Mar 27 — [Quest] EMERGENT INFLUENCE (READ MORE) Mar 8 — [Event] Spring Regrowth! (READ MORE) Feb 6 — Domain Migration Complete! (READ MORE)
CAVE STATUS
QUESTS/EVENTS
Torrential downpours cause localized flooding and many upset cats. Along with these frequent rain, from gentle drizzles to heavy rainfall, there seems to be a flux of Magicka drawn in particular to water sources. Occasional jet streams of warm air make narrower tunnels harder to navigate. On occasion, the rain intensifies, becoming howling storms with sleet or large hail. However, the temperatures overall are a little warmer, with snow and ice in temperate caves somewhat receding.
So. In the span of only an hour or so he'd made a friend, created an awesome badass adventure squad, found a really awesome base in the wall, and now they were on an adventure to get more bananas bandannas. Bounding along ahead of his slower hybrid friend, he wondered how she was holding up and he kept pausing to make sure she hadn't become overwhelmed by this whole adventure. As her first time out of Pisces, he needed to make sure she didn't get hurt as that was his duty now. Despite being the leader, he was the tough guy and overall resident happy face and protector.
"Cadence are you OK? We're almost there, it's just up ahead!" Last time had been uneventful, so he hoped that it would be the same this time. Maybe he could make it to the centre of the cave as last time he had only clung to the outskirts.
From the room of water it had at first been an easy trek. The hybrid's spirits were high and her steps equally so as she unsheathed her claws and allowed them to click on the ground in a series of cadences.
It always made her smile to do so and now with her new friend she wanted to show off. To accompany her clicking claws she started to hum a tune, something she'd heard her mother sing before. It drifted along the lonely tunnels and weaved about her and her friend as they went.
"Yeah, yeah! I'm good! Let's keep goin'!"The dingo walked ahead and she didn't mind because he knew where they were going, not she. At first she was even lagging behind that much but then it seemed like everything was dragging on and on and on and she started to get slower but she didn't stop her rhythm. Not until the ground underpaw began to turn soft and spongy.
That music was so beautiful and rhythmic and he had to hold himself back from adding his not so rhythmic howl to it. It certainly was hard and he bobbed his head up and down as they breached the edge of the forest and Jack yipped slightly, "This is it! The most extensive forest in any of the caves!" To his knowledge anyway which wasn't that much. Looking back at her, he began to push onwards, his fur and skin being tugged on by all the undergrowth.
Bandanna pushed down firmly onto his head, having been retied, he looked behind him. "I've never been to the centre before, so do you want to do that first? Maybe we can meet some people who need help!" Let the rescuing begin! Jack's whole body was wiggling now as he jumped back to match his pace with the leader.
Eridanus seemed happy, almost light-hearted today, its leaves waving as he walked past, slow and lurching gait slower still as he stopped to gather ingredients. Small berries, potent herbs, and a dusting of the spores from one of the many pufftop mushrooms that dotted the cave were all stuffed into the teacup hanging from his belt. Priest hummed as he went, a soft, aimless tune, one remembered from long ago, so long it felt like another lifetime. A dragon's bonding tune, if his memory served him well. The numbat's webbed paws weren't good for much, but they worked perfectly for shoveling more gifts from the forest into the waiting cup, waiting to be made into the perfect tea.
His cane tapped against the floor as he went, slow and searching, cloudy eye roaming from tree to tree, always making sure he could see the silhouette of the Mother out of the corner of his vision. Indeed, he was so focused on the silvery form that he flinched at the sound of approaching voices, turning to face them curiously, ears flicking. Two hatchlings, one a stranger, one clearly the daughter of Leon, headed his way, and Priest held up his empty hand, cane glowing softly in his grip. "Hark, my children. Welcome to Eridanus."
Well, at least he was smiling. Otherwise, the whole heavily-scarred-and-seemingly-ancient thing might be high on the creepy factor.
After the loamy soil it was then that she noticed the trees. She didn't know how she knew the word but she did and they were everywhere! Tall, green, amazing... "It's incredible!" Her voice was little more than a squeak now as she piped up. The little bounded right up to Jack's side. Her eyes were great, round pools of curiosity as she looked around at everything. Of course she wanted to go to the center! There was no telling what sort of cool things were there!
And people too... yeah. Because they had to help them.
"Yeah, let's see what there is at the center. Maybe there'll be people there and maybe we can find a cloth on the way." With that she took off, large paws drumming on the ground as she took off at a run... Only to stop when a weird old man came out of the shrubbery. Comically she slid in the dirt before coming to a full stop, sapphire eyes gazing at the weird creature.
