. Now Sonny jogged along the trail at a steady trotting pace, jaws parted and pink tongue lolling out. Normally she'd think it unladylike but Sonny's preception of the world was a bit warped as a dog. Things were simpler, not black and white since she seemed to maintain her human ability to see in color but things were just...more obvious. She didn't worry about work or making her rent or anything else. Instead she was busy inspecting the woodsy smells around her, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze through her fur and chasing the occasional squirrel. IT might be silly to actually chase a squirrel but she was a dog. Why the heck not? It was fun too and it made her dog muscles feel good to run and get proper exercise. She jogged around the block at home and around town when she had time but nothing quite beat running through the woods. She'd run imaginary agility courses through the trees, jump over fallen logs and brush, splash through creeks. It was way more fun than just walking along as a two-legged human. Bounding through a screen of leafy ferns, Sonny skidded to a stop at the edge of a six foot drop. At the bottom of the drop was a wide creek full with the last week's worth of rain. Sniffing curiously around the edge, Sonny ignored the deer smells and the like. She found nothing of real interest. MENTALLY frowning, Sonny reclined on her haunches and looked out across the creek. It was a wide creek, more like a small river than a creek really. She couldn't remember seeing it marked on her trail map but she'd left it in the car anyway soturning into a human wouldn't really help her. She'd been depending on her dog senses to help her get back and normally that worked just fine but now she was puzzeled. Should she keep going or go back before she got too lost for even her dog senses to lead her back? STANDING back up, Sonny crept closer to the edge of the river and kicked a pebble with her paw. It tumbled down through the air and plopped into the water below. No help what so ever in telling how deep the river actually was. Snorting in disappointment at the failed experiment, Sonny paced a bit, tail swishing in what humans would see as a nervous declaration of indecision. Turn back or go on? Her dog self screamed at her to go on, to explore and let it run until it was too tired to run anymore. Her human side said she should play it safe and go back, find another trail that didn't lead to a flooded river. Feeling the need to vocalize her frustration, Sonny barked. It echoed off aimlessly, she assumed the sound would be swallowed by the sound of rushing water. FINALLY the mental war was won when Sonny's canine side got the better of her. Backing up several feet, she took off running. At the edge of the drop she leaped. When she hit the water she found it was deep and while the current was strong, it wasn't impossibly so. Being a retriever and therefore a natural water dog, Sonny struck out and began slowly paddling her way toward the other shore. All you could see of her above the brown river water was her head and shoulders, occasionally a paw flashing up to push or pull her further toward the other shore. Tagged;; Slate Word Count;; 895 Background Song;; "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack Notes;; ^^ [/scrolly]

[echo]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/tables/2.png] [scrolly:h(156),w(390),sy] Today was awful already. Slate definitely wasn't pleased with how the day was going- though it wasn't going, it was stuck in a constant downfall- or so he felt. He tried to think of what Sonny said a couple days before- about how bad things happened in threes. Well there was only one bad thing so far- and it was absolutely awful... so he felt like he was definitely screwed. He'd begun to feel the pain again- the pain of being in one form for too long. And he was entirely sure that normal shifters didn't feel that sort of pain when they didn't shift. After all, it'd only been a couple weeks since his last shift. Usually he could wait up to a month to shift, but that was changing quickly- though it only seemed to happen at random. And he knew exactly who to blame. His father. As a child, being raised by a mad scientist for a father, he'd had multiple experiments performed on him. Of course, none of them were life-endangering- what would Aleczander do if he lost his one and only test subject? But they'd certainly did a number on Slate at that age. One particularly hard experiment, was to figure out what caused the boy to shift subconsciously. Anger. Stress. Fear. But they had to be strong enough emotions to send him into a sort of panic. Once Zander had found that out, he forced his son to resist the urge to shift while those emotions screamed at him to do so. Though it wasn't extraordinarily painful on a physical level, the emotional aspect had him bawling like a baby- not like a ten year old child. After he'd been allowed to shift into a coyote, after those awful emotions coursed through his veins, the pain stuck with him for an hour or so afterwards. So the fact that at that point in time, the pain stuck, he assumed that that was causing