Never Say Never (open)

[Peregrine]

Peregrine flicked his ears backwards. The constant, but quiet hum of the machine continued as it had for the last two years of his life. The light blue glow the machine emitted seemed to never leave his periphery either. He flicked them forwards again, his gold eyes kept constant vigil for any small movement of prey. He was hungry and he needed to eat a little more than most wolves, as he powered not only himself but this strange, mechanical parasite.

The black wolf saw a small creature scurrying in the grasses of the Savannah. He licked his chops. He glanced at the machine. "Stay," he thought to it. The robot increased the distance between them, hanging back. He took a step, it stayed. "Good," he said in his mind. He neared the small creature.

Now that he was closer, he saw that it was a small hare, not yet fully grown. He approached downwind. When he was nearly close enough to launch the attack, he heard a familiar hum that started barely audible but grew to the quiet noise he had learned to live with. He bit his lip, hoping that the prey wouldn't spook. It stopped eating and then raised its head, cocking its eye towards them. And then, it sped off.

Peregrine's jaws moved as if he were growling and snarling in frustration, but no sound came out. The robot spoke in a cheerful, well-spoken voice, "You idiot. Why can't you listen for just one second and keep still when I tell you to? All I ask for is obedience and all I get is an annoying silver-white ball of machinery that follows me wherever I go."

Peregrine swatted at the basketball sized machine. He missed as it hovered just above his reach, reading his thoughts as easily as he sent them. 

[Deleted]

T w i s t e d
"I'M MY OWN WORST ENEMY."

 Earth was a much different place than Mecca, and customs here were odd. Luckily for this alien, earthbound canine he had landed near by his guardian angel; or so she seemed that way to him. Because of his departed beloved Twisted had learned many important things about earthlings and their customs..still, he had much ground to cover. Too bad it wouldn't be as easy as traveling. Twisted moved at a swift pace, long legs quickly devouring even the longest divides. Yes, if only learning were so easy. The locket in which danggles around Twisted neck weighed heavily, in more ways than one. The green beast let out a sound of discomfort. Stuck between the past and present; what agony. Dead, she was dead! Something crashed into the wondering canines leg, jarring him from his thoughts. Glowing reptilian eyes darted to the creature in question, a small white hare. Fear oozed from its every fiber. He could if only for a moment receive flashes of emotions and images; some animals minds were less developed than others. Still, this guy was being hunted. Once the rabbit was out of sight he moved on, but those bat like ears were picking up on odd humming noises in the distance, and like a cat curiosity got the best of him.

He stood a good nine feet away, hidden; or at least as best as his partialy glowing figure could. A canine was standing vefore him with some sort of cicular technology. Twisted tilted his head confused. What is that sphere? He spoke but his lips moved not. A deep tenor resounded the area with an unearthly lull. Twisted was not speaking inside the mind. He was projecting his words into the air around them. Apparently invading someone's mind without prior consent was considered very offensive. Smile had informed him once- rather forcefully. Needles to say, the lesson stuck with him.

[Peregrine]

All was well (for the most part) until a voice filled the Savannah. Immediately Peregrine pricked his ears and moved them around, trying to pinpoint the source. But it was strange, like the voice was without a source. It just filled the air. Unease filled Peregrine as he caught sight of a glow. He neared it, confident that he could escape, should he need to.

It took him another second for his mind to actually register that a question was being asked. To him. He kept himself on guard and smiled. He wanted to speak. Peregrine looked to the spherical machine in disbelief. He shook his head and his nose crinkled slightly in frustration. "Groan," the machine said cheerfully. Peregrine shot a dirty look to the robot that hovered, casting its blue light on its host. 

He moved his jaws as if to speak and there was such emotion on it, but he was silent. He forgot about the stranger for a moment. "You really are going to do that to me?" the machine spoke with an upper class cadence, wellspoken, and properly enunciated. "Refuse to speak yet narrate m--" The machine cut off suddenly.

Peregrine needed to calm down. If he didn't, then his thoughts would be more emotional and jumbled and the robot wouldn't be able to help him as well as it could. He took a sigh. And then remembered the large wolf-like creature less than ten feet away. He looked a bit more nervous, but had controlled himself a bit more.

