The Goldie's Future(Discontinued)

Chapter 2: Stranger Danger

My vision was black, and all at the same time blurry. Like rocks in a muddy pond or a figure in a pitch black room. After a minute or two of staying with my peaceful void, I noticed that the ground has changed from before. Instead of a hard and springy mattress, I feel what could be gravely soil below me. I attempt to open my eyes, but no avail as sudden light filled through them. I quickly shut them in more pain than surprise. I guess sleeping until it was this bright out wasn't such a good idea. I cracked one eye open just a tad, and although it burned, I kept it like that one slit. After a few seconds I cracked open the other one. Soon enough, both were fully opened and adjusted to the scorching sun. I quickly swung my head up as I realized I wasn't anywhere near where I was before. Surrounding me was a half-empty sandy junkyard, trash and broken down cars filling it. The ground was soft and warm, almost like a beach. About ten feet away from me a large cracked building stood, all windows busted out and most of it torn down. It was still in a well enough condition though for someone to camp out in if they really wanted to. I dozed off for a few seconds, inside my head a fuzzy blankness with questions swimming through my mind like a school of fish being chased down by sharks. "Ello there!" A sudden high voice yells out behind me. All other feelings gone and only fear replacing them, I spring up and jump back to get some distance between me and the stranger, facing them with a small snarl. I freeze and all fear drains from me, only to be once again replaced by confusion. What stood in front of me was an old greyhound. Dogs like these are rare to find here nowadays, so it's always a surprise to see one. By the looks of him, he didn't seem to pose a threat at all. He was an elder, seeming to be about nine years old. His coat was a shiny black and white with dotted speckles on his chest and muzzle. He was very tall, but also very scrawny. He didn't look to have any muscle on him, and he didn't seem too much of a meal to any predator. "Awake I see? I hope I didn't spook ya too bad" he had a very strong accent, unmistakably Irish with a little hint of something else I couldn't place my paw on. Irish greyhound I'm guessing? His voice didn't match his age at all, high-pitched and jumpy. He was shaking a bit, which could have many reasons behind it but that is the last of my worries. "Who, what, when, where, and how??" I asked, keeping my defensive stance. He seemed more puzzled than intimidated, tilting his head which causes his ears to flop over to one side. "Excuse me?" He asked back, not really understanding what I meant. I was a bit confused myself, not really understanding why I worded it like that. I clear my throat and start over. "Who are you, what are you gonna do to me, when did I get here, where even is here, and why am I here??" I redo, the same confused tone in my voice. The old dog perks up, seeming excited that I asked these for some reason. He sits down, tail neatly laying next to him as he stares at me with a friendly smile. A few minutes pass. Then a few more. What was he waiting for? My question was answered when he grunted and nodded to the spot in front of him. Oh.... he was waiting for me... I awkwardly swallow and give a nervous smile as I slowly move toward him. He may be no threat to me, but that doesn't make him any less of a stranger. I quietly sit down in front of him, grunting to him as a sign to start. He clears his throat and perks up, tip of tail slightly wagging. "Well, ye see, I live ere' with a couple of me friends-" I gulp at that and silently glance around. He continues,"I was just walking down around the place to find any survivors, and I saw you on that dirty mattress." He gives me a sympathetic look. "So I decided to bring ye ere' to help ye out with yer situation." He shrugs before adding in, "the first Who didn't try to bite my face off when I offered" I accidentally let out a small scoff at this, "except you didn't offer to me.." he smiles sheepishly. "Well I didn't want to wake Ye up.. and to answer 'what are you going to do with me', we are just gonna help nurture Ye back to health. Your starved" The elder glances at my shown ribs and my mangy fur. I really do need help, but should I really admit that? Before either of us could say anything else, a loud and sudden snarl comes from behind me before something knocks me to the ground. I yelp as I hit the ground, HARD. All I could hear was a small ringing and a growling voice beside me along with that Irish accent, a light skittish one drowned out by the other two. My vision clears as well as my hearing, being able to hear the conversation much better. "We can't just risk that! We have rules here!" The deep scratchy voice yells. I heard a whimper followed by a small yet confident voice, "I told you, he needed help! We aren't the only ones trying to survive you know!" "Exactly! He could try and wipe us out the moment we trust him! Honestly, how stupid can you be Dermot!" I slowly and quietly raise my head to look behind me. In front of the one with the Irish accent who apparently is named Dermot was two