Laughing Labyrinths [Smoky] [Abba]

[twi]

“This way.”
Sliene’s voice echoed off the narrow slate walls, distorted and eerie. Early on in their journey, Kao had given up trying to navigate Quisque Requiem, its devious fissures beyond his reckoning. Sliene had proven herself more than competent to lead the way, claiming to be lead by some metaphysical force, guiding her towards their destination. Kao had gladly stepped down from his post of expedition-leader, happy to let the Daemon take the reins, so to speak.
A thick coat of dust had settled on the ground beneath their hooves and even though he could not see Sliene, far up ahead, Kao saw her paw-prints on the ground, imprinted in the fine, slate dust. Behind him, he could hear Rae coughing and deliberately slowed his pace, trying to give her the rest he knew she needed. His hooves clattered loudly in his own ears, almost like chattering teeth, a contrast to Sliene’s easy silence. He was comforted by hearing Rae’s own unsteady steps, more muffled than his own, but still possessing the nervous quality he heard in his own. The truth was, Kaodran the fearless, Kaodran the warrior, was scared of the dark. It hadn’t been so bad at first when they first enter edthe immense slate cliff, the biggest he had ever seen or even heard of. Shafts of light, dirty and thin, true, but light nonetheless had filtered down from the sky above. But now? Now he could barely see in the dim light as Sliene led them further and further into the labyrinth of slate. He had traveled through these lands once before and that hadn’t been so bad, as he had only been passing through to reach the Neutral territories, but as they deliberately ventured deeper and deeper in, the rocks seemed to close over their heads with a malicious sort of joy at shielding three hapless travelers from the outside world.
A cave indeed. Kao could have snorted in disgust. He should have known that a wild-goose chase to find a cave in a cliff could never result in any good.

[Abba]

When she was
just a girl she expected the world
But it flew away from her reach

Rae trekked along behind him, her hooves clicking and clacking against the hard rock floor of this cave. Her body trembling as it slowly became black and black, and more black. The dust was beginning to fill her nostrils and breathing was simply causing to her cough more. Her black coat was now covered in a fine layer of brown dust. The lights which ad one filtered through had slowly disappeared to a point where she couldn't really see much anymore and she sped up into a collected trot - pushing off of her haunches and forcing her stride to be longer until she was right at his side. She coughed but two more times before she rested her maw against his flank and then began to follow him. Luckily, she didn't hear any signs of the rock above them collapsing and she was glad for that. For, if she was stuck in here she wasn't totally sure what would happen. Her eyes slowly morphing into a yellow, almost cat-like colour as she became confused. She wasn't sure what all was going on but wandering around this cave without a sure way out didn't seem to weigh well on her mind. But, she would admit, that the dirt was beginning to aggravate her. She didn't enjoy this. She was too be clean. Pinning her ears just slightly she shook her head. "Stupid. Dust." she grumbled in complaint before her eyes morphed to an almost orange colour with the maroon sliding into it as the annoyance filled into her system. Then, it broke apart, one eye the bright, vibrant yellow, and the other the deep brooding maroon. "How much longer do you think?" she said before letting out a tiny cough and then looking towards where his head should be...

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==into the mind
.303 words
.Rae isn't happy about the dust...[/size]

[Snowflake Smoky]

