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Post by ELENA J. ANDERSON on May 30, 2013 8:11:14 GMT -8
Elena leaned back in her seat, tipping her hat forward to block out the sunlight before folding her arms behind her head. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, the scent of brine from the beaches nearby, and the hint of salt in it, sending a happy quiver down her back. It had been years since she’d been near the coast, and though this one bled out into the Pacific, and not the Atlantic she was used to, the gusts that swept over Third Street, the people milling about the promenade, the shops, the stores—it all carried the same bright, spring energy of the eastern coast. Elena sighed. Now this, was how she wanted to spend her Sundays. If not camping in a quiet place out in the wilderness, she could waste hours lounging carelessly outside of an open seafood restaurant close to the beaches, listening to people walk by, the smell of cooked fish on the air and seagulls crooning.
Too many people overlooked the simple things.
Elena felt a tug on her waist and cracked an eye open, smiling down at the dark face and wet nose that peered up into hers. His cinnamon brown eyes flashed and his ears perked up, a long, salmon colored tongue cradled between his bottom canines as he panted. Brooklyn’s tail swept continuously back and forth across the concrete below, a distinct, young dog energy in the way the German Shepherd met her gaze and huffed out a low, breathy bark.
“So sassy,” Elena sighed, though her smile only grew as he stood up on all fours and cocked his head to one side, tail swinging back and forth. “We just sat down, don’t give me that look.” She heard a groan on her other side, and felt a similar tug on a leash that hooked itself to another belt loop around her waist. Goliath, her older Rottweiler, was sprawled on his side, basking in the sunlight. She felt his dark gaze slide in her direction, but if she reading that look right, she suspected he mirrored her sentiment. Goliath yawned then, dropping his jaws open and furling his tongue in his mouth, a high pitched, almost mechanic whine familiar to all dog owners accompanying the action. But when Brooklyn huffed again, Elena reached over and placed a hand on his head, rubbing one of his large ears between her thumb and forefinger in a peace offering.
“The one day we’re off duty and you actually want to do stuff. Good for you. But this officer needs a few more minutes.” She ignored him when he licked her wrist; he was such a charmer, but c’mon. Even she needed a moment to stop and take a breather from the stress of her job and the weight of the gun that was—even now—by her side.
WORDS!: 475 TAG!: Whomever! :D NOTES!: Open Thread, May 6th, Early Afternoon |
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian  
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Jun 13, 2013 3:14:02 GMT -8
She could never quite get enough of the simple pleasure of being able to sink her toes into the sand as she strolled on the strip of beach, tasting the tinge of brine with every breath she took. Allison had just completed a five-mile run and was cooling off, enjoying the way the wind caressed her heated skin.The steady beat of a track provided a soundtrack to her walk-
I could bet all of the riches that I ever had/Rushing the night like a shark babe/Would it be bad?/If I had to set the alarm/Cause those thrills that run up my back/You are my star/Nothing else can leave me off track
The sultry voice of the covering star added a little something, bringing the lyrics alive. With the sun shining, the various smells originating from the carnival by the pier and the sea, Allison was in a little piece of personal heaven right now. Her mood was so good that she might even consider getting a bite of funnel cake and ice cream later. The vibrant yet chill energy thrumming in this particular side of the coast was infectious and for a moment, Allison could understand why some just didn't leave.
Her gaze, previously trained on the playground at the end of the great pier, was then caught by the sight of two dogs by a bench. A German Shepherd and a Rottweiler; they were beautiful specimens, well-taken care of. She watched as the owner, a lady, rubbed a large ear and the German Shepherd licked a wrist playfully in response. Smiling slightly at the displays of affection, Allison felt a little envy and nostalgia. Memories of Max, her old black Labrador, played in her head; she had been the one to pick the dog up from the pound with her father. Max didn't survive her father's death long and had passed away just before they moved to New York.
Although she wouldn't trade Coco and Nellie for anything in the world, a canine companion would bring a little something special that her cats couldn't. The runs, the walks, the excited tail wagging, the welcome home licks, and the games of tags she could share with a dog were something her cats would never agree to doing ever. They were cats, also known as the rulers of your world who wouldn't lift a paw if their human could.