"Sorry," Peregrine apologized. The strange hovering sphere was speaking for him. "Verily, I really don't have a clue what this sphere is. I've named it Spot in any case. It, as you can see, speaks for me. Though it is not without its flaws." The black wolf moved his jaws slightly as the robot spoke. It was a hard habit to kick. He had, after all, been able to speak when he was a cub. He didn't mention the other things that the machine could do.

"My name is Peregrine. A mouthful, I know. Many call me Riggy. But feel free to shorten my name however you like." He tilted his head, wondering if this wolf would think he was strange as well. Then again, the wolf didn't seem quite like any wolf he had ever seen before.

[Deleted]

T w i s t e d
"I'M MY OWN WORST ENEMY."

At first the canine accompanied by a sphere looked about confused. Twisted still wasn't used to opening his mouth to speak. It had only been recently that those stitches had been pulled from his mouth. Large triangular ears perked up, directing toward the pronounced groan. How odd. For a moment the black canine sent seething looks in the orbs direction. Still patiently, he waited. Twisted shifted his weight absentmindedly wiggling the yellow bone wings resting between his shoulders. No need to do that. Again his lips would not move his gaze shifting between the duo. So it is a voice box. He stated, standing and moving closer.


The alien cast his own eerie glow on the unnamed male as he now sat only a foot away. Twisted sometimes forgot certain concepts, like personal space. Peregrine, my name is Twisted. I'm from Mecca.. A place far from earth. As if the glowing body parts and echoing otherworldly voice didn't make it obvious. Twisted hoped that this answered any possible questions about his appearance.



He made sure that he would not touch the other canine for fear of invading thoughts or memories. His gaze again moved to the not, paws carrying him closer. May I inspect? Twisted eyed Peregrine waiting for any sign of response.

[Peregrine]

Peregrine shrank backwards to the invasion of his personal space, but was a rather easy going wolf. Or rather, had become one through the path he had to take to get where he was. He wondered as the strange canine spoke what the other place he was talking about was like. He took a quick glance at Spot, who miraculously hadn't blurted anything out. Instead, the machine hovered, moving from one point in the air to another. Then again, drifting thoughts often were hard for the machine to pick up.

The black wolf looked to the alien wolf. "It's the first time I've met another wolf who had an alternative way of speaking." His mouth moved slightly with the words the robot said because it was hard to be expressive about what he was saying without doing so. And right now, his golden eyes were bright and eager. The smile he wore was genuine and grateful to have found another with something in common with him. "But of course," he replied to Twisted's request to look at Spot.

He only had to think and the machine approached the alien. Although Peregrine didn't know what the machine was and didn't know how to ask it or access its operating systems and information, Spot knew what it was. It was a highly advanced scouting robot that intergalactic explorers used to record video, audio, communicate with each other, collect samples, repair machinery, and provide illumination in the dark passages. It worked by syncing with the brainwaves of the host using electrical resonance, but two years ago, this hapless robot careened down to Earth and, by chance, the first available living body that it could latch on to was a wolf with a brain injury. 

[Deleted]

T w i s t e d
"I'M MY OWN WORST ENEMY."

A smile oozed over his scared lips flashing a row of gaunt pointed yellow teeth. As quickly as they had appeared they disappeared from view, his low chuckle being the only reminiscence of the short lived grin. A rarity for this canine. I can speak in many ways-- though some are...as you say, intrusive. The orb approached with a quiet humming, Twisted stood on those lanky back legs with impressive balance. Now he was about seven feet at this angle, he was observing the top of the orb curiosity. There seemed to be minor markings.

Dropping back to all fours he circled it, prodding it occasionally with his nose. No clear images would surface but he knew something for sure. This is not from this world. Blinking Twisted looked over his shoulder to peregrine. Backing away from the orb he now observed the canine. clearly it speaks for you, which means it would have to be linked or scanning your brain for information.. does it have other talents? The alien sat back on his haunches.

[Peregrine]

Peregrine pricked his ears and tilted his head, extremely interested. Was it possible that Twisted knew a little bit more about this machine? He did say that he was from out of this world. However, he hadn't noted anything that Peregrine didn't know himself yet. And, there was the question of other talents.

How far should he go to describe what Spot could do? Especially when Peregrine felt that there was still so many things he hadn't even discovered yet.

