The Night Shift (Starring Fen, Azzy, Leo, and Grave)

[Leonardo]

The System was a terrible place to be alone at night.

It was always a scary place, but something about the system caused animals that dwelled within to just go haywire. Everyone became criminals, and it was often the birthplace of organized crime. That was why it was called "The System", because few could understand the criminal machine that drove this mysterious place. Even the humans, as independent as they pretend to be, were nothing against the influential wrath of the neighborhood. One by one, they were drawn down, until they were killing each other, spilling their blood on the streets. Dogs and cats, of course, were not exempt to The System's fury. And tonight...tonight was a very special example. Leonardo Mancini had ordered a "checkup" on his investments within the territory, but he sent his best men only, lest the others go wild with abandon and destroy more than what they corrected.

So they were gathered under the Street Boss that night.

"Alright! Shut the fuck up and listen!" Frankie's voice carried out amongst the handful of dogs that were hired to come out that evening. These were not little dogs. They were not friendly and they certainly weren't here to make friends. They were here to make money, and they would do that by following instructions, and not getting on the cat's bad side. Frankie continued. "Today we're goin' onna quick Checkup! Theahs some stuff goin' down lately...Mr. Mancini wants to make shuwah 'is investments are protected an' loyal! Your Capo will be the commandin' officer fuh dis operation, an' he'll report any misconduct to me! Let it be known: I am NOT Leonardo. I will not smile at you, an' tell you betta luck next time. I will not pat you on da back an' make you feel safe before you get whacked. I WILL hunt you down, an' I will 'ave you killed, an tossed in da Bay. Your sorry ass will be shipped, on a fucking express! I promise you dat. So follow directions. Vincenzo! You're up."

Frankie hopped down from the trashcan and disappeared into the night. He had other business to attend to. His work here was done.

Vinny was a lot louder than Frankie. "Alright ladies! You know da drill! Check da ledgah, check the inventory. If dere's a discrepancy, let 'em know yous serious. If they are stealin', 'break somethin'. If dey make it cleah dat they 'ave no loyalty for Don Mancini, or if da dogs theah are unfamiliah an' are operation against da Don, I've been authorize to make judgement fuh dem through our lovely street boss." He grinned. "I say kill any bastardo dat spits our name out like a stinkin' rat."

The dogs cheered and swore like sailors. One in particular was gawking and laughing at Alonzo. "Ay Vinny, whose dis freak? He's like a horse! I know he's ya man an' all, but he ain't nevah been heyah before."

Vinny glared at him. The other dogs averted their eyes.

"What the hell did you say?"

"Uh...nothin'"

Vinny exploded from where he stood and got face to face with the clown. "You think this is funny? Like a game? What the hell d'ya think he's here for? He's on a effin' checkup, Barney! What are you here for?" He slapped Barney and growled. "This is my right hand man! You dare questionhis ability? Alonzo! Show this punk why you are here today!"

[Fen]

Alonzo listened intently to Frankie, amused that one cat could be so terrifyingly stern. He had already learned respect for Frankie, knowing that the guy was a badass. He was right, he wasn't Leonardo. Frankie was a bastard, and Alonzo could respect that. Despite his size and his dislike for cats, Frankie deserved respect. He wouldn't be in the position he was in if he didn't. He watched Vinny take the front as Frankie headed off into the darkness. He was interested to see what Vinny had up his sleeve. He found a mischievous smirk rising on his face as Vinny spoke, and he cheered along with the other dogs afterward.

The smirk faded, however, when another dog that Alonzo hadn't met piped up, asking what the Dane was doing there. "I don't need ya to fight my battles, amico." Alonzo said calmly, sending a small grin Vinny's way. He stepped up to the dog, towering over him and grinned, but there was anger in it. "I'm heah to do my job. Anybody got a problem with that?" His voice grew louder on the last statement, like a clap of thunder, as Alonzo looked around the crowd before stepping back to stand beside Vinny. The silence was his answer. "I ain't wastin' my energy on dis mutt. He'll see soon enough." He said to Vinny, then went to take his place back in the ranks, snarling at Barney as he shoved passed him and back into the crowd.  

"Aye, we gonna sit heah like the ugly bitches at the prom, or are we's gonna get some shit done?" 

[Deleted]

Shyla Civella
Panda German Shepherd - 4 Years
Stray

Laying atop one of a few dumpsters lay a beautiful sight, a german shepherd oddly clean to be a stray. Orbs or brown would stare down at the stray before her without emotion, tail laying over her hindleg. The mutt had approached her and the other shepherd for some meals, trying to offer the very little things he had just for a small bit of food. Shyla would just stare at him as silence fell upon the two, thinking abut whether or not she would allow him that which would keep him alive.

"Hm... wha' da'ya think Sloan?" Smooth voice would reach out towards the other, she would motion towards the thin male, and even though her tone was emotionless, those eyes of her wondered if the woman wanted to play with the man a bit, get his hopes up before crushing them.

