Star Crossed

[Tufak]

((

So, a friend of mine has a ravager pet, as does my raiding hunter, Daashi. Somehow we decided that Jacinth (Daashi's ravager) is a girl and Giger (Dalheim's ravager) is a boy and that they're very much in love. Given that Daashi is constantly trying to prevent even more baby animals around the house (he and his mate are both hunters, plus his mate adores little animals and has never bothered with fixing any of them) he does his best to keep Jacinth away from Giger.

Last night, however, they got together and built a nest while Dal and Daashi were talking to other people. Before they could actually mate, Daashi and Dal separated them. This...is the RP transcript, followed by a short story that came after that evening and the next morning. Selama (a friend's spirit bear) and Socks (Kaelys' fox) make guest appearances.

Also, apologies on the choppiness of the transcript. I cut it down to just the pets for the most part, except for a small bit with the masters at the end.

))

Giger circles the column, poking one long claw at it, trying to puzzle out how to climb it. It's very big. And tall. It should be climbed.

Selama more or less accumulates at the base of the column, passing through Giger and simply walking up its side.

Giger hisses and vibrates his quills in what is almost a shudder, then tries a curious poke at the incorporeal thing...... followed by slamming his face forward and shaking it with a roar.

The form of the bear looks back over its shoulder at the bug-like creature, letting out a cold, almost haughty snort before mounting one of the broken pillars and sitting atop it for a better view.

Giger seems to find this incredibly unfair, quills wilting as he stares up at the spectral thing. He stretched high on his four legs, and then splits one off, poking at the top of the column as if seeking a handhold for nonexistant hands.

Jacinth rattles her quills and dashes toward the nearby pillar, scaling it with a roar. Giger, her darling Giger!

Giger perks up at the familiar scent. That dainty clatter of claws on paving stones. That whisper of quills in the wind. He whips his head around and roars, quills flaring out.

Jacinth sways her neck to the side, slamming it against Giger with a purring growl.

Giger takes the swing in stride, standing his ground. Oh. So strong! So brave! He gives another hiss, twisting to face his beloved, and headbutts her with all his might.

Jacinth skitters back a few steps with the strike, bowing her head demurely...for a giant bug.

Giger lets out a hoarse growl and then drags his tusks over Jacinth's carapace. He even brushes one of her quills. Oh yeah baby. I know you like it that way.

Jacinth ruffles her quills adoringly, rising as high on her legs as she can and shaking herself like a girl in a Clairol commercial. So sexy! So alluring! And just for Giger!

Giger wobbles backwards, looking his woman over. Oh. Girl. If you only knew the things I want to do to you.

Jacinth butts her head against Giger's thorax, growling and raising one leg to stroke against his. He's so handsome and tall and manly, what more could a girl want?

Giger shakes his quills at his lady bug's flirtation. Oh. She is so into him. How could she not be. He is awesome and good at climbing and capable of luring the small carpace lacking bipeds into giving up the meat they have worked for.

Jacinth clacks her tusks against Giger's, chittering demurely once more and prodding at his abdomen with the tip of a long, slender leg.

Giger gives a hissing roar and then demonstrates his excellent potential as.... A PARENT! A nest! She must witness his nest construction progress! He runs over to the nearest shrub, and immediately tears into it, trying to drag the poor, wilted plant from the ground.

Jacinth moves nearer, watching her strong, intelligent, handsome mate as he destroys the offending bush, bouncing up and down excitedly. Oh, this is so thrilling!

Giger splays his legs, giving one final wrench of his head, and uproots the unfortunate plant, flinging it down to the earth. He twists, looking to Jacinth. Does this please you my love? Behold! The great works I can do in your name! He begins shoving it with his tusks, moving it atop the two remaining bushes.

Jacinth roars in obvious appreciation, skittering toward Giger. A nest! She understands now! She must help him with the nest so that they can lay eggs and have tiny child ravagers!

Giger hisses happily. Yes. A home we build together. Strong and true. And full of babies. All of them. Like... eighty babies. Maybe more. Maybe eighty two.

Jacinth moves to the opposite side of the bushes, trying to help lift it into a proper position, then ducking between the two bushes to try and dig out some of the earth with her pitiful claws.

Giger moves to a nearby bush, and tarts lashing out at it, knocking branches loose. He uses to tusks to shove them twards his love nest. See. A hunter and a gatherer. Baby, you got the full package.

