[Origin Cave]

Quest: O Eyes, What Do You See?

Something that sounds like a great shriek tears through the jungle of Eridanus. It shakes the trees and causes clouds of birds to take to the air above, and the ground suddenly feels cold, as if the very room itself has grown icy. The shriek is otherworldly and does not sound as though it has come from the maw of any normal beast - in fact, it sounds more like the groaning of rocks sliding against each other, only higher pitched and urgent. As the shriek dies away, the forest becomes deathly silent and the air takes on a metallic smell. The smell becomes stronger the further one walks into the room and becomes nigh intolerable upon reaching the twin, crystalline pools near the far wall. Anybody that walks up to the water will find something incredibly strange has happened - the usually gleaming, still surface has lost its reflections, as if they have closed their sight from the cave.

No one quite knows what has caused this to happen, but one thing is for sure:

The Eyes have seen something terrible.

Join This Quest

If you would like to participate in this quest, post with your character in this thread. Completing this quest will require some teamwork, so don't be afraid to roleplay it out! Feel free to request a GM when you feel you may be ready to proceed.

Participants:
Owlfeather, Booker, Delphine, Feral, Dovefeather, Giggle, Diot, Fallah, Blackfeather, Sadie

Part Two

Owlfeather had been asleep when the Eyes had screamed in horror and if it weren't the sound that jolted her awake, it was the stench. The cat slowly lifted her head, bleary-eyed, before she inhaled and cringed, stumbling up and onto her paws. With a disjointed yowl she began padding towards the Eyes.

""Dove? Sister?" she called mildly when she approached; though as she got closer it wasn't the lack of her sister being there that startled her, it was the murky depths of the pools that had instead. The long-haired cat slowly sat down, blinking.

The kit attempted to think over what had happened. "Well," she said - perhaps to herself, or to anyone who was listening. "The Eyes have been blinded."

A part of her declared, yes this is obvious, but saying the words made the cat's ears rise somewhat. She paused as she stared at the pools of water once more before she lifted her gaze with a sigh, waiting with her breath held.

The burrow was cozy and snug, the main chamber almost complete, a mix of damp earth and half-rotted leaves making a cozy bed within. Stockpiled berries and fruits lay to one side, while the other was covered by two dozing bodies: a disheveled, thin numbat and a rather fluffy tamarin. Asleep as he was, It awoke with a squeak as an ear-piercing roar howled through the air, chilling the very ground and sending the brush above trembling. Immediately, the scribe was pushing up onto three limbs and facing the den's entrance, ears pinned back, putting himself squarely between the outside world and his... son? Booker had called it son, so son it was. As soon as the sound left, his home fell silent - much too silent. Then, like a wave, the scent of death, of blood, metallic and pungent. The tiny Gembound winced, grimacing and gagging, before turning to glance back at Diot, uncertain. If whatever made the noise was hostile, it was a danger to his son... but just leaving again could lead to a repeat of their separation. Wait. Separation? The memory was distant and vague, and It waved it away, grumbling. Booker sure had messed up a lot. Gently, It nudged the tamarin awake, murmuring. "Stay here, kiddo. Gotta see what made that noise. Might be someone hurt." With a grim smile, the numbat turned tail and trotted out of his safehouse, creeping through the undergrowth, the utter silence of the air making his own movements seem twenty times louder. That was pretty good, I think. Got the inflection down and everything. It didn't take long to find the source - of the smell, at least. From a distance, It peered through grass and bush to the Eyes, ears perking up at the sight of one of his Sisters nearby. A pang of guilt shot through his gut - but he didn't know why. The Sisters were titled, capitalized, in Booker's memory, but they were merely a vague idea of a group to It. Weird, the scribe mused, before scurrying out of his hiding place, stopping just before the eyes and a good two feet from Owlfeather. "'lo, Sister." A grin, strange and just a touch wrong flashed towards the kitten, before It focused on the Eyes, frowning at their cloudy nature. "Now what on Origin coulda done that?"

When the shriek tore through the verdant jungles, Delphine had just taken her first steps through the tunnels into Eridanus. Immediately, her head shot upward, narrowed gaze shooting into the unseen depths of her home. Of the innumerable times she'd wandered here, never before had she heard something of that caliber. It sounded nigh inhumane and rather than escape, the young mare immediately broke into a run, rushing through the damp underbrush. The only indication she had that she was moving in the right direction was the unmistakable scent of something that was entirely indistinguishable even as she she neared the far wall where the twin crystalline pools lay.

