username: SpartanAmethyst
storage thread: Ark Senegalshound name: Malibu
coloration: Smooth Red Piebald Roan w/ Creeping Tan/Saddle
sex: Female
age: 4 yrs
collar color: theme it off sunsets c:
prompt: Malibu had always been a California beach dog; she loved the surf and the sand and the people, just like her girl. So it was a complete surprise when one day her girl came home and told her they'd be going camping with some of her friends. Mali, always up for a new adventure, didn't say no, of course; in hind sigh, she should have trusted her gut. The trip up the western seaboard into the redwood forests of Washington State was absolutely gorgeous, though the farther they went, the colder and rainier it got. The change in scenery was nice, though, and though the friends were loud and obnoxious, she loved their energy and she was near to her girl. In the end, that's all that mattered.
From the moment they got to the campground, thinks began going wrong. A nor'easter hit not long after they began trying to set up tents, and though the trees gave some cover, it wasn't enough to keep the wind from blowing away two out of the five tents. The other three they managed to put rocks on top of to hold them down. That tore a small hole in one of the remaining tents, rendering it useless. The first night, they all crammed into the two cars and slept there, half of them soaked and miserable. Malibu and her girl were luckily not one of them. The next day, though everyone was tired, was full of fun and laughter and adventure. They hiked through the redwoods, set up the remaining tents, and played campfire games in the evening. For that moment, it was perfect. That night a cold front descended down, though, one that none of the group was prepared for. In the end, they all moved back to the cars so they could sleep with the heat on. After all, southern Californians didn't do well in the cold. While they were safe in the vehicles, though, a family of black bears smelled the food that they group had been cooking, and descended down into the camp to raid their supplies. Malibu heard the beasts and began barking to alert her friends, but they all quieted her very quickly, scared of the predators outside. All they could do was watch a week's worth of food and snacks be consumed in a single hour.
The next day, they all decided as one to just give up and go home. The trip wasn't working out as planned (not liked they'd really "planned" it anyways), and that
maybe they'd try again in the future. They spend two hours cleaning up their campsite and making sure no trash from the bear incursion was left behind, and loaded up whatever they could salvage. Well, upon attempting to start the vehicles, one wouldn't turn over; thankfully one of the friends knew about cars, and he figured that the battery had died due to them using the heater in the car all night. And, guess which driver packed a set of jumper cables? Spoiler alert: neither of them. They ended up having to stay overnight in the park because it was too late for a tow truck, then had to wait almost 6 hours for one to get back to them on that third day. By the time they got the car fixed and made it to the nearest town, the sun was setting again. At least now they could find a proper place to stay and get a good meal from a small diner nearby, and took their time driving back down the coast, stopping to see new sites or visit shops.
When the duo finally got home, both Malibu and her girl unanimously decided that camping just was not for them. Ever again.
EDIT 03.19.2020: Malibu's owner, Amaranth
