‷ ♟. Pawns «

[kabayø]

É ʟ ᴏ ᴅ ɪ ᴇ

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( Gender: Female ) ( Age: 4 years ) ( Tagged: Open ) ( Word Count: 689 )

Her body had been running on pure adrenaline ever since she’d stepped beyond the bars that once imprisoned her. She’d seen her chance, and there was no going back. Little fazed Élodie in her spirited charge as she hurled ahead at full speed. Not the roaring engines of the vehicles that furiously pursued her and other escapees, not the churning of mechanical blades above as helicopters targeted the fleeing dogs from the air. Not even the pitiful cries of fellow canines as the hot metal bullets from above hailed down on the dispersing group. Shots ricocheted, but pumped with adrenaline, Élodie barely felt the burning led as it nicked her face and forepaws. Her mind was simply focused on one thing only; escape.

Her eyes hardened to narrow slits as she caught a glimpse of the chaos surrounding her. Their pursuers were targeting everyone as a whole. The closing in of vehicles behind confirmed their goal to capture the dogs as a group by heading them off before they could break free. Élodie took a breath, gambling with her life before veering sharply to the right, darting in front of a large black SUV and springing towards the heart of the tree line. Thick branches and dense foliage pulled and scratched at her body as she ploughed onwards, easily clearing fallen logs and upturned tree roots that threatened to disrupt her escape.

Minutes went by and still, Élodie kept on running, her paws burning and her legs aching as her burst of energy finally began to wear off. The piercing sound of gunshots and bellowing shouts of the men who fired them had faded from her earshot, drowned out by the pleasant tranquil of the natural world she’d stepped into. Her body relaxed to a point where she could stop running, the tension gradually exiting her joints and allowing her to enter a calm pace. Still, her guard was kept up as she examined her surroundings, years of training preparing her for a sudden attack or ambush at any moment. It was hard to ignore those urges, to forget a lifetime of habits. While Élodie couldn’t fully accept she was actually safe, she did wonder if anyone else had made it out as far as she had. She couldn’t be the only one, right?

She took a moment to catch her breath, her eyes closing in bliss as she took a deep inhale of the fresh forest air. It was so pure. Clear of chemicals, the vivid scenery replacing the painful white walls they had surrounded her for so long. Her paws dug deeply into the loose earth beneath her, the smooth tiles of the lab already feeling like a lifetime ago. It was a feeling she’d never believed she’d experience ever since she’d set eyes on the bars that once enclosed her; freedom. A thin trickle of blood rolled from her face to to her chin, setting Élodie back to reality as she took into consideration how the escape had damaged her body. She was relatively okay, no broken limbs or open wounds. Her left cheek was lacerated from violent power of the irregular bullets, the blood flow showing little sign of cauterising.

But with a strong pain threshold, she put her own predicaments aside as she contemplated her next move. She was sure the humans weren’t done. They’d never be, not until she and every other escapee had been caught and put back into the security of the facility. They knew the power and destruction that they were capable of, the only evidence they needed was the havoc they’d recently wreaked on the world. But she’d be damned if she’d let that happen. Élodie had tasted of freedom. She wasn’t going to give it up without a fight. But what chance did she actually stand in comparison to the power of the handlers and their task force? There was only one thing she was certain of. She couldn’t do this alone. There had to be others just as lucky as her. Though Élodie didn’t rather like the idea of trying to find others, there wasn’t really another option.

”Well, here goes nothing.” she uttered, before slinking off in the opposite direction, nose to the ground and ready to discover a trail of scent.

[carpe noctem.]

꧁ ❝ 𝐊𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀 !!

⠀ ⠀ gender. unaltered female⠀⠀ breed. king shepherd⠀⠀ age. five years of age⠀ tagged. fontaine, open
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Kostia was awakened by a sharp screech of metal as her kennel door flung open, followed by a series of harsh yelling soaked with tones of terror and panic. She was on her feet in mere moments, deep amber eyes rounded with confusion. For a brief moment the shepherd had thought this had been some type of test, an evaluation of their loyalties to their handlers and the facility, perhaps. However, she found herself doubting such a thing—out of the fact of cries of handlers or rather a flicker of hope that willed herself to run— and the black king shepherd quickly joined the group of dogs that were scrambling out of kennels and racing out of the facility.