the pain now. But the now-grown-man figured that shifting in his own apartment was kind of boring, and he wasn't entirely sure how long he planned to stay in that form. Nor did he know if any of his neighbors would pay a visit, or how he'd react to the door knocking. He was slightly skittish and slightly easily startled as a canine since his hearing improved slightly- even though as human, it was still better than a normal human. And if he made a startled noise, he might have his apartment searched for a dog or something. And when they found nothing, more suspicion may arise. He'd rather avoid it completely. So, he decided to head to the place he imagined would be the best to be a loose coyote at. The nature park. He didn't drive, but instead he walked, knowing the pain might distract him from driving properly. He really didn't want to get into a car accident on top of anything else today. Glancing around, he saw no one, and decided to run. He didn't really want anyone thinking he was running from anything. He really wasn't. He just wanted to shift as soon as possible. Being a coyote on the run through the streets wasn't really becoming for most humans, so he just needed to make this trip to the nature park as short as possible. And Slate was definitely relieved when he saw it in front of him, and soon all around him, trees whipping past him as he ran. And this dare-devil didn't even stop to shift- he shifted in mid-step, while running, one moment a tattooed, pierced man with long black hair and deep brown eyes, the next a silver, brown, and black coyote with golden eyes, streaming through the trees. As a coyote, Slate lost a lot of size and bulk, it all shifting into that medium-dog sized canine. He felt more pressure as a canine though, the opposite of Sonny. The memories rushed back, clearer than as a human. And though he knew things were like that, and he should have expected it- he didn't stop running. It was almost like running blind- trying to run from his problems. Trying to get away. And the only thing that got him was a face full of water as he pummeled into the creek he'd completely overlooked in his rush. Though he was a slightly stronger swimmer as a coyote, that didn't make him extraordinarily well at doing so. He paddled, trying to reach the edge before the current swooped him sideways. He was so focused on this, that he didn't even notice the amber colored canine mere tail-lengths away. And after a few moments, Slate made it to the edge- though just barely- pulling himself upwards with his paws, and flopping on his side on the bank, feeling awfully exhausted. Never... doing... that again. ----- Words: Eight Hundred Forty Two Yay! A long one! Mostly because I babbled... ; u ; [/scrolly]

[sonny]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/i6bdki.jpg] [scrolly:h(420),w(233),sy] THE sound of a loud splash made Sonny's easily distracted dog self twist in the water to look which meant she missed a few paddles. Spluttering to right herself, Sonny barely glimpsed what looked like another dog's head bobbing up in the water. Kicking out faster, Sonny struggled her way to shore. Bracing her legs, she shook her medium length red pelt. Diamonds of water spun around the she-dog, flying loose from the wet strands and splattered the ground around her. She shook from nose to tail tip, actually shaking hard enough that her hind legs skidded a bit on the pebbles. At last suitably dry, Sonny looked toward the creek for the dog she'd glimpsed earlier. Had it actually been there or had she just been hearing things? Not likely. Humans heard things that weren't there, not dogs. Did it count if she was a little bit of both? The thought was too complex so she let it go, instead bounding a few feet back to the water as she spotted something. THERE! FLOUNDERING toward the shore was a skinny coyote. Even as a dog Sonny recognized one. Her first call with the humane society had been shooing a coyote out of some poor old lady's backyard when it got trapped in the tool shed. She'd never thought a lot about them and knew even less. They were supposed to be really smart but really small. Faintly Sonny couldremember her boss mentioning how coyotes had bigger litters of pups if they were under pressure unlike most animals that had smaller litters under pressure which was why coyotes survived so well in urban areas. When it finally floundered to shore, it seemed to fall bonelessly on the bank, sides heaving. Had it even seen her? THE human in the dog was worried. How had it gotten in the water? Was it hurt? The dog was wary. It smelled the coyote and it didn't smell right. It smelled like people which wasn't bad but why would a coyote smell like people? She pranced in place anxiously, biting back a whimper. Should she go closer? What if it bit her? Sonny wasn't a fighter, either as a human or as a dog. Was it rabid? But what if it was hurt? Finally Sonny couldn't stand it and pushed back the dog instinct to flee from a wild canine. Swallowing it down she crept toward the coyote. She tucked her tail against her belly between her hind legs and dropped low to the ground, ears pressed back even