Deciding to take a break from your training and lessons, you have wandered off to the sea side. How you travel to the shore is up to your imagination, but when you have finally arrived at your designation it is late afternoon. As you stroll along the sandy shore and enjoy the soothing sounds of the waves beating upon the shore, a glimmer inland catches your eye. Looking towards it you see what ever sparkled has vanished into a dark opening in the rocky hillside next to you. As you wander over towards the hill, you can see that while it might be a tight squeeze, you think you can enter into the dark tunnel beyond.
Muriel had woken up early and dragged Minerva with her to explore the area a little more. Esmeralda was asleep and probably would be for a few more hours so this would be a great opportunity to just wander around. They’d made their way over to the shore and had been walking when something had caught their eye and Muriel had bene forced to run after Minerva who had taken off like the curious child she was. It was an entrance to somewhere and Muriel wanted to take a look at it. Esmeralda would probably want to come along so she’d sent Minerva to go and fetch her while she waited here.
When Minerva had come back stumbling around the camp Esme hadn’t really thought they’d stumbled on something this amazing. So she’d asked Keke to come along with them and Minerva had led them back to the entrance of the cave. “Keke, this is Muriel. She is my bonded.” Esmeralda wondered what his reaction would be to seeing Muriel. She knew her Bonded didn’t take any badmouthing towards Esme because she was bonded, more than once she’d told off a Khehora who had been verbal about his opinion about the Bond. She watched his reaction before glancing into the cave. “Everyone ready?”
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:19 am
His first Dovaa, his first Hyrbid... This was a day of firsts for Kekeovonnai.
“You're a bonded?!” the orakoir said, nosing the fellow orakoir with as much invasive inquisitiveness as he had shown to its master, “I've never seen one before!” Sure, he knew about the bond – who didn't? He'd heard rumors that his and Vazarri's lost clutchmate might be bonded, but who knew if that was true?
He nosed Muriel all over. “Well” he said, sounding dissappointed, “You don't feel any different...” he'd been hoping for something other than the smell of absense, something stupendous and obvious and neat.
Ah well. He had the cave to look forward to. He could sense it – coiling under the surface and dripping with dissolved stone. “I'm ready!” he chirped, wiggling.
As you squeeze into the dark tunnel, you can see a little in front of you. There are small animal tracks in the dirt beneath you. Wiggling your way slowly through the tunnel, you come upon a side tunnel. Both trails have animal tracks, though the path forward seems more traveled. Will you continue forward or turn and go down the side tunnel? Or have you had enough and want to crawl backwards and leave?
Once again, please respond to this prompt, what are your character's thoughts and feelings as they travel through this dark cramped tunnel.
If you A) go forward, Go to "A: Forward," B) go down the side tunnel, Go to "B: Side Tunnel"
“Hello.” Muriel said, she’d never been much for introductions anyway. “Yes I am.” She waited for a snide comment to come or some sort of remark about how much weaker she was. It never came though; instead this Keke was assaulting her. Why was he nosing her so much! She stood very still with a look of complete distain on her face; she wasn’t too fond of Khehora who weren’t Bonded. “Of course I’m not any different. Why would I be different? If everyone is ready let’s go in.” And with that she turned from Keke and squeezed into the opening.
Esmeralda shook her head in amusement at Muriel’s reaction to Keke, at least she hadn’t snapped at him. Esme let Minerva slip inside and then let Keke go in as well before she finally squeezed inside too. There wasn’t too much light, but she asked Minerva to provide them with little sparks and then they progressed down the tunnel. “So Keke, how do you like this or an adventure?” They came to a tunnel that separated into two paths. “Which should we take?” There seemed to be a path that was more traveled, but Esme wasn’t sure. “Perhaps the side tunnel?”
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 9:37 am
"I dunno! i just thought you would be!" said Keke, Oblivious to any offense. He found it easy enough to squeeze into the cavern and was soon happily plodding ahead. He'd been in lairs often, and had been in a proper cave once before. It was, somehow, comforting to feel the earth around him, encasing him, protecting him.
He chirped, and listened to the echo. "I wonder why it does that?" he said, enjoying the ricocheting sound. He wondered a lot of things.
Soon, though, they came to a split. "Oh!" he said, turning to esme and waiting for the Dovaa to catch up, "I love adventures! Every day is a new one!" he wiggled, "Today has to be the best one yet!" he said happily.
They came to the crossing and he squinted into the darkness beyond. His magic - unconcious to him - told him much more than his eyes or ears did, and the way ahead made him feel... uneasy.
