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Description
A rolepay between me and featuring our characters Blue, Riley, and Shep for

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue happily trotted onto Shep's property, barking in greeting as she did so. The autumn days were becoming cooler and crisper and her already thick coat was becoming quite luxurious. Her people were always diligent to brush her at least once a day so despite her farm chores she generally looked well-kept despite her apparent size change.

"Good morning!" she called happily, plopping herself down in the middle of the dirt drive, tail waving the dust behind her into tiny storms.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep was busy in the barn, poking his nose into this and that to make sure everything was in order just as it was meant to be. His thoughts, which were previously so focused on work, were snapped away suddenly when he heard a familiar bark outside. His ears perked forward and his brows raised before he relaxed and his tail gave a gentle wag. He padded out of the barn and into the crisp autumn air. Autumn was always one of his favorite seasons, if not for anything but the weather that he considered to be absolutely perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. He saw Blue sitting in the dirt drive and returned her greeting. "Hey there!" He stopped as he reached her, a friendly smile on his muzzle. "How are you? What brings you here?" He kind of knew why. Ever since she had shared her troubling past with him, they had seemed to grow closer and were hanging out more frequently. Shep didn't seem to mind this one bit, although he did mind the occasional teasing from his siblings.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

"Oh, nothing special." she admitted with a shrug. "Just thought I'd stop by and say hi and to see if you needed any help around here today." she said all this quickly, nervous about asking to help on his farm. "My people are having more animals brought in today and I was just getting underfoot, so I kind of exiled myself." she said dramatically, ruining the affect with a laugh.

Blue made a big show of looking all around and sniffing the air. "I don't see your siblings around anywhere...so maybe you could use the help?" she asked slyly, a smirk on her muzzle.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep tilted his head to the side, listening as Blue spoke. At the mention of his siblings he glanced over at the farm house where they were certainly lounging inside. "How much do you really think they help out anyway?" He shook his head with a short laugh. "Of course you can help, though." He paused as he thought up a task that needed to be done that took more than one dog. "We can let the ducks and chickens out of their pens." He suggested, looking out to the sheds that housed them. "The ducks need to be herded to their pond." He pointed his muzzle into the direction of the small pond where the ducks often spent their morning swimming and eating.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue jumped to her feet with a happy sound. "I love ducks!" she cried, tail wagging furiously. "Of course I'll help you herd them." she laughed happily and began trotting in the direction of the duck and chicken sheds, bumping Shep with her hip as she passed in a friendly gesture.

Out past the duck pond, a little way into the woods, Riley slowly crept from the shadows. With a final, violent shake of her head she let the prone body of a fox drop from her jaws. The last time she'd visited Shep--and she realized she couldn't quite remember when that was--he'd mentioned some problems with his ducks. Riley had been in the neighborhood again and decided to sniff out the culprit.

She'd taken the fox while it was coming down it's usual trail, too cocky and sure of it's path to bother checking if any other predators were nearby. Her jaws had locked quickly behind the back of it's head and it had been quick work from there.

She yawned and stretched, wincing at the thousand tiny aches and pains that came with living in the Junkyard. Shaking out her fur she began trotting down to the farm to see what Shep was up to. But the sight of a white and black female happily prancing around stopped her in her tracks.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep nodded with a smile. "Good!" Turning, he led the way to the duck pen, where he leapt up on his hind paws to use his nose to pop the latch to the pen open. The ducks had gathered around the door, giving small quacks of delight that only got louder once the door swung open and they began waddling out and stretching their wings, flapping wildly. "They're pretty good about making their way to the pond themselves, but there are usually a few stragglers." He explained, although he was sure Blue knew exactly what he was talking about. The majority of the ducks raced to the pond on their own, skidding across the surface of the water before they settled and began lazily floating about or bobbed for some snacks. There were a few, however, that hung around the pen, or began wandering off. Shep went into the pen and drove the few that were in it out and looked to Blue to continue the herding.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue leapt after the duck, body low to the ground as she herded the loud feathered creatures. Sometimes she'd bump one with her nose to send it quacking indignantly back in the right direction. Once all the ducks were safely in or around the pond she sat back with a sigh of contentment.

