Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Over sized paws slapped eagerly against the ground in a rhythmic pattern, as two fell tow lifted in a gentle lope. It seemed here that those orb lights that lit the whole jungle of Eridanus were shoddily kept here. They were dim and the vegetation was growing over heavily making it hard to traverse the terrain. The young cub pressed forward through the underbrush and vines that seemed to be keeping him stuck here. With a grunt the young boy pressed through breaking the vines keeping him from his way. Well that's no fun. These vines seem to be denser here than back in the full room. I wonder why? The young cub mumbled not really paying attention to where he was going the young cub walked face first into a wall where the orbs had gone completely dark. Mumbling incoherently the young cub sidled up near the wall keeping his forepaw against the wall, where it met the ground.

He knew well enough that eventually it would lead to light. That was how he had found the main room of Eridanus from the tiny corridor where he had breathed his first breath. Walking down the large dark corridor his eyes began to adjust to the poor light in the tunnel. His paw slid into a small crevasse in the wall of the tunnel.

Though he paused for a moment, he hadn't been alone when he had started this journey through the tunnels. He had, had a companion, a rather spritely boy named James. Blue eyes gazed into the darkness ahead, he saw no hint of movement or hint that his friend was there somewhere in the darkness. Realizing that he was alone the young cub stopped letting his eyes adjust to the weak light. A strand of small dim orb lights led down the crevasse in the wall. Stepping around the corner and into the crevasse he began to follow the string of small orb lights.

After a few moments of walking and not exactly paying attention, the young cub found himself in a small cave that seemed just barely large enough to fit his friend. This room was slightly brighter than the crevasse tunnel that led here. Looking up blue eyes found a slightly larger orb hanging from the low ceiling, slowly his gaze fell from the ceiling down to the floor of the cave. There in the center of the cave nestled in a bed of overgrown lambs ear plant, was an egg made of blue topaz roughly a foot and a half tall. From within the egg a soft glow could be seen emanating from an unknown source from deep within the gem egg.

The young boy stood enamored looking at the stone. An ear that was much to big for his head flicked back, they caught the sound of hooves near the entrance of the crevasse. It wasn't that far back, the young boy tore himself away from the egg gem and trotted quickly back to the entrance and popped his head out. James? The young boy called to his friend. This way, come on I found something! The boy almost couldn't contain his excitement as he pranced in place as he had not long ago when they first met. He was clearly dying to show his friend something interesting.

@James

James had come in from Orion, looking no different than he had only a few days before, though much cleaner, his three white feet able to be clearly seen. His head bobbed gently as he trotted along, a stupid grin on his face as he went off to find his best friend in the whole wide world-

"James?"

Oh, that was his name- was that Ari?

James' head turned to face the lion, and he slowed, blinking before his mouth split into a blinding smile, "Ari!! I found you- thank goodness. I thought I'd have to look all over for you!"

The colt cantered forward to follow Ari, not even questioning where they were going, "I learned so many new spells! And I'm a member of the Seven, now! Look, I can make a shield!"

James bent his head down and held his breath, tail flicking back and forth as he tried to make a shield to show his friend. One formed in front of him, shimmering before solidifying, completely transparent. He giggled and spun around in a circle, overjoyed.

"But... what do you have to show me, Ari?" James asked, the shield falling in favor of focusing on his friend.

When they stepped into the room... he gasped. An egg! Like the ones, he and Ari came out of nearly... a month ago. Wow. They were old!

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The little cub had come from the area where he had been born. This was his first travellings outside of Eridanus. James had told him where to find the tunnel that led to another place. He was supposed to show him around this new place. However they were coming from opposite directions and were supposed to meet somewhere in the middle of the tunnel. Which in retrospect that had probably been a poor decision on their part. Aristotle was beginning to feel they had made a poor decision to meet halfway, when he didn’t even know the way through the tunnels.

After getting lost and finding the egg he sat at the entrance to the crevasse waiting. He knew that if he didn’t show up at the meeting point after a little bit, James would come find him. And that proved to be true as he soon heard the sound of his friend’s hooves on the ground coming fro up the tunnel. At least he hoped it was his friend.

