FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

[b][i]RTC: /29-12-0017/[/i][/b]

"Alright everyone LISSEN UP!"

The sea of robots straightened up to the sound of a squawking voice.

"We got ourselves a code twenty-three twenty-oh-six, that means EVERYBODY'S gotta be on the lookout fer any weird water monsters or doom aliens or-"

"INFINITY!" cried a thick clunky voice.

"YEAH infinity-wait what?!"

"It's a SCARY number!"

"You can't even count that high how is that scary?!"

"I'm always frightened of whut I can't reach!"

"Then how come ya ain't frightened by ME ya big goober, BUHA-HAHAAAA!"

The moletank's eyes sharpened in the shape of two meters clocking their needles to the max whilst the chickenbot walked the length of an old stage in nothing but a ruined tux.

"ANYWAYS, you all seen that weird stuff in the sky with all the weiiiird colours going all weiiiiiiird on us, that means danger's afoot!"

"And it needs new SHOES!" cried the tank. "It's really hard to find shoes in its sizes."

"What are ya sayin', we don't HAVE shoes!"

"Ohhhhh NO we're DOOOOOMED!"

The mole started frantically racing in a circle amidst the confused audience that looked at each other. The rooster grabbed his shorter friend's head firmly in place whilst his body kept moving, slowly untwisting his neck until it came fully off in the rooster's metal wings.

"See this?! THIS is whatcha DON'T do, losin' yer heads like uhhhh headless chickens!"

"Yeah," the head shouted, "headless chickens!"

"HEY, that's offensive!"

"But YOU said it before!"

"YEAH CUZ I'M A CHICKEN YOU NUMBNUTS!" He slamdunked the head back into its body. "ANYWAYS, everybody keep yer eyes peeled fer any weird monsters an' report back to us, got it?!"

"YES SIR!"

The robots saluted as best they could before dispersing in various directions of the abandoned carnival zone. Tassels of red and white flapped in the breeze as the soft creaking of rusted machinery could be heard faintly in the distance, ferris wheels and rollercoasters turned to mountains of cold steel looming above their heads with old tents and attractions converted into small houses for the new residents. Throughout the central plaza machines spoke and traded with each other, stalls with spare bolts and vegetable oil amidst the odd fabric to accessorise themselves with.

[b]"Hard to believe our migration was only a few years ago,"[/b] said the sturgeon in his walking tank.

"The desire for greater social communication affected our performance," said Dronin walking beside him, "since our arrival to this zone our group has regained its efficiency."

[b]"Hmhmhm...still thinking in numbers."[/b]

"I am a machine, my entire processing is in numeric form."

[b]"Hahaha...ahhhh...well, I suppose we have to get to our tasks then, and I was so looking forward to our game."[/b]

"Tomorrow we shall play." He opened his satchel to reveal the folded plate with pebbles of black and white. "Tomorrow will always come, doctor."

[b]"Very true!"[/b]

Heading towards an old circus tent, they stepped inside to meet a small gathering of various badniks all clustering about beneath the big top. Gears and rivets whirred and creaked amidst a gaggling cacophony of machines that muttered between each other as they all looked towards the central ringmaster's podium.

"Alright alright settle down please," said a robotic walrus slumping onto the stage, "orders from the top folks we need to cover our grounds and make sure there's no weird...aliens or what have you, Syke you got them minutes?"

A dragonfly hovered close with a printer readout in his claws.

"Lessee...orders to Sector B that's us, doctor you stay here as usual, Larry, Jim, Sixes you all head out to the marble ruins, Sandra, Rakeem, Spence, you're off to the desert."

"Awwwwww I HATE sand in my joints!" whined Spence.

[b]"I for one am glad to remain here,"[/b] muttered the sturgeon, [b]"much as my legs enjoy a good exercise I find non-temperate climes insufferable."[/b]

"Aquatic limitations in the arctic and desert regions can cause potentially harmful situations," said Dronin nodding.

[b]"You do not handle the tundra well either."[/b]

"Incorrect, tundra is a region signified by sparse vegetation in low-temperature climes."

[b]"How is that different from arctic?!"[/b] asked the doctor sneering.

"Arctic climates have no vegetation."

[b]"Ugh, semantics."[/b]

"Dronin you're handling the mushroom hills," said the walrus, "we don't got anybody else but you got a good record so you'll be fine-"

[b]"Wait, hold on, excuse me!"[/b] The fish stretched his legs up to stand above the group. [b]"Did you just say ONLY Dronin?"[/b]

"Yeaaaah we're kinda shortstaffed today, sorry about that."

[b]"But, but, that is not fair, you cannot expect him to guard the entire woods by himself!"[/b]

"I accept my mission," said the mantis bowing, "I have charted the mushroom hill zone sixteen times since our arrival at the carnival zone."

[b]"That is not the point!"[/b] he stomped his tank-leg. [b]"It is unjust that one individual has to be burdened with the task of three!"[/b]

"I am capable of guarding the zone by myself, doctor."

"Okay well glad that's all cleared up then," the walrus peered closely down the printer feed, "and uhhh, Greg you're on oil-guarding duty this week so you best step it up in case any aliens come to take it."

"Uhhh why would aliens want veggie oil?!"

"Because shut up Greg anyways you all know what to do so head on out and try not to get lasered."

The badniks left the tent as Dronin headed out towards the mushroom hills.

[b]"Are you sure you will be alright?"[/b] asked the sturgeon. [b]"I can come with if you need me."[/b]

"As I said previously, I am capable of guarding the zone by myself."

[b]"I mean I know that, but-"[/b]

"You are a doctor, you must remain here to care for those who require upkeep."

[b]"Well, alright then. Farewell Dronin, and please be careful."[/b] He raised a leg to pat Dronin's shoulder. [b]"If you require anything, please come to me as soon as possible."[/b]

"I will, doctor. Farewell."

The mantis-bot headed out of the city and across the plains towards the grand forest in the hills. Giant mushrooms grew to the width of five feet, large and buoyant enough to act like springs as Dronin leapt upon one to sproing himself through the thickening woods full of vines and twisting branches. The trees were unusual in that their branches would loop and bend like giant serpents, grassy slopes of polished emerald that gleamed perfection in the sun slanting through the trees. Dronin swiftly leapt upon a hill, bouncing across two mushroom heads and somersaulting down onto a branch where leaves of cherry blossom gathered in white obscuring his robe. The sound of animals turned quieter the further he went, sensing something was amiss as he scanned the region. From the faintest reach of his hearing there was a strange noise he had not heard anything like, his audial units honing onto the source as he rushed through leaves and leapt between branches to where an old broken tree stood. Something whimpered from within its trunk.

[i]Subject: Unknown reptilian[/i]

[i]Designation: Unknown[/i]

[i]Mental State: 60% rise in cortisol levels, highly aggravated[/i]

"Hello."

[i]"H-HHH! G-GO AWAY!"[/i]

"Identify yourself."

[i]"G-GO AWAY, GO AWAY!"[/i]

[i]Cortisol levels now at 68%[/i]

"I will not harm you if you will not fight. Are you wounded?"

[i]"ODDCLAW, O-ODDCLAW P-PLEASE HELP, h-help p-please...h-h-hhhhh!"[/i]

[i]Cortisol levels now at 76%[/i]

[b][i]"I am not...[/b]here to [b]hurt you."[/b][/i]

[i]"Wh-wh-...who...wh-who is there?!"[/i]

[b][i]"I am...[/b]a friend,"[/i] said Dronin in the creature's speech, [i]"are you [b]wounded?"[/b][/i]

[i]"Th-there...there was a noise, s-so, h-hurts, th-the noise was too much-"[/i]

[b][i]"What noise?"[/i][/b]

[i]"Fire...great fire, h-hurt my ears."[/i]

[b][i]"There...is[/b] no fire in these [b]trees."[/b][/i]

[i]"R-really?"[/i] whimpered the voice in the trunk.

