Krush

A tongue lolled from Krush's parted jaws as he loped towards the small, human-crafted mountains of rubbish, leading Whiteout to one of his best 'hunting' grounds. There were better ones, but they carried greater risks, and the hybrid was not ready to get his companion into any trouble when he was already trying to make up for disturbing the family earlier. So the Dump it was today, with the ashen-furred Krush jaunting expertly down a length of neglected fencing until he came across an old hole that allowed for easy access to all the riches inside.

Bits of fur clung to some of the wire, where others had made use of the same entrance, and Krush left some of his own winter coat behind when it snagged on a frayed bit of metal. Hardly noticing this, he squeezed through and gave himself a good shake before looking back expectantly at Whiteout. "See? Plenty of food around, you just have to know when and where to look." It perhaps wasn't quite the 'hunt' Krush had promised, but there was a few tantalizing odors drifting through the air, mingled amongst a myriad of others.

Whiteout

The human streets weren't a typical traveling place for Whiteout. Born and raised in the wild, his mother had raised him and his siblings to prefer the freedom and safety of the wildlands. On occasion, the white brute had found himself traveling towards the bustling living place of humans, but his travels were short-lived and usually full of anxiety. Today, Whiteout trusts Krush's past experience and follows him to the entrance of the human dump site.

Pale gold eyes study the fencing with a dubious look, gritting teeth before squeezing through behind Krush. He, too, leaves tufts of his ivory fur on the wiring, taking no time to mourn the shedding of his winter coat. Nose points down the little pile of trash he stands upon, sniffing through the mass of smells hitting his senses. Whiteout blinks, trying to sort the scents. Something good had to be here.

Whiteout hops down, rustling through a torn garbage bag. The first item he pulls out is a wadded up mass of disposable fabric, the stench of dung hitting his nose. Whiteout cringes, knocking the object away with disdain. "Well...that one isn't promising..." He grunts, looking up at Krush with a huffing sigh. "Humans sure are dirty creatures...Hopefully that means we rummage up something good amongst this crap."

Krush

The incessant call of gulls rang throughout the Dump, where the white-feathered creatures gathered en-mass to feed on the left behinds of the humans. Krush padded purposefully through their ranks, sending dozens of angry bird wheeling and cawing into the air after his wake, only to settle back down mere yards behind him. Had he been a creature of feline grace, these avians of the ocean shore would have been great pickings, but they were a little too quick and street smart to be taken by the average canine. So the hybrid didn't even bother, preferring today to target food that could not run away.

He pauses to look back at Whiteout, chuckling a little when he sees the other discard an unsavory item. "You've got to dig a little sometimes, to find what the birds and other mongrels haven't gotten to yet. Or-" He turned and raised his head, ears swiveling forward, "You have to time things just right. Follow me!" With his target sighted, the blue-eyed wolfdog set off into a gentle but quick-paced lope, moving to the entrance of the dump.

Opposite from where they had snuck in, a large gate slid open to permit a driver through. It was a small van, and as Krush slowed his pace and began to approach the vehicle from a hearty distance, an older fellow stepped out and began to amble towards the back of it. Krushes tail began to wag and his eyes brightened, "Ha, what luck - we're just in time! Usually, everything's been picked over by the time I get here. But every once in a while, I get lucky." After waiting for Whiteout to reach him, Krush began to move forward again, heading towards the van and the old man who was just now beginning to unlatch the back doors.

Whiteout

Paws rake against the plastic bag, unearthing nothing more than discarded cardboard and food wrappings. There's still morsels of sticky sugar and other processed fluids, but nothing solid to consume. Whiteout sighs, glancing at Krush a bit dubiously. In all honesty, he's growing a bit hungry. He smiles kindly at the wolfdog, who is suddenly struck with eagerness. A chuckle passes through the brute as Krush suddenly takes off on an expedition. With a wag of his tail, Whiteout swiftly follows.

