Ben, Tom, Dan, Hydra, & Pack

Keeping together as they traveled, the group entered Ben's yard together. As Ben slid off of Hydra, Tom and Dan began to unload their catches. Exuro was carried over to one of the smaller enclosures nearest to the house. He had enough room to run about, but there was no where to hide from sight in the small space.

Cave was placed in a kennel next to Exuro, while Mouse was chained up to a stake in the front yard. Since he seemed the least threatening during the capture, Ben wasn't quite as concerned with keeping the salukie enclosed.

Food and water were given to Exuro and Mouse, but nothing was offered to Cave.

Cave Canem/Exuro/Mouse

Exuro lifted his head, still drowsy from the tranquilizer. He looked at the kennel next to him which housed Cave. "Whatever you do, dog, don't let them control you." He said.

"I know." Was the reply from the German Shepherd. He looked around, and his eyes landed on Mouse. "Hey! Skinny dog!" He called.

Mouse walked as close as the chain would allow. "What?" He asked, wagging his tail. Cave stood up. "You have more freedom than us. You can get us out of here. Pretend to be hurt. When the sickly-looking man or the old man comes by, or any other dangerous human, kill him." He commanded. Mouse thought for a moment, then nodded. Cave growled. "Be vicious, little dog! Be vicious! You have rabies. Got it?" He added, then dismissed the smaller dog. He watched as the other two got a meal.

Exuro listened in. "Perhaps I could be of assistance?..." The Gemsbok asked, eating the food that was given to him. Cave looked at the horned beast. "Those horns look sharp..." He said. "I'm sure they would be helpful."

Mouse nodded as Cave spoke, then drank his water. It would take a while for their "evil" plan to be put into effect.

Ben, Tom, Dan, Hydra, & Pack

When all of the animals woke up from the sedation without trouble, Ben dismissed Tom and Dan. The two men drove off with the ATV, heading over to Ethans once more to help with Alue. Little did they know the trouble that Tidus was causing; but once they found out... it would be over for the man. Stealing one of Ben's fighters and letting the others loose was a big no-no.

Hydra pawed at the ground before dipping her head to nibble on the grass. Her ears swiveled and directed at Cave's plotting. "You're wasting your time." She snorted in a casual tone again, not even bothering to glance their way.

Dip was more aggressive than the mare, as he stalked towards Cave's kennel. "You hurt my master, and we'll tear you to shreds! Got that?"

Ben, oblivious to the plotting that was going on, moved towards the front of his house where a small tree was; from where he stood, Mouse could get within a foot of the man before the chain would stop him. Calculating blue eyes fell sized up the lean, leggy dog before Benjamin gaze a whistle, attempting to call the dog towards him.

Cave Canem/Exuro/Mouse

Cave snarled. "I'd like to see you try, dirty mutt!" He snapped, holding a dominant position. Mouse barked at Dip, but then looked at Ben. He did not know that his master was in danger right now. He wagged his tail and ran to Ben, but the chain soon stopped him.

Exuro looked at Dip. "Like you could tear us to shreds...that's really funny." He taunted.

Ben, Hydra, & Pack

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Ben's mouth, though it was always hard to tell whether such actions were real or faux. "You've been with people before." He commented, leaning down a bit as he reached a hand out towards Mouse; close enough to touch the top of the salukie's head, if he'd allow it. But those eyes, so observing and full of complicated emotion, watched every move the dog made. At the slightest sign of aggression, Ben would pull has hand back to avoid a bite. But if no bite was offered, then Mouse would be rewarded with a nice pat on the head.

Dip paced menacingly in front of Cave's cage, wishing that there wasn't a fence separating him from the other. "You'd be swallowing those words if I got my teeth into you, you feral trash!" Narrowed eyes shot towards Exuro next, "I'll be the one laughing when it's all said and done!"

Hydra continued to graze on the ground, rolling her eyes on the bickering the canines and oryx were doing. "You know you're all wasting your breath."

