The wraith moved cautiously, for she had lost her moon. He’d been with her, she was certain, through their travels down Tunnel M… it was a journey she would not make alone, at least not the first handful of times. She’d heard of a room large and warm and she’d yearned to see it…

And there it was. For despite the fact that the trek had been tiring and cold, she found herself warming quickly. The ghost moved, slowly still, dark eyes watching, seeking, drinking. It was warm, there was water — even waterfalls, harken to their birthplace! Her heart swelled, soared. This could be a home (oh but home, home was anywhere with Him).

Silken moon-spun tendrils chase after her as she moves to the water’s edge and gazes into it then, too.

@Regalia I hope you don't mind...

If you take care of me, I'll take care of you

It was simply be drifting, gaseous paws skimming the water's surface, but not breaking the tension. It seemed to be giving no effort into where it was going. It had left them all behind, but not for any particular reason other then having no reason to stay. They were not like it at all. It was something more. It would not be contained in that little cage, no matter how much Wilder pleaded for it to stay.

It did not like making her sad, it did not like to know she missed it, but it could not stay. And its will was more important then the fickle feelings of what was but a mortal in the end. A physical, flesh and blood being. It did not hate Wilder, of course, and thought every so often of visiting her, blessing her with its presence, if only to calm her mind. Perhaps one day, when its world was explored. When the corners had been reached. When its spindly, formless limbs touched everything. And there was much to go.

Much like this cave, whose name had not yet been uttered to the starlit creature. It did not feel the warmth, but the sensors in its eyes picked up on the increased humidity in the air. It detected the steam from the vents beneath the waves and formulated that this cave was, in fact, warmer then the ones before. It did not mind this, as long as it was not flame. And there were no bright, licking embers in sight. No, merely water. Harmless.

Water and a creature, sitting at the water's edge.

At last, dark smoke began to shift every so slightly as it narrowed its course. It pulled itself forward to drift towards this newcomer, lights flashing to call its attention, but she would not understand the incomprehensible communication of the goddess. Nobody could. It was a language all to herself.

It stopped before her, golden orbs shifting downwards to stare at it curiously. It looked...nothing like anything it had known. It was not small and feline, like Wilder was, nor was it reptilian like Bauble. And it was not a bear, like Pubber. It was something new and this sent a thrill of joy to its head. Caring little for if it was strange or not, its head reached forward, observing the canine carefully, floating just high enough that they were eye level.

@Vyette

As dark eyes watched the water, she found something reflecting in it, flashing. Vyette had seen few moving lights: the most experienced was fire. But this was not that. This was magic, and entity, or both. She wasn’t sure, but excitement drummed within her and she was curious to know.

She watched as the form drew near and for as curious as it was with her, Vyette was fascinated. This curiosity, this hunger for knowledge, consumed any fear or cautious behavior. Instead, the silken canine welcomed the being as it drew near.

Haunches drew close and then lowered, Vyette sitting. She observed the creature as it observed her and then she spoke (without fear, really, if her voice frightened the creature for what kind of fun would it be if it ran away when she talked?), ”Hello.”

A single simple, clear word.

@regalia

If you take care of me, I'll take care of you

The canine raised her head without fear and met the eyes of the stars before her, a gentle voice welcoming her, greeting her. A small, silent tendril of its soul reached forward to briefly connect their minds, a one way stream of thoughts and words that sent the sound of a hundred voices into Vyette's mind. "Hello...will you tell me...what you are? What is your name?"

Everything had a name and Regalia found that the more names it collected, the more it felt like it knew its world. The more of its children it had found. The more lost had been brought together. And now, with this fearless, delicate creature before it, so young, so innocent, so different from those it had come across before, it found itself wanting to know more. To know everything.

"I am Regalia," it whispered, but withholding more information, for now.

@Vyette

Such an odd sensation: but she was young and everything was new, odd, and exciting. She found solace in this, comforted by the creature before her and its voices. She wondered if that was something she’d be able to do one day, or something she could do and just didn’t know how.

Magic was a curious thing and the wraith yearned to learn more.

Her name, she knew. That was easy to answer. ”I am Vyette.” But what she is? Despite her young age she approached this question with a philosophical mind and mulled it over. She knew was that she was incomplete: just half of a whole. She also knew that she was canine: a dog. She favored simplicity for the moment: ”I am a dog.”

And it’s whisper — oh. Vyette’s tail wagged behind her.

”Regalia,” she echoed her company’s name, mirroring its hushed tone. ”What are you?”

