5. 2nd Log -- Dove

[Jynx *]

[th][cs=3][rs=3][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][bg=E6E6E6] Dove! Physical Description : Reference Picture Dove isn't sure exactly of her heritage, though she is aware that she's part Dalmatian. She stands at around 22 in. in height and weighs just over 40 lbs. She doesn't possess the exact conformation of a true Dalmatian, but her coloration reflects the black and white dotted coat that is expected from them. Her body is slim but still full, not entirely fragile looking but only slightly stocky. Her features are soft and sweet looking, though typically they are in a timid, nervous, yet hopeful sort of expression. She tends to carry herself in a hunched, submissive manner, tail resting against her legs if not tucked, and her ears either alert or tucked against her skull. Only black and white make up the fur coloration of the dog. Her base coat color is white speckled across with black spots with no particular pattern or form to them. Distinguishing marks include thick patches of black fur. One stretches across her head, starting from the right side of her skull and wrapping over the top to cover part of the left side of her face. Another large spot covers a large portion of her right side and curves slightly up over her back. Her eyes are a warm, dark brown and are very expressive and can usually give away her feelings even if nothing else about her can. Personality Description : Dove is a very quiet, timid thing. She tends to keep to herself despite wishing for the constant company of others, and she seems to be conflicted about her interactions with other canines when they do occur. She's typically nervous and frightened of herself, willing to trust others before she trusts anything she feels or thinks. It has happened before that she would blackout when frightened and wake up in a very different location with fresh wounds or sometimes just weak from exhaustion. She has, on a few occasions, come across territories where she isn't welcome and had been chased away from them, without any recollection or understanding of why. It has made her question herself, whether she does things without realizing it, and it makes it difficult for her to trust herself. In truth, her blackouts lead to the appearance of an alternate personality living inside of her. When threatened, a harsh, feisty persona named Elle emerges, defending the body she shares with Dove out of necessity rather than compassion. She despises the pushover ways of Dove and considers her incredibly weak. She's typically spoiling for a fight when she comes around, since her appearance is usually because Dove is threatened, and she's quick to instigate trouble by speaking her mind or whatever she feels like saying, regardless of how it might be taken by the receiving party. She doesn't often stay around for long and will retreat back into Dove's mind once the rush of the change wears off, depending on how long her presence is necessary to keep them both alive. When she does go away, Dove regains consciousness and is none the wiser about what took place in the meantime. Around others, Dove can relax a little. She forgets her troubles enough to try to act normal, to do as she is told by those who have more authority over her and be a help as much as she can. Still, it doesn't entirely stop her worried thoughts. Because she doesn't remember what happens to her when she blacks out, she fears somehow harming her friends or those she's come to know. She hopes to somehow figure out what happens and fix it, to keep herself and others safe around her and become a welcome member of a canine group somewhere. Love seems like a far off wish at this point, since she still has trouble getting to know others well enough to consider them friends, but as far as the biggest danger in her world she can only point at herself. History Description : Born into a small little group of dogs, Dove had a peaceful, albeit short, childhood. Her mother and father were doting and kind toward her, her sister, and her two brothers. In the relative safety of their pack, they flourished and played, enjoying the carefree life that pups live. They were encouraged to learn all that they could, to find their strong points and make them stronger, to become skillful members of their pack, and so they did. Dove, at an appropriate age, would follow her father on little outings around the territory, where he revealed to her the secrets of tracking. It was during one of these outings when she was still young that they ran across an unfriendly pair who challenged him, and while he urged his daughter to return to their pack for safety, he was never able to return himself. They found him later, battered and broken, no longer living. Dove’s mother took the loss incredibly hard and hid herself within her den, refusing to come out, to participate in pack life, to function. If not for her young children catching her food, she would have starved. Eventually she emerged, and Dove, relieved beyond belief to see her roaming about, followed at her heels with a watchful eye. She did all in her power to socialize with her mother, but the relationship she longed to have was far from possible. Her mother blamed her for her father’s death, convinced had Dove stayed he might have survived, and with violence and hurtful words she scarred her poor daughter both physically and emotionally. The mental scars came later, when Dove developed an alternate persona by the name of Elle, who took over her conscious body to defend her and stop her mother’s attacks. But when Dove emerged, confused and hurt that she had somehow made her mother cry, she fled. She traveled far from her home and sought shelter here, where she hopes to keep the dark side of her at bay and perhaps start to live a happy, peaceful life among her kind.

[Jynx *]

[th][cs=3][rs=3][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,500,true][bg=E6E6E6] Dove's Diary! Thread One : I don't know what brought me there. It was nothing but tall buildings made of metal and stone, lifeless and cold and uninviting. I think I was lost. A few weeks being here, and I still hadn't learned my way around. I was stopped, though, as I traveled, by a mixed dog with a smile. I stumbled upon pack territory, which I hadn't meant to do, and was afraid. Thread Two : I went looking for the ocean. I could hear it sometimes while walking around the quiet town, and having never seen it before I was curious. There was a tall building there, standing like a sentinel on the rocky shore, so I went to it, hoping for a good view. I found Lucas instead. He was a nice husky dog, friendly and kind, and more talkative than I had anticipated. I learned a little about him, and hoped that I wasn't being a pest. Turns out I wasn't. He invited to show me the "SUV" where he stayed out of the cold, and the warmth sounded nice so I went with him. He was nice; I felt I could trust him. He let me stay there with him while we slept, and then he showed me where to find food. I don't think I'll ever go hungry thanks to him. He took me to show me a different part of the town, a much older part, and though it was a little creepy it was fun to be there with hm. Thread Three : Lucas let me stay with him longer. I really think he likes having me around. It's nice. I like being around him. I feel safe, and happy. I don't think he realizes how much. But he showed me the railroad station today. We walked around the building, seeing what it was like since the humans were no longer there. At least, they weren't there while we were there. Lucas seems to think they might have been hiding there before we arrived, and it scares me. I don't want to see another war. I don't want either of us to get hurt.