though it was hard to tell with folded over ears. Giving a whine, Sonny tried to get the coyote's attention. SHE'D never really tried communicating with other animals before. Dogs tended to get the gist of her being friendly even if she wasn't exactly like them but she'd never approached a wild canine as a dog before. She handled them on rare occasion with the society but that was as a human. This was totally different. There were rules, unspoken laws that Sonny didn't know because at the end of the day she was still just a human that sometimes sprouted fur. She tried her best though, figuring the best way to approach this was to approach looking like she meant absolutely no harm and to just hope that would be understood by the coyote. CREEPING forward a bit more she gave another concerned whine followed by a quiet half bark. 'Are you okay?' is what Sonny hoped that translated as, otherwise she might be in trouble. Tagged;; Slate Word Count;; 608 Background Song;; "Brothers Under the Sun" by Bryan Adams Notes;; ^^ [/scrolly]

[echo]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/tables/2.png] [scrolly:h(156),w(390),sy] It took a few moments for Slate to actually become aware of his surroundings- feeling like he was in a daze. He'd forced everything to go much quicker than he was used to- the shifting, the running. But once he did actually come to, he was shocked to see a dog peering at him, not too far from where he was laying on the rocks next to the creek. And she was speaking to him. It what sounded like human words- though he knew it had to be like... a dog speech or something. Dogs did not speak human words- that he was sure of. His fairly small coyote body jerked upwards in that surprise, not really too eager to lay out on the ground in front of another like this- so exposed and vulnerable. Only then did Slate remember the pain of the shift and the collision with the water. Shaking it off with the knowledge that it would not last too much longer, the coyote adjusted his position so he was sitting back on his haunches, facing the female across from him. It was only at that moment that he was able to notice what she really looked like, his almost groggy vision clearing. The ability to see color remained while he was in his coyote form- and for this, he was glad. This canine was a gorgeous color- an almost rusty tone, a brownish that appeared almost orange- and he figured if she was human, she'd have a hair color similar to the girl he met the other day. She did hold some other colors on her- white- it appeared to cover her toes and a bit of her chest- maybe some of her stomach- but he couldn't see from this angle. She was probably some type of retriever- and Slate only knew that because of Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers being so popular. But he could tell she was neither of those, if not a mix. He wasn't great at dog breeds. Those large pointed ears of his twitched, thoughtful, golden eyes watching the other's brown eyes. I'm sorry beautiful, but could you repeat that again? Not quite sure I caught that. And you can stop acting so cautious. I swear I won't attack you or anything. He could only hope that she heard his words, and understood them properly, for he had sort of heard her. Not enough to really decipher what she said, but enough to know that communication between them was hopefully possible. If he wasn't smaller than her, and they weren't different species, and if he were just a coyote and not a human to coyote shifter, he might have considered flirting quite seriously with her. But that wouldn't be good if she got the wrong idea. He didn't like the idea of being a coyote forever, and he assumed he'd have the same problem that he had when he was human. Which didn't sound all too fantastic. Plus, he preferred the human train of thought, the way you had more freedom. You were less likely to die in a fight, less likely to starve, less likely be hit by a car... and less likely remember the past. ----- Words: Five Hundred Forty Nine xP! [/scrolly]

[sonny]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/i6bdki.jpg] [scrolly:h(420),w(233),sy] WHEN the coyote started to get up, Sonny's tail wagged a little though it remained firmly pressed against her underbelly. She was glad he was okay. There was a good reason Sonny had gone into rescue work with animals, she couldn't stand seeing them abused or hurt. A random wild coyote was no different even if he didn't look like much, soaked and bedraggled as he was. She didn't dare straighten up though as he sat up, afraid any movement might spook him into attacking or maybe even running away. If he ran away at least she'd be safe but Sonny didn't like scaring animals so she kept still crouched on the bank of the creek. When he finally seemed less out of it, Sonny cautiously brought her ears forward. WHEN he looked up at her and gave a yip, Sonny's dog mind translated it quickly. It didn't turn into words like when a human talked but Sonny got the gist of it. He sounded confused. Sonny's ears twitched and she cautiously raised her head and barked back. She couldn't help but feel confused too. What would