other greyhounds, one larger than the other two. The large male smelled of rubbish and old meat, the smaller one smelling of female having slightly the same scent. The big male looked to be middle-aged, muscles on him that looked large for a dog his kind. He was still tall and skinny though to match that greyhound look, but he was definitely stronger than the other two. He had an orange-brown color with white on his chest, neck, half of his belly, 1/3 of his tail, and along his muzzle and forehead. Beside him is the third greyhound and what I assume the youngest by her tiny frame with a pale yellowish-brown pelt, white on most of her head, belly, chest, feet, and half of her skinny tail. She seemed very nervous about her fellow hound next to her. "Maybe he's right though Angus, that dog DOES look in bad shape.." she agrees, not even sending a glance in my direction. The one who seemed to be named Angus sends a glare at the female, causing her to gulp and stutter. "I-I'm pretty sure that we could overpower him by numbers a-anyway.." she suggests. Angus grunts, rolling his eyes as he looks back and forth at the two smaller dogs. "......Only if he stays out here, I don't want him anywhere near my nest..." he stubbornly growls. I hear Dermot whisper in relief to the young female. Even though what they are saying is really hard to pick up, I hear him say a muffled word that sounded a lot like the name Chella. Suddenly, I feel something bite down on my scruff in a forceful way, so I do what was only instinct at an attack like this. I wiggle and twist and bark at the attacker with snarls and missing bites. But all I earn was a shove to the ground and a smack to the head with a strong paw. This leaves me a little dazed as I lay down panting. Whatever was grabbing onto my scruff yanks me up as I hear one of the other two mutter "careful" as I'm  pushed, nearly falling as I just barely keep my balance. "Calm down, I was only helping you up you little mutt." Angus growls, leaving me an angry glare before storming off. "You two deal with this... outsider, I'm going to pick up some prey." He grumbles in an irritated manner, disappearing behind a broken fence that looks to be the entrance to this place. I stare wide-eyed at the two greyhounds, shuffling my paws awkwardly. Fortunately, the stinging in them stopped, but that doesn't help my current situation. "Uh.... thanks?" I thank them, which comes out as more of a question. "No problem, that brute just doesn't care for other dogs." Dermot reassures, looking over to Chella. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he only keeps us around to use as distractions or shields if an attack DOES happen while he makes a break for it." She adds with a surprisingly confident smile at that. "Yeah, thanks Dermot, Chella." I thank them again. Dermot nods but then glances at Anna with a smile as she grunts with an uncomfortable look on her face. "It's actually Bella.." she quietly corrects. Oh...... Well I apologize and thank Dermot and BELLA once again. Dermot suddenly gets up, moving at an almost a trot with Bella following close behind. I, still a little unsure, follow them. They lead me to the broken building I saw from before, the slightest smell of smoke hiding inside it. I soon learned that this place was where they burned infected leftovers and unwanted things here in what looks to be a grill and toaster combined. I'm not really sure what it is, but it stinks of rotten meat and burnt rubber. I also noticed a small twig nest mimicking a bird one, quickly finding out from Dermot that he slept here. How is he able to tolerate this odor every night? I was then guided a little far behind the building, about twenty feet if you will. It was a very small tunnel, almost three feet in and a little over a foot wide. Bella introduced this as her little nest. There wasn't actually a nest in there, just the same sandy floor as the rest of the place though there was a small ditch in the floor of the tunnel and a few roots hanging off the top. Now I and the group start to move much farther down from the other two places, climbing over and dodging broken cars before everyone stops, causing me to accidentally bump into them. I stare at the two confused, but before I could ask anything Bella already starts speaking. "THIS is Angus's nest.." she says, staring ahead of her with Dermot. I stare as well, widening my eyes at the size of the car. It was very wide and leaning against a large machine, all but one side door being blocked off. The door was torn off, leaving a wide rectangle as the entrance. Inside was very big and had a nest in the corner full of torn cloth, tiny leaves and twigs, and a few small sand dunes gathered to hold the base. "Better we don't go in there" Dermot let's out, turning around with Bella quickly behind. I stare for a few more seconds before turning around in an almost trot to catch up to them. They continued the tour, showing me storage holes and restricted areas as well as a few extra decoration and details. Bella was about to introduce one of their collection piles a little off from the entrance before an annoyed grunt sounds behind us, a stalking figure making its way through the hole in the fence.