Already two Gembounds gathered there, one whom she had never met before and the other, a very familiar but old face, Booker. From the depths of her memory, Delphine thought she'd heard his voice at the time that she'd been mauled by Baratheon but the uncertainty was clear upon her features as a hesitant smile found place upon her lips. If it were true that he had been there then it also meant that he, like everyone else, had abandoned her but she was not a creature who bore grudges from a time long past and even if she tried, she did not think she had the heart to remain angry. Ambling forward, the equine dipped her head in greeting to the cat before addressing, perhaps with more warmth, the numbat. "Hello Booker," She paused and cast a wary glance to the pools of water. "What happened here?"

Without waiting for a response the young mare sauntered forward, crown bowed so that her muzzle barely grazed the surface of the floor. In truth, a part of her was nervous, unsure of what to expect until she hovered, eyes peering into the unseeing pools, lips grazing a nearby rock. A gasp ripped through her throat as her power surged, blinding her with sounds and visions as it once had before.

At first, the scream shook Delphine through the memory; then, nothing. The vision was completely void of light and sound, like there was no memory to witness at all. It was almost as if The Eyes were blocking out the horrible thing they had seen, refusing to surface the image.

The dingo flinched in fear at the screeching, flattening herself to the ground with wide eyes and pinned ears. For a time she simply lay like that, her tawny hackles bristling on end, making no sound and barely even breathing.

She expected a monster to leap out at her, perhaps, but nothing happened; instead there was silence--eerie silence--and a smell that reminded her faintly of blood.

Maybe it was some prey animal? Maybe I can eat it!

The dingo finally, slowly stood, then hesitantly slipped toward the source of the noise. She arrived later than some, for she kept pausing, listening, sniffing, nervous and taut as a bowstring, ready to spring away and bolt at the slightest provocation.

But nothing more came; she heard only the distant murmur of quiet voices near the pools.

She lowered herself to her belly and crawled forward in the ferns, remaining hidden for now, watching from the shadows with wary amber eyes. She could see the black horse, and her gaze fixed on her, intent and hateful. Maybe she could kill her. Was she injured?

She'd have to wait and watch, and see.

DOVEFEATHER

let the somebody calls you somebody says swim with the current and float away

One could tell Dovefeather was happy to be headed back home-- her purring seemed more concentrated the closer she got to home, the bees taking on a stronger and stronger high pitch, like the instrument of her joy was being tuned into her homeland.

That, and she didn't shut up.

"We're almost there, Giggle, see this right here is where the ice tunnel splits off and it starts getting warmer-- right through here, see, this is where the Eyes are, where me and my Sisters live-- and where the All Mother is!"

It seemed like Giggle would only have to deal with more of this obnoxious cat as the day went on, as she practically pranced on her tippie-toes (it was some wonder that she didn't slip on the ice) towards her home.

"I bet you could catch a jungle deer! Golly, I've never had a jungle deer before. I bet they're tons better than a mouse or a rat-- you know, I once saw a huge cat take down a deer, nearly got blood in the Eyes-- I was sure it was gonna mess things up and make Her upset!"

"But I stopped the blood and it was fine, so no worries. Would you mind trying to catch a deer? I'd love to have some, but I'm awful at hunting. They always run away as soon as I get too close and--"

The kitten stopped dead in her tracks as she breached the entrance to the ferny jungle cavern. A smell had hit her nose and it struck her as wrong, a shiver wiggling its way down her spine.

Like a hare about to be caught, she shot off into the undergrowth.

"Follow me, and quick! Something's wrong!"

It took her a great effort, but she didn't slow down, not even as vines tripped her and leaves smacked at her face-- she raced, never stopping, never so much as hestitating, as she chased the scent to its source. She slid to a stop at the clearing of the Eyes, her own pale gaze wide with horror.

She did not speak.

She did not purr.

She could only look on.

The Eyes had been Shut.

words:......... nyah
tagged:....... @Giggle
ooc:............ heck yea
muse:......... 9/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...

Giggle had padded along quietly, round ears rotating as her slanted body rocked with each paw-step. She'd been more concerned with the travel, with moving through the caves and tunnels. She rarely left her home of Canis, and she was on high alert, every nerve taut, dark eyes searching every nook and cranny as if she fully expected an attack. She wasn't nervous, nor afraid, so much as simply hyper-aware, and it left only a portion of her mind listening to the buzz-cat's constant stream of chatter.

"Mm-hmmm," she'd often agree absently, only half-hearing what Dovefeather had to say. She was curious about these Eyes, and this "All-Mother," but most of all about the magic surrounding it. And she was rather fascinated by this cat, who on the one hand seemed a mad, zealous prophet, and on the other a cynic who didn't exactly think of her goddess as benevolent--or a goddess at all, really.

Giggle, to her surprise, had found a cat that she liked.

Now, though, they were in the jungle, stepping through ferns, and she had to keep a closer eye on the feline as they walked. She was smaller, vanishing in and out of the plant growth, her pace growing faster and faster as she led Giggle cheerfully in an unerring line toward her own home.

