Effluvium didn't react to the fairy's presence at first. It just wanted to find where the food was. But then it began to speak to Effluvium. It kept an ear turned to her words, though it kept moving forward. It didn't have a concept of what disgusting was, but Effluvium was sure it'd been called that before. Maybe it was another name, like Effluvium was. A compliment meaning it was a good hunter. It grumbled happily at the thought. Effluvium suddenly stopped walking forward. Nemean promised a reward. It shifted, facing Nemean.

"Reward..."
It repeated. Effluvium's head turned to those behind it. Chase but not kill. Smaller than it. Effluvium could do that. Maybe one would fall, and then Effluvium could eat it. Effluvium could only imagine the rewards Nemean had in store for it. It drooled a bit.

"Effluvium do. Effluvium want reward." It said, and then slunk back to the entrance of the tunnel. It curled its tentacles close. Then, with a horrible scream, Effluvium began to run down the length of the tunnel. It'd snap at and follow any nearby gembound in the tunnel. Its jaws would close just behind any it could get close to, and its tentacles flailed wildly, grasping at what they could.

"When I speak."

When I think.

OOC Note: interaction @all ig?? Efflu is chasing all it can through the spooky tunnel! Can cast spells at it but violent ones might make it angy

TEMA, the Voidkin
There can be love in Chaos; just follow the Void

Tema snorted in surprise at each of the spiders that launched at her, ready to claw at them should they make contact. As the spiders kept coming but never touched her, she found herself relaxing again. Sure they were spooky and they did indeed remind her of the deer spiders she came across, but these ones were designed to scare, not harm.

Armed with this reminder, Tema took a deep breath before continuing onwards. She had to see what was at the end!

Besides, she didn't like the sound of whatever was following behind her...

OOC Notes:

She was not alone at this booth, but Jampa had not payed much attention to the surrounding crowd of gembound until they were approaching the boisterous Nemean. Her attention slanted to James when he arrived, pleased to see someone she knew - but then a ripple of anxiety ran down through her nape feathers as he seemingly erupted with rage at the hostess. Jampa's mouth hinged; she looked from the agitated horse to the flamboyant creature who had lured them close, and back again.

There was Pride too - he was among those gathered - and as he stepped in front of his fawn child, Jampa's brow furrowed. She hastened to back away from Nemean and go to crescent beside the pair, spooked more-so by James' shouting than anything else the cave may have offered, thoroughly put-off participation.

She glanced at Thalia too, appraisingly, and could not help but think jealous thoughts of how small and soft she looked. How precious, and to have her own father standing as a protector (oblivious at this point of their connection to one-another). With a small huff Jampa turned to regard Nemean, feeling cheated on all fronts, directing that malign sensation towards the hostess with a chilly glare.

Pride moved up, standing by James to accuse the hostess, leaving Jampa to guard alongside the fawn girl.

Nemean had said something to her, but in all the chaos of the yelling of accusations and the growing visitors wanting entry to this cave of doom or whatever, Jampa missed it. The creature urged others to attempt an adventure in to the cave; whether they followed through or not, she did not notice this either. Her attention was focused on James and Pride, as much as she was able to listen through the crowd.

It was all a little bit too much for Jampa. She couldn't focus on anything for long, and with the group growing in volume and herself feeling out-of-sorts, she found it easier to slip back and away from the many bodies. Better to back off now, she thought.

Exit.

The tunnel threatened his resolve from the moment he entered. Shadowy figures danced and leapt at the edge of sight, their sudden advances enhanced by the dim lighting. Despite himself, he flinched and on more than one occasion found his staggering run had veered off course, only a split second's correction preventing a collision with a prop-lined wall. A temptation grew, an urge to invoke a cloak of heat so that his steps were a little surer in darkness. It was resisted. He continued to pursue, guided by those in front of him and the mockery echoing from afar.

Behind him, Fahl heard a scream and then the rumbling approach of something large. The sound grew nearer in less time than his heart could beat. Whether this was trickery or actual danger, he withheld the impulse to glance back and unleash retaliation on whatever might be chasing him. Effort poured further into limbs fonder of water than land, trying to quicken his pace. If possible, he'd save his fire for when he reached the other side.