[b][i]"Where did[/b]...you come [b]from?"[/b][/i]

[i]"My family...w-we were, this island suddenly came, out of the sky next to our home."[/i]

[b][i]"Your home?"[/i][/b]

[i]"Y-yes! We went on an adventure, to see what was there, th-then there was fire, it hurt my ears a-a-and I ran, i-it hurt, it hurt m-my ears hurt!"[/i]

[i]No physical injuries detected. Mental state: 78% rise in cortisol levels, recommend auditory soothing technique.

[b][i]"You are[/b]...safe here,"[/i] said Dronin in a deeper purr, [i]"I will not let the fire [b]come hurt you."[/b][/i]

[i]"N-no? Really?"[/i]

[b][i]"Do you want[/b]...me to help [b]you?"[/b][/i]

[i]"A-are you going to hurt me?"[/i] pleaded the voice.

[b][i]"No, if you[/b] do not fight, then I will [b]not hurt you."[/b][/i]

With each line he spoke Dronin dipped his voice into a deeper register until hitting a certain tone that changed the level of the creature's state. Slowly he climbed down the tree and sat at its base to appear as non-threatening as possible and watched the newcomer leave his safety. A brown set of eyes in a brown-mottled head, scars covering the right side of his face as the reptile whimpered more from the sight of him. Despite having a full height of 8 feet, the creature cowered with his tail slinking low between his legs as the mantis started to make a sound in the chord of a deep major vibrato. It was an odd trembling whirr that to most creatures would just sound annoying or a signal of some maintenance needed.

But to the saurian before him it was strangely soothing at a subconscious level, a quiet hum that he started mimicking that as Dronin had calculated would calm the unnerved beast. The mechanical ululations continued at an exact level of pitch, one he had factored from their conversation as the reptile felt his ears stop burning, a cool audial salve that drenched his mind and almost sent him falling asleep in such sudden peace.

[i]"Th-tha...thaaaa...thank you."[/i]

[b][i]"Do you[/b] need anything [b]else?"[/b][/i]

[i]"N-no...no I...I feel better now. Um...c-can I stay here until my family find me?"[/i]

[b][i]"You can.[/b] Would you like to play until [b]they come?"[/b][/i]

[i]"Play?"[/i] The creature looked up sleepily. [i]"What sort of play?"[/i]

[b][i]"I will[/b] show you, how [b]we play here."[/b][/i]

He pulled out a square plate of repeating patterns and placed it upon a large rock, putting a set of white and black stones on the board. The visitor walked forwards purring curiously at the set.

[b][i]"First, you must[/b] pick which stone [b]you want."[/b][/i]

[i]"U-um...I...the deep ones."[/i] He nudged the black ones softly.

[b][i]"Good.[/b] Now here is [b]how we play."[/b][/i]

"That is how I met Barkclaw eight years before," ended Dronin, "we played six rounds of Go but he understood the rules by the third game."

"And now you care for him," said Chanoch flicking a white stone, "what about your friend the doctor?"

"He argued against my leaving at first," the mantis slipped a black pebble around the pale intruder, "but in the end he understood after I explained my mission is to protect nature, first and foremost."

"By protecting this raptor."

"Correct. He was upset, there was a missive of farewells from many but especially him, even though he had said to me that he knew one day that I would leave."

"Why?" the lizard made his next move with a soft push.

"Because I had nothing to hold me to my fellow badniks," said the mantis swerving his pebble round, "without an imperative focused on community, I had no reason to stay."

"They were your friends. Do you not miss them?"

"I do not 'miss' others, for I lack the emotional programming necessary."

"Ah. Do you hunt with the raptors?" Chanoch pulled forth another stone to trap Dronin.

"No," said the robot mirroring the knight's turn, "I never harm any natural creature. Every creature that already existed in this world is under my protection, for the sake of preserving their futures."

"Death is part of life, they must kill to survive and eat."

"I am not alive, therefore I do not eat, and so I will not hunt."

"What if you had to hunt to protect Barkclaw?" The pebble clacked.

"Then I would hunt." Another pebble clacked. "My mission to protect him is of highest importance over all of nature."

"Why?" White made its move.

"Because I am now his carer," black took its step, "his personal guardian and I have decided to protect him."

"But why?" Another white pebble moved. "Why protect him over all of nature?"

"Because I understand him." The black pebble circled in for the kill. "You have lost."

The lizardman cocked his head slightly with thumbs crossing each other as he stared at the monochrome mess of pieces. Night was starting to fall as the eve of twilight hung above their heads to a soft fuchsia tint in the sky.

"I have not played this in years," muttered Chanoch scratching his head.

"I can teach you to play again, if you wish."

"Yes. Good game." He shook Dronin's hand over the board. "James likes these games too."

"I can teach him as well," the robot said sliding all the pebbles into his satchel with board in tow, "playing against new opponents offers me new data concerning strategies and perceptions of others."

"What did you learn of me?"

"You rely on defence excessively, you wait for an attack because you fear more of being caught exposed in the open, rather than invasion where you believe you can stem the flow of battle in your territory."

"Hmm." The soldier rubbed his chin as he digested this critique. "You suggest I be more aggressive?"

"If only to upset your opponent. Understanding yourself will allow to surprise others by circumventing your routine when it is needed."

"Yes...good advice."

"How are you adjusting to your service at the human base?" asked Dronin flexing his legs.

"Good," said Chanoch pressing his back to a tree. "I like being useful."

"Sir Durai has told me you were adjusting well, he was the one to first tell me of you in our discussions, and your developing relationship with James."

"Ah. You speak with him often?"

"He finds me fascinating, in his words he says that an automaton able to speak and cognate by itself is remarkable."

"There are more at the base."

"That is true but I am the only one who is not offended by his questions."

"Hhhmhmhmhm." Chanoch smirked barely and shook his head. "I knew machines that could speak at the castle. Much like you, polite without emotion."

"I would assume because they lack the programming," said Dronin standing up to test the springs in his joints.

"I do not know. Sometimes I envy them. Emotions hurt."

"Emotions do not hurt, the process of your autonomic nervous system is what hurts."

"Really?"

"Your nervous system recognises events that are detrimental to your health, which then translate into a variety of responses such as increasing the contraction of your heart, dilation of pupils and skeletal muscle, constriction of your gastrointestinal organs and the secretion of your sweat."

"You say...my heart hurts, because my body is protecting me from its pain?" asked the soldier.

"Correct," said the mantis, "so as to strengthen your body against an incoming threat whilst in an impaired mental state."

"I cannot fight sorrow. I have tried."

"Organic structures have not evolved for at least two million years. It is not a perfect system, but it is the most effective one biologically."

"Ah." The reptile stood up with a long stretch. "How do you deal with stress?"

"I calculate the best possible means of de-escalation and then administer such, whatever the cost for the least casualties."

"That is good."

Making their way through the forest breach they soon met Jane and Kevin who sat with Eggfang in the nest, whilst Oddclaw's children asked dozens of questions back and forth.

[i]"Whut you like to eat?!"[/i] squeaked Skyfang.

"Ohhh pretty much anything," said Kevin, "meat, fruit vegetables."

[i]"How can you eat BOTH, you only eat meat or leaves, you can't eat both!"[/i]

[i]"Father can,"[/i] said Oddtooth factually standing tall, [i]"I thaw him eating leaveth thixth dayth before."[/i]

[i]"NUH-UH yer lying!"[/i]

"Actually he's right," said Jane smirking, "Oddclaw can eat both meat and vegetables too."

[i]"WHUT, but how, I can't eat leaves!"[/i]

"Well he's...different."

[i]"Nuh-uhhh, he's a hunter!"[/i]

[i]"A-ah eat leaves too,"[/i] mewled Seaclaw sitting between his siblings.

[i]"Yeah cuz yer weird,"[/i] teased Skyfang nibbling his head.

[i]"A-ahm not weiiiird!"[/i]

[i]"Skyfang do not tease your brother,"[/i] warned Eggfang with a low growl, [i]"that is not nice."[/i]

[i]"I wuz just playiiiing,"[/i] she snorted.

