Ruins of the City

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This is mostly all that is left of the city. Ruins of concrete, brick, wood and steel lay about in a scattering of rubble. Some anthros and humans are buried or trapped here, some alive, most dead.It's our duty to find the survivors.

"...Alrighty then." Coax said, drawing out the words in something close to confusion. She watched him run away, looking around for his 'group.' She checked her waist band for her blade and breathed a sigh of relief to see that it was still there as she drew it out and flipped it open, just in case. Coax turned to Syliva after the short survey, stepping around so she could see her from the front. "That kid's cray. How's the paper cut?" She asked, gesturing to the wound on her chest. The foxes blade could have easily been dipped in poison, but after being trapped under rubble there was a good chance it had lost it's potency with the passage of time. Either way, he'd stuck his dirty paws on it. No telling what kind of infection could come from that if it wasn't cleaned properly.

I looked at him boredly as he droned on. I waved a careless good bye at him as he ran away. I turned back to Coax and clicked my jaws together and rolled my eyes. I looked back at him, running away. Coward, I thought. My ears flicked as Coax spoke to me. I looked at the small wound and licked it quickly. My saliva could clean it better and heal it faster than any antiseptic. "It's ok," I said looking at Coax. "That fox talks too much." I said quietly. I slowly walked in the opposite direction of the fox's direction.

"A weird quality for a Fox." Coax muttered, nodding in agreement. Her stomach growled, but she held off from the grnola bars and soda in her paw. They'd both only succeed in making her more thirsty in the long run. You could last a month without food, but only a few days without water. She needed to find a clean source, and soon.

I walked slowly through the rubble, the dog, Coax came with me. I casually cocked my ear when I heard her stomach growl. I looked behind me briefly then slightly changed my course. "I found this street awhile back," I said. "It's not as badly damaged as the others." Here the building stood in better condition than the rest of the city. They were accessible and not just high piles of rubble. The ground was more or less in good shape, the concrete was only heavily cracked. I walked to a still standing street light and found the fire hydrant. I bent down and started licking the water that leaked out from one of its broken nozzles. It was fresh and consistent and quickly satisfied my thrst. I looked at her then stood up. I nodded to her to go ahead and wiped the water from my muzzle.

Coax followed, graciously kneeling at the spout to drink. After lapping up her fill, she stood and glanced around. "How do you think this happened..?" She asked. The place beyond the road was in ruins, former houses laying in piles, toppled over on streets and lawns. It wasn't a pretty sight, to say the least.

Berry runs up and giggles "I found you!" She had gotten lost because she got distracted by a butterfly. "is everyone ok? No one got hurt right.." She smiles and pulls out some flowers. "I found these in a small field I think there called honey suckle.. They taste yummy like honey!" She gives them out to each of them. She sits down and plucks the flower from the stem and drinks the sap from the end.

I watch Coax drink then look around with her. "I don't know what happened Coax," I say quietly. I eye the cracked ground at our feet. "I just hope that whatever happened, doesn't reoccur." I drop down to all fours and was about to continue walking when I hear a high pitched squeal. I wince inwardly and lower my ears. I turn back around and see Berry running up to us. I smile faintly, I'm glad she's alright. As long as she doesn't hug me we're all good, I thought. I chuckled to myself and gratefully took the flower she offered and licked the sap out of the plant with my long tongue. "Thank you Berry," I say.

I sit on the broken sidewalk wrapping up a wound i gotten from the rubble. I whimper as i wrap the bandages around my knee. I look at the ruins and frown, it was ruined. "How could something like this just happen?"

I finished my flower, thanking Berry again for the sweet treat. I crouched down on the asphalt near the leaking fire hydrant, resting my elbows on my knees. My hind paws were in the shallow pool where the water had collected as it ran down the jagged sidewalk. I studied the cracks in front of me, lost in a daze of my own making. I sighed, where to now? I turned an ear to a voice nearby, one I hadn't heard before. "How could something like this just happen?" It seem directed to us. I lifted my head. "Who are you?" I asked quietly.

