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Sable blinked. "Well there's Mountain Lions, and Lynx, but that's all I can think of," she replied, giving it thought. "I can't think of any cat bigger than that around here. There's Grizzly Bears, but they're sleeping around this time," she continued. "It's killing people?"

Dusty nodded. "It's killed quite a few people, that's what's strange."

Sable nodded. "It's very unusual for a predator to kill multiple humans," she replied. "They're normally just unfortunate accidents, rfor one to be killed and eating humans, it must be a maneater."

"Maneater?" asked Dusty, a little unnerved by how she said it. Just the word sounded spooky. The fact she said A maneater implied this wasn't unheard of.

Sable nodded. "A maneater is an animal that, for whatever reason, hunts humans for prey with a frequency. Humans are rarely hunted by predators for food. However, on occasion, a predator will develope a taste for human flesh and begin hunting them. Or they have another reason, a hunter that stayed at the inn here in White Mountain was talking about a story from Africa, near the Tsavo River. A pair of lions, large big cats, far bigger than what we have around here. From what was said, the lions killed over 100 people before they were finally killed by a hunter. The cause is believed to be a cattle plague that wiped out their normal prey, forcing them to hunt the most abundant prey around. I've also heard that a predator with injured teeth or other deformity renderning them incapable of hunting their normal prey causes them to seek easier prey in humans. There are a number of reasons, but unfortunately, most maneaters won't stop hunting humans until they're killed."

OOC: Sable is recounting the story of the Tsavo Maneaters, which happened in 1898. In real life, it is unfortunately true that most maneaters won't stop hunting humans until they're killed because they've become accustomed to feeding on them.

OOC: Poor Dusty. The answer is "no".

Kodi stopped panting, safe under the glow of a street lamp. Dusty and Sable caught up to him, and joined him where he rested.

“I think… I think we’re alright now.” He told her. “Sorry about running off like that, I was just… I tasted that blood, and saw the print and I-I… he stuttered. Sable seemed to be the only one that wasn’t affected by the sight. Kodi supposed, given how she lived off the land, she was rather accustomed to it.

Kodi looked down the street, and saw a pair of humans shuffling about, talking loudly amongst themselves. Almost as loudly as the vivid orange vest they were both donning. Both of them were carrying human hunting weapons, like rifles and shotguns. Why?

“Did you hear that ruckus? I think it was this way.”
“You don’t think-?”
“I sure hope not.”

One of the humans noticed Kodi in the light, and Kodi greeted him gratefully with a bark, simply glad to see another human again. The human’s reaction was not what he expected.

“What’s that? LOOK OUT!” Without a word of warning, he raised his weapon and pointed it at Kodi. Kodi whimpered and backed up in confusion as a loud bang pierced the air, and a bullet flew past him, striking the wooden building behind the dogs. Kodi leapt in the air, twisting in midair before landing in a ball, curled up. Why was this human shooting at him? What was going on? Kodi was glad he missed him, but what if the bullet-?

“Dusty? Sable? Are you alright?” Kodi frantically turned around. The two appeared frazzled, but unharmed.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Another human ran to the one who fired at them, scolding the shooter and prompting him to lower his weapon.

“I was going to investigate that noise, and suddenly this dog barked at me, and- and I saw the blood on it’s face, and I just started to – you know.” The shooter defended himself, looking ashamed at his overreaction.

“You lost your mind, is what you did! Ain’t you recognize him? That’s the mail dog from Nome, and his female friend behind him is on the team too!” The trio’s savior chastised him.

“Oh… right… Sorry about that!” The shooter called out to them. Kodi didn’t much feel like answering, and didn’t move apart from his involuntary shaking. “What about that third one, whose mutt is he?”

“I seen her around town a couple of times, I think she’s a stray.” The other human said. “Oh, no! It’s nothing! Just this guy here acting the fool again!” He shouted to humans that Kodi couldn’t see, who were likely inquiring about the shooting.

“So… what should we do with them?” The shooter asked guiltily.

“I say we get ‘em to the post office, to the building next door with the rest of their friends. It isn’t safe out here, especially with you shooting that thing like a darn maniac. It’s a good thing you can’t shoot worth-”

“I said I was sorry!”

“Yeah, right… Why don’t you turn your safety on before you actually hit something?” A click. The human who saved them knelt down on one knee, and held one hand out to the dogs, beckoning them.
“Come on over here uh… Kashi and umm… Ditzy? I’m gonna take you to your friends, and your owner Mr. Simpson. You know who he is? MIS-TER SIMP-SON.” He enunciated. “They been worried about you!”

Kodi looked back to Dusty and Sable, confusion lining his face. “Should we go with him? What’s going on?” He asked the two. They probably didn’t know anymore than he did.