The wolf follows Krush to the far side of the dump. Ears twitch warily at the low, monstrous grumble of the van's engine. He watches with rattled awe as Krush continues forward, slinking low to the ground as he follows. "Shouldn't we give the human distance..." Whiteout utters, "He might shoot us or something if he sees us." Golden eyes squint. He's a wildborn canine through-and-through, and he has little trust of the two-legged creatures.

Krush

Krush stopped a few dozen yards from the old man, his body already starting to fall into the submissive, tail-wagging posture of a timid but appeasing pup greeting their master or meeting a new person. An ear is tossed back at Whiteout's caution, with his muzzle swiveling around a moment later to address his wary companion, "Most humans wont shoot at you, actually. It's a common misunderstanding!" He piped up helpfully, before looking back at the elderly fellow, keeping tabs on the two-legger's movements. "Truth be told, most ignore you, or throw rocks at worst. I mean, some do shoot at you, but that's mostly when you're out in the wild. In town-" His plume began to sway back and forth in subconscious anticipation for what he knew was inside that van, "-sometimes they'll feed you. It's all about reading their body language. I'll teach you."

A loud creak announced the opening of the van's back hatch, and the wonderful smell of stale, baked goods wafted out. "A lot of it's in their face. See his eyes?" It wasn't until the man turned around, a package of cookies in his hands, that his eyes were visible again. Happiness creased the edges, adding the myriad of wrinkles on the old soul's rugged face. "And see his mouth? I think that's there way of smiling, to let other humans know they mean no harm." Indeed, there was a smile in play, and everything from his slow movements to stooped posture reflected a gentle, harmless figure.

While Krush was teaching Whiteout the basics, the elderly fellow was opening the package and tossing cookies out like a series of little frisbies, making sure each one went in a different direction so that each vagabond that arrived would have equal opportunity to nab one. And sure enough, three other dogs had converged on the scene; two small, black and white mutts, and a tan female half of Whiteout's size. They shied away from the bigger brutes, but had no qualms about moving in close to the man to snatch up the sugary treats he was throwing out.

Whiteout

This world amongst the humans baffles Whiteout as he observes Krush, keeping himself a few paw steps behind the experienced wolfdog. He sinks down, shoulders tense as he watches the scene unfold and every ounce of what Krush narrates comes into form. Eyes widen with childish delight as the human unfolds a package of cookies. He doesn't hesitate to pounce forward, grabbing the cookie and devouring it ravenously. A laugh escapes the wolf's mouth as he glances over towards Krush, now spotting the pack of mutts also arriving onto the scene. His tail wags as he steps back, realizing that there was enough for the group to share. Whiteout throws a bewildered gaze at Krush, mouth still agar with sparse laughter. "This is a holiday," Whiteout pants, chuckling. "Definitely different from what I grew up with...but still, I can't find qualms with this method of getting food."

Krush & *Humans*

Though stale and past their date, the cookies that Whiteout accepted were nonetheless an amazing new explosion of sweetness and crunchy delight for a wolf that had never dined on human fair. Krush's eyes danced with enjoyment to watch the other try them for the first time! He snagged a few himself and greedily crunched through the round little disks of baked dough, inhaling as many as he could get his teeth on. The man at the back of the van was cooing strange noises, while his creased eyes reflected a happiness similar to Krush's.

He soon was turning back to the many boxes he had carefully piled in the vehicle, and now began to toss slices of bread, sending some of them wheeling like frisbies through the air, where a growing assemblage of gulls would swoop in and nab them mid-air. Krush patiently waited for this to end, while murmuring to his friend, "Bread is good and all, but he's got better things in store. Just wait."

Sure enough, once the fellow had finished tossing what amounted to five loaves of semi-crunchy old bread out, donuts were next on the list. And while he was beginning to dole these to the gathered canines, Krush was grabbing one round pastry after another, trying to jam as many rings as he could between his jaws to carry back for the others.

