Life's Struggles [1x1]

Life's Struggles Chapter 1: Survival of the Fittest

When a group of selected teenagers are sent out into the wilderness in order to learn the traits of survival, it is known that a few will lose their way. It's a good thing they have a faithful pooch with them right? Wrong! Two teens get separated from the rest of the group and now must find their way back together. But with little to no prior knowledge and friendship between them, could they possibly get along and work together so that they can survive? Or would they separate and have to embark on their own journey as individuals to find a way home with only the help of their canine companion.

Disclaimer:

This rp is strictly between Daphne (#80499) and Queen Bird (#78178). It would be greatly appreciated that all others refrain from posting here, though, you may read and follow along with us. Thank you! :D

The Characters:

Carter Beck assisted by his canine Pearl.

Simon Crimm assisted by his canine Buffy.

&

Morgan Blackwell assisted by her canine Ryker.

Addalyn Sumter assisted by her canine Gemni.


Last edited on 2018-07-20 at 07:18:36 by Queen Bird

Carter

Carter sat on a fallen tree log, trying his hardest to take in steady breathes. "How in the world could I have possibly lost the rest of the group," he asked aloud to himself. He put his head on the palm of his hands and stared down at the brown dirt terrain. He felt a wet nose nuzzling at his hands, trying to get him to budge. "Stop, Pearl," he commanded the doe eyed canine. "It's no use, we'll never find them before daylight is taken by night." Pearl placed a paw on Carter's leg and gave a dog like smile that forced him to lift his head. He gave a small smile, trying to reassure the canine that he called his best friend. Pearl placed her paw back on the ground and began to wag her tail. Carter laughed. "You really know how to make someone feel better, don't you girl?" Carter pushed himself off the log and Pearl immediately stood to stand beside him. When he heard a crunch that wasn't from the two of them, he looked around then back at Pearl, knowing she had heard as well. "Who...who...who's there," Carter stuttered out as if unsure of himself. He heard the noise again and his first instinct was to run away from it, but he was frozen to the spot. Pearl barked, giving some sort of warning to whatever it was. The noise was beginning to become louder and louder with each step it took and Carter's heart raced faster and faster the louder it got. He closed his eyes in fear of what it was and he heard Pearl bark again and again as if telling whatever was to retreat. Carter collapsed back down onto the log, curling into a ball and hugging his knees tight to his chest with his arms wrapped around his head. His breathing was becoming erratic and uncontrolled and he could no longer hear the sound of Pearl barking. Instead, he heard her whining and the feeling of her wet nose nuzzling his arm and trying to calm him down. When he unfolded his arms from his head, he realized that tears had been streaming down his face and through his blurry vision he made out a figure of someone human, recognizing it to be one of the other hikers.

Morgan Blackwell gulped and was shaking the paracord green and black leash she was holding shook in her hand. “C’mon Ryker we’ll find the rest of the group. In a flannel shirt and jeans with hiking boots on she patted her Australian Shepherd Red Merle. Taking a nervous step in a direction of a boys voice not so far away. The sixteen year old girl began to walk to the small clearing but froze hearing a deep bark. Looking down at Ryker who had his teeth bared and growling ready to fight. Shaking she took the leash and jiggled it making Ryker fall into a heel position. Walking down the forest lined path to the small clearing she froze spotting a browns dog and boy on the log that looked to be around her age and crying. Making her way into the clearing and standing still she offered a small smile “Hello I’m Morgan.....Morgan Blackwell.” Offering her hand out to help the boy up with his dog nearby. “Any chance you were on the teen survival trip to learn to survive in the woods?” Blinking her blue eyes and letting her straight strawberry red hair fall onto her back and pale skin. “Who is this?” Bending down and offering a hand for the brown dog that was watching her she sat down her book bag and rummaged rheough it bringing out a milk bone and extending for his dog to have. Smiling and petting her head she stood up and smiled “Well first step is to not panic...right?” Blinking at the brown haired boy she crossed her arms wondering what to now.

