ORIGIN - back patters

The air was different here. A little colder, a little less wet. Valethyr was unsure if they liked it or not. It lingered near the slowly pulsing exit, well-aware they were forbidden to leave unless he wished to travel to Pegasus to hunt, which sounded less appealing the more it lingered. They heaved a breath, attempting to detect if anyone else was around, perhaps also lingering near the entrance on the other side. Though he was used to the dim lighting of the Womb, he could not see though to the other side, or even into the tunnel between the caves.

The mystery made its claws tingle. The unknown was not something he was well-versed in, so it opted to take things slow. Let the different air wash over its feathers, which were puffed to let the chill tickle its skin, slowly taking long, deep breaths so the temperature difference, as subtle as it was, would fill their lungs. They would leave... eventually. But, for now, she was content to merely observe, and acclimate.

@cavallys

Unlike Valethyr, Cavallys can travel whenever she pleases. Cavallys still has not left the confines of Draco. It is her home, even with the strange decor. Cavallys feels safe here, close to the spire with her Mother and Fenmyre. The closeness to the Spire has allowed Cavallys to escape most of the symptoms of corruption. Until today that is.

Today Cavallys walks with a limp in the back left hoof. If she were any less durable, she may have been rendered out of commission simply due to the pain. That topped with the blinding lights leaves Cavallys with no room to relax. Her stature is stiff, eyes wandering every which way.

Thankfully, Cavallys knows there is no danger here. With the Forge nearby, most unaffiliated gembound won't dare to step foot in the cave. Unless you're Mother and Cavallys and Fenmyre. The simple fact lets Cavallys eye the stranger she has somehow not noticed until now. He does not belong to Cavallys' family group, so he must be one of the Forge's.

Is it another obsessed with destruction? Cavallys hopes not. She has enough of that around her already.

@Valethyr

Someone grew close. Valethyr did not bother turning their head (not like it would do much), or body to see who was approaching. Draco was a small area, and they were used to closeness for short periods of time. Perhaps this mystery gembound was about to leave, achieve what Valethyr was attempting in a matter of seconds.

It waited, eye fixed on the exit, even as their attention was focused behind them.

Nothing happened, though.

Curious, he inhaled deeply, wondering if this was someone he knew. The familiar, yet strange scent washed over its tongue. Indeed, this was not a gembound the valkhound knew, but it carried the stench of Chaos. Another youngling, perhaps? It didnt quite carry the rot of an adult, not just yet.

"I know you're there." They said, unable to sit in silence when someone was so obviously staring at them. He wanted to know who they were, and wanted them to know he knew they were there. It was spawn of Vargas, sneaking up on it would be harder than that.

@cavallys

Cavallys startles when Valethyr talks. How did they notice? Am I just that loud? The idea of the stranger smelling her hadn't come to mind. Cavallys is new and unexperienced, without some of the pressure of the Forge. She's learning things at her own pace. Which is quite slow.

Cavallys has no worries about rushing through life. Even if her birth gave her a purpose. Mother's words still don't make much sense to the foal. serve only His will. Thrive, and you might one day look Him in a greater eye than this Blackened Spire.

Confusing. Do the weird random pains have anything to do with it? Something to ask someone about later.

"Um. Hi!" Awkward. "I haven't seen you around before! I'm Cavallys, what's your name?"

Cavallys trots closer, leaning weight on her other legs to account for the limp.

@Valethyr

The other gembound seemed uncertain. As they showed themselves, Valethyr blinked their great, green eye at the new creature. She was white and black, or black and white? Four legged, with a spikey, red exposed skull sitting uton muscled shoulders. It had smelt her around before, it realised, as her scent sat heavily on its tongue. Of course, they had never spoken to her before. He didn't even know her name.

The sheer lack of hostility surprised him. Their great eye blinked again, taking into account the obvious limp as Cavallys stepped closer. Valethyr ruffled her feathers, suddenly uncertain herself - and desperately trying to hide it.

"I could say the same about you," he said slowly, "Valethyr, the Absolver." A name for a name was only fair. Now that introductions were out of the way, he stepped a little closer, curious. "What happened to your leg?"

@cavallys