Whiteout

The wild canine gazes on with mounting perplexity and delight. Golden eyes study the human and the way his face contorts with glee at the assembly of canines, followed by a myriad of snarky seagulls vying for the snacks as well. Whiteout's tongue lolls as he pants with elation, looking over at Krush when the upcoming promise. The white wolf charges forward to procure one of the sweetly glazed donuts, retreating a safe distance to better enjoy his new treat. Tail wagging furiously, Whiteout seeks Krush's gaze with a growth of laughter. "No kidding," Whiteout exclaims, "Man, as if the humans and their strange innovations weren't enough. This food is other-worldly!" The brute gulps the remains of his prize down, contemplating rushing back for more when he recognizes the fullness of satisfaction burdening his stomach. He can't count how many cookies he devoured, and the donut settles in his gut with vengeance. Whiteout chuckles nervously, recognizing the symptoms of over-eating, something he hadn't done since he was a milk-suckling pup. "Oof," he comments to Krush with a waver of embarrassment. "I don't think I can manage another cookie without hurling..."

Krush & *Humans*

Krush's laughter rang out in chuffing bursts, watching the sheer wonder in the other's eyes, and the utter delight as his taste buds encounter glazed donuts for the first time. "This is only a fraction of what they have. The other foods are a bit harder to come by - I'll have to show you sometime!" He'd paused in his own donut hunt to watch the man pull additional goodies out of the van, but by now he was feeling about the same way as his wild companion was - one more bite, and his belly might burst!

"Feeling it, huh? Hehe, don't be worried if your head gets a bit of an ache to it, that happens sometimes if you eat a bunch of this sweet stuff. Totally worth it though." Krush turned his nose down at the pile of goodies at his paws, and had to lick his chops to keep from drooling on them. Stuffed as he was, the scent of the sticky sweetness almost compelled him to risk another bite, but previous experience kept him from doing so. "I think I've got enough here to give the ladies and pups a decent meal, if you could grab a few more?" Thanks to Whiteout's impressive size and wild scent, the other strays gave them a wide berth, leaving quite a few donuts and cookies free for the taking.

Whiteout

Tail dancing left and right, Whiteout charges forward upon Krush's suggestion to snag a few more of the sugary treats for their friends. The white wolf snorts a bit when he grabs a few more donuts, his stomach rumbling in an unpleasant way to remind him that he doesn't want to ingest any more sugar. Twisting back, Whiteout takes a fleeting glance at the cooing human and squints a bit. So peculiar. Not every human wanted to mount Whiteout's fur on a wall. Returning to proximity of Krush, Whiteout drops his procured treats with a lash of his tail. "Ta-da," he states with pride, eyes glittering. "I hope they like them...otherwise, by the time we get home, I might be brave enough to stomach some more," he muses with a laugh. He then tilts his head with thought, questioning outloud before even bothering to screen his thought, "How long have you been coming to this trash pile? It's a hidden jewel amongst the human infestation." Although the wolfdog lacked some wild-blooded considerations, Whiteout admired his charisma amongst the streets of the humans. There was much wisdom to be exchanged amongst the wolfdog and the wolf.

Krush & *Human*

Krush's own hindquarters were swaying in a lively manner to match Whiteout's, his tail a lethal weapon to anyone who strayed too close to the lashing appendage. The excitement and glee shared between the two canines seemed to amuse the old man, who laughed out loud as he watched them both scavenge and hoard as many of the donuts as they possibly could fit between their jaws. The two-legger even raised a hand and shook it in the air when Whiteout looked back at him and his curious noises.

"If they don't like them, we can't let them go to waste, eh? I think between here and there, my stomach can make room for more, if absolutely necessary." Humor might have driven his words, but there was some truth behind them too. No donut would go wasted today, even if that meant he had to clean up any leftovers. "Oh, I've been coming here since I was old enough to scavenge with my parents. This is the safety place to get food from the humans; they tend not to get angry when you eat their food here for some reason. They uh... get a bit irritated at the other places." A mischievious glint entered his eyes. "But that's for a later time."

Blue & Whiteout

Whiteout pants at the human, tail wagging softly from side to side. His golden eyes twinkle at Krush's suggestion, knowing that his appetite would definitely spike during the journey. If the rest of them didn't like it, it was their loss. "Well, I'll have to sneak out here more often..." Whiteout chuckles, his mind considering the odd nature of the humans. This garbage hole, of all places, was a safe spot for the canine-kind.

