Street-Bred

Chapter Nineteen - Clash

     Fawn could feel her heart thumping in her ears as she saw Cash pursue them with five dogs behind him; Avis, Angel, Copperhead, Dusty, and a new dog that looked unfamiliar to her. Fawn's pack members guarded the rubble leading to where she stood, making sure none of the rivals could get to her. Cash and his pack slowed to a trot as they neared the construction site. He and the rest of his minions halted as they entered the middle of the stone walls that surrounded them. Cash smirked as his gaze froze on Fawn, "So... you think adding more dogs to your pack will save you?" Fawn didn't reply to him as her green eyes burned into his pelt.

"You think... they can defeat the strongest dog in the entire city?" he laughed, and with each laugh, sanity seemed to drain from him.

"You're not as strong as you say you are..." Fawn responded.

"Oh, Fawn. I can't wait to prove you wrong," he chuckled.

"Did your pack lie about your strength, too?" Fawn growled, and a clap of thunder followed her statement.

"Are you calling my pack liars?" he snapped.

"I'm glad you finally understand me, now," Fawn answered.

"Prove it!" He snarled, his hackles bristling.

"Very well, Avis," Fawn called the pup, and the white young one walked over to Ace's pack and stood by Marley, "look. Not even a pup could believe your petty lies."

"What are you talking about?!" Angel howled in fury.

"I'm talking about when Copperhead lied about Night's death!" A bolt of lightning lit up the sky for a split second after Fawn's bark. It went silent for a few moments and glances were exchanged. Copperhead spoke up, "that isn't true! I saw the whole thing!"

"Night was hit by a car!" Avis called out, quieting everyone. Copperhead wasn't about to give up, yet.

"But, I witnessed it all!" she barked back.

"Quit being dishonest! We know the reason you lied, too," Copperhead paused, as if she wanted to know, "Cash is the reason you lied. If he wasn't such an abusive leader, none of this would ever happen. If it wasn't for Cash, Night would still be alive!"

"How dare you call me a bad alpha!" Cash snarled, an inferno of rage burning in his eyes.

"Ask Copperhead, and she'll tell you the same thing!" Fawn replied. Cash glared at Copperhead, and she took a few steps back, fear taking over her face, "do you think that look is a sign of good leadership?" the Pharaoh Hound questioned.

"Cash, I-" Copperhead stammered.

"I should kill you right now!" he snarled, sending Copperhead back even more.

"It's not her fault that you're terrible at leading a pack!" a female voice called out from Fawn's pack. April emerged from the group, standing in the space between Cash and Fawn's friends. Cash widened his eyes for a moment before growling at her, "You... I thought I'd never see your betraying face again!"

"I never betrayed you..." April answered.

"But you broke my heart! I was nothing but nice to you, but-" April interrupted him with a low growl.

"You're pretty weak for letting a childhood crush beat you down like that."

"Then I guess I'll just have to make myself stronger. Axel, kill her!" he demanded a Staffordshire Terrier Rottweiler mix. The black and brown dog remained rooted to his position, staring at him with judging eyes, "what are you doing? I said attack!" he snarled, yet Axel only shook his head and looked away in shame.

"Very well, I will do it myself!" Cash was about to lunge at April until Avis leapt in front of her, her sharp teeth bared.

"What are you doing?!" He howled as raindrops began to wet everyone's pelts and thunder rumbled within the clouds above them.

"I won't let you hurt them!" Avis growled.

"You will move at once, or else..." he snarled at her, but she remained still.

"You wouldn't kill your own beta's pup..." Avis said.

"No, he wouldn't," Fawn jumped down from the wall and pushed her way through her pack, "this is my fight."

"Fawn! No!" Ace was about to chase after her, but Fawn turned around and gave him a stern look.

"I said it was my fight. Cash was my problem in the beginning, and now I'm going to fix it. It's my turn," she told him. Ace backed away, and so did the other pack dogs, leaving the two enemies plenty of space to battle. The rain pelted everything beneath it, making the clay under Fawn's paws sticky, slippery, and wet. Her pelt clung to her frame, making her pelt darker in color. They began to circle each other, leaving paw prints in the clay. Cash bared his large teeth as a flash of lightning lit up the sky, "I'll make you regret everything you ever said to me!"

Not letting the female respond, Cash rushed to Fawn. She swiftly dodged, allowing him to slip past her. She turned around to find Cash's jaws inches away from her face, causing Fawn to stumble back. Cash snapped on the air between them, and a lightning flash made his white teeth glow in the dark. Fawn bared her teeth and balanced herself on her hind legs, and Cash copied her movements. After a boom of thunder, the two dogs clashed, biting at one another's faces and trying to push the other back down to four paws. Fawn sunk her teeth into his muzzle, to which Cash howled in pain. He backed away, allowing her teeth to drag across his muzzle, but he escaped nonetheless. Blood dripped from Fawn's lips as Cash glared at her, "you've done it now!"

The black and brown dog charged and planted his teeth into her shoulder. Pain circulated throughout Fawn's body, making her yelp and flatten her ears. The female pulled back, closer to the wall that she stood on before. Her nemesis released her reluctantly with a growl. Cash smirked and lunged again, not giving Fawn any time to glance at the bloody gash on her shoulder. The male forced Fawn onto the ground, making clay splash upwards in a loud splat. The Pharaoh Hound didn't waste any time in such a vulnerable position, and raked his stomach with her claws. Cash winced in pain at this, and staggered off of her. Fawn was quick to get up, and she could feel the rain wash red clay that coated her back. She bared her white canines at him, and Cash snarled at her. Fawn felt her hackles rise, but it made no difference in the dark, for the only source of light was the city, which made all of the dogs shadows. Only the lightning could reveal them, "give up, Cash! You won't win!"

"I'll never stop fighting!" he snarled back at Fawn.

"Let it go!" she growled.

"Never!" Cash sprinted at her at top speed, and rammed her with his head. Fawn gasped and felt numb as her body slammed into a wall. She fell to the ground, limp, mud and clay splattering across her face and body. The other pack dogs inhaled, others growled in disbelief. With a mad grin on his face, Cash padded up to her. He took her scruff in his jaws, and Fawn could do nothing to stop him. The male picked her up and began to swing her, then flung her away. She landed in front of the pile of rubble her friends previously guarded. Buck rushed over to his sister, "Fawn!" he howled.

"Buck... no. Don't get in his way..." Fawn murmured, blinking her green eyes up at him.

"I don't care about him! I will protect you!" he argued.

"Ha! It's no use! You're done for, no matter who protects you. I warned you in the beginning, Fawn. I gave you a chance, and now look. You ruined it for everyone... all because of you," Cash laughed. Fawn picked her head up to look at him, and then rested her head on the clay. He was right. It was her fault. She made this mess, "and finally, you pay the price!"

"No!"