Kodi shook his head at Sable. “Nonsense, of course you can come with us! It’ll be safer with us at the post office than it will be out here.” Kodi moved alongside Dusty to the human, and licked his outstretched fingers.

“Good dogs! Come along now, it’s just across the way. You too, miss.” He said to a reluctant Sable. “We’ll get you back to your owner, he’s been just sick about you.”

Kodi observed the state of town as they followed the human down the road. It seemed that everyone in the town was awake, either watching from the windows or talking amongst themselves. They passed by several other hunting parties, Kodi leery of where their weapons were pointed.

“…Complete mess, I’m telling you.” The human in front of them said to the shooter from earlier.
“You’re telling me.”
“I just said that.”
“Oh yeah… But can you really blame them?”
“No, I suppose I can’t. If I had to, I’d blame whoever it was that read that letter, getting these ideas in all of their heads. Here we are.”

They arrived in front of the Post Office, lights on much later than the usual cushy hours of a post office. The human rapped the window lightly, capturing the attention of the postmaster inside, who was using the extended hours to enter numbers on his clipboard from orders he received that day.

“The lights might be on, but we aren’t open. We’ll be open again Monday after next, once New Years is through.” The postmaster responded dispiritedly through the glass, as though he had done so several times that night.

“Nah, chief! It’s not about that. Do you know where Mr. Simpson is?” The human replied.

The postmaster perked up, and looked outside. “Oh, hey! I thought you were another straggler with a last-minute gift… Last I checked, he was in the extension out back, with his dogs. You didn’t happen to see them other two around did you? Dusty and Kodi? He hasn’t stopped bothering me about it since all of this started.” He waved out the window, gesturing to the bustling behind Kodi, Dusty, and Sable, who weren’t tall enough for the postmaster to see outside the window.

“I’ll be sure to let him know if I run into them.” The human said with a sly grin. “Thanks, chief.”
“Don’t mention it. Tell anyone that’s coming by that I’m closed!”

The five of them stepped away from the window post office, sidling their way to the house behind it, where Mr. Simpson was staying with his dogs. The building had been built precisely for this purpose; there weren’t any short term rental properties in White Mountain that were affordable for the rather modest wages that the postal sled runners earned. The city and the postmaster had managed to convince the mayor to allocate the funds for its construction. It hadn’t been used in a while, as the trip to Nome and White Mountain and back again generally was short enough to be made in a day, but it was occupied enough to justify the taxes to keep the heat and water running.

“Why didn’t you just tell him we had them?” The shooter asked the other human, referring to the dogs.
“I’d rather deliver them myself, and we were already halfway there.” The other replied.

He knocked on the door of the shack, petting Dusty on the head. “I’m sorry if I messed up your names.” He apologized quietly as a chair scraping against the floor could be heard inside, followed by the thumping of heavy boots walking quickly to the door.
The door swung open, Mr. Simpson on the other side of the frame. He looked incredibly stressed, but his eyes positively lit up when he saw his dogs at the knocker’s feet.

“Kodi! Dusty! You’re alright!” He exclaimed. Kodi jumped up against Mr. Simpson, barking excitedly, licking his musher’s face with gusto. Mr. Simpson was only too happy to oblige him. Kodi couldn't remember being so happy to see his owner. Ralph and Kirby, who no doubt heard his proclamation, peered around the corner, both looking relieved to see their friends again.

Mr. Simpson sat down in front of the door, examining both of the dogs. He lifted Kodi’s chin, no doubt to examine the reddish stains from the blood Kodi fell in earlier. He didn’t see any cuts, but still looked troubled. Nonetheless, he was satisfied just seeing both of them safe. He lifted the rope necklaces a bit, examining the herb attached to the helix. Upon doing so, he saw Sable, also donning a similar garment. “Did you take care of these two?” He asked her playfully, curling his ungloved hand towards him, beckoning the wolfdog inside. “Come on in, I won’t bite!” He joked. He gave her a caress on the top of her head, scratching behind her ears before he rose to his feet again.

“Thank you both SO much for bringing them back here! I was so worried when they found… you know… Is that your dog?” Mr. Simpson asked about Sable.

“No, I think she’s a stray. She’s very nice though. The innkeeper sometimes lets her in, I’ve seen her there.” The human with the rifle told him.

“Oh, well, no matter. Do you two know what’s up with the uhhh…” Mr. Simpson rubbed underneath his shaven chin, gesturing the blood underneath Kodi’s muzzle.

“Nah, you’d have to ask this guy.” The nice human said, punching his friend on the arm softly. “He found them first before he shot at them.”

