wake up from your reverie a light year from reality Once little gator friend got their nap in and left for an adventure all for itself, the pup rolled around in the mud before finding his way into the pond that was near. Glancing about the area, he pondered his next move. There was a lot to get done or was there really anything to get done at all? Form could had back to crystal-filled place and work on improving self. Or, perhaps he could see what his dragon friend was up to once more. No, the canine did not want to seem like a bother, blowing bubbles while figuring what could be brought up for him. Well, he has yet to retrieve his own glowing stone... There was one time he did have it but left it within Polaris without having a second thought about it. Sighing at his own mindless moves, he exited out of the pond, ridding water off his body. Legs to chest were all cleaned up from the mud but head and back were still covered by the soft, sticky matter. He had not a care for how scruffy he probably looked as there was no one he was looking to impress. Trotting away from the spot he rested at for the longest time now, he found himself near another tunnel entrance, checking around the opening for anything in which could have told about what had lie within the tunnel. Mind felt assured that nothing troublesome lurked near the entrance of this passage so, he carefully made his way deeper to explore it some more. Right off, the sound of dripping water caught his attention which was not abnormal seeing a waterfall ran its way to Pisces. He sniffed around to exploit any scents hidden about here, bringing head up to give rock a quick check. Though as he took in air around the rock, something found itself within his nostrils unexpectedly, resulting in coughing aloud and forcefully sneezing to rid of whatever intruded into his nasal cavity. Huffing, he wiped away the tears that were produced from the actions taken, narrowing eyes at the rock he sniffed. Barely could he see a substance glistening off of it, raising a brow in wondering what it could be. A few seconds passed by before he finally decided to take a lick of the substance before him, making a face at the saltiness in which filled his mouth. "Bleh!" Clicking tongue, he licked forelegs to brush the taste off. Not the most pleasant thing he has had but he has definitely had worse. Shaking his head and continuing onward, he licked a rock or two as he slowly developed a liking for the taste. He shivered when paws met the ice covered floor within this passage, taking a bit of ice to get some water out of it. The canine decided to take a rest for a while as he climbed onto a frosted rock, laying down and holding still until body got use to the cold touch it offered. Though now that he was still for the moment, he wondered what he could do to bury away his boredom. Taking in a deep breath, he would try to be a voice within this passage, perhaps startling anyone passing through. Self started to feel light-headed after a few seconds which told the pup he was ready. Bringing back head, he let out a yell even though it was not exactly what he was aiming for. "Whooooooo!" It echoed for the moment but ears flatten once it grew silent again. No, he would have to find something else to shoo away his boredom; however, what would that be? Patting the rock he was on in a sort of rhythm, he thought of what else he could do to entertain himself. "Kyo Speaks"

@Cadence

---


The grizzly lioness found herself alone in the tunnels, finding that the place of her childhood had drastically changed in her self-imposed leave. Tunnel H was a place she'd frequently wandered due to it being one of the exits of Pisces, her old home. Perhaps that was why she wandering this old tunnel, hoping against some hope that her parents would appear. That they would wander from Pisces and embrace her as they'd done when she was a child... but it was a vain hope. Her sensitive nose could make out a plethora of smells... but none of them were from her lion mother or her bear father. What she could smell was some sort of canine but it wasn't exactly interesting to her.

Not until she heard the obnoxious sound of his howling. Her fangs grit together and her night-rimmed ears pinned against her skull, almost completely disappearing amongst the thick white fur. Well, she couldn't just sit idly by while someone was making an unnecessary ruckus. It just so happened that this pooch was howling right ahead of her, in the exact direction she was going to go.

Fancy that.

As she sloshed through the water of the tunnel towards the ashen canine she let out a loud chuff to get his attention before calling out, "Hey, kiddo, knock it off! I didn't come through here to hear some random gem making unnecessary noise." It wasn't exactly polite but when had she ever been that way? Her mom had tried to instill manners into her as a child... It never worked.