[i]"Tho, do you come out of eggth?"[/i] asked Oddtooth to the humans.

"Nope," said Izquierda laying down on his belly, "we get born out of our moms and we have this cord that keeps us tied to her, then once we're out we cut the cord and our moms feed us with a special milk her body makes."

[i]"Ewwwwwww!"[/i] the three children cringed reeling back.

[i]"Warmbloods are weiiiiiird,"[/i] shivered Sky, [i]"why cantcha eat meat when yer born!?"[/i]

"We don't have teeth when we're born," said Jane scratching her ear, "humans can only eat liquid foods until we're old enough to start chewing."

[i]"That thound annoying,"[/i] muttered Tooth scratching his head copying her, [i]"ith yer mother an' father here with you?"[/i]

"Oh no, no they're far away someplace else."

[i]"Why? Did you leave yer netht?"[/i]

"Um...not as such, I was it's rather complicated."

[i]"Whyyyyy?"[/i] asked Seaclaw bumbling forwards.

"I-i really don't want to talk about it," she started twiddling her fingers nervously, "it's nothing important anyway it's all done years ago."

[i]"Did they die?"[/i] asked Skyfang leaning forwards.

"No! Well, maybe now they have, I-i don't really-"

[i]"Children stop asking her about her family,"[/i] said Eggfang with tapping claws, [i]"she does not want to speak about it so please respect that."[/i]

[i]"B-but ah wanna know whut happen auntie Eggy!"[/i] mewled Seaclaw.

[i]"You do not have to know everything. Some things are too painful to speak of and it hurts to remember those things."[/i]

[i]"O-oh...okays, ahm sorry."[/i]

The littlest raptor waddled forth and hugged Jane round her neck, making her chuckle sweetly as she hugged him.

"Awhawhawhawwwwwww you are precious!"

[i]"UGH he's always doing that,"[/i] whinged Skyfang with gagging face.

"He is a good boy," said Chanoch.

[i]"S-STONETREEEE!"[/i]

Seaclaw ran as fast as his little legs could carry him straight towards Chanoch who bent down to pick him up, lofting him upon his shoulder like a little prince. Dronin stood behind him bowing to the humans.

[i]"AAAAAHahahaha, hiiii Skyfiiiie!"[/i]

[i]"He's NOT A TREE!"[/i] she shrieked barking at him.

[i]"YUH HE IS, he da BEST tree!"[/i]

[i]"He'th not made of bark!"[/i] added Oddtooth

[i]"He made of stone, he a stonetree DUHHH!"[/i]

[i]"Treeth aren't made of thtone!"[/i]

"But I am," said the stonetree letting Seaclaw high-three one of his fingers, "where are your parents?"

[i]"Huntin'!"[/i] squeaked the child. [i]"You wanna pway wif us?!"[/i]

"Yes."

[i]"SKYFIIIIE ODDIIIIE YOU WANNA PWAY TOO?!"[/i]

[i]"Y-YEAH!"[/i]

They both jumped up with a promise of excitement as Eggfang sighed curling herself up in her brother's nest, the lizardman moving further away to give the children space as Skyfang climbed onto a tree and leapt upon Chanoch's shoulders whilst he held Seaclaw in his arms, the girl jumping off in a tight bounce like a circus act and straight onto Oddtooth's back who groaned when she vaulted off with a round of applause to the audience. Oddtooth then did the same, instead leaping from a rock and onto the soldier's sturdy shoulders before he put Seaclaw on top of his brother and the two of them jumped even higher to make the young boy squeal with excitement, before they landed to even more applause. They continued to do this for another six times experimenting new ways to leap off their "stonetree" much to the amusement of their elders as Dronin walked past to sit beside Jane and Kevin.

"Howsit going robomigo?" said Kevin smacking the robot's leg.

"I am well thank you," he said bowing with a responding kick to Kevin's own leg, "it has been four-hundred-and-nine days since we last met."

"Yeaaaah man just been ticking off that calendar 'til I could see you again, you up doing anything new?!"

"Tomorrow I am observing a new species of insect with Barkclaw. We have discovered a migratory path and we are travelling with them to observe their nesting grounds far away."

"Oh that sounds lovely!" gasped Jane clapping her hands. "I hope you two have fun, I take it Oddie said it was alright?"

"He did, it is not the first time I have travelled with Barkclaw, but this will be the furthest journey we undertake, travelling for at least six days."

"Well I hope you be careful then and that you two have a great time."

"Yeah I wish you could take some pictures or something," said Kevin propping his chin, "you guys seen so many bugs and Barkclaw's been a huge help with all the plants he knows about."

"Absolutely," she nodded, "you know I miss having you and Barkclaw visit the base but it's all been so BUSY with the construction we have going on and now we have this new moonbase that in about two days we're going to see how it works."

"I recall last you were here," said Dronin leaning over her, "that you were installing new communications from the previous anomaly."

"Oh yes we finally have communications worldwide so no matter where our flyers go we shall always keep in touch!"

"That is good." The mantisbot stroked his mandibles in thought. "May I request that you connect me to your communications?"

"You wanna get connected?" Kevin asked shrugging. "I mean I know Oddie's got his walkie but-"

"With your current expanded capabilities, it would be prudent to have an additional communique if I were to travel greater distances beyond the Hunters' Nest, or if Oddclaw's communicator is damaged somehow."

"Well uh...alright we'll see about getting you jacked in next time we're around, might take a couple of weeks."

"I shall be available in seven days once I return with Barkclaw-"

[i]"LOOK OUT!"[/i]

[i]"WHIIIIIEEEE-EH!"[/i] A scaled volleyball went hurtling towards his head as he turned and grabbed Seaclaw's body. [i]"Hiiiiii!"[/i]

[i]"Hello Seaclaw,"[/i] said the robot in primal speak.

[i]"Heehee, yer hands'r coooold lahk mah daddy's."[/i]

[i]"I have no blood in my body."[/i]

[i]"Wooooow really?! ...d-does mah daddy have no bludd?"[/i]

[i]"He does, but hunters' blood does not keep warm by itself, it must become warm with the sun."[/i]

[i]"Oooooooh!"[/i]

[i]"Alright now children it is time to sleep,"[/i] said Eggfang rousing herself from the nest.

[i]"Awwwww b-but,"[/i] he stifled a yawn poorly as he wriggled in Dronin's grasp, [i]"b-but ahm no' tiiiired auntie-"[/i]

[i]"When the sun goes to sleep so do we now come, huddle up together."[/i]

She patted her tail against the wall of the nest as they reluctantly trundled towards her, curling up against her body to share their heat as the children yawned with smacking snarls and flicking tongues.

[i]"When's mother an' father coming back?"[/i] asked Skyfang.

[i]"Very soon,"[/i] said the aunt licking across their heads, [i]"I will keep you safe, good night children."[/i]

[i]"Niiiiight."[/i]

[i]"G-g'nigh' stonetreeeee!"[/i] whimpered Seaclaw lifting his arms up to him.

"Goodnight Seaclaw," said the knight stepping in close to hug him tight, "may Elohim bless you with good dreams."

[i]"Oh-kayyyyys..."[/i]

He did not understand this, nor did he have to as he drifted off into slumber easily, the trio snoozing quietly against Eggfang as she nodded to the newcomers.

[i]"Thank you for visiting,"[/i] she murmured quietly, [i]"would you like me to tell Oddclaw and Moonclaw anything from you?"[/i]

"Nah we're good," said Kevin carefully getting back on his feet, "shame I missed seeing my dinomigo but ehhh there's other days."

"We'll come back soon," said Jane smiling with hands clasped, "maybe in about two weeks once everything's settled."

[i]"I will tell them,"[/i] said Eggfang nodding, [i]"good night Jane and Kevin, sleep well."[/i]

"Night night."

"Don't let the bedbugs bite," snickered Kevin.

"Kevin they have much worse problems than that," argued Jane rolling her eyes.

"I mean they're TECHNICALLY bedbugs if they crawl into the nest right?"