__tag__

If you take care of me, I'll take care of you

Regalia's lights glowed with this new knowledge. Knowledge of Vyette, who was white-furred, eyes and gem of deepest black. Knowledge of dogs who stood on four legs, like cats but were not. Similar, but longer. Taller. Thicker furred, larger ears. Did all dogs look like Vyette or perhaps she was an enigma? Regalia did not know this, but it would find out. It would meet more dogs, then, and decide what to do with them.

It's magic reached back for Vyette's mind to respond to the dog's words. "Vyette...a beautiful name. I appreciate beauty. Me...I am...Regalia. I am that I am and I am called Regalia." There was a pause here, to allow Vyette to know it, to remember its name. Imprint it into her mind before it continued. The silence seemed to stretch as golden orbs gazed at the dog without expression. The gas shifted before the voice in her mind continued.

"I wish to know...about you, Vyette. About your life, your dreams and wishes. Your purpose. I wish to know who it is I am speaking to."

@Vyette

The lights glowed and Vyette was unsure if she’d seen anything as beautiful. Kazgut returned to mind, for thoughts of him always lingered. But he was so very different in comparison to herself and to Regalia. He was dark, void: his eyes bright, moonstone.

Regalia was different. Regalia was beautiful. And Vyette was certain that Regalia was unique, if not simply in species then as a whole.

The dog’s tail wagged behind her, quietly, slowly. The two were alike in some ways: Vyette wanted to know more about Regalia. ”I like dreaming,” she mused aloud. She cast her gaze downwards then, mulling Regalia’s request. Her dreams? Her wishes? Her purpose?

She had a family. She felt fulfilled. Save… for magic. She yearned to be stronger, to be skilled in ways similar to her family. Fireheart’s burning, Kazgut’s shadows. Vyette felt dull and useless when her thoughts lingered there, in that space.

”I hope one day to have magic,” she lifted her eyes to meet the glowing lights of Regalia. ”Do you… have magic?” She enjoyed the way Regalia spoke to her, and hoped it was magic. Hoped it was something obtainable.

Little did the dog know: they were more alike than she knew.

__tag__

If you take care of me, I'll take care of you

Regalia gazed at the young pup fondly. "It is good to dream. Dreams open the way to the future, to that which you will become. You make of yourself...what you will. And I shall watch over you." It was a vague promise, but itsvoices said it in that way that it was a serious, binding contract. That Vyette was now under its protection. And that, perhaps, is exactly what Regalia meant by it.

A sound echoed in Vyette's mind, like bells softly ringing, not too loud to bang around in her skull. It was laughter, pure, echoing giggles from the goddess's voices. "Magic...yes, it is how I speak to you. I am magic incarnate." As the laughter died away, the edges of Regalia's form began to blur. Wisps of darkness broke from the cat's body more and more until the whole thing came apart and drifted into what became a cloud of pure black before Vyetter. The sprawling lights behind the glowing orbs branched through the darkness and, suddenly, it lit up like the night sky. Colors shifted, lights twinkled. It was, Regalia thought, the most beautiful sight to ever be seen in the caves. Perhaps a narcissistic thought, but not a baseless one.

@Vyette

She was attentive as ever. Her ears and eyes were locked on Regalia. Her tail moved still, back and forth, slowly. She was enchanted. Vyette felt nothing but comfort, safety, with this creature, this new friend. It eased her to know this: her life thus far had been mildly traumatizing… it was a nice change of pace.

And then ringing, in her mind. It was pleasant: not like the ringing that occurred from time to time when obsidian dislodged and danger was imminent. This was lovely. Vyette’s tail quickened, but then slowed and her friend began to blend. Blurred vision was something Vyette knew well, but this time it wasn’t accompanied by pain. And… she looked past Regalia and could focus… It was her friend! What was happening? And then darkness. Upon the realization that Regalia was likely performing some kind of magic, Vyette’s excitement returned. She enjoyed the aesthetic: darkness would be the dog’s beginning and end.

And then! A masterpiece! A visual feast for her eyes and Vyette couldn’t stop staring.

”It’s beautiful, Regalia,” she was certain that the creature knew this already, but she was at a loss for words. ”You are beautiful.”

__tag__

If you take care of me, I'll take care of you

It was starting to get uncomfortable, like a stretching in its head, so it slowly allowed its gases to condense back into shape. "Yes..." it whispered back as, at last, it was back into its cat-like form. Golden eyes regarded the wolf for a moment, wondering. She had not said much of herself, besides her name and her dreams of magic. That, perhaps, would be enough for some, but Regalia required more. It was disappointing, very disappointing, that it could not see the thoughts of mortal beings, but it supposed that would make its task far too easy.

It was silent for a moment before its magic reached forward to touch Vyette's mind once again. "Vyette...my child...is there anything I can do for you? Anything I can assist you with? I would like to keep you...safe...healthy. Happy. Has anything hurt you?"

@Vyette