---

263 | notes | @Kyorai

"Talking!"
Thinking...

wake up from your reverie a light year from reality A melody embedded into his constant noise making, but such tune was shut away by another being. Multi-hued eyes stared at the stranger seemingly wondering why they broke his little fun time. Head then sharply turned before peering at them again with a huff, wishing it was physically possible for him to pucker out lips. They did not have to approach him like that when a simple "please" would have sufficed. Being slightly hurt about that, he then pouted. The pup would go on to purposely ignore them as he went to bay for a few more seconds. Going silent after finishing the note he wanted to sound off, he shifted to face towards the creature, neck stretching in trying to sniff them. Face grimaced once getting two sniffs, being silly in the matter of saying they smelled—which was out there when considering a canine would be interested rather than disgusted. "Well, excuse me, then. Lay right here and think about your existence with me then," he scoffed, giving a grin and patting the spot right beside him for the stranger to lay near. Though if they were to take him up on his offer the pup would surely have to move as there was not much space. Rubbing head with paw, he snorted once bringing sight onto stranger again, pondering why they bothered him if was easy enough to ignore and walk by. "Do you live here? You must be quite lonely?" he hummed, scanning the entirety of the passage. "Kyo Speaks"

@Cadence

---


For a moment she thought she would get her wish and perhaps she would have turned to continue on her way... but he just had to start it up again after his little hurt expression. The lion-bear turned back to him, blue eyes rolling as she let out a little annoyed sigh at his baying. Canines. They were all the same way with their stupid noise-making! At the very least he could be in tune or sing an actual song.

She felt a twinge in her gut... a song... It made her think of her mom and how she used to love to sing, even going so far as to make sure all of her children were able to perform as well. It had been many a cycle since Cadence herself had lifted her voice in song but she knew she could do the Songcat name justice, if only the urge took her. Maybe one day but that would not be right now. Not while this dog continued his howling.

Her eyes narrowed as she plopped down in the water right in front of him. For a moment she pondered splashing water on him but decided against it, she was an adult and she would act like it... For now. Once he finished his noise-making, the canine leaned forwarda nd gave her a sniff, even in the gloom she could see the face he made. What? Did she smell? She made sure to groom herself everyday but being away from society for so long might have lessened her presentability to others... or perhaps he didn't like her lion-smell. Either way she rolled her eyes at him and retorted with, "Oh come on, I don't smell bad. I groom everyday... But what about you?" Not that she was about to stick her nose up to smell him, she was good on inhaling random dogs' smells. Besides, she'd already gotten a good whiff of him before she laid eyes on his dark form.

"I'm good. I don't really need to ponder my existence... thanks though, kid." Not that she would fit next to him anyway. After eyeballing the spot she decided that her bulk would be way too large, unless she wanted to actually douse him in the water... Which at this point she didn't. What had he really done? Be a bit noisy? That wouldn't warrant her pushing him in the water. "I don't live anywhere nowadays, I'm a wanderer... But I got my brother so I'm not exactly lonely." She eyed him then, wondering if he had any family. If he was sitting here baying out to the empty cave perhaps he didn't. "What about you? You alone?" Here she paused to give a cheeky grin. "You didn't scare off all your friends with that noisemaking, did ya?" She couldn't let that opportunity slide away.

---

475 | notes | @Kyorai

"Talking!"
Thinking...

wake up from your reverie a light year from reality Brow rose when he saw creature roll their eyes. It was weird as it looked funny in a way. Head tilted from his bafflement, intrigued by the whole thing. He tried doing the same but his own eyes only dart side to side, up and down than actually "rolling". How does one pull off the action? Kyorai was not sure whether it was a useful skill to have but he would shrug his shoulders at the action, unsure of the purpose in doing it. Nose pressed against his foreleg when she questioned about his grooming. Mind had not warranted enough reason to care about appearance so, he shook his head even though he realized self probably justified his carelessness with dirtied feathers. A sigh of relief came from him when they declined his offer, falling onto side and stretching out limbs. He listened to their answer to his question, pulling himself up when hearing they had a brother. Not because his alertness went over but the fact one could have a sibling. It was a bit saddening but it was the case in the more he heard about others loved one, the more deaf he became about it. A sensitive topic one could likely guess for the pup which in some way was understandable seeing there was no other he could consider more of a friend at the moment. Ears pulled back and nose wrinkled when she asked him about family, taking offense to this. He turned away with a displeased gaze, flexing toes. "Yeah, I'm alone," he mumbled, facing back at the stranger. All was good until they brought up their explanation for why he had no one with him. The canine then snarled, hurt a lot more than he needed to be about the topic. Legs brought him up into a stand, inhaling deeply for the second. "No! Just because I'm alone right now doesn't mean I don't have friends!" he boomed at a volume very unnatural for someone his size to even emit. He sat down with head dipping, pouting at the situation at hand with nose and lips still twitching. Even though he meant to answer in such a way, self could not bring sight back upon the stranger. "Meanie," he uttered, turning back at the creature with ear flicking from irritation. "Kyo Speaks"

@Cadence

---


Perhaps it was ill-mannered of her to make such an off-color joke but she'd never been one for tact or thinking things through. Half of the time whatever was on her mind came blurting out without any filters. She could tell that it probably wouldn't go over well when he seemed sensitive about the subject of being alone but she didn't expect him to nearly blast her ears off with his negative reaction. It came out of nowhere, one moment he was speaking his normal volume and the next he was snarling and then booming out his words.