"Cimex lectularius does not exist in this world," said Dronin, "but there are other variations of haematophagous insects that could qualify as 'bed bug'."

"Seeee the robot knows I'm right! Anyways, later."

Jane, Chanoch and Kevin all departed swiftly back to the Ducky on the northeast shore whilst Dronin headed back towards the small grove where Barkclaw was currently sleeping. He sat quietly in his preferred tree trunk, hollowed out for his convenience as shelter from the elements before sitting down in a hunched posture like a gargoyle of steel, closing his eyes and checking his real-time clock once more before entering sleep mode.

[b][i]RTC: /04-05-0025/[/i][/b]

Tomorrow came with a fresh and early start as Barkclaw roused himself with a start, leaping up with excitement and bumping his head against Dronin's chest.

[i]"S-stonevoice, Stonevoice wake up, wake up!"[/i]

The voice of the raptor alerted him as his eyes flicked on golden.

[i]"Good morning Barkclaw."[/i]

[i]"Are we ready to leave?!"[/i]

[i]"If you are ready then yes, we are."[/i]

[i]"Let us go! Hurry, hurry!"[/i]

[i]"You must eat first,"[/i] said the mantis pulling himself up with hydraulic whirr and stepping out of the trunk.

[i]"I have food, we can eat it now then we can go yes?!"[/i]

[i]"Yes, you will need your strength."[/i]

The dull-brown raptor made a chirrup of excitement as he rushed to grab the meat he had stored away the previous night, putting it up on his eating stump to prove to Dronin before munching down on it with exceptional ruthlessness. Tearing and ripping the chunks of blood before chomping down his gullet, it took all of his restraint not to just gulp the whole pound of flesh and race off as the mantis watched him quietly. Five minutes later he had licked the stump clean with bloodied teeth, before they headed west through the throng of raptors in their nests including Oddclaw's family who were currently sleeping. Dronin urged him to move on quietly amidst the chattering snarls and shrieks of morning greeting that welcomed them both.

[i]"Good morning Barkclaw!"[/i]

[i]"Oh, hello Fishclaw!"[/i] He raced up to his elder brother and chieftain with a happy nuzzle.

[i]"And good morning to you Stonevoice."[/i] He purred with a soft lick across his sibling's neck. [i]"How are you little brother? I rarely see you this early!"[/i]

[i]"I-I am chasing the stonewings today, Stonevoice and I are going on a journey!"[/i]

[i]"Ohhh really? I take it Oddclaw already knows?"[/i]

[i]"Yes yes he does, but he is sleeping still."[/i]

[i]"I understand, do not fear I will tell him where you went. How long will it be until I see you again?"[/i]

[i]"Six days,"[/i] said Dronin nodding, [i]"we will reach the stonewings' nesting grounds in three days, then it will be another three days to return home."[/i]

[i]"That sounds good, you do not need anything from me?"[/i]

[i]"No thank you,"[/i] said Barkclaw chirping sweetly, [i]"we are leaving now so, goodbye brother!"[/i]

[i]"Farewell brother,"[/i] he gave him one last nuzzle, [i]"and please be careful!"[/i]

[i]"I shall protect him,"[/i] said Dronin with a bow, [i]"do not fear Fishclaw."[/i]

[i]"Thank you Stonevoice. You take care too."[/i]

The raptor and the mantis marched onwards into the great open plains of the early morn, fresh verdant fields almost set aflame by the rising sun that peeked just over the edge of the sea. It was a calm perfect day, the sky just on the edge between azure and vermilion as Barkclaw raced ahead with high-wagging tail and stomping feet that rippled the ground with joy in every bounce he made. Dronin kept his pace alongside him, running when Barkclaw did and walking when he relaxed but always he kept himself at the raptor's side.

[i]"The wind is lovely today,"[/i] gasped Barkclaw, [i]"you can smell the sea AND the skylands!"[/i]

[i]"I cannot,"[/i] said Dronin, [i]"but the wind is pleasantly mild."[/i]

[i]"What is it like living without a snout?"[/i]

[i]"I cannot say, having never had a snout I have nothing to compare to."[/i]

[i]"My snout is quite good, but my ears are better."[/i] He pricked his head up one way to hear a soft whistling on the breeze. [i]"Flyers are coming from the north."[/i]

[i]"Even I cannot hear them,"[/i] admitted the mantis, [i]"you are very gifted."[/i]

[i]"Thank you."[/i] The raptor simpered with a soft blush. [i]"OH, leaflegs!"[/i]

He hurried straight off towards a stony cluster in the long grass, seeing grasshoppers the size of rodents jump across the blades with long legs and bizarrely-thin wings with far-reaching antennae that traced the wind in front of it. Barkclaw patiently sat himself down and watched the bugs hop across the fields back and forth, eyes flickering left and right whilst Dronin sat down beside him quiet as a stump, the gentle chirps of the insects whistling through the green as Barkclaw closed his eyes and let them sing their songs of joy in aimless bliss.

Dronin stared upon one grasshopper looking back at him, the mantis-bot softly chirping a small greeting in the insectoid language which albeit was far too simple to translate into a proper structure. Barkclaw noticed this, smiling softly with a fascination between the two as a brief but terse conversation engaged between them.

[i]"Food?"[/i]

[i]"Friend."[/i]

[i]"Big beast?"[/i] the creature twitched towards Barkclaw.

[i]"Friend too,"[/i] nodded Dronin.

[i]"Friend you?"[/i]

[i]"Friend me, long friend."[/i]

[i]"Long wind day."[/i] The small creature lifted its antennae to the sky. [i]"Fly far day."[/i]

[i]"Wind to where?"[/i] asked the machine leaning forwards.

[i]"Nightwhere,"[/i] it turned itself to the west, [i]"long wind to night."[/i]

[i]"Happy wind?"[/i]

[i]"Strong wind! Bye!"[/i]

[i]"Bye friend."[/i]

[i]"Bye!"[/i]

The tiny beast hopped away with a spring of its legs to rejoin its group, scattering across the fields in random directions on the breeze to find and taste fresh dew.

[i]"What did he say?"[/i] asked Barkclaw purring curiously.

[i]"He said the wind is heading west,"[/i] said Dronin in raptorspeak, [i]"and will remain such until night."[/i]

[i]"That is good!"[/i] He leapt up with a spring in his step. [i]"The stonewings will fly faster, we might even get home sooner!"[/i]

[i]"Or it allows us another day to enjoy ourselves,"[/i] the robot stood up with him, [i]"it is your choice."[/i]

[i]"A-alright, let us go then!"[/i]

They headed onwards to follow the breeze, taking half a day to reach the Jaws of the Earth after a winding trail occasionally offset by Barkclaw's curious glee in searching for new insects to study. Sometimes there were butterflies with ancient crooked wings that more resembled ferns through their sharp jagged edges; others resembled beetles with dark shells like chocolate, scuttling across the dirt or creeping into burrows beneath the rock, most of whom did not stop to speak to Dronin as the noon sun hit their backs, the shining glint of his solarcampal hat turning it to a hot white as pale as his robe that marked him out from the burnt sienna of the canyon ridge.

The passage to the old lands remained open as always, nestled between the mountains and the abyss as Barkclaw carefully wandered forwards first, hearing the gasping winds turn intense within the hollow caverns. Had it been a true gust of wind the strength would have been too much for his ears but as it was today it remained a temperate timbre that at worst set his teeth on edge. Dronin kept at a short distance readying a subdermal vibrational procedure if needed, but they soon managed to reach the other side and into the Land Before where a giant forest spanned before them like a verdant blanket, the ocean reaching towards the north as they stepped carefully through the glades.

[i]"I thought it would take longer to reach these trees,"[/i] murmured Barkclaw.

[i]"The last time you came here was hunting with your sisters,"[/i] noted Dronin.

