Never a Pet (Kyra)

[Aello]

The huntress offered a single, firm nod. "We are surrounded by them Kyra," Aello replied. "Glyphs in every which direction, but..." The woman's voice trailed off as she looked into the distance. "This water flows freely, unhindered by the glyphs. Perhaps, if we kept ourselves down, close to the water's level, we could sneak past this area without setting another series of them off." Aello paused as her grip tightened around her father's old bow. "I'd suppose it would be worth a try, but at the same time, if we're wrong being in such a position will likely only make it more difficult to escape another natural disaster." The huntress sighed. "We could try throwing some of the debris ahead and setting everything off, and then moving through if a way still proves viable, simply run on through them and hope for the best, or we can stand here and do nothing. Likely die of thirst or hunger; whichever comes first," Aello went on. Likely hunger with all this running water, she thought to herself as she fought to take clean, even breaths. The aurist smiled uneasily. "It is up to you Kyra, to decide."

[Kyra]

Kyra stared at Aello in surprise. The woman was leaving it up to her to decide. Did she trust her so much to leave such a big decision up to her, or was Aello simply out of ideas? Either way Kyra fell silent, trying to figure out what to do. She tried to reminder exactly what had happened when she was with Clyde, helping with his experiments.

She couldn't recall everything that happen, partly because she had wandered off to find a meal while she waited for him to figure out the proper placements and all. But it did seem that if anything struck the drawings they would go off, or came close to them, perhaps the same would happen. But the markings where they stood hadn't gone off, and with the water on the floor of the cave, any below would have gone off unless..

"I think we should move on, I can't be sure but I don't think these will burn like before." In truth it was just a hunch, but one she felt confidently enough in that she was willing to risk the attempt. "We should go quickly.." With those final words, Kyra crouched down and began to move along the wall. The sound of the waters, splashing about became amplified by the hallowed out cave and echoed off the walls and back to her ears.

A sudden loud crawl, ear piercing and blood thirty caught her attention and causing the young kelvic to yelp softly. It was now that she really started to wish that she had stayed with her group. "Tell me Aello, are you a fair shot with that bow you carry?" But before she could receive an answer, a loud splashing sound echoed off the walls ahead. More snarls and grunts followed as whatever it was came closer.

First reddish golden eyes appeared from within the darkness, muddied fur covered thick twitching limbs as the creature forced it's broken body to move through the water. What was once a strong bear, now stood the survival of a stared beast which had been trapped within the maze of rocks with no food for weeks. Kyra slowly slipped backwards and away from the approaching monster. "Here comes trouble.."

OOCYea..just trying to find some place to go with this..

[Aello]

Aello nodded as she bent her legs at the knees and delicately eased herself into a crouch. With body hunched forward on slight, she drew her legs through the water, listening to it whish around her as she glided along. Her eyes trailing after the shifting muscles reflected in the flickering light of the Kelvic's aura. As she continued through the cave, Lily said nothing as feet easily slid over rock worn smooth. Her clothes clinging to her ankles as beads of moisture continued to climb up the length of each fold. We can't have much farther to go now, the huntress thought to herself as she kept her eyes peeled for any signs of coming obstacles. We have gone far enough anyway. Or so it would seem, her thoughts wandering to the notion that they may have headed back in the direction of the cave mouth after the fall, when the first growling sounded. Causing her ears to prickle as her muscles proceeded to clench, and then loosen, so as to keep themselves limbre in case things came to another battle. Of bodies, as opposed to words coupling with failing wits. It did not take long for Aello's magic to find the bear, and cling to it. Illuminating the broken patches of fur and flesh, which hung loosely from its bones. Dried blood seemed to shimmer as her fist tightened instinctually around her father's old bow. "I don't make a habit of missing," the huntress growled as she stood her ground, her body tense for another mere moment before she retrieved a raven fletched feather from her quiver, and deftly strung it onto her bow. Slowly, as she felt her companion's weight shifting as she buried herself in her pocket, Aello raised her bow and closed her left eye. With only a fraction of speed added, she pulled the string back past her right ear, causing it to grow taut as she waited for the creature's approach. "Course we do," she muttered under her breath, "we always have unwanted guests," she added in an even lower, growlier tone, as if to match the ascending beast. Its sharp claws digging at the stone buried beneath the water. "I'd stand back a little farther if I were you," the huntress warned the Kelvic as the bear roared and came forward with a greater speed. Silently, the huntress waited as the animal approached, and when within her sight and her range, she fired. Letting go of the string caused it to vibrate wildly, whacking the seam of her left arm as she watched the projectile fly towards its intended target. Within a few seconds, the arrow's sharp point had set itself in center of the bear's right eye. It glowed ominously a moment before rearing. Shaking its head as blood spilled from the hole she had made. Smiling wickedly, Aello reached for another arrow as the bear scratched at its face, soon ripping the arrow out and tossing it into the flowing water. Sending it farther away. By then, Aello had notched her second arrow and was raising the bow, pulling the string back. Another breath and she had launched it, sending the arrow hurling into the side of the creature's neck. The strength she put behind the shot seemed to send it most of the way through, causing the bear to begin to gurgle on its own fluids as it choked some up. The air began to fill with the stench of blood as Aello took a cautious half step back, wondering if the animal would have the strength to go any further. OOCI thought we was gonna figure out why there be all those annoying glyphs? Maybe we will... I may haz idea? May haz.

