Jan 17 2021, 09:19 PM
There is... nothing? Aethereal paused in confusion. Now that she thought about it, there was... nothing, more or less. At least, nothing more than the three Gembound around her. She was no longer on fire. The discordant screeching of the alien beasts faded. It had been nothing but another hallucination. The edges of her mouth contracted in what was probably a lamprey valkhound's equivalent of a frown. They were getting worse...
Suddenly, there was more flapping, more screeching, and Aethereal flinched, wondering if this was another hallucination. But no - Tahi-shei was also sensing these things. They were real this time. At least, from the sound of it, they were smaller than the alien beasts of her nightmares. They seemed to be fewer in number, too, than an all-out war would require. Flapping wings and screeching cries drew closer, and she hurried away as best she could on five legs. The stench of carrion drifted from behind her on a gentle breeze, and Aethereal winced, glad she'd put some distance between her and the stinky stuff.
Then her brain caught up with the rest of what the deer had said. Who was Vargas, and why did Tahi-shei want him? She was not to reveal anything about Mother, so clearly, Vargas was another untrustworthy stranger. For that matter, why was the deer helping her suddenly, when he'd attacked her before for her connection with Mother?
SPEAKING of that connection, why hadn't Mother said anything to her? Hello? Aethereal thought, a hint of accusation in her mental tone. Where had Mother been this entire fight...? But still, there was no response. Was the distance too far, perhaps, for a good connection? But they had spoken before, in much the same location...
Little by little, realization dawned on her. Mother had said, before, that there were those who would not understand their family. These ones had claimed they were trying to "free" her. I didn't need to be freed, especially so violently, she thought, flicking her tail with no little annoyance. Had they done something to sabotage the link, somehow?
She still had no idea who Vargas was, or what the approaching dragonbats' intentions were, but she didn't think it was a good idea to approach him if he was equally hostile toward Mother. Still, was she going to just leave them there without help? Isra, she thought. James was going for Isra, who was also, judging by the deer's shout for help at the beginning of their battle, hostile toward Mother. They'd be fine on their own. And if they got a little beaten up... well, they were kind of asking for it anyway.
--exit to tunnel F
also tagging GM and not tahi since i don't want to ping him when it's not his turn
Suddenly, there was more flapping, more screeching, and Aethereal flinched, wondering if this was another hallucination. But no - Tahi-shei was also sensing these things. They were real this time. At least, from the sound of it, they were smaller than the alien beasts of her nightmares. They seemed to be fewer in number, too, than an all-out war would require. Flapping wings and screeching cries drew closer, and she hurried away as best she could on five legs. The stench of carrion drifted from behind her on a gentle breeze, and Aethereal winced, glad she'd put some distance between her and the stinky stuff.
Then her brain caught up with the rest of what the deer had said. Who was Vargas, and why did Tahi-shei want him? She was not to reveal anything about Mother, so clearly, Vargas was another untrustworthy stranger. For that matter, why was the deer helping her suddenly, when he'd attacked her before for her connection with Mother?
SPEAKING of that connection, why hadn't Mother said anything to her? Hello? Aethereal thought, a hint of accusation in her mental tone. Where had Mother been this entire fight...? But still, there was no response. Was the distance too far, perhaps, for a good connection? But they had spoken before, in much the same location...
Little by little, realization dawned on her. Mother had said, before, that there were those who would not understand their family. These ones had claimed they were trying to "free" her. I didn't need to be freed, especially so violently, she thought, flicking her tail with no little annoyance. Had they done something to sabotage the link, somehow?
She still had no idea who Vargas was, or what the approaching dragonbats' intentions were, but she didn't think it was a good idea to approach him if he was equally hostile toward Mother. Still, was she going to just leave them there without help? Isra, she thought. James was going for Isra, who was also, judging by the deer's shout for help at the beginning of their battle, hostile toward Mother. They'd be fine on their own. And if they got a little beaten up... well, they were kind of asking for it anyway.
--exit to tunnel F
also tagging GM and not tahi since i don't want to ping him when it's not his turn