ORIGIN - How Pretty the Lights Are

no i'm not obsessed with Xin what are you talking about-

Xin had stumbled into this cave whilst exploring and began to look around. The sights above and around him were very pretty, the exact opposite of an eyesore. Quartz crystals glistened, lighting the room. Xin walked slowly, gazing at the walls and ceilings. The walls sparkled and shined. Crystals seemed to grow right out of the ground. Broken and crumbling stone structures could be found. All in all, it was quite a beautiful sight. Xin felt as though he could stare at it forever. Eventually, he sat down next to one of the crystal growths and looked around, taking in the sight before him. He poked at some of the crystals and immediately began to see if he could break one off. He pawed at it, and scratched it a couple of times before growing bored. He looked around, wondering if he could find another gembound.

Boar pranced through the room of stars with her head high, confident in her pseudo-patrolling mission. Pink eyes roved over thick crystals and between dilapidated stone structures, always on the lookout for trespassers. Soon her gaze fell upon a small form batting at a nearby crystal and her heart jumped a beat. Hooligan!

"'Ey!" she barked, immediately diverting her course to head right for Xin. Along the way she planted her front hooves and kicked out sharply with the rear ones at a crystal she passed, in an attempt to demonstrate her prowess. Her kick connected with a sharp crack that sent the hairs on her spine flicking upwards. The calf must have hit it just right, because on the surface of the crystal a sharp, jagged line began to form, driving upwards until it split the rock clean in two. Barely (just barely) Boar held her composure, never looking back or allowing her face to fall into the expression of shock sitting just beneath the surface. Instead she kept a haughty, confident look about her as she came to a stop in front of Xin. If I can do that to a rock, imagine what I can do to you. "You a car-nee-vor or a er-bi-vore?"

Tbh if he lies, she will totally accept it. XD
@Xin

Xin was about to try to break one of the crystals again before a loud crack startled him. He jumped in surprise before turning and seeing a rather large gembound in front of him. His eyes widen and he nearly topples over from shock. Compared to the tiny creature Xin is, this gembound was quite tall. His gaze drifted towards the crystal and saw that it had split in two. He involuntarily shuddered. That must have been one strong kick. His eyes drifted upward. He blinked as she spoke. What even was a "car-nee-vor" and a "er-bi-vore"? And now was he even to tell her what he was anyway? He couldn't speak, no matter how hard he tried. So he just titled his head at her, unsure of what to do.

@Boar

Boar squared her shoulders at the marten with a scowl as she waited for an answer. He tilted his small head and she felt anger stir in her gut. Deep lines pulled her brows together and the edges of her lips curled into a sharp frown. She jutted her big, stupid face right into his with a grunt.

"Didn' ya hear me? It's a pretty simple question." With one hoof she reached up and attempted to knock at Xin's forehead. Knowing that she'd already met a mute creature, one might assume Boar would be a little more sensitive to the topic. But it simply hadn't occurred to her that the marten may not be able to speak. No, in her mind he was certainly ignoring her question on purpose. Or he was a carnivore and was too afraid of her mighty strength to answer.

@Xin

Xin fell onto his back when the larger gembound thrust her face into his. He quickly scrambled up just in time for her to practically jab at his forehead. He wanted to tell her that no, he couldn't speak. But if he could do that, then he wouldn't need to tell her that. But no. The little marten couldn't speak, and had no way of communicating with this wildebeest. He opened his mouth, hoping that maybe, for once, he would be able to speak. He tried to say something-anything!-but nothing came out. With a huff of frustration, he sat down and lowered his head lightly in shame. Hopefully now she would understand. He certainly hoped she would.

Besides, what even is a carnivore and herbivore?

@Boar

"Ugh," she spat in disgust when Xin opened his mouth but still made no sound. Clearly he was just trying to annoy her, and as far as Boar was concerned he was doing a stellar job. She frowned at him, eyes narrowing on the little marten while her mind slogged through the situation. The only other carnivore she knew for sure was Kutu, and with that thought she drew up a mental image of the hybrid. Noodley body, paws with claws, bushy tail. As a matter of fact, with the simple addition of some feathers and wings, Xin would look almost exactly like her. As realization dawned on the wildebeest, her mouth fell open with a knowing gasp and her brows knit.

"I knew it." Her words were biting, but there was a certain sense of pride there, as well. She'd figured it out all on her own. "Ya are a car-nee-vore. Listen here, ya lil' shit," she took a threatening step forward again, aggression renewed. "Orion belongs to us an' we don' wan' yer kind here. I'm givin' ya five seconds ta get out 'fore I make you." Boar puffed up her chest, feeling rather generous that she was even giving the little Marten that long to hightail it out of the cavern. "Oneee! Twooo!"

