(One Ark posts, I'll flag a GM. For timeline purposes, this takes place directly after the thread where they search for the boot.)

Tamelyn Thunderhoof And I will fear no darkness

It had taken them a little extra time to return to the tunnel, as Tamelyn had found a pool of water and stopped to try and soak off the stinky moss, as well as clean out her own mouth, and wash the dust off Arkael's boot. There were still whiffs of it clinging to her armor piece, but she was walking with her head high, and not just because she had to keep head head high so the boot didn't drag on the ground. It was only a small piece of the monster's missing friend, but it was a start!

With Arkrael in tow, she walked through the tunnel, finally returning to the place they had encountered the dark creature. She dropped the boot and called out into the shadows, "Mister Beeeeeeaaaaaast! I think we found part of your friend!" Summons delivered, she sat back and waited for Arkrael to catch up. She was burning with curiosity about the Beast and his companion, both about their origins and what had happened to them. Obviously they had hatched from rocks, like any living creature did, but Beast seemed different than them, and older, somehow. It was a puzzle, to be sure.

"Listen to me."

table by lisa, image and modifications by FennecFyre

"Speech" Thoughts

Arkrael followed Tamelyn with ease. Or rather, as much ease as she could muster for a boot being on her foot! The stop along the way was refreshing. Now Tamelyn did not carry that horrid smell of those evil vines any more, which was a bonus for her nose. A nose that she so happily cleaned in the water, just in case some of that nasty smell had latched onto her nostrils. Now the only thing annoying to Arkrael was the ever 'clank' of the armor that rested on her foot with each step she took. Her chest rumbled thoughtfully as she gazed around the familiar area.

Tamelyn had already called the Beast, which left Arkrael only to slip her paw free of the boot and take a seat next to Tamelyn. Nostril's flared as she took in the scents of the area. Curious to see if Beast was lingering around somewhere they could not quite see. She wondered just how many other armor pieces had been found. She knew there were others that were hunting the armor, but had any one brought them back to Beast? It was a curious question lingering throughout her mind, one she knew would be answered once Beast headed their call.

The clanging of ancient metal once more in use had alerted him to the approach of others. However, the creature did not emerge from his shadowy crevice until one of them called out for him, voice ringing in the silence of the tunnel. Very slowly did he emerge from the shadows, a long, spindly leg manifesting from the darkness. As it touched the earth, it pulled the rest of him out, and the Beast slipped free from the inky shadows into the light of the tunnel. His burning green eyes squinted against the light, jaws opening to reveal rows of black teeth bared in distaste of the bright light. After a moment, the Beast turned and made his way down the tunnel, to where the deer and the wolf sat awaiting him.

Before them sat relics of a time long lost - the boots. Familiar. His eyes widened as he crawled closer to the two Gembounds, gaze lingering on the armor before he shifted his gaze back up to them. "Yessss." He answered, confirming their suspicions. These boots had once belonged to his friend. They held so much in them; memories, feelings, images. The beast walked closer, reaching out an arm to grab one of the boots. His fingers embraced it delicately, lifting it up to examine it. Familiar pock marks, his reflection in the polished silver. "Wheerrre were theyy." He asked, glancing back down at the Gembounds.

Tamelyn Thunderhoof And I will fear no darkness

She heard him before she saw him. His feet crunched on the gravel as he loomed out of the shadows, green eyes fixed expectantly on them. She hesitated, just briefly, an instinctual fear rising up in her at the sight of the much larger creature. Then, she steeled herself, refusing to look like a cowering fawn. He spoke a single word, and despite his hissing voice, Tamelyn couldn't help doing a little two-step of joy on her spindly legs. They had found a piece of the Beast's friend!

