Love's a Battlefield }{ bee's lovin o:

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

Somewhere in the back of my mind I was confused as I skipped through the gray smoke of this heated terrain. The rain was gone, for one thing, and the ground felt dry under paw. Also, had I not just laid my head down for some shuteye? Now I galloped like a filly through swirling mist? It didn't make sense, but with a crooked grin I burrowed through the clouds, digging up dirt as I galloped around. I felt light, as if I could spread apart my legs and lift from the ground.

I tried just that but crashed my chin to the ground instead. Nope, not a dream. I didn't dream, anyway. Shaking away the prick of pain my fail had given, I continued my giddy gallanting. It occured to me as I danced that the air was vacant f scent. I caught no smell of prey, nor of Vea Apxn. It was odd how I had come to seperate those two groups; the dogs of Vea Apxn were much too interesting to eat. I resided near their homebase now, drawn to their odd ways. Yet, I could not smell the stench of my brothers.

Beneath me, my stomach swayed with my movements. I looked of normal build now, instead of my slim misconception I typically was. Those beasts that damn whore had planted in me were going to crawl out sooner rather than later. I would have a warm meal, fresh from the oven. I forced a grin at this thought, but it slowly faded. A new curiousity pranced forward, one that had come to life when I had spoken with Stitch. She had had passion for her pack; love. I was interested to know what that sort of dedication felt like.

I was many things, but a lover was not one of them. These poor children stealing the nutrients in my womb had no mother. I was an incubater gone terribly wrong. But what would it be like if I did love them? What kind of mother would I be if the hormones needed to feel for my pups were present?

Bah, wasting such time on silly little interests! That was below me. I focused my energy on what I could attain; what experiements I could actually conduct. This, this was beyond my control.

Still...

[I L Y I C H]

Silly dog, falling flat on her face. It was all too much fun to watch. Too much fun to experience. Denerbe always out of my reach, but oh so very interesting to examine. Her thoughts and words made me grin whenever I watched her. Those experiments though bone chilling at times showed such exquisite curiosity as to make the heat in me tumble about gleefully. This bruise colored animal was everything a folami could be if one would let their consciousness go. Her kills were indiscriminate. Her destruction at least with purpose. Yes... little Bee was my favorite of this lot of mangy hounds rushing about so willy nilly in their everyday horrors. She was my favorite because she had no idea where she was, and without a hint of panic began to test the boundaries of this new place.

Brilliant hound.

It was in this state of almost gloating that I pranced out of the smoke. The heat within me baked against bone and flesh but went ignored, sealed off to prevent the normal fringes of gray-black from escaping my jaws. I was larger then her, but then I was larger then most of them. They had shrunk a bit since my time. My grin cast a wicked sheen, the edges of my teeth slightly orange as if glowing but the image was quickly whisked away. Couldn't have her guessing could we? "Hullo there." I cooed, drawing the words out playfully as I moved forward on ambling ivory paws. It was with a heavy swish of my tail that I came to pause just at her side, electric blue eyes charged with more giddy pride then should be appropriate in a stranger's gaze. But I wasn't really a stranger was I? To her perhaps, but I had known her since her birth and she would never know the depth of interest I held in her well being.

"Never seen you out 'ere before." I continued, flippantly waving one clawed paw about in the swirling mist which was oh so lovingly curling around my frame. The condensation growing thick in my snowy pelt, I turned my eyes back to her my grin almost physically hurting. Ears tweaking I walked past her, half hopping as I toyed with the clouds under paw. This would be fun. Figure it out sweet! I know you can do it. Tail flicking about feline like in it's motions I hurried away. Hopefully my being the only breathing thing in the near vicinity within the smokey dusk of my world would beg her to follow. She'd ask some questions. I could pick out the exact thoughts clouding her mind. Clouding her physical state. Pregnancy was fitting, it seemed. It kept dear Denerbe from looking starved for life.

"Names Twenty-seven." I drawled barely glancing over my shoulder as I continued forward. "Whats gotcha all the way up here?" The golden eyed monster had never wandered here before after all. Such things didn't occur by accident either. It was a wonder, and my curiosity was thick. Impatient but unwilling to give up my game I continued walking at my rapid giddy pace. Folami that came to my door step always feel asleep with a wish. A hope. A prayer. Come now Bumble Bee. Tell me you're hearts wish. If anyone deserved a little slack it was her, after all. One of man's cruelest creations. My grin fell a fraction, arching into hidden fury just as fast at it crashed back into glee.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

A new dog appeared and I offered him a quick nod of greeting in response to his verbal. Still I danced, the smoky terrain singing my name. I could not ignore a song; I had to dance to it. So I did, all the while twisting my form to prance lightly around this new curious canine; pale in pelt and orange hued teeth. I stopped my dancing and focused on those jaws, the orange hue having vanished. I had known dogs to be pink hued in color, as were mine, but orange? It was a curious thing, and to have it vanish made my eyes narrow as I stared.

