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Post by Basil on May 5, 2009 17:16:09 GMT -5
Basil sighed audibly and rolled his eyes heavenward. Toby had wandered off again, and though it wasn't difficult for the detective to track him, it was deuced inconvenient.
Basil had spent his time training Toby to track criminals, neglecting such basic obedience commands as 'heel' and 'stay.'
But, dash it all, that mundane business should've been handled by the hound's human owners. Basil had little interest in such things.
As he trailed across the grounds, eyes intent on tracing Toby's footmarks, Basil was unaware that a largish snake had escaped from its cage in the Animal Kingdom, and was even now prowling through the grass seeking a prey.
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Post by Merlin on May 6, 2009 16:57:07 GMT -5
The soft sound of flapping wings could be heard ad a large brown owl flew through the sky above the forest.
eyeing the snake closing in on the rodent Archimedes landed on a large rock nearby, observing them both with interest.
One may think belonging to a hunted race, should learn you to keep an eye on the surroundings, he commented dryly. The owl had no intentions of competing the snake, knowing most rodents at this place were above his definition of a prey. Though should the mouse be as unfortunate to belong to the lower non-speaking part of the specie.. his owl instincts were still alive and on guard.
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Post by Basil on May 6, 2009 17:43:44 GMT -5
A shadow passed silently over the manicured lawn, and over the hunched form of the mouse detective.
Basil knew that shape instantly: an owl. And a careless one, if he flew between the sun and his intended victim.
One quick step took Basil to the base of a tree and temporary safety as he scanned the sky for the predator.
Ah, it was only Archimedes, Merlin's owl. Doubtless a formidable enough hunter, but he was, for whatever reason, not disposed to eat Basil and, therefore, on cordial terms with the detective.
Could he ever truly be friends with a predator? That was the question Basil asked himself. What he said was:
"How nice to see you again, Archimedes," in a pleasant tone.
"Indeed? I'm afraid your approach was a bit sloppy. In fact, I spotted you a great way off," he replied with some asperity, not at all pleased to be criticized by a predator.
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Post by Merlin on May 10, 2009 19:44:51 GMT -5
Posing on the rock, Archimedes started to nonchalantly pluck his feathers.
Although he the mouse looked somewhat familiar, he couldn`t quite place the fellow right away. However the moment he opened his mouth to speak, Archie instantly recognized him as that rodent his so called master(Archie himself had his own idea of that term.) was so fond of for some strange reason.
The owl looked up from his feather plucking as Basil criticized his approach. Like i would hunt something like you, he replied with a slight tone of disgust at the mere thought. besides, owl as he was he preferred not to hunt at this time of day if he could avoid it.
Detecting predators with no intension of hunting won`t help you much when there`s other dangers lurking in the shadows, he stated dryly, nodding in the snake`s direction.
As said long built reptile slowly moved closer Archimedes hissed warningly at it, making it aware there were other predators than itself around.
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Post by Basil on May 10, 2009 21:37:41 GMT -5
Basil turned in the direction the owl indicated. There in the grass was the snake in question, moving toward him rather quickly.
"Egad...Gongylophis conicus, the Indian boa!" He made some rapid calculations.
"Body over three feet in length, approximately eight feet away," he muttered, instantly turning to run. "...rock at two and one-half feet distance, at current rate of speed..."
No matter how many times he worked it, he was simply not going to make it.
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Post by Merlin on May 19, 2009 8:43:46 GMT -5
Archimedes rolled his eyes, How useful it must be to know the species and nationality about to devour you, he remarked dryly sarcastic. If you`re just as good at playing harp everyone`ll love you.
He watched as the snake closed in at the mouse, realizing the small rodent didn`t stand a chance against the large fellow. Oh my, what am i doing? he muttered to himself, as he took off from the rock, aiming at the snake.
Next minute, gravity was increasing heavily at said snake, as Archie folded his wings in mid air, "accidentally" dropping down on it.
(a penny if you guess which character i just made a pun of XD)
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Post by Basil on May 19, 2009 18:42:21 GMT -5
<<Heh, heh...nice Nani line there>>
If only he hadn't left that flying dust back in his hotel room. It might've saved his life just now. Basil made a mental note not to leave home without it again.
What was he thinking? He wasn't going anywhere but down a snake's gullet.
But then, the detective heard a sort of thud and an angry hiss. Risking a glance over his shoulder, he saw a rather amazing sight.
Archimedes had pounced upon the snake, effectively stopping the reptile in its tracks.
Now there was ample time for Basil to escape. Reaching the sheltering rock, he crouched to spring upward to safety. And paused.
The snake was quite angry. And Archimedes wasn't a very large owl. He might've bitten off more than he could chew, figuratively speaking.
Predator or no predator, Basil was not about to allow his rescuer to be killed while he stood by. Not a bit of it.
The mouse cast about for a stout stick or some other weapon to use against the snake.