@Xin

Noise roused her from the void she rested in, an eye lazily opening outside of her pocketed icy den. What had been that awful crack sound? It came through the earth. Shadows moved like smoke around her, twisting her around to face the entrance where her eyeless face glowered. In an instance, she was gone; consumed by the absence of light that once enveloped all of Canis, the large cat-like creature slipped herself through the shadows cast by the false stars above until she hovered near the two others. She slipped a shadow tendril slowly around, opening an eye within the shadows of a nearby crystal to get a good look at them. One of them spoke, the other stared.

While she wasn't interested in the conversation, she merely wanted to know the origin of the ruckus; but then came the words, "Orion belongs to us an' we don' wan' yer kind here." She was hidden still, having not taken a physical form, but her breath would have caught if she had been breathing. Orion belonged to who? An eye opened from the shadows where she was hidden, tucked behind the crystal structures, and peered up to the ceiling. Orion belonged to Him. She belonged to Him. She waited for more commands, more desires, more signs - the previous had been so fun. Now he was quiet?

She continued to observe the two creatures, curious if the talking one would explain any further about this... us.

@Xin @Boar

hope you don't mind me popping in with shadow monster 8')

Xin flinched as the wildebeest spat in disgust. He couldn't speak! What could he do? He flinched again as she spoke some more. He definitely didn't like her tone of voice. It was harsh and mean, and scared him. This gembound was far bigger than he was. He didn't want to think of what would happen if they fought, much as he partially wanted to. Partially. He knew he would lose in an instant.

He scrambled backwards some as she took a threatening step forward. He was scared-no, terrified-of this creature. Five seconds to get out of here? Why did he need to get out of here anyway? What did he do? He was just looking at the pretty lights! Once the wildebeest started counting, however, he quickly began to run away. He didn't want to risk seeing what would happen if he didn't get out of here, and fast.

However, while running, he tripped over a loose stone and fell, landing on his back. He let out a soundless whimper. His paw hurt from when he tripped. Despite this, he struggled to get up. He couldn't let the wildebeest get him! He started to continue running when pain shot up his hurt leg and he collapsed. He closed his eyes. There was no hope for him now; the wildebeest was bound to get him.

@Boar

The look of terror on his face was oddly satisfying. She puffed up her narrow chest and smirked as he scrambled backwards. She, despite being so young, felt huge and powerful. Then, only adding to her sense of accomplishment, he turned and began to scramble away. Boar took another step after him, but was content to let him flee unharmed. That was, until he unceremoniously stumbled over a loose stone. A frown tugged at her lips. He stood, only to collapse again and finally remain still. She took another step, and another.

"Threeee!" she crowed threateningly, fully unaware that their interaction was being observed by another being. If she hadn't been so consumed with chasing him away, maybe she would have felt the tingle of eyes on her back. Instead she broke into a short trot, a mock charge wherein she aimed to plant her hooves on either side of Xin's prone form. Typically she would have already physically attacked him, but she'd found a strange amusement in tormenting the smaller creature. Her patience, however, was beginning to thin.

@Xin @Game Master CJ

Xin let out another soundless whimper as he lay there, his paw in pain. He flinched as the wildebeest called out the number three. He was injured, and couldn't speak! What was he to do? Oh how he prayed someone else was there. But alas, it did not seem like there was. It was just him and the wildebeest.

His eyes opened in surprise as the wildebeest planted her hooves on either side of his body. He cowered down, eyes now shut tight in fear, body shaking. He hoped she would just leave him alone! What had he done? As far as he could tell, nothing! He was just looking at the pretty lights! He was just about ready to give up now.

But no. He couldn't just give up like that! He was determined to escape. Sure, his paw was hurt, but he could just ignore the pain. Couldn't he? No point in not trying to find out. Opening his eyes and gritting his teeth together, he slowly rose. He managed to be able to slowly crawl away from the much larger creature. But he moved very slowly. His paw hurt with every step, but he was determined.

But it was to no avail. Before long, he collapsed again. He was tired and his paw now throbbing. Hopefully this was enough for the wildebeest to just leave him alone. He didn't want to be here! He had just stumbled across this room and saw the lights. He wanted to go back to where he had been hatched, but he couldn't move. He still didn't know what a herbivore or carnivore was.

@Boar