Open The Avalanche

[Poison]

Winter 10, 513 AV

The winter of 513 AV began with heavy snowfalls. The sky above the underground city of the Symenestra was covered with thick, grey clouds, and the mountaintops were shrouded in mist. Not a single ray of sunlight reached the ground. The temperatures weren’t particularly low yet, but just low enough for white flakes to form and gradually cover everything, first slowly and then faster and faster. There was so much snow falling that it was hard to see anything.

While a lot of surface dwellers suffered during the winter, the Symenestra usually couldn’t care less. In Kalinor it never snowed, and it was hardly ever cold. The temperatures were pleasant throughout the year. Sometimes food was a bit of a concern, but usually the Symenestra had enough in their storage rooms to last them until spring. Here, in the cave, life went its usual course in winter. The aerial dancers danced, the weavers waved, people went fishing and swimming in the underground lakes, children were born, and surrogates died.

This winter though, this winter things were different. On the 10th day of the season a loud rumble could be heard somewhere above the Woven Gate early in the morning. It roused several Symenestra from their sleep. Some of them closed their eyes again almost immediately, thinking that they were safe in their underground home, but just as many hastily threw on some clothes and went outsides to investigate things. Just what was going on at the Woven Gate?

[Purge]

Purge was having a bit of a time acclimating to life in Kalinor. Her colony still hadn't made it, and Purge was pragmatically accepting that perhaps those colored blurs had killed them. Fortunately she still had a good twenty siblings back at Xy who had sprouted off and joined other colonies. She just did not really want to fly back to Xy all by herself. So she found herself remaining in Kalinor with its wingless long limbed Symenestra. It wasn't a bad life, no, but it was boring. The Symenestra did not want her experimenting on them to find out how they worked, they were not nearly as accommodating to her curiosity as the slaves were back home. Many also found her questions to be annoying. The other Zith she had ran into since being here were friendly enough, but they were so alien. So different then her own colony, it didn't rouse her curiosity it roused her ire. Not because they were particularly rude or mean, quite the contrary once she patched up the one called Scorn they were quite nice, even sharing their kill with her. But still it was not the same as familiarity. That was all it was in the end, the lack of familiarity. So it was that Purge was alone again when the thud of a sound resonated around her. Her pitch black eyes widen, the blackness of the cave giving her no problems in seeing as she moved out towards the sound. There was no fear in her features, no sense of urgency, just mild curiosity. Once at the edge of the pearl shaped building, Purge unfurled her wings and leaped into the air. With a great flap of her wings she was aloft, avoiding the strands of street that held Symenestra also coming to investigate.

[Viridae Kabre]

The rumble was enough to shake Viridae's Rabbit stew off the table, and he and several other hunter snapped their heads directly upwards, grave understanding washing over their faces.

Less experienced Symenestra looked around in confusion, new to the surface during the winter, but a season hunter knew the sound, knew to fear it. The only earth shattering force the winter had to offer. An avalanche.

"Seivis," He muttered under his breath, throwing his coat on and securing his quiver to his thigh before slinging his bow over one shoulder.

Viridae rushed into the thin silken streets to see several Symenestra standing about, wondering what the noise was about. He dashed to the nearest cord and scuttled quickly across its woven surface for sevral blocks before reaching his Aunt's house.

"Hold on," sounded a tired and obviously grumpy Seivis Kabre from the other side of the door. She cracked it an inch before opening the door full swing and leaning against its frame, scratching frizzy silver hairs that flared up in every direction behind her small head. She wore a very short and thin silver night gown, woven of fine silk.

"What is it Viri?" She said through a yawn. "I had a performance yesterday and you're interrupting my rest."

"You didn't hear that? I think there was an avalanche," He said quickly. "Throw on a coat, we need to check the woven gates."

Seivis groaned and grabbed a thick white fur coat from the nearest rack that Viridae recognized as a gift from his father. Pulling the wolf head hood over her matted hair, she scuttled behind him towards the city's gates.

[Synntina Novul]

It started as a low rumble. A call from the city gates that no one had heard in a long time. A low noise whose sound bounced off the walls of the cavern, and as it got closer to the city, it grew in strength. The sound of something big, something disastrous came to the city of Kalinor, and then left just as quickly. It falling into the eerie silence once more. But Synntina had heard it, just like the others. Something was wrong, although she was not quite sure what it was. Yet.

The girl rose from her bed, her golden eyes looking around her house for a brief moment before she got up and started to cloth herself. Silken shirt and pants, with a cloak to match them. She was heading for the door when she paused for a moment. After thinking about it, she turned and went back to the chest that held her clothes and pulled out the shirt that most Symnestra wore as amour, and slipped that on as well. She wasn't sure what she would find at the gates after all. With this thought she also strapped the quiver with a few arrows to her waist, and strung her shortbow across her back before she left her house.

