FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The retriever yipped with excitement as the plane touched down, the skies outside as blue as blue could be - a far cry from the stormy skies of England he had left. His brown coat glistened; his blue eyes glittered with excitement as he fidgeted in his seat, unclasping the safety belt to get ready to disembark. As the stewardess motioned for his set of seats to move on, he bounced to his heels, the floppy eyes he claimed were his bane, but really loved bounced on his head.

As soon as he got outside the plane and into the airport, he could really feel the difference in temperature outside - his tongue instantly descended to trail between his teeth, the brown-furred retriever already panting at the heat which made him almost reel. Just by looking around and listening, he could tell that he was going to love this three month holiday in Australia.

He inhaled, catching all the different scents and smells from the airport. The smells that caught his main attention came from those canines and lupines that littered the airport - though Diago had to blush and look away whenever he caught sight of one of the Chinese or Mexican Cresteds. He didn't see it right that a dog could be so...naked!

His rudder-like tail began to wag furiously back and forth, his eyes running over everyone around him as he made his way through security so he could go grab his luggage. He was so enchanted by everything he saw that his tattered brown and black cases with the blue tags on went around twice before he noticed them. Blushing under his brown fur, he grabbed the pair of cases off the luggage carousel and swung them to the floor.

The only stickers to be on the cases were different ones from Ireland - the place where most his family still lived. He already had plans for a sticker on each, proudly proclaiming him taking the biggest step he could and travelling to the other side of the world. As soon as he walked outside and out the way of the door, he stopped again, looking around and grinning widely as he just...watched the busy bustle that was almost identical to the one he had left in England.

The only two differences he could see were that everybody here was either in shorts (for the guys), shorts and a t-shirt (almost everyone else) and the rare person had on a sun-dress just to provide themselves with a bit of much-needed air. Even Diago had to make allowances for the heat, already prepared for his flight by wearing a pair of Bermuda-patterned shorts and a matching shirt.

He soon shook himself off, beginning to pant slightly as the heat really got to him. He must have needed a drink more than he realised, which meant he had to find a taxi now. He was surprised but happy to see that he could instantly tell just what cars were cabs and what weren't. The big yellowy-orange cars were instantly recognisable as taxis - but Diago felt a little silly. He should have realised that the queues of people disappearing inside what had to be air-conditioned luxury were getting into taxis!

He soon smiled a little when he realised just how silly he looked, gawking. He didn't want to seem like too much of a tourist, suddenly grateful he didn't seem like one of those tourists who wandered around taking snaps of everyone - his camera was safely away in his bag, along with the address of the house he had rented for his stay.

As soon as he sat down in the taxi, he had to breathe a sigh of relief. There was something the cool air that was almost warm, but still wonderful to him.

"Arvo sir. Glad ya got in my cab instead of one of those bodgy ones. Where ya headed, the back of Bourke?" As soon as Diago peered through the seats, he noticed just what the driver was, and for a moment he felt his brown eyes widen as he shuffled back in his seat. The UK didn't have any crocodiles in it; it was too cold and dreary for the scaly creatures to be comfortable.

The driver, noticing Diago's face growled out a giggle. He didn't know what it was about those innocent holiday-goers that had him trying to scare them, but they soon relaxed around him when they realised just how sweet he was really. Even so, the retriever looked confused enough at the slang the croc used...but he was smart underneath the shy exterior, and caught on quickly.

"Actually, I wrote the address down, here it is!" He thrust the torn piece of paper out from in his pocket, the address written in black ink with a neat paw. The driver scanned the paper before nodding, turning to the retriever only when he'd put his foot down and started on his way.

"Ya can roll the window down, ya know! Don't all you dogs like tha breeze on ya faces?" Diago yipped again before nodding, rolling the window down swiftly and sticking his head out the window.

The breeze from the car moving had his tongue lolling from his mouth again, the croc laughing as he continued to drive towards the small house. It was on the suburban side of town, more relaxed and quieter than the city - and the croc knew himself that the houses this side had their own swimming pools and the neighbours tended to be just that - friendly and welcoming to all those visitors.

He even thought about warning the dog about the dangers that lay nearer to the wilds of Australia, but he shrugged. The canine was having too much fun with the breeze in his fur and surely he would have already researched the dangers. The spiders...the snakes...even the sharks, if he happened to go surfing! As it was, he pulled up outside the house, braking slowly enough that the dog didn't hurt his neck by suddenly stopping. As soon as his head was indoors, he had his hand in his pocket, pulling out the money he had already had converted from pounds to Australian dollars.

"Tha'll be $25 please! And remember, muh name is Steve, and you can call for me any time ya need a bonza driver." Diago nodded, passing the money over then hopping out with his cases. He wasn't too confused by the way the houses and roads were laid out. He was too excited, counting the numbers along the side of the road to try and find which one was his. As soon as he saw the number 2438, he yipped again, bouncing on his heels as his tails wagged furiously behind him.

Now...where had the holiday adviser said the key would be found? Diago frowned a little before remembering - the key would be left at 2440. His next-door neighbour had it! He was so anxious to get inside the little one-storey home that he dumped his bag upon the porch and then almost bounced his way to the neighbour's house, tapping on the door politely before dropping his paws awkwardly down by his side and dropping his eyes down.

