In the Ruins

"Go I'll be fine keep the knife just keep the kid safe" he said as his leg shifted starting to cut the trap. He could hear the footfalls and as th trap snapped he landed on his feet. The footfalls got closer. "Alkira go!" He shouted as he grabbed onto the nearest tree his feet and claws transforming to meet his needs and started to climb.

Alkira gave it no second thought once he spoke and she was immediately airborne, hurrying high into the treetops with Najara. The older bat grabbed the pup, hugging him closer to her as she peered down, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever was coming toward them. When Lux had made his way to safety as well, the bat motioned him over with one of her wings.

Out from the trees lumbered what appeared to be a large mech, bulky enough to easily mow over the vegetation that blocked its path. Painted across what could be considered the metal creature's chest was the letters "G U N" in large, red letters. The mech twisted its upper half in place, and a bright red light washed over the area, scanning.

"Don't move.." Alkira breathed, pressing a hand softly over Najara's mouth as the pup whimpered quietly.

Lux tenced when he saw the mech. Knowing full well it was the millitary. But as for what it was doig here he didn't know. "I know that thing, and it bein here isn't a good sign at all." He whispered to alkira. "The millitary, but why are they here." He looked to the bats. "How long have they been here?" He asked before watchin the mech move with the ground shaking under it's mechanical feet

"I have seen many of these over the last few months.." Alkira whispered, keeping her eye on the mech. "They appeared shortly after these other creatures appeared. Red, and smaller, with the same kind of skin as these things.." Obviously by 'skin', the bat was referring to the metal that armored the robot. "I think we---"

Suddenly, the mech blared a sharp, terrifying screech, and the ocular device at its front suddenly exploded in a red light, shooting forward a red beam in the direction of the three. The laser narrowly missed  Lux and Alkira, passing between their faces close enough that they could feel the heat. The vegetation that the beam did hit immediately blackened and began to burn.

Lux  grabbed alkira and Najara out of the way. "Go! I'll see what I can do about that cannon" he said jumping down to the mech. Snarling as he kicked it back with a robotic leg. "You don't belong here!" His arm transforming into a cannon of his own "you try to kill innocents?! I will dismantle you circuit by circuit!" He said blasting a black beam at the mech.

The mech crashed backward from the force of Lux's slam, causing the ground to shake violently below. The panic of roosting birds leaving the trees all at once could be heard, as well as a panicked cry from the bat pup over head.

Working it's way back up, the robot set it's sights on the feline before it, screeching a variety of alarms as it scanned the mobian over.

"THREAT DETECTED. . . INITIATING DEFENSE MODE. . ."  

The mech's arm lifted high, only to swing down at Lux with some force. Having sacrificed the safety in distance, the robot took a harsh blow from the cyborg's cannon-- the blast effectively taking off one of its arm. Electricity cackled and jumped forth from where the mech's now missing limb was, but the machine didn't stop, doing it's best to try and squash the feline.

Lux snarled as he dodged attempts from the robot jumpin onto it's head punching through the thick metal she'll and started to pull out wires. "You will not hurt anyone here anymore! Any more units will be destoryed if they come near these bats again!" He just kept tearing away from the mech. There was no doubt he was determined to protect his new friends, but would they accept it was the question running through his mind. He looked to check if alkira and Najara were safe.

The mech let out a last series of alarm tones before crumbling back to the earth, the deafening whirring of its internal mechanics finally winding down to silence. Electricity occasionally jumped from the robot's destroyed body, and it's wires lay splayed about around it's broken form like entrails.

The two bats stared down from the treetops through the foliage, wide-eyed. "Did you... Is it dead?" Alkira asked cautiously, still clutching her nephew close. She had to admit, he was strong... Whether she liked it or not, he could be of much more use to them than she had originally thought. It might be best to have the feline around for muscle.

Lux touched the mech. His robot side plugging in. "Ya it's gone. But who knows how many more are out there" he looked to alkira and Najara. "Are you two alright? No burns or bruises?" He sounded caring and concerned. He didn't care what alkira thought of him, right now all he cared about is if they were safe.

Alkira let out a loud, sudden breath, clearly relieved at the news. "Thank gods.." She murmured, slowly moving down from the trees. "We're fine, thanks to you.. Najara's just a little shaken.." The younger bat had climbed onto her back now, peering up at Lux from over her shoulder.