She found herself moving across cord after cord, on the way to the main road that led up toward the woven gates. She slowed down to pass by others who were woken by the noise, and heard some whispers about the snow from above, and if it had anything to do with the noise. Thinking about it, it was very plausible that something would have happened.. an avalanche was possible. But this early into the winter season? Synntina had her doubts, but crazier things have happened. As she started on her way out of the city and toward the woven gates, a string of cold air danced around her and reminded her that she needed to invest in a warmer cloak for these winter months.

[Vadu]

Blue eyes instantaneously flashed open when a young Dra's ears were met with the deep booming from above. It was a sound which sent a shiver racing down his spine despite the pleasantly warm temperature within the layered silks of his blankets. Pitch hair fell into the boy's face as he sat up, rubbed his bleary orbs, and fumbled around for his eyepatch on the ground. Beside him, his cousin made an irritated groaning noise and simply rolled over in his sleep. Vadu paused in his search for the patch and turned to look at the elder disbelievingly. It was no exaggeration to say that Dynaios could sleep through almost anything, but even now, the younger male was left in a certain state of wonderment as he listened to the contented snores. We could be under attack for Viratas' sake! Vadu continued to dress himself, layering his dark silks in case of any chill or threat that might be present outdoors. Once satisfied with his preparations, the boy peeled back ruby curtains and clambered up the cord that led to the entrance of his aunt's home. The Dra's pale eye had a momentary difficulty adjusting to the darkness of the cavern on such short notice. However, years of living within Kalinor's perpetual twilight had conditioned it to react accordingly, and he scanned the area. His small frame grew tense. Symenestra everywhere were emerging from their homes. Vadu noticed that the guards racing across the cords were heading towards the Woven Gate. But before he could even consider joining this flow of movement, his uncle, Vedos, emerged from the house and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "What's happened, Vadu? Did you hear anything? See anything?" The white-haired Symenestra's inquiry was hasty. His aunt Sylvenia stood stock-still, casting a golden gaze around the surrounding area, silver hair shimmering slightly in the dim light, and Sirscha poked through the door with only her softly glowing brass orbs peering out from the shadows. The boy replied with a swift shake of his head. "I just heard a loud noise and came to see what was the matter... I don't know."

[Sayani]

Sayani was already up when the rumble began, and her whole attention turned to the sound as it grew, forgetting the open book on her hands. The sound was familiar somehow, although she couldn't quite figure out what it was, but as it got louder, as if getting close to Kalinor, the Symenestra didn't stop to think. Acting before thinking was not her style, but in face of a possible danger, she would protect her home. And if said danger was getting closer to it, then there was no time to think. Carefully taking the kitten out of her lap and ignoring the angry protests, Sayani put her book aside and reached for her armor.

She quickly dressed it, and took her quiver and bow, adjusting them before leaving the space that was her room. The sound was still getting louder, and it suddenly became clear what it was. An avalanche. It was still too early in the season for an avalanche, but it was certainly happening. Sayani grunted, knowing it meant trouble, while she climbed up the curtains of her house to get out. She wasn't sure if she would need an armor and a bow, but she wouldn't get out of the house without at least some protection. The Symenestra could heard her sleepy sister calling her name, but, for now, she only ignored it. There were more important things to be done.

Sayani went towards the Woven Gate, crawling as fast as she could on the silken ropes. She looked around, seeing that many other Symenestra were also leaving their houses, going towards the source of the sound, and her heart became a little less restless. If there was trouble, they could fix it together.

[Poison]

Due to the fact that she could fly and was high above the confused and scared Symenestra that had begun to gather everywhere on the thick ropes that were the streets of Kalinor Purge was the first to reach the Woven Gate and find out what had happened.

The wall as well as the lift itself were still intact, but the basket that was used to transport surface dwellers as well as trade goods into Kalinor was broken. Outside the gate a shocking sight greeted her. Everything was white. The whole tunnel that led from a hill on the surface to Kalinor – the main entrance to the city - was filled with snow.

The fire that burned outside the gate had been extinguished, and the trough with glittering dust that was used to alert the Ochya of a visitor was nowhere to be seen. It was buried under a thick layer of white.

In fact the Ochya that usually watched the gate were nowhere to be seen either. The area around the gate was completely empty, and it was almost eerily quiet.

The air smelled different now, moist and ice cold. With her exceptional hearing the Zith could notice something else as well, something only a Zith would notice. Somewhere under the snow there was a heartbeat.

