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((I love her dialog. Every word I write is too much fun. Also, its okay. don't make a habit of it, k?))

Keionx could hear the voices more clearly now, the cavern walls amplifying and distorting the sounds. That was Etsali's voice, too, with Kursha's. Yes! Good! She could clear this up here and now, resolve this in a diplomatic, knightly...

She came around the corner to the scene of Etsali gathering up her spilled eggs, with Kursha watching.
Wasn't she supposed to watch my eggs? thought Keionx, puzzled. Instead, it seemed like she had found a treasure trove of her own.

Had she been tricked away so that Etsali could raid a cluster of eggs on her own? It was odd that it was this thought that came to mind; that it had been a matter of competition for eggs. It didn't cross Keionx's mind that it could be theivery.

She felt little wisps of anger start to wrap themselves around her bloodpusher, and she narrowed her eyes. Oh she was going to clear this up.

”Etsali.” she said, her voice very loud – as it always was – in the enclosed space, ”There you are.” she set down her basked of denuded and wrapped eggs and walked over and began picking up some of the chocolate eggs that had fallen. Some of them seemed oddly familiar – a dent here, a smudge there, and she inspected them with a frown.

But no. Thievery was unspeakable. There was just no way it could be so. Keionx was a knight – she could not be robbed. ”I have been seeking you.” Trickery, however, was not.

”Thou weret supposed to watch my basket.” she said, frowning, ”But now I find thee here, far from my basket with many eggs of thine own.” She handed one of the eggs she had picked up back to Etsali, ”Explain.”

[+] Kursha Vidari

Speak of the devil! Kursha had hardly spoken her name when the knightly orangeblood appeared from around the corner. Her basket was considerably emptier and she did not look happy it. A wide grin spread across Kursha's features. He would have to be an idiot not to put two and two together. He knew what was coming and he was positively giddy. Leaning back against the cave wall with a smile like a wolf, he watched as Keionx marched up to confront the suspicious orangeblood. Someone was about to get their comeuppance.

Or... not.

Much to his dismay, Keionx did not seem to fully grasp the situation. Rather than denounce the thief, she had instead returned one of the lost eggs and was demanding an explanation. An explanation of all things, really! At least she was on the right track. Kursha gave a sigh. Still, how could anyone be so stupid? He would have to get a her a little assistance.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the orangeblood thief began crying. A second later, she was blubbering about how Kursha had stolen the eggs. For a moment, he was stunned. Then he quickly turned indignant. “I did not!” he screeched. “I haven't seen either of you since we split up! She took them obviously!” He thrust a finger towards the orangeblood who was hiding behind Keionx. “How else did your egg count virtually double?!” he snarled.

"I just said, I found more to replace the ones you took!" Etsali threw back at Kursha before her eyes darted back to her fellow orangeblood. "You believe me, don't you, Keionx? I-" She froze though as she found only suspicion in the girl's face. Oh, oh no. The would-be knight began to speak and the thief cowered back another step, mind reeling for a plan, for any plan. It was hard to think of anything but retreat as Keionx began to approach, but she grasped desperately for words anyway as she kept backing away.

"No, he was really quiet because he knew you were there, and I was too scared to call for help, you have to believe me, I really didn't- I wouldn't-!" She froze again, unconsciously pulling her basket closer to chest in a move that was half greed and half need for shield. She stared incredulously at the practice sword for a long moment, mouth working through words she couldn't seem to get out anymore. And then, suddenly, she slumped, the picture of resignation and defeat.

"Alright, you win. Y- you don't have to use that thing..." With a quiet sniffle, she shifted her weight, as if about to step forward to offer up the eggs. Her eyes lifted at the last second though, glancing from blade to Keionx to Kursha and then back through to the beginning, and then they narrowed. A foot slid back and she twisted, breaking into a sprint in the opposite direction as soon as physically possible. She lost some eggs with the movement, her basket having been so full, but though she ached at the very thought of leaving them behind, going back wasn't an option. Her life was at stake now, which meant there was only one thing to do!

