A Stray's Life

1

"Alright. Two BLTs and two bottles of water." Said a cashier in a food truck. He placed the wrapped sandwiches in the paper bag and handed it to a woman along two bottles of water. "Mark. Our customer is back." said the female cook looking at him with a smile. "Take over Cece." said Mark once the customer left. He grabbed a bag of two sandwiches from a delivery that was canceled and went to the back door. He opened it to see a female huski standing there waiting for him. "Hey Dakota. Havent seen ya in two weeks. Thought the dog catcher got ya already." said Mark getting off the truck to pet her head. Dakota licked is hand then sniffed the bag and barked with her tail wagging making him laughed as she tried to get the bag. "I know. I know your hungry. Here is a philly cheese steak without the cheese and grilled ham and salami with cheddar." said Mark taking them out of the wrapping putting on the floor. He then grabbed a foam cup to put water in for her. "Is she yours?" said a male customer standing by eating. "No. Shes a stray but comes by from to time to time since she was a puppy." said Mark. "Shes beautiful." said the customer walking over to scratch Dakota's ear. "Yeah. She is and is a good guard dog too. Once bit a robber in the junk during our rush hour from New Years a few months ago." said Cece while cleaning the counter. "She'd be perfect for my dog Monty. He's a police dog." said the man watching her eat. "If she lets that happen." said Mark walking away to help clean up after the customers finished their meal. "I gotta go. Have a nice day. Bye Dakota." said the customer leaving after throwing away is trash. Dakota laid down enjoying her meal watching people walking by minding their business and her twitched to a voice humming towards her way. "Hey Dodger." said Dakota seeing a dog coning over with a red scarf tied around his neck. "Whatcha got there sis?" said Dodger looking at her half eaten meal. "No cheese philly steak. Ham and salami." said Dakota. "What's a philly steak without cheese? Its like asking a hot dog with the wiener." said Dodger eating the ham and salami sandwich. "Hey some humans cant enjoy meat or dairy without stinking up the toilets or throwing up." said Dakota. "Why dont we get the sausages from the butcher. Big sale today." said Dodger while he ate. "Isnt it Tito's job?" said Dakota after she drank her water. "Yeah but we both know it be enough." said Dodger. "Alright. We better move." said Dakota. "Now your talking." said Dodger as they both went to the street jumping on a truck passing by.

Once they to the block they needed to be Dakota and Dodger looked at each smiling before jumped off splitting up. Dakota ran to the front seeing people coming in and out of the store looking for any issues like security since its New York after all. She saw only the greeter and walked next to woman pushing her baby in with a stroller and ran off hearing loud shouting and Dodger barking at the meat aisle. Dakota ran towards the aisle moving out of the way of te customers sopping and slammed the door open getting two of the workers attentions. "Get that dog while i get that one." said the guy holding the large knife. She barked at them then went straight between their open legs when one of them tried to grab her and pounce on other making him land on his back. Dodge was doing the same while trying to a hold of the fresh sausages that were hanging on the hooks and looked at Dakota. He gestured her over before the second guy grabbed Dakota by the scruff of the neck for second when she turned to bit on the guys pants pulling him straight down on top of the other guy and ran to where dodge was jumping on the cart making it move fast to pick up Dodger and knock the guy who was after him down and grabbed the end of the sausages with Dakota doing the same the second sausage links making them wrap around their necks before jumping in time the for cart to crash into a wall. "Nice work." said Dodger as they both heard more people coming and ran out through the back door. He ran beside down the alley jumping on top of the moving cars going to the docks here is home is. Dakota slowed down seeing her friend Rita going inside with a bag n her mouth and went in after Dodger. She walked down the steps hearing the tv on with static and the sound of play going on. "Aye. Dakota. Where you been girl?" said a small hyper chihuahua with a bandana tied around his head jumping down from the reclining chair where the bulldog was watching tv. "Ive exploring like usual. just been laying low." said Dakota shaking off the meat hang around her neck. "Good score." said Rita dropping the bag reveal some old steak and slightly burnt chicken. "Found fresh from a family barbeque at the park." she says. "Whatever im starving man." said the chihuahua. "Theres enough for everyone Tito." said Dakota. "She's certainly done something along with those two" said the bulldog grabbing a piece of the chicken. "Oh yeah what did you and Einstein do Frankie?" said Tito while chewing on the steak. "Its Francis." said the bulldog. Dakota rolled her eyes before going to the old suit case and laid down listening to those two arguing.

After everyone ate and rested from their stomachs being full Dakota left the docks to explore around to anything new places to find food. She walked down a few blocks in the rain looking around that caught her attention until the sound of a kitten meowing and a few dogs barking was heard a block away and ran towards it finding a small orange kitten running by her from an alley and growled at the dogs who stops snarling at her. Dakota stood her ground snapping her jaws at them until one jumped one on her but she didnt get scared or anything as all three fought viciously against each other until the three dogs ran off whimpering and crying. She panted a for bit shaking off the slight pain from the three biting her which luckily for her didnt leave any bad injuries and walked around looking for the kitten that they were after. Dakota wen to loading truck after hearing a faint whimpering from one of the wheels. Se soon enough found the kitten curled with is air standing up looking at her in fear. "Its okay. Theyre long gone. Did they hurt you?" said Dakota. "No. I was just looking for a home." said the kitten. "Well youre not going to find out here. Come with me." said Dakota picking him up by her teeth. She held onto him while she ran down the alleys to an abandoned apartment going through the basement window using the crates as a set of stairs bring them to a worn out mattress and blankets. The kitten was placed down as Dakota shook her fur dry and laid down on the mattress as he looked at the place curiously before looking at her. "Thanks for saving me back there." said the kitten. "It no problem but since yo still got a lot to learn. just remember to never go into random alleys alone especially if your small." said Dakota laying down her head. "IM not going be small forever you know and im not scared." said the kitten. "Uh huh and if i didnt fight those dogs. You'd get seriously hurt or dead. That's how life is for any strays." said Dakota. "But isn tis your home?" said the kitten. "Kinda but it wont be for long. I heard this place will be demolished for a new apartment complex." said Dakota as another lightning was heard scaring the kitten into curling up against Dakota. She looked at him seeing him getting tired and licked his head a few times to calm him down until he fell asleep and wrapped her body round him to keep him warm.