Jacinth clambers out of Giger's way, chittering delightedly as she watches him. He's right! It's perfect! He's perfect! Oh be still her open vascular system!

Giger prods at the sticks with his tusks. Hes done. A rush job. But this is but a demonstration of his beautiful works. For you my sweet, grash weakins. Clods of aromatic dirt. rogue skeletons of unfortunate vertebrates stored within. A palace for you my love.

Jacinth tucks herself into the rushed bower, rattling her mandibles and quivering her quills. They could build on! Make it larger! Make it better! The sky was the limit to their boundless love and they would have everything together!

Giger stands at the mouth of the nest. A hive. They could build a hive. A new colony of ravagers on Azeroth. A new beginning for our carnivorous garbage eating people! He prods his claws at her carapace.

Jacinth roars again, nipping at Giger's feet in delight. A colony! They would repopulate all of Azeroth with their colorful hatchlings!

Daashi cranes his neck to glance at the ravagers, then looks toward Dalheim, giving a heavy sigh. "J'ya wahn puhl dem 'paht?"

Dalheim takes his bow from his back, holding it in place with his leg as he strings it. "Yeah. I can distract him if you wanna grab her before we have some damn clutch to deal with..."

“Beehn treaht wit' uht'rooht...no shouhd hahve goohd ehg.” Daashi pushes to his feet, moving toward the bushes.

Dalheim takes an arrow, sipping it in the venom kept near his hip "You really think shit works the same on stuff from Draenor?" He fires it, the bolt embedding itself in the ground near a column across the courtyatd.

Giger scents the venom on the air. An enemy! I must defend my love! He charges to it's source, peering at the colums, shaking his quills, What is this new vile earth elemental?

Daashi takes hold of Jacinth's leg, dragging her away from where the pair had built their nest. "Cohm ohn. Steh. No go neah Gigah.”

Giger smashes his claws against the column, followed in short order by a vicious headbutt. Take that, you foul beast! Stunned by his prowress in battle to be sure!

Jacinth hisses with dissapointment, looking back toward Giger sadly. Their poor, poor colony of eggs never to be laid! It's so tragic! A tale of utter misery!

“No wahn behbeh.” Daashi plants himself between the two ravagers.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Crickets chirped softly in the darkness of the Vale, playing out their songs of love and lust into the velvet blackness of the night. She stood upon the porch, listening to their music, her head heavy where it hung upon her neck. He had been taken from her yet again, their love held apart by those that did not understand, could not understand.

Behind her she could hear other sounds, where her master and his own mate moaned and screamed and her quills bristled slightly. How was it fair that he should take her from her Giger, only to bring her here where she would have to listen to his pleasure? It wasn't fair at all! She stamped a single, delicate leg upon the deck, causing Socks to raise her head and blink sleepily at the ravager. The fox angled her ears, yipping once curiously, the sound soft in the jungle air.

She paid it no heed. She would find him! She must find him! Her spines rose, head turning to look up toward the mesh covered room that made up the top of the hut, eyes glittering a moment in the light that reflected from the room. Her master was occupied, he wouldn't know that she was gone for some time. So long as she found Giger before he did, then he couldn't separate them, not after her hard work to find her handsome, brave mate.

One foot moved, stepping down onto the porch and Socks tilted her head, the slow wag of the foxes tail stopping as she watched something that was not normal for any of the beasts. The ravager skittered downward, one last glance given to be certain that her master was occupied still with his mate, then scurried out into the darkness of the Stranglethorn night.

As the sun rose slowly over the jungle the next morning, Daashi stepped out of the hut to gather water, pausing with a soft frown upon his lips. "Kaeyis...? J'ya seehn Jacint'?"

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hot wind rattled through her quills, the ravager staring out over the scorched lands with glittering black eyes. It seemed oddly like home, the burnt, wasted lands that her path had carried her through. Her delicate legs clicked where they pressed down on blackened paving stones, shades of red all around her, similar to her native Hellfire. There were demons here, as well. She could smell them on the breeze, the acrid tang of fel energy that brought her hackles up slightly. Demons were dangerous, but they also meant food. They rarely ate their kills, leaving the bodies to rot in the baking sun, putrefying to a perfect state of edibility.

She raised herself high on her thin legs, searching the horizon. She was very hungry. At home she would have been fed as the sun rose, then again midway through the day. It had been long since she was forced to hunt for herself, though she knew how. But there were so many creatures that she was unfamiliar with and her master wasn't there to guide her!

