Barely attached to the skull of a bear, an obsidian chrysalis shuddered.

It trembled, crackled, before giving way, dissolving into little more than shards of black.

Left behind was a pup - small, almost exactly as big as the chrysalis had been. It sneezed, blinking open eyes of a startling shade of blue.

The pup whined, looking around, tilting his head. Where was he?

The coyote adjusted his weight, eyes widening for only a moment as the bone he was standing on shifted. That was his only warning before it began to slide, the tower of bones giving way.

The pup squealed, the tower of bones beginning to grumble. And all he could do was hold on for the ride. There was an unholy sound as several other towers went with it, an avalanche of cascading bones.

And then he was in a cavern, and it was dark. He yipped, tumbling head over tail as the femur crumbled upon impacting with the ground, before standing with a sneeze. It was dark, and he squinted, before suddenly finding himself able to see - if only just barely.

He was in a tunnel of sorts, surrounded by dirt. There was plenty of space - he wasn't crowded in at all. The only entrance he could see was blocked by bear's skull. A bit of pushing confirmed that it was well and truly stuck.

But there was a drip-drip-drip, and water oozed down from the ceiling of the tunnel, forming a fair-sized puddle, so it seemed he wouldn't go without water. And bugs skittered by at the corner of his vision, so he wouldn't starve.

"Hello?" he called, trying his voice for the first time. It echoed back at him - 'hello? hello? hello? hello?' but other than his own voice there was no response. "Is anyone there?"

Is anyone there? anyone there? there?

His ears flattened back, and he whined, curling into a ball. He was alone, and he was trapped. What a way to start his life.

The pup drowzed, shivering, curled into a tiny ball. He was never meant to be alone, and yet he found himself just that, with only a pair of skulls, dead and quiet, for company.

Oh, dearie, are you alright?

The pup jolted awake, head snapping up and looking for the source of the voice. It wasn't his own - far too high pitched for that. An odd light caught his attention - no, two, - coming from a skull that he had noted earlier, but dismissed. It was odd looking, long with dull teeth, and long, curling antlers. (He would later learn that it belonged to a sheep in life - an Argali, although he would never know that) In each of the eye sockets, a single, green light glowed, hovering and seeming to stare at him. And then, despite its mouth not moving, it spoke.

Oh sweetie, you're shivering. Were you hurt in the fall?

For a long moment, he could only stare.

He... he wasn't alone? Some part of him niggled, saying that skulls don't talk. But he didn't care, was too happy to not be alone.

Ah, shuddup Amma. Can't ya see yer scarin' the kid?

He whirled - the bear's eye sockets, too, were lit up, although the lights were an earthy brown. But - no! They weren't scaring him! And he was quick to say so, too.

"N-no! You're not scaring me!" he wagged his tail, shaking his head. "You just surprised me! I thought I was alone. It's so nice to meet you!" His eyes widened, and he tilted his head with a smile. "I'm Ischium, by the way. I... don't think I caught your name."

The bear huffed a laugh, and the goat hummed. Glad you're okay then, Itchy-dear. she said.

The bear butted in then, voice low and thrumming, Name's Bronx, kid. Don't forget it, 'kay?

The pup grinned, tail wagging. "H-hi! Hi! I definitely won't!" he promised Bronx, looking around.

"Where are we?" Ischium asked--how he knew that was his name, he would never know. But he did, instinctively, just as he knew that he wasn't supposed to be alone.

In a cave, kid. the bear grunted, and rolled its eyes. However, its deep, rumbling voice was affectionate, making it clear it wasn't truly irritated.

When the goat spoke, Ischium got the distinct feeling that she were scowling, despite her face being unable to move. Don't be rude! He's a kid, how's he supposed to know? and the coyote got the distinct feeling that the bear felt sheepish.

Amma turned her attention, then, to him. We're in the bone-room, sweetie. she informed him, and he tilted his head.

"The bone room?" he asked, and she giggled.

She just said that. Bronx grunted, before shutting up when Amma turned her attention to him without a word.

Clearing her throat, he got the feeling that Amma was nodding. "If... if is is the Bone-Room, does that mean there are other rooms?" Looking around, his eyes gleamed brightly, and he could see better. But he was wholly enclosed, Bronx's big-head stopping his escape.

As though knowing what he was thinking, the bear huffed Sorry, kid.

Ischium shook his head, tongue lolling out as he looked around. "S'not your fault Bronx!" he was quick to reassure the bear, peering around. But the place he had fallen into was completely barren, aside from a small pool that was still being dripped into, and some cavemouse shit. And, of course, Amma's skull.

Whatchu doin' kid? the bear asked, as Ischium trotted towards him. The pup tilted his head, staring at the bear's terrifying skull, although it didn't register as scary to him. After all, he didn't know otherwise!

"Just gonna try somethin', sorry Bronx!" he yipped, before pushing his shoulder against the bear's cheekbone. The skull nudged back, a hair, but only just. Tilting his head, he shook it.

You're not strong enough yet, sweetie. Maybe when you're a bit older. Amma offered, and Ischium shrugged. This was fine! He didn't know otherwise, after all. So he curled into a ball, and slept.

~exit~