it was as if an imaginary alarm clock was set off.

unintentionally, rapid fluttering of orbit shields
began other motions to begin happening as her façade twitched quite roughly.
simultaneously her numb limbs began thrashing without her consent.
these tousled evolutions sent her into a episode of convulsions
as her lungs broke free of the binds.
the first breath of air that had ever filled her carcass was quite pathetic
and sounded more of a gasp from sharp overwhelming pain.

as soon as her first breath of oxygen had made home in her lungs
the previous thrashing and episodes came to a halt.

shocked beyond comprehension she lied appearing to be lifeless
except for the steady breathing patterns that proved otherwise obvious.
pulling herself together without anymore hesitation she forced her heavy laden eyelids open.
only for a few minimal seconds everything in her path of vision was fuzzy, way out of focus and made her dizzy.
shifting her chiseled zenith she began rising one bone and muscle at a time as she adjusted herself upright.
the clouded perception from her optics soon un-fogged and wow was it a sight.
never had she ever witness the sights, sounds, and odd aromas that she was now.
everything was foreign to her, even herself.

where had the god's placed her?
that was truly a mind blowing mystery.

i'd been to canis a few times prior to this trip. i was still searching for cancer, wondering where he'd gone. from the spar, it sounded like he had some enemies. surely they didn't catch up with him? did those fiends dispatch the black leopard which saved me? i'd avenge him with the might only a grown male lion could. and all would feel my rage - however minor it may be. i was now almost one hundred percent convinced my magic was nothing in comparison to the rest of the cave's magic. so far, i had a vibration that only made me nauseous. a quick speed which allowed me to run faster for a moment. and that was about it. i had to rely on my own brute strength, which i haven't even grown into anyway. i was reminded of this with every step i took. every aching, moaning, groaning step my body screamed at me. the freshly cut scratches, which could almost be categorized as gashes, burned as i walked. why was i even moving? i should be up in my tower, up there safe and sound where nothing could bother me. but alas, the burning curiosity to locate cancer was alive, and very much nagging at me. i'd juts need to find the strength to move on.

and so it was with great surprise that i came upon a birth, a hatching. the opal crystal broke open in front of me, and i ceased movement. a baby was coming into the world, and i needed to help it since i was the first to see it. soon, the breaking crystal spat out a small cat looking creature. and as it woke up, i realized, it was another lion. i was elated now, overjoyed that i was here to witness a baby lion being born. jaded lenses watched her intently, as my lips curled into a rather painful grin. it was short lived, as the gashes upon my face allowed little room for a smile.

"good morning, little one."

moderate tones spoke, inviting the small thing to come closer to me. i inched toward her, before sitting. forelimbs extended as my belly then touched the cavern floor. every movement hurt like hell, but i didn't want her to feel threatened. i huffed a sigh of anguish as i awaited the cub to come to her senses. patience was a virtue i held near and dear, so she was allowed all the time in the world.

@A n u x

Athena Ignis
The hottest fire makes the hardest steel.

Athena was a wandering fellow. She absolutely loved seeing more of the cave, more of their world. She hadn't been in this part of the cave before, but liked how different it was from the other parts. The low ceiling was unique to this cave - a little too low to be perfectly comfortable but the dog just shrugged it off.

The first thing she consciously noticed about Canis were the two figures standing close to each other. They looked kind of the same, Athena thought, the differences being small. One, the bigger one, was lying down right now and looked to be injured - the other was small and- hey, she just emerged!

Athena waddled over to the two felines, frowning for a moment as she smelled their scent. Felines smelled weird. "Hello, hello." She barked with a dorky smile, running as fast as her baby legs would allow. She stopped next to the Gembound on the ground and sat down next to him. "I'm Athena."


"Listen to me."

the steady rhythmic beating patterns
lulled the fresh new born like a lullaby.

the adrenaline from coming forth into this foreign domain had wore off
and sheer exhaustion replaced it.
the petite frame she possessed swayed slightly to and fro
as you would see a blade of grass do in the wind.
she still needed to learn her balance before she was to grow uncontrollably nauseous.
the little audials she had propped on the top of her dizzy dome swiveled abruptly
as sounds began to ring a little more clear.
the steady trickling of a liquid in the distance, echoes from any movement,
and the sound of shifting bedrock.


another cadence found it's way to her recollect.
a voice, soft and patient warmed her preceptors.

the voice came from behind her.
how long had the one with the patient drenched voice been watching her?
slowly as to not upset her equilibrium more so,
anux shifted her position in the direction of the voice.
his words had been inviting to her so, he must know why she was here?
without further ado her little vocal strings warmed as she cleared the back of her throat.
"where am i?" her delivery was barely audible.
a little bit bigger version of herself had found her and a sigh of relief was in order.
again her vocal box tried to speak this time a little stronger "bless you for finding me."

what was this that was tugging at the corner of her kisser?
a smile seeped through ever so slightly.

we weren't alone for long. a pup that resembled aleera embarked, though, they were still different. i observed the pup, and gave her a small, curt nod of welcoming.
"hello athena, i am niru."
teenage lyrics spewed as the little lion cub asked where she was. the grin tried to poke through the pain and mangled maw, but such was almost impossible. i was already in crippling pain, so i would allow my muscles to relax.
"you're in canis, a section of the cave we live in."
i offered the information softly, lovingly, directing the words to both athena and the little lion cub.
"do you know your name yet, little cub?"
i asked her, knowing full and well that some people knew their names instantly while others took days, even cycles to figure it out. i waited patiently once again, looking from in between athena and the cub to make sure everyone felt included. but the motion would be short lived, as the gash running up the length of my neck began to ache with the gestures. soon, my eyes and muzzle rested ahead, peering down at the cub.

