Chimaka || Rhazorn

HELLO! HI! YES, OVER HERE DARLING. NO! LOOK DOWN A BIT DARLING. THERE WE GO. A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME YOU NEEDED ME TO DESCRIBE MYSELF. HMM, WELL I AM A RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK FOR STARTERS. I DO HAVE DIFFERENT BREEDS MIXED IN, BUT NO ONE NOTICES THAT. IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT MY MOTHER YOU CAN TELL THAT SHE HAS SHORTER LEGS AND NO RIDGE, SO SHE IS THE MIXED BLOOD. THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF IN HOW I LOOK AND HOW A PURE RHODESIAN LOOKS. I AM A PRETTY AVERAGED SIZED WHEN COMPARED TO MY BREED. I STAND AT 25 INCHES AND WEIGH AROUND 65 POUNDS. THAT AT LEAST IS MY HEALTHY WEIGHT. THOUGH SIZE REALLY DOESN'T MATTER TO ME. IT'S HOW AGILE AND FAST YOU ARE. IF IT IS NOT ALREADY EASY TO TELL I'M A RUNNER.

I THINK WE ARE DONE HERE. OH, YES! MY COAT! LET US SEE. BASICALLY MY COAT IS A SANDY BEACH COLOR. IT KIND OF SHINES IN THE SUN. MOSTLY BECAUSE I HAVE SLEEK SHORT HAIR. THERE IS SERIOUSLY NOTHING CRAZY ABOUT MY COAT. I MEAN AT THE VERY TIP OF MY TAIL MY HAIR TURNS BLACK. ALSO AROUND MY MUZZLE, EYES, AND NOSE EVERYTHING TURNS BLACK. THOUGH THE ONE EXCEPTION IS MY FLOPPY EARS. WHICH HAPPEN TO LOOK A LOT MORE BROWN RATHER THEN SANDY OR BLACK. ONE LAST THING. I DO HAVE A BIG SPOT ON MY CHEST WHERE MY HAIR TURNS WHITE, SO THERE!

MY EYES ARE PRETTY REGULAR AND BROWN. SKIPPING THE BORING PARTS. AH! NOW HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF WHY THEY CALL US RIDGEBACKS? WELL DOWN MY SPINE MY HAIR RUNS THE OPPOSITE WAY FROM THE REST OF MY COAT. THAT'S MY DISTINGUISHED FEATURE, SO WHEN MY HAIR STANDS UP IT GOES UP LIKE A RIDGE. TA DA! MY BODY IS BUILT LEANER FOR RUNNING AND CHASING. AS MY MOTHER SAID RHODESIAN'S WERE BUILT FOR CHASING DOWN LIONS, SO WE HAD TO BE ABLE TO CATCH THEM SOME HOW.

HOW SHE VIEWS IT- CHI THINKS SHE IS JUST FINE AND DANDY OR IN OTHER WORDS JUST PLAIN AWESOME. SHE KNOWS THAT SHE CAN BE A VERY TALKATIVE PERSON AND SHE DOES HAVE MANY HABITS WHEN TALKING. AS IN CALLING EVERYONE DARLING. SHE KNOWS THAT WHEN IT COMES TO SPEAKING HER MIND THAT SHE NEEDS WORK ON IT. SOMETIMES IT IS IN HER NATURE TO SIT ALONE AND TALK TO HERSELF. AT TIMES SHE CAN LOOK KIND OF DAZED AND OUT OF IT, BUT SHE LIKES TO TELL OTHERS IT IS A PASSING PHASE. WIBBLY WOBBLY FEELINGS ARE NOT HER THING AND SHE TRIES TO AVOID TALKING ABOUT THEM AT ALL COST. EVEN WITH THAT TALKATIVE PERSONALITY IT MIGHT TAKE HER A WHILE TO WARM UP. IN THE END SHE IS NOT A VERY LOUD PERSON. WHICH IS WHY SHE RESORTS TO THE LITTLE VOICE IN THE BACK OF HER HEAD.

HOW FRIENDS VIEW IT-EVERYONE WHO HAS COME TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN CALL CHI A FRIEND AGREE THAT IT WAS A LONG HARD ROAD. THOUGH ONCE THEY GOT TO KNOW HER THEY COULD UNDERSTAND WHY SHE HESITATES WHEN THE NEED FOR FRIENDS ARISE. MOST OF HER NOW CONSIDER FRIENDS THOUGHT SHE WAS CRAZY, BECAUSE OF THOSE LONG CONVERSATIONS SHE HAS WITH HERSELF. IT WAS OBVIOUS AFTER A FEW CHATS WITH HER THAT SHE COULD EASILY HOLD HER OWN IN ANY CONVERSATION. MOST WERE SURPRISED THAT SHE WASN'T VERY LOUD IN THE FIRST PLACE. THOUGH THEY HAVE ALL LEARNED TO ACCEPT CHI'S NEED TO BE ALONE WHEN HER FEELINGS POP UP. OF COURSE THERE IS ALWAYS THAT ONE FRIEND WHO HAD CHOSEN TO NOT LEAVE HER ALONE.

