Kin-Kin padded into Polaris, deeper and deeper, as she searched for a trace of scent. She'd never met the stag before- she'd seen him, briefly, but she had no way of knowing what he smelled like. For all she knew she could have smelled him a thousand times over without even an inkling that she'd found the trace. Still, she padded on, simply scouting- following all the trails she knew until eventually she ended up somewhere near the eyes.

Here she stopped to rest, dropping her nose to lap at the crystal-clear water, sending ripples out across the formerly pristine surface of one of the pools. Her light shone bright, refracting on the rippling surface- and for a moment she met her own eyes, unchanged for so many cycles. When her thirst was finally quenched, she couldn't help but admire her reflection for a moment before backing away from the pool, licking the remaining moisture from her whiskers.

She'd wandered all the paths she knew here, although she'd never come here often, and still knew that she was no closer to an answer. The stag could be anywhere- and it was impossible to see very far odd the beaten track. it was part of the reason why she'd dallied and debated on coming here for so long- taking short trips and finding nothing. But the time had come for her to leave her comfort zone.

Having finished her short break, Kin-Kin looked around and considered where to start.


" speech "

Cecei sat in a small nest that she had made cycles ago. She liked this place, she had always liked this place even when she had come here as a little fledgeling. She smiled, remembering when she first awoken. Now she spent her days relaxing. Cecei looked down when she caught sight of someone down below. She had never met this person before and she always liked making new friends. She stretched out her wings for a moment then took flight. She flew towards a low hanging branch in front of Kin-Kin so that she would be about eye level.

"Greetings, who would you be? I'm Cecei, nice to meet you."

Cecei gave a small smile to her as she watched closely. If this person happened to be hostile, she could always flew to a higher branch where she couldn't be gotten easily.

As she heard an unfamiliar voice, Kin-Kin's ears turned first before her gaze quickly followed. For a moment she brightened in a momentary hope that her search would be over, but that hope was dashed as her gaze settled on the bird. Trying not to show her disappointment, Kin-Kin didn't sit down but turned towards the other Gembound.

"Kin-Kin- Demigod and master of light," she introduced briskly. But perhaps another Gembound- an adult, no less, could be useful- especially a creature with wings. Perhaps they could help her search. The she-wolf's glow brightened. "Nice to meetcha. You wouldn't happen to have seen a stag around here, wouldja? Normal brown, I think. Red stone on its head?"

She thought for a moment. "As far as I know, he was last seen 'round here."

" speech "

@Cecei

Cecei watched Kin-Kin closely and smiled when it seemed she was friendly, and not hostile. She listened to her ask about a stag and closed her eyes trying to recall any memory of such a meeting, but none came. She opened her eyes and shook her head.

"I am afraid not, I have not met such a creature before however, perhaps I can assist you."

Cecei flew down towards Kin-Kin and attempted to land on her shoulder, however her attempt sadly ended in failure. Cecei flew back and instead settled on a lower branch.

He was hardly ever idle, making his rounds and checking on the new hatches, taking note of the rate at which they happened; but he always found himself back in Orion and Eridanus. He'd received an unsettling message from his former partner—was that right? His former partner?—recently and was not sure how to take it but still did not want to speak with Tenzin. Astraea was a vain creature and he felt selfish and hurt at their falling out, but mostly unwilling to accept what needed to be done.

But if the symbol he received was telling enough, then maybe his inaction was enough.

Aimlessly he wandered in the brush, his long ears flicking at the slightest sound of conversation. Demigod? Who, here? He paused to listen more carefully and a slight grin touched his lips. Him? He hadn't fully caught the first bit, but if they were talking about him, he would take that title proudly. Wriggling his tail, he set forth in their direction to meet them, antlers and flesh adorned with fungi of all variety.

He said nothing upon breaking through the foliage, simply raising his head to see them at first: the caped wolf he had seen around for many cycles, but the raven was still young. His red eyes were aglow, his ruby gleaming against the green of Eridanus.

"Hello," Astraea greeted finally. As if summoned, he was here.

@Kin-Kin

In a moment, Kin-Kin's hope of an easy victory was snuffed out. She sighed softly, but nodded at the bird's offer of help. "Yeah, sounds good... you have wings, so perhaps if you-" She paused, cutting herself off as there was another rustle in the undergrowth. She turned, and as she caught sight of the stag emerging from the undergrowth, the relief on her face was tangible.

Not seeming to notice the bird's failed attempt to alight on her back, Kin-Kin approached the stag so that she stood opposite him, and settled back on her haunches. "Just the gem I've been wanting to see. Yo!" she greeted, semi-formally, as she curled her tail about her haunch. "So I've, uh... I've come to ask about something. Something important."

Her ears twitched towards the raven, and she wondered briefly if she ought to chase the bird away. After all, she'd come to speak with the stag. But Kin-Kin would be careful; and if the elder turned out to be untrustworthy with her information, Kin-Kin considered that a pair of wings to carry a warning to Polaris would be useful. She didn't yet trust the bird either, though, but at the very least it had offered to help. She released her breath.

"Have ya ever seen a purple orb?"


" speech "

@Cecei

Cecei started to listen to Kin-Kin when a stag came up out of nowhere. All of a sudden, Kin-Kin's attention was turned. It wasn't hard to tell that this was the creature Kin-Kin was looking for. She listened to the conversation and tilted her head when a purple orb was mentioned, interesting. This time Cecei tried to flew and land safely on the buck but the fungai on it's back prevented her from getting a good landing, so she landed on the lowest branch next to Kin-Kin instead.

"Purple orb? I'm interested in hearing this as well."

She smiled as she looked up to the creature, waiting for an answer.

@Kin-Kin

He did not make an effort to sit as she did, and shifted his stance casually when the bird tried to land on him. Astraea's attention remained on the caped wolf, red eyes steady, until he shook his head at the question.

"You will have to be more specific," he said in a flat voice. "An orb in what sense, a stone? Is it small or large...?" he pressed, eyeing her questioningly. The muscles on his back twitched uncomfortably, jerking the fungi rooted there. He had seen purple sphere-like objects before: stones and others alike. And specifically, though older, Dawa's key. He could not imagine the Gembound was asking about such an item, or where one would have heard about it—but to use the word orb was troubling indeed.

@Kin-Kin

Rift had silently followed the wolf as she strode through the forest, jumping from branch to branch high up in the canopy. Each jump barely rustled the leaves - so was his mastery at traveling through the forest. He had seen her before, he thought. She looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't place a thought on it. However, no malevolent memory came up. So it wasn't with suspicion that he followed but with interest. She looked as if she were looking for someone.

The bird as well seemed to be as interested as her. They looked harmless as well and Rift pushed away any kind of suspicion. The mention of whoever the wolf was looking for set his mind wandering. He knew a gem like that...

And then the stag strode from the trees and Rift's breath caught in his throat. It was him, the guardian deer who he had sensed so much power from. Who had raised that great stone from the ground. It was them. He jumped down a few branches so that he could get a better look. He was no longer trying to hide himself in the top, thick layer of the trees. He settled himself on a mid-branch, still above the others, but close enough to hear clearly. He wanted to know what this was about.

@Kin-Kin @Cecei @Game Master CJ

Kin-Kin's ears twitched. She took a moment to consider- how wise would it be to give all the details? But she supposed if she was to get a reliable answer, she'd need to give enough. Still, as another Gembound appeared from the treetops, her ears twitching wordlessly towards them, Kin-Kin became aware that they were gathering a bit of an audience. She felt the hackles along her back rise slightly, safely hidden beneath her cloak.

Finally she let out a breath.

"It's a large orb, round. Like... a gem, but not. But... touching it causes terrible pain," the wolf said simply, and without emotion. She had to know. Were there there were more orbs out there like it? What was it for? Had it belonged to a Gembound once? There had to be a reason for its existence. If anyone would know where it had come from, it would be the stag. Kin-Kin watched the deer's face closely for any change of expression, knowing that the orb was safely hidden away.


" speech "

@Cecei