Never a Pet (Kyra)

[Aello]

"Right here!" Lily called from Aello's pocket, before rolling her eyes. Blind giant, her mind muttered irritably to itself as the huntress moved off into the darkness. The soles of her boiled leather hunting boots sliding over the slippery tone, causing the girl to near glide over the cavern's floor as she moved deeper and deeper. The darkness shrouding her as Lily called back to Kyra. "Not scared, just not in a mood to be left behind," she commented, as Aello guided her right hand slowly out to the side, and pressed it against the cave's wall. Her fingers grinding against cool stone, wet with water's drippings. Her nails dragged against the jagged rises. Digging what little grime had yet to be washed away behind the beds. The huntress walked along in silence for several chimes, the misty tendrils dancing before her relentless gaze. The vapors parting as she walked through them, before swirling back into their prior place with her passing. She paused after a time, when they came to a fork in the road, and allowed her magic to trail down each path, providing her with whatever information could be garnered from each. As she stood, waiting, her thumb trailed lazily over the supple curve of her father's old bow. It was no more than few chimes before a curious grin returned to her lips, and her muddied gaze glimmered. "We'll go down the left fork, the one on the right is a dead end," she commented, before moving along into the darkness. Wondering what Kyra would say to her next.

[Kyra]

Kyra shrugged her shoulders as they moved on and further into the cave. She hadn't thought much about it, though it was possible that the tiny clay legs held no power, or even that the tiny woman couldn't walk far. She had no way of know, and the fact that she was so small made no difference. There were many animals in the forest, tiny in size and yet very fast in speed. But Lily was no animal, or human...she was clay?

She followed alone with the two, silence once again taking hold, so much that she noticed even the most subtle of noises, even the air seemed to whisper into her ears, causing them to pricker. Aello and Lily didn't seem to like to talk much, it was that or they simply didn't want to speak with her. They reminded her of Clyde, another human who seemed to fall silent around her. It was strange to her, having grown up around and meet with many humans who seemed to love to talk, even if it was just about themselves that they spoke of.

Still, these two were silent, leaving Kyra to stare at them as they traveled through the cave. It was a mystery of sorts, a puzzle, and Kyra felt that she had to solve it. Aello wasn't a witch, and Lily was a clay pycon. That much she knew, they were friends and traveled together. But what she didn't know was where had they come from, where were they going? The men that Aello had spoke of, who were they, and why had they gotten her so angry that she left them?

These were all questions that roamed about in her mind and she felt almost compelled to ask. Though she wasn't sure how the woman would react, or if she would even say anything beyond what she had already told her. "Aello, where did you come from? And you Lily, where is your home?" She continued along, pausing for a chime to see if either would answer or if she had already driven them from further questions.

In the distance, not far from where they traveled, unknown, at least to Kyra's eyes. There were mystic symbols drawn onto the floor of the cave, and further back onto the walls. Glyphing, someone or something had been there, and had set these traps to stop anyone else from going any further into the cave. But why? What secret was hiding in there?

[Aello]

As Kyra spoke the huntress only slowed. "Zeltiva originally," Aello commented without turning back. The words scarcely slipping over her shoulders as she kept her gaze poised on the road ahead. Her right hand gliding along the length of the cave wall as she took slow, shallow steps. Each measured to follow the bate of her breath, the subtle rise and fall of her chest. "And I am from a place like this. I lived with Catharsis, and many others," Lily explained. "Close to Sunberth, or so Aello says." The cave fell silent after that, save for the sound of their breathing and their muffled steps. The vapors swaying back and forth as heels dug into uneven stone, and crude markings began to infiltrate the aurist's keen eye. I wonder who made those, Aello thought to herself as her magic began to excavate intricate circles and squares, all inter mixed. Transposed upon one another. And if they mean anything. The huntress shrugged, unsure of the answer, as she continued on. The lights surrounding the markings flickering ominously. Although, she had yet to understand as to why. "And what of you Kyra?" Aello asked. "Where are you from?" OOCI am going to let you take the lead on this, since you seem to have an idea in mind, and I don't know a thing about glyphing. Sorry this post isn't too exciting.