Viridae and Seivis, Synntina and Sayani were next to arrive and were greeted by the same, shocking sight. The tunnel was completely filled with snow. Normally the temperatures in Kalinor were relatively pleasant due to the fact that the city was underground, but now it was cold.

A pair of Ochya reached the Woven Gate soon after the four and quickly took a look around. „Was anybody at the gate when the avalanche took place?“ one of the two men wanted to know. „Is anybody missing?“

Since he hadn’t left his home yet, Vadu couldn’t see what had happened at the Woven Gate with his own eyes, but he could hear the voices of the people outside, screaming and shouting. Kalinor was in an uproar. Something terrible, something completely unexpected had happened, but what?

Did he dare and investigate? Would his aunt and uncle let him?

[Purge]

Purge continued toward the gate, pushed by curiosity more then by fear or confusion. She understood fear, had felt fear but for now she felt none for she didn't know these people. She barely knew a few of them by name, strange people with strange customs. Not fit for slave or food, not Zith. She hadn't quite figured out how to respond to the long of limb race. Yet one did not have to have compassion or caring to want to help, when one has a healthy urge discover and learn.

Purge was a Zith, not a bird so she couldn't just fly and hover indefinitely. So she landed light-footedly against the edge of what would have been the ochya would have been standing or there abouts. Snow was cold against her bare feet but thanks to the fine black fur that covered her from top to bottom she had insulation. Eyes the color of pitch scan the brilliantly white substance, her zith eyes having no trouble seeing without the fire in the dark. She did feel a trifle put out that the avalanche had blocked her favored exiting for hunting.

She started to turn until her ears seemed to twitch, what was that? Something to explore, there was something alive in there...perhaps food? Probably one of these delicate races, but they seemed so dainty that she wondered how long they would survive. She squatted, bending her knees, her nudity not bothering her at all as she fluttered her wings to balance herself as she watched. Did she want to see how long that heartbeat lasted underneath all that snow? Or would she rather see what would be the consequences of being buried by frozen water?

It took her a tick to decide before she decided the latter would be more interesting. Switching to broke Symenestra, very broken yet still her tones were melodic as she spoke loudly. "Some..alive... uh.. that..no.. There.." She gestured toward the mound of snow before she knelt fully on her knees. She used the claws on her hands to scoop the white substance out, not really paying attention if she was going to destabilize the pile and make it fall further..

[Viridae Kabre]

Viridae lept from the cord leading to the woven gates in close persuit of his sister, whom had already scaled the stone face. He took a moment to let the destruction that lay before him register in his mind, and the implications of such destruction. No more trade. No potential surrogates. No harvesters seeking aid. They were closed into the city, and the others were locked out. Isolated by the harsh winter's fury.

Seivis approached the Ochya standing before the snow with a concerned swing to her hips. "What happened?"

Viridae scaled down the stone face quickly and stepper into the snow towards his sister.

"It's quite obvious what's happened here Bitta. It was an Avalanche. Do you not remember father's stories of hunting in the mountains in the mid winter season?"

Seivis placed a hand on her hip and regarded the Ochya with deep purple eyes. "Is anyone hurt? Where are the guards that are usually posted here?"

Viridae almost overlooked the Zith burrowing her way through the snow. He approached her carefully, shivering as his foot made contact with the frozen substance.

"What is it that you're doing there?" he said in careful common, locking his unnatural eyes on the bestial woman's eyes.

[Synntina Novul]

The Symenestra found herself coming up to the entrance to the Woven Gate and found it dark and uninviting. Her mind raced on the possibilities, and as she came into view her heart sank. It was indeed, an Avalanche that had made the noise. The whole entrance was covered from head to toe. Looking around she noticed she was not the first one there. Two other Symenestra, and a Zith were inspecting the scene as well. Synntina looked around, and noticed that when she breathed out, she could see her breath. It was already getting rather cold, and eventually the cold would seep down into the city.

She took careful steps over to the walled in snow, watching out of the corner of her eye, the Zith who was moving snow away. She reached out, using her black nails to touch the snow and bring it up into her hand. She stared at it, moving it around in her hand before letting it drop to the floor. 'This is very bad.. the city is not going to be happy. The hunters are going to be stuck inside, restless.' She thought to herself. Looking over she listened in on the conversation between the Zith and the Symenestra male.

There was a girl standing not far behind them, who she had remembered said something about a guard. Looking back at the Zith, she realized that might have been what she was doing. But it was unlike Zith to want to help a Symenestra. So she could have been wrong. Two Ochya had shown up not soon after she had arrived as well, they asked if anyone was here when it happened and she frowned, looking back toward the Zith. She was the first one here as far as she knew, but whether she was here when it happened was a different story. Synntina opted to stay quiet for now, as usual.