FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Living on the streets, hunger gnawed at you, sometimes twisted you until you didn't care what the circumstances were. You had to find sustenance especially when food was hard to come by. Being in a pack had it's perks to be sure, hunting for food being one of them but it also meant more hungry bellies to fill.

Bruce chomped thoughtfully at a slab of steak he'd found laying about an alleyway. Divvying it up between he and his pack had been tough and it still bothered him that he hadn't kept all of it to himself. He understood however that keeping them all going would over time keep him going although it was the only ground he gave being alpha. Bitches were his, the biggest portion was reserved for him, rights and decisions were left for him to decided upon.

In short anyone that stood in his way was punished, some of the scars along his brindle from those who had challenged him, others all that remained of dogs whose lives he's snuffed out.

Downtown was his territory and every mutt knew it.

It was one of those rain streaked days when the sky is grey and the sounds of the city are there but seem muffled under the downpour. The dark clouds above had taken a respite for a while, no doubt preparing to deposit more water soon.

A sliver of sunlight shone through falling on him where he lay and after a time he dozed off completely confident that no one would attempt stealing his prize. None of his pack would dare on top of the fact that most of the dogs in downtown wouldn't because of the reputation he and his thugs had built for themselves.

Time passed and he continued to bask in the faint glow soaking up as much of it as he could given how chill the air was and how little it probably would be around for the next few days. It seeped into him, it lulled him and he was almost asleep.

Almost asleep when he felt a tug underneath his jaws. Subtle and almost not noticeable.

His limbs begged him to stay put and his eyes were bleary as he forced them open, Bruce's' vision taking a few moments to focus and clear enough for him to realise what had happened.

A pup or rather a very young dog was padded away with his steak!

He came utterly awake then, the fur along his spine bristling up and his impressive jaws locking into a full blown snarl.

The pup froze and turned it's eyes to look back at him a visible shiver running through it's body. It was afraid as well it should be!

"What do you think your doing with my property mutt?"

It was more a rhetorical question then anything else. He barked a few times leaping towards the hapless dog who turned tail and ran. Soon his gang hearing the ruckus were side by side with him running down the guilty culprit. The sour stench of fear led them forward, practically a visible potent trail that never allowed the dog to shake them, never allowed them to lose track of her as they ran through street after street.

Turning into a backyard Bruce could sense his revenge, smell the fatigue of his quarry, the high wooden fence hemming in the yard the perfect trap. That was when he and his boys were met face to face with yet another dog although this one was different.

The canine was a medium to large size dog, definitely a mutt of some sort. Parts of his build looked shepherd but that was where it ended. The stranger had more of a lean look to him, not quite scrawny but lithe with medium length fur that looked soft and downy. It was a dark russet red overlaying a second undercoat the color of wheat along his underbelly, his inner neck and face as well as the underside of his tail and in socks along both forelegs. Two small dots of white crowned his forehead in symmetrical alignment while below them two febrile amber eyes stared back at them quizzically over a pointy snout that hinted at wild.

The appearance of the other dog was so sudden that he as well as his gang stopped in their tracks as the pup took refuge behind the fluffy tail of the stranger, shivering and panting for breath.

Bruce caught the faintest flash of concern flicker across the red coats' face before it melded into a crafty mask, the pointed ears relaxing back and the eyes taking on a sly twinkle, no doubt inwardly accessing the situation and concocting some sort of scheme. Inclining his head the dog spoke, the words tumbling from his slender muzzle like warm silk.

"Well well well, what seems to be the problem friendlies? You all seem to be quite revved up about something. Care to explain yourselves? Then afterwards perhaps I can do something to help everyone win...."

"The problem as it is isn't any of your business" Bruce barked unable to contain himself. He paced back and forth, prowling up and down between his mates and the strange dog. "Perhaps the best way you could provide us with help is to leave and mind your own business..."

"Ah but it has become my business now that we're talking and I have a pup scared stiff clinging to my tail. So what seems to be the problem?"

"The problem is that this mutt pup stole what is rightfully mine! My pack scavenged long hours before finding a trove of food that was divvied out among us. Who are you to question that!?"

"Bandit" the canine replied nonchalantly as if it meant nothing whatsoever. "I'm sure that the kid didn't mean any disrespect to you or your pack. Hunger is a strong incentive for risk especially with winter nearing."

