( if anyone wants to join in, feel free! )

Goodness but it was dim in this new place. She danced among the rocks and jagged stones with a light step and a light smile, feeling the cold, withdrawn air to the place. Its dust and general feeling of morbidity did nothing to hamper her good mood but instead made it brighter. Now here was a place with a history, a story just waiting quietly in the dark, a place where mighty villains lurked in wait.

She brought herself even taller at the thought, her smile broadening. Oh, what she would do to meet a villain like in her mother's stories of long ago, to witness their terrible ways.

With the thought, pure, soft, golden light poured from her, illuminating the area around her. Just left of her hoof was a pitiful, broken skull, half covered in dirt and decay. She lowered her head to peer at it, her golden eyelashes fluttering.

"My my," She said in a lilting voice, "You poor love, I do wonder how you came to an end? Was it a terrible curse? A sword to the ribs? A terrible dragon?"

She looked up as her light stretched farther into the room, and more and more bones came to light. She pursed her lips as she gazed among the plentiful pile and nodded. "I would wager upon a dragon, then, sweet love. How plentiful a harvest of death do I see."

She continued walking, the bones growing in their masses upon the ground, and she delicately made her way through them, her soft steps worried she would crack one. If she were a bone, she would feel very upset to be walked upon and broken, so she made sure to be careful.

Wisteria stopped at another skull, placed atop a tracework of fingerbones and femurs very proudly and she asked the skull very politely, "And who might you've been?" She tilted her head and her ear flickered to hear it better, and she nodded. "A silversmith, you say? Why, it's a pleasure to meet you, Silversmith. I'm just on my way back home, to the waterfalls and sweet silver fish, and though I find myself quite lost, I can't bring myself to be too terribly worried. An adventure is never mapped out, don't you agree?"

She listened quite seriously, and smiled. "Well now, not all adventures come to a good ending, that I agree with. Oh, I know, I will do my best to be careful - Oh? There's a witch who lives here?" She grinned broadly. "How delightful! How wonderful it would be to meet one!" She looked around, her one good eye squinting into the dark. "Do you suppose she's made her house of bones, Silversmith? I don't imagine it would be too terribly difficult, seeing as the materials lie in abundance." She looked back down at the skull, frowning slightly. "Though I suppose that was terribly rude of me to say so. You are one of a kind, Silversmith, and through my rudeness I recognize it."

She smiled and made a graceful and eloquent bow to the skull, glowing vibrantly for it. "I do wish you a peaceful eternity, sweet love, and may you ever be whole and unstepped upon." Thus she made her way further into the room, humming delightfully to herself as her eye carefully watched the ground.

And while she walked, a sparkling form came to being beside her, vague but powerful in its steps. If one peered carefully, one could see the clever griffon's head and strong lion's limbs walk without consequence upon the floor. She turned towards her friend who appeared to join her with a bright beaming smile and said, "Epsilon! Care to join me? I'm seeking the witch who apparently lives here in a house made of bones!"

After the first meeting where he rose out of the lake, her friend made of starlight was ever silent. Loyal, always loyal - he was always there when she needed him - but silent. Perhaps it was the result of the poison he mentioned that he suffered from, or perhaps he was simply a man of few words; it hardly mattered to her. His presence was all that was important.

He had returned to Canis, aimless and wanting. But for once the jaguar wasn't sure what for. He had practically gorged himself along the way, lust for the vital crimson essence sated. He was growing bored in these caves, restless even; especially when his goals remained just out of reach. At least until a voice as smooth as the finest silk thread reached his ears. Soothing and young he smiled fondly, excitement riding up his spine. Though they seemed to be speaking to another? There was two perhaps? Closing in on the voice his form began to unravel, fading into nothingness. White unseen eyes focusing entirely on the vibrant little hybrid who soon came into view. They reminded him so much of that fondness for love that a warmth filled his chest. Funny...he wasn't in a battle nor wishing upon his magic...

She was so small, so precious, so ethereal... This hybrid was a striking combination of both cat and doe. How was such a thing possible? It didn't matter, he woul- he stopped abruptly. Watching her conjure up a magic that was all too familiar to him. Light.