[Kyra]

"Zeltiva.." The young kelvic murmured to herself. She remembered meeting a woman once who said that she was going there. A woman with bright red hair and a quirky way of speaking. The woman had seemed nice enough, and enjoyed Kyra's company quite a bit. They had a fun time together, racing through the city, stealing and starting fights with men twice their size. But, as all others had done, the woman soon left, and Kyra never saw her again.

The name Sunberth brought a sour taste into her mouth, and without realizing it, she hissed under her breath. Sunberth had been a nightmare for her, and if not for Marcelo taking her away, she might not have made it out alive. "Don't ever return there Lily, it's not wise to do so."

Silent took hold once again, only this time, she found herself lost in her thoughts. Memories from her past, both violent and peaceful, happiness turned into nothing, then grown again, as if being reborn into a new life...the life that was now Kyra. She was awakened from her deep thoughts when Aello mentioned something, causing her to look up and around. It was harder to see with the rocky formation, but there were drawings and such on the walls, and ceiling.

Kyra suddenly stopped moving, and stared harder at the markings. They looked familiar, something she had seen before, but she couldn't recall where. Whatever she had saw it, it had to have made an impression on her, and one that kept her from moving further. Then it hit her, she remembered a season ago, that Clyde had taken her out into the forest to test his idea. She had watched him draw similar marking on pieces of parchment, before he attached them to her arrows. He had explained to her what he was doing, though she didn't understand it fully, the final result had been the violent destruction of a huge tree.

"Wait..we can't go any further." Kyra quickly looked around, until she found a solid rock on the cave floor that wasn't driven into the ground and light enough for her to pick up. She stood before the maze of drawing, and tossed the rock on the floor. Once the rock touched down, a sudden burst of fire arose from the drawing, it's fingers of flames licking at the ceiling and causing it to ignite. With the fire blaze touching all the surrounding marks caused an explosion that knocked the girls off their feet and tumbling backwards.

Stumbling back to her feet, her gaze blurry for a chime, Kyra tried to catch her barring as she called out to Aello. "We must go before the roof comes down on us!"

OOClol No plan here, just trying something.

[Aello]

Her hands scraped against the jagged rock, drawing white lines which seeped a deep crimson. They stung alongside the incessant ringing of her ears, the thundering of her heart, as she huntress shook her chestnut colored mane. Tousling her hair, as the frayed edges tickled her boiling flesh. Slowly, she eased herself onto her feet, her hand raking through the strands as she peered at the Kelvic, "I see what you meant before," Aello commented rather absently, as Lily's tiny fingers dug into the fabric of her pocket's lining. Bunching them as she stared out ahead and they listened to the rattling of stones. "But... should we go back in the opposite direction? For we know there lies not a single way out, or do we plow ahead in the same direction, same as before? And hope that an opening shows itself soon enough, if the elements fail to make us one?" Aello questioned, as her fist tightened around the supple curve of her father's old bow. Waiting for the Kelvic to answer, for she seemed to know more about the strange markings that lined the cave than she.

[Kyra]

The remaining fire burned in a circular pattern around the roof, and sides of the cave. The rocky formation trembled, as small bits and chunks of rock fell away, collapsing onto the cave floor. Kyra looked around, they had to move quickly, but there was a choice, of they should turn back to the mouth of the cave, which they already knew to be blocked. Or push forward into the depths, and hope that the falling rocks didn't crush them.

"Go must go now!" Kyra called out as she dashed forward. The tremble in the floor vibrated it's way up her legs, but not so hard that she could run. She turned left, and jumped right, dodging falling rocks when she needed. Kyra could see clearer now that she was closer, the strange markings had all vanished, destroyed in the explosion and there were none up ahead. This was a good thing, and meant that they wouldn't likely run into the same problem again. "Hurry Aello!"

Diving forward, Kyra tucked her slender form into a ball and rolled herself just over the place where the last marking had been before it was ignited. Pulling herself up, the young kelvic moved against the wall and slipped down further to look ahead while she waited for Aello to come across. The other side of the cave was just as dark, and for the moment, she couldn't see any danger.

