ORIGIN

Being so small and scurrying through the cave in near blindness was no easy feat. Bravo had only spent a week among the living in Origin and in that time he had only sprouted a new sense of adventure, thanks mostly to Leon for showing him the way to feed his curiosities. While the things that went bump in the endless night have mostly been ignored now, as nothing ate him yet, every now and then a falling stone or angry voice would give him a start. Heart pumping fast and filling him with peppy adrenaline.

Since emerging from his turquoise womb, the kit had little success sleeping. His eyes often got the burning, blurry feeling. Sometimes he'd be walking around and black out for an hour or two before stirring abruptly and going back to business poking his nose against the walls and searching for this amazing adventure that surely was out there. A few times he found some edible mushrooms and bugs to suffice the clawing animal in his stomach. The nourishment was enough to keep him moving along through the cave system.

The most amazing thing about his new life was the tingling sensation that filled his skull, presumably powered by the turquoise gem that sat right between his wide eyes. If he concentrated just right things happened when he spoke. Sometimes he could fool others into thinking he was somewhere he wasn't! It was a funny trick, and Bravo cracked himself up every time. Eagerly he went around this strange place full of skeletons, searching, searching for life. The raccoon wanted to have some fun.

The king of the bone pit had only hatched almost two weeks before, and since emerging from his sanguine and obsidian chrysalis, the ave had found himself constantly lured toward the dimly lit room of bones... He wasn't sure what the name of it was or anything... Only left with a faint memory of his name and his magic. The fledgling had learned to use a little bit of it, even though it was extremely weak and almost useless. Persistence was key, a voice in his head said, driving him on to attempt it.

The little Lammergeier was in the midst of practice, about to flap miniscule wings, when the soft pitter-patter of feet interrupted the vulture's thoughts. Was somebody intruding on his throne of bones? Ruffling his feathers, the little Gembound would have nothing of it.

Waddling over to a nearby pile of bones, the sharp-eyed bird managed to pick out one that was just right in size for his head. Orbs glinted, and the vulture crouched low, gazing into the blinding darkness for the faint outline of another critter. Some glowing things grew here and there, as well as many 'rock eggs' latched onto the ceiling that glowed gently. Aza'zel was sure that they were called rock eggs. He had seen a few little Gembound fall out of them and be alive. When he was alive, though. Nobody met little Aza'zel. He was all alone! But now, he wasn't! The bone room finally had another Gembound in it!

Excitement ruffled the small vulture's feathers once more, and he scrabbled onto a rock that he had previously run into. He slowly was learning how to navigate these... big giant rocks. That's another thing he yet did not know a name for. Carmine orbs glinted, tilting his head. The skull on his crown shifted, and almost fell. Aza'zel squawked fearfully, tilting his head the other direction so it was centered upon his crown again. Little claws scratched the floor absently, and the Gembound flapped small black wings fitfully as he attempted to descend from his throne toward this creature.

The Gembound's center of gravity pulled him down, down, and down... until he collapsed in a pile of bones. They made a hallow sound as he shifted around in them, picking out the biggest yet smoothest one he could find. Using talons to grasp the bone, he slapped it on the ground, making a hallow noise. Finally, the critter squawked loudly, singing a little jingle. "Got lovely bunch of bones! Big, small, big as head!" Bobbing his skull up and down, the bird skull on his head fell off, skittering off a hill and disappearing into the blackness of the cave. "Ha ha haaaaaaaa." Aza'zel cackled, looking around for his little friend. The bone king needed to see his subjects to rule over them, of course!

Minute tail feathers wriggled and he waved his small wings about, cackling still. The gemstone at the base of his tail began to glow and shimmer with an inner light, magical energy being drawn from them. For a brief moment, the bone king was illuminated. Flapping his wings experimentally a few times, he summoned the inner winds around him, gathering the atoms of the air about him and expelling them rapidly. Hopefully it was enough to send a gust around the bone room, and play with his guest.

Bravo hadn't the slightest clue there was company in this particularly creepy room until it came crashing down from somewhere above his level on the ground. Bones scattered across the hard floor. The thing didn't get too badly injured from it's clumsy tumble, it still moved around making a ruckus. He sniggered to himself in response. Eyes searching around the perimeter of the wall, looking for the shadow outline of something living, Bravo scooted around piles of bone searching.

The feathered figure finally appeared to him wearing a bone on his bobbing head... the motion was too much to keep balance and it was sent clanking away. How silly! Again, muffled laughter escaped his maw as he tried to remain as hidden as possible. He wasn't sure if the newly emerged gembound had seen him just yet. Bravo the raccoon watched the gemstone at the bird's tail shimmer. A small gust of wind, much larger than what would have been produced from his flapping wings was sent Bravo's way. He stared for a moment in shock of the other's ability, then felt a little jealous the stranger's magic was cooler than his own.

The "third eye" of his came to life with an inner glow as he brought focus to the force building within his body. Sticking his tongue out to concentrate a little harder, Bravo felt the magic take it's toll. It was all new to him, the draining sensation that came with his gifts. He half wondered if everyone got a little exhausted like he did after a few spells were cast. "Stop that, you!" he boomed, directing his voice to be heard somewhere behind the gembound. All in an attempt to spook the creature, just a fun ol' game.

As he clacked the bones on the floor before him, and his gust was barely succesful in being useful to spook his guest, the bone king danced still yet, childish love for playtime taking over. The young and scruffy Gembound looking around, trying to find his guest in the small burst of light his stone had generated. Carmine orbs locked onto the frame of one small guest, a little... grey thing. With blue eyes? Three of them? The vulture squinted as he looked for it when his glow faded, a breeze barely wafting from his wings. It had been barely successful, and only shifted a few bones. He had intended for something else.