SUMMARY- IT IS OBVIOUS FROM MOST OTHERS WHO SEE OR MEET HER THAT THERE IS SOMETHING OFF ABOUT HER. FEELINGS ARE HARD FOR HER TO TALK ABOUT AND IF YOU EVEN MENTION THE WORD LOVE IT IRKS HER TO THE BONE. THOUGH IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE OBVIOUS IT SEEMS SHE NEEDS SAVING FROM HER OWN MINDSET. YOU MAY SEE THAT BUBBLY PUP LIKE DOG ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT IT'S JUST A CUTE LITTLE MASK FOR THE SHOW. WHEN ANGERED SHE USUALLY BLOWS WHEN HER LAST STRING SNAPS. WHICH MEANS WHO EVER IS IN FRONT OF HER, EVEN IF YOU DID NOTHING WRONG, COULD BE THE DOG THAT GETS THE WORST OF IT.

PRE-BIRTH- YES, I DO REMEMBER THOSE BEAUTIFUL TALES MY MOTHER USE TO SPIN BEFORE. I MEAN. LETS JUST GET ON WITH THIS BRIEF ORIGIN HISTORY LESSON. MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE ALWAYS STRAY DOGS, BUT THEY FOUND THERE HOME CLOSE TO A FARM. THE FARM OWNER HAD AN OLD ABANDONED BARN IN WHICH THEY MADE THEIR HOME. I'M PRETTY SURE THE FARMER KNEW THEY WERE THERE, BUT MY MOTHER DENIED IT. ANYWAY APPARENTLY DURING THE NIGHT MY FATHER PROVIDED FOOD BY HUNTING THE RABBITS AND SMALL RODENTS. I'M SURE HE TRIED GETTING A COW OR SOMETHING, BUT ONE LONE DOG? NAH I'M NOT REALLY SURE HE EVEN TRIED. MY MOTHER SAID THE FARMER HAD A GUN AND AT NIGHT SHE WOULD HEAR RANDOM SHOTS. I DO FORGET NAMES A LOT DON'T I? MY MOTHER'S NAME WAS BLUE-MAI. EVERYONE JUST CALLED HER BLUE. THEN MY FATHER WAS NAMED CYRUS. WELL IN THE END BOTH MY PARENTS WERE PRETTY MUCH STRAYS. BEFORE THAT THOUGH MY FATHER WAS A HUNTING DOG AND IT WASN'T HARD TO BELIEVE. WHILE MY MOTHER WAS ALWAYS A STRAY DOWN TO THE BITTER BONE.

NEW BEGINNINGS- BEING ONE OF THE ONLY TWO PUPS TO SURVIVE IN MY MOTHER'S LITTER IT KIND OF FELT LIKE WE HAD A SHELTERED LIFE. I DON'T BLAME MY PARENTS EITHER. MY ELDEST BROTHER WAS STILLBORN, MY SECOND ELDEST BROTHER WAS FRAGILE AND WEAK, AND MY LITTLEST SISTER BORN LAST COULDN'T MAKE IT A WEEK. SO I WAS LEFT WITH ONE SISTER. EVEN THEN THERE WERE VERY SLIM CHANCES THAT WE WOULD SURVIVE. WE WERE BOTH BORN AS FRAIL LITTLE PUPS. SEEING HIS PUPS DIE ONE AFTER ANOTHER WAS HARD FOR MY FATHER. HE WAS STILL NOT USE TO THE STRAY LIFE AS MUCH AS MY MOTHER. SHE KNEW THAT ONLY THE STRONGEST WOULD SURVIVE FOR THE SAME EXACT THING HAD HAPPENED TO HER MOTHER'S LITTER. LUCKILY FOR BOTH MY PARENTS WE RECOVERED WELL AND GREW LESS FRAGILE. WHICH LED TO HARDER AND MEANER PLAY FIGHTS.

BEING THE YOUNGER (AND SOMEHOW SMALLER) SISTER MY OLDER SISTER, GIN, WAS ALWAYS ABLE TO WIN. WHICH OF COURSE IRKED ME. I REALLY DON'T LIKE LOSING. AS PUPS I'M SURE WE NEVER NOTICED THAT SLOWLY OUR PARENTS BEGAN TO GROW APART. ARGUING SEEMED ALMOST NORMAL IN OUR BEAUTIFUL BARN. GIN THOUGH SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND THE THREAT OF ARGUING PARENTS AND WOULD ALWAYS SHUFFLE ME AWAY. THUS DISTRACTING ME FROM OUR FAMILY'S SLOW UNRAVEL. ONE DAY THOUGH THE ARGUING STOPPED AND I DON'T MEAN THEY BOTH SAT DOWN QUIETLY. MY MOTHER DISAPPEARED OR AS GIN WOULD HAVE TOLD IT WALKED OUT ON US. GIN BECAME BITTER AND STARTED LOATHING OUR PARENTS.