Cave Canem/Exuro/Mouse

Cave put his paws onto the sides of the kennel. "HAHA! You're pretty bold for a human slave!" He exclaimed, raising his hackles. "Run back to your homely bug-eyed owner. He needs your protection. Go, before he loses a limb!"

Mouse wagged his tail as the human patted his head. Exuro snorted at the Saluki. "No, dumb dog, he's the bad guy! He'll take your skin and turn you into a rug!" He snapped. Mouse looked at the Gemsbok. "This is all part of the plan, oryx. We have to make him trust me."

Ben, Hydra, & Pack

Dip snarled more savagely, ignoring Hydra at the moment, "How dare you make fun of Ben! As soon as this gate is open..." The dog's words dropped into a dark tone, "...you're toast." Having enough sense about him to catch Cave's warning though, Dip barked to one of his pack members, "Lynn, stay near Ben!"

Hydra cantered towards Exuro's pen now, finishing off a mouthful of grass, "Bad guy? You should learn more about someone before jumping to conclusions, horned-one." The mare flicked her tail as she dipped her head to graze along the grass beside Exuro's pen. "You see, that dog friend of yours was most aggressive. And he gets no food because of it. You and Mouse weren't as mean, and so you were rewarded." She glanced to Ben and Mouse before looking back to Exuro, "He's only the bad guy if you make him be that way."

Dip growled, "Oh, shut up Hydra! You don't know to explain him to these fools!" He was all for killing Cave, but that blasted fence was in his way.

"Ignore him; his hot-headed." Hydra replied with a shake of her head. "But listen to my words, and they may serve you well."

Benjamin stole an annoyed look towards Dip and Cave, just about fed up with their growling and snarling. But he would deal with that later. Right now, he had to start conditioning Mouse. And part of the conditioning meant that Cave had to be here as well. "So, you are a nice dog after all?" The man said, in a matter-of-fact voice as he went on to stratch behind Mouse's ears. Little did he know that he was loosing a few of his fighters back at Ethan's place right now. Tidus would be paying dearly for this blunder.

Cave Canem/Exuro/Mouse

Cave growled. "I will make fun of him all I want." He said, then narrowed his eyes. ...He deserves it." He put his paws on the ground and snarled at Dip. "If your dirty human is so great, why does he have to lock us up? I knew he was unintelligent, but I didn't think he was a coward." He looked at Ben and barked. "You hear that, human waste? Coward! Dirty stupid coward!"

Mouse wagged his tail, thinking about what to do next. Shasta would be going crazy looking for him, and she would put herself in danger doing so. He looked at Dip. "It would be favorable if you all would stop arguing. None of you are the best and none of you are going to hurt anybody. Got it?" He barked.

Exuro snorted. "Why do you say he is our friend, yet you do not tell us why he has imprisoned us? Doesn't that make you the bad guys?"

Ben, Hydra, & Pack

Dip lunged at the kennel, snapping feverishly at the other, although his fangs only clashed against the metal of the cage, "Shut up! You're the coward!" He shot back, though had nothing to defend his statement, "He's a great leader!" The King Hound turned to Mouse next, "I am the best! That's why Ben made me the leader of the pack!"

At this, Lynn rumbled quietly, "Cool your jets, Mouse is right. And you're only the leader because you're the biggest, Dip."

At all the commotion, Ben looked once more towards Caven and Dip, blue eyes betraying a hint of anger and annoyance at the two. But he wasn't going to let that get in the way of training Mouse. Standing up, the man turned about and headed inside.

Hydra gave a long look in the direction of the retreating Ben, speaking lightly in reply to Exuro, "I don't know why he choose to imprission you, but he could have very well killed you if he wanted." The dappled mare looked back to the oryx, "If anything, I would say your friend over there is the bad one. Ben has shown no desire to hurt or kill you; in fact, he has fed you. That is not such a bad thing." As true as her words were, she had no idea what Ben was planning, whether it be good or bad. With him, it was nearly impossible to tell what was going on in that mind.