Her quills sank miserably against her carapace, lowering herself to crouch. Perhaps Giger's elf would feed her? He seemed to have food for Giger. And Giger was her mate! He would surely have food for her as well! And their clutch of eggs and later hatchlings! It would all be perfect for when they created their own colony!

All that she had to do was find Giger. She glanced around herself, orienting by the sun to where north was and set to skittering across the path once more. The place where she and Giger had built their nest was there and from there she could track him, find him and then it would all be wonderful once more!

It was only a matter of time.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


The nest was still there. Jacinth circled it slowly, prodding at it with first one foot, then another. It was so sad now, with just the faint traces of Giger's pheremones left to remind her of the night that they had shared in building it. He had looked so strong as he used his tusks to tear the shrub free from its roots, his quills quivering in the wan light. And his scent had been so manly, so self-assured! She quivered a moment, leaning against one of the shrubs that had made up the side, taking in as much of his scent as she could.

It was faint now, tinged with rot and decay and putrescence that made her achingly hungry. She ignored the pain, though, searching for more of his aroma, capturing hints of the machinery that his master rode. That scent was stronger, a mingling of metal and arcane and some energy that she couldn't quite name, though it was familiar to her. It reminded her of the long-faces in Outlands, the ones that had built their little city near to her home, only to have it crumble over the ages.

It was a distinctive scent though, and easily traced. She turned, raising herself high on her legs, seeking the strongest point, then taking skittering steps toward it, trying to track the elusive odor. Giger was always near the machine, wasn't he? He even rode on it. She had seen him ride on it!

Her quills rose and she gave a delighted hiss. She could find him by finding the machine! He would be near it and they would be together and they could build a nest! A new nest! A better nest! A colony that would grow and swell with hatchlings! Her vascular system surged and she drew air in through her spiracles before spinning in a circle, pinpointing again. Over the water. There was a path that led past it and they had gone over it, she could tell for certain now.

Jacinth scuttled from the courtyard toward the lake that stretched outward from Lordaeron's ruins. She was on her way once more.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Jacinth did not like this land, wherever she was. The grasses were long and clung to her quills, forcing her to stop every now and again to scrape a leg over herself and brush them away. The rocks and hills were coated with moss, making them more difficult to climb, until she had taken to using her tusks to help her balance with every new foothold. She could taste the moss now, coating her mandibles and she clattered them in distaste. Why would her Giger have such terrible taste in where to live? It was too cool, too green, and that was something, given her own home in a jungle. She scrabbled for a hold on the hillside again, pulling herself upward. The hill was tall, but she had reached the top finally, the scent of the strange machine that she had followed stronger now and she stretched herself upward, craning her neck. There was a farm, far below and motion there, though too far to be certain of what moved. She clattered her mandibles, beginning the long scuttle downhill.

Giger stared out with glittering black eyes at his favorite elf, the creature having insensibly shed his prosthetic carapace to lay out in the sun. The pieces of molded and preserved flesh were scattered across the dock, their insides glittering with inlaid mail, leaving the elf all pinkish and soft and exposed. Poor, pathetic creature. Still! His favorite elf could probably use company! Everyone could use his company! And those rays of sunshine did look awfully tempting. Claws clattered on the wood of the dock as Giger trotted out onto it, body bobbing as if on springs, until he lowered himself to it with a hissing growl of affection, tucking his legs beneath him. His favorite elf attempted to return the sound, cracking one eye open and pushing himself up on fleshy arms. The poor, poor elf. He never quite mastered the hissing growl of affection. It always came out as "Eugh. Fuck."

Metal. Energy. Pheremones. She scented them all, speeding faster now as she neared the base of the hill. It was a high hill. She approved of that, at least. And the grasses were shorter here, near the edge of the water. She had been surprised to realize that there was water at first, before the glistening smooth surface that she noted revealed itself to have small, choppy waves and tiny crests of whitecaps from the breeze. It was still too cool, but the water explained that at least. She pressed her legs tentatively at the earth, finding it softer than her tastes, but decided that it would have to suit. It was her Giger's home and would be hers. Jacinth let out a roar, calling for her mate, certain that he would hear her as she began to scramble over the crumbling damp earth toward the farmhouse.