[Kyra]

There was a certain smell that accompanied the beast, a bloody, rotten odor mixed with dirty, wet fur. Kyra slipped back further as Aello took the lead and fired upon the bear. It growled louder now, feeling the pain that she had inflicted on it. The beast shuffled around trying to remove the arrow from it's face.

It was all happening fast, though the huntress showed no signs of fear or delay as she raised another arrow and fired. It was at that point that Kyra wondered if it had been the meat in her pack that the bear had sniffed out, and was what caused it to attack them. She hissed as she looked on, staying closer to the wall as her hand moved to grip her dagger again.

The second shot seemed to have rocked the bear, and it started to grunt and moan as it moved around slowly. It's head hung low, mouth opened as it became more sluggish. The beast was finished, or as least close to it, if they acted at once it was likely the bear wouldn't be able to attack them both and one could deliver the final blow.

OOCOkay, sorry about the horrible post, but I'm so ready to see what you have planned.

[Aello]

As the bear swayed on its legs, the right crossing over the left as its cumbersome body moved back and forth against the water, Aello only watched a moment as she lowered her bow, rather calmly. She stood silent, her heart beating a little more quickly as before as she anticipated the tell tale signs of death- the lumbering, the final breaths, a cessation to the rise and fall of the chest. Some of these came, but not all, and certainly not fast enough for the impatient huntress who ripped her cursed blade from its sheath, sauntered over, and quickly cut her final arrow from the monster's throat. She could feel the last of its blood splatter her wrists as it fell at her feet. The water sloshing around it as she sheathed her weapon, and bent to retrieve the lost arrow. Easily, she placed it back in the quiver as her fist tightened around her father's old bow, and she straightened. "Come," she called to Kyra, not bothering to turn over her shoulder to face her as she strode forward through the destruction, in the direction they had been heading only moments before the attack had reached them. "It can't be much farther now," Aello added as she walked along, the ground rising a little higher as the stone smoothed, sloping away on slight, into the distance, until the water could flow freely no more. It pooled then, at the base of risen stone. A black so pure it shimmered like obsidian when each bead of moisture kissed it, and her magic served as sun's illumination in a place left otherwise so dark and void. Smiling to herself, the huntress quickly crossed the threshold, moving from the stream to dry land. Jagged stone beneath her feet, as opposed to that worn smooth. Like a dog, she shook her body out a little. Whipping her head back and forth to rid it of sodden beads, wiggling her legs to run the last of the rivulets off to the best of her ability before moving on, through the corridor. "There has to be a way out around here somewhere," the aurist commented as the lights around her flickered, Lily venturing to keep her hands atop the pockets as she raised herself and peered out at their surroundings from time to time. Although how much she could see was impossible to tell. Mainly shadows, Aello supposed, crawling along the length of the wall. Silent, the aurist moved for several more chimes until the cave seemed to close in around them. The corridor thinning as a stench she could not place took over. Earthen and natural, somehow alive yet dead. And sharp, so very sharp, biting at the edge of her nose. Suddenly, she stopped as the auras shifted, falling onto a new, undiscovered course. A ring of circles, surrounding a star of sixteen points. The material they had been drawn in a deep brown, like the mud of her eyes. Startled, the huntress drew in a deep breath as her eyes widened a little, and she bent her legs at the knee. Easing her body down as she forced her muscles to flex. Tentatively, she extended her right hand and brushed her furled fingers against the outline of an outer circle. Picking up both dirt, grime, and the occasional bead of moisture. As well as something darker, something that smelled somewhat... metallic. Perhaps, from where Kyra stood, it would appear as though Aello were rubbing mud into her skin with the tips of her fingers, but it was not mud. It was blood gone old. Beginning to crust as it blackened. Uneasy now, the huntress could feel her stomach churning as she shook her hand out to rid it of the blemish, and slowly, straightened to back away. "We should go," Aello whispered. "We should not be here. Not with this," she continued as she gestured at the crude drawings which lined the surface of the floor just ahead. "We need to find another way out, before-" The air was growing visibly cooler. Even more so than before. Silver wisps left the slight part of Aello's paling lips, as they did from her nostrils. Whirling as they mixed with their surroundings, before falling away. A flickering white streak seemed to pass right before the huntress' eyes, causing her to jerk her head back to let it pass, before righting herself as it filtered through the wall. She thought she could hear it cackling, but a part of her supposed this was more of her imagination than anything else. Even so, her heart quickened, and her body grew rigid as a part of her wondered how much Kyra could sense of something being wrong. OOCIt is alright, this isn't any good either.

