Human puppies are the messiest and stinky things in the entire world, even if I do love them to pieces. Seriously, once Heechul got Panba out of her clothes the stench was unreal and I wanted to go and bury the stuff because it was bad and that sort of bad smell will lead anyone to us.

Thankfully however, Heechul managed to dispose of the stinky clothes…well actually he got Jintao to do it for him whilst he washed Panba and then sent him to get cloth though I don’t know why.

I watch Panba in the very clear, sparkling nicely water. At home she kicks up a right fuss whenever having to go into water, I think it’s cause she doesn’t like the yummy flavoured stuff that causes bubbles to come out of my nose whenever I get a chance to eat it, but in this pool she is having a ball.

Splashing about and making happy little noises, I wanna jump in a play to! Though not quite next to Panba cause that would make too big a splash and I don’t want to drown her.

“Where are you off to?” Heechul asks as I trot away.

The pool is huge, it fills up the entire room and it’s lit by these really ornately carved sky lights that are currently casting down moonlight onto the water and it’s just all pretty and nice sparkles. Not scary sparkles and that is great! Heechul asks me a couple more times what I’m doing and he’s such a silly sod cause he should be able to see that I’m finding a good place to jump in.

Here we go!

Splash!

Ohhh, this is a nice depth, I can trot about on the floor which is really nice and smooth and the waters lush. A couple of happy barks escape me and Panba giggles, waving her tiny hands towards me and going ‘Ug!” which is generally her way of saying that she wants to pet me.

I’m over by her side in seconds, nosing up to her whilst she happily bats her tiny fingers off my head and snout and I just can’t find it in me to be annoyed by that.

Heechul looks speechless but thankfully Jintao comes back and immediately bursts out laughing.

“Snorks hate water,” Heechul says, shaking his head and going back to cleaning Panba again, “What did you say he was again?”

I’m a doggie! You silly man, can’t you see? I have floppy ears, a big y tongue and a waggy tail and I look after puppies! And Daddies.

Jintao chuckles some more, “He’s a dog from Earth. I still can’t figure out much more than that.”

Heechul sighs and pulls Panba out of the water in order to wrap her in a warm fluffy looking towel to get her dried off, “There is no such place.”

“I used to believe you until I met these two,” Jintao says, offering Heechul some more items before flicking water at me to chase which is a great game indeed, “But what if he’s right and her Daddy is one of the Missing?”

“Then I don’t want to think about the consequences,” Heechul says, shifting Panba around, “If the High Elders find them we could be in so much trouble.”

Jintao smiles sadly, “We will be anyway. We’re lowlifes remember?”

It’s so easy to get distracted in this place because there are so many new smells and ohhh, there’s a ball shaped thing over there and I haven’t had a good play with a ball for a long while. Jintao and Heechul are talking to one another whilst they sort out Panba and it’s all big grown up sounding talking which is boooring.

So I’m going to investigate this ball thing. I mean…it looks like a ball and therefore it should be a ball but it’s not fuzzy which is strange.

Though as I get out of the water I have to have a really good shake to get rid of all the droplets from my fur else I’ll wet everything. There we go, all droplets gone!

Ohhh, it is a ball! It tastes a bit funny but it’s firm and bouncing and yay! I got a ball! Look Jintao, I got a ball play with me? Go on, I’ll make it so easy for you and you don’t have to worry.

I don’t think Jintao has ever played ball before so I’ll have to show him how to do it. For being a grownup he really doesn’t know how to do many grown up things.

I take the ball into my mouth and throw it across the room before rushing off to chase after it and grab it into my mouth before bringing it back to Jintao and placing it at his feet. It takes six goes of me doing this for him to get the general idea and his eyes light up like Crimbo tree’s when he starts to actually play with me.

Heechul just scowls but he’s being a spoil sport anyway so he can just sit there for the time being and look after Panba.