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Post by Merlin on May 21, 2009 13:43:40 GMT -5
His attack had successfully distracted the snake from it`s pray, that was the good news. The bad news was that Archimedes now found himself inches from the furious snake`s wide open mouth. He didn`t believe it, but he could swear that mouth was bigger than him, a fact the owl found "slightly" disturbing.
Hissing back at the reptile, Archie lifted a claw, ready to slash at it of it dared to even think of coming closer.
Which it did.
Ugh, someone needs to learn table manners, he remarked sarcastically, as he placed some nice red tattoos where he could reach at the snake`s head.
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Post by Basil on May 21, 2009 20:39:29 GMT -5
Although the owl had succeeded in inflicting some damage with his talons, Basil remained uncertain which animal would emerge victorious. But, how to help...hmmm...
He might hit it with a stone...or find a sharp stick...what was wanted was something more effective...
In less time than it takes to tell, Basil had a better idea. Nearby lay a discarded cup such as a human might drink Coke from. And when the Coke was finished, the mouse had learned, what was left was a cup filled with ice.
He hastily rolled the cup to the scene of battle, popped off the plastic lid, and spilled the crushed ice onto the serpent's body.
Reptiles, being cold-blooded creatures, are slowed down considerably by extremely low temperatures. The ice bath not only distracted the snake, but, more importantly, dulled both its senses and its reflexes.
Archimedes ought to have no difficulty with the creature now, even if it chose to continue the fight, which was unlikely.
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Post by Merlin on May 26, 2009 12:17:27 GMT -5
Archimedes hissed and beat the snake viciously with his wings as it furiously snapped after him, dangerously close. Although he`d succeeded in causing some damage, and probably some serious pain on the creature, the battle seemed remarkably even.
The owl started fearing he might not pull this off with all his feathers intact, when he miraculously were saved by the bell. Or rather the frost.
The frozen giant snake blinked confused, unsure of what to do next, but the gust from it`s rival`s flapping wings finally convinced it that this wasn`t the place to be.
As the snake crept off, sending them both a death glare as it disappeared, Archie tilted his head, blinking. Saved by a rodent? now that was new.
puzzling of how to cope with having his life saved by his own "lunch" so to speak, the owl kept to nonchalantly checking if all his feathers still were in place.
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Post by Basil on May 26, 2009 16:40:33 GMT -5
When the chilled and bloodied reptile slithered off into the brush, Basil dusted his palms together with satisfaction at a job well done.
"I say, that was a near thing, eh? But we gave rather a good accounting of ourselves."
This was the first time in his life the detective had worked together with one of his natural enemies. Not counting humans, that is.
"Oh, by the way...thanks awfully...for stepping in when you did." It was a trifle awkward, but it must be said. It simply would not do to let the owl's act pass unacknowledged.
Archimedes appeared somewhat discomfited by the whole business, but Basil was actually quite pleased with himself.
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Post by Merlin on Jun 5, 2009 10:38:24 GMT -5
The owl turned his attention back to the mouse again, studying him for a moment with his intense owl gaze. Nothing to talk about, he shrugged it off, seemingly modest. ..To anyone, he added in a somewhat harsher tone. Still he found his lately increased affairs with rodent to be rather unowl-ish.
Not that he`d interacted much with other owls for quite some years, the strange ways he`d adopted from his pet wizard ( ;D ) didn`t make him much like the average owl.
I hear you`re quite the detective.. he finally spoke up again, not quite comfortable with the awkward silence that was setting in.
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Post by Basil on Jun 5, 2009 23:07:01 GMT -5
<<'pet wizard'--well said, old boy, well said!>>
"Oh, well, I do all right in my own small way."
Despite that bit of false modesty, Basil was actually flattered to be acknowledged.
"Not that there is any shortage of crimes to be solved. Far from it."
Basil was not certain how far he ought to go to engage the owl in small talk.
"Are you, er...interested in crime detection?"
<<unowl-ish--I like that word>>
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Post by Merlin on Jun 13, 2009 21:06:40 GMT -5
Archimedes got a glimpse of amusement in his eyes ipon the mouse`s modesty. A "small way" wasn`t quite the way he`d heard the stories be told.
Indeed i highly respect that way of life, the owl replied to Basil`s question: Unfortunately i haven`t got the chance to experience any such process first hand, he admitted. He were always too busy watching Merlin and his students. And it was a well known fact that the elder wizard fancied going on ridicoulus quests and journeys.
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Post by Basil on Jun 15, 2009 17:44:17 GMT -5
"Oh, the art of detection is not so very difficult. That is, for those with superior intelligence. One can train oneself to observe details, and then the intellect makes the deductions."
"Owls have particularly sharp eyesight, they say. Observation ought to be child's play for you."
Basil's mind strayed for a moment to the famous tales of the Round Table. "I should think that life with Merlin would be even more exciting than the life of a detective," he observed dreamily. "Knights slaying dragons, chivalry, damsels in distress..."
He stared into space for a bit, hands clasped behind his back, a half-smile on his face.
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