“Never seen me because I ain’t never been here, darlin'.” I mocked a southern drawl as I responded to his observation. “If fact, I don’t very well know where the Hell I happen to be.” The twang slipped away towards the end of the statement as my ears fell back and I gave a dog-like grin. “Care to help a mistress in distress?” The pitiful tone I used went wasted as the stranger carried on. It took no thought before I bounced after the male, curiosity getting the best of me as my bounds lead me to an even pace beside him. “Just call me Bee.” I cooed as I walked, stare forward, filing his odd little name in the storage facility of my mind. A number for a name; now I have heard it all.

I paused midstep, grin gone as he questioned my motives. My paw still stiffly held in the air, ears back and eyes now narrowed, I challenged the male. “Up here? What do you mean by up here?” I stared after him, tongue pressed against the inside of my cheek in thought. “You’re that Skoll figure, aren’t you? Heard some stray dogs talking about a white mutt in the clouds. You trying to con me into thinking that wasn’t bullshit gossip?” Tone lethal, I dared the man to continue this little charade. I put my paw down and sat, tail hugging my haunches. I was not angered by this little act, but I was bothered someone would mistake me as being one who would fall for it.

Of course, I have accepted weirder things. I just needed a moment to think what could possibly be weirder and more far-reached than a once mortal dog dying and being called to the sky realm by a baboon that had given his life saving a bunch of his enemy species.

[I L Y I C H]

Lips curling I gave a small mock bow ushering my child forward. "Distress" I replied smoothly, the accent thick in my throat as I fought back the smog rolling just behind my tongue. "Would imply that you didn't have full control of yourself darling." Cooed from my lips, I tilted my head just enough to eye her over one bulky shoulder. My ears rolled towards her though as she spoke again and electric blue eyes rolled upwards with a hearty sadness. My she was quick. I'd wanted to play a bit longer, but it would seem I wouldn't be able to. Smirking lightly I gave a small swish of my hips; playing games. "I always have preferred Twenty-Seven. Everyone calls me Skoll though so I guess I will just have to live with myself." Coming to a stand still and lifting one paw I gave it a small wave, rolling my eyes again my face twisting into something almost annoyed. "I mean living with the same name for thirteen years and then suddenly a monkey gives you a new one?"

Frowning slightly having distracted myself I jolted back to reality (?) when Bee plopped down to glare at me. Massive skull turning and tipping I watched her with a very fake innocent expression. "But damn girl, most of the time I have to spell it out. You're ruining my games." I groused, smile twitching at the corners of my ebony lips. Jaws parting I gave a hearty laugh, and excuse. Smoke the vicious shade of black ceder smoke spewed from my maw, blocking my upper half from view for a moment before with a violent head shake I chased it off. "Sorry luv, it's hard to hold all that nonsense in one's throat for too long" Coughing once and giving my once again orange framed fangs a lick I grinned down at her. "Oh but it probably was bullshit gossip, doggies do love their gossip. What'd they say bout me huh?" Leaning forward slightly on iron strong limbs I gave a low snicker, watching steam and smoke swirl from between my teeth.

"Now then. There was a point, but I've forgotten what the hell it was." Taking on a very thoughtful look I watched her for a long second before allowing my own azure eyes to lock on her golden ones. "Oh! Yes. No one just shows up here, it ain't a reunion convention room or some shit. What'cha after Bumble Bee?" Clever blue eyes flicked down slightly, lips curling even as one fang poked out just visible in an almost cheeky look against my lower lip. Tell me. Come on Bee, what's you're wish then? "Dogs come to me when they want something. When they want something so bad their minds can actually manage to beat themselves bloody trying to get in here." Once again one massive ivory paw lifted waving at the air before me. "So what do you want Denerbe?"

[/justify][/size][/blockquote]

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

My ears moved forward and I offered a cheeky grin. Ah, this man easily wove past any charade I was to perform. Very well, honesty was not a thing I failed in. I could be a master of disguise, but I could also be an open book. I stood by to my feet curiously, unaccustomed to be shorter than another dog. I licked over his body with my eyes, judging whether I could overpower him. Perhaps those around me all too often forgot I was a monster among demons, but even I had limits. For example, the snake of a dog, Paradox, would be a threat. I was stronger than he, but he matched me in battle wits. Strength means nothing in some wars. For example, I concluded this dog was stronger than me, but all hope was not lost should I choose to attack him. I had to judge his cunning first, and then a decision could be made on what action is reasonable.

