The Not-So-Normal Neighbor (Reserved for Shilo)

[Topher Husky]

((Just a heads up. I find you in the alley behind my (and soon to be your) apartment building when I go to take out the garbage. Let's say your only a couple years old if it's OK with you, so you're still young, and I'll be trying to train you.

Also... I just moved into the apartment, so there are boxes everywhere, and the neighbors are kind of unsure about me because I'm an Anthro-Husky (which they've seen before, but are still a little weirded out by) ))

William had just come back from a his early morning run. It was a beautiful day in Fall, the leaves just starting to change into breathtaking reds and oranges, and the air chill enough that you could see your breath.

The Husky knew that he was getting odd looks from his new neighbors as bounded up the steps to his apartment building, but he wasn't the first half-human half-animal to live in this area and he knew it.

He stripped his sweatshirt off and dropped it in the closet as he headed to the kitchen to refill his water bottle.

"Hmm, garbage is piling up already?" He murmured as he got to work shoving as much as he could into two bags. Once he'd gotten all the pizza boxes and take-out cartons packed up, he tossed the two bulging bags over his shoulders and headed out to the alley behind the building.

The alley was as dirty and dark as he thought it'd be, but he found the container easily enough. What he didn't expect to find when he opened it, though, was something moving inside...

[Shilo]

The little dog was curled up inside the trash can, sleeping. He was very tired from being chased around by the older dogs and cats and he had taken refuge in the trash to hide from them and the rain. As a result, he didn't hear William approaching the trash can and peacefully slept on, his pink nose twitching.

(Btw...use my picture as a guide but a younger version...and VERY good first post :D )

[Topher Husky]

((You think so? >.<))

William quitely sat down the bags and opened the lid the rest of the way, afraid of scaring the little dog to death. It looked like it had been through hell and back, and was already soaked through and covered with dirt from head to tail.

"Hey, little guy. You OK?" He half-whispered as he reached down to touch the dog.

"It's OK, I'm not going to hurt you."

((What are you, exactly? :P))

[Shilo]

((What are you, exactly? :P))
((Of all the questions to ask, the one I'm not really sure of. I guess Colli that looks like this. http://www.seefido.com/assets/images/autogen/a_Border_Collie_Dog_2.jpg ))

The dog awake with a start as soon as William touched him and hastily backed into the corner, whimpering and shaking a little. He was trapped by the same thing he had taken shelter in.

[Topher Husky]

((That works just fine. I have a dog that's Border Collie mix, very sweet animal.))

"Hey. Hey, now. It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you." He whispered as he quickly dug in one of the bags and found a semi-fresh piece of crust from last nights dinner.

The Husky reached back into the bin, wiggling the bread slightly between his fingers as he tried to calm the little dog down.

"Here you go, I bet you're starving. Go ahead, there's more where that came from." He said softly as he dropped the piece of bread in front of the Collie.

[Shilo]

The collie's attention snapped to the bread crust, his tail twitching slightly. He WAS hungry. He shyly took the bread with his mouth and curled up in the corner, eating. He started relaxing somewhat with the food.

[Topher Husky]

William smiled as he watched the dog eat. He waited for him to finish his second piece, then slowly reached down and try to pet him.

[Shilo]

The collie was alot calmer now because of the food and stayed still while William petted him. He licked the husky's paw.

[Topher Husky]

He chuckled as the Collie licked his paw. He reached down with the other paw, and slowly scooped it underneath the dog's belly, carefull not to startle him.

[Shilo]

He whimpered quietly as he was picked up, not used to the sensation.

[Topher Husky]

William held the dog wrapped in his arms, stroking it's head as he shushed him, trying to keep him calm.

"Hey. There's a good boy."

((You are male, yes? :P))

[Shilo]

((yeah))

The collie calmed down again and curled up in William's arms and went back to sleep, still very tired.

[Topher Husky]

The Husky quickly sat the garbage bags in the dumpster while he held the puppy in his other arm, then took him inside where it was warmer.

He sat down on the couch, and slowly stroked the Collie's dirty coat, thinking about what he would do with his new-found friend.

"I'm going to have to give you a bath when you wake up... I wonder what kind of adventure that will be"

((Do you want to be named Shilo, or something different?))

[Shilo]

((Something else...you pick))

The puppy snoozed happily in William's arms, shifting every now and then slightly. He had a few cuts and scratches over his body from fights with other animals that he barely got away from alive and a few ribs were showing from starvation. He was covered in fleas too.

[Topher Husky]

William sat for awhile, petting the puppy and assessing it's wounds.

"You know, you need a name..." He thought out loud as he looked around for any hints.

Not seeing anything that would fit his new friend, he pulled a name from the back of his mind that used to belong to one of his old pets from childhood.

"Joey. How do you like that name, little guy?"