[i]"Oh."[/i] He pulled a face of disgust and shook his head. [i]"I wish Oddclaw could come with us."[/i]

[i]"Perhaps he will be able to once his children are old enough."[/i]

[i]"M-maybe Oddtooth can come too, I can tell him about more smallwings!"[/i]

[i]"He can come with us another cycle after to watch the stonewings."[/i]

[i]"YES!"[/i] He wagged his tail giddily as he ran lopsided through the trees. [i]"Wh-what do you think, the stonewings think of?"[/i]

[i]"I have never spoken to them,"[/i] said the mantis briskly jogging to keep up, [i]"I could ask if you like."[/i]

[i]"They are very shy, none of them even wanted to sit on me."[/i]

[i]"Perhaps this cycle they will, but watching their journey is reward enough."[/i]

[i]"Yes yes!"[/i] He leapt clumsily from a log and stumbled forwards. [i]"They are so odd, even the sound their wings make is different from other smallwings."[/i]

[i]"Really?"[/i] Dronin caught up to step to his side.

[i]"Smallwings sound like this."[/i]

Barkclaw gently shuffled his feet in the fallen leaves with a tender crinkly rustle.

[i]"But the stonewings sound like this."[/i]

He scraped his claws lightly on a tree to give a sharp slivering sound.

[i]"I do not know why, but I want to know, we just have to get close to them."[/i]

[i]"It will be easier this cycle,"[/i] said the robot treading westwards still, [i]"now that we know their journey, and we have come sooner before they shall leave."[/i]

[i]"You remember where we will sleep?"[/i] asked the raptor. [i]"My sisters' mates they showed me a good place to sleep when they were guards."[/i]

[i]"I do remember yes, if you like we can play before we sleep as well."[/i]

[i]"YES YES, I love playing with you!"[/i]

Occasionally Barkclaw would veer off their predetermined path in order to hunt and fill his stomach. Dronin never participated, allowing the raptor full freedom to chase, trap and kill his food without need of intervention. At worst he would prevent his prey from escaping by blocking its path or frightening it to turn back, but never would he lay a hand or blade upon a living beast as he watched Barkclaw chase down a teenage parasaurolophus, rushing through the trees using his dark earthen scales as a natural camouflage in the paling undergrowth of cluttered leaves before the fatal strike. He hunted twice that day, eating only as much as he needed to and making sure to keep himself away from the Bloodfeathers' territory.

Night soon came as they found their place to sleep, a large broken tree hidden within a thick clustering copse that had seemingly been struck in half by lightning in its past. Black twisted fork of wood reaching above its huddled brethren, the obvious scent of hunters was enough to keep most beasts as far as possible to give a safe space for the two travellers. Full of meat and with tiring legs Barkclaw was ready to sleep there and then if not for his mind still shooting off with excitement that kept him wide awake, Dronin sensing such as he brought out his game of Go with black and white pebbles.

[i]"We will play until you are tired,"[/i] said the machine, [i]"would you like the deep pebbles as usual?"[/i]

[i]"Yes please,"[/i] his opponent nodded.

The wind picked up outside as the trees began to shiver, a thousand leaves that shook like the spears of an invading army as the raptor and the mantis played quietly. They said not a word as they staked their territories on the board, Barkclaw sometimes picking up a stone in his teeth, or nudging it across with his snout whilst Dronin tried to make a new strategy around his unusual foe's stance. An hour passed, the gentle breeze wrapping around the trees like a tender serpent as they played three games in succession. Barkclaw won twice, but the third round Dronin just managed to slip past him and capture enough of his side of the board.

[i]"You have lost."[/i]

[i]"...oh!"[/i] he gasped looming over the infiltrator. [i]"I did not see your pebble there!"[/i]

[i]"But still you were clever, you are the only one I have ever lost to."[/i]

[i]"Really?"[/i] Barkclaw chirped.

[i]"Your strategy is unpredictable. How do you do that?"[/i]

[i]"Do what?"[/i]

[i]"Never play the same strategy twice."[/i] The mantis gathered his stones and slipped them with the board back into his satchel. [i]"Even the ones that are similar to each other, you change too often."[/i]

[i]"F-forgive me,"[/i] he mewled nervously, [i]"I-i just like playing with you-"[/i]

[i]"No, do not be mistaken. I am not chastising you, I am applauding you for being such a clever play-partner."[/i]

[i]"Oh! I...I-i just remember what I did before, and then I not do it."[/i]

[i]"You remember everything you did before?"[/i]

[i]"Y-yes, because I know you will remember so I do it differently."[/i]

[i]"Every other beast I have played against has failed to do that. You have made my play an actual challenge, and for that I thank you."[/i]

The robot bowed to his charge as Barkclaw mimicked him with a simpering chirr. The wind had turned stronger, become serpents hissing with frenzy as Barkclaw yawned.

[i]"I will sleep now,"[/i] he murmured.

[i]"Alright,"[/i] said Dronin sitting opposite him, [i]"good night Barkclaw."[/i]

[i]"Good night, Stonevoice."[/i]

Shutting himself down the robot took on a hunched posture reminiscent of a Pompeii victim. Barkclaw stretched himself out on the other side of the trunk's internal, sprawled like a dozy kitten oblivious to the rising winds. Morning soon came, and with it an even stronger breeze had welcomed them to a beaten forest that shook wildly above their heads, the sun flickering in and out of existence.

[i]"This happened last cycle!"[/i] Barkclaw noted. [i]"When we were following the stonewings then!"[/i]

[i]"Indeed,"[/i] said Dronin, [i]"perhaps they are weak and require the wind to carry them."[/i]

[i]"Possibly! We will have to remember that next cycle."[/i]

Hugging the mountains to the south, they continued westwards as the land became thicker underfoot with their approach into the swamplands. Cresting hills undulated down into smaller dips where water had pooled to become a thick soup of plant matter, something Barkclaw tried to avoid stepping in and everytime he did he would flinch and spasm furiously to shake his leg clean. For the most part he managed, but one mudtrap too many had him frustrated as his mood changed bit by bit the closer they came towards their destination. Dronin said nothing, scanning him quietly as Barkclaw struggled and snarled through the uncomfortable mud sucking at his feet like wet glue. The mountains offered little comfort, facing southwards with no overhang for them to shelter in drier climes as Barkclaw's steps turned into a quiet stomping huff, his pace quickening into a brisk march as they stopped only to hunt other beasts. It was during this they came across an already-slain triceratops being hollowed out by a bloodied group of short piggish creatures and one tall yellow chameleon.

"Ugh this STINKS!" whined one of them.

"Yeah but we need all of it," said the lizard, "trust me you're gonna love my haggis, sumthin' I picked up in Hebra, real hearty stuff."

"Still sounds gross to me."

"I can make anythin' taste good, remember I worked in a kitchen-"

"S-SIR, hunters approaching!"

Creeping out from the side of the slaughtered beast were four bokoblins wielding swords and spears with one aiming a bow at Dronin.

"EY-EY, weapons down!" barked their leader. "I recognise the tall one, wait here."

Strolling forwards in a feathered cape with rubber gloves there came a lizalfos of shocking thunderous pallour, wielding a spear of pure iron that hummed gently like his horn.

"Heheyyyyy the li'l guardian! You're uh...uhhh, don't tell me...Boson?"

"Dronin," spake the mantis in Hylian. "It is good to see you again Lizanaich."

"Haha yeaaah sorry I suck at names, at ease troops."

The bokoblins relaxed whilst keeping an eye on the raptor who snorted and licked his lips with a fretful vigour in his tail.

"My friend would like some of the meat from your kill," said Dronin.

"Oh yeah sure go ahead," said Liz, "just leave the organs for us okay?"

The mantis nodded to Barkclaw who rushed in and immediately started to rip at the fleshy sides of the creature's back. Shredding the tough skin he began to chew and twist the muscular meat with a snarling rasp, the bokoblins backing up nervously as their leader put his gloved hand out to soothe them.

"Don' worry, he's one of Oddclaw's peeps."

"Y-you sure about that sir?" asked one timid blue pig. "He looks kinda angry."

"I mean they're still beasts come on, so uhhh howsit going?" he turned back to Dronin.

