` f l a s h b a c k (Rambo)

[• Ruffian •]

Black and white fur and a flowing coat danced its way along the building's edge. Speckled paws guided her way, and her tail swished from side to side. New sounds, new smells, and so many new places. This area was fairly new to Karma. She had only recently came upon the pathetically structured city.

The dalmatian collie mix continued a slow trot, enjoying the warm air and sunny sky. Small breezes wisped past her, picking up her fur, and dropping it back down as it faded into the distance. With these flutters of air, came more scents. Intrigued by the smells, she sniffed, Karma picked up her pace and came around the first corner. She spotted nothing but more rusted crates, card board boxes, and large cans labeled 'BIO HAZARD'. None of this interested the female.

Walking through the mess of piled scraps, she was careful not to cut herself on the loose wire, pieces of metal, and shattered glass. If only the site had a barbed wire fence around it, and maybe a few warning signs, it could easily be considered a junk yard. The smell would certainly fit, the rank and horrid odor was not at all pleasing.

Finding her way back to the side of the ware house, she scaled the walls yet again. The hot rays of sun hit her back, causing Karma's tongue to loll out in reaction to the uncomfortable heat. Summer would most likely be coming soon, and boy would it be one hell of a summer.

At last the mutt couldn't bare it any longer. Trailing off through the garbage she found a large card board box. By the looks of it, no one had already claimed it. There was no specific scent, except for the musty smell of the rotting metals and other trash around her. Karma didn't really have a permanent home, and she'll make with any sort of shelter she can get her paws on. Slipping into the box, she immediately collapsed on her side and laid there panting for a while. Shaded from the heat, she didn't intend to leave until the day had cooled off. Closing her emerald eyes, she drifted from her body in a peaceful attempt to get some decent rest.

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Word Count: 375
Notes: -

[Rambo]

Rambo decided to take some personal time off of the wear and tear of his now near-insane life. Lithium, Abigale...Rascala. They all needed him to be there. Then there was Infected. Times hunts, ones he took at prime-times during the night and day. He always knew when by the position on the sun or the moon. These times are when they were the least active, usually sleeping or just resting. Easiest time. But this was all about pure relaxation out here. It was dead, desolate. Nothing passed through here that he knew of, well, besides the occasional feral cat. Infected never travaled this far, which was a good thing. He knew he'd be alone to think and relax in the junkyard-esque place outside the warehouse.

The sun beat down on Rambo, rather hard too. His black fur absorbed and held the heat making him pant rapidly to try and cool himself off. His breed is cold-blooded, meant for the low-temperatures of more northern countries. So the spring and summers here was brutal on his thick coat and dark fur. 'I have to find somewhere to cool off....' he looked for a few minutes, nothing seemed good enough. Unstable metal and torn-up boxes just didn't seem to be able to shelter his large body. Being big had it's detroments, for sure. His panting rate increased and he started to feel a little light headed running around. Eventually he spotted a large box, it looked empty from a distance. As he approached a scent waifted into his nose. Something not part of the already scent-strong yard. A low growl escaped his lips.

He slowly got closer. The scent was defintely canine. Another low, warning growl came out, then a sort of half-bark. Whoever it was, he hoped they weren't hostile toward him. Rambo was taking a careful and probably not the best approach to this possibly delicate situation. Nobody even came here though, he he couldn't be too sure. Rambo got closer to the box, still seemed empty. He ducked his head lower, just to see who or what was inside. Another dog. A bitch, he could tell. She seemed oddly familiar. Did he know her? No...how? "Hello? Uhm...who are you?" he stared at her, but gussed she was asleep, probably unresponsive. A large paw slapped the top of the box. Whatever was inside would be shaken up pretty good. Rambo waited for a reaction, smiling as he did,

[• Ruffian •]

Thud-Thud... Thud-Thud... The faint sound of extremely large paws failed to awake the dog. Low rumbles and a deep voice caused the female to stir only slightly. She tossed her head, trying to shake off her strange dream.