Carter blinked away the tears, now feeling embarrassed by the girl's words. He wiped his face dry of tears, opening his eyes and blinking a few more so that his vision would clear. "I...uh...," Carter began to speak, though few words were coming to him. Pearl leaned her body against his leg, trying to calm Carter's nervousness. "Well...um...yeah," he finally answered, though his hands were still shaky and his breathing was still slightly erratic. Pearl nuzzled closer to him and put a wet nose in the palm of his hand. "I...got a little lost...now I can't find the group," he said as he inhaled a deep breath. His breathing returned back to normal and his sweaty hands began to shake less. When the girl spoke again, she gestured to Pearl. Pearl wagged her tail at the attention, happily accepting the treat that she was given. "This is Pearl," he introduced as he tugged on the canines service vest. "And my name is...um...Carter," he said tentatively, "Carter Beck." 

“Well at least I’m not alone anymore....” offering a small smile and nodding as she petted Pearl “She’s beautiful....Carter” standing up and dusting the dirt off her jeans. “Well you already know that I’m Morgan and this here is Ryker” Smiling and gestering to the Red Merle Australian Shepherd beside her and wagging his butt. Inhaling a breath she scanned around the clearing “Well, first step is to remain calm.... right” asking it aloud and looking at Carter she nodded noticing that he was shaking. “So Carter tell me about yourself and Pearl.” She smiled looking down at Pearl and then back up blinking her blue eyes and moving her strawberry red hair from her face. “The group leader said that we have to stick together if we get lost and truth be told being alone scares me out here even though I have Ryker with me...” patting Ryker and commanding a sit she smiled and looked at Carter. “So we should probably see what we have in our book bags...” sitting down on the log and taking her book bag out and unzipping it bringing out three waters, six granola bars and, four packs of trail mix. Setting them all on the stump beside her and unzipping the other section and pulling out bandaids, matches, two epi-pens and a flash-light. “Ryker, come” she snapped her fingers and smiled at Ryker who was wearing a dog pack on him with his leash and harness on. Ryker wagged his butt and barked happily coming to her side and sitting down. “In his pack he has three bags of food in ziploc bags that they can split and we can spread out if we are here more than three days. Dog treats, Tennis balls nd a chew bone.” She stood up looking to Carter and hoping he had something useful in his pack. 

Carter returned the small smile, equally as glad that he was no longer by himself out in the wilderness. "Ya...Yeah," he agreed as he patted Pearl reassuringly. He looked to the canine that Morgan spoke of, bending his knees and offering a hand out to pet him him. After a quick pat on the head, Carter straightened himself back up to meet Morgan's eyes. "Well Pearl and I have a long history and it just might take all day to tell you the full story," Carter said half heatedly with a laugh. "But if you really must know, I've had Pearl since I was ten and as you can tell by the vest she wears, she is a service dog." He gestured a hand down to the vest with the letters 'service dog' stitched on both sides. "I'm home schooled and have been since the first grade after nearly failing kindergarten. That's when my parent's found out I had severe social anxiety." He looked away and focused in on his surroundings. There was pretty much nothing, but trees surrounding them, clear sign that they had no clue where they were. When he came back to focus his attention back on Morgan, he watched to see if her expression had changed. But his attention was brought elsewhere when she changed the subject and began to rummage through her bag and then Ryker's. "Well...um," he began as he awkwardly shrugged his bag off his shoulders, "I have a sleeping bag, three bags of trail mix, a 6ft. piece of rope, four bottles of water, a pocket knife, a few matches, and a...um first aid kit. Let's see, got some band aids, disinfectant spray, bug spray, sunscreen, and a roll of bandage. And in Pearl's pouch we have a few days of dog kibble rations, a collapsible bowl, some treats, and my medicine." He looked at all the stuff that he had brought out of the various packs before repacking it and zipping everything tightly. "Not a whole lot of useful things, but I suppose that it would make do."