~~

Following their scent trail from the prairie, Blue arrived at the dump with a sniff of disdain and mounting annoyance. Her brother and the new wolfdog had, of course, ventured off somewhere Blue would've preferred to avoid. But, alas, her she was clamoring over heaps of trash in hopes of locating her sibling and their new friend. Their small pack had moved, and encountered Blackened's family. It was Blue who volunteered to retrieve this duo.

Finding them wasn't a difficult task. The she-wolf hauls herself up onto a tall mound of garbage, catching sight of the two conversing brutes. A rigid sigh passes over her body as she pays observation to the scene below, recognizing neither of them are in harm, but slightly perturbed by their choice of shenanigans. "What are you two doing?" Blue exclaims from her perch, head cocking as she surveys the situation below. She's slightly annoyed, but genuinely curious at the same time how docile the duo are amongst the company of stray dogs and the human.

Krush & *Human*

Krush's expression lights up like a newly stoked bonfire at the realization that he'd just made a friend who he could share his knowledge of human foods with. His mind already began to reel with thoughts and ideas of all the different locations he could bring Whiteout too, and just how they'd pull off their capers. Just as he was going to suggest a new place for a future excursion, movement caught his attention, and turned Krush's dial to a nearby trash heap.

Immediately, his ears flipped back and his posture took on a more submissive tone as he recounted their previous encounter. Behind him, his tail went into overdrive, just to clarify that all was well, "Oh uh, sorry! We were- well, I was just telling your brother about other food options. But uh.." Krush looked down at his pile of slightly drool-covered donuts, "..I think we've gotten enough now, for the others. Though, I mean- if you wanted to grab a few too, we could bring back even more?"

The old man had a hand cupped above his eyes as he looked out at Blue. His teeth flashed in a smile, and a series of strange noises burbled forth. A few rock-hard slices of blue berry bagels were tossed in her general direction, though none of them made it anywhere near her, and rather bounced across the ground a few yards shy of Krush and Whiteout. The other strays watched this, but none darted in close to the wild canines to steal the pastries.

Blue & Whiteout

Azure eyes study Krush with a pass of amused criticism, the she-wolf snorting as she takes a few steady hops to join their level. She glances between Whiteout and Krush, shoulders bristling as suddenly her attention is absorbed by the cooing human. Her ears flicker downward as she gazes onward, following the bread discs that flop just feet away. "What in the moon's name is that human doing?" Blue scoffs, whipping her head in Whiteout's direction.

It's the white brute who suddenly laughs, his elation cutting through the tense air like a blade. "Lighten up, sister," Whiteout growls, bounding forward a few steps to procure one of the bagels and tossing it over to her. "Not all humans are treacherous beasts seeking to capture and kill you."

Blue sniffs at the bagel, picking it up in her jaws. She grinds on the bread treat, suspicious eyes darting from first her brother, then to Krush, to then flash to the human standing beyond them. Ears remain planted against her skull as she takes a swallow. Without a doubt, Krush has led them to a delightful treat, but Blue attempts to subdue her bustle of elation. "Not...bad," She admits slowly, squinting.

Whiteout rolls his eyes. "Don't sound too eager, Blue," He accuses, "Krush struck gold with this find, you can admit it. It's easy food, and it's good"

Krush & *Human*

Krush's tail wagging intensifies when Blue bounds in closer, nimbly navigating the trash heaps to join the pair. His overall look was one of appeasement and open submission, like some overgrown puppy doing his utmost to avoid any ire from his superiors, and thus escape any further punishment. He definitely did not want a repeat of what happened in the Prairie.

Bright-eyed and enthusiastic, he added on to Whiteout's assessment of the two-leggers, "Your brother's right, you know. Most humans are actually more scared of you than you are of them!" This bit of sage advice was accompanied by a glance back at the old fellow who was nearing the end of his pastries, much to the vexation of another smaller stray that had just showed up late to the party. "Some, like this one here, actually share their food. I call him Skypatch, because he usually wears that one skin of his, with the blue and white patches on it." True to Krush's description, the man was wearing a blue and white checkered vest, the color not too far off from the hues in the sky.