He hated just forcing his company on someone else, especially when he didn't know who that someone was - but when the door wasn't answered he whined softly before knocking again. This time he put a little more of that retriever strength behind the blow, and wagged his tail as he heard a rather feminine, English sounding voice growl out at him.

"Okay, okay! I'm coming. Just let me grab a towel!"

He relaxed pretty quickly, his tail wagging as he fastened his arms in front of him and waited patiently, his only unusual feature, his eyes, fixed on the door. He blushed when the dog opened the door - he'd never met this breed before, only admired them from afar. She was wrapped in a rather small towel, the exposed fur mostly white but with splodges and swirls of blue, black and tan. His tail sped up with the wagging as he looked up at her, into the mismatched eyes that dominated her face and slender muzzle.

"Hey! You're pretty...erm..." He coughed and dropped his head down, blushing again before tilting his head up at her briefly. "My name is Diago Heanor; I was told you'd have the keys for 2438?" She nodded, before smiling at him, clearly amused by the shyness.

"Come on inside, let me hunt the key out for you. Come on, make yourself at home. I don't bite, unless you want me to." As soon as she muttered that, she winked at him, his wagging tail slowing down before flicking furiously again as he walked cautiously into the house.

"So what are you doing here in Australia? I know you're meant to be on holiday, but surely you've got plans. Can be boring to stay in one place for too long, you know." Her voice rang over her shoulder as she hunted through the nearest set of drawers. Their tails wagged as they relaxed almost instantly in each other's company, the pair finding themselves more relaxed than even the retriever could imagine being.

"I'm an artist. I'm hoping to draw some of the more unusual animals here. You know, the Kookaburra, the snakes. Nothing too dangerous really!" Diago panted lightly still, excited to have made a friend already. He didn't have many friends at home as it was so to have made a friend already - that he didn't expect in the slightest. Soft yips sounded as the Australian Collie pulled out the key triumphantly, on a key-ring that actually made Diago blush so much that his cheeks felt like they were burning. He'd never seen a play-fur key-ring before...especially not one where they had a half-naked dog, clearly a wolf-mix by her colouring emblazoned for everyone to see.

As soon as Angel saw the reaction, she smirked at him, slinking over to him and sitting beside him, dropping the key into his lap. She tilted her head a little, her triangular ears perked as she noticed the flicking tongue, curling over his teeth.

"An artist, eh? I'll go and get you a drink before walking you around and showing you around the house. You have your own pool, but we share the rear porch-way. Don't worry; I don't wander about naked too often." She couldn't resist teasing her new neighbour; she loved the flustered way he started to stammer before just giving up and dropping his eyes into his lap, unable to say anything else.

"T-that'd...that'd be lovely. Thanks. And...can I ask your name please, ma'am?" As soon as he called her that old-fashioned name, she stumbled to a halt, almost tripping over her own feet as she started to snigger over her shoulder at him.

"My name is Angel, Diago. You should remember that, because I'm honestly no angel!" She giggled again, stalking into the kitchen and losing the towel in the process. She didn't care; her bikini covered enough of her up to be modest, in her eyes at least. She poured two tall glasses with homemade, tart lemonade, topping it up with ice and a slice of lime to counter the bitterness. She grabbed the condensation-covered glasses, yipping softly when the coldness seeped through her fur and against her paw, swiftly walking back to the chocolate-pelted retriever.

He blushed again, dropping his eyes so he didn't stare at the almost luminous pink costume which just barely covered him, but accepted the glass eagerly. He sipped on the drink cautiously, before making that odd canine purr.

"This is really, really good Angel. Perfect considering I was so thirsty!" He gulped down the sweet and bitter concoction, his tail wagging again against the couch. She sipped her own drink, propping herself up with her hip as she watched him. He even fished the ice cubes out - something she found rather sweet as she watched the way he crunched on the ice with evident pleasure.

"You ready to head around now? Don't forget the key!" He blushed, before downing the last of the glass and walking around her to the kitchen where he placed the glass gently before turning to find her close - so close he could feel the heat from her body against his own. He sidled away from her, stooping to pick the key up and then walking outside as he waited for her.

He didn't know why Angel treated him like she did - it confused and bewildered the friendly dog. Even more so when she brushed his shoulder with her hand, now wrapped in this floaty...thing that barely even hid those rather pretty patterns in her fur. "Come on then, Diago! Let's get going, then we'll light a barbie and have some steaks and potatoes. I have to give my neighbour a welcome to Australia party, don't I?"

Diago blushed again, before sighing, becoming rather resigned to the fact that she was planning on embarrassing him more. His tail continued to wag slowly, his ears perked and he soon yipped as they stepped together into the shade of the porch. Diago hesitated before putting the key in the door, his floppy ears perking as much as they could.

"Don't I need to go food shopping? I didn't grab anything when I was in the city..."

Angel hushed him up with a finger over his lips, grinning wickedly at him. "Don't worry! We make sure there's always some food in the houses that we rent out. You've got enough there to last you a month, unless you eat far too much - which it doesn't look like you do. You seem pretty in shape to me." She winked at Diago again, delighting in the shyness she caught in his eyes.