Like a plague he was drawn to those free of ailments. But this, he felt no hunger here. He waited in silence, watching her play out scenes with her 'friends'. Perhaps there was room for one more? He would speak without malice, without fear or grief. Sweet and alluring he purred outwards to her, form unseen.

"Hello..."

"Speech"

"Thought"

@Wisteria

Her ears pricked up at the sound, and she looked around. "Hello!" She replied, trying to spread her light further so she could see the source of the voice. "Forgive me if I can't seem to find you, good sir, but might you be a bone, perhaps, or an inhabitant of the realm of bones? If I knew which direction in which you lay, I would bow."

She pursed her lips and looked to her friend. "Epsilon, you don't see the gentleman, do you?" He shook his head, and she simply stood up taller with a vibrant smile.

"My name is Wisteria, good sir, and this is my friend Epsilon. We're traveling to see if there perhaps is a witch who lives here, or a way to my home. We're quite lost, you see."

Her ears flickered at his voice, now fully pricked up as she glanced around. Returning his hello with such glee it drew warmth into his chest...funny he hadn't called on his fire. Though this wasn't something brought up by magic. Inhaling deeply he relaxed to the sensation, it was such a foreign feeling to him...It had been so long...She spoke up again while she spread her light, searching for him. How sweet she was, apologizing even though there was no need. With a phantom smile he walked towards her.

"I am not a bone...but one could say I inhabit this realm be it periodically...Though the room of mist is more my home than any place."

He stood a few feet away, being sure to shoot his voice towards her enough so she would get the idea of his general position. She turned to her friend, requesting aid in locating the hidden jaguar. How quaint. Standing tall she introduced both herself and them, informing Vicktor of their purpose in such a dull dark place.

"I fear Epsilon can't see me, and you my dear...Wisteria... wont be able to either"

He paused just then rolling her name on the tip of his tongue. It was as elegant to say as it was to hear...such a fitting thing for a hybrid as her.Though it suddenly sank in that his new friend was truly lost. What a pity.

"Be wary of witches little one...if you are truly lost perhaps I may be of some assistance? Where do you call home?"


"Speech"

"Thought"

@Wisteria

Her mouth rounded in a soft 'o' shape, and she leaned in towards Epsilon, whispering, "He must be invisible, or perhaps one of the dark! Oh, do you think he is a shadow? Perhaps you two would be good friends, you being a star and all."

She turned towards the source of the voice, happy and bubbly. "I've been to the room of mist! I must've been there for a cycle or more, among those trees that seem to never end. Epsilon and I played hide-and-seek and I must say that the room seemed to be made for such a game! He's much better at the game than I am, however." She had a lot of pleasant memories in that room, of sleeping on tree roots and turning her head sideways to see the trees grow out of what might've been a wall. She had become incredibly dirty in her stay there though, what with so many dips into muddy waters - having only one eye didn't help traverse the uneven ground. Regardless, it held a sense of complete and utter mystery that she loved, of never knowing what was beyond the bend. "I love that room very much."

She grinned. "I've never met a witch before, but I'm a firm believer that a life isn't complete without meeting one! Just like coming across a friend, a villain, or a mermaid, one simply has to meet a witch at some point. But I wouldn't mind putting aside meeting one for now. I live in the place with roaring waters and calm ponds and rolling hills. I woke up there, with my brother, Hawthorne. Have you been there before? It is the calmest place I've ever known, and I do feel a longing to go back."

She really liked this stranger's voice. Deep and rumbling, like thunder far off in the distance. It sounded powerful. Maybe it belonged to the shadow of a king's bones! How exciting - maybe he would have a crown lying next to him, beaten and dusty!