Etsali opened her mouth, took a deep breath as she carreened around another corner, and began to scream her lusus' name at the top of her lungs. "KEEPER! KEEPER!"

Katanari

DraconicFeline

[+] Kursha Vidari

Kursha was surprised at the vehemence Keionx spoke with. From what he had seen of the orangeblood, she was an insufferable loud mouth, all hot air. Or so he thought. It looked like now she was ready to put some of her supposed skills to use. Mostly though, he was just glad that her temper had not zeroed in on him. Even though he was confident that he could take her in a fight, she had him ad a disadvantage. She had a weapon and he did not. It would have been close. He shot Etsali a dirty look over Keionx's shoulder.

Suddenly the orangeblood thief took off running and a few eggs tumbled out of her basket. Keionx went tearing after her, bellowing for her to halt. Kursha scoffed. “She certainly won't while you're waving that stick around,” he muttered. Keionx was long out of hearing range though. He stooped to scoop up the eggs that Etsali had dropped. Things were finally starting to work in his favour. He might have a shot at this yet, supposing he could tip the scales even more...

An idea struck him. The competition had most likely been forfeit when Etsali cheated. He doubted either the orangebloods cared about the game any more. Kursha cared though. Kursha cared about winning. And that was exactly what he was going to do. He was going to win in a spectacular fashion.

Darting down the hall in the opposite direction of Etsali and Keionx took, Kursha went over his rough mental map. The thief would be heading towards the exits. With her game found out and an angry 'knight' on her heels, she would not risk hanging about. The only question was, which exit? There were at least three that he knew of nearby. He selected one that seemed likely based on the direction Etsali had run off and worked his way through the twisting tunnels in what he hoped was a reach around, alert and listening for the orangeblood's shrieks.

If there was any chance of this working, he had to find Etsali before Keionx did.

Keionx closed in, enduring the hard run with ease. It was a false ease – her lusus had trained her hard, with a regimen that was taxing and painful. She had earned the speed and endurance she had.

She renewed her grip on her sword as she closed in – she would use it, she had decided, in some way shape or form. She was too angry to do anything else – this thief had tricked her and run off with her eggs. Keionx did not forgive that – she could not forgive that.

”You have nowhere to run, Thief!” she called, as she drew closer, her momentum increasing, ”Hand them over, and I shall show thee leniency!” She almost hoped that Etsali wouldn't. Keionx wouldn't mind teaching her a lesson in honor and humility.

The skittering of claws: Keionx slid to a wary halt as a raccoon dragon appeared before her, snapping and clawing. Keionx took up a battle stance. She did not fear it – Beastdad had set her on monsters and adventures about as dangerous as this creature was. She could fight it, she was sure, and for a moment, she wanted to. Etsali's words riled her more – that thief had to be brought to justice, and she was the one to do it. She was the hero.

But something stopped her, held her blade even as she tried to circle it – impossible in a cave. This was not a monster, but a Lusus. Could she slay a lusus? Would she do such a thing? Was it honorable to kill it? Questions buzzed in her head, and that – more than the scrappy claws and fangs – held her back.

Soon, though she had no option as the orangeblood escaped down the passageway on her lusu's back. ”Halt!” shouted Keionx, her echos chasing them ahead of her. She ran after them a ways, but even her endurance was not limitless, and soon they were far out of sight. Keionx leaned against the wall of the cave, staring at the darkness they had disappeared into as if she could somehow materialize them in front of her to fight.

She would not forget this... not at all.

With a frustrated sound, she sheathed her sword and returned to the caverns. It was late, and she had promised Beastdad and Zariah that she would fetch them chocolate eggs. Though she wanted to go after the thief, she still had to complete her quest. Promises, alas, took precedence over someone who was now long-lost in the maze of caverns. Such were Beastdad's teachings.

She looked back down the passage once more, regretful.

Etsali... she would remember her. She would remember that symbol. She would bring her to justice.

And with that, she returned to her quest for the chocolate eggs...