Athena Ignis
The hottest fire makes the hardest steel.

How interesting. Athena hadn't seen an emergence before and didn't remember much of her own. It was different to watch one anyway.
She was a little sad when the newborn didn't acknowledge her, only the other feline. A part of her told her that that's just how cats were and that dogs were much better. Athena didn't think too much into it and instead turned to Niru with her smile. "Niru." She spoke to greet him and was both happy and proud to see she didn't stutter his name. Sometimes new words, as short as they were, could prove troublesome.

Canis. So that was the name of this part of the cave. It wouldn't become her new home (Eridanus held a special spot in her heart) but Athena kind of liked it's atmosphere.

Sitting beside Niru (who she still thought smelled weird), Athena waited for the newborn gembound to tell them her name. She wondered what the other's name would be like; hopefully something easy.


"Listen to me."

the energy of another had invaded the two felines.

was her awakening that profound that a crowd was seeming to gather?
perhaps it meant nothing but, what she desperately wanted was answers.
the once faint energy had become stronger and was more obnoxious and playful
than the one that had first found her.
realizing quickly that she had unconsciously ignored the chirper ones greetings.
"forgive me, i am still a little overwhelmed." she said directing the statement
mostly at the pup. her caramel pools drifted as curiosity got the better of her only for a brief second.
her focal point of attention was drawn back to the adolescent of her kind,
he appeared to be battered and worn.


a little singe of pity vexed her as she studied him over.
only to be rerouted to his disclosed information on where they all were.


"canis?" something sparked within her
as the words slid off her tongue like warm syrup.
a whirlwind of thoughts swept past her so quickly and without warning.
she had to close her eyes so she wouldn't crumble over unto the cavern mezzanine.
all at once the whirlwind came to a standstill as one word prodded her tongue.
flipping the shuttered eyelids open, she stared blankly at the two almost looking through them and not focusing on one specifically.

"anux..."
she paused letting the word settle on her pink ribbon.
"my name is anux"

pieces of the puzzle were shifting in her mind,
she had just uncovered one clue to this ever expanding world she was now a pawn in.

@NIRU @ATHENA

the little cub was able to discover her name as anux. i wanted to grin again, but instead smiled with my eyes, tufted tassel swaying gently behind me. i then sat upright, though remained sitting as the motion was glacial. i winced in pain from both fractured ribs and fresh gores.
"lovely, anux."
i didn't want to over load her with information, however i did want to be the one to inform her of everything that is the cave and gembound. i wondered, did little athena know of these things as well? without turning my neck to show i was speaking to her, i spoke.
"athena, how much do you know already? you seem quite new as well."
my words weren't meant to insult nor to be as crude as they came out.
"pardon me, these new wounds limit my facial expressions and such due to the pain."
i took it upon myself to explain to the pair why i was somewhat stony, not wanting to deter the pair of newborns away from viewing me as a helpful mentor. if that is what they wished.
@anux
@athena

Athena Ignis
The hottest fire makes the hardest steel.

Athena smiled when the cub named Anux acknowledged her. It seemed she'd just overlooked her and actually, the pup couldn't be mad at her for that. Emerging wasn't easy and it looked like it had left Anux a little out of it. "It's okay." The pup said and grinned at the newborn.

"How much?" What a weird question. Athena knew what he meant to ask, but she already knew so much, how could she hope to tell him everything? "I know my name. I know Delphine and Mojag and Anux and Niru." She grinned as she spoke the names of the two felines. "I know Polaris and Eridanus and the Tunnels and Canis and Orion too! I do training in Orion, my magic." It was a rough summarization but it contained Athena's most vital knowledge that she'd gathered since her birth.


"Listen to me."

Watching. Waiting. The Bone King rested within the cover of shade, carmine gaze capturing the small crowd that had gathered about the most recent Gembound to emerge in the caverns and every detail. There were two felines, one far older than the other. He had been in this world for quite some time, a mane beginning to grow upon his features. There was also some species of a dog, still pudgy and small. The newly hatched creature was a lion cub, and hearing her name... he knew it was a female. Azazel would not reveal himself quite yet, but he made sure to be just visible; just in case anyone looked his way.

Until then, he lay masked in the shroud of shadows, his head barely peeking out into the light. The only thing that could warn one of his presence was his scent, that of carrion and rot.