Wilder was staring at Black and, once he had described his vision she just turned away, a little frustrated that they couldn't find anything. From what she could tell the vision had been pretty much useless. "Smell with your eyes? Makes no sense to me. I'll just try and smell with my nose."

And that's what she did. She stalked through the marsh, going a little away from Black, sniffing every fern, bush, tree, and rock she came across, trying to familiarize herself with the swamp smells so she could have a chance at finding something else among all that muddy stench. It was difficult, though. The scents of the swamp were so overpowering.

But, eventually, as he cheek brushed against a bush, she caught the faint trace of something. She stopped and sniffed again. She didn't recognize it, probably because she had never been hunting before, but she felt excitement growing at having found a thing. "Hey, Black! I caught a scent but I don't know what it is!"

@Black

Black turned, pacing over and sniffing at the odor. He wasn't sure what it was, either, but he went back to digging a moment later--his paws throwing up great tracts of mud.

The water, though-it seemed to fill the holes just as fast as he could dig them out. And it was cold, bitterly so, so that his paws felt numbed by the time he was elbow-deep and slicked with gray-brown goop.

At length he paused, pulling out of the muck and resting, for a moment, staring down into the water-filled hole he'd dug between the tree roots.

"I do not know the smell. I do not know if anything lies here. Perhaps you can see further? More than what I have seen?"

He reached out, again, with his magic--trying to pinpoint the moment he'd seen before, and to look just beyond it. What had happened next..?

________________

(gm requesting)
@Wilder

Wilder's ears twitched with mild annoyance. It was frustrating not knowing what to do and having to just use magic over and over again to try and find an answer. But she didn't want to feel like that again. No, Black Dog said that they could hunt and give Aquarian an offering. So that's what she'd do.

Abandoning the scent, she went farther into the swamp, this time staying silent, sticking to the shadows. It was an instinct within her, the hunter's knowledge that was part of her DNA. While she was having trouble scenting anything, she could still hear. After a few moments, there was a in the ferns. She wanted to leap at it but she forced herself to stay still. And then...from the grasses a mouse stepped into the open. She carefully slid out her claws and prepared to leap.

Just as the mouse scuttled across her path, she leaped. The mouse didn't know she was there until she landed squarely on it. There was a tiny squeal as she bit down on its neck before it went silent. As her teeth sunk into flesh, she felt the crack of bone and she jerked back, as if bitten. The noise echoed in her ears and the pitiful squeak as the mouse was killed stayed imprinted in her brain. She breathed heavily as an overwhelming sense came over her entire body. Her paws were going numb. Her heart was racing.