We play for ages and I’m panting so much by the end that I flop down and pass out like a dead frog as Baekhyun unhelpfully says I do and Jintao attempts to throw the ball thing again but silly human, I’m too tired to play now and I just want to go to sleep.

Thankfully Heechul recognises what’s wrong and taps Jintao on the shoulder, “It’s bedtime for that not-snork, and for you to.”

“But I don’t want to go to sleep!” Jintao pouts and there’s that strange look that makes him look exactly like a duplicate of Puff even though I know he can’t be Puff. This mystery needs to be solved somehow but not right now.

Fingers flick at Jintao’s forehead, “You’ll go to sleep else you’ll just be a cranky sod all of tomorrow and I’ll need you to help me get to the markets with these two so I’m not having you being that way.”

Wot’s at the markets?

“Information,” Heechul smiles towards me as he shifts a now slumbering Panba in his arms where she’s been dressed in the most pretty little dress that’s all greens and blues with little bits of glitter all over it, “It’s our best shot at finding out anything without being too suspicious about it.”

Jintao nods as he pulls himself upright and then blinks at Heechul, “You’re going to keep Panba?”

“Yes, it’ll be better to keep her in the inner walls along with the snork,” Heechul says, smiling fondly at ma puppy in such a way that makes me think of her Daddy, “Your place is too small.”

Jintao goes to argue but ends up yawning instead and pouts exactly like Puff when he loses an argument.

This is getting too strange.

But I’m sleepy too so I don’t really complain as I follow Heechul to his room, cause it’s not a house like my Daddies have and watch as he sets Panba in a little white stone box that has a series of very soft pillows and blankets stored in it to make a perfect little bed.

He reaches to pet my head and ears with a soft smile on his features once I’ve gotten comfortable next to the box and sighs, “I hope that meeting you two is a good sign of fortunes changing, Hero, I really do.”

Have you had bad fortune Heechul? I’ll give you a to help you cheer up but now tis time for beddie byes.

Heechul smiles and sets a few things in place before lying down on what appears to be a rug with just a pillow and a blanket but before I can enquire where his bed is, he’s already gently snoring and there’s no point in waking up anyone when they’re like that.

I check one last time on Panba before settling down though my head shoots up when for a moment there is a very familiar wailing cry echoing throughout this strange city and I know that’s Puff! He’s upset and in pain and needs looking after but I can’t reach him because I don’t know where to go.

Please stay safe Puff! I’ll come and rescue you too!

~*(--^^--)*~

In a cell within the Halls of the Elders, Tao curls himself up tightly into a ball and lets himself cry bitter tears as the man leaves the room. He’s just been delivered the news that his daughter has been kidnapped by a rogue snork and has been dragged off into the city and is feared to be demised.

Tao is devastated by this news and cries loudly because he believes that there is nothing left in his life that is worthwhile. His daughter has been eaten by some monster, his partner is probably in an unrecoverable coma somewhere as he was dutifully informed and he’s trapped on an alien planet which is said to be his real home even though he knows nothing of it in the slightest.

For the first time in a long while, Tao feels completely and totally alone so he cries, unaware that there is a many pawed friend listening to his wails and trying to send as many positive thoughts of love out towards him until he can come and find him. 

authors babbling: gah! flip tables onto my head for taking so long to get around to updating this but life has been bloody hectic once again though hopefully it's about to settle down just a touch (though I highly doubt that to be honest) and I can get on with more stuff. However Hero and Panba managed to get a lot of cuteness here so I'm happy about that (and the whole ball game was influence by me playing Kickball with my own Rottweiler Petal who is now exhaustedly taking up virutally all of my bed because I ran her ragged whilst playing). Plus we got Tao briefly, though bless the poor baby getting told all the wrong information (Kris will be fine, the big jerk, I've just got to work out when I'll jump back to Rourou) so I feel so sorry for him and we may have a few more hints about Jintao too. 

But anyways, hope you enjoyed everyone and I'll catch you on the flip side