Sugarplums and Roasted Deer

[wolfie]

It had been a long day. Amaris was tired of wandering around and the sun was dipping low. She hadn't eaten, but catching things hadn't gone well that day. She sighed and settled down with her stomach mostly empty but not all. The three squirrels had done something to help just not enough. She grumbled a little wishing she had found more.

Sighing she got ready for bed. Nothing would bother her in this form considering most preferred to leave sleeping wolves, like bears, alone. She was glad of that. Amaris was considering changing into her human form, but she couldn't figure out why she would. It had been awhile since in that form. That wasn't reason enough though. Eventually sleep came to her.

While in her dream she was in a forest she didn't know. That didn't matter to her though she started to romp around when she smelled it. Her stomach seemed to even take her dreams away from her. She didn't care though as she started after the scent. It was over several hills she was lead. Finally when she thought she smelled someone roasting a deer she jumped over the hill to scare them away only to come face to face with a lion.

Stopping far enough away she growled not happy with this turn of events. She wanted the deer not to fight with some lion. She stayed in stance ready to pounce if needed. She knew better though lions were at the top for a reason.

[Tak]

Baihua was just about to tuck in to his deer. He didn't need to catch it of course, as this was a dream. He was the god of dreams. But then, he was interrupted. It was rare for someone to enter a strangers dream, but sometimes the dreams where out of sync. It was a werewolf. He immediately went into an aggressive stance. He could just banish her, but that would be no fun. He roared, but somehow it was perfectly understandable. "Get away! My deer!"

[wolfie]

She snarled not liking this one bit. Amaris heard what this one said wondering if perhaps she could be understood too. She growled, "yeah I heard lions were stingy bullies."

She wasn't sure what to do this was one heck of a fix. She hadn't ever challenged a lion before. She knew backing down wouldn't get her any of the deer. She also knew anything could happen in a dream.

"So now what?" She challenged still standing agressively. It was a mind game now she wondered just how sharp this lion was.

[Tak]

"What happens now? Strategy happens now. I am defence, you are offence. That means you go first." roared Baihua as he created an holy white aura around himself. "I must instruct you that I am no normal lion. I trust you have heard of the common gods that the humans worship? The true gods? I'll let you deduce it from there."

Surprised that she had not noted his white fur (and glorious mane), he laughed/roared. "Do not worry. I will go easy on you." and with that, his is almighty powers, the deer instantly cooked itself to perfection and telekinetically levitating 50 meters above the canopy. "I suppose this is a duel. You go first."

[wolfie]

Amaris watched expectantly. She thought it unfair that he moved the deer and wondered how he had cooked it like that. She knew it must be something in the dream. She listened but he wasn't making much sense.

"I'm a werewolf. I stay away from humans after what they did to me. So no I have no idea about their gods," she answered snarling some. She didn't like the sound of this lion going easy on her. She figured though she would take what advantages she could get.

Amaris was curious about the aura around this lion. She didn't like the looks of it. A duel okay then. Hmmm now what? She thought wondering what this one's weaknesses were. It was never easy finding them.

"Why does offense go first? That doesn't make sense to me," she said wondering if she could distract the lion at all.

[Tak]

"Offence goes first because they attack. It is simple rules of warfare. Unless of course the defence gets their defences up in time to attack first, which isn't likely. This has been integrated into defence/offence duels ever since. And as you have failed to deduce, I am a God. I am the third being in existence. I am Baihua, god of dreams, Lions, albinos, fate, white and occasionally when Bigionon (Just made up a Goddess!) is off duty, fortune and fortune tellers." roared Baihua as the firmly had his paws/claws on the floor.

"You win by either getting to the prize or defeating me." roared the god as the deer lowered to the top of the tree in front of it. "The deer is now reachable if you can get up there. My aim is to defeat you and defend the prize. Now begin."

[wolfie]

Hmm.... she was liking this to some degree. Then she heard this was a god she was going up against. Not just any god either but the god of dreams. This was shaping up just like the rest of her day. She had a feeling she should just learn to be hungry. Suddenly she had an idea.

"Rules of warfare? Please I'm a wolf why would I care about rules?" Amaris answered knowing it was just a ploy. She knew the rules of fighting, but she didn't have to appear smart.

"Fine with me," she told the lion then laid down and closed one eye keeping the other open. She didn't think this would work, but it was worth a try. Her family had done it enough so she knew the outcome if it did work.

[Tak]

"Uh... what are you doing?" roared the god in confusion. "Fine. more for me."
Baihua climbed and jumped up the trees to around half-way up. "Come on." roared the being, waiting for a response.

[wolfie]

Amaris was glad she had confused him. She just lay there though smiling. More for him I don't think so. She thought making her first dream wish. She changed the deer into a statue opening her other eye and looking upward. This should be good. She thought chuckling. Sure she was going up against a dream god, but hey this was her dream after all. He wanted to play that she could do.

"Come on for what? I don't do tricks and I don't have to move," she said glad it was a dream. She could just relax there and see what this silly god would do now that he had a statue to eat.

[Tak]

"Nice try." roared the god. "But alas, you forget, this is my realm." he continued as the lion 'locked' the statue, making only him able to change it. Then he stopped it floating, which would make it fly towards the ground with the power of gravity, which would squash the werewolf like it wasn't there. But that wouldn't happen as it would freeze a centimetre before it would kill the beast, surely frightening it, then would fly back up again and turned into the deer again, this time it was twice as large and had a near hypnotic odour. "It earns you double pleasure to deceive the deceiver."

[wolfie]

Amaris didn't even flinch as the statue came at her. She knew this was a dream the one place she didn't have to worry about something killing her. She could get scratched and it wouldn't even hurt. Stretching and yawning she got up wondering what was next. An idea came to her. She walked over to a nearby area and thought of a stream. This was perfect. She had to walk through some bushes to get to the stream.