With a hiss the bear-lion turned her head away and pinned her ears against her skull, trying to block out the loud noise. "Okay! Okay! Ow! Ow! Take it easy!" She clamped her paws over her ears as she turned back to look at him. Her eyes were narrowed in a glare but she couldn't really bring herself to get mad, she probably deserved that with making fun of a lonely kid.

"It was just a joke, okay kid? I didn't mean nothin' by it, alright?" Perhaps he had had a family or friends but just had to go on his own, it probably was a sore subject for him from the sounds of it so she would drop it. Her ringing ears would thank her in the long run.

With a sigh she decided that perhaps she should take the high road here and be nice. At the moment she was coming across as a jerk and that wasn't exactly who she was. "Hey, maybe we got off on the wrong paw, eh? I'm sorry for poking fun at you and sayin' you were noisin' up the tunnel... even though you were." And there she went again. She cleared her throat and used one paw to point at herself, "I'm Cadence Songcat. Who're you?" There, introductions were proper and mannerly, right?

---

320 | notes | @Kyorai

"Talking!"
Thinking...

wake up from your reverie a light year from reality The canine glowered over at the stranger, uncertain whether her apology was enough to loosen up the knots he had. A grumble left him when they still stated he was "noisin' up the tunnel". Honestly, he thought of it as a good act—seeking to break the silence conquering within. No sound was good too but it certainly would do numbers on one's sanity. Hopping down from rock, he stretched and hummed, falling onto his side soon after. "I guess I'm sorry too," he mumbled, not wanting to remain sore about the whole ordeal. Little outrage seemed to leviate all the extra energy he had so, form was not looking to rile up no more unless, of course, action called for it. Kyorai rolled back onto his stomach when she gave her name. Face fell into another form of confusion from the two names she told. This feline was certainly weird with her eye rolling and now coming with two names. A lot of strangeness with this one. "How do you have two names?" he genuinely asked, getting into a sit. Neither one seemed better than the other, not understanding the point of having one extra. Even so, he thought a little bit before telling his, wanting to "fit" in with the two name thing. "Kyorai K- C- Co- Coss...idé," he stumbled, throwing letters together to create his own. Brow rose at the sound of it, tongue moving about to familiarize self with it. Peering back at Cadence, a question arose from his thoughts. "Are you special?" He inquired, standing up and deciding to scan the entirety of company—sniffing most parts of her afar. The canine rolled forth the question not only because of the action she had done but the way she acted in general. Everyone he has met thus far were nice and friendly, she was not—at least as far as he can tell. A bitter thing to experience, however, he would have to gain use to those much like this feline. "Kyo Speaks"

@Cadence
Last name discovered, haha

---


The grizzly lioness nodded her head, Apology accepted. It seemed they were on decent terms, for now. The active pup seemed to be a bit confused when she gave him her name. He voiced what his confusion was, the fact that she had two names rather than one. Ah, well, that was simple enough to explain. "One is the name my parent's gave me, the name that people call me "Cadence"." Or rather 'Cadenza' but she wasn't too keen on people using that one. It was just a family --or rather her mother-- thing and she didn't want it getting around the caves. "My second name is my surname, Songcat. My entire family has the last name of 'Songcat'. So, if you ever meet anyone with that second name you know they're my kin." She was quite proud of that last name, she was part of a legacy that had been around for a while. The Songcats were one of the first families around and she was one of them.

Then, the young canine went on to give his own name as Kyorai Cossidé... which the second part he just seemed to come up with on the spot. Cadence grinned at him, teeth showing in mild amusement. Her own names she'd not been able to come up with and only been given them by her parents, she wondered what it would be like to have to figure it out all on your own. Perhaps there'd be some sort of freedom to it, a freedom that she had never known. Perhaps the pup was lucky in a way to think up his own callings. "See? Seems like you've got yourself your own surname. Play your cards right and maybe you'll have other Cosside's wandering around in the caves too." Perhaps by coincidence of others hatching with that name or perhaps, more likely, by his own offspring and family members that he could adopt. She had a fair few adopted siblings herself.