With Twisted so close, Peregrine could see the scars all around his lips. Was that why he had to find a new way to speak? And, what did he mean of more intrusive ways of speaking? The black wolf was a little uncomfortable with Twisted's proximity and nosiness, but overall Peregrine's curiosity was quite the powerful motivator.

"It can give a shock and gives me information." Peregrine thought to elaborate. "There are things that I suddenly know. Like exactly the arc I should jump at to pounce on a rat to kill it, for example. Or what my current speed is. And... Spot repaired me."

Peregrine remembered the days after his injury. When he was clumsy, walking like he was dizzy. When his brain was unable to string together coherent thoughts. When he was affected by major headaches. When he was rejected by his pack due to his inability to hunt when he was once the most promising yearling, sometimes more successful than experienced adults. And, in a brief moment, Spot downloaded a memory from Peregrine to Twisted.

Like a video recording, the machine shared the moment he first saw Peregrine. The clumsy, skinny yearling with half of his adult fur coming in and half still puppy fur. Drooling a little and looking confused and abandoned. And with the injury not reasonably healed on his head quite yet. Peregrine hadn't meant to share that, but Spot did. The machine had its own artificial intelligence and it wanted to share.

[Deleted]

T w i s t e d
"I'M MY OWN WORST ENEMY."

A strong gust of wind ripped through the Savannah, carrying the scent of danger with it. Twisted could feel the mountain lions paw steps through the slight vibrations in the earth, yet he could not feel its essence. At least the lion wasn't close yet, for now he wouldn't say anything because the danger had yet to become reality. Peregrine's information was nothing new so far, until he spoke of unexplainable knowledge being fed to his mind. Well, that would probably be spots area of expertise giving you.. Twisted's words fell short on his tongue wracking his own brain for the correct earth term. Aid.. He finished lamely shrugging sheepishly. Twisted was trying to use smaller words; sometimes he even reverted to his native tongue which thankfully he'd yet to do.

Twisted turned his gaze to spot. He had repaired Peregrine? That meant this bot had healing capabilities. Twisted started to speak again, until a memory flashed behind his eyelids like a movie screen. It was a malnourished black canine still young judging by his features covered in drool with a nasty wound.. "What happened to you?" He spoke, mouth moving for once; but this voice was a rough and scratchy sound from being unused for so many, many years. It was clear this bot had a mind of its own.

A surge of pressure shivered over the aliens skin. Sure enough in the distance he could see a tiny figure that was the mountain lion. "We need to move." The alien hissed suddenly, eyes never leaving the approaching big cat.

[Peregrine]

Peregrine cringed when he realized that the memory that flashed in his mind had also flashed in Twisted's. He averted his gaze, embarrassed. The machine, which had repaired the damaged connections in his brain, had gotten entangled with the consciousness of the wolf in the process. Not that Peregrine understood that. The black wolf was so unnerved by the shared memory that he hadn't registered yet that Twisted had spoken. Literally.

After hearing Twisted's voice, Peregrine felt envious. If he could choose, he'd want his old voice back, though he wondered what it would sound like now that he was mature. Would he sound deep? Would he be scratchy sounding like Twisted? He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out and Spot was a little delayed because Peregrine was feeling a little emotional, especially if he needed to recount the events that caused his injury in the first place.

"It was a freak accident, really." The robot's voice stated in its lovely pronunciation. And then, Peregrine was relieved from having to share more when the alien said that they needed to move.

He glanced over to the big cat. And he knew. He knew exactly the percent chance of being attacked if they stayed still vs if they had started moving. He knew that right now they stood a good chance if they moved at a quick pace. "Okay," Peregrine nodded. The silent black wolf started to jog away from the big cat. He didn't feel in danger and let his mind wonder if he should tell more about what had happened to him.

[Deleted]

T w i s t e d
"I'M MY OWN WORST ENEMY."

Keeping pace was a simple task, but the lion had spotted them. Twisted looked to spot and then back to the male. He could buy them time by distracting the feline. Go on ahead- I'll probably catch up with you sometime in the near future! Spot, keep Peregrine safe won't you? with that he turned around starting toward the stalking lion.

Oh well, you only live once.

(Exit? Eh sorry my muse is gone ;-; )