⠀⠀⠀She broke out into a sprint, black limbs extending out in front of her as she raced past the sequence of kennels, feeling the looming desperation of escaping that hung above many of the dogs that ran aside her, the group beginning to part off as a blinding light shone overhead, painting the shepherd’s black fur light in its ivory glow. She could hear the sound of a rain of bullets as they shot down around her. A ringing abruptly met her ears as she felt a pulsing pain in her left ear, and her steps briefly faltered, causing her to stumble. The dogs that had chosen to run in the same direction as Kostia dashed past her, and the back paw of one dog had hit her face, claws meeting the skin on her muzzle and cheek, drawing blood. Kostia swiftly lifted herself up once more, her paws leading her past familiar grounds into unknown territory.

⠀⠀⠀ Time had passed since Kostia had left the known soil of the facility land, and the shepherd had reduced her pace to a walk. The deafening ringing within her left ear had subsided, and she had regained her hearing, but crimson blood coated her face. Thankfully, the worst of her injuries had been the bullet that had nicked her ear, and Kostia expected a chip in her ear from it. The pain that she had felt at the moment she was shot was offered no more than a momentary grimace, and now, as she trudged through thick vegetation, she paid no mind to it. Her head was lowered to the ground, onyx nose twitching as she inhaled the rich forest scents, blocking out the metallic scent of her own blood. However, as she inhaled, the shepherd detected the scent of another canine... and while distant, it still rang slightly familiar. Kostia quickly associated it with the smell of the facility, and knew the scent to be one of the other engineered dogs. The blood that also came with the scent concerned the fae, but she hoped for it to be a mistake on her part and rather the scent of her own blood.

⠀⠀⠀There was a hesitation as Kostia began to make her way down a small hill, unsure if she wanted to meet this dog, who’s intentions were unknown to her. For all she knew, this dog could’ve been caught by the humans and then sent out to capture the others.

⠀⠀⠀Kostia paused at that thought, digging her claws into the dirt. She wouldn’t—no, couldn’t— go back. That facility changed her from dog to monster, shaped her from a working dog to a deadly weapon, trained and used to subdue and kill. Her instincts bit into her thoughts, urging her to either attack or run. Kostia felt more inclined to the latter, but as a limping figure came into view the shepherd stayed put.

⠀⠀⠀The belgian malinois was one she has certainly seen before, she knew it. Her mind searched for a name to put with the male, and soon she connected it with Fontaine. Her steps were cautious and precise as she moved towards him, but despite this, her amber eyes were widened with concern as she saw his leg. Her ears tentatively pricked as he spoke, and as he asked if she was Kostia she nodded her head slowly, her original prediction that he was being sent out to subdue other engineered dogs dissolving, much to her relief. “Your leg...” She trailed off as she looked at his twisted paw before meeting his deep gaze, “Are you alright?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀[ 718 words total ]
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[wildsight]

( ★ ) ──── 𝘔𝘐𝘓𝘌𝘚!!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx(Male) - (Six years old) - (Border Collie) - (Worried) - (Mentions: --) - (Tags: Open) (WC: 573)
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GO!!

It happened so fast he didn't know how to react at first. He was lying by the door to his kennel staring at the wall. He was motionless except for the occasional twitch of his tail. He knew what the day would hold. It would be like every other day. More testing. More trials. It was just another step for the monster he had become. That horrible day came back to him when he attacked his previous owner. He didn't know what had come over him. He didn't stop to smell the air. He didn't stop to listen. He didn't even think. Something in him just clicked. Now as he sat in this cage with no possible way to escape he knew his life was over. Well, at least what he wanted his life to be wouldn't happen. And just as he rolled over to gaze out the kennel door and flew open. He stared at it and blinked. He couldn't believe what had just happened. But he recovered in time to know this was his chance. His chance to leave this life behind.

