Beginning:
Hiking in the woods uphill
Shelby: "Come on! We're almost there!"
Terrance pushing out of a bush: "You said that about an hour ago. Where are we even going?"
Shelby: " I told you it's a surprise, just trust me. Also This time I really mean it, it's just past these trees" calls out "come on Mekal"
Mekal the cat: reluctantly trots along after sneaking up behind a mouse. Hops onto shelby's shoulder
They arrive at a clearing around a pond about the size of a swimming pool.
Shelby: "See? I told you you wouldn't regret this trip"
Terence: "This is nice and all but we have a pool on campus, besides we didn't bring any ba-GHANA GH!" turns to see shelby about to take off her pants
Shelby: "Relax dude, I'm wearing my shorts underneath." Reveals swimming shorts under her pants. "I brought yours too, go change over there."
terrance: behind some bushes thinking "this place really is cool, but I really wish she hadn't decided to show me at the same time the gladiator match was on" Imagines two men in helmets fighting with weapons in an mma ring.
Shelby "Ter! Help! Come quick!"
Terrance: Dashes out of the bushes toward the cries for help but finds nothing
Shelby: points to the lake "that dog is stuck out there" Dogg stuck on a log whimpering.
Terrance: "why couldn't you just grab him, it's not that far"
Shelby: embarrassed "I kinda ate your Jupiter bar on the way here… 30 minute rule."
Terrance: Outraged "Seriously!?"
Terrance riding a log and paddling towards the dog "Hey buddy, don't be scared. You're gonna be ok
Dog: "GRRRR"
Terrance "Hey, if you don't want my help I'll just leave you here"
Dog: Hesitates, then inches forward. Log tips and dog freezes
Terrance: "It's ok, take it slow" inches closer and reaches out
Dog: panics and leaps forward and lands on the end of Terraces log, sending them both plunging into the water.
On the shore
"Aww, aren't you adorable," Shelby cooed, holding the small dog in a towel as Terrance, still sopping wet, attempted to wring out his short dreads.
"You know, I could use a towel too," Terrance grumbled as he tried to wring out his black t-shirt as well.
" We only have one," shelby said, dismissively, focusing on the dog, "and Ramses here will get sick if he doesn't dry off."
"He won't get sick," Terrance retorted, putting his hands on his hips, " and even if he did, what about me?"
"You'll live," Shelby said calmly, causing Terrace to nearly fall over in bewilderment insensitive Shelby could be.
Terrance thought for a second and said, " wait, you named that thing?"
"This 'thing' is Ramses," she shot back, "and I'm keeping him because he's adorable!"
Terrance saw the look in her eyes, resembling a child's who had just spotted a brand new toy in a shop window.
"No way," Terrance exclaimed, snatching the startled dog away from her, "you already got Mekal! I get this one!" He looked around. "Where is Mekal anyway? She was just here"
Ramses let out a bark looking upward. Mekal was sitting in a tree, hissing at the new addition to their circle.
"Well that answers that," Terence laughed, "let's head back to my place.
They set off back into the forest, Mekal using the tree branches to follow, keeping a safe distance from which to eyeball Ramses suspiciously as Ramses trotted along nonchalantly, keeping close to his savior, Terrance.
"You know, Ramses looks kind of funny," Terrance said, looking more closely at the dog.
"Maybe he's a mixed breed." Shelby said also taking a closer look, not noticing that Mekal had frozen, her large yellow eyes staring into the shadows. " maybe he's part wolf?"
"Nah, he's too small. Imagine the size difference between his parents," Terrance said, laughing at the absurd scenario.
Suddenly there was the sound of leaves being pushed around as Mekal jumped out of the trees and took off at top speed.
"Mekal wait!" Shelby yelled, attempting to run after her. But now Ramses had noticed what had scared Mekal, and what it was made his hairs all stand on end.
"What're you growling a-" Terrace froze as he saw something with matted brown fur coming out of the bushes, followed by four more, all growling and baring their sharp teeth.
" Shelby… I think I figured out what Ramses is.
Shelby followed his gaze and saw the snarling pack of Coyotes that had tracked them down, salivating and looking at them with peircing eyes.
The cousins took off as fast as their legs would carry them, using the twists and turns to their advantage, jumping over and around rocks and trees to confuse and slow down their pursuers. Shelby pulled back a branch and let it spring back and smack one of the coyotes who let out a high pitched whimper as he went flying back. Terrance picked up a fallen branch shaped like a question mark and swung back, catching the leader of the pack in the nose.
"I like this!" he thought to himself as he paused, then realizing he was still in danger, the kept running. Above, Mekal knocked a birds nest out of a tree causing it to land on top of one of the coyotes. The eggs were safe, but the hound tore the nest to shreds. Moments later, two birds swooped down from the trees and attacked the dog. Sending it running in the wrong direction.
They had almost lost the pack when they hit a dead end. An almost vertical wall of crumbling, eroded rock and dirt was blocking their path. The cousins tried to climb to safety, but the dirt was too loose to support any weight. Even mekal was stuck, hissing at the menacing figures that had surrounded them. Ramses stood in front of the group, attempting to fend off their adversaries by barking and growling menacingly
"T-T-Terence," shelby stammered, "I'm sorry for roasting you and being so mean all the time. A-A-And I'm sorry for eating all your food without asking."
"I'm sorry I said your bun looks like a watermelon growing out of your head," Terrance said without thinking.
"What?" Shelby yelled, completely forgetting the situation at hand.
Suddenly the grass around their feet began to wither and turn brown. Ramses eyes were glowing purple and his growling was getting more menacing, reverberating around the forest, sending birds flying out of the trees. The air around him began to get darker as he barked so loud that loose rocks began to roll off of the hill above them. The pack of coyotes cowered and ran in the opposite direction.
Ramses continued to growl and bark normally until the pack had vanished before relaxing and turning to face the group, happily panting and wagging his tail, pleased with himself, as the grass turned back to normal.
"Uhh-" Terrance stuttered, wondering if he had imagined the whole thing.
"Let's get out of here!" Shelby said earnestly "this place is dangerous!"
They set off downhill back to civilization, with Ramses trying to sniff Meckel's backside, much to his displeasure as he let out a hiss and swiped at the hound.
Meanwhile a sinister looking man in a black suit and tie walked out from behind a tree, watching the group leave.
"Seems like the young ones now both have their hiwan," he said to himself as he turned away to leave, "It's only a matter of time before they become a bigger thorn in my side than their ancestors."
The next day Terrance woke up to his alarm and something warm and wet stroking his face, Ramses had taken it upon himself to make sure his new master got up early.
As he came out to get some cereal he was shocked to find that Shelby had let herself in and was casually enjoying a bowl of her own.
"Seriously, does your mom not feed you anymore? All you do is eat my food."
"MM-I meedda get moy own plache like you," she said before swallowing, "Your Job kicks ass, especially since your dad runs the egyptian studies department. My mom's been driving me up the wall, especially now that she's discovered cat memes"
"Yeah being an RA does have some sweet benefits" Terrance said, looking around at the small apartment he had to himself. Then looking at Ramses sniffing at Shelby's purse, which had a familiar black paw sticking out of it and swatting back, he said "it's a good thing Ramses is quiet or else we'd have a problem keeping him."
"Yup, by the way, what time does class start?" Shelby said getting up as Mekal sprung out of the purse at Ramses, "your dad's quiz is today."
"Nine- thirty. What time is it now?"
"Nine- Twenty"
They Looked at each other and bolted for the door, backpacks on and old papers flying, Their pets in hot pursuit.