He just nodded without speaking, too flustered to even mutter a proper sentence as he finally undid the door and then sighed with relief at the blast of cool air that ran over his fur. He shivered in enjoyment, luxuriating in the feeling for a few moments before stepping inside. His tail wagged again as he inhaled the light scent of lemon, and underneath that, the scent of Angel. He turned to her, his head cocked to the side as he spoke to her.

"I'm guessing you clean this house too? I can smell you've been here quite a bit..."

Angel just nodded, grabbing his cases for him and swinging them inside the door and propping them up by the wall.

"Feel free to explore and have a nap. My number is beside the phone if you have any questions; I'll knock for you in a couple of hours for dinner. Can't have you going without now, can I?" Her tail wagged as she turned away from him, calling over her shoulder. "And make sure you keep the lid down in the toilet. Spiders like to crawl in there and wait for unsuspecting people!"

As soon as he heard that, he paused with a whine, before shaking his head, shouting back at her just as the door closed.

"I'm not afraid of some small spider! I'm a big, strong dog, aren't I?"

*****

Angel frowned as she knocked at the door for the third time in five minutes. How could Diago have slept this long? Surely it wasn't right for even a dog to sleep this much - the time-zones weren't that much different! She grabbed the key she had for emergencies only and stalked in the house, listening as she heard laughter coming from down the hall. She soon frowned, and snuck up the long hall, her nose twitching.

She could only smell the dog here, and it made her ears flick as she sniffed again. What on earth was he doing? She growled in her throat as she snuck forwards, her eyes closing as she let her nose do all her work. She soon shook her head and openly stepped forwards just as Diago lifted up what looked surprisingly like a large spider on a stick. She frowned before snarling as she leapt to his side.

Her hand rested upon his shoulder, pulling him away from the brown spider scurrying almost determinedly towards his paw. Her tail curled between her legs as Diago's wagged. His blue eyes looked up at her, confusion clear as he bounced on his heel and yipped quietly.

"Look! I've made a friend. He was in the corner of the room, all lonely...so I wanted to put him outside." Her hand cuffed around his ears, making him yip and flinch as he rubbed his head, dropping the spider onto the ground and growling.

"That's a huntsman spider! They can kill you if you're not very lucky!" She shook her head at him, looking about before opening the window, carefully picking up the spider on the stick and flicking it outside. He turned to watch her, frowning a little before standing up and sitting on the toilet, the lid carefully placed down.

"I'd held him once, but he ran away. I told you, spiders never bother me. I like them! And I don't believe that Bob would have hurt me."

The dog blinked as she looked at him, tilting her head as her eyes widened enough to show the white of her eyes - something not seen normally on any canine. "You held it? And named it Bob? Really?" She shook her head at him, sighing a little before standing up and stepping closer to him. Her tail remained down between her legs, her ears flattened against her head as she forced him to look into her eyes. "Diago, listen to me. You can't just go around and picking up wildlife willy-nily. It's dangerous."

As Diago looked into Angel's eyes, he tipped her head to the side and really focused on her eyes. He'd not realised that she had one blue eye and that the brown eye had a thin sliver of the same almost ice-cold blue. So caught in her eyes, she had to shake him to get his attention, dragging a growl from the retriever as he shook then whined an apology at her.

"Yes Angel. I understand...he just...looked like the spiders when I was at home. And Bob seemed harmless really he did."

Angel growled, grabbing his hand and towing him from the house to the shared back-porch. She had already lit the barbie and had four thick-cut pieces of steak already loaded on a plate ready for grilling. More of the lemonade Diago had enjoyed sat on table she'd laid out with plates, knives and forks. Potatoes were steaming in a bowl, all ready for eating bar the steaks being cooked.

"Listen to me, Diago. If you see a spider like Bob or a little black spider - don't pick it up. They can and will kill you by biting you, and I don't want to see that happening to you. You are too sweet to be bitten by a spider, surely you know that?" Angel tipped her head to the side, tapping her foot on the floor and waiting for him to acknowledge her.

Diago nodded a little, his ears flattening back as he dropped his head and muttered softly.

"I got some pictures of him, anyway. He'll make a good art subject to submit to some magazines. That gives me some extra spending money if I'm lucky enough to have them accepted." Angel blinked at him before shaking her head, calling over her shoulder at him again - one of her favourite things to do, he guessed.

"How'd you like your steak grilled? Rare, medium rare or charcoal? And help yourself to the lemonade and lime slices. Just leave me some, if you can!" He thought it over and frowned a little before shrugging.

"Medium rare, if you can, Angel."

She nodded, carefully dropping two of the steaks onto the steaming grill. The retriever downed a tall glass of the tangy lemonade, letting out a happy growl when he let the tartness slide down his throat, his tail flicking about hard enough to thump on the chair he had plopped himself into.

"So what do you do for a living? I guess you can't survive on cleaning the house next door." The Australian collie female shook her head, shooting him a rather flirtatious grin as she shook her rump.

"Can't you guess, sugar?" He blinked at her, panic and embarrassment filling his cheeks and eyes in the same instant, beginning to stammer again before he blushed.