She drew closer and removed her earbuds, crouching down halfway to come closer to the dogs, who had glossy coats and energy. "They are beautiful," Allison gave the young woman a small smile in greeting, "May I pat them?" |
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Post by ELENA J. ANDERSON on Jun 14, 2013 20:40:35 GMT -8
Elena leaned back against the bench; she had closed her eyes again and sighed when she felt another gentle tug at her waist. This time when she peered down at Brooklyn, the german shepherd was pulling in the opposite direction of her, his attention directed at a young woman that had stopped in front of their small group. Elena withheld a breath that might have been the start of a laugh at how Brooklyn’s tail swung wildly back and forth in excitement. Goliath perked up as well, but not half as much; the old career dog went from being sprawled out on his side to sitting partway up. He cracked out another yawn, but did little more than tilt his head to the side afterward, a faint gleam of curiosity in his eye.
“Of course,” Elena said immediately. “Careful though,” she warned, “Brooklyn’s a heartbreaker.” And true to form, the german shepherd boldly wedged his nose under the young woman’s hand, inviting further attention from her. A little known fact about the police dog—he was an open flirt, and appreciated the attention of females a lot more than males. Goliath on the other hand, waited patiently and regally, and as a reward, Elena leaned over and offered her hand to the Rottweiler. He huffed and rose up to sit in front of her, resting one massive paw on her leg while she scratched at an itch around his collar. It was then that Elena realized she hadn’t introduced herself. She leaned around Goliath and offered her hand. “Elena Anderson,” she said, ignoring the way Brooklyn soaked up the attention and fawned over his new friend, “You’ve probably seen me around; I work the Canine Unit and on slow days they send me out on patrol.”
She snorted and then gestured to Brooklyn. “He’s supposed to be a disciplined officer, but he’s a hopeless romantic and flirt instead. And this big guy here,” she added, glancing at her other dog, “is Goliath. A pleasure to meet you…?” she trailed in the casual fashion that people were used to when they still needed a name to attach to a face.
WORDS!:359 TAG!: Allison, Open NOTES!:May 6th |
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Jun 15, 2013 9:46:38 GMT -8
The smile on her face widened a little more at the German Shepherd's antics. Brooklyn was certainly a friendly one and his owner managed to tease out a soft chuckle when it was mentioned that the dog in question was a flirt.
"Oh, i can definitely see the heartbreaker in him. He is rather handsome after all. Nothing wrong with a little charm." Allison returned her attention to the young woman when an introduction was made. Elena. It was a pretty name. Elegant yet hinting at a strength within. As the conversation continued, Allison found out that the other female was a police office by profession. The canine unit, to be precise. That would certainly explain the exceptionally well-trained dogs. At least Goliath was the poster boy for that. Brooklyn... that one was certainly making an impression.
"Allison Chen. I'm a student at Occidental and dangerously close to losing my heart to your dog." A slight quirk on her lips were the only thing that gave her away on an otherwise deadpanned expression. Brooklyn, to his credit, wasn't making it any easier on Allison. The German Shepherd was gorgeous, playful and engaging. This time she couldn't resist kneeling on one knee to bury both her hands into thick, glossy fur.
"You're a cheeky one, aren't you?" The Asian girl gave the dog a wry smile while threading her fingers through the hair. Goliath, on the other hand, looked content to just observe. A veteran and an alpha. She removed one of her hands from Brooklyn, making sure that her other hand was still rubbing the dog's neck, and held it out calmly for the Rottweiler, brown gaze meeting the other dog's steadily.
"Hello Goliath, pleased to meet you." |
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Post by ELENA J. ANDERSON on Jun 17, 2013 23:40:31 GMT -8
Well, well. Her boys were surprisingly well behaved—forgoing the way Brooklyn basked in the glow of any female affection within a five mile radius of his current location—and did her proud. Then again, Elena thought, amused, when had they ever disappointed her? Her dogs were the focal point of her life; she could trust them to have her back under most circumstances, and to top it off, they wouldn’t ask for anything in return. “I’m not so certain,” she said thoughtfully, watching Brooklyn and his charming routine, “he sure knows how to lay it on thick.”
