Out from Under (Nida, Seliarus, Nehsmay, Closed)

[Mixcoatl]

8th of Spring, 511 AV The cool spring air engulfed the travelling party much like the grass around them engulfed their legs-- or those of their mounts, if they were inclined to travel in such a fashion. Just a few moment before, they had been forced to abandon the roads for the more indirect path the Sea offered-- a choice that was not particularly safe, but Nidassasyae's nose has led them to. A particularly strong gust of wind brought to her the scent of blood, something that was familiar and, understandably, pleasing to the carnivore. With it, though, there was something more sinister, something that pressed the buttons that constituted her better sense. She could smell the stench of human misery, of torture. It was a scent that she herself was perhaps a little to acquainted with, having lost her family to men that bore a stench not so dissimilar. However, despite her deep-seated hatred, there was no time for the group to spare. Night was falling, and in Cyphrus, being on the move at night was amongst one of the most unwise decisions one could make. The other reason was one that she could divulge at her own will-- the scent of men was powerful enough to carry this far, which meant that there were *far* more slavers than there were there measly party of three. So, the group was forced to leave the road to avoid the slavers, and as they set off into the plains, they could hear the clatter of chains beckoning from behind them-- and could barely see a force more than fifteen men strong, all mounted. Hardly a safe engagement. Of course, now they had exposed themselves to dangers of a different sort. The plains of Cyphrus were arguably more dangerous than any man to inhabit them, and camping in them was no easy task. There wasn't much choice for the group, sadly, as they heard the chatter of creatures foreign to them, but to press on. Salvation soon came to them, however, in the form of one of Cyphrus's rare hills. Drawing them towards it, the group soon realized that something was unusual about this particular hill. It bore a man-made entrance, blocked by a gate of steel. The gate bore a simple latch, most likely used simply to keep nuisances out of the cave. No matter. Such a latch meant that, doubtlessly, the cave itself was devoid of wildlife, something fortunate for the travelling group. It was with this thought taking precedence in their minds that they entered, and, truly, entered perhaps the safest-- and the most dangerous-- place any of them had ever set foot in. Before them sprawled a single tunnel. It was curious in its construction, too tall and too uniform to be a natural construct. The walls were smooth, as if a mason had worked painstakingly on them, and every thirty feet, one torch sat in a grip, its tip swathed in an unlit, pitch-soaked rag. At the end of the tunnel, it forked into two paths. One headed left, the other right, with nothing available to the senses of any down either. A choice was upon them.

[Nehsmay]

Nehsmay hated the cave which they threaded with her entire fiber. She knew not what caused her to act so paranoid... the darkness, the closeness of the walls or the fact that it could cave in upon their heads anytime. Hopefully nothing of that sort would happen, but Nehsmay couldn't shake the ominous feeling away. Next to her Shade trotted loudly, his hooves echoing in the cave. To say he was displeased was a understatent. He hated being confined and this cave was the worst thing possible for the colt. He loved his mistress dearly, but this whole travelling made him skittish and afraid, not for himself, but for his fun-loving mistress. Also he noticed things about her, the ways in which she changed. She laughed less frequently and sometimes she had a morose look on her face as if things were far from the way she wanted them to be. Most often she would have a far-away almost dreamy gaze as she watched the scenario that was unfolding before her eyes. The Vantha woman walked slowly in front of the group, feeling as if she was dragging them after her in a crazy adventure and not liking it one bit. Her left hand trailed on the wall feeling its texture as if wanting to remember the wall by its touch. Suddenly the tunnel slid in two and they were faced with the choice to go left or right. She tried to smell the air, see if there was something different on each side, but she could sense nothing. Left... right... left... right... were to go? "Left or right?" She mused out loud asking her friends. "They both seem bleak, one no more than the other. My gut says to go left, but I do not know what awaits us there. What do you think?" She wanted to hear both Sel and Nida's opinions hoping they could sense something she as a human couldn't.

[Seliarus]