The hybrid watches as Blue tries one of the rock-hard bagles, a grin teasing at the edge of his muzzle as she reluctantly compliments the human food. "There's even better stuff than that. It's a bit trickier to get, but I know all the good spts."

Blue & Whiteout

Overly-cautious and bit too cynical to the bone, Blue releases a huffing sigh in response to Krush's explanations. Having light shed upon her perception of the humans was cringeworthy to any wildland creature, and Blue was happier pretending they were nothing but trouble, just like the stories of her puphood. But finally the she-wolf relents, tipping perked ears towards Krush. "Maybe you're right," She exhales edgily, blue eyes narrowing for a moment, "But I'm not taking any bets with too many other humans. I've heard too many stories of them putting bullets into our kin's kin...I'll trust only this Skypatch for now." Her words cause a firm wag of the tail from Whiteout, who grins from his post alongside Krush.

The she-wolf watches the strays scurry about the waning food source for a moment longer before tilting her attention back towards her brother and Krush. She didn't arrive at this trash hole to entertain the human with stale food and compete with the strays. "We've moved camp," Blue announces. "Family of Black found us, and they have a territory." There's a pregnant pause as Blue adverts her eyes to Krush, not sure if the hybrid would opt to join them at the new home. "I'm not sure if you were looking for a long term arrangement, but the invitation is extended to you as well, you know," She tells Krush, ears twitching.

Krush

"That's probably a good idea." Krush agreed readily with Blue's wariness of the humans, "I can teach you later how to tell the friendly humans from the harmful ones; it's a bit of a learned skill, one that you pick up living in a place like this." He offered his services on this as well, more than happy to help these two, especially if it meant he had someone to run around with and talk to.

He listened quietly as Blue went on to explain that the small group had located permanent land to reside on, finding a home that was probably safer for the small pups and easier for the family to protect and defend. And certainly better at keeping unwanted interlopers such as himself from accidentally blundering into. His pleasant interest in this hastened into excitement the moment Blue extended an invitation, and his ears instantly popped up from their submissive posture, "It is? Oh, well I never really consider-I mean, I wasn't expecting that! But-" Krush's words were broken by a sneeze, and followed up with a broad smile, "Yeah, sure! I'll join you!"

Blue & Whiteout

Whiteout's tail wags with delight as Krush accepts the invitation to join them to Parnassian. While the wolfdog had commenced his presence amongst them on a weird note, he saw promise in the hybrid. Whiteout grins, twitching his ears. "Good, we have to keep you around so you can live up to all the promises you've made!" Whiteout chuckles, golden eyes gleaming. "And I'll show you how to tackle down a grizzly bear!"

Blue rolls her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself. "Both of you are doofs," she hums, shaking her head. "Follow me, we'll have to back track to the prairie first and follow their scent to the territory," the she wolf bounds forward before pausing, glancing at both Whiteout and Krush, adding with a mocking tone,"And don't wander off, okay?"

Krush

Excitement got the better of the hybrid, who began to prance his front paws when his wagging tail just wasn't enough to convey his happiness in the moment. A full belly, a new family, and pups to play with? Who could ask for more! The euphoria seemed to be contagious too, as Skypatch let out a breathy chuckle to see the three canines mingling in such an animated way, to the point that one of them had begun to dance. Krush scarcely paid the man attention at this point though, busy as he was looking between the two siblings, "Yeah yeah! I'll show you pizza, and you teach me to take on a giant bear!" It was hard to tell whether he was playing along with Whiteout on this grizzly issue, or whether he truly believed grizzly hunting was on the table, but either way, the blue-eyed wolfdog was all in for joining the pair.

Krush was already jamming his collection of donuts between his jaws when Blue was giving them a rundown of how to get to their new home. Unable to speak, he blinked his big eyes and nodded, pranced his front paws a few more times, and prepared to follow.