The next question he asked caught the big bear-cat completely off-guard. It showed in how she looked at him with an inquiring gaze. Special? "I'm... no more special than anyone else, Kyorai." She blinked, shaking her head and clearing her expression of confusion. "What makes you ask that?" Surely it wasn't her charming personality... No. The grizzly lion figured it was because of her strange appearance as she didn't know any better. There weren't as many hybrids in the caves as there were normal animals, perhaps that was what he meant. Otherwise she was at a lost at his question.

---

430 | notes | @Kyorai

"Talking!"
Thinking...

wake up from your reverie a light year from reality Pfft. The little sound arose, now understanding where the second name initially came from. It was a name from her parents; settling eyes onto a rock that gleamed from a source of liquid. A lot seem to be given when one had a family. She stated what the surname could determine, hearing it told of others within her line. If they were anything like her, the pup had some avoiding to do. Noticing a water source lightly streaming down from the tunnel's ceiling, he sat right under it to hopefully wash away the mud stuck on feathers and fur. With one eye closed, he kept the other eye on company, ear flicking from wonder. "Should I be concerned if I do meet one of your 'kin'?" he inquired with a joking tone hinted in it. Though it was not what was really poking at the canine. "Since you guys have the name 'Songcat', you all must sing a lot," he said, bringing head forward and tilting it. Well, perhaps such thing was obvious but sometimes things were not truly bound to their meaning. Mind doubted his own little name would find its way to some within this cave but he guessed self could appreciate the thought of it. "How does that work?" he simply asked, trying to figure out the whole "play your cards right and maybe" part. He left little shower once feeling the cold liquid break through undercoat. Gazing up at the feline with coat soaking wet, he took the decision to just shake it out anyway, rubbing cheek feathers on leg to get rid of the drips in which made them sensitive. Hearing response to his query about her being special, he immediately gave a sound of disbelief, sneezing soon after from trapping liquid in nostrils. They surely acted special to him even if she stated otherwise. The feline then asked why he issued the question, turning skull to the side and resting it on shoulder. "You act different from others. The thing you do with your eyes, I've never seen that before! And the way you talk... it's not very nice," he admitted, returning gaze once giving his reason. "Kyo Speaks"

@Cadence

---


Cadence watched as the young male wandered from his spot over to a place where the water poured from the ceiling in a sort of "shower". Huh, how neat. The feline side of her found that a bit undesirable but who was she to judge when she was walking around in ankle-deep water? Still, that wasn't exactly by choice, it was necessity.

At hearing his joking tone the bear-lion allowed a smirk to color her features as she kept up with him with her eyes. "I dunno, you might. Never know what could happen." Matching his own joking her tone with a light one of her own and an accompanied with a wink to show that she was kidding as well. To his second, more serious, inquiry she nodded her head and could feel her chest swell with pride. "We do. Everyone in my family sings, especially my mom. She's got a voice that would put a Caroller to shame." She couldn't help but boast bit. Singing and music was in her blood and in her opinion there was none better. Although, to be fair she'd never heard anyone outside of her family ever attempt to sing...

Cadence shrugged nonchalantly, deciding to give him a bit of an education on how family and names worked around here. Someone had to, right? "Easy. If you ever get a mate or adopt anyone into your family then they can take on your last name. That's how it happened with my parents. My mom found the name 'Songcat' and after she married my dad he took the name and when they had us we all got it as well. Not to mention my countless other adopted brothers and sisters, they also have the last name. See how it works?" She gave a toothy grin, not even wanting to think about how many Songcat siblings she had around the caves. Her mom loved to take in the young gembounds she found scattered everywhere. If only she were still around... Would she have found and taken in this young guy too?

The grizzly lioness took a step back, despite already being in standing water there was just something about getting splashed with it on her face or elsewhere that didn't sit right with her. So, while Kyorai shook himself she made sure to avoid the droplets like it was some sort of acidic liquid. He spoke again to explain what he meant by "special" and the explanation had the bear-cat laughing out loud. "Listen, kid, I don't know what you mean about 'the thing with my eyes' but as for the way I talk... you gotta get used to it. I don't mean to offend ya, I'm just messin' around, but there are others around here who'd gladly make a pup like yourself cry and laugh about it. Now, I've got no intentions of hurting your feelings, I'm just having a bit of fun but I'm sorry if I do. I've always had a very poor mouth filter, it's just the way I am. So just loosen up and roll with it." In any case she took it as a compliment that she could stand out from everyone else he met. Even if that did mean she might have made a sour impression with Kyorai, at the very least he would remember their encounter for later.

---

561 | notes | @Kyorai

"Talking!"
Thinking...