[atrb=border,0,false][bg=black] Serendipity Many people are mysterious. There are those who try hard to be illusive. There are those whose lifestyles simply make them hard to pin down. The third are those who enjoy the aura and mystique of being different just because they were born that way. The rare creature, such as the one now in question, contains all three in a simplistic form that fails to raise eyebrows when seen. Forma Silvestris' self-proclaimed keeper of secrets didn't look like much, but she was quite capable of holding her own. After all, she lived in the downright scariest part of the land, in her dark little cave wedged between the cliffs of slate. Not that it was always black as pitch. When she remembered to fetch wood she had fires, such as this late afternoon, though she wished she had apprentices to fetch such things for her. Gone were the glory days of the bards, though the histories still existed in charcoal pictures and words on the walls of the archives. The archives were a beautiful collection of caverns that led backwards from her own darling little enclosure. The oldest pieces of history resided in the main room, a cave at the very end, near the surface, where if one were to fall in they would surely die. It had maybe a fifty-foot opening to the sky, where light trickled in and ignited the shadows. Where this opening was in the lands, Serendipity was at a loss for knowledge. She had never come across it in her apprentice wanderings, and she'd heard no rumor of it in the voices of others. It remained to be seen if any would stumble across this opening, though it would be best if they didn't. The fall, at least several hundred feet, would likely kill. Voices in the passageway that her cave was attached to caused her ears to flick forward in shock. Only the alphas knew where the cave could be located, and she recognized little about the voices coming towards her dwelling. A cough ruptured a moment of silence, and then a feminine voice spoke. "How much longer do you think?" It was a long ways to the end of the passage, though that could be what travelers were looking for. Not that anyone intentionally wound there way into Ramaskith's land. No, her gut told her that it would be best if she confronted these travelers. Even if they were not searching for her Hall of Legends, they most certainly should be turned from the dark path the East was on. Not that if Ramaskith came to her requesting help she could deny. She was a servant of the Alphas, though a non fighting one. She had approved the appointment of each leader, though with many only in her refusal to retaliate against their ascension. Sooner or later they all learned of the bard, or in the old days bards, and came looking. History, power, greed, fame through the ages. Each came with a different purpose, though none, not even Ramaskith, had tried to harm her. That fact made her feel safe, and snatching up a lit branch with her teeth, she exited the cave into the Quisque Requiem. She could not judge how far away the creatures were until she saw a daemon scamper up and stop at the sight of her. She almost giggled, which would have caused her to drop her torch, at the sight of a snow leopard being the slightest bit undignified. She could not explain the daemon's actions, nor could she control them, though the mere presence did imply an owner close at hand. Shapes began to form in the low light though, shadowy as the emerged into the arc of light her torch cast. A stallion and a mare, perhaps strange companions, greeted Serendipity's green eyes. "Welcome travelers. You've come a long way, I think, in search of something. Name that which you seek and I will direct you on your path."

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[twi]

Kaodran had to fight to keep his mouth from dropping open, a most undignified expression, although he didn’t mind letting the seeming apparition before him see the awe radiating from his eyes. Flames licked and played at the gray muzzle that held the burning branch, casting an eerie golden glow around the cavern. It illumated its bearer and Kao stared at her unabashedly. Her figure, though significantly smaller than Kao’s was striking in its strangeness. A tawny coat was haphazardly marked with black, a hoof, a sock, an eye; and were those raised bumps around her eye self-inflicted burn marks? He couldn’t be sure in the flickering light.
Quickly, he glanced backwards at Rae, not intending to ignore the mare who had just spoken to him, but feeling a twinge of anxiety for his companion. She had been so strong, traveling through Quisque Requiem with him, a nerve-wracking experience, he was sure. Even if one wasn’t afraid of closed, dark areas - like himself - it was definitely no walk in the meadow. After a searching glance at Rae, hoping that she didn’t choose to freak out at the sight of a flame-wielding mare that had appeared out of nowhere, he turned his attention back to the equine standing in front of him who he assumed must be Serendipity.
He played her words over in his mind, wondering how to answer them. What did he want., really? All he had cared about, ever since his journey began was simply finding the illusive bard, but now that he was here, he had no idea what to say. He wanted to win the war, of course, but he doubted she would hand that request to him on a silver platter.
Instead he said respectfully, “If you are Serendipity the Bard, we have been sent to find you, by Oser. He instructed us to seek advice from you, as Ramaskith is preparing to invade the North, the last free territory remaining. Even now may have already begun his attack.”
Even as he spoke, Kao felt a twinge. How long had he been gone? He had been enjoying himself, up until the clautrophobic slate mountain that was, traipsing with a pretty mare, seeing the sights, and being secretly glad not to be in Rama’s path anymore. Maybe the invasion had already begun and he was missing it, so far away from where he was really needed.

[Abba]

Heaven forbid, well aware of your sins
in the wake i'll be just like the rest
tell the sun don't fall, so we'll never forget.

Rae jumped as the other animal appeared with the flame flickering off of the stick. Was she going to burn them in a fiery hell or something for trespassing? But her words seemed to be reassuring enough. Gently she stepped forwards until she was right beside Kao, shaking her pelt so that the dust disappeared from the black and white designs lacing her back. Of course, Kao's words stuck her and she paused. He was planning on fighting. Oh great. She didn't want to have to go towards war with him. When that time came she would go with him towards Rasta and stay with her. She would fight only if absolutely necessary. With a pause in time she looked up and whispered "I think it may have already begun..." Her voice vibrated against the walls making it seem like it was coming back at them even though it obviously wasn't...

