ORIGIN - For the Shadows

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Cadence
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Lurking in the shadows, living day by day as wild animals would were two gembounds both born of the same two creatures. Bear and lion. Baroque and Cadence. While others retreated to their chrysali they were spared the re-emergence and instead lurked on the fringes of society as others sank away. For Cadence it was a grueling existence, one that tapped her sanity as those she knew faded away... never to be seen again. If not for the companionship of her brother she perhaps would have been absorbed into the darkness and become one with one of the feral lesser gembound that roamed the caverns but because of her companionship she was able to contain her mind... but barely. Sometimes she felt like nothing more than a lesser gembound as she traversed the tunnels... waiting... for what? She didn't know... but... something. Was it her other family members? The ones that she felt were long gone? The only one she knew was alive for a fact was a beefy grizzly lion of a brother, everyone else... Well, she preferred not to think to much on that.

Her head shook, ears twitching as she tried to pick up the signs of something to eat. The tunnels had recently grown dark, something that didn't too much bother the lion-like eyes she held. She lived for hunting in the dark or the daylight, it mattered not when she had a keen sense of smell and keen ears for listening for the scuttling of prey. Today she wanted to do a solo act to bring back a surprise kill for her brother. For a while she'd been hearing voices and the sounds of shattering chrysali to signal the emergence of creatures again. It didn't excite her as it once might have, not when she knew no one in these caves anymore. What was the point of even coming from the shadows? Her family was gone, she had to protect what she had left. Besides, who was to say that any of these new creatures could be trusted?

With that resolve in her heart she followed the scent of something that promised to be rather tasty. Was it a cave deer, a kooru, a rat? She knew not, only that she would be rewarded for following the scent and so, she trekked on with white fur showing up brilliantly against the bright spire and glowing stones and mosses of Polaris as she went.

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408 | notes | @Penelope

"Speaking"
Thinking...

For a long time, the entire world around her was full of peace. Louie vanished, the forsaken white crow vanished, and the risks and false voices were gone. Her darkness - which existed before the lights went out in the caves - was finally a calm darkness. Every day, she wandered, being sure to avoid the very few who did still slink through the caves. It was easier now. Now, she had confidence. She took care of herself, she didn't need Louie, but....nobody was really around to be a threat, either.

Some were reemerging, some were hatching for the first time. She hadn't encountered anyone, she could only smell and sense and hear it, here powers useful only to ensure her freedom in this time. However, it was only a matter of time before she crossed someone's path. One could only hope for the best. As it were, flashbacks were starting to come with the return of life to the caves, panic attacks growing more frequent with ever close call. It was enough to want to hide in a chrysalis, as other had done for a period.

A smell was faint in her nostrils, but she had a feeling someone was closing in. She found a spot between two rocks and wedged herself between them, feeling a little safer for a moment long enough to contemplate what to do... Penelope focused heavily on a message, charging her gem and kicking it into gear.

"Hello. Are you my enemy?"

"Speech"
Thoughts.
"Telepathy."
@Cadence

Cadence
__________

The scent in her nose grew stronger, attracting her as she looked to follow it. As she neared and grew closer to the smell she found that it was... different, that a lesser gembound. Something was off about it and though she was sure it would be tasty, she just couldn't allow herself to go after it. Not that she could even see it. Despite the fact that her nose told her it was nearby, she couldn't see it. An annoyed rumble sounded in her chest as she was about to turn away and seek out something else.

Until a voice spoke in her mind.

Startled the grizzly lioness let out a snarl and backed up, head lowering as she attempted to shake off the voice that suddenly broke into her headspace. What was going on? Very vaguely she could remember her own mother speaking to her in a similar manner. Arcane magick. The very magick that she possessed. Or at least once possessed. It had been so long since she'd called upon any spells that she wasn't sure if she even had any anymore.

"Who's... Who's... There?" She clenched her teeth, pawing once at her head before shaking it and looking around. It was magick, non-offensive magick at that. She was fine, she was alright. "I'm not your enemy, so long as you're not mine." Blue eyes peered about in the dark but still could see nothing. "Show yourself!" Her stubby tail twitched back and forth as she waited to see if the animal would reveal herself.

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258 | notes | @Penelope

"Speaking"
Thinking...