It didn’t take long for the cub's excitement to bubble over into his friend as he led the way down the tunnel into the chamber where he had found the egg. Walking up to the egg stone Aristotle walked to stand behind it, his slender tail wrapping gently around it. It’s pretty isn’t it? Aristotle asked before placing a paw on the side of the egg being sure to take great care not to harm the egg. I think it’s alive. It’s so warm James. Something tugged inside the little lion cub. Something drew him to the egg, something made him think they needed to take the egg with them. Let’s find a way to take it back to your home. The

@James

James walked a circle around the egg, oohing and aahing at it as he made his way around it. He put his head up against it and tried to peer inside, wondering if there was life within. An idea formed and he inhaled, trying to summon a wisp.

Nope. Of course, it wouldn't work. Stupid magic-

James sighed and shook his head before looking at the base of the egg and humming.

"Maybe we can dig it out?" he said, before trying to dig at the ground, dirt kicking up. The egg shifted and he stopped, ears pinning for a moment... he didn't want to hurt it.

"Should we try to lift it onto my back?" James asked, "I think I can carry it, it doesn't seem too heavy, it just needs to be secured."

The colt peered at the egg before looking at Ari, "Try and lift it."

James lay down so that Ari wouldn't have to work as hard to get it onto his back, "We just need something to secure it, like a vine."

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Aristotle watched as the colt did the same as he had done and walked a circle around the gem egg. It was a huge Blue topaz. It had to be important right? Aristotle couldn’t get over the tiny light within that was emanating heat of some sort. He could feel warmth when he touched it.

Aristotle watched his friend shake his head. The colt seemed to be frustrated by something, however he was unsure what. Just as quickly as this look on his friend came it faded as he turned his attention back to the gem egg.

The young cub watched as the gem egg shifted when James dug at the base. Aristotle quickly darted around to the other side and gently placed his side against the egg and gently shoved with his body weight, to shift the gem egg back into place.I don’t think that’s such a good idea, it might tip over and crack. He knew how brittle some of these things could be, his gem shell had broken easily when he kicked too hard. Then when he had gone back to inspect it the chrysalis had simply fallen apart.

I’m not sure I could safely lift it onto your back without someone else there on the other side to steady it. The young cun explained logically, he was sure if he attempted to place a round object on his friends back it would roll off the other side before he could secure it. Do you think I could maybe find something that we could put it in to carry it. Aristotle mused aloud as he inspected his friends back.

The vines were a good idea. Perhaps they could sort of weave them together and make something they could carry it in. I like the vine idea, but not to put the egg on your back. Do you think we could weave them together, make like a… a…. A net? That was the only word he could put to the object he was trying to make in his head. You wait here I’ll go back to Eridanus and get some of the vines I saw earlier, I’m sure they’ll work. Without much more said the cub leaped off at a trot to go find some vines. Take care of the egg! Aristotle called to his friend over his shoulder as he ran back down the path and into the main tunnel.

It didn’t take him long to reach Eridanus as he had only made it about five hundred yards into the tunnel. Here the little cub slowed his pace as he inspected the vines looking for the perfect ones to use.

@James

James was about to respond to Aristotle's inquiries before the cub darted off, and he huffed gently before staring back down at the egg, tail flicking from side to side. Something to carry it... like a bag. How would they manage to make a net? And then carry the egg between them?

"Ari!" he called out, trotting to the mouth of the cave to see if Ari was nearby, "Get more than you think we need!!"

They sure would need it, knowing them, they'd make more mistakes than successes making the net.

James got to work very carefully shifting the egg out of the small indent it was in so that when the time came, they could simply roll it over into the net they'd make. The colt peered back out in case Ari came back, before returning to the egg and sitting down on his rear with a huff.

"... Waiting sucks," he said, as if the egg would reply, "I sure hope you don't take long to hatch, I can't wait to see what you look like."

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Even a ways down the crevasse the young cub’s sensitive hearing caught his friends voice calling out to him, telling him to get more. You got it! The cub called over his shoulder to the colt. He wasn’t sure if his friend’s hearing was as sensitive as his own, but he still felt a response even unheard was polite.