"Ḑ̸̯̗̺͇̠̱̰̜̟̦̾̌͜ě̸̛͍̣̲̺͍̖̝͍̜̮̔͋̏̀̒͛̿̆͛̚ã̶̢͙̦̳͍̰͉͖̤̣͖̓̃t̵̨̫̫̫͉͔͎͙̝͑̇̈́́͒͐͆̔̇͒͑̀͜h̶̼̜͕̬͍͉̦̫͍͖̱̻͎̣̽̓̐͋̈͊̉̊̌̅̕̚͝ͅ ̸̧̧͎͚̮̟͙̺͛̿̿̃h̸̡̩͍̠͕͉̦̼̮͕̞̉́͌̾̌͠ͅa̸̠̞̬̬̲͈͈̋̈́̎̇͛̿͌̎̉̑̎̚͝͝s̵̛͉͍̙̫̩̹̲͒͆̾̌̀ ̸̨͚̤̤̹̯̙̩̯̠͉̼̠̖̔̅̓̏̋c̶̡̛̜͓̮͈̩̘̹̬͚̼̟̉͒̐̍́̉͋͘̚͝͝͝͝ô̸̢͍̣̝̯̗͔̣̺̒̂̿͋͒̑͑m̸͓͒̎̽e̵͉̱̱͚̮̰̬̟̙̖͓͙͎͙͊̽̐ͅ ̵̦͔͉͚̺̺̪̫̀̅̀̈́̔͘ą̶̞͈̹͇̲̞͔̘̱͖̣͈͎́̉̅́͆͋̀̆͐͜͝ǹ̵̛̝͔͉̣̝̐͐̍̂́̒͋͗̂̓̚d̷̲̯̤̟̼̟́̈́̆͋̚ ̶̖̻̈́͌͑̂͊͗̇̈́͑̋͊̅̔̌d̷̨̘͍̞̟̼̒̌͆̔e̸̡͉̟̞̖̺̪͆͒͂́͝a̴̡̞̬̦̬͍̱̜̥̤̘̩̦̭̻͒̀t̴̩͈͛̋̐̈̀̔̆̈́̆̓̍̈͊h̸̢̞͉̼̙̗̣͇̫͓͔͈̊̀͆̀͜ͅ ̸̭̻̙̱̯͖̝̣̟̱̣̯͖̼͛̿͌͆̍̀͘͝w̸̨̗̹̝͈͓͓̩̻̝̘̟͆̈́̏́̐͜i̷̡͎͕͚͕͂̆̃̅͊̕ļ̵̜̪̲̋̌͘͠ļ̶̨͉̻̹̟̮̖̫̲́̃ͅ ̵̨̛͈̔̃͗̿̅̒̐͗̿̒͘͘̚ç̷̧̗͔̟̣̺̭̞̫̖̪̃͛̄̔͗̀͆̀́̈̕o̸͚̮̍͑̀́͛m̶̛͔̯̫̬̠͔͒̑̊̔͆́̐͋̕è̵̫͊̆̒͌̽̍͠ ̵̱̆͋̽̾̆̿͋̅̂̌f̵̘͙̽̿̈́͌̋̄̿͜͝o̵͍̯͈͓̙̞͉̦͗̃͒̍̄͑̔́̕͠ṟ̴̨̧̛͇̙̣̖͇̘̙̱̟̫̎̽̏̀̑̈́̈́ ̵̛͚͎̊̒̌͑̇͆̒͑͐́̂͑a̸̡̛̙͙̦̣̔͊̆̂͆̋́̾̃̒̅̀̕͝l̸̪̏̌͂͑̽̓̉̍̈͑̃̐̀̓l̸͉̦̟̮͓͔̥̉̽͛͛̿̍̓.̵̛̠̫̝̪͈̰̬̫̩̀̈́̓͂͌̈́̽̉̑̉̉̚͜ ̴̮̉̅̌F̵̢̹͇͙̩͈̬̘̥̄̈̕͝͝ͅơ̷̫͕͔͎͙̹̞̙̽͐̂̽́̒͠r̷̪͖̼̗̣͚̥̬̯̹͖͋̽̿̀̆͗͆̇̏̚ē̷̤̺̗̼̖̬̞̒͐͒̿͐͌ͅv̴̧͉̻̰̪̫̜̭̗̫̭̹̔̄̑͑̋̋͘͝ę̴̧͇͍̯̰̹̖̤̞̱̪̖̝̒͜͠͝r̵͔̹̗͈̺̫̞̹̘̅͛̊̒͛͊́̐̍͑͗͑̈́̕͜͠ͅ ̵̢̨̨̧̹̙̗̤͉̳̭̥̋́̕̚͜ͅi̸͈͊͑̆͗̈̈́̽̽̈́͐s̸͍̞̭̣̠̠̳̩̦̱̤̻̗͆̽́͠ ̸̛͍̂͊ạ̶͕̭̳̪̦̖͍͈̫̹̠̭̬̫̚ ̵̡̡̠̻͈̳̜͙̾͊̌̈̏l̵̨̹̱̯͊̓̀̒̕î̷̖̼̦͎̲̺̣͉̞͍͙̓̆̊̅̌̃͐̓̀͜e̴̡̠̹̻̮̼̟̤̞͇̤̻̘̐̀͒̓͠ ̴̭̜͎̜̣̳͉͍͑͜w̶̨͚̤̪̦̝͂͆̂̚e̸̛͉̖̬͚̤̟̤̻̙̦͂̽̊͂̌̚ ̷̟̩͈̒́̌́̾̉͝w̵̠̲͚̩̦̄̽͛̇̐̆̃̐̀̓͒̀̏͌ͅi̵̝͈͒̓͆̉̓l̸̮̬̗̠̼̯̪̲͐̍͗́̽̓͗̒͗̽̏͂͜͝ḽ̶̞͍͇̘͔̲͈́͒̈́̓̊̓̉͆̾́̒͜͝ ̶̢̧̛̥̞̼̳̉̽̓͗̈́̆̐̕͘̕ͅd̵̨͕̥͇͖̬̒̓̒̊͗̈́́͆̓̂̆͘̕͝ͅi̷̜̯̻̇͛̔̈́̚͜͝ę̸̢̘͈͎͓͍͈̝̤̰͔̦͔̹̉̇͌̄̚͝ ̶̨̪̊̈́͋͛̌͒͒̑͂̾͘͝w̴̡̧̠̬̺̘̜̘̣̻͍͙̍̐̐͋̀͌̂͝ͅë̸̹͙̖̤̯̥́́̋̌̈́͌͊͘ͅͅ ̶̺͉̪͚̂͌͛̈̊͋͊̎̿͒́͘a̴͙͉̣̜̻̿̌̋͜͠l̸͙̺̳̝̲͙͎̠̹̤͗̈́̏̈́̉̅̿͛͘͜ͅl̴̬͉̝͓̗͌̆̀͐̕ͅ ̶͎̯̻̳̬͈̉ẅ̴̨̨̎̉̈́̅́̈́̌̒̕̕̕̕͝i̵̖̖͇͈̹͕̬̦̣̩͉̣͇̓̒͛́͂̊̔̀̌̒͘̚l̸̡̨͇̣͕͔̰̣̳̜̲̝̭̘̀̇̄̂͂̈́̈́l̴̪͓͓̘̜̞̤̓͋̎̑̌̑͠͝ ̶̧̻̖̫̫̙̱͕̯̐͘ḍ̷̭͎̹̝͍͚̼͌͋̎̐̑į̸̧̯͙̟̮̗̱̯͓̼́̀͗̈́̽̔̂͘͘ė̷̡̡̥̼̳̠̺͗̆̃͜ ̸̢̨͙̬̘̣̟̩̱̹̏̈́̉͂͋͑̑̌͋̅͐́͐͌̋ͅĭ̴̘̝͈͖̼́̆̓̒͒̒ͅt̴̥̻͓̠͍̯̩̜͚̃̇̊̋̇͒͜ ̶̢̨̥̤̗͍̞͙̼̗̞͑̊̐̑̒̄͆̓͊̾̒́̋͝͠ͅŵ̶̔̕ͅi̷͉̤̰͕̯̓̂̂͠l̴̢̲͕͉̃̂̂̂̔̈́̈̾̐͊̉͆̑̚͜͝l̶̹̀͌̈́́ ̶̨̧̗̞̤͎̜̘̜͍̯̓̓̔̇͛̈́̽̌̇͠ď̷͉̺̾̈́͌́̅͐̒̀̅͠͝͠͝e̵͇̜͓͉̭͒͆̔̈̓̓̀̃ś̷̤̦̝̘̫̣̰̞̹͖͙̳̫̣̏̆̉̈́͒t̶̨̰̼̤̣̙̓͒̇̈́̉̐̿̑͘r̷̢̡̡͍̪̲͖̰̲̻̰̙͆͋̓̅̒̋̏̇̅̂̒͒̚͠͠ỏ̸̡̜͕̖̬̉̂͒͝ͅy̶̢̖̯͑͋̔̓̈́̀ ̵̩̲̙͇͚̗̭̩̝͍̝͖͗͊̽͊̄̐͗͑̒̚ų̴̫̥̫͔̹̦̙̳̺̿̊̈̃̚͘̚ṡ̸̰͚̪͌̓̾͗́̽̌͆͝.̵̤͎̈̂̂́̽̎̊̓̀̉̐ ̷̢̡̱̭̩̀̈́̈́͂͜I̸̧̦̠͓̳̮̺̤̠̪̥̬̾͑͝t̴̨̧̮̟͉̠̙̲̥̺̪̠̤̾̓̈́̓̀́̉ ̶̟̻͖͉͔́͗̑̋̆ỉ̶̢͍̹̗̖͖̱͎͙̜̪͉̗̎̋͗̍s̵̨͖̝̹̠̗̩̘̬̮͌̍̃̎̃͆̅̒̐͛̓͐ͅ ̸̢̡̢͔̭̤̪̳͓̲͈̻̰͝ͅc̷̡̞̬̳̱̘̯̥͊̀́̎̃̐̈́͑̐ơ̸̢̨̛̟̦̞̳̞̜͋̑̾͌̈́͗͐̑͆̂͘͝m̵̠̼̣̣̦̙̬̟̈͋͂̈́̐̒̏͑̈͑̓̔̕͜i̷̛͓̦̥̻͇̖͖̙͇̠͕̅̀͋̍̂̇̊̄́̊͠n̷̰̝̋̊̿́̈́͗ğ̵̨̧̮͔̦̣̦̲͔̘̪̙̈̄͑̽́̈́͆̔͗͂͛͜͝ͅ ̵̡͈̼͈͚̞͎̰̜́̐̀͐̔͛̇͛̍̋̋͘͝͠ͅǐ̸̡̪͖͗̓͆̒̓̑̊͂͆̈̔̕͝͠ͅt̵̡̡̧̝̜̼̪̜͎̲̹͙̲͖̅͒͋̇́̈́͘͠ ̸̺̩̜̝̼̓̓̅̄̉͐̐̋̃͗͂̓͘͝w̴̧̹̥̖̜̪̣̎͛̈́̇͋̿̑͊̀͐͗̓̕i̴̧̙̟̺̜͈̬̙̔͝l̵̲̘̦̤̑͜l̶͈̻͕̭̙̩̏̒̊̓̈́̀͊͘ ̵̛̜͔̦d̵̩̺̠͌̿̐̀͂̈́̎͛̑͒̑͒̐̚ě̷̼̳̙̼̺̭̣͉̰̝͙́̌̂̃̓̎̀̋̆s̵̫͉̤͙̬̭̗̠̹̫̥͝ͅt̸̡̢̟̺̫̳̜̃̍̃r̸̦̣͇̯͍̘̭͝o̵̳̳̘͈͓̦̻͕͍̝̍͂̍͛̎̈̌͊́̋̏̆͘͜y̶̡̪̳͚̤͔̤̫̬̻͋̿͗̽̌̈́̍̈́̓̎̔͘ ̸̨̧͕̬͚͓͔̣͍̤̖͉̻̟̰̈́͂̌̂̌̈́̆͊͛̈́́̐̄ų̴̡̞͈͓͓̬̠̟͉̭̪̐̈́̇̈́̋͗̈̈́̀̅̚͝s̷̘͉͇̰̫̱̈́͊͌͛̈́̌̑̋̍̆̉ͅ ̴̛̣̦̙̯̲̳͚̻̠̿̿͗́̈͆́̋̄̄͘̕͘͝i̷͖̓ţ̴̥̘̱̫̠̏ ̸̜̜̱͓͋̀̿͊̋̈́͒̓̈́w̷̢̨̯̼̿̅̈̈́͂̔͛̊̊̇ĭ̴͉̼̳̫̫̫̥͔͎̦̐̈́̾̃̆̀͜l̷̛̠͓͎͉͇̉́̈́͛̔̈́͊̃͑̏̀̍͘ḷ̷̃̈̎̐̈́͘͘ ̸̢̧̮̥̲̜̟̬̠̝͉̯̟̆̊̇̊̒ḱ̶̢̧͍̘̩̙̺͎̥̘̬͕͂͌̄́̄̆̄͐͗͑̋ȉ̴̛̥̝̐͒́̈́̌͛͊͐̉͘͝ļ̶̡̱̥͍͉̝̦͗̍̾͐͑͌̏͛̾̑̈́͗̌̓͜l̷̢̡̡̦̻͎̭̻̝̈̋̇͊́͐̈̿̒͘̕͝͠ ̵̫͆͘u̷̡̱̻̯̙̥̲͚͍͚̯̠̼͋̂̄͗̋̑̋̂̊̆̚͜͝s̵̥͇̲͈̼͇̗̳̭͍͙̭̳̩͑̈̿͗͗͂͝ ̵̘͍̜̪̭̜̗̟̲̝̃̀i̴̢̮̭̬͕̳̩͇͖̥̗̐͆̌̑̌́̚͜͝ţ̴͔̱̱̳̫̦͇̜̹̹̮̪̜̬̍͗̉̃̂͂̌̽͠͝ ̵͎͆̈́͆͆̈́͛͊̆̆͗̆̍͆̕w̶̧̢̨̜̗̬̽̇̿͂̂̽̓̈́͑̇̽̚i̵̛͎̣̫̹̤̘̲̰͑̓̋͋̍̒͂͐̈́͠l̷̗͇͕̮͈̯̥̟͚̖̼͋l̴̨͚͙̙̦̖̼͇̳̲̾́͐̔̈̿́̄̂̚̕ ̷̮̂̔͂ẻ̶͙̺̯̪̫͓͆͊͐̽̈́͂̉̒͝͝n̶̡̡̦̟̲͖͙͙͉̮̜͔̣͗̕͜d̷̗̖̹̤̮̭̱͌̄̎̅̾̑̇͊͘ ̷̢̛̲̝̺̮͕͍͛͆̿͒͋̏̃̈́͐̊͐̕͠͝ů̴̗͓̐̔͗̑̑̓͐̍͆̄͌͠s̶̘̺̜̣̭͍̞̘̼̍̾.̶̡̨̬̱̹͈̩̭̙̟͇̋̈́̑̈́̒ ̷̩̟̰̮̦͇̒̔͛̉̂D̸̥̼̣̖̪̦͖̠͓͐̂́̐̍͘e̸̢̢̢̖̦̮̻̪̹͉̺̦͉̗͛̂̊̇̃̌͆͋͛̕͝͝͠ḁ̶̢̨̨̘̝͚̠̤͎͎͎͚̟̳͋̾̄͋͋̚͘͝͝ţ̴̧̖͙͉̳̭͉̩͔̭͉̥̋̈̋̂̏͌ḩ̷̨̡̻͓͈̰̞̯͇͓͕̻͙̆͊̇̈͋͗ ̵̨͈̻̈́́̌͂̈̃̆̆͊̀̿͋͘d̵̢̧͚̻̺̯̤͐̊ͅē̶̞̅̏̋͒̀a̵̧̱̣͈̘̔̄̒̋̅͒̒͂͒͘͘t̸̟̯̦̱͚͉͚͉̤̜̦̗̪̤̏͐̽̒̽̉͐̌̒͐͑͛̎͝͠ͅh̵͔͓̼̗͇̣͔͔̻͊̌̅͐͋̑̿̚͜͝ ̶̗̝̤͕̻̱̓͋̐́͆͒͂͂̽̀̕͘ḋ̶̨̡̳̭̏̉͌̌e̷̯͛͐̈́̈́̈̈́͝ä̶̢̨̢̹̰͔̪̤͚̙̝̳̠͓́̔̀̒̆͐͝͠t̸̬̺̦̳̗̣̝̺̹̏̌̒̀͋͝͝ḫ̵̥̤̒̂̈́͊̋͂̆̽̈́̒̓͝ ̵̨͉̹͎̱̤̣̹͙̀͝Ḑ̵̧̟͓̼̿̈́̂͐̏̂̀̎͛͒̈́̂͝Ę̴̨͇͈̻̭͖͉̭̘͎̭̠̓̾Ą̵͚͖̌̑̍̊́̎̿͐̉͌͋̕͘Ṱ̸̛̦̜̫͓̭̥̜̯̬̭̘̠̩͍͂͒̆̿̔͋̕̚H̴͖̠̠͎̘͎͉͕̭͎̥̙̞̮̔̐͛͗̊̐ ̶̺͍̣̜͍̙͔̰̪̗̱̩̲̟͝T̴̳̏̔̅Ḧ̸̜͈̠̥̗̦́̀Ę̸̩͉͂̿̃̐̍̌̒͊̿̕͜͠͝ ̸̦̻̗̉̍́̓̾̀̋̐̊̉̑̕S̶͎̟͗̿̔̊͛͊͛͋̊̋̆͝ͅP̷̨̢̢̖̞̲͔̞̟̪̻̚͜Ì̶̧̟̼̣̤̰̱̫͎̱̟̭͇̘̈͋͐̾̌̆̽̽͐͛͜͠Ṙ̶̗̟̺̆̓ͅÉ̴̡̧̨̜͈̟̈́͋͂̇̓ ̵͇̰͕̭̦̂͂̊͜Į̶̘̺̻̦͈̯̼̟̈̈̏͜͠Ș̸̢͎͇̭̯͇͓͍̪̀͗̽̋̿̂̿̀ ̷͎͕̹̮̭̠̫͔͙̺̖͈͔́̄͒̊̎͒́́̒̾́͝͠D̸̼̯̎̀̾͠È̶̢̺̠̗͔̜̜͓̜̣̂́͗͒̽̂̅̓́̓̓̉̕͝Ą̵̛͍͕̦͔̬̝͆͗̓̀̂͒͛̆̉̿͝͝T̵̳͗̆̈́͛͐̉̾͂͛̋̇̒̕Ḣ̵͍͙͈̯̞̱͉͈͖̟̗̻̈́̀̾̈̿̋̾̉̔̾̚̕͠ ̸̳̱̲̲̻̖͚̜̇͆̒ͅT̵̢̡̡̼̱͉͍̹̱̟̞̯̣̅H̷̳̙̙̦͕́̏̍̚͝Ẽ̶̜͓͔̯̘̖̗̄ ̶͉̩͕̪̠͑̑͝͝͠S̵̨̨̖͉̰̭̝̹̜̳̒́͆̓̓̔̇̿͛̒̊͒͝P̵̡̧̛̯͚͖̩͇̤̤̘̠̿͛̅̇̈̓̃̈͋͊͜͝͝Ḭ̴̧̼͎̤̱̹̟̝̺̦̹̔͜Ŕ̸̨͔̟̻̟̣͍̘̼̦̝͓̇̃̐͂̂͛̉̚ͅE̶͚̘̰̭͗͊̄̅̆̏̌͐̀͂ ̷̲̈́͌̈̐̅̅̀͒̕Ȉ̶̡̛͍̤̻͙̯͓̘̒̈́̏̒̆̈́̈́̕͘ͅͅS̶̨̛̺̥̼̤͍̫̙̥͍̣̀͊̽̑̋͒̓̑́̊̕͘ ̴̡̧͔̬͖̮̬̘͍̎̅͊̑͗͑͝L̷̮̺͋̓̉͑͑̈́̾͆̾̒̏͋̚I̶̡̳̠̖͎̖̠̘̿̈́̂̂̐͊̅̑̃͠ͅF̸̡̛̗̰͍͍̭̼̗̯̩̽E̶̊̒̆̔͗͒͜ ̵̖̱͓͈͇̔̀̈́̾̾̈́̀́̂̽̌͋͘͝T̸̪͗͛̓͋͛̈́Ḩ̶͚͚̳͔̘̩͓̻̠̖̘̼̖̟̽͑E̷̢̡̛̻̤̭͎͕͆͑̏̃͊̋̍̉̏̈͊͝͝ ̵̢̣̮͚͔͉͆̈́͆̑̀̔S̷͎̦̣̙̮̥͍̲͕̤̤͚̲̻̯͒̏̃̿̌P̸̳͉̳̪͍̆̽̐͆͋̍́̓̈́̀͌̎̚I̶̯̽̉̌̃̅̍͂̓̀̿̆́͘͠R̶̰̳͉͑͒̌́͋͗̇͐̓̈́̊́̿̊̕ͅË̵̛̖̜͕͇͎͇̠͉͖̱́̄̆̌̍̋́̑̌͐͘͜ ̸̧̩̱̟͎̜̣̋͗̍̑I̷̜̿̓̃̓̇̈́̉̕͠S̷̢̡̧̖̞̪̠̦͇̯̺͎͊̍̄̅́̊̎̽̊͌͘ ̸̝̙͖͍̤̝̗͉̺͙̪͙͖͚̮̆̊Ċ̴̱̗̪̣̪̤̯͍̓͛̈̅̆̅͆̉̈́̇̕͜H̸̻̫̱͙͓̖̰̊̔̋̑͜͠͝ͅA̴̢̢̯͔̩̤̰͐Ǫ̶͚͚̰͓̼̘̩̬̣͈̫͙͉̆̔̀̐̔̽̓̌̒̎̀̔S̸͍̓͐̅̓̐̓͝͝ ̷̘̟̬̩̤̲̦̫̃͗̇́̽̽͑̉̈͝Ḯ̷̛̬̂͛͊́̓̏͗͝T̷̡̬̔̃̔͋̽̆͆ ̶̢͓͍̰̠͚̣͇̹̠̲̃̑͋̐̓̽̍͋̆͒̂͘͠ͅW̸͚̪̒̃̉̒́̾̅͊͛͊̂̾̏̓͠A̴͆̓ͅŞ̶̡̠̤̞̜̱̳̮̱̻͖̝̥̯̅͑̇̓̈́͑̈́̄̏͝͝ ̴̡̹͓̙̯̘̪̥̙̝̘͖̓̐̌̇̉̊̃͌̂̓͂̆̚ͅͅT̶̨͙̠̗̼̼͖̺̪̝̒̐͊̒͊͝H̶̨̢̛̳̪̹͕͍͚̰̰̒͋̎͑͂̿͑͘ͅE̷̢͇̫̹̻̗͕̣̿́̊̄̇̄̃͂̈́̑̔͌̕͠͝ ̵̨̛̠͈̲̺͎̳̗͖͋͂B̷̻̺̺̤͚̓͛͊̔̏̈́̾͗̈́́̅͝Ę̴̞̝̹̭̂̌́̓̕͝G̶̨̧̹̬͈̮̩̙̓̽̀̌̏̓̔͆͑̃͒̋͌͜͝I̴̮͒̐͗͑̀̆̐͋N̷̨̻̼̺͕͎̹͉͐̽́̈́̽͜͠Ñ̸̲̗͈̙̤̬͇̔̐͝I̴̮̘̳̙̟̅̔̐̏̇̿̔̍̓͠N̷̡̯̭͈̜̲̱̼͙͕̰̞̝̓̇͋̓͌̂́̔̄͋̿̚ͅͅG̶̢̡̡̰̋̀̾ ̵̨̗͕̝̼̘͚̖͇̜̽̀̏̎͛̈́͋̃̊̉͘̚͝I̵̠̘͎͙̮̦̖̳̦͇̓̿͊͑T̵̡͎̻̗̹̜̓̈̄̑̏̅̀̕͜͠ ̶̨̨̨̛̱̹̻̬̮̳̙́̃͜Ẁ̸̧̢̡̢̡̳̠̬̼̠̖̖̥̝̀̚̕͝I̵̹̲̙͚̞̱͖͇͍̳̦̅L̴͈̽L̷̢̠̺̲͕̱͕̰̻̦̣̦̑̑̀̏̓̓̉̄̐̾̆ ̸̛̹͓̖̈̋͛̅͜B̵̛̫̻͕̹̻̆͐̐͒̈̄͛̅̔́̇́͘E̵̢̗̳̼̯̤͔͑̀́́͛͊̏̔̈͘͝͝ ̶̛̼͕͚͎̰͒̓̌͑̋ͅṰ̵̛̛͉̜͙̼̭̌̒̒͐͋͐͋̏͌̄̀̕͝Ḧ̶̡̨̰̟̝̯̼͇̫̹̠̦̤͍̐̑̈͆͑̾̀̆̀̔̐̒͘͝E̴̡̢̙͉̳̠̫̮̦̺͖̽͗̓͊́̋͆̑̓̚̕͝ ̸̧̡̟͉͈͔̤̪̦̤̙̣͓͌̔́E̷̡̺͇͇̟̰̩̫̋̑͌Ń̸̢̨̘͕̱̩̹̿̓̑̋̌̑̐̂͝Ḑ̷̦̤͓̲͇̳̭̯͙̬̲͉̠̆̈́͌̊̓͝͝ ̴̯͖͉̹̫͔̞͉͉̮̙̫̃͑̈̕Ĩ̷̙̘̫̬̮̙͎̦̩̗̯̖̘̃̀̅͒̈ͅT̷̡̬̞͚̩̞̲̻̊̈͑̆̋̈́͒͆̅͘̕͘̕̕͜ ̵̢̥̌́́͜W̵̢̧̢̛͕̱̟̮̯̝̮̖͎̭̒̊̽̀̐̃͠͝͝I̸̝̮͑͋́̀L̴̩̇͑̆̇̾̋͒̄̅̅̂̽̏͒L̴͖̹̲̤͍̺̗̮͚͓̥̮̹͕̝̇̋̈́͊̕ ̴̢̡̗̭̰̺̝̜͕͉̝͔̮̝̀̓̈́̾̀̊͊̇͂͗͐͠͠C̵̡̠̟̎͌O̶̱̭̯̯̿̌̄͆̒̈́͑͝M̵̗̝͙̪̪̒̀̇̐̚͝Ë̵͉͔̺̦̤͇̯̜̼́̈͜ͅ ̷̨̬̗͎̦͕̅͂̇̇͗̀̿̾̈́͑̎Ḭ̶̲̩̈́̒͆͝T̶̢̪̭̻̰͈̩̓͛̆̋ ̸̥̘̟̻̩̗͎͖̫̺̣̥̾͜ͅW̶͕͌͂͋̄͋̈̕͘Į̴̮̩̺̪͚̜̂͊̀̈́́̊́͑̈́͗̔̇͌̀L̴̢̢͎̟̹̙͍̫̻̩̥̯͍͔͙͋̌̉͑̉̀̏̀͛̏̾̿̍́L̵͉̟̘̂̓͊̅̂̊͆̇̀͘͘̚͝͠ͅ ̷̧̪̫̤̱͍͈̼̘̰̓́̀́̊̆̾̓̈́̋͂̍͜C̴͕̪̞̗̼̭̫͚̫̋͌̌͋́͗̒̊̃͊͜ͅƠ̸̡̢̺̺͈͖̮͍̓̏͌͑̿̔́̋͠Ṁ̵̛͈̻̘̟͊̓͊̿́͊̃͊̓͐̒̀͘Ĕ̴̳̟̭̱̀̆́͌͗́́̆̒̿̓̕ ̸̼̥͎̩͎̞̗̽̒̈́̅́́̉̄̌̇̚͜͝Į̶̨̛͈̩̳͚̦̙̼̣̞̩̠͑͂̂͊͑̋̀̿́̍̋T̸̡̥̼̮̝̯̹̰͈̣͕̜̯̗̊̀͒̂̓̉̚ ̶̱̰̐͂͆́͗̉͐͂̇̓͛̌̕͝W̶̡̨̠̼͓̬͎̟͊I̴̧̢̟͈͉̘̣̪̫̞̹͈̮͚̤̓̇̈́̈̄̓͠L̸̨̧̢͉̤̹̘̘̼̽̋̿͗̿̍͌L̶̨̪̳̣̹̦̘̿̓̈̌̀̉̊̀̀͌̿͠͝ ̶̠̥̭͇͕̔̋́̕͝͠D̴̛̼͊̋̾̆̅͑̎̆̈̃Ę̸̖̮͙̑̍̅͒̽̒̐̅̉͌̆̅͆͘S̶̢̞̻̥̮̻̻͕͇̰̩̩̃̎͑͝Ṱ̷̝̰̦̟͈̫̝̠̍̈́͐̾͑̽̐R̵̲͖͎̦͔̻̊͒͒͛̿̌͌͂̿̉̀̊̋̀O̸͎̹͍̞̥̞͈̍̈͜Ỷ̶̢̲̬̣͈͈̬̼͖̣̬̜̱̰̆̓͑̀̈́́̅̃̈́̕͝ ̷͚͉͖̝̈́̂̄̄̄̈́U̷̱̲͈̭̖̦̞͍̠͒̓͊̔ͅS̷͔̤̝͍͊̓̑͒͂̉̈́͋̂̈́͘͝ͅ ̸̨̡̛̙̪̦̘̤͓͖̤̰͔̫͑̊̅̋͌͛̍͐̿͂̾̽͂Á̴̗̝̥̯̫̖͎̅L̷̺̼͙̀Ļ̴̨̛̥͍̜̀͒̒̀͋̾̕ ̵͓͇̹͓̗̞̙͓̥͖̻̐́̾̀̅̔̅̅͛̔̈͊Ǐ̷͕͉̻͖̀̀͊̿ͅT̵͓̞͉̾̍̀̚͠͠ ̷̧͎̦͇̠̬͖͇̤͇̮̜̼͆͊̽͒̿͑̊̐͊͌̈́̽͜ͅÎ̸̻̑͊͗Ṣ̷͕̤͔̓͐͑̉́̃ ̷̢̡͚̠̘̰̥͖̮͋͋̅̓C̷̞̜̺͈͚̑͗̃̐O̵̼̲̹̩̯̼͍̫͛̀͂̽͂̈́̕͠M̶̡̰̪̩̟͍͎̞̯̹̭̀̎̅̽̋͜ͅI̵̡̩̜̥̗͚͛͛̋͗͐͌̒̾̈́̑͐̿̇̚ͅN̸̩͉̳͑͂̑͆̔̚G̸̯̻͌͊̓̌̎͝"