“I do not use names given by monkeys. I will leave you at Twenty-Seven.” The words whistled past my teeth in a wispy tone. I was annoyed with his games, even if being so was hypocritical of me. It was usually I who dealt out the cards, and I did not feel comfortable being dealt to. Sitting down neatly once more, I merely stared in vacant silence, wondering how I was supposed to react to any of this. It was not until the puff of smoke sneaked past his jaw-line that I could decided this was no foolish dog speaking legends.

This was a fucking god.

“God damnit, this complicates things.” It growled past my jaws as I tried to swallow the frustration. Rising to my feet, I stared at the man with a new fire to my gaze. I did not get overwhelmed, but I could be taken back. I had always considered that maybe it was not gossip when people spoke of a god. Well, it was gossip, but it was based off truth. Having no real care for the matter, though, I had let it slip past my conscience and fall into the ‘mortal nonsense’ folder. Now I was having it proven to me that I had been wrong to carelessly lay it in such a state of disbelief. Chewing on my tongue, I let the man continue before I finally washed away my frustration and replaced it with curiosity.

All my life I had devoted my energy to experiments and research. I had stalked and stowed away information about Folami, coyotes, dogs, felines of all kinds, rabbits, anything that lived a life. A god, however, has never been handed to me to explore. The opportunities were endless, and I could feel my tail begin to sway out past me in excitement for this new adventure.

“I am sure you already know, if you are the true Twenty-Seven, but they spoke the story of your life, passing, and mission.” I gave him a half-smile. “Sort of degrading for a Folami to be owned by a baboon, don’t ya think?” I cackled it with amusement, but threw aside the thought as the beast continued. What came from his lips next set a thick covering of anxiety in my stomach. No, it could not have been anxiety. I never grew anxious! Impossible!

“Well, apparently, there are others ways here. I do not have desires, my little friend.” I shrugged him off, words falling out too quick and too soft. I slumped where I sat, head lowering in uncertainty as I stared at this man. “Or maybe…” I looked away for a moment. An experiment. This could be the new experiment. Perhaps I would not attain my ultimate curiosity by stalking a god and seeing how they work, but this dog was offering me the means to know about love. “Fire-breather, is it possible for a genetic mishap, such as myself, to be granted the tools to feed her curious nature? You see, I have been filled with helpless whelps and my plan is simply to eat them. But, perhaps, they will be useful in furthering my studies of those considered ‘normal’.” I looked back at him, determined curiosity burning in my gaze. “Twenty-Seven, can little ole Bumble Bee be granted the means to love what she has created?”

[I L Y I C H]

"Goody" the word could be seen as sarcastic, but it wasn't. I always introduced myself in this manor. Twenty-seven. Test subject twenty seven. Twas my name, but they never continued calling me that. Nope. It was still of curiosity however, what my newest name actually meant. Skoll. I'd have to go badger that silly baboon into telling me at some point. He'd give up trying to keep me out of his airspace sooner or later and then I'd just stare at him until he broke. The thought set a smirk in place, even as my ears perched high to listen to Bee's annoyed speech. Oh yes how she hated to have me larger then her. How she hated to see the smoke spilling form my gut and know that she couldn't win this war. but just as quickly as her annoyance had swelled it splintered and fell into curiosity so deep I could see it in her very stance.

"Oh the mission yes. Makes it sound like spy games played by children, though i suppose considering how old I am you are all children." I side eyed her for a second mock consideration on my face before my grin broke forward again. "Hum. Well I suppose, but I think being able to breath fire and hear people talk about you all day is a pretty good off-set to the being 'owned' bit." Not that dear Dio owned me. We were right good friends, even if some of my brethren didn't understand it. Okay so maybe we did fight a bit, but that was mainly my fault because how could you not just find it far too amusing to torment your fellow god when he's the size of you're head? I mean come on. Some temptations were just too good to pass up.

She began to deny it and my eyebrow arched upward. A dog ready to just ignore a free gift? But alas, she proved her mortality and my smirk softened into a smile as I watched the words tumble out. Oh yes. This was what she wished for. What she dreamed of with such passion that her mind found its way within the great smoke halls of my kingdom. "There we are" I barely breathed the words, letting the flames crackle audibly within me for a moment before silencing them with thought. Sinking slightly forward in a careful manor to avoid seeming condescending I settled with my head at the same level as hers. "Now I must say I am a fan of you're experiments my dear." Would she find that surprising? Electric blue eyes watched for a reaction even as I continued speaking. "I can not change depth but perhaps all you need is a boost, yes?"

I scooted forward a bit, tail lurching this way and that before I abruptly stuck my face right in her personal space; eyes narrowed. Ignoring her outward reaction and appearance entirely I began to snake thoughts forward. Rooting. Oh yes, it was a thing many mortals wished to harness, and one of the four gifts that Dio provided me upon my death. A third eye it could be referred to as, though I liked intuition better. The ability to change what was inside. Now looking properly I could see all the mismatched places. Marks just barley discernible where nature and machine had clashed a bit harder then in other areas. What a beautiful little code she had going on. It was like some sort of insane little quilt all compiled together to make a creature without a hint of hormone despite the constant need for it.