He watches as his favorite elf flopped back onto the dock with what must have been a sigh of contentment. Of reassurance that the massive ravager was nearby, strong, bold, and never silly enough to remove his crapace. Except during molting. Which didn't count. And was private. Suddenly his head whipped up, quills rattling with curiosity. Could it be? Did he miss Her so that the rolling sound of the waves had seemed like the subtle breathiness of Her voice? That his imagination had brought the faintest shadows of Her to him after she was lost to him. It had been terrible. The way he had been fiercely attacking the dread rock elemental, battering himself against it's staggering defenses, a creature crafted of pure rock, his favorite elf had sounded the retreat. Confusing at first, until he beheld the sweet little nest he had crafted for Her. For his love. It was empty. Surely the young beauty had been stolen away while the fleshy little elf tried to defend her. Realized it was fruitless and called upon h-- oh wait, there is was again. Dalheim gave the hissing growl of affection again as Giger stood, suddenly charging off for the mountain. Could it be?

She could smell him on the wind, turning her long, delicate thorax from side to side as she moved toward the building still. Giger would be near to his master and masters liked buildings. Surely the building, yes? She shook herself, riding the last of the sticking grass, trying to make certain that she was presentable when she found him. It wouldn't do to look as though she had trudged through all manner of obstacles to reach him after all, would it? No matter that she had, she wanted to be certain that she was pretty and delicate and as beautiful as he deserved. She roared again, bristling her quills as a sound reached her.

He moved faster as he scented Her on the wind, claws pounding the earth into submission beneath him, until finally he stopped, head whipping up. There She was. His Angel. His morning star. His cactus flower. His succulent piece of decaying chimera. He was always stunned by her beauty. There was a loud, triumph and roar that echoed from the mountain sides, mingled witht he crashing waves as his quills flared and he sprinted towards his target at full tilt.

Giger! She heaved herself high on her legs, standing in wait as he barreled toward her, not even making an attempt to brace. Her Giger would crash against her with the power of his love! A battering ram of desire! Her black eyes glittered with love at the sight of his boldly shaded carapace, so different than those that she had been accustomed to at her own clutch, surely a sign of his health and vitality!

He sprang at Her, tumbled to the ground with his love, rising again to drag his tusks over her carapace as he let out a low hiss. Oh, how he has longed for this. He thought he would never again feel the beautiful smoothness of her armored plates beneath his teeth.

She scrabbled to her feet upon the loam after he rose, swinging her neck to strike against his side, hissing and chittering in delight at the feeling of his rough motions toward her. It was really him in the carapace! She had found him after all of her hard work and effort! He was here with her and now they would lay their eggs and have a clutch to repopulate this strange, sad little world that suffered from too few ravagers!

He headbutted the delicate curve of her neck, their bodies crashing and smacking loudly together until suddenly he froze at the barking sound of "What the FUCK bug!?" He swung his head to find his favorite elf had tried to come to his defense. Still all soft and without his prosthetic carapace in his rush, quiver slung over his back and an arrow set to his bowstring, though it slacked in his hands.

Jacinth studied the elf, hissing in displeasure as he stole her Giger's attention from her. She bristled her quills, moving nearer to the other ravager, leaning against him determinedly to prevent them from being separated yet again. She wouldn't have it, no matter what the elves thought!
Dalheim dragged a palm over his face as Giger streched up, giving a proud hissing roar as he showed off his beloved. Look at her! So delicate and yet so strong! So beautiful a creature, and clever too, finding her way here to this valley by the sea. Dalheim padded on bare feet towards the two, and squinted his eyes at Jacinth. No.... fucking... way... this ravager was here. "I'm getting too old for this shit."

She caressed her mandibles against Giger's side, watching Dalheim steadily, chittering toward her beloved. Surely he wouldn't let the elf take her away again, would he? One leg rose, sliding against Giger's leg, stroking him adoringly.

He massaged at his temples, watching the two of them "Nnh.... by Sargeras's swinging ballsack... stop... fucking... snuggling." He patted at Giger's side and took hold of a tusk to lead him. The ravager glanced back to his beloved, taking a few steps then lingering, waiting for her to follow.
She did so, and closely, not willing to let him out of her sight again, her legs even clicking against his at points as she moved with him. Her black eyes moved between adoring glances at her love and wary ones at his elf. Couldn't he see? Couldn't he understand? Why did he and her master work so hard to keep their love stifled?

He took the pair down to the stables with a sigh, a heavy stone structure meant to keep even the feistiest ram at bay. A thick cord of rope was lifted and he cautiously watched the female, reaching slowly towards her and placing a palm upon her carapace before looping the rope around her, heavy knots tied into a bizarre sort of make-shift harness. Giger obliviously admired his lady's new adornment, butting his head at her on occasion, causing his favorite elf to draw back briefly, then rubbing his tusks near her quills with a hiss.