"Oh?" she said to herself when she glanced up and saw a dog that looked rather worse for wear. "Hello?" Blue called out to her, confused by the other's rigid stance and silence.

Riley momentarily bared her fangs in the other female's direction before quickly turning and heading back into the woods.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep watched with a smile as Blue rounded up the ducks, and hadn't even noticed Riley had appeared until Blue addressed her. As he stepped forward to Blue's side, Riley had already turned on her heels and left into the woods. Shep's ears fell back and he glanced over at Blue. "Uh, hold on." He said, leaping forward to race after Riley. "I'll be back in a minute!" He called over his shoulder to her.

It didn't take him terribly long to catch up with Riley. "Riley! Where are you going?" He was confused. Why was she leaving when she had just arrived?

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sourlemonfox said the following:

"Oh, alright..." Blue said softly as she watched Shep lope away. She wondered what that female had been about. Her ears flicked back slightly before laying normally again. With a sigh she lay down in the grass and kept watch over the ducks.

In the woods Riley picked up her pace as she heard Shep's pursuit. "Just passing through." she said shortly, trying to avoid him by taking more hindered routes through the underbrush.

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warpugs said the following:

Just as Shep caught up with Riley, she began changing her routes, clearly in an attempt to ditch him. He persisted though, pushing through the brush or finding another way through as need be. "You always stop by when you're passing through." He said simply but still with a hint of confusion. "Is... something wrong?" He hated how Riley always made him feel so oblivious and how she could grow so cold in an instant. Certainly Blue hadn't deterred her from visiting?

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sourlemonfox said the following:

"You seem to already have enough company. Shouldn't leave her waiting." Riley snapped over her shoulder before coming to a halt and whirling on him in one dangerously swift motion. "So why the hell are you following me?" she growled, teeth showing.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep halted and drew his head back, brows raised. Ignoring the question she snarled at him, he said, "That's why you're mad? Because Blue's helping at my farm today?" Was Riley... jealous? He felt a bit incredulous at that thought because he didn't exactly peg Riley as that type. And why would she be jealous anyway?

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley flinched inadvertently at Shep's words. With a deep, low growl she whirled around to face him, teeth making an audible clack as they snapped shut inches from his nose. "You think I give a rat's ass about that bitch?" she roared, body trembling. She was all too aware of how her heavy breathing only accentuated how prominent her ribs had become.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep drew his head back even further, if that were at all possible, as her mouth snapped shut before him. The more she spoke, the more confused he got. "But you said-" He stopped himself, brow raising. "Then why are you leaving?" As her body trembled with rage and her sides heaved, he couldn't help but notice that her ribs were visible. He knew he couldn't leave her now. Not like this. She needed to eat, but she also needed to view it as her own idea... He wouldn't push that issue just yet.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

"I'm leaving because I WANT to!" she yelled. Her fur bristled across her entire body. Why was she so upset? Angry? Hurt? She gave her head a rough shake, refusing to delve further into her emotions. No. She felt one thing and one thing only right now--anger. She was familiar with anger. "You gonna try to stop me?" her growl was low and menacing as she lowered her head threateningly.

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warpugs said the following:

"Yes." Shep said, sounding almost uncertain at first, but then became firmer. "Yes, actually." He was certain Riley wouldn't actually hurt him, that she wouldn't want to lose what they had over... whatever was or wasn't happening here. He stood up straight again, using the little height he had over her to his advantage. "You should come back to the farm with me. Grab a bite to eat. I know you're hungry." He inwardly thought, or more joked, that perhaps that played some role in her anger at the moment.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley growled menacingly when Shep straightened up to his full height. In her condition she was in no shape to fight if she wanted to win. Not that she'd ever actually fight Shep, but the thought was still disconcerting. "Fine." she snapped, her teeth clacking together with the answer. She brushed past him a little harder then usual and walked heavily back toward the farm. She couldn't say no to free food, not right now.