"Erm...I...erm...I don't know...some sort of...model?" He stammered and stuttered his way through the sentence, hiding his face away from the grinning dog.

"I'm a teacher, you silly pup! But thank you kindly for the compliment. I've not got it in me to be a model; I love my food and my puddings far too much." She grinned at him, taking the steaks from the grill and dropping them both onto a plate without checking them. "These should be done perfectly, so make sure you eat up. I'm sure you need the protein to keep yourself up and awake."

The retriever nodded, his nose flaring and a thin line of drool slipping from his lip lightly. He whimpered as he sat back, the manners his mother taught him compelling him to wait until Angel had her own plate in front of her - which was when he really fell on his food, bolting it down even as he cut it up.

There was something about the almost perfect cooked steak and the soft, fluffy baked potatoes that struck him as perfect. His stomach was growling as he ate, though every bite seemed to soothe the savage beast further down and back into its cage. His tail wagged as he slowed down after the first steak, shocked to find Angel matching him bite for bite in a way that had his eyes widening even as he grinned a little.

She really was a sweetie, to have eaten so much so that he didn't feel as out of place as he did. Their tails wagged almost in synch, their eyes bright as they relaxed into the silence which needed no speech. Diago was calmed by the food, the company and the atmosphere even as the sugar in the lemonade tried to push him towards the hyper side of his personality - the side which made him very much embarrassed to be a retriever.

Known for being a hyper dog, Diago never proved to be any different, especially not since, unknown to him Angel had added an extra ingredient into the lemonade. A healthy dash of vodka provided it with more of a kick, though the effect on the retriever was almost hilarious to the she-dog, though she showed no outward signs of laugher, merely dropping her eyes sedately.

Angel sniggered under her breath as she steadily watched the retriever's eyes go out of focus, the occasional hiccup making him giggle even as he left food on his plate, possibly the first time ever, for the young dog at least. He tried to stand up, only to collapse back against his seat with a helpless bark of hysteria, having started to giggle, then chuckle at nothing in particular. His tail became all the more vigorous, the thickly muscled semi-limb really beginning to beat the chair.

All of a sudden, Diago collapsed backwards with a surprised yelp that had Angel, who was clever enough to drink sparingly of the spiked lemonade, leaping to her feet to peer at him. As soon as she saw the dog clutching his stomach as he tried not to laugh, she relaxed, slinking towards him and giggling herself.

"Come on you, let's get you round home and to bed...and I'll check that 'Bob' hasn't come back. If you're in this state and he's there then I don't think I can trust you to behave."

The second the pretty dog narrowed her eyes at him, he burst into giggles and guffaws that rocked his body enough to almost make her fall over. She merely shook her head, making a mental note to do this in HIS place next time. It didn't matter though, her tail even wagged lightly back and forth as he reeled and tried to weave his 'straight' path towards where she needed him to be. She cheated a little, leading the way through the back door and then letting him flop onto the bed in the nearest room.

She left him a brief note, fastening it to the fridge underneath a magnet which matched the key-ring that had the dog blushing so much this morning. She'd smelt his embarrassment, so this was the perfect way to make him shy again.

Hey sugar.

You must have been jetlagged last night; you fell asleep while eating so I led you home. If you have a headache, painkillers are in the drawer beside this. Come around to see me, I'll have some breakfast waiting for you.

_ _

Have fun!

Angel

_ _

She giggled a little as she walked around the house quickly, removing any four-legged intruders with a glass and a piece of paper. She was careful the entire time, growling at the huntsman spider she swore was the identical one as previously.

"Damn you spider, I swear if you could grin then you'd be showing me your horrible little teeth and laughing at me. Go back there again and you'll become squished! Get me?" As soon as she tossed the long-legged hairy invader she groaned softly.

"Now look at me! I'm talking to a flaming spider for goodness sake. I'm going to bed." She nodded her head, determined to sleep quickly and before she found another spider in the house. Even after living in Australia for so many years, she still hated the sight of spiders, having invested in a spray for along all open services...though she frowned and realised that soon enough she'd be bringing it next door so Diago didn't end up bitten and ill - that never looked good to potential clients, after all, did it?

She soon shook her head and groaned to herself. She needed to clean up after the meal and get to bed. She hurried the chore, soaking all the dishes she had used and making that she had doused the barbecue fully. The remainder of vodka-spiked lemonade was placed in the refrigerator and the steaks wrapped up and set on a different shelf. A quick shower meant that the female dog was just about ready for bed, and as she fell down into her bed she had to yawn.

She couldn't even be bothered to read her book, a thriller by top author Gary Shepherd. Her eyes fluttered closed as she remembered the rather crazy talking retriever and the way he had acted tonight. It made her smile as she drifted off into peaceful sleep that was only added by the air-conditioning she had cranked up as high as it could go to keep her bedroom cold.

*****

For a few weeks, the pair socialised daily, Angel occasionally becoming a part of the sketches he drew. They grew to know the eccentricities of each other, the small things which made them angry. Occasionally Diago would annoy Angel by getting too close to the spiders she saw as dangerous, despite the fact that they all seemed to be rather laidback and placid in his company. She even took to replenishing the spray daily, so Diago couldn't sneak a dangerous spider into the house where it could escape from him, lay eggs then hatch out thousands of the vile arachnids.