A necklace? Was it a peace offering of some sort? She raised one leg, stroking it against the rope where she was able, skittering from side to side with the force of Giger's pressure against her, small, happy little chitters given toward the other ravager.

He knotted it on one of the heavy rings, picked up a rope giving a similar harness to Giger, and then without warning, looped it through the ring and gave a sharp yank, the ravagers torsos dragging about two feet apart as he cursed softly and tied Giger off before the creature could quite make sense of what had happened. There was a roar of dismay, struggling against his binds as the naked ranger padded on bare feet back to the dock, stooping to pick up a small, faintly glowing device, looping it over the shell of his ear. "Kaekae? ... Hey! ... Kaekae? .... Fucking great."

They were necklaces! Peace offerings for the foolishness that had been shown! And he was giving Giger one as well! She chattered in delight, then, wait! No! It was a trap! She roared in horror as her mate was pulled away, as her claws scrabbled on stone cobbles, trying desperately to pull nearer and reach her mate. She thrashed within her bonds, screeching yet again in frustration. No!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Daashi was not happy. Most would assume that this was a normal situation for the stern, solemn faced hunter, but really it wasn't. His ears were pinned back, his eyes narrowed as he stood at the edge of the porch, studying the ravager that squirmed and hissed in her bonds. He didn't care for the prospects ahead of him. Or ahead of her, for that matter. A hand rose to rub his jaw and the hunter sighed faintly.

If Jacinth wouldn't work, then she was fairly useless to him, frustrating as that was to admit. And unlike Kaelys, he couldn't see the point of keeping an animal without some use. The small pets that he had even served some purpose, the hatchling dragonhawk keeping Dieb content, the owl and frogs hunting down insects that were bothersome. The little elemental that followed him at times had even proven his worth, helping to keep the troll cool when he worked on the Molten Front. He sat a moment, trying to find some reason for her to stay, but there were other animals that would eat the same refuse that she did and even if he did keep her, she would have to be tied or caged. What sort of life was that for her?

Even now she struggled against the rope harness that he had tied to the railing of the porch and he could see where it was wearing lines in her carapace. She would kill herself if some decision wasn't reached and soon. "I know if somebody tried to keep me from you, lover, I'd do anythin' t'get back t'you." Kaelys' words echoed in Daashi's mind and he averted his eyes, not wanting to look at the animal that had come so suddenly to remind him of his mate. The blonde had said that he would choose Daashi over his own family, so why should it truly surprise him that Jacinth would choose Giger over the hunter that had tamed her?

He closed his eyes, sighing. He would speak to the orcs of Draenor and find how they kept their pet ravagers from breeding. And then, much as he disliked it, he would have to talk to Dalheim. And maybe, if Dalheim said yes, she would finally have her chance to be happy and he could make use of her again. If not...

The troll frowned, grinding sharp teeth into his lower lip. There were only so many options.

[Kaelys]

Muhahahaha. That is awesome. Crazy bugs!

[Lupis]

That had me cackling. You put so much personality into those little beasties!

[Kamalia]

That was hilarious. Never would've thought the love story between two ravagers could be so entertaining!

[Tufak]

You put so much personality into those little beasties!

Dalheim's player started it, actually. Giger had so much personality that I ended up giving Jacinth personality, too.

The romance...that was totally unexpected, since Dalheim can't stand Daashi and the feeling is...pretty well mutual.

[Tufak]

Bump for further tales of our alien bug lovers.

[Tahlian]

As I said to you when this tale started..."this is going to go over about as well as a Regency romance novel featuring ninjas."

However, since Ursula Vernon is apparently tinkering around with writing such a novel, it could be that Bug Love will have...legs....after all.

[Tufak]

Yet another update. I believe this makes five parts now? And alas, tragedy has struck!

[Kaelys]

Crazy, crazy bugs!

[Tufak]

Latest installment has been added. Jacinth has been 'rescued' from the stables and now Daashi is trying to figure out what to do with her.

[Lupis]

I love those ravagers. May I ask what colors they are? Armory isn't working, so I can't stalk your hunters to figure out.

[Tufak]

Giger is http://www.wow-petopia.com/look/crawlerorange.html

Jacinth is http://www.wow-petopia.com/look/crawlervar8.html

[Layiaissa]

this had me laughing out loud. Very fun to read.