[SpringsSong]

"Come on!  Hurry up already!" The Peacer Fellox called over his shoulder, his tone slightly annoyed.  He had wanted to come to the Caverns for a while, especially after hearing about Si'hana's death.  "I'm coming, sheesh.  Not all of us can move at the speed of light, you know.  There are those of us that like to smell the roses." The Evren Bruiser retorted, although this was muffled through the tiny bouquet of roses.  She glared at the Peacer before saying, "Don't you think it would be wise to lave something for Si'hana instead of us just sitting there in bloody silence?  Don't you think that she wouldn't want that?" The Peacer rolled his eyes before saying, "Let's just go so we can get down there!  Preferrably before any Akail get to us..."



"And what's wrong with running into Akail?"

This new voice took the Peacer and Evren by surprise.  It was Amar, the new Sulkuhna at the Arena.  His eyes were steely as he said, "I think it'd be fun to meet an Akail.  After all, life wasn't meant to just be all humdrum, nothing exciting, you know?" He glared at the Peacer, Irenth, who looked like he was going to question him.  "Now, let's both behave oursevles, or I'll get Aila involved in this.  Yeraith, Irenth, are we understood?"

The begrudging nods seemed answer enough for him, for he took lead of the party and lead the way deeper into the Caverns.

{1}{1}{1}

[[For Thunder, Jaden, and I.]]

[Jaden Wolf]

A void sahound ran through the tunnels, weaving through the shadows happily. Behind her, a glacial polly regarded her oddly. "Abyss. Abysss...Abyss!" she called out, raising her voice to get the entergetic sahound under control. "What's with you? You're never like this." said the polly as the sahound stopped and turned her head. "It's been a while since I was around free Shadows, remember? Relax, I'm fine." Abyss sighed.

She looked ahead as she heard voices. Soon a group came into sight and the polly flew ahead, ignoring Abyss, who shouted at her. "Hello there!" she called. "My name's Hypothermia, though you can call me Therm. The moping sahound back there is Abyss."
As Therm said her name, Abyss walked up, glaring at the bird. Her fur seemed to get darker, but Therm landed on Abyss' back quickly and the darkness faded. "What are you all doing here?" she asked them. She didn't really know why they came, but on the way here, they decided to pay respects to the deceased and try to get one of the creatures that resided here.

[SpringsSong]

Irenth looked up in shock, his muzzle formed into a snarl as he spotted the Kuhna, Albie, Rexxel, Sahound, and Polly.  However, before he could respond, Amar spoke.  "Greetings.  I am called Amar, and my friends are Yeraith and Irenth.  We are indeed hunting for Akail here... but my friend, Irenth, wanted to come here also to pay his respects to Si'hana."

"Me too!" Yeraith mumbled through the bouquet of roses.  Irenth rolled his eyes and said, "Are you guys looking to join us or what?"

"Don't mind him.  When he takes a long trip, he gets... a little angry." Amar quickly said.

{2}

[Jaden Wolf]

Abyss looked back at Therm, then ran after the group. Taken off guard, Therm almost tumbled off, but managed to regain her balance. She wrapped her wings around Abyss' neck, holding on for dear life as the sahound lept over rocks and weaved through boulders. Therm knew that she didn't have to go that way, but she also knew that this is the way Abyss wanted to go, and there was no changing the void pet's mind.

Eventually, they ended up ahead of the group and had to stop. Rolling off of Abyss' back, Therm flopped onto the ground, panting. She hated bumpy rides. "Which way are we going to go?" asked Abyss when the others came up. She didn't quite know where anything was, as the Shadows had not yet made contact.

[SpringsSong]

"Zears, Mira, and Twist, you say?" Amar said, smiling.  "It's a pleasure to meet you.  I seem to recall having heard your name before, Twist... Would you happen to know of an organization known as the KLA?  I heard a friend of mine talking about it... or its apparent non-existence now..." He said, shaking his head.  Irenth pushed ahead and stalked forward, leading the way deeper into the caves, flicking his tails.

"...he just means for us to follow him." Yera said quietly.  She knew that Irenth was angry that she, and Imperial pet, wanted to pay her respects to a Purist, when the rest of her kind had wanted Si'hana out of the way.

