Topic: Cats and Dogs, Living Together

David Lo

Date: 2011-03-30 01:38 EST
David was a bit early for his meeting with Mesteno. They'd decided on the Red Dragon Watch House as a place they both knew, yet was out of the way enough that no one was likely to look for them there. He wanted to make sure that Riley didn't find out that he was in the process of finding a puppy for her. It was going to be his last wedding present to her, and he wanted it to be a big surprise. He leaned up against one wall of the Watch House, and looked around. Ever since the twin blows of Riley's resignation and Dris' virtual abandonment of the government, the Watch had been suffering pretty badly. No funding, no support, and almost no one even bothering to ask them for help anymore. It was sadly deserted, even in the middle of the day.

Mesteno didn't show late, but had it been remarked upon that he was cutting it fine, he'd probably have replied with a shamelessly wolfish grin and an "I'm not late, I'm on time!" With the Watch House empty he'd no reservations about making it their meeting place; he even found it mildly amusing to be meeting the ex-Constable there, unharassed by men wanting to arrest him, though he wasn't so cruel as to remark on their absence. Middle of the day meetings made it difficult to be surreptitious on the approach, but he managed somehow, irritating in that out-of-nowhere way he had, smile bold and crooked. "Afternoon, Mr. Lo," he greeted him cheerfully, disreputably clad and smelling distinctly like he'd been roaming the docks.

If he'd been Riley, he would've no doubt smelled Mesteno coming long before actually seeing him. Maybe it was a good thing he didn't have a nose like hers, though, considering. "Afternoon, Mr..." He paused. "You know, I don't even know if Mesteno is your first or last name," he admitted. It was, undoubtedly, one of the myriad things he didn't know about the guy. Most of them he probably didn't want to know, either. Despite that, he'd grown to more or less like Mesteno.

For a heartbeat his smile stretched broader, but it wasn't mockery, just a reaction to a question posed many times. "S'my first name, don't have a second. I'll make it easy for you though, call you David from now on so you don't have to feel informal." And yes, the lack of shifter senses was probably a blessing at that point. Not that he'd been hanging with the fishwives, but judging by the soggy hems of his jeans and the sand clinging pale to his boots, he'd been indulging in some paddling. "So this is nice," he added, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Is this our date or are we on some top secret, covert mission you need a bad guy for?" Thankfully, his tone was playful.

David snorted, chuckled. "Come on, I wouldn't take anyone on a date to this place. Even you," he said with a matching tone. "It is a top-secret, covert mission, but I don't need a bad guy, I need an animal guy." He glanced around again, just in case Riley had sneaked up on them. It wasn't too likely, but it was pretty hard to overestimate her senses or her stealth.

David had left himself right open for some particularly cheesy retorts there, but Mesteno spared him the groan-worthy humour. Mirroring his furtive glance about, as if he didn't trust David to do it thoroughly enough, he pitched his voice low. "Okay well, I can probably help there too. You want to be more specific though 'cause I'm liable to leave you in a pen full of Meercats." Don't put it past him!

Meerkats were cute, at least. That was beside the point, though. "Okay. Well. I'm sure you've noticed how much Riley likes dogs, odd as that might be, all things considered. I've been thinking about surprising her with a puppy for a while now, and I think now is the perfect time. I've even done some research, and found a breed that I think would be perfect. Trouble is, I don't know where to find one. That's where you come in. You know animals, and I'm pretty sure I can trust you not to spill the secret to her." It wasn't any stretch at all to trust Mesteno to play things close to his chest, after all.

"I think she'd have stolen Bear if I'd given her half the chance," he remarked with a wry grin. As much as he'd enjoyed watching Riley and his overgrown mutt sat on the floor like kids, he doubted she'd have liked his food preferences. "You're right, a puppy'd be perfect. There's not a lot of choice at the Rescue Shelter right now, mainly Bull Terriers and a couple of old Labradors. I'm guessing that's not what you had in mind, but there are folks that work there that have good contacts here in Rhy'Din, and Earth-side. So what is it you're after?"

David Lo

Date: 2011-03-30 01:40 EST
"There's a kind of dog called a Kangal Dog. From what I've read, they're just about perfect for her. Big, loyal and protective, and smart enough to be trained. Do you know of them?" It had taken some searching to find that particular breed, and he had no idea if they were unusual or not.

"An' here I was waitin' for you to say a Chihuahua," Mesteno replied drolly, though he chuckled quietly after, angling himself into shadow to avoid the sun's direct glare. "They're...no that's a Leonberger. Oh!" He pointed a lean finger at David as if he'd somehow prompted him. "Kind of like Bull Mastiffs. Heavy, probably weigh more'n her," and him! "and pale coats. Dark faces?" It struck him that Riley would probably protect the dog more than it'd need to protect her, but he didn't say as much.

