ORIGIN - i've watched you from my telescope

@Sia

His mind was beginning to wander to what could possibly lie beyond the room he had become accustomed to. This was his home, and by now, the cat was nearly familiar with every corner of the room of stars. He had seen this room's inhabitants, though barely spoken to them; the black leopard and his lion son (who Bartos often mistook for Faelon), and Kerby, and whoever else decided to live here. Even those mushroom cats from the jungle he had met, and heard stories from about the expansive, sprawling green flora. But Bartos wasn't all that interested in greenery - what he wanted to see more of was the rock structures. Despite his asking, it seemed this room was mostly where they were found, although he'd heard rumors of carvings and ancient artifacts elsewhere.

Today, the cat found himself lingering near one of the entrances, waffling over whether or not he wanted to chance it. What if he left and somebody raided his hoard and took his treasures? What if he found something pretty and couldn't take it back home with him? The chances of a mishap occuring were high, and yet... He wanted to know.

The decision to leave Eridanus was one that was at once difficult and undeniable. She'd grown fond of the verdant sentries, the perpetual smell of petrichor and most of all, the lupine guardian, Arkrael. It was she who had tended to her wounds and taught her, when she could, earth magic. So it was to her did Delphine feel some amount of regret for choosing to leave; her only consolation being that it would not be in permanence.

Her first steps through Tunnel I were burdened with fear of the unknown though she tried desperately to veil some such sentiments in the presence of the brave child, Athena. How could she know that the dragon would not rise from the shadows? That it would not seek to finish what it'd started? Questions bombarded her, wringing anxiety to each and every step along the cavern floors until the filly could bear no more and halted mid-step. Her eyes shuddered closed and she exhaled, long and slow. Unknowingly she'd been holding her breath and when she inhaled again, the tension eddied and uncoiled. A slow and languid unfurling of a terror that had no place in a child's mind. It was only then did she dare to open her eyes and when she did, she resumed her journey through the tunnel. Only time could heal the unseen wounds, perhaps even, ease the fear that'd lodged in her since her encounter with the dragon. She glanced down and smiled at her companion, "Come on, Athena. Let's go."

Delphine lingered every now and then, stopping to study the elaborate scenes etched within the walls until the yawning entrance to a new room peeked from beyond the stairs. Yet what caught her immediate attention was not the kaleidoscope of crystals above but a bespectacled cat hovering near the very tunnel from which she sought to emerge. The filly halted again mid-step and after a moments silence, found the courage to speak. "Hello-" Her voice trembled and she hated it so. "I am Delphine." Would the creature hurt her? He didn't seem of a violent nature but doubt tormented her every thoughts and she found herself unable to fight it. Even so, she stepped just so in front of the newborn Gembound, the gesture protective though her mind was riddled with unrest. "We wish to pass... If you would permit it." She whispered softly.

( @Athena )

Athena Ignis
The hottest fire makes the hardest steel.

[Image: tumblr_mw9gviD5ua1sd8ek5o1_500.gif]

Athena liked traveling with Delphine. The older Gembound was always watching out for her and paying attention to her. Not that she couldn't watch out for herself, she'd escaped the fiery pit of her birthplace unscathed after all, but she liked the feeling of being protected by someone.

It wasn't hard to notice Delphine's unease though. Something about the Tunnel seemed to unsettle her but Athena really couldn't say what it was. She just silently waddled along with the other Gembound, watching out for any threats that she would need to fend off for Delphine.

When they came to the entrance of Orion, Athena was struck with the beauty of its ceiling. Of course her eyes flew to the cat first and she felt what she would later categorize as distaste at the sight of the feline, but she easily discarded these thoughts for now to marvel at the wonderous twinkle of the crystals above.
Athena's companion spoke to the cat, which once again drew the canine's attention to the stranger. "I am Athena." The pup threw in, grinning and tail wagging. She didn't understand why Delphine was asking for permission to pass, though. Did this place belong to the cat or something? Couldn't they just continue to wherever they were headed?

"Listen to me."

@Sia @Bartos