Despite wishes, a foot moved slower than the rest and he stumbled, belly skidding over the ground with his fall. Panic flared, born from the knowledge of what might catch up to him.

Mephistopheles

The young lion comes caneering into the festival, and, even though the oranges and the other booths catch his attention, the fanfare and chaos near Nemean's booth draws him in, and he jogs over, the dark tunnel not even phasing the lion.

I can make my own light, what can anything do in here?

He uh... isn't scared! No sirree!

"Alright, here we go," he mutters, and bounces in, the flashing lighting making his visible eye and gem flash, and he relishes in the pops of light and the way the shadows play in the ceilings and walls, the props that line it kind of remind him of the trench in the fern-filled cave he'd spent most of his time in.

The feeling of eyes on his back and the sound of footsteps behind him makes his mane bristle, and he glances back over his right shoulder once... twice... and he lightens his own steps in turn, ears turned back to monitor the presence as he slinks further in.

This tunnel had certainly caught it's attention.

A tunnel full of 'frightmares?' A terrifying cave only for the most brave to enter? Well, it had to enter.

It didn't want to be a coward.

So cautiously, It creeped into the tunnel. Crouched almost uncomfortable- both to make room for others in the tunnel, and as if it was trying to be unnoticed. It walked slowly, occasionally pausing if Chaos-Two needed time to catch up, trying its best to be- or at least look- brave.

@V-Chaos-Two

Chaos-Two walked towards their nibling, spear in hand. They couldn't see the cave or anything inside, so they could really just hope they didn't fall or anything.

"Come on, Labradorite," they said, "We can do this."

They didn't bother saying some rousing phrase about how they were the next generation of the Chaos Forge, because honestly? They were tired of that. So they gave them reassurance and went in, ears perked up.

It was all a little chaotic--lights, sounds, threats and promises, a--slab of meat running around?

Jampa suddenly turning to leave without a word left Thalia shocked, and she turned back with a few surprised blinks. "Jampa-?" she started, but the fawn-chick was gone.

Thalia turned back with a frown of consternation. Effluvium had rushed in, Pride and James close ahead, and Thalia yelled. "HEY! What are you doing?!" she demanded of the flesh-beast.

She plunged into the darkness, no idea where any of her family was--or anyone else, for that matter. There was distant cackling, and fog and bats, and darkness; Thalia attempt to just chase along in the path cleared by the flesh-beast, stumbling along in the slick that it left behind along the rock.

This was creepy.

She was looking over the effects, wide-eyed, when Effluvium came plowing in. The fog, the bats, that had been fun; she had darted after them, airborne, laughing and chasing them. The darkness was hard but hey, she was a cat, and the flashing lights at the tunnel's entrance helped a little.

When Effluvium came charging in, Bug's excitement turned to alarm. She turned, emberglow eyes picking out the large monster, the thrashing charge that tried to pick up and toss aside all those in its path. Her magic--normally rarely used, and for harmless pranks more than anything else--lashed out in fearful response, even as her tail fluffed instantly into a bottle-brush of alarm.

Nothing happened--or she missed--and now genuinely afraid, Bug lifted up as high as she could and fled for the tunnel's exit.

If it even had one.

strong language

Alright, going pretty good so far. Twisted ducked her head a bit as more gembound joined the party, watching some of them fall to the scares with a smirk. She wasn't a coward like those losers. While the others screamed and cursed at their host, the cat simply lifted her sooty head and felt the chill ruffle her fur. This was pretty great.

Then a loud rumble started from behind her.

Twisted's emerald eyes looked back just in time to see a massive, terrifying amalgamation of raw meat barreling their way. It's scream chilled her to the bone, the look in it's eyes was petrifying. The others started screaming even more passionately as they bolted for the exit, but she only stared up and muttered:

"Shit."

Her paws skidded into action, claws vainly scrambling for traction while she sprinted for the exit. She couldn't go very fast among the crowd, though, and found herself slipping on the stone while the monster came closer. Twisted barely even noticed the magic stalling it, or the words spoken by the others, just instinctual terror while the others clambered on. Since when was the floor this slippery?

All the while her mouth was running.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck this, fuck you (directed to no one in particular) I am not-- I am not going to fucking-- shit!"