[Origin Cave]

Quest: The Beast's Best Friend

Setting foot into this tunnel, one may notice something that wasn't there before. A 7-foot-tall, spindly-limbed creature has settled down against one of the walls and is surrounded by piles of bones and old, cracked pieces of armor. He is composed of complete blackness, save for glowing green eyes and a peridot gem in his chest. He appears to be holding a helm of some kind. The monster gives no air of hostility nor benevolence, and though he seems to be absorbed in the helm, he may react to a Gembound should they approach him.

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:
Rohan (x), Makyna, Tamelyn, Saudade, Arkrael, Aza'zel, Dark

Life is precious.

The little lioness was exploring the systems outside of Pisces, seeing what there was to be found. The twinges in her chest gave her a little limp while she walked but otherwise she was doing alright. She made it through the various tunnels and Caves going where her little paws took her... It was a strange sensation, she felt as if she should be somewhere...

It was through a tunnel that she found what she should be looking for or what she thought she should be looking for. A strange creature that looked like it was made of pure darkness was in a corner of the tunnel. In its forepaws it held a strange metal thing, alike and yet not alike to the thing that Rohan had on his chest. What on earth was it doing?

Makyna felt like she should have been afraid but this creature gave off no air of benevolence so all she felt was a curiosity. What sort of animal was it? Whatever it was it would probably like Aza'zel since it had so many bones around it. Well... there was only one way to find out. The lioness approached the creature and let out a nervous, "Um, hello..." She sat down a few paces from it and continued, "I'm Makyna! What's your name?" That was always a safe bet wasn't it? To give your name in a friendly greeting.

"Speech." || "Thoughts."

table by lisa

words: 234
tagged: Quest
ooc: ---
muse: 5/10

Tamelyn We'll reel away til the break of day
and dance together til morning!

Since restoring light to the Cave, Tamelyn had taken to revisiting old haunts to see them in a new way. Today, however, she had wandered into an entirely new cavern. And what a cavern it was. Tamelyn walked slowly, looking at the carved rock, lit by the dull yellow glow of the lamps. These strange marks almost resembled animals in some way, yet they were no animals she had ever laid eyes on. Their bodies twisted and writhed across the walls, and there were a lot of bared teeth and brandished claws and other things she couldn't identify. Part of her was nervous that these stone images were some new kind of golem, who could leap off the walls and attack her, but the pictures didn't react to her passing at all.

So engrossed in the carvings she was that she walked herself right into a piece of broken metal, rusted but still sharp. Pain suddenly bloomed on the lower part of her left foreleg and she jumped away with a yelp, holding it gingerly off the ground. Drawing in her breath with a hiss, she bent her head to examine the wound. Red blood beaded on the cut, but it was mercifully very small and shallow. She lapped away the blood and rust flakes, grimacing at the metallic taste, then set her hoof down again. The cut had distracted her, and she was about to return her attention to the carvings when she caught the sound of a gentle voice further up the tunnel. Eagerly, she trotted forward, always ready to make a new friend or two.

She saw the lion cub first, and scampered over a crumbling boulder to approach her. Before she could draw breath to speak, however, she saw the other creature in the room. Tamelyn stopped, though whether it was from curiosity or apprehension, not even she knew. However, when the creature made no move to attack, she walked forward slowly, hooves tapping a gentle rhythm on the rock. "Hi?" she called out to the black creature, giving him a friendly smile. She had already heard the lioness ask who he was, so she decided not to repeat the question. As she drew closer, she saw the odd metal thing held in his claws. She came to a stop a few feet away, looking at it curiously. "That's pretty. What is it?"

"Listen to me."

table by lisa

His heart thumped loudly in his ears, a little smile tugging on his lips and turning them upward. His eyes were large and pure and bright and his vision could be no clearer than it currently was. As he peered at the shadow he couldn't help but feel as if he was in a dream. A beautiful one, at that, full of wonder and excitement and possibilities.

He couldn't wipe the silly smile off his face. It was just too great. He had played with shadows and met many of them. He had enjoyed their companionship but this creature, long-limbed and thin as it was... was different. It was different and the aura it gave off was different, too. This was something worth seeing.

And he wasn't nervous at all that it was different, or dark, or fondling an object, or surrounded by bones.

The apprehension that girls possessed was something Saudade lacked. If anything he went to great lengths to conceal his excitement and his fascination. This shadow creature - he was enamored with it already! With a slow wag of his tail he quirked his ears upward, hanging close to the wall and making certain he had a clear view of both the creature and the two that spoke to it.

They were free to ask their questions.

He preferred to observe.

"Speech" Thoughts

Paws moved steadily over the rather smooth surface. A nose kept close to the floor as the canine hurried along the strange flat tunnel. Most of the time the tunnels she had explored they were never even, with many dips and cracks in them that made parts of the ground jut up in edges. Yet that was not what was on Arkrael's mind. A new scent wafted down the tunnel coming from somewhere she didn't know, but above that Tamelyn had been through here. There was sure to be something going on if it concerned Tamelyn being in places.

