((X3))
Grantaire stumbled a bit as he popped out of the slim opening in the cage roof. He winced and shook his head as the rain pouring from the gaping holes in the roof began to pelt his fur. What the heck is going on? He thought to himself. The scent of death and the metalic smell of blood was strong in here, probably from when the trees crashed through the roof, he concluded silently. Growling, he clambered up the rubble piling that had formed from the tree trunk that sat jutting out above it. Climbing up the pile of brick and cinder block, he reached the top, fully exposed to the bitter outside. His position gave him a mindset of what was going on outside the shelter. Wind whipped violently, nearly shoving him off his feet, and the rain stung his face. The sky was pitch black, large chunks of dangerous debris from torn houses and trees flying around from the strong wind force. Cursing under his breath, Grantaire leaped down from the rubble pile and began running as soon as his paws hit the muddy dirt on the ground below. Dodging a few branches that were practically thrown at him, he made a mad dash for the city nearby, hoping to find sanctuary within its huge buildings that would surely withhold in this storm, he thought.
Nineveh was jerked from his sleep by a loud clap of thunder. Rising to his paws, he perked his large saucer-like ears, narrowing his eyes at the churning sky above. Suddenly, the clouds opened up, releasing a fast falling downpour of rain. The Painted Dog leaped off of his wooden platform and dove under it for an extra sense of security. Though his small enclosure did have a roof, its walls were merely made of chain link, making it easy for the whipping rain to spray inside. Nineveh shivered as rain splashed his multicolored fur. The flimsy fences began to vibrate and shake violently, not built to withstand such a wind force. Suddenly, one of the chainlink fences was ripped from its foundation, easily bending under the force of the wind. Nineveh's eyes widened and he dashed over to the door that was connected to his human's house. On his hind paws, he scratched furiously at the wooden door, hoping the woman would come and let him inside. But the raging storm drowned out the sounds of his rapid clawing. Too confused and terrified to think, he concluded the only way he'd survive would be if he left his home. This human-made enclosure wouldn't serve as a reliable shelter, and he knew it. His survival instincts kicked in and he hopped up onto the wooden elevated platform. As he prepared to lunge out of the open side of the enclosure, the sudden sound of hard rushing water made him freeze. Their home was right on the banks of the Mississippi, which was churning violently and quickly flooding the banks. Before the African Painted Dog could let out even a yelp, a huge surge of muddy river water swept him off his platform, the weight of the rushing river crushing the remaning fences of his enclosure. The Mississippi waves violently swept Nineveh out of the confines of his home, leaving him helplessly paddling to stay afloat in the raging surf.
