Kethri floated along on silent wings, each flight growing longer and longer the more she circled the tunnel. She was bored, but like Hell she was going anywhere on wings that couldn't carry her the length of the tunnel without aching. The mice in the cave were slow enough that she could catch them with a bit of difficulty, and she could feel herself growing more and more experienced every day.

The owl spiraled down and landed on a bit of staircase, chest rising and falling more rapidly than she'd like, but at least it wasn't like before, where she was barely able to get off the ground without puffing.

Alas, she wasn't ready to leave the tunnel yet. A few more flights, perhaps, but not yet. She needed to be stronger, faster. She needed to fly higher and soar longer.

A mouse darted by in the edges of her vision and she pounced, claws slapping down on a tail, the thing easily escaping through her claws, squeaking in fear before disappearing into a hole.

Kethri sneered and preened her feathers, a bit angry at missing such an easy meal. Of course, there would be more, but still...

@Qisziux

Qisziux was not exactly in the best of moods as he made his way down the oddly smooth tunnel. He had gotten a bit lost, though he wouldn't dare admit it, and was now he was doing the 'walk of shame' back to Orion so he could get to where he actually wanted to go.

This is taking so long.He thought grumpily, Why did I think this was the right way? Now was one of many where he cursed having such short legs. He was sure he'd be back home by now If he was just a little bit taller and faster. And if you actually knew where you were going.

The sound of claws on stone caught his attention, and he turned his head just in time to watch a mouse scurry away from a frustrated looking owl gembound. "Nice catch!" He called with a smirk.

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@Kethri

Kethri shook her head and huffed softly once again, wishing that she could end this aeonian back and forth she has subjected herself to early-

The sudden voice made her startle, and she whirled around, her wings drawing up on either side of her like a cape as she narrowed her eyes and glared at Qisziux with pure venom in her gaze.

"I would love to see you try to catch something smaller than your grip,", she sneered, her neck feathers fluffing up in disdain.

She was still young, barely past the fledgling stage, with down poking up through her grey feathers. They would turn white and became as pale as snow soon enough, but for now? She looked like she was having a perpetual bad feather day, no matter how much down she plucked, she only got colder and more scruffy looking.

@Qisziux

Qisziux returned Kethri's glare with a rather smug look. "Oh? I bet I could catch nearly anything better than you could." He replied "I bet nearly anything in the caves could spot you. You look rather... unique." He replied, though what he meant You look like a feather duster and a cotton ball had a child, well, if gembound knew what feather dusters were, anyways..

He looked around the tunnel, though he spotted nothing but old relics and strange carvings. "I bet I could catch something right now." He said, "If there's anything that hasn't ran off to hide after that." He added. He wasn't that hungry, admittedly, but why not take a little break to show off his skills?

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@Kethri

"They can't spot me,", she said, "For if they don't hear me, they don't look. I am silent, while you are noisy and clearly nothing more than a small-minded reptile with no sense whatsoever."

Kethri fluffed up her feathers and shot the other a glare, "I'll bet you that I can find something first. If I do... you tell me your name."

She took to the air silently, not even a flap of her wings heard as she rotated her head around, searching for prey.

There. A mouse.

Claws out, wings tapered...

She snatched the mouse up by the tail and nearly immediately dropped it, but managed to catch it in time to grasp it tightly in her talons, hissing as the tiny bugger wriggled and squirmed, scratching and biting at her thick-skinned feet. She'd be glad to eat this thing.

@Qisziux

"I'm only noisy when I want to be." He retorted, "And it doesn't matter if I'm noisy if I'm fast enough." When the owl proposed the challenge, he grinned, "Deal! But if I catch something first, you tell me your name."

As the owl took to the air and flew away, he walked away, looking for a mouse to catch. He walked slow, sticking to the shadowy parts of the tunnel as he searched for his prey. He did spot something, a flicker of movement at the edge of his vision. He whipped around, spotting the mouse and immediately lunging at it. However, the only thing he got was a squeak of fear as his jaws chomped down on empty air. He chased after it but it ran into a hole that was too small for him to get into. He let out a frustrated hiss before turning back to the spot the owl was at.

"The only reason i didn't catch anything is because you chased it all off earlier.." He said, hoping that the owl had been so busy hunting she hadn't seen the disaster that was his own hunt.

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@Kethri

Kethri huffed and turned to glance at the lizard, eyes narrowed, "... Sure."

She pinned the mouse down and killed it with a snap of its neck, eyes narrowed and feathers fluffed up as she tossed the mouse over. A gift of sorts.

"... Now, tell me your name. Mine's Kethri,", she said, preening a wing dotted with grey, fluffy down.

She glanced over the other curiously, eyes scanning the lizard, staring at his scales and different features, wondering about their differences.

@Qisziux