"Not that way." he said finally, turning away from the path straight ahead, "Theres a drop that way. This way..." he said, squeezing his nimble body into the space, "This one is better."
Deciding to take this side tunnel, you squirm about and crawl through this tight space. As you squirm through the dark twisting tunnel; its rough walls scratch you with the sharp protruding rocks.
As you travel along this path you notice that it gradually slopes downwards. After a while, you see the darkness lighten. There is something ahead of you! As you crawl faster towards the light you finally see the tunnel suddenly open up.
RP response then go to "Cavern Room"
“Sound travels and the tunnels are the perfect place for echos.” Came Muriel’s reply before Esmeralda could reply. The Khehora kept up with Keke as he took the lead, she didn’t want him getting lost. When they came to the split, Muriel turned to him. “How do you know there’s a drop?” If she’d had eyebrows she would surely have raised it at Keke’s knowledge. She squeezed through after him. “What clan are you from?” She couldn’t figure out from his colors where he was from. It was an odd thing, she hadn’t had a conversation with a khehora in a while preferring Magesciens.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Esme said with a smile, adventures were always good for those young minds that needed to develop. Unlike Muriel, Esme did not question how Keke knew there was a drop she just accepted it as fact and squeezed through after Minerva had. “Oh look there’s light!” She could see the smallest amount of light peeking through the darkness. She didn’t want to run but this downwards slope was making her stumble a bit in the dark and increase her speed. If she did stumble though, she’d run into Minerva who would stumble and hit Muriel who’d hit Keke and they’d just all roll down from there.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:21 am
“Oh? But why?” asked Keke, turning to Muriel, “Why are tunnels perfect for echoes?” he wouldn't be surprised if she knew so much. Someone had told him, once, that bondeds were not as smart as ferals, but even if that was true – which he had no way of knowing for sure and didn't care too much about beyond an intellectual level – she was bonded to a scholar, so of course she would know things!
“Oh! I just know its there!” he said, shrugging. It wasn't a big deal, “The volcano makes fissures sometimes, even as far away as here, so I wouldn't be surprised... oh, or an underground river! Those do it too, I think... Oh, yes, I'm Gaili.” he said, “You?” she smelled of water, faintly, but that could, he figured, just be from her bonded.
He, for his part, was fine on the slope. He had always been sure-footed, and he was, with instinct and nimble paws, able to keep his smooth black hide from being scratched by the stones of the walls.
“Oh! A light!” he said, squinting ahead – sure enough, there was a glow coming from beyond the corridor. Keke wondered what it could be, “Maybe its a lichen! Or a fungus!” he knew there were glowing varieties and, oh, did he want to see them!
“Let's go see!” he said, bounding forward eagerly...
Looking around at your surroundings you see a small cavern light up from a hole in the ceiling. Tree roots have forced their way into this cave and opened up a path for light and water. A small pond has formed beneath the opening. In the middle of it you see a tiny island. It is covered in junk. Some rags, broken bottles and broken jewelry. Also amid the pile you can spot something sparkling in the light. The only openings that you can leave or enter this room from are from a tunnel that comes out half way up the wall or a tunnel that leads off into the dark again.
What do you do? What are your character's thoughts? Do you: A) Approach the pond and its pile? Go to "Loot" B) Leave? Go to "Leaving B" if you wish go out the tunnel halfway up the cavern wall or "Leaving A" if you wish to go out the tunnel in the wall.
“Because of the big open space. It has a lot of room to travel through.” Minerva had read to her something about it once. Muriel always made either Esme or Minerva read outloud to her so that she could also know the things they knew. She even helped Esmeralda sometimes with her own work, it wasn’t as fun as reading but it was nice. “Ah Gaili, that explains it then. I’m Peisio.” She herself would have guessed Diabi but Gaili seemed possible too. “Perhaps…” Muriel ran after Keke, she wanted to see what was making the light. She kinda liked Keke, he was eager to learn as she had once been.
Esmeralda watched the two Khehora bound forward into the light and saw Minerva increase her speed to catch up to them as well. When she finally made it to them she glanced inside the large open space. “Looks like a place to simply store junk, or a nice little hangout. Could be someone’s home as well.” Though as she walked in something sparkling caught her eye and Esmeralda moved to see what it was. “Careful mom, never know what might pop out of the dark.” Esme ignored her daughter and continued to wards the pile. “Ohh come see what I found guys.”
