The huge red trees that make up this land have always humbled the small donkey and, as he slowly meanders underneath their dark canopy, Oscar feels like Mrs. B is with him. It is a bright spring day but, in here, it is difficult to tell the time of day, let alone if the sun is out. Small hooves trample through the mossy ground and that, along with the dead leaves, muffles his passing strides. The usually grumpy ass allows himself to get lost in memory. Nugget rests on his normal perching spot, nails gripping the fuzzy fur that grows on the ass’s… ass. The colorful rooster watches the passing landscape, keeping alert while Oscar drifts away on the sea of memory.

In this dark land, with countless numbers of hiding spot, it is not the smartest idea for a prey animal to let his guard down but, Oscar trusts his herdmates and they are never far away. Plus, Nugget is all the alarm he needs. A sound catches the rooster’s attention and it squawks a loud, disturbing noise that pulls the grumpy ass back to the present and forces an alarmed bray from his own mouth. Long ears flick as short legs dance, uncertain why Nugget has scared the living hell out of him. But then he hears it, a soft rustling coming from some nearby cluster of roots and leaves. It makes a natural hiding spot and the small ass backs away from it while saying, “Oi! Show yourself! Who goes there!” The donkey puts on a big show, trying to make himself appear scarier than he really is.

Will it work? Probably not.


"Oscar Monaghan"

Nico had survived alone forever and was well prepared for strangers passing by.  Well, forever was a couple of days and prepared was jumping into the brush at the sound of anything larger than him coming about.  Unfortunately, at this age a whole lot of things were bigger than him.  The small coyote pup’s hackles were up, teeth shown in challenge but it didn’t amount to much as he did it all from the brush he was hiding in.

The boy had never seen a donkey before and when the animal called out to him Nico did nothing for a moment.  It looked like a prey animal of some sort so it wouldn’t be interested in him for food at least.  Hmm.  Finally, curiosity and some loneliness had the boy step forward from his hiding space.

He didn’t show his fangs to Nico but he did give the prey animal a wary glare.  “This is my tree,” meaning one shortly behind him though there were plenty that looked exactly the same.  “What do you want,” the question didn’t really sound finished so much as the black pup looked unsure, “what are you?  Some sort of fat deer or something?”

Oscar waits, legs slowing their dancing steps while the donkey stands his ground. Suddenly a very small pup steps forward into the ass’s line of vision and glares at him. Wait… what? This puny runt couldn’t be more than three months old and yet, it stares him down and declares that this is his tree. Eyebrows shoot upward as the pup goes on to question what he wants and what exactly he is. The small donkey can’t help the smile that curls his lips upward or the short laugh that hits the air like a loud boom.

His thick Irish accent laces each word as he looks to the daring pup and says, “Oi, I could ask ya the same. I’m not a deer, kid. See my head?” At this, Oscar lowers his board head to show the top of it before raising back up to say, “Ain’t got antlers. I’m what’s known as a donkey. Name’s Oscar. And Nugget there.” Oscar turns to jab his nose at the rooster perched on the fuz of his butt as he says, “He’s known as a rooster. Now, we don’t have the sharp teeth like ya, so, no eating us. Deal?” He flashes his flat teeth at youngling, hoping make to the kid laugh or… something.


"Oscar Monaghan"

Nico flattens his ears when the ugly deer laughs at his ignorance.  “Deer don’t always have antlers,” the coyote pup informs the donkey in case he hadn’t realized this detail. Nico’s parents had shown him deer antlers that had been shed before.  “They just fall off.”

The donkey pointed out that neither it nor the rooster had sharp teeth so Nico shouldn’t eat them.  Not having sharp teeth was a requirement of being food in Nico’s young mind.  However, he couldn’t kill Donkey and the rooster was a really questionable thing right now.  It could be worth trying if Oscar wasn’t about but there was easier food to get, the sort that was too dumb to escape or ready to fight.  Bugs as a great example.

“I’m not hungry anyway,” Nico said that as his stomach growled mightily.  Well, his stomach and the pup's mind had an argument on how hungry he was.  It had been hard to have an interest in food when alone with his memories. “Long as you don’t try to hurt me I won’t hurt you.  I guess you can stay near my tree, if you want.  I'm Nico.” Maybe he’d be interesting but more importantly, if something dangerous came along that would kill a small pup might prefer hunting a donkey.  “You talk funny by the way.”