*****

"Come on Angel! We should go for a hike. Come on! I need to start sketching other things, my bosses will get snarly with me if I only have spider pictures." The pretty dog groaned, running through the problems the dog could stumble upon in the forests where he wanted to hike. Snakes, spiders, ants...even wild packs of dingoes and wild dogs could quite easily wander upon them for a yummy snack. As it was, the constant pleading combined with a soulful puppy-dog expression had her sighing in a way that Diago knew he'd won. He wrapped his arms around her and growled thanks in her ear.

Oblivious to the blush that rose in Angel's cheeks after the growl, Diago scurried off into his house and snatched up two sketchbooks, a dozen pencils and a large bottle of water, all of which he chucked into his rucksack and threw over his shoulder. A soft, yipping growl spilled from his lips as she squirmed about excitedly, his ears perking and tail wagging, as it always did.

Angel took longer to get ready, changing into linen trousers which were lighter around her legs but long enough to protect her from any bites or stings. She was more prepared than Diago, packing a quick lunch and two large bottles of water. She also grabbed a camera, her cell phone and a can of pepper spray- with any canine, the pepper spray would destroy any sense of smell that they had. A second burst and they'd be nose blind for life.

Quiet growls made Angel aware of just how eager he was to get out the house so she shuddered, growled herself and then stalked out her room, dumping the second bottle of water in his rucksack. At his enquiring whine, she merely lifted an eyebrow at him and huffed softly.

"You are bigger than me, so you can carry more weight. And you'll drink more water than I will." A snort made her shake her head at the dog before slinking forwards again, her tail curled against her hip.

"Hey! Hey Angel? Please don't be mad at me. If you don't want us to hike, I can always go on my own. I'm sure I can find my way around with a map. And a GPS system. Really, I can!" Angel shook her head, sighing as she counted down from ten.

"I'm not angry with you, Diago. You just need to listen to me, do not get close to the snakes and if I tell you to do something, then you do it!"

Diago nodded, accepting Angel as the Alpha of this expedition, but his capitulation soon eased as he bounced on his heels and wagged his tail all at the same time. "Alright then Diago. Let's go. You need to hurry up though; it gets really hot out here, really quick. And when it's hot the snakes are too active for you to sketch." He nodded; restraining himself as Angel walked to the back of her garden then pushed open the gate that led to the trees that made up the back garden.

Diago inhaled as he walked, quivering in delight at the scent which filled his nostrils and made him slowly relax. He loved to be out in the wilderness, where his ancestors, once wolves, made their homes. His keen blue eyes flicked about, seeking a reptilian hint which was the snake he needed. He was mostly quiet, the pair just keeping their eyes out for the snakes they knew could be within striking distance at all times.

A rattling hiss made both of them jump- before they spotted the small snake that swiftly disappeared into the undergrowth before Angel had a chance to grab her camera and snap a picture of it. Instead they both carried on walking, occasionally poking about curiously in the crevasses between immense tree roots. They were both on alert, even Diago sobering up a little at the thought of being bitten out here. He could so easily die if that happened. A growl rumbled his chest as he thought of something worse than that.

What if Angel ever got bitten? He'd never, ever be able to forgive himself if that happened, because he really liked the crazy collie who didn't hesitate to show too much fur off, make him blush and mother him all at the same time. Their tails wagged lightly, in unison with the others. Diago let out an excited yelp, and bolted through the trees, utterly ignoring the panicked shouts of Angel from behind him.

When Angel had followed his trail far enough, she frowned a little, tilting her head as she watched the way he was still, apt with what he was seeing and instinctively sketching the shapes in front of him. She watched him sketch for a few minutes before stalking up to his side and peeping over his shoulder. She grinned when she spotted the family of wallabies, almost posing for the dog as though he didn't actually scare them.

As soon as they spotted her, they scattered, the collie giving a vague whine before flattening her eyes and sighing softly. "What is it about you, Diago? All animals seem to like you, let you closer and without harming you or running away. It must be your amazingly sweet disposition."

Diago grinned as the shepherd spoke, his tail wagging slowly back and forth. His head shook and his ears flopped down over his eyes as he blinked at Angel.

"I'm just a fun kinda dog, and they know it! I love the animals. That's how I was playing with Bob and he didn't bite me!" She growled at the memory. She still couldn't believe that he'd played with a potentially deadly spider.

He grinned at her, before grabbing his camera and stretching, pouting in the direction of the wallabies. A soft sigh rippled his chest before he carried on, his keen eyes looking about for the first signs of snakes. Angel's quiet gasp had him twisting around. He raced to her side as she pulled herself back to her feet, a soft moue of pain spilling from her lips.

"Stupid rabbit holes! I really hate those little furred creatures. Just wait. We'll be having rabbit for dinner tonight!"

She narrowed her eyes enough that Diago shuddered at the blood-thirsty look in her eyes. He turned his head over his shoulder and whined longingly, just gently enough that Angel almost missed the sound.