The closer the she-pup got to her destination where the strange foreign scent was coming from the more Arkrael realized there was another scent. This one held the smell of a feline. Arkrael's nose scrunched as she lifted her head up and peered down the hall she was heading too. It wasn't much longer before she exited the tunnel into a room. She had, naturally, spotted her hatch mate Tamelyn first, but it wasn't long before her gaze danced over to the tall black creature. She awed over it for a moment as she scurried right over to Tamelyn and stood close next to her side.

Her heterochromia eyes studied the thing, looked over every detail that she could spot on the creature. Her eyes lingered upon the gem embedded in it's chest and she wondered if this was a gembound. Maybe an ancient one that had been here long before them? Shaking her thoughts she took a few steps closer towards the thing, giving the tanned feline a hesitant look before focusing once more on the creature. She stopped at a certain distance from it, but seemed to lean in as far as she could to give it a curious sniff. Tamelyn had spoken to it, as did Makyna who had given her name to the creature. "What are you?" Her curiosity was too much. She wanted to know. No, she needed to know just what exactly this strange and large creature was.

" I just wanna say that I won't surrender;
'cause the past of me comes back to lead the way { n o w } "

Curiousity led the ave to explore something beyond Orion. He'd recently found a nice little tunnel nestled in the room of stars, and boy, it was filled with many shiny artifacts! All were made of a strange metal. Shattered and mangled bits of armor and weapons lay across the floor, dangerous to step on with bare feet. Many strange and alien faces primitively carved into the stony walls stared down at The Bone King. He didn't like it, but he'd have to ignore their boreal and silent stares.

Coasting along the ceiling of the cave and observing it in silence, the bird tilted his head as the sight of a small Gembound gathering came into view. Amongst those Gembound was a strange black shadow creature. Seven feet tall and hunched against the passageway's hall. A green glow enamated from it's eyes and it's sternum, where a shimmering green gem was inset. This creature was a Gembound, like them? He'd yet to see any creature like this before, and The Bone King had seen a few things in his life that were... questionable.

Circling above, the bird took note of two other Gembound coming close to the creature. From above, he could not tell whether it was benevolent nor hostile. It seemed so engrossed in the metal helm that it held in it's spindly fingers. Perhaps... it would be a friend?

Dipping down carefully and slowly, Azazel landed silently next to a gangly vulpine, nodding at his friend, Saudade. "Hi." With that small whisper, the bird began to saunter toward the shadow creature, ducking low to hide himself and observing from a few feet off, recognizing Makyna and Tamelyn from afar. His muscles were tensed, in case he had need to rush to the aid of another. Perhaps this beast wasn't friendly. The fiend gave a quiet chirp to the apprehensive girls, meant to reassure them that he'd protect them if this monster went on a rampage from being disturbed.

Since his arrival, the beast had been alone. It had not seen nor heard any other Gembounds in the area, but he knew they were there. And he had been warned. The stag came to see him first and told him not to harm the small, fragile lives that had begun to blossom here. But the stag was naive, and just as young, and just as foolish. He knew nothing of the true nature of these caves.

Just as he had expected, he wasn't alone for long. It was first a small, sand-coloured feline that came walking up to him, approaching him it seemed with no fear. His elongate face turned slowly to perceive her, clutching that helm just a little tighter; but she was not alone, either. Following her a white and brown deer, much like the stag that had approached him earlier, and a long-legged canine. A short-legged canine came shortly after, then finally a broad-winged bird soared in from above. He had known the caves were populated, but he didn't realize that he would very soon become the main attraction.

No matter. It would only serve to further his quest.

The beast silently watched all of them, absorbing their words. He mulled over them, and a response, too; but it had been so long since he'd spoken. Finally, and very slowly, he opened his mouth. The innards of his jaws glowed the same eerie green, long, black teeth set into his verdant gums. A low croak bubbled up from his chest and lit up the room with noise. The croak soon evolved into words, and he found himself speaking, a voice that had grown terribly old and terribly weary. "Hello."

His deep, ancient voice sounded alien even to him. It rumbled and echoed, deep, but still all the same. He looked between the creatures, wide open jaws making for quite the frightening appearance - but the beast made no move towards them. Then, he looked down at the helm. One of them had asked what it was. "This. A piece of my friend." He answered slowly, gazing upon the helmet. Then he looked back up at the Gembounds. "What are you?" He returned the question first before answering it. Oh, he was a curious thing, as curious as they - only they had not seen nor experienced what he had. They were innocent. A fresh start.

Life is precious.