I sat perched on a crumbling building spying from behind a pile of rubble, holding a rifle using the scope. "Berry tisk tisk. Make sure you aren't doing something stupid." I whispered to myself as I motioned my group of canines to stay down.

Sylvia wrote:I watch Coax drink then look around with her. "I don't know what happened Coax," I say quietly. I eye the cracked ground at our feet. "I just hope that whatever happened, doesn't reoccur." I drop down to all fours and was about to continue walking when I hear a high pitched squeal. I wince inwardly and lower my ears. I turn back around and see Berry running up to us. I smile faintly, I'm glad she's alright. As long as she doesn't hug me we're all good, I thought. I chuckled to myself and gratefully took the flower she offered and licked the sap out of the plant with my long tongue. "Thank you Berry," I say.

"It's not like it could do much worse if it did." Coax muttered, kicking at a chunk of concrete. She aknoledged Berry with a flick of her ear, not having much more time to think about the destruction before a voice drifted their way. But, instead of inquiring on the situation, something else caught her attention. Something more fermilear, but draped in the scent of unfermilear fur and fangs. Something Foxish. In seconds she was gone- padding swiftly over rubble on four paws, following the direction of the wind that had carryed the scent.

I motioned my team of canines to hush and get down. "Possible enemy contact approaching?" I whispered as I held my gun and placed a trip wire in the doorway.

Coax scented the air- yes, the Fox was near. The only problem was that she couldn't figure out which direction to go. There were piles of rubble and partially destroyed houses everywhere, and the last thing she wanted to do was round a corner and literally run into him. So she stood, confident he was within ample hearing distance. "I know you're there, vixen." She called, her voice hovering below a yell.

"Boss, you hear that?" said one of my wolves.

"Yes. She obviously recognizes my scent. She doesn't know you yet though. " I said " I know this is odd to say but im gonna fake fall over the side, you know ill be ok. " I said looking at my well healed injury from the previous encounter.

"Is that a good idea boss?"
"Its our better chance at keeping your cover."

"OK, we will still spot you out." he said.

I stood on the edge of the mountain, and I slipped falling down catching my packs strap on a cable then unclipping it and falling onto a dying bush.

Faking a cough. I got up looking around to the surrounding buildings. I looked to my viewer. "I'm down what do you want? I don't have time to play."

My fur bristled when I heard the familiar voice. The fox. I slowly turned around. My ears slightly pinned back. I stepped in front of Coax, Berry and the new anthro. "Stay back Coax," I whispered. Focusing on the fox I asked in as level as I could.."what are you doing here?"

"What I am doing here is my business and Berrys business. Now what is your relation to Berry. You obviously know Berry well." I said

I looked to the surrounding structures glancing to see if anyone else was watching.

I glared at him. "She's a friend Fox." I raised my head and caught a scent on the breeze. Wolves, dogs, foxes. There were more of them. I looked around warily. "Where are they?" I asked. "Where are the others Fox?" My hackles rose and my ears pinned back. This fox was a traitor. I couldn't trust him.

As soon as he got down there, right in front of her, and posed the question Coax realized she had no idea how to answer. But she was saved from having too when Sylivia arrived, even if the relief was short-lived. As soon as the wolf told her to 'stand back' she felt a flare of anger, even if it was foolishly prideful. "I can take care of myself." Coax muttered, blantedly disobeying as she stepped up beside Sylvia. She felt stupid as she did it, knowing that the Fox had backups and she was more concerned about rejecting help to save a little face. It's not like she cared, though.

"Well calm down then since Berry is part of my pack, any friend of hers is a friend of mine." I said
as I sat down on a rock, and pulled out some dried venison

"Some of my pack are in the buildings behind me, several more of my pack are around the city." I said

"I apologies my rash actions before. I know its not fresh but you want some venison?"