As Oscar talks about not having antlers, the pup chirps up about deer not always having antlers. The donkey, dips his head in a show of respect, the young pup wise for having so few months underneath his belt. Board head dips in agreement to the statement that they can just fall off, and Oscar says, “Aye, that is true. But look at my ears. Ever see a deer with ears like these?” He then wiggles his elongated ears, winking to the kid that before going on to explain about the kid’s sharp teeth. The pup seems to consider his words, looking from him to Nugget to him before stating that he isn’t hungry anyway. A smirk tugs at his lips as the pup’s stomach seems to disagree with him, the donkey clearly hearing the angry grumbling of it.

There is something… wrong about the way this pup talks, a sadness that also seems to be lingering around him. The kid agrees to allow him near the tree and Oscar nods his head in gratitude, giving the pup a grin as the kid shares his name. Nico’s next words pull a sharp laugh from the donkey and he says, “Aye, that’s what happens when you come from a different place. Now, what are ya doin’ out here Nico? Your stomach tells me ya are hungry, so why haven’t your parents brought ya food?” His words are light, friendly, the small ass genuinely curious how a pup so small would be allowed out on its own.


"Oscar Monaghan"

“Well, I thought maybe you were deformed or something.” Stepping forward Nico leaves the closer vantage point of his hiding spot to slowly walk a circle around the donkey, before stopping back where he started.  “No, your ears are funny lookin’.” Donkeys were just funny-looking animals apparently.  

Nico could have come up with an answer to what he was doing out here but it wouldn’t have included an answer to the question that hit after.  He would have skipped that part.  At the mention of his parents, Nico’s ears pull flat behind him.  The curiosity about his features changes to pain then guilt.  The boy almost looks aside but then turns his face to face directly into Oscars.  “My parents are dead.  It’s my fault.” He wouldn’t hide from the fact.  They were dead and wouldn’t have been if he hadn’t run off exploring.

The boy took a breath, drawing in strength as he continued, “anyway, so I decided I’d just do my own thing.” His eyes finally cast down after speaking the unspeakable. “Not like I can’t get food.  Plenty of food about.” Nico looked back up and said more humbly, “Mom said Coyotes are smarter than most predators, ya know.  Less reliant on large numbers and we aren’t picky eaters either.  I just, don’t feel like eating anything.”

"Nico"

Oscar’s eyebrows shoot up at the pup’s words, a rumbling chuckle rolling past his pale lips as he allows the dark-hued pup to walk around him. Once he is back in front of the donkey, Nico comments about his ears being funny looking and Oscar dips his heads in a short mock bow. He goes on to ask about the kid’s parents and immediately regrets it when Nico’s ear flatten against his skull. The ass watches as the curiosity that had burned bright in the pup’s golden eyes flickers to a pain so intense that it drives a knife through the donkey’s heart. His own long ears swivel backward, laying against his board skull in a sign of guilt for having asked such a sensitive question.

Nico’s demeanor changes as the pain suddenly gives way to guilt and Oscar knows what the kid is going say before he opens his mouth. The pup has great inner strength as he does not turn away, instead turning so he is facing the ass and stating what the donkey had suspected. The silence that falls after Nico’s statement is tense as Oscar isn’t quite sure what to do with himself. Hooves shift slightly as he shuffles his weight around in another show of uncertainty. The boy takes a deep breath before continuing on and the donkey offers him a strained smile. Oscar’s features soften as the pup speaks of his mother and the donkey learns another key fact, that Nico is not some lone wolf pup but a coyote.

Light blue eyes look down at the lean pup as Oscar takes in everything Nico has said and the donkey quietly contemplating something. After a moment, one side of his mouth ticks up and he leans toward the orphaned pup, lowering his voice to a whisper as he says, “Want to know a secret? I am far more scared of coyotes than of wolves.” Lifting his head up, the donkey looks down at Nico with a gentle smile on his lips as he says, “Hey Nico, I have an idea! There are a lot of scary predators out here who want eat a donkey and a rooster. My herd and I could use a predator, like you, to protect us. What do ya say?”