He bounded out of his kennel speeding past the other dogs. His legs kept pumping moving him faster and faster. It was like he was flying. He could do this forever. Run free without anything ever holding him back. Then, came the screams. The lights. The helicopters. And worst of all the bullets. He couldn't believe it, and yet he knew he should have expected it. He couldn't have possibly thought that the humans would let their precious experiments escape. The humans now used everything they had to take down the dogs they had done so many experiments on. And with a jolt of horror he realized he was one of them. With fear driving him onward his pace quickened ever more. He heard yelps of terror as others we're shot down. He heard the bullets flying toward the mass of dogs. But he couldn't stop. Or else he would have to go back to that horrid place. Suddenly a jolt of pain seized him and he tripped. Quickly recovering he continued to run. His lungs burned and his legs ached from running so fast. He knew he would have to rest soon. He closed his eyes tight and ran on blindly. He then felt leaves under his paws, thorns catching his coat, and could smell something much different from where he had just left. He was in a forest. Which also meant, he had found shelter from those humans. But he kept on running until he collapsed.

Darkness. Silence. And pain. Miles slowly opened his eyes only to shut them again. The pain! What had happened? Slowly his memory came back to him. The chase. The helicopters and bullets. The screams and yelps of terror. The border collie slowly rose to his paws and glanced back at his flank. He saw it had wounds that had slowly begun to heal. He gave it a few licks before turning to his surroundings. Where was he? More importantly, he wondered if there we're any more dogs around. He sniffed the air and noticed he didn't smell any other dogs. He began to make his way through the forest his ears pricked. He sighed and glanced around a new sense of fear rising inside him. He had made it. He had reached freedom. But now how was he to survive?

[we leaving]

( ✘ＧＥＲＩ． ────

( male. cane corso. ) ( tags. ) ( word count. 649 )

xxxxeverything around him was pure chaos. things were happening too quick. geri's ears perked up as the squeaking of the hinges on the kennel door filled his ears, then the rumbling of movement and screams of the handlers. within seconds, he had already shot out of his kennel, barreling past the other facility dogs and across the vast training grounds. excitement coursed through his veins, blood pounding in his ears as he was near the end of the training grounds. the sudden feeling of excitement was gone when flashes of bright lights came from right above him; helicopters. not only that but the sound of multiple bullets could be heard, which had forced geri to jump to the side, falling through dense clusters underbrush and hit his head hard on the soil. he laid there momentarily, a sharp pain pounding through his head as the hail of bullets got closer. get up. get up! he told himself. it was when the sound of the guns firing could pierce one's ears that geri had got up, shaking his head and pelting out from under the underbrush. assumingly, the sudden movement had bullets flying geri's way, causing him to move in a zigzag pattern in order to confuse the people. he continued that movement until the sounds of the rampage faded behind him. chest heaving, geri fell to his side, feeling everything fall tranquil around him and his line of vision fade to black.

xxxxit felt like hours had passed when geri forced open his eyes, his normal pale yellow eye color now a dull color. his gaze slowly but gradually cleared up, scanning his surroundings before standing up to his paws, only to feel a heavy blow of pain shoot through his left hind leg. a low grunt vibrated in the male's throat as he attempted to shoot a glimpse at his hind leg and was met with blood slowly seeping out and tinting the patch of grass a crimson red. even without moving, the pain still continued to jolt throughout his body, but he was used to types of pain like this. despite being in agony, geri was glad that he was finally able to get a sip of freedom. he was no longer locked up in the same old and rusted kennel and would no longer be able to see those doltish handlers again. the male started limping his way through the thickets and stepped over fallen logs as he took a deep breath of the fresh atmosphere; i'm free. even though geri was free, were there other facility dogs that have escaped too? the thought was clouded by the same pain blowing at his hind leg again, bringing another grunt out of the male. on the verge of collapsing again, geri drew to a halt in his tracks before plopping down onto his side, feeling twigs break and leaves crunch under his body. gazing down at his severed hind leg geri cocked his head back and started licking at the wound, the taste of metal present on his pink tongue.

xxxxgeri continued licking his wound until the blood was no longer there. he decided to lay there for a moment, giving himself time to recollect himself and his thoughts. the nightmare was over. he stood to his paws again, continuing to pad through the forest and drag a longing gaze across his surroundings; no kennels, no handlers. just trees, underbrush, and streams. the cane corso continued wandering around before he decided to see if anyone was nearby. "hello? is anyone there?" his deep and rough voice echoed throughout the quiet forest, looking around for any type of movement. when there was no movement or a reply, geri allowed a huff to slip past his lips; most likely, most of the dogs were either spread out somewhere or recaptured. this is going to be a hard time.