"Berry do you still have your pack?" I asked

I stared at him and didn't move. One of my ears cocked back and I heard soft footsteps behind me. Coax came level with my shoulder and for once I was glad of the dog's ability to disobey orders. I was proud she was willing to stand by me, even if it was only out of pride or rebelliousness. I heard the fox speak and my anger only grew with his words, but I kept it in check. "Friend," I hissed. My eyes narrowed to slits and I felt my lip rise to expose my teeth. "Where did that word come from. When did you come up with that?" I step forward, toward him, growing bold. "We tried to help you and you turned your back on us." I said loudly, I hope his group in the buildings were listening. "We tried to heal you and you harmed us instead." Another step forward. "So when did you come up with trying to use the term, "friend" to any of us?" I looked down on him. "Before or after you tried to kill me." I snarled but didn't advance anymore. "You aren't worth my time." I backed up away from him. I didn't trust him that he wouldn't stab me in the back as I turned away.

"The only reason I attacked you was that I was nervous. I didn't think I could trust ya, id rather kill someone that is neutral then let and enemy live. I have a lot of enemies in these streets and I wasn't sure if you were with them. For attacking you im sorry. I understand your opinion on me. I apologize. Also you were the one who wouldn't tell me simply your name. If you wont even tell me that what am I supposed to expect. " I said as I pat my pack member Berry on the shoulder.
"If you are friends with Berry ill trust her judgment. If it helps I will let you attack me without retaliation. I know its odd but in my pack. Any crime is punished with the old eye for an eye rule. So if it is possible to make a truce with you I will do what ever is logically ethical."

"Also I have some news that you will probably like."

I watched the fox, his endless talking was starting to bore me. If he listened half as much as he talked, I thought, he would be twice as wise. Though foxes weren't the type to listen and instead gawked and talked hot air to make a point that they didn't know. I sighed inwardly. Please shut up, I thought. When he finally did, I spoke as little as necessary. "Giving a name," I said calmly. "Is a form of surrender. You control the person by their name. I do not trust easily and because of that, do not say my name to those that have yet to earn my trust. You didn't and so far have and will not earn my trust. So because of that, I forbid to tell you my name. It is not necessary and I will not surrender it to you, as you have become my enemy." I turned and started walking away. "You aren't worth my energy to fight and any news you bring becomes a plague. I wish to have none of it." I climbed up a slab of concrete and looked down at the forms below. "Coax," I eyed the new wolf. "Stranger, if you wish you may come with me." I looked firmly at Berry. "Berry," I said evenly. "Pick a side." With that I turned and disappeared over the crest of the slab.

"If you want to wander endlessly fine with me, however I will allow you settle if you wish on our still healthy mountains. In it there is still an abundance of elk, rabbits, and the sort. It is still crisp green, unlike most of the lands. My scouts have not found any other living biomes so far. However there is no way to redeem for my mistakes fine. But I will not let you die because of my stubborn behavior. If you wish to seek food and shelter on our mountains it will be allowed. Just eat what you kill. Berry is one of my finer pack members, and I will let her decide. If she wants to leave at least you'd have a better chance at survival." I said as I lit a cigarette and began smoking it.

At the scent of smoke I wheeled and charged back over the slab of concrete. The Fox was smoking. I leaped at him and pinned him down with my weight alone, my paws digging into his shoulder. I ripped the smoke from his mouth and extinguished the small fire at the end. "Foolish fox," I said hoarsely. "Do you wish to get us all killed?" I exclaimed. "There are broken power cables and leaking gas pipes all over this city. Not to mention the fact that it has yet to rain here in days. One ill placed spark could send this place all up." I glared down at him furiously as I waited for him to speak.

"Um well its an electric cigarette it wont do any harm. " I said as I breathed out the smoke. "Besides we got to enjoy some of the little pleasures of life. " I said as I pressed the button on another electric cigarette. Well sealed if would be impossible to trigger a reaction. "At least you have some wits with ya. You make some of the scum I encountered here, put to shame. Of course im not stupid enough to light a real one. " I said as I gently pushed her off me and pushed her away.

"These release no more heat than rubbing your hands. Heck static cling produces more sparks. I also know you are to intent on focusing on me that you haven't noticed the company we have. " I said as I tooted 2 times.

My pack threw down a rifle and it landed next to me. I smiled as a shot from far down the corridor of crumbling biuldings pinged an inch from Coax.

"You however weren't smart enough to watchout for others than me and my pack. But I wont blame ya for hating me enough to put you life at risk from someone else. " I said