"We are travelling to the western forest," he explained, "to watch the annual migration of an unknown species of butterfly."

"Really, wait wait you don't mean those uh Silverwings right?"

"Correct."

"Yeah yeah they come here every year, go up to that uh mountain over there for some reason. I think it's cuz there's a lotta metals in that mountain and around this time it gets all magnetised."

"Magnetised?" pondered Dronin with a hand to his chin.

"I been noticing around this time," said Liz pointing upwards, "that a freak thunderstorm just comes outta nowhere, without warning, and it magnetises certain irons in those mountains, that attracts the silverwings. They actually came from our home when we all ended up here, they only recently been appearing back in Hyrule the last fifty years or something."

"They are a very recent species of another world...interesting. You mentioned a thunderstorm?"

"Yeah but a dry one, the kind with no rain so it sneaks up on ya, you felt the wind starting to pick up the past few days?"

"I have," said the mantis looking up in turn, "but I do not recall a heat storm the last year."

"Sometimes yer lucky, sometimes you ain't," the lizalfos shrugged, "whatever the case it seems to attract those silverwings, we used to have this one area called the Thunder Plateau that had a LOT of it, an' there there were these li'l green guys called thunderwings. Maybe silverwings are like an offshoot."

"Would you recommend caution in our travels then?"

"Yeah just try to make yourself the smallest target, either hide under the shortest trees in the forest or just avoid anything that's tall, especially you being made of steel."

"I shall prepare for shelter in advance, thank you Lizanaich." He bowed to the lizard who nodded in turn with his shimmering horn.

"Damn your friend's hungry huh?" The chieftain turned to see Barkclaw still tearing and shredding meat with his fangs. "What's it like living with these beasts, like how do they not just bite your face?"

"I communicate in their language using a prototype processing unit that can devolve syntaxes."

"Huh?!"

"It is also how I learned to speak your language, as well as teach both yours and his languages to the human base."

"Ohhhhhh, ya mean with those funky collars they got on 'em?!" Liz rubbed his neck with a grin. "So you're the master translator then?"

"Correct."

"Well you made it a lot easier. Now I just have to find a way to dig into that mountain."

"You are excavating metals?"

"Nah well...not really, just cuz of the storms we're looking for a good place to hide all our people in if it gets TOO much, managed to build some lightning rods to be safe on the houses but nature's unrpredictable like that."

"An impervious shelter is a wise decision," said the mantis walking past him, "your settlement being in the marshland makes it particularly susceptible to flooding in the monsoons as well as the thunderstorm."

"Yeaaaaah but we really like water," shrugged Lizanaich turning with him, "plus it's a lot easier to purify it thanks to the tech we got from those humans, they been a real big help especially those two alchemists with the medicine."

"How have you coped with the monsoon?"

"We just...sorta try and pump the water out and if it's too much we get to higher ground, we only lost half the houses once, none of us have possessions much so we're kinda good to just move when we have to."

"Understood. We must leave soon before the storm comes."

"Alrighty take care of yourself."

They shook hands safely with the rubber glove protecting Dronin's metal fist as the machine turned to his feral companion.

[i]"Barkclaw are you ready to leave?"[/i]

[i]"Y-yes,"[/i] he muttered with bloodied lips, [i]"I am full now."[/i]

[i]"Good. The starbeast has warned me that skyfire will be coming soon."[/i]

[i]"Wh-WHAT?!"[/i]

[i]"The stonewings are attracted to skyfire he says, they come past his nest every year to the deep mountains which have stones tha-"[/i]

[i]"B-BUT, SKYFIRE WAS NOT HERE LAST TIME!"[/i]

[i]"That is what he told me."[/i]

[i]"H-HE IS LYING!"[/i]

[i]"He would not have a reason to lie to me,"[/i] stated Dronin calmly as the hunting party stepped away.

[i]"Th-then, he must be wrong then! He made a mistake!"[/i]

[i]"Let us hope he has but you should be prepared."[/i]

[i]"N-NNNNNNNRRRAAAGH!"[/i]

Barkclaw tensed up every single muscle in his body to an absurd degree, painfully rigorous as his head shook with internalising screams before he rushed back to the triceratops and started to viciously desecrate its body further. Clawing and kicking with shrieking fury, his vile strength rang out in the most awkward silence from everyone around him as Lizanaich put a hand in front of his troops.

[i]"Wh-what is he doing?!"[/i] whispered the archer.

[i]"I-is he fighting that thing?!"[/i] murmured a spear-wielder.

[i]"Just let him be,"[/i] murmured their leader, [i]"we got the stuff we need right?"[/i]

[i]"Y-yeah-"[/i]

[i]"Then let's head back. HEY uh Dronin we're just gonna head home sooo uh take care alright?!"[/i]

[i]"Farewell Lizanaich,"[/i] said the mantis bowing calmly.

Departing with their own harvested meat in sacks, the hunting party left the raptor to rage against himself. Slashing and biting with reckless abandon, his body became a coiled spring wound dangerously tight to the point of almost snapping from how hard his body shook, until he finally exhausted himself by slumping against the dead body with a pitiful whine.

[i]"Are you alright?"[/i] Dronin asked walking up to him.

[i]"Nnnnnhrrrrrrrr..."[/i]

[i]"You will still see the stonewings Barkcla-"[/i]

[i]"I DO NOT CARE!"[/i] he screamed into the dirt. [i]"I h-h-HATE skyfire, I hate it, WHY DOES IT HAVE TO HAPPEN?!"[/i]

[i]"Because of changes in the sky when cold air and hot air meet-"[/i]

[i]"I KNOW WHAT IT IS DO NOT TELL ME IT IS!"[/i]

[i]"Please calm yourself."[/i] His voice remained neutral leaning down. [i]"This does not change our journey, we just have to be cautious, you know this."[/i]

[i]"NNNNNH, N-NRRRRRRH!"[/i]

[i]"Please calm yourself Barkclaw, you will hurt yourself."[/i]

[i]"SH-SHUT UP, [b]SHUT UUUP![/b]"[/i]

The raptor suddenly leapt at the machine to kick him down in the dirt. Dronin did not resist, lying on the grass damp in blood as Barkclaw stepped back with shock at what he just did.

[i]"I-i...I-i-i am sorry-"[/i]

[i]"It is fine, I am not hurt."[/i]

[i]"I-i-i...I-i-i-..."[/i]

He sat down whimpering to hide his head, shivering in fits of both shame and fury muffled by his tightened jaw closing against itself. Soon came there sobbing as Barkclaw turned himself away from Dronin whilst rocking himself back and forth. The mantis sat up letting his friend weep, sensing his neural state and waiting for the right moment to step in when his levels balanced enough, the shaking sobs rising up and sinking down with gasping utterances. His anger began to pass as he was slowly consumed by a sorrowful guilt, the moment Dronin was waiting for as he shuffled in close and gently wrapped his arm from behind him.

[i]Initiating Subdermal Audiovibrational Amplifier[/i]

His body started to tremble with a deep vibration, the sound of mechanical rumblings now-unshielded by turning off his dampeners to consume Barkclaw in the noise of himself. The raptor started to shake less, slipping back against the robot's chest as Dronin cradled him carefully. Ten minutes passed as the rumbling shudder of the badnik sent him to a peaceful state, slumbering with a smile that returned to him with eyes closed and his joints unwinding to almost fall limp in the robot's lap. He heard nothing but Dronin, the sound of his motors reaching such a thickness that it melted through his ears like a warm massage in a steam room.

[i]"Nnnnnnmmmmmhhhh...th-tha...thank you."[/i]

[i]"Are you feeling better?"[/i] he asked what he already knew.

[i]"Y-yes...I am sorry-"[/i]

[i]"It is fine. Let us continue our journey."[/i]

[i]"U-um...c-could we...stay like this a little more?"[/i]

[i]"If you want to."[/i]

[i]"...yes."[/i]

He nodded and continued to soothe him with the slow-burning sounds of his clean engine heart. Trebling stutters and a deep eternal bass mixed together in joyous harmony with Barkclaw's purring growl, synchronous in pitch as if communicating subconsciously. The raptor fell asleep, briefly but enough to help his muscles unclench the last of their strings and carefully rejuvenate him with Dronin's assistance, the mantis palm-rubbing over the beastly chest to send his vibrations down directly into Barkclaw's ribs to ease him awake.