Nodding her head and looking at all the stuff he got out of his pack she smiled seeing he was better prepared than her. “So the group leader said we’d be making our way to Alchann Falls and spend five weeks up there learning survival skills, I guess we just have to find them and our training came a bit early...” mumbling under her breath to herself to reassure that everything would be alright in the end. “Well it’s almost Night so should we stay here or try to hike more and try to find the group?”  Looking down at Ryker and gulping down fear of spending the night in the woods without a tent. “Well as you already know I’m Morgan and this is Ryker. I’m sixteen, I love making friends and being around animals the most. I work with my mom who’s a dog breeder and Ryker came from one of her litters she raised and so I got him.” Pausing and blinking her blue eyes and looking into Carter’s blue ones she crossed her arms again and tapped her foot on the ground. “I have an extremely allergic reaction to bees so that’s why I have a two epi-pens with me....” Looking back down at Ryker who was laying down now. Ryker looked up at Morgan giving a wag of his butt and stood up leaning against her leg with his tongue out panting happily by her side. Giving Ryker a ear scratch she looked at Carter observing his features and his blonde hair and blue eyes trying to calculate more stuff about her new friend. “So Carter since were here together lost we can be friends if you want.” Offering the idea and flashing her smile at him she ran a hand down her strawberry red hair and brushed it out of her face again. 

Carter

Carter agreed, remembering what the group leader had told them. He looked up to the sky, seeing that the sun was close to setting in the next hour. He hated being thrust into this situation, but of course he only blamed himself for not being able to keep up with the group. When Morgan brought up the thought of what to do, he began to think. They only had roughly an hour before dark, which wasn't very long. There time would be better spent setting up camp for the night. "I, uh, I, uh suppose that we should just stay put for the night," he offered the idea. "We only have an hour before sundown and we need to set up camp, or at least make some sort of shelter since neither of us obviously have a tent." He looked back down, scouting the area for the flattest spot. "There's a good spot to sleep," he said, pointing to his left where there was a somewhat flat area between a few trees. Carter turned back to Morgan, listening intently while she told him about herself. "I'll be sure to, um, warn you if we run into any bees," he said half jokingly, though he knew it would be a serious matter if she were to get stung by one. He turned away abruptly, pulling the sleeping bag out of his backpack. "I hope you, um, don't mind sharing the one sleeping bag," he said holding it up. 

Morgan 
Bright blue eyes widening as he held the sleeping bag up she nodded and gave a simple shrug looking at Carter and to his companion Pearl. “Well I don’t bite unless you do.” Giving a little grin and shaking her head she nodded and took Ryker’s leash putting him to a tree that she attached a clip to so he wouldn’t escape. Taking off his pack and getting out his bowl she poured less than half of what he normally ate to save it. Filling up the other with water that she used from her water bottle pouring a little more than half in. “Well Ryker’s set up.... do you need help?” Blinking her bright blue eyes curiously and taking her pack and grabbing her the sleeping bag from Carter’s arms taking it to the flat part and clearing around the floor from the leaves and the dirt as best as she could before laying it down. Walking back and sitting down in the log looking at Carter she crossed her arms biting her corner lip and frowning “I just hope we find the group soon....” mumbling half to herself and shivering from the cold beginning to set in for the night. “So Carter anything else you want to talk about since were together right now....” pausing and blinking her eyes to the sky seeing the sun begin to sink in the distance. 

Addalyn 
Tears blurring her hazel-green eyes as she held onto the nylon pink leash in her hand she gulped seeing the sun beginning to sink in the distance through the trees. Giving a shaky breath of air that struggled to come she let her hand rest on Gemni’s head and ruffle her ears reassuringly. Giving a little whine and shifting to Addalyn’s side she shook her black and white fur sticking close to her side. “C’mon girl we’ll find a way back to the group.... I’m probably the first one in all of these survival groups that’s lost” mumbling to herself to calm herself but not helping she gulped looking around with her hazel-green eyes and feeling the warm tears beginning to form in them. Stepping forward and body twisting as she tripped over a root she landed on the ground with a thud. Grabbing her ankle and letting out a a muffled scream in pain from tripping over the big tree root. Sitting up on the ground and grabbing her ankle she looked down taking off her boot and seeing the blue side indicating a sprain. Shaking her head and leaning against the tree trunk to pull herself up to stand she stood lifting her right ankle off the ground in tears and crouching down against the tree pulling Gemni close and letting the tears she’d been holding in since getting lost out. Gemni stayed pressed to her owners side giving a whine and barking loudly and giving another two barks before settling at her side and resting it in her lap.