[Aello]

"Coming!" Aello called as she followed in the Kelvic's wake. Pebbles rattling against the uneven tunnel as her feet scraped against stone. Sliding over areas which had been singed by the glyph's fire. Beads of moisture which hung in narrowed crevices. "We're just not moving as quickly," the huntress added as she pumped her arms to help propel her forward, and moved through the falling rubble, which at times, bounced angrily against her arms, or drew narrow scrapes against her bare skin. But not deeply enough to make her bleed. She grit her teeth as she ambled along, the folds of her simple dress fluttering around her ankles as her eyes trailed after Kyra. Almost there, Aello's mind whispered as she continued down the cavernous passageway, and eventually, came to a halt beside the Kelvic. Her chest rose and fell swiftly, and her breath escaped her lips in warm, low, yet still audible sighs. Her muddied irises caught on Kyra's golden ones; seemingly glowing in the gathering darkness. Against the lingering scent of snuffed smoke. Slowly, she eased her back against the cave wall, and studied the furled tendrils of colored smoke that rose from the world's surface. "There are more of those markings up ahead," Aello whispered, "there," she said as she raised her right hand and pointed off into the distance. Against a far wall, which began to slope off and to the right. For a moment, she allowed her hand to linger as she struggled to breath before returning her limb to her side. "It is impossible though, to tell if they look precisely like the others," the huntress went on after a short time. "Considering how difficult it was to get a good look at the first set of markings for one, and secondly, because of this impenetrable dark." Aello fell silent a moment. "A lack of understanding as to what those wretched things are." The huntress shifted her weight uneasily from one foot to the other as she fought to regain her breath. "What do you think we should do?" she asked.

[Kyra]

Kyra glanced back behind them, seeing the newly pile of rock, now covering the way they had just come. Another cave in, and it seemed like the further they went into the darken cave, the less room they had to turn back. She was more frustrated now, realizing that it was her doing that caused the second set of heavy rocks to fall from the ceiling. "I don't understand what's happening here.."

With Aello at her side once more, the huntress now pointing out more of the strange markings along the walls ahead. She moved a bit closer to get a better look, but even then she wasn't certain if the marks were as the others were. "They..seem different. There aren't all the same.." She thought about it more, recalling how Clyde had created different drawings of his own, each somewhat different than the other.

"Griffs..I think they are called.." she said suddenly, mispronouncing the name, and unsure of it it was even the right word to use. Her eyes wandered off to the side as she tried to follow her memory back to when she heard the word spoken. "The last time I saw..there were drawing like this, then there was fire...and lightening." She fell silent afterwards, turning back to face Aello as a new thought rose into her mind.

"I think this is magic...there must be a mage near-by." It made sense, the fact that Clyde was a mage and had done similar markings, that the person who did those were also a mage. Still, this didn't help them out much, as they were still trapped and needed a way out. Kyra was more than hesitant to toss another rock and so only stood there deep in thought. Suddenly her eyes widen, and a mischievous grin spread across her lips. "I have an idea..why don't we let Lily go first?"

[Aello]