[i]"M-mmmh? Oh, d-did I fall asleep?"[/i]

[i]"Just for a moment,"[/i] said Dronin quietly, [i]"you were more exhausted than you thought."[/i]

[i]"O-oh...I am sorry."[/i]

[i]"It is fine, we have plenty of time to reach the trees."[/i]

[i]"Alright."[/i]

They headed onwards, the sky turning darker as Dronin sliced off some of the triceratops meat to carry for Barkclaw's dinner later. Some of the butterflies they were chasing flew past above their heads, pale-winged completely different to that of their respective ancestors that Barkclaw was used to. Whereas the primal lepidopterids had sharp vicious-looking points, the stonewings had softer shades in a modern motif accented by strips of grey and metallic silver that shone in the light.

[i]Invasion of alien species,[/i] pondered Dronin, [i]possible detriment to future development of this world. Reminder: confer with humans on the limits of evolutionary stability. Alert, atmospheric pressure detected indicative of-[/i]

[i]"Oh no,"[/i] whimpered Barkclaw, [i]"w-we have to hurry!"[/i]

The two started running to the forest as a thick rumbling force shook through the air above them. Clouds became turgid with grey as bitter lights flicked between, warping the texture of the sky in bits and pieces as the pressure swelled to bear down on their heads. Barkclaw raced straight into the woods and dove his head into the nearest thick pile of leaves, Dronin swiftly following after to gather some moss and vines from a nearby tree to fashion into muffs, placing them on the raptor's head before the lightning forked into a nearby tree and sent it aflame with shocking strength. Barkclaw gasped from the blinding light, cowering with some relief that his ear-coverings helped muffle the world as the screeching heavens became more a thunderous snarl.

[i]"Th-thank you,"[/i] he shivered next to Dronin.

[i]"Do not fear,"[/i] said the mantis, [i]"I will protect you."[/i]

[i]"I-i know...you are...y-you are my greatest friend, thank you Stonevoice."[/i]

[i]"Not your brother Oddclaw?"[/i]

[i]"N-no, he is my brother, my greatest brother, brothers are more than friends."[/i]

[i]"Understood."[/i]

[i]"Do you have a family?"[/i] the raptor asked nuzzling against his lap.

[i]"No, I am alone,"[/i] said Dronin patting him.

[i]"But...what about your mother?"[/i]

[i]"I had no mother, I told you before that stonebeasts are not born from eggs, but made."[/i]

[i]"I...I do not understand, how are you made?"[/i]

[i]"Stones are put together like this."[/i] He scraped a few pebbles together to form a vague shape. [i]"Then they are tied together, then they put skyfire through them, and we become alive."[/i]

[i]"Really? But, that tree had skyfire through it, why is it not moving?"[/i]

[i]"It was already alive, now it is dead. Skyfire kills what is alive, and brings back what was never alive."[/i]

[i]"Oh..."[/i] the raptor softly squinted trying to parse this, [i]"so it could not bring back the Alpha before?"[/i]

[i]"No, since he was alive before."[/i]

[i]"Ohhhh...but you were never alive before?"[/i]

[i]"Correct,"[/i] the machine picked up the cluster of stones, [i]"I was once just like these, not dead but never alive. Now I am, because someone made me into a beast through special skyfire."[/i]

[i]"Special skyfire?"[/i]

[i]"The skyfire you hear and see, that was not what made me. It was a different kind, like how sand and dirt are different but made the same."[/i]

[i]"O-ohhhh...I understand."[/i]

[i]"I will make shelter."[/i]

Dronin crept through the forest keeping close to the shortest trees as he found a good dry spot to hollow out and form a hole in the dirt, scooping through the soil with his steel hand before he made a sizeable pit, inviting Barkclaw over to huddle down at the deepest point of the forest with some of the dirt packed on top of themselves and the slab of meat that Dronin had kept carried with him, the blood having dripped off his shoulder to stain his white robe in a dotted crimson stream. They took this time to sleep, Barkclaw managing to rest with his earmuffs keeping the thunder away as the trees shook with violent fear above their heads. Lightning burst to and fro, crackling above the dark mountains looming beyond the forest, sparks striking against the cold iron cliffs whilst the trees popped off like candles in the night, shrieking banshees wrapped in flaming hair that surged and wreathed to coils of smoke above their heads. The result brought a flourish of rain across the veldt, or at least it would have if the sky was not burning hot, water evaporating almost in an instant to further fuel the dreaded thunder throughout the night.

Early morning came, the storm finally ceased as the sun rose once again. Soft crepuscular warmth crept its fingers across the woods to reveal a scene of chaos in the dawn light, rose-tinted amber light painting itself on every scarred rock, every broken tree. The raptor awoke when he felt the sun kiss his cheek, wrinkling his snout as he pulled himself free from the earth like the living dead.

[i]"Nnnnngh...Stonevoice. Stonevoice the sun is up."[/i]

But he did not respond, his sleep mode still in effect as Barkclaw dug him up to expose him fully to the sun hoping it would raise him from his slumber. He nudged and lightly kicked him but still no response, despite the gentle whirring he could hear that indicated he was still functioning. Barkclaw sat with him and waited, taking the meat chunk from yesterday and eating it all with a cautious pace to savour the thick juices. Around thirty minutes after he had eaten he heard the sound of pneumatics activating as Dronin rose from the pit.

[i]"Good morning Barkclaw."[/i]

[i]"OH, good morning!"[/i] he purred back to him.

[i]"You are awake before me?"[/i]

[i]"Yes, I waited until you were, I have eaten too."[/i]

[i]"That is good. Shall we go?"[/i]

[i]"Yes yes!"[/i]

[i]"Hhhhaaaah...th-they are so, beautiful," whispered Barkclaw.[/i]

[i]"There are more than they were the cycle before,"[/i] noted Dronin.

[i]"That is good then, they are breeding well!"[/i]

[i]"Are you thirsty?"[/i] Dronin brought out a bottle of water from his satchel.

[i]"Y-yes, thank you."[/i]

He gently tipped the bottle into Barkclaw's open mouth, measuring a steady stream to let him gulp down what he needed into his thick scaled throat. Time passed in a quiet reprieve as the raptor sighed from the heat of the sun glistening on his back, whilst Dronin absorbed its life-giving light calmly into his solar unit. The butterflies continued to feed and breed, fluttering their shale wings across the valley with primal excitement as their eyes roved across the mating grounds, watching in silence to the sounds of tiny wings and the smallest utterances that Dronin could just barely hear in their simple language.

[i]"I was wrong,"[/i] Barkclaw sighed, [i]"there was skyfire the cycle before."[/i]

[i]"Really?"[/i] Dronin looked to him.

[i]"Yes...I just remembered, it happened when we returned home after we watched the stonewings."[/i]

[i]"We will prepare ourselves for the cycle after, I will gather more moss for your ears."[/i]

[i]"Thank you...what do you think it is like to be a tree inside this mountain?"[/i]

[i]"What do you mean?"[/i] asked the mantis.

[i]"Being a tiny seed, carried by the wind and falling into this mountain...no sun, no water, but somehow they found it."[/i]

[i]"Life finds a way, no matter where it must live. The stonewings actually are starbeasts themselves."[/i]

[i]"Really?!"[/i] gasped Barkclaw with a soft hiss.