[Kyra]

Kyra looked on, watching the injured bear as it finally sank down and faded away. It wasn't often that she saw bears, or even caves for that matter. The whole evening coupling with the thundering and rain had made for a day full of surprises. She moved closer, slowly just in case the beast wasn't dead yet. The huntress moved in front of her, drawing her blade and removing her arrow from the creature's flesh. Kyra tilted her head as she watched, a curious expression settling on her features.

She had never thought to retrieve her arrows, at least the ones that were fired into an animal or human. In some instances it would have been likely that the arrow had been ruined upon contact, and others possibly still useable, but she never checked. With the bear dead, Kyra followed the huntress once again as their search continued. She wondered to herself, if the pycon Lily would look at this as an adventure and tell others of it some day.

"Do you think so? Are all caves like this?" she asked Aello moving to walk to pace with her while looking around. The huntress seemed to know where to go and in the least she was comfortable, unless she was good with hiding her emotions. Kyra wasn't afraid either, though excited and very lost. Once they reached the end of the flowing waters and stepped out of the gathered pool, and onto dry land, Kyra was relieved. She had been soaked for longer than she could remember and now the water was just irritating her.

"What is it Aello?" she asked when the huntress started to speak again. Whatever the woman saw, whatever powers she possessed, Kyra didn't know. Her own eyes pierced into the darkness seeing shades of the far of wall cloaked in shadows. She followed Aello's movements until the woman stopped. Looking around she realized that they had truly come to an end on their path, as nothing but solid walls surrounded them. Suddenly as she moved forward an odor crept into her nose. A stifling smell, though long since created but lingering on. "I smell death here.."

The young kelvic became nervous now, her golden eyes widening as she looked around and biting on her lower lip. When she turned back to find the huntress, she was leaning down, a ring of circles, surrounding a star of sixteen points exposed before her. Kyra tilted her head and moved closer. The smell was a bit stronger now, and although it was dried she could recall what it was. Blood...a smell that she had become very used to since those earlier days in Ravok.

What exactly it all meant, she wasn't sure, but something was wrong, very wrong. Just as she had suspected there was something wrong, and she quickly agreed with the huntress that they should find another way out. Then it happened, a coldness took them, as if icy fingers reaching out to touch them and chill their skin. Kyra uttered a low growl, her hand moving to find her dagger as she turned around, searching for whatever it was that had come.

She could tell that they were no longer alone, but for a few ticks whatever it was seemed to move about, not staying in any one place for long, until finally it settled close to the huntress and Lily. Hissing loudly, Kyra drew her dagger and slowly moved back. "Aello behind you!"