a dog do when confronted with a coyote? Was he friendly or was he warning her to get away? Just to be safe she backed up a few more steps, fighting her dog body's urge to roll onto her back and show her belly. Dominance. Sonny understood that, both as a human and as a dog. Dogs showed their belly to show submission. The dog in her wanted to submit just because she was confused but the human Sonny wanted to understand. She was curious but cautious and in the end it came down to just that, a battle of caution and curiosity. Should she advance and try to be friendly or should she run and hope he didn't follow? She may be a dog but she was far from a fighting dog and this was all so confusing that Sonny's dog mind simply put it away. INSTEAD her mind zeroed in on the coyote's posture. He was sitting up. Not hurt. Healthy. That meant dangerous, right? Sonny hoped not. His lips weren't curled, leaving his fangs hidden. No growl echoed from his chest. The fur along his back was laying down. Sonny twitched her ears. What would a normal dog do? Mentally frowning she thought back to the dogs at the society kennel. Whenever they put two dogs together the first thing they did was touch noses and sniff each other. Well, Sonny would sniff his butt, but maybe she could try the canine approach and let him know he was the boss and that she was harmless? CREEPING forward, Sonny stretched her neck forward to sniff the underside of his muzzle. She kept her tail tucked and her belly low to the ground and moved slowly. Maybe too slowly for a normal dog but Sonny was still human so she was bound to make mistakes in canine etiquette. She could only hope none of them would be deadly. His fur smelled musty and wet, so much like wet dog. Normally Sonny hated the smell, even as a dog, but she made no indication of her dislike. She let out a small whine from the back of her throat to show her confusion. She didn't know what to do next. Retreat? Roll over? What? She was at a loss. Sonny mostly rescued dogs, she didn't handle them as often as some people at the society so she only observed a few short sessions of how dogs interact and apparently being in a dog shape wasn't helping as much as she had expected. Tagged;; Slate Word Count;; 628 Background Song;; "Two Worlds" by Phil Collins Notes;; ^^ [/scrolly]

[echo]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/tables/2.png] [scrolly:h(156),w(390),sy] Watching this dog, Slate could easily tell she had not understood his words. Maybe he hadn't understood her words either and only imagined understanding them. But he couldn't figure out if that was the truth or not, for she wasn't speaking again. Just looking awfully confused on what to do. And he figured it was because he was a wild animal and she was not. Would he bite her? Pick a fight with her? Or did he act like a normal dog and move around with her? These were questions he figured she might be asking herself. He sure would be asking that about her, but he could tell by her expression she meant no harm. Those large ears of his pinned back though, but not in anger or fear, just a sense of confusion, which was seen by his head tilting just as his human self did not too long ago. What did they do if they couldn't speak to each other? How would they understand each other? Communicate? He'd never really tried speaking to any others or communicating as a coyote- only with a few other coyotes... but that had only been because he'd run into their territory. That'd been a frustrating experience. Most coyotes- normal ones, not humans that shifted, had a short attention span, they didn't really focus on big pictures. Their thought process was almost irritating to Slate- broken up, slow, not like how he was now. Sometimes he figured he might think more as a coyote. Which didn't make sense to how normal coyotes were. But maybe it was his father again. Or maybe just him. He didn't know. He didn't want to think about it. Then again... maybe he was more like the normal coyotes than he thought. It was the retriever in front of him sniffing under his muzzle that broke him out of those thoughts. This had Slate's pointed coyote ears perking curiously, his tail lazily whooshing against the pebbles beneath it. It wasn't a full on wag, but something that seemed to be similar between the two species. He was okay with her, that much was clear as he poked his nose into her forehead, sniffing the fur. He could smell the humans on her. It smelled almost familiar, but he figured it was just because it was a human scent. She was a dog- she had to have humans right? ----- Words: Four Hundred Fourteen My tummy hurts for some reason ; n ; [/scrolly]