Her eyes rolled into her head and she slid to the ground, unconscious. But it lasted for barely a moment before she blinked. How strange. Had she blacked out?

Wilder pulled herself to her feet, wildly confused. One moment she had been standing the next she had been on the ground...

But then she saw the mouse in front of her and a great feeling of pride and joy filled her up. This mouse was huge! She bet that Aquarian would love it! She leaned over and scooped it up in her mouth, happily racing over to where Black was, hopefully, still waiting. "Look, Black, look! I caught something for Aquarian!"

@Black

Black dug, paws throwing up dirt, until he heard Wilder beside him. He pulled up from the hole--already filling with (delightfully) foul-smelling swamp water, wrinkled brows stoically peering toward her prize.

He did not think a mouse would amount too much, yet he didn't particularly think about it--it was an offering, after all.

"It is good," he declared, before throwing himself back into his work.

After a few moments the sound of digging stopped, and he snuffled about for a bit. Then he pulled back out again, peering around once more. Now his face, chest and paws were filthy with mud, and in his teeth he held what looked like some sort of ancient bone--strangely striated, as if perhaps carved, with holes placed here and there along its length.

He set this down, sniffing over it with a slowly-wagging tail.

"There," he said, satisfied."Now we may seek him."
________________

(Sorry this took so long, had to get info re: gift & Aquarian!)
@Wilder

Wilder didn't know what Black had but she was too excited about the prospect of seeing Aquarian to really mind. She hopped with excitement and turned to the edge of the water, hopping up to the edge. She placed her mouse down on a rock nearby. "Aquarian!" she called out into the mist. "I have a mouse for you! And Black has a thing for you! We wanted to say hi!"

