Black was the colour of shadow, absence and the womb. Grey was what buzzed in her skull. Orange was something new, exciting. Good colours, her colours. Better than purple (A thought she planned to keep from Master Vargas).

The hierarchy was clearer now, and the fact that Eleven was at the bottom. She didn't like that, or the idea of being leered at from above. She was meant to be above, it was what she was built for - but this was the nature of a pack, a pecking order. She would be last until she proved otherwise.

"I don't know what my plans are, for me." She just got here.

Well, she had one. She slithered her tongue across her teeth. "I want to go to Pegasus."

Just in case- "Please."

@Aethril

"No, I didn't think you'd have plans for yourself yet," Aethril murmured thoughtfully, half to herself. Aside from hunting and eating, of course. She glanced back towards the Spire briefly, half-expecting to see Vargas lingering there-- but where ever he was, Aethril couldn't see him.

"Come on," she told the new one.

She started walking, heels click-click-clicking on the cave floor. Only briefly did she pass a glance over the other chrysalises growing out of the walls. She'd have to pay those some better mind at a later date, when she could be bothered to deal with the Master.

The room yawned into a narrow tunnel. "The tunnels are ordered by letters," she said, like Valkhounds know what those are. "This is tunnel G. Vargas keeps it guarded, so you'll be left alone for the most part while you're in Draco."

Just... not from other Chaos Forge members.

"You'll have to tell them who you are and that you were created by Vargas whenever you try to return to Draco."

@V-Chaos-Eleven

Eleven let some space stretch between them before shaking herself of the remaining chrysalis fluid, the odd tar that coated her head spattering heavily alongside it. The rest would dry on its own as she walked, so she did, beginning a steady trot behind Aethril. She noted then her choice of footwear and the sharp sound it made against the stone - odd. Like she was announcing her presence.

She took her time to study tunnel G, noting the shift in light as they traveled. She found a part of her expecting to be overwhelmed by the change, but only after it'd been proven false. All it did was fill her with an odd feeling, as if the light traveled through her lungs when she breathed. The promise of more was not a threat.

"Why does Draco need guards?" It did not appear to keep much, aside from Eleven, and she did not feel particularly important.

@Aethril

"To keep the unwelcomed out of there," Aethril said simply. "When we create something, it needs time to grow. A month or so; sometimes longer. The thing that you broke out of had you inside it, and though it keeps you mostly protected in that time, it can still be destroyed before you have a chance to defend yourself."

"There is also the Oilstone Spire. Some don't like it," the Valkhand's head tilted. "But don't you worry about that for now." She would rather not think of Dontacael's hive right now-- or whatever rebels were left over after Jupiter's death. Or Nemean, who might do it simply because it was funny.

It wouldn't be long before Nemean crawled out of the Eyes, she suspected.

"You should focus on yourself," Aethril advised. "Think about what you want and how you'll get it. Think about how you're going to hunt."

@V-Chaos-Eleven

Eleven was very aware of danger. It was at the back of her mind, always - life was something that could end, and it was in her best interests that it didn't. The idea of something creeping in, killing her silently when wakefulness couldn't reach her... She shuddered, suddenly grateful that the urge to go back to sleep had dimmed somewhat.

Hunting was easier, but the bar was low.

She didn't know of the lessers and the shapes they took, but she envisioned something smaller than her, more nervous. Faster, maybe, but not fast enough - something that she could snap her jaws around as it fled. Bones she could grind between her teeth. "I'll kill something I can chase. Something I can break." She announced, monitoring Aethril's reaction. Was this a good choice? Did she think so?

@Aethril

Aethril gave a little hum, her pale eyes narrowing. Chasing and breaking was good-- it was entertaining, if nothing else. Maybe this one would make a good guard dog if it enjoyed chasing and snapping bones; though Obieth wouldn't approve too much. Maybe she could convince Vargas to train her and set her loose on some village or another.

But what good was that if Aethril couldn't see it?

Maybe they could set her loose on the hive? On rebels? Aethril's gaze flicked from Chaos-Eleven and to the tunnel rolling out into another room, the cool chill of Pegasus lingering in the air already. From here, she could see indications of trees beyond the guard that stood by the entrance.

One thing at a time, the Valkhand decided. "It's not far now,"

;;exit aethril @V-Chaos-Eleven

It didn't find what it'd been looking for in Aethril's expression, but it wasn't entirely clear on what that was, even. But there was little time to feel disappointed.

She caught the scent on the air - the smell of fresh grass. She could find a meal here, in the creatures that grass would bring. Her prey drive was muddled by conflicting ancestry, the excitement pairing oddly with anxiety. She'd do this alone. If V-Chaos-Eleven failed, there'd be no pack to help her.

She would not.

[exit El]