The voice came clear and it was unfamiliar, which should of been a relief. A new voice. You don't know them, Penelope... yet, every inch of me says it's... her. With no protection aside her own self, the tapir felt her bit of confidence shrivel up and die. Things seemed easy enough, but now the anxiety was starting to become overwhelming very quickly. She squeezed her eyes shut, ears ringing as the tension shook her form.

"Show yourself!"

Penelope's eyes snapped open as the voice shouted a demand, the anxiety melting away as her breathing came to be normal again. Mind refocusing on the situation at hand, she hesitated, then stepped out from her hiding spot. Her nose searched for the other, so she may face the "intruder" head-on. Blind eyes tried hard to lock on, but such was pointless. She couldn't even see light when light was present, so what use was searching in the dark?

"I can defend myself," she said quickly, shifting her weight between her feet very slightly as nerves boiled just under the surface, ready to incite a panic attack. Her scarred neck and blinded eyes could only tell part of the story... the rest hid in her head; whether half of it was reality, she couldn't even tell anymore.

"Speech"
Thoughts.
"Telepathy."
@Cadence

Cadence
__________

The hybrid stood and waited, head lifted with nostrils flaring as her sensitive nose attempted to pinpoint the exact location of whoever it was around here. Before long she could hear the soft patter of feet as the creature finally came out of hiding. Cadence's ears pricked as she finally able to turn and see who exactly was addressing her.

In the dim light of Polaris from the glowing stones she was able to make out some strange four-legged creature with a face resembling an elephant. Tapir. The name seemed to come to her from nowhere but she didn't know how or why. In the darkness she could just make out those eyes... they seemed lost, unable to lock onto anything. She knew that everyone's eyes were poor in the darkness but this seemed something different, something worse.

"I can defend myself,"

The voice brought a smile to her face. She could defend herself? Oh really now? Cadence's claws kneaded at the earth as she stared down at the creature, deciding on what course of action she should take. Her words were a low rumble in her throat she echoed what was said. "So can I."

But in the end her good training from her parents won out.

Her mouth curved upwards into a grin, a genuine one as she went on, "But neither of us will have to worry about doing that, will we?" Her words were light, almost playful as she tried to smooth over the tense situation. "Not unless you plan on trying to attack me... But you wouldn't do that, would ya?" She would think not, why create trouble where it could easily be avoided? Especially when you appeared to be a bit lower on the theoretical food chain?

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293 | notes | @Penelope

"Speaking"
Thinking...

A retort that sent a chill down her spine, causing her to take a whole step backwards. She hoped in her bones that she wouldn't have to do it, but that fear... Penelope could smell it on herself. Certainly the tapir wouldn't attack. She could only see herself as too weak. The words, her explanation couldn't come out of her mouth, though. It would open, but nothing followed. The next best move seemed to be telepathy, again. Unfortunately, with it came the flashbacks, which had been waiting for the next vulnerable minute to strike.

Penelope saw a young white bird. They were both just children of the caves. Friendly words were exchanged, then... the bird bite the innocent tapir. Within hardly time at all, the youthful tapir's vision vanished. All that could be seen was darkness, but a wave of sadness poured from the soul. Physical pain from running into things came and went, until a fox made a link. Through him, there were glimpses. His dreams which gave her perfect vision. Moments of joy that inevitably lead to 180 turns to depression... Then the day came. Again, a feeling of innocence betrayed her as the bird used a fake voice. Pecking into her neck, Penelope could only scream as the venomous, albino crow tore into her flesh.

Penelope ripped herself from the telepathy with a scream of terror. A memory which forced itself into what should of been a whisper of admission of uncertainty. Instead, Cadence would of been shoved into a once memory without her consent. Something that Penelope couldn't keep buried, no matter how hard she tried or how much time passed. She knew in her soul she could never be safe. The irrational anxiety made everyone that bird. Her own spells weakened and constantly turning on her despite how well they were summoned.

Life was a nightmare. Thus, there she was, sobbing into the dirt in a rather pathetic way. "No, please, stop... Louie, where are you? You promised me... You promised!"

"Speech"
Thoughts.
"Telepathy."
@Cadence

Cadence
__________

The creature before her stepped back with a smell that betrayed everything she felt. Oh great, her and her big mouth! She always had to say something smart and scare or piss everyone off. When said person grew annoyed with her she didn't care but when she terrified the other senselessly well... it kind of made her feel bad, like a jerk. She stepped forward, one paw extending as she tried to apologize for her actions. "Hey, come on now, I was only joking. I wouldn't--" Suddenly something jolted into her mind, thoughts and visions that she wasn't the creator of.