[Todd.]

▲▲▲ H A R L E ▲ QUIN▲▲▲

♂| blue eyed b. collie | 20 m| With: geri
“what is dead may never die,
but raises again, harder and stronger.

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It wasn’t uncommon for caged animals to display signs of stress by incessantly pacing from one side to the other, often having their bodies brush against the bars of the imprisonments on a never-ending attempt to find a breach, any big enough place for them to simply slip out. The mostly white border collie was no different, with his ears down against his skull and a box muzzle covering his face, he was far beyond trying to get rid of the nest of wires that covered his potent teeth, making it safe for handlers to actually enter his kennel and get him out.

Today, more than ever, he felt this urge… this dire need to keep himself close to the gates that kept him secluded from a world he used to adore. His body was tense, the dishes of food and water on his… well, cell, were left untouched where they were placed, he had no time for that now. His ears flickered gently atop of his head, twitching lightly into different positions as he caught the quiet nuances of noise from the outside. In all honesty, the entire world seemed engulfed on a static silence that usually precedes a disaster.

And he knew those silences way too well.

On his short life until then, he had come to believe the world was a predicable place, and even their usual chaotic battlefields were surrounded by an almost godly order of how things worked out. It was as if almost everything had a pattern, to put it in simple words and he… he went after those patterns. A change on the wind, a shadow cast by a cloud, a silence before the rumbling of thunders and downpour of a storm that would last for days. Everything was predictable. Everything showed they were about to happen before they did.

The problem is, humans were often blind to those subtle signs by their indestructible belief that free will was a real thing. There was no freedom. There were no heroes, there was no right or wrong… there was only the world, running on it’s own accords. Him, locked on that lab and being forced to kill was just another example of the non-existence of free will. The young male suddenly stopped, snapping his jaws closed and locking his eyes upon the ironed gate that sealed him off the rest of the kennel.

It was almost as if electricity filled the air. The gate had barely began opening when he forced his head through the growing gap, slipping out the second his shoulders went past the opening. That? That was no error, there were no errors on the natural plans of the world. That was one of the signs, one of the patterns he could see within the chaotic circles of life. That was his chance of… well. Freedom. I guess we can say he is an hypocrite by changing his set of thoughts this quickly, but let’s put this all in terms.

Accepting something, like being incarcerated for the rest of your life by saying that free will isn’t a thing is… well, a coping mechanism. As soon that wasn’t need it was definitively thrown out of the window like a discarded paper. He focused all his energies on running at that one very moment, not glancing back, not ceasing for a moment, even beneath the iron shower that rained over him. In all honesty, he barely heard anything aside from the loud thumping of his heart on his ears, pulsing louder than the cacophony of war that rang around them.

Nothing, not even the pain of metal scraping his skin and muscles would make him stop. And nothing did. He was deep inside the forest when his body stopped cooperating with his will and he crashed under his own weight after jumping a fallen tree that blocked his way. He whined softly, panting behind the muzzle that prevented him from biting off the limbs of distracted souls. Good enough the device allowed him to open his mouth and allow his tongue to be lolling out as he caught his breath. He was out. He definitively was out…

The sun was shyly emerging by the time the youngest of the group managed to get himself up on his feet once more and nose down to the floor on an attempt to find… well… anything. Soon the smell of his blood – excluding his own – reached his nostrils and the border was set on the search of a scent he knew all too well, after all it wasn’t unusual for tracking dogs to follow the smell of blood after their prey. He moved slowly, cautiously, ears erect the entire time, rotating like radars in search for anything that could indicate someone close by.

Harlequin wouldn’t be able to say how long he had paced until the large figure of the cane corso entered his sight and he stopped on his tracks, taking his time analyzing the other before emerging from the shadows. He knew him, the older male and at that moment, where him himself was still bound to the iron covering his muzzle, he regretted having teased the other so much on the past. Nothing he could do, he considered himself as a hell bound creature, being annoying was part of the trade. “I’m here.” He answered for the other’s call, slowly walking towards him.