Aristotle raced down the crevasse and into the tunnel as fast as his little legs and big paws would carry him, however he stumbled a few times due to those big paws. Buty with each stumble the little cub pulled himself back up and continued running. That is until he reached Eridanus.

He had been here a few moments already and didn’t like leaving James alone for long. The young cub slowed his pace to slow trot as his bright blue eyes cast this way and that. Looking up in the trees his gaze searched for vines. He needed vines. He thought four might be enough, but he was rethinking that and thinking of James’ words. More than he thought they needed. Yup this was getting frustrating. He slowed his pace further to look for vines.

@James

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Aristotle was now starting to get even more frustrated. When he had come to go into the tunnel vines had been everywhere. They had been so dense that he had to use his claws and teeth to break through most of them. They were blocking the entrance! Now where the hell were they? Looking for vines anywhere he possibly could Aristotle didn’t happen to notice the rather large tree he was quickly closing in on. Gangly paws found the massive tree’s roots first caused him to tangle his hind leg in his front paws, and with this the chain reaction began. Aristotle flipped over once onto his back, and then landed on his rump, only rolled once more and slammed belly and face first into the trunk of the tree.

For a moment Aristotle just sat there, his claws dug deep into the bark of the tree, as he feared to keep moving. Breathing heavily, the young cub groaned in pain from his nose slamming into a very solid object. Pulling his claws from the bark of the tree the young lion slid back onto his rump and sat there a single paw pulled up rubbing the side of his nose, where a tiny trickle of blood was wiped away and onto his fur. Well hopefully James wouldn’t notice and ask questions. The little lion could probably only hope, knowing James he would instantly start asking questions.

Aristotle inhaled deeply and released an exasperated sigh as he turned walking around the trunk of the tree. He couldn’t nurse his pride for long, he was on a mission and was determined to find those damn vines. It seemed he was learning rather vulgar words, not that he knew they were vulgar.

The young cub went back to walking and this time paying much more attention to where he was going, he was back to his search for Vines.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Finally after having gone far deeper into the Eridanus cavern than he had intended to go, he found a pile of soft strong vines. It was more than the four he had intended to bring. Using his claws he was able to cut them into eight length of five feet long. Coiling them as tightly into each other as he could the cub picked them up and slipped them over his head. He was wearing them around his neck as there was too much to fit in his mouth. Turning he sniffed the ground finding the trail he had left on his way here, he followed it back to the tunnel.

It didn’t take the young cub long to find the crevasse where he had left James and the gem egg at quick trot that he kept, this time being far more careful and aware of where he placed his paws. As he trotted around the corner and into the small chamber Aristotle called out. James I’m back! I think I got enough. I got so much I couldn’t carry it in my mouth. Trotting into the room Aristotle bent forward dumping the coil of vines on the ground, he noticed that James had maneuvered the egg to where it could be easily moved around.

Wow James you’re strong. Aristotle noted aloud as he looked at the egg. He was sure it was going to be heavy and that it was going to probably take them both to carry the egg. Him with it on his back in the net and James carry some of the weight in his mouth or around his neck. He wasn’t sure how they were going to do this yet. But he wasn’t leaving the egg here. Something about it tugged at him as if he was meant to have it.

Aristotle looked over to James before he moved to straighten the eight lengths of vine he had acquired. So how are we gonna do this? I think if we lay then in cross patterns and then do it again we can make sling… It seemed Aristotle had a habit of thinking out loud. Though he hadn’t seemed to notice it, at least not yet.

@James

"I just rolled it over," James said, "When we make the net, we should lay it down so we can roll the egg onto it, that way we can't drop it, and we don't have to struggle lifting it."

James stared down at the vines and bit his lip, wondering just how they were going to make a net. Hm...

Carefully, he started to lay the 8 pieces down, 4 in one direction, the other four perpendicular to the others. He laced them under and over and then got to work painstakingly tying a knot at each spot the vines crossed over. When that was done, he got Ari to cut the extra pieces off on the four vines facing one way, and tied the ends of the other four together, making makeshift handles they could grab in their mouths.

"... I think this will work, it seems stable," James said, a bit anxious to see if the net would really hold, "Let's push the egg in and see."

@Aristotle