Man did so love corrupting everything it touched after all. This fleshy metal mind was no different, and it was with tentative fingers that my own mind began to ravel within it. I knew full well that all Bee was seeing was my practically glaring right into her eyes but I wondered if she could feel it. The presence of another in her conscious. I had never had good reason to do such a thing and was curious despite my delicate station. Getting distracted would only lead to me getting lost somewhere in this constantly shifting vortex of information. So perhaps if it were hormonal imbalances that led to this specific attachments could be made to divert it. Easy. A new series of synapses?

The second gift came into play as with careful mental fingers I began to shape what I hoped would be a properly functioning cell. Leave it to me to be the first god in existence to fuck up actually making something. It took me a good five minutes shifting my physical body every time she so much as breathed in to be sure the connection wouldn't be broken, because I would never find this damn thing again. Finally with a headache and a deeply annoyed frown I leaned backwards, eyes pinched closed for a moment before they opened one at a time. "You feel any different?" Came the question stated in a manor that admitted that I had no bloody clue if that had worked or not. Today would be the day, I half assumed, when I went sobbing to Dio to fix something (again) after I'd managed to break something by playing with neurons and synapses (again).

Well at least if I'd fucked up she'd just have some extra (brand new?) hormones. Happy things. Maybe she'd be high all the time. That would be fun to watch until I could make Dio fix it.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

I only stared as the man admitted his interest in my experiments; stared as a cruel smirk curled on my lips. So a god enjoyed my little games, even when they bothered his people so? I found this all too amusing; what would Carska say if I ran up to her and say I had the blessing of the gods to shove my nose in everyone’s business and harass as I please? Perhaps I was manipulating his interest into something it was not, but since when did I take anything for what it is? I tangled and butchered words and admissions to add to my own little playground of glass shards. There would never be a time for someone to tell me to burn in hell for my antics because I could easily refute them by saying Twenty-Seven himself thought my experiments to be a great entertainment. In other words, I would make the world believe I had the god’s approval to emotionally mutilate them, and they better just sit down, answer my questions, and be damn well pleased I took the time out of my day to bother them.

While I danced off on my mental tangent, Twenty-Seven had fallen into a trance of sorts. His electric eyes fixated on me and he shifted with each level breath I took. I was clueless as to what he was doing, but I quickened my breathing to test my theory; sure enough, his shifts matched my pace. The smirk died down to a tight-lipped expression as I leveled my breathing once more, clearing my mind. I could feel it now, a weird tingling in my skull. I could not think of a way to describe the strange presence that maneuvered through my conscience, only that it chilled me in a very deep way. I felt as if I’d never know solitude again, something I cherished a great deal. My eyes narrowed as my lips pulled back in a defensive display of teeth towards Twenty-Seven, even though I was sure he could not see the expression.

As he blinked hard and questioned me, I couldn’t help but fall to my stomach at the overwhelming constriction in my throat. Images of dogs I had been greatly interested in flooded forward. There was Carska standing dominant. Her passionate view of the world had been intriguing to me from the beginning; during our first meeting, all the way to when she broke apart and started Vea Apxn. That interest had a different bite to it now. I felt almost…defensive of her. Thinking of Bidziil’s betrayal made my fingers clench in a want to punish him for his deeds. Punish? What an odd concept. Then there was Mahal, another curious figure. I remembered the first time he called me aunty and I had shied away from him because the term didn’t feel right. Then my stomach growled and I ran away to hunt, even with a perfectly good snack babbling away at my feet. I understood that reaction now; back then it was a curious need to keep the being alive to study him, but sitting her now I felt there was some deeper instinct in motion at the time that was simply denied credit until now for lack of tools for make it dominant.

A gentle kick rumbled through my stomach and I lifted my head slowly, arching it around to stare at the heavy mass smashed the ground. A need rushed forward as I slowly moved my snout forward and poked my own midsection curiously. My ears shifted forward as I stared gentled eyed at my form, the need pushing against the edges of my conscience. I finally looked back to Twenty-Seven, still in the laying position. “I feel…good.” It was all I could muster as I met the ice chip gaze of the man who had made this happen. It was the only way to describe this heat bubbling up my throat. The man was a fire-breather of physical flames, but it seemed I shared in the art of fire, though not of the physical kind. I was heavy with the new burden of desire, the unfamiliar devotion to those in my life. I decided it would take some time to get used to this weight that has now been dropped on me, my conscience unaccustomed to reasoning besides survival—because that is what it all boiled down to. Formally, I did things to survive and to thrive…now my actions had a deeper root to them.

I lived because life was worth it.