Blue had her head in her paws and sighed every few minutes. Who was that other dog? How did Shep know her? Why did she leave so quickly. Her ears perked and she quickly stood as the strange mottled dog came steadily down the hill, green eyes glaring her way. Blue gulped. "H-hello!" she called in greeting, tail wagging low to the ground.

Riley's lips twitched in a silent snarl as she past by the other female, refusing to even bump her shoulder in anger as she went. She headed straight for the horse barn where Shep had been feeding her for months. Forget them. She just wanted food.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep relaxed a bit when she finally agreed to come back to the farm with him, but her anger had clearly not subsided as she shoved past him. He would take what he could get, he supposed. He trailed after her, trying to hide the wince as she snarled at Blue as she passed her and went straight into the barn where she knew the food was. Shep took a quick glance to the ducks and the chickens to make sure they were all in order before he continued following after Riley. He beckoned for Blue to follow along to the barn as well and said, "Uh, Blue this is a friend of mine... Riley. She's from the Junkyard territory. Riley, Blue." He gave Blue a sideways glance. He wasn't much for introductions, especially not with a dog so... hostile (Riley wasn't usually this bad), but it still seemed like a fitting thing to do at least for Blue's sake. "She's from a neighboring farm." As they entered the barn, the food was waiting just where it always was for Riley. This morning it was a heaping pile of sausage scraps and scrambled eggs. A working dog, Shep's owners liked to feed him well to keep him going, especially as the weather got cooler. He hung back in the entryway a bit, wanting to give Riley her space.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley's hackles quivered when both dogs followed her into the barn. Once she saw the food she rushed over and began to devour all of it. She only paused once to growl threateningly at 'Blue' when the other female was staring too openly. Licking her chops after finishing the meal she glanced sideways at Shep, trying to gauge...something.

Blue watched as the skinny female ate all of Shep's food, mouth slightly agape. Her jaw quickly snapped shut when Riley growled and she took an involuntary step back. Riley was clearly in bad shape, covered in thorns and burrs, ribs sticking out, and fur matted down across her back. Blue couldn't help the wave of sympathy that washed over her, remembering what it was like living in the puppy mill and how similar they would have looked.

"So you're a farm dog too?" Riley finally asked, feeling slightly less murderous with a full stomach. "How lovely." she couldn't help but bite off the last part.

"Erm, yes. I live at the neighboring farm..." Blue responded glancing quickly at Shep for help.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep's ears fell back as he watched Riley scarf down the food. He was no longer distracted by their back-and-forth arguing and could better notice what bad shape her body and coat were in. He wished he could help her more, but she would never accept anything beyond a meal and he knew it. When she turned back to the two of them, his ears perked forward once more. Riley began interrogating Blue and Blue was sending him desperate looks. He sat down, hoping to create a more relaxed atmosphere. "They're the farm with all the weird animals." Shep said with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood, wondering if Riley had ever passed by Blue's farm. Visiting her farm had sent Shep's nose into sensory overload with all the exotic smells.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley grunted, well aware of the weird farm. So that's why the other female--Blue--smelled so odd. She narrowed her eyes at the other female and Blue couldn't help but lightly flinch. "Uhm--yes. My people love all living things." she said softly and shyly.

"How nice for you." Riley deadpanned. She couldn't help noticing how close Blue sidled up to Shep and her ears fell even further back. "I gotta go. Tasks to be done." she growled as she quickly trotted past them, refusing to acknowledge the looks of confusion. She couldn't deal with this right now. "What is WRONG with me?" she thought madly.

Blue watched as Riley left and turned to Shep with a concerned expression. "Is there anything we can do for her?" she asked, voice breaking, her past too close to the surface and raw from the encounter.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep stood and took a step after Riley as she stalked off. He frowned. If Blue were not with him he certainly would've gone after her, but he couldn't leave her alone yet again like that. He looked back to Blue finally. "No, she would never allow it. I already do all she'll let me." He was referencing the meals he shared with her and how he let Riley sleep in the hay-pile in the barn. He watched until she disappeared before turning back to Blue with a disheartened lop-sided grin and giving her a little nudge with his nose to follow him so they could finish the work she agreed to help him with on the farm.

