Pixie and Brutus.. and the dog next door.

THREE : 'A Ray of Sunshine'

"This is Brutus! He's a german shepard too!" Pixie chirped from behind him. I couldn't see his whole face, only his dark muzzle and a glimpse of a crooked scar down the side of it.

I remained laying on the grass, to stand would only stir the pain in my shoulder. I heard the dog scolding Pixie, telling her not to poke her head through the fence- along those lines somewhat. He spoke with a tired, sombre voice- yet the kitten's happy-go-lucky cheerfulness never dimmed. I wondered who tolerated who.

"Say hello, Brutus!" Pixie told him, "this is Robin." I heard a grumble of amusement from him, before he greeted me- likely via the cat's demands. Well Isn't he jolly?

"Hello." Brutus nodded, though i never had the chance to reply. He'd moved from the fence, and all I could see was Pixies face poking through.

"I got a brand new collar today," she beamed. "Do you like it? I love it."

I walked towards the fence, emitting a small chuckle. "It's pretty," I replied.

"The human said you were an MWD. That's so cool! I wish I could go to war too!" That perked my attention. I don't quite know what Pixie understands of war, but it's probably best she keeps her innocence. I heard Brutus mutter her name. My master had mentioned another Military dog at some point, so I presume it must be Brutus.

"Yeah," I chuckled after clearing my throat. That wasn't something you heard everyday. I didn't mind, i thought it was sweet, though it did catch me mildly off guard.

Brutus had managed to convince Pixie to say goodbye, and she reached a little paw through the gap and chirped her farewell. "Awee. I have to go inside now. Bye bye!"

"Bye, Pixie." I gave her a quick smile, and her head disappeared from the hole. I heard her little paces through the grass as she made her way back to the house, evidently followed by Brutus.

I yawned, wandering back to where I laid on the grass previously and dropped my head to my paws. The warmth of the sun was pleasant, and the cool breeze wasn't too cool- perfect for a nap.

"Copy that. In position, coast is clear. What is your status, Wolf? Over," the solider spoke quietly, tucking his walkie-talkie back into his belt. A few moments of silence went on. I laid behind him, my glasses and gear on. The sand and dust from the surroundings clung to my pelt. Still, silence.

"Wolf reporting status. Activity at 6 o'clock. Ready for action, sir. Over," The walkie-talkie whispered.

Barnes motioned onwards, and I stayed besides him as we left the old church. Shouting suddenly erupted, and rounds of gunfire sounded. Our team readied their guns, and moved to get better aim. The sound of gunfire and voices blurred. I blinked. Once more and I was no longer laid behind the cobblestone wall. I had attacked an opposing solider, his blood tainted my tongue, and my own blood seeped from a wound on my shoulder. Barnes. He had been shot taking down two of the soldiers.

"Hey, Robin." He reached out and leaned into me. "You're a good girl. You know that, hm?" His breaths were short and laboured, and his black eyes were glassy as they stared at me.

"Owl? Report status, sir? Do you read me, Owl?" The walkie-talkie rustled. Barnes fumbled for it, weakly lifting it to his face.

"I'm down. I repeat, Owl down. Does the team report?" His hand, bloodied, fell into his lap. He spoke weakly, as if he wouldn't be able to utter another word. Despite his undeniable agony and the way his face contorted in discomfort at each breath, his eyes still met mine with a great, undying affection. A whine escaped my muzzle, and i rested my head on his lap. His hand moved to sit on my head, and i shut my eyes.

a/n : so, that was a glimpse into Robin's past! trying not to make this boring haha. I know it was fairly similar to Brutus', but i only realised that once i'd started writing it- oh well.
+ in case you didn't understand, Owl was Barnes' code name:)

: )