Once in the bushes she had a duplicate of her made and sent it forward for a nice long drink. She also desired to be invisible, but wasn't sure that was going to work. She had a feeling she would have to use her hunting methods instead. She carefully moved to the base of the tree wondering how long he would be watching her drink.

I can do this. I'll just climb to the prize and he'll be defeated. Simple sometimes is the best way to it. She thought keeping quiet. She didn't want to alert him too soon.

[Tak]

"Fine. Go drink." roared the lion. He knew what was going on. It was his realm. He knew what happened in it. Baihua floated up to the deer and started to nibble on it, to tease the wolf.

While that happened some tentacles came out of the lake and took the doppelganger with it. "You're not the best trickster."

[wolfie]

Okay so I lost that round as well. I must not be as hungry as I thought. Hey now that's not right oh well. She thought wondering what she could do next. Sighing she sat at the base of the tree holding the prize while she thought of her next move. She smiled and moved away from the tree as if something was wrong with it.

She walked over to the meadow nearby and just laid down like she wanted nothing to do with the meat after all. She could see worms or something being in there after all this was a God she was dealing with. Besides if she wasn't showing interest maybe the lion would lose interest too.

"I'll just have to work on my trickster ways then. Oh well I was tried of watching myself any ways," she said another thought coming to her. She waited though to see if pretending not to want it would work out.

[Tak]

Baihua had the expression on his face that is the equivalent of a facepalm. "Use your logic, if you have any. I am the God of dreams. What do I do? I make dreams. How do I know how to make the dreams? By knowing your desires. How do I know your desires? I'm a God, what don't I know? Don't answer that. I know you want it." roared the god circling the wolf as if it where property. "Your stomach is also rumbling, that helps."

The wolf would wake up soon, nearly fully rested. Time works differently in dreams.

[wolfie]

"You may make the dreams but we live in them," she said realizing the problem here. She wasn't going against anything she had been up against before. She was at a stalemate in the fact that this was a god. She suddenly had an idea though.

"This is my dream. Anything is possible," she said making another deer appear before her. It was dead so she wouldn't have to go after it.

"It stands to reason with the logic that we should't fight each other. You have yours I have mine. Now if only this wasn't just a dream and it was real. Then I wouldn't have to worry about food in real time. Can you do anything about that?" She said looking up at the lion before taking her first bite. It felt good to be eating and tasted wonderful.

[Tak]

The wolf has about to wake. The deer suddenly smelled horrid as it turned rotten and green. Baihua also locked it, stopping it from being changed. "I could go on forever on the philosophies of dreams, but I will put it short. In the ever-present kindness of my heart, I gave mortals and immortals alike rest, sleep and dreams. This is your gift. A Game. Play by the rules, at least."

"A mortal cannot beat an immortal at the immortal's own game. You are starting to wake up. Make this fast."

[wolfie]

Her meat had turned bad, and she was growing tired of this being. She was hoping she would wake up before she had to do anything more in this tiresome game. She wondered why this being was so annoying. One thing Amaris was wishing was to be in a different dream.

"Not a bad gift at all unless its a nightmare or annoying. Hey now, you know that was a perfect end to that game. We both didn't win or didn't lose. It wasn't a tie though," she said trying to buy some time. If she woke she would be out of this game. It wouldn't matter if it was won or not.

[Tak]

Baihua was liking this wolf. It was better then the savage rest. What annoyed Baihua though, was that she didn't know she would get a prize if she played the game. A shame, on her part. Although, this was entertaining, and she may deserve a reward. Baihua thought of a prize before even think of answering. "Shall I remind you again?" asked the god rhetorrically (spelling right?), to be continued with "Few who meddle with gods in such a way survive to tell the tale."

((You post, then you wake up in my post. OK?)

[wolfie]

"Are you saying I won't wake up or that something bad will happen to me in the real world? This is just a dream," she said not believing this one bit. She wondered if she would remember the dream after she woke. She hardly ever did, but this wasn't a normal hunting trip.

"I didn't come across your path to meddle. You have the deer and when I tried to make both parties happy you made mine bad. I can't make yours bad as you will just undo anything I try. My strategies aren't working either. We are at a stalemate," she said knowing when to toss in the towel. She would go on hungry forever. She would be waking up soon any ways.

"Besides I'll wake refreshed and ready to catch maybe a rabbit or two. So thank you for the lovely view," she said referencing the deer. It was over she would wake soon enough.

((That sounds like a good idea. Okay with me. :D))

[Tak]

 "You cannot be at a stalemate if you aren't playing the game." said the god as the wolf seemed to wisk away, fading. "Farewell."

When the wolf got up, she would see two things. Number one was the deer, the prize. It was the same size as in the dream. Number two was armor. It fit her perfectly. It was made of a marbley pearly substance encrusted with diamonds. It is near-impenetrable and extremely light, not restricting any movement. Baihua had made it that this dream would be remembered.

Wind flew throughout the trees as a booming familiar roar was heard, poetically.

"You encountered the game, 
You saw no purpose,
Does it's ruler have bane?
And why would he hurt us?
You saw his white presence as well as his mane,
oh how he has a clear surplus,
Then all of your efforts where in vain,
To him, you look like a purpose.
Then again, he put you to shame...
He saw no good reason to not make you a carcass,
And last of all, you came,
And here comes Marcus, all steel-clad and shirtless,
Oh, he is so very murderous, sword-in-hand and worthless.

This is the story of the White Lion and the Black Wolf. He's hopeless."

It was a wonderful poem. This 'Marcus' was a aggressive warrior that stumbled here and is about to attack the werewolf. "The Deer and Armor is yours. Now go, and play the game that is."