He was all scarred up and he seemed positively old. He was so weird! But maybe he needed help! This could be their first mission! The cub leaned toward Jack and held up a paw to her mouth as she whispered in his ear, "Hey, you think that old guy needs our help?" To the old man she said. "Hey there! Thank-you! Uh, who're you?" She raised one paw and waved at him, giving a cheerful smile despite his creepiness factor.
There was no way that she was going to be faster him, and as she bounded off he growled and galloped after her, "You can't beat me!" Sprinting to catch up, he too stopped dead at the sight of the old numbat man, sliding into the back of Cadence with an "Oof". "Hey don't just stop!" But he looked out behind her at the older man. Yes, he certainly hadn't seen him last time.
Cadence whispered, and in response he just nodded. Maybe! Even old people needed help it wasn't just the hatchlings in Origin. "My name is Jack if that helps! We are just exploring to find cloths and adventure!" Unaware that Booker knew who Cadence was, he just waited for an answer.
Priest didn't bother to stifle a chuckle at the children's reactions, raised hand moving to meet its twin and balance on the top of his cane. "I have no name, but most call me Priest, or Flowers. I am one of the four guardians of Eridanus," he explained, voice as soft and toneless as ever.
He spared the dingo an amused smile, bowing his head in greeting, brutal spikes of opal gemstone twinkling in the morning light. "A pleasure to meet you, Jack. And your young friend," the numbat added, tail twitching. "I'm afraid I don't know your name, young miss, but I know your father well. Leon is quite the imposing presence," Priest murmured, huffing out a dry rasp of a laugh at his own "joke." "Exploring, hm? Sounds like quite the adventure indeed. I'm afraid I can't offer you any cloth; it is a bit rare in this part of the caves."
The explanation might be spoiled a bit by his accessories, but then again, they were all borne from the forest that surrounded the trio. "I'd certainly welcome you to explore in this wood; I and my fellow guardians attempt to keep it a safe and secure hub, away from fighting and other such troubles." The reasons for that might be blatantly obvious from the man's myriad of scars, but then again, the injuries had never exactly stopped him from walking directly into trouble. "And if you need a guide, I am happy to be of service," Priest added, itching absently at his fire-bitten forearms.
"Yeah! We're an adventure team! Lookin' to help people, sir!" It was then that it dawned on her that she hadn't given her own name after Jack gave his and the tiny creature gave his own. The little cub couldn't help but let out a tiny snicker at the name "Flowers". She nudged her canine companion in the ribs and giggled in a low voice. "Hehe, Flowers." It seemed like a silly name to her but that was probably because her mother was so gungho about the things that she couldn't take them seriously anymore.
Although when Priest mentioned Leon the cat came to firm attention. "How... How do you know my dad?" At that thought, what exactly were guardians of Eridanus? Her head tilted to the side. It seemed that this guy was getting more and more interesting and not just because of his name. "That's okay but Priest, do you need any help? That's what our exploration team is all about: adventure and help!" The little one rose to her paws and trotted right up the tiny priest, eyes shining cheerfully. "My name's Cadence Songcat. We'd love to hear about these guardians and have a guide!" As an afterthought she thought to add, "Right, Jack?" To the dingo. Sometimes she got carried away with her leader-business.
There were some... Weird and odd vibes coming from the man, but the only sign of Jack's slight discomfort was the flick of an ear as he looked to Cadence. Priest or Flowers. Some pretty strange names right there and he suppressed giggles as well when he was pushed by the female. It was definitely an odd name for a boy, but then again he was open to all sorts of things. "Flower! I like the name a lot. Makes me think of the lilies that float on the pond in Pisces don't you think?" Maybe he should call himself Flower or something different than Jack. Jack was so boring.
Now he didn't know Leon, he didn't draw up the two names and with the two conversing about knowing this Leon fellow, Jack got distracted as he looked past him towards the centre, there was something in the middle there but he couldn't quite make it out. Anyway, it didn't matter as Cadence asked the all important question, as well as exclaiming it'd be cool to learn about the guardians. It would! But he wanted to go adventuring as well. "Yep! Can we walk and talk? I want to see what's in the centre of Eridanus!"
As always he travelled by the shadows, now at two cycles old, he knew where almost everything was, the places he hated he avoided, the places he liked he frequented, but always he travelled by the darkness of shadows. Rarely did he come out into the light.
The dreams still came to him, the nightmares still haunted him, though they were not his nightmares, yet he felt he had lived them. He didn't remember being there, and he would never do anything to inflict harm the way the demon did in the nightmares. Yet the one thing he did know was that he had to protect the chrysalis from harm. Not just a few, all of them. He had to protect them the best he could/