"I'll help you home Angel. We'll come out here when your ankle is better. Can't we?" As he tipped his head to the side, Angel patted his arm, smiling at him though the look of annoyance still smouldered in her mismatched eyes.

"I'll be fine, Diago. I'll sit here and rest for a while and if I see a rabbit...it's dinner." Her soft snarl was loud in the sudden silence of the forest, though soon enough Diago bounced on his heels.

"I won't be too long! I just want some pictures to get some sketches from. I promise!" Her nod went unnoticed as he turned, rushing headlong into the trees so fast that his chocolate coat was almost a blur.

Diago soon forgot all about his promise to Angel as he stepped deeper into the trees, his keen eyesight catching sight of all those movements that were the animals moving, nature shifting to settle down in its grasp. His tail still constantly wagged but finally he discovered what he was looking for.

A sinuous body hung from a tree branch, draped over it like a vine. He gave an excited yip, his tail wagging slowly back and forth as normal. He lifted the camera to his eyes and began to take as many snaps as he could of the enormous brown-scaled snake. He ran practised eyes over the snake, cocking his head to the side as he realised just how long this was.

Almost six feet long and quite chunky around the middle, the snake soon lifted up its head and hissed softly. Diago took no notice, zooming in his camera to catch some decent views of the short teeth which were bared in an almost grimace of anger. The retriever unthinkingly held out his arm and after a short hesitation, the snake slithered slowly onto the outstretched limb. Diago staggered underneath the unexpected weight but as soon as the snake was around his shoulders he was instantly more relaxed.

That was how Angel found him, curled up with the snake while he was napping. The snake was warm, cosy and settled where it lay around the dog, his tail occasionally wagging as he flicked his ears and stroked his cheek against the smooth scales. The Australian shepherd sighed, shaking her head before she approached the snake and Diago. She prodded the dog in the nose, using a long stick and growled his name, frowning.

"Diago...psst! Diago! Get up, it's dinner time!" At the word dinner, the retriever shot upright and yelped when the snake tightened around him in an instinctive reaction to being moved about. When he settled, the snake slowly slithered off from around him, tongue flicking about in search of a meal. Diago watched, snapping another picture before he turned his head around to Angel and then tilted his head a little.

He could see that she wasn't impressed with him, and his ears splayed as he uttered a quiet whine and rolled his brown eyes up at her. She bit her lip, unable to really be angry at the dog that had apparently perfected the puppy-dog look. She sighed, shook her head and finally uttered a quiet growl as she relaxed a little.

"Diago....what did I tell you? You know that the wildlife here is dangerous. You can't keep thinking that it's your tame, British wildlife. It's deadly to make mistakes like that here. I don't want you to die - I want us to be friends!"

"I'm sorry, Angel. I didn't mean to upset you. I keep forgetting and really...the animals here don't seem to be any problem, at least....not with me, anyway."

The pair turned around, walking back through the trees slowly. There wasn't much that they could do except head home for something to eat. Diago bounced on his heels suddenly, clutching his camera in his hand.

"I know Angel! I'll cook for us tonight. You cooked last night so it's only fair! I know what I want, anyway. And you should like it!" When Angel turned her head, he shook his own, a mischievous grin on his lips.

When they got home, Angel wagged her tail before tiptoeing up and kissing the dog on his cheek - just to watch the flustered look in his eyes.

"Just let me shower, and I'll be around. Make sure you don't start looking for anything else that might be dangerous! I don't wanna walk in to find you talking to a dingo or a koala. Those things are nasty." Diago snorted softly, before shaking his head and walking in.

He had only one plan, and that was rifling through the freezer for the mince he had known was there. He smiled, before making his way to the cupboards. He needed spaghetti from in there, and he was determined to make the best meal that Angel had ever tasted. Not only did he find spaghetti, but he also found the makings for a meaty sauce which the mince could cook in. He washed his paws carefully before he began to cook, losing himself to the music he had put on as his tail wagged back and forth.

He didn't hear Angel come in, but he did smell her and it made him grin. He stayed quiet though, mixing the mince and watching the spaghetti as it boiled. He soon stretched slowly before shaking his head and grabbing a drainer, tipping the spaghetti into it and resting it over the pan it had cooked in while he grabbed two bowls. He served up two big helpings of the pasta before topping it with the mince and rich sauce.

Without looking over his shoulder, he grabbed the bowl of already grated cheese and crisp bread he had heated up in the oven then buttered. He placed them on the table, before grabbing the spaghetti Bolognese-filled bowls and carrying them over.

"Help yourself to cheese and bread, Angel. I'll just grab us a drink each and then I'll eat." He heard as Angel sampled a bit of his food and it made his tail flicker slightly as he poured two tall glasses with the lemonade he had found in the fridge.

When he sat back down again, they were able to eat in a comfortable silence, most the cheese gone from where Diago and Angel had sprinkled it on their dishes. It didn't take long before they finished the meal, Angel licking her lips after and then looking at Diago in confusion.

"Where did you learn to cook like that?" Diago chuckled softly, sipping his lemonade once he'd placed everything in the sink to soak.

"I live alone, so if I hadn't learned to cook then I'd be living on takeaways. You shouldn't doubt me because I'm a silly dog!" Angel laughed, and it made Diago do the same. Her tail flickered about as she tilted her head at the dog that had confused her quite often.