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 11:51 am
“But why? You don't get an echo if you're in a field... do you?” Oh, so she was Peisio. Neat, neat. Keke wondered if a bonded could use magic. She probably could! What would life be like without using magic, after all? But bonded's gave away their magic so maybe...
Speculation on the nature of the bond was put aside because Keke was very sure he had found something special. “Oooo!” he crooned, tromping feetfirst into the puddle, not caring about any danger that might be lurking as he nosed around the pile, “What's this?” he said, sniffing at it curiously.
Approaching the pile, you wade through the cold pond waters. It is not deep and you can see small fish swim away from your noisy intrusion. As you reach the pile, you can see it is mostly rocks and trash gathered by some small creature, but amidst the trash you find an Ayrala and Peisio Dragon Orb! (one for each participant)
Now to leave. Go to "Leaving B" if you wish go out the tunnel in the middle of the wall or "Leaving A" if you wish to go out the tunnel in the wall.
“Too big.” Was Muriels only answer as she glanced around and walked here and there to sniff at things or look at things. Minerva had gone off and was looking into the darker spots in case something came out at them. The Khehora though was busy climbing into the pill of things and nosing about to see what interesting thing she could find. She’d completely ignored the water or shinnies and wanted to see if she could find books. That was treasure worth finding in her eyes, she had no use for orbs after all, so whatever they found on their side was theirs.
Esmeralda followed after Keke, avoiding the splashing he was making and hiking up her dress so it wouldn’t touch the water. She bent down to pick up whatever it was that he had found. “Ohh.” In her hand were Ayrala and Peisio orbs. “Well then, that’s a great finding. Good job Keke.” Esmeralda pocketed two for herself, handed another two to Minerva and then turned to Keke knowing Muriel wouldn’t want any. “Would you like two as well?” She wasn’t sure if he collected them and well wasn’t sure how he be able to transport them to begin with. Maybe she could get him some sort of bag back at camp.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 4:00 pm
Tasinei
Keke sniffed at the shiny objects, rolling them out of the mud. “Are these... Dragon orbs?!” he exclaimed, his slightly crackly voice echoing off the walls of the cavern. His father had a collection, but...
“For me?” he said, nudging at the two orbs, “I... yes!” he said, delighted, “I'd love them!” he tilted his head.
But wait... how could he transport them? They were bigger than his eyes, and he didn't think he could carry them both in his mouth... He gave it a try, though, lapping up some of the fetid water in the process. He spat it – and the orb he had managed to get in his mouth – quickly and stared at it, puzzled. “But... how do I carry them?!” he wondered. How, indeed, did his fellow khehora carry the orbs they took back?
As you leave the cave behind you and crawl through the dark winding tunnel the sharp rocks protruding from the walls scratch and gouge you. It gradually slopes upwards, back towards the surface. After a while, you reach another tunnel. Looking down you can see the tracks that you made earlier. Following them out, you squeeze out back onto the surface. The sun is now on the horizon.
Muriel ignored whatever they were all doing on their own, casting a quick glance towards Minerva out of instinct. She still wasn’t used to the fact that her darling little Minnie was growing up so fast; she was after all the only child she’d ever had. No children of her own per say. Either way, once she’d finished nosing around she went back to sit on the side, not daring to go into the water. It was gross and she was definitely not going in there. Once Esme and everyone was back together she followed behind in the darkness until they were out into the light again.
“Of course for you silly.” Esmeralda pocketed them into her dress and straightened out. “When we get back to camp I can get you something to carry them.” Minerva walked back to their side, asked them if they were ready to leave and Esmeralda nodded. “Ready to go?” She asked keke and then followed behind Minerva who was leading the way through the darkness out of the cave. Once the sun hit her skin and they were out of the cave, Esmeralda stretched. “Feels good to be out, now let’s get you a little pouch for the orbs.” Esme made her way back to camp, found exactly what she was looking or and bent down to Keke’s level. “I’ll put it around your neck okay?” If he let her she would do so.
“Oh, thank you!” he said, “I can't wait to show Vazarri these!” he was incredibly enthusiastic as he followed the ladies out of the cave, “She'll be so jealous!”
He watched Esme curiously as she searched her camp and retrieved an odd bag-like item that she wanted to...
Put around his neck?!
Initially, he was incredulous and concerned about it – it was one thing to be touched on the head, but to allow something over his neck? That was a little odd.
But... she was a scholar, and so she knew what she was doing, likely. He inclined his head. “Okay.” the young Gaili aquiesced, a little nervously.
- Celestial Dragon Tear x 1 
