Rift looked at the stag with wide eyes, trying to understand what he was saying, but failing to do so. However, he did understand that, whoever he was talking about, they had some part in creating the caves. Incredible...the caves were so big. He had thought that they were natural, that they were the world. If they had been built, then there must be something beyond them. The thought sent both a shiver of awe and fear down the cougar's back.

As the stag turned and began to lead the gembounds, he got up and followed, not because he was interested in helping the gembounds get the stone for their "king", but both to make sure that Eridanus would be safe with this unknown party trekking through it, and also to see the stone for himself. If an architect that built the caves had earned it, then what glorious thing would it be?

He walked quietly next to the party, wide eyes both fixed ahead and glancing every so often at the other gems.


___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: here
notes: here

Aztec climbed through the green canopy stretched out to reach for the Monarch. He had heard voices coming from the giant mushroom and realized that the others must have found the stag already. Their encounter with Senka surely slowed them down, and though he wished he had more time to scope out the beauty of Eridanus, finding the stag came first.

The cub crawled out on the tree limb, and once he peered through the veil of leaves, he saw that it provided a decide view of the scene that was unfolding before him. At first he saw a black wolf stalking towards the stag, with a trail of brambles sprouting behind her. Aztec dug his claws into the bark. For a moment, he thought she was going to lunge for him, then the stag himself, spoke up. His words seemed to slow her, at least until the alligator scolded her.

The stag did provide some interesting facts about the stone however. Apparently, it belonged to an architect.

Did this 'architect' build the caves Aztec wondered. If he did, then that meant there was whole other world out there, the architect had to come from somewhere. The very thought made him dizzy with both awe and dread.




"Speech"

Hera

The little bird watched curiously as the Gembounds interacted, seemingly teaming up against the stag. For a moment, she could have sworn the stag was looking her way. However, he was soon looking back at the other Gembounds, obviously far more interested in them.

She watched interestedly as they spoke, the stag seeming to stand nearly on his own. The others seemed to be teaming up against it - him?

The only warning she was given before almost being thrown off her talons, was the stag stamping his big hoof on the ground. She staggered, chirping in alarm, as the area began to tremble, before breaking open. And then suddenly there was a large skeleton appearing, massive in size, bigger than anything she could imagine. She shivered, down flattening against her small figure.

Before she realized it, the stag was approaching her, and she looked up at his head, seeming to tower over her. Her eyes widened with alarm, and she was struck dumb, unable to reply to his speaking.

Her eyes widened as the large reptile offered its snout and, after a moment, she clambered aboard, careful not to dig in her talons. "Thank you." she chirped, looking around. Where were they going? And it felt odd to be moving along, without moving her legs.

"I'm speaking..."
'I'm thinking...'

a relatively small wildcat whipped his head up in panic as the room began to shake, water flinging from his chin back into the crystalline pool he was crouched over. his eyes were wide and his ears swiveled rapidly forward and back, as if he couldn't decide whether he wanted to figure out what was happening or flatten them against his head and block out the terrible noise his super-sensitive hearing was funneling directly into his brain.

when a loud, creaking moan erupted from the direction of the trenches, rui leaped into the air. he gripped the soil beneath his paws, ears flattened back against his head and he shrunk back, ready to bolt at any time. what in the fuck?

it was difficult to see exactly what had happened from here, what with all the foliage separating the eyes and the fern trench. but obviously something was up. very, very up. in the moments passing the yawn's cessation, rui was still frozen; it was about a minute before he moved even a muscle to take a cautious step away from the pool, unsure whether it was a better idea to hide or to not make any sound at all and still a little too dumbfounded to act on anything at all.


notes: hey it's shitface the ocelot
tags:

"speech."
"others' speech."
thoughts.
image by emammal on flickr, edited by me.

For a time, Kera did not speak or move-- well, she did move. She moved just behind Dragon so that she wouldn't get caught in the angry alligator's fire --but otherwise, she did nothing. Lost in her own thoughts, there was a thousand questions spiralling along in her mind.

We need it? Kera did not think so-- they certainly did not need it, the Kings did, and she still wasn't entirely sure if they could be trusted. She still wasn't sure if Astraea himself could be trusted, but as Dragon was loudly exclaiming-- well, he could be trusted, according to him. And his fire.

Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned her head and smiled faintly in Rift's direction, warmly-- though silently. When she turned forward, Astraea was moving and she followed, loping along behind the alligator to peer below into the trench. "I don't think I understand," she said after a long silence, looking up to the ancient stag. "He doesn't look like he's sleeping, he looks like he's dead."

She opened her mouth to speak more but she only ended up nodding towards Dragon's questions, sitting back onto her haunches-- though Astraea was moving again and she pushed herself up to follow. "Can the birds be trusted?" She asked after another short time.

As the ground quaked and moan beneath them, Septiezal gaped in awe at the what the Fern Trench unveiled beneath its soil. He almost did not believe his eyes. Giant ribs and a spine stretched the Fern Trench apart like fissure. Septiezal had never seen bones move on their own before. This discovery filled him amazement, but he soon felt it laced with existential dread. Are we living in the corpse of a Gembound?

Septiezal looked back at Astraea, who now had a smile plastered on his face. He agreed to show them the Architect's stone. The serpent lifted his head higher in anticipation. For too long, he had an unquenchable desire to discover how everything came to be, only to abandon it when he saw he was getting nowhere. Now, some of his many questions might be finally answered, or perhaps he would gain some more. However, a part of Septiezal fretted that he might not like what he would find.