Description
A rolepay between me and featuring our characters Blue, Riley, and Shep for

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue happily trotted onto Shep's property, barking in greeting as she did so. The autumn days were becoming cooler and crisper and her already thick coat was becoming quite luxurious. Her people were always diligent to brush her at least once a day so despite her farm chores she generally looked well-kept despite her apparent size change.

"Good morning!" she called happily, plopping herself down in the middle of the dirt drive, tail waving the dust behind her into tiny storms.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep was busy in the barn, poking his nose into this and that to make sure everything was in order just as it was meant to be. His thoughts, which were previously so focused on work, were snapped away suddenly when he heard a familiar bark outside. His ears perked forward and his brows raised before he relaxed and his tail gave a gentle wag. He padded out of the barn and into the crisp autumn air. Autumn was always one of his favorite seasons, if not for anything but the weather that he considered to be absolutely perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. He saw Blue sitting in the dirt drive and returned her greeting. "Hey there!" He stopped as he reached her, a friendly smile on his muzzle. "How are you? What brings you here?" He kind of knew why. Ever since she had shared her troubling past with him, they had seemed to grow closer and were hanging out more frequently. Shep didn't seem to mind this one bit, although he did mind the occasional teasing from his siblings.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

"Oh, nothing special." she admitted with a shrug. "Just thought I'd stop by and say hi and to see if you needed any help around here today." she said all this quickly, nervous about asking to help on his farm. "My people are having more animals brought in today and I was just getting underfoot, so I kind of exiled myself." she said dramatically, ruining the affect with a laugh.

Blue made a big show of looking all around and sniffing the air. "I don't see your siblings around anywhere...so maybe you could use the help?" she asked slyly, a smirk on her muzzle.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep tilted his head to the side, listening as Blue spoke. At the mention of his siblings he glanced over at the farm house where they were certainly lounging inside. "How much do you really think they help out anyway?" He shook his head with a short laugh. "Of course you can help, though." He paused as he thought up a task that needed to be done that took more than one dog. "We can let the ducks and chickens out of their pens." He suggested, looking out to the sheds that housed them. "The ducks need to be herded to their pond." He pointed his muzzle into the direction of the small pond where the ducks often spent their morning swimming and eating.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue jumped to her feet with a happy sound. "I love ducks!" she cried, tail wagging furiously. "Of course I'll help you herd them." she laughed happily and began trotting in the direction of the duck and chicken sheds, bumping Shep with her hip as she passed in a friendly gesture.

Out past the duck pond, a little way into the woods, Riley slowly crept from the shadows. With a final, violent shake of her head she let the prone body of a fox drop from her jaws. The last time she'd visited Shep--and she realized she couldn't quite remember when that was--he'd mentioned some problems with his ducks. Riley had been in the neighborhood again and decided to sniff out the culprit.

She'd taken the fox while it was coming down it's usual trail, too cocky and sure of it's path to bother checking if any other predators were nearby. Her jaws had locked quickly behind the back of it's head and it had been quick work from there.

She yawned and stretched, wincing at the thousand tiny aches and pains that came with living in the Junkyard. Shaking out her fur she began trotting down to the farm to see what Shep was up to. But the sight of a white and black female happily prancing around stopped her in her tracks.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep nodded with a smile. "Good!" Turning, he led the way to the duck pen, where he leapt up on his hind paws to use his nose to pop the latch to the pen open. The ducks had gathered around the door, giving small quacks of delight that only got louder once the door swung open and they began waddling out and stretching their wings, flapping wildly. "They're pretty good about making their way to the pond themselves, but there are usually a few stragglers." He explained, although he was sure Blue knew exactly what he was talking about. The majority of the ducks raced to the pond on their own, skidding across the surface of the water before they settled and began lazily floating about or bobbed for some snacks. There were a few, however, that hung around the pen, or began wandering off. Shep went into the pen and drove the few that were in it out and looked to Blue to continue the herding.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue leapt after the duck, body low to the ground as she herded the loud feathered creatures. Sometimes she'd bump one with her nose to send it quacking indignantly back in the right direction. Once all the ducks were safely in or around the pond she sat back with a sigh of contentment.