Cheeky was a good word for it.
Elena slipped her hand out of Allison’s after the introductions were over, still amused. “You wouldn’t be the first,” she admitted. “He’s quite the character. On duty even more so; it’s all serious business then.” She relaxed a bit against the bench, happy to see Goliath patiently wait for an offered hand. The rottweiler gently pushed his muzzle against Allison’s fingers, more controlled and dignified than Brooklyn, who was still lavishing in the all the attention, his tail swinging happily back and forth. “They’re both good dogs though,” Elena added. “Brooklyn’s been my partner recently, but Goliath here’s the most experienced.” She paused and her gaze flicked up to meet Allison’s. “They’ve both pulled me through more than a few scrapes since graduating from the Academy. Lost one dog already.” Her eyes dimmed briefly before Elena calmly pressed on, “It’s hard to imagine myself without them.”
Elena hesitated again, if only for a second to digest some of that information before she moved on.
“So you’re a student.” She dared a faint smile. “I’ve considered going back to school someday. Maybe studying literature, earning another major. Criminal Justice is an interesting enough degree; I won’t lie, my job keeps me busy, always on my feet. But it would be nice to invest some interest in a hobby that’s less inclined to test me with a bullet or two from time to time.” However, in the long run, Elena could never see herself retiring early from police work. No, it was far more likely she would keep going until she physically found herself incapable. “So what are you studying if you don’t mind my asking? You must have some dogs of your own. Or had. Most people don't walk up to rotties around here, even well behaved ones. The breed has a nasty reputation that almost rivals the pit bull. But you don't seem to mind them at all."
WORDS!:390 TAG!: Allison, Open NOTES!:May 6th |
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Jul 30, 2013 12:22:28 GMT -8
Goliath, for a lack of better word, was presidential. Calm, collected and regal. If she were to be a little bold, she might even say that the older dog was judging Brooklyn's excitability. Allison, on the other hand, found the German Shepherd's friendliness adorable.
"Oh, I do have a little idea what you're talking about. I can't imagine life without Coco and Nellie," her lips curved into a fond smile as she thought about her cats; they were probably lounging by the windows right now, waiting for her to return for lunch. "They are my cats, had them for about four years now."
Allison nodded, reaffirming Elena's words as the policewoman shared a little of herself. "I'm majoring in political science and minoring in computer science. A little demanding but it's interesting. And yes, I used to have a dog, a greyhound, actually. Died a year after my father passed away. I've always believed that dogs are a product of their environment. The reputation tacked on Rottweilers is a little unfair because the owners are more at fault than anything." She shrugged, hand reaching out to smooth the fur on Goliath's large head.
"They are like children. You have to look at their parents in order to get a better picture. Some things are just universal across the board. Besides, I'd like to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Innocent until proven guilty, no? I'm going to keep petting Goliath until he bites my hand off." |
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Post by ELENA J. ANDERSON on Aug 18, 2013 20:33:57 GMT -8
For a moment Elena was lost in her thoughts, her gaze distant, dimming with the memory of her own loss again as Allison mentioned her greyhound. Elena never should have thought about Hudson, her Malinois and first canine companion. He had been with her through training, for the successes and the mistakes, some more serious than others. Whenever he cropped up in her thoughts, Elena felt a twinge of guilt and an immediate discomfort. Her dogs were more than just animals, more than just pets to her. They were devoted, trained partners. Family, yes, but perhaps even more than that. Together they were a functioning unit--a whole--and even if she had moved on to a new partner now, Hudson had taken a piece of her with him when he died. A familiar ache drilled its way through her shoulder; an old injury was acting up. The same discomfort seared through her side, near her hip. Her brow furrowed; Elena stretched one hand up to her right shoulder, fingers digging into her jacket as she rolled it, attempting to work the ache out or distract herself from it. The action helped.
But only a little.