"Bandit? Your name suits. I'd imagine that you would find some way to allow this mongrel to escape justice, to not be punished as well she should be for stealing a possession of mine?"

"Not at all Bruce, I know that is unfair and that you must be paid both for the trouble you've been put through and the property that was stolen....."

The amber eyes swung round and the tail flicked curling round and drawing the pup closer as a precaution.

"I have stolen before when times became hard and my survival depended on it, isn't that what at some point we all must do?"

"I'm tired of this mutt! You've offered help and recompense to me. But I don't see a way that you could accomplish that aside from you handing over the pup and just walking away before I take my payment out of your scrawny hide!"

"Boys!"

At his word hackles raised once again and several growls started rumbling through the cold air. A smile crept along Bandit's face then, not joyful or calculating or worried. This dog was a fool whatever breed he was! Bruce scoffed aloud for a moment before catching himself.

In some ways he had to admire the strange dog for standing his ground even given his current situation. Nerves like that couldn't be taught or learned.

Once again curiosity hit.

Bandit was wild he could tell. Maybe that was why he mistook being brave for stupidity. The odds would crush him, the dog had no hope against Bruce and his pack and yet he stood there stoically, calmly, amusement playing on his features. As he watched they shifted as Bandit dipped his head down slightly whispering words to the puppy, probably warning it to be ready to make a break for it the moment the ensuing attack hit.

"Stop" he growled.

"But.....but Bruce! He......the pup......she..."

The speaker was a wiry greyhound named Sleven. Eager and dissatisfied as always. The thin grey face had been drawn back gleefully until the floppy ears detected the order.

Bruce met Slevens' gaze with his own.

"I said stop."

The greyhound huffed but gave way with the others after a brief moment of hesitation and once again Bruce turned toward the red coat.

"You have no chance Bandit, if I were to have my boys attack now you'd be torn to shreds. However I won't on one condition. I will offer you a deal because of the balls you've shown me."

He smirked trying to disorient the strange canine and get a read on the dog. Bandit remained as impassive as ever, his expression one of sly amusement so Bruce continued on a bit chagrined.

"I cannot let this whelp go unless of course she or you provides me with payment of my choosing."

"What payment would that be friendly?"

"A weeks' worth of service to my pack as one of it's members with only as many rights and benefits as I deem fit. You eat with us, you sleep with us, you hunt for us, you scavenge with us and you live under my law. You attempt escape and the term of service is reset. Whenever I decide that your services have not been up to par the time allotted will be reset until you have paid it off."

"And let me guess. If I don't agree to this you shred me and my friend here."

"But" Bruce cut in, "if you agree she goes free meat and all, untouched and unharmed by any in my pack."

You could've dropped a pin within the silence that followed and heard the clink as loud as the honk of a car horn. At some point that had gone unnoticed the pregnant clouds above had to decided to deliver, pouring thick heavy rain down upon them.

Bandit sat on his haunches, tail keeping the puppy sheltered as much as possible, eyes closed and muzzle dripping. The first signs of uncertainty showed, the proud ears tail up until this point lay pinned back against his head. The nostrils flared no doubt searching for anything that could be used, any last desperate thing that would offer another choice. Bruce chuckled inwardly.

He had the mutt right where he wanted him.

Who would've guessed that what started off as him being disrespected would serve to add another member to his pack? What luck!

Bruce planned to reel the unsuspecting dog in, promising to be fair. He knew now watching the lean muscles, the wild look, in light of the dogs' uncanny sense of purpose and certainty that this was a bargain that he would go out of his way to ensure remained a consistent boon to him. He would use any excuse to keep the dog under his services, any means necessary to use and abuse and take advantage of Bandit. Why not!

For now he would bide his time and act the part. Subtle manipulation. Bandit cared about someone else aside from himself, could be made to care. That was his weakness...or one of many that Bruce could sift through given time. For now he forced his face to show that of a just, understanding dog, one that was being overly reasonable and fair.

"You come with us....I let the pup go Bandit...."

"Alright. We have a deal" Bandit muttered, eyes snapping open and fixing themselves upon him. "But before anything else happens, the pup leaves safely. You go back on your word......

"I won't. Boys..."

As one his pack backed up clearing space toward the side lot that would lead back out to the streets.

Bandit leaned down once more, this time giving the pup a smile grin and a comforting lick along it's cheek.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have taken the meat!" she squeaked out regretfully. "Now they're going to kill us!"