She cocked her head as he asked where they had found them. "In...um..." She scrunched her brow, trying to recall what the official names for each tunnel were. "Tunnel N. I think. With all the mosses and funny-tasting dirt." She pulled a face. "One boot was stuck in the wall, but the other was wrapped up in this mossy stuff. I tried to eat it away from the boot, but then it started smelling really, really bad." She could still almost taste it in the back of her mouth. "But I used mud to plug my nose so I couldn't smell it, and chewed through it. Then Arkrael got the wall-boot by using her magic to make the rock shake apart until it fell out."

Her story delivered, she fell quiet again, pawing at the earth gently with a hoof. "So...uh...how are you doing?" He had seemed so mournful when they first met him, and while it was difficult to gauge his mood, she wondered if he was still sad over the loss of his friend. But they had found one piece, right? Maybe that would make him feel a bit better, give him some hope at least.

"Listen to me."

table by lisa, image and modifications by FennecFyre

Arkrael sat curiously, ears perked forward as she scented the air. Eager to see if Beast was lingering in the shadows. Just as Tamelyn had, Arkrael had heard him before she saw him and she shifted where she sat for a moment as her heterchromia eyes watched the creature move unblinkingly. He was a fascinating thing. Unlike any other Arkrael had ever set her young eyes on. Her ears splayed out to the side the moment Beast spoke, but they quickly jumped up upon his inquiry. Her gaze swung over to Tamelyn and her tail thudded against the ground lightly. When her hatchmate took it upon herself to speak their story of finding the boots, Arkrael gave a curt nod and looked back towards Beast as if to confirm her words were true. She had no words to speak at this very moment, so instead she sat quietly and patiently to see how Beast would react and what he would say.

Embedded in the rock walls of a tunnel, one of them had been, while the other overgrown with moss. It seemed almost fitting that each had befallen a fate as such. The creature examined each boot as he listened to the explanation of the deer, noting that the wolf remained silent. Beast placed the boots down before him, wide green eyes looking between the two. For the moment, he too said nothing, until the deer decided to ask how... he was. How strange! The Beast blinked his wide eyes and stared at the deer. However, he didn't really know what to say in response to it. The creature rumbled, and then picked up the boots, cradling them both in one long spindly arm. "Thaaaank yooouuu." He answered. The Beast stared at them for a few seconds more, before he turned away. The deer's question lingered in the back of his mind, and it seemed he was trying to come to terms with something, his expression deepened in thought while he made his way back into the darkness of his crevice.

exit Beast!

Arkrael sat patiently as the BEast studied the boots, but it seemed like he did not know how to answer Tamelyn's question. With a shrug of her shoulders, Arkrael watched as Beast disappeared into the shadows again. She paused for a moment before raising up to her paws and turned towards Beast. "I don't think he's used to others just yet," She set her gaze back to the area where Beast had vanished before turning a smile to Tamelyn. "I'm glad we got the boots back to him though. Hopefully the other pieces have been found and brought to him. Come on. We should probably go," She nodded towards the exit and soon made her way for it, slipping out of Beast's den without another word about it. They could talk about it later if Tam wanted, but she didn't want to intrude on the Beast any longer than they were allowed.

-Exit Arkrael-

Tamelyn Thunderhoof And I will fear no darkness

Rather than answer, the beast merely regarded her with luminous green eyes. Feeling both frustrated at his silence and concerned as to it's cause, not to mention a bit unnerved, she stared back boldly, unwilling to be the one to chicken out and break eye contact. He finally spoke again, and once again Tamelyn could almost hear the countless cycles behind his voice. She wasn't sure just how old he was, but compared to the young Gembound, he could be absolutely ancient. She nodded in response to to his gratitude, giving him a smile. Then, she watched as he moved off again, disappearing back into the darkness.

She agreed with Arkrael's opinion. "Maybe. But he seems so old. How could he not have met others before?" She returned the wolf's grin and nodded. "Yeah. We could always keep a lookout for other pieces too, just in case." She followed her friend out of the tunnel, ready for their next adventure.

-Exit Tam-

"Listen to me."

table by lisa, image and modifications by FennecFyre