[Aello]

The huntress shook her head uneasily as the cool air continued to kiss her, brushing sodden brown mane away from tender neck. Flesh prickling with her discomfort as all color continued to drain, running into the darker recesses of pulsating veins. A deep neon blue, which caused her flesh to ripple unpleasantly as her breath caught in the back of her throat, and her heart continued to race. "I know," was all the huntress whispered as she stood tall, and rather rigid, her eyes scanning the distance for any hint as to whom may have placed the marks there. But there seemed to be nothing. But the air came again, flowing along the length of the back of her neck. A chill shot up the length of the girl's spine, causing her whole body to tremble as her fist tightened around the supple curve of her father's old bow. Her head fell back, her hair cascading down the length of knobbed bone as her eyes closed, and lips parted, allowing a soft gasp to escape as the weight of full understanding hit her. Of their surroundings, their happenings, and nothing more. Her fingertips tremored against the bow, as her body shook itself out, and then fell back into place as the colored lights continued to flicker and the white streak continued to sway back and forth. Weaving its way in and out; around her own body, and Kyra's. As her eyes opened, Aello allowed herself to breath deeply, in through the nose and out through the mouth, and as the ghost passed before her once more, she reached beneath the folds. Searching, until her nails brushed the familiar wire hilt. "Take this," Aello whispered as her fingers slid around it, wrenching the cursed blade free within a fraction of a breath. "Your own will not serve you here," she added, as she held the weapon out. Expecting the weight to flee from her as the other woman took it at which point, Aello would direct her eyes to the ghost. Still passing through, back and forth. Watching, waiting, as she sized it up, and it did the same. Finally, when it passed her the fourth time over, the huntress extended her right hand. Her fingers splayed, she grabbed at the white streak, allowing her fingers to furl around the cool, flickering mist. There was a gasp, both from the ghost, and from her, as ice shot up the length of her arm. Her fingers growing red as it wiggled against her and then took form. Materializing into a man of about five feet and seven inches in height. Of an average build with broad shoulders. Cropped black hair, with matching stubble along a faded set of cheeks, and the softest blue eyes the huntress had ever seen. Aello's nail traced the outline of his wrist as she fought to hold on, the cold edging its way into her bones, and making it near impossible. Her captured breath scarcely leaving her lips to mingle with his mist. A silver to lace the white together. The radiating edges of his fading vibrancy. "Who did this for you?" the huntress growled. "You could not have managed alone." OOCFeel free to borrow the dagger for the length of the thread.

[Kyra]

Kyra hissed again, her arm raised at the elbow as she tighten her grip on her dagger. She was ready to attack whatever it was if only she could get a fix on it, and long enough for it to stay still. She watched Aello's expression and could only assume that the huntress sensed what she did.

She watched curiously as the woman removed her own blade and handed it to her with a word of advice. The young kelvic didn't understand why exactly, but as she looked the blade over, she noticed that it was larger then her own, and that was reason enough. Kyra slipped her own dagger back under her cloak and took Aello's dagger. The being continued to circle them, watching them as they both watched it.

Something was about to happen, Kyra could sense this in Aello's body motions and readied herself for what was too come. She wondered if Aello had a plan, some way of catching whatever it was or at least finding a way to confine it to a single space. Raising the cursed blade, she narrowed her eyes and waited. She couldn't be certain, but it seemed as it the being was drawn to Aello, or was it Lily?

Suddenly, as the being crossed them again, Aello sprung into action and grabbed it. For a tick Kyra still wasn't sure what it was, until it finally too shape in the appearance of a man. Her eyes widen as she glared at the humanoid shape, still unsure of what was happening or what she was seeing. "Aello..what is that? It's not human?" Kyra watched closely, sliding her tiny form closer behind the humanoid figure as Aello questioned it.

[Aello]