Ashtoreth did her best to avoid trouble-- and especially her family-- but it wasn't every day that strangers came to Canis unimpeded, murmuring and playing among the bones. The noodle slipped through cracks, darting between bones with practiced dexterity. Her eyes were bright and vibrant for the first time in cycles, scurrying up close to the bright, beautiful stranger. She listened for a while-- her mute, absent silence and dusty pelt helping her go unnoticed. The noodle stretched her good wing (the bad one, though healed, stayed by her side for cycles, likely weak from misuse now more than anything) and felt the breeze between her feathers as she gave a tentative flap. Softly, the beautiful creature's voice echoed back from Ashtoreth, curious and almost musical for an echo. "Being a star and all. Hide-and-seek and the room of mist! Met a witch, one simply has to meet a witch." The hybrid blinked up at her fellow hybrid, whiskers twitching, ears perking... Who was this stranger, and why were they here? She had heard the shadowy beast, as well, but part of her was hoping that the creature was just playing with itself. After all, the tiny noodle only saw one gembound among the bones.

Her ears told her of another voice, and she smiled delightedly when she found the source of it. Her one blue eye glittering as brightly as the other gem one as she leaned down to examine the small creature. She was incredibly lovely, with watchful eyes and a solemn, quiet mouth, and small wings tucked against her sides.

"Well, hello!" She said, smiling brightly, her soft voice happy and warm. "You sound like a riddle to solve! Are you a star? Did you fall from the star room, too? My friend here, Epsilon, was a star placed in the waterfall lake and he told me many stories about the kingdom under the water. A palace populated by stars! I imagine it would be a very lovely place. And, have you met a witch? Do you know if one lives here?"

She laughed, a happy sound like bells that sounded out of place in such a dark and dismal room. "Forgive me! I do tend to rattle on when I meet someone new. I'm Wisteria! It's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed very prettily before the new star, beaming. "There's a shadow just a ways out of my light, I think, that's going to show me the way home."

He watched Wisteria, awaiting her to speak up again until something something new scurried up. A twang of jealously burned within the beast as her attention was ripped away from him. That rising fear creeping along his spine all because this new hybrid could take her from him. But then they spoke, having met a witch and about the room of mists. How quaint. He took a few steps, silent and hidden he observed the newcomer a bit closer. That vibrant look in their gaze, perhaps they wished no ill will. His fear seeming to drown under a sea of warmth when Wisteria spoke again, welcoming then.

He would have to play nice.

They spoke of a witch, asking if one lived nearby; Vicktor fought the sudden assault of anger that coursed through him. His thoughts returning to that vile shadow doe, she could have been considered a chaotic witch he was sure. Though informing the young hybrid of such would have been foolish. Attention ripped from thoughts he focused on their laugh. Ringing out into the dark and dismal room, bouncing around the three gembounds. She had fully introduced herself now and even attempted to introduce him, her shadow friend. Taking it as his queue, speaking up through the break of words.

"Be wary of witches little one...not all are full of love"



"Speech"

"Thought"

@Wisteria @Ashtoreth

Ashtoreth had a lot to say, but picking through memories to find the words was difficult and exhausting. She would give it a try, she decided as she gave a small, toothy grin towards the younger, vibrant-eyed gembound, giving her wing another hesitant flap. "You --look like an Ashtoreth, a star..." As the wind breathed her name, her title, her starhood, she raised a paw delicately, pointing towards the center of Canis, where the rocky structures rose to the ceiling. She had been born at the heart, in the time of darkness. She considered the question of witch, her mind drifting towards Giggle at first, but also herself. Was she a witch? What, precisely was, a witch? And the dark, thundering voice of the hidden creature-- perhaps just a prank of the bright gem before her-- replied that they should be wary, that not all are full of love.

If that was true, then she supposed she was a witch. She breathed again with her father's voice on the wind, "Ashtoreth and Giggle," pointing again with her paw, this time towards Giggle's den. "Lives here," echoed Wisteria once more. She was certain that Giggle was something of a witch, though the reason why faltered in her mind, and Ash found herself to be of the same... disease, in a way. They both were broken, was that what it took to be a witch? To be outcast, perhaps?

The tiny mustelid didn't want to push her memory, didn't want to speak too much in case her magic hurt like it often did. She struggled to find her answer to the final thing-- to tell the young gembound she should go back home, where it was so nice-- but when she found words to use they were wrong and bad and slipped from her without meaning. "Where are you going? Ashtoreth, this is not freedom. Please, come with me," and the hybrid shook her head, shivering and hunkering down to the ground.

@Wisteria