ORIGIN

Tema had a lot of long, busy days ahead of her, the first of which would thankfully be the easiest. After a trip to the altar where all things started, and where she likely would end one day, it was time to hunt. She would have to hunt something big, later. Something dangerous. But right now, she was more interested in filling her stomach than procuring another stone to revive. She still had a hunch to follow, after all. If she was lucky, she could fix everything.

All that mattered right now, though, was to satisfy the burning hunger. How long had it been since she had felt hunger as a vague discomfort rather than a gnawing demon? It was not easy to ignore, now, not like it was before. She found herself craving more meat lately, too, something she was once appaled by. The thought was funny to her now; this is what she was meant to do.

To hunt something, first she had to find something. Polaris was always a good bet, and there was a spell she had not tried yet, a gift from a time long ago. Maybe it could scare something out of hiding?

What a silly spell. She would find her uses for it, clearly, but she doubted that it would prove useful for much else. Maybe it could be scary, but not nearly as much as a growl would be and that simply took less energy.
Still, it had scared something out. It wasn't a total waste.

She could see them, kind of. A few had been nibbling on some moss and bolted a few steps when the sound rang out. They were half-hidden behind crystal outcroppings, though, she she couldn't see where their burrow was. The chase was half the fun though, wasn't it? She was beginning to enjoy the terror she caused them. She'd been dreaming about it, since visiting the altar again. Dreaming about Chaos. Causing it, taking control of it, bending the caves to her will, Its will.

Ah, there she went again. Her mind was running on her, and the rabbits had moved back to their moss. It was time to move. How many of them could she take out before the others noticed? There were maybe 6, there- but who knew where the den was... Oh, what a game!

She had been too eager, too excited. Her lack of stealth let the entire group get away, and she was livid. She had to be better. She had to do better.

If she couldn't catch them outside of their home, she would make their home as unsafe as hers had been. She would dig it up, pull them out one by one and-

Were these her thoughts? She had never thought to consider it before.

It didn't matter, really. She had given herself to It, and if that is what submission meant then she would gladly give up her mind and body knowing that she did so willingly. It would not hide Its presence from her, Its interference.

If this is what the Void asked of her, she would listen.

And so she did.

She reached a much too large paw as far in as it would go, grasping, gabbing, pulling at whatever she could feel within. Many of them were smart, huddling far out of reach while she scrapped at the interior until...

She pulled back, a single rabbit barely held by her claws. Her paws were not very dexterous, and with no thumb to hold the thing it attempted to slip away.

She swiped quickly at the critter, managing to get another blow in despite the squirming as it tried to get away. Already injured and not even a tenth her size, it did not take much to stop it. She was surprised the chase itself hadn't caused the thing to drop.

Sure, it would satisfy her needs for a little while, but the hunt was boring! Even with her initial failure and frustration, it was just so... easy. The thing barely squeaked!

She eyed the warren, a silent debate between her thoughts and the whispers she still swore she could hear. She could destroy them all, if she was patient, but would it be worth it? She turned her eyes back towards the still lesser on the ground, flipping it over with a lazy paw. It had a stone.

Satisfied, she picked it up to find somewhere less open to let it decay. It wouldn't take long, she knew, and then she would be off again, headed North.