014 ✳ day 154 ✳ video/action

[blackmagus]

[Dogs are one thing. Fortescue likes dogs. Especially dogs who play fetch, and dogs who accompany soldiers. Seeing service dogs in the war was good on the eyes, like a small slice of the familiar in the estranged hostilities of combat. But these sounds?

These aren't service dogs. Not that she knows where they are, but the noises coming from an adjoining corridor aren't from a kindly canine. She knows that much from the snarls, and clicks on a video feed. Jazz, agitated and hissing, is curled around her shoulders, ears flat against his head. Her dress doesn't offer much support for him, but then, she's used to his claws digging in. She prefers it to losing him, in tough situations. Is this going to be a tough situation, is the real q...

Wait, that snarl was awfully close. But she still doesn't see anything... It's a bad time to be walking back to her room, that's for sure. She quickens her step.]

All right. Who forgot to feed the vicious guard dogs I didn't think we had? It almost makes me miss the bears.

Comments

[ video ]

[noblexcompanion]

Do you think a nice juicy steak might settle them down? Or a vet with a great big needle? Do we have any vets and/or big needles?

[ Panicking? Who's panicking? ]

[ video ]

[blackmagus]

[Fortescue squints at Donna, trying to determine if she's in her room or elsewhere. One requires more inward flailing than the other.]

Needles, probably. Veterinarians, no idea. [Another snarl. She jumps.] ...probably not going to work.

[ video ]

[noblexcompanion]

[ She's in her room. Luckily. Or not. Depends how you see things. ]

Maybe they'll get fed up and eat each other...

Video

[servingmichael]

[ Video but it's tucked into his pocket, sorry. ]

Run. Get behind a door. Now.

Video

[blackmagus]

Sorry?

[She stares at the dark screen. Something behind her snarls, and she quickens her pace. Room. Right.]

Do you know these things?

[Where, oh where, is a door...]

[ video ]

[blackmagus]

[Today it's lucky, for Fortescue.]

That would be very convenient. They seem — [Bark! Somewhere close...] — agitated.

Video

[servingmichael]

I do. Get away from them. Where are you?

Video

[blackmagus]

A few hallways away from the canteen.

[Not enough to get back to her room. She still has a distance to go yet. But hey, any door with no name will do, right? Jazz stiffens on her back and hisses at something behind her, and that spurs her to lunge through the next door she finds. Something lunges back, but she manages to keep the door shut.

Mostly. It keeps slamming against it, aggravating what remains of her magic deprivation injuries. She grits her teeth.]

Do they have a name, these lovely things?

Video

[servingmichael]

[ There's sound, a flutter of wings and an echo of thunder before he answers. ]

Hellhounds. I'm not far.

[ video ]

[noblexcompanion]

Might I suggest running and hiding? Running and hiding definitely seems a good option...

[ Please don't get eaten. Where is Donna going to find a new bestie? ]

[cinereoargenteus]

Dogs and bears?! [His voice breaks on the word bears, a squeak of surprise and alarm.] I am going to go hide in a very small place till next season.

[blackmagus]

[Oops. Good job, there, Fortescue. Not that the alarm is a bad thing. Better that he finds some place to hide.]

Don't worry, love, I haven't seen the bears since we came here. And good thing, too. But at least I could see them...

Video

[blackmagus]

...Oh. Well, naturally.

[All of the dryness in the world is infused in that sentence. Of course they are. Of course they're hellhounds. What a delightful word. But beyond the obvious, she has no idea what that entails. Sometimes firmly atheist parents are a bad thing.]

And they're invisible all of the — [It slams against her door and she grits her teeth, putting her back into keeping it at bay.] — time?

[ video ]

[blackmagus]

An invisible puppy, kill me? [She puts on a brave smile. It'd fool most people.] Don't worry. I'm not too far from my room. Stay in yours, all right? Until we figure out what's going on...

[ video ]

[noblexcompanion]

[ She isn't fooled, Fort. ]

Just... be careful, okay? You and Jazz. Stay safe and unmauled. Please?

[ video ]

[blackmagus]

I'll try my very best, love.

[Which is pretty good, as far as trying is concerned. Jazz snarls at something behind her and she heads up a branching corridor quickly.]

Mauling doesn't look so great. You know. Lots of scarring. Who'd look at me then?

[Flippant humor helps. Really.]

[ video ]

[noblexcompanion]

I'd still love you, scars or no scars. Just so long as you stay alive!

[ Hiding is good. Hiding and living! Donna fully endorses these things. ]

[ video ]

[blackmagus]

Are you saying you wouldn't love me if I was dead?

[She adopts being mock-offended as she lunges across a corridor and into a room. Supposedly she'll be rescued soon, if her other communication is right.]

I think I'm offended.

Video

[servingmichael]

They aren't invisible to all, but you don't want to be able to see them.

[ He's heading closer to her. ]

[ video ]

[noblexcompanion]

Of course I would! But you'd be dead. And dead people are rubbish at hugs.

[ video ]

[blackmagus]

Please tell me you don't know that from experience.

[She puts her back against the door.]

Video

[blackmagus]

Grisly, eh? I can't say I'm terribly shocked, with a name like that.

[Strong bugger, too. But not stronger than a Voidcaller. There's no way it's getting through in the near future, with all of the dark pressure she has against the door, but she certainly can't get out.]

What do they do, snarl at all the tormented souls in... Hell?

[It's weird, talking about Hell or Heaven like they exist again. But she reminds herself that they do exist in other worlds. Apparently.]

[ video ]

[noblexcompanion]

No. Just an assumption. I imagine hugging dead people is a bit rubbish. And I'd rather no test the theory!

[ Fort. Donna is super worried. Don't make her come looking for you. ]

Video

[servingmichael]

They drag the damned to Hell actually, among acting as attack dogs for their masters. Occasionally trained to fetch other things as well.

Is your door tightly closed?

[ video ]

[blackmagus]

Oh, good. But you never know, love, I might be amazing at it.

[Fortescue smiles, in a joking "don't underestimate me" sort of way. Something bangs against the door. Her pursuer, maybe.]

Don't worry. I can take care of myself. And someone's coming who seems to know a lot more than I do about these creatures.