"Oh?" she said to herself when she glanced up and saw a dog that looked rather worse for wear. "Hello?" Blue called out to her, confused by the other's rigid stance and silence.

Riley momentarily bared her fangs in the other female's direction before quickly turning and heading back into the woods.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep watched with a smile as Blue rounded up the ducks, and hadn't even noticed Riley had appeared until Blue addressed her. As he stepped forward to Blue's side, Riley had already turned on her heels and left into the woods. Shep's ears fell back and he glanced over at Blue. "Uh, hold on." He said, leaping forward to race after Riley. "I'll be back in a minute!" He called over his shoulder to her.

It didn't take him terribly long to catch up with Riley. "Riley! Where are you going?" He was confused. Why was she leaving when she had just arrived?

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sourlemonfox said the following:

"Oh, alright..." Blue said softly as she watched Shep lope away. She wondered what that female had been about. Her ears flicked back slightly before laying normally again. With a sigh she lay down in the grass and kept watch over the ducks.

In the woods Riley picked up her pace as she heard Shep's pursuit. "Just passing through." she said shortly, trying to avoid him by taking more hindered routes through the underbrush.

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warpugs said the following:

Just as Shep caught up with Riley, she began changing her routes, clearly in an attempt to ditch him. He persisted though, pushing through the brush or finding another way through as need be. "You always stop by when you're passing through." He said simply but still with a hint of confusion. "Is... something wrong?" He hated how Riley always made him feel so oblivious and how she could grow so cold in an instant. Certainly Blue hadn't deterred her from visiting?

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sourlemonfox said the following:

"You seem to already have enough company. Shouldn't leave her waiting." Riley snapped over her shoulder before coming to a halt and whirling on him in one dangerously swift motion. "So why the hell are you following me?" she growled, teeth showing.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep halted and drew his head back, brows raised. Ignoring the question she snarled at him, he said, "That's why you're mad? Because Blue's helping at my farm today?" Was Riley... jealous? He felt a bit incredulous at that thought because he didn't exactly peg Riley as that type. And why would she be jealous anyway?

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley flinched inadvertently at Shep's words. With a deep, low growl she whirled around to face him, teeth making an audible clack as they snapped shut inches from his nose. "You think I give a rat's ass about that bitch?" she roared, body trembling. She was all too aware of how her heavy breathing only accentuated how prominent her ribs had become.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep drew his head back even further, if that were at all possible, as her mouth snapped shut before him. The more she spoke, the more confused he got. "But you said-" He stopped himself, brow raising. "Then why are you leaving?" As her body trembled with rage and her sides heaved, he couldn't help but notice that her ribs were visible. He knew he couldn't leave her now. Not like this. She needed to eat, but she also needed to view it as her own idea... He wouldn't push that issue just yet.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

"I'm leaving because I WANT to!" she yelled. Her fur bristled across her entire body. Why was she so upset? Angry? Hurt? She gave her head a rough shake, refusing to delve further into her emotions. No. She felt one thing and one thing only right now--anger. She was familiar with anger. "You gonna try to stop me?" her growl was low and menacing as she lowered her head threateningly.

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warpugs said the following:

"Yes." Shep said, sounding almost uncertain at first, but then became firmer. "Yes, actually." He was certain Riley wouldn't actually hurt him, that she wouldn't want to lose what they had over... whatever was or wasn't happening here. He stood up straight again, using the little height he had over her to his advantage. "You should come back to the farm with me. Grab a bite to eat. I know you're hungry." He inwardly thought, or more joked, that perhaps that played some role in her anger at the moment.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley growled menacingly when Shep straightened up to his full height. In her condition she was in no shape to fight if she wanted to win. Not that she'd ever actually fight Shep, but the thought was still disconcerting. "Fine." she snapped, her teeth clacking together with the answer. She brushed past him a little harder then usual and walked heavily back toward the farm. She couldn't say no to free food, not right now.