"So.. You know what thing was then?" the female asked cautiously, "Have you fought them before?"

"They use to test them on my older brother... I built a mech myself once but it was just for traveling. This is the same design" he said looking down. "Every one of these I've destroyed. How this one survived and where it got the beam is beyond me" he shook his head. "This monster should have been put out years ago with he rest of my past" he looked to Najara and alkira. And without another word walked towards his camp. "I need to be left alone."

"He-hey, wait a minute!" Alkira stepped in place anxiously, glancing between Lux and the destroyed mech. She took a few steps after him, quickly grabbing onto his clothing. 

"You're.. Coming back, right?"

"I'll be back... I just ... Need a few minutes alone" he looked to her. He gave her a small smiled before continuing for his camp. He needed to burry his past and he didn't want to bother them by telling them things that he frankly thought they wouldn't care about

The bat nodded slowly, releasing his clothing from her grasp as he continued on. She swallowed hard again, frowning as she collected herself enough to call after him, 

"Be careful!"

Lux smiled. "I've survive two years. I'll alright." He said 

Later he got to his camp starting a fire. He looked around at what he had reaching for a small picture Frame with three  panthers. Two boys and one little girl. Lux sniffled, wiping tears from his eyes till his ears twitched. "Who's there" he jumped.

(( I'm not sure how to reply to this. cx> Did you want me to reply with the noise being the bats? ))

(You can use mister curious Najara or alkira or both. I'll leave it up to you)

There was a brief silence, and slowly someone dropped from the trees. Alkira, alone this time. "It's.. just me.." She said slowly, walking toward him and the fire.

The sun had begun setting overhead, and the glow of the fire illuminated and warmed the area welcomingly. "Sorry.. I know you said you wanted to be alone, but.." She spoke softly, keeping her eyes on the little photo in his hands. Her ears flicked around curiously on the too of her head, and she continued her slow steps toward him.

Lux calmed down. "No it's alright. Come sit by the fire." He said sitting back down. He still held the picture. "So may I ask why you came out here to find me?" He was curious. Whether to ask for his protection or for her own reasons, before she seemed like she wanted nothing to do with him. Though her nephew seemed quite the opposite. But his eyes focused on alkira.

She nodded, moving to take a seat next to him, though not too close. The female gave a soft shrug at his question, to be honest she wasn't sure herself, "You just.. Seemed upset.." Alkira murmured, glancing at his photo out of the corner of his vision.

"What is that?" She asked slowly, motioning to the paper with the ends of one of her wings.

He lifted the picture. "This is a picture of my family" he pointed to the small female panther. "Melody, my little sister" he pointed to the large panther. "My older brother lance" he pointed to the last panther. "Me before I lost one of my arms and both my legs and a good portion of my face." He said handing her the picture. "My brother raised us, he worked for gun as a soldier and I wanted to be just like him. But when I was about thirteen, he was killed in action. My sister was about a year or two younger than me. She fell for a cat by the name Lucius. He was a bad man who was jealous of everything I had. I went to warn melody. But I was too late. He had killed her before blasting me with a beam that destoryed most of me. A friend of mine rebuilt my body like this. And after I could walk once more I left. I couldn't protect my sister like I promised my brother. And now they're both gone"

Alkira pursed her lips as she listened, her ears pivoted and fell to the sides of her head. Her visible eye danced around the picture, taking the curious object in. "I see.." She breathed, her good eye rolling upward to look over at him. "It sounds as though.. you've been through a lot.." 

"But why come here?" The female asked slowly. "If you were trying to escape it, it's clear that leaving your other home was no use. You may have changed your surroundings, but you're still here with these memories."

"Cause the memories are all I have left of the greatest man this world has ever known. And the kindest heart anyone would wish to have" he said. "I keep the memories to remember my family. They are my drive to become better than I was then." He looked to her. Then sighed looking to the fire. "I felt like I was with them again. When I fought the mech it felt like they were right there. Najara reminds me of melody. In a way"

"Najara?" Alkira echoed, her ears perking a little. "Why is that?" She glanced at the picture again before carefully handing it back over to the feline, returning her gaze to the fire as well.

"Melody always had her head in the clouds. Curious, she wouldn't stop worrying about me and lance. Najara am sorta acts the same way" he said. He thought for a moment. Then asked. "Alkira you saw me as more of a threat earlier, but now you treat me like a friend. Why the sudden change of heart? And don't say cause your afraid of me.