“WHAT? YOU SHOT AT THEM?” Mr. Simpson bellowed.

“Why’d you have to go and tell him that? No- wait! It was an accident!”


The humans continued their conversation, while Kodi, Dusty, and Sable slipped away. They rounded to the corner, greeted immediately by Ralph and Kirby.

“You two- er, uh… three made it!” Kirby cried. “Who’s your friend? I’m Kirby.” He said, very upfront and forthcoming. “And this… Ralph, stop staring! Don’t creep our guest out!” He barked. “That’s Ralph.” He said simply.

“Hi.” Ralph said briefly.

“So, what’s your name?” Kirby asked Sable again.

“…Well, all I’m saying is that you shouldn’t be so quick to start unloading your rifle in town, especially aiming at a couple of harmless dogs!” Mr. Simpson scolded the shooter, whose face was beet red from embarrassment.

The other human, not the shooter, coughed and folded his arms over each other. “Speaking of which, it looks you’ve got a new fan.” He pointed at Sable behind Mr. Simpson without raising his arms.

Like a light switch, Mr. Simpson immediately dropped what he was doing and bent down to look at Sable more closely. He scratched her ears again, only this time, he examined them. “I’m not really a vet, but it looks like that loud bang didn’t do any damage to your hearing, eh? Hopefully those two are fine as well.” She looked very strange, in a good way. She seemed to be staring right through him, analyzing him. She seemed so calm, like an elderly dog, but her movements were vivacious and lively. As he was accustomed to doing with his own dogs, he lifted her front paws one at a time and massaged them absentmindedly, looking for cuts or scrapes. He didn’t find any, but he noticed something different, aside from how cold they were.

“Big paws…” She had that look again, of mingled curiosity and understanding. “…But you’re alright, aren’t you, girl? How about we get you something to eat?” He asked her. “Here, let me get you some water first.” He stood up, and rummaged through the cupboard looking for a spare dish.

“Well, if that’s everything, Mr. Simpson, we’ll just be on our way.” Said the hunter, most anxious to get away from him.

“Wait! Can you two escort me to the butcher shop?” Mr. Simpson asked, rinsing out the bowl before he began to fill it with lukewarm water again. He set the dish at his feet, and nudged it towards Sable.

“The butcher shop? Now?” The shooter protested. “Do you really think it’s the best time, what with all that craziness outside?”

“I…” Mr. Simpson started as he put his coat on over his shoulders. “…Just got my team back. I think it’s a perfect time.” He knelt down to Sable, and told her. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get you all a bite to eat, OK? Keep an eye on them again for me, would you?” He joked.

He shuffled to the door, grabbing his hat on the way out, the creaking door slowly closed behind him.

“You could have killed my dogs, I don’t think that a simple escort is too much to ask, is it? It’s not like I’m making you pay for it!” His voice filtered through as the door snapped shut.

----------------------


“Porcupine?” Ralph inspected Dusty’s nose, now healed thanks to Sable’s treatment. “Looks fine to me!” He said.

Getting straight to business, Kirby answered her question, in a rather impatient mood. “You missed out on a lot, it seems. Not too long after you two left for your date, which you’re going to tell us about, right Kodi?”

“No.”

“I'll ask Dusty later, then. Anyways, not too long after you left. There was a huge commotion on the other side of town, kinda the same way you guys went. Broken fences, loud barking and howling, all that jazz.”

“You don’t say?” Kodi said as innocently as possible. That all sounded familiar.

“I don’t know what happened, but at least two dogs got seriously messed up over there.”

Kodi perked his ears up, and tilted his head to the side. “Messed up? How do you mean?”

Ralph tried to answer. “I heard Mr. Simpson say that they found an… er… um… an eye.”

“An… eye?” Kodi repeated slowly. “What are-”

“A dog’s eye, Kodi.” Kirby interrupted, pointing at his own. “They found a dog’s eyeball next to two large pools of blood. Didn’t find the dog’s they belonged to.” He said dispassionately.

“Ah, geez! Spare me the details, Kirby, yuck!” Kodi gagged. He was still squeamish.

“It wouldn’t be nearly as effective, would it?” Kirby replied, laughing. “But no, seriously. Someone found all of that, and they alerted everyone in town!”

“When Mr. Simpson found out, and he didn’t know where you two were, he lost it.” Ralph chimed in. “I think he started crying, he thought that you two were the ones who were attacked.”

“Oh…” Kodi looked down, feeling guilty that his and Dusty’s disappearance had caused so much trouble. Mr. Simpson was nothing if not extremely caring about his dogs. “Well… it wasn’t us, thankfully. So what happened?”

