Flashback There and Back

[Neyasi Tillandsia]

56 of the Day, Spring of 501 A.V.

Thump. Thump. Thump.
The rhythmic sound of the loom rang in Neyasi's ears. Sadly, she was nowhere near a loom. But she did most certainly wish she was.

Today was a typical day. Neyasi sat on a small rock ledge in one wall of the cavern, legs dangling and swinging over the edge, watching Kalinor through a pair of glazed-over ruby eyes, wishing for something moderately interesting to happen. Her father was out of the house, doing business of some kind, and Neyasi had been left to entertain herself- So naturally she'd gone climbing.

Now, here she sat, lips pulled into a pout, trying to figure out what to do now. She could always go back to the family home, and weave. But today, Neyasi was just too restless to just sit and weave. Not that she didn't like weaving, but she had to be still. Some days, she just couldn't bring herself to weave for more than fifteen minutes.

So what now?

Neyasi let out a sigh, and leaned back, her feet coming to a stand-still, as she stared up into the shadowy depths of the cavern's ceiling, vaguely wondering what could possibly be up there. Her father had always told her that she was not to go aboveground, but since the young Symenestra could remember, the desire to see what it was like on the surface was just always there.

[Viridae Kabre]

Viridae climbed the cavern wall slowly, his grip steady and his rythm solid. The young Symenestra was currently avoiding his father and brother, whom were wandering around the city searching for him.

More training. More work. Viridae was sick of the lot. He had spent his last few days behind the house, firing his father's short bow aimlessly, with no arrows mind you, into the depths. They said it was to make him stronger. The Bitta, or so his brother called him, felt he was plenty strong, and deserved to visit the surface with them and hunt. It was something pounded into his head since he first learned to climb, and he did not understand why he had not been trusted to see the light of day. Why he had been stuck in this gloomy cavern.

As he reached a ledge, he pulled the small black fur coat tighter around his Lithe body and gazed into the blackness below. He could almost here them calling his name, but he payed no mind. This little escape was for him. To explore this underground prison. But he did still yearn to visit the world above, to see the light of this "Syna" His brother bragged about after his first visit.

As he walked the ledge, subconciously careful, his mind skipping through thoughts of trees and grass, he nearly tripped over a young girl, who oddly anough was staring up at the cavern ceiling.

"Are you lost?" He said with a slight frown, large azure eyes locking onto her face. "Because you look lost. And my parents said no one is supposed to be up here." He looked her over quietly, gnawing slightly on his lower lip with a fang too large for his mouth. Her eyes were red. Dark red. Very different from those of his webs, who usually bore shades of pink or purple. And her hair was black, drastically contrasting his own silver spiked shag. She must have been from a web he was not familiar with, because he did not think he had come across her before.

[Neyasi Tillandsia]

Neyasi let out a small, shrill sound, similar to a squeak, as the pale-haired boy nearly tripped over her, and she pulled her legs back over the safety of the ledge, scrambling to her feet, confusion cluttering her mind, as she registered the presence of another Symenestra. She blinked, her reddish lips twitching towards one side of her face, as she gave him an overly-dramatic narrowed stare.

She crossed her arms over her chest, quite ready for him to try and take her back to the lower depths of the cavern. Her, lost? Of course not! "I'm not lost. Are you?" She challenged, lifting her chin a little, the feisty young Symenestra not quite realizing that his tone and words were of neutral meaning. Before the boy could answer, Neyasi launched into another sentence, unaware of whetheror not she'd cut him off or not, and not really caring.

"I can be up here if I want. Father lets me go anywhere. Maybe you're the one who's not supposed to be up here." She said, shifting her arms, still crossed over her chest. She wasn't going anywhere if she didn't have to. She liked it up here.

[Viridae Kabre]

Viridae opened his mouth for a retort, before the Bitta rudely cut his sentence short. He tilted his head to the side and crossed his arms, mimicking her body language. If she wanted to be rude, then he would give her back what she was handing out.

"So what if I'm not? You aren't the boss of me. And I'm not lost." He looked at her skin closely for any sign of the faint tanline his brother and father bore. None to be spoken of. This Bitta was not a frequent to the surface, and was drapped in silk. Everything he was wearing, from his dark ebony leather pants to his leather and fur jacket were a product of his familie's toils. So obviously, as far as he was concerned, she came from a family of snoody city dwellers.

