Down The Rabbit Hole

[Philomel]

Several minutes into the cavern system and the veins of jade was still resplendent on the walls. Decorations of beaten gold also were manually inserted; odd shapes here and there, stabbed into cracks and shoved into alcoves. They were still brilliant enough to cast reflection and despite their haphazard scattering they formed a decent amount of illumination into the tunnels. All it took was for Veridian to use his innate ability to cast a fiery set of jaws before him and light a small torch, and the two of them continued their journey with ease and visibility.


Despite this, Philomel still relied on her earth sense. Seeing what was around you was one thing, but actually able to feel and connect with the rocks, dust and small plants was an ability worth holding onto. In truth Philomel could not feel water, for her connection to it was weak but she always knew it was there. She could sense the huge dip into the earth's surface, and feel the way that the lake splashed against the rocks. With a little effort she could even feel minute resonances of erosion, and the voiceless cries of the lichen growing at the lake's edge.


Nice place, Veridian finally said after am exhaustibly long period of silence.


Turning her face to him Philomel held the torch slightly above her head and raised an eyebrow. Vocally, she spoke. "What do you mean?"


The fox-form paused with just enough time for him to lean back onto his haunches, then attempt a movement of raising, then lowering his forelegs, mainly where they joined as shoulders to the rest of his skeleton. A version of a shrug.


I was trying to be witty.


Philomel almost could not retain her laughter. "You did not sound sarcastic in the least!"


Well this place is boring and damp, Veridian hissed a little, Horrible and it is getting between my toes. There is slime, and there are living things in the water which I do not know the name of, and that disturbs me. He rocked back onto all four paws. I was trying to break the silence.


Silence had indeed extended between them awkwardly as they strode. Though they were named The Caverns of Luck and decorated with bright gold, Philomel did not consider anything that they had experienced so far to mark this place out as anything special. Indeed, all she had seen was darkness, a few creatures scuttling out of their way as light hit them, and rocks. They had been striding for almost half an hour, with nothing to say, and no sign that this was even special.


"Caverns of Luck indeed," she voiced her query. And the earth-spirit beside her bobbed his pointed snout.


Exactly, he huffed. There is nothing in here but a pretty pattern, stones and water. It even smells, and is strange. There is no sign that the Behemoth ever lived here, so I think we have the wrong place.


"You want to turn back?" the faun frowned, still not slowing in her hoofpace as she said it.


Veridian let out a bemoaning grunt. I do not know, he said, skipping forwards as they got to a corner. I am really not sure. But I-


The tunnel before them twisted and turned. Abruptly. Directly to the side. Veridian would have continued his rant, had something not occurred that made him reconsider all that he had just said as he turned. And came right into the face of a tiny creature with rabbit ears.


"Oh," Philomel came to a halt beside him, staring at the bunny spirit. "We seem to have found something after all."

[Nightspoison]

The caverns were getting darker, the sound of dripping water from the waterfall that Rianna had been pushed into was growing faint. Pressing her hand firmly against the cold limestone walls, Rianna's mind was thinking, she had felt the bunny girl spirit's flash of power when she had been annoyed at the crimson haired beauty. There was definitely something more to the bunny, the black tail, the way she had felt the dim feel of fire when she had gone through the pink gate. It all added up to a mystery, a conundrum that the perky assassin had to solve.

The gold was still shining like a bright beacon through the cave's green murkiness, the deeper Ayami and Ri got the more the temperature seemed to lower. Shivering visibly, her red locks still dripping crystalline drops of water, the vixen's teeth chattered as she asked Ayami "Can you make fire? I'm freezing from your pushing me into that icy pond. I need to dry off!"

The black eared spirit's nose wrinkled at the vampiress's simple question. Her little black tail twitched as she seemed to hover still as a frozen dandelion. There was a deep look to the little rabbit's eyes as she paused with her answer before she finally blurted "I can, if you need it Rianna, but I"ll only do it if you continue to work with me!"

That again? Just what is Ayami's deal?! Rianna thought irritably. She did not like being bossed around, she wanted to be the princess in charge. Not some little rabbit who was supposed to help cure her of her unlucky streak! She could feel her rage boiling in her stomach, trying to curtail it, the lithe assasain stared at a natural carved jade filigree of a small dragon. It seemed people had been through these caverns before making their mark in it.

Curiosity filled the night killer's heart, as she reached her hand forward to touch the jade carving. A squeal could be heard interrupting the vixen's thoughts. Turning she saw that Ayami had not bothered making a fire for her to drive off. Instead she was staring at two people if they could be called that who had just entered the open cave that the little bunny girl and Ri had stopped in.

Her inquisitiveness halted as she saw the purple haired faun before her, with a fox spirit. Her luminious blue orbs darkened as she thought This woman reminds me of Sivienna, my good for nothing half sister! Why? Why the hell did I have to run into a creature similar to my sibling? Scanning the woman's faun's body, she saw the shapely breasts, the pert perfect body, the hoofs she had planted firmly on the cavern floor and the many weapons. She made a mental note to be careful when interacting with this woman because she seemed to be quite powerful and well-armed.

Coughing a bit, as her cold body visibly shook, the dark beauty tried to be polite as she asked "Who are you? What are you doing here in the Caverns of Luck?"

Ayami meanwhile was bouncing on the balls of her feet in midair, her pink hair hanging girlishly around her little frame. As she looked at the fox spirit and faun woman before her, she was happy for the distraction this gave as she happily said "Welcome, welcome! What brings you to The Caverns of Luck? Hunting treasure as well?"