"So when will you show me some of your paintings? I know you are doing them. You are covered in paint most the time!"

Diago blushed, before leading her through the house to the spare room which was filled with about twenty canvases of varying sizes. Three of them were covered over with a dust cloth, and Angel left those alone, guessing that the dog had those hidden for a reason. She was stunned as she saw the sketches and paintings of the spiders and bugs that were often found in the garden.

Done in great detail, Angel was able to appreciate the skill in which Diago had managed to bring the insects and arachnids to life. She wasn't able to be afraid of them at the moment, not even with the detail Diago had wrought to a spider spinning its web across two branches. He had even managed to capture the sparkles of the dew upon the strands.

"Diago...these. These are AMAZING! How are you not more famous than you are? You should be amazing at what you do!" Diago snorted and shook his head, rolling his eyes afterwards as he tried to hide just how flustered he was. He ended up looking down at his feet, scuffing one about before he heard Angel gasp and his head shot up.

"Diago! You painted me? I'm not pretty, not really...but you made me look it and all I can say is thank you so very much! I just think that you could have done something better. Like a self-portrait or something. I'm nothing special." Diago listened to her ranting patiently, his head tilting to the side before he stopped her with a laugh.

"Angel! It's an artist's prerogative to paint, sketch and draw what they see, and I did. Don't worry, I won't sell those ones. They are for you." He hadn't meant to tell her, he'd just meant to leave the pictures when he went as a thank you for spending so much time with her. Their tails wagged in time as Angel looked over the three large canvases with her image emblazoned on them.

One had her as she was now. In shorts and a t-shirt, her hair loose and her eyes laughing, completely relaxed where she'd normally be a little out of place or self-conscious. She made a mental note to relax and also keep an eye out for Diago. Who could have guessed that the retriever had such a good memory? She blushed under her tri-coloured fur as she saw the picture of her in her swimming costume, hiding her head against her arm and then complaining softly.

"Why did you have to make me look so pretty?"

"I only paint what I see. Remember, I love bugs and snakes, so you were no hardship to paint!" Diago chuckled and yelped when Angel threw a soggy paintbrush at him, before they both yawned. "I'm gonna head to bed in a bit. I'm going to have a busy few days painting pictures of the snakes and the wallabies. They need to be done as and when I take the pictures." Angel took the hint, nodding and yawning before she stretched.

"I'm going to head home Diago. You can always knock if you need anything. When you are done, I'd like to take you surfing - and maybe on a shark boat tour. Those are always fun, you can see the sharks under the boat but I don't have to worry about you making fun with them. Those things have the eyes of a monster." She shuddered, remembering the way she had seen a shark close-up. The dead eye, the teeth and the way it had torn through an unsuspecting shoal of fish.

Diago grinned, but wisely didn't say anything. All he could do was nod at Angel and then eye his bed...and fall into it. He was exhausted, so tired that he didn't even bother transferring the pictures he had taken to his laptop so he could expand them.

***

Angel didn't see or hear from Diago for almost ten days, by which time she was getting anxious. He didn't have long left here and she wanted to at least get to take him out the way she had promised. She had seen him leaving the house twice, returning with more painting supplies than she thought he'd need, but he must have needed it. Angel shrugged a little before grabbing something light to put on.

Whether he was done with painting or not, he was going to go out with her for the day tomorrow. It wouldn't hurt him; he needed the break, after all. This was meant to be a holiday! Angel knocked on the door even though she had a key. When Diago answered the door, she took a step back and starting laughing at the state of him.

He had paint everywhere! Streaks of yellow, blue and red covered his face like a half-done mask...or even a facemask of different ingredients. Diago looked exhausted; his eyes dull though they brightened somewhat at seeing Angel there in front of him. Her tail wagged slowly before she tilted her head at him, her eyes widening a little.

"Diago! When did you last eat or sleep? You look TERRIBLE!"

When he chuckled, Angel tipped her head to the side and growled softly.

"Get your tail back in there, into the shower and when you get out, I'll have something for you to eat and drink. You'll keel over if you don't eat soon!" Diago's half-perked ears dropped before she pointed down the hallway, her voice a bark that had him scurrying on to do her bidding. "Now!"

Diago bolted, obedient to the Alpha tones which Angel had exhibited. He couldn't have helped it anyway. He knew Angel was right and that was why he listened to her whenever she had that tone of voice. She walked into the house and subsequently into the almost corporeal cloud of paint fumes and white spirits. She gasped, her eyes burning as she stepped through the fog that she couldn't see. Windows were opened along the way, and she wafted the smell away so she could make her way to the kitchen.

"Bacon...where'd I put the bacon?" She muttered to herself, her head tilting before she found the pack, still unopened. Her stomach snarled and she grabbed another helping, putting it in the grill and leaving it to cook while she buttered thick slabs of bread. She grabbed lettuce and tomato, layering them onto the bread, prepared for the bacon which was now filling the air with a delicious scent of crisping pork.