David nodded rapidly. "Yeah, that's the one. Granted, she doesn't need any protection from a dog." No, he didn't read minds...yet. It was just obvious when one thought about Riley and her capabilities. "Still, having a guard dog around the house couldn't hurt. And she likes big dogs a lot more than little ones."

He might not read minds, but Mesteno still squinted at him in mild suspicion, though he reassured himself with the fact that if David were a mind reader there were far worse things he could have glimpsed. "Yeah, can't see her having the patience for a yappy-type, handbag pooch. These Kangals, I've never seen one here in Rhy'Din, but we've a directory of breed specific rescue centers. Can't guarantee they'll have pups, but you know they'll be able to recommend reputable breeders. I can look into it for you. You need one by a specific date?"

David looked completely innocent, of course. "Nothing specific, but the sooner the better, you know. Wouldn't be much of a wedding present if I give her a puppy next year."

"I don't know, you could be one of those couples that renews their vows every year," he grinned, but nodded all the same. "I got a shift there Monday. I'll see what I can find...let's be pro-technology though and avoid notes at the inn." He tugged a battered, silver cell phone from his pocket, which could only politely be called a 'brick' compared to modern ones, and awkwardly thumbed through before offering it over to David. "Your number, please. I promise not to hoax call you unless I'm really, really drunk."

David snorted again. "Just because I owe you a date doesn't mean I'm up for a midnight booty call," he said dryly, taking the phone and punching his number into it. It still amused and confused him that there could be functioning cell towers in a place where half the inhabitants still considered a crossbow to be high technology.

David caught him by surprise plainly enough with that. The redhead's eyebrows shot up, and he ended up barking a thoroughly amused laugh. "Well damn, you got me, and there I was figuring I just got lucky," he grinned, hand out for the phone back, once David had finished. "I promise you, I've no inappropriate intentions where you are concerned. Sam is inappropriate enough to last me a lifetime."

"Good to hear." Both for the lack of intentions and Mesteno's apparent happiness. He dropped the phone back into the waiting hand, said, "If you do find someone with a Kangal puppy, I'll owe you one."

The phone was pocketed swiftly enough, thumb jabbing the power off as if he were reluctant for anyone to succeed in getting a call through. "No, it's fine. We'll consider it thanks for you not throwin' a tantrum that time we sort of kidnapped your wife." He was still surprised at the lack of vengeance!

"Oh, I threw a tantrum all right, but she convinced me not to go find a rifle with a nice scope." Then he scowled, though it was obviously exaggerated and not to be taken too seriously. "Just be glad we weren't already married at the time."

"Non-witnessed tantrums are fine. Non-snipings are even better, though I'm pretty sure you'd have found it more satisfying to use your fists. Guns are so impersonal." The voice of experience. He patted the pocket with the phone in it and turned away, saluting with the other hand lazily. "I'll call."

Mesteno had a point. "Thanks again." He turned and headed in the opposite direction, snickering softly as he thought of how it resembled a scene from just about every spy movie ever made. Only none of those had revolved around a dog.

((Taken from live RP. Many thanks to Mesteno's player.))

David Lo

Date: 2011-03-30 01:45 EST
Luckily, Mesteno?s call came while Riley was off teaching; her super-kitty ears would have been able to hear and recognize the voice on the phone, and that would have lead to all kinds of questions as to why David was getting phone calls from Mesteno. Since he wasn?t about to lie to her face, it would have ruined the surprise right then and there. Now, however, the plan could move forward to its next phase.

He called the dog breeder immediately after Mesteno?s call. Amazingly, they had a Kangal puppy available, one that was just over eight weeks old. When David explained that the dog was going to be wedding present for his wife, the breeder sounded pretty enthusiastic about the idea, going on to point out how loyal and dependable Kangals were, and how they made such good watch-dogs. It was nothing that he hadn?t already learned in researching dogs, but he didn?t interrupt. He didn?t want to give the woman any reason to refuse to sell the puppy to him. When she?d finished extolling the virtues of the Kangal dog, he told her that she?d sold him, and wanted to get the puppy as soon as possible. The breeder told him that she?d have to do a home inspection to ensure it was a safe environment for the puppy, but her willingness to come see their house almost immediately suggested that this particular breed of dog wasn?t in high demand. He explained to the woman that the puppy was going to be a surprise present for his wife, and asked her to come later that afternoon, when Riley was still out teaching, and after his own class. Of course, with her rehearsals on top of teaching, Riley was hardly ever home during the day anymore, making it fairly easy for him to find a time that was good for the home inspection and wouldn?t give away the surprise. He thanked the breeder, and told her that he looked forward to her visit before hanging up.

Now it was just a matter of waiting. Well, waiting and going to teach. He still had his class to get to, and it was about time for him to leave. He changed into his practice clothes and headed out, making sure to lock the door behind him.