[sonny]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/i6bdki.jpg] [scrolly:h(420),w(233),sy] SONNY went still as she felt a cold nose brush her forehead just above and right in between her eyes. When he didn't start growling, Sonny took that as a sign of encouragement. Out of the corner of her eye she even spied a half hearted tail wag. That coaxed her own tail which had been firmly tucked, to wag. Giving the underside of his jaw a last lick for good measure, Sonny skuttled back from him. Untucking her tail but careful not to let it rise too high, Sonny gave it a few enthusiastic wags and a bark to follow. He seemed to understand that she meant no harm and that was great but now Sonny was curious. Would a coyote play with a common housepet or would he go off? She knew coyotes weren't extremely social like most dogs, usually sticking in small family groups for a while or hanging around in mated pairs. THAT thought was enough to make Sonny's tail wag faulter as she glanced around. Mated pairs. What if there was another one nearby? She'd convinced this one she was harmless but what if she came across a female jealously protecting pups? Oh that certainly wouldn't end well. Licking her lips, Sonny sniffed the air, stretching her neck toward the coyote, black nose twitching a little as she sniffed. The male's scent was full of wet dog smell and all washed out from his dip in the creek but as far as Sonny could tell, it was just him. No warning smell that another female had laid her claim. Encouraged and grateful that she was dealing with just one, Sonny's tail picked up its wag again. Her jaws parted in that canine grin that retrievers were so popular for. Of course, dogs don't really smile but humans loved retrievers because they had the muzzle shape to suggest a well-meaning grin and eyes that portrayed utter content and obedience. DANCING a few more steps back Sonny barked again, a three bark note this time. She was curious. Would he play or would he run? The human in her knew this was a great chance to find out about a canine she knew little to nothing about, that it could help her in her work when she had to wrangle coyotes away from suburbia and corprate compounds. The dog in her couldn't have cared less about learning. This was a canine, an intimidating canine, but still a canine. That meant he might be able to understand her if she did the right things. If she did the right things, then maybe she would have a playmate. GOING more on instinct and memory from romping around with dogs at the dog parks when she got really bored, Sonny arched her back. Her front legs slid forward across the pebble-strewn bank and her rump was left raised in the air with her tail still wagging from side to side. Her chest brushed the ground, her head inches above the creek bank. Looking over at the coyote, Sonny barked once more. 'PLAY with me!' THAT was the thought Sonny tried to project. The dog in her mind wriggled in excitement at the idea of good old fashioned play. A run through the woods, a swim in the creek, anything with another dog to do it with her. Dogs were pack animals, not meant to be alone. That's why Sonny had never really agreed with people only having one dog. When the humans went off to work, the dog got lonely if it didn't have another to at least curl up with, it wreaked havoc all over the house. When the people came back, they saw the house a mess and simply exploded at the dog. That's what had landed a lot of dogs in the kennels at Golden Heart, not necessarily cruelty, just impatience. Now though, Sonny was given the chance to play with another canine and maybe learn a little on the side if her dog self didn't get too distracted. She tried to focus, she did, but she had to give the reins over to her dog side a bit more because it instinctively knew what to do. Tagged;; Slate Word Count;; 715 Background Song;; "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield Notes;; hope you feel better hun :( [/scrolly]

[echo]

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[atrb=background,http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy35/BaileeDanielle3/tables/2.png] [scrolly:h(156),w(390),sy] Slate- for once in a long time, felt himself grow embarrassed. His ears went warm as the retriever in front of him licked the underside of his jaw. Those large coyote ears perked atop his head in surprise, his whiskers pushed forward, and his tail stiffening. Why he was embarrassed as a coyote and not as a human... maybe had to do with the fact he felt like he felt better as a coyote. That's why he didn't quite like it. Too many emotions for his liking. But he guess he didn't really mind this feeling. It wasn't as if the two of them would become mates or something. He'd leave in a little bit- turn human, and probably forget all about her in a days time. She was just a goofy, stray dog. Right? Rising to his paws, Slate shook his body, sending water flying in all directions- a very dog like reaction- well he was a canine after all. This shake helped with the soggy mess he was, but also clearing his thoughts. His multi-colored fur now stuck up in clumps in all different directions, giving him an almost porcupine-like appearance. He knew he most likely looked goofy, but he was sure the other wouldn't care. She looked excited that he wasn't a grumpy coyote- most of them would have been. He wasn't exactly normal. But he saw her falter in her excitement, allowing his head to tilt in the opposite direction than last time. Slate really wished they could communicate properly. He really wanted to know what she looked so uneasy about. Maybe he should learn dog. He might