Bonding and Bite Marks

Reunited

John stirred, sensing a presence above him and hot breath huffing against his throat. Blue eyes snapped open to find black fur brushing his cheek and a heavy weight on his chest. Kou growled as he sniffed and huffed against his throat, lingering over his mating mark. John's instincts prickled. Kou was a dog, but he was still an alpha, and he was awfully close to Lin's claiming bite. He whimpered as he felt Kou's sharp teeth and tongue slide over his neck, almost as if he were trying to taste it. Is he trying to taste me, or is he going to bite? The thought made his breath hitch and his skin prickle. He'd never heard of a dog trying to claim a human before, but being caught out in the wilds like this was rare.

"Please don't..." Gentle hands reached up to push the heavy animal back. Kou growled his disapproval, making him flinch as he was pressed against the ground. He shivered fearfully as the large dog drew back to stare down at him with almost curious eyes. "I'm mated, and I'm not a dog," he objected weakly, resting a protective hand over his mating mark. Kou grumbled as he nosed his arm, gently trying to nudge the hand away. John gripped tighter and turned his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Koujo...I want Koujo...

John turned back as the large dog tugged his other arm up and wriggled its way beneath his hand. He stroked his head hesitantly, unsure if he was offering comfort or an apology. His heart leapt as he felt a familiar presence brush his mind, filling him with hope and worry. Lin was somewhere in the forest, looking for him. Unfortunately, there was no way he could tell him where he was, or even work out how close they were. Kou moved, large ears pricking as he listened. John frowned, getting to his feet as Kou barked and padded towards the treeline, pausing to look back expectantly.

"You want me to follow you?" Kou scratched the ground with his large paws, snuffling and shaking his head before taking another step. John followed cautiously, eyes darting this way and that through the trees. He had no real reason to trust the large black dog, but something about the way he sniffed the air and twitched his ears made John think he was guiding him. Kou padded ahead, sometimes running a few steps further to sniff around the faded trails. It was clear this area had once been a popular hiking trail, but it seemed to have fallen into disuse in recent years. How long has Kou lived here? "What is it?" John asked as Kou stopped and dropped low, growling and barking at the trees ahead.

"John!" John's heart pounded almost painfully as he heard his mate's voice. He could barely make a sound in response, though Kou was making enough for both of them. He barked loudly, taking up an almost territorial stance in front of him. John whimpered as Lin appeared, wearing his long black trench coat over his hiking gear in the early morning chill. He was carrying a large backpack that seemed to be full, likely expecting a full day of searching. He came to a dead stop as the large dog barked and snarled, hunkering down and glaring in warning. "Are you alright?" Lin asked softly, dropping into a defensive stance as Kou gnashed his teeth and growled. He didn't dare take his eyes off the large dog that had apparently taken a liking to his mate.

"I-I'm safe...Kou, it's alright...He's my mate." John knelt just behind Kou's hunkered form, making himself small so it didn't seem like a challenge. Lin raised an eyebrow as the large dog shuffled back closer to John, barking loudly as Lin edged closer. "Koujo..." John held up a hand in warning. Kou clearly hadn't appreciated the move. Lin held out a hand for John as he locked eyes with the large dog. Kou growled and snapped as he backed into John, forcing him back a little.

"John is my mate." A small whine of argument escaped the large hound. Lin's lips twitched in amusement at the almost sulky sound. "Thank you for taking care of him, but I need him back now." Unafraid, he held his hand out, palm up. Kou cautiously padded closer, looking between Lin's hand and his face. Lin remained still as Kou shuffled from paw to paw and finally pressed his cold nose against his fingers, snuffling and tickling his skin. After a while, it seemed he was satisfied. He'd taken in Lin's scent profile and matched it to John's mating mark. With a final snuff, he padded aside and watched.