Carter

Carter almost let out a laugh when she took the sleeping bag out of his hands and went to lay it out. "I can try not to bit, but I can't make any promises," he joked. Pearl looked up at him and covered her eyes with a paw, making Carter laugh. Shaking his head, he pulled out the collapsible bowl and poured a little kibble and then filling it with some water after Pearl finished. "I think I've got everything, thanks though," he said with a small smile. He looked to the flat spot where the sleeping bag now laid before looking up at the sky. It was a clear sky, absent of clouds save a stray one scattered here and there. "Well at least it doesn't seem as if it will be raining tonight," he stated. In this situation, he was trying his hardest to stay calm. Pearl came back to his side, sensing that he was nervous. He gave her a little pat before Pearl got up and walked over to where Morgan sat on the log. Pearl placed her head in Morgan's lap, showing off her big brown eyes and nuzzling her wet nose into Morgan's hand. Carter watched as Pearl was doing her job, but with someone else. "It seems that Pearl is trying to calm you down, she senses that your nervous."

Simon

Simon trudged through the forest, kicking at stray pine cones that littered his path. Unfortunately, he had no clue where this path was leading him and he felt forever lost in the sea of trees. His feet were getting tired and not only he, but his partner in crime began to slow as well. "How could we have lost them Buffy, I mean all I did was stop to tie my shoe and...poof, they were gone," he said astounded by his own unluckiness. He patted the canine's brindle coat before stopping to take a break. He looked up at the sky and watched as the sun was sinking faster and faster. "I think we ought to stop here for the night, huh girl?" Buffy gave a small whine and sat down, looking into Simon's eyes. "Fine, we'll go just a little farther." Simon picked up the rope leash and began to walk a little ways up the trail when he heard the sound of rushing water. He remembered that the group was supposed to stop at the falls and his first instinct was to go in the direction of the sound. Buffy perked her ears, yanking on the leash before taking off in the opposite direction. "Buffy," Simon called out to the canine as he began into a sprint after her. "Buffy, stop." Buffy continued to run and Simon pursued behind her. That was when he heard the sound of crying nearby. Simon slowed down and peered around in attempt to find the source of the noise. His eyes soon landed on the figure of a girl and her dog. "Are you alright," he the blonde haired girl as he crouched down to meet at eye level. His eyes landed on her ankle that seemed to begin swelling. "You seem to have sprained your ankle," he stated as if she didn't already know that. He looked around seeing that Buffy was still nowhere in sight, but he knew that Buffy would somehow get her own way back to him. His attention turned back to the girl and shrugging his bag off to dig out the first aid kit. "Now I don't have any ice, but I do have something to wrap it." He dug out the bandage wrap and began to wrap it around her foot and ankle. "All set," he said with a smile. "Oh...right, forgive me, my name's Simon, Simon Crimm." 

Morgan
  Looking up at the sky and then feeling a gentle head fall into her lap she smiled looking down at Pearl and kissing her head softly. Looking up at Carter and shaking her head she gave a soft smile “Well Carter I’m not nervous so you might be the one nervous that she’s picking up on.” Giving a grin and looking at him studying his blue eyes and blonde hair she gave a grin and looked at him. “So tell me more about yourself since I am stuck with you until we find the large group....” giving a grin and standing up and going to where he was she sat down her arm brushing his and looking at him. Blinking her bright blue eyes and swallowing she let her hand lay on Ryker’s head and shifted positions so she could listen to Carter and we had to say. “Question did you sign up for this survival course for the fun or did your parents make you...” Tilting her head and furrowing her brow watching Carter with her bright blue eyes. 