"Assstraea," He said, unable to hide the awe that lingered in his voice. "Tell usss.. tell usss, what you know about the birdsss." If the stag was as ancient as he seemed, and if Dragon's words had anything truth, maybe Astraea would share his thoughts on the creatures.

"speak"

'cause i'm the big bad wolf

now let the games begin

Dezba's lips curled at the stag's words. He made her look like a fool! How dare he! HOW DARE HE!! A growl rose from her snarling lips as she prepared to leap. Her heart hammered in her chest as her mind raced with anger. Dragon's scathing words snapped her from blind rage but sent her barreling head first into raw fury. This time, it was directed at the alligator.

"CALL ME CHILD ONE MORE TIME!!" Dezba bellowed at Dragon, green eyes burning with ire. Varies briars broke through her flesh, large and sharp, with their points red as blood. They festered like her anger, primal and untamed, covering her coat like barbaric armor.

What ever caution Dezba held towards him, she had thrown it all to the wind.

I am not a child! I am not pathetic! And I will show you! I will show you all!!

In truth, she was just a juvenile, but the she-wolf did not feel like such.

Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath her, and Dezba seized herself, and witnessed something amazing. Bones?! In the Fern Trench?! What manner of beast is this??

"Listen to me."
Thoughts...

TAG: @Dragon // OOC: Bones? in MY fern trench? Its more likely than you think.

Envy narrowed their eyes, listening to the stag's words, their bristling fur relaxing. Were they showing the gembounds where to find the stone? As the stag turned tail, they began to scamper down from the branch, but no sooner had they done so that the black wolf began to raise a ruckus, bringing a toothy grin to their face. They paused in their tracks for a moment, rising upright to watch the happenings.

"Yeah, you get em, wolf!" they tittered excitedly, wanting to see some blood spilled, or just some foul words exchanged. They loved to stir up some blood, especially if it meant their longstanding nemesis might end up getting injured. but for once, it appeared that they were on the same side, making it even funner to watch. Envy wasn't about to back her up, though. Their forepaws twitched, preening the fur of their chest.

With an impish giggle, they dropped onto all fours and bounded after Astrea's retreating form.

---

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Dezba
notes: here

"The same," the stag simply answered to Dragon's question about which fate they served, continuing in his stride; it was the wolf's snarling voice that stopped him as he turned to view her, brambles and blood and all. A simple smile kept plain on his features. This one had fire in its heart, where the other, its lungs.

"You are all the children of this place." His reminder was said with an amused face. "It is my job to watch you grow, as was it with my partner; to raise you all." He turned and continued on, leaving them alone with their quarrel.

Red eyes turned to the younger wolf, and he nodded. "His body has died there, yes. But his stone is in my care, and so he has not truly died." Again, he had to wonder what the Kings wanted with it. He could not imagine them harming it, nor could he imagine the Gembounds doing so. That brought his attention around to the serpent, his eyes regarding the snake for a time before answering.

"They are not Masters, so do not feel so inclined to heed their every word." Astraea returned his focus back to the path ahead, but spoke evenly. "They are not natives of the Cave but were trapped here a long time ago, and claimed Orion. We agreed to help them find a way out if they agreed to help us, but we lied to them. The two good-natured brothers are too pure and would not betray us, anyway." He smiled, as if proud of himself. It dissipated slowly as silence fell between them. They continued toward the Eyes, his ear twitching occasionally to listen to Eridanus. Eventually he said, "Perhaps they seek the stone to make an exit." Astraea considered. "It is a good idea. But they would be wrong. I would like to see them try it." His smile returned.

The party rounded rocks and ferns only to find a figure already at the Eyes. His ears fell back and his smile faded away. "Excuse us. We will be borrowing this location," he informed, then stepped forward toward the raised pools. "Or join us if you desire."

Astraea watched the feline carefully as he made an attempt to approach the Eyes, who watched many things, and saw all; who watched over the stone for him now. They rippled at his approach as if welcoming him, but he would need the area clear if he would ask them for the stone.

@Dragon @Kera @Dezba @Envy @Septiezal @Hera @Rift @Aztec @Rui

Dragon did not respond to Dezba's threats bar with a snort. Brambles were flammable, and if she thought he would go over and start biting her thorns, she was wrong. Nothing but a waste of magicka

Nothing but a waste of magicka, he thought, disregarding the fact that he himself was constantly making powerful threat displays of fire.

But with Hera gently perched upon his broad snout, he was not about to continue the argument. Hatchlings required protection, and though Dragon was a cold and reptilian sort, his parental alligator instincts were strong. He was careful as he moved, careful not to drop the baby, just plodding along and listening.

When Astraea's words provoked deep suspicion in him, he showed no sign. Despite his lies, he did not trust the stag. The stag was their ally, that was true--but Tenzin's words in Pisces had shown a willingness to deceive, and Dragon knew there was something deeper at play.

They are betraying us, or at the very least, hiding the truth from us, and it is out of fear. But fear of what? Mere death..? And what truths do they hide?

At the sight of the Eyes he paused, waiting behind Astraea in silence. He would listen, and let the stag handle this. And he had to be careful not to ask too much, not to seem suspicious... He had no doubt that the older Gembound might kill him.

Thus far, Aquarian was the only one who had not lied to them. He was the only one who hid from this false reality, and he was the only one who had told Dragon the truth: to survive, in order to learn. And so the alligator remained silent, listening and learning for himself.