"A greyhound, huh," she mumbled almost absently; she stiffened a second later and shivered--only just remembering that she should be paying more attention. Elena pulled her hand away from her shoulder, smiling, albeit weakly. "So true. If they're raised wrong, of course they'll end up terrible. It's unfortunate. Most people expect them to come pre-trained or well behaved, but they are like children. They have to be taught, they don't simply come with a button you can push to make them obedient, or even respectful." Elena sighed and pushed herself up from the bench, reaching down at first to ruffle the fur on Brooklyn's head as she did so. "If you've got time, let's walk and talk. I can tell Brooklyn's getting restless, and Goliath needs the exercise." She too, felt as if a walk would do some good. These dull aches and lingering pangs from old injuries faded easily with a good distraction, and a walk was the closest thing she would get.
"Where were you headed? We can swing by that direction so you don't have to double back later," she added.
OOC: Yay I posted! Sorry I took a while. I'm thinking if we want we can skip ahead or just have them walk and talk still. xD If I remember right, wasn't there another person that wanted to jump into the thread as well?
WORDS!:381 TAG!: Allison/Open NOTES!:May 6th |
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Sept 11, 2013 9:21:25 GMT -8
She laughed when Elena reaffirmed her thoughts. Pets, not just dogs, were like children. Her cats were certainly a product of their rearing, spoiled as they are. Even if she did notice the change in mood with her newfound acquaintance, Allison didn't comment on it, instead she moved on to answer the next question.
"I'm just heading down the beach, so it's up to you where you want to go. I'm good to stroll around for a while, I'm getting a little too attached to Brooklyn here and spending a little more time with the boys wouldn't be the most unpleasant thing to do today." She shot the other female an easy smile, already feeling comfortable. It might be the fact that she was part of the police force and also her dogs. Pets always made her a little softer than usual, the animals chipped away at her caution. She sighed inwardly, she really was a sucker sometimes.
"So do share some secrets on how you train these two handsome fellas, my cats, well, at least one of them is a temperamental menace to a select few. Or is it too late now? I've spoiled them for four years. And do you know what breed of dog would get along better with cats?" Allison then paused, clearing her throat slightly, "I'm sorry, I just don't come across a canine expert too often." |
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Post by ELENA J. ANDERSON on Sept 15, 2013 12:51:59 GMT -8
“It’s no trouble, I can at least take you that far; the dogs would like to see the beach anyway,” Elena added, her own interest sparking. They were certainly close enough; she could still smell the salty tang of brine in the air that reminded her so much of home; she supposed that was the one thing that never changed, coast to coast: the smell of the ocean as it washed up on the shores. Elena supposed, along with everything else, her love of nature and the outdoors confused her family just as much as anything else.
Her father still frowned about how she wasted her time on a “meager, and dangerous public service career” when she had an eye for fine detail and the mind for business ventures. She could have been a good leader, he sometimes said, if she put her nose to the grindstone like he knew she could. Elena half smiled; he said it far too often for his own good. She could practically hear the hope hidden in his scolding, trilling its way through his low words, his stoic gaze refusing to pass judgment just yet, but hinting that she deserved more than what she had and that she could earn it easily enough—by working at his company. That conversation always ended the same way; a soft sigh on his part, his shoulders square but the man unable to admit he was disappointed with her refusal, because he loved her too much. He would just have to settle for dropping more hints in the future, constantly pushing. Maybe one day, he would succeed, but on days like this one, it was difficult to argue. She loved her job too much and she loved the simplicity of her hobbies too much as well.
“You’ll probably want to avoid hounds then, or the herding types,” Elena said carefully. “I grew up working a dog rescue with my mother, and sometimes when we trained them, those would often have the most trouble adjusting to life with small animals. They’re simply genetically programmed and prone to chase or nip—rabbits, foxes, sheep, goats, cattle—a cat would be no different, and it’s not their fault. It’s gut instinct.” She smiled, glancing over at Allison. “Generally speaking, that is. There are always exceptions, and of course, early exposure to cats would help tremendously. A dog that’s been around cats before, or a puppy that socializes with them earlier in life, will typically grow to tolerate them fairly well with no problems.”