By that time he ignored the red streaks that ran down his pelt, as much as the stinging pain that shot from the un-licked wounds. The muzzle avoided that proximity well enough. “Not exactly the dog you wished to see, I bet, but…” He paused, eyes making their way from the male’s face to the wound on it’s leg. “That will leave a scar… A big one for sure.” He trailed off, holding his tongue. Now wasn’t the time to be smart. “Would you mind… helping out with this stupid… thing on my face, Big Boy?” he questioned, approaching the other and lowering his head, exposing the leather bands that secured it on place.

A dangerous move? Well, in a way. Exposing himself like this…


OOC;; This is huge, sorry e n e Also, sorry for how confusing Quin sounds... but... I kinda wanted to try and show how confused him himself is.

[broken*]

★. ── ❝ A D I R A ❞
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( 6 y/o ) ( female ) ( exp. #0002 ) ( doberman ) ( tags: miles ) ( location: forest )
★. ── ❝ faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens. ❞


adira could hardly remember what her life had been like before she had begun training to be a "special military dog"; she remembers hearing the humans she was born to being told what wonderful things she would do for the good of their country. she wasn't even two months old yet when she was pulled away from her parents and her brothers, and she has no memories of them except vague images in her mind every so often. she had been in training since she was so young that all she knew, all she had was this. get up early, get tests run on her, typically get some new shots or something done, go out for training, go out for a mission, come back and repeat the next day. that day had started like any other; she had woken up before the humans had come to get her, and she merely lay on the cold concrete, her head resting on her front paws, her dark brown eyes staring off at the door infront of her, waiting for her handler to enter. but things didnt go as planned, they weren't the routine.

as the door to her cage swung open before her, her eyes remained glazed over, awaiting the human to enter; but no one did. and thats when she heard the chaos unfolding around her. all of their doors had been opened, likely some technology malfunction of some sort, & she could hear the humans yelling, dogs barking, claws clacking against the hard floor as her canine counterparts took their chance at freedom. in a flash, adira was standing on her feet, but even as she approached the open door, she hesitated. this was the only home she had ever known, and she was incredible at her job; she was one of the first to be created, and she was known for her intense work ethic & undying loyalty. when she was given a job, she did it no matter what, no questions asked, she just obeyed. but when she was alone in her cage, stuck in her thoughts, thats when she felt the remorse, the guilt it overwhelmed her. and it was in that second that she bolted. her slender body & long legs made the running part easy, and she just ignored everything around her.

she ran as if her life depended on it, paying no mind to the shouts of the humans or the ricochet of bullets raining down on her. he shot off as though she were a bullet herself, jumping over obstacles and sliding underneath some others; her primary strengths were her speed & agility, as well as intellect but she wasnt relying on that right now. just the feeling of her muscles flexing underneath her fur/skin. she ran until all she could hear was the blood rushing through her body, and the pounding of her heartbeat in her chest. she was in some sort of forest now, and she felt different tree branches and thorny bushes scratching up against her body but she didnt stop; not until she literally didnt have another choice. running full tilt she ran straight into another canine's body, and rolled over and over after knocking them both off of their feet. shaking herself up she raced to her feet, her ears pinned and teeth bared, her dark orbs locked on the long-furred black and white canine; he looked familiar, she recognized him from training, from the compound. "miles right? do you know what happened?"

[RubberTurtle]