"No they won't. We're okay darling" the bigger canine assured. "But I need to you to leave for now. Do you remember the way back home to where you live?"

The pup shivered and then nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright, that'a girl. I want you to walk out the side yard and to the street. When you get there I want you to run home and not look back."

Bruce almost admired how cool and collected the exchange was.

"I will. But what about you? You'll be okay right?"

"Of course I will. Don't worry about me. Just promise that you'll do as I've said."

Bandit nudged the puppy who took a moment and then started off on shaky legs, her paws sloshing through the soggy mud and out of sight into freedom.

Not a dog moved true to form.

"Well Bandit before you begin fulfilled your side of our deal tell me something. How exactly did you know my name was Bruce?" the brindle dog sneered importantly. "Did you hear tell of me and my pack round downtown? Perhaps you recognized me instantly and knew me by name?"

"Actually no. I didn't know you" Bandit said getting to his paws and padding to stand nose to nose with the bigger dog. "One of your mates fired a question at you a block or so back, he directed the question at you so I knew that your name was Bruce."

"You expect me to believe that you were following us all the way back since we started chasing the brat?" Sleven came forward unhappy to kept out of things for too long. "You don't know who you're dealing with!"

Bandit didn't acknowledge Sleven at all instead keeping his eyes honed on Bruce.

"I was watching, scavenging myself when the pup stole the bit of steak from you, the little one beat me too it if I'm to be honest."

"Did she now?"

Licking his chops Bruce padded round until he and Bandit stood side by side. Proper introductions were a must. Sniffing along the red canines body he lifted his own tail nosing his own way past the bushy tail of the newest addition to his pack pressing his nose pad up against the skin pink tail star before him. The muscled winked as it told him much about Bandit.

The dog was 2-3 years, wild, male, used to fighting, a mixture of wilderness and city variegated into his scent. What he smelled was an uncivilized musk, tempered with a history every bit as casual and devious as the nature of its owner. It was heavy some parts of it every bit of a mystery as would be a complete and utter stranger.

Even as he felt the nose press under his own tail in reciprocated greeting he knew without a doubt that this gesture had given Bandit more information for the taking then it had offered him. Fighting down slight agitation he pressed his nose harder against the pucker before aware of the eyes of his pack watching, waiting, judging.

In an act saved for only intimacy Bruce opened his muzzle with determination and without warning swiped his tongue lewdly along Bandits' ass, his buds tingling with the spicy, fleshy taste. Finally he was rewarded as the mutts' voice moaned out uncertainly, the tail flicking down, the smaller dog shuffling backward a look of bewilderment crossing his slender muzzle.

He can be thrown off of his game!

Meeting the look of betrayal on Bandit's face with a wide toothy grin Bruce allowed himself a condescending snicker.

"Welcome to the pack Bandit...."

For most of the rest of the afternoon the dingo was subdued.

Bandit made a point to keep his tail held at a confident and casually position as the pack traversed much of downtown, sure to keep up the charade especially when confronted with Bruce. But he couldn't shake the disappointment at the way that circumstances had panned out. In truth he had had a reason for wandering through, searching in his own way for any news or sign, anyone who was familiar with a canine by the name of Diggs.

The Swiss Shepherd had been apart of his life as his father for a very brief time before he could remember much of anything.

Bandit could recall a dog that was serious, in the habit of taking risks and who had always been someone who looked out for everyone else. A dog that was well and truly an alpha.

In a way he wished that the puppy hadn't crossed his path at all or Bruces for that matter. Against his better judgement he had jumped in, knowing that things couldn't be resolved in a good way the way that they had been playing out. Based on what he did know from conversing with the random stray here or the pure breds he knew uptown Bruce wasn't a dog to be underestimated or toyed with. He was heartless, cruel and unpredictable.

Given all his wanderings however he had never seen a city as deserted over time as it was now. The vaulted streets, the blacktop roads as well as the shops, company buildings, subway- all were deserted and empty of any sign of humans. It had happened so gradually that he had thought little of it and just assumed that it was normal.

As he trudged along in the wake of the pack he realized that they weren't trying to hide. They were padding right down one of the main streets with no one to question their passage.

Something had happened and he knew that somehow the fact that he was now stuck with Bruce's' pack might actually be the least of his worries....