She stepped backwards with a hiss at the invasion of her mind, eyes focusing first on the tapir and then on nothing as she stared unseeingly at the pictures behind her eyes. She saw as if she were the tapir herself, the vision showing the image of a white bird as it pecked at her then there was nothing but blindness. A wash of sadness echoed in her until light shone into the bond. The soul felt whole again... Until the bird returned and was pecking at her flesh again. Even though it was all in her mind the bearlion felt a growl rising in her throat as she pawed at her own neck, trying to remove the feeling from her.

It wasn't until the link was shattered that she was able to look around and regain her senses. Her mouth was parted as she panted silently, focusing on the tapir once more. The creature had broken down, sobbing and screaming about someone named "Louie". Obviously the link had her lost in the past on those terrible events. Cadence felt awful for this poor soul but what could she do? She was always terrible at this sort of thing...

"Hey... You're... You're alright. No one is going to hurt you now. You're here not there." She attempted to come closer and reach forward with her paw again, this time in an attempt to gently pat her on the shoulders if allowed. It was all she could think of to do for the weeping gembound. "Come on... it's alright..."

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359 | notes | @Penelope

"Speaking"
Thinking...

Slowly, painfully, Penelope started to come back to the present, the sudden touch of a large paw quieting her tears. It was most definitely not that evil bird. It also wasn't Louie. Still, the company was refreshing, up until the embarrassment reared it's ugly head. Heat hit her face as it sunk in what had happened, feeling horribly sobered in seconds.

"I... I'm so sorry. I didn't..."

What do you say after that? She stopped trying to speak and closed her eyes instead, a shudder creeping through her body. Louie would be disappointed if he could see her like this. Something told her, though, that Louie was as good as dead. Why else would the world have been so quiet for so long? It wasn't quiet anymore, though. It was time to move on, no matter how terrible and impossibly embarrassing it might be.

"You weren't suppose to see that, I... just meant to tell you that....I'm scared," she choked on the words, but got them out. With no ounce of grace, Penelope picked herself up off the floor and hung her head in shame. "I should of known better than to try to use magicka. I'm sorry."

"Speech"
Thoughts.
"Telepathy."
@Cadence

Cadence
__________

Sorry? Cadence didn't even know if an apology was warranted, perhaps it was but she felt so bad for the creature that she just shook her head. Until she remembered that shaking her head would be unseen by the poor gembound in which case she gave a reassuring pat to her shoulders before lifting her paw away. "Hey, don't worry about it. No harm done, see?" She said with a toothy grin and a very tiny laugh to show just how fine everything was.

"Magicka... it's unpredictable sometimes, you don't have to apologize for it." In a bid to lighten the mood she turned to the Spire and after a smirk said, "Just blame it on the Spire! It's always crackling with magickal energy, maybe it did something to your spell. So, if it's anyone's fault it's the Spire's. Blame it." Stupid, lame, horrible joke but at least she tried. She didn't want this poor soul feeling down about something that was perfectly fine. Cadence might have been caught off guard by the tapir's buried memories but she wouldn't let them bother her now. The poor girl had had an awful life it'd seemed but now perhaps she could move on, hopefully, just as she had done after discovering the truth about her family.

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214 | notes | @Penelope

"Speaking"
Thinking...

See?

For a split second, Penelope was somewhat put off, but the inflection of tone started to sink in, especially when Cadence used the Spire as an excuse. Penelope lifted her head up to look toward Cadence, giving a small smile as the joke settled in. It was also a good enough excuse, even if she didn't believe it to be true, herself. Penelope knew the real cause. It was the instability in herself. If she could just get a control on her life, she thought, it would all be better. For now, she'd have to make due with what she had, which seemed to be "Blame the Spire."

"Heh... my name is Penelope. Thanks for..." she paused, stopping herself from saying, ...not being the bird. What a weird thing to thank someone for. Quickly and awkwardly, she tried to recover the sentence with, "...being nice."

Thanks for being nice? Well, it was better than "thanks for not being that mean ass bird." A heavy sigh stretched and deflated her sides. "I didn't mean to disturb you or cross into your territory. I just get kind of lost, sometimes. I... actually don't know where I am, to be honest."

"Speech"
Thoughts.
"Telepathy."
@Cadence

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