[ORP] Catching Fire's Haunted House: Entrance

[Jun D]

The sun was rather low on the horizon by the time Cue arrived at the caves after her unscheduled detour. She had quite shaken out the lingering effects of her spooky tale now, and was rather spoiling for a fight. The variety of anxious noises wafting out from the dark holes cheered her - perhaps it would be an evening of good entertainment after all. She slid into the entrance, cocking an ear to assess her options. Howling...hound-thing. Acha pet. Sand dog. Howling sand dog at the mouth of the furthest cave - promising. A few paces closer, however, and she could tell by the change in the air that the threat in said cave was nothing more than the hallucinogenic fumes of some special mushroom. She shrugged dismissively. Not her poison. The few paces also brought a squishy crunch - she looked down...and traced the trail of scurrying bugs back to the nearest cave. Hardly worthy opponents. Distant snapping sounds and startled squeals emanated from the third cave...but whichever creatures were harassing the crowd sounded ankle-biters at best. The second cave was almost silent.

She smiled.

Her soft steps towards the cavern lip were also silent.  

[Maxx D]

Pieces kicked off the last of the worms and sighed. That was a lot more squishing than strictly necessary, but shuffling at a snail's pace for ages through a carpet of insects wasn't particularly productive. He tilted his head, attempting to peer into the other caverns to no avail - a deep breath, he arbitrarily decided "we're going in here, alright?" and off he, Rewind and her Stealjaw went.  

[Ruriska]

Just missing two startlingly similar Kimeti as they disappeared into darkness. Bang slipped out of one of the cavern and paused. She might as well leave now. With each second that past she was growing increasingly annoyed. So much for experiencing fear. But she didn’t leave… she was distracted instead by the shouts coming from one cave and the howling of a dog from another. She made a quick decision and headed towards one; soon being swallowed by shadows.  

[Jun D]

Re-wind blinked once. Re-wind blinked twice. Having emerged from the dark, dark cave, it was becoming evident that the creature in Stealjaw's triumphant grip was not, in fact, a nauga.

"Oh," she said faintly, in surprise, "it's an owlcat. Oh dear. It's probably someone's pet. Um. You'd better put it down, Stealjaw."

With considerable reluctance, Stealjaw relinquished his prize.  

[and be blue]

Out of Room two came a monster -- mostly swallowed up by the caiman-skeleton costume he wore, gold eyes glittering out of the empty sockets of the creature's skull and shedding bones as he walked. For sake of the illusion, he narrowed his eyes and looked around at the lot of them, finally pausing to growl at Catching Fire as if planning on devouring him.  

[phoenix kiss]

The majority of the mud Catching Fire had slathered himself in had flaked off by now -- he'd gone on a jaunt of the cave, and had poked his head in all the rooms before the chaos struck. But when the other acha appeared and growled at him, his expression changed: amusement turned to -- well, not terror, but confusion.

What was 'Cause doing here? Why was he growling? Had he been responsible for...

Catching Fire gathered his legs underneath him and bounded over to the other acha in a single leap, landing in a clatter of hooves. After a moment he had to step back as another bone came crashing to the floor, but he grinned wildly at the noise; somehow, his expression had gone from confusion to utter delight. It was hard to keep him down. He was irrepressible.

"Why are you mad? Wasn't this fun? I mean, beyond the biting things?"  

[Ruriska]

Oh so very close. Awful nearly had that biting creature in his grasp, to be thoroughly torn to shreds, when his hunt was interrupted by the idiotic barking of some oversized mutt. The Owlcat skidded to a halt and answered the barks with a low, angry hiss. However he did not anticipate the Eaglehound’s next move and when he was suddenly plucked up, he went instinctively limp Steeljaw’s firm grasp.

He was not quiet for long. As soon as he was dropped to the ground at the entrance, Awful let out long, angry yowl. Fur fluffed out, the little Owlcat launched himself at Steeljaw all claws at the ready.

Alerted by her pets screeching, Bang burst from the darkness. She took in the scene with a quick glance, gaze murderous. If Awful had not been so close to the Eaglehound, Bang would have attempted to kick the creatures head off.

Denied that she turned her attention on the two Kimeti; stomping a hoof down and giving them a look that clearly meant business. “If Awful gets hurt, I will kill all of you.”  

[Jun D]

"Oh no, Stealjaw, don't fight it, please," Re-wind entreated as the ruffled owlcat came claws-first at the eaglehound, "its owner will be along any second, and it'll all be okay." That was the end of her instructions, as a strange - very strange! - bone-creature stalked out of a cave towards the muddied Acha, and entirely distracted her from the ongoings. Alas, poor Stealjaw, but he was very well-trained, and acquiesced, only dodging the snaps and batting away the blows, a low, loathing growl rumbling in his throat the whole time.