{3}

[Jaden Wolf]

Abyss walked on beside the group while Therm flew above them. When they heard the words 'powers of darkness', the polly staggered in mid-air. Abyss looked up to make sure she was flying properly, then looked at Twist oddly. Quickly, she looked away, hoping no one noticed her expression. Therm had told her not to let anyone know what they were, and despite her urge to blurt it out, she kept her mouth shut. Therm, sure that no one was looking up...or could lip-read...mouthed to Abyss. "Good job."

Then Abyss turned her head as she heard Mira's story. "That's sad. I mean, I never had parents, but..." she was cut off by a warning squawk from Therm, and shut her mouth quickly. She just couldn't keep it in could she?

[SpringsSong]

Amar nodded.  "Last I heard from Fire, neither the KLA or the LLA were working out quite like the plan had been to.  Most of the Kuhnas my trainer had put up for mates have since found them, but not through the KLA.  Same with her Lucain." He said, blushing slightly at the comment that he was the most polite Sulkuhna that Twist had met.  "Why, thank you, Miss Twist.  My cousin thinks I'm overly nice... for a Sulkuhna, that is."

Irenth continued to move ahead, while Yera couldn't help but overhear Mira and Zears talking.  "Your parents were taken?" She asked, her jaw dropping.  "I'm sorry to hear that... It must be hard, thinking about what might have befallen them..."

"Brought on by your kind, Yeraith!  Imperials!  I have no idea why our 'Trainer' fought for them when she seems more like a Purist!" Irenth snapped.  Yera's ears flattened as she growled dangerously.  He looked up ahead at Abyss and Therm and rolled his eyes as he thought, HOW did I get stuck with this crew...?

{4}

[SpringsSong]

OOC: Yes, Yeraith is the Evren.  And I'm gonna break the post order now...

"Erezakiel, you say?  I do believe I am acquainted with his sister, Adeola.  She's a Lunar Kuhna.  Bright little thing, she is." Amar said.  Looking back at Yera and Irenth, he said, "If you two don't stop this fighting right now, I'm gonna have to hurt you."

Irenth sneered.  "Oh?  And what are you gonna do to me?" He snapped.  Yera, however, gave a shifty glance and said, "I'd not test him, Irenth.  He can get dangerous..."  Turning to Zears, she said, "Yes... We have Albie sisters like that, only they've mostly gotten over their differences.  The war brought them closer together, I'd go so far as to say."

{5}

[Jaden Wolf]

OOC: Ack. Sorry for not posting ><

Abyss moved over so she was walking with the group instead of off to the side. "Well, not all war pets are scarred, I think. There is a Peacer Fellox at our home who constantly reminds the rest of us that the war didn't affect her. She hates pity without reason" she said with a small smile. Then she tilted her head to the side and smiled. "Then again, there are no doubt many who are scarred."

Therm flew down, soaring just above Abyss. "We actually weren't in the war. Our...mistress...didn't like it. She thought it rediculous and didn't want to see anyone in our home risking their lives. Of course, I heard someone ask her...what side she would join if she had to join. She said 'Purines'...and she also said that if she had to put some pets from home in the war, she'd put in Imperials. I asked her why, and she replied 'What would Purines think if Imperials risked their lives for them?' Really, if people and pets could just ignore their differences, then war wouldn't happen." she said, and Abyss looked up in surprise. "Wow, quite the speech." she said with a small smile.

[SpringsSong]

Amar nodded.  "Yes.  Adeola's been like a daughter to me ever since I arrived at the Arena.  Regrettably, it was not all that long ago that I arrived there, so she had grown up.  Nevertheless, I still treat her as a daughter." He said.

Yera nodded slowly.  "I see..." She said quietly.  Then, hearing Mira's idea, she said, "I know of a few war-scarred pets you could talk to.  Whether or not they're around is another matter... but they could use some help that none of us can provide." She said, lowering her head.  She'd seen the Disease Kuhna and the Trikuhna that had come home from the war.

Irenth scoffed.  "I heard of an Imperial pet that fought for the Purines.  I heard he got killed in a little incident though, and came back as a Purine." He said.  Then, he shrugged.  "It takes time for others to forget differences that you've been taught with.  I remember trying to hang around with an Imperialist crowd for a while in school, but their teacher would always push me away and my teacher would always scold me.  My parents were worse." He said.

{6}