Seliarus glanced around the cave, now in his human form, and with the bear belt over his shoulders, together with one of the capes that Luke got him for kicking that sailor back in Zeltiva. For once in the travel, the Dhani felt physically warm, even though the bear pelt covered only his back. It was enough for the moment. Spring was starting, and the cave was not that cold, so, Sel did not mind the tunnel of nothingness the three entered. The torches on the sides only boosted his enthusiasm up. This place would be a great sightseeing spot, if not the crazed mob of humans on their tracks. And, as much as the Dhani wanted to give in his anger, and hate, and lead the humans to their utter demise, he had enough control to judge he was outnumbered by a lot too many. And with only a dagger armed, which he also got from his supposed friend, the mercenary in Zeltiva, who he should visit sometimes, if the time permits, he couldn't of make much of a difference, if he'd simply poke them with a stick. Untrained, as he was. So, going inside was the only logical idea. Let's not begin to explain why he didn't want to argue with Nehsmay. She knew best of all three what to do. But, even if she did, they got to a crossroad quite soon in the cave. Going left, or right, was the decision they had to make. It was obviously not that easy, specially with the situation they were in. If he would be in his snake form, maybe sniffing around could work, but, as a human, the only thing he had well developed, was the taste. He poked his tongue out, trying to see if there was anything in the tunnels in front of them, but, for naught. He knew there were almost no chances he could get anything in a moist cave such as this. He glanced over each of the sides, and then at the two companions. "Jussst pick one. We don't have the time to dissssusssse why and how." He'd simply say, before glaring behind his shoulder, at the entrance of the cave.

[Nidassasyae]

OOCSorry for the wait!

Even as the trio entered the cave, that stench of misery still lingered in her memory. The phantom smell set her on edge, and Nida's teeth bared in fear and anticipation. Neither the Vantha nor the Dhani would be able to calm her, she'd had enough of human males and the inherent threat that seemed to linger within them. The Kelvic who once pledged to never judge someone based on their race, was more than ready to make some generalizations about mankind. Fear could make someone do anything.

Warily, the Kelvic followed after her Vantha companion, the only human she trusted. This was no spring frolic through some meadow, and with every agonizingly loud stomp of Shade's hooves, Nida was sure something would attack them from the shadows. The Kelvic flinched at every sudden noise, and a resentment of the horse began to build within her. The cowardly animal will bring the rocks tumbling atop our heads, Nida thought, feeling the press of the stone around her. Everything about this place was wrong. She hated every pebble, if there even were any to hate. But all she could see were smooth walls stretching out before her, so uniform and precise. The work of men? Possibly, who else would do such a pointless act?

When at last they came to the crossroads, Nida's eyes were wide in panic and her ears were twitching wildly. Strange shadows seemed to flicker at the edges of her vision, brought about by the combined fear of slavers, noise, tunnels, and her constant paranoia. She could feel the fear sinking deep within her, chilling even the marrow of her bones. How could Seliarus and Nehsmay be so calm? Nida began to wonder if it was better to risk it out there than in here. She wanted to keep moving, to either get the hell out of there, or reach the end of this damned tunnel. But of course, her companions would decide to stop. Here, of all places!

Instinctively, she opened her mouth, tasting the air as a cat does. Checking for danger. Even to her senses, nothing could be determined from this dark and foul air. Everything about this tunnel was dark and foul to her, and Nida couldn't figure out why it was taking so long to make a decision. That was when she saw Seliarus glare over his shoulder.

The humans are here! They're coming! Her mind shouted at her, urging her into action though she had not yet determined the validity of that thought. Left? Had someone said left? Perhaps it was Nehsmay, but it no longer mattered who the speaker was. With a burst of fear and determination to protect, and if Seliarus wasn't saddled atop her, she nudged Seliarus gently with her nose towards the left tunnel, sprung forwards into the left tunnel, and turned back to the companions. If he was saddled, then she would simply bound forwards, trying to get Nehsmay to move. Her eyes drifted over them before settling in the direction of the entrace. She could hear no humans coming, but was convinced that if Sel thought they were, then humans would come. It would only be a matter of time.

She took a few steps back, urging her companions to come already.

[Nehsmay]

Nehsmay waited for an answer to solve her dilemma and it came in form of Nida's desperate please to take the left tunnel. Something was coming, Nehsmay was sure of it, otherwise her friend wouldn't be so anxious to start moving. Even Shade was unlike his usual self; his ears were laid flat against his head and he was silent as the grave preparing for something that was following them rapidly. Nehsmay nodded and grabbed her horse's reins pulling him sharply inside the left tunnel. Wherever the tunnel led it was unlikely to be worse than what was awaiting them if they fell in the hands of slave traders. The Vantha shuddered remembering the stories told by her kin about slave traders. Even her brother and sister had heard them from travellers who stopped in Avanthal to get some rest. No, they had to get away from them as soon as possible. There was no other way. She continued walking inside the tunnel deciding to distance herself from the entrance as fast as possible.