[Shilo]

(( Joey is great :P, keep going however, not much to do while sleeping ))

[Topher Husky]

((Sorry I didn't post sooner, I've been kind of busy, and I thought I was the last one that posted))

William carefully laid the puppy down on the couch, trying not to disturb him while he slept. The Husky went quitely about the apartment, doing laundry and what little dishes he had, and trying to get some more of the mountain of boxes unpacked.

[Shilo]

((Same here with being busy, atleast during the weekdays >.< ))

Joey woke up after awhile and stretched out yawning before looking around. Instantly he realized that he was in a strange place and the comfort that William had given him had instantly melted away. He whimpered for a second before getting under the couch and scooting to the back of the wall, watching from underneath.

[Topher Husky]

The Husky came out of the bedroom and noticed that the puppy had disappeared. He look around a little bit, before hearing the wimpers coming from under the couch.

He slowly laid down on his stomach so that he could see underneath, and found the little Collie curled up, afraid.

"Hey, it's alright, I'm here. Come on, we'll go get you cleaned up!" He said as he slid his paw slowly under the couch toward Joey.

[Shilo]

Joey cringed slightly from the paw before slowly going up to it and licking it once and retreating back slightly.

[Topher Husky]

"Hey, there we go. One second, I'll get you a treat!"

The Husky slowly pulled away, then walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bannana out of the refridgerator. Pulling it into small pieces as he went back to the couch, he held one out in front of the little doggie.

"Here you go, Joey. Bannana. I'm sure you'll love it!"

[Shilo]

The collie's ears perked up as he saw the bannana and after a seconds hestitation, he came out from under the couch and started eating.

[Topher Husky]

The Husky sat up as the puppy came out and started eating.

"There you go, I thought that might get you out of there!" He said as he continued to feed the little guy.

He picked the Collie up and carefully sat him in his lap while he ate, feeding him small pieces of bannana off of his paw.

[Shilo]

Joey was too busy eating the bannana pieces to noticed he had been moved. He just sat there contently, happily munching on the food and wagging his tail back and forth slightly.

[Topher Husky]

Noticing that the puppy was more concentrated on his food than anything else, William stood and took him to the bathroom, where he sat him down in the tub and let him finish his food, slowly rubbing his back in order to keep him calm when he realized that he'd been moved.

[Shilo]

Joey blinked when the food was gone and he realized that he wasn't in the same place as before. He looked around nervously but stayed in place from the petting. He wasn't sure where he was, just that he was surrounded by some white walls and the floor was too smooth to easily move around on.

[Topher Husky]

William reached over and slowly started to turn the water on, to get Joey used to the sound. He kept one paw on the dog, not only to keep him calm, but to keep him from bolting and possibly hurting himself.

"It's alright. It's just water, Joey. See?" He said as he held his wet hand up to the Collie to let him sniff it.

[Shilo]

Joey flinched at the sound of the water turning on and tried to get away, but he was held down by William. He whimpered, tail between his legs and tried to scoot away from the wet paw in front of him. He had had some bad experiences with rain and the water coming out of the faucet looked alot more forceful then rain to him.

[Topher Husky]

William quickly turned the faucet so that the water was just a trickle, then released his grip slightly on Joey, showing him that he didn't mean to hurt him.

He took his wet paw and moved it up to his face, rubbing it over his snout to show the Collie that it wouldn't harm him any.

"See, it won't hurt you. I promise"

[Shilo]

He cringed away from the paw, growling slightly and ears flattened. He REALLY didn't want to get wet.

[Topher Husky]

The Husky chuckled, "Alright, alright. We don't have to take a bath today, but you'll need one sooner or later.


William picked the Collie up and carried him back into the living room, laying him on the couch gently. He went into the kitchen and fixed some food for himself, and a little side dish for the doggie.

He sat down next to Joey, and laid the small plate next to him.

[Shilo]

The collie curled up in a corner of the couch, getting mud stains on it while William left and went into the kitchen. When he set down the plate, Joey sniffed it cautiosly, not sure what it was.

[Topher Husky]

William chuckled as he watched the puppy sniff the food.

"It's Spaghetti, silly. See? Watch me." He said as he took a small pinch of the noodles between his fingers and stuck it in his mouth, making a loud slurping noise as he did so.

[Shilo]

William chuckled as he watched the puppy sniff the food.

"It's Spaghetti, silly. See? Watch me." He said as he took a small pinch of the noodles between his fingers and stuck it in his mouth, making a loud slurping noise as he did so.

Joey blinked as he watch him eat. He turned back to the spaghetti and took a cautious bite of a noodle. He blinked again before almost diving headfirst into it. This stuff was CRAZY good!

[Topher Husky]

William couldn't help but laugh as he watched the little dog dive into the spaghetti. He wasn't going to be lonely, that's for sure!

"We still need to get you a bath, little guy... I wonder what we could use?" He said as he looked around the apartment.

He glanced into the kitchen and an idea formed in his head. He left the Collie to eat his fill while he went to the kitchen and cleaned out the sink. He adjusted the water so that it was luke-warm, then plugged the sink and let it fill about half-way.

Once that was done, he stood in the doorway, watching Joey eat.