She was just marvelling that the bone-creature could speak - a sentient species she had not heard of? An unusual mutation of a familiar cousin? - when a very. Very. Angry doe flew out of the same cave she had. Those red eyes flamed, and her tone was unmistakable. Re-wind gulped. She was not good with confrontation. "Oh, please do not worry," she started, anxiously and earnestly, "your dear little owlcat is unharmed! It was all a big misunderstanding - you see, we'd thought we were face-to-face with a real live nauga. It's a mythical breed, you know, so its capture would mean tons to the scientific community, and we thought to study it in the light! But, of course, that turned out not to be the case."  

[and be blue]

"...the biting things were the only fun." He was still growly, tossing his head to open up the caiman's mouth, so that his own acha head showed through -- red and black and gold and furious, still, as te stomped cloven hooves against the floor. 'Cause could throw a hissy fit with the best of them. Better than, perhaps.

"Well. And maybe the bugs. Those were fun too." A few of them, now, were crawling out of that room, one giant wasp fluttering up over their heads. It made his annoyance melt a little, expression softening.

"...and the hallucinogenics...those were a good time, for what I could see." And now, actually, he smiled, taking a few steps in that direction to see what he could see.  

[Maxx D]

The coincidence of the girls' pets resembling themselves so much first struck him, and though the grey one's rather...severe demeanour had...worried him a little, he soon returned to the act of staring at the two does to the familiar hum of Rewind's rambling words. His eyes flitted back and forth - that shade of black matched on their stockings, the angular lining of their patterns, the red that enveloped Rewind splashed across the other's chest...and her piercing red eyes, just like...

"You are sisters!" He cried in revelation, his heart soaring. "You are sisters, my sisters, and - "
He calmed down at the sight of the thoroughly-displeased other new sister.
"So...um...I guess we've found more of our family."  

[Ruriska]

It took a moment but Bang eventually realised that her fellow doe was a moron and while Awful Sound was doing his best to cause some damage, it was not being reciprocated by the Eaglehound. “Awful… Awful… Awful! Enough!” Attempting to get the Owlcat’s attention, Bang added an angry hoof stamp and hustled forward. She bumped the smaller creature with her leg, sending him tumbling sideways with an angry shriek. “Stupid creature, you weren’t even hurting it properly!”

Not that Bang was any happier now; she had no idea what this stupid female was going on about, with her science and nauga nonsense. And then of course there was the buck…

Bang turned on Pieces with an angry snort. “What are you babbling about?” Normally she would be simpering and smiling coyly at any male presence, but she couldn’t be bothered playing that game right now. Wait a moment, had he just called her his… no their sibling? “Don’t be ridiculous.” She hissed at him with an extremely nasty look in her eyes.

Now that she thought about it, there were obvious similarities between them all… but still… “No.” Bang was distracted by the slinking of Awful as he tried to sneak past her to get at Steeljaw and she stomped a hoof in his path. “I will crush your head in Awful, do not tempt me.”

The Owlcat yowled unhappily and glowered at Steeljaw; making various mental notes to kill the Eaglehound in his sleep.  

[Maxx D]

"I'm not being ridiculous," he said, slightly affronted - after searching for his family so long he felt he could definitely tell when someone was related or not. Pieces considered himself the foremost authority on their family relations. "You've both of that red, and the black...And look, both of you have pets that look just like you that look just like your pet that looks like each other.

Wouldn't that be a huge coincidence?"

Also, he thought solemnly, you're just like our psycho dad...  

[Ruriska]

Bang did not hesitate to step forward and get right into her supposed brothers face. “Yes.” She hissed. “It is a huge coincidence.” She wasn’t having a bit of it. Even if they were related; he was a fool and the doe was clearly soft in the head. Why would she want siblings like that?

“And even if we are. So what?”  

[Maxx D]

He reared slightly at her invasive motion, but staunchly, with the last of his bravado, said "no, I'm sure we're related...and since we are, well, I think we might have another...another brother to find. Three people are better than two..."

Pieces would've given Stealjaw some credit too, but acknowledging one pet without the other seemed very awkward, and he wasn't at all sure that vicious owlcat would be any good at finding another sibling. It might maul him before they got there.  

[Ruriska]

“Wait, you expect me to go with you to find more siblings?” Bang stared at him incredulously. This buck was serious; she could see it in his eyes. She opened her mouth to refuse again and then snapped it closed.

“Fine.” She turned away, stomping over to where Awful Sound was sulking and give him a good kick with her hooves. He managed to evade most of the blow but it still sent him off with an ear-splitting yowl. She gave a satisfied snort and look around at her newfound brother. “We’ll go play.” This could be amusing.