Max had sprinted most of the way from Polaris, ki-yiing the whole way. His piercings hurt, but he'd taken just long enough to dunk his head in a puddle in hopes of the cold soothing the pain, so when he skidded to the alter his face was soaking wet, whimpers tearing from his throat.

The alter was... soothing, in a way. So he crawled towards it on his belly, curling into a ball as close to it as he could without touching, and laid there until he could sleep.

The dog yawned and stood, shook himself in a cloud of fluffy blond fur, twinging bladder drawing him to his paws. He needed to eat, and drink, and take a piss, but he didn't want to leave the altar, but reliving his bowels near the altar seemed sacrilegious so, looking at it with a whine, he barreled up and out of the hole, finding a spot to eat and drink before dunking his head in the pool, eating a cave mouse, then returning to the Altar to doze.

Max dripped water as he trotted back to the Altar, ears perking at the familiar whispers. His golden fur was brown with liquid, though his muzzle glowed white from the goop he hadn't bothered to clean off, turned colors by the Hole. If the cat was there, he'd woof at it wordlessly, wagging his tail and splattering water everywhere, but his eyes were on the Altar.

He stretched out on his stomach in front of it, eyes keen and focused, going completely still as he observed the Altar.

The dog dozed, the whispers loud in his ears, paying them an ear as he came and went, dreaming of monsters warring, of creatures dying. Perhaps he should have feared, should have run, tail tucked and jewelry jangling, but they had grown familiar, to be part of Home, and he couldn't imagine being away.

When the cat spoke to him, though, he blinked, tongue furling out on a yawn as he stretched, turning to look at Purity with a doggy grin, scratching his ear, "Hello kitty," He sneezed to show he meant well, scratch-scratch-scratched his ear, "I am Max! What is your name fluffy kitty?"

The dog paused, perking his ears and the sound of pawsteps, loud even with the whispers in his ears. He wagged his tail, lolled his tongue and shook his head, turning away from the fluffy-fluffy cat to the funny looking dog, even funnier looking with the color-changing effects of the Cave, barking "Hello funny looking dog!" perking his ear towards the Altar in an attempt to make out what a loud whisper was saying, "We are here! I am Max and this is fluffy-cat."

He nodded as though That Was That."