Truthfully, with Taiga as part of their herd, the prey animals don’t need any protection but Oscar will be damned if he is going to leave to Nico alone out here alone.


"Oscar Monaghan"

For having to admit to such a horrible thing it was still good talking.  Nico hadn’t talked for a few days since his parents were killed by the tiger.  For some, maybe that was normal but Nico had loved talking and singing and not worrying about a thing in life.  Everything in life had stopped the moment he had gone back to see the remains of his parents.  It was pretty horrific how fragile a coyote's body apparently was versus a tiger's teeth.

The donkey was quiet and seemed upset as well from Nico’s news.  After a bit of the two looking at each other Oscar leaned down to offer him a ‘secret.’  Did he reallllyyy find coyotes scarier than wolves or was he just saying it?  Nico wasn’t born yesterday after all.  Either way, it did the important thing causing a smile to creep up on the boy's face.  “Most wolves got maggot-infested heads.” Nico might as well add to why wolves aren’t as scary.  “They survive cause of size and bulk but they dumber than a sun-tanning turtle.”  Now, Nico hadn’t met a wolf up to this point for his own knowledge but insulting them was a way to pick up his mood and change the topic.

Then Oscar came up with the idea of Nico protecting the donkey and his herd.  “Protect you?” Well, that was a crazy notion.  Nico hoped to be hunting things the size of that rooster in a season or two or, well, whenever he was big enough too.  The donkey might need another coyote or two but still!  He was supposed to protect potential future meals?  Of course, right now said meal could step on him way too easily.  Not like he wanted to eat the guy, not when he was being nice right now.  

Nico couldn’t protect them from anything today but maybe the donkey was imagining a time when Nico got bigger.  Well, he wasn’t going to agree to lifetime guard duty of prey.  What if another coyote saw them?  They’d probably die laughing before he ever had to fight them.

He didn’t want to be alone.  Around prey that talked was better than alone.  Oscar was a nice sort and he had something Nico wanted. “Well, on a condition.” Nico looked at where the rooster sat then back to Oscar, “I want a ride too.”



"Nico"

When Oscar shares his ‘secret’ that he thinks coyotes are scarier then wolves, the donkey watches a smile creep up onto the kid’s face. It feels good to see the small sign of happiness and, when Nico goes on to talk down about wolves, Oscar brays out a laugh and nods his head in agreement. With a genuine smile pulling at his lips, the ass says, “Aye, that they do. But you know what makes coyotes scarier? They know all that about wolves, and yet, the coyotes are smart enough to let wolves think that the smart ones.” He gives a wink to the kid, trying to subtly tell the kid not to go up and say that to a wolf’s face without actually saying those words.

Oscar moves on to talk about the kid protecting the herd and he silently watches as Nico process his suggestion. Truth be told, if the kid denies him and wants to stay here, the donkey is willing to drag him back to the herd by the scruff. Great way to earn trust right there. Luckily, the pup speaks up, demanding a condition and the donkey’s eyebrows shoot skyward as he says, “Name it.” The kid’s eyes move to Nugget and, for one brief, horror-filled moment, the ass is afraid that Nico will ask to eat his rooster friend. Oh shit. Ah, but instead the kid states he wants a ride and a relieved smile cross his lips as the donkey says, “A ride? Alright, lets you get you a ride.”

The front half of his body shifts so that Oscar can nudge at Nugget on his butt as he says, loudly, “Oi! Ya heard the kid! Your rides over!” Nugget narrows his beady eyes at the donkey, mumbling curses under his breath as stands and moves to the side of ass’s butt, jumping off and flapping his wings to slow his descent to the ground. Oscar is going to have to make it up to the rooster but for now, he is relieved that his friend moves to scratch at the ground in search of bugs. Looking back to Nico, he says, “Ya ready?” Folding his front legs, Oscar lowers himself to his knees before lowering his butt to the ground so the pup can get on easily. Joyfully, he says, “Well, then let’s get goin’!”


"Oscar Monaghan"

Nico gives a faint smile in return at Oscar.  He’d never be as big or strong as a coyote but there was more to life than brawns.  Well, well… Different thoughts would start to come to Nico’s mind and were rejected a second later.  This wasn’t a time to look at what had been.  “Sure,” Nico agreed smoothly, “mange-infested packs can get themselves killed through stupidity.  No need for me to do anything.”