After class, David headed directly home to wait for the dog breeder to arrive. He double-checked the house, just to make sure there wasn?t anything the woman might think was unsafe for a puppy. He wasn?t too worried, though. Riley was very nearly paranoid about security; not unreasonably, either, considering the kinds of things she?d been through, so all of the windows and doors were quite sturdy and thoroughly locked. Neither one of them was a slob, either, so the house was all but spotless, even when no company was expected. There were advantages to both members of the household having superhuman speed and endurance. It made housework a snap, if nothing else. Once he was sure that everything was in order, he made himself a quick snack, and sat down to wait the half hour or so until the woman arrived.

When the doorbell rang, he popped up and glanced through the peephole. An unfamiliar older woman was standing in front of the door. He assumed it was the dog breeder; she didn?t look like much of a threat. He opened the door and exchanged pleasantries with the woman, inviting her in to look around. As she walked around the house, she explained that the home inspection was mostly a formality, but a necessary one. She had to be sure, she explained, that he wasn?t going to buy one of her dogs to put into an underground dog-fighting ring or something. She liked what she saw about their house, though. He showed her the backyard, as well, but assured her that the puppy wouldn?t be going out there without supervision, at least until it was significantly older.

David Lo

Date: 2011-03-30 01:47 EST
It didn?t take very long for the dog breeder, whose name was Sharon, to satisfy herself that Twin Oaks would make an excellent home for a dog. When he told her that he wanted the puppy as soon as possible, she invited him to come meet the dog, and his parents. It sounded like a good idea, so he locked the house up and followed Sharon. Riley had rehearsal tonight, and wouldn?t likely be home until eleven or later, so there wasn?t much chance she?d come home to an empty house and wonder where he?d gone.

Sharon?s kennel was next to her house, both of them situated on a huge, open yard. She had him wait while she went and got the puppy, explaining that the parents would get nervous if he handled the puppy in their presence. Even though he?d read plenty about the dogs, and knew they were a decidedly large breed, he was still surprised when the eight-week old puppy turned out to be over 25 pounds already. He had a feeling this would turn out to be one very big dog when he grew up. He looked like the pictures he?d seen of Kangal pups; light tan fur, black mask, and bright eyes. Upon spotting David, the puppy immediately went over to him and starting sniffing his shoes. He tugged experimentally on one of the laces, then reared up to sniff David?s leg.

He chuckled, reaching down to pet the dog. Clearly, this puppy didn?t have any shyness issues. It immediately started wrestling with his hand, nipping playfully at it. When David took possession of his hand back, the puppy went back to tugging on the laces of his shoes. Sharon asked him if he wanted to meet the parents of the puppy, so they headed into the kennel. The puppy went back with his siblings, and the parents were introduced. The dam?s name was Shiba, and she weighed 84 pounds and was 25 inches tall at the shoulder, according to Sharon. The sire?s name was Athos, and he weighed in at an impressive 132 pounds, standing 30 inches tall at the shoulder. Both regarded him cautiously, but without any overt aggression. Both seemed pretty smart, too. They listened intently when Sharon spoke, and looked at David when she told them his name. He?d already decided he was definitely going to get that puppy, but it was good to see the parents and find out what sort of adult the puppy might grow into.

After filling out some paperwork and paying a modest fee, David found himself the proud owner of a new Kangal Dog pup. Sharon also gave him a substantial sack of food, a couple of toys, and a whole lot of advice on how to handle a Kangal puppy. He thanked her sincerely, and headed for home.

Riley was going to flip out when she finally came home.

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu69/Hatsu-Hana/finneganat8weeks.jpg

Riley ORourke

Date: 2011-03-30 23:58 EST
How did that song go?? 'The waiting is the hardest part?'? It was true.? The four hours or so between David getting home with the Kangal puppy and the time Riley usually got home from rehearsal seemed like a hundred years.? Even with a cute new puppy to amuse him.? The puppy in question seemed to be almost entirely fearless.? He'd taken his new home in stride, going off to explore the house within seconds of being set down.? David followed the puppy around the house, pointing out the rooms like a tour guide.? After they'd gone through the entire house, he poured some of the food Sharon had given him into a bowl in the kitchen and set it down for the puppy, who dug right in, eating enthusiastically.? David chuckled.? "Looks like you and Riley share a passion for food."

Her key clicked in the lock and as soon as the door swung open, her back was up.? A low, hair-raising growl escaped her throat as the scent of Dog hit her nose.? She very quietly - as only a Cat could - set her bag down next to the door and slid off her shoes.? Padding on stockinged feet, she slipped through the living room and into the bedroom.? Finding nothing there, she moved silently back into the living room and flattened herself against the doorway that led into the kitchen. Moving her head almost too slowly to be seen, she peered around the door frame...and saw David with a puppy at his feet.? She blinked in shock, a frown marring her features.? "David?" she asked, stepping into the doorway.? "What's that?" she nodded towards the bundle of fawn-coloured fluff.

