[h1][color=olive]Bozak[/color] and [b]Atlas[/b][/h1]
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Bozak looked straight at the canine, shotgun rested on his shoulder. Been a while since he ran into one of these. And his response to the dog's greeting?

[color=olive]"Dog."[/color] He said, with a slight nod, before proceeding to walk past the canine and continue on his way.

Atlas' ears folded back as he tilted his head. Confused. Not loud noise and not aggression, just a soft noise. 'Dog'. That was Atlas. His head tilted the other direction. Atlas was not sure how to respond, but this human was headed toward where the loud noises were. That was bad.

Atlas was about to give a cautionary bark, before a tantalizing smell overpowered the scent of dirt and feces in his nose. A smell of meat. The dog couldn't help but hop down from the car to investigate. He hopped close and barged at the human's leg with his wet nose, smelling the scent getting stronger.

[color=olive]"No, no."[/color] Bozak replied, waving Atlas away with his free hand, [color=olive]"Bozak no have food for dog. Go away."[/color] He kept his hand on his pocket, knowing full well that the dog was after the deer jerky he'd bought from a hunter the other day. Only meat he had on him and like [b]FUCK[/b] if he was going to give it away to a mutt on the road.

'No'. A word that Atlas was very familiar with. Heard too many times before when he was a fighting dog. 'Food' was another he was familiar with. The combination of the two was what confused him. No food? That was just wrong. Did this human KNOW that he had meat in his pouch? How simple are the humans that they would forget something so crucial as food?

Atlas would have to show him. Otherwise he might starve and die.

[color=olive]"[i]No.[/i]"[/color] Bozak repeated, pushing the dog's muzzle aside. [color=olive]"NOT for dog."[/color]

But Atlas persisted.

[color=olive]"DOG."[/color] Bozak said, turning to face Atlas directly, looking down at him. He pointed his thumb over his shoulder towards the road ahead and said, [color=olive]"[i]Bozak[/i] going [i]this way[/i]."[/color] He switched his hand's direction, pointing to the road behind Atlas, and said, [color=olive]"[i]Dog[/i] go [i]that way[/i]. No food. Food not for dog."[/color]

The dog's head tilted once again, almost 90 degrees as his confusion reached a new peak. This human was using his paws so strangely. 'This way' and 'that way'. What was he trying to tell Atlas? They had met going this way and that way. No food? There was no food over there. That much Atlas had gathered.

But this human. This Bozak. He smelled of food. Atlas sneezed and shook his head, before yammering and barking at length. The odd lump in his throat throbbed at him, causing his barks to wheeze slightly. Bozak knew where food was, but it wasn't for dogs? He must be sick or confused. He would need to be cared for.

Bozak backed up a bit, keeping his vision trained on Atlas. The dog moved towards him as he paced in the opposing direction. This went on for a few moments before the big man decided that there was no simply [i]telling[/i] this dog to get lost. He sighed and reached into his pocket, removing from it a bundle of deer jerky bound in string and wrapped in a cloth to stay... [i]somewhat[/i] fresh. He removed a single piece of jerky from the bundle and held it outward, waving it at Atlas. The dog followed the bit of jerky for a moment before Bozak proceeded to toss the jerky a little over the distance behind him. [color=olive]"There. Food."[/color] Bozak said, [color=olive]"Go. Eat. Leave Bozak alone."[/color] The man quickly turned the other direction and continued walking, assuming his plan had worked.

Atlas bounced back and snapped up the piece of jerky happily, chewing and licking loudly. The meat was tough, and dry, but it was tasty. Tastier than most other meats he had eaten before. The taste, the smell, even the look, it was wonderful. Even after it was gone, it seemed to call to him. Atlas knew there was more in the Bozak's pouch. He could smell it.

It was only a few seconds before he had bounded back, eyeing the large human's leg with a hungry expression. He could play the begging pup when he needed to. He learned from his siblings of its efficacy on the humans. He rocked from front legs to back as he whined, almost hopping like a rabbit.

Bozak looked down at Atlas again, peering at him through his gas mask. He shook his head and, instead of continuing onward or tossing more jerky, took a knee. He looked at the dog for a moment before catching a glimpse of his collar, and the medallion hanging off it. Shape of a globe. 'Atlas' printed on it. He nodded and said, [color=olive]"Atlas."[/color] He raised the bundle of jerky and took two more pieces out, letting the dog have at them. [color=olive]"Is good name for dog."[/color]

As Atlas ate the two pieces of jerky, Bozak stood back up. To make things simple, he could just shoot the thing. But... damn it, it was always this way in books and movies. You can't just [i]shoot[/i] a dog, there's this... [i]cosmic law[/i] against it. And that [i]whine[/i]. Ugh, people were one thing, but dogs... Atlas raised his head back up towards Bozak, and the big man sighed once more.

[color=olive]"No more jerky. Rest for Bozak."[/color] He said, [color=olive]"But... if Bozak and Atlas find [i]more[/i] meat... Atlas can have some of it. Sound good to Atlas?"[/color]

Bozak had made noises at Atlas, and so he barked in reply. The words had passed over his understanding, besides 'more', 'meat', 'Bozak' and his own name. But that was enough for Atlas. He got what he was searching for and there was mention of more. The dog's tongue lolled once more as he turned to the road ahead, sparing one last look at Bozak before barking again with that same wheeze.

[color=olive]"Hmph."[/color] Bozak replied, turning to continue his walking, with Atlas following at his side. [color=olive]"Atlas lucky he is dog. Bozak might have shot him if he were person. Or a [i]mutant[/i]."[/color]