C A E S A R

(male.) (four years.) (belgian tervuren.) (tags; geri, harlequin.) (wordcount; 573)
Run!
All Caesar remembers from his flight from captivity is fear. An immediate panic as the squeaky hinges of his cage opened, granting him his long awaited freedom. The fear of being caught again and forced to continue daily tests and experiments by the prison guards they call scientists. The terror of being grazed by a bullet as fire lit up his right flank. and lastly, amidst all the fear for his own safety, Caesar was afraid for the other dogs at the compound. How many of his fellow prisoners were able to flee? Were they hurt, dead, or were they all fine?
Once he deemed himself to be far enough away, Caesar was able to gather his thoughts and plan for the future. Once again without a home to go to Caesar felt a familiar pang of loneliness. He wasn't completely isolated, as he could still hear the shouts and gunshots from his prison, but no one around him was a friend. The long-haired dog's legs and lungs burned as he gasped for breath, and his side was bleeding lightly, the blood catching in his long fur, staining the lighter patches red. . Caesar decided his best option was to keep running until he reached a forest he saw a distance away.
As he got closer and closer to the forest, the sounds from the compound faded almost entirely from his ears. Once in the grouping of trees, Caesar was able to take account of all that had happened to him. Mainly, he was free. No longer being held captive in a tiny crate, forced to be tested day after day. This thought brought both a feeling of excitement and dread to Caesar. He was finally free to do what he wanted to do, but was once again alone, left to defend for himself. This brought back memories of his time as a puppy, abandoned on the streets in a small cardboard box. Secondly, he was in pain. His side was bleeding from being grazed from a bullet, as were his paw pads from running over sharp rocks.
The forest around him was oddly serene, a sharp contrast from the chaos he just escaped. In the distance there was a quietly bubbling stream, which Caesar approached to get a drink of water. The air around him was quiet filled with only the faint echoes of shouting men. Suddenly, the exhaustion of his freedom fun caught up to Caesar and his vision started getting blurry. Hoping he was far enough to be safe and not get captured again, Caesar allowed himself to fall into the darkness.
When Caesar came to as to the sound of another dog calling out. "Hello? Is anyone there?" He heard coming from a deep, gruff voice that could only belong to a large dog. Caesar didn't immediately respond, out of fear it was a trap. when he did respond it was in a nervous and quiet voice, quite uncharacteristic for the energetic dog. " I'm here. Who is this? Are you hurt?" He began to follow the voice, hoping to find at least someone who wasn't out to kill him. Caesar then heard another dog, who seemed to be close to the other voice he heard. He continued tracking the voice until he came across a large grey dog and a smaller collie. They seemed to be checking each other's wounds. He announced himself with a simple, "So you guys escaped too."
.

[⠀⠀⠀petrova]

‷ . ISLA -
Isla was not a dog that took change with grace. She had never claimed to be skilled with letting matters go unsettled. It was her job, to be sure that things stayed as they were. She was built to maintain the laws of the men that commanded her. It was her purpose, to keep the balance. Even before she had been ripped away from her island home, Isla had always sought to guard the order in which life was supposed to be kept. Most of the time, Isla found good solutions - calm ones, even - to restore the teetering scales that liked to give her such hell; but today was certainly not one of those days.

A pair of amber eyes shot through the shades of the foliage as they swept back and forth, looking for what, she wasn't sure. The cages had opened and all the dogs had gone sprinting away. Isla, taking advantage of the previous calm atmosphere, had been taking a rather enjoyable snooze. In a panic, Isla had rushed after them. She was quite certain she'd followed the tail of Geri, but in transition, things had gotten lost quite swiftly. Now, she wandered the forest alone, tail high and neck fur bristled as far as it would go. A worried growl rumbled the shepherd's throat. What was she to do? Was this some sort of training session she hadn't been alerted to? It wouldn't be the first time - they liked to spring surprises on the dogs every chance they got.

Whirling about, Isla made a B-line for the nearest cluster of brush and thicket. She needed to think this through logically. None of the others had seemed to go with any direction, which led her to believe either a) this was a spontaneous test of their masters, or b) something had gone wrong. She flicked her ears as she thought about these possibilities. It would make better sense if this was, indeed, just a test; quick and calm response seemed important to their handlers. So why, did this feel so strange from the other times? There had been so much shouting and yelling, so much chaos from the humans. That was unlike them. Hardly ever were they very much involved directly with their challenges. The humans had chased them quite vigorously. Isla scolded herself. She should not have reacted out of fear.

Pausing in her trek, Isla scented the air. The lingering scents that buzzed about the breeze were all familiar - but they were tinged with fear. Not a good sign. Isla's ears traveled to the back of her head as she took a good look around her. Where was everyone? Isla tilted her head back to the sky and parted her muzzle with a hollow howl, hoping someone - somewhere - would hear it.