She paused and her smile widened. Elena reached a hand up behind her neck and snorted. “Cats are different story. It takes them more time to agree to anything. I find they pretty much do what they want, not what everybody else wants. Brooklyn’s sort of that way. He trained at a different Academy than Goliath did; but both were fairly rigorous programs. You can’t expect a human to earn a college degree overnight—and you can’t expect a dog to become a well disciplined officer overnight either. They are chosen when they’re young—tested to see if they’re easily startled by loud sounds, strange objects, or people. They get their general training as pups, and spend the most amount of time around only one person: their assigned human partner. It intensifies the bond and the training process between the two. Other workers step in to play necessary roles or to teach you—before handling the dog—what you need to do. Brooklyn is also my first scent tracker, though his primary duties are restricted mostly to attack and protection.”
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Oct 18, 2013 22:21:54 GMT -8
Had she been privy to Elena’s thoughts, she would have felt a little closer to the canine expert. She knew about parental disapproval and experienced it firsthand where her mother’s pursed lips told her exactly how much she favored her daughter’s culinary interests and hopes of learning more about that industry. No, her elder children had already made their decisions and her youngest child was her last chance at keeping the business within family. Funny how many parallels the two young women shared without knowing.
Allison cocked her head to one side when the other female suggested avoiding hounds and herding types. That was a little disappointing for her favourite breeds counted in one or the other category. How it was explained made sense and she nodded absently as the pair walked with two dogs accompanying them. Those two handsome men did give her a sense of security and she found herself relaxing even more. Then Elena gave her a little hope when she offered a way around it. She smiled and nodded.
“It’s just that my brother and his family are moving to another country so they want to hand over a Doberman puppy to me since I can house pets in my apartment and my sister has her hands tied with a husband who has severe pet allergies. The dog has been exposed to cats from young so technically it shouldn’t be as big as a problem, right? They are bringing the dog over soon to test things out. I'm just waiting on one of my cats' response since that's the picky one.”
There was a note of hopefulness in her voice. Kaiser had been with her brother for a year now as a gift to welcome her nephew’s first birthday but a new lucrative overseas job offer just came onto the table and he had accepted it. Sarah and Xavier would be moving as well. Their most recent Skype conversation had him asking her whether she could take the gorgeous dog in and she had almost agreed until she remembered about her two cats and asked him to bring the hound over for a visit first before anything could be set in stone. Andrew was coming in two weeks with her sister-in-law, driving about six hours from Silicon Valley.
It would be great to be able to have this new addition to her tiny family.
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Post by ELENA J. ANDERSON on Oct 23, 2013 22:31:28 GMT -8
"I don't think there would be a problem, no. Not with the dog anyway, particularly if he's been around cats before," Elena said. "Really, it's the cats themselves that might hiss or growl about it, but they'll get used to him after a little time. They always do, even if they're snooty about it, so don't worry. He's trained, right? All the better if you can trust him on his own around them." Elena dropped her gaze and eyed Brooklyn; he looked so cheerful strutting down the street with no duties to accomplish. Goliath too, in his own silent, brooding way was content; she supposed it helped that Elena and her new acquaintance were entirely at ease around one another and therefore the dogs had no anxiety to deal with. Of course, it was a rare day when she wasn't working to begin with, and her boys needed a break like this. Elena glanced over at Allison.
"Dobermans are beautiful animals though. Always so regal and reserved until they need to protect someone or something. They leave a lasting impression, that's for sure. I've been around all types of canine growing up, but in my line of work there are pretty much only a few specific breeds that they look for, mostly for the sake of endurance or scent tracking. German Shepherds, rottweilers, bloodhounds. The Belgian malinois," she added softly. "I--" Elena sighed and took a deep breath, "Hudson was my first real partner, a malinois. He died, years ago, while on a job," she admitted, her gaze going blank for a moment at the memory, her shoulders squaring before she shook it off, "It was my first time working with that breed, but I fell in love with those dogs because of him. He learned so quickly, and he was always so eager to get the job done. Protective, too," she said quietly. "But I haven't been able to take on another malinois since. I debated a doberman at the same time Goliath was in the program and up for candidacy; something about him caught my eye though and has ensnared me since." She smiled. "Funny, how things work out. Now I wouldn't trade Goliath for any other dog; the old man's got some years on him, but he's still good."