Blue had her head in her paws and sighed every few minutes. Who was that other dog? How did Shep know her? Why did she leave so quickly. Her ears perked and she quickly stood as the strange mottled dog came steadily down the hill, green eyes glaring her way. Blue gulped. "H-hello!" she called in greeting, tail wagging low to the ground.

Riley's lips twitched in a silent snarl as she past by the other female, refusing to even bump her shoulder in anger as she went. She headed straight for the horse barn where Shep had been feeding her for months. Forget them. She just wanted food.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep relaxed a bit when she finally agreed to come back to the farm with him, but her anger had clearly not subsided as she shoved past him. He would take what he could get, he supposed. He trailed after her, trying to hide the wince as she snarled at Blue as she passed her and went straight into the barn where she knew the food was. Shep took a quick glance to the ducks and the chickens to make sure they were all in order before he continued following after Riley. He beckoned for Blue to follow along to the barn as well and said, "Uh, Blue this is a friend of mine... Riley. She's from the Junkyard territory. Riley, Blue." He gave Blue a sideways glance. He wasn't much for introductions, especially not with a dog so... hostile (Riley wasn't usually this bad), but it still seemed like a fitting thing to do at least for Blue's sake. "She's from a neighboring farm." As they entered the barn, the food was waiting just where it always was for Riley. This morning it was a heaping pile of sausage scraps and scrambled eggs. A working dog, Shep's owners liked to feed him well to keep him going, especially as the weather got cooler. He hung back in the entryway a bit, wanting to give Riley her space.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley's hackles quivered when both dogs followed her into the barn. Once she saw the food she rushed over and began to devour all of it. She only paused once to growl threateningly at 'Blue' when the other female was staring too openly. Licking her chops after finishing the meal she glanced sideways at Shep, trying to gauge...something.

Blue watched as the skinny female ate all of Shep's food, mouth slightly agape. Her jaw quickly snapped shut when Riley growled and she took an involuntary step back. Riley was clearly in bad shape, covered in thorns and burrs, ribs sticking out, and fur matted down across her back. Blue couldn't help the wave of sympathy that washed over her, remembering what it was like living in the puppy mill and how similar they would have looked.

"So you're a farm dog too?" Riley finally asked, feeling slightly less murderous with a full stomach. "How lovely." she couldn't help but bite off the last part.

"Erm, yes. I live at the neighboring farm..." Blue responded glancing quickly at Shep for help.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep's ears fell back as he watched Riley scarf down the food. He was no longer distracted by their back-and-forth arguing and could better notice what bad shape her body and coat were in. He wished he could help her more, but she would never accept anything beyond a meal and he knew it. When she turned back to the two of them, his ears perked forward once more. Riley began interrogating Blue and Blue was sending him desperate looks. He sat down, hoping to create a more relaxed atmosphere. "They're the farm with all the weird animals." Shep said with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood, wondering if Riley had ever passed by Blue's farm. Visiting her farm had sent Shep's nose into sensory overload with all the exotic smells.

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sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley grunted, well aware of the weird farm. So that's why the other female--Blue--smelled so odd. She narrowed her eyes at the other female and Blue couldn't help but lightly flinch. "Uhm--yes. My people love all living things." she said softly and shyly.

"How nice for you." Riley deadpanned. She couldn't help noticing how close Blue sidled up to Shep and her ears fell even further back. "I gotta go. Tasks to be done." she growled as she quickly trotted past them, refusing to acknowledge the looks of confusion. She couldn't deal with this right now. "What is WRONG with me?" she thought madly.

Blue watched as Riley left and turned to Shep with a concerned expression. "Is there anything we can do for her?" she asked, voice breaking, her past too close to the surface and raw from the encounter.

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warpugs said the following:

Shep stood and took a step after Riley as she stalked off. He frowned. If Blue were not with him he certainly would've gone after her, but he couldn't leave her alone yet again like that. He looked back to Blue finally. "No, she would never allow it. I already do all she'll let me." He was referencing the meals he shared with her and how he let Riley sleep in the hay-pile in the barn. He watched until she disappeared before turning back to Blue with a disheartened lop-sided grin and giving her a little nudge with his nose to follow him so they could finish the work she agreed to help him with on the farm.