Aello said nothing, the ghost said nothing, but Kyra said something. The huntress' ears prickled as the curious Kelvic stepped closer; she could hear her steps near silent, against the ground. The Kelvic's aura flickering, licking the edge of hers as she approached. And although her hand stung, the girl forced her fingers to tighten around the ghost's wrist, so her nails dug into flesh. Slowly, she turned from him, to meet the golden eyes of her latest companion. "It's one of the dead Kyra," Aello responded. "Haven't you ever seen a ghost before?" she asked before turning back around just in time to find the man whipping his free hand around. She caught it for a second, a white blur, and then she felt it as he backhanded her across the cheek. Reddening her flesh as her head twisted around and her fingers began to loosen. Enough for him to draw his limb through and away. Eyes blazing, the huntress spat at the ground and whirled her head back around. Her fist tightening around the grip of her father's old bow as her eyes followed the ghost, and her heart continued to beat faster and faster. "Who drew them for you?" Aello growled as the ghost fled through the wall, its mist clinging to the rock wall like a thick mist, or spider's web for a mere instant before it was lost to another portion of the cave. Damnit, the huntress thought to herself as she clenched her teeth and the pycon began to recede. Sinking farther and farther into protective pocket as her mistress' anger continued to mount. Aello could sense Lily's discomfort rising as she watched the ghost pass through the rock wall. Taunting her, for there she could not extend her reach. As she stood, her veins pulsated unpleasantly beneath the surface of her skin, and her toes curled and then released repeatedly. "Come Kyra, he is not going to come back out to play," Aello commented after a time, at which point she took several steps forward, only to find that her words had drawn the ghost to her again. Or perhaps it was the dagger Kyra now held; for there was the ghost, fully materialized ahead of them both, hovering mere inches above the surface of the earth. "You shall not pass!" the ghost bellowed. Aello smirked, as a single brow rose into a high arch. "Oh?" she inquired. "And who is going to stop me?" "I will!" the ghost howled as it moved forward. Extending its arms as it came for her. Oh greaaaaaat, the huntress thought, as she stepped to the side and reached for him, her fingers grazing his flesh as he turned upon the realization that he had missed, and came for her again. Bringing his hands up around her throat. Pressing his thumbs into the narrow dip of flesh between bones. Aello's eyes widened as her skin visibly cooled and paled. Frost would seem to edge between the vibration of his outer form, and her grace, as pupils dilated and a smirk crossed winning lips. His blue eyes hardened as he lifted her, bringing her a few inches off the ground. Her legs kicking feebly as her hands rose to meet his, her tiny fingers trying to pry his meatier appendages from her own. But it was of no use, the most she could catch and pull away was a finger. "Ky-rahhhh," Aello rasped as she gasped for air, and purple began to edge its way along the red of her flesh. The pink of her lips fleeting. "The dag..." She coughed as Lily leapt from her pocket and sprang at the ghost, superman style. "Let go of my friend you overgrown dead bastard!" she hollered as her fingers closed around her leg. "Got ch- ahhhhh!" she cried as she fell through the air causing the huntress to extend her legs as far as they would go to catch her. She could feel the pycon for an instant, sliding along the bottom of her leg, clutching at the folds of her clothes. For if only they shared a touch. They shared the spiritist's power...

[Kyra]

Kyra nodded her head, an expression that she wasn't familiar with the dead. She wasn't sure of what was happening, but it was clear that everything that had happened, all the strange markings and this being were all connected somehow. The kelvic dashed forward swinging the dagger towards the ghost's back just as it slipped away from Aello and vanished back into the walls of the cave.

She spun around then, looking to the walls and the ceiling of the cave to find whatever it was. Her big golden eyes darted back and forth, her lips pressed together tightly as she squeezed the cursed dagger in her palm. She was ready, but for what she wasn't exactly sure. But it seemed that the ghost was gone now, as the huntress said which in turned caused Kyra to pout a bit. She wanted to know the answers as much as Aello but they would get none it seemed.

"Yes..." she said in a low tone, clearly showing her disappointment. She followed Aello again, though their march was only for steps ahead until the ghost reappeared. Kyra's eyes widen and she raised the dagger in her hand again, readying herself to strike. "It's returned!" Kyra quickly dashed forward, leaping into the air as she swung the dagger towards the ghost neck. However the girl had been too slow, and the ghost slipped past her and attacked Aello.

Kyra landed with a thud, her boots slamming into the ground as she turned her body, digging her heels into the ground to slow herself to a stop. Looking up, she noticed Aello struggling with the ghost, and the tiny pycon leaping out to attack it as it tried to strangle her friend. Pushing herself up, Kyra raced towards them, slashing at the back of the ghost with the dagger that Aello had given her. The ghost howled and released the huntress, before shoving Kyra backwards and dashing through the nearest wall.

The young kelvic pushed herself back to her feet and returned to Aello's side. "Are you alright Aello, Lily?" Suddenly the ghost reappeared with a thunderous howl as it stood behind Kyra. The Ghost reached out tightly grasping the girl's shoulders and pulling her into the air.

"You can not..You can not go forth!"

Kyra cried out, the cold touch of the ghost chilling her body to it's core. She hissed loudly then, twisting and kicking to try and free herself.