They all looked towards the hallway they entered from when they heard the main door shut, but that didn’t keep Kirby from answering.

“A lot of people in town received letters from Nome, talking about that cat monster that made us change our route. Suddenly, half the people in town think that THAT’s what’s responsible for it. Those are the ones running around with guns. The other half think it’s just a couple of strays fighting over something, and it turned deadly. No one actually saw what happened.”

Kodi asked again. “What do you think happened?”

“How should I know? For all I know, YOU took a bite out of them, Kodi.” Kirby snapped.

Kodi looked stunned. “What? Me? Oh… this.” Kodi licked his paw and ran it along the underside of his chin, where it was still dabbled in crimson hues. “We uh… we had some raccoon over at Sable’s cave. It got a bit messy.” He lied. He looked shiftily at Dusty, pleading silently to cover up with him. Kodi didn’t like the possibility that the blood on his face could have been from another canine, but he definitely didn’t want to raise any alarms with these two.

“I wish we had some raccoon…” Ralph muttered jealously.

“What I meant was,” Kodi continued, “Which seems more likely. That cat thing appearing all of the way out here and going INTO town? Or a bunch of strays getting out of paw?” He walked over to an unused water dish, soaking his muzzle in it to wash off the rest of the red from his muzzle.

Flustered, Kirby snapped again. “Again, how should I know? Dusty says you two had some trouble with the local dogs, so you tell me. Did they seem the type to rip each other’s eyes out?”

Kodi spat some water that had trickled into his mouth back in the dish. “I really, REALLY don’t want to talk about it, Kirby.” He muttered.

“Fine. Dusty?” Kirby shifted his attention to the female husky.

Water splashed into the dish again. “Really, Kirby?” Kodi groaned.

“Dusty,” Kirby ignored Kodi’s comment. “What’s your take on the local flavor?”

Sable smiled lightly, liking the kindhearted man, particularally that he noticed her wolfish traits and didn't seem to mind. Then again, she could tell Kodi was a wolfdog, and that meant he didn't seem to mind them. He was also from Nome, and she knew a wolfdog had saved that town during a disease outbreak, so she could understand why he was so accepting of her and Kodi. That made her think about Kodi, was he related to the famious Balto who saved Nome? Seemed unlikely a wolfdog from that area wouldn't be, considering it wasn't exactly a common thing.

She shruged and started drinking the water provided for her. It was nice to meet humans accepting of her nature, at least ones who outright knew it, which weren't many. She looked dog-like enough it wasn't easy to tell. She remembered a dog who'd broken her heart due to it, but she hadn't let it make her bitter, that'd help no one at all.

--------------------

Dusty gave a shiver at the description of the scene that had caused them to nearly get shot, not pretty. She was even more disturbed by the possibility Kodi had fallen into said pool of blood. She was greatful, however, that they hadn't seen the eyeball mentioned, that would've been sickening and she'd likely have thrown up on the spot.

She listened to Kirby, slightly annoyed, but gave a sigh. "In a word? Nasty, especially this big scarred up one," she replied, thinking back. "They caused us trouble, but I wouldn't be surprised if they'd gotten into a fight that degraded into one killing the other or tearing out his eye. It honestly wouldn't be a surprise to me if two of them killed each other. Their boss had sway over them, sure, but that was probably the only thing they agreed on, two of them had an arguement, they get into a fight, and it gets ugly, I don't think it's a stretch."

Dusty got herself a drink, then looked to Kirby and Ralph. "As for me or Kodi hurting any of them, I nearly crushed the boss dog's... tender parts to get him away from us, but other than that, we didn't lay a paw on them," she said, knowing that part would probably make the two mails cringe a little bit. "Trust me, he had it coming."

"She's out in the front room, wanted to see Mr. Simpson," explained Dusty, laying down next to Kodi and curling up with him. "And be nice to her, she helpped us out a lot," she explained, thinking of how kindhearted the wolfdog had behaved towards them. "She found us, fixed me up, and fed us, as well as give us something to protect us from those mutts, so please give her a warm welcome," she replied, giving a smile.

Dusty rested her head on Kodi's back, smiling. She loved Kodi, even if he was kind of naive. He had a good heart, that was the important thing and she didn't care what anyone said about it. She loved Kodi, and she knew in her heart that he loved her, nothing in her mind could change that.

------------------

Sable set in the room, lapping up water and waiting for Mr. Simpson to come back. He'd told her he'd come back with something for her and she trusted him. Plus, it was a cold night and it was rather clear some predator was in the woods lurking, she'd rather stay were it was safe than risk heading home in the dark, particularally with those mutts out. Sure, she was certain she'd be safe, but it was better not to risk danger than just hope you'll not run into it.