[J'Tal]

As everyone steps up to the tunnel, the flame that Hira'Coma has controlled seems to be hit by a blast of wind that no one can feel. The flickering gets wilder as J'Tal approaches the tunnel entrance. A look of stern concentration can be seen on her small face. As she concentrates she speaks to Spirnach who translates.

"She says that the are many psionic presences in the tunnel that you have choosen."The more Spirnach hears and repeats, the less it seems like he wants to enter. "She is having a difficult time controlling her own ability to produce flame. We may need another light source to continue but Hira'Coma says she will hold up the flame as long as she can."

J'Tal reaches up and scratches behind Hira'Coma's ears as he contemplates the opening. "I still think we should press forward despite the danger, This is most likely the fastest way to meet a creature of the caves. What do you think?"He directs the last statement to all who can hear.

"Claws that shred stone and powers that bend minds don't sound good to me."Spirnach gives his opinion.

8-8

[Owl]

"Ooh! Sounds like my type of tunnel," Mayhem was basically drooling at the thought of the raw power within those walls. "I'm in. I'm fine without light; cat eyes, y'know!"

Irun sniffed attentively at the ground, barking "We use hearing to see our way through the tunnels; we'll be fine going down this way." Nuri screeched in agreement, shifting her large paws in excitement.

Ravean shuffled through her bulky coat pocket, searching for something to light their way. She let a gasp as her fingers drew out a small packet of matches. "Aha! Will these work for lighting our way? If so, I say we head into the dark and the unknown! If not, I suppose we can have our creatures see our way..."

[9-9-5]

[J'Tal]

J'Tal takes hold of the pack of matches and lights one to see the effect. As the small flame starts to burn the match, Hira'Coma focuses her attention on the flame. The green flame that has been flailing about in the unfelt wind moves toward the match. As they touch, the green flame consumes the fire and grows larger than it was before the psionic wind blew at it. J'Tal almost drops the match until he notices that the flame is no longer burning the match. There is still flickering in the green fire, but it doesn't look like the flame is in a windstorm anymore.

"Hira'Coma must be using the flame from the match to focus her psionic energy."J'Tal states. "That must be why the flame is bigger and stronger than before."Hira'Coma nods her head slightly as J'Tal says this.

"So, I can't use the 'unable to see' excuse for not entering now. Right!?"Spirnach seems nervous about entering. "Ah well, at least if I die my spirit will leave this place and go to a friendlier cave."

"You know the runes on the walls imprison spirits. That is why there are so many ghosts in these halls wandering around."J'Tal calmly informs.

"Crap."

"Well, lets go."With that, J'Tal steps around an especially large hole in the ground that seems to seep darkness and starts down the tunnel holding the match up like a torch. "Lets get this adventure rolling!"

As that is stated, there is a loud crack, and the floor drops from beneath the party and they are plunged into darkness as Hira'Coma looses focus on the match.

9-9

[Owl]

A few 'oohs' and 'ahhs' sounded as the hounds and Mayhem watched the flame grow into a wild, emerald blaze.

"Well, if we die, we die together, right?" hisses Mayhem, flicking her tail in annoyance. "Stop being such a cry baby!" She trots beside J'Tal, her fur beginning to bristle as they head into the unknown. Ravean takes a deep breath before heading onwards, Irun and Nuri obediently at her side. Her heart pounds in her ears as it tries to force it's way through her chest; she was scared, but she tried to keep her features calm and determined.
But, as the floor swallowed the group, she couldn't help the shriek of utter terror that tore through her throat, wishing to join the fellow screams and yowls of her creatures. The sickening dark tugged them down, enveloping the little light they had; the last flicker of light was Mayhem's eyes as they soaked up the quickly fleeting flames in the red-green glow before...

Darkness.