[Mixcoatl]

So, with a unanimous decision, the group set into the tunnel. Though torches decorated the walls, they were unlit, meaning the only light came from the entrance behind them-- which was fading fast. The further the delved into the bowels of the tunnel, the darker it became. It wouldn't be long until the last of the light was gone, due to a combination of their movement and Syna's daily retirement. Sound echoed throughout the tunnel, ones of footsteps and the clinking of metal, but there was no way for anyone in the party to tell if it was theirs or if the slavers were indeed following them. Just as darkness was poised to engulf them, to swallow them and leave them lost in the tunnel, a voice could be heard ever so faintly, one that was undoubtedly a man's, although they were singing in a beautiful, tenor tone. "We are the ones who live beneath, the ones who thrive, where others die, we are the ones who guard the depths, who keep them safe, who bring them light," The one voice fell into silence for a long moment, only to be followed by a chorus of several others, ranging in gender and pitches. All were just as distant, and just as impossible to place in direction. After several more verses, all of which steadily grew louder, a light could be seen peeking around a bend in the tunnel. "I hear guests," a voice said simply, coming from the same direction as the light. "Be not afraid, children! We are the ones who bring light to the darkness! We are the Pathwatch!" as the last word reached their ears, a lanky, dirty man rounded the corner, his black, dirt-caked hair matted to his head, holding a torch high in one hand while squinting down the dark tunnel. In but a moment, the torch flared, and light engulfed the group of three, allowing them to see everything around them, including the man and his company of ragtag men and women. Two swords rested on the man's hips, single-edged short swords, complete with a thrusting edge. A set of tubes adorned his back, holding something unknown to the group. Slowly, he approached, holding his free hand up to show he meant no harm. "Greetings, travelers," he said, almost jovially, brushing his hair back out of his face with a muddy hand. "I am Tain, Pathmaster. Dare I ask, what brings a group of foreigners such as you into the tunnels that lie beneath the feet of those above? Are you lost?" as he spoke, he cocked his head curiously, heterochromatic eyes studying each one of the party from head to toe. "If so, fear not, for you have found the one who knows the tunnels like no other!" As he spoke, his men and women moved up behind him, looking slightly less inviting than him, since they felt the need to protect him with their lives, should these newcomers try anything foolish.

[Seliarus]

The Dhani, gazed upon the torches that began to follow unrelugary as they travelled deeper in the cave. He stopped, and extended his hand, to grab one of the torches, that was placed on the wall for illumination, faintly hopping it would be useful if something would of jumped out of nowhere. That, and also the fact that he liked to have fire with him, to keep him warm. A cave was in no way a warm place, and the cold-blooded snake-person needed every warmth he could have. From the bear coat, the cape, and now the torch, he still felt cold. Maybe, because of the fact it was still winter, even thought calendar-wise, it was Spring. No, it was far too cold to be Spring. The Dhani hissed out, and lifted his torch up to see what there is around them. The fire was faint, and it didn't even get that much light away as Sel hoped. At least it was still a bit warmer that before. However, soon enough, the Dhani managed to hear something, coming from deeper in the way they're going. And said voice, who appeared male, and a lot of other as well. What was this, some sort of cult meeting they walked in? Hooded as they were, the Dhani couldn't help but feel threatened. A faint hiss escaping his lips, as he gazed around the group of people, them being simply sketches for him. they looked human. Calling him a child? Anger started to boil up in him. Afraid. He watched his family die, what could possibly be scary in a cave. Such, and different things were roaming trough his head. Maybe spoken in truth, maybe just to boost him with courage. So he wouldn't snap. He calculated the distance between the group, and them. He could shift. Yes, shift and bite everyone. Make a run for it. Scare the slavers away. He was a -Dhani-. A child from Siku. Not some human. His coal black eyes gazed to his two companions, lowering his torch down. He stopped. The man, going even further, speaking of his name. He was armed, so he liked to keep as much distance as he could. He didn't trust him. And he wasn't going to be the one answering. He went on, to speak in the Snake-tongue, low as he could, and go on to curse the slavers behind him, the group of people in front of them, and the cave. And the walls. And the cold. He went on muttering on and on, yet everything that Nida, and Nehs could hear, was a muffed "Sshsssnhhsnhh" sound. Maybe more melodic, and if listened closely, it would give a faint shiver across one's spine. He wasn't going to answer, so, he waited for the two to speak up, or, what he thought for a better idea, simply walk pass them. Tunnel like no other, armed man with army. It looked bad in his eyes.

[Nidassasyae]

OOCSorry that I disappeared again Also, TAIN! <33

The Kelvic's icy blue eyes darted back and forth nervously, peering into the gloom. Her sharp vision could barely make out the outline of the tunnel, which stretched farther than she could see, disappearing into the darkness. The open flame of Seliarus' torch only made her more skittish. Though fire could be the difference between life and death in Taldera, it still frightened the animal that she was. Her gaze kept switching between the path they were walking, and the flickering orange glow beside her.

