The skeleton's steps hastened as the young ones moved closer. It veered slightly away, the great skull turning as if to peer down at them--and then its head lowered, abruptly, and swung at the children who drew so close.

Perhaps it was some innate instinct: crowding predators were a bad thing; or perhaps it simply wished to have its space. It didn't strike with the long horns, at least; it was a light swat from a heavy skull. Regardless, the strike still missed, whooshing harmlessly through the air above the children: a warning, perhaps?

The bones then trundled onward, now at a lumbering trot, the clicks and rattling of the bones all together quite loud.

...And then, as if from every corner of Canis, other skeletons began to arrive. They were invariably prey creatures: hooves and horns on each of them. Three that clattered over a rocky crest looked like small, stocky horses; a few others were slender beings, not unlike Aran, but with narrow and twisting horns curved back from their skulls. In only moments, the group of bones had formed what looked like a small savannah migration: zebras and antelopes, wildebeests--all led by the rhino, all without flesh and blood.

All moved with ghostly fluidity, their sockets empty of eyes, without faces for expression. With eerie blankness they moved as one. The rhino-bones slowed a few paces onward, and its skull lowered. It began to search amongst the bones, as did all the others behind it.

What they were seeking wasn't quite clear--but from the way they browsed among the rocks, nudging aside bones, it was obvious that they weren't finding it.

@Aran @Deli @Kazgut @Vyette

Aran watched as one of the pups noticed the big skeleton walking around, before the others also noticed. Of course, two of them went over to it as if it wasn't dangerous. Now I know why Hecate told me there'd be blood and bones.... I wonder how these died... he thought. Maybe the large creature made of bones didn't die? It was walking around, and when the small carnivores messed with it, it swung at them. Of course it would! What herbivore would let carnivores get that close to it!

The boned creature missed, and when more started coming, in, some looking like Aran himself but with curled horns, he couldn't help but get closer to those ones. There were so many bodies of herbivores there, Aran didn't know that it was some kind of migration or something, but they seemed to be looking for something they could not find. Maybe he could find the erudite bird he'd met before. She had been incredibly smart. Maybe she knew something about what was going on! If he ever met her again he would have to ask!

Aran approached the boned creatures that looked somewhat like him, peering up at them. "Hello..?" He said, not really expecting it to reply.

@Deli

Deli

The other canines were walking alongside the pup as they trotted next to the giant skeleton. Their tail wagged with glee and they panted, looking over at its companions with sparkling eyes. Oh, this was fun! What they were doing, Deli wasn't really sure, but they were doing it together! Oh, perhaps they'd get to talk to them later. Maybe they'll get to mess with them later. They hadn't really had that opportunity before! But, for now, there was a very large collection of bones following them.

Their head swiveled to and fro, glancing at all of the skeletal creatures that rose around them when, all of a sudden, there was a whip of air over their head and they jumped with surprise. Eyes widened and they began to bark uncontrollably, moving like a bullet underneath the rhino's huge feet. It wasn't out of anger or fear, but the episode seemed to be fueled purely by adrenaline.

And, of all things, a very blatant misunderstanding.

They shot ahead a little bit so that they were standing in front of the rhino and crouched playfully, barking cutting out for a light growl. They suddenly launched themselves forward towards the rhino's leg, the one that they'd been walking by before, to grab onto it with their jaws (but not too hard - can't hurt a playmate!) and hold.

---

@Vyette

And in moments, in breaths, Kazgut was there. He’d slipped between her and the bone-beast and she was elated to share this experience with him. Maw parted and tongue lolled and then, oh — ! A series of events unfolded: Kazgut’s warning and then it swung! She could feel the breeze it caused and fear shook her, sending a shiver down along her spine, tail tucked between hind legs.

She stopped, then, and watched the bones moved away and dark eyes shifted as more arrived. And then more. And then more. Awestruck, she moved as though in a daze, watching, observing. The deer of flesh tried to speak to the deer of bone and the canine she’d bounded beside before was attempting to play with the original goliath.

But the animated skeletons were busy, she thought. Why would they hinder them? She moved instead to a pile of bones and gently used a paw to begin to sort through them. ”Kazgut,” she whispered, voice low and soft. ”Dig?”

Curiosity or perhaps selflessness had washed over her and she, too, wanted to find what they were searching for. Perhaps it was magic, she mused, stepping back for a moment to see if she could… see anything, anyone that might stand out, that might help, that might tell her more. Hungry eyes scoured the room, the bones, the skeletons...

@kazgut

Kazgut

I will come to be — I will submerge myself in the body of the earth, sink my teeth into its flesh; and rise in my own skin.

Snarl peeled back lips as swing as taken by the lumbering skeletal behemoth amongst them. The growl was lost in all that ensued, but the hair along spine remained at attention as tribute; validation for wariness. Unnerved, still, was he - by the march of the great thing, but oh, how it paled - paled! - in comparison to the events that transpired soon after. Kazgut stuck more firmly alongside the wraith as skeletons seemed to pour endlessly forth - (a sea of unfamiliar forms!) - and crowded about the cavern.

Oh, how they clattered and chattered and seemed tied to some unknown work. Own mind felt the sparks of uncertainty - (should they try to escape this place? Leave behind this strangeness?) Sight found that of Vyette and together they stopped - watched as more skeletal forms continued to arrive. (From where had they come? He did not know.) He just knew that what was dead was not supposed to return in these forms!