Addalyn
   Opening her hazel-green eyes and seeing a boy that has appeared. Gulping nervously and letting him deal with her ankle and toe she gave a nervous smile. Wiping her tears she had been crying out she sniffled once and nodded as he introduced himself. “Well I’m A-a-Addalyn and this is G-Gemni and your S-Simon?” Tilting her head and attempting to stand up she braced  herself against the tree trunk and stood up wincing as her right ankle hit the ground. “Well I’m pretty useless and can’t walk... right...” gulping slowly and looking at Simon she watched him carefully and stood petting Gemni. “Well Simon are you from the group of survival teens....” blinking her hazel-green eyes and blinking her hazel-green eyes hoping he was from the group. “I mean if you are from the group you can go on and I’ll be fine without you...” nervously gulping and looking at Simon she hoped he wouldn’t  leave and gritted her  teeth as she limped forward inhaling a breath and shaking her head to rid the forming tears from the pain throbbing in her foot and ankle. 

Carter

Carter nodded, "That's what she was trained to do, not that I feel like a canine needs much training since they do it all alone." Pearl wagged her tail at the attention from Morgan before moving back and flopping her head into Carter's lap. He gave her pat and a small hug. "You are such a good girl," he praised Pearl before releasing her from the hug. Pearl wagged her tail and gave a dog like grin, causing Carter to laugh. "Well," Carter pondered for a moment, "Since you asked, I work at a Pet Supplies Store, mostly to stock shelves or care for the animals after closing. Hmm, if you want to know about more boring stuff, my favorite color is green, I dislike bananas and applesauce, Pearl is the only pet that I have ever had, and I have an older brother who I never speak to, his name is Kyle." Carter paused for a moment, "After I graduate, I want to open my own pet rescue." Carter paused for another moment before answering Morgan's question. "No, they didn't quite force me to come, they only brought up the idea for me to go and I was up for it until I got separated from the group." Carter sighed, knowing there was nothing to change that now. "What about you, I'd like to know more about you."

Simon

Simon nodded with a smile, "Yes, that is me, nice to meet you Addalyn." Simon raised himself from the crouched position just as Addalyn was trying to get up and walk. "Well I...uh, don't think you will be going anywhere very quickly." He reached a hand out, grabbing her shoulder to steady her. "I guess you could say that, I uh, got separated from them while tying my shoe," he said with embarrassment. When Addalyn limped forward, Simon held onto her to ensure that she wouldn't fall. "No, no I can't leave you on your own if your injured," he stated with a smile, "Maybe you should just sit down and let your ankle rest." He looked up at the darkening sky and sighed. "It would just be best that we stay put for the night and wait until daylight." He thought about Buffy, wondering where she had ran off to and hoped that he would find her soon or that she would come back. He shook the thought and shrugged his bag off his shoulders. "I've got some things we could use as shelter for the night," he said as he pulled out a tarp, sleeping bag, and thin blanket. "Would you perhaps have some rope? We can use it to tie the tarp above us. Oh, and I also have a map so we might be able to figure out where we are, but we may have to find my dog first because she ran off."