THEN THE NEXT WEEK HE LEFT WITHOUT A TRACE. GIN USE TO SAY BITTERLY THAT HE PROBABLY DIED ON HIS FIRST NIGHT ALONE. THEY HAD BOTH LEFT US ALONE. TRUE IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED (OUR LITTLE FAMILY), BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. GIN SEEMED TO HAVE KNOWN WHAT WAS COMING. THOUGH MAYBE I THOUGHT SHE KNEW. AS SOON AS WE WERE ALONE SHE WALKED OUT TOO. SHE KNEW I WOULD FOLLOW, SO I DID IF I HADN'T I WOULDN'T BE TELLING THIS STUPID STORY. YOU KNOW WHAT GIN WAS RIGHT WE FOUND OUR FATHER A FEW MILES AWAY. HE HAD BLED OUT FROM GUN SHOTS. i COULD TELL THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THOUGH.

THOSE MIDDLE YEARS- THERE WAS NOTHING REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THESE YEARS. AT LEAST NOTHING I WANT TO REMEMBER. APPARENTLY MY SISTER HAD CAUGHT ON TO MY FATHER'S HUNTING HABITS AND SOMEHOW LEARNED. EVENTUALLY SHE TAUGHT ME. WE NEVER CAUGHT ANYTHING THAT COULD SUSTAIN US. WE WERE CONSTANTLY STARVING AND WE KNEW THAT WE WERE SLOWLY GOING TO DIE. WE WERE IN NEED OF DIRE HELP. AT NIGHTS WHEN I LAY AWAKE BESIDE MY SHIVER SISTER IN HER DREAMS SHE WOULD CRY OUT FOR OUR PARENTS. THAT WAS ONE THING THAT PUT ME TO SLEEP MOST NIGHT. IT TURNED INTO A SAD LULLABY. OTHERS OFTEN ASK ME WHEN DID I START TALKING TO MYSELF.

I TOLD YOU THAT ME AND MY SISTER WERE GETTING WEAKER AND WEAKER. YET IN MY HEART I ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING TO GET UP FOR IN THE MORNING. GIN. GIN WAS STARTING TO FEEL LIKE SHE HAD FAILED ME AND SLOWLY I COULD TELL SHE WAS GIVING UP ON US, ON ME, ON HERSELF. HER DEATH WAS SLOW YET PAINLESS. USUALLY EVERY MORNING I WOKE UP I WOULD CHECK ON HER. THAT DAY THOUGH I CHECKED ON HER A LITTLE TO LATE. I SAT BESIDE HER MOTIONLESS BODY AND JUST WHISPERED INTO HER EAR EVERYTHING THAT HAD BEEN ON MY MIND. IN THE END I TALK TO MYSELF, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE GIN IS LISTENING. SHE MIGHT NOT REPLY, BUT I SWEAR SHE IS THERE. WITH ME.

THE NEXT QUESTION IS PROBABLY HOW I SURVIVED. WELL LET ME PUT IT SIMPLY. I MET AN IDIOT. DON'T GET ME WRONG SHE WAS A VERY SMART AND KIND WOLF, BUT SHE HAD THOSE FUNNY MOMENTS. ANYWAY SHE BECAME LIKE MY BEST FRIEND. WHICH IS HARD TO COME BY. LETS JUST SAY I CHANGED A LOT AFTER MY SISTER DIED. ANYWAY THAT IDIOT TAUGHT ME HOW TO HUNT AND TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. SHE ACTUALLY FOUND ME OUT IN THE OPEN ABOUT TO DIE FROM STARVATION AND SHE DRAGGED ME BY THE COLLAR TO HER KILL. IT WAS WEIRD, BUT IT ALMOST SEEMED LIKE SHE KNEW WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH. TILL THIS DAY I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HER OTHER THEN HER NAME. IT WAS GINGER. MY IDIOT FRIEND GINGER.

THEN COMES GROWING UP- I CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT IDIOT. SHE JUST TOLD ME THAT IT WAS TIME FOR HER TO MOVE ON AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO OCCUPY HERSELF WITH. THOUGH I UNDERSTOOD WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT. I NEEDED TO DO THE REST OF MY LIFE ON MY OWN. GINGER. IT WAS FUNNY HOW CLOSE HER NAME SOUNDED TO GIN. MAYBE IT WAS GIN'S WAY OF SAYING SORRY. I DON'T KNOW. I DO KNOW THAT SOMEWHERE THROUGH MY TIME OF KNOWING GINGER I STEP BY STEP LEARNED HOW TO FORGIVE GIN. I RAN INTO RHAZORN AND WAS HESITANT ABOUT JOINING. I WAS SO USED TO BEING ALONE BY THEN, BUT SOMETHING TOLD ME IT WAS THE SMART THING TO DO. THAT'S WERE I'VE BEEN EVER SINCE.