Then the singing began. The single eerie, disembodied voice drifted up from the tunnel ahead of them. It was beautiful. It was strange. It was like nothing Nidassasyae had ever heard or imagined, and the song sent shivers down her spine. Her tail twitched nervously as she watched and waited. Something was coming.

And it came. Or rather, they came. A odd and dangerous group, led by the singer. Nida didn't like this, not one bit. Too many things were happening, clogging her mind, brightening the frantic gleam in her eyes.

Slavers... Tunnel... Darkness... Fire... Strangers! The Stranger-who-sings is friendly? No, he seems friendly. Danger! Her mind was screaming at her, and the white fur on her feline body was standing on end. And then Anger... It came from the other side of the Bond, from Seliarus. He was angry with the strangers, and the intensity of suggested that he wanted to fight.

No! We are outnumbered! Stranger-who-sings has too many defenders!

She knew that if Seliarus attacked, it would only be moments before the Strangers retaliated. Nehsmay wouldn't have time for her bow, leaving the Vantha defenseless. They couldn't fight, not now, not with slavers behind them!

The dire snow leopard bared her fangs at the strange group, and moved in front of Seliarus, protecting him with her body. Oh, how she knew he hated that, how he didn't need her protection. But this time, she was also trying to protect him from himself. If he attacked, she and her friends would die. Placed between her lover and the Stranger-who-sings, the Kelvic fixed this "Tain" with her own gaze, meeting the heterochromatic eyes unflinchingly. To meet a huge, saddled, snow leopard was odd enough, but even more strange was the intensity of the look she gave Tain. Her eyes pleaded with him, showing a level of intelligence that was not entirely animal.

She didn't want to fight, but would if she had to. It was unfortunate that if it came to that, Nehsmay only had Shade.

OOC: Break, I'm assuming Sel isn't riding Nida. Lemme know if that's not the case, and I'll edit my post.

[Nehsmay]

Nehsmay walked cautiously near her two friends; long gone was the naive girl who left her home in Avanthal to go on a great adventure. Now she understood danger awaited them everywhere and she vowed to keep her friends and herself safe. As she walked further her hand kept trailing on the wall, now and then raising it to touch the unlit candles. Then the sounds started, the footsteps, the voices... getting louder and clearer with each step they took. The song that started was almost mesmerizing, though it sent chills down Nehsmay's spine as the words rolled off the lips of the singer. A small light flickered and Nehsmay took a step back seeing the man that sang and the ruffians surrounding him. Even though he appeared to pose no harm, the man unsettled the Vantha woman and in a moment she understood that should it come to a fight, she was alone. Shade neighed with anxiety; the man scared the colt, but he knew he couldn't run. He had to protect his mistress; Shade pushed Nehsmay out of the way with his head and settled in front of her to protect her with his own body. Nehsmay frowned at Tain, unsure what to think of him. For starters he was armed, yet he promised no harm. She was too close to them to use her bow efficiently if something started. Trying to settle this peacefully, she spoke: "I am Nehsmay!" she nodded her head simply "It is hard to trust one so heavily armed and surrounded by so many to not pose any harm. Perhaps if your friends step back a bit the setting wouldn't look so intimidating." she gave a somewhat coy smile as if trying to show that they wanted to talk, not start attacking randomly.

[Mixcoatl]

OOCSorry this took so long. Finals and just general frakking posting troubles. :/ Tain raised an interested eyebrow at the hissing snake and the snarling snow leopard. A little shrug of his shoulders was all he gave to them, along with a quick movement of fingers, following which, the men behind him fell back three or four steps. That was all they would be separated from their precious leader. "It shows a lot about one's character," he began, picking a few scraps of dirt off his nails as he spoke, "that they prefer to assume that one comes to slit their throats and cause them harm rather than aid them and guide them through the Darkness. My men are back, but your snake and your cat-- neither of which are as they seem-- are yet at my throat. I feel as if the terms are not quite equal, my dear," he smiled wanly at her, leaning one shoulder against the side of the cavern, head going along with it. All in all, despite the barred fangs of Nidassasyae and the quiet Snake-Speak of Seliarus, Tain seemed entirely at ease, as if this were an everyday occurrence for him. "You see, there's something interesting about this situation," he said after a slight pause. "I'm not holding you here. You're free to go, but you have one torch. We have the light of Priskil with us, and that is not something that She gives freely. You can leave, get lost... die... or you can follow us into what is unknown to you and known to us like the back of our hands. A lofty offer, considering that you and your friends have not yet even given us the pleasure of knowing your name! Normally, I demand such common courtesies before I offer to guide parties, but I simply feel like making an exception today," he smirked at his own witty remarks, standing up straight again.