WHAM! With a jolt of her head and springing to her feet, Karma was now fully alert. The sudden jump in her caused the box to flip over, now with it's opening sticking straight up, the sun blinding the mutt. "WHAT in the HELL?" Karma's heart was beating rapidly, but as she peaked over the edge of the box, what she saw caught her completely off guard.

Her face froze and fur bristled while a chill ran down her spine. It was as if she had seen a ghost right before her, and as she blinked a few times, narrowing her eyes, to her that's exactly what she saw. "Oh, no no no..." Was all she could say.

Shaking her head in disbelief, the thin female crawled from out of the card board box and narrowed her eyes once again at the huge male before her. "This is certainly a trick... a dream... that's it, I'm still asleep? Or am I dead...? God I must be seeing things." Karma shook her head again, her heart racing even more than before. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"...Rambo?" Her voice was weak. She tilted her head slightly, looking at him from an angled head, her eyes squinted in curiosity. The mutt's breathing got deeper and an almost panicked expression crossed her face. "Oh this is it... I must really be insane now." This face she saw before her, the scent, the size, everything about him... Was one that she could never forget, even if she tried.

Whether this was real, was the question. Her legs fumbled slightly as she tried to approach him, but she was still shaking from the unexpected encounter. Shocked, curious, scared, and happy all at once, the overwhelmed Karma waited in anticipation.

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Word Count: 334
Notes: -

[Rambo]

Another growl camr about, but stopped abruptly as he saw the female come out. Her voice...her scent. I was all too familiar...way too familiar. He knew the explosion had left holes in his memory but this one seemed to stay. The name wouldn't come to him though. When she said his name it was all confirmed: Rambo knew this dog, and probably rather well. "I am...Rambo. Who are you? I seem to know you but.....my memory doesn't serve me well after an accident I had..." He frowned and looked back up at the female. She was beautiful. her markings were stunning. No wonder Rambo could remember the looks so well, it was all a perfect match. But what was her name and where did they meet? It had to have been before the explosion, he had no trouble recalling memories of what happened after the fact.

A memory flashed: A trapped female, chained up. Barking, whining. Chains rattling....disgusting noises and horrendus living conditions. Malnourished....dehydrated....chains snapping? Yes. Snapping...Her scent. It went just as quick as it came, but he could recall it. Another, in the house she was trapped outside of. Taking care of her. Hunting? Yes. Sneaking food? Yes. All of it matched, all of it made sense. The only thing that escaped was a name. What was her name? Kraimer? Krala? Karta? No, no. None of those. Stop being so stupid! It was a meaningful name. One that you have always liked, probably because of the dog attached to it. Thought of a mate? Puppies? No, Rambo was no father. He had no pups and none were with the female here. What was it again? Kirnon?

'You're bad at this game.' his mind criticized. He tried to shut himself but failed, it was like another him was living in his mind, not like a schitzo but like an active conscience. As he tried for a name he paced, keeping an eye on her every fre moments to try and jog a memory. Trying to sense something about her that would make him remember. This was going to bother him...wait. He remembers...What goes around, comes around? It was connected...the name was on the tip of his tongue. So close, he closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. But it escaped him. 'Damnit! Nice one!' mentally, he kicked himself. How could he forget so quick? It was there...it was...?

"Karma?"

[• Ruffian •]

Karma concentrated long and hard on the dog's face, and when his reaction finally came, a slight disappointment crossed her face. She pulled back her black collie like ears, and placed her rump on the ground. A small sigh escaped her lips and she started at him with her large emerald eyes.

"You don't remember me?" A slight whine escaped her lips. So much excitement and mixed emotions ran through the mutts body. She could hardly keep still as her tail wagged furiously behind her. "Yes, yes. The bomb. That was the last time I saw you, right before..." Karma glanced at the ground, a little saddened by the memory, but it didn't take long to push it aside before getting too caught up in the thought of her loss. Now he was before her, really, he really was. She shook her head, still in disbelief.