see her again. And learning dog would be quite useful in the future if he ever ran into one as a coyote. And this coyote shifter definitely understood the rusty-colored canine's body language. More from seeing dogs interact and a little bit of coyote instinct than anything else, but it was enough to assist his understanding. She wanted to play. The short eager barks and her bending down like that said that easily, and he allowed his coyote instincts to take over almost completely His ears went back, his lips upturning in what looked like a smile- very much like the retriever across from him. His tail started swishing back and forth, much faster than before, about as fast as a growing excited dog. Bouncing forward with a sharp yip, appearing almost weightless on those fox-like paws of his, Slate pressed close to the retriever. He threw his small body on top of her in a playful notion, jaw snapping playfully at that rusty colored fur. The small body didn't stay on her's long, for he let himself roll over, landing on the opposite side of her, half on his back. Slate didn't stay that way for long, twisting so he was back on his paws, laying with his legs spread out in front of him and his back legs tucked underneath him. Those hind quarters weren't lifted, but the wagging his tail was doing and his previous actions definitely said he was up for some playing. He never let himself go as a coyote like this. But he never really got the chance to play like a dog in this coyote body- and he wasn't going to pass up the chance. ----- Words: Five Hundred Seventy Two Thank you ♥ I am feeling better :3 [/scrolly]

[sonny]

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[atrb=background,http://i53.tinypic.com/i6bdki.jpg] [scrolly:h(420),w(233),sy] THE sound of the coyote yipping in excitement made the human Sonny smile, the action hidden behind honey gold canine eyes. Instead of smiling, the dog Sonny barked in response as the multi-colored coyote flung himself at her. Everything in his posture screamed "play!" and it excited Sonny. Not only had she never interacted like this with a canine but she'd never interacted like this with a human, or at least not an adult human. That was why Sonny loved kids, she played with them like this, usually as a dog but sometimes as a human too. Honestly, if she hadn't gone into animal control she probably would have become an elementary school teacher. Sometimes she still thought about going back to school for an education degree. Sure, teachers made horrible money but Sonny loved kids. They didn't freak out over a little playfulness and think it was more than it was. To them, playtime was playtime, not flirting. Same with dogs, apparently all dogs. PRESSING her belly to the ground as the coyote's light weight rolled over her back, Sonny twisted her head to snap harmlessly at his oversized ears, tail whishing back and forth behind her. It amazed Sonny how light he was. She knew coyotes weren't heavy, she'd lifted them before at work. They'd been sedated of course, but still, they'd been light. Now as a dog though, with her sense of strength shifted somewhat, it was funny that he still felt almost featherlight compared to her more sturdy retriever body. Rolling to follow the coyote as he tumbled off her back, Sonny gave an excited bark, not able to stop herself. CONTINUING her roll, the rust-colored retriever popped to her feet with an excited bounce. Practically squirming from nose to tail with a sudden overload of energy, Sonny didn't quite know what to do with herself. She wanted to play but really, how did one play with a coyote? It wasn't like she could toss a tennis ball or anything and she was fresh out of old balled up socks. Those were dog toys anyway. How did coyotes play? Hmm.... SPYING the creek out of the corner of her eye, Sonny's tail wagged so hard her hindquarters swayed with the movement. Turning tail on the coyote, Sonny bounded through the leaf litter and forest debris. In a few short leaping bounds followed closely by a mighty splash, the red she-dog was once more in the water. Since it was autumn, the water was cold but thanks to genetics or evolution or whatever, Sonny's coat kept her skin mostly dry. Kicking her feet in a true doggy paddle, Sonny swam a circle to look around for her coyote friend. He hadn't seemed so hot on water earlier but maybe if it was for play he wouldn't mind? Or maybe coyotes were like...the dog versions of cats? Maybe they didn't like water at all? IN the back of her mind, Sonny made a mental note to research coyotes more when she got back home. Maybe she could ask to get sent on some more coyote-esque assignments at work or something. Her supervisor would think she was weird but shrug it off more often than not. Everybody had their preferred cases after all. Oh well. Sonny might as well do some field research here, a little push and pull to see how he acted. At least, human Sonny wanted to. Dog Sonny just wanted to swim all day and lay in the sun until dark when she'd go home. Tagged;; Slate Word Count;; 611 Background Song;; "If I Ruled the World" by Big Time Rush Notes;; horrible....i apologize... [/scrolly]