It was so absolute that it seemed as if all time and form stopped and disappeared. The only thing Ravean could sense as they plummited was her two furry dogs clawing and flailing at the dark as if to tear it open as they howled and screeched prayers to the gods. Mayhem sounded like a fire alarm; brisk, sharp, and loud, but Ravean's hands could not feel her fur and could not locate where she was. They fell, fell, fell until it was hard to know if they had stopped or if they were still falling, which way was up and which way was down, and whether or not they already hit the floor and were dead. Ravean was starting to believe that she was, in fact, dead and was now about to join the spirits that dwelled here before splashes were heard underneath her as stones dropped into what she hoped was water. She braced herself and latched onto one of the hounds (Which one, she didn't know).

In only what appeared to be a minute of apprehension, there was a crash and more yowls as Mayhem's coat got drenched. "It's freakin' cold!" she cried, along with a few other things less civilized. Drops of water met Ravean's face, making her flinch. Then, Ravean felt the ice cold water reaching up and dragging her under as the collision took her breath away. All she felt was the liquid washing over her, sending shivers up her spine before the Wockee she still clung to swam to the surface. Her lungs ached for air, and as her head broke to the surface, they gasped and struggled to withdraw more air they were capable of holding. Her hound dog paddled, trying to find where the others were. They soon found the other Wockee with Mayhem clinging to its head, still murmuring curses.

"J'Tal? Spirnach, Hira'Coma? Where are you?" Ravean managed to croak, her throat hoarse form screaming and the plunge.

[10-10-6]

[J'Tal]

There is silence until J'Tal bursts to the surface of the water. As he is gasping for breath and treading water, he lifts up the soaked Larvie so that she can breath. About that time you can hear a voice calling from above.

"Um, hello? J'Tal? Ravean? Crazy psycho cat? Can anyone hear me?" The voice comes from Spirnach as he glides down in the darkness. You can see him silhouetted against the hole that the party fell through. Light drifted down from the opening some 50 meters up, but it was too dim to illuminate anything. As Spirnach drifts closer to the water he crashes into the wall and falls the rest of the distance onto a ledge.

"Ravean, Spirnach didn't splash." J'Tal sputters as he continues to tread water with Hira'Coma raised above the surface. "That means there is land." As he states this he begins swimming for the spot that the crash came from.

As J'Tal crashes into the ledge he finds that there is no slope leading to the dry ground. J'Tal reaches up and finds the edge to be a foot out of the water. Pulling himself up, he crawls forward to find that the ledge he is on is 2 feet wide, but stretches out in both directions. As he finds Spirnach, A red glow slowly appears 10 feet away down the ledge. The glow reveals a massive serpent seemingly made of darkness and fire.



As the snake rears up a hiss seams to reverberate through everyone's head. When the creature speaks, you can still hear a slight hiss in your mind. "Whhy do you wakes mee? I wass not dissturbing you." As the creature speaks it feels like snakes are slithering under your skin. The voice is obviously masculine in nature, but equally evil. "Perhapss you needs my help?" The hiss you can feel, seems to chuckle in your head. "My name is Slaanesh. (spelled correctly) What can I do for you?"

10-10-1

[Owl]

The four swam quickly to shore, eager to get out of the freezing water. The hound Ravean clung to hoisted itself upon the ledge, its strong legs pulling Ravean up with him. She flailed on the dark ledge, still gasping for breath. Beside her there was the groans of another Wockee climbing up, with  Mayhem jumping off its head as if her tail was on fire and almost running into the wall in the pitch black dark. The dogs whined and shook their bodies to send the water on their pelts flying in every direction, witch didn't help in drying off the others.

Startled by the sudden red light, the dogs barked in sharp, high-pitched notes that bounced off the walls of the cavern. Mayhem hissed and hid behind Ravean, her tail, although still sodden, puffed out to twice its size. Ravean squinted at the sudden light, its shine hurting her eyes. She could make out the form of a snake or dragon in the glimmer, but she couldn't be sure. As the hiss echoed through her head, she let out a shudder. The Wockees gagged, the words and rhythm tasting like coal in their heads. It seemed bad-natured, but they were soaking wet and lost. Perhaps the beast could help?