She heard the shower snap off at the same time as she heard the sniff he gave and the groan of hunger. She growled in her throat as the fat from the bacon spat onto her arm, licking it off swiftly and then using a pair of tongs to serve the meat to the prepared bread. She cut it, and as she did so, she heard and felt Diago flop into a chair, his stomach growling constantly.

"Eat. Now. Don't worry about talking, just eat your breakfast and then I'll clear up for you while you get a nap. You look like you haven't slept in days. And no talking with your mouth full! "

Diago groaned, mumbling something through the mouthful of bread, lettuce, tomato and bacon that he had just taken. She took her time with eating, acting the most polite of the pair, though she couldn't blame him. He was shattered and clearly drained from the amount of work he had done.

"Make sure you nap outside on the swinging couch. The warmth and fresh air will do you good and that way I won't wake you up by tidying up."

He nodded; his eyes beginning to slide closed as he yawned widely then stretched slowly. He bolted down the rest of his sandwich and hiccupping.

"Thanks, Angel. You are a," he yawned as he hugged the collie to him, his eyes just about closed, "total star." Diago staggered to the porch, flopped onto the swing and was asleep in minutes, at least, judging be the rumbling snores which had Angel giggling as she finished the last of her sandwich.

Angel threw away all the scraps before she started on the washing up, singing softly as she went about it.

When Diago woke up, he couldn't hear anything...which made him instantly suspicious. He growled once when he stood up, only to be confronted by Angel, standing in front of him with her eyes narrowed.

"Before you say anything or go back to painting, get into the shower and get in there ! When you've washed the paint off properly, I'm taking you for lunch and then for a walk along the sea-front. You need to get out of here for a day. It'll all be worth it, I promise!"

Diago grumbled, frowning a little, but he still went off to shower obediently. Three times he tried to leave the bathroom; three times he was sent back until every last smear of fur was gone from his fur. When Angel finally let him out, his fur was gleaming, never having been so clean since he started painting. She didn't speak, instead pointing along towards his room. As Diago trotted past, Angel grinned and swatted his rump through the towel.

"Hurry up, Diago! You need to hurry up so we can get to the restaurant. It'll do us both some good, since you are going in two days! And you need to exercise more, you've lost some weight!" Diago yelped and scurried off to his room, his ears splayed as he shut the door with more force than was necessary. Angel giggled, heading around to her own house to grab her wallet and keys. While there, she dialled Steve, making sure the croc had enough time to get to them.

Diago blinked as he stepped from the house to join Angel, who was clearly waiting for a cab. She smiled at him and sniffed delicately before giggling again.

"You smell so much better! And...no paint! That's even better. You'll love it down by the coast, but no surfing. I don't trust you not to try petting a shark or something equally as stupid!" When he pouted, she giggled nudging his cheek with her nose before standing as she heard the familiar screech.

"Hey there, pretty Angel! You sure are a pretty sight to see, and with me matey from the airport! How's you been sir? Working hard and playing hard I hope!" Angel shook her head then stretched, sighing softly.

"Stop with the flirting Steve! Take us down to the coast please. I wanna show Diago the beach and the best restaurant around. You know the one I mean." Angel grinned at the crocodile before getting in, her tail wagging as Diago followed.

The retriever was really quiet, which worried Angel only a little bit. He was probably still tired and hungry after so long spent painting and barely eating. When Diago was knocked into her again, she grabbed his hand, linking her fingers with his own and smiling at him when he blinked at her, shock clear on his features. Steve noticed the exchange, and merely lifted one scaly eyebrow at Angel in the mirror when she glanced at him.

She just grinned once more before stretching a little, yawning and twisting a little.

"Diago...have you ever had shark and chips?" The question came from the blue, with Diago uttering a quiet yip as he jumped a little.

"Never! I didn't think you could EAT shark. I just...thought it was something that swam in the sea." Steve and Angel both snickered at Diago's words, grinning slowly as the dog muttered the word 'shark' to himself before guffawing, clearly believing that they were teasing him.

When they pulled to a stop, Angel paid for the cab despite Diago protesting and then was lead along by her hand until he could smell the salt in the air. He shivered, the breeze chilling him slightly, though only in the best of ways. He was so happy to be away from the house that smelled of turpentine and his own scent.

He sneezed before smiling at her, his eyes brightened by the fresh air that cleared the last of the fog from his mind and relaxed him. He let go of her hand, ran down to the sand and then into the water letting the warm water break over his toes and up against his ankles. His tail was wagging back and forth constantly and Angel stood up on the pier and just watched him, happy for the dog to be in such a great mood finally.

Neither of them were wearing much of anything, Diago wearing only a baggy pair of shorts and Angel a swimming costume with a sarong wrapped around her waist. She stretched and winced a little, her back pinching a little.

"Come on! Let's go grab some food!" Diago turned his head towards her, his tail wagging even faster as he bolted up the steps back towards her. A quiet growl spilled from his lips as he grabbed Angel, picked her up and span her around.

"Thank you Angel! You truly are one!" Her tail wagged even as she blushed a little, the colour rising prettily in her cheeks as she led him towards the nearest restaurant selling the dish she wanted him to try.

She'd miss him when he want, she really would! But...maybe that would be a good excuse for her to return home and visit her family...while doing the same with him!