The hyena couldn't get a word in edgewise over Dove's increasing exuberance. "Yes, I--... Yes, I can---.... I can try--Yes, deer is-..."

At length she gave up, sighing through her nose, and just followed along, trotting now and again or even breaking into a rocking lope to keep up.

When the metallic smell hit her nose she jerked up, eyes widening. She opened her mouth to tell Dovefeather stop, wait, something isn't right, but the cat had already become aware and bolted, and the hyena had to race after her at a clumsy gallop.

She nearly tumbled over the cat when the jungle broke into a clearing, and only barely managed to leap over her and stumble to a halt. She glanced quizzically, briefly back at Dovefeather, then followed her gaze to the pools, quickly scrambling a few feet back.

It was water, Giggle saw--only it had no reflection. It was eerie, and still, and she tilted her head.

"These are the Eyes, then? ...Are they always like this?"

Glancing around she could see a few others gathered, but she merely eyed them warily, and sidled closer to her feline guide. She looked to the water, and then to Dovefeather, curious and a little concerned. And suddenly Giggle felt a pang of fear--not only at the frozen wide eyes of the normally-perky cat, but at a second realization.

Dovefeather had stopped purring.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

It was dark, cozy and warm laying withing the protection of the burrow. The sounds of nature and the calming hum of life it made played a sweet lullaby. Beside him a small numbat, sleeping at peace with his newly found lost son. Diot's ears flickered around as he couldn't hear the voice of nature, the songs they have always played. Except now, it had gone silent. This woke him in a sleep filled haze. Booker still beside him sleeping peacefully, maybe something wasn't wrong? That was until the numbat shot up to an ear-piercing roar that howled through the air. The young tamarin was frozen to his side, eyes wide he had never heard such a scream. Only to shut them closed again, pretending to sleep. Maybe it would go away, maybe this was a nightmare!?

Only, he knew that it wasn't. The scream had chilled the very ground, shaking the bushes above their burrow. Sensations he had never felt in dreams, even ones that were vivid with detail. Booker had risen himself, placing his small body squarely between the entrance of the burrow and his son. Nudging him before he left, Diot continued to lay there. He couldn't hear the trees, nor the very plants that slept beneath the soil. Something was wrong, it was too silent to stay calm. Standing up he scurried over to the entrance of the burrow. Peering just a bit outside all he felt was cold, and suddenly a scent worse than his father's had struck him. Something was very wrong.

He couldn't stay here, he had to follow Booker! Even though the numbat had instructed the young gembound to stay put, it was more important to stick together. They had just reunited, there was no way Diot was letting them get separated again! With that final thought he bolted from the safety of the burrow and into the silent realm of Eridanus. Luck was on his side it seemed as he quickly scurried from one bush to another. Following not just the scent of his father, but the one that even rivaled his! Seriously what was going on!?

Coming to a slow stop behind a fern he could hear Booker's voice. Peering out he stared at all the new gembounds he had never seen before! They were all so different! But what drew him in most and out from the safety of the fern, was the very Eyes themselves. Walking up to the water's edge, he found that there was no reflection!? Obviously something was amiss here. Vut the young gembound could barely stop from staring at this endless void that lay before him.

"Speech"

"Thought"

Fallah had stayed tucked away for the most part. Since her almost death and then her rebirth, and then the big fight, everything just felt like a little too much. The lynx had gone to hide for a bit, beneath a tree in Eridanus. She lay there for quite some time to make sense of the seemingly ackamarackus. The story was true, however, and it wore on Fallah's being. The cat simply wanted a day in the quiet peace of the green home Eridanus.

That day was not to day.

A shriek filled the air. Fallah's ears shot back, her heat hammering as crystal blue eyes widened. What. Was. THAT. Spotted fur stood on end as fluffy paws gathered beneath the gembound. Fallah wanted to tuck her head back to her paws and sleep. This was not happening, not again, nope. The loudness quieted and Fallah stayed completely still. No real thoughts processed through the feline, only the strong sense of dread. It was only the metallic tang that brought Fallah back to her senses. Could that be blood? Was someone hurt?

Without further thought, Fallah broke the stillness. It was a sudden, jerky movement that was entirely too forced for a lithe being such as the lynx. Black nose twitched as the scent was sought. Coming to the pools, the smell became heavy and strong. Fallah stumbled onto the scene, almost falling into the reflective waters. She expected to see herself, wide-eyed as she pulled back, but she didn't. The waters didn't reflect. This water was broken. This was wrong. This was very wrong. Fallah stepped back. This wasn't right. Water reflects. Fallah was a water elemental. She connected with water. This was not normal water. Furthermore, what was the metallic smell? Was there blood around? Fallah had to find out.

Absorbed in her own world, Fallah drew close to the broken water hesitantly, putting her maw near the surface and aiming to lap up the broken water tentatively.