Normally, he was pretty alert to the sound of her key in the lock, and the door opening, but this time he was distracted by the crunch-crunch-crunch of the puppy eating.? He didn't realize Riley was home until she spoke.? He spun, smiling automatically when he saw her in the doorway.? "Hey baby," he said, scooping up the puppy, who continued staring at the food for several seconds before noticing the new person in the room.? "This is the last part of your wedding present from me."

Another blink in shock and she looked between David's smiling face and the heartrendingly cute face of the pup in his arms.? "What?? Seriously?"? A grin broke out on her face and she held her arms out for the baby dog, her hands doing that open-close-open-close gimme-gimme-gimme thing.? "You got me a puppy!"

He laughed, nodding as he handed the not-so-tiny puppy over to her eager hands.? "I did."? She looked every bit as excited and pleased as he'd hoped she would.

"Oof," she said as she cradled the dog against her.? "Jeeze, you're a chunk!? How old is he?"? The pup was squirming in her arms, snuffling at her jaw line, sticking his cold, wet nose in her ear, licking the side of her neck.? She giggled and held him out at arm's length, looking him over.? "What kind is he?? Where'd you find him?"

?He's about eight weeks old," he replied, still chuckling as he watched the puppy's antics.? "He's a Kangal Dog.? They're Turkish, originally.? I got him from a dog breeder."

"Eight weeks?? Really?? He's so big."? The puppy gave up squirming and hung loosely in Riley's arms, giving her a soulful look.? "Aww, c'mere, baby," she cooed and cuddled him closer, holding him on his back and scritching his belly.? The pup, for his part, looked as though he was in heaven.? "He's gonna be enormous, isn't he?" she asked David, leaning in to kiss his cheek in thanks.

Riley ORourke

Date: 2011-03-30 23:59 EST
"Probably.? His dad weighs more than you do."? He gave the puppy a couple of belly scritches, too, then kissed the top of Riley's head.? "Good present?"

"Awesome present.? Best present ever.? Best husband in the history of husbands."? She grinned at him and then set the pup down on the floor.? He sat for a moment, looking a bit confused, then ambled over to the food dish and stuck his nose in it.? The kitchen was soon filled with the crunch of kibble.

"Right on."? He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her body against his.? "He needs a name, too.? Can't just keep calling him puppy."

She fit against him as if his body was made for hers.? "Hmm," she said thoughtfully.? "What kind of dog are Kangals?? Are they working dogs?? Guard dogs?? Herders?"

"They're livestock guardian dogs.? They live with the flock and fend off wolves, bears and jackals."? This was where all the research he'd done before choosing the Kangal Dog came in handy.? "They're very protective, and pretty easy to socialize, but they're also smart and independent enough to make them somewhat difficult to train."

She smirked at him.? "Sounds familiar."? She kissed his cheek again and sat down on the floor next to the puppy, who had just finished eating.? He ambled over to her, climbed up into her lap and began chewing on the strings to her hoodie.? "No," she said very firmly and took his toy away.? "You, Sir, need a name."? The pup, denied his toy, sat down in Riley's lap and let loose a belch.? Riley laughed and him and patted his head.? She glanced up at David.? "What do you think?? Got any suggestions?"

"I thought that combination of traits would appeal to you," he said, grinning.? Then he shook his head.? "I was never very good at naming pets.? Besides, I got him for you.? You should get to name him."

"Well, let's see.? He's going to be a giant, so maybe...Titan?? Pallas?"

"Titan has a good ring to it."? He shrugged.? "If you like it, go for it.? The power is yours."?

"Kintaro?"

"Isn't that one of the bad guys from Mortal Kombat?"

She frowned severely and muttered, "Stupid video game.? Then she said in a patient tone, ?No, Kintaro is a Japanese folk hero.? His name means 'golden boy'. But you make a point.? What about Fionn mac Cumhaill?? He was a hero and a giant."

"Finn, huh?? That's pretty good.? Easy to remember.? I can see calling him Finn."

She looked down at the puppy who was still sitting in her lap.? "What do you think, little sir?? Finn?"? The pup yawned and laid down, settling his chin on Riley's thigh.? She chuckled and looked up at David.? "I'm not sure that's a yes or not."

"Well, he didn't turn up his nose at it, at least."? He grinned.? "I think he'll be just fine with Finn.? He looks comfy there."? He chuckled.? "Pup has good taste in thighs."

She gave David a saucy smile and then glanced down at the pup. "Well, Finn it is, then.? C'mon, Finn.? Let's go outside."? She slid him off her lap gently and then opened the back door, making sure that she stepped through it first.? Finn shook himself and followed her outside.

David went over to the doorway and leaned up against it to watch as Finn had his first encounter with the backyard.?