"He-hello, Sl-Sl-Slaanesh. W-we're looking f-for a Hu-Hunter, b-but we're sort of l-lost...H-have you seen a-any around?" she managed to stutter. She really wished she had her coat, but she lost it during the fall. It was probably soaked, anyway.

[11-11-7]

[J'Tal]

"You look cold," As the serpent says this, flames spread along the ground toward Ravean. The fire stop abruptly infront of her, they appear normal with the exception that the core of the flames are black with the edges a glowing red. This throws the room into a deep red colour with garish shadows. "thiss sshould warm you." As he speaks, you still have the distinct impression of your skin crawling.

Spirnach recovers quickly from the crash and leaps infront of J'Tal when the flames raced toward Ravean. Despite the flames not harming anyone, Spirnachs wings are up in a defensive posture. He looks like a cat when it is trying to scare away a threat. "Leave now."When looking at Spirnach, you can't tell if he is furious or terrified.

At this point, Hira'Coma looks at the snake and releases a low growling. Slowly green flames engulfs her body as she glares at the serpent. The flames still whip around as if they are still in a violent wind, somehow, this only makes Hira'Coma seem more threatening. The light from the green flames seems to cancel the garish red light. (green is the opposite color of red.) Hira'Coma releases a angry hiss at the creature.

"Why am I getting thiss treatment? I have done nothing wrong." As Slaanesh speaks, he slowly moves toward the party. "Thiss lovely female," He hisses as he indicates Ravean. Slowly moving toward her. "Has asked for my asssistance. Slaanesh stops 3 feet from Ravean. His eyes glowing and slightly hypnotic. "I know where a Hunter is. Do you want my help?"

11-11-2

[Owl]

Ravean's eyes squint into slits as the flames twist around each other like waring beasts before dimming each other into a weak, faint glow. Her brain drifted back and forth with the speed of a confused fish chasing reflections of bugs. She was looking for any sign that showed who she should trust and who she should go with. Either way could prove fatal, and either way could prove helpful.
Shudders ran up her spine. The warmth...Ravean needed the warmth soon, as her thin skin felt like it was freezing into an icy tomb. But, she did not want to end her adventure in the stomach of a huge demonic snake. Ravean rubbed her hands and twisted her shirt as she wracked her brain for the reasonable way to go.

Irun gave a low growl to no one in paticualar, more as a harrumph at the current affairs, and bent his large head down so that it rested lightly on his master's shoulder. "No matter what you choose, we shall stand by you and fight. Do not be afraid..." he hissed in her ear, swaying his tail towards Mayhem and Nuri. Nuri nodded in compliance; Mayhem sat in grumpy, soggy, terrified silence until a nudge from Nuri made the feline give a start and nodded along quickly.
Ravean gave an uneasy smile, and feeling a little stronger about the outcomes of either choice, decided to take a risk. If she did die, it would certainly answer her question if there was an afterlife. Supporting herself on Irun, she turned to J'Tal with a grim face. "I..." her voice faltered, so she choughed and began again in a lower, lispy whisper.

"I think we s-should trus-s-t h-him."

And with that decicion, she boosted herself up and stood as tall as she could in front of Slaanesh.
"We accept your help and th-thank you f-for it,"

[12-12-8]

((God, sorry for the terribly long delay. You know how it is with funerals, vacations, relatives, sicknesses, and school. There's probably a few spelling errors, but the computer I'm using right now doesn't have spell check. Again, sorry sorry sorry.))

[J'Tal]

There is a underlying sense of smugness in Slaanesh's voice as he turns to a crack in the wall that was concealed by his flames. He seems to be gloating as he watches the party's reactions. "We sshould travel through herre."

