No Man's Land (Private)

[WolfumsTheGreat]

"If she'd like to stay, then she's welcome, and thank you," Sera told Danny, and Brigit as well. "I know a real nice recipe for some very special dog food," she told Brigit. Sera stroked her head a little more, waiting to see if the dog would remain there with her or not.
She stood up and moved over to her cabinet, pulling out the things she'd need.

[Muffinsquire]

Brigit stood up peering over in Sera's direction before her attention returned to the door that her master had left through. It had been left open...so perhaps he would be coming back. Of course, she didn't understand a word the two legs was saying. Her voice and commands were not recognizable like her master's but she seemed to be speaking softly and with a little excitement. It wasn't threatening at all.
Meanwhile Danny moved back into his own apartment to see what Bowen was up to. His companion was over in his desk in the corner poking and prodding at the remains of the four birds with metal needles and tweesers. It appeared he had replaced his usual set of glasses for a much thicker, larger pair. Was his eyesight that bad?

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Sera looked back at Brigit, then called her name for her to come over as she found her ingredients and sat them out. She had a little bit of duck and she cooked it lightly in a skillet. It was cut thinly enough that it cooked quickly.
"Try this," she told Brigit and held a small cooked piece for her to take. "Let me know if you like it," she smiled.

[Muffinsquire]

Brigit sniffed at the meat before taking it between her teeth and chomping it down quickly. She wasn't used to being fed such luxuries. She was more accustomed to just eating dry dog food mixed in with table scraps and that she normally shared with three other dogs. When she was done she gazed longingly up at Sera, licking her chops as if to beg for more.

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Sera smiled at Brigit and turned back to what she was doing. She finished up the gravy and then poured it over the slab of duck. She cooked three more slabs so Brigit could have some later.
"Here you go," she smiled at Brigit and sat the dish on the floor.

[Muffinsquire]

Brigit ducked her head, sniffing a little warily at the dish first before starting to devour it. It was only a few minutes before the duck was gone the dish licked completely clean.

"Find anything interesting yet," Danny asked after he poured himself and Bowen something to drink before finding himself at his friend's shoulder.
"There's nothing too unusual about the mechanics," Bowen answered, raising a small disk-like gear to examine it under what appeared to be a microscope that he had strapped to his face. "Hmm..." he muttered thoughtfully.
"What," said Danny bending a little lower as if he could see what Bowen might be pondering over.
"This gear is inscribed with four letters. But whether it is merely a code for the part or a industry logo I'm not sure. If it is the latter then I'm surely not familar with it."

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Sera let Brigit stay until she had finished, then she found one of her old hair brushes and brushed out Brigit's coat. It was rather filthy and she wondered if Danny normally tended to her or not. He had remarked that she had been an outside dog, so perhaps grooming wasn't a big deal at his household.
Finally, she took Brigit back over to Danny's apartment and made sure to bring the duck as well which was in a covered dish.
"I brought your d-dog back," Sera said a little timidly as she came in and closed the door behind her.

[Muffinsquire]

Danny was still looking over Bowen's shoulder, although the latter had moved to a different location now, to the couch, with a small holographic computer which was hovering in front of him. The former tore his attention away from the screen below and in front of him in order to look at the other two that had walked in. Brigit trotted over jovially and sat at her master's feet. Danny noticed how smooth and relatively clean her coat was.
"Well don't you look nice, girlie," he cooed, leaning over to scratch her ears and rub her shoulders. "I guess you did that," he said, looking up at Sera with a grin. "Thank you kindly. You didn't have to. I know Brigit's been needin' a bath."
Bowen looked up a moment later, whenever Danny was finished speaking.
"Ah, Sera," he said, adjusting his glasses, which he had replaced upon his nose after examinig the pieces of the birds. "Would you happen to be familar with these letters?" He had written them down on a piece of paper, which he help up for her to come and look. "I discovered them on a gear out of one of the birds. Upon further investigation, I discovered each one had an identical device. Do they mean anything to you?"

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Sera smiled at Danny, but only a slight smile as she sat the covered dish down on the counter.
"I was going to give her a bath, but I didn't know if there was a special way to do it because of her leg or not..." she said a little timidly. "Oh I um, I cooked Brigit some duck with a special gravy for dogs to go over top it. She liked her first helping and I made three more helpings for her whenever you feed her. The duck is supposed to help her coat and the gravy strengthens bones..."
She watched Brigit with her master and it made her begin to think about getting a dog. Then Bown's question brought her attention back.
She easily moved over to him, but about an arm's distance away while she looked at what he showed her.
"Those are the initials for the company that we ship our d-dyed materials out with... o-over the sea... b-but they're a food c-company. T-they wouldn't know the first thing about r-r-obotic birds..."

[Muffinsquire]

"Oh really," Bowen mused, looking up at her with interest before bringing the paper to his face in order to examine the letters even closer, as if he might find some hidden meaning in them that he missed. "Thank you...I'll keep researching."
Danny looked down at his friend before peering back up at Sera. Then his attention floated between her and the dish she had brought in for a moment.
"I didn't even know they made stuff like that," he said. "Thank you. I'm sure that'd be something nice to give her every now and then." He peered down at Brigit again who was now leaning against him as he scratched at her chin. "But we don't need to spoil you, now do we?" He then gazed back up at Sera. "And her leg comes off. I don't bathe her that much anyway."

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Sera's eyes became the size of golfballs at Danny's words. She was more than certain that she'd be too uncomfortable about that, so maybe it was just best that she didn't bathe Brigit.
"Well, it's cooked and it'll go to waste if you don't feed it to her soon."
She looked over at Brigit.
"Besides, I think she's w-worked hard enough to deserve it," she added before starting for the door. "T-thank you for letting me keep her for a little while."

[Muffinsquire]

Danny noticed that Sera seemed a little shocked, although he didn't know about what. The fact that Brigit's leg came off was almost as natural to him as it was natural for her to have fur. He took note of her advice though and thanked her again for brushing and feeding her.
"Let me know if anymore of them brids show up," he told her. At the thought he went to put the curtain down over their window. "We're right next door if you need any help."

[WolfumsTheGreat]

"I know," Sera said softly. She nodded her head and bid him goodbye, then scurried back over to her apartment.
Once in her apartment, she found cleaning as an agent to take her mind off what was going on.
Near the end of the day, people were allowed to go outside, for it seemed the birds were gone and Lizzie came home to Sera.
"Really? So the birds were like... in here?" Lizzie asked as they both sat down for supper.
Sera nodded her head.
"Yeah, it was really scary too," she added.

[Muffinsquire]

Whenever the warnings had subsided a little Danny took Brigit outside. She was becoming especially antsy from being inside all day. Bowen continued to shove his nose into research over what the purpose of the robotic birds might be and where they would have come from. He also kept the radio on for any other hints or news.
Later than evening, Danny gave Brigit a good bath and fed her a little more of the duck and gravy Sera had cooked. Afterwards he wandered into his room with nothing to do and tried to contact his family. He took had a computer, somewhat like Bowen's but it wasn't as complicated. He had it only for the sheer purpose of communication, not know how to use it any furhter.

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Lizzie told Sera about her sleep over and how much she enjoyed it. But she was scared because of the birds and wanted to come back to Sera. This put Sera's mind to ease about her and Lizzie a little and soon tucked Lizzie in to bed.
She stayed up, listening to the news.
She could hear the boys next door and every now and then she could hear Brigit's feet tapping over the floor.
She was growing tired, but she didn't want to sleep just in case something were to happen. She was extremely unnerved.