Athena had gathered some satchels small yet lightweight enough for travel. Since she'd finally acquired magic from the spirits of Vykelli a notion emerged creating an adventurer out of her. Along with her satchels she placed over her head with her paws she also tucked in vials of freshwater from Homewood. Today she was venturing into the thickness of Blackbriar bog to share her magic in hopes of healing the land. In truth, the bog had water, a lot of water that wasn't drinkable. She'd heard tales of the stench, the sheer thick mud that lined the area. In short, her delicate pink paws were about to become part of the bog with its lingering presence. Still, she had to venture forth and see what her gift could do even if it wasn't much.
As she arrived at the entrance suitable enough for her pathway her delicate paws did indeed sink inward creating a squishing sensation as it gushed between her toes. At first, she jumped back looking at her feet sighing. Alright, no worries she was one with the bog now she kept reminding herself. Stepping further in she sank inward as a bubble popped filling her nose with a strange could odor that her tongue could taste. This could place was not for the weak of stomach this she assured herself. Moving onward she sunk even more almost losing her footing.
Kweh!
Did I hear something? Athena pulled a paw out of the mud as her legs leaped to a larger island of peat moss. Immediately, she stopped, round ears swiveling for that sound. When it didn't resume she shrugged and leaped to another island. By now, the stench was starting to get to the once-white Hooded Dire Rat. A few mishaps left mud spraying all over her perfect silken fur now smelling of sewage and rot. Firmly, she tested herself in not self-cleaning otherwise she'd become very sick or worse; die.
Kweh! Kweh! Please Help!
Athena's ears were alert as she cleared another large root onto a fuller bed of peat moss floating comfortably upon the stench ridden water. "Hello" she called out eyes searching through black orbs that glistened quickly. Head-turning as eyes surveyed she knew someone was in danger. Gearing up she leaped to another island whilst crawling over another set of roots. This place was just riddled with the same things it seemed leaving her concentrating with roots or islands to make her way steadily inward. Again she paused letting her ears detect anyone in the vicinity. Being an apprentice left her with one spell to use which she'd never tried before. If this particular creature in need required this magic then Athena would have to refrain from using it prematurely.
A while had passed with no response to her voice as she tried seeking out the one in need. Suddenly, something occurred to her that the other might be exhausted or worse, swallowed by the bog. A shudder ran down her back as it traveled rapidly to the tip of her tail. Quickly, she stood up on two feet as high as legs could elevate her while calling out even louder this time.
"Hello! Please if you are still out there make a sound so I can find you! I'm here!" the soiled Dire Rat called out in hopes the creature was just tired.
"Here! Over here! Please... Help, I'm sinking!" came the voice of a scared creature as it struggled to survive.
Athena not worried about sinking herself leaped out in the mud racing frantically toward the voice, "Keep calling out if you can! I'm almost there!"
The voice shrieked with a kweh sound as it tried to fight the captor that was pulling it down, "Please... Kweh! I... can't.... much... kweh longer!" Soon the noises were garbled so much Athena desperately dived into the mud following the voice. The more footing that was lost made her force her way over branches giving support. Finally, she had made it to the place her instinct stated was correct but, it was so quiet.
"Hello?" the female rat called out, "Please.... be here....Please".
She sighed heavily accepting the fact the Bog had swallowed the one that reached out to her. They were essentially "swallowed".
Losing track of time Athena mourned the lost creature bidding them farewell. She accepted death openly but, her heart still ached for them. As sat on a nearby peat moss island Athena closed her eyes and breathed even if it was putrid, rancid to the core. As a breath exhaled something splashed in the water off to the right. The splashing became so loud that it alerted Athena causing her to leap onto the nearest island and reach out her paw to the sinking creature. Due to the mud-caked over the creature Athena had trouble identifying what it was. There wasn't time to figure out anything because whatever was in the Bog was fighting tooth and claw for its life. Scurrying over to the edge of the bog had to think quickly. Her gift wouldn't be drastic but, if she could soak up enough... It had to be enough! Leaning off the peat moss near the creature she dipped her paws in the putrid water closing her eyes. Immediately, a glow formed around her paws vibrating in blue as the water slowly began evaporating from around the creature. The more she concentrated the more she heard movement returning to the creature.
Opening her eyes, Ahtena called out, "Over here. Can you make it to the edge"?
The creature caked in oozing mud scrambled as it crawled toward the edge where Athena was reaching out. What once was feathers was now a blocky mess extending out to reach Athena. After a few trials paw reached feathers pulling the creature to safety. Immediately, the smaller creature just collapsed thankful someone had ventured into this horrid nightmare.
Athena stayed with the creature using vials of water to help clean off the caked mud. It certainly wasn't much though the mystery creature turned out to be a wild cockatrice. As the familiar slept resting for strength the mud began drying which Athena cleaned off and disagreed freeing the feet and legs for movement. As she started dozing off her companion stretched breaking off more mud while curiously looking at Athena.
"What are you?" it spoke in likeness to the mud-soaked Dire Rat, "I've never seen one of your kind before".
Athena stretched looking toward the creature, "I'm Athena. I'm a Dire Rat that lives in Homewood a distance from here".
"Dire Rat?" the creature nodded, "I'm Artemis. I was headed toward that nicer forest and got stuck in here. This place really is the pits".
Athena laughed, "Yes, yes it is. Have you any place to go, When you get to Homewood I mean."
the cockatrice muttered looking at the drying mud on the edge of the Bog.
Athena perked up, "You could join me if you wanted? I'm an adventurer so I love exploring new places. Definitely need to get you back to the rivers and get this mud off. For that matter, I need to clean too".
Artemis chuckled noticing the patches of white fur, "I'd love that. Yeah, you need a bath like me".
Athena sat up using her paws to loosen the dirt from her cheeks and belly, "I seriously wasn't planning to get swallowed by the Bog. It made my fur stink....ugh" Quickly, she remained herself no personal cleaning.
Artemis tilted her head, "Adventures sounds exciting! I'm great at finding things. You wait and see!"
Athena nodded, "I'm sure you are. Okay, let's head back to Homewood and get a bath. Then we'll talk about adventures. Sound good?"
Artemis nodded, "Sounds good!" Looking through the skeletal trees the young cockatrice was happy Athena had visited the Bog today. So happy in fact she was going to be an adventurer with a swift bite. As Athena leads the way Artemis followed in tow happy to see the wonders of Homewood.
Athena & Artemis WC: 1340 ~ used spillway