She paused. "With the world the way it is, it doesn't hurt to have another set of eyes to watch your back either."
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
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Posts: 141
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MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Oct 26, 2013 2:57:50 GMT -8
ATARAXIA (n.)calmness or peace of mind.  It was good to know that Kaiser could have a chance in her home; that thought made her very happy and Allison smiled, nodding as they continued strolling to the beach. When Elena mentioned that she found Dobermans beautiful, the Asian girl had to agree. Kaiser’s parents had been gorgeous canine specimens, both prized pets of a family friend and she couldn’t wait for the young pup to grow into his sleek and powerful potential.
“Perhaps we could walk our dogs together once Kaiser settles in properly. I’m sure he can use an expert touch like yours and shining examples like Goliath. Brooklyn here might just be an accomplice instead. It might be fun.”
When the other female opened up a little about her past and a certain dog, Allison fell into a respectful silence. She could guess the ending of that partnership and her heart twisted just a little. A loss of a dear canine friend was something she could definitely understand. Sam was still missed till this very day. It was clear that the memory still affected her new friend as she watched Elena square her shoulders, as if putting on a brave front, before relaxing.
“Hudson was a lucky dog and you did your best.”
It was all she could say and she had meant it. It took fortitude and courage to be on the police force and discipline to be able to work with dogs. It took a certain hand to make a solid working partnership and for Elena to be able to do that three times over with different dogs, it said something about her that Allison appreciated.
“Old is gold.” She bobbed her head in agreement and smiled at Goliath, who trotted regally beside his human partner. It was humbling for Allison to face such loyalty and she found herself yearning for another dog. Sam had been a good companion while he had been alive and perhaps it really was time to have another.
“I suppose it is. Never hurts to be prepared.”
Having a capable guard dog would help, Allison wasn’t going to deny that but the very fact that she felt the need for extra security didn’t bode well with her. The world’s a mess of a place and it was just sliding into a darker place.
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Post by ELENA J. ANDERSON on Nov 10, 2013 13:19:02 GMT -8
That was an intriguing proposal. Elena didn’t have very much in the way of what other people considered a “social life” and that usually meant she didn’t really have any one person she could honestly say was, well, a friend. Strange that such a revelation would hit her only now, many months after moving to the west coast and settling in at her new job. Her gaze fell, eyes heavily lidded. There were good reasons she kept her distance sometimes. Her family had its own special brand of crazy politics going on, and Elena realized that the heavy handed tactics employed by her family of business sharks were both reckless and somewhat lethal on occasion. Top that off with her bullet-magnet career choice and well, close relationships seemed virtually impossible with anyone but coworkers, and even then, they were heavily guarded. Elena was drawn to the idea though. She couldn’t deny that.
Her eyes fell on Brooklyn as he swept his innocent, bright-eyed gaze her way, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. She rolled her eyes and snorted—the goofball. “I think I would like that,” Elena said to Allison. “Would give me a reason to look forward to breaks at work and days off. I always see the same people around the office every day. I love them, but maybe it’s high time I pry myself away from the station every now and then. If you’re still willing, that is,” she added. “Brooklyn will always be a terrible influence. Yes, I’m talking about you,” she said when the dog wagged his tail cheerfully and glanced at her again. “But Goliath should help balance your Kaiser out. It would do them some good too, to socialize with other dogs.”
Elena supposed it would do her some good as well, to be around other people, but she didn’t want to say that so openly. She wasn’t sure how she felt about her obsession with work and duty and her lack of friends, really. She knew it was unhealthy. That she should be doing something about it and that honestly, anyone else would have suggested she actually live a little instead of focus on her responsibilities all the time. It made others uncomfortable; she understood that. But it was difficult to say whether or not Elena could—or even wanted—to make drastic changes.