"I'm going up there, Bitta." He said with a fanged sneer, pointing a small clawed finger at the roof of the cavern. "And you're in the way. I suggest you go home, and if you tell anyone you saw me, I'll....I'll..." He pressed a claw to his lips and rolled his eyes dramatically upwards in thought before locking eyes with her again.

"I'll eat you. " Viridae placed his hands on his hips triumphantly and looked down on Nayasi once more, a smug half smirk spread across his pale lips. That would scare her.

[Neyasi Tillandsia]

Neyasi screwed her face up at him, as if it would make her seem more dignified, which it most certainly did not. "Oh yeah? I bet I can find out who your father is, and then we'll see whether or not you're supposed to be up here." She said, shortly before sticking out her tongue from between her fangs, only just beginning to grow past her other teeth.

She squinted at him. His clothes were hand-made, of leather and rough cloth. He obviously did not come from the same place as her. And this only made Neyasi more curious than she cared to admit aloud. Where exactly did he come from? What was it like there? Did he live on the surface? She frowned, tempted to poke him in the chest for reasons only she would understand.

Her heart jumped into her throat. He was going to the surface? He was going to the surface! And right there, in that single span of an instant, the notoriously stubborn and daring young Symenestra knew that she was going too. But first she needed to defend her pride. (And her father's. After all, she was his daughter.) "I'm not a Bitta! Father says I'm a young lady." She said hotly, moving both her hands to her hips.

"I'll go home if I want to." She muttered under her breath, as he paused in his speech. As he finished what he was saying, she felt something boiling in her gut, and it came bubbling to her lips, as she doubled over. Her laughter echoed against the cavern walls, fading into nothing in seconds. "I bet I'd taste terrible!" She giggled, covering her mouth with one hand, righting herself within moments.

[Viridae Kabre]

Viridae lifted a brow. This Bitta was certainly strange. Adventureous. Reminded him a bit of his sister. And even though he did not trust her, he supposed a venture to the surface would be safer with two rather than alone. At this point he didn't care if his father found out he left, its not like any repremand would come of it.

"Are you comming then? I don't have time to waste arguing." He gave her another toothy smirk, mischevious in nature before placing a careful hand on the cavern wall, fingers splayed, thin forearm muscles preparing to bare weight.

"My brother uses an exit up here somewhere, I've seen him leave before. You better not tell anyone. Would't want to have to see what you taste like first hand."

As he began to pull himself up on the wall, planting his clawed toes as he scaled slowly upwards, Viridae glanced over his shoulder again at the girl to ensure she was following.

"My name is Viridae," He said with another grin.

[Neyasi Tillandsia]

Neyasi's ruby-red eyes lit up with enthusiasm, watching Viridae, as he prepared to start climbing up the cavern wall. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to start climbing, too. This was her chance to see the surface world. Excitement bubbled up in her chest, until it was almost contagious.

"As if I was planning to tell anyone about a secret way to the surface." Neyasi scoffed, hoisting herself up onto the wall, enjoying the feel of the cold stone against her skin. "And you couldn't eat me if you tried." She added, flashing her own mischievous smile. The confident young Symenestra had her own self-induced delusions about the tricks she had up her sleeves.

Neyasi followed swiftly, hands swiftly locating nooks and crannies in which to jam her fingers and toes, though it was uncertain as to whether or not she actually needed the holds. Perhaps she just liked the feel of the burning sensation in her muscles as she hoisted herself up, quickly catching up to the Symenestra boy.

She glanced over at him as he spoke, grinning. "Neyasi." She said, pulling herself up another few inches.

[Viridae Kabre]

As Viridae hoisted himself over the wall and offered a catious hand to Neyasi.

before them lay a crack in the cavern wall, and a slight breeze could be felt through it. The narrow gap was only wide enough for them to enter sideways, but tall enough for a grown person to navigate in the same fashion. Viridae remembered following his brother up here only a few days ago, but he decided not to follow for fear he would be discovered. But now, he didn't much care, and he couldn't turn back now. Not with this new companion along for the ride. Still, there was no telling if the tunnel forked, and he was not intrested in being lost in the tunnels. The young Symenestra turned around and gazed over the city. He had never seen it from this perspective, and the glowing jewel in the dark made him feel something. Sadness.

"Are you ready?" He prompted, peering at Neyasi, his voice steady, and a little deeper than most other boys his age. "I'll go first if you want." The narrow cavern whistled earily, and was darker than anything he'd ever seen.