"What!" The outburst comes from an obviously irate Spirnach. "You were hiding the passage from the beginning!If you didn't get our consent to help, you would have hindered us!" There is no more the playful nature that everyone has come to expect from the small Stargoyle.

"For the assistance that I sshall be providing," The whisper that seems to worm its way into your ears comes from the snakeas he slowly speaks. "Will be that you sshall wear this bracelet." As he speaks the the tip of his tail traces 7 circles in the air. As the tip of his tail moves, flames follow creating 7 identical floating rings of fire. "Its iss only fair that you do thiss for the help I have and will provide." For an odd reason this is a very compelling argument. "Don't worry, they will not cause you any harm. If any of you decides not to do thiss, you will not be able to pass."

Hira'Coma lets out a low growl.

J'Tal looks from one member of the group to another. Finally he steps forward and taking one of the burning bracelets, puts it on. For a second his eyes flutter as the ring tightens around his wrist. He shakes his head as he speaks. "It doesn't hurt, but I feel drowsy. Almost a little drained."

There seems to be a malicious glint in Slaanesh's eyes.

12-12-3

((don't worry about it, lets just get us a Hunter!))

[Owl]

“How do we know they’re s-safe?”

Raevan inspects them from a safe distance, a hand on her hip. Mayhem leaps up onto her shoulder for a better view.
“I say we don’t put them on! Who knows what they’ll do!”
Nuri sniffs them with her eyes focused on Slaanesh. “I’ll try them, just to make sure,”

Nuri emits a low growl as one fiery bracelet worms its way towards her wrist. Suddenly, it snatches Nuri's paw and wraps around like a vine on a flower. She whines, shaking her paw as if to dispel the circle, but to no luck. "It's..." she starts, but shakes her head. "Hard to explain. It doesn’t hurt, but…"
Irun seizes one and it quickly twists around his black arm. He flinches and sniffs it with strong curiosity, snarling all the while. “It seems safe enough…” he mutters before testing his weight on his leg. He did feel a little drained…But, they have  been through a lot…

Ravean nods, and takes one of her own and one for Mayhem who sits quietly on her shoulder. The bracelets swiftly took their place, nestling on the two’s wrists. Ravean felt warmer, along with a sudden urge for sleep.
“Okay, Slaanesh, let’s get a m-move on,” she orders, beginning to stroll towards the opening in the cave. Mayhem stares at the large, sizzling snake and hisses with malice from Ravean’s shoulder, “And don’t try any funny business, or we’ll rip your charred heart out--!”
“Mayhem, behave!”
“Fine, whatever,”

Behind Ravean and Mayhem, the two Palowockees followed behind closely. They did not trust Slaanesh one bit, and their muscles flexed in preparation for any battles. But they felt so tired…Maybe it wouldn’t be all that part…
They began to relax, their minds becoming faintly blurry.

[13-13-9]

[J'Tal]

Before the group could follow the serpent, Spirnach and Hira'Coma had to "wear" their bracelets. Spirnach moved forward after Ravean. Spirnach looked slightly drained after it attached to his arm. When Hira'Coma extended her arm and the flaming ring attached to her arm she let out a shriek.

Smoke seemed to unravel from the bracelet wrapping around her. J'Tal, who was holding her, was just as shocked as everyone else when this happened. Careful not to drop her, he could only watch and ask Slaanesh what was happening.

"I didn't do thiss," he hisses. "Thiss iss not my doings." Despite claiming ignorance, he seemed extremely interested in what was happening.

The Smoke from the bracelet formed a cocoon around her body, then solidified. J'Tal was left holding what appeared to be a small bag or sack tightly wrapping around something. Not knowing what to do, J'Tal attempts to speak with Hira'Coma.

"Hello?"

Without warning, the cocoon violently shakes. there is a scratching noise followed by a loud tear. Hira'Coma emerged evolved. Different, but not whole. From her new appearances, it looked as if there was something missing from Hira'Coma's soul.



