"Ken! Kagetora! George!" I called out to the three dogs, causing them to look in my direction. "Do you guys mind if I interact with you three?"
"Sure," Kagetora responded with a nod and grin, allowing me to sit on my haunches and gaze at them with curiosity. "What do you want to know?"
"How you three and Weed became friends," I answered with a smile of my own.
"It began when a monstrous genetically enhanced German Shepherd called Kaibutsu went rampant and began attacking humans due to his experimentations," Kagetora told me. "Me, Ken, and a couple of others were kept out of Gajou so that Gin's substitute could handle the monster. Unfortunately, Gin wasn't around at the time to deal with the monster himself. He had left, sure that everything would be okay in Tokimune's (his substitute) paws."
"Why did Gin leave?" I asked, almost furiously. "Did he really think that everything would be okay just because of one measly little decoy? What a fool."
"Gin is anything but a fool, Tamashi," George snapped his fangs at me. "He had no idea that something bad would happen. He'd never suspected such a tyrant monster to lay waste to Ohu."
"Which makes him a fool!" I roared, howling in rage. "Leaving your land in some mutt's paws only to have such a beast come in and destroy your Paradise? What a stupid ass you are, Gin!"
To my shock, I was suddenly pinned down on my back and felt a paw press down on my throat. George's eyes glared down at me with venom. "Don't . . . you . . . dare call Gin a 'stupid ass' ever again, Tamashi. Gin is a great Leader. He has a lot of courage, skill, speed, and – of all things – bravery. If he really was a fool, he'd be running with his tail between his legs when he first came upon Akakabuto. But he didn't! He actually faced the bear head-on and decapitated him in one blow!"
"Gin . . ." I muttered, realizing what stories my mother had told me. She had told me that Gin was a brave, strong, and smart dog. Even when he and his 700 dogs were more than outmatched by the bear, he still fought on. Not once had he ever lost his ground and had more than enough courage to tear the bear's head off with his shoulders.
I sighed with disgust, more to myself than towards Gin. How could I have out-loud mocked him, scorned his bravery, and made him seem weak? He was just as brave as many of these other dogs. Heck, George – a dog I barely knew – had enough courage to put me in my place and hiss directly in my face. What kind of a mutt was I to speak so damn foolishly?
"I'm sorry, George," I whimpered, curling my tail in between my legs. "It was stupid of me to spit some bullshit like that to you." Whining in submission, I watched as George lifted his paw from my throat. "I'm sorry, George."
"Next time," George warned with a snarl that I could have sworn sounded like a wolf's, "I'll put you in your place, you dumb ass bitch. Now, go to someone else and boast to them about your selfish ways."
Whimpering, I meekly walked away towards another dog, the handsome white Kishu with the scars all over him.
Ahhh shit, Tamashi. Is it getting better? Should I continue? I'm sorry about Tamashi's cruel attitude, but you have to remember her past and she hasn't really grown into what I (want) to make her. Just so you know.