The deer was speaking, the one of flesh - the other canine was tormenting the original skeleton and own head was spinning, focusing on the solidarity of her amongst all of this. For she was looking to him, speaking to him, insistent. Digging in a pile of bones. (What else was he to do but join her?) The black shuck moved along with her, to the pile of bones and began to sift through them, slowly, deliberate.

Unsure of what it was that they were looking for, but assisting. Feeling hair continue to stand on edge as they searched the bones for … something. Digging amongst the pieces of that which was, that which was no longer.

Continuing to paw through, to nudge aside with nose, as Vyette stepped back. (Keeping an eye attuned to where she was!) For Kazgut was nothing if not conscientious in this.

Wishing the others had not moved so far - for there was something terribly strange about this all.

---

@Game Master Dark

The majority of the skeletons--the animated ones, at least--had paused, now, and were milling about. They nosed here and there: beneath rocks, among the bones, along the dirt. Many seemed more and more agitated, their movements swifter and jerkier as they seemed not to find what they sought.

Each one of them had their head low to the ground, as if sniffing, searching...

Vyette would feel the magic inherent in them all. Whether a part of them, or merely animating them, it was some strange force that twinned with the phosphoresecent aura around them. And--strangely enough--this magic seemed to strengthen the longer they remained. Perhaps finding what they sought might put them to rest, and dispel it, instead?

None of them, perhaps not surprisingly, answered Aran. Nor did any inanimate bones seem to respond to the digging, though a few briefly flashed with pale sparks of magic.

Deli, choosing to lunge at the skeleton of the rhinoceros--the bones which had already made it known that their close proximity was quite unwelcome--was immediately targetted. It was eerie in its silence: the skeleton could not bellow or growl or snort, but instead shoved forward and down, its massive skull threatening to instantly crush the puppy under its weight.

@Deli @Kazgut @Vyette @Aran

Aran, of course, was ignored by the creature. Maybe he should have expected that, considering the creatures didn't even look alive in the first place. Aran was, extremely confused at these developments. It left an acerbic taste in his mouth. Something bad was going to happen, he could feel it.

That was when he heard another bark, once again, at the large boned creature that they had first seen come into the room. The Barasingha made his way on spindly legs to see what was going on. Only for his eyes to see the large animal get into a stance that was so obviously one that would try to get the young pup hurt. Now, Aran wasn't the kind of deer to save someone that could possibly eat him, but the four animals in the room, counting him, were all young! He didn't want to see what Hecate described!

The young Barasingha ran to the pup to try and push it out of the way.

@Deli

Deli

Exactly what the idiotic canine had planned to do, the pup latched onto the rhino's leg, but a moment later, its skull was swinging down. Deli did not see, too fixed on gnawing playfully on the bone. It wasn't until a weight crashed into them, throwing them off and away from the skeleton's attack, did they realize the danger they'd been in. Still, they instinctively reached out towards whatever had pushed them, trying to sink their claws into its body, at first to perhaps fight back, but it would drag the young deer along with them.

They tumbled into the bones and immediately jumped to their feet, tail wagging, grinning widely at the rhino, but the telltale glimmer of terror was bright in their eyes. Apparently, they finally figured out the danger they'd been in. "Ah, haha! Guess it doesn't wanna play!" They accentuated their words with a light bark before bouncing and turning towards Aran. "Helped me! Thank you! Friend, now, yes?"

---

@Vyette

The wraith was fascinated, enthralled, awestruck. Wide eyes shifted, gaze flickering across the room as she saw flashes of magic. Oh, what a mystery!

She watched, too, as the other canine put itself in harm's way and the way the antlered one had saved it. Vyette was surprised, for a moment, at the two that didn’t seem quite so entertained by the mystery before them. But, considering previous events, her judgement was cast and her surprise deteriorated.

Instead she returned her attention to Kazgut and the pile of bones before them and she delved in, paws digging furiously. What were they looking for? What would it do?

@kazgut

Kazgut

I will come to be — I will submerge myself in the body of the earth, sink my teeth into its flesh; and rise in my own skin.

Bones were overturned much like stones; sorted through to search for something that was not yet known. But oh, how the black shuck searched - hunted much as the creatures were hunting about them. Fixation was overtaking him, too, for he wished to dispel the strange circumstances that were haunting them. Approval was sought from the wraith at side each time paws, teeth, uncovered new fragments. Kazgut trusted in Vyette in this.

Elsewhere in the cavern, there was commotion! Lunar eyes turned to behold the scene so unfolding; for the small canine, enrapt with own play, had heeded not the warnings (for they were warnings) of the lumbering skeletal beast. The grim thought that it might be crushed. Oh, it seemed as though it would be until - the deer swept the smaller aside and to safety. Tail fanned the air as the drama unfolded. Happy conclusion.

But interest in lie elsewhere; for Vyette was digging, Vyette was searching - and Kazgut searched as well. Nosing through the piles of bones, looking between the seams of the rocks for … something. Frustration was finding its place upon contonance, but did not surface - and motions did not rush.

Deliberately, he continued. Purposefully, he searched. ”We will find it.” He heard himself assure Vyette, although it was not an assurance that could be (concretely) known. Kazgut was young, and although he had tasted failure …

Failure had not yet dealt him a crippling blow. And thus, with faith intact, he dug and sifted through the bones.

(Caught up, too, in the search!)

---

@Game Master Dark