She watched him pace up and down, it appeared something had caught his attention. He was thinking, thinking hard. She shifted her weight from on side to the other, waiting to see what he'd come to. Karma's tail began to sway slower and slower, as her hope slightly faded. Could this really be real?

That was it. There it was. He said, straight from his own mouth. He did remember? He was really here? This was really happening? So many questions sprouted in such a small amount of time. The mutt's heart nearly jumped out of her chest and she gathered her feet. Karma quickly closed the small space between the two dogs as she leaped at Rambo playfully. "You do remember!"

Rambo was a large enough dog for Karma to place her fore paws on his shoulders, standing on her two hind legs. She licked his face once or twice in a friendly way and met his eyes with hers. Her whole face and heart glowed now, glowed with complete joy.

After so long of thinking that she would never see him again, something in her gut told her to keep looking. Although she lost hope and tried to push her past behind her, at a few times she even figured that it might have never even happened, but all the proof she needed was right in front of her.

Karma then lowered herself, letting all fours hit the floor. She realized how crazy she must seem right now. "I'm sorry... It's just... I can't believe it. You're really here." Karma tried to calm herself, taking a deep breath, but the glow never escaped her face. Nothing could be better than this, nothing could ruin this moment. As far as she knew everything was perfect, they were here with each other, they could be together again, everything was going to be okay. ...Right?

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Word Count: 460
Notes: -

[Rambo]

Rambo, pleasently surprised himself, jumped too his feet after she got off and promptly jumped on her. His size was an issue and he could hardly balance himself and he tumbled over on to his side. A half-whine, more out of annoyance rather than out of pain, forced its way out of his breath. This slight inconvinence bothered him for only a split second before recomposing and realizing who this was right now standing in front of him. It was his old love, one that ended up in the holes of his memory after the explosion. She was a beautiful dog, and still looked all the same. But how had she survived all these months without him? was she by herself or with a pack? Was she still the same Karma he knew back then? He hoped so, any change big or small would bother him. Rambo still loved her...a lot.

Three months? No...two? He couldn't even hardly remember how long it had been since the accident. That's how long she had been alone, been without Rambo at her side, protecting her and helping her. She did look thinner, as did Rambo but a lack of constant food was typical of all feral dogs. Just getting by on end's meet. He had so many questions. Where she had been, who she had met, when she stopped looking...that one bothered him. Had she? After all this time had she stopped looking? Or did she and was just downtrodden after his disappearance? Could be...but he wasn't for sure. His life since the explosion has just been killing Infected and trying to remember his past as best he could. He couldn't even remember the palce of the community let alone much of what happened in it. He remembers searching weeks after he left, but his mind wouldn't let him. Why would he want to go back and torture himself? Masochist. He mentally laughed.

Rambo stared into her eyes, they still had their brightness to them, the happiness of when they were together. "I have missed you...as much as I can I guess. I'm sorry I forgot. I must have landed on my head. It's still comming back....but in pieces I guess....some of it I'm still trying to get back. I don't want to forget you again...I still lo--" Rambo stopped and thought. 'Wait. What? But...Rascala...No. How? Did....Abigale? Nonononono....please no....no no no...love? How could Rascala and...Karma be his...loves? This doesn't make sense....you...them both? Really? You're insane! Choose one, mut!' he fought with himself, which one. 'One? All I can have is one? Why can't we all just get alo--' He stopped his thought process. They couldn't all three possibly make it work that way. The conflict stayed in his head. Unbeknownst to himself on the outside he was whispering gibberish and occasionally growling in discontent.

He glared at nothing but air.
'How can I fix....THIS!?'

[Maybelle]

a grey/honey brown/White malamute female dog walked up Her name was Maybelle her Soft blue eyes darted back and forth like a hyper puppy running back and forth She was huge some people mistake her fore a giant husky."I hope i'm alone" she thought outloud to herself.