The small smile Nico had been wearing grew larger when Oscar agreed to give him a ride.  Heck yeah, that looked fun.  It couldn’t be hard if a dumb rooster could do it.  Nico imagined could be fun telling others how he got a donkey to give him a ride.  Nico would just twist things up a bit, and make it sound more like he made the donkey give him a ride instead of just asking for one.

Nico watched the chicken flap down to the ground and for the moment his body wanted to rush over and try to attack the rooster.  Was it all that fast? It looked awkward.  Since when did eating sound good?  Well, he had agreed not to eat it.  Oh well.

Nico nods when Oscar asks if he’s ready, front paws prancing in place a bit impatiently while he watches Oscar lower himself to the ground.  The moment Oscar’s rump is on the ground the black coyote rushes over, using the feet like stairs before throwing himself onto Oscar's rump.  Once there he’d get himself situated.  Never having ridden a donkey before the boy assumes the chicken had it figured out so he stays on the rump, sitting there with his front paws pressed firmly in to support himself whenever he moves. “You’re weird.  Prey doesn’t normally act this way.  Unless donkeys are weird in general.” It was his first donkey after all.  It could explain why he didn’t see many of them.

"Nico"

The pup is smart. As Nico gives Oscar a faint smile, the ass can’t help but want to lean forward and give the kid a big, sloppy donkey kiss. However, since he is still trying to gain the kid’s trust, he refrains from doing it… for now. The subtle attempt to let the kid know that he shouldn’t go around calling wolves names works as the pup agrees. And then Nico wants a ride and Oscar sets about getting the orphaned pup exactly what he wants. Once on the ground, the monochrome coyote pup quickly clambers up onto his rump and settles in.

He flicks his tail as Nico speaks and releases a snort of amusement. Turning to look at the pup, he says, “Aye. I am weird. Don’t know about other donkeys but I am a strange one. Oh, just wait until you meet the herd.” A genuine laugh is given as Oscar turns his head forward, preparing to get back on his hooves. Calling over his shoulder, the donkey says, “Okay Nico, this part is going to be a bit bumpy. Grab the hair along my spine to keep your balance! It won’t hurt me.”

Long ears flick as he readies himself. Oscar had left out the part of it not hurting much but her doesn’t want the kid to worry about him. With one final huff, he shouts, “Here we go!” Front legs push on the ground, spreading as he leverages his back end up and off the floor. Standing can be difficult for the small ass but Oscar manages to get up without too much trouble. Craning his head around to check that the pup had not tumbled off, he asks, “Ya okay back there, Nico?”


"Oscar Monaghan"

Everything already seemed a bit farther away from the donkey’s rump.  Not too much though considering he could always find a good size rock or tree stump for this.  His gaze went to the disgruntled rooster as he listened to the donkey agree about being weird.

“Everyone in your herd weird?” The question was asked right before glancing down at the mentioned hairs and grabbing a hunk of them in his mouth.  He was being onto the fur of an animal that should be food yet not able to actually bite into the tasty part.  Man, this was strange.  Oh well, strange was just what he needed right now.

One difference between being on a donkey versus a rock is that the rock never moves.  Nico’s jaws tightened, paw’s spreading out farther to find balance as his sitting spot moved under him.  The coyote felt like he was gonna fall off!  It was good the boy didn’t have cat claws and what he did have was so small it was unlikely to get past the fur as he dug in as far as he could to maintain balance.  At Oscar’s last shove to get himself up Nico yanked himself farther forward by the donkey's hairs.  

Nico remained on Oscar, now a chunk of hair sticking out of his mouth.  He wasn’t thinking about what he was holding now.  The small tail was flagging up high as he looked at how high up he was now!  To the pup at least it felt high.  It was when he thought of speaking the boy’s eyes crisscrossed to look down at the hairs there before spitting them out.  The donkey would have tasted good, but the hairs on it did not.

“Oh sure, I’m fine.” The black pup answered easily as if there had never been any doubt.  “Let’s go.  Let’s go.” That’s what it had felt like for the donkey standing up but what did it feel like when the donkey was moving?  The boy slapped a paw on the donkey’s rump twice to make the energy felt.

"Nico"