The dog nodded to Wilder, a little--his wrinkles shifting with the movement--as she set down her offering of mouse. He then paced some distance further--the massive offering pile of Cetus and all its decaying bodies visible ahead, through the mist.

He knew that this was where Aquarian would come, if at all, and here he sat, glancing back to Wilder. He kept a safe distance from it--though he cast a glance over its mass. The dead fish, cave deer, callers and so forth--he knew that Dragon and his group added to it often, and he noted that the corpses at the bottom were putrescent, those at the top a little more fresh.

He also noticed that it wasn't quite as large as it had been at times in the past--either the great serpent had eaten somewhat recently, or the Children were not as active as once they'd been.

He set the bone-flute down, and barked out deeply.

"O Aquarian," he called, his voice deep but his words somewhat confused--he wanted to sound respectful, but wasn't quite sure how to address the massive, screeching lake-beast. "There is one here who would meet you! We have brought gifts," he added, his pendulous ears fluttering a bit as he tilted his head to one side.

And then he waited.

________________

Deep beneath the mirror-still surface, the slumbering serpent heard the call. It was muffled--quite distant; barely a whisper down here. But...

That voice. He knew that voice.

It started as a ripple in the water--a disturbance in the stillness, a triangular wake arrowing toward the shore. The water parted, then, and the great Aquarian--his teal scales glittering, the third eyelid sliding back to reveal wide yellow eyes--erupted with a massive surge of lakewater that surged in all directions.

Aquarian's hundred-meter length tensed, the fins and muscles gleaming with water, and then his massive coils sprang forward. One sinuous gulp later, the massive pile of rotting carcasses were devoured, a familiar meal by now--no matter how much it unsettled his stomach. He then twisted, turning, hovering to turn and peer for those who had called for him.

It took him a moment, for both were very small, very dark against their backdrop of dull mud, and his eyes were not for seeing well above the water's surface. The serpent twisted down, peering at the cat. He saw the tiny mouse, then--and food was food--and massive fanged jaws snapped this up perhaps too close to the pair for comfort.

The gleaming yellow eyes caught sight of the flute, and for a moment he tilted his head this way and then that, water still streaming down from his scales as he inspected it.

He then twisted, gripping it in one stubby arm's claws, before turning and rearing back, staring imperiously down at the pair. With every movement his teal scales shimmered, iridescent even in Cetus' mist-stifled light.

"YOU HAVE SUMMONED AQUARIAN," he informed them in a deafening screech, as if they did not know. "WHAT IS IT YOU WANT?"

He'd had few summons--mostly they'd asked for information, and once, for his aid in combat. Which he hadn't given. His tasks, these days, involved lying at the lake bed and sleeping--and this kept him very, very busy. He was already impatient to get back to that, in fact, though admittedly curious as to the Gembounds' reasoning for calling him here. And so he blinked down, waiting--itching to leave, but for now, willing to wait.

At least, for a short time.

@Wilder

Wilder waited patiently, or as patiently as the little black cat could wait for Aquarian to make an appearance. To be honest, she wasn't really expecting it. Black had warned her that he might not come and she didn't want to be disappointed.

But then the surface of the water rumbled and rippled and the great serpent burst from the depths of the swamp. Wilder's eyes went wide and she screeched with terror as water raised down and soaked into her skin. But she barely noticed.

Black had painted him as big in his story but she had not expected him to be THIS big. She was about the size of one of his eyes, which paled in comparison to the rest of his body. She suddenly felt very very small in his presence. Which, of course, she was.

It took her a moment to find her voice again, especially when he leaned over and snapped up the mouse she had offered him, causing a squeak to rise in her throat as she hopped back. "H-hello, Aquarian, I'm Wilder! I just...just wanted to meet you. Black told me all ab-about you and I had to come see!" She was trembling but the inner curiosity dared her to stay level and speak to him - this was a once in a lifetime opportunity after all!

@Black

Black flinched back quite a bit as the surge of water from the lake rushed toward them. He darted in, ready to grab Wilder--but the wave retreated without having done her harm.

And there--there was Aquarian; every bit as large as the black dog remembered. He allowed Wilder to speak first, his gaze sombrely respectful, and then he dipped his head.

"It is as she says. Much has happened since last we spoke. The lights have gone off--and on. Another serpent has been seen in the caves." He didn't elaborate further, but instead offered--"If you wish news, I will tell you what I know."

________________

Just wanted to meet...?

How little they knew. If only they grasped the irony of it all.

The serpent threw back his head and cackled maliciously. "YOU KNOW VERY LITTLE. I WILL STAY--FOR A MOMENT. ASK YOUR QUESTIONS. I NEED NO NEWS," he added, to Black. The goings-on outside Cetus did not concern him any longer. Nothing was as it had been.

He had no desire to linger here; he'd offered aid, not chit-chat. Still, they had not called on him in some time, and they had gathered that entire meat pile (Aquarian assumed, wrongly). He'd tolerate it, for a minute or two at least.

@Wilder