Others came, she heard them and turned her head to see them. Some were friends and some were those that she didn't know. Still as they came she nodded to each one in greeting before turning back to the shadowy creature... shadowy? Hmm... Why did he seem so familiar? Perhaps it was because as she looked at Arkael, a wolf, she remembered another wolf she had befriended. A white one, Rohan. He'd told her about a black creature... a strange black creature. One that had seemed sad and was looking for something. Now that she studied the metal thing in his paws it reminded her of the thing that Rohan was wearing! This was the one he was talking about!

The lioness' eyes opened wide in realization as she listened to the creature. The croaking sound it made caused her a bit of fear but she didn't run. If Rohan came to no harm then she shouldn't come to any harm either. "I've seen another piece of... your friend? My friend Rohan was wearing something like that on his chest. Are you the one who saw my friend Rohan?" The lioness questioned. She didn't answer the question of what she was because she felt it was aimed at the wolf who had asked it. Besides, she really really wanted to know if the wolf had been th eone who'd met this creature first. If so then she had accidentally aided in finding his friend! She should go find him and bring him here!

"Speech." || "Thoughts."

table by lisa

words: 253
tagged: Quest
ooc: ---
muse: 5/10

Tamelyn We'll reel away til the break of day
and dance together til morning!

More creatures filed in to see the newcomer, including one that she recognized. She smiled as Arkrael joined her, hanging by her side like a shadow, and sniffed her briefly in silent greeting before turning her attention back to the black beast, who had finally taken notice of them. He grinned at them, attempted to grin anyway, exposing very long teeth that unnerved Tam just a bit. But she held her ground, determined not to appear cowardly in front of everyone else. Despite the smile, his voice was sad, and it made Tamelyn want to comfort him somehow. She didn't like seeing others sad.

He addressed her question in that same slow, ponderous voice, and Tamelyn looked at the metal in his claws, brow furrowing curiously. "A piece? Where's the rest of them?" As if she could find the missing friend, she looked about, scanning the shadows. There was nothing but broken metal and lamplight. She looked back up at the beast again as he asked what they were. "I'm a deer!" she said, puffing her chest out proudly. "My name is Tamelyn, and one day I'm gonna be as tall and cool as the Big Deer!" (She was going to be rather disappointed, actually. Whitetail deer rarely passed four feet at the shoulder, while Deer Dad was likely easily seven or eight). She nosed the wolf pup beside her again. "An' this is Arkrael, she's a wolf. She's my friend." As she said this, she sidled closer to the wolf protectively. She didn't want her friend to be broken into pieces like his had been! Feeling emboldened by his lack of aggression, she moved in a bit closer. "What are you? What's your name?" He was obviously a Gembound, like them, but of a species she had never seen before. He had horns, suggesting a mammal, but the strange graspers coming out of his limbs looked like those of an insect. She couldn't even tell if he had fur, feathers, scales, or smooth skin. His forepaws did look wonderfully clever, however, and she wished she could grip things too.

One of the other Gembound spoke excitedly, claiming she had seen another piece of the missing friend with another young Gembound, named Rohan. That gave her an idea. "If we find all the pieces, can we put your friend back together?" she asked the black beast curiously. Maybe that would make him happy again!

"Listen to me."

table by lisa

Adira had never been so far from the main cave! 'What was it called again?' she wondered. It took her a minute to recollect her memories of her first meeting with other creatures, the tiger and bird. She was sure someone had said the name of the place, probably the bird... Oh yes, it was Polaris! Regardless, the zebra navigated the twists and turns of the caves, their unfamiliar obstacles, and somehow made it to the Orion entrance of this new tunnel. The girl's mouth gaped at the fearsome image that was carved in the rock that marked the beginning of the passageway between Orion and Monoceros. It gave her an ominous feeling, and she quickly scurried on past the scary depiction.

She wasn't sure what it was that made her want to explore the past few days. Perhaps it was the natural curiosity that all babes possessed. Regardless of the reason, she had seen all sorts of cool sights on her adventure. Each land in the cavern was as different as the next, and honestly Adira didn't know what to think about it all. Whatever the case, she was glad she had explored instead of sticking around Polaris for all this time. Though it would have been fine to stick around her birthplace, those golems were kinda terrifying! It was a good thing that Vazi had been there to save her.

Soon she heard the voices, echoing throughout the long tunnel. Aw man, a bunch of gembounds were gathered here?! Hopefully they had hooves! If not, Adira planned to turn around and head elsewhere. She wasn't a social butterfly to begin with, and she had no time to waste with hoof-less creatures. She increased her speed to make it to the group faster.

Pretty soon she made it to the sources of the commotion. While only one of the animals had hooves, something else very odd caught her attention. The girl ignored all of the fools gathered there, and instead crept closer to the female deer. "What is it?" she whispered to the other girl. It was big, and pretty scary too. It had no hooves itself, but Adira knew that it wasn't something to mess with. It could crush her! For the first time in her life, the girl kept her mouth shut and didn't question the group noisily or threaten anyone out of fear of the creature.

{ art by starshadowist @ da } ~ { table by aura . edited by banshee }