[i]"That is what the other starbeasts said,"[/i] said Dronin tapping his knee, [i]"the ones who hunted that threehorn they too came from the same land as these stonewings."[/i]

[i]"Ooooooh!"[/i] The raptor twitched with excitement and flapped his tail frantically. [i]"Did they say anything about them?!"[/i]

[i]"They said the stonewings come to this mountain because it attracts the skyfire."[/i]

[i]"They like...the skyfire?"[/i]

[i]"No, they like the stones that attract the skyfire."[/i]

[i]"O-oh...that is odd and...dangerous, what if they get hurt?!"[/i]

[i]"They have managed to survive this far-"[/i]

[i]"Wh-what, what is THAT?!"[/i]

The sky suddenly cracked with a huge tear above the northern sea, shimmering black and orange with figments of blue spattering across the rift. They both recognised it immediately as the butterflies suddenly swarmed into the sky like a shale tornado, rippling gusts of wind amidst the howling maelstorm that pulled the waters up into a twisting spout. The butterflies almost scattered into a five-pointed star panicking from the waves of energy that disturbed the air with tremendous force to the point that the mountain itself shook with an unholy murmur that frightened Barkclaw.

[i]"A-AH, IT IS FALLING!"[/i]

[i]"Stay close to me!"[/i] Dronin warned. [i]"We must leave now!"[/i]

They quickly scaled down the mountain in staggering steps, grinding claws and steel feet into the harsh rock despite thankfully no loose boulders coming down upon them. Sediment however drifted beneath their feet, causing slippage at some points that gave Dronin more problems as he staggered and stumbled in his attempts to correct his footing whilst Barkclaw came in a half-frenzied run to the bottom, almost colliding into a tree as they hid in the forest. They watched the northern sea twist upwards in a gravitational flux, before something fell straight into its depths with a colossal wave that soaked the shore some distance ahead of them. The sky returned to its senses as the butterflies swiftly returned back to their places, the world settling itself again with the last spots of amber being swept away by the blue.

[i]"Was that another-"[/i]

[i]"Yes,"[/i] said Dronin, [i]"the greatmoon must have passed the night before."[/i]

[i]"I could not see from the skyfire...what do we do?"[/i]

[i]"Let me look."[/i]

The mantis leapt upon a tree branch with sturdy springing legs and launched himself to the top of its canopy. Scanning at his maximum zoom he saw a long sliver of steel that sat on the sea, a few points of jutting construction cranes that could be seen here and there.

[i]"WHAT DO YOU SEE?!"[/i] the raptor cried.

[i]"A GREAT STONE,"[/i] replied Dronin raising his volume, [i]"SITTING OUT AT SEA, NOTHING ELSE."[/i]

[i]"THAT IS ODD, HOW GREAT IS IT?!"[/i]

[i]"LIKE A HILL THAT HAS BEEN STOMPED...WAIT, SOMETHING IS ON THE MOUNTAIN."[/i]

They both turned towards the black monolith, and sure enough there was something approaching. Clouds of dust racing down the slope from the top, the sounds of steel clashing faintly from beyond as Dronin braced himself by leaping back down to stand beside Barkclaw with blade at hand. The dust came down harder as the sounds of violence turned greater, scuffling thumping metal clangs that crunched and twisted and bent amidst roaring shouts. Two shapes could be made out amidst the ruthless scuffle before they bounced off the crested base of the mountain.

"[i]LIGHTS, [b]OUT![/b][/i]"

The slam of a hard fist rang out with a CLUNG just before the two finally landed, a long lanky beast on top of a much thicker red robot without its head that bled oil from its neck.

"[i]H-hhhh...ugh...that'll teach ya.[/i]"

The stranger pulled himself up shaking off chips of plastic and steel from his hand. A solid green crocodilian almost 6'4'' with firm black claws and steel rivets covering his scaled body, half of which was covered in a ragged brown suit with scuffled red tie.

"[i]Heh...no ticket.[/i]"

He hobbled towards them with one of his legs twisted out of joint, but before they could respond he collapsed with eyes turning blank. Dronin immediately rushed forwards to look over him, seeing upon closer inspection the multitude of dents that had been punched into his chassis along with the crooked joint in one of his large-strutted three-clawed legs.

[i]"Wh-what happened?!"[/i] murmured Barkclaw from a distance. [i]"Is it alright?!"[/i]

[i]"He is asleep,"[/i] said Dronin parsing the mech's condition, [i]"he is wounded."[/i]

[i]"Can we help him?"[/i]

[i]"Yes, I can heal him. It will take a while, I must warn you."[/i]

[i]"A-alright...do you think they came from whatever fell into the sea?"[/i]

[i]"If I can wake him, we shall ask him."[/i]

Barkclaw walked past to check on the other body, the robot most certainly dead with what was left of its head now crushed into a puddle of wires, chips and metal fragments floating on the surface of a small oil slick. A red-rounded body with arms crumpled in themselves, the robot's identity and any markings significant were now lost even if Barkclaw could understand them. Dronin began to crack open the croc's leg, wedging the plate off with a sharp stone to reveal the damaged interior. Fibres had wrapped around shock absorbers causing them to almost snap without any sense of recoil to compensate as the mantis went to work untangling them, straightening out the springs slightly and refitting any that had sprung out of place. The next hour was spent on taking each part of the reptile's chassis and hammering out the dents with a blunt stone whilst also checking over any internal damage. After refitting all the damaged parts whilst keeping clear of the more vital units tucked within harder protective casings, Dronin opened the side of his waist to pull out a jumper cable and searched for a suitable power port, finding none and instead resorting to wettening the end of his prong in a puddle to send an unsafe spark shooting through the gator.

"[b][i]GH-GH-GH-GH-GH-GHHHRRRRRAAAAAGH![/i][/b]"

The sound of the screaming machine sent Barkclaw fleeing to behind a tree, shrieking from the noise as the reptile awoke with a sudden start trying to pull himself away from Dronin.

"WH-WHAT THE HELL'S YOUR PROBLEM?!"

"My apologies," said the mantis, "I was forced to administer a jumpstart to your power unit after repairing your body."

"WELL NEXT TIME ASK BEFORE YOU-WAIT...wait did you just say repair my body?!"

"Correct."

The new robot sat up against a tree and looked down at his scaled front, seeing it now straightened out with his leg somewhat weak but now capable of fuller movement. He looked over to behind him at the headless one, smirking as he looked down at his hand.

"Oh yeah, that did happen. Hah, surprised I even survived that not being a combat model. So uhhhh...okay, I'm just gonna ask, did I fall out of the sky through some vortex?"

"Correct," Dronin nodded.

"Oh okay good I thought I had like Roboenza or somethin' HOOO that's a relief!" The croc swept his hand over his forehead showing a small white rectangle between his eyes. "So...wait, does that mean I'm in another world?"

"Correct."

"...huh." He clasped his knees against himself. "Thought I'd be more blown away by that, but then again all I'm seeing is just some kinda forest soooo not that weird-AAAH!"

Flinching at the sight of Barkclaw, the reptile leaned away from him as the raptor sniffed at his body.

"Ey-ey-ey back off I ain't your lunch!"

"He will not harm you," said the mantis waving a hand to him, "that is Barkclaw, my friend."

"Oh, o-oh he's uh, tame? Heh...alright uh howsit going?"

[i]"Hellooo!"[/i] chirped Barkclaw with a puff from his nostrils. [i]"Are you better now?"[/i]

"U-uhhhh nice...dinosaur." The croc softly patted his snout as Barkclaw purred sweetly. "Hehehe, wow you really are tame."

"He is happy that you have recovered," explained the mantis, "you fell down the mountain fighting that other machine."

"Oh yeah the bishop...that dude IS dead right I just wanna check-"

"He is beyond repair, his processing unit has been grievously damaged."

"Good, his pal was enough trouble when he broke my leg before I threw him down the mountain...back home that is, me an' the other guy ended up here when that vortex sucked us in sheesh. Soooo uh, what're you a gardener reploid?"

"I am Dronin, slicer-class badnik." He nodded curtly. "Who are you?"

"I'm Jack, Snappy Jack for long," he brushed his claws on his suit before straightening up his tie, "I'm a reporter and I'm here to hunt down a monster before he strikes again."

"What sort of monster?"

"A murderer. One that's killed both humans AND reploids and he's gonna do a whole lot worse unless I can stop him."