What caught his thoughts and drew them to a close was the voice in his head. 'Stop it!' Whipping his head around for the source of the sound, the Gembound ceased his drumming of bones, crouching low on his throne and looking for some glow. What he found was a dim light of blue, and the vulture clumsily glided down, flapping his wings a few times. He was now about fifteen feet from the guest, and he still held a bone in one talon, cackling quietly. "Haaaaa ha ha haaaaa... But bones fun!" He guffawed, tossing off the bone.

Ducking low, the lammergeier spread his wings, red jasper at the base of his tail glowing once more. It was much more vibrant this time, and he himself took a few involuntary steps back. He had intended only for a wind around the room, but instead... he got a big gust! Aza'zel squeaked in surprise, unable to comprehend the amount of power he had just released. Scurrying toward where he thought his friend was, he gave a chirp of concern, tucking his wings at his side. A dull headache thrummed in the lammergeier's skull, and he crouched down into a sitting position. Man, that wore him out! "Friend okay?" He chirped sadly, carmine orbs searching for his new friend frantically. The bone king couldn't lose any of his subjects now!

Bravo wasn't expecting another attack of air when he had specifically told the other gembound to stop, then again he wasn't really being serious. There was nothing he could do to stop the tumble at first, his hand like claws grasped at the cave floor but without any catch. His chin was blown upwards first by the wind, then it caught him around the chest and flipped him entirely. But now as he was sent tumbling backwards in a summersault into a pile of lumpy, some sharp, bones he yelled out in frustration. His previous demands seemed all too real to him now. "I told you to stop!" he yapped, a temper rushing through his veins.

Before he had been sent backwards, his turquoise eyes had found the other gembound by his glowing stone just before the gust. Another small fellow just like himself, alarmingly this bird was about the same size as him, even as a chick. He was gonna be a big bird when he gets older! Bravo had seen some larger birds swooping down around the top edge of the cave system, and my, my how they intimidated him. Did he really want one as a childhood enemy? Bravo didn't care at this point, he dislodged himself from the bone pile, whimpering almost silently as a sharp edge was withdrawn from his side. It wasn't deep, but it still was the most painful thing he had to experience being alive.

The blood was a strong iron smell and it made Bravo nauseous, whether from the pain or scent alone. The wound would dry and scab up sooner than later but he made an attempt to lick it first, instinct taking over to clean the wound before grime settled beneath his skin. Puffing his chest out he stormed towards the direction of the gembound bird, "What were you thinking!" he yelled out, his tiny voice would be hysterical to an adult.

Just as quick as his anger had flared up it quickly came to a plateau and fell. Bravo was indeed going to grow into a moody, bulky raccoon. Eye balling this new acquaintance of his, he shrugged at the other's obvious concern of his well being. He loved the attention the bird was giving him, and maybe a little bit touched that he seemed to care. Why wouldn't the bird care though? He just sent him tumbling back with sheer magic force. Jealousy kicked in once again, his only developed magic skill wasn't nearly as cool.

"Breeze?" he croaked, fur bristling momentarily before falling flat against his wiry young frame. Rising up to sit more comfortably on his hind legs and rump, Bravo crossed his arms in faux concern, "You should be more careful." Twitching his striped bushy tail a few times the raccoon wrapped it snuggly against his haunched hind legs. His eyes began to wander again, admiring the tall stacked bones of this marvelous graveyard. There definitely wasn't as much light in this room as the other's and Bravo thought up a few plans to transport glowing things into here to better see next time a crazy young bird decides to propel a hurricane force (exaggerated, of course) wind tunnel towards him. "Name's Bravo... what ya doin' sitting in the dark?"

The bird hobbled over to the pile of bones he had careened into and began to sort it, like his impact had disturbed an intricate pattern the bones were supposed to be in. His stout ears twitched in thought. The bones could be stacked more neatly into a more functional pile, with an entrance. A fort! His mouth fell open at the thought, how cool would that be!

Bravo's mind raced through structural ideas, how to puzzle piece bones together just right to create a little hut of bones. Big enough for just him and all the things he wanted to stash away, he wasn't gonna go through all that work so other's could hide away too, now was he? A selfish little devil he was growing into be. Reaching up he clawed at his ear, a fly had bounced off it making it itch. The bird had offered his name in return, an quizzical sound it was. Bravo wasn't sure he'd be able to pronounce it right the first time, but it had to be done or else he'd forget it all together. "Za... Az'asal... Aza'zel," he nodded, that sounded better.

"You haven't been out of this cave yet, have you?" he questioned, raising a brow at the darkness remark. It was pretty dark in here, considering. "There's brighter rooms, ya'know." Bravo chuckled and fell forward onto all fours, shimmying his way over to a pile of bones to inspect the shapes closer. His nose scrunched in disgust at Aza'zel's diet. How gross! The bones didn't particularly smell good, kind of dusty and old. He couldn't imagine trying to gnaw them into small enough pieces to swallow. Let alone, he didn't think his stomach would be too happy he ate a bone to begin with. Just like that time with that one yellowish mushroom... he shuddered, not remembering the aftereffects of the bile mushroom too fondly.

The idea of joining a group was interesting to Bravo, friends and constant company didn't sound too bad at all! But the diet plan, he had to question. "I'm not eating bones," his statement was sharp, clear, to the point. There wasn't going to be any argument about it. "I'm gonna use them though," he challenged, seeing if his newest friend would revoke his invitation. Aza'zel seemed quite fond with the dead skeletons of previous life. Kind of creepily so. Surely he didn't think they all belonged to him! Bravo would steal some anyway, sneaky like, if the gembound would deny him.