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==into the mind
.153 words
.no muse yet...[/size]

[Snowflake Smoky]

[atrb=border,0,false][bg=black] ☼Serendipity♀ Serendipity surveyed the two presented to her with a level stare. They weren't what she'd call a prefect duo, but the hints of desperation in their voices projected a certain honesty she didn't feel a need to question. Neither of these two was an alpha, which would mean that one of the alphas, probably Oser as the male had suggested, had sent them to her. "You have indeed found the equine you seek. " The awe gleaming in their eyes was enough to make her want to laugh. Honestly, she was alive wasn't she? She walked on the same earth they did, drew each breath with the same need that they did, and questioned the future with the same impatience that they did. She commanded respect of course, with her position and job, but there was nothing mystical about her besides her songs and her memory. She'd have patience with them though, mere children the same as she was, but obviously had weathered more of the real world than she had, sheltered away in her cave, lonesome and tried with the histories of wars she would never see. This one though, would carry her names to younger generations of bards. This hopefully last of what she had dubbed 'The Great Wars' in her own personal histories, painstakingly scribed on the cave walls with charcoal. Thank goodness the weather didn't effect the cave too badly, else all of the history would be lost. She labored the same as these worn creatures did, poor things, but in a different way. As their work ended, in the tired scraps of war or death, hers was just beginning. "Ah, children, Ramaskith's insanity, or vision depending on where you stand, has tried you, has it not? Come into the cave children, and I will do my best to mend the harm that he has lately caused." As she moved back into the cave, Serendipity chucked the burning torch onto the bonfire. She'd grab this or another one if she came across the need again, but for the moment she expected peace. Further inside the cave, a silvery feline figure paced towards her, blinking and bobbing its head. "It seems your visit is more important than I had previously weighed. Something of worth is to be discovered in this conversation, certainly, for creatures of the mist do not appear frequently. For one to have been granted to me, this must indeed be a pivotal point in life. I shall him Cambiar, for change. Now tell me simply children, how you came to be here, and what you think I can do for you." Eons of patience had been bred into Serendipity, perhaps making her less frantic than these two. She could do little for them until she understood completely however, so their hurried movements would have to slow. Things would not change that quickly in the time it took to discover where the future was to take them.

[twi]

Kaodran winced at Rae’s words. Though they were sheltered from the elements, so deep into the mountain’s heart, he knew that winter had already begun. Yet another season had passed in his absence, more time for Ramaskith to have wreaked havoc upon his beloved lands, another season of futility. He was suddenly weary, as he followed the Bard into her cave, accompanied by Sliene and Rae.
He nodded his head in silent assent to her words. Ramaskith had tried him sorely, if only mentally. He could only imagine the hurt of the equines physical wounded by the stallion. He wondered though, just how Serendipity planned to mend him. What did she think she could do?
She continued to speak, only confusing him further.
"It seems your visit is more important than I had previously weighed. Something of worth is to be discovered in this conversation, certainly, for creatures of the mist do not appear frequently.”
Kao blinked, furrowing his brow, trying to understand what she could mean. Creatures of the mist made their conversation more important? He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again, wondering what to say. But she wasn’t done, her further words only adding to his confusion.
“For one to have been granted to me, this must indeed be a pivotal point in life. I shall him Cambiar, for change. Now tell me simply children, how you came to be here, and what you think I can do for you."
Who could Cambiar be and who had granted her what? A little wheeze of air escaped his lungs as he glanced over at Rae in utter befuddlement, hoping she could clue him into what the Bard could mean, though he doubted she had any more idea than he.
Sliene appeared to be pleased however, licking her coat with an expression of studied modesty upon her feline features.
Kao finally decided to go with the safest answer possible, and that was replying to Serendipity’s question. “Well, we came to be here thanks to Oser, as I already stated. It was Sliene that did the actual work of finding you though, here in these labyrinths. I trusted her to lead us to you, and sure enough she did.”
He sighed, shaking his head. “As to what you can do for us, I have no idea. We just need help. I don’t know how much help a Bard could be in war, but Oser seemed to think you could aid our cause. We definitely need all the help we can get, because right now we’re on the losing side. Is…is there anything we should know?” he finished lamely.
What else could she do? Knowledge was a Bard’s area of expertise, so he had asked if knowledge could aid them, but really, how could it?

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