And you think I do? Aello thought to herself as she scrutinized the markings on the wall. Wondering if they truly were different. If Kyra's musings were correct. As she listened, half heartedly, her ears prickled against the thought of magic. "Glyphs?" she asked. "Why would someone draw them down here?" The huntress fell silent a moment as her fist tightened around her father's old bow, and she tilted her head to the side. Resting it upon her right shoulder, as her chestnut colored mane cascaded down the length of her back. As she looked, it hardly seemed as though she were offered a new angle as her brow continued to furrow. "To keep us in, or perhaps, out..." Aello paused, her voice trailing off down the length of the cave as she righted her head and Lily stifled a small squeak. The huntress peered down at her, a puzzled expression playing across her delicate features. "Why should I go first?" Lily inquired. "When you're all stealthy and strong, and have long legs. And move far faster than me! If those stones come down I'll be crushed. But, if they hit you, you'll live." A small smile crossed Aello's lips as her eyes sparkled despite the darkness. "Maybe," she muttered under her breath, in the same moment her pycon was thinking it to herself. Uneasy, the huntress shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She was not enjoying the odds, the Kelvic's suggestions. But they couldn't turn back. The feline had made sure of that. Sighing, Aello muttered, "we throw something over and hope for the best, or I go first," after a time. She didn't wait long for a response, simply took a tentative step forward, by raising her right leg on high, and then placing the foot down gingerly a few inches ahead. Before standing as still as a statue, eyes peeled to see if anything would happen. Muscles rigid, Aello waited a few ticks, and when she realized nothing was going to happen, she took another step, and then another, until the ground began to rumble. She could hear the broken stone clattering against the ground, which only served to speed the rapid drumming of her heart. The pace by which she took in and expelled her breath. Frightened, the girl began to run, but it was of no use. A thunderous boom shook the cave, and within a tick of its sound, came a sense of weightlessness as the ground crumbled beneath them. The stones falling all around her as she flailed her arms and screamed. Her voice ricocheting off the falls as she came down, and then stopped. Her behind hitting the ground below. Stone worn smooth by running water. Lapping angrily about her; licking her skin. Caressing it, as the rock plopped beside her. Surprised she had lived, the girl shook her head out, as though to clear it as she eased herself onto her feet, if with some difficulty. Her body sore, as soft pulsing pains overcame each of her muscles; her bones. Water seeped through her clothes so that it pressed as tightly against her skin as the folds of fabric which now clung. Thin rivulets ran off her flesh as the narrow river which surrounded her pulsed angrily. Like blood through an artery looking to burst. "What the petch is this?" Aello growled as the colored gases flickered all around her, and to each side illuminated another series of glyphs. Leaving each path less than opportune. Meanwhile, Lily rubbed her head, and looked up, as though dazed from the fall, despite Aello having cushioned its impact. "Are there more of them Aello?" she asked, by which she received a nod. Although it would be impossible for her to see. OOCI don't know if you wanted to fall through too, so I left it open.

[Kyra]

Kyra leaned forward, gently pressing her palms against her thighs, as she moved in to look closer at the tiny clay woman. "But you're so small, tiny even. Perhaps you could walk between them and journey ahead to see what's beyond us?" She thought it was possible, and if the pycon could scout ahead, it might lend them more insight to what they were to expect as well as a possible way around the traps. "You know Lily, your so tiny, you could probably walk right across and nothing would happen."

Kyra wasn't sure of this, but in her mind she saw the pycon as being somewhat lite as air, and being able to slip across unharmed. She shrugged her shoulders afterwards, figuring that her company wasn't taking too well to her ideas. She nodded, eyes widening to Aello's idea of tossing more rubble across, as she had done before. It was true that her actions had caused an explosion, but they were able to move ahead. The woman was a huntress after all, and didn't have much trouble in navigating through the falling rocks. "I'll fine a..Aello, what are you doing?"

She was surprised when the woman suddenly stepped forward, taking the more reckless action rather than attempting the same trick twice. She watched closely as the woman moved, expecting to see some form of explosion that would engulf the woman as she had saw happen to a tree once. At first it looked as if Aello would make it, there were no lights, or explosions, no sounds other than her feet against the ground.

Then it happened, the huntress stopped as the rumbling began, and Kyra's heart skipped a beat. The sudden trimmer caused the young kelvic to eye the walls and the ceiling, looking for the rocks to fall as they had the last time. The thunderous boom that followed shaking the cave, sent Kyra stumbling backwards just before the ground beneath her gave way and she disappeared into the darkness below.

Through the swift winds, she felt a cool splash of water as she landed on the ground, water coursing over her arms and legs. She was wet again, just after her clothing had finally started to dry. A pout puckered her lips, as she looked around to find Aello and Lily. It was then that she noticed the woman standing and did so as well. "That was unpleasant, now what? There are more of them?"

OOCYou can lead for a bit, if you'd like, or I can do more.