A pack without a leader (Johanna) - Gambler's Den

It was not right for the four dogs to show up alone. Not right at all. Yet there they were, all four of them, pacing back and forth outside the door to the den, pawing at it now and then to catch the attention of Johanna.
At least they could hope she was there. Otherwise they'd simply end up sitting outside until she showed up. Or until Rickie showed up. Rickie should not be without her pack.

Smoke let out a low growl, Ghost having found a spot on the pavement to lay down while Mirror and Darkness seemed to be on the look out with ever alert eyes.

Everything was... wrong.

That -man- had taken her away. That -man- had touched her. No one touched Rickie. No one save Johanna.

It was Smoke's low growl that got Johanna's attention. She still was not completely familiar with their new home. So, through the walls and doors, she called to the pack in her own feral yipping.

I am on my way, patience, lovelies...

Soon, they could hear the tapping of Johanna's cane and then the turn of the lock.

"Rickie?"

She had to ask now, didn't she. Receiving no answer, she simply pushed the door open wide, her eye brows (or what was left of them) visible and furrowed-- her blind fold off of her head for the moment.

Come. Tell me what has happened.

The dogs moved inside, brushing past her.

Darkness was the most tense, his fur still standing on end he growled when he moved past her, followed by the others.

"-He- showed up...." his growl said.

"The man from the other night" Ghost's smoother voice followed.

"She told us to go away" Mirror breathed with a sigh.

"-He- touched her" Smoke's voice sounded last as the dog stopped and peered over it's shoulder at Johanna.

Johanna set her cane up against the wall-- of course, it fell over with a clatter. But that mattered not.

The Caitiff moved, holding to Smoke's fur lightly, so that she could position herself between all 4 dogs at once. She sat on the ground, eye level (haha) with all of them.

She was not pleased. So not pleased. Her feral speech to them now came as beatial growls.

That... man? The one who invaded her space? Unacceptable. Why the hell would she send you all away. That is not like her at all. Was she injured? Was she in her right mind? No... no of course she wasn't in her right mind... Where were you? Where did she take you?

They gathered around her. low barks and growls translating to those who knew how to understand such things.

"At the park" Smoke said

"She wanted to leave" Ghost whispered.

"But she gave him her hand" Darkness growled.

"She wasn't injured" Mirror sighed.

Smoke bumped his head against Johanna's arm again, the dogs constantly shifting around. Restless. Agitated.

"She was scared" Ghost paced back and forth.

"But she went with him" Smoke hissed under his breath.

"Told us to leave, -he- wanted us to leave" Mirror yelped.

"And he kissed her" Darkness growled again, a dark predatory growl.

Had she had eyes, something truly akin to rage would have flashed in them. Instead, it was her nostrils that flared, her lips thinned as she let out another angry growl, this one much louder. The boys would know that her anger was not directed at them, rather it was directed at the situation and that sorry excuse for a man.

Fetch me my blindfold. And take me to the place where Rickie and I had to talk to the people. Take me there now.

It was a command, there was no way she could find the place herself. Luke...He said his name was Luke...

And the dogs? Well, they did as they were told.

Ghost disappeared off, returning moments later with the blindfold carefully carried between his teeth while Mirror returned with a set of leashes similar to the ones Rickie normally used on them while out in public.

They waited for her to don the blindfold before placing the leashes in her hands and waiting for her to attach the magnetic locks to their collars.

"To the place with all the scents" Smoke inquired.

"Where your kind is?" Mirror asked.

With trembling hands, the blindfold was tied around her face. The leashes took a few seconds longer to attach, but it was soon done. Johanna, still on the ground faced the dogs, running her hands through their fur with a firm touch, trying to reassure them that everything would be alright. She gave a nod.

Yes, that place. Where my kind roam with abandon. Where we had to regretfully leave you in the big room with the man... I won't leave you in that room this time. You're all staying with me.

There were growls of approval from the dogs as they got up and pulled towards the door.

Reassuring them would not be so easy, the boys wanted blood. They wanted to maim and tear and ravage. But for now, being with Johanna, the blood lust was kept under control.

They'd get to hurt him later....

And Johanna would make sure that they had their chance, and they knew it. Because she would be joining them.

She left the walking stick on the floor of the home. She couldn't hold the stick and the leashes without falling on her face. But the boys made for better guides any night.

Continued