After obtaining such a nice spot just a week ago, Shyla wouldn't simply let everyone get the goodies here. They would have that they should get a meal, life as a stray was difficult, you didn't get a free pass just because you were hungry. Plus Shyla fought hard to finally take this place over, getting bruised up pretty bad that day.

speech, thoughts

[Deleted]

My companion whimsically laid upon one of the few dumpsters that lined the alleyway as if sitting on her throne. I'd realized that about her, she had a lot of pride. Made me thankful that we'd gotten off to the right start; then again a battle will do that to you. My shoulder still hurt from taking down those mutts who had been guarding this treasure trove just a week past. I stood off to the side, careful as to not get my ivory pelt dirty in the squalor that lined the street. My eyes so dark in the setting of my fur that they seemed endless looked out, this way and that, up and down, right and left, leaving not even a shadow bare to my naked gaze. 

Rumors had traveled fast, of our victory and it seemed as though the lowest of the low were now trying to make deals with us. For a moment I stopped my wandering gaze and penetrated the canine that stood before us, he was offering pretty much trash in exchange for the food, but then again, looking at the ragged, trashy thing I doubted he had much more to offer. "It's not like we are a charity Shyla." I reply after a second of thought. "Then again maybe we are." The night we'd taken on those other beasts came to mind, it had been at least two to one, we had fought hard for what we had now and the dog could have done the same had he had a mind to. But some were meant for greatness, while others were meant to grovel. Shrugging the none hurt shoulder, I then started back to my post. Letting Shyla deal with the Mutt. I'd support her in whatever she chose.

[Leonardo]

Vinny laughed at the "ugly bitches" statement. He didn't know what a prom was, but ugly bitches were always standing around doing nothing anyway. So it was still funny. He was a little taken back by Alonzo's waive of his support, but he let it slide. After all, Al was a big boy. Maybe what Vinny did was a little childish. Deciding to shrug that off as well, he took Al's suggestion and decided to get some work done.

"Alright yeh, let's go. Rememba guys, heads down, stay quiet, an' don't look suspicious. Barney, Eddie, you head up to da sheltah. You two, you know wheah to go. And you, uh..."

"Lacy." The female said. She was very shaggy, and didn't look like a girl at ALL.

"What? Oh yea, Lacy. Check out da fabrics joint." Vinny seriously doubted that the fabrics trading post was occupied by anyone. The same old man that worked there for years would be there sleeping on the cold pavement, soaking up the moisture from the slick concrete and melting snow. Leonardo liked the silk from that place, so it was more of like a personal luxury than business.

"Al, you with me. We gotta check out Hardy's" He joined up with the big Dane and started walking down the sidewalk. Hardy's was always a easy checkup. The two guys who worked there were strange and very antisocial. They had warded off enemies from the place for a year now, and he didn't foresee them having let up on the job. He himself had never eaten from there, and he was sure that Leo didn't. They were always dining on much finer foods, and typically from places closer to the Industrial Park than the System. Still, it was a great place to make payroll, and it was essential to the Mancini corporate empire. "It's cold..'ow are ya Al? 'Ow ya been buddy you ready to get dis show on da road? We'll be in n' out in no time. Da soonah we can get through dis--" He suddenly remembered something. "Ay, Frankie tells me dat we ain't making da payroll in da system. Nobody's tawlkin', but he fears dere's somethin' wrong with the distribution at Hardy's. Dis may mean we's gotta prollem pal." He smirked. "We've gotta good distance to go, it's cold, an' it's late. But I'm feelin' alive man. It would be amazin' to find two beautiful broads there instead of dose gnarly old bastards, haha!"

[Fen]

Alonzo walked alongside Vinny, absorbed in the conversation for a moment but letting Vinny speak nonetheless. "Been good, man. Y'know me. Always doin' somethin'." When Vinny started talking about the Hardy's, Alonzo laughed. "Whoa, slow down there, amico..." His face got all serious and then he laughed. "Try SIX beautiful broads! Have a whole entourage thing goin', y'know what I mean?" He trotted happily along, his paws cold on the pavement but he wasn't thinking about that. "I feel alive too, though. I know whatcha mean. Adrenaline or whatever. It's great!" He got quiet for a moment, letting his light laughter fade into the darkness. He wondered what they had waiting for them, and he finally looked back.

"Aye, you think we gonna see some action tonight? I feel like I could take on a fuckin' truck." He laughed again, his tail wagging absently behind him as he turned his eyes forward, swiftly dodging a trash can that he very nearly ran into. He didn't know all the contacts that the Family had, and he wondered if any of them were stupid enough to betray the Mancinis. He couldn't imagine it. Things had been like a whirlwind since he joined up with them, but he felt like he had purpose now. That was something at least.