WORDS!:TEXT TAG!: Allison NOTES!:I need to notice things more. x-x |
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ALLISON CHEN
Civilian
POLITICS MAJOR
Posts: 141
MINI INFO - GENDER: Female
MINI INFO - D.O.B.: 1st July 1992
MINI INFO - OCCUPATION: Pastry Chef Apprentice
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Post by ALLISON CHEN on Nov 11, 2013 8:51:00 GMT -8
ATARAXIA (n.)calmness or peace of mind. When she heard how Elena explained that she wasn't exactly one with a varied social life, Allison could see why. The dark-haired was obviously an intense, serious individual and with a vocation like hers, Allison wasn't surprised if she was a workaholic even. It was a tough but a satisfying occupation. And for someone of her age to know what she wanted to do with such a passion, she had to because it was a dangerous choice, Allison must admit that she was a little envious.
Then when Elena actually agreed to her suggestion to walk their dogs together, a warm smile blossomed. She made a new friend and she had a feeling that the other young lady wasn't going to be a disappointing choice long down the road. Plus Brooklyn and Goliath were both part of the package. She won't complain about that, not by a long shot. Both the dogs were already quickly worming into her heart with their respective charm and regality.
"If my pup had half of Brooklyn's charm and even a quarter of Goliath's poise, I would be a very happy owner indeed." Those two dogs, even as they both sat at the ends of the spectrum, they were very well-trained. That was undeniable. All she had hoped for was a good run but she came out of it with much more than she'd ever expected. Between her and Elena, perhaps there was a subtle connection drawing one to the other due to their personalities. Sometimes it was opposites attract but in this case, it was not.
"I'm really looking forward to Kaiser's arrival." Allison continued their conversation, "What kind of food should I be buying for a pup like him?" She wanted him strong and well-fed, so that he could grow into a handsome long-lived dog. Elena had worked with the best of dogs and with the best of training, naturally she was going to ask questions.
A lot of them.
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Post by ELENA J. ANDERSON on Nov 22, 2013 1:21:54 GMT -8
Elena was quickly warming up to idea anyway, thinking it would be good for Brooklyn and Goliath to get out a little more. Goliath definitely needed the bonding time—she couldn’t take him to work with her anymore, which often left the old guard waiting for her at home. She missed his company more often than not, though she wasn’t willing to snub Brooklyn either. Admittedly, sometimes it was difficult to juggle an on-duty canine and and off-duty one. Elena knew she could work out something to make sure both dogs were happy—they were certainly content now—but it still made her feel as if she wasn’t doing enough for Goliath. A new companion to see on walks would help him tremendously. She could tell that Brooklyn’s puppy-like antics sometimes irritated the older dog, and that was probably due more to the fact that he had to put up with Brooklyn so much. She almost too willingly latched onto Allison’s question when it was thrown her way.
“There are a few good name brands,” Elena said, listing them off automatically and ticking each one off on another finger. However, she added the usual warning she gave most other people that asked about such things. “You always have to watch how much you feed them anyway. Sometimes the suggested measurements on the bags are off, but as long as he gets enough exercise and he’s house trained, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Treats are good for example, when you’re training. But too many can make the dog sick or ruin any positive reinforcement that you’ve already established.”
Elena glanced up; they should be nearing Allison’s destination relatively soon. There was still a little more time for more conversation until then. “With that breed I think you’ll need activities that you can do with him to release a lot of pent up energy. Otherwise he might bounce around too much and stir up trouble. I remember when Brooklyn was small, I had to put him through agility training on top of his regular work just so that he could learn to focus and exhaust himself, because walks weren’t enough. He would dig holes in the yard and sometimes manage to chew up drywall, believe it or not. He was probably the most rowdy little thing I have ever had to deal with,” she admitted. “But most of the working breeds find it difficult to just sit still. They need activities to occupy their mind and work out any building ardor. I would definitely recommend basic agility training for that; there are always places in the city that provide facilities for such things.” Her eyes flashed. “And the competitions can be interesting.”
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