Soon enough, Ben returned, heading towards Mouse again. A package of hotdogs were held in his hand, and he made a point to hold them up so that Cave could see and smell them clear enough. "You are being quite the gentlemen." The man began, directing his words to Mouse as he pulled out one of the hotdogs and held it just above the dog's head. "Sit!" Came the command. It seemed obvious to Ben that this dog had contact with humans, so he was curious to see if he knew any tricks. And if he did, then all the better for the conditioning.

Cave Canem/Exuro/Mouse

Cave smirked. "You're not in the position to call me a coward. I am hungry right now. When you least expect it, you will see fangs coming for your face. Then you will be dead." He said in a dark tone, then looked at the hot dogs.

Mouse obeyed and sat down, knowing there would be a reward. Exuro snorted at Mouse. "No, no! Don't obey him! He's fattening you up so he can eat you!" He called.

Ben, Hydra, & Pack

Hot-headed Dip just wouldn't let the argument go, "That's what you think! I'll have my teeth in your throat before you know what hit you!" He raged, snapping his fangs near the fence again.

The mare chuckled, "Ben doesn't eat dogs, horned-one. He's only rewarding your friend there, because he's doing the right thing." Hydra informed, even though she knew full-well that Ben was conditioning the dog to do what he wanted him to. Lowering her voice, she spoke in a quiet tone so only Exuro could hear, "Now watch this." She looked to Ben.

Ben dropped the hotdog, letting Mouse eat it. He then walked towards Cave's kennel, giving Dip a piercing stare that made the dog drop his ears and slink away without protest. With a face that reflected no ounce of emotion, the man held up a hotdog just inches in front of Caven's...

Cave Canem/Exuro/Mouse

Cave growled. "I'm sure you would..." He said sarcastically.

Exuro shook his head. "That's what he wants you to believe!" He snorted.

Mouse wagged his tail and ate the meat, then looked at Cave. "Better do what he says. This stuff tastes good." He barked happily. Cave growled at the smaller dog, then looked at Ben. "So are you going to tease me, or let me eat?!" He snarled.

Ben, Hydra, & Pack

"You'll learn. Or starve..." Ben said quietly, turning away from Cave as soon as the snarl was issued. "Dip, come here."

Ears perked up at the sound of his master's voice. Tail wagging appeasingly, he bounded over to Ben, cowering like a whipped-puppy. "That's a good dog." Giving Cave a pointed, almost leering look, Ben gave the hotdog to Dip.

Hydra watched the little session, "Your friend's gonna starve to death if he doesn't learn quick enough. Hunger ought to get the better of him sooner or later, but I've seen some dogs... they're skin and bones before they give in and stop with the aggression."

Ben, Hydra, & Pack

A ringing cellphone put an end to the conditioning session. Ignoring the dogs for the moment, Ben answered the phone.

Dip sat expectantly in front of his master, cocking his head one way to the other as he waited for another hotdog. But as Ben spoke on the phone, aggatation and anger rose in his voice. Not sure what was making the man so angery all of a sudden, Dip figured it was best to high-tail it before he became the scapegoat to something.

By the time Ben finished with the telephone conversation, his face was livid and his eyes burning with pent up fury. He stormed past the others as he headed for his car.

Cave Canem/Exuro/Mouse

Cave Canem was growing bored and angry. He paced his kennel swiftly. He needed action. Exuro looked down at the large war dog with expressionless eyes. "Be nice. Be friendly. As soon as the human lets you out, attack him and run." The Gemsbok said. It was more of a suggestion than an order. Cave chuckled. "Yeah...didn't I think of that plan like two seconds ago?" He asked with an annoyed tone in his voice.

Mouse wagged his tail and looked at Cave. "I agree with the horned one. Act like a pet. When the time comes that their guard is down, make a run for it. Don't look back." The dog's voice was low, so nobody else would hear.