The bracelet that was previously on her arm, was no longer evident, and when Slaanesh made a motion as if to make another, Hira'Coma spoke.

"It will do you no good, snake." Her voice, obviously feminine, was a rich almost deep sound. "I have surpassed you. Lead us to the hunter."

"Are you..." J'Tal hesitantly asks. "Are you alright?"

13-13-4

[Owl]

"Holy scrap metal!" Mayhem hissed as her eyes slowly opened like dusty blinds as Hira'Coma transformed. "Just look at all those eyes!"
True enough, eyes bloomed around her new wings, staring intently at the group with unfocused severity. The hounds understood this as a hoax, a mere mechanism to deter predators, but May looked utterly freaked.
"I can't get away from them!" she squirmed on Ravean's shoulder to try to get out form under the eyes' glare.
"Clam down, fur-face." Ravean shushed, staring at Hira'Coma with curiosity. "To tell the truth, she looks...God-like, but sort of out of it. Like...Like..." Ravean searched for the right word, butafter a few seconds couldn't find a trace of it, and settled for cheap words. "Not...there?"
"Translucent inside-out," Nuri finished for her, which only ended in making Ravean more confused on what exactly Hira'Coma looked like.
After a moment of studying Hira'Coma, Irun barked, "You definitely look shinier, yeah? You feelin' okay and whatnot?"

[14-14-10]

[J'Tal]

"I have transcended what I was. Though I did not evolve as I should have due to the magiks of this snake." Hira'Coma's tone was calm, but there was a powerful note to it.

Spirnach cautiously approached Hira'Coma. "What do you mean?"

"It meanss," Said Slaanesh, as he starts to enter the hole in the wall. "Sshe hass become a blights to all living thingss." He seemed a little smug as he said this. "Plantss that sshould be nourisshed by her, will now die."

Spirnach, still protective of Hira'Coma, faces Slaanesh. "How dare you do this to her! You knew this would happen!"

J'Tal puts a comforting hand on Spirnach's back. "It is done. Lets finish what we came here for, then we can see if we can repair this. Lets go." As he says this, he starts to follow Slaanesh into the crack in the wall.

14-14-5

[Owl]

"How dare you!" Ravean yowls, her face a mixture of rage and a tired confusion. But, since she knew there was little use agruing, she let it be and swore she would get back at the snake, one way or another. She stalked towards the crack behind J'Tal's group, her hands clenching and unclenching. Behind her, the dogs gave a low growl as they peered into the darkness through the hole, which seemed to be even darker than the light in the caven, if that was possible.
"Don't worry, dear, maybe you could get a job as a weed killer?" offered Nuri as she trotted up beside Hira'Coma, worried that a reverse butterfly might not have much hope in the world. Mayhem, still clinging to Ravean's shoulder like it was her saviour, kept her dinner-plate eyes on the snake. Her tail, fluffed up like a feather duster, wrapped protectively around Ravean's neck like a dectorative python.

And so, the group entered into the snake's newly formed cave with growing fear and doubt.

[15-15-11]

[J'Tal]

As everyone follows the snake into the depths of the mountain, the only thing that they could see of Slaanesh was an occasional flickering of fire. Hira'Coma kept her light extremely low so everyone might see the way the serpent had gone.

"Are we there yet?" Spirnach whispers it, yet it still sounds loud to everyone's ears who became accustomed to the silence.

Before anyone could reply, Slaanesh responds. "Patience iss a virtue."

"Yea, but what do you call following an evil freaking snake down a dark tunnel?" Spirnach mumbles to himself.

"Stupidity." J'Tal answers despite it being a rhetorical question.

"No." Hira'Coma responding got everyone's attention. "It is called a trap."

At that moment, the flickering light of Slaanesh went out. When Hira'Coma brightened her flame they saw four tunnels leading to 'no one knows where'.

15-15-6