Morgan
Blinking her bright blue eyes and listening to his information keeping mental notes. "Well my favorite color is teal blue and my favorite food is lasagna but I doubt there's that kinda food around here." giving a little laugh and the continuing on she ran a hand through her Strawberry red hair and blinked her bright blue eyes giving a smile and continuing. "Well i work at my mother's dog breeding kennel she breeds Australian Shepherds and that's how i got Ryker he was pick of the litter." ruffling his ears and feeling Ryker lick her hand she grinned down and ruffled his ears some more. "Well I live with my mom...I had a twin sister and father...." inhaling a breath and blinking her bright blue eyes to not cry she shook her head and blinked her bright blue eyes again and gave a weak smile. "My birthday is on Halloween and I'm Sixteen...." rubbing her hands together and looking at Carter she gave a smile looking into his blue eyes and grinning. "I want to be a dog breeder like my mom or be a dog trainer I'm at the point where I can't decide which one to follow." grinning at when he said he wanted to own a dog rescue she felt happiness inside of her. "That's awesome that we share the love of animals...except for bees." grinning "Unless you want to see my throat close and my face swell....I had a bad reaction to one and I had to go to the hospital..." she laughed and turned to Carter her body giving an involuntary shudder of the cold. "You know we have a lot of hiking the next couple of days and to be honest you seem really nice and I'm kinda glad I found you instead of being alone." giving another shudder from the cold she wrapped her arms around her body smiling at Carter.

Addalyn
Nodding and sitting down she smiled as Simon said he wouldn't leave her. Nodding once again and unzipping her pack she pulled out rope from her backpack and watched Simon spring into action. "T-Thank you for s-staying..." she stuttered like normally when around new people and rubbed Gemni's head still hugging the border collie and blinked her hazel-green eyes watching him. "So B-Buffy is your dog...." asking the simple question she watched him set up a tarp over them and get out a sleeping bag. "Y-you can c-call me A-Addy if you want to...." running a hand through her blonde hair and watching Simon she crossed her arms over her stomach and gave a little smile at him. Pulling out her flashlight and clicking it on as night fell upon them. Clicking the collar on Gemni which lit up and glowed green she nodded feeling calmed by the light. "S-Simon w-will we find the group or be lost out here forever...." hazel-green eyes slightly filling with tears of being out here forever and not finding the group again. Gemni brushed her head against Addy's side licking her hand repeatedly to calm her down and gave a woof pricking her ears as she heard a rustling sound in the woods. Eyes growing wide and hugging Gemni she shifted more behind Simon shining her flashlight into the rustling bushes and biting her lip to not cry. Gemni gave another sharp bark and shifted position's to in front of her owner and the boy with her teeth bared.



Last edited on 2018-01-06 at 09:40:28 by Daphne101

Carter

Carter put his elbows his knees, holding his chin in his hands as he listened contentedly to Morgan list things about herself. For the first time in the longest of times, he felt comfortable around someone he barely knew and had just met. "Those are all very interesting," he interjected with a laugh before she continued on. He made note of every little thing that she was saying and when she talked about her family, his heart fell. He knew without asking that something unthinkable had happened, but he wasn't going to ask her about it. She quickly recovered and Carter continued to listen. "Well why not both," he pondered, "I mean you could always breed and train at the same time." He smiled at the thought of actually having something in common. "I suppose we do, although insects aren't a favorite of mine either." He laughed along with her before noticing that she was shivering from the cold. "Should we build a small camp fire?"

Morgan
Smiling and nodding as she got out the matches in her book bag and lint in her jacket. “All we need is sticks and some sorta pit I guess....” nudging a bigger rock with her foot to the circle and smiling as she moved another beginning to form a circle out of the rocks. Looking at Carter she placed her tools to start the fire on a rock and began putting sticks inside the pit and dried leaves on the forest floor. “Ryker, where’s the stick?” Asking the red Merle Aussie she smiled seeing his butt wag with excitement giving a higher bark. Picking up a stick and carrying it to Morgan and dropping it at her foot he licked her hand and went into a play bow seeing her blue eyes light up as he passed the stick. Giving another bark of happiness and picking up another stick in his jaws he dropped another at Morgan’s foot finding pleasure in bringing her the sticks that made her smell good and happy. Giving a giggle she turned to the brown dog Pearl and smiled “Do you want to get a stick and help? Get a stick Pearl” blinking and rising her voice higher in excitement and crouching down she smiled at both dogs and then looked to Carter tasing a brow and grinning “C’mon Carter get me a stickie for me.” Giving a grin and giggling she made grabby hands waiting for a stick and smiling. 

Addalyn
Hers is above in the previous one